Chapter 23: Long Gone

"It's showtime!" Lu Chen yelled.

The two Dai Li agents looked surprised for a moment, but took a battle stance and immediately launched rocks from their earth gloves at Lu Chen.

Lu Chen just took the hits like they were nothing and continued to walk toward the agents.

"Nice try, but no. I'll show you how a real earthbender fights." Lu Chen said calmly.

Lu Chen slammed the ground with his fists and metalbended the floor, wrapping it around their body, detaining them.

The Dai Li agents tried to break free, but they couldn't bend metal. Lu Chen approaches the pair and knocks them out.

'Hmm... looks like more agents are coming due to the noise. Unfortunately for them, they can't break through my armor.' Lu Chen thought.

A few dozen Dai Li agents come from both sides of the corridor and surround Lu Chen.

"Hold it right there. You're surrounded. Give up now." One Dai Li agent commanded.

Lu Chen glances at the Dai Li. Some of them start to notice the assailant is completely wrapped in metal and two of their comrades are trapped in metal as well.

'I can feel some of them are starting to get nervous. I don't think any of them has seen someone bend metal.' Lu Chen thought as he smiled.

Without answering, Lu Chen took a low stance and stretched his arms out. The Dai Li took this as an offensive action and the few in front started launching their rock gloves at him.

The rock gloves simply bounced off and broke into pieces.

Lu Chen began focusing greatly, and the entire corridor started trembling greatly.

Lu Chen then brought his arms into his chest and then up in the air.

The metal floor under the agents suddenly rose, trapping the Dai Li against the ceiling. Lu Chen was careful not to mortally hurt the agents.

'It would be a shame to hurt these agents. I could use them later, and hurting them physically would only make them resentful at me.' Lu Chen thought.

'Phew, it's getting a little stuffy in this suit.'Lu Chen thought as he ripped off the metal covering his head.

Lu Chen stood in front of the cell that contains Long Feng.

He reached his hand out and clenched the door, wrinkling it up and freeing it of its hinges.

"W-what is the meaning of this? Why are you here? Why have you assaulted my agents?" Long Feng stuttered.

Lu Chen didn't attempt to answer any questions and walked up to face Long Feng.

"No questions." Lu Chen stated as he mentally prepared.

Lu Chen ripped off a piece of metal from his armored hand and shaped it into a spike.

"Wh-what're you doing?" Long Feng said nervously.

Lu Chen said nothing and simply got closer, backing Long Feng to the wall of his cell.

'Phew... calm down Lu. I just gotta be quick.' Lu Chen thought as he began sweating nervously.

Lu Chen brought the metal spike forward, into Long Feng's chest, piercing his heart.

"Argh...! Y-you..." Long Feng muttered as he fell to the ground.

Lu Chen continued to stand there, his hand shaking, his complexion pale, and sweat covering his face.

He looked at his bloody, shaking hand then to the lifeless body of Long Feng. Lu Chen felt his stomach start to churn.

"Gmhp..." Lu Chen used his other hand to cover his mouth.

"Blahhhg!" Lu Chen, on his knees, began to vomit.

After ejecting the contents of his stomach, Lu Chen stayed on the ground as he gathered his breath.

'I... killed someone... Killed him. Should I have? Should...? I could've...' Lu Chen began thinking.

Lu Chen shook his head to clear his thoughts.

"No... I can't have second thoughts now... the deed is done... and Long Feng is no longer a problem. Nor will he be a problem in the future." Lu Chen said to himself as he got on his feet.

"I gotta announce this to the Dai Li..." Lu Chen said.

Lu Chen walked out of the cell with faux confidence and metalbended the floor back to its original state.

Some Dai Li stumbled up to their feet and some tried, only managing to lift their upper bodies.

"Your leader has fallen! You will no longer be able to take orders from him. You will now take orders from me... unless you want to join Long Feng." Lu Chen exclaimed looked around the corridor.

A few Dai Li, who had a view of the inside of the cell and looked inside, their face twisting in surprise.

The Dai Li that were standing slowly began to kneel one by one in front of Lu Chen.

"Your first order; You will not tell anyone of what happened tonight. Your second order; You will do what the Earth King commands, when he commands. Your third order; Stay out of the Avatar's way, do not interfere with him or his friends. Your last order; Deliver a small feast to the Avatar's home tomorrow morning. Use whatever money Long Feng had... and give the rest to me when delivering the food." Lu Chen commanded.

