Chapter 33: Taylor's Demise

It's been a week since the tournament has started. Team Earth and Team Aquan have won all of their challenges so far. But one fighter on the team hasn't won theirs yet. Taylor continues to struggle to heal from her battle weeks ago. No one knows why her healing process is slowing down, well, one of them knew. Borox, he knew. He knew perfectly well what was happening to her. And he didn't care for the simple fact that he wanted to win. That's all he cared about was winning and keeping his reputation.

Borox laid in his bed listening to Goku's snoring. What he has done made him feel extremely guilty. He wanted to stop Moritor from pulling at Taylor's oxygen wire but he didn't. He didn't want to lose this tournament. He was willing to take someone else's life to win. Why though? Taylor's only a teenager, she still has her whole life a head of her. But Borox didn't care really. He wanted to win. To him, winning matters, nothing else.

Borox soon fell asleep. Everyone else was now sleeping, but Kotari. Kotari was sitting up in her bed wondering what was wrong with Taylor. She glanced atTaylor's bed a few times. The empty made, bed where Taylor would be sleeping right now, but she isn't. She witnessed that fight. Theonewhere Taylor nearly lost her life.

It was good fight in Kotari's point of view. But she knew to her father, Taylor was threat. She thought about it for a minute. She thought that maybe her father, no, Borox must've done something to her. But she told herself he did nothing to her and threw that subject aside.

Kotari flipped the blankets off of her legs and got up out of bed. She walked out of her room and into the kitchen. She opened the fridge pulling out an apple when something started to ring. Kotari blinked as she stood upright turning her head. There sitting there on the counter was a black phone. She never noticed that before but there must've been a good reason why it was there.

She walked over to the phone. She continued to listen to the ringing as she placed her apple next to the black ringing phone. She looked over at the staircase to see if anyone had woken up to the ringing and decided to come down. After a minute of waiting Kotari decided to pick up the phone. She lightly placed it onto her ear once she moved her hair out of the way.

"Hello?" she spoke. The voice on the other side seemed stress a little bit, but Kotari didn't pick up on it.

Sorry for waking you up Ma'am.

Kotari shook her head. "No that's alright, I wasn't sleeping." Kotari pressed a button on the phone she was using. A green light turned on as Kotari jumped slightly. She leaned forward to notice it was a caller I.D. The caller I.D said "Regeneration Chambers Building."

Once she read those three words Kotari's heart skipped a beat. Taylor was all she could think about right now. The voice on the phone started to speak again.

Alright. Is a Mr Son there?

Kotari nodded her head as she glanced at the staircase in hope to see someone from Earth's team standing there listening but no one was there. "Yes he's here. Hold on please while I go get him." Kotari took the phone away from her ear as she heard the voice on the phone say thank you. She placed it lightly onto the counter. The phone turned on it's cord pushing the apple making it role off of the counter.

Kotari ignored the apple as she made her way up the stairs. She was worried about Taylor. The Regeneration Chambers Building wouldn't be calling unless something has happened to Taylor like, if she was dead, or there was no way for her to heal correctly. Maybe there were positive things out of this. Maybe Taylor healed herself somehow and was now awake. Kotari wished she could believe that. But something in the pit of her stomach and in the back of her head told her something wasn't right. Kotari's feelings never failed her before, and they weren't going to start now.

Kotari got to the room Goku shared with Borox. She opened the door slightly to hear its loud creaking. She looked at Borox who laid on his side sleeping. Kotari looked over in the next bed to see Goku. His head was hanging off the side of the bed with his arms and legs sprawled out on the bed. Kotari wanted to laugh at Goku's position but the feeling in her stomach stopped her from doing so. She walked forward toward him placing her hand on his shoulder.

"Goku?" She called in a whisper shaking him gently.

"Chichi… I want a cookie…" Goku mumbled in his sleep as he continued to snore. Kotari knew who Chichi was. It was Taylor's mother. Taylor had mentioned her as she told Kotari about the battle with Noja the first day they arrived.

