Meanwhile on the Grandline, LeMay was sitting in the Captain's room. His injuries had recovered. He thought back to fighting those girls. He looked at wanted posters of the Love Pirates. His eyes went to Tempest Nojiko`s poster. She had a bounty of 15,000,000 Beli. He got angry and scrunched the paper up. "You have humiliated me," he said. There was venom in his voice.
He looked at the poster. He could not find a blue haired girl. "Where is the other one?" he muttered to himself. He thought that girl caused him more problems. He thought about who she was. He wondered, she did not look like a typical pirate. She was more refined. She looked like royalty. He sighed and sat down.
He looked at their Captain. He saw the bounty of Iron Mace Alvida at 305,000,000 Beli. He thought she had a high bounty. "You will all pay," he remarked.
He was in a ship made with steel plates in the hull, but the bow was made of wood. It had three large sails. The figurehead was of a white cheetah. There were several cannons on either side of the hull. He looked outside and saw many of his men manning different positions.
LeMay looked at the Den Den Mushi. It had black glasses and purple hair. "LeMay, are you approaching the coordinates?" Zephyr asked.
"We are getting closer, Admiral," LeMay responded.
"This is an important mission, LeMay. The Marines under Vegapunk are developing a secret robot programme under the code-name of PX," Zephyr responded. He added, "The Marines are trying to get an advantage over the Pirates. We need to get the advantage."
"I know Admiral," LeMay replied.
"There are rumors of a scientist selling robots in the black market from Mecha Island," Zephyr said. "We need that scientist for us for our plans," he added.
"I will not fail you Admiral," LeMay responded.
"You failed to get the ancient weapon. The two girls you faced were part of the Love Pirates, they had stormed Enies Lobby and destroyed it," Zephyr said. "They had used a Giant," he added.
"I will defeat them," LeMay said, clenching his fist. He will not lose to them again. He looked at their wanted posters.
"Don't fight them," Zephyr said. "Without Ain, Binz and Shuzo you are not a match for them," he added.
LeMay clenched his fist. "I know you are angry. I am as well. They are scum, pirate scum," Zephyr remarked.
LeMay sighed. "Understood," LeMay responded.
"Good bring that scientist back," Zephyr said. The Den Den Mushi closed.
Meanwhile, Zephyr rose from his chair with a grim expression, the posters of the Love Pirates clenched tightly in his calloused hands. He stared down at the faces printed on them, Iron Mace Alvida, Demon King Ben, Iron Giant, a monstrous figure dwarfing everything around him and
Demon Child Nico Robin. One by one, he crushed the posters in his fists.
"You will all pay," Zephyr muttered, voice low, filled with a smoldering fury. Zephyr thought there was no difference between pirates, new or old, smiling or scowling. All pirates were evil.
They all needed to be eradicated, he thought.
Still seething, Zephyr turned down a long, dim corridor inside Marine Headquarters, his boots echoing against the polished stone. Ahead, he spotted a familiar figure approaching. It was Vice Admiral Garp, relaxed as always, hands in his pockets like he hadn't a care in the world.
"Vice Admiral Garp," Zephyr called, stiff and formal.
Garp gave a hearty laugh and clapped a hand against his side. "Zephyr! How are you holding up? You're looking good today," he said, voice booming.
Zephyr's scowl deepened. "Did you not attempt to capture your grandson?" Zephyr asked, his tone sharp as a blade. "A pirate," he added coldly, "one who is directly responsible for the destruction of Enies Lobby," he said. "The pirates who injured countless Marines," he added.
Garp chuckled again, utterly unfazed. "I sure tried to catch that brat," Garp said, grinning wide. "He became a pirate, what can I say? It was all that Red-hair`s fault. I will beat him," he added.
Zephyr's eyes narrowed. "Then why didn't you?" he demanded.
Garp scratched the back of his head, as if the whole situation was mildly annoying rather than catastrophic. "He gave me the slip," Garp admitted casually. "The boat can fly now, you know. What am I supposed to do, flap my arms after him?" he said. He laughed again. "I wouldn't expect anything less from my grandson," he added as he laughed out loud.
Zephyr stood rigid, disgusted. Garp's casualness burned him more than any insult could. He shook his head and kept walking past Garp without another word.
Behind him, Garp called out, "Don't take it too seriously, Zephyr! I will get them next time," he added.
"And the Love Pirates?" Zephyr asked as clenched his fists harder.
"The sea will sort them out, maybe," Garp responded as he laughed.
The seas won't sort themselves out. Not with filth like the Love Pirates running free. Not with fools like Garp laughing it off. He thought Garp was once a legend, a hero. He looked at him now.
"There has been more activity on the sea lately. There are those black ships sailing around," Garp said, looking at Zephyr.
"Black ships?" Zephyr asked.
"There are rumors that they call themself the Neo-Marines," Garp laughed.
"They are just rumors," Zephyr responded as he dismissed Garp.
"Rumors can come true," Garp said, looking at Zephyr.
"I have things to do besides chit chat," Zephyr responded as he walked away.
Zephyr thought of the poster he had seen earlier. The newly appointed Warlord of the Sea, a pirate he didn't trust for a second. It was a joke. A mockery of everything the Marines were supposed to stand for. Pirates, given titles, power, authority. As if criminals could be reasoned with.
Zephyr's face hardened into stone.
"If the system is broken," he whispered to himself, "then I will destroy it, too," he added.