#imagine if the Dark Crystal took the time to explain every aspect of the world

[mokeonn]

I think that the 2010's media landscape of Buzzfeed articles about plotholes in disney movies, Cinemasins critiques, and Watchmojo Top Ten scenes in movies that make no sense has truely ruined a lot of media. People are afraid that their work will be torn down if they dare leave a single thing up in the air, if they dare ask their audience to suspend their disbelief.

All too often nowadays I see stories (especially fantasy), take the time to explain how every small aspect of the world works and how it all logically makes sense. The constant time stopped to explain why an event happened, how this object works, or why this is important to the characters. It's just really not needed and it honestly makes a lot of stories worse.

I am of the opinion that the best stories truly just drop you into their world and explain nothing. They just take you through the story of this world and you just have to accept it and continue on. "When he became king, the land became barren." I don't want the story to stop and explain why this is, or how it happened, I want us to move on so we can just assume that the king has such rancid vibes that everything died.

[crystalliccs]

                 WHAT IT MEANS TO BE ALIVE.    PART ONE.                       ________________________

                 Note: Female Warrior of Light/Darkness. Miqo’te. Summoner.                  Part one is completely sfw! (And it’s not beta read. Do not judge.)

                 HEAVY PATCH 5.3 SPOILERS.

                 Word Count: 4844 (read more-cut due to the length)                  Ship: G’raha Tia/WoL                       ________________________

The sharp, illuminous blade reflected the light perfectly as he swung it several times in fluent motions – full glad that only for once he could do this without any curious eyes watching him. And yet it was almost as if their shadows still lingered inside the rooms of the Rising Stones, gawking and eagerly commenting his work. Yet the man failed to grasp their fascination for his skills completely; as he understood that he was scarcely more than a fresh beginner in so many aspects. Perchance even far less experienced than them all. And, merely sometimes, he felt at loss – overwhelmed by his very own emotions dwelling inside, as he could sense a trace of pride, of honor. Thus he could hardly afford to rest and enjoy his very own life when he had done naught so far.

With this young body of his, at least.

It was tedious and so very different from controlling his body in the First; albeit he would debate if those crystalline shapes he walked on ever truly had been his in the first place. No, to be quite frank he had to debate if he ever were truly alive as Exarch - shedding off all of his humanity to outlive the eternal slumber for a little longer so that he could reach for the salvation of their worlds. And truthfully, it had made him be far more powerful than he had imagined it would. Connecting his own aether with the collected boundless amount of the sun, all stored within the central spire, he had become far more than the marionette of the voices of the ancient Allag whispering to him whenever he closed his sanguine hues.

It had not been his very own aether which fed his body for an entire century; and most certainly wasn’t an old man - who hardly ever left the Ocular for so many decades - supposed to be able to keep up with true heroes of another world who knew no other life. Yet he had achieved as much; borrowing the strength to do so by shortening his close to now immortal life, step by step.

Oh, he gladfully endured this all – feeling the icy coldness of the crystallization proceeding to cover his chest so ever slowly with every spell he conjured. It had been a slow death – one he embraced should the time arrive.

Yet the time had changed. He could no longer rely on such ancient secrets – nor could he sacrifice what had been bestowed upon him. Another chance.

Even a few weeks after awakening from his long slumber, G’raha was still far from being satisfied of the very condition of his very own body. Though younger and revitalized as he still so very freshly remembered through his younger soul deep inside, it was still far more challenging to use the very own resources of it instead of relying on the power bestowed by ancient technology. Truthfully, it had taken him all this time to remember himself of his common body’s functions, as pathetic and foolish as it was – such as the need to even sleep. Albeit he had undeniably become better in managing such normal needs by now, the Miqo’te still attempted to push himself towards his own limits every now and then, exploring the possibilities.

He had lost count of the many apologies he had mumbled recently, uncertain how to behave or control himself in this new environment when both of his souls still attempted to grasp that he had indeed broken free of his chains. An impossible task, as it seemed. It would take him more than one century of him mostly isolating himself inside the Crystal Tower to not notice certain individuals’ worried gazes. One particular ambitious lalafell somehow always showed her motherly face when he indeed started to feel unwell, gently reminding him to rest. Oh, and it was by far not only Tataru, unfortunately. They all kept a close eye on him.

So, he feared naught at changed – that he was still the very same.

Yet such knowledge only made him strengthen his resolve to work on himself so much more; lest he became a burden to his newfound comrades.

The man had to admit that some very selfish part of him wanted to step out of the Rising Stones and join the others for longer, raising his own cup when they did and enjoying the prepared feast to the fullest. Perchance even catch a glance or two upon the smiling face of his beloved who finally indulged in such activities after all she had done. But how could he? His lips would merely curl into one of these delightful smiles he only had for her whenever she glanced upon him, without him ever saying those words which always lingered on his tongue. Words of affection, of love. And, as he feared, he would merely get teased for it once again. Albeit he had never spoken about such thoughts with anyone, he was quite certain that a few individuals were fully aware of what he truly felt. In fact, he already considered such assumption in the First.

And still his lips remained sealed.

The man quickly twirled on one steady foot, with the tip of his illuminous blade drawing one perfect circle to pierce through a great chunk of wood of the dummy he had used for the past twenty minutes. For once he did not even feel the harsh impact on its sturdy surface inside his muscles – unlike all of his previous attempt over the course of several days. His sanguine eyes widened a little by his own display of strength as he was taking one sharp breath. Soft clapping echoed from the stony walls of the room, as he realized that he was indeed not alone at all. Perchance he had been mistaken that anyone would participate in the festival after all, but he could certainly cope.

Quickly sheathing his sword again, head slightly tilting to glance upon his observer, G’rahas lips lightly opened in surprise.

“One clean cut. You have indeed been practicing a lot, lately – haven’t you? I believe you have been less proficient last time I saw you swinging a sword against a proper opponent”, the Warrior of both Light and Darkness spoke as she took a few steps closer to him, mint eyes glaring with unbelief.

Truthfully, he had hoped she would not become witness of such poor display of skill until he had honed such a little more; yet he could hardly pretend that seeing her was unpleasant in any possible way. Her company never was, albeit this was perchance no convenient time.

She crossed her arms in front of her chest, playfully pouting yet her aggressively swinging tail was indeed telling him that she was annoyed. Angry even, mayhap. His eyebrows slightly furrowed as his expression softened into a silent apology as immediate reaction – knowing full well she deserved as much. And so much more.

“But - G’raha, really. Pray tell me you do not intend to hide away here and train all by yourself whilst everyone else is enjoying themselves”, she continued, carefully watching him as she stopped a few fulm in front of him – seemingly judging him with every fiber of her body.

“Oh, about that. Well, I merely considered this as fine opportunity to spar with myself without disturbing anyone else. Though, in truth, I am still getting accustomed to how loud and crowded it can be in the Rising Stones. So ‘tis indeed a quite welcome change”, he attempted to explain with a gentle voice, with his ears excitedly twitching as so very often when he spoke with her.

In the very end he would not dare to say the full truth about his endeavor. Nor that he not solely did it for himself – but also for her.

“Hardly an excuse to miss such a rare opportunity, I daresay. You need the rest more than any of us. Besides, everyone poured their hearts’ content into the preparation. You included. ‘Tis hardly fair if you do not participate.”

“I indeed had one cup of fine ale thus far”, the man shrugged, albeit his facial expression remained the very same. Kind and soft.

“And I had two. This is not a contest”, the woman reminded him, easing her posture for merely a little. She moved around him towards one the many empty chairs near him, which were usually always filled. But not now, when the spirit of enthusiasm had long departed to celebrate outside with everyone else. If she truly ever had been angry at him, it was scarcely noticeable by now.

G’raha could not help but to feel relieved upon such sight, feeling the tension of his still agitated muscles to disappear by merely looking at her. Her small silhouette seemed almost…calm – as calm as one could be before the next raging storm was fast approaching. He knew this too well. And it would come – particularly since the most recent reports from Garlemald had certainly stirred more than one rumor in these halls. It was indeed worrisome, to say at least. Yet perchance this was not the right moment to speak of such topic. If the situation changed, they were the first to know anyway. And until then, well – there was so much to discuss. To consider.

Mayhap his own selfishness indeed drove him to such decision to prepare himself to become her shield if he must. One final burden to bear, one she had not to know of. It had been his choice, in the very end. One he had not to oblige, yet his heart demanded.

For her there was still a chance to enjoy this evening if she left and let him be.

“So, my inspirational friend and hero, pray enlighten me what you seek if you are so unwilling to join the festivities outside. I doubt you have entered the Rising Stones to pry on my poor efforts”, he spoke rather amused, with his velvety tone merely becoming higher in spirits. Of course it was merely a small jest, one he happened to voice every now and then by now, yet genuine curiosity swung inside his very tone as well.

