AN: Sorry for not updating in, like, forever… When I got to the bloodbending episode, I had a terrible writer's block. I had literally no idea how to rewrite it with Mari and Adrien there. It's mostly Katara's episode, and everyone else in it were always meant to be background characters, making the chapter itself tedious to write while adding two extra characters. Plus, I was alway really freaked out by this episode and could never write horror because of how creeped out I can get… anyways, so I got on a writers block and started working on tons of side projects or ideas I had and before I knew it, my track and field season had begun and my evenings were booked. I still have track, so I can't guarantee much update, but I'll try my best. Sorry if this chapter is terribly written or awkward. I still haven't figured out how to make it work completely, but I think the story must go on if I actually want to finish it… so… yeah… sorry… but I promise to work on my updating and make the chapters better and more interesting.

Thank you for the critiques about my terrible spelling. I'll be honest, spelling is my weakest point, and I don't always catch my errors when I read the chapters over. That is completely on me and I'll try to improve on it.

Thank you all so much for your patience so far and enjoy!

Chapter Sixty: The Puppetmaster.

"And to sum up, that is why I sneezed so much when Sokka had Hawky jr." Adrien finished, "Moral of the story, all birds are evil and out to get you and you should be very terrified of them."

"...what kind of cat is afraid of birds?" Aang asked, "That's just dumb."

"They are fowl, villainous creatures armed with feathers of doom." Adrien argued, making everyone laugh.

"Adrien. That isn't a scary story. That's just your own allergies getting to you." Marinette giggled.

"Like you could do better."He scoffed.

"I can to. Clearly you've never been to Juleka's slumber parties."

"Well, I was never invited. I was a boy. The only guy there was Luka, who is her brother. From what I've heard from him… seriously, what the heck do you do at those things?" Adrien asked in wonder.

"A Lady's secret that I plan to take to my grave, Chaton."

"Well then, let's hear your story."

"Hmm. Have I ever told the story of the Star Crossed Lovers of the Seine?"

"A love story?" Adrien said, "Isn't that like, cliche French?"

"What do you mean?" Aang asked.

"Well, Paris got the name, 'the city of love' and stands by it because some many people find their soulmates in France."

"Just because it's a love story, Adrien, doesn't make it any less scary. Now then…" Marinette proceeded to tell an elaborate story about two lovers who met by the Seine every night during the time of the French Revolution. The man, being a bureaucrat, wished to leave the city with all of the madness happening around them. The woman didn't listen, wishing to stay in the city of her birth. So the man stayed. Then one night the revolutionaries discovered him sneaking out at night to see her. He lost his life. She waited all night for him to come. When he didn't, she started to return nightly and wait for him. Finally, she realized he would not come and cried herself to sleep next to the Seine, filling the river to the brim. That night, it stormed and the river flooded. The woman drowned.

"And so it's said that some lovers will sometimes see her on the Pont Alexandre III at night, crying and waiting for her lover to return. Others say they see his ghost, wandering the streets of Paris, looking for his way back to the Seine to see her face again… but he can never find it." Marinette finished. Team Avatar stared at Marinette with wide eyes. A little disturbed by the story and how well and in detail she had told it. Sokka and Adrien looked absolutely terrified.

"Wait!" Toph suddenly exclaimed, "Guys? Did you hear that? I hear people under the mountain, and they are screaming." Everyone yelped. Adrien scaled the tree next to him like an actual cat. After a few embarrassing seconds of clinging to each other like their lives depended on it, Sokka scoffed.

"Nice try."

"No, she's serious." Plagg said, popping out from Adrien's satchel and resting nervously in Adrien's hair, "I have the enhanced hearing of a cat. I heard it too." The team glanced nervously around, Adrien looked more contempt to remain in his tree.

"It stopped." Toph whispered and the team let out a sigh of relief.

"What do you think tha-" Marinette began, but a voice spoke up.

"Hello, children." Everyone yelled again, Adrien got higher in his tree as Plagg hid in fear. Behind them stood an old woman with a kind smile.

"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 for some spiced tea and warm beds?" The old woman introduced. Sokka responded for the startled group.

"Yes please." He voiced. Team Avatar followed Hama to her inn, happy to get out of the woods after so many scary stories. Between Marinette's Star-Crossed Lovers story and Katara's Nini story, the kids were all a little spooked. Apparently the sweetest girls in the group happened to also be the most terrifying. Hama graciously served the team tea.

"Thanks for letting us stay here tonight." Katara said, truly thankful, "You have a lovely inn."

