A/N: Busy, busy, busy!
A lot of chapters for multiple stories are nearly ready; expect an update spree soon!
That said, I haven't been rushing chapters anymore. I'm prioritizing have quality over quantity these days.
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.
As ever, I own no quotes, references, themes, or memes. Not a wit or a single one!
They're tributes to legends far, far, faaaaaaaar greater than I.
This is a bit from Everybody Wants to be My Enemy.
"Today's exercise will be a simple one, Powder.
Y'see, all you have to do...
...is...
~?
Nineteenth Fragment
"Dodge."
The word was as much a threat as a warning; both a command and a demand. Hey! That rhymed! Powder had half a second to giggle at her own silly joke before Naruto's fist filled her vision. Clenched knuckles barreled forward and she had a second more to think, then she was swaying backward, to the left, to the right, left again now; always giving ground, each strike dodged by the merest of margins. Anything else just wouldn't work. Blocking was pointless. She'd learned that long ago when she first started training with him so many years ago. Blocking got you bruises. Bruises bloody hurt.
Against someone stronger than you, faster than you, you didn't dare face them head on. Vi hadn't learned that lesson. Mylo and Claggor certainly hadn't.
But she had. Against someone like this, you bidded you time, stayed out of arms reach, waited for your moment...then...!
She ducked again, long blue braid swaying in her wake.
Chakra flared. Hair became strong as steel.
Naruto grunted in surprise as her suddenly heavy -and sharp!- braid slapped him in the face. In that split-second of instant of distraction she moved in, swept his legs, and tackled him to the ground.
She landed on his chest and sat there, grinning like the little girl she no longer was. 'Course not. She was all grown up now. "I win~!"
"So you do." he patted her head, as a master might their student. "So you do...
Her eyes flashed. "So about that bet...?"
He tutted. "Greedy girl."
Powder leaned down.
"You love it."
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~!