[center][h1]Zepp Kisaragi[/h1]
Drum Island, Muron Prison
[@LokiLeo789] [@Renny] [@BCTheEntity] [@Tmitche23][/center]

Just as he’d gotten done warning the white-haired youngster, two more men came to join the three and add to the steadily rising tension in the air. What caught Zepp’s attention most was the short, blonde-haired boy in the red coat. Ah, [i]now[/i] things were starting to make a little more sense. The Red Hood Pirates. Zepp glanced over them to get a look at their numbers, making sure to account for the event of the rookie crew having increased their membership. The Marine scoffed a bit as the crew’s marksman, Jax Farseer the deserter, whispered into the crimson-clad captain’s ear. Did he think that Zepp wouldn’t be able to catch such a display? Or was he simply confident that the group would have no trouble dealing with him? Kids these days.

The blonde-haired boy spoke up, clearly not fully aware of the gravity of the situation. Or, much like the marksman who had made a point to get a “safe” distance away, he simply figured that taking this too seriously was beneath him The foolishness of youth was remarkable. “Well, I’m sure you’re here on [i]very[/i] important business, young Bogard. As for the town being on fire, well…. That’s pretty obvious now, isn’t it? If I wasn’t willing to give you kids the benefit of the doubt, I’d have thought that was you lot’s doing. But blatant acts of terrorism doesn’t quite seem like the Red Hood Pirates’ M.O.” Zepp responded, making it abundantly clear that he knew the other three’s identities in addition to that of the prisoner’s. In the month since their big debut in Loguetown, the rising rookies had committed quite a bit of mischief. Enough to land them a hefty bounty individually, let alone the bounty for the whole crew combined. Next, the familiar white-haired young man spoke up, essentially reminding Zepp of things that he already knew.

 “Well, as you can see, I’m in the middle of pursuing the guy who made the hole in the Muron. You’ll have to forgive me if I have to let the prison staff handle all of the other prisoners. Especially considering that buddy here was supposed to be executed today. Finishing what was started seems like an appropriate course of action.” he chimed, the coldness of his words cutting even through the chilly air of Drum Island. Upon further observation of the young man, Zepp remembered where he had seen him before. While the young man was, in fact, affiliated with the Red Hood Pirates, Zepp also knew of the young man known as Dirk Messir from his connection to one of his associates. [i]Battler[/i]. The boy probably didn’t know Zepp… Or, rather, Mumyoumaru, on account of the fact that he made a point of staying out of Batller’s business to attend to his own. “I might be able to overlook your presence here if you can forget whatever business you have on this island and leave. Call it a small favour. The children are our future, after all.” the Marine continued, pulling the lid of his hat down lower. Of course, he didn’t exactly expect the young pirates to take his kind offer. After all, they had him outnumbered now, didn’t they?

Taking a quick mental inventory of the group once again and remembering the fact that Jax had decided to take a proper vantage point, Zepp noted that, in the event that Xerxes decided to ally with the Red Hoods in taking him down, he would have to be careful of how big and where he would direct his pyroelectric blasts for fear of friendly fire. The same went for Jax if he were to attempt to snipe. That left Dirk, Bogard and Fadel. And unless Dirk had picked up an absolutely monstrous amount of martial skill from his time under Battler’s “tutelage”, the young man would be a non-factor. With all of this in account, Zepp was sure that he could more than handle the situation until help arrived, even if he decided not to immediately slaughter the Red Hoods simply for interfering in the apprehension of the criminal.