Her eyes widened a little ere she closed them again, her tail curling on her lap in utter defeat. “Mayhap I happen to find it unfitting for myself to enjoy the festivities as well and sought to find a quiet place instead. Not unlike your own idea, as it seems.”

“Ah, it would seem so. Though I fail to fathom how the guest of honor managed to escape unnoticed.” “I have my ways.”

His lips revealed his perfect teeth, a small and yet ever sweet grin as answer to her own she showed after giving such mischievous reply. Truthfully, he indeed felt so much younger when he was with her like this, despite still feeling the nagging burden of his older self at the corner of his mind. In those moments he could almost forget it all – the dark future he had witnessed, the sacrifices he had made just to save countless of lives. She was the only one who could create such oblivion for him – who truly made him feel alive again.

“Perchance now is a good time as any to ask…” The young woman lifted one hand to point it towards the blade resting on his hips, slightly tilting her head. “I have noticed you scarcely ever carry the staff Tataru so carefully prepared for you anymore. Is it not to your liking?”

His chest lifted heavily upon realizing that she had indeed noticed. Suffice to say his eyes had always silently followed her over all these past weeks, even if only to assure himself that she indeed was the same as always. Always determined and strong, prepared to forsake anything in any moment. No, he had even done more than this – eagerly following into her footsteps, even accompanying her once on a small little adventure just as she had promised. Mayhap he had been foolish to assume she would not notice what seemingly everyone else seemed to know already. His ears flopped a little, perchance a little ashamed to admit what he had concealed for the past few weeks.

His hidden struggles, the strains of his muscles and his reckless endeavor just for her sake. Yet could he not at least say as much when she already asked? After his long concealment, of his failed attempts to lie, could he not voice the truth even if only parts of it?

“Well…Controlling my own aether to conjure spells is far more challenging than I had imagined. Though, I believe, I have learned quite well to hold myself by now. Thank goodness for that. Yet there is no doubt in my heart that my poor control of such stand little chance against your mighty summons. However, ‘tis hardly a surprise, of course. When I first woke up in this body again, my mind kept repeating the very same question. And so I pondered… I asked myself what I could possibly do with this newly gained life I embraced. Suffice to say, the conclusion I came to was quite simple. I want to live the very dream of a young boy I once was – and I wish to stand by your side.”

Clenching a fist, he bumped it against his chest a few times, one light smile still visible on his full lips.

“So, I have decided for myself to become your sword and shield henceforth.”

“G’raha…”, she whispered, quietly and slowly rising from the chair she had picked just moments ago, scratching lightly over the stony floor. “You do not have to do this for me.” The thin line of her eyebrows lightly furrowed in concern, light footed steps coming closer once again.

For a mere moment he saw more inside the reflection of her beautiful eyes surrounded by those astonishing long leashes – one hint of an emotion, perhaps fear. An entire tale carefully hidden away inside them, one he yearned to decipher. “So ‘tis as I feared. You still feel the burden on your shoulders, do you not? After all this time… Would it not be possible to make a finer choice than this?”

Her lips began to form more, unspoken words – yet he heard no tone, nor did he know what she attempted to add. Nonetheless he fully understood the true meaning behind them; since he could ask her the very same question.

Why carrying the burden of an entire world when one had the choice not to? Knowing the risks, knowing the countless sleepless nights and the hidden, dry tears deep inside their souls.

“’Tis easier said than done, I fear. You among all should know this as well as I do. You have found and touched many souls on your path – inspired them to act when there was naught left to believe in. In the many moments of desperation, when the hope slipped through their fingers, becoming unreachable by their very own strength, your kindness guided them. “ His lips formed a wry smile, remembering his own naivety in his younger years.

“Of course, I was no exception. And when I first set my mind on this world’s salvation, I realized the full extend of your sacrifices. Over the years the burden became heavier, weighing upon my heart. And yet… No, ‘tis my full intention to live my life to the fullest. Without any regret. And I cannot imagine doing this without you.”

Too many unspoken words lingered in the heavy air surrounding them, taking both of their breaths for a moment. Words, which had always dwelled in their minds, for all this time – and yet failed to ever reach the other’s ears. And whilst their souls had silently yelled in this buried, pitch-black corner inside their very heart, their very own numbness and regret had made them so vulnerable. Those tears they both had pretended to not heavily wear; the immeasurable burden of two entire worlds resting on their shoulders which threatened to make them falter and they attempted to ignore regardless. Always staying silent, always quietly suffering in the very cage they had created – knowing this was the only path they could take.

He recognized this very gaze she showed him now – knew of its meaning. Each shade of her mint colored eyes showed the very same shadows he could see in his very own gaze inside the mirror – the souls of the lost; the fragments of what remained when they had failed. The man watched her reflection inside the mirror for so many centuries; watched her struggling, laying in her own blood and yet mourning for each one she had not been able to save.

He had done the same; slightly smiling underneath his cowl to give his posture strength whilst his fingers tightly clutched his staff over all these years. Listening to the sheer endless reports of their casualties; listening to the refugee’s horrific encounters with the menace they faced every single day.

Even now, after both of his souls had united in one body and mind, and he could glimpse on freedom for the very first time in his life – a true choice given to him – it was impossible to avert his gaze from the path he already had chosen. The dream he once had a boy had long awakened, shaping in pleas of a distant past and mocking nightmares. All of his entire being had yearned to partake in the Scion’s duty; to stand next to the comrades, these friends, he respected – yet some small part inside, deep within, had also seen it as necessity. And, from what he understood, she was so very similar. Albeit given the choice to rest so very often she never did, never hesitated. It was the trait worthy of a true hero who shaped their entire future – yet who also lead onto a very destructive path.

Oh, he knew this all too well.

The short glimpse of warmth, of happiness just to see it withering once again, turning to emotionless dust – never touching one’s own life.

Because those who fought, who did remember - the forgotten, the untold tales no one else knew besides them, had to carry their burden for all eternity.

His face expression changed, sanguine hues filling with a sea of sadness and regret. In truth he wanted to lay it all bare – wanted to speak those hidden words so many moons ago, when he was still believing in his own selfish, pathetic demise. And now, after receiving a second chance he still concealed himself in this veil of silence, ignoring his fast throbbing heart, fearing what her answer would be. An answer he would have given for so many decades as well. Yet if he continued to let his heart wither and die, failing to let his own emotions reach her, he would no longer be able to look upon those faces who sincerely wished for his happiness.

Wasn’t she one of them, in the very end…? He knew that she, among all of them, needed one plain word of affection the most. It was selfish, mayhap… Yet how harmful could it be to set himself free from the chains of his feelings for her? Emotions he had learned to well control, which he had been prepared to take with him when he embraced death itself. No, he certainly would not ponder about such things if there even was the possibility of accidentally hurting her. In truth it did not even matter to him if she returned the immortal love he felt for her – as long as he could ease her indescribable loneliness for merely a little.

“I…’Tis a selfish request, I am certain – nevertheless, I must ask one final thing of you. That you survive, no matter what. And that you will return…to my side.”

G’raha took a heavy breath, calloused fingertips finding her surprisingly thin shoulders to carefully bury themselves into her soft skin. He was scarcely taller than her, a few ilm at best perchance, but this made it solely easier to observe her fair face so very close to his own. Her rose lips already parted, likely in attempt to respond, yet he immediately cut her off, fearing if his own words got lost in hers they would never reach her.

“Every time someone calls for your aid in desperate times, I want you to remember that the very thought of losing you is frightening to me and I can ill afford losing you. This world has long entrusted all their hopes onto you, and with each day I fail to fully fathom the burden you still bear. Nevertheless, I can imagine. And I wish for you to know that before I draw my dying breath, I shall share and attempt to ease the weight you’re carrying. Lest you forget you are not alone.”

His voice had become velvety yet strong, as his resolve resonated with each word he spoke. There was so much more to say – so much more to reveal – yet opening his heart this very way after all these years was indeed quite a challenge. The emotions had long suffocated him until he had banished them, losing his own humanity with each passing day after replacing them with the numb, faceless mask of the Exarch. But no longer.

“G’raha – pray tell me, why exactly are you telling me this”, she asked in a hoarse whisper, finally seizing the opportunity to speak, worrying he might say more. The young hero had not moved ever since he had approached her, but the shades inside her eyes were ever moving, observing – and filled with the very same sadness he felt burning deep inside his soul when looking upon her.

Oh, what would he gave for her to look at him differently – not with the kind, worrying eyes of an hero but those of a loving woman.

“I love you”, he said plainly, lips curling into a soft smile, unable to hold it back any longer. “I do not regret one single moment by your side, nor my… quite selfish actions in the First. It was all for you, to protect you. And it pains me to know you all alone even now, shouldering all dreams and hopes by yourself. Whatever it takes, I will see you finding your happiness. And I… I trust you are well aware that I do not require you to accept my feelings. They are genuine, I assure you – and I cannot imagine any one being more worthy of them than you.”

