Night had fallen over the Fire Nation as the gang settled around their campfire. The waxing gibbous moon illuminated the night sky, shining down on the thick forest the gang had chosen to make camp in. None of them were quite ready to sleep, so they had elected to tell some ghost stories to pass the time. At the moment, it was Sokka's turn.

"Suddenly, they heard something down the hall in the dark," Sokka shared, making a soft, creepy ghost wail before continuing his story. "It came into the torchlight… and they knew. The blade of Wing Fung was haunted!"

He jumped to his feet, drawing his sword and letting out a dramatic yell. Unfortunately, he did not garner the reaction he was hoping for, the gang just staring at him with bored expressions.

"I think I like 'the man with a sword for a hand' better," Aang admitted.

"Are all Water Tribe horror stories sword based?" Zuko asked.

"No, that's just Sokka," Xia answered. "They used to all be boomerang based."

"Water Tribe slumber parties must stink," Toph moaned.

"What about you two?" Aang asked. "And good Fire Nation ghost stories?"

"I think all the Fire Nation horror stories we know are from actual history," Xia admitted.

"Except the one Azula made up when we were kids," Zuko reminded.

Both of them just shuddered.

"Let's just skip us," Xia requested.

"Oh, I've got one!" Katara piped up. "And this is a true Southern Water Tribe story."

"Is this one of those 'a friend of my cousin knew some guy that this happened to' stories?" Sokka asked as he sat down.

"No, it happened to Mom."

Upon hearing this, Sokka stiffened. Everyone scooted in closer, eager to hear the story.

"One winter when Mom was a girl, a snowstorm buried the whole village for weeks. A month later, Mom noticed she hadn't seen her friend Nini since the storm. So Mom and some others went to check on Nini's family. When they got there, no one was home. Just a fire flickering in the fireplace. While the men went out to search, Mom stayed in the house. When she was alone, she heard a voice."

She dropped her voice to that of a small, creepy child's voice, one that had Aang hiding behind Momo's, Toph stiffening in fear, and Xia grasping for her brother's hand.

"It's so cold, and I can't get warm." Katara's voice returned to normal as she continued. "Mom turned and saw Nini standing by the fire. She was blue like she was frozen. Mom ran outside for help, but when everyone came back, Nini was gone."

Sokka peered out from behind a gnarled tree stump he had taken cover behind.

"Where'd she go?" He asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

"No one knows," Katara answered cryptically. "Nini's house stands empty to this day, but sometimes, people see smoke coming from the chimney, like little Nini is still trying to get warm."

Suddenly, Toph sat straight up, placing her hands on the ground.

"Wait!" She let out, causing Aang, Katara, and Sokka to huddle close together. "Guys, did you hear that? I hear people under the mountain. And they're screaming."

Sokka, assuming Toph was attempting to be scary, let out a nervous snort before releasing his grip on the group.

"Nice try, Toph."

"No, I'm serious," She insisted. "I hear something."

"You're probably just jumpy from the ghost stories…" Katara reasoned.

There was silence for a moment.

"It just… stopped."

Now, even the fire twins were beginning to feel uneasy.

"Okay, I don't like this," Xia voiced.

"I think we've had enough scary stories for one night," Zuko decided.

"Hello, children."

Everyone then screamed in terror at the sound of an old woman's voice. They retreated to the other side of the campfire, the twins grabbing their weapons and pointing them at the source of the voice. This turned out to be an elderly woman in a fire nation dress and shawl. She gave the group a warm smile as she approached.

"Sorry to frighten you. My name is Hama. You children shouldn't be out in the forest by yourselves at night. I have an inn nearby. Why don't you come back there for some spiced tea and warm beds?"

"...yes please," Sokka replied, sheepishly raising a single hand.

...

Hama led the group towards a quaint little town situated in a clearing by a hill. Resting at the top of the hill was Hama's inn, a rustic building that smelled like tea and sandalwood incense. Hama brought the group into the kitchen, making a pot of tea to chase away the chill of the night.

"Thank you for letting us stay here tonight," Katara spoke. "You have a lovely inn."

"Aren't you sweet?" Hama replied, setting the teapot down.

"How did you find us anyway?" Xia wondered.

