Chapter 117: There is everything you know and there is everything that happens

“You… you can see it?!” Rick said bewildered.
“Yes? I can see a representation of you and little boxes around it with clothes inside. There are also a bunch of other things. Like Love*? Shop?”

Rick’s jaw lowered comically, too shocked at the fact that Robin could see the system. When his brain rebooted, he stood up from his position and looked down at a confused Robin.

“Oh, it’s gone now.”

He looked at her for a moment and didn’t know what to think or do.

‘Diana.’
‘What?! I swear if you’re inter…”
‘Robin saw the system.’
‘...That’s impossible! From what I understood, only you can!’
‘And you.’
‘That’s because I’m linked to you via our soul! That’s…’
‘She can’t see it anymore though.’
‘... Yet the window is still open…  Did something change between the moment she saw it and the one she didn’t?”
‘I was sitting next to her holding her hand then I just stood up.’
‘... Try touching her?’ the goddess forwarded in curiosity.

Rick extended his hand towards Robin who looked at it, then at him before taking it in hers.

“Oh, It’s back.”
‘‘What the fuck!?’’ Rick and Diana exclaimed in unison.
‘How is that possible?!’
‘I don’t know! Has it ever happened before?!”
‘No!’
“Rick?” Robin asked, a bit worried.
“You… you shouldn’t be able to see it. You never have before.”
“What is it?”
“It’s… A system. Something that… I was born with, I think.” he half lied. While he wasn’t about to tell her about the whole shebang by fear of the goddess, the actual one that sent him here, doing something to her, he would still talk about it because she deserved to know.
“Is that another devil fruit…”
“No. No it’s not. It’s… the proof that… I was talking about earlier or rather it’s the proof that… Other worlds or realities than our own exist. Though I thought otherwise until you set me straight with your wisdom.”
“What is it exactly? And why can I see it now when I couldn't before? And the female voice I heard when I took your hand, who is it?”
“You can hear her?!” / ‘You can hear me?!’
“Yes. Shouldn’t I be able to? Is it not your doing?” inquired a puzzled Robin who found the situation very strange.
‘‘What the hell?!’’
“I don’t know, it’s you who’s doing things I've never seen you do before. Mind boggling things.”
“You heard my thoughts too?!”
“Yes.”

Letting go of her hand Rick asked again.
“No, I don't hear your thoughts anymore.”

Taking her hand back in his he started to explain whatever he could, still shocked at what was happening.

“Okay… So… The voice…”
“It’s the devil, right?”
‘I’m not a devil! Thank you very much! I’m a goddess!’
“Oh, my apologies.”
“I’m freaking out, Diana is freaking out and you’re taking it like…” he couldn’t find the words and simply waved his free hand up and down at Robin.
“Not the weirdest things I’ve seen. That’s Brook.”
“...”
‘...’
“I’d say nice to meet you Diana but considering the grief you’ve given my husband, I’ll abstain.” Robin said, making Rick snort.
‘For what it’s worth, I’m sorry about it but my situation as you know was untenable. Years of it was…’
“I understand. Now, what’s this window? You said it was a system?”
“I… Yes, a system.” Rick began, still not having quite recovered from the ordeal. “It informs me of the state of my body and…”
“Is that how you knew you were dying?”
“I… Yes… There was a big red warning with a timer just above my head.”
“That sounds quite useful.”
“Not really? I mean the warning was but otherwise it does nothing useful except this.”

Rick clicked on the kimono’s icon he was wearing and put it in his inventory. Immediately he found himself in his underwear in front of Robin, disbelieving eyes. Then he pulled the kimono from the inventory and put it back in the appropriate slot and he was dressed again.

“That’s… useful indeed.”
“I never use it though. Most of the time I forget about it since I’m not using the system much.”
“Why?”
“Well, I… never had the need? I mean… I don’t have any problem dressing myself normally. I only ever use it for the shop but it’s so expensive that I rarely use it either.”

Trying to satisfy her curiosity, Robin raised her free hand and touched the word ‘shop’. Immediately, the whole display changed and presented one that Rick was very familiar with.