The pressure of his fingertips on her shoulders grew – not to cause harm but to steady himself for the remaining words which still had to slip his tongue. He would love to indulge in the sensation of his touch for longer, usually shunning to be as close to her to not awaken those lustful desires.  

Would she allow him to come closer, even if just for a brink of a moment…? Could she already listen to his loudly throbbing heartbeat and merely bore it for his sake?

His sanguine eyes disappeared beneath his long lashes, not to hide them from her but rather to dwell in his own memories as he spoke. His chest lifted, filled with the emotions of all these moments they had shared albeit ever so briefly.

“Worry not, my inspiration – my only love. For I am eternally glad that your star has charted my course, I will never forget your kindness nor anything you have done to save my own life. So I will not ask more of you than I already have. In truth, I already received so much more than what I had dreamed of. So I beseech you, pray let me aid you in any possible way. Just say the word, my friend.”

His hands felt as heavy as the crystalline form he once possessed when he attempted to lift them from her shoulders again, intending to give her some space. Yet the faint grip of one of her hands found his own, carefully wrapping his wrist to hold it in place. His eyes flung open as he felt the unexpected touch, meeting the pair of shiny mint colored eyes filled with tears, he reckoned. The man’s lips parted in surprise as his reddish ears laid close to his head.

“Why do you speak of such things, asking for naught in return?”, she asked, her voice slightly trembling – yet in apparent anger, with her ears moving agitatedly. “Do you truly never ponder about your own well-being, not even now of all times? After learning that they all wish for the very same… Rammbroes, Krile, Lyna… All good people of the Crystarium. They all wish for you to live your own life. You have already done so much, so pray tell me why you still fail to see this…?”

He did not move nor grit it teeth as her free hand clenched a fist to tenderly beat his chest a few times. As she stopped the fingertips clutched the fabric of his new garment, leaning in her weight until she almost rested inside his arms. Yet just almost. He could feel her hot breath brushing the bare skin around his collarbones, sending an immediate shiver down his spine. His limbs were itching to move, to pull her into a full and proper embrace – nonetheless he did not dare to move, not understanding her current actions.

“‘Tis true, we are indeed so very alike, you and I. And most certainly you are just as stubborn as I am. ‘Tis why I am…glad to know you as my companion henceforth. Yet I cannot condone you to suffer in my place. Ultimately, I solely want to see you finally happy as well. I want to see your dreams lived and fulfilled”, she continued with a small sigh and he noticed, as she lifted her gaze once again to face him, that one single tear had emerged from her eyes.

“Is it truly selfish to want to feel alive for once…? After being so very selfless all the time?”

Her voice trembled with the last questions, making him ponder if they were rhetoric or not. In the very end he was not even certain of whom she spoke. His second hand, yet free from her touch, slowly lifted to meet the warm skin of her cheeks, swiping away the tear with his calloused thumb. G’raha felt her reacting to his touch, barely noticeably even, ere she leaned into the warmth he offered.

“Mayhap not”, he answered in a rather husky tone, ignoring the yearning of his own body and the loud, desperate clutch of his very own soul.

“Then you shall know… I love you too, G’raha.” Albeit her voice had scarcely been more than a whisper to his ears, suffocating in some more tear drops to flow down her cheeks, he felt their meaning with every fiber of his body. It was not before she lifted her hand to gently rub over his own cheeks that he noticed that he had shared in her sentimentality.

For he realized that the woe, the deep sadness he saw inside her mint colored shades for the past moments were not product of her kindness but rather her feelings for him. Such sight made him to finally channel the strength needed to let go. To let go of the very burden he still desperately held onto; the very past in which he had merely chased after his very own death and desperation for all these long years. For the childhood in which he had believed to be cursed, to be condemned.

One past filled with dreams and hopes to believe in a future in which others might find happiness, albeit not himself.

“So perchance, just for once, mayhap just even for this moment - can we not forget and live, breathe? The world will not end, solely for us being happy for only one day. And the others can certainly wait, too.”

“Agreed”, the man mumbled, quickly leaning in to seal her lips with his very own, lest she spoke more than she already had. Truthfully, he was no longer certain if he could bear to wait any longer. Not after waiting more than an entire lifetime for her already, to finally feel her faint touch.

Her sweet, flowery scent filled his nose, sweeping through his entire body like an untamed wave – evoking all of his usually hidden emotions for her. Lips so perfectly shaped and soft moved against his very own in an almost painful slow rhythm, ere he his tongue slightly tickled them, yearning to taste her, to memorize all of her entire being. Immediately he felt her slim arms winding around his neck, pulling him closer as she slightly parted her full lips to give him entry.

None of it was like he had imagined; it was far better than the finest dream he ever had.

________________________

[ END OF PART ONE – Part Two will contain smut! ]

________________________

Sidenotes: I am following my headcanon that – because he is an allrounder and can fit into all roles – he is picking the most fitting role for the Warrior of Light (despite seen with his staff in the cutscenes).

In this case, since the Warrior of Light is a Summoner – which I still daresay should be the most powerful role according to the given canon information – he prefers to become her sword and shield. All of this is, of course, accordingly written to my own headcanons & portrayal and might not fit with other’s. 

[rohad93]

Bellow Diamond Week 2019: A work in Progress: Day 6 - Earth

You can read the previous days on Ao3 under the title: A Work in Progress

~

Blue Diamond hummed to herself as she made her way from her personal quarters to Yellow’s.

She'd called to speak to her but her Pearl had answered the diamond line instead and said that Yellow was asleep.

That news pleased Blue greatly, that Yellow was resting more. If any of them needed more rest, it was her.

She was less pleased when she arrived at Yellow’s quarters and snuck in quietly just to find her newly constructed, gold cushion colored bed, empty. Her Pearl was the only one in the room.

She quickly snapped into a salute and apologized.

"My apologies, your radiance, my Diamond left a few moments ago."

Blue pursed her lips in mild annoyance as she turned down another hall. If Yellow was no longer in her personal quarters, she didn’t have to guess to know where she was.

Though it was strange that she would leave her Pearl behind if she was going to work.

The doors to the control room opened, which should have alerted the rooms sole occupant of her presence but Yellow did not move.

Strangely in fact, she didn't seem to be doing anything at all.

She couldn’t suppress rolling her eyes at the familiar scene of Yellow sitting in her chair, some screens sat open before her.

Yes, there was always work to be done. Unlike her counterpart however, Blue was capable of delegating the less important things to the trusted members of her court.

Yellow had to have a hand in every aspect of her courts machinations. Now with the turnover from colonising to conservation and before with every step of the colonization process. She had even invented many of the tools they used and were still using in these processes and was always working on some minute ways to improve upon them, even as her Peridots did the same.

She was a micromanager of the highest order.

“Your Pearl said you were sleeping.” She walked right up to the control chair, glancing down at whatever Yellow was working on. It seemed to be pictures of the lakes and fields of some planet.

Yellow grunted, never taking her eyes off the pictures.

“Yellow?” Blue tried again, resting a hand on her armored shoulder.

“I was.” She finally answered. “I had another nightmare. You weren’t there, so I couldn't go back to sleep.” She explained simply.

“I’m sorry.” Blue said quietly, gently threading her fingers through Yellow’s hair.

“My inability to rest on my own isn’t your fault.”

“Perhaps, but I would have been happy to come and rest with you regardless.” She frowned at the pensiveness in Yellow’s posture. “Do you wish to talk about it? Your nightmare?” She asked gently.

“No.” was the steadfast answer.

"You’re certain?"

Yellow's only response was to hunker further down in her chair.

Blue’s frown only deepened, but she and Yellow had stood side by side for enough eons that she knew when not to press.

Instead she reached out and with gentle fingers squeezed and rubbed the tight muscles of her companion’s neck.

Slowly her tight shoulders began to sink back down into place not bunched up to her ears. She hummed appreciatively

“What are you looking at?” She tried. "One of your planets?" Her head tilted in a questioning manner.

"The Earth." She finally responded.

"The Earth?" Blue echoed, eyes returning to the images of fields of verdant green, oceans of deepest blue, and canyons and cliffs of darkest red.

It really was a beautiful planet.

Blue said as much. Yellow replied with a neutral grunt.

"Do you think that's why she chose it over us?" She asked quietly.

Cerulean eyes were immediately on Yellow who turned her head away, avoiding Blue's now questioning and worried gaze.

If Blue had any doubts about what Yellow's nightmare had been about they were now effectively dispelled.

"Yellow…" she said just for the taciturn gem to stand and walk to the tall windows that looked out over a dark and quiet Homeworld, her hands held tightly behind her back.

"I know that it was us... that drove her away…" she started, voice tight. "But was it worth all that it cost?" She breathed.

