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 31: Kami's Plan, Piccolo's Power
Rikku's stomach was in knots as she stood in the entry way of the ring watching Kami and Piccolo fight. So far it looked like the two were evenly matched. Which made sense considering in a sense they were the same person. Hiro held nothing back and used what advantages he could to catch Piccolo off guard.
Rikku still felt uneasy about the entire thing. She especially couldn't get what Kami had said out of her mind.
~Flashback~
"You have a heart of pure gold and I know you mean well. I'll let you in on a little secret." Hiro walks past her then turns his head back to smile. "Death is a very scary thing even for Kami."
Continuing to walk Hiro moved on leaving Rikku to watch as he walked what she feared would be his death. "I will do what I must and nothing more."
~End of Flashback~
"What did he mean by that?"
All around the audience was astounded by Hiro's inhuman strength. He fought Junior fiercely and to the trained eye they could tell the battle he had with Junior was personal.
The cat was out of the bag. Hiro let it be known that he knew Junior's true self. It took Piccolo by surprise but it wasn't until Hiro started speaking a strange alien language that he knew it was Kami beneath the human mask.
While they held the alien conversation Rikku and the audience heard nothing but gibberish and were flabbergasted by what they were truly saying.
"What are these guys? Aliens?" Krillen suggested making Rikku laugh a bit nervously.
"Whatever they're saying it's clear Junior doesn't like it."
"It's a matter of life and death." Tien agreed seeing the physical communication between the two combatants. Rikku too had noticed it and it made her wince.
"Damn it Kami why couldn't you trust me?" She paused and glanced up seeing Kami reach into his pocket for something. She heard Piccolo's startled gasp and she jolted. "It can't be."
Kami placed a bottle on the ground. "Say hi to your new home."
Piccolo screamed. "No not that!"
Kami took action bouncing back to the far side of the ring his body began to glow with a fiery green aura. He launched the energy forward and spiraled it pulling Piccolo towards him. Piccolo screamed refusing to budge.
"Kami!" Rikku screamed as a massive wind prevented anyone from even getting close to them.
Piccolo suddenly laughed as the light enshrouded him, "you've sealed your fate Kami."
Kami jolted as Piccolo's face changed completely. Switching the beam around Piccolo countered the blast sending it right back. The beam sucking Kami up like a vacuum. "You tricked me! You lousy fiend! I accept my place but I will not condemn this body to my fate. I release you!" Hiro slid away from Kami the human body falling to the ring and laying face down in the tile.
"Yes there you are!" Piccolo shouted victoriously.
"You may have defeated me Piccolo but this is not the end! Rikku it's up to you now! Destroy him! Destroy him!" Rikku heard his final words before Kami was sucked into the bottle and Piccolo sealed him up with the cork. Hiro remained on the ground for ten counts officially giving Piccolo the win.
Everyone was speechless staring at Piccolo as he stared at the bottle that held his counterpart. Rikku's shock turned to anger. She clenched her fists trying to hold back the desire to fight Piccolo then and there. Kami was trapped in the bottle and there was little she could do now. She would have to strangle it away from him during their fight.
"We will take a short break but when we return the championship round will begin. Rikku will take on Junior for the title or World Martial Arts Champion!"
Junior laughed as he made his way back his eyes locking to Rikku's as he held the bottle tightly in his grasp. Clouds collide in the sky with loud booms of lightning and thunder placing the mood of their clashing persons.
"Problems girl?"
"No, Just so long as you give me the bottle!"
"Oh what bottle? You mean this one?" He held it just within her reach. Rikku slowly raised her hand not moving her eyes from Piccolo's. She knew it was too easy to just take it from him now. However she reached for it sensing Kami's cry of help inside. Just as her fingertip's brush Piccolo tipped it back and it flipped between his teeth. Rikku jolted.
"You wouldn't!"
He did. Piccolo swallowed the bottle making everyone around her gasp. Piccolo laughed the looks on their faces pure amusement for him. "Sorry my hand must have slipped. How clumsy of me."
"You did that on purpose you monster." Rikku's anger swelled and she nearly drew blood at how hard she clenched her fists.
"Yes I did. Whatever are you going to do now. The only way you could get to it is if you killed me. Then he'd die too. It's a lose-lose situation.. For you anyway." He walked past her pausing briefly. "Be prepared for lots of pain. I assume Kami covered that in your training. HAHAHAHAHAHA!"
Rain poured down as Junior slid inside to rest before the battle. Rikku stood in the center of her group calming herself down in time for her friends to begin questioning.
