Nyuuuuuuuuuu! Why can't I write anything longer?? …Maybe because I have no time.

My Japanese classes meet for 3 hours every day, and on Mondays and Thursdays I don't get out until 5 p.m. And I have a lot of homework. Stupid me. Stupid choosing the intensive program. Stupid need to graduate college…

Oh well. At least I got an update up, right? I'm actually getting back into my writing groove and planning what I'm going to do ahead of time. Fancy, right? There's going to be one MONSTER of a chapter coming your way soon, but in the meantime please accept my humble snippets. I will likely post whenever there's a POV change or somesuch break so the story doesn't get too dusty in my hard drive.

Toransufomaa ga motteinai yo.

Secret (Travel) Agent

"-you really don't have to, Ms. Secretary, ma'am; really, we're fine, Sophia and I don't want to-"

"Darren's right, we couldn't possibly-"

"Oh, but I insist," the harried Secretary of Homeland Security sighed and shook her head. "What was done to you two was completely out of line. It was unacceptable, especially in a crisis. Now I want you to go have a good time and enjoy your vacation. No buts." She eyed the distressed couple sternly. "I feel terrible and you'll just have to let me make it up to you. Starting with a dinner and hotel reservation to replace the ones you are going to miss." She thrust a folder into the mousey young woman's reluctant hands, "The directions are in there, along with a year-long national parks pass. I know you were headed out toward Mesa Verde, but if you spend tonight at the Grand Canyon and head east tomorrow, you can still make your tours and not be a day behind. I booked you a cabin with the Bright Angel Lodge, and your reservation for dinner is at eight o'clock. You'd better hurry if you wan to get there in time to freshen up."

Despite many 'no-'s and 'but-'s the tall, scrawny man and round-faced, freckled fiancée-to-be were shooed into their rental car and any and all protests were quickly quashed. "Have a good time, you two!"

Once again, the couple looked at each other in fright and seemed about to protest again, but a pair of men in fatigues approached the car and started waving it to pull out. Exasperated, Darren finally started the vehicle and ambled it out to the road. As it climbed up onto the black pavement, Sophia finally got the window open and leaned out, waving frantically, her voice barely squeaking over the noise of traffic and the breeze flowing up over the dam, "Thank you! Thank you so much! Come to our wedding? I mean-" the sound trailed off as the dark green Subaru wagon shrank in the distance and followed the road away around a curve.

Smiling to herself and lowering her waving hand, Secretary Hewitt enjoyed a moment of peace and quiet.

…only to have it interrupted by a loud, echoing rumble…

88888888888888888888

…SUSPENSE? Yeah, I don't like that one either. But what can ya do? I can't write any more tonight and I don't know when my next chance will be.

I'd like to take this opportunity to issue an official, and deeply heartfelt apology. I promised "The Popcorn Incident" a long time ago, lost it, and haven't finished rewriting it yet. Please understand that I started it way back around when I posted Chapter 23 of TB- ages ago- and it was close to twenty pages long by the time it got scrapped. I think it's time to admit I can't replace that kind of thing in a reasonable amount of time; it was chock full of humor I can't remember and brimming with TV, movie and song quotes that make my head spin just thinking about finding them all again. Take Two is in the works, but let's face it, this is going to take a while. Sigh.

It will happen! I haven't given up on it by any means; I just don't have the time right now. But what I will do to make it right is this. I am going to sneakily, as if this never happened, turn out kiriban one-shots when appropriate, starting with a belated 500 reviews one that's already in the works. You reader-folk deserve it for sticking with me. Then, there will be a 100,000 hits one; you'll just have to take my word for the timing on that one. And for some extra flavor I have a special 666 reviews kiriban planned and started already. Be warned; it shall be dark. Aaaaaaand since I've had a huge drop in readership/reviewership, I'm reinstating the 10rpc (reviews per chapter) bonus chapter.  

And then, as if magically and for no reason at all, The Incident will happen. The prerequisite is already fulfilled, when it's done, it's yours.

But hold onto your tailpipes, folks; my muse is back and ready to kick my aft back into high gear! I'm so happy, I have IDEAS again!

MAKE ME WRITE MORE PLEASE! (Hitthebutton!)