"After all the time I have spent with Steven and his crystal gems, I think it was less about the Earth and more that on Earth, Pink could be what she wanted… love who she wanted and be loved by them." Blue followed her to the window.

"We loved her…." Yellow managed through gritted teeth. She caught sight of Blue’s frown in the reflection of the glass and sighed, her jaw loosening.

"I have never been very good at showing it though..."

"No," Blue agreed gently and wrapped her arms around her lover’s waist and laid her cheek on a smooth, warm shoulder. A gloved hand covered hers.

"You have never been the most forthcoming with your feelings but neither have I…" she could see Yellow looking at her skeptically from the corner of her eye. "I have always been a being who felt my emotions strongly but we both know that I was just as unwilling to speak of my feelings as you were."

"I suppose that's true."

"Well ...maybe not as much as you…" Blue smiled against her shoulder. A hint of laughter in her voice.

"Hmm, what is that supposed to mean?" She turned in Blue’s grip so that they stood face to face. Yellow frowning and Blue smiling mischievously.

"Well, it did take you eons to tell me how you felt about me." Her smile only brightened as Yellow's cheeks darkened. "... and it still took me bringing it up first."

"That was different." She insisted.

"How?" Blue tilted her head.

“It’s…it’s different.” She finished lamely.

“Oh, of course, I stand corrected.” Blue nodded with a grin.

“You don’t understand.” Yellow scowled, turning her head away. Gently, blue fingers on her cheek turned her face back to Blue’s. The smile replaced by a more serious look.

“I would if you explained it.”

Yellow sighed deeply.

“You forget that I was the first diamond after White.” She reminded. “The only thing White ever cared about were results, not feelings. Feelings are… were a weakness.” Yellow paused, looking contemplative. “You know, there was a time I was very much like her.”

“White?”

“No. Pink...” She admitted. Cerulean eyes widened. “Curious, boisterous, perhaps even aggravatingly so.” She smiled ruefully.

“I admit, I find that hard to imagine.” She said, prompting Yellow to snort.

“It came to an end long before you, my love. By the time you emerged White had crushed any of that out of me…” Her eyes narrowed into golden slits. “I was created to build our empire, to lead armies and conquer worlds... there was no time for such foolishness.” The general scowled.

Blue rubbed soothing circles in her back, she could feel the tenseness in her partner’s frame, but she stayed quiet. This was the first time Yellow had ever really spoken at length about the time before she herself had emerged. Era zero, the time before there had been four of them, and the only time White had was during speeches about her glorious rise from the depths of the cosmos. She certainly never talked about a much younger Yellow.

“She did not tolerate my hesitance to destroy the life of would-be colonies, did not care for the stress or pressure I felt that threatened to crack me… Results were all that mattered. White was merciless and harsh… with everyone.”

Blue could hear the implied ‘With me.’ Yellow was too proud to say. She could imagine it, an overbearing White with only Yellow to receive her ire and the weight of her expectations. A Yellow who had been like Pink, young and eager and no one else to turn to… yes, Blue could easily imagine how that had created the stern and distant gem she had met when she first emerged.

“You had to be perfect...” Blue mumbled, reaching up and gently running her fingertips over Yellow’s gem. “...She punished you.” It wasn’t really a question. Yellow’s jaw clenched. Blue didn’t need her to answer. She tightened her hold on Yellow.

The obvious ‘Just like we punished Pink’ went unsaid

“It became easier to suppress my emotions than suffer White’s attempts at… corrections...” She looked down at Blue, pressed firmly against her front, her aura reaching out, cool and reassuring, her silent way of trying to provide comfort.

Her gem thrummed in response, her own aura meeting hers, silently conveying her appreciation. “Until you…”

That made Blue pull away so she could look into bright amber eyes.

“My feelings for you were the only ones I couldn’t be rid of no matter what I did… I was terrified something would happen to one of us if White found out, even more so when Pink emerged, young and prone to making mistakes. I feared for her.” Yellow stopped, her body going limp in Blue’s hold. “Apparently I never accounted for the fact that it would be me that hurt her…”

“You are not solely to blame, Yellow. We all had a hand in it.” Blue cupped both her cheeks between her hands, forcing the general to look at her. “We tried to do what we thought was best for her and ourselves…. all we can do now is move forward.” She slowly stroked her thumbs over Yellow’s cheeks.

“You’re right, of course.” Yellow sighed, straightening back up. “It’s too late for regrets.” She pushed some loose strands of hair back into place as she pulled herself back together.

“You know… I very much wish I could have seen you back then… ’young and boisterous’.” She smiled as Yellow’s cheeks darkend.

“Don’t be ridiculous, Blue.” She scoffed, pulling herself out of Blue’s arms and walking briskly back to her chair. Blue watched her with a knowing smile.

The monitors popped back up unbidden, images of Earth still sitting open in the forefront.

Deciding that the mood in the control room could use a little more lifting Blue made a show of sauntering over, and by the way Yellow stilled she knew she had accomplished her goal as she sat herself in the other diamond’s lap.

“Blue!” Yellow tried to make herself sound stern but the sudden raise in pitch gave her away.

“Things are different now, Yellow.” Blue reminded her with a playful tap on the nose. “You don’t need to be afraid of caring anymore… not for your gems, not for White, not for Pink or Steven...” She wrapped her arms around Yellow’s neck and the adoration in her eyes was clear as their ocean hue, “...and certainly not for me.”

Yellow stared back at her for a long quiet moment. Blue opened her mouth to ask what was wrong when Yellow’s lips pressed roughly against hers, silencing the words.

Blue hummed in delight, taking a fistful of flaxen locks as strong arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her close as possible. Their gems glowed brightly, filling the little spaces between them with vibrant green light.

Kissing her was always a little rough and ragged, but so warm and passionate, so distinctly… Yellow.

“Isn’t that better?” Blue asked breathlessly when they finally parted.

Yellow grumbled an affirmative, her face buried in Blue’s neck, making her chuckle as she smoothed her ruffled hair back out of her eyes.

Blue glanced over at the screens, still showing beautiful scenic views of places on planet Earth.

It’s sprawling desert sands and tall jagged mountains.

“I’m glad she had the earth, where she could be free.” Blue mumbled. Nestling more comfortably against Yellow, who shifted to look at the screen.

“Without it, I think we still wouldn’t be free either…” She smiled as Yellow laid another kiss on the corner of her mouth.

“No, we probably wouldn’t...” She agreed.

[thenightling]

Once Upon a Time vs. Faery Lore

This post is to discuss actual faery lore vs. Once Upon a Time faery lore and a little commentary on pop culture faery lore.  I am going to explain why the actual faery lore (traditional faery lore) would have worked best for Rumplestiltskin being the Black Faery's Son.

1.  What it means to be Half-Faery:

In traditional folklore being the child of a human and a faery is not like being half German or half Swedish or Half Italian, or half Chinese, ect. People have gotten too used to pop culture treating supernatural creatures like human racial backgrounds. That's why I compared it to diabetes. In folklore faeries mated with humans often and the faery aspect never really dilutes. You either are a faery or you're not. The "Half-faery" in modern fantasy fiction wasn't a thing. There were "lesser" faeries looked down upon because of their origin, not because they had only half the power or aged like a human, or other such limitations imagined by modern fantasy authors.

In faery lore a human could be turned into a faery or a faery could be born of human and faery parents or of two faery parents (though faery off spring is pretty rare, that's why the race is so limited). But the child is always totally faery (I'm speaking of the folkloric version, not modern pop culture fiction, mind you).

Disney's Gargoyles was actually pretty good about this when David Xanatos and Fox's son, Alex. Fox only seemed human because her magick was woefully under-developed, having been raised to believe herself human. But her son was trained in magick since birth by Puck so by the time he was a toddler he had mastered soul transference of all things.

Folklore about faeries is a lot stranger than our pop culture, which has watered it down to make sense with our perception of genetics but faeryism (Is that a thing?) isn't grounded in science. It's magical. In fact one origin given for Robin Goodfellow (Puck) is that he is the product of Oberon having an affair with a mortal woman and once he was old enough Oberon took him as his slave / servant. But Puck is never considered half-faery in any lore, but always a faery.

Faeries born of a human parent are sometimes considered lesser by the Seelie style of faery but that's more of a snobbery sort of thing. Unseelie (dark faeries) mate with humans all the time. Like the wizards of Harry Potter you either are or you aren't a wizard, despite your genetic background. It's not like in True Blood.

But here I am babbling about Folklore and Once Upon a Time seems convinced all faeries are female and wear frilly skirts and to "Simplify" things they don't even let Maleficent be a faery- which is practically a crime against the character.

Now there is a chance The Black Fairy used to be human and became a fairy later but with the "Simplifications" in Once upon a Time that doesn't seem likely.

I fear, however, that Once Upon a Time's logic will be along the lines of this...