"For once I'm at a loss. What's going on Rikku?" ROshi asked having joined the fighters in order to get a download of the situation.
"Yes," Tien agreed. "It looked to me like Junior wants nothing but to rip you apart. What's the history between you two?"
Rikku's face was grim. She stared into space hearing all they asked but the words dry on her tongue. She struggled but eventually choked them out. "It's difficult to explain." She held her heart feeling it ache as the painful memories of Kami's fall and her previous battles with Piccolo swim in her head. "Junior is… King Piccolo."
All around strangled gasps leaked out. "That's impossible!" Tien exclaimed with a growl. "You defeated Piccolo three years ago!"
"I'm also confused. Didn't you save the world from Piccolo?" Chichi grabbed Rikku's arms suddenly frightened and very confused.
"Listen, please. I did kill him. I fought him with everything I had. However before he died he released an egg. According to Kami the egg held all of Piccolo's essence, all of the evil inside Piccolo's heart was placed inside that tiny egg. That egg became Junior. So in a way he is Piccolo reincarnated."
She clenched her heart again. "I know it's strange. Junior has even greater power than his father." She took a deep breath than looked back up. Her fists reached forward and clenched again. "One way or another. I must defeat him. For Kami's sake. For the Planet's sake. For everyone's sake. Piccolo must be defeated."
"Wait, I have a question." Yamcha butted in. "Wasn't that King Piccolo we saw getting sucked into Junior's wave? Couldn't he just capture Piccolo so he could become ruler?"
"No, The person you saw resembles Piccolo but he isn't."
Tien grunted. "There can't be a whole lot of Piccolo look alikes. He must be related some how."
Rikku nodded.
"Come on tell us already!" Krillen said anxiously.
"He only masqueraded as Hiro to get to Junior. The person you saw getting sucked in was actually Kami."
Gasps rang again and Rikku sighed. "You see, Kami and Piccolo were once one being. However when Kami wanted to become guardian he had to remove all the evil inside his heart. Piccolo was created from the evil and Kami cast him aside creating two beings. One good, one evil. They are connected. Whatever happens to one the other shares the same fate."
"That's crazy," Krillen persisted.
"I can't say I'm inclined to disagree. It does all make sense though. The evil containment wave is the only thing Kami could use against him without sacrificing himself." Roshi explained.
"Tien Shinhan." RIkku turned to Tien looking on pleading. "Is it possible for Kami to escape from the bottle. Could we free him?"
"Yes," Tien lowered his eyes. "If you remove the cork it will free him. However the only way to that bottle is down Junior's throat."
"Then it's impossible!" Krillen whimpered. "It's not like he's just gonna cough it up!"
"Krillen is right. Even with out combined strength it would be insufficient to stop him."
"You're forgetting one thing Tien. Rikku's strength has increased drastically."
"Yes," Rikku agreed smiling. She released her clenched fists and looked to all he friends. "I'll stop him. I promise."
"To bear such a burden is unfair to you Rikku. However with Kami's fall you're all we have left. Piccolo probably knows you're a threat and that's why he's here."
"That's a touching story." Piccolo's voice makes the group jump and turn to face the green face villain. "You're savior may be the glimmer of hope had she not been so lazy during her training."
Rikku turned to meet Piccolo face to face. As Piccolo monologues about his strength Rikku could hear King Piccolo's true voice mold with Juniors. His face distorted and she stared into the same face as she had three years ago. The same evil sneer, the same invasive stare, the same fearsome person.
"Say what you want Piccolo. You're not the only one who has improved in three years."
"Keep up that brave face of yours. When I've slain you from this world it and all your friends will be mine to do as I wish." He laughed almost joyously and approached the ring. "The intermission is over! Come so I can fulfill my Destiny!"
The rain began to clear. Those who had taken shelter slid back into the ring ready to watch the championship. Bulma and the others took their respective places right up front. Bulma had watched the last fight closely and now she had a strain on her heart. She had a feeling that Rikku wasn't just fighting for the championship but for her life.
She listened to the crowd roar to life and she pushed away her doubts and put a smile on her face. "Rikku! Kick his butt!"
"The crowd is going wild and who could blame them! Both fighters have one thing in common. They're both superhuman!"
Krillen and the others watched with grim faces. All of them now knew that this battle would decided the fate of the Earth.
Whew almost there! Who will win the battle for Earth? Find out in the next chapter… "WMAT FINALS" Rikku vs. Junior"