Chapter 137: Separation

Chapter 137: Separation

He never thought that he would meet the man again. More than that he had hoped to never meet the man again.

‘What the fuck am I going to do?’
‘... I have absolutely no idea!’

The reason Rick and Diana were panicking was because in front of them was Dr. Vegapunk. The real one. Not the old man that he met on the island Kuma had sent him. To be accurate the man he met was Vegapunk but just a part of it. One of six plus the original.
The crew had reached the next island after leaving Wano and following the Log Pose. They barely got close enough that they were attacked by mechanical Sea Kings and saved by a rather pretty woman who claimed to be Vegapunk. Of course Rick had strongly denied it. Except she knew about his visit to the scientist in a rather detailed manner. When she said that he had met Shaka, a version of Vegapunk just like her, he became confused. Then fearful when she asked how he was still alive. Thankfully the question was vague and he could answer with a part of the truth. The part about being reborn through a seed of himself.

She invited the crew onto the island, Sunny included and led them to the Vegapunk original. On the way, they discovered with awe others Vegapunk that also had their proper names and were referring to themselves as ‘satellites’. That wasn’t the only thing they were awed about. Fast food dispensers, clothes dispensers. While the former had been popular with the glutton in the crew, the latter was unanimously liked. With the exception of Robin, the oldest members and Garp chose a laid back outfit. A simple shirt with flower designs, a short and flip flop. The others all went for battle clothes.

Lilith, the first satellite they had encountered had quickened the pace and soon enough they met her creator. A rather short man with a big head. A very. Big. Head. Or at least it would have. Vegapunk’s head looked like someone had cut part of it. A lot of them. Rick suspected that the satellites all had one part of VEgapunk’s brain. He put the impossibility of such a thing into the ‘it’s One Piece’s logic’ category and ignored it. There were more important things going on than to find the answer to that question. Like surviving Vegapunk’s curious stare. Thankfully the other members of the crew were preoccupied by the other satellites and the technology around.

“I’m curious. Shaka told me that you had a month to live at best. Almost four years ago.”
“I’m a man who defies expectations.” he replied with a shrug. “I’ll tell you one day but there are more serious things to talk about.”
‘Good redirection.’
‘Thank you.’
“Oh? And what might that be?”
“We have with us, someone whose time was paused by a user of the Toki Toki no Mi.”
“Then ask the user of the Toki Toki no Mi to undo it.” the man answered simply, suddenly uninterested.
“Except it happens the user has been dead for twenty years and paused the time of our… friend, 800 years ago.”

At that tidbit of supplementary information, the man’s eyes grew wide.

