not from around here | Zuko X OC

| chapter forty three |

"Momo! Oh Momo!" Aang called, dipping in and out of the muddy water.
"Hahahahaha! You found me, buddy!" He laughed as Momo jumped to him.

Aang looked up at the others on Appa's saddle, as he waded his way through the murky water.

"Hey guys, I think this river's polluted." Aang said, airbending mud off himself, splattering the rest of the gaang with the gross dirt, which caused them all to cry out in disgust.

"Pah, bleh!" Coughed Toph, tasting the disgusting mud in her mouth.

"That's nasty." Saki muttered, flicking mud off of her arm. Aang blew a force of air at everyone and the mud flew into the river.

"Well that explains why I can't catch a fish around here, because normally my fishing skills are off the hook! Get it? Like a fishing hook?" He joked, holding up a fishing hook.
They all stared, unamused.
Except Saki, she couldn't stifle a small chuckle.

They all looked at her as she grinned, slightly embarrassed.
"Sorry, crappy puns are my weakness." She told them. Sokka shot her an appreciative look, a grin spreading across his face.

"Too bad your skills aren't on the hook." Toph said, grinning.
They all laughed, except Sokka, who glared at his friends with a now disgruntled facial expression.

"It looks like we'll need to go somewhere else to get food, assuming that'll fit into Sokka's master schedule." Katara said, glaring back at Sokka.

"Hmmm... It's doable. But that means only two potty breaks today." Sokka told everyone.

"Ugghhh, I hate that stupid schedule! It reminds me of school." Saki exclaimed.

"Don't blame the schedule! Do you want the fire nation to take over the world?" Sokka asked.

"Yes Sokka, that's exactly what I want. This world to be a literal living hell." Saki sassed with a heavily sarcastic tone, waving her hands in front of her in an arch to and smiling to show how enthusiastic she was about the idea.

"Hey, maybe we can get food there!" Exclaimed Aang, cutting off Sokka before he could even start a comeback.

They landed on a hill near the small village that Aang had pointed out and and covered Appa with some leaves. His horns stuck out of the leaves and Saki smiled at the adorable sight.

"Now you look just like a little hill with horns! Bye, buddy!" Aang called to him as everyone turned to leave.

They started walking down to the village on the murky water. It looked very run down and dirty, not a very nice place at all.

"I don't feel anything, where is the village?" Asked Toph, moving her feet around.

"It's in the middle of the river!" Exclaimed Sokka.

"Yeah, you guys just noticed?" Saki asked.
Sokka glared at her and she grinned.

"Sure is!" Exclaimed a voice.
They all looked down to see a man with a boat stood at the edge of the water.
"My name's Dock. Mind if I ask who you are?" He continued.

"We're, um, from the Earth Kingdom colonies." Katara told him, sounding unconvincing.

"Wow... colonials! Hop on; I'll give you a ride into town." Offered Dock.

They all jumped onto the boat, slightly squished, and started to head towards the small town.

"Why do you guys live on the river?" Katara asked as Saki edged away from the horrible murky water that was over the edge of the boat and closer to Sokka. Who knew what kind of creatures are down there.