Jay wakes up to the sun streaming in through the nearby window and he covers his head with a pillow. He then smells food and his stomach wins over, so he gets up to wake Kai only to find him already gone. Huh must've wanted to get an early start Jay thinks as he gets his shoes on and runs down the stairs to see the rest of the gang already there. They were all eating around the table munching on toast and bacon that Jay happily grabbed and stuffed in his mouth.
"Hey Jay when's Kai going to get up? He said he would teach me some fire poses today." Aang asks Jay who frowns in confusion as he swallows his mouthful of bacon. "You haven't seen him? He wasn't in his bed." Jay said. "He didn't go outside last night did he?" Hama asks appearing behind Jay who jumps a little in surprise. "He got up to get some water I think, Why?" Jay answers. Hama sighs and goes to sit down at the head of the table. "One of the reasons I let you stay last night was because people have been disappearing in those woods. They go in and never come out." Hama explains. "But he's fine right probably just went to the market or something right?" Katara said trying to be positive. "Yes maybe speaking of which could you come with me to the market? My old bones can't carry all the baskets." Hama said rubbing her back for effect. Not wanting to be rude to the kind lady that had generously helped them they all agree.
Heading into the village markets it seems quite lively with people bustling in and out of the stalls. It was quite crowded and most of the gang kept an eye out for Kai's familiar spiky hair but didn't see him. Katara and Nya though were sticking to Hama like glue each smiling as they carried the food. "You know that old man seems to really like you. Maybe you should go back to see if he would give you some free food." Katara suggests after buying some pork. "You would have me use my femine ability to take advantage of that poor man?" Hama asks with a accusing eyebrow. "Well it would be funny." Nya said with a sly smile. "I have a feeling we'll get along swimmingly." Hama said wrapping her bony arms around the girls who laugh. Hama suddenly stops and turns to the group who were all carrying food and looking quite tired. "I need to go run a few errands. Could you take the food back to the inn please?" Hama asks and they all agree to do that. "This is a mysterious little town you got here Hama." Sokka said bending down to be at eye level with the old lady. "Mysterious town for mysterious children." Hama replies with a sweet smile as she walks away into the crowd. On the way back to the inn they realized that villagers were boarding up their windows and doors. "Hey you guys can go ahead I'm going to check out the locals." Sokka said. "Okay me and Katara are going back to the inn with the food Kai must be back there by now." Nya said. The girls easily take the food while the boys and Toph scope the place out and over hear a merchant talking to a customer.
"What do you mean you won't have any more smoked sausages till next week?" He asks. "Well it's a two day trip." The merchant said. "Oh right and it's the week of the spirit." the man said in understanding. Zane walks over to them and grabs their attention. "Hi we're new here what's so wrong about this week of the spirit?" Zane asks. "Well the week of the spirit is a week long event where there's a full moon. And people go missing when there's a full moon. I've lost two delivery boys this year because of the spirit." The merchant explains. "Did you see the news for the latest victim last night? Poor fellow." The man said, shaking his head. "What did they look like?" Lloyd asks coming over. "Was it in the paper see?" The man said handing them a newspaper with a sketch that was with no doubt Kai.
"This is bad." Lloyd said grimly as he showed everyone else the paper. "What does it say?" Toph asks. "It has Kai he was seen going into the woods last night." Zane said. "Why would he do that? Toph can you feel his heartbeat?" Sokka asks. "No I can't." Toph said. "The spirit must've taken him to the spirit realm." Aang said. "If it even is a spirit." Cole mutters. "Let's agree not to tell this to Nya. You know how she can be when it comes to Kai." Jay said. "Why?" Sokka asks. "Sibling thing." The ninja answer. "You kids better off heading back to the inn the moon is going to come up soon." The man said, pointing to the sun that had started setting. They hadn't noticed the day went by so quickly and headed back to the inn.