"I saw the smoke from your campfire," Hama answered. "You see, people have been disappearing in those woods you were camping in, and I feared that you all may fall victim to whatever is out there."

"What do you mean?" Sokka wondered.

Hama set down her cup, her face becoming morbid and creepy.

"When the moon turns full, people walk in, and they don't walk out." She then stood up, holding her teapot. "Who wants more tea?"

She was met with a collection of worried faces from each of the group members.

"Don't worry," She reassured them. "You'll all be completely safe here. Why don't I show you to your rooms and you can get a good night's sleep?"

…

Not long after that, everyone had settled into their rooms for the night. Aang, Toph, and Katara all flopped onto their beds, completely enraptured by the comforts of a real bed for the first time in weeks. The Fire Twins had elected to get a room to share, feeling more comfortable with the other within easy reach, and had quickly nodded off. The only one having a rough time falling asleep was Sokka, who kept tossing and turning at the slightest noise. A creaking noise caused him to sit up, sword in hand as Momo scampered under the covers.

"I know Momo, this place is creepy!" He sheathed his sword as he laid back on the bed. "I don't know if I'm gonna be able to fall asleep!"

…

Less than 30 minutes later, Sokka was fast asleep, drooling on his pillow. As morning arrived, Sokka was lying sideways on the bed, still fast asleep. He eventually awoke when a shadow fell over him. Cracking his eyes open, he found himself looking up at Hama's smiling face.

"Wakey, wakey. Time to go shopping!"

Katara walked up next to Hama, also smiling happily. Sokka just groaned.

…

Later, the gang was with Hama in the marketplace, carrying several baskets of groceries. As Hama completed one of her purchases, she waved goodbye to Mr. Yao, the butcher. Katara walked up next to her, chatting happily.

"That Mr. Yao seems to have a thing for you. Maybe we should go back and see if he'll give us some free komodo sausages?"

Hama faced Katara, a serious expression.

"You would have me use my feminine charms to take advantage of that poor man?" She grinned, returning to a more lighthearted demeanor. "I think you and I are going to get along swimmingly!"

As the group continued walking, they overheard a nearby shop owner conversing with one of the villagers.

"You won't have any ash bananas till next week?" the villager asked.

"Well I have to send the boy to Hing Wa Island to get them," the shop owner explained. "And it's a two day trip."

"Oh, right. Tomorrow's the full moon."

"Exactly. I can't lose another delivery boy in the woods."

"People disappearing in the woods," Sokka commented. "Weird stuff happening during full moons? This just reeks of Spirit World shenanigans."

"This is common?" Zuko questioned.

"We had an almost exact case awhile back," Xia explained. "Panda spirit was kidnapping people at night and dragging them into the Spirit World because he was pissed the Fire Nation burned down his forest."

"Well their forest doesn't seem even singed," Zuko noted.

"Maybe we should take a little walk around town," Aang suggested. "We might be able to find out what these people did to the environment to make the spirits mad."

"And then you can sew this little mystery up," Sokka concluded. "Avatar style

"Helping people. That's what I do."

The group managed to catch up with Hama, who passed the groceries she was carrying to Katara.

"Why don't you take all those things back to the inn?" she suggested. "I just have to run a couple more errands. I'll be back in a little while."

Sokka approached Hama, eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"This is a mysterious town," he remarked slowly, attempting to sound nonchalant.

Hama just smiled at him, an ominous air about her as she spoke.

"Mysterious town for mysterious children."

She then walked off as if nothing had happened. The fire twins both shivered, now sharing in Sokka's skepticism of their host.

…

The gang returned to the in, dropping off the groceries. As they began unloading them and putting them away, Sokka couldn't keep his thoughts to himself any longer.

"That Hama seems a little strange, like she knows something, or is hiding something."

"I will admit, something about her just seems…." Xia struggled to try and find the right words.

"Off?" Zuko suggested.

"Yeah, that works. Off. She feels off."

"That's ridiculous," Katara commented, unpacking the items they had bought. "She's a nice woman who took us in and gave us a place to stay. She kinda reminds me of Gran-Gran."

"But what about her comment on 'mysterious children'?" Sokka reminded.

"Gee, I don't know." Katara's voice was dripping in sarcasm as she put a finger to her cheek in mock contemplation, "Maybe because she found six strange kids camping in the woods at night? Isn't that a little mysterious?"