Hypothetical scenario:

The black fairy had a human lover, something probably frowned upon but if the baby was born female she would be a fairy.  If the baby is male he's mortal.   And the fairy has to choose giving up the child and remaining a fairy or become human and stay with her baby.   The Black Fairy did not want to give up being a fairy but the loss of her child drove her mad (hence the baby abductions).

2.  Faery weaknesses:

If the show followed a more traditional version of faery lore and Rumplestiltskin had always been faery (or half-fairy based on pop culture reasoning) then logic would suggest a weakness to iron such as what you see in Disney's Gargoyles and the film Maleficent.

In his mortal life Rumplestiltskin's greatest injury was the smashing of his right ankle with an iron mallet. If they had followed a more traditional fairy lore this would have explained why he was never able to truly heal that ankle (Why every time he's without magick the ankle is again unable to function correctly).

In traditional faery folklore a wound created with iron could be fatal to a faery or would have to heal as a mortal might, without the aid of magick.  Any body part removed with iron cannot be restored.  The film Maleficent is a lot kinder about this idea.

Alas, vulnerability to iron has never come up in the show.  ...Or has it?

The Dark One Dagger (which bears his true name, more on that later) is clearly steel / Iron and the early script for Skin Deep mentioned that Gaston showed up at The Dark Castle with an iron sword.   Prince Charming was able to wound Rumplestiltskin’s cheek with his steel sword in Season One but Rumplestiltskin was able to heal that with magick.  Perhaps because steel isn’t pure iron?

3.  Names.

In traditional folklore true names have power, particularly with magical beings. According to many legends if you know a faery's true name you can summon them by calling out their name thrice, and you can banish them by a similar method. This is something Once Upon a Time actually hints at.  Notice how Rumplestiltskin seems able to hear / sense it when someone is calling out to him. There's even a simple yet traditional invocation in Regina's Grimoire, to summon him.

This is why faeries are often very secretive about their names and or are given very unique and strange names that you would not commonly hear in the human world.  This lore is part of where the concept for the original Rumpelstiltskin faery tale came from.

In the Dresden Files novel the wizard Harry Dresden is actually Harry Blackstone Copperfield Dresden and he is very careful not to give his true name to any supernatural being lest it might give them power over him.

In Once Upon a Time Rumplestitlskin's own human father speaks of the importance of names when he gives child Rumplestiltskin the straw doll that he names Peter Pan (a name Rumple's own father takes when he de-ages himself).  Rumplestiltskin's father says that to name a thing is to make it real.

Rumplestiltksin himself talks about the importance of names, that he collects them (off-handedly mentioned in season one).  And at one point the still-human Jiminy Cricket delivers to him a list of names, which Rumplestiltskin repays with a strand of golden thread ("For your thievery.")  

When Snow White and Prince Charming are being lead to Rumplestiltskin's dungeon in the pilot episode the guard speaks to them as if they have never met Rumplestiltskin before (and the guard may simply not know any better) and he warms them not to give their names. If he has their names it will give him power over them.

Rumplestiltskin trades information to Snow White and Prince Charming for the name of their child, who will be the savior.   It's when he hears Emma's name for the first time in Storybrooke that his own true memories of being Rumplestiltskin are restored.  Names have power.

In Season Six, when Rumplestiltskin brings home a baby to The Dark Castle for use in luring out The Black Fairy Belle asks what the baby's name is.  Rumplestiltskin had made it a point to NOT learn the child's name for fear of getting attached to the baby and tells her as much.  When he summons the Black Fairy it is revealed that she never even gave him a name.   This is odd because Rumplestiltskin is very much a non-human, traditionally faery name, and Malcolm (Peter Pan) did not seem to be that clever to have come up with something like Rumplestiltskin.

When Belle and Rumplestiltskin's own child, Gideon, is born at first Belle does not tell Rumplestiltskin his name for fear that Rumplestiltskin would simply use it to track down their baby (He had good reason...)

Names do have power in Once Upon a Time.  So this is one aspect of the lore at least sort of kept in tact.  It just seems odd that this faery mother did not name him at all and the (at the time) human father came up with a name like Rumplestiltskin.

4.   Wings:

Despite what Once Upon a Time would have you think when it had Tinkerbell stripped of her wings and despite the plot of Maleficent and Tumbilina, in traditional folklore many faeries do not actually have wings and in fact can fly without them.    In traditional foklore wings are NOT a requirement to be considered a faery.   There are many, many types of faeries without wings. 

The winged faeries only became truly popular in America as we started to associate all faeries with pixie style faeries, which Once Upon a Time is guilty of with it’s dumbed down “Simplifications.” 

 Even Jareth in Labyrinth is technically a faery and he flies by transforming himself into a barn owl. 

   And even Puck in Disney’s Gargoyles simply levitated himself.  So please don’t dismiss Rumplestiltskin’s Fae status just because he does not have wings.

 I have a suspicion though that the show will base faeryism on gender, rendering the show unable to ever introduce the likes of Oberon, Puck and Titania from Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream / Disney’s Gargoyles.  This is a shame.  Yet again i cannot help but feel that the show is unconsciously portraying misandry toward Rumplestiltskin with a Dark Crystal-esque only girls can be faeries or “Only Girls have wings.”

5. The taking of children.

Children are actually sacred to faeries in traditional folklore and faery conception is rare so often they will take a human child and transform him or her into what they are. This may have been in the ultimate goal in the original Rumpelstiltskin faery tale.

"Today I brew, tomorrow I bake, And then the Prince child I will take. For no one knows my little game, That Rumpelstiltskin is my name."

In Once Upon a time however there was always some reason behind each child Rumplestiltskin went after.

In regard to the idea of Rumplestiltskin taking babies…

A.  When Rumplestiltskin wanted Cora’s first born it was because his Seer powers told him that her child (Regina) would cast the Dark Curse.   He even alludes to it in the tower when talking to her.

B.   When Rumplestiltskin came after Cinderella’s baby it was because that is what set things into motion which lead to his capture. 

The capture was necessary to  1. Find out the name of the savior child, 2. to tell Regina what was missing from the curse, and 3. to get his cushy caveats for Storybrooke.  When he came after Cinderella’s baby again in Storybrooke it was to wring the deal from Emma which ultimately lead to her helping him reunite with his son in New York.  He cashed in the deal to have Emma chase Neal / Baelfire because in our world he literally can’t run (Season 2 episode Manhattan).  

C.  Even in Season Six when he took the baby from Jack and Jill (which is technically an incestuous relationship if you pay attention to Welcome to Storybrooke…) it was to lure The Black Fairy into a trap.  He did not stop Belle from returning the baby to his parents though he easily could have.   In fact he was watching as she returned the child.

D.  In fact in Lacey (Season 2) Belle stops him from shooting Robin Hood by telling him he’s not the sort of man to separate a child from his parents.

Technically Once Upon a Time’s Snow White and Prince Charming have taken more babies from their parents than he has.

Even in the fairy tale it’s indicated to be the first time he’s ever made such a bargain.  The fairy tale literally tells you he takes pity on the Queen as soon as she starts crying.  It’s not headcanon, the word pity is written right in the Grimm version, which is the darkest version, by the way.   Does that sound like someone whose done that many times to you?

The Black Fairy however follows a more well known and sinister aspect of faery lore in that she does snatch away children.   The same is true of Peter Pan (Once he gained eternal youth), particularly once he started to adopt the Pied Piper Persona and ironically Rumplestiltskin played the part of the lame boy from the original faery tale.  

The poem The Stolen Child by William Butler Yeats specifically is about faeries taking a child.  The poem was used as a coping mechanism after the death of a baby.

With Once upon a Time I suspect there may even be an origin for The Black fairy’s stealing of children, perhaps because she was forcibly separated from her own child. 

6.  Faery Gender:

In traditional faery lore faeries could be male or female.   You notice that right away in works like Shakespeare’s a Midsummer Night’s Dream yet in Once Upon a Time every faery shown is not only Pixie style but also female.   This undermines any ability to introduce the likes of Robin Goodfellow AKA Puck.   I suspect there will be some casual misandry as to why Rumplestitlskin in Once Upon a Time “Doesn’t count as a faery” making those of us who love traditional faery lore twitch.

7.  Aging:

Fairies, by their very nature, are immortal.    Once they reach their prime they can selectively appear any age (or non-age) they choose.  faeries are ageless creatures.   This contradicts repeatedly statements in Once Upon a Time that “Only The Dark One is immortal” but very obviously The Blue Fairy and Black Fairy are also over three-hundred-years-old and have not aged a day.

