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.

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

NOTICE: I just would like to say that if you're a DBZ fan and you haven't watched the original Dragon Ball yet you SHOULD! It's hysterical and just as adventure packed as DBZ.

Chapter 17: WMAT: Broken Bones and Mercenaries Revenge!

Master Roshi, disguised as Jackie Chun, couldn't believe how far Rikku had advanced on her training. Much like the previous tournament she flew though the preliminaries like they were everyday chores. It made him wonder if she had done the impossible and surpassed him in strength and skill.

Nonsense! He told himself. He was Master Roshi! He was the returning Tournament Champion! He refused to believe that this little girl could surpass him! Come close maybe but never will she outdo the master. He had to give it everything he got for he knew that if circumstances granted him he would be fighting Rikku once again.

She had a great talent. So gifted but so young and honest. She hardly knew that she was already at the pique of her skills. He couldn't allow her to beat him and win the tournament.

"Your attention please!" The familiar voice of the announcer rungin the finalists ears turning their attention to him. "Yes thank you, all finalists we are now to draw lots to determine the order. As I call your name please come up and draw from the box."

Tien looked at the three turtle students with folded arms. They had performed better than he had expected all of them used as little force as possible in all their battles in order to conserve energy for the real bout. However he had no expectations of t hem for the tournament finals. Win their matches or lose, either way, he would obliterate them all. "I think it's time we took a initiative. You know what to do Chiaotsu."

"Right Tien." Chiaotsu crooked his finger and as the fighters took their papers he set them in specific brackets. Tien had been anxious to get his hands on Yamcha so Chiaotsu worked it to set them in the first match together.

Jackie Chun was a difficult choice for they didn't want him quickly eliminated by accident but at the same time they wanted a good show. Throughout the tournament one of the contestants had been giving him the evil eye… a wolfish man with a snarling snout and anxious paws. That would be Jackie's match in the second bout.

The third match Chiaotsu did himself a favor and put himself up against Krillen wanting a little action for himself against the temperamental baldy. It would be interesting to see which one of them could keep their cool long enough to win the match.

That left the ever smiling Rikku and her opponent Pamput. Though by accident it was quite a match up since Pamput was well known for his boxing and participation in action movies.

Rikku stared at the board her arms crossed and her head slightly bowed. Her mind was reeling of the preliminary fights. She had seens ome familia faces including her friend Nam who had lost to her in the last tournament. Nam came now as a real competitor to test his skill against the best of the best. He didn't get the chance to compete in the quarter finals.. He had been taken down by Tien and taken down hard. Rikku remembered the blank look in his eyes as they carrie them off and it made her angry… She would avenge him.

She looked back to her name then Tien's. Yamcha would be fighting him in the first round. She hoped Yamcha would take him out but the odds were slim since she knew of Tiens hidden power and his precision in battle. The worse possible draw had taken place… she wouldn't fight him until the finals and two of her friends were ahead in battling him. "Don't worry Nam. We won't let him get away with this."

"Attention fighters will Tien Shinhan and Yamcha please enter the ring!"

"That's me," Yamcha stretched the kinks out of his back and arms.

"Fight well Yamcha." Krillen ushered with Rikku smiling up at him encouragingly. "Don't let your guard down!"

Yamcha gave a thumbs up and smirked at Tien as they lined up side by side. "Get ready three eyes."

"Already done… let's see how long it'll take me to beat your face into the ground."

Rikku and Krillen immediately took their spots on the wall grinning when she saw the familiar sight of the large ring and the faces of her friends in the front row. "This is so exciting Krillen!"

The announcer looked between the two and grinned holding his mic close. "It's amazing to see how far these fighters have come. For you history buffs an interesting fact that a good percentage of the fighters come from the same school. Yamcha is one of three of the fighter representing the turtle house under the watchful eye of renowned expert Master Roshi whilst Tien Shinhan represents the rival Crane school his master long time acquaintance Master Shen. Considering the story behind these two and their masters these men will no doubt put on a good show. So let the match begin!"

Rikku's tail twitched enthusiastically and she took a quick scan of the audience hoping to spot master Roshi watching. To her dismay she saw no sight of him. She hoped he was hiding close somewhere watching Yamcha's fight.

When the gong rang Rikku's eyes bounced back to the action. Yamcha and Tien started out matching blow for blow each giving a run for the other their punches swift and their speed extraordinary. Krillen trembled beside her and she grinned. "This is so exciting! Can you believe they actually look evenly matched!"

