Hi guys!

I know many of you expected a new chapter ages ago, but I've had to juggle a new job, my school work, exams, and all the other hurdles life throws at you. Sadly, writing fanfiction was not at the top of my list of priorities- as you can imagine. I've also been dealing with lack of motivation and inspiration largely due to the fact that I wasn't pleased (at all) with my work after re-reading it.

It should be pointed out that when I don't like my work I either a) abandon it or b) tear it apart and start over. My first instinct was to choose option A because I am very lazy by nature but I spent way too much time plotting and planning this fic to leave it alone and walk away, therefore I have been working these past few months on a re-write whenever I had the time.

I hope that like me, you haven't lost interest in this story. My first part of my re-write should be up June 21st/June 22nd (depending on where you live) if all goes well.

If you don't have me on author alert, then you can go to my profile and find it there once it's up.

Here's a small snippet (that has yet to be looked over by my wonderful beta-reader, but oh well) :

Ombre

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Taking someone's life to protect another's. The irony of it all.

Ninjas certainly weren't as noble as books made them out to be. In the end, they were all the same, no matter what they would like others to believe. If Ren had known how brutal, cold,and cruel one had to be in order to thrive and survive, she might not have become a ninja at all.

Unfortunately, she did not have any choice on the matter anymore. The victims she had killed, the choices she regretted- they would always plague the darkest corners of her mind and come to haunt the forefront when she had too much time on her hands. She supposed she would rather feel the gut twisting feeling of guilt, than feel nothing at all. It proved she still had some humanity left, that she had not yet let the consequences of her actions eat her up whole.

Staring at the gray rubble of a wasteland that was the only remainder of the village, Ren did her best to swallow whatever bubbling remorse she felt. Remorse was for when she was alone, during the brief minutes before she managed to fall asleep. Remorse had no home on a battle field.

Besides, she had no time to wallow up in nostalgia. It wasn't about her anymore. It wasn't about them. She knew that now. There would always be a bigger picture, and Ren had to focus on that instead.

But still.

"It had to be done."

As usual, she agreed with him.