Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender in any shape or form.

The crackle of the campfire echoed in the dark woods of the night. Ameya stared into the fire quietly, not paying attention to Sokka's attempt of ghost stories. Despite the staged words that left the boy's lips, Ameya could not focus on the tales. Her gaze followed the fire, smelling the scent of burnt wood and smoke that should not remind her of him and yet—

"Water Tribe slumber parties must stink," Toph commented. Aang, Katara, and Toph had the same bored look on their face, uninterested in Sokka's story.

"No, wait! I've got one! And this is a true Southern Water Tribe story," Katara attempted.

Ameya looked up at the conversation, snapping out of her daze. Sokka sat down, stabbing his sword into the earth and rested his arm on his leg.

"Is this one of those 'a friend of my cousin knew some guy that this happened to' stories?" He asked.

"No, it happened to Mom."

Sokka sat up straighter, eyes focused intently on Katara. Even Aang sat up from his previously lying down position, interested in 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. 'It's so cold and I can't get warm!' 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."

Katara's tale was immensely more fascinating than Sokka's previous five. She raised her voice in a high pitch tone, imitating 'Nini' and continued her story. Ameya watched in slight amusement as Sokka hid behind the tree stump and Aang using Momo's ears to cover his face. Only Toph and Ameya seemed calm and composed, neither reacting to the story.

"Where'd she go?" Sokka peeked from the tree trunk.

Katara glanced at her brother then, her tone quiet. "No one knows. Nini's house stands empty to this day, but sometimes, people see smoke coming up from the chimney, like little Nini is still trying to get warm."

The silence hung over their head, only the echo of the owls and the crackling of the fire can be heard. Even Ameya felt eerie by the strange story, almost feeling like someone was watching them from beyond the woods. Toph suddenly gasped, her hands feeling the earth under her.

"Wait! Guys, did you hear that?" Toph asked.

Aang and Sokka gathered around Katara, clinging onto her figure while staring at the earthbender nervously. Ameya stood up, her fingers brushing upon her sword. She would not doubt Toph if she said she hears…or even felt something around them. She can only hope it was not the firebender assassin again.

"I hear people under the mountain. And they're screaming," the earthbender continued, standing up from her sitting position.

"Pft! Nice try, Toph," Sokka waved it off, letting go of Katara.

"No, I'm serious. I hear something," Toph attempted again.

"You're probably just jumpy from the ghost stories…" Katara said nervously, leaning more into Aang.

"It just...stopped."

"All right, now I'm getting scared," Aang said quietly, still clinging onto Katara.

"Hello, children."

The three of them screamed loudly, rushing over to cling onto Toph and Ameya, crowding their bodies and clutching them tightly. She barely registered three pair of hands around her, eyebrows furrowing at their shaking forms and focused on an old woman stepping into the campfire light. Ameya lightly got out of their grasps, which was harder than she thought it would be, and stepped up in front of them.

"Sorry to frighten you. My name is Hama," the elder woman introduced, a small smile on her aged face, "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 answered before Ameya can say no. They all appear to jump at the prospect of leaving the eerie woods—Ameya doesn't blame them. But she was not entirely sure she can trust this old woman. The others were gathering up their equipments and Ameya silently followed. Well, they will be able to handle anything if something suspicious were to happen.

Besides, maybe Hama is really a kind old woman—just like her 'Grandma' from months ago. And staying inside sounded a lot better than camping out in the woods. Without a word, they followed Hama back into the village.

"Thanks for letting us stay here tonight. You have a lovely inn," Katara said politely as Hama poured the five of them a warm cup of tea.

"Aren't you sweet?" The old woman smiled, settling down into her seat. "You know you should be careful. People have been disappearing in those woods you were camping in."

"What do you mean 'disappearing'?" Sokka questioned. Ameya raised the cup of tea to her mouth, sipping down the warm drink and listened quietly to the conversation.

"When the moon turns full, people walk in and they don't come out," Hama explained jarringly. "Who wants more tea?" At the quiet atmosphere and children, the elder smiled reassuringly to them. "Don't worry, you'll all be completely safe here. Why don't I show you to your rooms and you can get a good night's rest?"

