"Trunks, I found it!" Gohan shouted after they had been looking around the area for the other time machine.
"Yup, that's it," said Trunks, looking at it with a serious expression. They then spotted Bulma's plane in the sky, so Gohan flew up to get her.
When his younger mother's vehicle landed, she waved joyfully and opened the hatch. "Hey, Trunks!"
"Hi."
When Bulma hopped out and looked around, she asked, "Where's Ranch?"
"She said she's staying back to watch over Goku," Trunks said. "But she also really wanted to spend some more time with her parents. Don't tell her I told you that, though. She won't admit to skipping out on something important like this for that."
"No worries, I won't say a thing," she said, nudging him slyly. "But whatever happens, before you two go back to the future, I'm taking her on a girl's day out with Launch and Chi-Chi. If the future's as bad as you say then I doubt she's ever had one."
Trunks nodded, although a bit uncertainly. "Yeah, I'm sure she'd like that. Anyways, take a look." Taking out the case from his pocket, Trunks took the capsule in it, pressed the button, and tossed it. In a cloud of smoke out popped his gleaming time machine right next to the derelict one, allowing them to compare the two.
As Trunks, Gohan, and Bulma examined the old time machine and the area surrounding it, Piccolo was at the lookout hoping that Kami would agree to fuse with him. Meanwhile, the plane carrying Goku and his friends and family arrived at Kame House. Master Roshi stepped outside to watch as the plane landed and greeted them as they disembarked.
"Thank you for letting us stay here for a while," Raditz told Roshi, as Krillin and Yamcha carried Goku inside with Chi-Chi in tow.
"It's no problem," Roshi said, spotting Launch, who was holding the baby, and practically teleporting to her. "Launch, it's lovely to see you, as usual! You are always welcome here!"
"Thank you, Roshi, we really appreciate it," Launch said brightly.
Roshi then spotted a newcomer and quickly went up to her. "Hello, I don't believe we've had the pleasure. I am Master Roshi, and you are quite the lovely young lady if I do say so myself. Would you kindly tell me your name?"
"Uh, Ranch," she replied, confused by his advance.
"Hmm? Ranch?" he said, intrigued. "Hey, Raditz, isn't that the name of your dau—" He looked around and Roshi's words died in his mouth upon seeing Raditz looming over him with a murderous aura.
"Say just one inappropriate thing to her and it'll be your funeral, are we clear, old man?" Raditz said in dangerously low voice, unraveling his tail and slamming it into the ground for emphasis.
Sand was kicked up by his tail, and the wind that whistled in the deafening silence caused it to blow by Launch. "Ah…ah…chee!" The blue hair changed to blonde in an instant, and the soft, kind features were replaced by hard, sharper ones.
"Well, I'll be inside!" Roshi suddenly announced, scurrying inside the house.
"What the…?" blonde Launch said, confused as she took in her surroundings. "Oh just great, we're back here." But then she put on a hearty grin as she held up the baby in her arms. "Hey, baby girl, how're ya doin'?" Then her eyes fell upon her grown up daughter and stared. "What the…? Are…you…?"
"Uh…hi, mom," Ranch said once more.
"Oh damn, look at you!" Launch said excitedly, running up to her. "You came back here from the future, too, eh? A looker just like dear ol' mom, and I bet your tough as nails to boot." She shifted the baby to hold her with one arm, and elbowed her elder daughter shrewdly. "So, got anyone special in your life? I bet you're a real heartbreaker."
"Actually, dear, she does have a boyfriend," Raditz said, coming up and placing his arm around her waist.
"Yeah, he'll meet us here once he finishes up checking up on something," Ranch said.
Suddenly Launch looked at the door into the house, and gave baby Ranch to Raditz. She stormed off inside, yelling angrily, "HEY, ROSHI, YOU BETTER NOT HAVE SAID ANYTHING WEIRD TO MY LITTLE GIRL, YOU HEAR!"
Ranch couldn't help but smile and chuckle. "Same old mom."
As the time passed, they began waiting inside Kame House for whatever the next step was. Goku was still upstairs passed out, and Krillin was off to the side with Roshi, Oolong, and Yamcha talking about what was happening. Meanwhile, Ranch was sitting at the table with her parents as she flipped through the channels in amazement. So many options!
"Ha! You're like a kid in a candy store, sweetie," Launch said, watching the wonder on her face.
"Might as well get my fill now," Ranch reasoned, and she continued changing the channel. "In the future it's all either static or 24/7 news about the cyborgs."