Lu Chen glances back at Long Feng's cell. "Clean that mess as well." He said, getting a little nauseous.

The Dai Li simply bowed their heads and stood up to carry out the orders without protest.

'They'll be useful during the invasion, along with the earthbending soldiers, unlike the villagers used in the show.' Lu Chen thought.

Before all the Dai Li could leave, Lu Chen grabbed one by the arm.

"You, show me where the Fire Nation princess is. Now." Lu Chen commanded.

"Y-yes, Sir." The Agent clamored.

The Dai Li escorted Lu Chen to a medium-sized cell closer to the middle of the entire prison.

"Here she is, Sir." The agent said as he opened the cell and bowed.

"Leave, but stay near." Lu Chen said flatly.

The agent turned around and walked away without so much as a sound. Lu Chen can feel the agent still nearby, waiting for another order.

Azula was tied up on the back wall with her hands behind her back. Her hair was a mess and she was wearing standard prison clothes.

"Oh, how the mighty have fallen." Lu Chen teased.

Azula barely showed a response. She lifted her head and her face was a mess. Her makeup staining her otherwise pretty face.

'Was she... crying?' Lu Chen thought, surprised.

Lu Chen walked closer and crouched down to get to Azula's eye level.

"How're you holding up, Azula? Did you get a message from your loving father?" Lu Chen said.

Azula said nothing and simply turned her head away.

"I guess not... want to tell me what's wrong? Why are you so stuck up about pleasing your dad anyway?" Lu Chen asked.

Azula did not speak a word to Lu Chen and simply kept her head down.

'She isn't ready to talk yet.' Lu Chen gathered.

Lu Chen reached out to Azula's head and patted it. Azula flinched at the action.

"Well, if you don't want to talk, that's okay. I'll be here every day until you want to." Lu Chen said as he continued caressing Azula's head.

Lu Chen stopped his action, stood up, and left the cell.

"Dai Li, are there messages from the Fire Nation?" Lu Chen asks.

"Yes, Sir." The agent responded.

"Fetch them, now. Give me the key to the cells, I'll be in the cell that contains the other kid." Lu Chen commanded.

"Oh, and treat the Fire Nation Princess just a little bit worse from now on." Lu Chen added with a whisper.

'It's a little bit manipulative to have her suffer in prison then be comforted by me when I visit, but it's for the greater good.' Lu Chen thought.

The Dai Li agent nodded and passed Lu Chen the prison keys and went away to Long Feng's office.

Lu Chen made his way back to Long Feng's cell and turned to the left corridor. A big door was there, Lu Chen could feel the boy still inside.

Lu Chen opened the door and found Jet still strapped to the chair in the middle of the circular brainwashing device. His mouth had been covered by rock, preventing him from speaking.

"Mmh? Mmph!" Jet mumbled.

"Hey, how's it going?" Lu Chen said as he earthbended away Jet's gag.

"Ptuh! Darn rocks... Who're you? You don't look like one of those other guys." Jet said.

"I'm here to release you. What's your name?" Lu Chen said as he remembered to ask for a name first.

"Name's Jet." He responded.

"What're you in for, Jet?" Lu Chen asked.

"... I was trying to prove that there are firebender living here in Ba Sing Se. I couldn't get them to actually firebend when I fought one of them, but I will get proof sooner or later." Jet said.

'I can't have him trouble Zuko... I'll give him some of Long Feng's money and tell him to leave this city with his friends.' Lu Chen thought.

"I know who you're talking about... They are actually good people, well, at least one of them is, the younger one is a bit hot-headed. You should probably just leave them alone if they're not doing any harm." Lu Chen said.

"But they're firebenders! From the Fire Nation! We're at war with them and they've done some horrible things!" Jet protested.

"Just because they're firebender doesn't mean they're evil. Just now, I just dealt with an earthbender that betrayed his country. Point is, they are a lot of bad people, firebender or not." Lu Chen countered.

Jet stayed quiet at Lu Chen's reasoning.

"You know what? I'll have them release you tomorrow. I want to give you time to reflect on the good and bad of the world." Lu Chen said.

Lu Chen turned and left the brainwashing room. He could feel the same agent from earlier stand in the shadows.