“You can even interact with it. What the…”
“So you lied when you said Vegapunk fixed you.” she stated in a neutral voice. She wasn’t accusatory or remorseful in the least as she said this while pointing to the screen at everything that Rick had purchased.
“What?! No, I didn’t. I did met the man two years ago and he promised to find a cure for my condition. When I… bloomed I just bought the body he had created and it just updated mine.” he defended himself but that wasn’t enough, he knew from Robin’s raised brow and her face that was saying ‘ Please keep lying to me when I have proof of it right before my eyes.’ “Look. I may have… embellished and modified things a bit but it all related to the system. Would you have believed me if I had talked about it?”
“... I would have been skeptical but I would have believed you. I do understand why you… told me and the crew a different tale. I’m not mad, I’m more curious than anything.”
“I… mainly use it to lock devil fruits out of circulation when I can buy them or give some to people that would use it responsibly and not for anything nefarious.”
“Like Nami’s Tenki Tenki no mi and Whitebeard’s Guro Guro no mi from what I see.”
“Yes. During my stay on O’Hara I used it a lot to help in the reconstruction and for food though rarely because that’s expensive.” he added and Robin nodded but went back to talk about the devil fruits, pointing out to his
“You bought your second devil fruit nearly twenty years ago. The Me Me no mi. Meaning that you found the Zushi Zushi no mi by yourself listfirst since it’s not on the list of purchases and then targeted the Me Me no mi.”
“At first I wanted the Hana Hana no mi but it was too expensive for me at the time. By the time I did, you had already eaten it.”
“Why?”
“Hmm?”
“Why… my fruit?”
“Because it was the prettiest and the coolest in terms of powers.” he replied sheepishly.
“So you already had an idea of what you wanted to do back then.”
“Yeah…”
“How do you buy… things?”
“Karma.”
“Karma?”
“By doing good deeds I’m rewarded with karma points. The greater the deed the greater the points. One Karma point is equivalent to 100 000 Berry.”
“That’s why, despite the price of what you bought being low compared to the rest of the items of the shop you only bought the imperfect body and the Me Me no mi.” she began, understanding immediately what Rick was implying. “Since East blue is the weakest sea, the bounties must have been really low hence few points.”
“Yes.”
“You were unlucky to be there.”
“Regarding points? Yes but I wouldn’t say I was unlucky. I met grandpa, I met Rayleigh, then Big Sis and Uncle…”
“Did you join the marines to…”
“No! I joined the navy because I really wanted to help people and see the world.  Also because I didn’t have much of a choice. I mean I was an amnesiac orphan.”
“... You have a lot of points.” she remarked.
“ Capturing or killing bounties is not as rewarding as one might think. Saving people on the other hand is the opposite.”
“That’s why you have so much?”
“Yes. Saving the people of Alubarna granted me a lot. Destroying the island of justice too to my surprise. I didn’t think I would get any, rather I believed I’d lose a lot.”

Robin stayed silent and this time looked at the items available.

“Some things are just… Why are they so expensive? It’s in the Billions, how could you afford that?”
“I reached 900 Millions once I think? So It’s not impossible, as for why it’s so expensive, it’s because those items are from other worlds. Since we can't find it in ours it makes sense to me that the price is high.”
“Does that work only for you?”
“Well, no. Nami and Sabo got a devil fruit…”
“I was referring to your perfect body? How did it work?”
“I bought it and activated it. I had another window that appeared, indicating the time it would take for the body to be implemented and I… just went unconscious during the change. Wait actually the last one I just… felt lighter? Why are you asking?”
“I’m wondering if I can change my body for one of those.” she said nonchalantly scrolling this time the devil fruit list.
“Why? Your body is already perfect.”  he replied and got a smile and a kiss for it.
“It says the age process is slower. I’d very much like to stay younger for longer.”
“Did I never tell you that the more you age the more beautiful you are?”
“You did but there will come a point when it will stop. Besides... The ability to eat a second devil fruit and having a body in peak condition is not to be dismissed. There is the healing factor too.”
“You do know you will have to deal with Diana?”
‘There is no way to know how that… second version of me will behave. I more or less calmed myself down with the years despite… being a bit unhinged so to speak.’
“And that’s presuming that you can use it to begin with. This whole situation is new, Robin. How you could access the system is beyond me. Even Diana didn’t have access to it until our soul synced.”
“... You’re right. On an unrelated note, Big Mom’s and Kaido’s devil fruit are there.”
“Oh? Do I have enough to buy them?” he said as he looked at the window. Turned out he did and immediately made the purchase.
“Where are they?” inquired Robin.
“In here.” Rick answered as he opened the inventory page to show them the devil fruits.

Robin raised her hand again and tapped on Kaido’s fruit. Immediately the fruit appeared in her hand. That surprised her and the fruit fell on the ground between their feet.

“That inventory is… You can do so much with it.”
“Only if I can have access to the system. I mean, when Kaido was holding me captive, I couldn’t use my hand or anything else to use it but otherwise yes. I never really had the need for it though.”

Picking the fruit up, Robin looked at it for a moment then pushed it against the window which absorbed it. It was back into its slot in the inventory. Having seen the shop, the inventory and the profile page, she tapped on the love page. A dozen names were displayed in alphabetical order, each with a number next to them. The first name was Hancock's and Robin couldn’t help herself.