"I'm gonna take a look around."

Sokka then started walking through the Inn, searching for something that would confirm his suspicions. As he began heading upstairs, Katara scrambled to chase after him, the rest of the gang following not far behind.

"Sokka!" Katara snapped. "Sokka, what are you doing? You can't just snoop around someone's house."

"It'll be fine," Sokka insisted.

"Look, we want to get to the bottom of Hama too, but she could be home any minute," Xia insisted.

"Listen to them," Zuko insisted. "All you're gonna do is get us all in trouble."

"I'm not finished yet," Sokka insisted, attempting to open up a cupboard.

"Sokka, what you're doing is an invasion of property, not to mention just plain rude," Katara admonished. "Just stop right-"

As the cupboard opened up, several wooden puppets that were housed inside fell forward. Everyone gasped in shock as Sokka drew his sword, aiming it at the puppets. Once everyone got over the initial shock, they all settled.

"Okay, that was pretty creepy," Aang admitted.

"So she's got a hobby," Katara responded, sounding more than a little put off as she closed the cupboard. "There's nothing weird about that."

"I dunno, that was pretty weird," Xia remarked.

"See?! Sokka insisted.

"They're just puppets!" Katara exclaimed as Sokka began heading up to the attic. "You've looked enough! Hama will be back soon."

They joined Sokka in the attic, where he was trying to get into the only room up there. Unfortunately, the door was locked.

"Just an ordinary puppet-loving innkeeper, huh?" Sokka asked. "Well, then why does she have a locked door?"

"Probably to keep people like you from snooping through her stuff!" Katara retorted.

"We'll see." He leaned forward, peeking through the keyhole into the room. "There's nothing except a little chest."

"Maybe it's the money she makes from the inn," Toph suggested.

"Possibly." Sokka turned to the Fire Twins. "Hey, hotmen, can one of you pick a lock?"

"Seriously?" Zuko replied.

"What? Can you or can't you? I mean, how many times have you broken into and out of places, Zuko?"

"I cut through locks and chains. I never picked any locks."

"I did though," Xia spoke up, reaching into her hair and pulling out a pin. "Give me a second."

She squatted in front of the door, beginning her work.

"Also, Hotman?" Zuko questioned.

"It's all I could come up with, okay?" Sokka whined.

"Why don't you leave the nicknames to me, Snoozles," Toph told him, patting him on the back.

"Got it," Xia proclaimed.

She opened the door, Sokka making a beeline for the box.

"Okay, we really, shouldn't be doing this," Aang muttered, looking back at the door nervously.

Sokka picked up the chest and tried to open it, but found it once again locked. Wordlessly, he handed it to Xia, who began picking the lock again.

"Come on, come on," Sokka let out.

"Back off," Xia snapped. "This isn't as easy as it looks."

"Guys," Aang let out nervously. "I don't know about this…"

"This is crazy!" Katara insisted. "I'm leaving!"

"Suit yourself," Sokka told her. "Do it, Xia."

Just as Katara turned to leave, the lock on the box clicked. Xia gave a thumbs up to signal she'd been successful in opening it and everyone gathered around, including Katara. However, before they could open the box, Hama's voice called out from behind them.

"I'll tell you what's in the box."

All six of them jumped, turning to see the old innkeeper standing in the doorway. Her expression was hard to read, but her eyes were serious. Guiltily, Xia held out the box, which Hama took, gently lifting the lid and reaching inside. Sokka looked incredibly anxious as Hama removed the contents of the box to reveal… a blue, whale tooth comb that was most definitely not of Fire Nation origin. She held it up, smiling at the stunned gang.

"That's it?" Zuko questioned. "An old comb?"

"Why keep an old comb in a lockbox?" Sokka questioned. "It can't be that valuable."

"Its value is not monetary," Hama explained. "I treasure it because it is the last thing I own from growing up in the Southern Water Tribe."

That threw everyone for a loop, especially the Water Tribe siblings. Their jaws hit the ground.

"You're from the Southern Water Tribe?!" Katara let out.

"Indeed I am, just like you and your brother," Hama answered.

"You knew?" Sokka questioned. "How?!"

