Chapter 25: Aera's Journey — Calm Before the Storm
The celebrations following the 23rd World Martial Arts Tournament gradually began to fade into memory. The spotlight had been on Aera and Piccolo's earth-shaking battle, many couldn't stop talking about the shining star—Aera, the beautiful and innocent Saiyan warrior whose strength and charm captured every heart.
Aera had unknowingly become a legend. Yet she remained as cheerful and clueless as ever.
With Goku gone off with Chi-Chi, swept away by his sudden acceptance of her marriage proposal, Aera found herself unsure of what to do next. The world was vast, full of people to meet, food to try, and fighters to challenge. Her path wasn't defined by destiny—it was guided by curiosity.
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A Peaceful Departure
Krillin, Yamcha, Bulma, and the others were still hanging around Papaya Island in the days after the tournament. Aera stayed with them briefly, spending most of her time napping under palm trees, helping old ladies carry groceries, or suddenly asking to spar with passing tourists.
One morning, as the waves gently rolled in and the breeze smelled of salt and coconut, she made her decision.
"I think I wanna go see more of the world!" she announced over breakfast, happily munching on a full loaf of toast.
"By yourself?" Bulma asked, wide-eyed. "The world's a big place, Aera."
"I'll be fine! If there's food and fights, I'm happy!"
Krillin laughed. "Well, you're strong enough to take care of yourself. Just don't get too lost, okay?"
Aera nodded. "If I get lost, I'll just punch the air really hard. Someone always finds me after that!"
Everyone sweatdropped.
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The Journey Begins
And just like that, Aera set off with a small capsule case Bulma gave her, which included a bike, some food capsules, and a spare set of clothes. She didn't have a map. She didn't care. She went where the wind blew—and where the delicious smells came from.
Along her journey, Aera came across a wide variety of people. In a mountain village, she stopped a rockslide with her bare hands. In a desert outpost, she wrestled a bandit gang leader into submission in front of his cheering minions, who ended up offering her free kebabs for life. In a dense jungle, she ended up chasing a giant monkey—not to fight it, but because she thought it looked fun to play tag with.
Everywhere she went, people fell in love with her, admired her, or begged her to stay.
But Aera didn't understand any of that. She was just having fun.
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Kame House — Days Later
Back on the island, Master Roshi adjusted his sunglasses as he sipped his tea.
"That girl's got the spirit of an old martial arts legend," he muttered. "Strength, beauty, and that pure heart… People like her don't come around often."
"Do you think she'll be alright on her own?" Bulma asked.
"She'll be just fine," Roshi replied, smiling. "In fact, I think the world needs her more than she knows."
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One Month Later — Western Capital
Aera arrived in the city after hearing about a food festival. What she didn't expect was the massive martial arts challenge being hosted nearby: a competition for up-and-coming fighters, hoping to earn a scholarship to train at the Central Dojo.
When Aera signed up, no one expected much.
By the end of the first round, she had knocked out four competitors without even realizing the tournament had started. She thought it was a warm-up.
By the finals, her opponent—a well-known prodigy—trembled.
"I-I give up!" he cried, before the match began. "I'm not fighting a monster like her!"
"But… we didn't even start!" Aera pouted.
She was awarded the prize anyway. When asked what she'd do with it, she simply replied, "Use it to buy more food."
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A Storm on the Horizon
As Aera traveled further north, she began to feel something strange—an odd tension in the air. Animals were restless. Skies darkened quicker. People whispered rumors of a powerful force stirring somewhere beyond the horizon.
But she didn't think much of it. That evening, she sat by a campfire near a waterfall, roasting fish and talking to a bird that had landed on her shoulder.
"You think Goku's having fun being married?" she asked the bird.
It chirped.
"I miss him. I wanna fight him again."
And far off, in the blackness of space… a pod streaked toward Earth, burning through the void like a shooting star.
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End of Chapter 25