#grass dancer

[kbjones]

Grass Dancer Boy

I recently completed a commission for an illustration of a little indigenous boy performing as a grass dancer.

I recently completed a commission for an illustration of a little indigenous boy performing as a grass dancer. The client advised me on what the details to include to make him look authentic, since she is indigenous, and I am not. She wanted it to match that illustration I made a few years ago of a girl in a jingle dress.

[misscryptidart]

*Shows up with a super sexy sharpshooter GF after being flung across the planet*

[revvethasmythh]

I actually really enjoy the fact that FCG seems to be straight up pissed at D for selling them to Dancer. It makes sense--from FCG's POV, D effectively sold him like a pile of scraps to Dancer, inadvertently placing FCG in a position where they had no concept of their own personhood, where they had no identity other than servitude. In the same way that FRIDA was angry with the gods for their awakening, FCG is angry with D. For bringing him back, but taking no responsibility for guiding him or teaching him or helping him in any meaningful way. How beneficial is it to fling a baby bird from its nest before it's even opened its eyes? Not very.

FCG choosing to reach out to Dancer instead of D? The safer option to them. Yeah, they should probably lay off of Dancer after everything that happened, yeah continuing to seek her forgiveness right now isn't really the move. But it is, perhaps, less fraught in FCG's eyes to approach Dancer and simultaneously more meaningful to them. D, to FCG, is just someone who could have brought them back (or had someone else awaken them if need be) and stick around to tell him what he is and why he was awakened. Who could have assured him of his personhood from the first. D did none of that. Dancer, alternatively, practically raised him, even if it was a deeply flawed relationship. Seeking that forgiveness and connection to her, no matter how misguided, makes a lot of sense

[tatersdoesstuff]

"you gave me a shot at livin' and.. that's somethin' I'll be grateful for forever"

[...]

"if our paths cross again, well, that'll be special, but thank you for sending me on the path"

(textless vers + bonus dancer drawing below the cut)

[seud-luachmhor]

The strongest aurora since 1932 ✨️

[the-matron-of-ravens]

Genuinely curious, what are your thoughts on Dancer and FCG cuz like, he Literally, not figuratively, tried to kill her and did kill all of her companions at the time. I can see being critical cuz she doesn't seem to treat them like sentient beings, but even in the canon... most of the automatons aren't. Just some of the really old ones from Aeor/other old cities, right? So? She got a whoops!sentient microwave, treated them like a microwave, they killed all her friends and almost her and she's supposed to....? Be good buds with them? Also I know it's said that she trauma dumped on FCG, but let's switch it from microwave to personal journal - how would YOU feel if your personal journal popped to life and attacked you for trauma dumping? IDK haha I guess Idk you opinions and I'm just responding to my projected assumptions of your opinion. REALLY I'd 100% sincerely would like to hear your thoughts. I was really bothered by FCG pushing to meet with Dancer. Like jeez just leave her alone, you're her literal sleep paralysis demon, read the room.

Hey! Thanks for the ask, I put this a little bit in the tags but I can elaborate more here. (Edit: elaborate A LOT MORE it seems)

So here goes, I don’t know if you meant it this way but the analogy of a journal or microwave is helpful here because that’s exactly how Dancer treated FCG - as a tool to be used. But they *aren’t*. FCG is a whole being with emotions and thoughts all of which are apparent and so clearly distinct from other automatons.

So tbh, I think the perspective of “whoops! Sentient bot” makes sense for like a month, max. Not years. After all, we have seen NPC after NPC recognize FCG is a sentient being almost immediately after meeting him. I find it VERY hard to believe that Dancer never realized it herself.

Additionally, we need to step out of the plot itself and look at FCG’s mechanics. We know that every time he heals, takes damage for someone else, etc. he takes stress points, and that once past a certain threshold his switch flips and he goes full Murderbot.

We also know that rest and recovery are what reduces FCG’s stress points. So that tells us that Dancer was using and using and using FCG and not letting him rest (enough? At all?) even though he needed it. Because again he’s a person not a tool.

