54 My SI Stash #54 - That Time I Got Reincarnated as Tien by Shocker (Dragon Ball Z)

-A Dragon Ball Z fic, SI as Tien. It's been on a hiatus ever since but still a very solid fic~

Sypnosis: ???

Rated: T

Words: 74K

Posted on: https://forums.spacebattles.com/threads/that-time-i-got-reincarnated-as-tien-dbz-si.700924/ (Shocker)

PS: If you're not able to copy/paste the link, you have everything in here to find it, by simply searching the author and the story title. It sucks that you can't copy links on mobile (´ー｀)

-I'll be putting the chapter ones of all the fanfics mentioned, to give you guys a sample if you wan't more please do go to the website and support the author! (And maybe even convince them to start uploading chapters in here as well!)

Chapter 0+1

A warm breeze rolled over my body, stray sunbeams breaking through the treeline above me. The grass, soft and verdant, cushioned my mass, seeming to act as a suitable bed for me. Falling asleep in the woods? Definitely unlike me.

I gave a low grunt as I struggled into a seated position on the grass, a strange weight lingering in my muscles. I felt a whole lot taller and broader than I remembered being, and a cursory glance at my body was a pretty clear indicator of how different things were. For one thing, my body looked as jacked as some kind of movie star. Save for the long diagonal scar that went across my pectorals.

My vision adjusted steadily to the light, giving me a better look at the clothing that covered me. Dark green pants, matching bracelets, yellow bands covering the tops of my black boots... it all seemed familiar, and realization was steadily dawning on me.

"Ah, you're finally up. I was starting to worry! Almost like I scrambled your soul or something!" The voice was oddly familiar, a soft and friendly male voice, that seemed to be naturally at ease. My gaze shifted off to the size, settling on a figure resting under the shade of a looming tree.

He was a decently tall young man, distinct for his blue skin and the silver hair he kept in a short ponytail. He was dressed casually in a black T-shirt, bright yellow cargo shorts and matching boots. A sword rested on the small of his back, while his eyes were partially concealed by a pair of circular glasses.

I was able to recognize him quickly enough, a realization that had me all too aware of my current situation. Fu, a villain (of sorts) from the tangled Heroes/Xenoverse wing of the Dragon Ball franchise. A 'demon scientist' who is basically a fanfic writing nerd with godlike power at his fingertips.

And the body I found myself in, the familiar scar and clothing... It wasn't hard to recognize it as Tien Shinhan's.

"What the heck did you do to me?!"

"Oh, this?" Fu's easy smile didn't falter, his hands resting on his hips. "Well... I take it you already know who I am, so I won't bore you with introductions! But you can consider yourself the test subject in my newest experiment! See, we've all had plenty of chances to see Saiyan potential in action. Buuut... well, I suppose I've gotten curious lately, and want to see something new. So! It's gonna fall to you to show me earthling potential! I figure you'll have good odds, knowing what's to come, so you can prepare better than the earthlings did in the original timeline."

I narrowed my eyes (and assumed my new third one was doing the same) and heaved a small sigh. Stuck in some fanfiction created by Fu... oh joy. "And where exactly am I in time?" I asked.

"Pretty early. By my estimate, Goku and Raditz are going to get a Special Beam Cannon through the diaphragm right about..." he trailed off, holding up his left index finger. He winced abruptly. "There it is. Boy, that really has to sting. Fist sized ball of ki, drilling right through your tum... I guess the bad guys are lucky Piccolo never thinks to use it more often huh?"

Right at the start of the Saiyan Saga... okay, I could work with that. I had little under a year to train, and I know well in advance that dicking around on Kami's will accomplish sweet fuck all. All I need is to make a better game plan for training, and hold out for Goku.

I get the feeling that's going to be a recurring thing...

Exhaling, I rose up to my feet and brushed the blades of grass from my trousers. "So that's it? You're just gonna dump me in Tien's body and leave?"

"I don't see what you're upset about, I gave you the third strongest body on earth. Oh, wait, with Goku pushing up daisies you've jumped straight to number two! Congrats!"

A small groan of annoyance left me. This guy...

"One more thing," Fu remarked, raising his glasses slightly. "I did a little tinkering with your brain and soul, just to make sure you had instinctive ki control, and knowledge of Tien Shinhan's techniques. A new body isn't much good if you can't use it," he explained.

"Thanks. I guess?" I replied, looking down at him. Better than nothing, I supposed.