"Wolf fang star wind technique!" (A/N: I'm not quite sure if that's the right name. Need to rewatch the episode)

"That's a new one." Rikku thought watching as Yamcha released a flurry of harsh attack. Tien launch back their fists flying and to Krillen they looked like they had eight arms each. Then with a sudden flash Yamcha had Tien in a jaw clenching grip and his fist flew towards his face cutting his cheek. Tien not happy made swift strike of his own giving a perpendicular cut to Yamcha's.

Another flurry and Yamcha's techniques got fiercer. For awhile it looked like Yamcha was gaining the upper hand however things quickly took a turn for the worst. Rikku stood practically falling off the edge of the wall as she watched her friend make a huge mistake and repeat the same technique. The time Tien stood tall his body taking it in with not so much as a scratch.

"Impossible."

"Nothing is impossible." Tien took advantage from Yamcha's dumbfoundness and launched an attack that would have Yamcha's ears ringing. He ayed sprawled on the ground hissing out a breath . As he tries to get up Tien's knee crushes down onto Yamcha's leg cracking the bone multiple times.

Rikku screamed in sync with Bulma. Launch felt faint as she saw this tears welling up in her eyes. Everyone was in shell shock at the sight of Yamcha's leg twisting oddly. Riku's ears rung with Yamcha's cries of agony.

The following day Rikku couldn't concentrate on Jackie Chun's battle. Her head wheeling around from Yamcha's broken leg. He lost the match and despite the dirty deed in the win there was nothing against the rules of Tien's tactics. So he would move on to the semi finals much to the dismay of team turtle.

Despite the downfall of Yamcha victory claimed suit in Jackie chun. His battle turned interesting when the growling Man Wolf confessed his bitterness to his opponent for blowing up the moon. Apparently, he lost his ability to become human and he blamed Jackie for it all. Jackie being the resourceful and cool headed type quickly got the upper hand of the battle and sent that wolf flying. He even made peace by using Krillen's head to turn Man Wolf fully human again.

Two battles remained in the quarter finals. Krillen would battle Chiaotsu and Rikku against the pompous Pamput.

"The next match is about to begin!" The announcer calls looking out at the anxious crowd. "Our next fighter is yet two more students from the crane and turtle house and as we saw from Tien and Yamcha's battle I'm sure we all can sya this will be a depth defying battle! Please give it up for Chiaotsu and Krillen!"

Tien floated above the groundjust high enough to peek his head over the wall. He had a perfect view from his little partner and his competitor. He doubted that Krillen would get the upper hand of Chiaotsu seeing he knows Chiaotsu extraordinary magical talents. However Yamcha was more powerful than his original guise so he warned the little one to be wearyand not to underestimate him.

Rikku sits on the wall smiling big at Krillen. "Win this one for our friends Krillen! You can do it!"

Krillen turned to Rikku and blushed sighing deeply. "You bet!"

"I suggest you look at m instead of your girlfriend baldy." The high pitch robot voice irritated Krillen more than anything. The fact that Chiaotsu's eyes were wide and emotionless did little to pull away from the weirdness he felt from the midget.

"She's not my girlfriend she's my friend! I've been waiting for a chance to knock your head loose so my suggestion to you is not to make me even more pissed off!"

Rikku couldn't understand why Krillen was so defensive against Chiaotsu's comments. Sure they were rude but it should have been easy enough to ignore them. "Concentrate Krillen! Don't let him get to you!"

The gong sounded and Krillen slid into a defensive position. Chiaotsu remained unmoving and staring at Krillen with his wide robotic eyes. A minute passed and neither of them moved the sound of the wind murmuring with the whispers of the crowd.

"What are you waiting for?" Krillen asked his feet ancy. "Despite what you've heard fighting requires movement!"

With Krillen's words Chiaotsu began to float from the ground .

Rikku watched this her tail swishing back and forth curiou about what would happen. "That's an interesting technique."

"It's the flying technique." Riku heard Jackie Chun muttering from down below. She peeked over to him seeing him thoroughly concentrated on the battle at hand. "A technique designed by Master Shen."

"You seem to know a lot about my master." Tien commented also looking to Jackie Chun. "Old man."

"That's right." Rikku Retorted standing up on the wall bracing herself on the gargoyle's head. "He's Jackie Chun he knows a lot about fighters."

A crack and awhip in the wind had Rikku looking back at the action. Krillen and Chiaotsu had stopped dancing around and gotten into some fist to fist action. Chiaotsu using his flying to his advantage and avoiding out of the ring contact but Krillen clearly had the upper hand in fist to fist skill.

"Get down here! What are you a fighter or a balloon?"

"Watch close." Chiaotsu giggled holding up his hand. "I have a surprise." Chiaotsu helf up one finger a glowing orb forming in it. Krillen watched down below admiring the little ball wondering what the shrimp had planned for him.