"W-why don't I take Momo for the night? He does like me the best," Sokka suggested sheepishly, taking hold of the lemur as they reached his room.

They glanced at each other, a smirk emerging on their lips at his nervousness and agreed regardless. He must be still shaken from the ghost stories and Ameya resisted the urge to tease him. Instead, they bid goodnight to each other and entered their own rooms.

The next morning, Ameya offered their service to help the old woman with her shopping. Hama had been kind in allowing them to have a restful night in her inn but it looked like she had no other employees to help her. Hama agreed to her offer happily, waking the rest of the gang up and they headed into the marketplace.

They followed after the elder quietly, each of them holding a basket of food. Toph carried the biggest basket of them all, balancing it upon her head. Katara appeared to be getting along well with Hama, both of them giggling like young girls. Ameya stayed behind with the rest of them, glancing around and listening to the fleeting rumors.

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

"I bet if we take a little walk around town, we'll find out what these people did to the environment to make the spirits mad," said Aang.

"And then you can sew up this little mystery lickety-split, Avatar style!" Sokka commented.

"Helping people...that's what I do." Aang boasted.

"Make sure you don't scream that out next time, Sokka. We're still in Fire Nation territory," Ameya warned.

He grinned guiltily, glancing around to make sure no one else heard and Aang smiled.

"I think we're fine."

"Why don't you take all those things back to the inn? I just have to run a couple more errands. I'll be back in a little while." Hama spoke up from the front, turning towards the five of them.

Sokka walks up to her casually. "This is a mysterious little town you have here."

"Mysterious town for mysterious children," Hama replied.

Ameya frowned, watching the old woman walk away. She should not feel suspicious at the kind woman offering them a place to stay at last night but cannot shake the ominous feeling from her gut. She did not trust that smile, it felt too natural—almost knowingly hiding a secret from them only she knew.

It reminded Ameya of her own smile sometimes.

They returned to the inn before Hama, setting down the baskets of groceries on the counter.

"That Hama seems a little strange. Like she knows something, or she's hiding something," Sokka voiced her own thoughts immediately.

"That's ridiculous. She's a nice woman who took us in and gave us a place to stay. She kinda reminds me of Gran-Gran." Katara reassured, inspecting a cabbage from the basket.

"But what did she mean by that comment, 'mysterious children'?" Sokka continued to question, his suspicion unconvinced.

"Gee, I don't know. Maybe because she found five strange kids camping in the woods at night? Isn't that a little mysterious?" Katara said sarcastically, turning towards her brother with a hand on her hip.

Ameya brushed her hair away from her face, pushing herself off the counter. "I'm going to look around."

Katara gaped at her and Sokka followed her lead. "Good call."

"Ameya! Sokka, what are you doing? You can't just snoop around someone's house," Katara followed after them upstairs.

They scanned the empty hallway—no one else had rented the room out except them. Ameya scouted the rooms, listening beyond the doors and walking by the empty rooms. It was not uncommon for her to check her surroundings; she had done this when she had been alone. It may have been rude or unmoral in the younger one's eyes but Ameya was looking out for them, she reasoned.

"It'll be fine," Sokka waved it off.

"She could be home any minute," Aang said nervously.

"Sokka, you're gonna get us all in trouble and this is just plain rude!" Katara frowned, "Ameya, c'mon! Not you too."

"We're not taking anything. It'll just be a quick look over," she smiled simply and watched Sokka attempting to open a cupboard in the hall.

The older boy wiggled the handle harshly, grunting at the tight lock refusing to open. Ameya set a hand over his and with a quick pull, the cupboard opened to reveal several wooden puppets falling out, hanging by a sting within. They let out a small gasp at the discovery and Sokka immediately pulled out his sword in alarm. Ameya jumped back, eyes narrowing at the strange puppets.

"Okay, that's pretty creepy," Aang admits as Katara pulled the cupboard close.

"So she's got a hobby. There's nothing weird about that," Katara said. Both of them ignored her, heading towards the attic of the inn. "Sokka, Ameya, you've looked enough. Hama will be back soon."

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

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

Sokka peered into the keyhole, looking beyond the room behind the closed door. "It's empty, except for a little chest."

"Maybe it's treasure!" Toph exclaimed.

