Chapter 11: The Puppetmaster
Okay, so I have considered having Hama be redeemed and join Team Avatar. But we'll wait to see what happens as I type. Yep, looks like I'm doing that.
Team Avatar camped in the woods, telling spooky stories. Sokka's wasn't all that great. But Katara started a story from when her mom was a little girl. How a girl named Nini suddenly disappeared, when people went there to investigate they found nothing but heard a voice saying it's cold, and sometimes smoke came from the chimney. Then they were all spooked by a voice-
"Hello children!"
Many of them jumped, even Zuko. They hadn't been expecting anyone in these woods. Toph was clinging to Zuko while Aang and Sokka both hung onto Katara. Out of the shadows stepped an old woman with long gray hair, a heavily wrinkled face, and a soft looking smile.
"You children shouldn't be out here in these woods at night," the woman said in a kind, caring voice. "I have an inn nearby. I was out collecting plants and saw your fire. Why don't you come with me and stay the night?"
Zuko stiffened. Something about this felt wrong, he looked over at the others who didn't seem too concerned for the moment.
"I don't think we'd mind some soft beds," Katara said.
"Count me in!" Toph said.
"Me too!" Aang said.
"Me three!" Sokka said.
Zuko shrugged. They must want out the camping life. Though it was true they hadn't been on any soft beds since the ship after Ba Singe Se. Zuko kind of missed his old ship, even if it was a small outdated piece of junk.
The woman lead them to her inn, where she fixed them spice tea and told them something rather interesting.
"You're lucky I found you. Its nearly the full moon. People have been known to disappear in those woods around that time."
"Really?" Katara asked.
"Yes. But don't worry, you'll be safe here with me."
"And what is your name?" Sokka asked.
"Oh my apologies I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Hama."
"Thank you for letting us stay here Hama," Aang said.
"Yes, thank you," Zuko said bowing.
They slept sounder then expected then assisted Hama in her shopping the next morning. Katara and the old woman got along great when Katara suggested Hama try to get a discount on some goods from a merchant who seemed to have a thing for her.
"You would have me use my feminine charms to take advantage of that poor man? I think you and I are going to get along wonderfully!" Hama exclaimed.
Meanwhile Aang, Sokka, Toph, and Zuko heard other merchants talking about the disappearances and they had to wait till after the full moon to send a delivery boy, since he'd lost one already.
"People disappearing during the full moon, this reeks of Spirit World Mumbo Jumbo!" Sokka said.
"Something strange is going on here alright," Zuko agreed.
"Spirits don't attack without any reason though. Maybe if we look around we can find out what these people did to make them mad," Aang said.
"Sounds good," Toph said.
They reunited with Katara and Hama.
"I need to run a few more errands, if you dears could take these back to the inn," Hama said.
"This is a really mysterious town," Sokka commented as he took her basket.
She smiled. "Mysterious town for mysterious children."
Sokka frowned, as did Zuko. They parted with the old lady and headed back to the inn.
"I'm getting a funny feeling about this Hama," Sokka stated.
"Me too," Zuko said. "She seems nice, but somehow I'm getting a feeling. Like she's got Azula hiding behind her or something."
"You guys are just way to suspicious, she's nice. She gave us a place to stay!"
"I'm gonna take a look around!" Sokka said.
The others tagged along, though Katara protested as it was rude to be snooping. They didn't find anything at first but a group of puppets hidden in a drawer. Then they came to a private room that was locked. Sokka picked the lock and opened it to find a small box inside. They stood over the box and then-
"You want to know what's inside do you?" Hama's voice asked behind them, causing them to jump. "Well I'll show you!"
She took the box from them, frowning slightly, before opening it with a smile and pulling out a blue and white comb.
"Its my most treasured possession," Hama said. "My last thing from my time in the Southern Water Tribe."
"What!? No way!" Sokka and Katara both said.
The surprise quickly turned to joy as Hama revealed she planned on making them a Water Tribe style dinner. Katara and Sokka were ecstatic, though Aang was disgusted when he found out the dinner would involve stewed sea prunes which he'd hated on another occasion. At dinner, Hama gave them all a surprise when she bended their stew straight into their bowls.
"You're a waterbender!" Katara exclaimed.
"Yes, perhaps you and I are the only waterbenders left from the South Pole," Hama said. "I was the last to be captured. The Fire Nation came to us many times, our numbers dwindled slowly. Eventually I was captured and taken to prison."
"How did you escape?" Sokka asked.
Hama looked down. "I'd rather not talk about it. Its very painful."
Zuko looked at her in remorse. "I'm so sorry for what my people… and family… have done to you Hama."
Hama looked at him with a slight glare, the largest bit of hostility she had displayed so far. "I've heard of you. Prince Zuko. Your grandfather Firelord Azulon lead the Fire Nation at the time I was captured. If I may ask, why are you with this group?"
Zuko looked down and told her the story of his past as well. "I lived in the palace until I was thirteen. I attended a war meeting and wasn't supposed to speak. But I heard a General planning to sacrifice a division of new recruits and couldn't stand by. For that I was sentenced to an Agni Kai, I thought I had to face the General, but I insulted him in my father's war-room. I had to face my own father."
Hama's blue water tribe eyes widened.
"I refused to fight, and my father burned me!" Zuko pointed to the scar over his eye. "Then he banished me and sentenced me to track down the Avatar to restore my honor! I did it for three years, finally finding the avatar!"
"And trying to capture us like a million times!" Sokka added.