“800 years ago, you say?”
“Yes.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“Because we found the body in the ruins of the sunken Lost Kingdom. Intact. Also because the soul that belongs to the body is partly with me.”
“... The sea devil? From Shaka’s report you were being taken over from time to time.” asked Vegapunk, his eyes shining with curiosity and excitement.
“She is more of a Goddess than a devil but yes. And the taking over part has been resolved between the two of us. I lend her my body from time to time or if the situation really requires it she just takes control.”
“Incredible!” exclaimed the odd old man beginning to jump all around Rick , like a kid on a sugar rush. “May I see?”
“You want to see a Goddess just to observe her and satisfy your curiosity? Quite courageous.”
“Oh! That’s not what I meant! Not all! I wish to talk with her about the Void Century not study her. Although if she permits…”
“I will not.” replied Diana, taking over.
“Fascinating.” whispered the man, amazed. “My Lady, nice to meet you.” he greeted her with a polite bow.
“You will not study me, child. But you may ask your questions.” she announced in her usual regal tone.
“I have so many! I don’t know where to begin!”
“... You only get three.” the goddess said. She was still a bit peeved with the smile.
“THREE?! Oh dear! Hmm… I have to choose them carefully. I guess I’ll just ask one by category but which one? Right right, those ones. Alright. *ahem* My first question is: How did you create the devil fruits?”
“They were not devil fruits at first, just fruits. I took a bit of my power and shaped it in the way I or a person asking for it wanted. A young woman once asked me for a fruit that would help her remember every small bit of knowledge she ever learned so when I poured my power into the fruit I would give her, I just willed for her to be able to do exactly that. You know what the results were rather intimately I believe.”
“Yes I do.” replied the man, understanding that she talked about the creation of the Nomi Nomi no Mi, the fruit he had eaten. “This is fascinating, your will was simple but the results were unexpected. I wonder if anyone could do that?”
“I will not count this one as one of your three questions but in a way yes. While limited because of the effect of the fruit, users can influence it in a certain measure. For example, the Mera Mera no mi was supposed to make the person who ate it a fire person. The user himself willed to do more with it, like sending fireballs and was able to.”
“I see…. My second question is: How did the Lost Kingdom fall?”
“I sunk it under the sea to stop our enemies from plundering its technology when they invaded.”
“The twenty families, I believe.”
“Led by my traitorous daughter, yes.”
“Your…” he stopped himself asking that question. Earlier she let it slide because it was linked tightly to his original question. But this one wasn’t. “Do you know what caused the sea level to rise so drastically?”
“The melting of the Eternal Snow and my daughter accelerating the processus.”
“... Your daughter seems to be at the origin of a lot of important events in the world.”
“Considering she has been ruling the world in the shadows for 800 years… Yes, she is.”
“She’s still alive?! But…”
“You asked three questions already.” she remarked with a smirk. “Now it’s my turn.”
“Oh! Of course, of course! My apologies. Please, ask away.”
“Is there no way for me to regain my body and to… ‘unpause’ it?”
“Had it been a normal person, my previous answer would still be holding up. But now…” he pondered, scratching his head. “Am I correct in thinking that you gained back awareness because the young man you’re using as a vessel ate two devil fruits?”
“You are. When I sunk my Kingdom, I split my souls in pieces. One for each fruit I created. Those pieces found their way to users or fruits and cursed them.”
“To not be able to swim and being weak to water. Yes, yes… The question is how and would I be wrong to think that, be it a fruit or a person, your soul was attracted to your power?”
“You wouldn’t.”
“Good, good… So it confirms for real that the will comes from the soul. In that case, did you try to… transfer yourself to your body?”
“I did but nothing happened. It would have been a moot point. My body was shot through the heart and had his time paused.”
“Time is not really a problem. Isn’t it a fragment of your power? Wouldn’t you be able to do what you want with it? Like taking it back.”
“Hmm..” was the non-answer Diana gave the scientist as she began to think. “It may be possible although… When I gave and took a bit of my power, I was at the height of it. It was just a drop in a vast ocean. Now, I am rather limited. I have enough to influence the power my vessel has but not other people.”
“I see… Now about the transfer… Your body is something physical, your soul, your will and the abilities born from them are not. Perhaps this is why you can’t make it. Did you try feeding your body devil fruits? Since they contain fragments of your soul you may make the transfer? I don't think you would suffer the same fate as a regular… mortal so to speak since it’s your body that housed your power and soul.”
“... That is worth a try but the problem with time is still unresolved properly. I could very well be trapped in my own body without knowing it.”
“Back to finding the Toki Toki no Mi or its current user, then.” sighed Vegapunk. “Oh! And fixing your heart, but that is…”

He was interrupted by a very loud alarm.

“What’s going on?” asked Luffy who had been playing with technological trinkets with Usopp and Chopper with a satellite wearing the number 4.

“We’re being attacked.” said n°1 the one that Rick had met.

He displayed an hologram in front of everyone that displayed at least fifty navy ships shooting at the island.