Sokka looked almost excited at that while Ameya arched a brow. She gently pushed Sokka away, unsheathing her sword and inserted the tip into the keyhole.

"Ameya! What are you doing? You're breaking into a private room!" Katara chastised.

She ignored the twist in her gut at the accusation. That was right; they didn't know she had done this before. Ameya was a thief—breaking and entering was what she excelled at. But it was wrong in Katara's eyes and they realized that Ameya looked too comfortable doing this type of stuff.

"We have to see what's in there," Sokka answered for her, waiting excitedly.

The door clicked and unlocks, opening wider for them to step into. The five of them entered the room while Ameya put her sword away, following them to the chest.

"We shouldn't be doing this," Aang warned again.

Sokka picked up the chest but frowned once he realized it was locked. "Maybe there's a key here somewhere…"

"Ooh! Hand it over!" Toph reached her hand out and took the meteor bracelet off of her forearm. She bends the earth into a key, inserting it into the small chest and twisted it a few times.

Ameya watched as Sokka waited eagerly for the chest, expecting some type of treasure within. She had no interest for what was in the box, scanning the empty room for any type of suspicious matter. Aang was trying to reason with them while Katara looked upset, turning around to leave.

There was a click from the chest and Katara was immediately with them again, eyes focused on the small box. Before they can open the chest, Hama's voice echoed behind them.

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

Ameya jumped; when did she get here? Hama appeared from the doorway and Sokka handed over the chest guiltily to her, their heads hung in shame. Ameya merely watched as the old woman pulled out a blue and white comb from the box, confusion in her icy eyes at the discovery.

"An old comb?" Sokka questioned.

"It's my greatest treasure. It's the last thing I own from growing up in the Southern Water Tribe," Hama explained.

The two Water Tribe siblings stared at the elder in shock, questioning why they did not tell them sooner. Apparently, Hama had heard them talking during the campfire and Ameya immediately found it suspicious. The elder had known they were there and did not make herself known until later. Hama had known they were not Fire Nation and did not report them—for she is Water Tribe herself.

But if that was case, why is she still here?

Ameya said nothing, observing the situation once more. They apologized for sneaking around her home but the older girl merely bowed her head, letting them talk for her. She should feel guilty—she should feel safe in the presence of another Water Tribe member but Ameya cannot shake the doubt from her gut.

They helped prepare dinner that night. Katara was talking to Hama excitedly, issuing directions to them once in a while to cook before continuing her conversation with the elder. Sokka set the table up and Aang brought over the bowls of food. Ameya was still uncertain on what to make with the sudden discovery of Hama and kept quiet to herself. If anything, Katara seemed to favor the elder—they trusted her completely.

Ameya doubted; it was not in her nature to trust, not anymore.

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

The older girl looked up at Katara's exclamation, realizing that Hama had just waterbended the soup to them. She blinked, more questions forming in her head than answers.

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

"So how did you end up out here?" Sokka inquired.

"I was stolen from my home."

Hama began to explain what had happen to her over sixty years ago when the Fire Nation began to invade the Southern Water Tribe. They all listened quietly as she explained how the soldiers repeatedly raided the village, taking waterbenders captive until she was the only one left standing.

Ameya felt her blood boil in silent anger at the story. How could the Fire Nation do that? It was their fault for weakened Southern Water Tribe. It was the Fire Nation's fault for nearly wiping out the Southern Water Tribe waterbenders.

How could they steal another being so ruthlessly?

She was reminded of the Earth Kingdom bandits again, freezing at the memory of their attempt to capture her too. Her eyes focused on the soup in front of her, unseeing yet reliving that night. Little snowflakes began to form over the soup and Ameya quickly snapped out of her thoughts, realizing what she was doing unintentionally.

"They put us in terrible prisons here in the Fire Nation. I was the only one who managed to escape," Hama said solemnly.

"How did you get away? And why did you stay in the Fire Nation?" Sokka voiced her questions again and they turned to the elder woman.

Hama closed her eyes. "I'm sorry. It's too painful to talk about anymore."

Katara went over to comfort the older woman, her eyes closed in sympathy. "We completely understand. We lost our mother in a raid."

"Oh, you poor things," Hama consoled.

