Changed Past
"So? What do you think?" Bulma asked Ling. Who just put on the outfit Bulma made.
Ling looks over herself and smiles at Bulma, "I love it! Thanks mom!" she said and hugged Bulma.
"I'm glad! Why don't you show your brother? I need to make the finishing touches to the Time Machine," Bulma said.
Ling nods, "Okay, mother. I think he was visiting Master Roshi,"
Bulma frowns, "Be careful sweetheart, that old man can be a pervert at times. Remind him you're not 18 yet,"
The white-haired Saiyan tilts her head in confusion, "I don't get what you mean but okay,"
Then Bulma realized she didn't teach Ling what pervert means. It's just that the subject is too awkward for her. "Just be careful, okay," Bulma said with a nervous laugh.
Ling just nods and flies to where Master Roshi is. The abandoned dojo that he made home. The dojo itself looks worn down with some work done on it. Mainly the holes on the roof have been patched.
Landing nearby it, Ling walks into the dojo and sees both Master Roshi and Oolong standing around Trunks. He is sitting down on the floor with his eyes closed and arms folded. "What's going on?" Ling asked.
"Oh hey, Ling. I'm digging the new duds!" Oolong smiles.
"Hello, Ling. Your brother is doing some meditation," Master Roshi explains.
"Meditation?" Ling asked.
"You not only need a strong body to be a powerful martial artist but a strong mind too. And from what Trunks tells me. Meditation will help you control that wild power of yours," Master Roshi explains.
"Really!?" Ling shouts.
Master Roshi nods and puts a finger on his lips. He shows Ling how to meditate and a new way to train. Image training. With Master Roshi's guidance, Ling can use her memories to relive the sparring match with Goku.
Though she matches Goku in power, in terms of skill, Goku has her beat. It didn't frustrate Ling that Goku blocked and parried every attack she did. She just tried again and again. She thought she was finally going to land a blow on him but he suddenly teleported behind her and fired a Kamehameha.
Before the blue beam could hit her, Ling awoke from her meditative state. "Wow! It felt like I was fighting him for real!" she said with a ragged breath.
"Yeah," Trunks said and wiped the sweat from his brow.
"You're doing image training too?" Ling asked.
Trunks nod, "I am. I was relieving the sparring match I had with Goku. Even as a memory, Goku is still an amazing fighter,"
"When I saw him do the Kamehameha on his first try after seeing me doing it once. I knew he had the potential to become a great Martial Artist," Master Roshi said with a smile.
"It took me a week to get that move down," Ling said with a pout.
"Did it take you that long to learn that move because you were a perfectionist?" Trunks asked with a smile.
"I'm like that anymore," Ling frowns.
"Good," Master Roshi said, "Perfection is impossible to achieve. Always seek to break your limits. Understand?"
Trunks and Ling nods.
"Gohan once told us that," Trunks said.
Ling bits her lips and tears start running down her face, "I still miss him," her voice cracked when she said that.
Hearing that Trunks puts a hand on her shoulder, "So do I and mom,"
Ling nods, "Those damn androids will pay," the female Saiyan said with great hatred in her voice.
"Those evil do indeed need to die. The pain they caused is great. But don't let hatred for them taint your heart. Fight for hope and justice. You two are the only ones who can," Master Roshi said.
Trunks nods, "You're right. We can't sink to their level,"
Ling nods too and wipes the tears off her face, "Yeah,"
"Want to know how Goku as a kid single-handedly took out the Red Ribbon Army?" Master Roshi asked and stroked his beard.
"Yes, please! We heard from our mom that Goku destroyed the Red Ribbon Army as a kid. But she never told us how he did because she doesn't quite remember the details," Trunks said.
"She is getting old. Don't tell her I said that," Ling said and nervously scratched her cheek.
Master Roshi chuckles and nods. He explains Goku's confrontation with the Red Ribbon Army began when one of their assassins killed a father right in front of his son. Goku fought the assassin but lost and was left for dead. Goku survived and after he healed his wounds did some intense training.
The assassin returned after and Goku fought him again. In their rematch, Goku was much stronger and defeated the assassin. But even though Goku won, a son is still left without a father. So Goku decided to search the world for the Dragon Balls and use them to revive the boy's father.
Goku soon crossed paths with the Red Ribbon Army. The first time was in the cold north. He made new friends there. One of them was a kind android that Goku nicknamed Eighter. With his android friend's help, Goku took down the Red Ribbon Army's base in the north.
With a new Dragon Ball in hand, Goku kept searching for the Dragon Balls.
The last one Goku needs to find is at the Red Ribbon Army's main base. They tried everything to fight him off but nothing worked. Goku is too strong for them. The Red Ribbon Army is no more and Goku has all the Dragon Balls. He honoured his promise and revived the boy's father.
"I never knew Goku had such an adventurous childhood," Trunks said.
Master Roshi nods, "Indeed he had," the old man realizes something and then asks, "Have you heard any voices in your head recently?"
Both Ling and Trunks shake their heads, "No, why?" Trunks asked.
