Skoochy

"earth"

- My memory's a little 'foggy'. Maybe you can help 'clear it up'.

Skoochy is a very clever young street urchin who frequently roams Central City Station in Republic City, looking to pick the pockets of unsuspecting tourists. On the side, he provides inside information in exchange for bribes. He is an orphan that has lived on the street ever since escaping from his second orphanage and vowing never to go back. He met Mako and Bolin several years ago during the brothers' days as fellow street urchins.

History
Skoochy was hanging out in Central City Station with other children when Mako and Korra encountered him on their quest to find Bolin. Mako entreated him about the whereabouts of Bolin, but Skoochy blatantly implied that he would need money to "de-fog his memory". Mako obliged to his request, and in return, Skoochy explained that Bolin had been doing some sort of "monkey-rat circus" at about noon and then left off at a cliffhanger of Bolin's whereabouts. Mako gave Skoochy another yuan and the orphan continued to tell Mako that Bolin was recruited by Shady Shin into the Triple Threat Triad after Shin offered him a great deal of money, giving Mako and Korra a lead on finding Bolin.

Trivia

 * "Scooch" is a debased Italian-American word meaning "pest", and derives from the Italian verb "scocciare", which means "to annoy". The term arose in New York during the early 1900s as more and more Italian immigrants drifted away from proper Italian, and the word itself is still a slang term for any irritating or misbehaved person.
 * After the ravage of World War I, many children were left orphans. Those who did not go to orphanages formed street gangs, both for protection and new familial bonds, similar to how Skoochy is seen surrounded by other children. It was also customary for many street children to go by nicknames, which could reflect Skoochy's unique name.