Even when they met back up recently and FCG sobered her up she remarked how she missed him doing that for her. And while I don’t expect her to miss him, I do think it’s indicative of her interest in him never being about him as a person but only how he could serve her.

And if we want to criticize FCG for his lack of boundaries, inability to take no for an answer and pathological need to fix Dancer sure that’s fair. He needs to unlearn a lot of that and quick. But we then have to ask ourselves where did those traits come from? They didn’t come from nowhere.

FCG is mentally extremely YOUNG. Aside from the 6?-ish Months spent with Ashton all he remembers is his time with Dancer. So, if FCG has a pathological need to fix others, to help them, and feels worthless if he’s unable to do so - that comes from how Dancer treated and trained him.

That doesn’t just go away; ESPECIALLY not when FCG doesn’t even remember going postal and doesn’t see to have the (IMO) most clear and realistic view of his and Dancer’s relationship.

After all look how he interacts with the Changebringer. She’s his surrogate Mom/Dancer. He needs someone to tell him how to feel, think, and what’s Good and Bad because he doesn’t know how to do it for himself - because he wasn’t *taught* to.

But here’s my real question. What do we call one person keeping another person in service to them, with no compensation or personhood to be had, and with no intentions of releasing that person from that service? That’s slavery my dude. AT BEST indentured servitude.

(but that implies there’s a debt. What debt? Waking him up? He didn’t ask for that; that was her choice.

And again this sounds a lot like children being “indebted” to parents for giving them life, housing, feeding, etc. )

That’s the part I can’t get over. And that’s the part I can’t get behind where FCG is the abusive one. The power differential was NEVER in FCG’s court; he never once thought of himself as a person or as anything but in service of “Soul Touched”. That complete sacrifice of yourself and your needs (or an inability to even know you HAVE needs) comes from being in relationships where those things are expected/demanded.

So, yeah, he literally tried to kill her, and I gotta be real I’m not surprised. Even children of abusive parents who they love snap sometimes. Because again, that’s mentally what he was at the time. A child.

But even then, no I don’t think it’s unreasonable or unrealistic for Dancer to be traumatized or not want to see FCG again. I don’t even think she’s wrong to say “I can’t give you closure” because closure isn’t something other people give you.

But the way she’s been discussed to be largely clueless about his sentience, blameless in his blow up, and FCG’s victim? I just can’t get behind that. Like at all.

[ascension-13]

A beautiful time to you all...✨️

Dance by Ana Lee Evans

Music... Mr Tom Fucking Waits - "Green Grass" (Live, Edinburgh, July 2008)

[hella1975]

ive never felt more rural than i have in the past few weeks since hanging out with a lad who has only ever lived in cities. what do you MEAN YOU'VE NEVER DONE A MORRIS DANCE

[weneedatdcharacterwho]

we need a total drama character that wears tap shoes everywhere. doesn't matter the occasion. they're very loud all the time, so at least you'll always know where they are.

.

[m1ntym3at]

Drew a grass dancer during class hours

[marvelousbelladonna]

FCG talks to Dancer

“I don’t need to be fixed” -Dancer

[annemarieyeretzian]

fresh cut grass saying “I think I’ve just been trying to find meaning for so long now that I forgot that getting forgiveness from you or validation from a god, or a purpose from deep within my memory banks, it’s not really – that’s not a thing. none of those things will tell me what I am or where to go. I think – I guess part of life is just figuring it out as you go.” is hitting me where I live

[haveyoureadthispoll]

From the lore of her people, the Sioux, Susan Power presents an extraordinary debut novel rich in drama and infused with magic. Set on a North Dakota reservation, this book weaves the stories of the old and the young, broken families, romantic rivals, and men and women in love and at war.

[aurora771]

Mad respect for Dancer not feeling obliged to forgive FCG. She doesn't owe them anything, she also told them never to speak to her again.. so like the fact she didn't completely walk away is amazing.