I do not own Miraculous or Avatar.
Chapter Sixty-Eight: Jinxed.
Adrien pulled the black hood over his golden hair and feline ears as he trekked through the tunnels. He silently scolded himself as he went. Adrien knew the Fire Nation's trick was the fault of his Jinx. Ever since he'd gotten to that world, one thing went wrong for Adrien after another. He was used to things not going his way, of course, but this was a new level of bad luck. This wasn't a lonely boy isolated from the world because of his overprotective, super villain father. This wasn't an endless dance with Ladybug in his never-ending quest to earn her love and affection. This wasn't an empty table, set for one in the middle of a cold empty house.
No. This was a war. A war that he was influencing because his Jinx had ruined the balance. It had been forbidden. Now Adrien knew why.
First, he was separated from Ladybug and sent to an imbalanced world. Then he was confronted, while injured, by a mad man. After that, he'd been forced into hiding, were he met a prince who would betray the world. Next, he was captured by his own father and imprisoned. Then, Bai Sing Se fell. Following that, Aang died and was barely reanimated. Then, he was forced to pretend he was Fire Nation for months. Finally, he learns that his friend has had a change of heart and will likely be killed for it. Now, he was in the middle of what was supposed to be the final stretch. The final battle, and they were losing. Losing because he used Jinx.
"We should have never come here." He whispered angrily, "This is our fault. The Miraculouses aren't meant to be in this world. Our powers are only making things worse." Adrien looked up, obviously lost in the maze of tunnels. He sighed in aggravation. He had to get away from the battle, away from the invasion force, if he wanted to make sure they won. The problem was, the tunnels Marinette and the others had dragged him into were far more confusing than he'd anticipated.
"Lost?" A voice said. Adrien froze, recognizing the voice all too well.
"Traitor." Adrien hissed, turning to face the man responsible for the fall of Ba Sing Se, "Where are your little Dai Li, agents? With the mad princess? Is this really what you wanted? Do you even know what you've done?" Long Feng looked unamused.
"Adrien. How odd it is to meet you here." He said in a calm tone, "Unfortunately, Princess Azula's Agents are occupied dealing with your friends, but when she heard that you had gotten lost in these tunnels, well… I couldn't resist going to meet my dear friend Adrien."
"You'll address me as Cat Noir." Adrien replied, "And don't even bother with me, I'm already leaving. This war has no place for the Jinxed."
"Jinxed?" Long Feng asked, obviously intrigued by the upset hero.
"It means everything goes wrong for me." Adrien grumbled, "And for everyone I come in contact with. I don't even think I'd have to fight you to make all your plans just fall apart. Or have you forgotten what my father told you? That I am the wielder of destruction and misfortune? Now, get out of my way, I don't have time for a traitorous man like you." He shoved past Long Feng without a second thought. The man caught Adrien by the shoulder.
"Now, Adrien, did I not tell you before that all I'm trying to do is save the world?"
"By killing Jet? By arresting me? By deceiving everyone? By lying and cheating and ultimately betraying everyone to the Fire Nation, the very people you said you were fighting against?" Adrien growled.
"Adrien, my boy. Your father has taught you nothing, hasn't he?" Long Feng replied, leaning close, "Your father sought to claim your power along with Ladybug's to save your mother. He told me this himself when he was still my agent. He recognized what I did, the only way to save what matters most is to become strong enough to do so… even if it means becoming the villain in the process. At the time, Ba Sing Se had given me the strength to end this war. Then, you and your friends came along and took that power from me. Now, I see, that with Ba Sing Se in the Fire Nation's control, this Nation is the strongest and will be key to ending the war." Adrien lowered his eyes, turning away from Long Feng.
"What you don't seem to understand, Long Feng, is my father left that life for a reason. In his pursuit of power, he lost himself. He hurt people. He became a monster and he almost lost me. In the end, during his quest to become the strongest, he lost sight of what he was fighting for. The result? He nearly lost it all. He almost lost me… the one he had been trying to save Mother for." Adrien pulled away, "I'm sorry, Long Feng, but you've got it all wrong, but you're too blinded by your own lust for power to see it." Adrien began to walk away, not really wanting to start another fight with the Earthbender. He just wanted out of the tunnels so that his bad luck stopped messing with the battles happening all around him.
"Wait, son." Long Feng said, "Allow me to escort you out myself. I am an Earthbender, and what better guide than an Earthbender?"
"Like I'd trust you." Adrien scoffed, "Better to be a lost cat than a mouse being led to his doom."
