#finding eternity

Since my last chapter update in *checks notes* June 2025, I've been swamped with stuff related to the final year of my PhD. I've moved in with my partner (yay), I've passed my comprehensive exam, successfully defended my proposal, and am on the home stretch to graduate this summer (end of July)!!

Needless to say, I've been very busy, and it used to be that I wrote when my insomnia kept me up at night. Said insomnia of 20+ years went poof after I moved in with my partner. Being able to properly fall asleep is quite the novelty.

Anyway, I'm still committed to finishing my fics -- the prioritization is still the same, Finding Eternity and then Amongst Flowers Without Names. I also have some other Kanamafu fic ideas I want to write once those are finished too! The only thing is that any chapter updates will likely happen after I earn my PhD.

I appreciate everyone's patience and understanding, and I hope that future chapter updates deliver on expectations!

Sneak peek:

Mafuyu draws her bow back, aiming it at the growing sunspot, the black sharp edges slicing across the sky. “I’m in position, Shizuku.” 

The aquamarine tilts her head in acknowledgement, eyes also trained at the golden cloud crossing over. Mafuyu can see Shizuku’s hand tightens on her sword as they both tense for the moment the Lunarians land. 

The cloud stops a distance away, and Lunarians begin hopping off, dropping down onto the ground with lines trailing behind them.

“I’ll be off now, Mafuyu.” Shizuku darts forward, swiftly cutting down the closest Lunarian before it could react. Another Lunarian takes its place, swinging a sword that Shizuku bats aside with ease. 

An arrow sinks into a Lunarian trying to flank Shizuku, the golden figure dispersing into nothingness. Mafuyu rapidly shoots more Lunarians whenever they try to surround Shizuku or approach Mafuyu. Mafuyu is the last line of defense before they potentially catch less martially inclined gems unawares or worse, find their way into the sanctuary. 

There should be no risk of that though – Shizuku is making good progress, rapidly slicing her way through the Lunarians to make her way up to the large Lunarian still standing on the cloud. Mafuyu on the other hand, provides supportive fire and sees the overall enemy formation in the backline. 

It’s a strategy they’ve refined over decades of partnership, and its effectiveness is only proven when only a scattering of Lunarians remains. Shizuku takes one great leap to the cloud, and with one clean slice dispatches the central Lunarian. It only takes a few more seconds for Mafuyu to finish off the stragglers. 

“Good work,” Mafuyu says as Shizuku lands elegantly in front of her. 

Chapter 2 will be...sometime later. Hopefully within Kanamafu Week, but I do need a bit to recover from writing 3k+ words in the last 24 hours.

Tags: Houseki no Kuni AU, Fluff, Angst, Bittersweet Ending, Existentialism, Ship of Theseus

Summary:

“There’s an old tale recorded about how in the long distant past, there were creatures called humans. But after five meteor strikes shattered the land, followed by a sixth one – they fled to the sea. And so they became split into Bones, Flesh, and Spirit,” Mafuyu explains.

“What happened to them afterwards?” Kanade asks.

“We, the gems, are the immortal bones."

Or