Chapter 6: Odyssey of the Fool

Silver grinned, now regaining his balance and staring down Simon. He didn't care to fight, but if Simon got in his way then he'd have to deal with him too. He stretched out his arm and it turned to steel, with a reflective coating. He lifted his hand to the sky and proclaimed, "if only ye knew what these navy men where truly like! Ye'd be helpin me drive the stake into em!" He slammed his fist into the ground. After a brief moment the dirt began to shift, and spread out like vines beneath the surface. Simon watched as a group of these vines tunneled toward him. Once they got close, spikes shot out suddenly and grazed his skin as he attempted to dodge. But it didn't end there, the other set of vines were going toward Pepper who was still caught in his daze.

"Get out the way old man! Its coming toward you!" Simon shouted, but to no avail. Pepper was frozen for a moment, and that was all it took. The vines were closing in and just like with Simon, they immediately shot out the instant they got into range. Simon tried to pivot and charge toward his father to protect him, but the distance was too far. He wouldn't have made it in time... However, the steel needles missed their mark and stabbed into the ground. Both Silver and Simon looked on in shock, Pepper was mid-air and had a distant look in his eyes. He locked onto Silver and launched himself closer at shocking speeds with his Geppo technique. "N-no way... he actually learned how to use it..." Simon was distracted long enough for the vines to make their return volley. He turned in just enough time to block them with his haki enhanced arms and legs but the pain was still immense. His wounds weren't helping, but they at least were keeping his mind aware and adrenaline pumping.

Pepper let out a roar as he clashed with Silver. The marine was only driven to retrieve the fruit, no matter who had it. His mind was dazed and his perception of reality was skewed to almost imaginary levels. He twisted his body to dodge a swipe of Silver's now bladed arm. Once he reached his apex, he pointed his finger toward the hand holding the Devil Fruit and let out a Finger Pistol. His finger managed to break thru Silver's armor coating and caused the fruit to slowly fall to the ground. Pepper, with almost laser precision, managed to descend Silver's body and dodged all the rapidly forming spikes that tried to stop him. The marine managed to claim his prize and let out a huge smile, but this moment was cut short with a sudden sharp pain. Silver stabbed Pepper in the back with a hooked hand and tossed him aside. Pepper grit his teeth as he flew but still clung to the fruit. Silver took a step to pursue the thief but was saw himself suddenly being knocked off balance once more.

Simon landed a sturdy punch to the large pirate's abdomen. This took Silver by surprise at the power behind it, but the power was greatly reduced by his metal armor coating. It did not break like it did with the marine, but it did do a sizeable amount of damage. "You're fight is with me, Silver!" Simon prepared one more punch but was met with an almost immeasurably dense wall. Silver stopped Simon's punch with the palm of his hand and clenched the fist tightly, locking Simon in place. With a flick of his wrist, he sent Simon flying right into the still falling Pepper and the fruit shot up into the air due to the collision. The pair collapsed to the ground, winded.

Pepper, still clinging to an unknown source of power, managed to roll to his feet once more with relative ease. He immediately eyed the fruit and sprang toward it. Silver, anticipating this, threw out a metal net to catch the marine before he could get off the ground. "It's.. no use, pirate!" Pepper's eyes seemed to glow with an overflowing energy. Silver's smile dimmed slightly as he recognized this power, as it wasn't unfamiliar to what he possessed. Pepper vanished just before the net caught him, and reappeared just before his hands met the fruit. Silver pulled back his net and formed it into a spear while he spun for momentum. The spear flew thru the air at almost impossible speeds that were hard to track with the untrained eye- but not for Pepper. His body reacted with almost beast-like instincts. He shifted himself to narrowly dodge the spear and grabbed the fruit.

Simon finally got to his feet and saw was unfolded above him, he couldn't keep up. His body was beginning to give in to the pain and fatigue. Even his haki was starting to grow weak. He hadn't had enough time to master the new technique, so his efficiency was pretty lack-luster. He stammered a bit and caught his breathe before charging forth once more. The spear that missed Pepper now reformed into several miniature knives that shot toward the ground. Pepper managed to dodge the knifes nimbly, but he wasn't entirely his target. Simon kept running toward Silver, unaware of the impending danger. He readied his fist, coating it in what haki he had left and shouting with all his might. Silver glanced down at Simon, and smiled. A moment too late, Simon could hear the whistling metal slicing thru the air toward him. He looked up, unable to move fast enough to dodge in time and shielding his head with his arms. He waited for his end as the knives landed all around him with loud thuds from their weigh slamming into the ground and stirring the dirt- but he wasn't harmed. He did, however, feel a warm rain fall upon with followed but a louder thud just behind him. Simon turned to the source of the sound, only to find his friend now stitched with countless knives. "N-no!" Simon stammered toward Celer's still body and checked on him. Simon's head shot up toward Broth, "please! Doc! You gotta," he was caught short by Celer pulling him in close.