[spirit-science-blog]

All hail one of Disney’s only “nice” forgotten queens...Kida of Atlantis! For real, she’s one of the only Disney princesses who becomes a queen eventually and retains her goodness and breaks that trope of “evil queens/stepmoms” that’s become so infamous...so you know.. suitable on the Atlanteans for embodying love! I mean, hey, even Elsa kind of went into her shadow self for a bit there…. Anyways, Atlantis is not your typical Disney movie...There’s no musicals or happy-go-lucky princesses who get helped by forest animals or swoon at princes… Instead, we get an hour and a half of a nerd exploring ancient temples, translating dusty books, and a badass warrior princess fighting for her people. And of course… It's freakin Atlantis, so obviously, we’re going to talk about it! What’s more, under the surface, especially in the design elements, there’s a massive wealth of ancient spirituality that taught an entire generation of kids about lost cities and consciousness for the first time…

So, spoiler alert… Atlantis is about a young researcher named Milo who, through the funding of an old family friend - who’s pretty into Yoga, can gather a crew to search for the lost civilization and its mysterious power source. They discover that not only does Atlantis really exist, but that it’s still inhabited by people hundreds or thousands of years old who have super-advanced technology and wisdom but have forgotten how to use it since the Cataclysm. But by far, one of the most immediate things that stick with you after watching, though, is that animation and art style… along with the design of Atlantis itself… It is entirely on par with Plato!

In this movie, the crew finds a civilization bathed in New Age imagery, colors, and idealism, reminiscent of Madame Blavatsky’s depictions of the ancient empire. Ancient symbols, especially the ever-present spiral and triangle, are carved into ceremonial stones and painted on masks that resemble the ritual attire of Native Americans -something that Sweet notices early on. And nor was this an accident, for when researching and designing Atlantis, the creators went through every kind of theory imaginable and eventually found the work and readings of Edgar Cayce, the Sleeping Prophet.

According to Cayce, Atlantis was a highly advanced civilization in touch with the higher aspects of themselves and reality and had found a way to integrate consciousness with technology and powered their machines through crystals. To Cayce, Atlantis was a living, breathing spiritual force that existed. Supposedly, they could focus their mental energy on crystals to produce usable energy, which could, in some cases, be used as a weapon. Naturally, when Disney was coming up with concept art, they thought the same thing as all of us…..” well, that’ll look awesome!” and they made it! The giant floaty consciousness crystal was born, and Atlantis was designed around it.

In the movie, Atlantis is presented as the archetypal Mother Civilisation, from which all modern cultures ultimately came. As a result, all of their temples and buildings reflect common styles from everywhere you’ve come to expect in the modern world… Even their language is based on Proto Indo European, with a dash of Sumerian grammar thrown in! The point is, the creators took the Occult idea of Atlantis and ran with it… Even the journey there goes through a kind of Hollow Earth - whoopsie, maybe we can’t say that without getting demonetized… But anyway, all the while being guided by a sacred journal that is pretty reminiscent of Lovecraft’s Necronomicon.

The Great Crystal itself holds a massive amount of spiritual wisdom too. It’s a life-giving power-source that energizes all life, lights, and flying vehicles in Atlantis. Each person is connected to this force through a personal crystal amulet worn as a pendant… which has been ripped off so many times… But as the king explains, though, the crystal is way more than just a power source or mechanistic machine… It’s created by and takes fuel from its people's consciousness and collective emotions, connecting them in one big, living, breathing “heart.”

It’s even said that the crystal - and by extent, all the smaller crystals, have a consciousness of their own, making it kind of like a deity. Weirdly though, near the beginning, when Kida speaks to Milo, she refers to “the gods wiping out Atlantis,” indicating some polytheistic belief system. While this could be a throw-away line, there’s a sense that the Atlantean world view encompassed multiple gods, as well as this understanding of a universal consciousness that connects and guides all people and things.. seemingly blending ancient polytheism with Americanized Buddhism and New Age concepts like the Akashic Records, which contains all of humanity's past collective knowledge. While we have this polytheistic belief system, it is still unified in their source-consciousness-crystal-ma jigger, so it’s kind of like a mix or polytheistic-monotheism.

Interestingly, according to background fandom sites, in the lore around 100,000 BC, a giant comet passed over the Earth, and a large fragment broke off and landed in the kingdom. Upon examination, the Atlanteans found that it contained a massive crystal and uncovered the excellent properties it possessed. In time, they built their entire culture, civilization, and empire upon it, connecting with it until it became the Heart Crystal that we see in the movie. There’s even a theory that it came from the Mystic Isles, which is like another dimension in the Disney Verse where crazy powerful entities live and are the source of all magic, but that’s another video on its own!

One of the more underlying messages of this movie is its commentary on how nature needs to be protected and not put to waste. In the film, the Flood events were caused by the hubris of the king. In his arrogance, he wanted to use the crystal and consciousness as a weapon...which caused significant instability and that big flash we see at the beginning that eventually caused the fall. The manipulation of consciousness into a firearm is pretty similar to Atlantis's story that we’ve explored in both the Human History Movie and The Anunnaki Movie…

The King pushed aside the need for the crystal as a life force and used it for a selfish purpose, which only led to ruin. After the flood happened, the King hid the crystal under Atlantis since he didn’t want anyone to try and use its power for destructive purposes, and he feared that what happened to his wife would happen to his daughter. By hiding the crystal from sight, the King ignored the past, which ironically….is what the crystal thrives on.

Perhaps there is a message here about the misuse of our consciousness for egotistical gain. In our current, disharmonious state, many of us may act like the King and seek to use our gifts to expand our kingdom rather than genuinely connecting with our hearts and living in balance… If the events of the movie are anything to go by, this can only go one way. The crystal, then, can be seen as both a natural source of energy and something sacred. As long as the people respect it, the crystal protects them, gives them power, and provides them with a long life….but as soon as they are disconnected from consciousness, they begin to die. Ahh, I get it! The crystals a metaphor for nature… or our souls! Or God… Or all 3!

Beautifully though, when the king finally faced his shadow, Kida restored the crystal to its proper place in the community, and Atlantis began to thrive again. The message here is pretty clear….the crystal is the collective consciousness and heart of the Atlantians and reflects our consciousness too. We should use this power within us with respect and not use it to harm others. In this way, we can thrive as a species, but if we hide our spirit under the surface and ignore it, or even worse… Try to mechanize it in our arrogance, and it could lead to our ruin.  

This dual nature is shown pretty well at the beginning and end, coming full circle. When Milo first meets Kida, he has a cut on his chest that she heals by touching him with her crystal, ultimately coming from a place of love...but at the end, when Milo is fighting Rourke, he cuts him with a piece of the main crystal and turns him into Crystal-stein...maybe the crystal was tapping into the intention behind its users?

In the work of the Theosophist Alice Bailey, who the team also drew on for inspiration for the artwork, she tells us that “during the time of Atlantis there was a tremendous battle on the astral between the Forces of Light, who wanted to lift human evolution out of materialism and separateness, and the involuntary Forces of Darkness, who wanted to enslave human will and more deeply immerse humanity in the matter,” which is what she argued was the cause of the fall. It’s quite keen than that Milo's final battle is against the heartless materialism of two bad teammates who had stolen the Crystal to sell on the black market..it’s an excellent little work that the team did...not only are some egotistical humans trying to lock the crystal-force away and sell it..but they’re ultimately defeated, only to have the crystal soar into the sky and be free in all its glory.

Now, of course...we can’t do a video on Atlantis without mentioning Kida.. you know, one of the best Disney princess ever who has been criminally underrated. By the end, she becomes a semi-ascended master, bonding her consciousness to the crystal and going all glowy and holy and becoming a being of pure energy. In a time of great need, the crystal can choose a host to channel its power and protect the kingdom, which sounds an awful lot like Thoth’s ship underneath the Sphinx, but hey, I digress.

Kida embodies the divine feminine in her romantic nature, going to her father to broach new ideas about how to save their culture and has a perfect balance of the sacred masculine and isn't afraid to put her thoughts into action. With Milo, she forms a pretty good creator team that brings consciousness back to the people… In the end, the glowing, energy princess floats down from the skies in a beam of light and melts into Milo's arms where she regains consciousness and her human form… just in time to see a civilization reborn and thriving again… the result of honoring our divine selves.

Isn’t it funny how, after all of it, Kida gives away that whole mountain of treasure to Milo’s crew and helps them back to the surface… not like the Atlantean economy would need any gold, right?... But, interestingly, the real treasure Kida and Milo value is knowledge, so much so that Milo even stays behind to help the Atlanteans re-learn their culture… which is fantastic cause one of the opening scenes of Atlantis II - not as good btw, but still fun... shows a school teaching the language..so we know he succeeds. Most of the temples seem to be a blend of East Asian and Mayan architecture too, which not only links the story to the Maya themselves, the supposed Atlantean priesthood but also helps get that picture of Greek columns and temples out of your head, which was one of the original intentions behind the design.

