A/N: This is a short little ficlet(is that the right word?) about Katara telling Pakku about bloodbending. Because I just love Pakku and the relationship between he and Katara is so cute especially since he's her "GranPakku" and I felt she would be able to go to him about this. And he's a waterbender so he'd kind of understand. I hope you like it! P.S. This takes place during "Sozin's Comet" when the GAang are all at "old people camp" with the Order of the White Lotus. I tried to keep Pakku as in character as possible. Hope I did well :)
Disclaimer: Not mine.
Katara walked slowly through the camp of the Order of the White Lotus, eyes cast downward. She glanced up only to ensure she was going in the right direction and then returned her eyes to the ground. She didn't know why she felt so wary about telling him, or even why she was telling him, but she needed to tell someone who might understand. Reaching the tent she'd strived towards, she paused. It was a tent so she shouldn't knock. She swallowed, "Uhm it's Katara." Shuffling and then, "Come in." She pushed the tent flap open and paused again, nervously tugging her braid and glancing at the man in front of her. Pakku smiled, "Come Katara, sit please. You seem troubled." She sat across from him, "I am."
He waved a hand to tell her to speak, "What is it? You can tell me. After all I am your 'GranPakku' eh?" Katara giggled but her face returned to a solemn expression, "While we were on the run, you know, before coming here, we stopped in a town. There were mysterious disappearances and we decided to help try and find the people. We met a woman named Hama and she told us about an angry spirit who captured people during the full moon. Then we learned she was from the Southern Water Tribe, and that she was a waterbender." Pakku leaned forward slightly, hands clasped and chin resting on them, "A Southern waterbender? I thought you were the only one left." Katara nodded, "She'd been taken by the Fire Nation but she escaped. She taught me to draw water from the plants around me. At first I thought it was amazing, to be able to get water from anything, but then I saw the plants. By drawing the water from them it killed them and it was terrible. All those dead plants." Pakku tilted his head slightly, "Somehow I feel your concern is not based solely on dead plants." Katara took a deep breath, "No. She taught me another type of bending. An extension of waterbending. It was awful, the scariest, most horrible thing I'd ever heard of. I vowed never to use it. But then, then she attacked us. She tried to make Sokka kill Aang."
Pakku frowned in thought, "I don't understand. How could she make Sokka attack Aang? Katara? What did she teach you? What was the extension of waterbending?" The expression on Katara's face was concerning: she looked scared and ashamed, all at the same time. Katara took a deep breath, "While in prison, Hama learned there is water in all living things. She devised a new technique, called bloodbending. By waterbending the water in blood, she could control people. That's how she captured people in the village. And then, she tried to force Sokka to attack Aang and I had to, I had to bloodbend Hama. I could tell it was painful. I felt so bad. And the worst part is that she did all of that just to make me bloodbend. She knew I would do anything to save my friends. She made me bloodbend after I'd vowed not to!" Katara had risen to her feet, hands balled into fists. Tears began flowing down her cheeks, "I feel so ashamed about it and angry I don't know why!" Pakku stood and beckoned her forward, wrapping her in a hug. He pulled away, holding her at arm's length, "Katara feeling ashamed for doing something you knew was wrong is normal. But you did it for noble reasons and that's what you need to remember. As for feeling angry, Hama tricked you and you have every right to feel that way."
He released her and Katara wiped her eyes, sitting back down. Pakku stroked his beard thoughtfully, "I've never heard of bloodbending." Katara frowned, "Hama invented it. It can only be accomplished during the full moon because that's when our power is strongest. Hama used it on me once and it was the worst thing I've ever felt. I couldn't move and I couldn't break it. She could make me do anything she wanted and it just felt like I was completely helpless. And when she tricked me into using it-" Katara broke off, "All I know is I never want to do it to anyone ever again. And I never want anyone to suffer for it." Pakku put a hand on her shoulder, "It's alright Katara. No one will ever ask you to use it again. And I'm glad you feel you can come to me, with anything." Katara smiled, "I'm glad I came to you. I knew you'd be able to help me. GranPakku." The two of them laughed and then Pakku subsided, "Please don't call me that." Katara smirked and stood, giving a bow and exiting. She breathed deeply, feeling better. She walked through camp to the fire in the middle where Sokka was currently retelling their adventures to some of the other members of the Order. Although from the looks of his wild gestures and reenacting, he was taking a lot of creative liberties. Katara bit back a laugh and sat next to Bumi to listen to Sokka's absurd retelling.