"Get... your head together! It's a REAL fight...! You have to focus... I'll be... alright..."

Simon clenched his fist as a few tears made their way to the ground. How could things get so bad... it was never meant to be like this... but at every opportunity, it was like fate was against him. "I... I can't..." His spirit was beginning to break. Reality was finally beginning to set in, and its toll was too much to bear. "I can't do it anymore, Old Man... You're-"

"DON'T!"

Simon's eyes widened. Celer pushed himself up enough to see Simon face to face. The 2 taking the moment to get one last look at each other. A moment that felt so long, yet so short. The wind shifted once more, and in its wake it brought heavy clouds. Broth cautiously made her way to Celer and a certain person looked on from the distant lining in the trees.

"Don't... you ever give up, Simon... that's not how you should be... I've taught you everything I know... over the years... don't let my... no... your legacy die before its even began... things will get tough... almost unbearable at times... but I know... I know you can push..." Celer grew silent. His head fell from its weight and him body limp as he sat in the bloody puddle. Simon's face grew in shock as he recoiled. His breath rapid and uneven. Broth reached the 2 but could tell it was too late for one, but she could still save the other.

Broth slapped Simon to get him to get out of his shock. "You have to keep fighting, Simon!" She pulled him close and hugged him. She never was good at these things, but she knew she had to try to be there for him. "Now go! You have to!"

Simon wiped his face, his body was weak but even it grew warm from the immense emotions. He nodded before getting up again and turning to Silver, who was more focused on what was going on above.

Pepper held the fruit out in front of him, a smile etching its way across his face but was quickly taken away. As he looked past the fruit, he could see the outline of ships on the horizon. The clouds leading them in towards the island on all sides. "They came..." Pepper dodged another spear and used his air step to get away from the scene. "I can call in the station to have them evacuate." He looked down to see the Straw Hats still attempting to get the boat away safely. "All these pirates... filthy pirates... they'll all be swept away in the Buster Call."

Simon looked on in confusion, he couldn't understand why his father would be running away when they could take out Silver together. Silver was annoyed and readied another spear. Simon charged him and stopped his throw. "Ye still 'ere, Redheart?" Silver tossed Simon back and stabbed his spear into the ground. "Can't ye see? Those no good navy men don't care for ye or ye people!"

"You... you're wrong!" Simon stood up, "he had a plan! He's gonna stop you! I know it!"

Silver raised an eyebrow. He scratched his beard and pulled up his spear from the dirt. "Ye really don't see, do ye? It was never 'bout doin the right thing. It was 'bout JUSTICE!" He turned and threw the spear faster than he had before, but then he looked out to the see and laughed. "Those navy bastards! They'll take the whole island fer a single pirate!" Simon looked past Silver to see the horrid sight. The ships were early. There wasn't enough time to save everyone and stop it. The only person who could was running away, and all Simon could do was have faith in him to do the right thing.

"Simon!" Broth called out as she hefted up Celer on her shoulders. "Go after your father! He isn't in the right frame of mind... you... may have to stop him before he dooms us all..."

Simon took a second, but nodded. He ran toward the direction his father, Silver watched out the side of his eye before following behind. Pepper landed on the beach, winded. He had practiced his techniques to near perfection over the course of his years as a trainee. His stamina was excellent but a real confrontation was still something he needed to adjust to and pace himself. He knew he didn't have much time, but he was determined to reach his goals at all costs. "I... will be the one who stops them... all of them..." He looked at the fruit again, admiring its beauty and the thought of the power it would give him. With his skills and experience, he could easily take on the pirates and save the day- becoming a navy hero.

"Dad! Wait!" a distant voice could be heard not far behind. Pepper looked over his shoulder to see Simon running toward him. "Dad, you have to call off the Buster Call! The whole island will be-"

"That's not possible... once a Buster Call is made, it cannot be stopped. Unless the threat is neutralized, or an order is made by an admiral, it will be executed to completion." Pepper stood up and held the fruit close to his side. "Now stay out of my way, boy. I have pirates that need to be turned in."

"WHAT?!" Simon threw his hands up, "what do you mean it can't be stopped?! You have to do something! Everyone on the island is gonna die! There aren't enough ships to get everyone off safely!" Simon was beginning to sweat. The only option he had would be to take the transponder snail. "Give me the transponder snail... maybe I can-"

"No..." Pepper cut off Simon without hesitation. "I've been watching your actions this whole time. You seem awfully close to those pirates... you're working with them... I know it."

