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 26: Save the world, Rikku!
Rikku had never battled anyone like this before. She participated in the martial arts tournament twice, fought against some of the bravest warriors she had ever known during her travels across the world, and had sparred with Master Roshi for fun and training. However she had never fought for the fear of her own life as well as the life of others. When she stared at Piccolo she had a sense of protection surrounding her. She cared for the Earth, she cared for every person and living thing. When this tyrant threatened everything she held dear she felt a swarm of power around her. All the bruises and cuts she had received from their fierce battle stung but to her they were nothing. Nothing was going to stop her from protecting her friends.
The castle around them crumbled and tumbled from their fierceness. Their powers nearly in sync but their ways of distributing it so diverse. Tien, she knew had been dodging debris and aftershocks of their rage war for almost an hour now. Rikku rubbed her knee where Piccolo had burned it with hs eye lasers and she growled viciously. She used all her techniques she had learned and tried to keep her head clear against him. However when he eliminated her use of the power pole she had the handicap of her leg putting her at a disadvantage.
Piccolo's explosive power that had decimated the grounds around her had been an impressive force that had been a near death experience and left her with more burn that she didn't care to count. If it hadn't been for Tien she would have been part of the dust that now laid on the ground at her feet. He had paid a price for it though. She could do nothing when Piccolo's second wave hit them both leaving them half broken and burned. She looked to him now still alive and watching her waiting for her to help him. To help the world. What was she to do? What could she do?
"Stop it! Leave him alone!" She could hear Tien's skull beginning to crack under Piccolo's hold. Her anger swelling and she could feel a string in her begin to tighten as if something was about to break.
"Rikku, forget about me just destroy this monster!"
His mouth moved for the world but in his eyes he was beginning for the pain to stop. He wanted o be saved or killed. She couldn't stand watching it.
In the near distance Yamcha flew the plane in where the castle was supposed to be and he and the girls look down at the battlefield in shock. Everything was demolished! "What on Earth happened here?"
"Piccolo's handiwork no doubt."
"I have a bad feeling about this. I hope Tien and Rikku are safe." Bulma looked around feeling the danger all around them. "Yamcha we should probably land and go in by foot."
"Yeah that's a good idea. Get ready girls. It's show time."
Yajirobe looked around the desolate are his eyes straining to the distance. "Damn, I came all this way to watch Rikku fight and there's no sight of her." He looks down seeing the crater and his voice tightened at the thought of what would make it. "This doesn't look good."
He hopped into his car his mind whirling on whether or not he should press in further or go back to Korin's. With his stomach rumbling he made the ultimate decision to head in hoping to get his owed meal from Rikku. His eyes glance to the side seeing three figures by a plane.
"What's all that about I wonder."
Rikku stared up her eyes threatening to tears at Tien who looked at her helpless. She couldn't risk his life and Piccolo used it to his advantage breaking her arm with a stone, and laughing in her face. "Look at you crying like a baby. If you were more like me you could overcome a little wound like that."
"There's…no way." She grunts and whimpers staring up her tears gone and replaced with rage. "No way would I want to be like you!" She sits up tall new fuel in her fire. "Tien forgive me! There's no way I can let him get away with this!"
That cost her. She los her other leg making her go to her knees and she grit her teeth harder bowing her head before collapsing to the ground. She crawled forward watching as Piccolo egotistically let Tien fall to the ground unconscious. He had served his purpose and now Tien was of no use to him. "I shall kill you both with the same blow." He rose to the air, Rikku following his movement with her eyes as her mind world what to do about the situation. She had to stop it. Too many people were counting on her.
She got to he rknees sensing Piccolo's energy swirl as he made ready an attack to finish them off. "Ka…mmnngg Me….." She squinted pushing her good hand to the ground. "Ha…..Me…"
She saw Piccolo's eyes change and their eyes met as she screamed the final syllable. "HA!" She felt an extra shot of energy lifting her up as The blast shot down and she shot up. It was almost as if the Earth was sharing it's power with her. The sudden feeling of protectiveness surrounded her again and she screamed in her pursuit. Her fist flying up in a punch and Piccolo grunted watching the speed of her ascent. "Mnng Good luck! I'll block it!" But he froze. Rikku's power felt warped as if shape shifting and he caught sight of an ape like aura. "W-What the… MMNNG!"
"This is for all the people that you hurt Piccolo!" Rikku's punch not only went through his block but through his stomach. Rikku felt the weight of danger lift from the air as she fell back to the ground watching Piccolo's body mold and finally explode in a splatter of gore. The demon was finally dead. Her mind whirled on Master Roshi and Krillen's faces. She hoped that somewhere they were smiling. Those thoughts greeted her with unconsciousness.
When she awoke she could feel air slapping her face and her hair brushing her cheeks. She looked around and caught sight of Yajirobe. They were in his car. "Yajirobe?"
"Hey you're finally awake. We're almost to Korin's tower." Yajirobe smiled down at her allowing her to return it carefree.
"I guess that piccolo is a pretty tough opponent. He demolished a whole city by himself. Yet you won."
It felt good to hear it too. She felt it in her heart that the calm had come and Piccolo's reign had ended. She smiled the entire way to the top of Korin's tower. The cat master smiling at her with his friendly furry face. "You're quite the celebrity down below now Rikku. Everyone is in a chatter about the girl who defeated Piccolo. It's an amazing accomplishment."
