Title: Nightmares and Dreamscapes
Series: Saiyuki
Beta:corellianrogue

Ukoku dreams.

He is alone. Around him stretches the void. It is limitless. He floats, completely aware that he is all there is in this perfect darkness, but that he too is an illusion. He is the figment of a sleeping mind. When he wakes the void will be true and there will be nothing.

The moon emerges. Pale reflected sunlight, it parts the clouds, revealing silhouettes of mountains and trees. It illuminates the world. He is standing on solid ground. His mind rails against the image. The moon lies, there is nothing in the darkness.

Breathing hard, Nii wakes.

Title: The Nature of Things
Series: Saiyuki
Beta rhosyn_du and andmydog

“Trap a bird in a cage. TTake away everything that defined it: its ability to fly, to sing. Create a situation where it is forced to live in a way that completely goes against its nature. Is that creature still a bird? In order to be what it is, it must live as it is meant to live. ...Maybe in its heart it remembers how to fly, and how to sing, and in its mind it does both these things and is joyful.”

"Koumyou.” said Ukoku sternly, “You’re ruining the game.” He tightened the straps on Koumyou’s wrists. “Stop talking.”