"Wellp, I better jet! Got a lot of pies to put a lot of fingers in! But I'll be watching, don't worry. And I may even have a surprise or two for you stored away." He grinned, giving me a brief wave with his left index and middle fingers.

"That... doesn't sound like a good thing," I replied. But before I could probe further, Fu vanished in a plume of purple smoke.

Great. Dumped out in the middle of one of the Dragon Ball earth's wastelands, with just under a year to get ready for the arrival of a walking Napoleon complex, and an incredibly angry shaved gorilla. If things go the way they went in the story, I'll be down an arm and dead in short order.

So where to start? The Ultra Divine Water, I suppose. It's meant to draw out some latent potential, and nothing in canon indicates that Tien took it. Better than nothing.

Beyond that, well I could ask Bulma about making a gravity chamber, or put the idea in her head at least.

Before I could weigh my options further, I was given pause by a strange sensation buzzing in the back of my head. Sensing ki is an odd thing to describe. The closest I could give would be... Imagine if you had a 3D map of your surroundings in your head, and anything of significance is highlighted on that map. I could feel two presences coming my way, one modest and one even smaller. I could at least guess who one of them was.

"Tien! Tien!" A small voice called out. Turning, I quickly made out Chiaotzu's diminutive frame as he sprinted toward me, the breeze snapping the hem of his green robe. Trailing a few feet behind was a tall blonde in a green tank top and yellow shorts, her puffy hair bouncing with each step.

Ah, that's right. Launch's only substantial appearance in Z was filler in the early Saiyan saga, hanging around with Tien and Chiaotzu.

"If Shorty here is right, we got some real bad news!" Launch exclaimed, skidding to a halt and taking in a few heavy breaths.

"Goku, he... I can't sense his energy anymore! Him, or that really huge ki that he was fighting against," the mime-like boy frantically said.

I nodded, maintaining a grim expression. I suppose it would be best to feign ignorance for now, pretend to be in the dark on most things. "I know, I felt it too... But I can tell that Krillin and Master Roshi are already heading out that way. We should join them and get a handle on what's going on."

Launch had been Goku's friend too, she had a right to know what was going on.

I turned my back to her and crouched down, giving her the means to hop onto my back and get comfortable. She certainly didn't waste time. "Hold on tight. And maybe close your eyes."

On a reflex, my ki churned up inside my body like a swirling torrent of the sea. A white aura erupted around my body, just as the same happened for Chiaotzu. We both took to the air with frightful booms of speed, the rushing wind drowning out Launch's cry of surprise.

-----------

It was easy enough to make out Krillin and Roshi's energy. Even though he had used up a fair bit of his stamina against Raditz, Piccolo still stood at a level markedly above them, and his ki was moving at a steady pace away from their modest signatures.

It took a few minutes for the three of us to reach the mountainous, battle-scarred wasteland where Goku had met his first death. I flew down first, all too aware that Roshi and Krillin were watching our approach.

I landed first, with Chiaotzu landing a split second after. Launch clambered off my back, shivering slightly. "Cripes... how in the hell do you two stick that?"

"You get used to it!" Chiaotzu said in a chipper tone. Though, I had to admit that I felt a little chilly. It's not as comfortable as the anime makes it look.

"Tien, Chiaotzu, Launch," Krillin said, his expression grim. I could just about see the distant corpses of Goku and Raditz from where I stood, Krillin's diminutive stature doing little to hide them. I tried not to stare, but... looking at death so closely was a new experience for me.

I frowned, feeling a bit of worry rise up inside me. "So, it's true. Goku really is dead..."

Bulma was on the verge of tears, and even with his sunglasses on it was easy to see how troubled Roshi was. His posture was hunched, his fists clenched tight behind his back. "Yes. This 'Raditz' fellow appeared at Kame House, claiming to be Goku's brother... a terrifyingly powerful young man. Goku and Piccolo, sworn enemies, had to team up just to face him. But, even together..." The old man shook his head sadly, unable to look away from the remains of his greatest student.

"It's... been a heck of a day," Krillin said, scratching the back of his head. He went on to explain everything they had just been through. Goku being an alien, Goku having a son, two more alien conquerors making their way to earth because of the Dragon Balls... all things I knew about, but had to act surprised over. Chiaotzu looked set to fall over, and even Launch seemed startled by all this.