"Because Goku or Gohan would have contacted you by now," Master Roshi said.
"They can do that?!" Ling gasps.
"No, but someone by the name of King Kai can help Goku and Gohan contact you from the afterlife," Master Roshi explains then asks Ling and Trunks. "Mind taking me to my sister? She can contact people from the afterlife. Maybe she can tell us why Goku and Gohan haven't contacted you two,"
With a nod, Trunks and Ling take Master Roshi to Fortuneteller Baba's Palace. Trunks carried Master Roshi on the way. They were shocked to see a barrier surrounding the palace. "I got this," Ling said and gave Master Roshi and Trunks a thumbs up.
She turns Super Saiyan and flies at the barrier at full speed and punches it with all her might. The barrier cracked and shattered like glass. A small old woman dressed like a witch floats out of her home. "Finally! That barrier trapped me here for years!"
"Really?" Ling asked and turned back to her base form.
"Yes, but that's one problem solved," Baba sighs.
"What do you mean," Master Roshi asked and Trunks put him down.
Baba nods, "Something is blocking Earth's connection to the afterlife,"
Master Roshi, Trunks and Ling were shocked when hearing that, "Are you sure?!" Master Roshi asked.
"I am. I can't even travel to the afterlife like I normally would," Baba explains.
"Have any leads?" Master Roshi asked.
"Only someone is using powerful magic to block Earth from the afterlife," Baba said.
"Mind if I lend a hand?" Master Roshi asked.
Baba sighs "Yes, please! I'm at the end of my rope!"
"We can help too," Trunks offered.
Baba shakes her head, "No thank you. You two need to focus on defeating the Androids,"
"How did you know about that?" Ling asked.
Baba motions to the large crystal ball she's sitting on, "With this, I can see everything. Expect what is going on in the afterlife,"
"Alright, if you do need help, don't hesitate to ask us for help," Ling said.
"Will do," Baba smiles. She then notices the scars on Ling's face. "That 18 is such a vain woman," Baba said. She floats up, holds a hand out and uses her magic to remove the scars on Ling's face, "There you go. Your true beautify is restored,"
Ling feels her face and is shocked to feel her scars are no longer there. "Thank you!" Ling said and shook Baba's hand.
"You're welcome, Ling," Baba smiles then remembers something. Digging into her sleeve, Baba pulls out red lipstick and uses it on Ling. "And now you are the prettiest woman on Earth," Baba smiles and gives Ling the lipstick.
"Umm, thanks?" Ling said with confusion.
"See you later," Trunks smiles.
"Later," Ling said.
The young Saiyans waved at Baba and Roshi who waved back.
"Mom is going to flip when she sees you," Trunks chuckles.
"She will?" Ling asked. Still confused.
Seeing her kids flying back. Bulma waves at them. When Trunks and Ling land, Bulma gasps when she sees Ling's, "Oh my god! You're so beautiful!" Bulma said happily and cupped Ling's face.
"I am?" Ling asked.
"You are! Tell me how you get rid of those scars?" Bulma asked.
Trunks explain to Bulma what happened. He even tells her how something is blocking Earth from the afterlife.
"That explains the rise of ghost sightings," Bulma said.
"It's wearing hearing you talk about ghosts due to you being a scientist," Ling said.
"Well, the afterlife exists so why not ghosts?" Bulma asked.
"You do have a point," Trunks said.
"Anyways, the Time Machine is almost ready for another trip to the past. With this second trip, your goal is to train under Goku and become strong enough to defeat the androids," Bulma explains.
During the week, Trunks and Ling help Bulma with the Time Machine and do some training at Baba's palace. Until the young Saiyans travelled to the past. Their Scouters picked up an Android signal with the condition: Destroyed. When they flew to where the destroyed Android is, they were shocked to see not 17 or 18. But the head of someone looks like a clown.
They soon detect Vegeta's Ki and fly towards it. "Looks like he unlocked Super Saiyan," Ling sighs.
"Yeah," Trunks sighs as well.
When they arrived at Vegeta's location he was about to fire a powerful blast, "COME OUT OLD MAN!" Vegeta shouts and launches his Big Bang Attack. Right when he did that, Bulma was flying in.
"DID SHE BRING ME!" Trunks gasped. Both Trunks and Ling fly to Bulma, turn Super Saiyan and create a barrier to protect Bulma, baby Trunks and Yajirobe. The two Super Saiyans help get Bulma's flying car to the ground.
Bulma gets out of the car. She's carrying a crying baby Trunks "It's okay Trunks mommy's here," Bulma said softly and gently shakes her baby.
"I wasn't scared, mommy. Unlike him," a fancy-dressed little girl said as she got out of the car. She looks the same age as Gohan in this timeline.
"Well excuse me, princess! I don't have a Saiyan durability like you have," Yajirobe frowns.
Ling and Trunks were stunned when they saw the little girl. She looked like Ling. She had the same white hair and red eyes. But that can't be the past version of her, right?
Bulma smiles, "Ever the reliable big sister, Ling,"
If the destroyed android Ling and Trunks found wasn't proof enough, then this is. The past has changed.