"It was not a suggestion, boy. I can't have you wandering these tunnels aimlessly least you meet the Fire Lord and use your gifts to end his life, and as much as I would like to believe you are fleeing to insure your friends success and will never be a bother to this world again, I've known you long enough to know you are stubborn, loyal, and persistent. You'll try to run from your fate, Adrien. I know you will, but your loyalties will always bring you back to her, won't they?" Adrien froze, his expression distraught. The man was right. Adrien could never run from Ladybug. Never leave her in harm's way. Never let her fight alone. As much as he knew his powers were the cause of all their terrible luck, he also knew he couldn't leave. The Miraculouses of the Black Cat and Ladybug were meant to stay together and never be apart. He couldn't fight destiny, even if he wanted to.
"How?" He asked,"How would you know that?"
"Oh, please, Adrien. You've made it painfully obvious how you feel for the girl. Even risking your freedom in your attempts to find her. Then, when I met your father and he told me she was quite literally your other half, it became clear. You aren't meant to be apart, and the separation was a painful thing to bear. Even now, I see it. You regret leaving her to Azula's mercy." Long Feng purred. Adrien squeezed his eyes shut as a swirl of emotions rose in his chest. Burdens and feelings. Some he'd known about, and some he hadn't even realized he'd been carrying.
"This is my fault." Adrien whispered, "It's all my fault. The day we lost Paris was my fault. My father had Akumatized a man and had sent him to distract Milady. While he did, he came to me, separating us to insure his own victory. Neither of us knew who the other was. Father had been too blinded to sense it was me, and I was too naive to consider he'd be the one I was fighting. We fought. But without Milady, luck was not on my side and he won. He beat me and he hurt me because I wasn't strong enough. I was too injured to think clearly and had stopped fighting back. He went to use his powers on me when she showed up. Immediately, father drew his blade and pointed it at me. He demanded she use her gift and mine to grant him power. If she refused, my life would be forfeit. She dropped her weapon. She was going to give in. I panicked. I uttered under my breath my most dangerous and secret power of all to stop it. Then all went dark. When I woke, I was in Ba Sing Se, and Paris was gone because the wielder of destruction had used his powers foolishly. Ever since then, my battles have ended in failure. Plagg, the spirit of destruction is taking those victories from me because I cheated to win another fight and destroyed everything. That, Long Feng, is the kind of power you are playing with by working for the Fire Nation. A power that at the time seems your only hope, when in all reality, it will only lead to your own misfortune." Adrien opened his eyes to find Long Feng right next to him, listening with interest.
"It seems I misjudged you, Adrien of the Agreste household." Long Feng said in awe, "You do know how to take the initiative and do what must be done, regardless of the sacrifice. To protect the powers of the spirit Plagg, you destroyed your town. A wise decision. That sacrifice prevented a man unworthy of your spirit magic from laying his hands on it." Adrien's expression darkened.
"You are sick." Adrien growled, "If you actually think that destroying that many lives is justified because I protected Plagg's gift to me. If I had more sense at the time, I would have done it differently."
"No, you wouldn't have." Long Feng said, "Because you were born to destroy. Which brings me to my next question, Adrien, where is the spirit Plagg now?" Adrien jerked his head up in surprise.
"What?"
"You think me a fool, like everyone else, but I've had my eyes on you since the moment you came to Ba Sing Se. Even while you were in recovery those first few days and hadn't awoken, my Agents were watching. Waiting for you to awaken. Granted, you disappearing for a month shortly afterwards threw my investigation off a bit, but after meeting Ladybug and your father, I put the pieces together. The spirits are traveling with you. The power doesn't dwell within you as you claim. They grant it to you whenever you ask them. That means, if I'm not mistaken, anyone can have access to these powers if they know the right words and have the spirit in their possession." Adrien paled, suddenly a lot more wary of Long Feng. He backed up, reaching for his staff.
"Who have you told about this?" He demanded.
"Well, I am supposed to report all my findings about your spirit powers to Azula, seeing as the Dai Li work for her now, but… I have told no one. I felt it would make good leverage. A contingency should Azula, who forced this alliance to continue, deem me no longer useful." Long Feng replied, "But there's more." Long Feng motioned to the ring on Adrien's finger.
"The first thing I noticed about you when I confronted you in Ba Sing Se was that ring of yours. It stood out of place. An unknown metal and a well crafted piece worn on the hand of a boy in the middle ring. I, being the former secretary of Ba Sing Se, have read enough about spirits to know that they cannot simply grant a human powers without harming the human. In all my life, I had never considered there was a way to get around this unfortunate rule. Yet, obviously, someone has, and they've created special relics that allows a man to harness a spirit's powers without bringing harm upon themselves. Your father's brooch. The girl's earrings. That ring." Adrien scowled.
"You can't tell anyone this." He growled, "I don't even care what side you are on, it's important that no one else knows!"
"Oh, I understand your concern, Adrien, Azula would kill for such power. Which is why I agree it is in both of our interests to keep this conversation between us. But…" Long Feng leaned closer, "I do want something in return."
"Forget it. I rather Azula know about the ring than make a deal with you." Adrien snapped.
