Revenge

(four funerals and a wedding)

Disclaimer: Not only do I not own atla, I will also not be able to see the new chapters for a while. (My computer is malfunctioning and they don't show them yet here in Belgium.)

I'm working on a fluffy story (kataang btw) but I'll try to post the next update soon. Of course reviews will make me more motivated. (yes, see it as blackmail if you must )

I want to thank you all for reviewing, I'm really starting to get quite the collection of reviews here, so thanks.

'Dank aan jullie allen' (dutch) (translation: 'Thanks to you all')

Chapter nine: Saolin temple

It was an enormous temple and Toph had never 'seen' such beautiful architecture the temple was fully made out of marmer so she had no problem seeing. All her friends and Katara's family were waiting in the wedding hall. All waiting for the priest to arrive. Toph had tried to be polite because it was her best friends wedding, but she had limited patience, and her wound haden't fully healed yet either which didn't improve her mood, neither did the fact that Suki was here, talking to Sokka. She never had much patience, only when it came to earthbending. And now was no exception. Toph was sitting on a bench. She felt ridiculous in her dress (Katara had begged that Toph should already were hers to see if people liked it), it was to fancy, to pretty to damn 'girly'. And she wouldn't take another second of it.

"When can we start?" She said with a nagging voice, making it clear to everybody that she was bored.

"They had some problems with who the priest should be. But I thought they'd have it figured out by now." Aang said almost apologizing.

"I wish they'd hurry up." Toph jumped off of the bench, the pain of the wound shot through her body again. "Aah"

"Toph is something wrong?" A worried Sokka asked.

"No, no" A bewildered Toph lied. "I just need to use the little girls room." She walked out of the hall "Don't start without me."

How she had made it to the little girls room, she had no idea but she thanked the spirits that she had. She fell down on the ground. Sweating, and panting. She dragged herself to the water reservoir and cooled down her face. She couldn't get up yet so she decided to wait. Her mind trailed off to the sword that she had hidden in her bag and had brought with her to the rehearsal. If she met him now she could kill him before the wedding. But so far she haden't met any monks named Zaon and even if she did meet him, where and how would she kill him? She started to get a little desperate until two men past who were laughing.

"Hahahaha, but that aside I really think you should be the one to perform the wedding."

"Hahaha, I'll think about it, tell the avatar-party to wait ten more minutes, I've got to agree with priest Wiril and priest Tsuni about this.

"Fine, I'll let you talk to your colleagues."

The monk left to warn her friends, but it was not that man she was interested in. The other man who was still standing there, he had the same laugh as the laughter she had heard that one dark day. But what she understood from that conversation was that he was a priest, not a monk. Nonetheless it was time to confront him. She became calm once more, panic wouldn'tve, world's" /'t help her. She wouldn'tve, world's" /'t be able to go get her sword, but she had hidden a long knife in a holster on her leg (covered by the dress), that'd have to suffice. Panic wouldn'tve, world's" /'t help her, yet her heart rose as she walked towards the door, her heart seemed to nearly explode as she turned the doorknob and opened it.

They were alone in the hall.

"You!" the priest shouted

"Me" she replied calmly.

"Thank the spirits that I've found you."

"Huh..." At this she really was surprised.

"Quick come with me, we have much to discuss."

"No, I've not tracked you down to talk things out with you pervert!"

"I understand, but please, come to my room."

"Why, so that you can do it again?" she pulled out her knife.

"No, i'd never do that again, all I want is two minutes of your time, I won't try to harm you anymore. Please I know its to much to ask, but I beg of you."

Toph knew he was telling the truth, but still couldn't believe it.

"Look, if you are going to kill me, which if you choose to do, I will not fight, you might want to do it somewhere more private."

He was right of course. Toph hid the knife underneath her sleeve. But kept it close.

"Lead the way."

They arrived in his room. Toph closed the door and kicked the priest in the back of his legs which made him fall on his knees, she brought the knife to the back of his neck and whispered.

"Give me one good reason, not to kill you right now, right here."

"..."

"Well? Speak!"

"I have none, I place my faith entirely in your hands, what your choice may be." His heartbeat didn't raise a bit.

