A/N: Plot bin day; these, and the other three. I'm too ill to do anything else.

Even writing this makes my hands ache. Speech to text is a thing this old man doesn't know how to use.

Very quickly before I forget, Forgotten Son, Far From Home, A Boy's Journey, and Rise of a Beast Hero should be this week. Somewhat in the order. Ideally I'd like to update Genshin and Doctor of Demons as well, but time will tell.

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.

This is a rough draft. Time and feedback will determine if any such fragment becomes a story.

In other words...its up to YOU, the reader, for what follows. Do let me know~!

You could even consider this a piece of "What Could Have Been" if you like.

"Kaboom?

Yes, Jinx. Kaboom."

"Heh. Knew there was a reason I liked you."

~?

Seventeenth Fragment

"You do realize this is going to end poorly."

Jinx didn't look up from her workbench; tapping her on the shoulder only drew a merry giggle from her. Naruto would've sighed if he didn't find it so...what were the words? Fondly exasperating? That was the one. She'd always been like this; get her focused on a project and she wouldn't answer worth a damn until she finished it.

It wasn't the Weapon that Silco had been asking after. This...this was something else.

Looking over her shoulder only made him all the more curious Curious and concerned. Whatever she was making, it was round and red; she'd gone so far as to paint a snarling face on. Even tacked little fuzzy ears onto it as well. Now who did that remind him of? A certain fox, perhaps? Whatever was his name...?

"Bite me!"

'No, no, I'm sure that's not it...

He was still thinking when Jinx whirled and threw it at him. "Catch! Enjoy the Kurama grenade!"

...ha?"

Naruto did catch it of course; his reflexes wouldn't allow for anything less. He could punch through solid rock. Outrun bullets. He'd once waded through an army of enforcers with nothing but his fists and they hadn't been able to so much as scratch him. The brawl had brought the building down and he'd walked away dirty, but unharmed.

WHUMP.

He could not, however, react quickly enough to avoid his wife's prank.

Or more aptly the orange paint, tar -how did one make tar orange?!- and feathers currently clinging to his face like a second skin.

Jinx kissed his neck, one the few parts her prank bomb had missed. "Happy birthday, whiskers!"

Naruto coughed once. Scowled. "Well played, honey. You have three seconds to run."

"Awww," she toyed with the strap of her shirt. "You gonna spank me? Kinky."

"TWO SECONDS!"

She bolted.

A/N: Aaaaand scene.

Consider this a fragment, something that may or may not come to be.

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.

As ever, reviews keep this old man alive during this dark and crazy time. I ain't joking.

So in the Immortal Words of Atlas... Review...Would You Kindly?

Still no previews this time. I'm too upset these days.

R&R~!