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: Multiplication and Paparazzi
Chiaotsu laughed soft thinking his win was eminent. The orb on his finger buzzing to life ready to strike the Turtle student down. Rikku nearly fell off the wall as she screamed at Krillen. "Do something Krillen!"
Krillen stared up at the sight looking left and right trying to assess his situation. "I'm trying, I'm trying! Wait… Yamcha can do the Kamehameha.. Why can't I?"
(A/N: I goofed on the last chapter. I forgot Yamcha too wielded the Kamehameha against Tien. Please just roll with the punches. Once the fic is finish I'll fine tune all the kinks!)
Krillen looked at his hands then back up at Chiaotsu. "It's my only chance." Cupping his hands together he concentrated staring Chiaotsu down. "Ka….Me…."
Roshi jolted as he heard the chanted and Rikku cheered. "Kamehameha! Now things are getting interesting."
"No! He's not skilled enough to wield it yet!"
"Ha…. Me…."
Chiaotsu's Dodon ray grew in size and ignoring Krillen's irrational actions he raised it high and shot it down to strike leaving his body completely vulnerable. Krillen saw the opening and jumped out of the way. The ray exploded on the ground covering his escape with smoke and rubble.
It delighted Krillen to see the shock on Chiaotsu's face when the boy whiled around to see him right behind him with a glowing blue orb in his hands. "HA!" Chiaotsu wasn't able to dodge he took the blast full force and despite the head on hit it merely singed Chiaotsu and send him falling to the audience.
Tien shouted in dismay watching his little friend waive r in the air right above the audience. He could do nothing but watch as Chiaotsu flipped upright panting in pain. He managed o float to the ring before his energy wavered causing him to stumble.
Krillen felt entirely proud of himself but he had wished the runt had stayed out. "Okay now for the real fight to begin. No more flying away like a coward!"
The fight continued Chiaotsu bringing out a wild technique. Becoming a flying bullet and launching himself at Krillen over and over. Rikku's patience was wavering and she wanted Krillen to defeat Chiaotsu already so he uneasy feeling in her stomach would disappear. She wasn't the only impatient one either. Master Shen continually shouted at his pupil to end the turtle scum.
Krillen managed to keep Chiaotsu on his toes by using force. Chiaotsu knew he couldn't be defeated with fighting alone. He had to use the dirtiest trick in the book. Sticking out both hands Chiaotsu shouted and Krillen collapsed clenching his stomach his face doing a variety of faces from pain, anger, and sickness.
"What's the matter with Krillen?" Rikku looked down at Jackie who was intently watching the fight.
"I'm not sure."
"I think it's his stomach. What's Chiaotsu doing to him?"
"What I want to know is how many techniques does this boy have?"
Krillen had never felt so sick. His stomach burning on the inside making it boil and toil. Rikku shouted at him to get up her fists clenching on her gi. The familiar and irritating sound of Shen made her ears ring and she sent a sharp glare in his direction. "Your companionship is touching but it's useless. Chiaotsu will destroy your friend and his death will be on your head, for the death of my brother!"
Rikku's heart felt like lead as she watched Krillen struggling to his feet. She could see in his eyes his mind was still working trying to figure a way out of this predicament/ Yes Don't give up. Don't die Krillen. She repeated it over and over in her head giving him silent support. I would never forgive myself if you die.
Krillen continued to think even as he rolled around on the ground bruised and beaten. He looked at Chiaotsu his clown eyes suddenly filled with amusement and laughter. His hands glowed and the pain in his stomach increased putting him on his knees again. However the hit had given him a revelation. Chiaotsu had been using his feet to kick him around while his hands stayed locked on. That must be the key to the trick.
"You think you're so smart."
"I'm no genius but I'm smart enough to know you're stalling." Chiaotsu went for another hit but Krillen's voice rings in his ears.
"What's 3 times 4?"
Chiaotsu froze his mind whirling. "Huh?"
"Come on that's an easy one what's three times four?"
Chiaotsu dropped his hands using them to count. "3.…7?"
"No twelve! Here's your other five!" Krillen launched his fists catching Chiaotsu in the stomach knocking the wind out of him. Rikku cheered bouncing up and down happily.
"Nice one Krillen!"
Chiaotsu would not be beaten! He couldn't disappoint his master. He held out his hands the pain returning to Krillen's stomach.
