Chapter 4 Going Back In Time!
For the next three years, Ling and Trunks will continue to train in secret. A seventeen-year-old Ling stands in front of Gohan's grave. She's wearing a long black hooded jacket that is worn over a white tank top, black pants, black sneakers and black fingerless gloves. The zipper on her jacket is broken so she can only pull it halfway. She still has her Saiyan tail, it's just wrapped around her waist like a belt. Though her hair is now tied in a ponytail, it's still long enough to reach her neck.
"Trunks thought it was a good idea to fight the androids on his own. Thinking he was now strong enough to kill them. Don't worry Gohan, he is still alive and recovering. It will take him a few months for him to fully heal, so I'll be training on my own for the moment," Ling said with no emotion in her voice. She didn't even have emotion on her face but it did soften a little when she said, "A little while after you died, Bulma took me in her family, so she's my mom now and Trunks is my brother," she smiles a little, "It's nice. Not sure if Trunks told you that already,"
The white-haired Saiyan floats up into the air, "Well, see you later Gohan. I gotta visit your mom. There's a crystal my mom needs to finish the time machine. Oh yeah, mom's making a time machine. Trunks and I are going to the past to learn how to beat the androids and possibly learn a thing or two from your dad. You did always say he was Earth's strongest fighter," Ling waves at Gohan's grave, "Goodbye Gohan. We miss you," she powers up and flies to Chichi's house.
Gohan's grave is accompanied by the graves of the other Z-fighters. All of them have flowers on them, even Vegeta's.
As she flies to Chichi's house, recalls how hard it was telling her that Gohan was killed. Neither she nor Trunks could look her in the eye. But she can tell they were just as devastated as she was and they mourned Gohan's death together. Ling feels like she's still morning. There at times, Ling felt there's no way they could ever kill the androids. That all this training and Gohan's sacrifice was for nothing.
But Trunks and Bulma help her push those thoughts aside and give her hope that these dark days will be finally over.
Arriving at her destination, Ling lands in front of the house and knocks on it, "Hello? It's me, Ling!"
The door opens and out steps a friendly large man, "Long time no see Ling. Wow! Look how tall you are!" the Ox-King smiles and hugs Ling.
"It's nice to see you too Ox-King," Ling said with a small smile, "I don't sense Chichi home, did she go out?"
The Ox-King nods and puts Ling down, "Yeah she did, want to wait for her to come back?"
"Sure," Ling nods.
After a few minutes, Chichi comes back home with a basket full of fish, "Ling? Is that you? Wow! Look how much you've grown, you're as tall as my Goku!"
"Yeah, sorry for not keeping in touch for a long while," Ling said with a small smile.
"Don't worry about it, I'm just glad you are okay," Chichi smiles and hugs Ling. "So, how are you doing?"
"I'm doing relatively okay," Ling said and hugged back.
"How's Bulma and Trunks?" Chichi asked.
"My mom is doing okay," Ling's expression turns sour, "Trunks on the other hand is healing from wounds that he going from fighting the androids by himself,"
"Why would he do that?!" Chichi asked, horrified.
"He thought he was strong enough to take them down. My brother is well-meaning but he can be an idiot at times," Ling said with clenched fists.
"Well, Trunks is alive so that's good," the OX King said and put a hand on Ling's shoulder.
Ling relaxes a little, "Yeah,"
"I can't help but notice you call Bulma and Trunks your mom and brother. Did she take you into her family?" Chichi asked.
"Yeah, she did. It only makes sense that I was living with them for a long time," Ling explains.
Chichi smiles, "That's nice but I was thinking of adopting you. I always wanted to have a daughter. But that won't stop me from thinking of you like one,"
Ling looked surprised, "Really?"
Chichi smiles and nods, "Yup! Say, I can't help notice your clothes look a little ragged,"
Ling sighs and looks over her outfit, "Yeah, I had to make do with these because the androids keep taking all the new clothes and destroying all the stores,"
Chichi shakes her head, "That won't do! A proper lady must always look her best! Tell you what, I'll make you some nice new clothes,"
"N-No! You don't have to go through all that trouble!" Ling said, shaking her head.
Chichi grabs Ling's arm, "It's no trouble! Want to help dad?"
The Ox-King smiles, "Sure! You can count me in!"
"Great! Let's head to the bedroom where all my sewing supplies are!" Chichi said happily.
Ling is unable to resist them due to how happy they looked.
It took a while but Chichi was able to make a new outfit for Ling. A red, side-tie dress with short puffy sleeves and white trim, her name stitched in gold on the back, and a white dragon pattern on the skirt, complete with black leggings, low heeled sandals, red and white leg guards and arm-guards. Chichi gave Ling a red ribbon to tie her hair in a ponytail.
"Don't you look beautiful!" Chichi said with a starry look in her eyes.
"You outdid yourself Chichi!" the Ox-King said with a bright smile.
"Thank you," Ling said with a bright red blush.
"You're welcome!" Chichi smiles, "You're mother will be so happy when she sees the outfit I made you,"
Ling suddenly remembers something, "Oh yeah! I came here not only to check up on you but to ask you two about a certain crystal that is found in this area. My mom needs it to finish the time machine she's making,"
"Time Machine!" Chichi said with shock.
"Yeah, my mom found out about time travel but going to the past won't change what happened here. The main goals are to find out how to take the androids, cure Goku of his heart virus and learn how to get as strong as he is,"
"So Goku and Gohan won't be brought to life," Chichi said sadly.
"Sorry," Ling said, looking away.
Chichi shakes her head, "Don't be. Knowing there will be a version of me that will still have her husband and son around is enough for me. And besides, I still have my dad with me,"
The Ox-King smiles softly and puts his hand on Chichi's shoulder "So, what kind of crystal does your mom need?"