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

Hama returned the smile to Katara. "I never thought I'd meet another Southern waterbender. I'd like to teach you what I know so you can carry on the Southern tradition when I'm gone."

The young waterbender nearly jumped at that prospect. "Yes! Yes, of course! To learn about my heritage, it would mean everything to me." Katara turned to Ameya then with a wide smile, "Ameya is a waterbender too! She's from…"

They paused, realizing that they do not know where Ameya was from originally. She looked up at the sound of her name, offering a blank smile.

"I'm not from the South. I would not want to…impose on traditions that are not my own," she answered evenly.

Hama studied her closely, grey eyes narrowing just the slightest at her small smile. Ameya kept up her façade, ignoring the uncomfortable twist in her stomach. The elder waterbender smiled, as if figuring out something about her.

"Nonsense, I could at least show you the basics. There is not many of us left," her sullen eyes turned to Katara.

Ameya's eyes softened, nodding her head in understanding. She berated herself for doubting the elder woman; she had lost so much already. Hama was only acting suspicious because she was hiding in enemy territory and is now offering to train them. Katara obviously trusts her…so Ameya will try too.

"Thank you. It would be an honor to learn from you," Ameya dipped her head in a bow and Hama smiled.

Hama took both of the waterbenders to the outskirts of town the next day. Ameya listened to the conversation quietly as the two conversed again, studying their surrounding with slight interest. The elder praised Katara for her resourcefulness at using her own sweat to bend before and Ameya thought back to the times she had created ice with her breath.

"Did you know you could even pull water out of thin air?"

Ameya and Katara watched in amazement as Hama waved her hand around, manipulating the water vapor in the air and coated her fingertips.

"You have got to keep an open mind, young benders. There's water in places you never think about."

She threw her ice claws away towards the nearby tree. There was something in her tone that unsettled Ameya again but she pushed that away; this was necessary for their growth as waterbenders. She was only being paranoid.

Hama led them to a large field of red flowers sprouting from the ground all around them that expanded as far as they can see. They admired the flora briefly, Katara voicing her thoughts while Ameya plucked one from the ground.

"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," Hama explained, continuing with her teachings.

"I met a waterbender who lived in a swamp and could control the vines by bending the water inside," Katara recalled, smiling at the memory of old companions.

"You can take it even further."

The old waterbender raised her arms and twirled around. In that fluid movement, the water from the plants gathered towards the air and slices a nearby rock in half. Ameya looked at the dozen of wilted flowers, the one in her hand withered away along with the wind.

"That was incredible! It's a shame about the lilies, though." Katara commented softly.

"They're just flowers. When you're a waterbender in a strange land, you do what you must to survive. 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," Hama turned to Ameya then, studying the young woman again and her icy eyes locked with apologetic grey ones. "I'm afraid this is as much as I can teach you, Ameya."

"I understand," Ameya bowed her head, "Thank you for your time."

She said her farewells with Katara and Hama then. Sokka had mentioned about investigating the mysterious disappearance of the civilians the day before, maybe Ameya should seek them out next. As she made her way to the edge of the flowers, her eyes focused on the bright red fire lily in her path. Her hand hover over the flora and with a small wave, the water left the plant and surrounded her fingers.

She should feel happy that she had managed to learn the technique so easily. Ameya should be proud that her bending has gotten stronger. And yet, she cannot ignore the pity in her heart at the dead lily; withered and lifeless.

If she were to protect them, she must get even stronger. If they were to win this war, Ameya must not care for the little sacrifices they make. If she were to face him again—

Forget, ignore, move on.

Do not give them a reason to worry.

Stronger, faster, better.

They're just flowers.

It was easy for Ameya to gather information around town alone. No one suspected her little lies or pleasant smiles, asking seemingly harmless questions about the disappearances.

'Oh I'm simply worried about my brother—we were to meet soon and I would hate for either of us to be spirited away.'

'Do you happen to know if anyone ever saw the spirit?'

'Thank you for your help, I will be careful at night.'

The process repeated a few more times before someone had provided her sufficient information about the 'spirit'. Ameya doubted it to be the Moon Spirit—Yue would never hurt anyone intentionally. She had given up her own life for her people—even if it was against the Fire Nation—her compassion still lingered in spirit form.