"You haven't even heard my proposition yet." Long Feng said, "I propose this. You will surrender yourself to the Fire Nation and hide away the ring. They will certainly imprison you, but I will make your stay comfortable. Then, when I need your talent to rid of the Fire Nation Princess, you will be removed from the prison and execute the order without question. After that, you, your father, and your lover will be free to live your lives as you see fit after all three of you give the relics to me." Adrien felt light headed. Rid of Azula? Did Long Feng even hear himself? That would be murder, no matter how terrible Azula was. Adrien wouldn't do that. Not even to protect his secrets. And he certainly wouldn't simply give Long Feng the power of the universe.
"Tell the princess." Adrien growled, "Tell the world if you want." Long Feng scowled.
"Do you wish to sabotage yourselves?
"I could ask the same question. After all, what would Azula do to you if she knew that you tried hiring me to kill her? Is that worth telling Azula about my ring?" Adrien asked. Long Feng went speechless at that.
"No comment? Well then, go right ahead and tell the princess. She's going to love learning all about this talk we are having." Adrien said cockly, waving his hand to shoo the man off. Before Adrien could walk off, a bolder erupted in front of his path.
"Very well, Cat Noir. You've played well. Azula will not know about this conversation or the ring. But she isn't the only one willing to kill for the powers of a spirit."
"Well, crap." Adrien muttered, "And I almost got out of this without fighting you." He extended his baton and twirled around to face the man. He barely managed to block a strike before the floor beneath Adrien became like quicksand and his feet were trapped in place. Honestly, Adrien believed bending to just be cheating.
"Stupid bad luck." He muttered.
"What did you really expect? Fighting me without Ladybug to balance you out?" Long Feng taunted.
"Which was why I tried avoiding this entire situation by talking my way out of it, but the stupid ring won't even grant me that anymore." Adrien complained, "Plagg and I will seriously need to have conversations when this is all over with." Long Feng just smirked.
"It will be over with soon enough, Adrien. Can your father sense you right now? Does he know he is about to lose the last person he has left?" Long Feng asked as he bended the walls to close in on Adrien. Adrien winced and thought back to the day he'd used Jinx. the day he'd been cornered by his enemy and certain he'd die. Adrien realized that by leaving Ladybug, he'd placed himself in that position once again, only this time, no one would come to save him. His father was likely distracted by his Champion, who was probably helping fight the war. Marinette, though likely worried, was probably too busy with the Dai Li and Azula to come to his aid. The same went for the rest of team Avatar.
Adrien had to get himself out of the mess alone and without cheating with the Jinx power. He extended his staff, placing it between the closing walls in a last ditch effort to stop their progress. Long feng growled, stopping the walls from closing in on the boy and bending two rocks at the staff, knocking it out of Adrien's hands. He winced as it clattered loudly behind him.
"Nowhere left to run. No more tricks, Adrien." Long Feng purred. He made another motion and the stone walls closed in on his hands, holding him in place, "I believe, Cat Noir, it is time you and I finally said..." Adrien's expression slackened when he saw Long Feng raise up a large boulder over his head. Adrien pulled uselessly at the earth holding him, struggling to get away and avoid certain death. He had to will himself not to make the same mistake he'd made with his father. It took all his strength not to use the chaotic and unpredictable Jinx power.
"...Goodbye." Long Feng chuckled. His cat ears flattened against his golden hair, terrified by what he saw. He flinched, squeezing his eyes shut and awaiting the blow.
"I'm sorry, father." He whispered, "I failed." He waited, but the strike never came. Instead, a voice cut through the halls, stopping Leng Feng from delivering the fatal blow to his prisoner.
"Long Feng!" Adrien slowly looked up, surprised he was alive as the stone above Long Feng suddenly crumbled, the earth bender's attention caught by something more interesting than Adrien. Adrien's eyes wandered the halls until they settled on a figure in white, gold, and red. An obvious Champion of Hawkmoth. The Champion lifted his face, showing his porcelain mask and the insignia that hid the scar of a formally banished prince.
"Zuko." Adrien breathed in relief. Long Feng scowled.
"Why would your father Akumatized the son of his enemy?" He questioned. Adrien just smiled, recalling his conversation with his father not to long before the invasion began.
"He just needed to find the most righteous man in the fire nation. Zuko's one of the last ones left." Adrien replied coyly.
"Righteous?" Zuko muttered, "I doubt it. But I do not take kindly to you harming my brother, nor does Hawkmoth take kindly to you harming his son. Rescuing him from his own mistake is a cause, I feel, that that we can agree on. My name is Méprisé." Zuko drew his weapons, "And you will release Adrien Agreste or feel the true might of Hawkmoth." Long Feng snarled.