"I heard you talking by your campfire. It's why I extended the invitation. I had planned to surprise you with a big Water Tribe dinner to help ease tensions. I know that being in a strange land, especially where you're surrounded by enemies, can't be easy."

"Did you say…? Big… Water Tribe… Dinner?" Sokka questioned, drool dripping from his mouth as his eyes became wide.

"Yes. Unfortunately, I can't get all of the ingredients I need here, but Ocean Kumquats are a lot like sea prunes if you stew them long enough."

Aang instantly recoiled in disgust.

"Great…"

Xia was similarly put off, getting a worried look from her brother. The Water siblings remained blissfully unaware of their companions, more focused on the unexpected kindred spirit they had found.

"I knew I felt a bond with you right away," Katara gushed.

"And I knew you were keeping a secret, so I guess we're both right," Sokka declared before getting socked on the arm by Katara. "But… I'm sorry we were sneaking around."

"Apology accepted. As I said, I know what it's like being here. It's hard to know who to trust, especially when you don't belong." She clapped her hands together and smiled. "Now, let's get cooking!"

…

After dropping off some food for Appa and Momo, as well as witnessing the usual food dispute between the two air animals, Aang stepped back into the in for some much needed food. The entire table was covered in food that looked like it had been plucked straight from the poles, including several different types of fish, and an entire bowl of ocean kumquats. Zuko reached for the bowl and Xia caught his hand, shaking her head in warning.

"What?" he asked quietly.

"Trust me, your tea tastes better than this."

Zuko reeled back in disgust. Toph felt his recoil and turned to Aang.

"Are ocean kumquats really that bad?"

"I'm sure the slime in the hornet-vulture nest tasted better if they're anything like sea prunes."

She too recoiled as Hama rose from her seat, offering up a small cauldron of soup.

"Who wants five flavor soup?"

All six of them raised their hands, and Hama began waving hers over the cauldron. In a move that had the five seeing members of the gang staring, she waterbended the soup out of the cauldron and into their bowls, not spilling a drop. Katara's face lit up upon seeing this.

"You're a waterbender! I've never met another waterbender from our tribe!"

"That's because the Fire Nation wiped them all out," Hama lamented. "I was the last one…"

Zuko and Xia exchanged looks, feeling their hearts plummet into their stomachs. They held each other's hands, Katara and Sokka doing the same.

"If you don't mind me asking," Zuko spoke up. "How did you end up here?"

"I was stolen from my home," She answered, recalling the horrific events of her life. "It was over sixty years ago when the raids started."

"The raids of Firelord Azulon," Xia recalled, her fists clenching. "He believed the Avatar was hiding out in the tribes and wanted to wipe out all the benders so he could never learn Waterbending."

"He failed in the North..." Zuko added. "But in the South..."

Hama closed her eyes, her hands shaking around her tea cup.

"I lost count of how many raids were done upon my home, I do remember that every time they came, they rounded up more and more of our water benders. We fought back as best we could, and while we were able to do some damage… it was never enough."

Katara thought back to the Fire Nation warship trapped in the ice back in the South Pole, and how her Gran Gran never liked talking about it. The look on Hama's faced matched her Gran Gran's every time Sokka or she asked about it.

"In the end, they managed to capture us all, and I too was captured. The last time I saw my home, I was being led away in chains as the last Waterbender of the Southern Water Tribe."

Feeling overwhelmed by all of this, Zuko just got up and walked out. Xia saw him go and quickly rose, going after him.

"Hey!" Aang called after them.

"Let them go, Aang," Katara insisted. "I can't imagine what he must be feeling right now."

"My story is not a pleasant one," Hama admitted. "Ever since that horrible day, I have been trapped in this wretched place."

"So, they brought you all here to the Fire Nation?" Sokka questioned.

"Yes, to terrible prisons built specifically to hold us. I was the only one who managed to escape."

"How did you manage to get away? And why did you stay in the Fire Nation?"

"I'm sorry… it's too painful to talk about anymore."

"We completely understand," Katara assured her, resting a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Sokka and I lost our mother to a raid."

"Oh, you poor things..." Hama let out.

"Our friends, the ones who left, they've lost so much to the Fire Nation," Aang added, looking out at where the twins had gone. "All they have is each other."