“Oh, dear!” exclaimed the original Vegapunk.
“Aren’t you working for the world government? Why did they summon a buster call? No, with the number of ships it’s more than one.” inquired Rick who had replaced Diana.
“Not on my own free will. You could say I was on probation.”
“And what did you do to ruin your probation?” wondered Sanji.
“I may or may not have studied secretly the Void Century.” Vegapunk replied sheepishly.
“That doesn’t make any sense. We already went to Laugh Tale, we found the missing history, they know the former for certain, the latter is almost a given. Why attack you?” Rick inquired.
“I…”

Another but different alarm sounded.

“They’re already inside the island.” warned Shaka.
“That’s impossible?! The energy shield is still up!” shouted n°3
“Impossible or not, they are there.” Rick said.
“That’s not good! I can’t let the World Government get their hands on the technology here! That would be disastrous!”
“We kick their asses then!” shouted Luffy and got the approval of many in the crew.
“Luffy! It’s fifty ships with the elites of the marines on board!” yelled Nami, hoping to make him see reasons.
“With pacifistas and…”
“Kizaru. Shit of all people, it’s him they sent.” Rick said, greeting his teeth.

He wasn’t afraid of Kizaru since with his black hole ability he could deal with the lightman. However Borsalino was a cunning and shrewd guy and may find a way to circumvent his disadvantage. Between him, Aokiji and Akainu he was the one he had wanted to deal with the least back then. That was still the case.

“What do we do then?” asked Franky.
“Could you help me? I need to pack most everything and leave the island. I need time.”
“And a boat. They destroyed the entrances for both boats and submarines.” Shaka shared.
“.. Alright, Rick and I we will hold them off, Franky, Jimbei, Nami go to the Sunny and be ready for our departure. Everyone else, help with transporting things.”
“Luffy, what about grandpa?”
The Pirate King stopped on his way out at his Vice-Captain question.

“I don’t know. Gramps, you can stay with us or join back the marines.” was all he said then left behind a silent Garp and wondering Rick.
“...Whatever you chose, it was nice sailing with you again.”

Rick left too and joined Luffy outside. The rubber man was already knocking left and right marines. Crossing his arms Rick sprouted a good number of them on each enemy in his sight. Either clutching them or using gravity to put them down. Snatching the sword of one of the fallen, he charged it with gravity and Haki and began to send slashes of it  in every direction in front of him. Every marines who was touched by it was sent flying backward. Captain and Vice-captain held the line without much problem until the Pacifistas came out to play with Kizaru as a bonus.  The admiral didn’t wait to shoot a ray of light right to an occupied Luffy. Reacting quickly, an arm sprouted on Luffy’s side and pushed him away while Rick rushed to meet Kizaru.

“We meet again.”
“Unfortunately.”
“Oh, my! What a greeting.”
“Said the man who shot to kill for a greeting less than a few seconds ago.” replied Rick who kicked high aiming for the head but missed.
“Feww. That was close.”

“How about you order a retreat before someone gets really hurt.” This time he punched and grazed his opponent's shoulder instead of hitting air.
“I’d love to but orders are orders.” Kizaru replied, disappearing in a flash to reappear leg in motion and hit Rick in the temple, sending him flying away.

He didn’t go very far, using his gravity to stop his movement.

“Fine. Don’t blame me once you’re on the other side.”

His whole body began to be covered in black and he flew straight towards Kizaru who dodged by a hair's breadth. However it wasn’t enough and his left hand got sucked in by the haki infused black hole. Kizaru let out a scream of pain and jumped backward, away from Rick, holding his bleeding wrist.

“I told you someone would get hurt. Now I advise you to pull back and to order the same to your subordinates.”
“Retreat, Borsalino.”

Rick turned his head a bit to the side, never letting Kizaru out of his sight completely, to see a portly man, cane in hand and dressed in a suit that screamed both ‘expensive’ and ‘rich’. His gut feeling told him that this man was the apex predator on the island and sent a chill down his spine along with cold sweat.

“Yes, Saint Saturn.” replied Kizaru who disappeared in a yellow flash of light.
‘Holy shit! Is that guy who I think he is?’
‘If you mean one of the five elders, then yes.’