"... You react ... different then the others."

"What names do you still need?"

"You offer them in return for your freedom, is that it?"

"No, I offer them because they must face you, like I do now."

"If I didn't know any better I'd say you showed remorse."

"I do."

"But if you really showed remorse you'd have gone to the authorities! Instead you cower in some temple. If you had gone to prison, and had offered it yourself, then perhaps I'd have considered making it less painful!" She moved her knife to his throat. His skin touched the cool blade.

"May I explain?" He asked, not changing his tone of speak, or changing his heartbeat at all.

"How come you're so calm?"

"I can't change what I've done, and if you choose to act one way I'd have to accept. Most of me is dead already anyway."

"I'll let you speak, I want to hear you try and wiggle your way out of this one."

"I'm not denying that I deserve your wrath, because I do."

"..."

"After what we did to you I started to feel bad, really bad. And nothing I did made me happy, I couldn't forget about you. So I went to try and look for you again. To see if you were alright, but I never found you. A week after your rape I sought redemption, but couldn't help being a coward, I became a monk, tried to earn my way back into the spirits good book through hard work, and I prayed every night that one day I'd meet you to tell this all. After a month I realized that as long as I didn't confess my crimes, I would never be free of my past. I told my former friend, Buy Ling, that I'd confess, but he threatened to burn down Saolin temple, my home, my friends all would die. And I could not let them suffer at my former mistakes. It would be mine to bare alone."

"..."

" After a few more months the temple insisted I'd become a priest, so I did. I thank you for listening to me. Sadly I only know one name: Buy Ling, he is a very rich man who lives in the sorin circle, one of the richest parts of Ba sing se. I warn you though, he's not a man that can be taken down easily. I know that one other of the men owned a dojo and I think his name was Ataki or something, but I'm not sure."

Toph had tears in her eyes, and she was extremely mad. "How can you do this to me?"

"I'm sorry, if taking my life will help you, then please do."

"No, how could you show remorse."

"..."

"You can't expect me not to take my revenge!" She tightened her grip on her knife.

"I'm sorry, when I became a monk all I did, was do what I thought was right. If I had known, I never would have become one."

"Damn you! How could you possible think you could ever be forgiven? You have to understand! I must kill you!"

"Don't worry, I do."

She removed the knife from his throat and placed it on the back of his neck again.

"But because you showed remorse, I'll make it quick."

He closed his eyes "Thank you."

Flashback

Piandao: "I don't approve of murder, and I never will."

Toph: "So why are you helping me?"

Piandao: "Because if I don't you'll go somewhere else to train and decrease your chances of survival. And if someone is to die, it shouldn't be you."

Toph: "Thanks Master."

Piandao: "Just know that this violence having happened to you does not bind you as much as you might think."

Toph: "..."

Piandao: "Remember that you should make the right choices by knowing what you're heart thinks is right, not by revenge."

Toph started to breathe heavily, her hands shaking. She was sweating. Why was it so hard to push the knife through his flesh? She tried to for another two minutes but just couldn't. The priest just sat there patiently. In the end she placed her foot on his back, kicked him to the ground and grabbed his hair, pulling up only his face. She placed the knife on his face and dragged it across it. Creating a wound from the right top of his forehead to his chin. The blood started to spread over his face, but the man only moaned in pain.

"Let it become a gross scar, as you have scarred me. Mine will always hurt more then yours ever could but at least everybody will be able to see yours. And let it be a reminder of not only what you did, but also that I, tough the spirits may one day, will never forgive you and neither should you!"

She got up and walked to the door. "You will live your life in pain for what you did, every day will consume you more and more until there is nothing left to take, may you live forever."

The priest cried softly. He had welcomed death, embraced it, but it would be for a long time till he joined it.

"I never want to meet you again, and don't even think about being the priest for my friends wedding!" She slammed it shut.

A/NPerhaps not what my bloodthirsty readers would like, but this will fit the story later on. Hope you liked it, only one more bad guy to go!

Anyways, you can still advise me on the whole "lemon" thingy, just review.

I really like getting so many positive reviews (except my spelling soplease review!)

Next chapter will be called: "A night of thinking and drinking" See you then.