Disclaimer: I don't own Saiyuki…. (Bites chocolate)…yum...This is good….

Sanzo: (vein popping) Baka!! Get on with the story!!!

Goku: Oh….CHOCOLATE!!!! Can I have some please?!!!!

Nataku: I want some too!!! (Both blink huge golden eyes at her)

Kenren Taishou: (blinks slightly golden brown eyes back) NO….But you can say the thank yous for me…

Goku & Nataku: Kenren Taishou would like to say thank you to anyone who reviewed her fics especially Hanae de Firefly, Fuuei-Chan and Badbehaviour86 who always take the trouble to review her fics

Sanzo:….Also thank you to anyone who made her notice her ridiculous all-caps summaries….the baka left the caps lock on!!!!

Kenren Taishou: Enjoy!!!! By the way the next chapter of Network of Webs is uploaded and so are the first few chapters of  my new fic "The Sun I Lost and the Son I never Knew" which is the sequel to "a Love Forbidden-Son Goku's Birth"  Hope you read them!!!! Chapter 3 and 4 of "Streams of Consciousness" will soon be on the way.

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The Puppet of Power (Nataku's POV)

            The air here is fresh and pure.  The sun is always shining, warming up your skin…and the fields, they are always full of flowers even the Sakura trees are always in full bloom…Yes, it would be nice to live here if I where free…For I am a prisoner in my own world…for eternity….

            My life is of no value…not to me…not to anyone…and yet I cannot hope that it will one day end…so I fight…it is my mission to do so…only I have the right to kill…I fight…maybe that way I'll die…then all this useless pretending would end…They've given me a title…Prince…God of War…it's just a way of sweetening the pill…the truth is that I am an outcast…I only serve a functional purpose…to kill!

            I hear them calling me… the emperor summons me once again…I don't want to go…I feel a heavy hand on my shoulder…my father…I hate the way he looks at me…whenever our eyes meet I never see love in his…they are cold…even to him I am just a mere being with a functional purpose…I am his marionette…simply an asset increasing his power…pushing him higher up the ladder in these corrupt heavens.

Celestial Emperor: Nataku, I have summoned you here today to assign to you another mission.  To suppress the powerful demon Gyumaho.  Nataku, do you accept?

Nataku's Father:  Yes, my emperor…my son Nataku accepts the mission with honour.

Nataku:  I have a mind of my own! I can speak for myself! Stop controlling me! I am not a puppet!

Celestial Emperor: You may rise, Nataku.  You shall depart with 50 of your men tomorrow at dawn.

Nataku's Father:  My son is immensely grateful for your kindness but he requests permission to fight the demon alone…The others may come but they may not assist.

Celestial Emperor: Is it so, Nataku?

Nataku:  Yes

                                        After all, what choice do I have?

                                           I am your little assassin doll

                                                A puppet of power

                                               In my father's hands.

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