The elder looked at Rick as if he was prey. An insect whose purpose was to be caught and eaten.

“Wald Rick… You caused us many problems. More than your captain ever did.”
“The way I see it, I was trying to fix the problems you guys created.”
“You insolent worm, you do not know what you’re talking about. We are gods that rule over all. Only we can guide the world to prosperity and order. What you see as problems is only us getting used to our birthright.”
“You say ‘we’ and ‘us’ but all I hear is a dog barking the name ‘Imu’.” counter-argumented Rick with a smirk.

The reaction from the Elder was immediate. His eyes widened in surprise for a split second before narrowing dangerously.

“Where did you hear that name?! No, it doesn’t matter. You will die today, right now. You and your captain and the rest of your crewmates. Including Nico Robin and your daughter.”
“Or I kill you before you can.”

Pushing himself forward while attracting the celestial Dragon, Rick ripped his head with black hole claw.  With the man dead. He focused on Luffy who had just finished taking down the last pacifistas. Sword still in hand he was about to push away a new wave of incoming marines when thanks to his observation haki felt an attack coming from his back. Dodging by reflex, it wasn’t fast enough to not have his spleen pierced by the wooden cane of the elder. Swallowing the scream of pain that wanted to escape his mouth he turned his head around to watch the man he thought he killed, regenerating from what used to be a missing head wound.

“...She made someone eat the Ope Ope no Mi and sacrificed themselves to make you immortal, didn’t she?” he said spitting blood onto the elder’s face.
“You impudent…”

His head was sucked in again by a backhanded black hole. Rick didn’t know how fast the regeneration was but he didn’t intend to find out so close to the man. Putting some distance away, he focused on the man as he removed the cane from his body. Just like he did for his lung on Hachinosu he sucked in his spleen and sprouted a new one. Just in time to see  Saturne’s head reforming.

‘That’s not good Diana. It’s not only immortality but invincibility. If the other four and Imu are all like that…’
‘That’s thoughts for later. He’s transforming! You need to focus!’

The elder’s legs began to change into four then into eight while his body began getting bigger and bigger and morphing.

‘Please, not a spider! Please, not a spider! Please, not a spider!’
‘RUN!’
‘What?!’
‘He has eaten a Mythical Zoan. Those types of fruit are at the top in terms of power! You won’t win! RUN!’

Rick hesitated for a moment then created a clone who immediately went to Luffy to pick him up and flee.

“What are you doing?!”
‘What he said!’
“Fleeing! An elder is here and we can’t win!”
“I’m sure I…”
“I pulverized his head and he healed from that! He can’t die Luffy! We don’t need to fight him. The whole point was to buy some time.”
“Then why are you staying there instead of your clone?”
“Because if my clone gets hurt, I get hurt. If I get hurt my clone doesn’t! I need to do something on Sunny but if my clone is injured I may not be able to do what I need to do!”
“I’m not leaving you behind again!”
“You’re not! I’m staying.”
“That’s the same thing.”
“No! Last time I was dying so I didn’t care what happened. Now I’m not, and I’ll be damned if I let him kill me. I’ll make it. I know things he wants to know. Don’t worry. Even if I can’t follow you, I’ll live. It’s a promise.”
“...”

A dozen seconds after the end of their conversation, Rick arrived on the Sunny on the other side of the island. He dropped Luffy on the deck and immediately ran inside towards the garden. He didn’t stop for anyone or anything, not even the door as he pushed it so hard with his gravity that it went flying to the other side of the room, breaking the window door and fell into the sea. Not stopping one bit, he grabbed the three bowls full of devil fruits he ran back out and went to the infirmary.

‘What are you doing?!’
‘I’m giving us a chance!’

The door of the infirmary ended up embedded on the opposite wall, surprising princess Hiyori who was making sure that Diana’s body was fine.

