Hello everyone! Welcome to chapter 34 of Sparks Ignite! Hope you guys enjoyed that last chapter! This chapter is a big one! So keep reading to find out what happens next! As always, I do not 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 34: The Mother of Faces

It felt like forever they had been walking. But yet, the clock raced against them. And before they knew it, it was another day gone. With only 1 day left to find the Mother of Faces, and save Zuko, the odds were looking grim.

But that didn't stop Katara from giving up hope. She sat at the head of Appa, looking down at the forest below. She thought about landing and walking soon. If they got a head start on the day, they could be able to search better. But she looked back at the sleeping figures behind her and sighed, knowing everyone needed to sleep.

She could feel her body start to shut down. The adrenaline of what they were trying to do had kept her body moving up until this point. But her body was beginning to beg for sleep.

Maybe if she just closed her eyes for one moment…

Zuko looked around, back into the palace hallway where he once was. "Is this the present again?" he asked. But Roku shook his head, "This is your second trial…"

All of a sudden, he heard yelling coming from his office door. Zuko started to walk over, listening through the closed door. He couldn't make out the muffled words, but he could make out the screaming of himself and Katara. He frowned and looked at Roku, "What is this?" he asked, unsure of what this vision of the future was for.

But before Roku could answer, Katara stormed from his office, tears pouring from her cheeks, and ran down the hallway. There was a part of Zuko's heart that broke when he saw her cry. He never wanted to see that reaction from her. He turned to his future self and saw nothing but a hard look on his face, as if there was no remorse at all.

Admiral Jee saw the waterbender run past him and walked into his office, "Is everything alright sir?"

The Fire Lord before them nodded, "Everything is fine. Tell the crew to prepare to set sail by dawn tomorrow morning"

Zuko watched himself, in slight disgust, "Why am I not going after her? Why am I leaving?" he asked, so confused over the person in front of it. It looked like him. It talked like him. But he could never imagine treating Katara like that.

He talked like his father.

"I cannot answer every question you desire…" Roku began, "In life, many hardships await you… It is not an easy road. You will face challenges that will change the person you are…"

Zuko looked from Roku to himself, "But what if I don't want to be that person? I don't want to become just like my father…" he looked down in shame. Is this the life he was destined to have?

Roku put a hand on his shoulder, "I have one more thing to show you… And I believe it will give you the answer you seek…"

Zuko watched himself stare out the window as it slowly faded to black.

The sun beating onto Katara's face awoke her from her sleep. She groggily looked around, not realizing where she was at first. But when it dawned on her, it hit her like a train.

She fell asleep and wasted precious time. How long had she been asleep? What if they flew by the spirit they were looking for? What if she ruined everything?

"Guys wake up! We need to move now!" Katara spoke, landing Appa as soon as she possibly could. The others groggily began to wake, not used to the amount of sleep they just had.

As soon as Appa's feet touched the ground, Katara jumped down and began to panic, "I don't know how much we missed! What if we flew past her? Oh my La… Zuko…"

Toph went to her, the bags now prevalent on her groggy face, "Katara… Everything is okay. Take a minute and breathe…"

Katara let herself take a deep breath and nodded, "I just need a minute" she said, taking a step away from the group. A few steps away from where they landed was a small pond, with water as clear as could be.

Curiously, Katara looked down into it. But all she saw back at her was her own reflection. The water was too deep to see the bottom. She sat there, staring at her own reflection, as if she were captivated in it. She saw how her brown curly hair flowed down and framed her face. She watched her as eyelashes fluttered when she blinked. Her nose scrunched up as she took deep breaths. She reached up and touched her lips, feeling the smooth skin beneath her fingertips.

She then reached down to touch her mother's necklace. Oh, how she wished her mother was alive. She would know what to say and how to make her feel at ease. When she closed her eyes, it was almost like she could hear her voice, speaking to her.

"My beautiful girl… You have come so far… And I am so proud"

Katara smiled to herself, clutching onto the necklace hanging from her neck.

"And you are so very close… All you have to do is reach out… And touch it…"

She opened her eyes and looked back at her reflection in front of her. Katara lifted her hand and moved it towards the water. She dipped one finger in, creating ripples in the small pond.

She moved her hand and the ripples got bigger and bigger until they turned to waves crashing in the pond. Katara was forced to move back, at risk of getting splashed by the dangerous waves. The rest of the group heard the crashing of the water and came to her rescue. But they all watched in awe, as a spirit rose from the depths of the pool and towered over them.

"I am the Mother of Faces…" the spirit spoke, in a melodic voice above them, "Through me, separateness came into the world… Through me, came identity… The one became the many…"

Everyone looked up at the spirit in awe. She was nothing like they had pictured. "What request do you seek from me?" Mother asked.

Noriko gulped and took a few steps forward, "Great Spirit… I ask that you return my original face and memories… So, I may return to the life I once had…"

The Mother of Faces leaned down to eye level with Noriko, "Since the beginning of time, I've fashioned faces with great care and deliberation… With all my heart. In each face, I put a piece of my own being… You dare ask me to replace my precious gift with an old one?"

Katara stood and cleared her throat, seeing the look of fear on Noriko's face, "Mother of Faces… Your gift is not one of sorrow or pain… The gift is not something she wishes to forget. You have given her a beautiful gift that has allowed her to live a life of peace while the world around her was in turmoil… But now, my spirit… The world is in turmoil around her and she needs her old life in order to fix it… So, if you could bestow upon her the gift of her old life… You will save a life other than her own…"

The spirit looked at her with curious eyes, "You speak with a mind that fights for more than its own glory… You speak out of love…"

"Love is always worth fighting for…" Katara spoke. A small smile graced her face, for she would always fight for Zuko. No matter what it took.

The spirit pondered this for a moment, before she reached out a hand and took a hold of Noriko's face. "Hold still…" she spoke, as a glowing light leaked out of her grasp. "Mommy!" Kiyi cried, scared for her mother's safety, but Ikem held her tight.

And after a moment, the Mother of Faces let go of the woman in front of her, "Live your life in peace and love… For that is what you deserve…" she spoke, as she crawled her way back into the water.

Then, when the woman turned around, Ursa stood in her place.

Ta-Daaa! Ursa is back people! Now a race back to the capital to save Zuko! But will Zuko choose to be saved? Until next time!