Night had fallen when she reached Old Man Ding's house, the only person who had broke free from the spirits grasp. She was surprised when Aang, Sokka, and Toph were already questioning the elder when she arrived. The three of them greeted her happily before turning back to question the man.

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

"Didn't see no spirit, just felt something come over me, like I was possessed. Forced me to start walking toward 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 but then the sun started to rise and I got control of myself again! I just high-tailed it away from that mountain as quick as I could!" Ding exclaimed passionately.

"Why would a spirit want to take people to a mountain?" Sokka furrowed his brows and Ameya frowned.

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

All of them turned towards the ominous mountain with the full moon hanging right above it.

"Let's go. We have no time to waste," Ameya instructed and the four of them took off running.

They ran through the eerie woods once more with Toph leading the way. She sensed the screams with her seismic sense, feeling the vibrations with her feet and hands that the others could not and led them deeper into the mountain.

The more they ran the more unsettled Ameya felt about the situation. The power of the full moon was surging through her veins as a waterbender and although Ameya normally ignored it, she did not understand why Hama's voice was ringing in the back of her mind then.

Toph led them to the opening of a cave, darkness cloaking beyond what their eyes can see and Sokka hesitated. Toph shook off his doubts, confident in her abilities and they jumped after her in the hole.

It was not long until they arrived at a metal door with two torch lights on the side of it. The metalbender easily took care of the obstacle in the way, prying it open with her hands and the boys took a hold of the torches. They ran through the tunnel for a few more steps until the sight of dozens of cuffed civilians greeted them.

"We're saved!"

"I didn't know spirits made prisons like this. Who brought you here?"

Aang questioned as Toph bended her bracelet into keys, beginning to unlock the prisoner's cuffs. Ameya ran kneeled beside the ones freed, checking for injuries and was relieved to see none. The prisoners did not look harmed, only trapped, but not tortured.

"It was no spirit," one of the woman spoke.

"It was a witch!"

"A witch?" Sokka questioned, "What do you mean?"

"She seems like a normal old woman, but she controls people like some dark puppetmaster!"

Ameya froze, her mind wandering to the wooden puppets in the inn. Hama's voice echoed in her mind during their lessons, ominous and eerie; unsettling and secretive.

"Hama!" Sokka gasped.

"Yes, the innkeeper!"

"I knew there was something creepy about her!" Sokka growled.

"We have to stop Hama!" Aang exclaimed.

"Katara is with her now—we have to go!" Ameya turned on her heels, running out of the cave.

She barely heard Toph instructing Aang and Sokka to go after her, her feet darting away from the tunnel. Aang caught up with her immediately, using his airbending to accelerate his speed and Sokka not far behind.

"Hama said she was going to teach Katara something powerful tonight—under the full moon. Aang, try to see if you can scout ahead through the trees. Sokka and I will follow," Ameya instructed immediately once they were out of the cave.

Aang followed her directions without a word and they followed the Avatar. The moon was reaching its peak in the night again and Ameya felt her blood rush from adrenaline and power. Hama's voice continued to ring in her mind, loud and blaring and doubt was clawing in her heart.

"There's water in places you never think about."

"And like all plants and all living things, they're filled with water."

She should have known—the signs were all there. An ultimate technique that only waterbenders possess under the full moon—the reason for the sudden possession over human bodies—it all makes sense now.

Hama was bloodbending.

She was manipulating the blood flow in the human system.

Because in the end, blood was still water. Any living thing can be under their control.

And suddenly, Ameya stopped running.

"Ameya? What are you doing?!" Sokka shouted in front of her, barely stopping himself at her abrupt stop.

"You…go ahead."

Her eyes were wide on the ground but she's not looking at him. Sokka did not stay any longer—not when his sister was in trouble. So he ran after Aang and left Ameya alone, her thoughts rattled and loud and piercing.

She sees the flower from the field again, striking fire lilies that stretched for miles, full of life and water and beauty she could never attain. And yet with a wave of her hand, they withered and died, gone forever and fade in the wind.

Flowers, they were just flowers.

Katara would refuse to learn, Ameya already knew from the start she wouldn't. Katara is too kindhearted—too good-natured. And yet—could Ameya even possess the ability herself? Would she be able to control another person—to manipulate their limbs and body and it would be just so easy to snap—

"Ahhhhh!"