"Aren't you sweet?" Hama said, tilting her head at Katara with a kind smile, "Yu know, you should be careful. People have been disappearing in those woods you were camping in." Adrien, next to Marinette, gulped. He set his tea down, eyeing it and everything around him suspiciously.

"W-what do you mean, disappearing?" He stammered. Marinette laughed at her boyfriend's nervousness and place her hand on his shoulder to calm him down.

"When the moon turns full, people walk in and they don't come out." Hama replied gravely before cheerfully smiling, "Who wants more tea?" Adrien wasn't the only one staring at her in fear now. The woman seem to see their concern and shook her head.

"Don't worry, you will all be completely safe here. Why don't I show you to your rooms and you can get a good night's rest?" Hama offered. Adrien and Sokka both were reluctant to go to bed, but obeyed Hama.

Katara enjoyed a good night's sleep for the first time since she'd been in Ba Sing Se. She appreciated it. When Hama came and asked Katara and the group to help her go shopping the next morning, everyone else seemed bored by the idea, but Katara liked Hama and insisted they help the kindly woman. She stayed with the innkeeper all day, shopping with her and helping her with the chores around the inn. The longer Katara was in Hama's inn, the more connected Katara felt with the old woman. Sadly, the longer everyone else stayed, it seemed, the more suspicious they became of Hama. Both Sokka and Adrien claimed she was hiding something.

Eventually the two boys decided they wanted to take a look around Hama's inn. Katara, of course, objected.

"Sokka! Adrien, you can't just go snooping around someone's home!" Katara scolded.

"It'll be fine." Sokka insisted. Everyone followed after the two boys. They were all pretty curious, and being kid, liked the adventure in exploring the house. Reluctantly, Katara followed the group. She did not want to invade Hama's privacy, but it seemed too late to change the minds of the older males in their group. They checked all the rooms before coming to a cabinet. Adrien threw it open and several puppets fell out, freaking the heck out of Marinette. Katara just sighed, closing the cabinet and explaining the puppets were likely just a hobby. Adrien and Sokka still weren't convinced. They both made their way through the house until they came to a locked door.

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

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

"We'll see. Plagg! Do your thing!" Adrien ordered. He Kwami flew out of his hiding spot and opened the door, offering the group a dramatic bow.

"We shouldn't be doing this, guys…" Marinette said cautiously glancing around. In the room was a single box. Adrien picked it up, looking over at Plagg, who was more than eager to break into it. Plagg zipped back into Adrien's satchel who went to open the box. Curious, everyone gathered around as he started to open it.

"I'll tell you what's in the box." Hama said from behind them, scaring everyone. The kids parted and Sokka and Adrien presented Hama with her box, each wearing the same guilty expression. She took it into her hands and opened the box. Then, she pulled out an old comb.

"An old comb?" Sokka asked in surprise.

"They're really handy when you need them." Adrien informed Sokka, "I would know, considering what Dad and I did before leaving Paris."

Hama just smiled.

"It's my greatest treasure. It's the last thing I own from growing up in the Southern Water Tribe. All eyes landed on Sokka and Katara, who stared at the old woman in disbelief.

"Y-you're from the Southern Water Tribe? " Katara stammered

"Just like you." Hama replied.

"How did you know?"

"Well, you both have very Southern Water Tribe names." Hama chuckled, "It wasn't hard to figure out."

"But… why didn't you tell us?" Sokka questioned.

"I wanted to surprise you. I bought all this food today so I could fix you a big, Water Tribe dinner. Of course, I can't get all the ingredients I need here, but ocean kumquats are a lot like sea prunes, if you stew them enough." Aang made a face upon hearing the words, 'sea prunes.'

"Great." He muttered.

"I knew I felt a connection with you right away!" Katara cheered.

"And I knew you were keeping a secret, so I guess we're both right." Sokka said proudly. She elbowed him for it, "...But I'm sorry we were sneaking around."

Hama smiled.

"Apology accepted. Now, let's get cooking." Hama replied. Adrien looked excited at the mention of food. Katara, Marinette, and Hama went to the kitchen together and prepared the Water Tribe style meal. The boys… and Toph… waited eagerly in the dining room, discussing their discovery of Hama's origins excitedly as if they'd pieced together some great mystery. Katara just rolled her eyes at their antics and helped Hama, glad to be with a sister of her Tribe. When dinner was served, everyone excited dug in. Aang warned Toph and Marinette away from the Sea Prunes, but Adrien seemed to enjoy every bite.