"After the north pole, my father learned my uncle helped the Northern Water Tribe somehow. I was branded a fugitive and had to live in the Earth Kingdom. I saw people that had been hurt by my nation," Zuko went on. "I slowly began to realize my nation was the bad guy. My sister Azula offered me one last shot at redemption in Ba Singe Se. I was tempted but… I choose to become good again… thanks to my friend here!"
He gestured to Katara who smiled.
Hama looked at Zuko with an uncertain expression.
"I want to end help end this war and defeat my father so that there can be peace between the Nations," Zuko told her.
"Peace between our nations," Hama repeated. "Is such a thing really possible? For so long I've hated the Fire Nation for what they did to me. Capturing us and taking us in prison."
"We know how you feel," Katara said embracing the old woman. "Sokka and I both lost our mother in the war."
"Oh you poor dears," Hama said.
"Zuko lost his as well. His left one night and never came back."
"It had something to do with my father," Zuko said. "And my grandfather passed away the same night my mother left. My father was named Firelord as well. Even though I heard my grandfather still intended to make my uncle Firelord instead just recently."
"Even people in the Fire Nation have suffered," Sokka said. "There are good people in this country. So there's still a chance for peace."
Hama was silent for a moment. Taking in the words.
"Good people in this country… and what would happen if we manage to remove your father from power?"
"Then my uncle can be Firelord," Zuko said.
"Iroh? The Dragon of the West? He attacked Ba Singe Se though!" Hama stated.
"He's not that man anymore," Zuko said.
Hama frowned.
"He seems like a nice man from what I've seen," Aang said. "He only ever attacked me once that I can recall."
"He is nice, and gave me good advice and tasty tea," Toph said. "I like him and if he was a bad man he's definitely not one now. People can change."
Hama pondered their words again. She recalled how she had changed as well… and what she'd done, the thought of it suddenly filled her with something she never thought it would before hearing all of this from these children. Regret.
"I suppose you're right. I'm not the same Hama that once lived in the Southern Water Tribe. I… I've done terrible things myself," Hama felt tears start to flow from her old eyes.
"Wait what?" Sokka exclaimed.
Hama looked at them. "I'm the one taking people from this village," she confessed.
Everyone's jaws dropped. Now it was Hama's turn to tell them her story.
"After I was imprisoned… the Fire Nation put us in terrible prisons. They made sure to tie our hands together when giving us water. But I felt the power of the full moon every month. I spent years trying to figure out a way to use it to escape. I realized that bodies of living things held water in them. Water that I could bend, but only during the full moon. I found this out by testing it on the rats in the prison. Then once I mastered them I used the techinique on the guards and made them unlock my door and escaped. Since then… I… I began using this technique, Bloodbending… to get revenge on the Fire Nation during full moons. I captured people her and took them to my own prison."
Hama looked up and saw their expressions of horror.
"Looks like I was right to suspect you!" Sokka said.
Katara felt a mixture of sympathy and fear. "I know you've suffered a lot of loss, but you can't just attack innocent people!"
"Yeah! Revenge is like a two headed rat viper. You watch your enemy go down, but you're being poisoned yourself. You've become no better then the soldiers that hurt you!" Aang said.
Hama recoiled at the words, but knew they were true.
"Those people I heard screaming last night, under the mountain!" Toph said.
Hama nodded. "That is where I took my victims. You're right… I ended up becoming no better then my tormentors."
His eyes were narrowed, but Zuko took a breath. "Its not to late to change, Hama. You can become a better person."
"How?" Hama asked.
"Help us overthrow my father and end the war," Zuko said. "And release the people you've captured. That's the way to start at least."
Hama nodded slowly but said. "They'll likely attack me on sight if I release them. You children better go and free them. I will pack my things and we shall leave soon."
It was still bright outside, sunset was a couple hours away. Being summer the days were longer now. Team Avatar made it to the mountains where they found Hama's prison and all the prisoners.
"Don't worry everyone you're gonna be okay!" Aang said.
"You must find the witch that captured us!" a woman said.
"Don't worry! We've already taken care of her!" Zuko said. "She won't be bothering you again!"
Unfortunately the people there recognized him. "You're Prince Zuko! Then this must be… the Avatar's group!"
They all looked at Aang, knowing who he must have been even with the handband covering his head.
"Uh oh looks like jig is up!" Sokka said even as he reluctantly freed a citizen.
Aang hoped that the people wouldn't send word to Firelord Ozai, but that was probably too much. He and the others headed to Hama's Inn where the old lady waited. The villagers shouted at her and pointed.
"Stop her! She can't get away with this!"
"Call the guards!"
Aang held them with airbending as the rest of Team Avatar climbed on with its newest member on board. The Avatar then leapt on as Appa took off.
"Well, the Firelord will probably get wind of you being alive Aang. Good thing the invasion is soon though so hopefully he won't be too well prepared!" Sokka said.
…
Ozai burned the letter he'd just received in rage.
"AZULA!" he shouted.
Okay, Hama's on Team Avatar but now Ozai knows Aang is alive! How will this effect the battle to come? We will see, any ideas you guys have I'm open to! Hope this wasn't too rushed. I liked the idea of Hama joining thanks to Zuko's influence. I recently read one where she tortured him, which is also a possible AU if he joined. She is a hateful woman, which will probably be seen in the Day of Black Sun. So Katara didn't learn bloodbending here. Still, she didn't like the sound of it either in this AU or in canon. Maybe Hama will vow to never use it again as well? I don't know. Find out next week since I'm making this story a weekly one to update to get it done quicker. Samswordsman signing off.