Kotari shook him again. "Goku. Goku wake up." Goku's eyes opened a little as he fell out of his bed. Kotari backed up as he landed on his hard head and then fall forward. "You alright Goku?" she asked. Goku rubbed his head as he got onto his hands and knees.

"Yeah." Goku answered yawning. "What's wrong?" he asked sensing that she was worried and stressed. Kotari looked at the wall from the corners of her eyes so she wouldn't have to look at Goku while she spoke.

"The um… man from the Regeneration Chambers Building is on the phone for you." Kotari spoke. "I think he has… uh… news about Taylor." Kotari looked at Goku who was now standing on his feet with the same worried face that she has. "Something tells me it's not good." Kotari added.

Goku nodded his head, "same here." Goku left the room walking downstairs with Kotari following him as she shut the door behind her. Borox's eyes opened once the door was shut. He sighed as he sat up looking at the wall.

"Why do I feel this way about this?" he asked himself.

&&&&

Goku and Kotari reached the downstairs. Kotari walked over to the phone after she picked up the apple. "Here." Kotari handed Goku the phone. He nodded his head at her placing the phone to his ear.

"Hello? …" Goku went silent as the man on the other end of the phone started speaking.

Kotari stood next to him watching his facial expression. The more Goku was silent the more sad and upset his face looked. After about 2 minutes of silence from Goku he nodded his head.

"Okay… thank you…" Goku said softly hanging up the phone. He placed his hand onto his head rubbing his eyes a little. He removed his hand and turned to see Kotari standing there. She just looked up at him hoping that he would tell her what had happenedbut, Goku smiled slightly then walked around her without saying anything.

Kotari turned and watched him walk up the stairs. "Goku…" Kotari called. Goku came to a stop turning his head to look at Kotari. "Were… we right?" she asked softly. Goku sighed and then nodded his head.

"Yeah…" he answered as he continued to walk up the stairs. Kotari's eyes began to sting as her warm tears formed in her eyes. She turned facing the body sized windows of the kitchen. She walked forward placing her hand onto the glass looking out over the rings at the Regeneration Chambers Building. Kotari began to cry slightly as she placed her forehead onto the cold glass of the window.

"What happened to you Taylor?" Kotari asked. She pulled herself away from the window then entered her room dropping her apple at the door.

Goku entered his room to see Borox sitting up in his bed. Goku looked at him as Borox returned his look. "Sorry if I woke you." Goku said to him as he walked to his side of the room.

Borox shook his head. "No, you didn't wake me up Goku." Borox said. Borox glanced at Goku as he got dressed. He slipped his wrist bands on as he took a seat onto his bed picking up his boots and slipping them on. Borox looked away from him staring at the blankets of his bed.

Goku got up and left the room. Borox sighed as he got out of bed and slipped on his pants. He opened the door to see Goku about to enter Guru and Goten's room. "Goku." Borox called. Goku stopped when his hand touched the cold door handle. "What happened?" Borox asked acting innocent.

"Something happened to Taylor." Goku said entering his son's room. Goku looked at the sleeping boys. He walked around Guru walking up to his son. "Goten, get up." Goku said shaking him. Goten moaned as he woke up looking up at his father. Goten reached out turning on the light on his nightstand.

"What's wrong Dad?" Goten asked looking up at his father.

"Something happened to Taylor, we need to go." Goku said to him. Goten's eyes widened as Goku approached the door. "I'm going to go wake up Gohan and Pan."

"What about Vegeta and Piccolo?" Goten asked. Goku looked back at his son. He left the room without an answer. Goten sighed as he then got up and started getting dressed.

Once Goku exited his son's room closing the door behind him; he looked up and over to see Piccolo standing next to him leaning up against the wall. "I heard." Piccolo said lifting up his head looking at Goku.

"I thought you were sleeping." Goku said to him. Piccolo shook his head.

"No Goku. I barely sleep." Piccolo said to him.

"Same with me Kakkarot." Goku looked over to see Vegeta exiting his room. Piccolo looked at him as well.

"I'm guessing you know." Piccolo said. Vegeta looked at Piccolo from the corner of his eye.

