Hello everyone! Welcome to chapter 25 of Sparks Ignite! I hope you all enjoyed that last chapter! Really quick before we begin, I'd just like to remind everybody that this story is very closely tied to canon, the only thing changing is the Zutara storyline, beginning with the cave scene. Ursa's story may resemble some parts of the comic, The Search, but there will be some differences. As always, I do not own Avatar or its characters. Onto the story!

Fate and Destiny are a funny thing. They are so permanent, but yet can be changed by the smallest thing. It can cause the moon and the sun to collide. Or the most opposite Sparks to Ignite.

Chapter 25: The Diary

Katara walked to the Fire Lady's garden, with Iroh not far behind. She held the letter firmly in her grip, looking around the garden. "Now what?" she asked herself. Iroh spoke, "Only the purest of heart…" he chuckled, "It sounds like something his mother would say…"

The two stood there for a moment, having no idea where to begin. Suddenly, a moment in time popped into Katara's head.

Zuko chuckled slightly, watching the turtle ducks playing not too far away, "I remember when I was here with her… A turtle duck bit me and after she pulled it off of me, she said… A mother's love only lets the purest of heart penetrate it…"

"The turtle ducks…" she thought out loud. Iroh looked to where she was pointing, "This family of turtle ducks has stayed in this pond as long as I can remember… They're a part of this garden long after the plants have died…" he said, starting to see where she was leading towards.

"A mother's love…" she remembered out loud, stepping into the pond carefully, "Only let's the purest of heart penetrate it…" Katara reached her hand out to the mother turtle duck, who looked at her curiously. The turtle duck slowly swam closer but did not have the same protective look that she usually had around her babies. And on the floor of the pond, Katara noticed a rock that looked slightly different than the other ones.

"Jackpot…" she said, looking at it then the turtle duck. "May I?" she thought out loud, wondering what had brought her to this moment where she was talking to a turtle duck. She reached for the rock and looked underneath.

Nothing.

Katara sighed, "It's not here…" her voice full of disappointment. She looked down at the rock in her hand, she looked at its shape and noticed how boxy it looked. While all the other rocks in the pond had a smooth surface, this one was bumpy and rough with sharp edges. "Iroh?" she said, still looking at the rock. Iroh turned to her, then looked at the rock, "What is it?" he asked.

"Is it just me or does this rock look… man made to you?" she asked him. Iroh felt a small smile creep up on his face, "Only one way to find out…"

Toph took the rock in her hands, "Woah!" she said, surprised. Katara's eyes widened, "What is it? Is there a clue on it?" she asked her, excited. Toph shook her head and broke the rock, "No… Somebody hid a book in it."

Katara let out a yell in delight, "We did it Iroh! We found it!" she took the book from Iroh's hands and practically jumped up and down. Iroh smiled and chuckled lowly, "I believe you did my dear…"

Toph watched the both of them confused, "Does somebody want to tell me what's going on?" she asked them. "No time Toph!" she said, as she ran off to read the diary. Iroh watched her and smiled, then turned to Toph, "I will explain all at a later time…" he told her smiling.

Katara went back to the Fire Lady's garden, knowing she wouldn't be disturbed here. She opened the first page and began to read.

Dear Diary,

Looking back on my beginning, I never could begin to think of ending up here in this palace. A beginning is the start of something, which my beginning was not when I was born. It was when I was loved.

He floods my thoughts constantly. I haven't been in his presence in so long and it haunts my dreams. What is he thinking now? What does he think of me?

Ozai has been nothing but the perfect gentleman since I arrived. The wedding was tomorrow, and then began the rest of our lives. But he has only treated me with grace and humility. But I can see the glint in his eyes. A fire burns deep within him that I cannot contest with. I am afraid that if I leave or cross him… that Agni may be the only one who can save me…

Katara flipped the page. Who was this man she spoke of? She sighed and continued to read.

Who have I married? I had hoped that one day I could grow to love this man. But I sat across from him today, the day of our wedding, and wished death upon him. He told me how I could never see my family again… Or ever go home… My parents… This is not the life they would want for me… is it?

I feel lost and confused. Like everything I've ever known in Hira'a is somehow nothing of the truth. I've always thought of the fire nation as my home, not just the little town I always knew. But I never knew the fire nation was so different. I never knew that people like him existed…

Katara sighed, seeing the pain in Zuko's mother's words. But there was one good thing out of this. She had a town, a town where Ursa grew up. She continued reading, hoping to find out who this mystery man may be.

I'm living with a monster… I found Ozai in his chamber with another woman… She was one of his concubines that he had locked away for when he needed them. When I walked in his chamber, the look in his eyes was something I hadn't seen before… Evil… Malicious… All the things I thought I saw on the inside…

He saw me and when I tried to run… he grabbed me. He screamed in my face and… I broke. I told him about my Ikem. About how much I missed him and longed for his presence… And how I didn't want this anymore… No longer the stakes he had above me…

This child inside me… I had to protect him… I had to get away from here… But how do I escape the devil?

Katara's eyes widened. His mother had been through so much. She remembered Zuko telling her about Ozai's concubines. That was something his mother lived with, even while she was pregnant with Zuko.

But she also had a lover, name Ikem from Hira'a. That was more information then she had previously and was a good place to start. But she kept reading, too drawn into his mother's words.

As I live and breathe, I must protect my son from this family… He cannot become like them.

He would kill my son… My boy… He is the only reason I am still here. The only reason that I don't run far away from here… I can't see him hurt.

All he wants is the throne. That is Ozai's dream… I can give that to him… All it will take is a little poison…

Katara looked up from the diary. "Zuko…"

She knew why his mother left. She was forced to leave, to protect Zuko.

Katara stood and went to Zuko's office, finding Iroh, sitting patiently in the chair. Iroh looked back at her, "Well?" he asked her. She looked at him firmly, "I know I can find her…"

Iroh smiled slightly, "I have all the faith in you… The sweet fruit is not far from the tree…"

"So, you think she's home?" she asked him. Iroh chuckled slightly, "I do… But what home is exactly to her… I think you may know…"

Ta-daa! This will be the last chapter for tonight but more will come next week! Until next time!