a) Thanks!

b) None.

I have a neurological disorder that can sometimes resemble taking a ton of acid all day. Don't bother looking it up, each doctor would say something different but usually refrained from diagnosis because of the complexity of my issues. During the peak of my problems I would have the deepest, strangest, most disturbing dreams. When I woke up, the shift in reality and realization that the last 100 years of my mental life (10-12 hours of sleep, really) was the most pleasurable experience that any drug couldn't possibly reproduce. Being tortured for a century, then waking up to a (moderately) healthy body and finding out none of it was real... it's indescribable.

Anyway, point is, that guy was the one guy I could trust inside my dreams. The one guy that would come around and tell me that everything is alright and give me advice on how to resist, how to fight back, how to stay sane. Despite his looks, he was a super nice guy. His voice was nothing like you'd expect, and until now I hadn't thought of a very good way to explain it. His voice was similar to Bane's, actually... if I had that reference before it would have been easier.

I never got his name, but if you can't tell based on the black and white sketch, he's a very wise and evolved tree. Moderately brown bark with off white "eyes". Inside his mouth is pure darkness.

Thankfully I recovered and adjusted pretty well. Unfortunately I don't dream anymore.