IT'S MUCUS

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Sokka's POV

After Zuko had oh so kindly dropped me off at the healers hut, I was less than thrilled. The morning was filled with vomit, smile, and sick people. When Zuko came back to baby sit me for a few minutes. He told me I was the 'supposed funny one'. Zuko said the Blue Spirit may have placed me here because I can make the people feel better? I mean sure, I can crack a good one every now and then, but usually it's rude to another person.

So I'll have to refine my jokes for people's sensitivity? Wait! Am I actually considering Zuko's suggestion? I look around at the suffering patients. Frowns practically carved into their faces. I realize that yeah I am. I walked over to a farmer, I learned his name from one of the nurses. His name was Po, and he worked in the onion fields.

"Hey Po, how you doing?" I ask cautiously. The old man looked up at me.

"Well I'm bed ridden and I'm constantly throwing up slime." he said sarcastically.

"Well technically, it's not slime." he looked at me like I'd grown a second head.

"What do yah mean it's not slime?!! It sure looks like slime to me." he said rather angrily.

"It's mucus."

"Well I'm telling you kid it's slime."

"Mucus."

"Slime."

"Mucus."

"Slime," I paused for a moment, seemingly thinking about his obviously wrong answer.

"Ummmm, Mucus." I say finally.

"OH GOSH DAMN IT KID!!!" Po cried out in frustration. He then realized that he was arguing whether his spit up was slime or mucus. He bursted out laughing. I smirked in satisfaction. The laughing soon became a coughing fit. I rushed to his side to help him. Pulling over the bucket, and pounding his back.

The coughing didn't stop. The mucus came spewing out. It didn't stop. It soon was more than the container could hold. It overflowed, and I had to hold my breath to keep from gagging at the smell.

He hacked out a cough one last time, and right there on the pile of mucus, was a bug. It didn't look like any bug I've ever seen. It had six legs, and a weird flappy thing on the front. The thing was completely orange. Its entire existence was disgusting. "Oh gosh what is that thing?" I cried out.

Obviously all the nurses gathered round Po's bed, because of the commotion we caused. The nurses poked and prodded the bug. I held back yet another gag. An old crinkly woman from the other side of the room. Stood up. All the nurses quickly made room for the old lady.

"I've seen that bug before. It's a mucus bug. It attaches itself to its victims throats. Infecting it causes mucus to get created. The person's misery usually doesn't end until the bug dies and falls off." she looks up at me. "This young one here, got the old man to laugh. The creature couldn't take it and joined in with the mucus it created." she patted my arm, in praise.

This is oddly satisfying helping the old man. Possibly the entire healing hut. "Well if the cure is laughter, all we have to do is get them to laugh?" a heavy set, curly haired nurse asked the old woman.

"Yes but it must be something they truly find funny. No faking it." she advised. She looked back up at me. "You should do the trick." she then walked off and sat down in her corner. Watching me with hollow grey eyes. I gulped and nodded.

I walked over to a middle aged woman with frizzy hair, she had just finished barfing a few minutes ago, and was rather grumpy. "Hey there can I get your name?"

"Judy." I paused trying to think of a good enough joke.

"Alright Judy, what do you call a zoo that only has a dog in it?" she shrugged.

"How am I supposed to know that? You kn-"

"A shit-zu!" I say cutting her off. I add jazz hands for flare. Three old men to her left started laughing. Nurses went over to assist them. Judy just sat stone faced, and raised an unimpressed eyebrow. "Okay you didn't like that one. Um what about... to the guy who invented zero, THANKS FOR NOTHING!!!" I look at her expectantly. She just remained silent. Some other people start laughing in the background.

"Alright how about this. Why was six afraid of seven? 'Cause seven ate nine!" people started laughing loudly all around Judy. I looked around and smiled. When I looked back at her she was still unimpressed.

"OH COME ON!!! Those were my best ones!! How can you be so blank!??" she shrugged.

"I guess you're not that funny."

"How am I not funny?"

"You're just not funny."

"Oh yeah prove I'm not funny?!!" I shouted in outrage. Judy just shrugged again.

"Prove that you are funny." I glared daggers at her. But I didn't have any puns on me currently. I snapped my mouth shut, and stormed away.

In my hurry to get away from her, I didn't see a small puddle of mucus one of the old men spat up. My foot slid out from under me, and I landed hard on my back. I laid there contemplating my existence on this earth.

A loud roaring laughter came from Judy's bed. I quickly get up. And she was holding her sides laughing, tears rolling down her features. "Well I proved it now!!!" I exclaimed all anger forgotten in exchange for pure smugness. Judy glared at me through her coughing and throwing up fits.

I smiled and stepped outside of the healers hut. The smell was beginning to get a little much for me. On the road I spot an old lady walking towards the healers hut, Aang walking beside her. I walk over to them. "DAKA!!" I call out. Remembering last minute the code names.

He looks up at me and smiles, I smile back. "Hey, Kalhan I'm just here to drop off Annabelle. She wasn't feeling 100%." Aang gestured to the old woman beside him. Her hair was pale yellow, it was tied up in a loose bun, her pale green eyes seemingly taking in every detail around her. "Well anyway I've got to go back to the school. See yah later Kal." with that Aang turned around and began running back to the small school.

I walk up to Annabelle, "what's bothering you m'am?" I ask politely.

"One the smell of this place is dreadful. Two Chet's relationship with your friend Daka. Three not knowing your name." she listed off on her fingers. It took me a minute to process her information.

"What's wrong with Chet's and Daka's relationship?" if she'd talking about Zuko and Aang, she's probably talking about a new rivalry or something. She looked at me like I was dumb.

"Honey nothing is wrong with their relationship, in fact it's going swimmingly. I need your help with that."

"I'm confused." I confess. She sighs obviously disappointed in something.

"I want to get them together." she stated simply.

"By together you mean..."

"Dating yes." I look at her like she's crazy. She kind of is. 

"I thought they didn't even like each other." I said truthfully. Aang and Zuko didn't like each other. Or did they? I'm so confused.

"Oh honey you couldn't be more wrong about that." she stated sassily. "Now sweetheart why don't you tell me your name? Or do you prefer pet names?"

"Please no more pet names, and my name is Kalhan. You can call me Kal if you want." she nodded satisfied. "Well I don't know if I can help you with whatever evil thing you're planning with Daka and Chet." she laughs springingly.

"Well come to me when you want to help." with that she turned and swaggered away. She's got an attitude that's for sure.  

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