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 25: Long Live Human Kind

Rikku raced through the clouds her teeth down in a grit and her eyes focused in the distance where she could feel the swarm of evil. His aura had changed , almost morphed and twisted into something new. From what Korin had told her of Piccolo's abilities she had only one guess at what he was doing. He had created another monster, like Tambourine and Cymbal.

There was something else lurking with them. A glitter of hope that stood in the way of Piccolo's reign. She hoped that shimmed would survive for she wanted no moe lives cost at the expense of King Piccolo. A sudden scream catches her attention and she sees the Ox Kingdom and tenses. "Chichi?"

Chichi wailed as her father fought against the forces hired by Piccolo to destroy what was left of the martial artists. Bullet's having no affect on the great king they resorted to heavy weaponry. Ox backed away being no match against heavy explosive power. The bazooka fired chichi crying out and closing her eyes. She heard a fain wailing wind and thinking it was the bomb she cowered and then jumped at the explosion. She felt nothing. No fire, no pain. She opened her eyes and tehn squealed happily at the sight of Rikku.

"Rikku! It's you!"

Ox king stared in shock and then smiled. "Rikku, Thank you."

Rikku smiled at both the Ox King and chichi. Chichi had grown up since she had last seen her, Chichi taller of the two of them now and obviously more feminine. "you've grown up since the last time I've seen you. It's good to see you Chichi."

"Excuse us children." The leader of the defense army speaks up. "We're kind of busy here."

Rikku's attention turned and she growled pointing an accusing finger at them. "You guys are working for King Piccolo aren't you?

"So what if we are. We have no choice but to follow his reign now."

"You should do what's right instead of what you're told. And don't worry about Piccolo. I'll take care of him!" Rikku said confidently. Chichi smiled brightly at that look. She knew when Rikku too well despite the lack of time they spent together. Rikku's face showed confidence and strength. She knew her friend would defeat Piccolo.

While Rikku declared her victory Tien was having trouble of his own battling Piccolo's latest creation, Drum. He had to get closer to Piccolo in order to use the wave but Drum wasn't letting him anywhere near him. In order to secure his victory Tien had to defeat Drum. However it was a task that was becoming tedious and down right impossible. His opponent was built thick and quick with scales like iron and a face twice as ugly as his creator.

Every hit Tien managed to land on the beast barely phased him and every hit he received sent him into a world of pain. All there was left to do was to take the battle close enough to Piccolo in order to catch him off guard. Leading drum closer to his mastr Tien opened his capsule and tossed it to Piccolo's feet. Piccolo gasped in horror and backed away. "NO not that!"

"Evil Containment Wave!" Tien's eyes locked onto Piccolo's fearful expression but the face changed and he gasped when Drum threw himself into the line of the wave. "Fine! I'll finish you first! HA!" In an attempt to seal away Drum the wave sucked up the minion pulling him to the electric jar however Piccolo wouldn't have it. He fired an energy beam from his finger exploding the jar and dismissing the wave. Tien panted looking around fatigued and baffled. "I'm… still alive." He then collapsed Piccolo laughing in front of him.

"Looks like Drum's interference saved not only my life but yours as well. Pathetic Human." Piccolo looked to Drum who was rising to his feet once again. "Finish him off and make it as painful as possible."

Drum's wide smirk filled his face as he approached Tienss writhing body. His body too tired to move laid there helpless as Drum's arm raised for the kill. He waited for death but it never came. When he opened his eyes the bright orange gi and tail caught his attention and made him gasp. "R-Rikku? I must be dreaming."

Piccolo and his servant Piano stared in shock. "That runt! How is she still alive?"

Tien Smiled when Rikku turned to her grinning ear to ear. "Tien Shinhan, it's great to see you."

"You," he wheezed out smiling happily. "You're still alive. Thank Goodness."

"Heh," Piccolo smirked. "This time when I beat you down you stay down!"

"Be careful." Rikku returned the smirk crossing her arms in a mocking fashion. "I might surprise you."