"I may have trouble counting but one thing's for sure. My ten beats your five!"
"Sixteen times twenty four!" Chiaotsu saw numbers making him stutter. "Four time two!" Chiaotsu fumbled and Krillen launched punching him and knocking him out of the ring.
"The answer… is eight." Krillen grinned pumping his fist, Rikku jumped from the ring rushing over to hima nd hugging him tightly.
"You did it Krillen!"
Tien growled from behind Master Shen both of them furious of Chiaotsu's loss. "This is unacceptable. Who knew you needed mathematics to fight!"
After the fight everyone gave a visit to Yamcha in the hospital. The battling hero was slowly recovering and luckily was only hospital bound for his shattered leg. He was ecstatic to hear of Krillen's victory
"You're fighting next aren't you Rikku?"
"Yes I'm so excited!"
"We better get a good night's sleep then. You're gonna need it."
Unfortunately for Rikku that wasn't the case. In the dead of night someone attacked her and in defense she chased him in her pajama's Krillen right behnd her. The Ninja moving swiftly and silently with professional ease.
Turned out that the persistent Master Shen was the Ninja and had been looking for a quick and easy kill for his brother's murderer.
"I didn't mean to kill him!" Rikku defended as they stood in front of the arena crickets and Krillen's uneasy breathing the only sound around them. "He attacked me and I defended myself!"
"I don't frankly care how or why he died. The point is he's dead and it's because of you! For this you will die!"
Rikku matched Shen her leg going for his stomach while his fist for her face. Both were blocked by Tien Shinhan.
"Why did you stop us!" Shen demanded his pupil his body shaking with anxiousness.
"No one wants her dead more than I master but this isn't the place. Rikku may have been the hand to kill Tao but Roshi guided it! It's only fitting that he should suffer as we have. He gets to watch as his student is defeated, humiliated and killed in front of thousands of viewers."
Shen was pleased with his students words. He agreed that Tien's cold and calculating precision shall be Rikku's undoing. A slow painful death in the arena is just what she deserved.
The following morning Rikku felt exhilarated despite her lack of sleep. She pumped her fists and danced on her toes anxious for her fight. Krillen stood beside her the two of them talking about her upcoming fight. Suddenly Master Roshi's voice rings in their ears.
"Hey Rikku, Krillen come over here."
The two jogged over to their master who was accompanying three girls. "These are my pupils.. The boy is Krillen and the girl is Rikku she'll be participating in the fight today.
"They're so adorable I could just eat them up.
"Oh wow Rikku who's your hairstylist?"
"Krillen's head is so shiny!"
Rikku looked at the girl's wondering why they were acting so oddly. Krillen's cheeks had gone a bright red as the tallest of the two girls began to rub the cue ball of his head, it made them giggle all the more.
"Rikku, Krillen," Roshi shouted suddenly his voice a little irritated. "Since you two have so much time on your hands we better make good use of it and do some training!"
Rikku would never understand Master Roshi's fondness for giggly women. They stood on the sideline watching as Master Roshi sparred with Krillen making kissy faces, fawning over the strength of the two men, and jumping up and down as if it were a real match.
"Not bad Krillen, However you need to work a little more on your defense. Remember, you can't be beaten if you can't be touched. Now then Rikku it's your turn. Give me your best shot."
"Yes sir master!"
Rikku grinned pumping up and bouncing from toe to toe before launching her attack. A squeal from the girls faded into the background and Rikku's only concentration were the weak point's in Roshi's defense.
Roshi couldn't believe how strong Rikku had gotten. He had sparred with her many times before on the island but he never remembered her hits ever hurting so much before.
Unbeknownst to Rikku and the others another figure cowered at the door way to watch the sparring match. Pamput's agent trembled at the sight of Rikku's wicked speed and strength. He trembled at the sight of her eyes so black and deadly focused and no sign of playfulness on them. She was fully determined in every move even against her own master.
"This is bad! What am I gonna do? Pamput's reputation and my money are at stake!"
Krillen continued his training with Roshi in the audience of the three ladies. Rikku in the meantime wanted to warm her body up some more and decided to go for a jog. She loved coming to the city to visit seeing all the new people and smelling the variety of foods. Suddenly she was hungry again.
"Hey Rikku! You're Rikku right?" RIkku stopped as a car pulls u beside her and a short sneery looking man peeked his head out the window.
