Okay, so you'll notice a lot of time has gone by. Don't worry about that though.

xXxXxXxX1MONTH LATERXxXxXxXx

Otaki came down the stairs of the palace quietly. She couldn't let her family know she was sneaking around. Esspecially, if it was just to get food. She had been so hungry and already her stomach was getting a bit bigger. Soon they would be able to tell. She would have to face the shame and horror of it all over again. Quietly, she took out a large slice of cake. It was a celebration cake that had been so large it had lasted a month. Now, this was the last piece. It would be all gone. The celebration forgotten.

As she ate, Zuko came down the stairs. He did it so silently, that Otaki didn't notice him. He watched her eat and thoughts tumbled around in his head. Something was bothering her. He knew that much. What it was though, was a mystery to him. Over the last few weeks, she had been in her own world. She had turned down any chances to spend time with Heero and Jin. She had turned down time just to sit and talk about things that had happened, with Zuko. She had turned down any chance to go out into the village. The villengers didn't even know if there really was the oldest daughter, or if she had just been a figment of their imaginations.

xXxXxXNEXT DAYxXxXxXxX

Otaki was walking slowly through the gardens. It was one place she felt safe. She didn't want to get close to anyone. When you get close to people, you loose them. Then you get hurt. She didn't want to get hurt. She couldn't handle the pain of it anymore. There was a slight breeze and Otaki looked around. From the corner of her eye she saw someone. A girl... A girl who looked oddly firmiliar. When Otaki turned around, the girl was gone. Yet, there she was, out of the corner of her eye again. She saw the girl turn and run, a white dress flowing behind her. Quickly Otaki followed. The girl turned around and let out a quiet laugh that sounded like bells ringing. Her skin was glowing softly.

"Wait!" Otaki exclaimed. "Who are you?"

The girl just laughed and kept running. Otaki followed. She came to a clearing in the gardens and there was a small pond. Slowly, she walked over to it and looked down. The water looked beautiful, glistening like tiny crystals. Instead of her own reflection, she saw the girl's face staring back at her. The girl smiled and her lips moved. In the wind Otaki could hear words being spoken in almost a whisper.

"Strong... Live...Happy..."

Otaki blinked and looked back into the water, but all she saw was her own reflection, staring confused right back at her.

xXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

"Otaki, I'd like to introduce you to someone," Jin exclaimed.

She had cornered Otaki and stood with her hands behind her back.

Otaki raised and eyebrow and nodded slowly. Jin pulled her hands out from behind her back and revealed what she held. A small squirrel. The squirrel let out a squeal of delight and crawled up onto Otaki's shoulder. Otaki stared at it with amazement. It was...smart?

"She likes you! Oh yay, she likes you!" Jin yelled.

Pig licked Otaki's cheek. Otaki picked up the small animal and stared in it's eyes. "You are an odd creature," she said softly.

Pig seemed to laugh at this. "Her name is Pig,"

"Pig?"

"Yes. Pig. I named her myself,"

"How...wonderful,"

Otaki glanced around, obviously uncomtroble. Pig kept staring at her. It seemed like she was smiling. There was a noise outside of Heero falling to the ground. Zuko and Heero were training. Heero felt he needed to train more than anyone else because he wasn't gifted with a type of bend. He relied on physical strength. Pig leaped from Otaki's hand catching her off guard. Otaki stumbled and tripped, falling backwards. When she fell, her head tilted backwards and her hair fell from it's neat placing. Jin gasped in horror and took a step backwards.

"Otaki! You're hurt!"

"No...I just tripped because of that-" Otaki stopped and brought a hand to her face. Her eye. Her side of her face was revealed. For a month she had been so careful. She had kept it hidden under the darkness of her hair. Now...now it was all for nothing.

"Jin, please!"

"I'll go get daddy!

"No-"

But Jin was already gone. Outside storm clouds were forming and a slight rain was falling. Otaki ran away from the palace and to somewhere where she thought they would never find her. She took a small dagger out from her pocket and let out a sob.

xXxXxXxXxXx

"Daddy!" Jin yelled.

Zuko had just come in from sparring with Heero. The rain had ruined their training and they would have to wait for the storm to pass.

"What is it Jin?" Zuko asked.

"It's Otaki! The side of her face..."

"Where is she?" There was a note of urgency in his voice.

"I don't know..."

The rain fell harder now and Zuko serched everywhere. He stopped. No...he hadn't serched everywhere. There was one place he hadn't looked. Slowly, he made his way into the cemetary. There. He saw her. Ironically, she was leaning against the back of Kaori's grave. Tears ran down her face and mixed in with the rain.

"Otaki," Zuko said softly.

She looked up and Zuko's eyes widened, he was suddenly taken over with rage. She had cut her hair. Cut it so that it fell around her chin in jagged sections. Cut it so that her whole face was showing. He saw the burn on the side of her face. It was just like his, but in almost a smuged handprint.

"Is this her?" Otaki asked quietly. "It's the newest one,"

"Do you mean this grave?"

"Yes,"

"Then yes. This is your mother,"

"How did she..."

Zuko let out a sigh. He wanted to ask about the scar. But right now...this seemed more important. Going back to these memories was painful though. "She died on Zhao's boat, after she saved my life. She risked everything, she wanted you back. She loved you, but on that day, she tried to save me. Zhao shot her in the back. She died peacefually though."

Otaki let out a sob. Zuko reached to put a hand on her shoulder but she pushed him away. "Zhao didn't kill her," she muttered.

"Yes. It's hard to admit but he did. Zhao killed lots of people,"

Otaki stared at him with an unknown fury in her eyes. "NO!" she cried. "I killed lots of people! Zhao didn't kill Kaori!" she let out another sob. "I did..."

Zuko let her last words echo inside his head. No... It couldn't be true.

"Don't you see? Zhao wanted me to kill you, but I missed and hit the woman. I was there. I heard her scream,"

Zuko stared at his daughter in horror. All those years of suffering. All that pain. Otaki let out another sob.

His own daughter had killed the only woman he had ever loved.