Chapter 1: The Girl From the Stars
Long ago, as Planet Vegeta fell under Frieza's wrath, a small space pod zipped through the void of space—its passenger, an infant Saiyan girl named Aera. She had been sent to a distant planet like many Saiyan infants, her purpose unknown even to herself. Her power level was impressive even at birth, but her heart was pure and untouched by Saiyan brutality.
She crash-landed on Earth just a few days after another Saiyan child—Son Goku. Unlike him, Aera's pod was found deep in the wilderness by an old woman named Aya, who raised her in peace and solitude.
Aera grew up surrounded by nature. She loved to climb trees, chase birds, and most of all, spar with the wind and shadows. Aya, having been a martial artist in her youth, taught her the basics of combat—though Aera's instincts often surpassed technique.
When Aya passed peacefully one spring, Aera, now 12, set off into the world with nothing but her staff and her curiosity.
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Meanwhile, Bulma had just begun her search for the Dragon Balls. Deep in Mount Paozu, she met a strange boy with a tail—Son Goku.
But on their journey, they encountered someone else. Aera.
The two tailed children bumped into each other while Goku was chasing a wild boar. The animal had run straight into Aera's path—and she, thinking it was a sparring partner, promptly drop-kicked it into a tree.
"Whoa!" Goku blinked. "You're strong!"
Aera looked at him, equally surprised. "You have a tail too!"
"Wanna be friends?" Goku asked immediately.
Aera nodded. "Okay!"
Bulma stared, baffled. "Who even are you?"
"I'm Aera," she replied sweetly. "Are you strong too?"
Bulma sighed. "Why are kids like this falling out of the sky?!"
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After a few days of traveling together, collecting Dragon Balls, and surviving wild encounters, Bulma received an urgent call on her capsule phone. Her father at Capsule Corp needed her to return immediately due to a technical emergency involving experimental tech she had borrowed.
"Ugh, I hate to do this, but I've gotta go home," Bulma said, stuffing a few gadgets into her pack. "You two can keep going without me."
"You're leaving?" Aera asked, tilting her head.
"Just for now," Bulma replied. "You've got Goku with you. He'll keep you safe."
Aera smiled. "I'll keep him safe too!"
Bulma paused, looked at Aera's innocent grin, and couldn't help but smile back. "Yeah… I believe that."
With that, Bulma zoomed off in a capsule plane, leaving the Saiyan duo to continue their journey alone.
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And so, their journey continued—Goku and Aera, traveling across the world to collect the seven Dragon Balls. Wherever they went, Aera's innocent questions, accidental charm, and overwhelming power drew attention. She was bafflingly clueless and radiant.
From bandits to beasts, no one could resist the strange pull of the beautiful, childlike warrior who wanted only to fight strong people and make friends.
And the world would never be the same again.
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End of Chapter 1