Blue Spirit // An ATLA AU

Chapter 21

Zuko weakly took in a couple of breaths as his head was being held above the water cauldron in front of him. Water dripped into his eyes from his hair, as he opened his mouth for a brief second. The Dai Li Agent let go of his head, and Zuko's head fell back onto the stone headrest. His eyes fluttered shut, as the Dai Li Agent looked up to his commanding officer.

Long Feng looked at his subordinate, before looking at Zuko. The teenager wasn't in the best state, considering he had been tortured in two different ways. Waterboarding, then he was given a couple of hour break, before being subjected to the mind control once more---and it not working---now they were here, doing trial-by-error. And in this case it was an error. He had never seen someone so resilient. Most Fire Nation soldiers couldn't hold out this long, since that's what he was being held under partially, nor could most of the Dai Li Agents withstand this. His eyes went back to his subordinate, his entire body turning away from the teenager, as he said, "Try again with the brainwashing. We need it to work. But do it now, don't give him a chance to recover. Understood?"
The Agent nodded his head, as he seemingly glided back over to Zuko, bringing down all the rocks that held him in the chair.

Long Feng watched as Zuko stumbled to his feet, after having stone cuffs being created around his wrists. The teenager stumbled behind the Agent, but looked over at Long Feng, glaring at him with a smile playing on his lips. But Long Feng turned around, leaving the teenager behind, as he was dragged off.

Zuko continued to stumble after the Agent. Eventually he was brought into another room. His cuffs were brought down from his wrists, and he was thrown into the chair. He felt himself getting launched back because of what he decided to call 'bonebending' through his ribs. Stone cuffs came around his head, wrists, ankles, and stomach which forced him to look forwards.

"Calm down," the Agent that brought him here said, standing in front of him, just a few feet back. "You are safe now." The lantern came in front of Zuko, and he blinked at the same time the light flashed. And he started laughing, he squeezed his eyes shut, and he could see the lantern coming in front of him again. With the Agent still reciting what he was supposed to be saying. "There's no war in Ba Sing Se. There is no war within the walls. Here we are safe. Here we are free."

The lantern stopped moving, the light going out, and the assassin opened his eyes. His teeth weren't bloodstained anymore, but it was the same playful smile as earlier. Zuko's voice was hoarse from laughing, but he still managed to say, "What? You're actually controlling people with that?" Little laughs made his way in between his words. "No wonder the Fire Nation is winning this war as much as I don't want them too. Better mind control, better trained soldiers, better technology." His eyes seemed to light up, little bright glints of gold shining in his eyes. "No wonder the Fire Nation actually managed to hit the outer wall of Ba Sing Se. No wonder the Dragon of the West breached the wall f---"

His words were cut off by the Dai Li Agent sending stones, pressing them into Zuko's throat. He struggled to take a couple of breaths, before the Dai Li Agent brought them off, letting the teenager breathe. The Agent darted forwards, making the cuffs combine, before dragging Zuko out of the room. Taking him back to the cell he had been given during his visit.

The cuffs weren't brought off as Zuko was thrown into the cell. He flew for a moment, before he managed to flip in the air. His feet hit the floor, dust flying up from where they were dragging against the floor. Zuko's back hit the wall, and he let out another breath. A small tired smile made its way onto his face as he dropped down to the floor.

Whatever mind control the Fire Nation put him under, was obviously better than the Earth Kingdom's pathetic attempts at trying to mind control him. He hated to admit it but it was true.