Drum recovered from Rikku's sucker punch and cracked his knuckles. "Hold on here kid. No one treats me like that and gets away with it."

Tien gasped and reached out to Rikku. "Rikku look out he's faster than he looks!" Rikku watched Drum not a bit concerned. As Drum's body disappeared before her she could feel his presence moving and she immediately whirled kicking Drum in the chin twisting his neck around and pushing in half of his face. Tien and Piccolo watched in shock. Both could see her skills had improved phenomenally.

Clouds rolled in and the tension on the battle field grew, Tien stayed low on the ground staring at Rikku with such shock and admiration on his face. She had defeated Drum with one blow and was now turning her sights on Piccolo.

The King shuddered in anger and stepped toe to toe with the child before him. The martial artists that had brought down his reign before were becoming a nuisance. First Mutaito and now this insolent girl! "This time I will destroy you. However it has to be a quick demonstration of my power. For there are people in west city waiting to be destroyed."

Piccolo raised his hand laughing. Rikku stared at him then closed her eyes. He rbody was calm and awaiting his move. The moment she sesed his hand moe her right arm flew up blocking him. Before he could retaliate she grabbed him fully and then sent him launching into the nearby tower. Piano shuddered and whimpered watching his master crumble from the girl's advances.

King Furry shivered as the groudn around him rumbled. "What's going on?" He turned to the doorway as one of his men rush in. "Soldier what's causing this!"

"Sire it is King Piccolo!"

"I knew it! What's he destroying this time?"

"He isn't destroying anything sire. He is fighting a young girl and he is losing." Furry's eyes widened at the news and he rushed with the soldier anxious to find the one responsible. The two of them rushed through the castle finding the throne room and peered out the window. Furry shook seeing the blur dodging to and fro from Piccolo's attacks. Excitement bubbled inside him at the thought of Piccolo's defeat coming through.

"She is no ordinary child. That's for sure."

Rikku had to show some admiration for the fact Piccolo's young form was far more powerful than as an elder. When she blocked his energy beam with her forearms they stung so incredibly hot that had she been the same level of power as she had before she probably would have been dead. Now wasn't the time though to show any sort of feeling towards Piccolo. The monster had to pay and as much as she hated to do so this was one creature that was better off dead.

"You've taken away the lives of my close friends, and have hurt innocent people!" Rikku could feel her anger swelling as she stared at Piccolo with eyes that read her enraged aura. She stepped toward him. He stepped back. She wasn't the same child he had fought before.. She had changed, her power having increased significantly since the last time and her body seemed calmer, steady aand focused on her agenda to defeat him. He couldn't allow it.

Up in the skies a great distance away the fellows from Kami house had piled into an airship ready to give backup to Tien Shinhan. Yamcha's leg still hadn't quite healed but he wasn't about to let his new friend die while he rested comfortably in that quiet house on the relocated island. Behind him sat the two women, Bulma and Launch, Launch's laughter catching his attention.

Bulma too stared wondering why she seemed so giddy. When Launch turned her blue hair brushing her cheek and making her look so innocent and cute Bulma couldn't help but laugh in return. Yamcha looked back at the pair of giggling girls unable to stop himself from smiling as well He didn't know what it was but the air around them felt calm,. It was almost as if a new hope had arisen from the shadow.

Back on the battlefield Tien watched in sheer amazement. The battle had been going on for only two minutes and Rikku still held the upper hand against Piccolo. She met him blow for blow but her delivering of attacks were far more calm and precise compared to Piccolo's wild and anxious ones.

"Great job, Rikku! Don't let up!"

Rikku's speed blew Tien away as he watched her disappear then reappear in front of Piccolo and gave him a lashing that left him practically decapitated. Much to the disappointment of the spectators around him Piccolo recovered. He laughed, a sound that make Rikku's skin crawl.

"We're no different. We both love inflicting pain upon others. It's an intoxicating feeling isn't it?"