Once he had finished explaining, I sighed and settled my hands on my hips. They were reeling from all this, but it was all ancient history to me. I had to keep acting stoic, which fortunately suited Tien rather nicely.

"That's a whole lot to take in Krillin. But... if even stronger invaders are coming, we can't afford to wait around. Piccolo is going to do his own thing with Goku's son, and he seems to be on our side for now. But we need to do our own training... I'll see if I can rope Yamcha in. We'll need all hands for this."

"You have a plan?" Chiaotzu asked, looking up with hope in his expression.

I shrugged slightly. "Of a sort... Goku was no match for his 'brother', and these two newcomers are bound to be a lot stronger. Just following Goku's path of training won't accomplish much. But I might have an idea. We're heading to Korin's tower tomorrow. There's something I want to try."

Assuming the Ultra Divine Water doesn't kill me, at least... But we have to try, and I need every edge I can get.

I quite like having both my arms, after all.

Chapter 1

When the morning came, I left Yamcha and Krillin in Chiaotzu's care. I wanted to make sure that they had a strong grasp on flight, and the mime was pretty adept at it even without his telekinesis.

For my part I wanted to make a quick trip to Capsule Corp, and had to ask Yamcha for directions from the cliffside Chiaotzu and I had apparently been staying at. I was able to get away with asking, I imagine Tien didn't make many trips out that way.

I'd need to consider making that 'New Crane School' at some point, for a stable home if nothing else. Being a martial arts hobo in the middle of nowhere isn't exactly glamorous.

West City pulled up on the horizon ahead, a sprawl of pastel colored buildings stretching out across a healthy distant. Most of them were hemispheres or cylinder-shaped, with a few cuboids dotted about the busy streets.

Capsule Corp itself stood out well enough. The size of the building, the distinct logo, and the amount of land that had been marked away for the surrounding fields. I flew downward and landed neatly on the grass. It was easy enough to spy the... distinct form of Bulma's Mom (Whatever her name was) while she tended to a small bed of flowers.

"Ah... Hello, Mrs. Briefs," I awkwardly began. Had these two ever even met before?

"Hm?" She turned slightly, regarding me through perpetually closed eyes. "Oh, you must be one of Bulma's friends! She's in the lab, as usual! You can go in through the back door there."

Did the outfit give me away? I suppose we did make for a distinct bunch.

"Thanks," I quickly replied, turning and making for the sliding door she had gestured too.

I strode through the doorway, walking along the gleaming navy tiles at a steady pace through the lab, examining some of the looming machines in passing. They looked impressive, whatever they were.

The turquoise haired woman nearly walked right into me, yelping and jumping backward and letting her hands fall from the pockets of her Capsule Corp bomber jacket. She stared at me in shock for a moment, before heaving a sigh and relaxing.

"Geez Tien... for a big guy, you sure are quiet... Give a girl some warning next time, I definitely don't need any more stress," she said, scratching the back of her head.

"Sorry," I quickly replied, giving a light bow to my head. Looking down at the genius, I could see a little redness around her eyes. Goku's death, even if it could be reversed, was a rather recent affair after all. "You... you okay?"

Bulma sighed, closing her eyes. "Not really... even with the Dragon Balls, it's still such a shock to see Goku... dead. And poor Chi Chi. Her husband gets killed, and then her son gets kidnapped by Piccolo of all people."

Oh, right. Piccolo is still the second worst monster these guys have ever seen at the moment. Give it a couple of months and the power of friendship will make a good boy out of him.

"Desperate times, unfortunately... but we'll pull through, we always do." Although, unless I could change the course of events, this is about... the second worst thing this group will go through. Not as bad as Buu eating everyone and popping the planet like a balloon, but still pretty bad.

Still, she smiled just a bit. "That's true. But things just keep getting crazier and crazier. I always knew Goku was weird, but an alien... it does explain a lot though, I guess."

I nodded firmly. "Listen uh... I'm sure you're really busy here, but I wanted to give you an idea I had. Something that could really help for our training against the Saiyans," I said.

Bulma quirked a curious brow, folding her arms across her chest. "Really? Well lay it on me. If I can help stick it to those creeps, then I'll gladly do it."

"Well... lately I've been thinking about the weighted clothing people use. It's an efficient way to get stronger, but it might be approaching its limit. So I was thinking of something that would be similar, but potentially far more powerful. What if you could create a machine, some kind of chamber that could multiply gravity inside it. Something to test your body, and make you far more powerful when you return to normal gravity," I explained.