"He really has lost it," Simon murmured to himself. He could sense hostility flowing from Pepper and it wasn't keen on holding back. Simon was conflicted about how to go about things, but it needed to be done. Even if it was just a chance. "Fine... Fine, I'll have to do things the hard way..." Simon suddenly charged toward his father in a mad dash to take the snail. Pepper held out his finger, to which Simon immediately slide under him and swiped his feet. Pepper hopped above the kick and air stepped to gain distance between them. Simon quickly leapt up to grab a hold of Pepper before he got too far. The 2 grappled each other, but with Pepper too preoccupied with holding the fruit in one hand, left him at a disadvantage. Simon's fingers were inches away from nabbing the snail from Pepper's pocket but in a split second he realized that the hand that held the fruit had one finger outstretched and aimed at his chest. Simon looked at the finger and then to his father's crazed eyes and, without hesitation, he let go and stepped back. His father was ready to kill anything that stood in his way... even him. Simon knew that was a line he wasn't willing to cross. Not for something like this, or anything for that matter. So why was it so easy for him... "Alright, look old man, I won't let the island suffer more than what it has... give me the snail. This has to stop before its too late... just give me a chance..."

Pepper readied his stance and had a scowl across his face. "Tch, you've had countless chances. Countless restarts. Countless opportunities. And each has gone to waste... I won't baby you, you're a man now. If you choose to waste your life, then so be it. But I won't do the same." Pepper motioned to the sea, "see those ships? That's my ticket to a new life. My chance to make something of myself. This island is nothing but a small pond in the grand ocean that is the world!" His eyes had that glow again, and what appeared to be small streaks of black lightning speckled his body. "I won't let you, or anyone get in my way. Not when im so close!" An eerie sound shot out from those words, its shockwave stampeding across the sands towards Simon. Once they reached him, his conscience grew blank. His body grew numb, and his knees gave out. He managed to catch himself but this strange aura overtook his senses. This... this was conqueror's haki.

Pepper pointed his finger toward Simon and lunged forward with his Finger Pistol. Simon managed to regain his senses the moment Pepper's feet left the sand and used his dwindling haki to deflect the attack. Simon continued to deflect his father's attacks even after his haki ran out. His hands were aching from the pain but if they stopped, so would his life. Pepper wasn't even breaking a sweat at this point, he was basically toying with Simon. "You don't stand a chance, you're out of your league." He kicked Simon in his chest and sent him flying. "You... always were a disgrace..." Pepper air stepped above where Simon landed and launched toward him. Simon held back his tears and rolled away from the attack. He shuffled away across the sand with his back turned away. "Now, give up and quit squabbling. Its embarrassing... HUH?!"

Pepper searched around himself, the fruit and the snail were gone. He turned his gaze back to Simon he was looking over his shoulder. He stood up and turned with his mouth full and the snail ready to send a message. Simon swallowed the distasteful fruit and started his message," stop the Buster Call... please..."

Pepper's jaw dropped at the sight before him. "What have you don?!" Pepper rushed toward Simon and attempted to tackle him, but he ended up falling past his mark. He turned around, Simon's body now reforming from a misty cloud. "N-no! This can't be!" He stood up and tried to swipe at Simon and attempt to stop him in any way he could, but to no avail.

Simon awaited patiently for a response from the navy, but the silence was almost deafening. He pulled away from Pepper so he couldn't steal away the snail, but his new floaty body seemed to be an adjustment. He didn't have to hold himself together, but his movement's seemed to feel like moving the wind itself. The snail finally picked up, and the person on the other side seemed hesitate at first. "W-who is this? How did you get this snail?"

Pepper caught the snail while Simon was distracted and yanked it away. He quickly turned the situation to his favor and air stepped away once again for distance. "This is officer Pepper, I'm currently fighting the pirates that raided the island! Im going to evacuate the civilians and isolate the pirates! Continue with the Buster Call!" A smirk ran across his face as he floated in the air for a bit. But that smile was quickly wiped away as he looked around the ground. Nearby, while the scuffle occurred, a crowd had formed watching over them Most of the plaza had seen the events that had unraveled and panic was beginning to set in. Sara watched from the crowd and held her hands close to her chest. She couldn't believe her eyes and ears. Things couldn't be worse for either party. The island was about to be sacrificed for the future of the greedy... and there was nothing they could do about it.