"She needs a pure blue crystal," Ling said.
The Ox-King thinks for a moment, "I think you can find one by the waterfall east from here,"
Ling nods "I check there right away and I'll be back once I found one,"
Chichi and the Ox-King see Ling off as she flies to the waterfall. She finds the spot and begins her search for the crystal. Which she found right behind the waterfall, "Time to check with Chichi and the Ox-King," Ling said and flew back to Chichi's house. "Found it!" she said and shows them the crystal, "Thank you with this, we're one step closer for brighter days,"
"You're welcome Ling and I wish you and Trunks luck on your journey to the past!" the Ox-King said with a smile.
"And tell your mother your welcome from the new outfit," Chichi smiles.
Ling remembers the new clothes she's wearing. They just feel so soft, light. "I'll let her know," Ling said. She waves at Chichi and the Ox-King. They wave back and Ling flies back home.
Back at West City, Bulma is double-checking the calculations on the time machine. She's making sure the time machine will take Trunks and Ling to the proper time and place. "I'm back with the crystal you wanted. Sorry, it took so long," Ling said as she entered Bulma's lab.
"It's okay sweetie, I had a feeling Chichi would want to do some catching up with you," Bulma said and turned around. She gaps and smiles when she sees Ling's new clothes, "Oh my! Where did you get that?!"
"Chichi made it and she said ' your welcome," Ling said blushing.
"You look beautiful. The colours match your hair and eyes!" Bulma smiles and gets off her desk and gets a closer look at Ling's new clothes. "You will make a very good impression once you get to the past!" Bulma smiles and walks behind Ling, "She even put your name on it! Do you like it?"
Ling hands Bulma the crystal, "I do," she said blushing.
"Why don't you do some training while I get this baby ready," Bulma said and motions to the time machine.
"Okay, mom," Ling nods and hugs Bulma who hugs her back.
For the next few months, Bulma made the finishing touches on the time machine and Ling continues to hone skills with traditional karate under the watchful eye of Master Roshi. He's no longer in his submarine and is now living in an abandoned dojo, "I'm surprised you're not ogling Ling's new outfit," Oolong said.
"Without Krillin and Yamcha it's not the same," Master Roshi.
Oolong sighs, "I know what you mean. Well on the bright side, these dark days will be finally over now that Bulma's time machine is almost done,"
"It's done," hearing a familiar voice, Master Roshi and Oolong turns and sees Trunks who's now sporting Bulma's old jacket.
"It's good to see you back on your feet my boy," Master Roshi smiles.
"Yeah, I'm ready to head to the past. I'm here to pick up my sister," Trunks said then sighs, "And to apologize to her,"
"Good luck," Oolong smiles.
Trunks nod and make his way to Ling who is practicing her karate on a punching bag. Trunks took a deep breath and said, "I'm so sorry Ling! It was stupid of me to fight the androids on my own and forgot our promise to take them down together,"
Ling sighs and flicks Trunks on the forehead, "Apology accepted,"
"Huh?" Trunks asked confusedly and rubbed his forehead.
"I had a few months to get over it," Ling said and put her hands on her hips.
Trunks smiled, "That you did. So, ready to go?"
"Ready as I can be," Ling said
Master Roshi walks up to the two young Saiyans, "I'm happy to say you've mastered traditional karate but never forget to keep improving,"
Ling nods, "I won't. I'll push karate beyond its limits,"
"Work hard, study well and eat and sleep plenty. That's what you taught us," Trunks said.
Master Roshi nods, "That's the Turtle Hermit Way, never forget that you two,"
"We won't," Trunks said and both he and Ling bow respectfully to Master Roshi.
"Good Luck," Master Roshi said bowing back.
"Let's go!" Trunks said to Ling.
"Right!" Ling nods.
They leave the dojo. Master Roshi and Oolong see them off. Trunks and Ling wave at them before flying back to West City.
When they arrived at their home. Bulma already has the time machine outside and is ready to go, "Ready?" Bulma asked as Ling and Trunks landed on the ground.
"Yeah," Trunks and Ling said at the same time.
"Good luck you two," Bulma said and hugged her son and daughter. They hug back and enter the time machine. Trunks sat on the chair and flipped some switches and pushed some buttons. Ling stands behind him and leans on the chair. The hatch closes and the time machine slowly rises in the air. Trunks and Ling wave at Bulma.
"COME BACK SAFE YOU TWO!" Bulma shouts while waving at them.
The time machine fads and it takes Trunks and Ling back in time.
They soon find themselves at a rocky wasteland. They know they are in the past due to how much life they are sensing but that's not all, "So that's what evil feels like," Ling said as she looked up at the sky. She spots a huge spaceship that is slowly making its way to the ground.
"That must be Frieza. Gohan did say he came to Earth to get revenge on Goku," Trunks said. Both he and Ling leave the time machine. Trunks press a button to turn the time machine to turn it into a capsule.
"I sense two more just as strong as Frieza," Ling said.
"Yeah and there's no one strong enough to deal with them," Trunks said and put the capsule in a case and put it in his pocket.
"There's us," Ling suggested.
"But Goku is the one who is supposed to fight them," Trunks said.
"Goku is not here and if Frieza and whoever is with him is as evil as the androids. They will not wait for Goku and will kill a lot of people,"
"You got a point," Trunks nods and grips the handle of his sword, "Let's go say hello,"
A/N: Ling's new outfit is based on Dead or Alive's Kasumi and the Chichi segment is based on what happened in the Trunks DLC in Dragon Ball Z Kakarot.