"Oh, Hawkmoth, you and I both understand how much of a nuisance this boy can be! He doesn't deserve the power of destruction. With the power that the spirits grant the three of you, I could end the war! You three could have stopped it all the moment you realized there was a war! But instead, you retrain yourselves. You refuse to use the powers you've been given to their greatest potentials. A boy like this…" Long Feng motioned to Adrien, "Is unworthy of such power. So are you, Hawkmoth. You once understood, but it's obvious this child has made you soft. You told me you would do anything to restore your wife. To give this child a mother again! And that was your downfall. You focused more on him that the potential you had. He is your greatest weakness, and you are his."
A semi-transparent butterfly mask appeared on Zuko's face. The prince began to speak, but it was obvious he was only repeating what Hawkmoth was telling him to say.
"My Kwami once told me that Cat Noir is normally a person who understand bad luck but still retains a pure heart. He must know how to smile in the hard times, and resist the temptation to destroy when it is not necessary. Cat Noir and Plagg the spirit of Destruction are there to balance out creation. They will only destroy what is necessary. That is their true purpose. If you try to abuse it, you will only cause more harm than good." Zuko said for Hawkmoth, "My son may not be what people expected out of the wielder of destruction and misfortune, he may not be the luckiest, and he may be more focused on protecting others than he is on doing his job… but his resolve will never change. He is far more disciplined than I am. He is the most worthy person I know and the only one I would ever dream of wielding his elements." Zuko flicked his wrists and blue flames enveloped his swords. He took a step closer towards Long Feng.
"So, let us repeat again." Zuko said, the mask still ever present on his face, "Release Adrien, or else!" Zuko charged Long Feng, launching blue fireballs at the earthbender. Long Feng cackled.
"Eager to have another one of your Champions fall at my hands, Hawkmoth? Very well. Lets see how many of your puppets must die to let your son live." The Earthbender attempted to land the same fatal strike on Zuko as he had done with Jet, but with the enhanced abilities and strength, Zuko was far faster than the older and more arrogant Earth bender. He narrowly dodged and blocked the earth bender's strikes, faithfully protecting Adrien. Adrien knew he needed to do something and glanced over at his ring hand, which was still caught in the wall. He smirked, a new idea forming.
"Cataclysm!" He yelled. Zuko and Long Feng paused in their fight, watching as the ring reacted. Immediately cracks formed in the wall that had Adrien's hand trapped, spreading to the floor until they formed a ring around Long Feng.
"What foolishness is thi-" He let out a shout as the floor collapsed under him, making the man fall down into another cavern below very unexpectedly. Zuko smiled, seizing the opportunity to strike Long Feng with the hilt of his weapon. Blue fire danced across Long Feng's robes until his garments were ruined. The man fell unconscious immediately, not prepared for the sheer strength of a Champion of Hawkmoth. When the dust settled, Long Feng lay unconscious at Zuko's feet. A butterfly mask appeared yet again on Zuko's face and he looked up at Adrien, jumping out of the hole Adrien had created.
"Hey, Father. Hey, Zuko." Adrien said, smiling sheepishly, "Thanks for coming." Zuko just grunted and swung his swords at were Adrien's hands and feet were trapped, freeing the teen in a few swift movements. Adrien fell to his knees immediately, more shaken by the blast from the past and near death than he would ever be willing to let on.
"Your father says to be careful next time." Zuko said, "You almost died, and now he knows our secrets. We are certain your threats to confront Azula about the manner will be sufficient, but we Miraculous Holders now must be more careful than ever. He could slip. Azula could figure it out anyways. She will be looking for our Miraculouses now, no matter what transpires. Adrien… you were a fool for leaving Ladybug's side. You may have jinxed yourself. Trouble may follow you wherever you go, but only Ladybug can dampen that. Guard your Miraculous with your life and find Ladybug and the Avatar once again. Remember what you learned in France."
"...Yes, father." Adrien said simply. Zuko nodded before moaning. A wave of white light washed over him and a purple butterfly flew out of one of his swords. It turned white and flew away. Zuko collapsed into Adrien's arms.
"Ugh… what happened? Where am I?" Zuko sat up, rubbing his forehead. He looked around frantically, trying to gather his bearings when his eyes settled on Adrien.
"...Adrien?" Adrien smiled.
"Hello, Zuko. I'm so happy to see you again." He said shyly, offering the confused teen his hand, "Let's say we go save the world, huh?" Zuko blinked for a moment, as if realizing what Hawkmoth had done before grinning and shaking Adrien's hand.
"It's good to see you too, Adrien."
So, a lot of this chapter is head cannon, because the show never exactly tells you what happened to Long Feng. He's mentioned a few times after Azula takes the Dai Li from him, but never seen on screen after that episode. I assumed she ether imprisoned him or made him work for her along with the other Dai Li. I don't know. So this is what I'm going with. I hope this is acceptable!