"I'm sure that's of great comfort to them. Until today, I never thought I'd meet anyone from my homeland, much less a waterbender."

"Well, I can't tell you what it means to meet you," Katara insisted. "It's an honor... You're a hero."

"Then perhaps you'd be willing to let me teach you what I know. I would love for someone to be able to carry on the Southern tradition."

Katara's face lit up in excitement.

"Yes! Yes, of course! To learn about my heritage, it would mean everything to me."

She bowed to Hama, the old lady smiling warmly

…

Outside, Zuko stared out into the endless night, his fists clenched and shaking. Xia came up next to him, making sure to move slowly so she wouldn't startle him.

"Hey… are you alright?"

"...not really, no."

He flopped onto the grass, and Xia sat down next to him.

"Hey, we knew our nation was far from perfect."

"Yeah, but… just when I think we couldn't stoop any lower, our heritage… our homeland..." he let out a snarl, smoke erupting from his nose as he rolled over. "Is there anything here that hasn't been tainted by this spirit-forsaken war?!"

"One thing… Uncle Iroh."

Upon hearing that, Zuko relaxed slightly.

"It's times like these that I miss him the most."

"I know what you mean," Xia replied, wrapping an arm around him. "But you know what? We're gonna get him back. When we get to the capital, we're gonna find Uncle and bust him out."

The thought caused Zuko to smile.

"Now that's something to look forward to."

The two remained out on the grass for a moment, unaware of Hama watching them from the window. Her eyes were cold as she stared at them, sharpened nails digging into the wood of the windowsill.

…

The next day, Hama and Katara went out towards the outskirts of the village.

"Growing up in the South Pole, Waterbenders are totally at home surrounded by snow and ice and seas," Hama explained. "But as you probably noticed on your travels, that isn't the case wherever you go."

"Believe me, I know. My friends and I got stranded in the desert once and I felt so useless. There was almost nothing I could do aside from use my bending water to keep all of us hydrated."

"That's why you must learn to control water wherever it exists."

"I once used my own sweat to Waterbend. Does that count?"

Hama smiled and nodded.

"Indeed it does, but perspiration isn't the only source of water. For example, did you know that a true master could pull water out of thin air?"

With a few precise movements, Hama pulled some water vapor from the air, hardening it into ice that coated her fingertips. Katara went wide-eyed as Hama showed her the claws.

"You have to keep an open mind, Katara." She waved her hand, sending the claws flying until they were embedded in a tree. "There's water in places you'd never think about."

…

Meanwhile, the rest of the gang was out on their own, searching for anything that would have pissed off the spirits. However, the landscape surrounding the village was pristine and untouched.

"This has got to be the nicest natural setting in the entire Fire Nation," Aang marveled. "I don't see anything that would make a spirit mad around here."

"Maybe someone in the village did something," Xia suggested. "I mean, it's possible."

"Or maybe the Moon Spirit just turned mean," Toph remarked.

"The Moon Spirit is a gentle, loving lady!" Sokka let out, snapping towards her. "She rules the sky with compassion, and… lunar goodness!"

Zuko blinked a bit, then turned to Xia.

"Northern Water Tribe Princess he had a crush on sacrificed herself to become the new Moon Spirit. He's… still touchy about it."

"Oh..." Zuko let out before turning to Sokka. "That's rough, buddy."

Aang looked around for a moment, then he caught sight of a villager walking down a path.

"Excuse me, sir," he called out, getting the man to stop, "can you tell us anything about the spirit that's been stealing people?"

"Only one man ever saw it," the man explained. "And that's Old Man Ding."

"And where is this Old Man Ding?" Toph questioned.

…

Hama brought Katara out to a large field of beautiful red flowers. The latter looked around, in awe of their beauty.

"Wow, I don't think I've ever seen flowers like this."

"They're called fire lilies. They only bloom a few weeks a year, but they're one of my favorite things about living here. And like all plants, and all living things, they're filled with water."

"That reminds me of this waterbender I met in a swamp. He controlled vines by manipulating the water inside."

"You can take it even further," Hama insisted.

In a sharp, swiveling motion, she drew water from dozens of the surrounding fire lilies, forming a water blade and slicing a nearby rock clean through.

