Chapter 21:
Hama lead Katara and Freya away from the inn the next morning, walking through the village, past the buildings and into a field.
"Growing up at the South Pole, Waterbenders are totally at home surrounded by snow and ice and seas." Hama said as the three walked. "But, as you probably noticed on your travels, that isn't the case wherever you go."
"I know, when we were stranded in the desert, I felt like there was almost nothing I could do." Katara said
"Not much water in the air at the desert." Freya added
"That's why you have to learn to control water wherever it exists." Hama nodded
"I've even used my own sweat for waterbending." Katara admitted
"That's very resourceful, Katara. You're thinking like a true master. But did you know you can even pull water out of thin air?" Hama rose her hand before she rose it before her. She curled her hand around her head and water accumulated on her fingers out of the moisture around them.
"Yes, Freya's done that before." Katara smiled and Hama smiled at the girl.
"That's very impressive."
"I've had a while to learn." Freya admitted.
"It's good to keep an open mind, Katara." the water on Hama's fingers turned to ice. "There's water in places you never think about." she flung her hands and the ice fingers shot at a tree. Katara grinned while Freya pursed her lips and looked down at Hama.
Yes… some water however you shouldn't reach for… she believed.
They moved through the plains until they came to one filled with red flowers. Freya smiled at them as she crouched before some, looking at one.
"Wow, these flowers are beautiful." Katara said
"They're called Fire Lilies. They only bloom a few weeks a year, but they're one of my favourite things about living here." Hama said
"My father used to bring some for my mother." Freya smiled at them "They were some of her favourite flowers." Katara smiled at the girl.
"He must have been resourceful to get Fire Nation Flowers to the Water Tribe." Hama said. Freya's smile dropped.
"You could say that." she said standing. Katara put a hand on Freya's shoulder but she turned to Hama expectantly.
"Are you aware of another use for these flowers?" she asked
"I assume you're taking about the water inside them that keeps them hydrated?" Freya asked and Hama nodded.
"Like all plants, and all living things, they're filled with water."
"I met a Waterbender who lived in a swamp, and could control the vines by bending the water inside." Katara smiled
"You can take it even further." Hama spun around, her arms out and the water pulled up from the fire lilies. She spun and the water shot at a rock, slicing through it four times so that the piece slid sideways and to the ground.
"That was incredible." Katara beamed before she looked down. The flowers had wilted and were blackened from the lack of moisture. The girl frowned. "It's a shame about the lilies, though."
"They're just flowers." Hama waved away. "When you're a Waterbender in a strange land, you do what you must to survive." Hama placed a hand on Katara's shoulder. "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." she smiled
"But isn't that dangerous? I thought people have been disappearing around here during the full moon." Katara frowned
"Oh, Katara. Three master Waterbenders beneath a full moon? I don't think we have anything to worry about." she smiled and turned to walk away. Freya looked after her carefully.
"What's wrong Freya?" Katara asked her as she noticed the scrutinising look.
"I don't like where this is going." she said
"What do you mean?" Katara asked.
"There's water in places you never think about. In all living things, they're filled with water." Freya paraphrased.
"Where are you going with this?" Katara asked.
"Katara, some water sources shouldn't be bended in my opinion. And Hama gives me the impression that she doesn't care about crossing such lines."
"Like what?"
"Like bending the water inside people." Katara looked surprised.
"Don't be silly! That's ridiculous."
"So is the idea of escaping a metal prison built especially for waterbenders, without water." Freya said before she turned and followed the old women.
They returned to the inn for dinner and the two young water benders hardly spoke as they ate. Once the sun had set Freya and Katara followed Hama out into the woods while Toph, Sokka and Aang moved back to the town, trying to figure out how people were disappearing by talking to the only witness who'd survived.
The three water benders moved through the trees as the moon was high above them in the sky, shining brightly in the dark sky.
Hama stopped as she stared up at it, the two girls behind her.
"Can you feel the power the full moon brings?" the old women breathed in deeply. "For generations, it has blessed Waterbenders with its glow, allowing us to do incredible things." The women flexed her arms and her veins began to pop out as she stretched her arms out beside her. "I've never felt more alive."
Freya glanced around them and then back at Hama, clenching one of her firsts. An owl hooted above them as the wind whipped through the trees and the moon beamed down at them through the leaves.
"What I'm about to show you, I discovered in that wretched, Fire Nation prison." Hama explained angrily "The guards were always 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. 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 stared up as leaves blew past her in the wind. "Then I realised 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 skills that would lead to my escape. Bloodbending." Katara looked surprised and turned to Freya who had a disgusted look on her face. "Controlling the water in another body. Enforcing your own will over theirs. Once I had mastered the rats, I was ready for the men… And during the next full moon, I walked free for the first time in decades. My cell unlocked by the very guards assigned to keep me in. Once you perfect this technique, you can control anything… or anyone." she turned to look at the two.
"That's wrong Hama." Freya snapped
"To reach inside someone and control them? I don't know if I want that kind of power." Katara said uneasily.
"The choice is not yours. The power exists… and it's your duty to use the gifts you've been given to win this war. Katara, they tried to wipe us out, our entire culture… your mother! Freya your parents!" she turned to them.
"You know nothing Hama! Don't you try and use my parents to convince me." Freya warned.
"We're the last Waterbenders of the Southern Tribe. We have to fight these people whenever we can. Wherever they are, with any means necessary!"