One of channels caught Raditz's attention. "Wait, what was that?" Raditz suddenly said, asking her to turn back.
"Hey, wait a minute," Oolong suddenly piped up after Krillin finished with the story. "Once those cyborgs find that Goku isn't at his house, isn't this literally the second place they'll look?"
"They might check Raditz's house," said Yamcha.
"Third, then! Whatever!" he continued complaining.
"Everyone, come look at this!" Raditz called out.
On the TV a news anchor said, "And now we're back with the continuing crisis in Ginger Town."
"Ginger Town?" Yamcha said worriedly, as the anchor spoke about a mass disappearance. "Isn't that near where Trunks, Bulma, and Gohan went?"
Eventually the phone rang and Krillin picked up. "Krillin here."
"Krillin, its Bulma, have Trunks and Gohan gotten there yet?"
"No, not yet."
"Turn to channel 8, there's—"
"Way ahead of you there," Krillin informed her, looking at the TV.
"So you're seeing it, too?"
"Yeah. Man, it has to be those cyborgs!" Krillin said angrily.
"I don't think so," she said nervously. "And once Trunks and Gohan get there I'm sure they'll agree."
As Krillin and Bulma spoke, Ranch and her family were anxiously watching what was transpiring. A whole city that just up and vanished, leaving nothing but clothes behind? That wasn't the work of the cyborgs. There was something else going on and it filled her with nothing but dread. Chi-Chi walked downstairs to announce how Goku was sleeping soundly and getting better, but she was just met with the sight of everyone looking at the TV tensely.
A little while later Gohan and Trunks touched down on the island. They entered the house to see everyone still watching the news.
"Trunks!" Ranch said, standing and running up to hug him.
"Ranch, what's wrong?" he asked, putting her hands on his shoulders.
"I don't know what it is you found at the other time machine, but whatever it is I think that it's rearing its ugly head," Ranch informed him.
"Why?" asked Gohan. "What's going on?"
"Take a look at the news," Krillin told him.
On the TV a reporter at Ginger Town was continuing his onsite coverage. He was talking when gunfire erupted, and eventually something appeared off camera before the picture cut out. Yamcha said to try changing the channel, and Krillin did so until they saw a picture with the camera on its side. They saw some clothes strewn on the ground and a microphone, and in the background there was more gunfire. Suddenly the gunfire dissipated, and there was silence.
"Okay, Trunks, what exactly did you find?" Raditz asked seriously. Trunks then proceeded to explain how they came across the second time machine, and how they found a shell and a humongous molted, insect skin.
"So this is the work of some kind of creature?" asked Krillin, looking away from the TV.
"Yeah, and the shell we found was inside the time capsule," said Trunks. He took out his capsule case and opened it. Inside, Ranch saw there were now identical capsules, except one looked more scratched up. "I've got to go to Ginger Town."
Ranch nodded. "I'm coming too."
"In that case I am, too," Raditz told them.
"You sure, dad? What about Uncle Goku?"
Raditz looked upstairs, saying, "I know that Kakarot would rather have me out there doing whatever I could to help."
"Yeah me too," Gohan said.
Before Chi-Chi could saying anything, Raditz told him, "No, Gohan. You should stay. You need to focus on your father, and help protect him if the cyborgs show up here."
"But—" Gohan started.
His mother jumped at the opportunity. "No buts, mister, you listen to your uncle," Chi-Chi said for the first time in living memory, causing Launch, Raditz, and even Gohan to stare at her in surprise.
"O…kay," he agreed in the confusion.
"Alright then, I'll go," said Krillin, stepping forward.
"It's settled. Let's go," Trunks said, walking to the door.
"Hold it!" Launch suddenly said, standing and getting in Trunks' face. "So," she started menacingly, "you're the boyfriend?"
"Uh…hi, Launch," Trunks replied uncertainly. "And I am, yeah, but is…is this really the time?"
"Any time's a good time to let you know that if you hurt by little girl you'll have me to answer to," Launch threatened, backing off a bit.
"Mom, not that I don't appreciate the concern, but he's right, we've got bigger problems right now," Ranch said calmly but sternly.
"If you say so, baby girl," Launch agreed grudgingly. "Make sure you and your dad take care of yourselves."
"Sure, mom," she reassured her, giving her a hug before heading out with Trunks, Raditz, and Krillin.
Once outside, Raditz said, "Just so you know, Trunks, what Launch said applies to me too."
"Dad!" Ranch complained, as they took to the sky.