Gathering.

" You absolute idiots!" Sengoku yelled. " What were you thinking? Getting into a full-scale fight right here in the most important place in the world?"

Markus shrugged his shoulders and laughed. " I wasn't really thinking at all, Sengoku."

" Ohhhh, what a mess." Borsalino muttered.

Sengoku placed both of his hands on his head and rested on his desk. " It's gonna take a week to repair Zephyr's compound. That old man was already.... And you Borsalino, leaving your detailed duty. What were you thinking?" Sengoku asked the man. 

" Well, there was no big deal, right? Vegapunk was still properly secured by the sergeant. So, it's no big deal." Borsalino answered the man.

Sengoku sighed and rubbed his forehead again. " Markus, you're dismissed. Try not to cause any more of a mess than you already have."

" Yeah, yeah, I got it. Sorry Sengoku." Markus said, rubbing his head. He turned around and waved as he exited Sengoku's office, leaving Borsalino alone with Sengoku.

Once the office door was closed, Sengoku leaned back in his chair and stared at Borsalino. " So, what did you think?"

" Eh? Well... I think, he's a little monster, Sengoku-San." Borsalino said nonchalantly. " He'll be as strong as I am in no time at all."

" Really?"

" Yup."

" I've always had expectations for Markus to be strong. The Next generation has a tendency to surpass the older one. But this growth rate it unbelievable. It took Garp and I years to get where we are. Years of mastering our craft. But for you all? A few short years." Sengoku sighed. " I'm getting too old for this."

.............

After being dismissed from Sengoku's office, Markus started walking back towards the training compound. It might be in ruins, but his stuff was still there. 

However, on the way there-

" Yo, Markus!"

Markus heard someone call out his name, and when he looked up it was Brago, and tagging along beside him was that man with a really long head, known as Vegapunk.

" Yo!" Markus raised his hand and waved. " What's going on, man. Still on guard duty?"

" Yeah. Markus, this is Dr. Vegapunk. Dr. Vegapunk, this is a good friend of mine, Monkey D. Markus." Brago introduced the two men to each other.

" Well, it's a pleasure to meet you proper." Vegapunk spoke. He outstretched his small hand for a handshake.

Markus leaned down and shook it firmly, nearly breaking the man's hand. " A pleasure. So, what's going on? You guys sticking around for a while?" Markus asked.

" Nah, we've already finished our meeting. We're gonna get some food and then get back on the sea back to egghead once our ship is ready." Brago explained.

" Oh yeah. That sounds like fun, I could use some food. Let's go." Markus said.

And with that Markus, Brago, and Vegapunk journeyed into the city, fining themselves at a small ramen shop, that sold various kinds of noodles and teas. 

" Ah, I love this place." Markus stated as he walked into the small shop.

" I must say this place is very quaint. Nothing like what we have on egghead." Vegapunk muttered.

The three men took a seat at a large table and started ordering drinks.

" So, how are you feeling after your little fiasco with Borsalino?" Brago asked.

" Pretty good. That man is fast. And I can tell he was holding back still." Markus exclaimed. He lifted his arm up and looked at the bandages wrapped around them. " But I did learn a lot." Markus stated.

" Hmph, so did I." Brago muttered. He reached on is back and grabbed the hilt of his swords.

" Oh yeah? Wanna test it out?" Markus asked.

" Maybe some other time. I think if that happened, Sengoku would have a full-blown stroke." Brago joked.

" Hahaha! That old man wouldn't stop trying to kill us."

" Yeah, but. Some time for sure. It's been a while since we've gone at it." Brago muttered.

" Ohhhh, now that wouldn't be good." Opening up the curtain to the shop and stepping inside, was Borsalino himself. 

" Borsalino." 

" I figured I'd find you here, Markus-Kun."

" Hey, Borsalino, you finally done getting chewed out by Sengoku?" Markus asked.

" Ohhh, something like that." Borsalino muttered.

" Well, come on over, take a seat." Markus told the man.

Borsalino sighed and pulled up a seat next to the three men.

" So, what's going?" Markus asked.

" Well, I'm back on guard duty, while Sentomaru helps get the ship ready for departure." Borsalino muttered. 

" Ah, so that's where the little guy went. That kid is a riot." Markus muttered.

" Very much so." Vegapunk stated.

