Chapter 5 Human Puppets

AN: This is easily one of the darkest episodes of the show. The original airdate was around Halloweeen 2007 for a reason. But also one of the most interesting. Hanna terrified me at 14 when I first saw the episode. Hell it still scares me at 32.

Outside the next village we are all sitting around the campfire late at night telling scary ghost stories. Sokka failed miserably with his story about the haunted cutlas of Wing Flung. Yawn.

Aang bored says, "The guy with the sword for a hand was more frightening."

Katara sighs, "I have a real haunted tale from the Southern Water Tribe. And no Sokka, it is not a friend knew someone blah blah blah. When Mom was young she had a friend named Nini. After a blizzard, Mom realized she hadn't seen Nini for a while. It had buried our village for several weeks. So she goes to Nini's house to find it empty. Digging her way deeper in all she could hear was, 'It's so cold and I can't get warm'. Nini was there skin blue as water. Mom ran to get help, but when she returned Nini vanished."

Ok I am terrified, and so is everyone else. Sokka is hiding behind a tree. Aang is under Momo. I am in my sleeping bag shaking. "¿What happed to Nini?"

Katara answers, "No one knows. The house is epty to this day, but you can sometimes see smoke coming out of the roof."

Toph suddenly stands up pale. "Everyone shut up. The ground is screaming. I can hear voices underground."

Sokka laughs, "Yea right. Nice try Toph, but you're not scaring me. I don't hear a thing. Yawn."

Toph responds, "No I am not making up anyting. I really am hearing voices. Wait it just stopped."

"Hello children."Out of the fog this old woman appeared. Definitely super creepy. Sokka and Aang scream like me.

"Hello travelers, this forest is not a safe place to be. Locals have been disappearing here for years. I run the inn in town and if you need a roof over your heads follow me. My name is Hanna."

We follow her, not wanting to be in a tent as usual. She seemed nice but I was very creeped out.

Katara glances around inn. "Nice place you got."

Hanna smiles. "Oh young lady you are too kind. ¿Anyway, do you want to see your rooms now?" All of us nod excitedly.

The next day we go shopping. Katara and Hanna go together and have a grand old time. They are becoming fast friends. My group is Aang, and Sokka and me. As we explore the market I listen in on a conversation between two villagers in front of us.

"I need some more bananas."

"I am sorry but you are going to have to wait. I would send someone to Hing Wa Island but I am afraid because it is a two day trip."

"And tommorow night the moon is full."

"I am not having another disapearence. I'm running out of delivery people."

"Residents of this place have vanished for years. No one has a clue what goes on. Only thing in common is the night before was a full moon."

"This town is haunted or cursed."

"Or both."

After listening to their complaints Sokka declares, "We have a mystery to solve. Voices in the Mountain, locals vanishing without a trace, full moons. Checks all the boxes for weirdness. I want to know why Hanna was wandering around cursed woods at night. I believe she's at the center. Also that name sounds familiar somehow. I don't know why though."

Aang says, "Sounds like a spirit world thing. I'm going around the village to feel around for any spiritual energy and see what. Hei Bai isn't the only angry spirit."

Sokka decides to play dective. His idea of an investigation: Breaking into the private closet in the inn. Hanna catches us in the act. Great plan Sokka. Hanna laughs at us before inviting us in. She opens the box we couldn't to reveal a whalebone dagger. Spirits of the Islands, I know where Hanna is originally from. I also knew why she was in a fire nation village and the full moon thing. Only one culture on this planet has an intense lunar conection or use bones of sea creatures.

Katara and Sokka gasp when we enter her backroom. It has this strong Water Tribe theme going on. I smile in wonder. "Hanna, this looks amazing. ¿Can I get the real explanation of what all this stuff is? I know I don't get the real facts at school." Hanna beams at me. "The fact that you are aware of that is why I will be happy to tell you." She goes around pointing out everything. I learn a lot about the actual culture of the Southern Pole. One day I am going there in person to experience it for myself.

That night, I am outside under the light of the full moon. I hear footsteepts behind me. Oh crap, I'm in serious danger. I do not have to be a genius to know who it is. "I am going to discover the mysery of this place aren't I? Why Toph heard voices in the mountain." Those cold eyes glare at me giving me a feeling of being stalked by a dangerous predator. I back up slowly asking timidly, "¡Miss Kemurikage, I have been a good girl! ¡Eek! ¡Please don't take me away!" I knew why I had this uneasy feeling when we first meet.

The kemurikage are spirits from the Unification Wars thousands of years ago. They punish unruly kids according to the village elders.

The old lady laughs darkly. It sends a chill down my body. "Little one, I am very real and human, not something out of legend. That said, I am a vengeful spirit. You are a Fire National. I, Hanna, demand justice for me and my people, ¡the Southern Water Tribe! ¿Do you want to see what a master waterbender is capable of?"