Bringing this to a close, if you ever wanted to see a faithful reproduction of the New Age idea of Atlantis, then this is like the perfect movie to go and watch...and while it didn’t do great at the box office, it has kind of become a cult classic…. and Tom Holland might star as Milo in a live-action remake. He’s also playing Nathan Drake in the Uncharted movie. What?! This story's message of exploration, adventure, inclusion, and the importance of living in harmony with our consciousness are all lessons that kids learned early on by watching this, and that you can too. While some Bible moms have tried to point out hidden Illuminati or Freemason symbols in it, like the All-Seeing Eye and Quartered Circle, the ultimate lessons of this movie are ones of love, compassion, and caution of hubris and putting our ego above a community.

The whole nature of this movie is even funnier when you read Norma Milanovich and Shirley McCune’s works that argued that Walt Disney himself was a newly Ascended Master whose mission on Earth was to create an awareness of the elementals, the animals, and to integrate the existence of such kingdoms into human consciousness… While we don’t know about that..it’s pretty fun to think about. Maybe Disney’s Atlantis was more in line with Walt’s vision than everyone realized! So until next time, Pah geh sheh nelekh, Gah Moak!

[watchilove]

TAG Heuer presented the second of five limited-edition TAG Heuer Monaco 1979–1989 timepieces that mark the icon’s 50th anniversary. The birthday celebration took place in Le Mans, France – the setting for the 1971 film Le Mans, in which the Monaco was worn by Steve McQueen. Guests included Steve McQueen’s son, Chad McQueen; five-time winner of Le Mans and driver in the movie Le Mans, Derek Bell; actor, race car driver and brand ambassador Patrick Dempsey; and race car driver, Formula E Champion 2017–18 and brand ambassador Jean-Éric Vergne.

LE MANS, FRANCE – 15 June 2019: Engines revved this weekend in Le Mans, France, where watch aficionados set their sights on the latest Monaco anniversary edition. The setting for the exclusive big reveal couldn’t have been more fitting – in the 1971 film Le Mans, actor and “King of Cool” Steve McQueen sported the iconic timepiece, securing its place in horological history. As a tribute to the Monaco’s cinematic debut, guests – including Steve McQueen’s son, Chad McQueen – enjoyed a special screening of the famous film in the place where it all began.

Every aspect of the Monaco timepieces design was radical, and went where no other watch had ever gone before in terms of design and technology. Not only was the TAG Heuer Monaco the first ever water-resistant square watch, it was also the first to feature an automatic-winding chronograph movement.

In honour of the Monaco’s 50th anniversary, five limited editions will be successively revealed throughout the year. These new models are inspired by the different decades from 1969 to 2019 and pay tribute to a style icon now more contemporary than ever. The special collector’s editions unveiled in 2019 pay tribute to the Monaco’s timeless design and TAG Heuer’s never-ending innovation.

Patrick Dempsey, Chad McQueen and the TAG Heuer Monaco 1979–1989 Limited Edition

After the unveiling of the first model at the Monaco Grand Prix in May, TAG Heuer was proud to reveal the next limited-edition model celebrating the period from 1979 to 1989 in Le Mans, France. The first model took inspiration from the years 1969 to 1979 – the first decade of the Monaco’s history.

Chad McQueen, Patrick Dempsey and the TAG Heuer Monaco 1979–1989 Limited Edition

Red-hot racing through the 1980s

TAG Heuer Monaco 1979–1989 Limited Edition

Hot on the heels of the first of the five timepieces, the second model reveals a fiery design with a bold red dial synonymous with cutting-edge design and racing victory. Presented on a black calfskin strap punctured with holes lined in red, this special edition captures the speed and style of the Monaco’s second decade. The stainless-steel model, with its iconic square case, features a red sunray dial and two rhodium-plated subdials with curved edges. Black and white accents on the dial perfectly complement the black-tipped hour and minute hands. The hands and indexes are coated with Super-LumiNova® for improved legibility.

TAG Heuer Monaco 1979–1989 Limited Edition

As with the original, the pushers are on the right of the case while the crown is on the left – an unconventional feature that has distinguished the Monaco over the past 50 years. The caseback of this 1980s-inspired wristwatch is engraved with the “Monaco Heuer” logo as well as “1979-1989 Special Edition” and “One of 169”. Sporting a design inspired by the original model, the stainless-steel caseback has vertical and circular brushed patterns. The case houses the renowned Calibre 11, a modern version of the automatic-winding chronograph movement that made its debut inside the original Monaco in 1969. This watch has been produced in an edition limited to 169 pieces.

Looking back on 50 years of the TAG Heuer Monaco and Calibre 11

When the Heuer Monaco (TAG was not part of the company name at the time) was introduced at simultaneous press conferences in New York and Geneva on 3 March 1969, journalists and watch aficionados around the world were amazed. With its never-before-seen water-resistant square case, the Monaco’s daring and iconic design made it instantly recognisable. The watch’s design was the perfect complement to the advanced technology being presented by the Swiss watchmaker at the time. Developed and commercialised by Heuer, the Calibre 11 was the world’s first automatic-winding chronograph movement.

CEO at the time Jack Heuer believed that this groundbreaking innovation required a design that would demand attention. The Monaco did exactly that.

In 1971, the Monaco was worn by Steve McQueen, the “King of Cool”, in the movie Le Mans.

TAG Heuer and Le Mans

Was it luck or was it destiny? Jack Heuer once explained that the world’s first self-winding chronograph, called the Chronomatic in 1969, was not about luck but rather filling a clear need on the market for chronographs. “But if the Monaco is a first in design, its success is owed almost entirely to luck,” he has said. As the story goes, Jack Heuer sent stopwatches and chronographs to the set for the filming of the movie Le Mans, and he was also able to send six identical Monaco watches (a move made possible by the watch’s poor post-launch sales). It was this watch that was chosen for Steve McQueen to wear. The watch might not have been successful in 1970, but today it is a TAG Heuer icon. Jack Heuer himself has said that he could never have imagined the watch would be as successful and coveted as it is today. He went to the set of Le Mans after the watches had been delivered, but McQueen was not there that day. They never even met!

The paradoxical superstar

Over the past two decades, the Monaco has been closely linked to haute horlogerie with other versions that feature new complications, designs and materials. As it evolves, the Monaco still has the revolutionary spirit that made it both infamous and famous. The complete story behind this icon is told in the new book Paradoxical Superstar, which includes archive excerpts and sketches of the designs and movements. British journalist Nicholas Foulkes, watch expert Gisbert Brunner and American writer Michael Clerizo all contributed chapters that capture the heritage and innovation that defines the Monaco. Underscoring the timepiece’s bond with its namesake city, H. S. H. Prince Albert II of Monaco wrote the book’s foreword.

MONACO 1979–1989 LIMITED EDITION Technical Specifications

Reference CAW211W.FC6467

MOVEMENT TAG Heuer Automatic Calibre 11, diameter 30 mm, 59 jewels, balance oscillating at a frequency of 28,800 vibrations per hour (4 Hz), 40-hour power reserve

FUNCTIONS Chronograph with seconds and minutes; date, hours, minutes and small seconds at 3 o’clock

CASE Diameter 39 mm, case in stainless steel, fixed bezel in stainless steel, sapphire crystal, polished steel crown at 9 o’clock and push buttons at 2 and 4 o’clock, water-resistant to 100 metres (10 bar), steel caseback with “1979-1989 Special Edition” and “One of 169” engravings

DIAL Red dial with sunray finishing, fine brushed rhodium-plated counters, polished, facetted indexes, black and white touches on hands and indexes

STRAP Black calfskin leather strap, polished folding clasp in stainless steel

Limited to 169 watches

SPECIAL PACKAGING Like the watch itself, the watch box is also inspired by the original. Each of the special-edition models comes in a box with colours that match the watch and the decade it represents. The 1980s-inspired model is packaged in a dark blue box decorated with the Heuer logo and a horizontal chequer-pattern stripe. The watch is placed on a grey cushion and surrounded by a red interior – the same colour found on the dial.

About TAG Heuer

In 1860, at the age of 20, Edouard Heuer founded his watchmaker’s workshop in the Jura Mountains of Switzerland. Creating the Mikrograph in 1916, sponsoring Formula 1 teams in the 1970s or launching the first luxury connected watch in 2015 are just a few examples of the major technical innovations, ultimate accuracy and passion for disruptive design that define our unique spirit. Headquartered in La Chaux-de-Fonds, TAG Heuer operates in four production sites – mastering the whole watchmaking process – and is represented on all continents through 4,500 points of sale, including 170 TAG Heuer boutiques that are now directly available on http://www.tagheuer.com in selected countries. TAG Heuer timepieces are designed for those who love challenges. Our influence is enhanced by our unique communication based on three pillars: sport, lifestyle and heritage, embodying our legacy and DNA. Our partnerships and ambassadors illustrate our open-minded and open-door culture, with the most prestigious and avant-garde names teaming up with TAG Heuer: the Aston Martin Red Bull Racing Formula One team, the Monaco Formula 1 Grand Prix, the Formula E championship, the biggest football leagues in Europe, the Americas and Asia, Manchester United, trendsetter Cara Delevingne, and actors Chris Hemsworth and Patrick Dempsey. #DontCrackUnderPressure is much more than just a claim – it’s a state of mind. Find out more at http://www.tagheuer.com Instagram: @tagheuer, Twitter: @TAGHeuer, Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/TAGHeuer

MONACO 1979–1989 LIMITED EDITION Reference CAW211W.FC6467

TAG Heuer unveils the new TAG Heuer Monaco 1979–1989 Limited Edition TAG Heuer presented the second of five limited-edition TAG Heuer Monaco 1979–1989 timepieces that mark the icon’s 50th anniversary…

[sleepymarmot]

Twilight Mirage liveblog 3/5 (episodes 28-54)

28-35 

I'm very excited for a series of solo episodes!

