She sat at the table and looked out the window to watch her daughter run off in the distance. In her hands, was a scroll. The woman read it over and over again...

Dear Yayoi,

We are sorry to inform you, but your husband, Jabez, has died in combat. He was surrounded by three firebenders. He gave up his life to save another soldier's life. With his final breath, he looked at the sky and mumbled "Yayoi" and "Meng".

Along with this letter, we have sent his belongings; enclosed within a box. Again, we are sorry for your loss. But remember, he died a worthy cause.

Yours Truly,

Admiral Ganadhara.

Yayoi grabbed a towel and dried her eyes and cheeks. How was she ever going to tell Meng? She grabbed the box and looked through Jabez's belongings. There was nothing much here, just some old letters she sent to him, and some coins. Of course there was that stuffed animal, but she already gave it to Meng.

The air around her thickened with black smoke. She turned to the oven, "Oh Shit!" Yayoi turned it off and threw water upon it. "Well, there goes breakfast..."

Yayoi threw the burnt food into a plastic bag and headed out the door. But when the door opened, there was a man in a mask standing in the entrance. She looked at his red armor and covered face. Fire Nation. "I'm here to collect the money."

She stepped back. "What money?"

"Don't be foolish. You owe the Fire Nation Money. Remember?" he took out a scroll and began to read off, "It says here that you haven't paid taxes for two months..." His eyes lifted from the scroll and to Yayoi, "Do you have the money?"

She ran to the counter and looked in the box where she kept her money. Nothing but a copper piece. Not even the money her husband left behind could cover her due. Yayoi looked at the soldier and shook her head. "No... sorry."

The soldier stepped in the house and closed the door behind him. "That's not the answer we wanted to hear." A flame appeared in his hand. "Again, do you have the money or not?"

She looked at the ground and shook her head. "No, I don't."

"Then you know the what shall happen..."

She nodded and closed her eyes. The sounds of the soldier flipping and throwing posessions around the house. He was probably building a wall around her; she didn't know... she was too afraid to open her eyes. Before long, there was the sound of fire crackling. Heat and smoke quickly over-came the mother. She fell to the ground, eyes closed. The image of Meng smiling was the last thing she saw on this earth; until her spirit sneaked out of her body. The fire consuming it.

-x-

Meng sat in the dirt, her knees sinking into the ground. What was she going to do now? Where was she going to live? Tears fell from her eyes and onto the wreckage.

"My child. What is wrong?" Meng turned around and saw an image behind her tears... it was an old woman in Earth Kingdom clothes. The figure bent down and hugged the crying child. "Everything will be alright..."

Meng tightly hugged the woman, "My mother..."

"I know..." she picked Meng up. "She came to me..."

Her little head rose and looked into the woman's eyes. "What?"

"Your mother... she told me to come and get you in a vision."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, let me put it this way: My name is Aunt Wu... And I'm here to take care of you."

Well, that's the end! Bad, no? XD