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 helpt his time, as he's busy with Partner's in Crime, which should be ready next Wednesday. Meanwhile. Forgotten Son is a MASSIVE chapter now, but its 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.

I'm not rushing chapters anymore. It'll be ready when its 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.

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

Hope you enjoy it. I'm hard at work over here.

I've miles to go, and promises to keep...

"Tada~!"

~?

Eighteenth Fragment

"I got you a present~!"

Jinx looked up from her workbench, and the gem set within. There was something in Naruto's voice just then that made her perk up. He sounded...smug. Was that word? Yeah, that was the word. Really smug. That usually boded poorly for their enemies and well for her, buuuut today was different.

He'd come rushing in all of a sudden, grinning ear to ear, smiling fit to burst.

Now he took her by the hand and led her away from her workshop. Up they went

There in the center of the room, he'd propped something up and draped a heavy, colorful orange tarp over it.

"Really had to work for this," he hummed. "Hope you appreciate it-bah, who am I kidding?! Of course you will!"

"Wait, what're you-

Naruto stepped back, grabbed the tarp, and yanked it free. "Tada~!"

Vi's gagged, panicked face stared back at her, eyes wide.

Jinx sucked in a startled breath.

"Sis...?

A/N: Aaaaand scene.

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 tired these days.

R&R~!