Why Can't I

I want to thank everyone who's commented on this story. I was very skeptical about doing this considering how long in time I have to cover. So to relieve some suspense here's what you have to look forward to in the near future …

All three DB tournaments

Brief mention of Red Ribbon Army

Rikku's life after the final DB tournament

Character intros of…

King Piccolo/ Junior

Tien Shin Han & Chiaotsu

Kami & Mr. Popo

And much more!

Again if you have any questions, comments, or requests don't hesitate to leave a comment or E mail me! Thanks again for reading!

Chapter 12: WMAT: To Tell a Tail

Giran couldn't believe what he was seeing. He had tried to launch the girl out of the ring only to find her tail attached to his hand. How was she holding on?

"What is this?" Taking time to lower his arm he inspected the situation and nearly falls over in utter shock. Locked around his wrist was some sort of furry appendage.

Rikku could hear the confused voices of the crowd around her. She slowly opened her eyelids one by one and looked around realizing she was hanging upside down and still in the ring. "Huh? How did I do that?" She glanced back and happiness overwhelmed her. "Hey! My tail it came back!

Yamcha sweated raindrops looking at the appendage. "Oh no, it's back."

"What's back?" Krillen asked looking up at Yamcha confused. "What is that thing on Rikku?"

"It's her tail, she was born with it but let's just say it brings out some of her less appealing qualities."

Oolong peeked over the brick wall his ears flat and his stomach churning. "Anybody for a moonlight stroll?"

"No thanks," Bulma answered remembering that horrible night at Pilaf's castle. The night where the moon shined full and that furry appendage had caused Rikku to transform into a giant apelike monster. ""I'll pass."

"Wow this is great." Flipping off of Giran's arms feeling the waves of strength in her body. "Hmm but I', still tied up. I need to get rid of this gum." Grunting Rikku flexed from under the gum her face going red and her tail twitching rapidly behind her.

"You can't break that gum I thought we went through this already." Even as he said it Giran could feel himself swallowing his tongue. The gum gave way to Rikku's strength bursting into tiny pieces around her feet.

"Yeah! I'm free!" Rikku bounces on her tail loving how she felt so much more comfortable and at home with it. "I always feel so much stronger with my tail. Hmm I better give it a test run." Rikku looked around for a target and then launched herself at the wall swinging her leg and kicking the solid bricks to crumbles.

Giran's eyes were wide gold saucers and he could have gone white in the face. As Rikku turned to him to continue the fight Giran suddenly felt the need to stay alive. "Wait, I give up."

Rikku fell down pouting. "Aww!"

"Amazing, Giran's throwing in the towel Rikku advances to the semi final round! She will go up against Nam for the chance to compete in the finals!"

Rikku watched as Giran left the ring mumbling to himself. Krillen and Yamcha joined her out in the ring as she received further praise from the announcer. "This is extraordinary! We've never had a fighter give up in the quarter finals before. This just goes to show that intimidation can be one of the greatest weapons a warrior can harness!"

"How stupid." Rikku murmured. "I didn't really get a chance to fight. I hope Nam is braver because I want a really good challenge.

"Heh I'll trade you. I'm not exactly looking forward to fighting with Jackie Chun."

"Why not? At least we know he has incredible skill. Right Yamcha?"

"Uh yeah right kid." Yamcha glanced back at Jackie. He wasn't sure if he should tell Rikku that her teacher, Master Roshi, was the honorable Jackie Chun. She'd probably have too much respect for him to even throw a punch.

"What's truly astonishing is the size and age of two of our finalists. I mean take a look at these two competitors." The announcer walks up and gets side by side with Krillen and Rikku. "They're both so young and wearing the same outfit. What's the story behind this? Well we'll find out so stay put ladies and gentleman."

Bulma felt like collapsing to the floor. She couldn't believe Rikku's tail was back or that she managed to knock down a wall with a single kick. Just proves that Rikku hadn't lost any strength whatsoever. IN fact if Bulma took a bet she'd bet Rikku was damn near invincible. "Whatever miracle granted that kid life I'd like a little of it myself How does she do it?"

Krillen couldn't take his eyes off of Rikku's tail. He had to admit it almost suited her. "How come you have a tail growing out of your spine?"

"I dunno, I guess because that's where they're supposed to grow." She giggles poking Krillen with the appendage. "They look funny anywhere else."

The announcer turned to the two kneeling down so he was eyelevel. "Let me just congratulate you two on your fantastic victories." He looks at the two of them. "Now I understand that Krillen is thirteen so how old are you Rikku?"

Rikku blinked when the microphone was put to her face. She tapped it once wincing when the speaker screeched. "What is this?"

"Silly," Krillen pushed her forward a little. "It's a microphone. You talk into it so people can hear you better."

"Oh I see." She took in a deep breath and yelled into the mic. "HI BULMA!"

The entire audience shrilled at the sound of Rikku's screech fro the speakers. The announcer nearly fell back. "No need to yell into it!"