"That was incredible!" Katara exclaimed before noticing that the lilies were all dried up and dead. "It's a shame about the lilies though."

"They're just flowers," Hama replied dismissively. "When you're a waterbender in a strange land, you do what you must to survive."

Katara just nodded, feeling the strong emotions in Hama's voice. However, the old woman quickly shook it off, turning to Katara with her usual warm smile.

"Tonight, I'll teach you the ultimate technique of Waterbending. It can only be done during the full moon, when your bending is at its peak."

"But, isn't that dangerous?" Katara asked cautiously, glancing up at the sky. "I thought people have been disappearing around here during the full moon."

"Come now, Katara. Two master waterbenders beneath a full moon? You'd have to be pretty foolish to oppose us."

She cackled slightly, walking off. Katara smiled slightly, remembering a particular firebender who had made such an error before following after Hama.

…

Later that night, the group went to Old Man Ding's house, hoping to get some answers about what was going on. When they arrived though, they found a very old man attempting to board up the windows of his home. He had a nail lined up on the bored, readying his hammer.

"Old Man Ding?" Aang called out.

Ding turned, accidentally hammering his thumb. He yelped in pain, dropping the nailed, the hammer, then grabbing his thumb before grunting.

"What in blazes are you kids doing out here? Can't ya see there's a full moon rising?" He bent down to try and pick up a board. "And why does everyone keep calling me Old Man Ding? I'm not that old!"

He struggled to pick up the board and both Sokka and Zuko rolled their eyes. They walked forward, picking up the board as Aang snagged the hammer and nails. Ding watched them, then sighed.

"Well… I'm young at heart. At the very least, I ain't ready to get snatched up by some moon monster just yet."

"We actually wanted to ask you about that," Sokka spoke up.

"Did you get a good look at the spirit that took you?" Aang asked.

Ding shook his head as the boys worked on the windows.

"Didn't see no spirit, just felt something come over me, like I was possessed." He pointed out towards the mountain, the very one the kids had been camping at a few nights ago. "Forced me to start walking towards the mountain. I tried to fight it, but I couldn't control my own limbs. It just about had me into a cave up there, and I looked up at the moon for what I thought would be my last glimpse of light."

By now, all five of the gang members were entranced by the tale, Sokka quivering harder than ever Katara's ghost story had made him.

"But then… the sun started to rise, and I got control of myself again! Once I realized that, I just high-tailed it away from that mountain as quick as I could!"

"Why would a spirit want to take people to a mountain?" Sokka asked.

"Spirit portal maybe?" Zuko suggested, getting odd looks from the group. "What? From what I can tell, that's a completely viable option."

"Unless it's not a spirit at all," Xia pondered.

"Oh no!" Toph realized. "I did hear people screaming under the mountain. The missing villagers must still be there!"

…

It didn't take long for the quintet to reach their old campsite. The second they reached the campsite, Toph slapped her hand on the ground, focusing with all her might.

"I can still hear them!" she exclaimed. "They're this way!"

She took off, the other four rushing to keep up.

…

Elsewhere in the forest, Hama and Katara stood in a clearing, the full moon shining down on them both.

"Can you feel the power the full moon brings?" Hama asked, inhaling deeply as she stretched her arms out. "For generations, it has blessed waterbenders with its glow, allowing us to do incredible things!"

As she flexed her limbs, her veins began to bulge, much to Katara's shock. She looked at the older woman's arms, then at her face as her eyes opened.

"I've never felt more alive…"

…

The quintet reached the mouth of a dark cave, the fire twins instantly summoning balls of light into their hands. They all ran down, eventually reaching a large, metal door with a pair of torches on either side. Upon reaching it, everyone stepped back, letting Toph step forward. She planted her foot and shoved her hands forward, sending the door flying off its hinges.

"I am so glad I joined your group before I ever got the chance to fight you," Zuko remarked.

"Praise me later, let's go!" Toph snapped.

They all ran inside and found the missing villagers all chained to the wall. They all cringed at the light, their figures gaunt and their clothes tattered. There were so many prisoners that it was hard to keep track.

"Who's there?" a male prisoner called out.

"Friends," Zuko answered, drawing his swords. "I'll take the left half."

"Right half are mine," Xia agreed, drawing her own blades.