"Who wants five-flavor soup?" Hama asked. Katara was suddenly very excited. She loved five-flavored soup! The very smell of it could send her back home. She raised her hand for the soup. Hama grinned, and suddenly the soup was lifted out of the big bowl an into theirs. Katara stared at the woman, dumbfounded.

"You're a waterbender!" Katara realised, "I've never met another waterbender from our ribe before!" Hama gave Katara a sad look, lowering her eyes to the soup she'd just bended.

"That's because the Fire Nation wiped them all out. I was the last one." Hama said mournfully. Sokka cocked his head.

"So how did you end up all the way out here?" Sokka asked. Hama got a far away look in her eyes.

"I was stolen from my home." She said darkly, "It was over 60 years ago when the raids started. They came again and again, each time, rounding up more of our waterbenders and taking them captive. We did our best to hold them off, but our numbers dwindled as the raids continued… finally, I too was captured. I was led away in chains, the last waterbender of the Southern Water Tribe. They put us in terrible prisons, here, in the Fire Nation. I was the only one who managed to escape."

"How did you get away?" Sokka wondered, curious. Hama winced, looking away.

"I'm sorry, It's too painful to talk about anymore." Katara touched her hand to where her mother's necklace once hung.

"We completely understand. We lost our mother ina raid." Katara sympathized. Hama put her hand on Katara's shoulder.

"Oh, you poor thing." The room got a solemn feel to it as Katara looked up at Hama.

"I can't tell you what it means to meet you. It's an honor. You're a hero." Katara informed Hama with a smile. Hama smiled back.

"I never thought I'd meet another Southern waterbender. I'd like to teach you what I know, so you can carry on he Southern tradition when I'm gone." Hama offered. Katra was out of her seat in an instant.

"Yes, yes! Of Course! To learn about my heritage… it would mean everything to me!" Katara said in awe. Hama smiled.

"Then, tomorrow at sunrise, I will teach you." Katara was beyond ecstatic to hear those words.

"Thank you!" She said happily.

"Why don't you finish your meal and rest so you'll be ready for tomorrow."

"Of course!" Katara quickly finished her meal and made her way to her room. She tried to go to sleep immediately, but was far too excited. When morning came, she was dressed and ready for training before breakfast had even been finished. Hama led her out to a field, far from where prying Fire Nation eyes could watch the two benders practice. Hama taught many things as the day went by. Things that Katara knew would be resourceful when the Invasion day came. Pulling water out of the air, out of plants, and other unexpected places. Hama praised Katara for using her sweat and saliva to bend, even though she still considered that to have been the most disgusting idea she and Adrien had ever come up with despite its efficiency and convenience. Katara learned, that as a waterbender, it was important to keep and open mind. It was important to be resourceful and smart. Bodies of water and ice weren't found were ever Katara would go, unlike with the other elements. She had to learn to find water in other places and was delighted to be taught such skills.

"When you're a waterbender in a strange land," Hama taught, "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." Katara looked confused.

"But isn't that dangerous?" She asked, "I thought people have been disappearing around here during the full moon."

"Oh, Katara. Two waterbenders beneath a full moon? I don't think we have anything to worry about." Hama said with a smile, leading Katara to the forest for the next lesson. They continued the lessons all day long until finally the moon began to reach its peak. Hama smiled up at it. Katara did too, thinking about the moon spirit Yue, who watched over them from above.

"Can you feel the power the full moon brings?" Hama said with a deep sigh, "For generations, it has blessed waterbenders with its glow, allowing us to do incredible things." She stretched out her hands as if reaching for the moon, "I've never felt more alive." Katara agree, feeling the moon's power coursing through her veins. It felt wonderful.

"What I'm about to show you, I discovered in that wretched Fire Nation prison." Hama began, "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." Katara couldn't even imagine how terrible that would have been like. She listened carefully to Hama's words. Hama lowered her hands.

"And yet, each month I felt the full moon enriching me with its energy. There had to be something I could do to escape. Then I realized, that where there is life, there is water. The ras that scurried across the floor of my cage were nothing more than skins filled with liquid." That's when Katara suddenly had a bad feeling. She remembered Adrien's words from when Combustion Man had captured them.