I do actually but I want to see someone without Katara's restraint. Curiosity replaces fear, as I need answers. "¿Care to explain? ¿What did I do to you?" Now that I just said that it, it does sound really stupid. No, we did nothing except starting a century long war and almost wiping out her people. Not to mention capturing and imprisoning her here in the Fire Nation. She hasn't said anthing but how else did she arrive. I have a feeling we're going to be paying in blood for that. Oh well, so be it.

In a voice reminding me of a blast of cold air, Hanna starts talking. At the same time she throws her arms out and her fingers start moving like a puppeteer. "¿You really don't know? You are being lied to by your own government. I know it may be a shock to you, but your great-" Hanna tells her story. "We tried to resist, but over time they captured all the benders. Until I was the last one left. Your nation put us in cages like animals in humidity-controlled rooms. We only got the minimum amout of awater. But water is life. There is water in every living thing. I realized this and on the next full moon I started with the rodents. It took several moons before I bended the water in the guard's blood. I was free for the first time in years and it felt amazing." It was way worse than I could possibly imagine. I just stand totally depressed. So this is what my nation has done. We have called the other two countries barbaric savages. ¡But they're not, we are! I don't know what to do. Well there is one thing. Every action has an equal and opposite reaction.

I interrupt her before I hear the same thing twice. "I already was told this by those two Southerners I am travellign with. Sokka had a lot of fun with it as well."

Hanna brightens. "Oh good, we can skip to the bloodbending part. My favorite. Your ruthless nation has exterminated us for a century, time to get a little payback. ¡I am going to return the favor!"

I take a deep breath. Hopefully I survive this. "To regain honor, I choose to do… nothing. The sins of my ancestors."

Hanna smirks darkly. I see that face for the rest of my life. "Oh a willing victim. That's new."

I lose all feeling and control everywhere all at once. My body starts moving on its own. Hanna is using me like a living puppet. I know I should be scared or something, but the situation is far too interesting. Look there is no point in worrying about things you have no control over. If I survive this, I will know a lot more about biology. For some reason I feel fine. I think it was extremely painful for everybody else because they resisted. Still not a fun experience, though. I have absolutely zero control over my own body. I have to stop thinking a very scary sensation. It is a very chilling display of power. A thought pops in my head. Hanna is not alone in her methods. ¿How many more across the planet think like her? ¿Hundreds? ¿Thousands? The problem is, I can't blame or disagree with her. I have learned more in the past two months than I had in the last ten years.

The bloodbender frowns. "You aren't wailing like a banshee. Interesting, everybody else did. I wonder why."

I smirk. "I can put on a show if you want me to. I can scream my head off to make you feel better."

Hanna glares at me. "Insolent child. You are definitely a weirdo. All my other victims were terrified, but you look bored."

My body walks itself into the tunnels. It is a maze down here. I am never going to escape the mountain or see the night sky. After a very disoriending trek, Hanna leaves me to my fate. The rocks all look the same. I keep walking. I hear screams echoing around me. None make it out. I pass a figure lying down in front of me. I reach down and flip the body over. I should not have done that. All I see is decaying skin. This person had been down here for years. The smell of death permeates the still underground air. Another experience that haunts me forever. I am going to meet Agni soon. The human body can survive two weeks without food and two days with out water. See, I pay attention in biology class. It is probably the only class with any accuracy. That and science. Engineering class is not available until secondary.(High School for us in the US.)

I am exhausted roaming the caves, so I curl up in the corner and rest. The next day, I think, I have no concept of time being trapped under the earth, I feel different. Like I am not alone, but in a good way. I close then open my eyes. I see a faint gold path lighting the way. I follow it. Left, right, left, straight, right, right, left, straight, left, then right. The sunshine felt glorious.

While I was um occupied, the rest of team Avatar uncovered the truth. I speak up. "No, I do not agree with turning her in to the authorites. Hanna has every right to do what she does. She wants to even the score between our nations. I have no issue with her revenge plot. Yes I know, I was one of her victims remember."

She looks at me with this weird expression. "So, you believe in the sins of the parents. The expression is sins of the father but your country has gender equality. One of the few things I like about your nation. You only survived because a spirit guide."

Sokka mutters something about honor and crazy Fire Nationals. Aang however, gives his half smile of approval. Katara is shocked and angry with me. "That woman is dangerous. You're seriously letting her get away with terrorizing you and your fellow citizens."

"Because I understand her position. The best option is to return her to the South Pole, but that's unrealistic at this time. My nation is entirely responsible for Hanna's actions. We have no one to blame but ourselves. I had a lot of time to think when wandering that maze."

Aang taps me on the shoulder. "That was wisdom. You see things from her point of view. I am not going to lie and say her methods do not frighten me. I see we have to end this war and save people from their own darkness."

AN: First yesterday was the 20thanniversary of the second episode. This was the one that got me hooked on the series. Seeing the full power of the Avatar state with that music blew my mind. Secondly, the feedback I have recieved is crazy. People not only like my writing style but a lot of you are graphic artists like ameliacarson, rachal-smith09098, zoe gardinerr. I can't draw so it's good that people who can are interested in this.