Charging the Time Machine!

Everyone arrived at the villa and stared at the two happy couples, completely dumbfounded.

Seriously, what was the point of inviting us single people if you two couples were just going to show off your love!?

They'd bought all the food, too!

Since they were already there, everyone got to chatting. They all knew each other, but usually lived scattered across the country. It wasn't often they all got together, so naturally they had plenty to talk about.

"Today, the beer's on me!"

Jiang Ling looked at the lively scene and shouted.

"Just for saying that, I'm drinking until I drop!"

"Big bro, you're a real man! Your two sisters-in-law must be beautiful, graceful, and charming to have trained you so well!"

Maybe because he'd been with Jiang Ling for so long, Krillin had grown quite the silver tongue.

His words made Bulma and Lazi Li beam with delight.

Jiang Ling glared at Krillin. "You sure do talk a lot of crap! You're not that young anymore, so hurry up and get married. Don't follow Yamcha's example and keep playing the field."

Yamcha broke into a sweat. "How'd this get dragged back to me? I've settled down lately, okay? I've got a girl group member for a girlfriend."

It had to be said, Yamcha was pretty clever. He'd used his position as the manager of Jiang Ling, the Entertainment King, to land himself a girl group member.

"Uncle Piccolo!"

Gohan happily walked up to Piccolo.

"Mm."

Piccolo took a sip of beer and nodded slightly, his eyes revealing a hint of affection...

"Uncle Piccolo, why don't you find a wife like Uncle Jiang Ling? It must be lonely all by yourself."

Gohan asked curiously.

Piccolo paused. "I'm a hermaphrodite. Male and female are one in my case, so I don't need a wife..."

"Then... Aunt Piccolo?"

Son Gohan delivered the most soul-piercing question of all.

Piccolo showed no expression at the title. He set down his glass and said, "Gohan, let me see how your training's been going lately."

Gohan: "???"

Feeling the energy fluctuations and Gohan's screams coming from nearby, Jiang Ling sighed.

That was what happened when you didn't know when to keep your mouth shut.

After a while, Piccolo returned, looking refreshed.

Jiang Ling stepped up and patted him on the shoulder.

"Old Pic, I've seen right through you. You may seem so aloof, but deep down, you're actually a bit of a pervert, aren't you?"

Piccolo raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

Jiang Ling continued, "You can make clones. You only use them for sparring? I know what you're really up to!"

"There's something I'd like to tell you in private."

Piccolo put an arm around Jiang Ling's shoulders, and the two of them flew off into the distance.

Bam!!

"Damn it, Piccolo, you're shameless!!"

Jiang Ling's shout rang out with a deafening crash.

"In that case, don't blame me for getting serious!!"

Super Saiyan 2!!

Rumble!!

Two powerful energies collided in a fierce clash.

Goku, who'd been drinking at the villa, set down his beer bottle. His eyes lit up, and he shot straight toward the battle.

In an instant, three powerful energies were tangled in a brawl.

Everyone at the villa felt the ground shaking and was at a loss for words. What was even going on!?

They'd been having a perfectly good party, and now everyone was fighting...

The party ended amid laughter and cheerful chatter.

A few days later, Jiang Ling went to the location the Dragon God had given him.

There, he found a Time Machine identical to the one he already had.

This was the Time Machine that Cell had stolen many years ago, after killing Trunks in another future timeline.

Moss covered the Time Machine, and the ravages of time had left it looking rather worn.

With a wave of his hand, Jiang Ling stored the Time Machine in System Space.

Then he returned to the villa.

In the courtyard,

he took the Time Machine out. Bulma went over and examined it before saying,

"I've checked it. The basic functions are fine. It just needs to be charged before it can be used."

"But there's something I need to make very clear: this Time Machine is connected to another unknown future timeline. So if you travel there, the Bulma you meet won't be the same Bulma you had that complicated relationship with before."

Bulma had a lot to say, and she sounded quite displeased.

"All right, all right." Jiang Ling drew her into his arms and reassured her:

"When I visited that timeline before, Future Bulma seemed so lonely all by herself. Since I'm your boyfriend, I felt sorry for her."

Bulma had only been expressing her displeasure.

Actually, after learning what Future Bulma had been through, she felt a lot of sympathy for her and approved of what Jiang Ling had done. After all, they were both herself.

Besides, Jiang Ling hadn't gone back there since returning. He'd stayed by her side, which showed how much he really loved her.

Holding Bulma close, Jiang Ling let his hand wander too. It slipped through a gap in her clothes and gently rubbed her nipples.

Just as the two of them gazed into each other's eyes and the mood grew more intimate, Jiang Ling suddenly remembered what Bulma had said.

"By the way, did you say that Cell's Time Machine connects to a different timeline?"

Jiang Ling's interruption made Bulma, whose expression had turned hazy, roll her eyes. She said irritably, "That's right. Simply put, it's a future timeline you've never visited!"

Jiang Ling fell silent for a moment.

Seeing that he still wasn't making a move, Bulma grew impatient and started to take matters into her own hands...

But when Jiang Ling came back to his senses, he interrupted her again. "Bulma, could you charge this Time Machine for me..."

At that, Bulma stopped moving. She could hear the seriousness in his voice.

It was the first time she'd heard Jiang Ling speak in that tone...

It meant he really cared!

"All right."

Looking into Jiang Ling's clear eyes, Bulma nodded. She got up, took the Time Machine to the Research Lab, and began preparing to charge it.

Since she had to keep a close eye on it while it charged, she told Jiang Ling, "I'll come back later and let you make it up to me. Don't even think about running away!"

Jiang Ling listened, the corners of his mouth curving into a tender smile. "Whatever you say, my dear girlfriend."