A/N: New year equals sick Neon. Bit of an update on things here; would you kindly read this? It would mean the world to this tired old soul.
Strike a Match, Running for the Edge, Apples and Atoms and Doctor of Demons will be updated this week most likely in that order.
Thursdays are, of course usually reserved for "Surpass Your Limits". I'm truly humbled by all the feedback that one's getting.
Foxfire is nearly ready, as is Dance of the Dread and Forgotten Son, Stag, and Shed No Grace on Me. I'm also debating making Vector Prime a story -see the last two fragments- as well as writing DBD -Dead By Daylight- story involving Naruto in addition to working MASSIVE OVERTIME to acquire a PS5 so I can finally properly play Baldur's Gate 3 and Honkai Star Rail.
I'm also doing all this while recovering from long Covid, to say nothing of updating other categories. Slifer and Advent are helping.
And strangest of all, I'm getting requests for me to do a Naruto x Yu Yu Hakusho stories. Why that now?!
So please have mercy on this old soul
Alright then, here we go. The fate of this story depends on you, the reader. Your feedback determines the fate of this tale, and many others.
As ever, I own no quotes, references, themes, or memes. Not a wit or a one! They're tributes to legends far greater than I.
I'm just a humble author trying to make his way in this wild world, one word at a time.
Time and feedback will determine if this remains a story. Simple as that.
In other words...its up to YOU, the reader. Do let me know~!
"Of all the things I thought I'd encounter in Chaldea...
~?
A Most Unlikely Brother
"Can I borrow your reality marble?"
Archer blinked. He blinked hard.
"You're absolutely insane."
"I'm so glad you think so!" The servant before him -even now he didn't know what the bastard's class was- pivoted in the empty hall and sketched a deep sweeping bow, one hand before his chest. "After all, insanity is the best sanity, wouldn't you agree, little brother?"
His right eye began to twitch. "I...you...that's not a thing. It absolutely isn't a thing. And I'm no brother of yours!"
"Well," whiskered cheeks dimpled in a cheshire grin, "You are, but you aren't. At least not this iteration of you."
Emiya swept a hand through his pale hair and resisted the urge to shoot him. Master wouldn't like that...
.
..
...maybe just one arrow?
His fingers twitched, itching for action.
Damn Chaldea and its multiple timelines...
He wouldn't deny that the Servant before him was strong. He'd taken a dragon down with just one punch on the last mission after all. But he was so damn clingy! Worse, he refused to identify himself beyond his name; a feat few Servants were capable of given the summoning system. He was a msytery. An enigma. And!
He!
Was!
Driving him mad!
"Aww c'mon, Shirou!" the baffling blond clasped his hands, still grinning. "Just hear me out! For old times sake!"
"You haven't even told me what you're planning to do!" A pause followed and he flushed as the Servant before him grinned in triumph! "Oi! Don't grin and call me that!" Tohsaka would never let him live it down. "Its just Emiya now!"
Quick as a flash the blond released his hand and palmed his own face. "Ahhh, I see you've entered your rebellious phase. Edgy, too." he shook his head side to side, blond bangs swaying. "Whatever happened to that good boy that followed me and Kiritsugu everywhere, hmm? The one who wanted to save everyone he could?"
Archer still was that someone, but he'd never say admit it to him. "As I told you! I've never met you!"
"Then why did you call me Naruto?"
"Because that annoying caster mentioned your name!"
...really?"
"Yes, really!"
A beat of silence passed between them.
"Pity." the blond peeked at him through his fingers, warm blue eyes gone cold as ice. "And here I was hoping you might remember something at least. You know, Sakura and I named our son after you. Well, we called him Shiro, not Shirou, but you get the gist...
His eyes bulged. "Sa...?!"
"What's wrong, Shirou?" There it was, that damn smile of his. "Cat got your tongue?
Yes and his throat besides!
"Wanna hear what we named our daughter?"
Critical damage! For a moment there it felt like he'd died and come back to life!
"Anyway," the blond beamed, startling him once more. "I'm gonna go mess with the King of Heroes. Interested?"
Against his better judgement, he actually was. Anything to knock Gilgamesh down a peg. "..I'm listening."
"Great!" Naruto clapped his hands. "I just need to borrow your reality marble."
His lips pursed in a frown. "That again?! "No means no!"
Naruto grabbed his right hand.
"Sorry, wasn't asking~!"
A/N: Aaand scene~!
Naruto being chaos incarnate, as always.
I do hope it entertained someone, somewhere, somehow.
Once more, we're sticking with the "Embers" rule for this story, and others. Meaning folks don't like this, it won't be continued. If the story itself ain't popular/well-received...well, I won't be able to continue it. I'm working two jobs, holidays are here too, meaning 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, and I can't bring myself to write something folks don't like.
So...in the immortal words of Atlas...
...Revieeeeew, Would You Kindly?
No previews here. Too sickly.
Sorry...T_T