Ehh. Short chapter, not my best work, but it's the best I could come up with for right now! But don't worry, much more exciting chapters on there way soon. (:

Chapter Twelve

Rumor Has It

I sighed, my fingers tracing my golden locket gingerly, resting on my mother's engraved name. The breeze whistled softly in my ears, playing with my hair, which I had forgotten to pull up. My mind wandered from different topics, but all of them eventually came back to him. I was confused. Very confused. I'll admit it. And as I glanced at him, he seemed to be over it, while I was fumbling with like I was left alone in the dark.

Team Avatar (as Sokka explained to me what our group's name was) was settled under a large tree in another one of the city's many public squares. We had just finished breakfast, stuffing ourselves, as the money that Toph brought in with her gambles was plentiful. I leaned back against the tree's trunk, exhaling softly as I took another sneaky glance at him.

Aang was sitting by Sokka, his eyes distant as he appeared to be ignoring the conversation around him, as I was doing. His legs were crossed underneath of him as he stared at the grass around us. I bit my lower lip, quickly looking away as he caught me staring. I felt a blush, despite my mental protests, rise to my cheeks. I forced myself to listen to the ongoing conversation.

"We should go explore the city," Katara was saying, "There is so much to see!"

Sokka grunted, lying back onto the grass. He shaded his eyes with his hand, blinking away the sun. "Hmm." Was all he said, or rather groaned.

Toph let out an annoyed sigh as she crossed her legs, picking her toes. "Sugar Queen, relax!" She muttered, and then jabbed a thumb in Aang and I's direction, "Like Twinkles and Sparkles. They've been a little too comfy lately." Another one of her slightly creepy smiles crept onto her face, the ones that she had been shooting me all morning.

I froze, and could feel heat rising to my cheeks. Katara and Sokka looked at us suspiciously, and I let out a nervous giggle, "Haha." I managed to say, clearing my throat awkwardly. "Sparkles?" I asked, attempting to change the subject.

The earthbender's smile didn't disappear, but she let me change the subject. "Sparkles is your new nickname." She then frowned, lips puckering slightly, "I'm experimenting." She reasoned.

I nodded, picking at the grass subconsciously. Fortunately, the conversation was redirected from me. "So…are we going to go explore the city?" Katara asked, a little bit of annoyed exasperation in her tone. Her eyes flickered from each of us.

I shrugged, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear, "I'll go with you if you decide to go." I said.

Katara smiled, "Anyone else?" Her eyes rested on Toph, "Toph? Aang? Sokka?"

Toph sighed, "Fine."

Sokka rolled his blue eyes, "Only if I can get some meat. Mmm. Meat." He made a little moaning sound.

Aang nodded, a small smile rising to his lips, "Okay." He looked at me and I smiled back. My heart resumed it's wild pounding.

We walked down the busy streets of Ba Sing Se, Katara in the lead. Momo was on my shoulders as I struggled to keep up with the waterbender. Aang walked by my side, and sometimes his hand would brush against mine, sending my heart into another wild race, my skin tingling. Whether he did it on purpose or on accident I did not know. Sokka and Toph dragged behind, and we would all stop as Sokka stopped to admire the different meats.

The streets of the city were bustling. People were everywhere, standing in crowds by the shops or venders. It was very loud. Laughter, deep and high, would echo loudly off the buildings, ringing in your ears. If I lost attention while admiring a vender or a shop, I would have to struggle to find the others, but as this happened time after time again, I realized that Aang was always by my side, his eyes wide as he took in the whole thing.

We came to a sudden stop as Katara stopped in front of us. She pointed to a shop to the side, which seemed to be advertising…scrolls? It wasn't near. She pulled Aang and I along, but eventually her arm fell away and Aang and I stood in the middle of the street, lost.

"Maybe we can get to the store?" I had to speak louder than usual as the crowed tightened around us. I stumbled forward as someone shoved hard into me. I definitely did not like Ba Sing Se. First the earthquakes and now the streets itself. I tried to see the shop that Katara entered, but I couldn't see over the heads of the crowd. And I couldn't airbend myself up. I didn't even know if I knew how to propel myself upwards, and if I did, would I do it?

Aang grabbed my forearm gently for that he wouldn't loose me in the busy crowd. Who knew a street could be so…crowded and stuffed? I silently prayed that the other streets weren't like this.

"Rumor has it that the Fire Nation is doing this. Causing all the earthquakes!" I heard someone say, and I froze. Aang appeared to ear it as well, as he stopped walking. He turned to the woman who said that. The lady was talking to another lady, who moved away to catch up with someone else.

"What?"

The lady blinked, looking at us. A dainty smile spread across her face. She was wearing rich clothing. A jade kimono she was wearing, along with delicately applied makeups and tons of jewels. "Excuse me?"

Aang shifted his weight, yet his grip on my arm didn't let go. I didn't want it to, "What did you say about the Fire Nation? The earthquakes?"

The woman laughed, "Oh, it's just a rumor." But apparently the look on Aang's face urged her on. "You know, all these earthquakes?" We nodded, "Well, the Fire Nation has been penetrating the wall forever, it seems." A deep frown came onto her face, and she quickly looked away, her eyes scanning the crowd, "I saw that first hand when coming into the city." Her eyes rested on us, "Where you two born here? Or did you enter the city as well?"

He hesitated, "We came into the city."

"Did you see them? The Fire Nation?"

"No." He frowned.

The lady let out another small, nervous laugh. "You must have come in on the east side. You see, they're attacking on the north side. You were lucky." she cleared her throat, "But anyway. Rumor is that they are drilling into the wall. Maybe under the wall." The woman looked down, "It's mostly likely not a rumor."

Aang watched her for a moments longer before bowing deeply to her. "Thank you, ma'am." And then he tugged me away in the direction of the shop where Katara went in.

"Where were you?" Katara gasped, her shoulders slumping in relief as we came to the shop. Luckily, the edges of the streets weren't as busy as the street itself.

"We got lost." I said.

Sokka threw his hands up in the air, "Don't do it again! We were worried!"

Toph glanced at Sokka, an eyebrow raised, "Since when are you worried?"

"Well-"

Katara sighed, "Okay. No arguing. But seriously, you guys had us worried sick."

Aang looked down, a frown on his face, "I'm sorry. However, we found some pretty interesting stuff."

"Like what?"

And Aang proceeded to tell the rest of Team Avatar the rumor, which he believes isn't a rumor, and his plan to stop the Fire Nation from conquering Ba Sing Se.

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