Chapter 5: Return of the Puppetmaster
Fire Lord Zuko is at the throne room with his mother and some servants discussing preparations for his wedding when the Gaang appears.
"May I help you, my friends?" Zuko asks.
"We only came here to say goodbye." Aang explains. "Unless you still need us here."
Suddenly a guard enters the throne room. "Forgive me, my lord, but I've got urgent news. The Puppetmaster escaped." The whole Gaang gasps. Specially Katara.
"Zuko, what's this Puppetmaster?" Ursa asks.
"I haven't met her yet, Mother." Zuko explains. "But I've heard about her."
Flashback begins
"Katara, I'm curious." Zuko comments.
"About what, Zuko?" Katara asks, fearful of the answer.
"When we were trying to avenge your Mother, how did you manage to control people like if we were vulnerable to your bending?" Zuko asks, confirming her inner fears.
"Oh, that's bloodbending." An embarrassed Katara answers. "I've learned it from the Puppetmaster."
"Is she real?" A surprised Zuko asks. "I thought she was just an urban myth."
"No, she's real." Katara replies. "She's a waterbender who has been captured by the Fire Nation decades ago. She escaped when she learned to bend water from living animals, plants and people. Since then she's been capturing Fire Nation inhabitants until she passed the knowledge to me hoping I would become like her."
"And why was she reported to only strike during full moons?" Zuko asks.
"Because the full moon is needed to bloodbend." Katara explains.
"And why did you seem hesitant to talk about this?" Zuko asks.
"Because I'm afraid to become like Hama whenever I bloodbend." Katara explains.
Flashback ends
"Oh, no." Ursa exclaims.
"Don't worry, Ursa." Aang replies. "We're going to recapture her."
"And I'm going with you." Zuko adds.
"Zuko, you're needed here as the Fire Lord." Ursa replies. "You can't leave."
"How cute." Sokka mockingly comments. "The Fire Lord can't go out with friends without permission from his mother."
The mockery ends when Toph uses Metalbending to throw Sokka to the air. "Toph, why did you do that?"
"For two reasons." Toph answers. "First, to end your lame jokes. Second, because it's fun, Snoozles."
"One, it's not fun." Sokka replies. "Two, my jokes aren't lame. Tell her, Katara."
"Sokka, we have a bloodbender to catch." Katara reminds them in order to drop the subject of Sokka's jokes.
The Gaang rides on Appa to the village tormented by the Puppetmaster. Arriving there, they see some Firebenders freeing people from ice blocks. Seeing the Gaang, the villagers are relieved.
"Thank Agni you came, Katara." A villager says. "The Puppetmaster is back."
"I know." Katara replies. "That's why we came."
"Where do we look for her?" Sokka asks.
"The local soldiers are patrolling the streets to our safety." Another villager answers. "You should look for her at the forest."
"Good idea." Katara replies. "We'll do it."
They all go to the forest and start searching for her. With her Earthbending, Toph is able to 'see' Hama. Knowing she alone is no match for the Gaang without her Bloodbending, Hama decides to stay away from them until the moon rises. She runs all she can while the Gaang tries to reach her. When the Gaang finally reaches her, it's already night so she can bloodbend.
"Congratulations for defeating Fire Lord Ozai." Hama says. "What about we kill his son now?"
"Hama, the war is over." Katara replies. "Killing Zuko would just restart it."
"You fool." Hama replies. "The Fire Nation must be destroyed."
"You shouldn't blame a whole nation for the actions of a few despots like Sozin or Ozai." Aang replies.
"This whole nation is evil and I'll destroy it with or without your help." Hama declares.
"You and which army?" Sokka mockingly asks and then a strong gust of wind appears.
"This army." Somebody answers as lots of people appear. The Gaang recognizes them as the new Air Nomads.
"The universe loves to prove me wrong." Sokka comments.
"You make it too easy." Toph replies.
"I don't know who you are but if you hate this nation we may be allies." Hama tells the Air Nomads.
The Air Nomads reply by trying to Airbend the Gaang away. Toph and Aang use Earthbending to hold them and their friends to the ground. To keep Katara under control, Hama uses Bloodbending on her. Hama and the Air Nomads were about to deliver the final blow when some Fire Nation soldiers appear to the rescue. This provides the needed distraction to enable Katara to use Bloodbending to keep Hama immobile enought time for Toph to lock her within an Earth coffin. After that, it's just a matter of time until the Air Nomads are defeated.
"Traitor!" An Air Nomad calls Aang.
"You're the traitors." Aang replies. "The war is over. You should return to the Air Nomads' peaceful ways instead of restarting the war."
"Forget it, Twinkle Toes." Toph says. "They're too stubborn to see it that easily. I never thought I'd say that but I'd rather have them as the wimps you used to be."
"Gee, thanks, Toph." Aang sarcastically replies.
"Thanks for the help." Sokka tells the Fire Nation soldiers.
"It's the least I could do for my friends." The leader of the soldiers replies.
"Do I know you?" Sokka asks, confused. The leader removes his helmet. "Chit Sang?"
"Fire Lord Zuko arranged me this position after the war." Chit Sang replies. "I'd rather live peacefully in a farm but he convinced me things wouldn't be that easy with people still skeptical about the war's end. Now I'm glad he did it."
"Me too." Sokka replies. "What's gonna happen to them?"
"The Fire Lord wants to have a talk with them before deciding." Chit Sang explains.
This chapter ends here. And I'm sorry to tell updates won't be so often from now on. Please review.