"And that includes stealing innocents from their home?" Freya asked. Katara looked surprised as she turned to Freya and then Hama. "These people here have done nothing and yet you punish those who have no idea of what happens outside their waters."
"It's you. You're the one who's making people disappear during the full moons." Katara realised
"They threw me in prison to rot, along with my brothers and sisters. They deserve the same. You must carry on my work." Hama said.
"We won't! I won't use bloodbending, and I won't allow you to keep terrorising this town." Katara snapped, pointing at the women.
Katara suddenly cried out as her arm began to twist. Freya felt her body move and her arms rose as if to attack herself.
"You should have learned the technique before you turned against me." The two were forced to stand up straight and stiff. "It's impossible to fight your way out of my grip. I control every muscle, every vein in your body." Hama declared.
Freya closed her eyes and took a breath. She felt the light of the moon on her and she released her breath slowly.
"No." she said "You don't." and her arms moved from her sides and she took a bending stance. Hama stared at her surprised. "I control my body, not you! You think you have more control over it than I do!?" she looked at her angrily and Hama looked surprised as Freya rose her arms, swirled them and water rose around her before shooting off at Hama. Katara collapsed with a gasp as Hama had to block the attack but Freya had more control and the women rose her own defence when she couldn't take Freya's water and send it back at her.
"You're a disgrace Hama. A disgrace to the water tribe!" Freya snapped.
"You'd better be careful Freya, just because I don't have you, doesn't mean I don't have Katara." and Katara was on her feet, her hands up and turning towards Freya. Freya wasn't at all deterred.
"You think you have any more control over her than you do on me?" Freya asked angrily. "I taught her better than that!"
Katara closed her eyes, panting angrily as Hama chuckled before the girl gripped her fingers. Hama watched as Katara moved her arms and stood before the moon with Freya.
"You're not the only one who draws power from the moon. My bending is more powerful than yours, Hama. Your technique is useless on me!" Freya and Katara moved in sync and the water went shooting from them to Hama, who caught it and threw it back. Freya ducked under it and moved towards Hama as Katara caught the water and sent it back at the old women, Freya moving out of the way as it zoomed past her.
Hama grabbed the stream and pulled two more from two trees. The three joined together and shot at Katara who shoved her hand forwards and the entire water smashed into it, breaking as it splashed all out before Katara. Hama stared at it shocked as Freya moved her arms and the water above her collected to move to Hama.
The women rose her arm but Freya moved the water and Hama was thrown off her feet.
"You cannot beat us Hama." Freya said as Sokka and Aang came running up behind the old women, who got to her feet.
"We know what you've been doing, Hama!" Sokka admitted
"Give up, you're outnumbered." Aang said as he rose his arms.
"No. You've outnumbered yourselves." she rose her hands and the two boys stood up straight and surprised. They then shot forwards towards the two girls who moved and dodged them both. Katara pulled water from the grass and Hama from a tree which she circled around her so that Katara's stream hit it.
"Katara, look out!" Katara turned to find Sokka getting up and pulled his sword which he waved around willy nilly. "It's like my brain has a mind of its own. Stop it, arm, stop it!" Sokka complained as Katara moved backwards. Freya grabbed Aang's arm as he shot at her and Katara used water to bash Sokka way from her.
"This feels weird." Freya spun and threw Aang so he hit a tree and Katara shot a stream of water to ice him to the trunk as he stood back up.
"I'm sorry, Aang." Katara frowned
"It's okay." Aang assured.
Sokka came at her, swinging his sword around some more and Freya ducked under it easily before Katara iced his hand to the tree.
"Don't hurt your friends, Katara... and don't let them hurt each other." The ice on the two boys broke and they went shooting towards one another, Sokka's sword pointed at Aang.
Freya's eyes widened in shock and her arms went up to her sides at each boy beside her.
Katara shouted. "No!"
The boys had stopped and Freya lowered her arms so they both did as well. Hama however sat up straight and Freya released her grip as Hama trembled and Katara had her hands up towards the women. She moved her hands downwards and Hama moved towards the floor.
Freya walked towards Hama and crouched before her.
"I hope your proud of yourself. You're going right back to prison." she whispered.
Footsteps sounded and Toph ran up behind the women with a heap of villagers.
Cuffs were put on Hama's wrists as the soldiers held her arms and she was turned to move away.
"You're going to be locked away forever." one exclaimed and she stopped to stare at the two girls behind her.
"My work is done. Congratulations, Freya, Katara. You're bloodbenders." Katara covered her mouth and cried as the women moved off cackling. Freya just stared after her as Katara sobbed, crouching down to her knees.
"Not that we didn't have the capacity for it before." Freya mumbled and the boys glanced at her. "However it doesn't matter, because we will decide whether we use it or not." she said turning to Katara. The girl looked up at her.
"We're not Hama. And we wont abuse our bending in useless, harsh means." she said and Katara looked at her as Freya took her hand and helped her stand up.
"It doesn't matter." Katara wiped her cheeks before she nodded.
"Thanks Freya. And you were right, there are some lines you don't cross." Freya smiled. "You always knew about the technique didn't you."
"It was definitely a possibility I considered." she nodded "But I never considered using it for such methods as Hama." she turned to the two boys. "Maybe to save a life or two though." she smiled and they looked sheepish.
Freya brushed the water bender's cheek and she smiled.
"Come on, let's move on shall we?" she offered and the four all nodded.