“A 100 out a 100? Is that… A love meter?” she asked skeptically.
“I don’t know?”
“You don’t?!”
“No. I don’t remember seeing that page before.”
“Kaza: 100/100. Nami: 98/100. Oden: 34/100.”
“Oden? Why is he here in the love page? I don’t have any feelings for Oden beyond friendship and gratitude.”
“Did you take a good look at him? He’s gorgeous!”  Robin replied, incredulous.
“Well, yeah but it's not love, it’s lust. And I think the thing is faulty. I mean. I love Kaza but not more than Nami, that’s for sure.”
“I don’t think it’s the love you have for others but others’ love for you.”
“... Now, that would make sense. I wonder what your number is.” he inquired with a smile knowing the answer. He got ignored by Robin.
“Reiju: 73/100, Shirahoshi: 56/100, Tsuru: 91/100, Viola: 62/100…”
“Really? We barely know each other.”
“You did make a lasting impression on her.” Robin noted aloud with a smirk and kept reading. “Vivi: 90/100.”
“What about you?” Rick asked again.
“...”
“Come on Robin. It’s not fair to expose them but not you.”
“Error.”
“What?”
“It says ‘error’, look.” she replied and pointed at her name.

Indeed when Rick looked at Robin’s score there wasn’t a number but the word ‘error’ written instead.
“... Are you… regretting loving me?” he wondered tentatively.
“No. Never.”
“It just means her love for you is unquantifiable. To begin with, putting a number on love is foolish. You can’t count love.’ Diana intervened.

Rick was playing a bit dumb, faking knowing how the page worked. He didn’t want Robin to think that by using it he could seduce or brainwash anyone to love him. While it was true that he had never noticed the page and that he had jokingly thought that he had to get love points with the women at first and referred to it that way, he had stopped the moment he truly fell in love with Robin. He had no idea what the error meant but Diana’s explanation made sense.

“So you love me so much, that you broke a power that even a Goddess doesn’t understand. Somehow… I like knowing that. Though I don’t like that page. Diana is right, you can’t put a number on love.”
“I agree. That’s just so… stupid and sad.” she  replied and Rick closed the window. “How did you do that?”
“Closing the window? I just thought ‘close’. To open it I just say or think ‘status” while thinking of opening it.” he explained further with the last bit knowing that Robin would have asked.
“Status?”

To everyone’s present a window opened, except this time it was not right in front of Rick but in front of Robin.

From the avatar to the clothes slots, the inventory, the love page and the shop page. Everything was right however the avatar displayed was Robin’s.

“...”
“...”
‘...’

That the window had clearly opened for her and not for Rick had frozen everyone's train of thoughts.

“How?!” Rick exclaimed.
‘That shouldn’t be possible.’

Letting go of her husband’s hand, Robin tried to close and open the window again and succeeded without any difficulty.

“Robin?”
“It works even when I'm not in contact with you.”
“It does?!”
“Yes, didn’t you see?” she asked.
“No. When you let go of my hand the window disappeared.”
“It didn’t. It’s only after that I closed it and opened it once more.” she replied and took back his hand in hers, allowing to see her window again.
“I have so many questions.”
“Me too.”
‘Me three. I may have an idea though.’
““What is it?””

‘Clearly, that power, she got it from you. Since I linked myself to your soul I was able to see it and know about it. I think we can all reasonably agree that you’re the one responsible for Robin being able to use it.”
““Makes sense.””
‘Now to prove my theory I need to take control of your body for a moment, will you permit it?’
“... Go ahead.”

As soon as the words left his mouth, hors bloomed from the side of his head like it usually happened when Diana had taken over. Wasting no time she opened the system and a widow appeared in front of her, right next to Robin’s. She closed it and gave back control to Rick.

“What…” he began to ask but Diana interrupted him.
‘I suspected as much and I was right. The power comes from your soul. Since the two of us are connected I was able to use it.’
“But I’m not.” interjected Robin.
‘I wouldn’t be so sure.’
““What do you mean?”” the married couple asked.
‘... It will sound cheesy and very cringe but I think your souls are connected. Through love. That’s why Robin’s didn’t have a number next to her name. Because as I said it’s too strong to be quantified.’
“...”
‘It wouldn’t be the first time.’
“You saw something like that before?” asked the brunette.
‘You particular situation? No. It’s really unique. Two people loving each other so much that their own souls connect? Yes, plenty. I was complete at the time and it was easy for me to see. I’m way too diminished now to be able to but my guess is, if you look at Robin’s love page next to Rick’s name, there would be marked ‘error’ too.’