Bulma weighed my thought on her mind, stroking at her chin. "Manipulating gravity huh... I think Dad was tossing around something like that a while ago. I think I could put something like that together for you, but it might take me a couple of months..." she mused.

"We have at least a year, so we can do some regular training in the meantime. But if you design this machine, I'll need two capsules," I replied.

"Huh? Why two?" Bulma asked.

I cleared my throat. "One of them... is for Piccolo." Him and Gohan could benefit from one extensively, assuming Piccolo would take my offer. But it was gonna be a a tough sell for Bulma.

"W-what?! You wanna give a training tool to that guy?!" she asked in wide-eyed shock.

"I uh... look I know it sounds crazy, but we're all in this thing together. Piccolo is willing to work with us, and even if he changes sides again... well, Goku can whoop him." That was my hope, anyway.

Bulma seemed uncertain, regarding me closely. I sighed. "The first Saiyan that came our way marched over Goku and Piccolo... and the next two are meant to be much stronger. Piccolo has a vested interest in keeping the planet safe, and whatever training Goku is getting in the Other World is probably gonna be better than what we have."

Eventually, Bulma sighed and settled her hands on her hips. "Fine, I guess I can... put a spare together, if I find time..."

I smiled a little, relief rising inside me. If Bulma came through for us, we could handle Nappa at least.

"Oh uh... one more thing," I said.

Bulma huffed, giving me a mildly annoyed glare. "You want me to give Pilaf the Dragon Balls while I'm at it?"

No, that would come much later.

"How much do you know about space travel?" I asked.

-----------------

After a few days of basic training and practice, it was time to go for the fancy magic water.

Korin's Tower stood out well in advance on the horizon, a dense white column that extended high into the air and vanished into the clouds. Krillin, Yamcha, and Chiaotzu were all following close behind, the four of us forming into a V-formation that raked glowing white lines of ki through the air.

"I just can't believe it," Yamcha said, raising his voice to be heard over the roaring winds. "I mean... we've been in some real scrapes before. Getting caught in Pilaf's death trap, that time Piccolo blew a hole in Goku's body... but I guess I never thought Goku would ever die."

The arrival of the Saiyans would be fairly eventful for him if my plan failed.

"According to Kami, he's going off to train with some guy called King Kai. Sounds like it'll be the next big step for him. We can wish him back in time to help us... I just hope he'll be strong enough," Krillin said.

"It's Goku, of course he will be," I replied. The knowledge of foresight was somewhat comforting, as we were likely to ultimately win. And even if I did die, I could still be wished back on Namek.

But, then again, Fu was watching over all of this. He could manipulate things as he saw fit, all of time at his fingertips. I'd need to be cautious.

As we reached the tower, the four of us swept upward at an increasing pace and then snapped to a halt at the cobblestone deck that marked the interior of the saucer-shaped structure. I grit my teeth for a moment, a chill rolling over me from the breeze.

Christ... it's called a shirt Tien. I'd really need to get more clothing for this body.

It didn't tale long to spy Yajirobe at the other end of the platform, with the fat samurai snorting slightly at our presence. "The hell're you guys doin' out here? Need some senzu beans or somethin'?"

"Not yet, at least," Krillin admitted with a small sigh. "Uh... is Master Korin around? We need to speak with him."

"I already know what you're here to tell me," a gruff, aged voice said. It was slightly muffled, coming from the small accessway in the platform. Slowly, Korin's gnarled staff came into view, with the feline following soon after. "Goku's dead."

"Yeah, and an even bigger threat is heading our way! And we have less than a year to prepare!" Yamcha exclaimed.

"W-wha?! For real?!" Yajirobe barked, his shaggy hair standing on end in his sudden shock and fear.

Korin reached up with his right hand, scratching at his fluffy chin while his expression remained unchanging. "Well, that is some troubling news. That last creep was a threat to the whole planet, after all."

A tiny cat was walking and talking, right before my eyes. I'd definitely need to adjust to the weirdness going forward, but it was definitely a lot to get used to.

What if Korin and Beerus are somehow related? Come to think about it, what the heck is Puar? And that weird cat that's always on Bulma's dad's shoulder?

Discarding these thoughts, I cleared my throat and focused on Korin. "If... it's not too much to ask, Master Korin, we'd like to ask that you prepare as many senzu beans as you can in the coming year."

