Serenity Angel: Hello Readers! Okay, just before you read the story I just want to point out that this is a re-written version of the story Never Too Late. So if this quite possibly looked a little familiar, that's why, although the part that you're about to read is entirely knew to the story. Long story short, I hated the old writing style and the lack of update, especially when this is a storyline I really hold dear. So instead of babbling on and all the like I give you Never Too Late!

Enjoy!

SLAP

She winced as the sound replayed in her head, the throbbing pain of her reddened cheek pulsing again as if it had replayed the scene too. She closed her eyes in great effort to stop the memory from reoccurring, but that only helped it further. Another clap of thunder shook the sky, lighting flashing right behind it as rain from the opened heavens flooded the grounds of Konoha. This weather wasn't exactly normal for the village, nor was the depressing mood that floated around heavily like a dense fog, but that in itself couldn't be helped. Konoha was currently mourning one of it's best who have fallen, and was now laid to rest. But with that mourning laid great resentment and blame for his demise and there lied her problem.

She willed another sob away at the memory of that man, the pain greater than any physical hurt that she had ever felt in her life. It had become too much and apparently watching as his remains were taken to the family grave was the final breaking point for that woman.

Heh, woman.

It should have disgusted her with how effortlessly she was able to disown the true title of the woman who gave birth to her, but it was easily over shadowed by the body-numbing grief for the man that had loved and protected her all her life: the man that she called father. It was almost sickeningly befitting that his unwavering devotion to her ultimately let to his own untimely demise.

It was ironic really: She who was only at the tender age of eight, yet held the power that most shinobi's could only dreamed of, but was unable to call upon when she needed it most; when it was her turn to protect him. For that, she was blamed, and she-

No! She wouldn't do that to herself. Not now. She would rather die than give them the satisfaction of agreeing with them. That's why… that's why she was choosing a different approach. It was a choice, a choice that she was practically forced into, but was still deemed necessary, at least by herself of all people. It was because of this choice that she sat alone in her bedroom, trying to stay as silent as possible as she pulled another piece of clothing from the floor beside her and placed it inside the knapsack in front of her.

"Kai?" A voice called. It was as soft as a whisper on the wind, startling her at first, but only for a moment. After all, she was used to that voice and would have heard it anywhere.

"Not now, please anytime but now…" She said told the voice as she put the final piece of the pile beside her into the knapsack.

"But… are you sure?" The voice asked. It was worried, the owner more than likely disagreeing with the choice she made but kept quiet on its opinion. She stopped at this, not yet having questioned this decision till she decided to bring it up.

"…Yes." Kai replied to her and with a note of finality, closed the sack before her.

"…Fine." She replied, quiet and reserved although Kai knew better. She knew that the other girl wanted to lash out at her with all that she had, but chose not to; for she knew she had no choice in the matter: Wherever Kai went, she went. She resided into the shadowy realms from which she came after that, resigning to speak when spoken to next time around.

Sure that she was completely to herself and wouldn't be interrupted again Kai got up off the ground with a deep intake of air, taking the knapsack with her. She went over to her bed and laid it there for a moment to pull on her black cloak. Picking up the pack again, along with a folded piece of parchment that had rested on the corner of her bedside table while she packed, she left the room, creeping down the halls toward the front exit of the house.

She knew every creak in those old floorboards, taking great care not to disturb them as she made her way. As if on instinct she stopped in front of one door in particular, turning her head slowly toward it. Steeling herself, she opened the door slightly, letting her eyes roam till she found what she was looking for. There on the tiny bed in the room laid her sister, only four years younger than herself. She was curled into herself a little hugging the stuffed doll her elder sister and father had bought her from a fair from one of the other villages, with her short little silvery white curls strewn about her pillow and her eyes closed, her tear-streaked face making it evident she had cried herself to sleep.