And that was no exaggeration. Everywhere on Earth people celebrated her victory and the victory of the human race. Families and singles alike cheered, sang, danced, and applauded to the heavens. Chichi too could hear the celebrations and she felt an overwhelming joy inside her heart. Her best friend Rikku was the savior of the world. "She won."
"HUrray for Rikku." Ox King declared smiling down at his daughter.
Back at the tower Rikku bounced to life. The sensu bean curing all her ailments and mending all her broken bones. She was good as new. However the heavy weight on her heart refused to lift just yet. "What are we gonna do about the Dragon Balls?"
"This is indeed an unsuspecting tragedy. I never could have imagined Piccolo to have the strength to kill Shenron."
"It's not fair!" Rikku suddenly shouted her eyes threatening tears. "If the eternal dragon were around I could wish everyone back to life!"
"It's a tragedy for those killed by Piccolo will never be able to rest in peace. They will drift in an endless torturing limbo all alone in the darkness." Korin watched as Rikku's eyes go from angry to horrified.
"That's Terrible! My friends are going to be miserable for the rest of eternity and there's nothing I can do about it."
"Hold on.. I know of someone who can help. We just have to go to the person who created the dragon balls. "
"Really a person actually created the dragon balls?"
"Of course silly. They didn't just magically appear on their own you know." Yajirobe butted in joining the circle of the conversation.
"So who made them?"
"It was Kami of course." Korin said matter-of-factly.
Yajirobe snorted not believing in such a wives tail. However Rikku was excited listening to all the details. "You have earned the right to meet Kami. He lives way above the tower in a place called Kami's Lookout. You're gonna need your power pole for this."
"Use my power pole?"
"It was originally made for it's creator to get from Earth to the top of this temple. I lent it to Master Roshi years ago but I never thought anyone else would be worthy enough to wield it. "
'I never knew my power pole had such a special meaning I betetr hold onto it." She paused reaching to her back and then yelping whens he didn't find it. "It's gone!" Her clothes were half in tatters barely keeping her covered. Her power pole strap gone as well.
"You dropped it when you were fighting piccolo."
"Oh shoot Yajirobe you're right!"
Rikku jumped from the tower shouting for her nimbus. Like a shot she took off heading straight for the battlefield. When she got there a mass media of press lingered around and King Furry stood looking and giving her appraisal.
"This here is the girl that saved us."
"Oh where is it." She received funny glances from the spectators around her and she whined when she couldn't find it. "I'll never get the dragon balls back without my pole."
She jumped when cameras began flashing in her face. Question after questions began racing around her and she backed away scared. "I've got to get my power pole back!" She raced around the desert area her heart in a panic at the thought of her pole disintegrating in the blast. "Wait I know who can help me! Baba!" She grinned calling for nimbus and bouncing on the cloud. Ready to rumble he stood at Baba's door ready to fight anybody who got in her way in order to find her power pole.
"So I see…" Baba's voice was rough and feminine and she stared down at the girl. She couldn't believe this pint sized girl was able to defeat Piccolo despite the fact she had seen it through her crystal ball years ago. "I guess it won't hurt to take a look seeing as you did the world a favor and all."
"Thanks Baba!" She grinned peeking over the little woman's shoulder. The ball glowed a bright blue as Baba's vision appeared and Kame house was shown bright and true. "Oh it's his house. That's where you will find your power pole."
"Master Roshi's house? Really!" Without hesitation Rikku shot off again bidding Baba farewell.
"She gets to meet Kami face to face. I guess it's true that some people are just born lucky."
Rikku shot through the door a few minutes later shouting. All her friends jolted and smiled greeting her with happy faces. Rikku looked frantic all the while her friends watched with happy or tearful faces. All of them had thought she had died at one point and now to see her face again was an overwhelming joy.
"Where's my power pole!"
Launch paused and then gasped rushing to the restroom then pulling out the broken mop with her pole tied at the end.
"HAHA YOU FOUND IT!" She screamed for joy embacing her pole with wide teary eyes.
"This is great! Now if all goes well I can meet Kami and bring back Master Roshi and Krillen!"
In an all too repeating pattern Rikku was gone again her friends left dumbfounded by her words. As She sailed across the world people watched her and recognizing her from the broadcast shouted cheers as she past by. However her mind was strict on meeting Kami and getting back the dragon balls. When she reached Korin Tower she was immediately taken to the top of the tower. The ceramic architecture stopping at a funnel point where the pole fit in perfectly.
"So what do I do now?" Rikku examined the top then looked up hoping to see Kami through the massive clouds.
"Just stick your pole in that hole there and extend your power pole. All you gotta do then is enjoy the ride." If she survives, Korin added. The trip to Kami's wasn't exactly a peaceful one. The thundering clouds and little oxygen what few people tried normally failed. He pulls out a bell handing it over to Rikku. "Take this with you. It will let Kami know I gave you my approval on coming here."
Rikku smiled putting the bell in her belt. She gripped the pole tightly and smirked up at the sky. "Here I come Kami!"
I think this chapter was a little rushed. I'm a little excited about the next few chapters for it's the beginning of a whole new world for Rikku. How new? Best find out in the next chapter… Sweet Reunions