“Sir Rick?” she exclaimed but he ignored her, in fact he didn’t even notice her speak. Instead, he put the bowls crudely on Diana and began to smash them in pieces and feed her.

“What are you doing?!”/ ‘What are you doing?!’
“Saving us all! Diana, can you feel yourself in your body?” he asked after giving her the second fruit.
‘Barely.’
“Okay! It might work. Hiyori, I need your help, pick a piece of each devil fruit and feed them to Diana. The higher the number of fruits she eats, the stronger she gets.”
“O-okay!”

While she did as she was told Rick opened the system and went straight to the shop. Scrolling through the devil fruits section he found what he was looking for.

‘I’ve barely enough points.’

After defeating Blackbeard, half his crew and destroying the whole island Rick had earned a good deal of Karma Points. Enough that the total of the devil fruits he bought afterwards was less than half a percent of his total gain. Leaving him around 400 Millions and something. Reaching the end of the world and finding the missing history, finding the Lost Kingdom and saving Diana from her underwater scepulture had earned him enough to barely reach the Billion Karma Points.

Clicking on the confirmation window, he pulled the fruit out of his inventory.

“Princess, it’s enough, you can give her more later.” he said as he grabbed her arm gently and turned her towards him. “You said you wanted to be her priestess and served her, right?”
“Yes, like my mother did before me.”
“Then here’s the opportunity.” he replied and presented the fruit he bought. “This is the Toki Toki no Mi.”
“My mother’s…” she said with wide eyes.
“Yes. As you know your mother paused Diana’s body’s time. Once Vegapunk fixes her heart it will be up to you to unpause her and bring her back. Do you understand?”
“I do. I won’t fail, you have my word.” she promised with a determination he had never seen in her before.
“Good. I’m sorry to give you this task. Eating a devil fruit, especially a fruit like this one should be a choice, a want and not a need.”
“I’m the princess of Wano. Daughter of Kozuki Oden and Kozuki Toki, priestess of the moon goddess. I will not eat this fruit out of want or need but out of duty.”
“Perfect. Diana, can you transfer yourself, now?”
‘I can but Rick… My power and my soul are a package deal now. If I go back to my body I will take your abilities with me. I’m too weak to separate myself properly from them. You’d be normal again.’
‘It’s fine. I’ve never been normal to begin with.’
‘You’re still out there fighting! You’d get yourself killed without your abilities!’
‘I will not, trust me.’
‘...’
‘...’
‘Alright, I will.’
‘Say to the girls that I love them and that I will see them around. Please?’
‘Sure.’

And with this last message accepted, Dianda took control of Rick’s body and put his hand on hers. A few moments later, the clone dissolved into nothingness.

~~~~~

“I can do this all day.” Rick said as he just sprouted a new leg that had been dissolved by the corrosive poison from one of the elder’s spider legs. “But honestly I’m not in the mood, so I surrender.” he said, raising his hand in the air moments before he had to roll to the side to avoid another dose of poison.
“There is no surrender. Only your death.”
“Are you sure? Don’t want to know how to get to Laugh Tale to destroy once and for all the records of the Void Century? The truth about…”

He was interrupted by a big strong hand slamming his head to the ground from behind and knocking him out.

“Vice-Admiral Garp, reporting for duty, sir.” was said with a polite bow.
“Good work, Vice-Admiral. Your long absence has been felt among the ranks.” flattered the elder as he took back human form. “I wonder why you only acted now when you’ve been traveling with them for months.”
“While my grandsons treated me well, far better than Blackbeard, they made sure that I would not regain my strength fully. They also held princess Neferatari Vivi hostage making it impossible to act. Alone, weakened and with no means of escape, I simply bid my time, sir.”
“Hmm… You will be interrogated thoroughly once you return to New Marineford.”
“Yes, sir. What about Wald? Should I execute him?”
“... No. He has confidential information that we need. He will be held and interrogated on Marie Geoise. After that, he will be publicly executed in front of the whole world. An example of what happens when you defy us gods.

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