Harappa Capital Region, Moshla Island

Daku grimaced, putting his cup down. His muscular arms barely fit on the armrests of his throne. "Strainer! Get in here!" He shouted into his Transponder Snail.

Strainer scurried into the room, his hunched back banging against the doorframe as he entered. "Yes, Captain Daku? Is everything alright?" He asked meekly.

Daku glared at his subordinate. "What do you think, Strainer? Do you think I called you in here because I wanted to chat about life?"

"N-no Daku-san. What is wrong?" Strainer's thin body rattled like a skeleton as he spoke.

"For the entire week I've been on this island I haven't had a single good cup of tea. You know I get cranky without my tea. This island is supposed to have the best tea in the South Blue or something like that, right? So why is it so damn bad?"

"Sorry, Captain. I've told the chefs to get the best tea leaves from the island. It is apparently quite different from what they're used too, so it'll take them some time to learn how to make it properly."

"Well what am I supposed until they learn?"

"Maybe you could drink your own tea? From your Devil Fruit powers?" A look of immense regret immediately came across his face. "Sorry Captain Daku, I won't say that again."

Daku shook his head. He thought he had made this point clear multiple times over the last ten years, but even his personal assistant was still ignorant. "No, let me give you a reminder."

Daku dumped the tea in his cup onto the floor, and held his clenched hand over the cup. His hand started turning into a steaming black liquid all the way up to the hem of his suit jacket, and poured into the cup. When the cup was full, Daku unclenched his fist and it turned back to normal and he pointed the cup at Strainer.

"Try this, Strainer. and tell me what you think of it."

Strainer's lips quivered as he looked at the cup, but he still reached out for it. He took a brief sip and shuddered, exerting all of his facial muscles to mask his distaste. "It-it's really good!" He said as tears streamed down his face.

Daku sighed. "I told you that useless flattery gets you nowhere here. Take the damn cup back to the kitchen and have some of the local curry sent up instead. Also, apparently some Marines landed ashore near the Maha Wharf a few minutes ago. Commander Oolong and the Border Guard should be able to take care of them, but send reinforcements to the rest of the wharf just in case. If the World Government is already taking action we have to be very careful."

"Yes, Captain." Strainer started to leave the room but stopped at the doorway. "Oh, um, today's the sixteenth of the month, Daku-san."

"So?"

"Nothing much! Just that paydays are technically on the fifteenth and I was hoping to buy some gifts for my new grandson, if that's not a problem."

Daku's eyes softened. "Of course not. It's my fault for forgetting. I'll be sure to add another 10,000 Belly to your paycheck so you can get your grandson something nice."

Strainer beamed. "Thank you very much!"

"Yes, yes. Now, get out of my room and do your job."

Maha Beach, Moshla Island

"FISTS OF LOVE!" Garp shouted as he pummeled the pirate in front of him. As the pirate fell unconscious, Garp grabbed her by the foot and swung her around before throwing her into a cluster of other pirates. He looked over his shoulder and saw Pagano, who was firing into another crowd of pirates with a flintlock pistol. "Alright, that makes a total of 15 down for me. How are you doing?"

"I've hit eight so far, Captain Garp. I think there are about five or six left, not counting the leaders. I'll be out of ammo soon though. Without my sword that I left on the ship I won't be able to fight too well."

Garp looked down and saw the cutlass of the pirate he just defeated. He picked it up and turned toward Pagano. "How well do you fight with cutlasses?"

"Never used one, but it's better than nothing." Pagano took the cutlass and ran towards the last group of pirates. Garp turned around just as a purple energy blade sliced toward his face. He intercepted the blade with his Haki-imbued fist just before it struck him. As soon as he did, the blade dissolved.

"Oh, this one knows Haki! Your strength truly lives up to your reputation, Captain Garp!" A short and pudgy man dressed in a golden uniform appeared in front of Garp out of thin air and slashed at the Marine's arm with a knife. Garp felt a searing pain on his forearm - he wasn't able to activate his Haki fast enough. Although Garp immediately swung at the man, he vanished before the strike could connect.

"It's not often that one learns Haki before the Six Powers!" the man exclaimed, reappearing at the entrance of the beach, "Unfortunately it won't be not enough for you. I'm Oolong, Second Commander of the East Chai Pirates, and my Border Guard will make sure this is as far as you get on the island, Captain Garp!"

"You're a Commander! So you're the one in charge here! I was wondering where you guys went. Where are the leaders or whatever?" Garp said. He noticed that Pagano had taken down the remaining pirate lackeys, but suffered some serious wounds in the process.

"You'll meet my three lovely Border Chiefs soon!" Oolong said.

Two female pirates appeared behind Pagano.

"Pagano, behind you!" Garp shouted, running toward his junior officer. As Pagano turned around, the Border Chiefs drew knives and slashed at Pagano. Pagano barely parried the knives with his cutlass, but was knocked down by the force of the slashes. As he ran, Garp noticed that Oolong was flustered.

"Where's the third Border Chief?" Oolong demanded. As he said the words, a gust of wind knocked over the two pirates looming over Pagano. A slender woman with long red hair and clad in the same uniform as the other Border Chiefs glided down from the sky. She helped a seemingly elated Pagano to his feet and exchanged words with him. Garp stopped running. Although he couldn't see her face, the woman in front of him looked familiar.

"I'm right here, Commander," she said.

As Garp heard the voice, his heart filled with glee. "Humi! I mean, Commander Humi! I can't believe it's you! It's been so long!"

Humi glared at Garp. "Hello, Captain Garp. I hope you remember that you owe me 50,000 Belly in child support."