"Yes I'm Rikku."
"Oh thank heavens. I have bad news they changed the location of the fight. You have to come with me right away!"
"Really? Oh wow thanks mister!"
Launch grumbled twirling her blonde hair around her pinky as she waited for her ice cream. "Come on sometime today would be nice!" *She smirked when the cones were handed to her. She glanced over seeing Rikku jump into a car with a couple strangers.
"What the.. .I don't know those bumbs but… Hey Rikku wait!" Launch sprinted to sto but the car drove off. Cursing under her breath Launch searched around for a vehicle and ran to a motorist. She handed him one of her ice-cream cones and jacked the bike rushing away and after the vehicle Rikku had trapped herself in. Rikku looked around impatiently wondering where the fight would take place and why it had to be changed in the first place.
"How much farther?"
"Relax we'll get there, just look out the window or something." He had been in the business for years and had finally found an investment that worked in both movies and the real world No way was he going to let this little girl beat his meal ticket.
A kick to the door jolted Rikku awake and she looked out to see Launch… and her ice cream cone. "It's Launch, and she has ice cream!"
The agent shook at the angry scowl spreading over Launch's face and he yelled at the driver to step on it. Rikku yelped as she fell back against her seat. The screeching tires making her ears ring and the rock and wicked movements throwing her around the backseat of the car. If she wasn't so dizzy she would have enjoyed the ride.
When the car finally stoed the Agent's guard men attacked Launch but were quickly taken down by the saucy blonde and her wicked right straight. Rikku climbed out looking confused about the ordeal.
"Rikku what were you thinking getting into the care with a bunch of bums!"
"They said they were taking me to the tournament."
"No they were taking you away from it! Get out of here you have a battle to fight."
Rikku smiled and nodded. "Right, Thanks Launch!"
Launch smiled and then cracked her knuckles looking down at the agent who trembled.
"Alright wise guy where do youw anan hurt first?"
Rikku sprinted across the busy trafic not sure which way to go but following the wind of the road until she made out the stadium. She could hear the rustle of the crowd as the announcer gave notice to her absence and was about to disqualify her.
"Wait! Wait I'm here!" Bouncing through the crowd she climbed over the wall panting slightly. "Sorry I'm late!"
Krillen breathed out a sigh of relief. His stomach had turned to knots when Rikku had been no where in sight. Pamput stood in the middle frowning slightly. He had preferred she had stayed away. After all the easier the win the more energy to save u for the final match.
"You should have stayed gone."
"Well I'm here now. We can get things started." Rikku watched her opponent unsure how to handle him right away. He seemed a little pompous but his stance was good so it showed training at least.
"Thirty seconds, you get thirty seconds of Pamput's time."
The announcer looked between them then at the restless crowd who were anxious to get the fights going. Among the crowd stood the Hermit Crane and his two pupils who looked on with keen interest at the girl.
"You may now begin!"
Pamput bent in stance. "Remember my hair is off limits and so is my back.. I just had it waxed."
"Whatever you say mister." Easy for her. Now she knew exactly where to start. The two rushed forward Pamput aiming a punch for her face. Like lightning Rikku grabbed Pamput's arm and thrusted her elbow three times into his gut. However to the crowd it had looked like one hit. Pamput wailed holding his stomach and walking three steps before collapsing to the ground unconscious.
The audience was in a state of shock having seen the great Pamput taken down by a mere girl.
"Amazing folks! Pamput is out for the count which means Rikku advances to the next round! Whow ould have believed the great star would be taken down in one hit. Erhaps he'll have better luck in the box office."
Tien looked on his eyes tight and fierce. "He's wrong.. Pamput was hit three times by Rikku's elbow. That's no ordinary girl we're dealing with."
"You are correct Tien." Crane concurred tweaking the edge of his mustache. "I no longer have any doubts that she is the one who killed Tao."
"That's all I needed to hear Master." Tien smirked cracking his knuckles. "I look forward to dealing with her personally.. Right here in the ring. I'm suddenly very excited."
Rikku cut it close but she made it to her battle and won with flying colors. However the next round will be even more challenging for The Great Jackie Chun will face off against Tien Shinhan and Rikku and Krillen will face off each other for the first time. You don't wanna miss the next Chapter… Chun's resolve, Roshi's Successor"