Rikku too admired the orb and a chilling thought ran through her. That technique… it looked so familiar. Where had she seen it before? As her mind wheeled she felt herself going back three years when her journey first began. The time with the red ribbon army and the deadly assassin Mercenary Tao. Her fear striking her as the sound of Chiaotsu's voice rings out.

"Dodon Ray!"

~Flashback~

Rikku had taken a vicious beating her body bruised and she braced herself against Korin's tower. Mercenary Tao had taken no mercy upon her nor on Upa's father who lied dead on the ground. She had to do something but she could barely move and her Kamehameha had failed for the first time.

"Now," Tao hissed out his finger lighting up. "Prepare yourself for death child. Dodon Ray!"

The beam of light flew and with knife like precision shot through the air cutting quick and jamming right into her heart. Pain blinded her and she could feel herself slipping from consciousness.

~Present~

"Dodon Ray! That's the same technique Mercenary Tao uses!"

Tien's ears rang and he turned to the girl with stunned eyes. Floating down he waled to her gaining her attention. "What did you say? Who has the same Technique as Chiaotsu?"

Rikku cocked her head and jumped down crossing her arms. "Well Dodon was the same technique Mercenary Tao was using when I defeated him."

"What? If you sya you defeated Tao you're a liar!"

Rikku's eyes narrow and she huffed. "I'm not a liar. It's true! Tao killed my friend's father!"

Tien looked into the child's eyes and the startling resolution shocked him. It was true. "He was a great man. When did it happen?"

Rikku blinked in surprise. Tien showed remorse for the mercenary it was the only time she had seen him show any emotion other than ignorance and cruelty.

"If I remember correctly it was about three years ago."

~Flashback~

The training on Korin's tower had awakened Rikku's power. She pounded into Tao blow for blow until she had him on his knees begging. She wasn't like him. She didn't care for the suffering of others and was about to let him go. However Tao cruelly laughed instead and threw a bomb her way before jumping high into the air to avoid the emplosion. Rikku Growled and kicked the bomb up. The explosion shot through and Mercenary Tao was consumed by the blast.

~Present~

Tien listened to the story and shook with sudden anger. Tao was one of the strongest fighters he had ever known. How was it possible that this girl….this twerp.. Defeat him. It was true fo there was no lie in the child's eyes but it made him irritable and a vengeance sang through him.

"Do you have a problem?" Rikku asked not liking the way Tien was looking at her. Tien said nothing he merely scoffed at her and disappeared into the back room. Jackie Chun looked down at her his eyes showing full concern.

"Is it really true Rikku? Did you kill Tao?"

"Yes Jackie why does everyone keep asking me that it happened just like I said!"

"That man, Mercenary Tao, is Master Shen's brother."

"What? Really? They look nothing alike. Then again master Roshi and fortune teller baba don't look like siblings either. How weird."

Rikku jolted as an explosion hit close to the wall and she jumped up getting back to the action. Krillen was dancing around the beams. She began to get dizzy watching him bounce around it must have worked on Chiaotsu because the little guy seemed to get disoriented especially once Krillen started to scream "Left, right, left, right!"

Krillen took Chiaotsu's confusion to his advantage and whirled around launching himself into the air and kicking Chiaotsu to the ground. Much to Krillen's dismay it didn't phase the boy long for he was floating once again before he could get his hands to finish the defeat.

Shen grunted in agitation. He wished Chiaotsu would knock the boy out already this was growing tiresome! "Master Shen!" Shen turned to see Tien forcing himself through the crowd.

"I have important news."

"Can it wait I'm a little busy right now."

"No sir, it's about Master Tao. He's been killed by the little turtle hermit girl."

"What! You're saying that little pipsqueak killed my brother? One of Roshi's feebles students?"

"Well, yes," Tien stuttered flustered by the news himself. "I assumed it was an accident."

"Someone killing Tao is no accident it's impossible! Especially if you're suggesting it was one of Roshi's scum." Shen turned back to the match severely irritated now. He looked up at Chiaotsu and growled. "I'm tired of you pussy footing around up there Chiaotsu! Finish him off!"

Jackie Chun heard the order and gave a grim sigh. "Now that he knows Master Shen won't be satisfied with just the defeat of Roshi's boys. He wants them dead."

"It's because of me?" Rikku looked down. "Because of what I did to his brother?"

"I'm afraid so."

Master Shen now knows the truth behind his brother's death. He is now out for blood and Krillen's is looking mighty sweet. Will Krillen survive this fight? And what about Rikku's match? Find out what awaits in the next chapter…..

WMAT: Multiplication and Paparazzi!