Don't know how I feel about the new Grand Magnificent tbh… This concept feels more conventional than the original one, and I'm worried the aspects of his character I found interesting won't be in focus anymore.

I had my problems with the previous system and how it flattened down emotions into inaccurate categories, but so far I'm not excited about the switch… Blades in the Dark's mechanics were kinda hard for me to follow by ear, and being unable to keep track of the gameplay by myself is unpleasant; and the new classes sound really dull compared to the ones in The Veil. 

Iota's speech is strange… It sounds more like a simple copy-paste of real-life colonialism than the invasion described previously in the story. “They will ask you to give them a name like ours, they will ask to touch your bone” etc sounds nothing like Independence and its followers' modus operandi was, and, judging by the future tense, hasn't actually happened with the present time settlers yet – so where did that come from, in-universe? In fact, shouldn't her people have a relatively positive outlook on non-hostile outsiders, since they brought on the planet's golden age? Hopefully the following episodes will elaborate on this, because I've made peace with needing lore or plot points explained to me several times, but I need more clarity on big ideological question like this. 

Gig is such a Chaotic Good!!

Buying sex is legal, normal & common in the utopia and Signet is a regular customer?! Fucking seriously?! I couldn't even focus on the episode for the next half hour and eventually turned it off because my thoughts kept returning to this and I kept seething with anger. Way to ruin the episode after I was so moved and intrigued by the intro…

They've been pretty careful with past spoilers this season, here's I think the first example: talking at length about the Hitchcocks, plural. Sure, it was only an episode three spoiler, but it was such a good reveal! 

So, who actually printed out the ancient Quire people? Was it a political move from one of the sides? 

No Austin you definitely have not mentioned Earth building a giant Dyson spehere around themselves!!! What the fuck :D

Everyone got a nice inconsequential vignette and Fourteen's scene had actual high stakes…

I really, really don't get what Seneschal looks like

After half a season of two separate parties and seven solo episodes it's so nice to hear everyone together!

Signet's look is absolutely not the kind of thing I imagined her wearing…

Please tell me someone has made an animatic about Even's hair tendril high-fiving Gig's eye

36-45 

It's always cute when the first words after the intro are in that specific tone of voice that makes it obvious that at least 5-10 minutes before were spent in a lively conversation about some nonsense that finally was put to an end no more than two seconds ago (and then they talk about nonsense for ten more minutes lol) 

I love this show's dedication to describing everyone's outfits in extreme detail at every opportunity 

50k+ years later it's Art and Jack's turn to be the half of the party who walks right through the door and charm their way in lol. I hope they don't get shot or buy a bunch of torch units or something

I really like “finding a way to help a teenage community fit in the world” and “reconnecting a family and acquiring infrastructure for travel between planets” as the first projects; it really does convince you that these people have set out to make the world a better place (even if a lot of the time is actually spent pulling heists or fighting mechanical tigers).

Okay, the scavenger faction leader is literally a vulture, I get it.

What I don't get is why we are supposed to dislike that faction. There was some general “eh, they suck” said OOC during setup but we haven't actually seen them do anything bad! Show, don't tell! They need to, like, raid Big Garage and try to steal Gumption's arm if you want me to see them as an enemy.

Remember that nonsense I wrote about T. Rex in my C/w notes post? I can't believe they're doing basically the same joke on the actual show!

But how about… not capture or kill… but befriend the Axiom and/or release it into the wild… I know, I know, they can't travel far enough to move it to a safe distance from humans. But it just offends me on principle that after all that talk of diversity etc, when the characters actually meet a truly alien, unique species, they only consider the options of killing or capturing and exploiting them, and nobody even tries to ask “hey, shouldn't these creatures have rights, even if we are forced to disregard them in self-defence for the moment?” You know who I need to appear on screen ASAP? Bounty. Ask it everything! Does it remember being an Axiom? What did it feel like? What does it think about its transformation and new role? 

I thought Grand's special gun was just Even's gun?

Did Janine just call Belgard Signet's “robot wife”? Hell yeah

Me for an hour straight, not having read the description: Blease Do Not Kill My Alien Child I guess that's at least postponed now though… The situation did immediately get mildly creepy again, which makes me concerned. Is this just a different reason to kill a different Axiom – to Free Innocents from a Lotus Eater Machine? I'm getting serious September flashbacks. Honestly, between this, the other team's arc which felt like a crossover about the Chime in Marielda, and everyone getting a personal mech, this half of the season is starting to feel like Counter/weight 2, which is sad because at the beginning the atmosphere was much more original. Also I miss Primary and Satellite's correspondence, it was such a good framing device and a touching relationship at the same time!

Polyphony's powers and way of thinking are more similar to Quire than anything else

I feel very relieved and vindicated by the direction this story took!

Hell yeah finally more about the Waking Cadent!! I've been waiting for that for how many episodes now? Now that we've seen her in person I hate her actually Amend that, I hate both Cadents. A plague on both their houses!

46-54

Good on you Even, what's even the point of a military background if you don't pull rank on some jerks

Am I glad to hear from the Rapid Evening again! Bold of Austin to assume we could forget who Primary and Satellite were Okay, I first had this question a ton of episodes ago, but now it is relevant again: does Grey know the contents of the previous Satellite's final message? She knows about its existence because the numbers match up (yeah I went back and checked), but does she know that Crystal Palace either made a colossal miscalculation about Independence's route or lied on purpose for some reason?

Wait, characters still have beliefs? I don't remember this coming up since the game change

I completely forgot about Tender's cyborg legs and also misheard “I have a fake leg” as “thick leg” and was like “Uh good for you but how's that gonna help?!”

Once again, Team Exploration goes ahead and leaves Team Heist without resources lol. What do you mean they're using our ship for an orbital drop? What do you mean they've taken all axiom scanners? :D Seriously though, it's a shame that the sessions were played in this order because in-universe I see no reason why they wouldn't say “Hey before you go after Acre Seven, let's fly over Terncage and do a scan real quick” (the range on the scanners is far enough for that, right?)

I don't get how Ache works. For Quire, it made what it wishes it could be, but for everyone else it just made evil clones vaguely themed after their regrets?

TENDER IS A GAY DISASTER I haven't heard such a spectacular meltdown since Calhoun probably, holy shit

TENDER IS A DISASTER SQUARED she starts talking to a woman and just doesn't stop! This is a great episode

I like how Gig immediately says no to the devil's bargain

Oh Signet disregarding the digital Blooming, you clearly haven't seen/read (the future version of) Solaris :D

Oh no, it's the Smiling God! Came to visit another podcast that used to have a personification of capitalism as a big boss evil god

A crit at the last possible moment, after a long string of 1s… Ali's dice see through the fourth wall!

I… didn't fully understand the reveal of how it was all connected

Okay, so the Dark Day could have been prevented by keeping the gun dealer priest alive and allowing him to arm the NEH so that it could take over Twilight Mirage and wouldn't need to activate plan B i.e. come here and block signal from the Crystal Palace? Correct? It makes sense now, but Our Profit seems to be from such a far future that I just can't imagine how this plan was created and put in place

O….k… I actually expected Grand to leave the team and go off on his own (or become an NPC) as a consequence of the holiday special if he was the sacrificed character instead of the Chthonic. But now that's kind of strange to hear after all that talk of redemption and second chances?

You get a status! And you get a status! Everyone gets a status!

Wow having a near death experience out of the blue is so relaxing for Fourteen! :D NEVER MIND HOLY CRAP I'm glad that at least Fourteen kept their signature move from The Veil. I was wondering what it would be like, and honestly expected it to be just thrown out

Excuse me, “Omega in Mass Effect 2” and “cool place run by trustworthy people” are literally opposite concepts, have we even played the same game

Grand: Who likes Fourteen Fifteen? Tender, not even letting him finish: ME!!! 

Welp, my first guess about the Waking Cadent's identity was correct

Holy crap! I never realized Independence was in that one flashback episode of Counter/weight