"Just answer the question Rikku." Krillen grumbled his cheeks red with embarrassment.

"Oh, right." Rikku looked up grinning sheepishly. "You want to know how old I am right?" Rikku did as Launch had taught her using her fingers to count. "Hmmm, oh yeah I'm twelve!"

"What?" Krillen looked a little shock and suddenly stood on his toes disappointed to see he was still a bit shorter than her. "I always thought you were older than me Rikku."

"Yeah so did I until I learned how to count above ten. Then I realized that twelve goes before thirteen. "She grinned more making Krillen frown and blush looking at the floor.

"I hate being short."

"Yes well you are an interesting young girl Rikku. In fact how is it that you came to having a tail? It's not exactly normal."

"See," Krillen said turning to Rikku. "I told you it's not normal. Is it even real."

"Sure it is." Rikku pouted and started undoing her pants. "Here I'll show you."

"Wahl!" Krillen grabbed her pants yanking them up. "No no, no, don't do that It's okay I believe you Rikku just… please keep your pants on."

"Oh okay." There went the funny feelings again. Normally she had never had a problem taking clothes in front of people. She used to do it with Bulma all the time when they started their trips. Taking baths an all that. She wondered if girls were even allowed to take their clothes off in front of boys.

"So now onto the same uniforms." The announcer cleared his throat hoping to receive verbal answers only from now on. "You have the same uniform with the same symbol so that means you must train together. What sort of training do you do and who's your master?"

Krillen took the initiative to answer the question. "Pretty basic stuff, delivering milk, digging through dirt and what not, but we train under Master Roshi so we do all that while wearing big turtle shells on our backs."

"Did," The announcer sweated heavily. "Did you say Master Roshi?" The crowd was all in a hush tone whisperings and discussions going on about their master. "Wow this an astonishing breakthrough folks! Master Roshi is known as the greatest martial arts master in history. His skills and techniques are legendary. What treat it is to have two of his students right here fighting in the tournament!"

Rikku smiled looking around for Master Roshi in the crowd. To her disappointment she saw nothing but nameless faces. She waved to Bulma and the others when she spotted them but Roshi was not among them.

"I wonder where that old man could be."

~ Across the Universe ~

Vegeta's forehead sweated bullets down his youthful face. He grit his teeth from the searing pain shooting up his spine as he forced himself to endure the weights on his tail. He was determined to rid himself of the weakness. That tail would not cost him his blood again!

"Ahh! Blast you accursed tail! You must obey my commands! I will submit to you no longer!" Powering up Vegeta banged his fists into the floor as he crawled along it. His knuckles beginning to bleed. The sharp cutting feeling numbed the pain of his tail and he focused his mind to feel the pain in his hands and nothing else. Drool dribbled down his chin as he screamed over and over again.

Nappa and Radditz stood outside the training facility listening to the Prince of Saiyans scream with utter agony. Nappa paced up and down his large long legs eating up the small amount of ground in five steps. "What could he possibly be thinking? Our tails is what makes us saiyans. It's who we are, it's our race!"

"Calm down Nappa," Radditz looked up from his spot on the floor. "The Prince knows what he's doing. He's furthering himself, ridding his body of all weakness. He will be steady as a rock once his training's complete."

"It's foolish. He might as well rip it right off with the rest of his spine."

"Do you doubt me Nappa?" Vegeta spoke in a strange confidence his body torn up but a confident smirk was plastered on his face. Nappa stuttered going to his knees and bowing before Vegeta.

"No of course not. I just don't understand this method of training. I don't have your mind capabilities."

"Well then my elementary friend. I shall explain it to you. For years we saiyans have used out tails to transform every full moon. Along with this blessing of power came this curse. Every time our tails were merely pulled or stroked we'd be as submissive as newborn babies. Then it occurred to me."

Vegeta crossed the hall a slight limp in his left leg. "What if we could rid ourselves of the weakness? Train our tails as we train our bodies to become stronger! Make them stronger quicker and lethal." He turns his cold vibrant eyes on his two underlings. "Then our greatest weakness would become our absolute strength! We'd have no weaknesses! No faults to be exposed! Nothing but our own limitless capabilities."

Radditz jumped to his feet laughing at the ploy. "Is it even possible?"

"You tell me." His tail whirling around from his waist he whacked Radditz across the face and pinned him down with merely his tail Radditz gasped for breath and wriggled underneath. "hmm what do you think my friend?"

Nappa laughed with joy. "You're a genius Vegeta! I'm going to start training my tail too! Nothing will l be able to stop us!"

When Radditz was released he gasped for air and rubbed his throat, ""Yeah," he coughed up blood. "Same here."

"Heh" Vegeta smirked. "Good. Play time's over kiddies. Now the real fun begins!"

Wee! I love Vegeta! This chapter was a little shorter than some of the others but I promise I'll make up for it. So Rikku has advanced to the semi finals and has regained her tail which gives her the power to transform under the full moon. What could this mean for our heroine? We'll find out in the next chapter… "WMAT: Rikku Vs. Nam"