The two went through the prison, slicing through the chains and freeing everyone. Toph darted left and right, using metal bending to rip the shackles off of the freed prisoners. As they did, Aang looked around horrified.

"There's no way a spirit did this," he insisted.

"Who did this to you?" Xia asked, freeing one of the prisoners.

"A vile witch…" a female prisoner answered. "The old inn keeper on the hill. I don't know how she did it, but she controlled us… all of us… like some dark puppet master."

"Hama..." Sokka said through gritted teeth.

The second that realization hit the group, Zuko and Xia froze.

"Toph, can you handle freeing everyone else?" Zuko questioned.

"I got it," she insisted. "You two go stop that psycho."

"We'll come with you," Sokka insisted.

"No way," Xia shot down, pointing her sword at Aang. "You're too valuable," she then pointed at Sokka, "and Katara would kill us if we let anything happen to you. Stay here with Toph and help her free everyone, then come find us."

They both nod as Xia and Zuko take off. The second they did, the boys exchanged looks.

"We're so following, right?" Sokka questioned.

"Katara's in danger, of course we're following! I don't care how many fireballs they throw at us!"

Sokka nodded, then the boys took off as well.

…

In the forest, a cat owl let out an ominous hoot, flying away from the waterbender pair.

"What I'm about to show you, I discovered in that wretched Fire Nation prison..." Hama turned to Katara, a cold cruel anger having washed over her entire body. "The guards were always very careful to keep any water away from us. They piped in dry air and had us suspended away from the ground. Before giving us any water, they would bind our hands and feet so we couldn't bend. Any sign of trouble was met with cruel retribution."

Her fists clenched and she turned away, letting out a sharp breath. Alarm bells were going off for Katara. Every instinct was telling her to run, but it was as if she was frozen where she stood.

"And yet each month, I felt the full moon enriching me with its energy. There had to be something I could do to escape." She turned back to Katara, a cruel smirk on her face. "Then I realized that where there is life, there is water. The rats that scurried across the floor of my cage were nothing more than skins filled with liquid and I passed years developing the skill that would lead to my escape… Bloodbending."

Katara was horrified, stumbling back slightly as Hama's smirk became a wide, feral grin.

"Controlling the water in another body, enforcing your own will over theirs. Once I mastered the rats, I was ready for the men, and after decades of unjust imprisonment, I was released by the very guards assigned to keep me in."

"That… that's awful..." Katara let out. "To reach inside someone and control them… No one should have that power. It's wrong!"

"The choice is not yours. The power exists, and it is your duty to use the gifts to end this war." She closed in on Katara, grabbing her arms. "Katara, they tried to wipe us out. Our entire race, including your mother!"

"But not all people of the Fire Nation are like that! It took me a while to see it, but there is no good or bad nation! You cannot blame innocent people for the crimes of the cruel few!"

Hama let out a wretched laugh.

"Let me guess, those royal brats you're dragging along told you that!"

"You… you know?"

"You think I wouldn't recognize the spawn of the man who ordered the destruction of my home?! OUR home?! They are as guilty as every other member of this wretched nation! They all deserve to suffer as we have!"

"It's you…" Katara shoved Hama away, forcing the woman to release her arms, "you're the one who's been making people disappear during the full moons!"

"They threw me in prison to rot, along with my brothers and sisters! They deserve the same! You must carry on my work!"

"Never!" Katara snapped. "I will never stoop to your level! I will never use Bloodbending and I will not allow you to keep terrorizing this town!"

Suddenly, Katara's body began to move on its own. She felt the blood in her body moving in unnatural ways. To say it felt wrong was an understatement. Her body was robbed of free will as she was dragged around the clearing by a deranged Hama.

"You should've learned the technique before you turned against me!" She forced Katara into a strained position, her limbs twisted in unnatural ways. "It's impossible to fight your way out of my grip! I control every muscle, every vein in your body!"

Hama proceeded to force Katara to kneel, the girl crying as she struggled to lift her head.

"Stop… please..."

Her pleas fell on deaf ears as Hama laughed cruelly, keeping Katara on her knees. As she wept, she felt the power of the moon wash over her, enriching her. Her breath steadied and her fists clenched, the grass around her hands shriveling as she pulled the water from the blades. Hama felt her control over Katara suddenly snap as the girl rose to her feet, her gaze cold and vengeful.