The Straw Hats managed to seal the hole and row a fair bit away. They let out a sigh of relief until they saw the navy ships in formation around the island. "H-how are we supposed to escape now?! They'll have us locked away forever?!"

"Calm down you idiots!" Luffy stomped his foot, gaining their attention. "We'll wait and see what happens. If those ships are gonna blast the island, then we have the better end of the deal out here!" The crew looked at each other and nodded. "All we can do is wait... better not let me down, Redheart ..."

Simon felt a second wind come to him as he walked forward to Pepper. He didn't break eye contact, and readied a leap. "I can't believe you..." Simon's body was beginning to mist. "You really are the worst... but even then... I would never stoop so low!" He leapt at an incredible speed, leaving a misty trail behind him. He punched Pepper square across the face and sent him plummeting toward the ground. He snatched the snail from the air and quickly tried to talk down the situation, but this time the snail had retreated into its shell and wouldn't come out. "Oh, come on! Come on little guy! This is serious!" The snail wouldn't come out, but it did play the response from the navy.

"Acknowledged, Officer Pepper. We will commence firing immediately. We cannot risk the pirates escaping, so we'll be wiping the entire slate clean. You're efforts will be commemorated."

Simon's blood ran cold as he could heard the cannons taking aim. "N-no way... this can't be! Please! You can't do this!" Simon landed and immediately turned to the crowd, speechless. There was nowhere to hide, nowhere to turn to. This was the end.

The cannons, one after another began to fire relentlessly. The munitions ripping thru the air. All the citizens were silent, accepting their fate. There was nothing they could do, and the odds were never in their favor. Broth looked up to the sky filled with cannonballs and sighed. Tate, in the station, relayed the last moments before the cannons fired. All the officers in the office all looking around, unsure as what to do. Pepper looked up shocked, his plan not unfolding how he expected. "It wasn't supposed to be this way... I was supposed to be the hero..."

"You're wrong... you got greedy... too caught up with yourself and your real colors showed... I can't believe you," Simon scolded his father as he walked up to the shore line. "It's over now... nothing we can do about it..." The wind drew silent as specs of rain patted across the sands and pavement. "Is there nothing else we can do...?"

The cannonballs drew closer and everyone closed their eyes ready for the end, and many explosions from impacts range across the island... but not damage was done. The crowd slowly opened their eyes to see explosions in the sky, stopping the cannonballs from hitting the island. "I... I don't believe it!" One said. "Are we saved?" Another asked.

Simon was confused, he couldn't see what was stopping the artillery from wiping them out. A stray cannonball headed toward them, Simon leapt up to try and knock it away but before he could punch it a metal vine smashed the ball to pieces. "Was that... but why?" Simon landed and a poof of mist rose around him. He looked around to see if he could spot Silver nearby, but he wasn't. Pepper saw this and put 2 and 2 together. He quickly got to his feet and ran toward the forest amidst the 'fireworks'. "I better stop him... he isn't thinking right, and may cause trouble." Simon gave chase, Pepper was incredibly fast in comparison.

Once Silver came into view, Pepper immediately sprung to attack. His mind was no longer coherent. To him, stopping the pirates was his only objective. He couldn't reason anymore, almost resolving to animal instincts at this point. Silver noticed his attack emerge from the bushes and sent a flurry of metal vines to stop him. Pepper managed to air step thru most of them and took a few hits here and there. Ultimately, he came face to face with the pirate and readied his Finger Pistol. Silver swiftly blocked the stabbing motion and reached to grab the officer. Pepper slid a few feet and jumped away toward a tree and launched back at Pepper at almost lightning speed. "This is the end pirate!"

Silver retracted his metal vines to coat his arm, causing it to form an enormous gauntlet. He readied a punch and matched Pepper's attack with his own, black lightning streaking from the origin of the attack. The shockwave blew the leaves away from them, and rain swiftly followed. Simon came with heavy footsteps after the shockwave subsided. Silver and Pepper continued to clash with shockwave after shockwave ringing thru the trees. If Silver falls, the island will be left exposed to the cannon fire. Simon rushed in between the 2 before their attacks met. He redirected Pepper's fist out of the way and performed a shoulder throw to get him out the way. Silver looked confused at Simon's back as he took a defensive pose beside the pirate. "You're the one protecting the island... I don't like it, but if I don't help you we'll all die!" Simon shouted.

Silver could see the mists rolling off Simon's body. He smirked before giving a hearty laugh. "So ye got it after all, huh?" He raised hand to summon more vines to block the oncoming wave of cannon balls. "Was savin that fruit fer me first mate. Look like ye have no choice now, Redheart!" The thought of forcefully becoming a pirate was not something Simon liked but at this point he might as well have been. "Much as I love to show off, even I can't 'old this ferever." He was right, more and more volleys came. More and more cannon balls slowly made their way thru.