Rikku wouldn't listen.. Even without Tien's supportive comments she knew Piccolo was trying to play with her mind. "Where's all your power Piccolo? You said you'd finish me off and yet I'm still here… waiting."

"If I use all my strength now my life wouldn't be as long. However," he chuckled. "Why save for tomorrow when you can party right now!" He screamed his power raising to the roof Rikku's body tingling as she felt the evil surround her and him. However she kept her face calm and her eyes narrow watching him unmoved.

"Are you ready to die?"

"You should ask yourself that question Piccolo. I didn't come here to lose!"

Piccolo's laughter rang in her ears making her teeth grit in frustration. She was so getting tired of the sound. He tried to fake her out with a gust of wind laughing the whole while and yet she stood her ground. More laughing… he laughed at her.. About her confidence about her will to beat him.. .in a way he was laughing about what he had accomplished in his evil pursuit. He laughed about killing Roshi and be responsible for Krillen's death. The thought just made her even angrier.

"Give me all you got! I can take it! No matter what you got I'm still gonna beat you!"

They lashed again their fighting quickly taking to the air. However with his increased power Piccolo gained a hit that Rikku hadn't expected. The power behind it sending a shockwave of pain through her body and sending her hurdling to the ground in an explosive hit.

"RIKKU!" Tien cried still unable to move from his spot . His body felt like rubber unable to stiffen or flex correctly. He watched as the smoke cleared and a crater was formed Where Rikku's body had landed. "Rikku?"

Piccolo laughed once again. "It is over! I am the winner!"

Tien forced his body to move as he walked to the crater's edge and found nothing but a hole Had she disintegrated from Piccolo's power? Or was she even gone? Tien could hear Piccolo's rantings of his own ego but he ignored them his eyes sensing for Rikku's body. He grunted and looked to Piccolo.

"What's the matter you frozen stiff? You were so interested into defeating me earlier."

"You underestimate us all Piccolo!" Tien flexed and crouched readying to defend himself. The two locked eyes but as they got ready to launch attack a fmailiar chant was heard over the wind.

"Ka….Me….Ha…"

"What? Impossible!" Piccolo gasped looking around for her. His eyes go to the small hole in the crater and he shook. "No.. She's dead."

"Me…" She exploded from the whole her eyes fighter fierce and he rbody barely even scathed. "HA!" The familiar blue burst of light flashed and the beam aimed straight at Piccolo.

"Nice try but that trick won't work on me!" He flexed his hands out ready to block.

"Oh yeah!" Rikku's hands launched up the beam flexing like rubber band and bent over Piccolo and shot him from behind . The light hit and engulfed him. He survived smoke brushing off his shoulders as he stared angrily at the child. "I couldn't have hurt you that much. On your feet I'm just getting warmed up!"

"Grr what are you a monster."

Rikku returned the growl crouching into her fighting stance. "The only real monster is you Piccolo!"

Yamcha felt unusually calm. He had a feeling Tien was doing something to keep Piccolo busy for there had been no bulletin's on West City or Piccolo for that matter. When the radio blasted with a news Bulletin everyone in the cab turned their ears and eyes to the bulletin.

"We bring you an important news bulletin from West City. At this very moment King Piccolo battling near the king's castle."

Yamcha's eyes widen and he smiles. "Good that means they're still there."

"Does that mean we can turn back now?" Bulma asked earning a disgruntled look from Yamcha. "Guess not." She was worried. Yamcha was dead determined to help in the fight against Piccolo whether they were winning or not and it made her worry. She already lost so many friends to the monster Piccolo. She didn't want to lose him too. "Oh Rikku. We need you."

With humanity on the line and anger fueling both fighters who will win? Find out next time on… "Save the world, Rikku!"

A/N: I want to give a special shout out to all my readers who have been so supportive and helpful. I know I've been sporadic in my writing but I promise I will finish all my stories in due time! Also be sure to stay tuned for the continuation of this fic "Why Can't You?" where Rikku and Vegeta finally meet!