A/N:...I'm tired.
More than that, I hate delaying updates.
Everybody Wants to be My Enemy and What Could Have Been are fighting me. Slifer can't help this time, as he's busy with Partner's in Crime, which should be ready next Wednesday. Meanwhile we have Forgotten Son, a MASSIVE chapter now, but still not ready. Needed to include the Field of Fire bit.
Then we have Embers of Hope, Take the Girl, and all the Elden Ring updates. Sorry, I'm not as quick as I used to be.
Don't get me started on Blood Upon the Snow and the Fate stories as a whole.
I'm not rushing chapters anymore. They'll be ready when they're ready.
With my fifteen year anniversary on this site here, I find myself reflecting on the little things in life. What was once a lazy pastime meant for me and a few friends really grew and evolved over time. There are days when I look back on the last fifteen years here and I wonder if anyone will remember me; if I made an impact, despite never making a single cent on any of these stories. Some days were happier than others, and some stories I enjoyed writing WAY too much; to the point where I'd stay up all night working on them.
And of course, there are times when I look to the future and wonder what will become of things when I'm gone.
Of course, I try not to dwell on the latter overmuch; I'm still alive and still writing. In an ideal world, I'd like to keep doing so for as long as I can. But old age is catching up to me and these days, the world is filled with so much madness and death. The recent earthquake in Turkey/Syria serves as a terrible example. Even before that, so many friends and fellow writers I once knew are gone, now. Will I still be here in twenty years? Ten? Five? Its a chilling thought. But for now, I'm still here, still writing.
So tired. Need to stay awake, I've got work soon...
Consider this an AU.
"I ship it~!
~?
Matchmaker
"Art thou mad?!"
"Shhh! Not so loud!" Naruto dragged Marika down before she could protest further, all but yanking her into the bush to hide with him. "They'll see you!"
"I wish they would!" She headbutted him with a furious hiss. "Godfrey and Rennala?! You are insane! A stranger match I've never heard of!
"What can I say, I ship it!" he pushed her head down when she tried to rise. "Besides, just think of their kids! They'll be adorable!"
She grappled him right back, pausing just long enough to get a glimpse from the brush. He pinned her soon thereafter, but he could not deny her the view. Sure enough, the two of the seemed to be talking-no, wait, she told a lie. They were doing more than that now. They were walking in the garden. Together. They were...holding hands...?
Marika nearly gasped.
How very lewd! Scandalous, even!
T'was only the first date by all accounts!
She could see them down in the garden, utterly oblivious to the outside world; intently ignorant to any spies or would-be watchers -much like themselves!- that could be watching within the hedges. And yet still they kept at it, still they persisted in holding hands! Such shameless debauchery!
One shouldn't touch fingers until they were wed!
Marika almost didn't want to believe what she was seeing; if only because it shouldn't be possible. If it were...well, she could see the appeal, far-fetched though it was. She and Radagon had not been the best of spouses to them. Was it any wonder they sought comfort in the arms of another?
.
..
...no, nay, never! Focus!
"You've lost your mind." she growled at Naruto. "The two of them will never work out, you'll see." It simply wasn't possible; couldn't not be possible. It simply couldn't. For the two of them to have happy ending despite all the foul twists of fate they'd suffered, the humiliations and indignities...it could not be, even if a small part of her almost wanted to see them happy. "Mark my words."
Her intended scoffed. "This from the one who wanted to pair Malenia with Radahn...?"
"T'would be a fine and noble pair and they would create strong children!
"They're related."
Urk. Not fun at all, this one.
"Thou art a cruel, cruel man, mine husband...
"Yeah, yeah, whatever you say. Now shush! Lemme listen...
A/N: Aaand scene. A more humor-driven story, but something new all the same.
Sooooooooo, do you want this to be a story? Yes? No? Maybe so? Make yourselves heard!
Really need to hear from you guys and gals here; if not this will simply remain a Shard like others.
Once more, we're sticking with the "Embers" rule for this particular tidbit, and others. If folks don't like this, it won't be continued. Meaning that if the story itself ain't popular? POOF! Gone. Completely. I'm working two jobs -might need a third soon!- so I barely have time to write; as such, I cannot afford to write something folks don't enjoy. So by all means, speak up! Your voice matters! Make yourself heard!
As ever, reviews are the fuel that sustain me. Without them I cannot write a single word. Simple as that. Working nearly all hours of the day keep me absurdly busy, as such, I can't bring myself to write something folks don't like.
Aaaand there we go. As ever, reviews keep me alive. Without them, I cannot write. So...in the Immortal Words of Atlas...
...Review...Would You Kindly? No previews this time.
Gotta keep some surprises in stor...And have some previews -potential blot bin things- that I'm working on.
References ahoy~! And ideas for new stories. Hopefully this will sate my muse for the time being.
(Previews)
"I'd tell you to go fuck yourself, Radagon, buuuuut...
"Don't say it.
"You're already doing it~!"
...that's it. You're getting the hammer.
"Gotta catch me first~!"
"Huh. I wonder what their kids will look like."
"Husband, art thou thinking about another woman in our bed?
"Nooope." he popped his jaw with a long yawn, then leaned down to kiss her neck.
Marika shivered and forgot their argument at once.
"Lower, please...
R&R~!