Simon nodded and quickly thought up a plan. It was unlikely to work, but it was worth a shot. They were after a pirate, and they would only stop if that pirate was captured or dealt with. Even if it wasn't the 'right' pirate, they might be able to get things to stop one way or another. "Alright Silver... I'll make you a deal." Simon turned to the pirate who was looking down at him. "Help me stop this Buster Call and I'll join your crew..."

"And how do ye propose that? No easy feat, stoppin a Buster Call once it starts"

"Well..." He points to the ship straight past Silver in the distance. "We're gonna wreck that ship there. You and me... They want pirates. We'll give them pirates."

Silver thought for a second, stroking his beard. Pepper finally got to his feet and rushed to Simon. He smiled and whipped out his steel vines to ensnare Pepper. "Fine, but Im takin this thief with us!"

Simon placed his hand on the vines, saying," no, I'll hold em. Only seems fair..."

Silver released Pepper and began to gather a pool of steel to form a cannon of his own. Simon grappled Pepper and drug him to the chamber. "I'll be right behind ye, Redheart!" The cannon fired the 2 far into the sky at a break neck pace. Pepper tried to break free but Simon tightened his grip.

"You aren't slipping away, Old Man! So give it up! We caused this! We're going to fix this!" Simon shouted at his frantic father.

"Y-you are nothing but a filthy pirate! I won't have a pirate for a son! After all I've done for you! And this is how you turn out!" Pepper managed to get one arm free. He shoved his hand in Simon's face loosening the grip. Their arc began to decent, the ship was still a ways off. At this rate, they wouldn't make it.

Simon pulled Pepper back in the best he could. "Yea? But I'm only like this... because I'd rather die than turn out like you! You bastard!" Simon released a large mist that propelled them toward the ships. "I take responsibility for my actions! And I won't turn my back on it!" The thought of Celer, Sara, Broth, and Tate came to his mind. "This is the path they laid out for me, and I can't betray it! From here on out, this is my story!" A second shot was heard coming from the cannon on the island.

On the ship...

"S-sir," a nervous marine shouted.

"What is it?" The commander retorted.

"A large object has been spotted heading this way!"

"And your point? Shoot it down!" The commander stood up and looked out at the scene before him.

The tiny object in the distance was steadily growing in size. "S-sir! It's not stopping! Our cannons aren't budging it!"

"Thats impossible- BOOM" The room erupted into debri and scrap as the foreign object rammed straight thru it and destroying most of the ship.

The object make is most of the way to the core of the ship. Marines lined the area to assess the situation and take aim at whatever was before them. They could see something moving in the clouds, 2 figures stood. One was rather large, and the other a regular sized person. With one wave of the hand, the clouds dispersed. Simultaneously, the other ships stopped firing and went to aid the damaged ship. "If you're looking for the pirates. Here we are... Im the one claiming to be Straw Hat." Simon said as he looked around with his hands raised. Silver grinned and had a stoic look about him. He sat on the debris with one hand raised and the other laid across his lap. "We'll surrender, if you spare the island." Several injured marines littered the ship along the path of the crash. Pepper laid beneath Simon's foot barely conscious. One marine caught Simon's eye. He was badly bleeding off to the side as a pair of marines tried to give him first aid. He could hear them calling out to him, a name he would never forget. Simon looked down in shame as the marines swarmed him and shoved him to the ground. They placed sea-stone handcuffs on Silver and Simon. Once the other ships arrived, they boarded the surviving marines to safety and sent the prisoners to the main ship.

Jelry stood waiting to see the trouble makers that caused all this ruckus. "Hmph, all this for a rookie and... hmmm you look familiar." He sized up Silver while scratching his head. "Can't quite put my finger on it. But I know you from somewhere. Regardless, send these filthy pirates to their cells. We're sending this lot with the rest of the inmates to Impel Down! Yea, I like the sound of that." He laughed as he headed back to his quarters.

The marines shoved the 2 down to the holding area. There were a few other pirates scattered about, one cell holding a few familiar faces. It was straw hat. But they didn't seem to notice. Once the bars locked, Simon sighed and let his body finally give in to the fatigue and pain he was feeling for so long. It only took a matter of seconds before he was out cold. Silver smiled and thought to himself. He knew that he made the right choice picking Simon. Now, he could finally return back to the sea after so many years on that island. And he couldn't imagine anything better.