Biting her lip she closed the door and continued her path down the steps, past the living room and in the hallway. She made one final stop after that, as she took a Janome(1) from against the wall and looked back to the empty living room, only to see darkness stretch before her eyes, while her mind saw her father and his smiling face, grinning as he played with his children, his loving wife watching from afar. She turned away quickly, swallowing the lump in her throat while willing the memories away. With another deep breath she pulled the hood of her cloak over her head and opened the front door, closing it behind her silently and walking away from her house on to the sodden streets. Once far enough away she opened her Janome, trying to retain some semblance of heat by staying dry.

The streets were empty, the rest of Konoha's citizens wise to stay indoors on a night with such bad weather. It just made this all the more easier for her. The streetlamps were barely visible but she knew were she was going by heart, so it really didn't matter. She had two stops to make, the first closer than the other, and then…

She sighed, taking to the rooftops, careful not to slip in any puddles. In no time at all she had reached her destination stopping on a rooftop next to an apartment building, the rooftop overlooking the window of one apartment in particular. This window had no curtains, the tenant finding truly no need for them, but it made it easier for her to watch the tenant, despite the hard rain making the image blurry. He had settled down for the night as well, his sheet haphazardly wrapped around him and his face emotionless with sleep, which was unusual. Was he that effected by the man's death too? Did he feel that he lost someone of great importance? If that was the case, what would he think about what she had decided, without even telling him? How would he feel about what she was in the middle of doing? Her, who he trusted and cared for… His best friend in the whole world… Could he accept this choice as much as she did?

She hated herself for the fact that she knew what the answers were and still planned to go through with her decision.

"Please forgive me." She let out in a whisper that was carried off by the wind.

After a moment more she was off, reaching her second destination faster than the first. She looked up at place, a building, the top being hidden by her Janome and with a deep breath made her way to complete her objective in this building. She found it quite easy to slip in, only the few random stragglers lighting some small corners in the building. They didn't notice her, wouldn't have anyway, too busy with making up work or drowning sorrows in Sake bottles they had in hidden compartments of their office. It was almost eerie how quiet the place was, as if the building itself knew that there was a loss to mourn. She ignored this thought as she stopped in front of a dark wooden door. She felt for any chakra signals or potential traps and once she found none, made quick work of the lock and went into the office behind it.

She didn't bother turning on the light, the lightning from the outside providing enough illumination from behind the blinds for a few seconds to point out the simple oak desk in the room. She walked to it slowly; like she was walking to the guillotine through quicksand, though this was hardly as dramatic. It was just walking to a desk and potentially destroying her life forever. She skimmed her fingers along the surface once she'd reached behind it, careful not to disturb any paperwork currently resting on it. Taking out the piece of parchment she had from earlier she swallowed the lump in her throat before laying it simply in the middle of the desk closer to the office chair. She half expected the lights to turn on and people to rush out of no where, demanding to know what she was doing, but nothing happened. The room stayed as ordinary as it was once she had entered, and continued to stay that way as she made her way out.

Her knees almost buckled under her after she had closed the door but she steeled herself again and exited the building quicker than she had entered. She didn't bother to put up her Janome this time, letting the rain soak her coat, the liquid soon making quick work to the skin underneath. She ran though the streets, memorizing every twist and turn, smell and blur; stopping short once she had reached the gates of the village, her heart following her feet's movement for the barest of seconds.

Was she really going to do this? Could she? Was this too bold a choice? In answer to these questions the last few days passed by, people, actions, sounds, and guilt included, the thoughts bringing her to hang her head.

"It would be better this way." She thought.

Without so much as a glance back she walked through those gates and left the village, willing herself not to stop or turn around. She let the rain fall freely around her, masking the tears running unchecked down her cheeks and covering the tracks she made into the dark, cold, lonely, and horrible night.

Serenity Angel: Well that's the prologue. Hope you guys liked! The first chapter's gonna be out soon so look out for that! If you have any questions please feel free to PM or leave it in a review! Thanks!

(1) Janome-A traditional Japanese rain umbrella