She broke away from her thoughts at the scream. It was not from either of the gang but Hama instead. Ameya ran, following the sound of an approaching battle.

She arrived just as she saw Hama manipulating Aang and Sokka to attack Katara. The young waterbender avoided their bodies, freezing them to nearby trees as an attempt to stun them, shouting apologies along the way.

Dead patches of grass and trees surrounded them and Ameya realized that was how the two waterbenders have been battling. With her own stance, she gathered the water from the plants around her to freeze Hama to the ground, stopping her movements temporarily. They turned to the new arrival, Hama's grey eyes narrowed at her dangerously.

"Here's another lesson, Ameya," Hama unfroze the water from her feet and aimed her arms at her. Ameya felt the loss of sensation in her body, gasping in horror when she was being thrown around from side to side. "This is the true power from the moon, of the waterbenders. It can be yours too—because you—"

"Hama, stop!" Katara threw a water whip at Hama, distracting the elder woman and Ameya was thrown to the side painfully.

Ameya heaved heavily, gasping for breath on her knees and gaining control back in her body. The feeling of being controlled—being helpless and rendered useless was something she cannot even begin to describe. It was sick and twisted and yet—

"Ahh!"

A scream ripped through Ameya's throat at the feel of her body being controlled again, throwing her in Katara's direction. The younger girl could only dodge from the movement and Ameya looked at the moon helplessly, unable to control her own movement.

She was a waterbender too—why can't she break free?! Ameya closed her eyes, feeling frustration and anger coursing her veins and she directed her icy orbs at Hama's direction. She was not a puppet—no one would control her.

The moon hung over the waterbenders brightly and with another shout, Ameya broke free from the puppeteer, willing herself to stay on the ground instead of being thrown around by the elder. Hama watched with wide eyes—wondering how both of them could have break from her hold.

"The Moon Spirit…is my friend. You cannot control those blessed by the moon," Ameya stated icily.

Hama stared in disbelief as both young waterbenders defied her powers. Her grey eyes glared at the boys trapped along the trees and raised her arms towards them.

"I may not be able to control you but you cannot say the same for them! Don't hurt your friends, young benders! And don't let them hurt each other!"

Hama broke Aang and Sokka from their ice prison, hurling them towards each other in a quick pace. She watched with wide eyes at Sokka's sword aimed towards Aang and Ameya stumbled to get on her feet.

"No!"

Katara screamed and her arms reached out. The sword clattered to the ground uselessly, Aang and Sokka were free from their puppetmaster. Katara's wide blue eyes focused on Hama's still form, her hands outstretched and realized her own movement.

She had bloodbended Hama.

"Katara, close your eyes!"

Ameya finally rose on her feet, her arms mirroring Katara's and stretched in Hama's direction but her icy orbs were focused on the young waterbender.

"Close your eyes," she repeated again, softer this time, "And count to ten. It will be over then."

Katara did just as she was told, deep blue eyes closing tightly and a tear leaked down her eye. She counted the number slowly in her head, her hands left limp by her side. She knew Ameya had taken over for her—but it still did not stop the fact that Katara had bloodbended.

Ameya brought her hands down slowly, forcing Hama on her knees but the woman had a wide grin on her face, grey eyes boring into icy blue.

"I knew you could do it, Ameya," Hama spoke up in strained words, "Because you are just like me."

The young woman tensed but did not release her control over Hama. "I am nothing like you."

Hama laughed, loud and wicked and it sent shivers down their spines. "Oho but you are; I can see it in your eyes."

Toph arrived with the prisoners in tow. They immediately surrounded Hama, cuffing her wrists together while they still had a chance and Ameya let go of her bending. She tried to ignore the puppetmaster's words, trying to forget the odd suspicion because she is nothing like her—

"My work is done," Hama said gleefully, turning towards the small group of them with a wide smile, "Congratulations, Katara, Ameya. You're bloodbenders."

Katara closed her eyes and tears fell from her eyes. Aang and Sokka moved to comfort her but Ameya stayed still, eyes vacant and unmoving.

Katara found her an hour later sitting on the rooftop of the barn. They had agreed to stay until morning for rest after the villagers have been returned and Hama had been locked up. It was unnerving staying in the empty inn of the puppetmaster so they had moved to stay with Appa instead.