" Yeah, he's fun, but damn can that kid get annoying sometimes. Especially when he ends up eating all the damn snacks." Brago cursed.

" Hahaha! Maybe he's doing you a bit of a favor man. You look like you're putting on a little weight there pal." Markus joked. He reached over and slapped Brago on his back a few times, nearly knocking the man out of his chair.

" Hey, take it easy there you damn gorilla." Brago muttered.

" Hey, hey, what's this now?"

Another surprise visitor turned up.

Much to the surprise of the others.

It was Kuzan.

" Yo, Kuzan, what is this a reunion? What's going on man?" Markus asked.

" Figured I'd stop by. Heard you got fussed out by Sengoku, didn't expect to see you here, Borsalino." Kuzan muttered.

Borsalino took a deep breath and sighed. " Well, even I need a break every now and then, plus my job was right here anyway, so I figured it'd be fine." 

Kuzan grabbed a seat and sat down. " Excuse me, young lady, can you bring me a green tea and a bowl of udon." Kuzan asked.

" Ah, me too." Borsalino spoke up.

" Yes sirs. I'll be right back with your food." The woman said to the two men.

" Oh, speaking of food, they still haven't brought ours." Markus muttered. " Ah, I'm sure it'll be here soon."

" Ah, Markus, Garp-san told me to tell you to come see him later." Kuzan muttered. " Figured I tell you before I forgot."

A sudden shiver went up the man's spine. " Oh man, that's gonna suck so much." He stated. " Ah, oh well. I'll worry about that later, for now. Let's just eat."

It wasn't long before the waitress returned with trays full of food and drinks. She placed them down in front of the five men and quickly retreated nervously.

Markus and the others hadn't noticed it yet, but all eyes in the restaurant were practically glued to them. After all, four of them were well known Marines. 

......

A few hours later.

" Ahhhh, you should have seen the old dog, he was pretty beat up by the end of it. But we did manage to take them down." Markus muttered. 

" Yeah and destroyed an entire island doing it." Brago stated. " Speaking of, do any of you know what happened to that girl that came back?"

" Ah, she was sent off, to training." Kuzan answered.

" Huh? Who was?" Markus asked. He stopped for just a moment and then remembered. " Oh, that's right, Norin. Huh, I was out for the trip back, so I guess I forgot about her. So, she did end up going after all. Well, isn't that something." Markus spoke.

" Yeah, her class just went back a few months ago after a trip to the island." Brago explained.

" A trip? They didn't do any trips when we were there."

" Well, things change."

" Yeah, I guess so. Hey, speaking of change, Borsalino, why did you change your suit? I liked the old yellow." Markus asked.

" Hm? Well, I just felt like trying something new for a change. Nothing wrong with that is there?"

" No not necessarily. But the whole grey and black makes you look like some kind of Mafia boss."

This made Brago and Kuzan both start to chuckle.

" Oh my, how hurtful." Borsalino muttered.

Although he was a little upset, he did find the joke be funny himself. However, a certain person nearby did not.

" Look at all you, sitting here laughing and making jokes."

They all looked up from their table at the man standing next to them.

" Oh, Sakazuki." Borsalino spoke.

" Hey, lighten you pyro." Kuzan told the man.

" I won't. You two are vice admirals, you should be setting an example, not hanging around with troublemakers." The man now known as Sakazuki exclaimed.

Markus looked up at the man, frowning down at him, and sighed. " I'm sorry, do you have a problem with me?" Markus asked.

" Hey now, Markus let it go." Brago told the man.

" Address your superior with proper respect."

" I'll show you respect, when you show me respect." Markus told the man. " Not before. Not after. Now, then if you got nothing nice to say, hit the road."

" Hey, Sakazuki, you're making a scene." Kuzan told the man.

Sakazuki looked around the place, as eyes began trailing towards them, and for a moment there was a tinge of heat coming from the man's body.

" You're Vice Admiral Garp's son? Pathetic." That's what Sakazuki said before walking away.

Afterwards, Markus turned to Borsalino and Kuzan. " What's with that guy? He's always been a stick in the mud." 

" Ah ignore him. He's a stickler for the rules." Kuzan stated.

" Yeah." Markus muttered.

He took a sip from his cup of tea. He eyed Sakazuki's back as he exited the restaurant.

It was not a certainty, but Markus just had a feeling that this wouldn't be his last interaction with the current Vice Admiral.