Most of the human body is made of water. Like sixty percent of it. It's in our cells and our blood and used for literally everything. It's like the perfect solvent. It's charge is slightly negative, making it able to bond to or be used with pretty much everything making it an essential part of all life. That… and carbon, with four valence electrons it can bond to everything. That was what he had said. Though she hadn't understand most of what Adrien was telling her at the time, and she still didn't understand most of what he had ment, she had understood one thing clearly: humans were made of water. Hama had pointed that detail out as well. Katara did not know is she wanted to see where the discussion was heading.

"I passed years developing the skills that would lead to my escape. 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 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 an control anything… or anyone. Bloodbending." Katara stared at Hama in horror. She was unsure of how to respond. She only knew the very idea sickened her.

"But… to… to reach inside someone and control them?" She said in a shaky voice, "I don't know if I want that kind of power."

"The choice is not yours, the power exists. 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… and your mother…" Katara winced.

"I know." She said bitterly.

"Then you should understand what I'm talking about. 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!" Hama explained. And that's when it hit her. The missing people. The full moon. A waterbender with the power to control her enemies. Katara's heart broke in that instant. Hama might have once been a hero. She might have been the last of the Southern waterbenders. But Hama had let the war and her imprisonment turn her into a monster. To escape the cruelty of the Fire Nation, Hama had become crueler than the Fire Nation,

"It's you! You're the one who's making people disappear during the full moons!" Hama scowled.

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

"I won't! I won't use bloodbending. I won't allow you to keep terroring this town!" Katara yelled defiantly, pointing an accusing finger at the woman. Then she froze as a searing pain rushed through her body and she found herself unable to move.

"You should have learned learned the technique before you turned against me." Hama growled, "It's impossible to fight your way out of my grip. I control every muscle, every vein in your body." Katara cried out as Hama used the technique to throw her around, Katara had no control over herself. She was slammed into trees and brought to her knees. She felt tears at the corner of her eyes. It hurt so much.

"Stop… please." Katara begged. Hama just laughed. Katara looked down at the ground and saw the flowers.

Where there is life, there is water. She closed her hands and the water was torn from the flowers. Katara felt Yue's spirit upon her and the pain from Hama's control vanished. Hama's laughter vanished as Katara stood.

"Your not the only one who draws power from the moon." She growled, "My bending is more powerful than your, Hama. Your technique is useless on me." Hama growled, assuming a stance before lunging at Katara. The two began to spar, each stealing water from the plants around them, killing the grass and destroying trees. Hama's expression of confidence was gone as she realised the moon favored Katara over her. It was now an expression of fear and determination as the danced in a special of water and ice and the trees burst and grass became like dust. Katara was winning.

The Aang and Sokka showed up. The looked desperate as the searched the woods for Katara and Hama. Katara's heart sank upon seeing them. They'd come looking for her the moment they found out Hama was bending the disappearances.

"We know what you've been doing, Hama!" Sokka growled upon seeing the old woman.

"Give up!" Aang called, "You're outnumbered." Hama just cackled.

"No, you've outnumbered yourselves." Hama raised her arms and began to bend the water in her brother and the Avatar. The cried out in alarm as they were forced to attack Katara. She did her best to fend them off without harming them.

"Katara! Look out!" Sokka yelped, "It's like my brain has a mind of its own. Stop it, arm! Stop it!" Sokka drew his sword and charged. She knocked him aside.

"This feels weird." Aang objected. She quickly froze him to a tree.

"I'm sorry, Aang!" Katara said.

"It's okay!" He replied.

Hama just laughed more.

"Don't hurt your friends Katara… and don't let them hurt each other!" Hama said, she broke the ice holding Aang and took over once more. Sokka stood, sword drawn as he charged Aang. They screamed, horrified that Sokka would kill Aang. Katara's eyes went wide and without thinking she reached into Hama.

"No!" Katara yelled. Hama froze at Katara's control. He body trembling. Katara was horrified, but Aang and Sokka stopped before they could hurt one another. Katara took a shaky breath and brought her hands down. Hama, was pinned to the ground. Toph, Marinette in her Ladybug outfit, Adrien in his Cat Noir outfit, but with a hat, can into the clearing with several Fire Nation men. They all stared in horror at the scene before them. They looked shocked to see what Katara was doing to Hama. Quickly, the Fire Nation men bound Hama, letting Katara release all control over the old woman. The Fire Nation people started to lead Hama away, selectively ignoring Katara and her friends and leaving them to stare at Katara more. As they did Hama smirked.

"Congratulations, Katara. You're a bloodbender." She cackled as they took Hama away. Katara took one look down at the hands that had controlled Hama before bursting into tears.

"...What have I done?" She cried softly.