...

...

...

IT'S BEEN A WHOLE YEAR, Y'ALL.

:-0

A

WHOLE

FREAKING

YEAR.

...

I REALLY DIDN'T MEAN FOR THAT TO HAPPEN.

...

AHEM.

SO.

THIS IS NOT THE NEXT PART OF THE STORY.

IT'S JUST MY APOLOGY.

SEE, I'VE BEEN HIDING...

I'VE BEEN HIDING FROM A LOT OF THINGS THIS PAST YEAR.

I NEEDED TO HIDE FOR A LITTLE WHILE, BUT I ENDED UP HIDING FOR LONGER THAN I MEANT TO.

SO I'M SORRY. LIFE HAS BEEN A MESS.

THIS PAST YEAR HAS BEEN PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST DIFFICULT YEARS OF MY LIFE, FOR A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT REASONS I WON'T GET INTO HERE...

SUFFICE IT TO SAY, I WAS BURNT OUT AND I LOST MY PASSION FOR MANY THINGS, INCLUDING THIS STORY.

BUT I'M PICKING MYSELF UP AGAIN.

(slo-o-o-o-o-o-w-w-w-w-ly)

I WANTED TO HAVE A NEW CHAPTER TO POST HERE TODAY, BUT I DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH TIME.

SO I DECIDED TO WRITE THIS MESSAGE INSTEAD, AS SOMETHING TO SIT HERE UNTIL THE NEXT CHAPTER IS READY...

BECAUSE I REALLY WANTED EVERYONE TO KNOW...

I'M NOT DEAD YET,

AND THE STORY IS NOT OVER.

I REPEAT:

THE STORY IS NOT OVER.

I PROMISED I WOULD FINISH IT,

NO MATTER HOW LONG IT TOOK...

AND I WILL.

:-)

JUST NOT TODAY.

BUT SOON.

(hopefully)

IN THE MEANTIME,

THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR REVIEWS AND MESSAGES...

THEY'VE MEANT MORE TO ME THAN YOU KNOW.

YOU GUYS ARE ALL THE BEST EVER.

:')

TO ALL OF YOU WHO HAVE STUCK WITH THE STORY AND WAITED PATIENTLY FOR UPDATES,

I'M SORRY AGAIN FOR BEING GONE SO LONG.

I PROMISE, AN ACTUAL UPDATE WILL BE COMING JUST AS SOON AS I GET A BREAK FROM WORK!

Mai: "Hey, I'm still here, too. You left me here alone. Again. So where's my apology?"
Rain&Roses: "Oh geez, Mai! What have you been doing for the past year?"
Mai: "Hm, mostly nothing. Watching a lot of Netflix. Playing Bejeweled. Throwing knives at stuff... You realize you've been gone for so long that Legend of Korra is almost over now, right?"
Rain&Roses: *sigh* "Yeah, I know..."
Mai: "Almost a whole two seasons have gone by since you last updated this story."
Rain&Roses: "Yes, yes, I am aware..."
Mai: "Also, 'The Rift' series came out in the comics. In fact, pretty sure the last issue is gonna be published this month."
Rain&Roses: "I know! I've been reading it! It's been really good so far."
Mai: "Last time you updated, you were still talking about 'The Search.' I mean, wow. Just... wow."
Rain&Roses: "Argh! I know, I know, I'm just the worst! I already said it in the title of this update! What more do you want from me?" :-(
Mai: "Hm... Let me think about that..."
Rain&Roses: "Oh boy..."
Mai: "How about a whole truckload of fruit tarts? And also a brand new set of throwing-knives. And toss in a puppy too, while you're at it."
Rain&Roses: "Really? You like puppies?"
Mai: -_- "... ... ... Everyone likes puppies."
Rain&Roses: "Well, can't argue with that..."
Mai: "So, yeah. You go get me my well-deserved presents, to thank me for hanging out in your unbearably tedious Author's Notes for so long. And I'll just wait here till you decide to actually update. As usual."
Rain&Roses: "It won't be that long this time! I promise!" :)
Mai: "Sure. That's what you always say." -_-