Looking at each other in puzzlement for a moment, Robin and Rick turned towards her window. Tapping on the right page a smaller list of names appeared.

“Hancock: 50/100, Koala: 100/100, Nami: 100/100, Reiju: 75/100, Rick: ERROR, Shiraoshi: 39/100, Viola: 77/100, Wanda: 96/100.” Rick read aloud. “Well, that gives credit to your theory, Diana. I have a lot of questions for you though, Ro.
“What are they?”
“I thought Koala was a work in progress and off limits?”
“She is. I don’t know why her number is that high. I always thought she had a thing for Sabo.”
“Reiju and Viola?”
“I had all night with Viola and we did more than just have sex, we talked too. Reiju, we’ve never been intimate together but she was with me when we crash landed here and the crew was separated. She was very supportive with… Nevermind. Wanda, because I know you’ll ask, we got acquainted very very well before we left for Wano.” she finished with a teasing smile.
“You…”
‘Can we please focus back on the matter at hand? We just proved that both your souls were connected! Meaning, it’s probably the reason why Robin can use your ability.’
“Right, let’s look at things.” the aforementioned brunette said and switched from the Love page to the Shop.

Looking at her Karma points Rick was astonished to see a whooping hundred Million and some thousands. His attention was diverted when Rick tapped on the screen and a validation popped up. He didn’t have the time to read what she had bought as she agreed too fast to the purchase. He only knew that It coast almost all her points.

“Robin, what did you…” he hastily began to ask but stopped when he saw her standing straight with her eyes closed. His eyes nearly popped out of their orbits when her kimono began to tear itself in some parts as some of her assets started overflowing. Less than ten seconds after she bought whatever body she chose in the shop she opened her eyes.

“So that’s how her body feels.” she whispered.
“Ro? Who are you talking about?”
“Reiju. I saw her body in the shop and I bought it.”
“No offense, but you look nothing like Reiju. If anything you’re even more curvier than before.”
“Hmm?” she asked and seeing Rick looking at her up and down she lowered her gaze to look at the changes. She was surprised to find her breasts being mightily constricted by her kimono and almost spilling out. More than that, she noticed the tears to the side of her cloth, clearly indicating that her waist and hips had gotten a boost too. Looking up at her husband she looked at him in bewilderment.

“Quick! Turn around!” he urged her, grabbing her by the shoulder and doing exactly that. “Oh my Goddess!”
“What?!” Robin exclaimed worried as she turned back.
“Your ass! It’s even bigger and more perfect than before.” he replied, moved by what he saw.
“... Really?” she said in a deadpan face and a deadpanned voice.
“It’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen, Ro.” he said, nodding, completely missing her tone. Sighing, she simply let it go.
“I don’t get it. There was nothing about that in the description. It only spoke about enhancing the physical aspect of the body.”
“That it did. Maybe Reiju wouldn’t have been as curvy as she is if she hadn’t been enhanced herself.”
“Maybe.”
“Not that I’m complaining, quite the opposite actually but how are we going to explain this? I mean we can get you new clothes outside or through the shop but Nami will notice the changes. Sanji too.”
“I don’t know.” she replied truthfully. The only way would be to explain the existence of the system and that was something that shouldn’t be done, she agreed with Rick with that. They could confide in Nami, that she knew for sure but she would reveal that Rick and her shared a special bond that could bum their kitten out. Sharing that information with their redhaired fiancée was, hence, a no. “I say we simply don’t say anything. I’ve been mainly with Reiju all this time, so Nami may not notice and if she does I can just say she’s remembering it wrong.”
“Reiju will ask questions.”
“Then I won’t answer. As simple as that. She won’t pry further, I know that much.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes. I got to know her really well and she’s not the type to dwell on things much.”
“Why did you take her body in the first place? Not like I would have loved you less if you lost some of your curves but…”
“It wasn’t her body but the type. Because of what it can do. Enhance physical abilities. Both in offense and defense, fast healing, any defect of the body corrected.”
“Your body has always been perfect, Robin.”
“In your eyes but not in mine.”
“You’re an idiot. But if you’re happy with it then I have nothing more to say, that's all that matters.” Rick said sweetly, making her smile and getting a loving kiss for it.

Robin opened the shop again and this time bought the very same Kimono she was wearing but fitting her body’s new changes. When she switched to the personal page where the inventory was to use her purchase, Rick froze. She didn’t notice at first and went to look at herself, to see if the kimono was ‘applied’ to her body correctly. Looking up to him she was about to ask for his opinion when she saw the state he was in. Clearly something had startled him. Following his line of sight she noticed in horror, just under her avatar among a long list of words, sometimes in red, sometimes in green, four words in a crimson color.

[4 Months Ago]: Miscarriage