When they arrived they found the girls chatting while drinking some tea. "Hi guys where's big bro?" Nya asks them. "Oh he went to help out Hama." Cole said. "Okay then." Nya said with a raised eyebrow. "HAMA! That's it." Sokka exclaims and runs upstairs followed by everyone else. They find him going through closets searching every nook and cranny he can find. "What are you doing?" Jay asks. "I don't trust that lady and people have been disappearing. She must have something to do with it." Sokka said. "Kai doesn't trust her either said she was too smiling for his trust." Jay comments. "This is ridiculous Sokka this is a breach in personal privacy." Katara. "But what about that comment mysterious children?" Sokka asks picking a lock on a locked closet. "Maybe because she found a bunch of kids in the woods last night." Katara points out. Sokka unlocks the closet and a bunch of life sizes puppets tumble out and Sokka screams in suprise as he shoves them back in. "Okay I'll admit the puppets are creepy but she's sweet." Nya said. Sokka ignores her and goes down to the end of the hallway and peers into a locked door. "It's empty except for a box in the middle that must be the murder weapon!" Sokka exclaims using his sword to pick the lock again. "Umm we never said she was a murder." Toph said.
Sokka ignores her and picks the lock and the door swings open. They enter through it with Nya and Katara protesting this breach of privacy. "Toph can you make the key?" Aang asks. Toph grabs her meteor bracelet and morphs it into a key and unlocks it. Everyone was waiting with their breaths held but before Toph could open it though they hear a voice behind them. "What are you doing?" Hama asks and they all jump in fright with a guilty look on their faces. "We had nothing to do with it!" Nya exclaims pointing to herself and Katara. "If you wanted to know what was in the box you should've just asked." Hama said sweetly taking the box and opening it. Everyone crowds around with a nervous expressions except Toph who looked like she didn't want to be there.
Hama pulls out a comb with blue wave designs on it and everyone looks disappointed. "It's just a comb?" Aang asks. "Not just any comb it's a water tribe comb!" Katara exclaims excitement clear on her face. "Yes it's the last item I have from my home the southern water tribe." Hama said sadly and the two water siblings open their mouths in shock. "What!" They both exclaimed. "I was going to make a traditional water feast for you and tell you over dinner." Hama explains. "But how did you know?" Sokka asks. "I heard you around the campfire." Hama said with a small giggle. "Well let's not cancel anything." Cole said. "Yes dinner is ready please come but I'm sorry to say your other friend still hasn't shown up." Hama said.
"But the boys said he was with you." Nya said giving the boys a sideway glance. "Oh dear let's eat and we can talk some more about that later." Hama said before everything got too hectic.
They follow her out and take seats at the table as Hama gives them platters of green sea weed and fish all done up in the traditional water tribe way. "This is amazing!" Sokka exclaims as he takes a bite of the sea weed. "Who would like some stew?" Hama asks putting the pot on the table. Everyone puts their hands up and Hama makes a small hand movement before bending the soup into all the bowls. "Your a water bender!" Nya exclaims excited. "But why are you all the way out here?" Lloyd asks. Hama is silent for a moment before looking up with a scornful expression. "I was taken from my home." Hama said with venom in each word. She goes on to tell them the story about the raids and how the fire nation took her captive as the last southern water bender. She breaks down crying and Katara and Nya go to comfort her. "I lost my mother in the last raid." Katara said. "I never even knew my mother." Nya adds. "Oh you poor dears. Please let me teach you all the secrets of southern water bending so you can carry on the legacy." Hama said and both girls nod excitedly.
"Now off to bed it's a full moon tonight." Hama said as she ushered everyone off to their rooms. "Night" they all say feeling very tired suddenly. As they go off to sleep no one remembers the missing fire ninja.
Speaking of that fire ninja
It's dark I can't even summon any fire to light the dark room I'm in. It was made of metal with my hands chained to the wall on either side of me with me in the middle. My legs and feet were bound too I couldn't move a muscle not that I had the strength. What confused me most was how I got there I still shiver just thinking about it. I hear footsteps and the door to the cell opening and I look up to see the captor. They go over and unlock one of my arms but despite me trying I can't move my limb. They unlock the rest of my chains but I still can't control my body nor summon any fire. The captor cackles as they move their bony fingers like a puppeteer with me as the puppet.