"Dai Li. Release that boy tomorrow morning. Now, do you have the messages?" Lu Chen asked.

"Yes, Sir." The Dai Li says as he hands Lu Chen a scroll.

Lu Chen takes the scroll and begins skimming through the message.

'Hm... yep, looks like Azula did make some sort of deal with Long Feng to tell Ozai of the invasion on the day of black sun. Looks like the reply doesn't mention anything about getting Azula back. Either Ozai doesn't care, or he plans to get her after he conquers the world and is leaving her here as punishment or something. Also, it seems like Long Feng made a deal with Ozai to make Long Feng the ruler of the Earth Kingdom. Typical villain behavior from Long Feng.' Lu Chen thought.

Lu Chen crumpled the scroll and threw it casually at the agent.

"Remember the food for tomorrow. I'm leaving. Don't tell anyone you guys are under my control and don't talk to me in public or around my friends. *Cough*" Lu Chen said.

The agent took the crumpled scroll, bowed his head, and left.

Lu Chen made his way to the impromptu entrance he made. He passed by the cell Long Feng was in. Lu Chen then noticed the cold sweat on his forehead as he removed his metal armor.

"*Cough*"

Lu Chen covered his mouth, then wiped the sweat away and shook his head. 'I shouldn't think about it. I shouldn't...' Lu Chen thought. The boy entered the hole he made and began 'swimming' back home.

---------------

Lu Chen opened the door to Team Avatar's base and walked through, still sweating and his face drained of blood.

Most of the team were already sleeping, Lu Chen could feel it with his feet.

Except for Toph. Lu Chen could feel her inside his room, waiting.

'...Luckily, she can't see my face... but she can still feel my heartbeat...' Lu Chen thought. He opened the door and greeted his fiancé. She was in her pajamas, a tank top, and shorts.

"Hey, Toph. Thought you'd be asleep." Lu Chen said, trying to push aside his earlier doubts from his mind.

"...Hey, I was just waiting for you to get here so I could use you as a pillow... LuLu? What wrong? You feeling alright?" Toph said worriedly.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm fine, just a bit out of breath. Ku-" Lu Chen said, suppressing a cough.

"...Your lying, LuLu. You're never out of breath. Tell me what's wrong." Toph said as she stood up and stepped in front of him.

"It's fine. I... I just needed... to take care of... something. That something just... shook me up a little. I can't tell you. Not yet..." Lu Chen said, trying to avoid the full truth.

"...Okay... I understand... You have secrets..." Toph said as she reached her hand out to Lu Chen's face.

"Y-You're burning up! And you're covered in sweat!" Toph exclaimed.

"I-it's fine- *Cough*Cough*!" Lu Chen began deflecting but was interrupted by a small coughing fit.

"No, it's not fine! Sit down, now." Toph commanded.

Toph then yanked Lu Chen's shirt off and began wiping away his sweat.

"Hey! Wha-?" Lu Chen protested.

"Shut up. I'm removing your sweat. Deal with it... Though you're gonna have to wipe your lower body yourself." Toph said.

"...How do you know to do this? You're not exactly one to take care of yourself, let alone someone else." Lu Chen asked curiously.

"I asked... uh... one of my servants how to take care of you if you ever fell sick..." Toph said, embarrassment present in her voice.

"*Cough*... Thanks." Lu Chen said.

Toph continued to wipe the sweat off of Lu Chen and went to get his pajamas after asking where it was.

Lu Chen changed and laid down on his futon as Toph tucked him in.

"I'll get a wet towel. Stay here." Toph said.

Lu Chen watched as Toph left the room. 'She is surprisingly caring... I don't... deserve her.' Lu Chen thought pessimistically.

After a few minutes, Toph came back and placed a cold, wet towel on Lu Chen's forehead, and placed a bucket filled with water next to him.

Toph then silently entered Lu Chen's futon and wrapped her arm around his chest and her leg on his abdomen.

"... What're you doing?" Lu Chen asks, attempting to tease Toph.

"... The servant that taught me told me that you'd need warmth when you're sick... since we can't make a fire, this'll have to do. Don't worry, I won't get sick." Toph responded.

"Well, I'm not complaining...*Cough* G'night." Lu Chen said.

"Good night. Get well, LuLu." Toph said as she leaned in and kissed Lu Chen's cheek.

Lu Chen closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.

That night, Lu Chen had a nightmare.

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