Shanks scowled as he stared at his reflection. Three slash marks starting over his left eye brow and going down onto the same side's cheek now marred his face. He wasn't aware of what had caused one of Whitebeard's Nakama to attack him out of the blue like that, but it had set in motion something even he wasn't aware of. The one who attacked him was known as Teach, and while the rest of Whitebeard's Nakama had been quite shocked Whitebeard himself had looked…saddened. He had been sent off to the infirmary where the nurse fussed over him. Now that the bleeding had stopped he was free to go.
"Try not to get hit in the face and for goodness sakes don't touch them." The nurse instructed as she shooed him out. "Now go on, your captain is waiting."
Shanks pulled away from the mirror with a sigh and left the infirmary. Heading back up onto the main deck of the Moby Dick he was met with a rather somber atmosphere. Teach was nowhere to be seen and Roger was beckoning him over.
"What's the diagnosis?" Roger tried to smile, but with things as they were he just didn't have it in him for the moment.
"My eye is still good. Not supposed to touch it or anything though." That should have been a given, but the nurse seemed like she dealt with plenty of pirates who didn't listen on a daily basis.
"Good to hear you came out of it pretty much unscathed." Newgate did manage a smile, even if it was a little forced. "Don't worry about Teach. He's been dealt with."
"Ah… Thank you, Whitebeard-san." Shanks bowed to show his gratitude, which caused both the Yonkou and the Pirate King to chuckle.
"No need to be so formal." Newgate chided gently.
"He'll warm up eventually, Old Man. Now, we should be off. I've got a few more things to take care of." Roger thumped Shanks on the back, which caused the red-haired pirate to sputter and flush, and finally gave a smile. "Remember what I told you about One Palm Island, okay?"
"Don't worry, Roger. I'll be sure to remember." Newgate finally gave a smile that wasn't forced and motioned for his crew to send their friends off in style.
-TSoB-
Life with the bandits proved rather entertaining and she found that she had come to consider them as family. Sure, it pained her to know that her lover would be turning himself in to the Marines soon, but she had raising Ace to look forward to. Speaking of Ace… "He's kicking very strongly today," she murmured, a hand pressed over her protruding abdomen where her precious boy was kicking.
"Is everything okay, Rouge-sama?" Magura appeared at her side, his countenance one of worry.
"Hai, Magura-san, and please, just call me Rouge." She smiled as the man verbally stumbled over an apology, a profuse blush on his cheeks. "It's okay, Magura-san. I wouldn't mind some of your tea."
"M-my tea, Rouge-sa-san?" He glanced over to the currently unused tea pot stored away on the shelf where other cooking utensils were kept. He hadn't made tea in a while.
"Hai, Magura-san. Your tea is delicious. You would make a lot of money if you opened a tea shop." She smiled as the present bandits all fell silent and stared at her then Magura.
"You really think that, Rouge-san?" Dadan stood up from where she had been talking with Dogura and a few of the other bandits, having overhead Rouge's compliment to Magura's tea.
"I do. Magura-san's tea is very good and would sell very well. Having a legitimate source of income would also be good in case Garp-san returns." She smiled benignly, as though she were talking about the weather.
Dadan looked floored, which only caused the pregnant woman to giggle. "Y-you…"
"Hai, Dadan-san?" Rouge continued to look innocent, her eyes large and doe-like while she fluttered her lashes.
"Boys, go get some supplies. We're opening a tea shop!"
-TSoB-
Today was the day they were executing him.
He had given himself over to Garp so that he could relay his final wish to the man, and though it wouldn't be fulfilled for some time, he knew that the Vice Admiral would see it through. You all will be stronger this time.
They led him out into the streets of Loguetown, showing him off to the people gathered here for this spectacle.
He held his head high and grinned to show that he was still in control. Even when they shoved him onto his knees when they reached the platform. Even throughout the entirety of his last words, which would spurn the Great Age of Piracy, he maintained his grin.
He went to death, smiling, for he was on his way to his next great adventure. I leave everything to you, Luffy. You and your Nakama will change this world once and for all, and now you can have your loved ones by your side as you do so.