"Yes." Vegeta said. Goku ignored the two's shortconversation and he entered Gohan's room. He walked up to his son's bed which was the first bed in the room.

"Gohan?" Goku whispered. Gohan woke up instantly. Gohan was always a light sleeper. Sometimes sleeping lightly came in handy. Gohan looked over his shoulder to see his father. He sat up also turning on the lamp on his nightstand.

"What's wrong Dad?" Gohan asked the same exact question as Goten. Goku didn't really want to answer. He just wanted to tell him to get up and get dressed. But Taylor was sister and he odd to know what was going on.

"Something has happened to Taylor." Goku said. He didn't have to say anymore. Gohan quickly got out of bed and started to get dressed.

"Does Pan know?" Gohan asked slipping on his shirt. Goku shook his head.

"No, I was hoping you would tell her." Goku said. Gohan looked at his father. He could see how hard this was on him. Gohan smiled a little nodding his head as he felt like he was taking some of the pressure off of his father's shoulders.

"Yeah, I'll tell her." Gohan said. Goku nodded his head as he left the room to see Goten, Vegeta, and Piccolo standing outside.

"After Pan gets dressed we'll leave." Goku said. Piccolo and Goten nodded their heads. "Vegeta, Piccolo, you two don't have to come." Goku said to them.

"I'm going Goku." Piccolo said. "Taylor's a great kid and my best friend's sister. I'm going." Piccolo added. Goku looked at Vegeta. Vegeta looked away.

"I know how it feels." He said. "And I'm going to make sure you don't fall out of line Kakkarot." Vegeta said with a slight smirk on his face. Goku smiled a little as he nodded his head. Gohan left his room and walked into Pan's.

They all looked over and waited for a couple of minutes. Soon Gohan walked out of the room with Pan. Pan quickly ran up to Goku and wrapped her arms around his waist.

"What's wrong with Auntie Taylor Grandpa?" Pan asked. Goku looked down at her as he shrugged his shoulders.

"I don't know. They said that they would explain everything once we get there." Goku said to her. Pan nodded her head. "Let's go." Goku said as he walked down the stairs with his team behind him.

Talli emerged from her room looking at the staircase's direction. She strolled out of her room and opened her brother's door. She looked inside the room to see Borox standing at the window with his hands on his hips. He watched as Team Earth flew over to the Regeneration Chambers Building.

Talli walked up behind her brother till she stood a couple of feet away. "What did you do Borox?" Talli asked. Borox's head jerked upright a little bit. He turned and looked at her to see her standing there with a glare in her eye.

"I only did what was needed to do." Borox answered as helooking away. Talli unfolded her arms holding them by her sides. She clenched her fists as she stormed up to her brother placing her hand on his shoulderwhipping him around.

"You do this every year!" Talli shouted making him face her. "This time you killed a girl who had her life ahead of her!" she added.

"I did what I had to do to make sure we won!" Borox shouted. Talli rolled her eyes.

"That's all you think about Borox! You don't think about anything else! You only care about winning! Did you ever stop and think about Taylor's family and friends!" Borox didn't answer. "No because all you think about is winning. That's why you partner up with Moritor every year to make sure you do win!" Borox lifted up his head looking over Talli's head. Talli blinked as she turned around.

There standing with the door wide open was Kotari... and she heard the whole thing.

&&&&

The team entered the building. The lights were on with no one to be found. They pasted Taylor's chamber. The glass door was wide open with the green healing liquid all over the floor around the chamber.

"Mr. Son?" Goku looked forward to see the man who usually ran the building everyday approach him. "I'm glad you and your team could make it." He said standing in front of Goku holding his hand out.

Goku nodded his head shaking his hand. "I am too. What happened to my daughter?" he asked.

The man sighed, "this is very hard to say to the father of this young fighter."

"Spit it out!" Vegeta shouted with his voice echoing in the room. The man looked at Vegeta as he cleared his throat.

"Ahem. Well, someone had torn the oxygen wire out of her chamber." The man said, "that's why her healing process was slowling down. From that happening the lung that was piece by one ofthe ki beams that had entered her chest, it had collapsed. We don't know if she'll survive."