The feline scratched at the back of his head. "Well... the thing is, that's now always up to me. The beans can be a peculiar breed, requiring extensive care and maintenance. I'll do what I can, but it's be irresponsible of me to make promises," the feline stated. Slowly, he made his way to a small wicker basket that he proceeded to open up. After a few seconds, he held up his paw to reveal three beans. "Here's what I got for now. Feel free to use 'em in your training if you need them!"

He was quick to toss the beans my way, which I promptly caught and pocketed. Come to think about it, I couldn't recall an instance of Bulma seeing a senzu bean. Perhaps she could put them to good use?

"There's one more thing I wanted to ask Master Korrin. Back when King Piccolo was rampaging around the earth, I've heard you gave Goku some kind of magic water to boost his strength," I began. "Perhaps... you could do the same for us? There's no way of knowing how effective it'll be, but we're going to need plenty of help to handle these incoming Saiyans."

Krillin nodded. "I mean it sounds pretty risky, but... with how outmatched we all were against Raditz, we need to pull out all the stops. Goku will be back in time, but... just in case something goes wrong, we need to be ready to do what we can," the short monk stated.

"The Ultra Divine Water eh...? Almost forgot I had that. Fortunately I should have enough for you all... But I should warn you, this stuff is pretty dangerous. Goku nearly died from a cup of it."

"Then... I'll take the first sip, just to test it. And if I die, the others will know to avoid it, and I can try King Kai's training too," I offered. My three allies yelped in shock, with Chiaotzu staring at me in wide-eyed horror.

Krillin swallowed hard. "T-Tien, are you sure? This is death we're talking about, and you're sounding pretty casual about it!" he said.

"Yeah dude, I mean... we're in danger, but dying for the sake of training sounds a bit much," Yamcha hastily added.

I shrugged in return. "I have to try. And if Goku could handle it when he was weaker than King Piccolo, then... I'd give us good odds."

I just barely caught a glimpse of Korin disappearing through the accessway, no doubt going for the water. Krillin took in a heavy breath and turned his attention to Yajirobe. "So uh... you wanna help us out Yajirobe? This kind of effects you too, ya know."

Yajirobe grumbled, crossing his arms over his broad chest. "Yeah... I guess. I ain't drinking any of that gross water though! Been down that road before..."

I suppose Yajirobe has his uses. Or at least, if Nappa or Vegeta go Oozaru, he can chop some tail. Not that that would be necessary if I can pick up Krillin's Destructo Disc. Or prevent Vegeta from doing that 'fake moon' shit.

Once Korin returned, clutching a small white kettle in his right hand, and a matching cup resting on his tail, he glanced my way (Or I assumed as much, with his eyes being perpetually shut) and set the kettle down. I entered the tower, inspecting the container and the small Kami symbol imprinted on the porcelain.

"You sure you wanna go through with this? It's not fun," Korin warned. Regardless, he proceeded to fill the cup with the most unnaturally clear water I had ever seen. It sparkled, even with no light upon it.

"Getting torn apart by alien invaders sounds even less fun," I pointed out. If I died, I could hopefully at least go for Snake Way too.

I held the cup to my lips and sniffed it. Nothing. It had the same non-scent as regular water. And yet... something about it just seemed off. Maybe it was my own looming sense of dread.

Regardless I bit the bullet and threw my head back, downing the cup in one fluid gulp. Krillin and Chiaotzu yelped in unison, jumping back from me. Yamcha went rigid, staring at me as if he expected me to just... explode.

Well, I didn't. But it sure felt like it for a moment.

Some kind of strangled scream escaped my throat, every nerve in my body howling in white hot pain that had me dropping the cup and clenching my fists tight. Sweat broke out along my body. My muscles tensed, my breathing became harder until my throat began to burn.

"T-Tien! Tien don't die!" Chiaotzu cried out, rushing to my side.

I fell back hard on the cobblestone floor, writhing and sweating, while my heart beat so fast it felt as if it was trying to punch out my ribcage. Korin stood by, impassive, while Yajirobe was on edge from what I could make out through my increasingly blurry vision.

Then it all went dark.

-----------------

However long I was out, the skies beyond the tower were jet black by the time I could open my eyes. A noise, croaking and breathless, rose from my throat.

"H-hey, he's waking up!" Sounded like Yamcha, but it was as if the voice was coming from miles away.

Slowly, with great difficulty and soreness, I worked to sit upright in a cold sweat.