"You're not the only one who draws power from the moon," Katara snarled as she assumed a fighting stance. "My bending is more powerful than yours, Hama, and your technique is useless on me!"

Katara then proceeded to draw water from the grass around her and shoot it out at Hama. Hama manage to redirect it back at Katara, but Katara just returned it right back. Thinking quick, Hama drained two trees, then a third, creating a massive water blast. When it reached Katara, she slapped it back, creating a massive wave of droplets, all of them aimed right at Hama. The old woman was stunned by the amount of power in the young bender, which granted Katara the moment she needed to attack. She hit her with two attacks from opposite directions, which caused Hama to spin out and land hard in the dirt.

"Katara!" Xia called out.

Katara looked up, her determination turning to horror when she saw the twins approaching.

"Hama's been attacking the villagers, imprisoning them in the mountain!" Zuko quickly explained.

"I know!" She replied hastily. "Now get out of here!"

"We're not letting you face her alone!" Zuko insisted as the two drew their respective swords.

"Besides, we have her outnumbered," Xia reasoned.

That's when Hama began cackling again, rising to her feet.

"Now this is just perfect. You're right Katara! The villagers of this wretched place aren't enough!" Her gaze then locked on the twins. "But you two… I'm going to enjoy this..."

Suddenly, Zuko and Xia froze up, their backs going straight before they were forced forward. Both of them were swinging their blades wildly, heading right for Katara.

"What's going on?!" Zuko cried out. "What's happening?!"

"I dunno!" Xia shrieked. "This has never happened before!"

Katara dodged and weaved, trying to avoid their blades. She was panicking, not wanting to hurt them, but also knowing that neither of them could possibly fight Hama.

"Katara, look out!" Zuko called out as his blade nearly took her head off. "You have to stop us!"

"Hurry!" Xia insisted. "We can take it!"

"Yes, Katara!" Hama cackled. "Stop them! Make sure they can never hurt anyone ever again!"

Katara summoned up a ring of water, using it to deflect the blows. She then used it to shove them into separate trees, freezing them in place.

"Sorry!" she apologized.

"Don't be!" Xia assured her.

Hama looked at the frozen firebenders, her entire body shaking.

"No, no, no!" She tensed her entire body, then thrust her arms together. "I will make them pay!"

Both firebenders ended up shattering the ice, their blades aimed right at one another. However, before they could stab one another, Sokka and Aang came out of nowhere, tackling Hama to the ground.

"I knew something was creepy about you, you… you creep!" Sokka snapped.

"And I'm glad you two didn't listen to me," Xia remarked.

"Yeah..." Zuko said, sheathing his blades and sighing in relief. "Thanks."

Katara looked relieved for a moment, until she saw all the plants under Hama dying. There was a sudden eruption of water that sent Sokka and Aang flying. When they landed, thick sheets of ice pinned them down, ensuring they couldn't interfere. Before anyone could properly react, Hama had Zuko drop to his knees, Xia's blades crossed across his throat.

"Now..." Hama snarled. "Where were we?"

She caused Xia's blade to rise high above her head before motioning her to bring it down on Zuko. He closed his eyes and braced himself, but before it did though, the blades stopped inches away from his head. She quickly dropped the blades as Zuko got to his feet, the siblings holding one another.

At that moment, everyone heard the painful whimpering coming from Hama. They all turned, seeing her struggling to move, and Katara performing the Bloodbending technique. She forced the old woman to her knees, her hands shaking as she did. Hama tried to fight it, but Katara was much stronger than her.

…

Toph arrived not long after that, the freed villagers in tow. They didn't even acknowledge Katara's Waterbending, caring more that they were finally free, and the monster that had imprisoned them was finally captured. They chained her in the very handcuffs that had once held them, surrounding her and ensuring she would not be escaping.

"You're going to be locked away forever now," one of the former prisoners swore.

"My work here is done," Hama declared, turning back to Katara as she was being carried off. "Congratulations Katara. You're a Bloodbender."

Katara broke into tears, shaking as Hama cackled maliciously. The villagers took her away as the entire gang gathered around the distraught waterbender, doing their best to console her after what she'd been forced to do.