Ameya did not sleep, focusing intently on the full moon when Katara joined her quietly. The older girl glanced at her once, sensing Katara to be as anxious as she has been but said nothing. Her own mind had been tormenting her enough, reminding her of Hama's crazed words and proclamations.

But was it really crazy?

A small part of Ameya had believed—even if briefly, that what Hama said may have been right. She denied it outright—there is no way Ameya was similar—but she's hesitant and uncertain and thinks maybe, she really is.

Because when she bloodbended, she felt the tremendous power that came with it. Ameya could render another bender useless before they even have a chance to bend—she could subdue enemies with just a wave of her hand and they wouldn't be able to stop her. Ameya is not always surrounded by water—but if she were to perfect this technique…

They could finally win this war and Ameya could protect them without them getting hurt and—

"We should never attempt it again."

Ameya startled at Katara's voice, looking at the younger girl who looked like she had done some thinking herself.

"It's sickening—reaching into someone and controlling them without their will. It felt like I was watching my body doing things I did not command it to and I couldn't stop it. It felt—wrong."

That's right, Katara would never agree to it. Katara is too kind—too good-natured—too pure to use this sick power because she's—

A flower. A beautiful, blooming flower that exists in the light under the bright sun with the rest of them while she hides away in the night.

And Ameya thinks; maybe Hama was right after all.

She, herself, is tainted and twisted and would consider—more than once now, to use bloodbending on others. But she must protect them—it was her role, she decided.

But Ameya could still not stop Katara from bloodbending and it tore the younger girl apart knowing what she had done. That is why Katara is on the roof now—why she seeks Ameya's solace and promise not to attempt this forbidden art again.

Katara did not understand why Ameya is not agreeing with her immediately. She had hoped the older girl would understand because they both had shared the same experience. But Katara did it to save her brother and the Avatar and Ameya did it to protect her.

Ameya, always the one looking out for them.

And yet, Katara still feels distant from her.

She should have listened to the older two of the group better. They had been suspicious of Hama since the beginning but Katara was too trusting—too happy to find another Southern Water Tribe waterbender and put her faith in Hama wholeheartedly. But it backfired on her in the end and they had come to her rescue.

And Katara thinks Ameya is quiet because Hama had spooked her too. There was no way Ameya is similar to the old waterbender—who was bent on revenge and hurting innocent civilians.

Ameya is kind. Ameya had always saved her—just like their first meeting. Ameya was strong enough even without bloodbending but Ameya is still not responding.

"You're not like her," Katara said, a hint of desperation in her voice because Ameya's silence was too unnerving when Katara had grown accustom to having the older girl comfort her and she thinks she needs to return the favor too. "Hama was wrong—you're stronger than that."

Ameya catches onto the pleading tone and her icy eyes met sapphire blues. There was that twists in her gut again, a stab in her heart, and her eyes lowered to avoid the sullen blues.

And she smiles; the same, pleasant smile she had perfected over the years.

"Of course, it can only be done under the full moon, after all."

Ameya hated making promises she cannot keep but it was harder to lie to those who regard her with such kind eyes. Katara was setting her up on this benevolent image she thought Ameya would be and the older girl cannot destroy those hopeful eyes.

But Ameya is convincing herself the 'children' would need her protection despite brushing past death far more times than they can count and Katara believes Ameya to share the same ideals as them because she's still here with them—isn't she?

They simply turn away from the truth and Katara accepts her answer meekly because Ameya is smiling but it does not reach her eyes and all Katara can do is push the doubt away from her mind.

Author's Note:

This is the longest chapter up to date—16 pages to be exact. Writing the filler chapters are so…exhausting because Ameya doesn't ever really…do much so I try to incorporate the feelings and thoughts as best as I can.

I'm sorry there are so many filler chapters! I really want to get back to the grand plan of things too—which should be starting soon again! These are necessary for Ameya's development along with her friendship with the gang.

I really hope she's not too overpowered or overshadowing anyone. I almost thought how bad it would be if you can freeze the blood instead but scraped that idea from mind—seem too brutal for the series although Avatar has done some pretty brutal stuff.