"Easy buddy, easy. Geez... you've been down for a while..." Krillin moved under my right arm, helping to support the bulk of my body. I muttered thanks, or tried too anyway. It just came out as some slurred blob of malformed syllables.

"Toldja that water was gross," Yajirobe flatly said.

My balance began to steady, my vision following soon after. "Point... proven..." I huffed, wincing my left eye.

Korin nodded faintly, not even at eye level with me even while I was seated. "It's not meant to be a walk in the park. But you survived, so it must've worked."

Chiaotzu made his way around to my left, breathing a loud sigh of relief. "Do you feel any stronger Tien? That stuff hit you pretty hard," the mime-boy said.

"I... think so..." Everything felt a little fuzzy, and it was a challenge to make much sense of my own body right now. I reached my right hand up, swiftly clenching my fist. The temple shook briefly around us, tremors rolling down the ivory column that supported it, and nearly knocking the others off balance entirely.

"Easy! Easy! This tower isn't exactly built for rockin' all over the place!" Korin exclaimed.

I think it was safe to assume it had worked, but I couldn't quite tell by how much. I hoped, at least, that I was stronger than Goku had been when he fought Raditz. But I suppose my ultimate preference was that I could match Raditz himself. Time would tell, and I was gonna be training excessively regardless.

It took me a few minutes before I could stand up, my left hand wiping the sweat from my bald head. "Then I think that's a clear sign that you guys can take some too... Take your time. Kami's Lookout is near here, right?"

"Above us. Ya should announce yourself before you land. Mr. Popo can get defensive... then again, you all met Kami before," Korin explained.

I eventually maid my way to the railing, my strength soon fully returning to me. As I peered upward, I could hear Krillin and Yamcha debating the Ultra Divine Water.

"So uh... you wanna...?" Yamcha began,

"No no! After you!" Krillin nervously replied.

"I mean uh... th-that's cool, I'm not even thirsty!" the former-bandit said.

"Oh for... just drink the damn water! We don't have all year!" I shouted over my shoulder. Leaving them to it, I vaulted the railing and swooped my body skyward.

A thin layer of clouds parted above me, revealing the floating structure of Kami's weird sky palace. I swiftly roamed under the hemispherical base, admittedly taking a bit of time on the way up. The Lookout looked cool, what can I say?

Coming up over the deck, I let my gaze roam along the small rows of trees that marked the front edge of the Lookout, until my eyes hit the main temple structure of the Lookout. Mr. Popo was watering the flowerbeds near the doorway, seeming not to notice me.

And yet, I couldn't shake the feeling that he was all too aware of my presence.

"Uh... excuse me?" I called out.

"Yes? Can I help you?" I bristled a bit at Popo's words, but steadily calmed down. After the Abridged Series, it was easy to forget that Popo was ultimately a kindhearted, well meaning (but kinda racist) genie. It'd take some time to get used to it.

Clearing my throat, I asked "Do you... happen to know who I am?"

"Yes, Tien Shinhan. One of Goku's friends. Kami was expecting an appearance from you, and earth's other warriors. Goku may be training in the Other World, but that doesn't give you an excuse to rest on your laurels."

"No, it doesn't," I agreed. But training up here alone would accomplish little, beyond landing most of us in an early grave. It'd make for a nice training ground until Bulma finished the gravity chamber. "If it's okay with you, we were hoping to do some training up here on the Lookout. "

"The situation being the way it is, and with the danger posed by the Saiyans, Kami is willing to allow it." The portly genie rose to his feet, his hands clasped behind his back. "Provided you don't damage the Lookout, at least."

I gave Popo a firm nod. "Well, I greatly appreciate it. But I had another reason for coming out here."

Floating down, I landed a few feet in front of Popo. He tilted his head slightly, a bit of mild curiosity in his expression. "Ah? And what might that be?"

For my time here, I wanted to try and learn plenty of techniques outside of the ones that make people explode. Tien already knew the Evil Containment Wave, which could be a handy tool, but I had a particular interest in picking up this next skill for the sake of training.

"I'm given to understand you and Kami know a technique that can create objects and clothing 'magically', so to speak... could you please," I gave the genie a respectful bow. "Teach it to me?"

"Oh? You wish to learn Magic Materialization?" the genie calmly asked. He silently looked me over for a few seconds, seeming to inspect me on several levels. "Well," Popo eventually said. "If you're going to be on the Lookout, I'm sure we can find time teach you some new tricks."