30 Years Before | One piece Fanfiction

How things change

Whitebeard's POV

Newgate's trip back to the top of the ship was slow, he wasn't all that bothered, they weren't in any rush. He was used to walking at a lax pace, most people found it hard to keep up with him at his normal speed anyway.

Marco kept almost walking into everything, walls, corners, people. The little brat, who he had found out was called Luffy, had to redirect Marco a couple of times. The kid himself had a awful attention span, he would almost get lost constantly and his older brother would end up herding him back. Dragon was the only one that wasn't really a problem, silently trailing a few feet back.

After the last few days, this was actually quite pleasant, (except for the sour air coming off Dragon) he was happy to relax for a while. As long as he got to his destination eventually this was fine.

Newgate would glance over his shoulder once in a while to make sure that the boys were still behind him. Even if it was obvious, considering how loud the two youngest were being. It was a habit he had developed when Marco was much younger, when the boy would wander off accidentally when he wasn't paying attention.

The Yonko smilied lightly thinking back to the time before he was a captain with a crew. How long was it now? Two and a half years maybe three? Marco had been with Newgate much longer than that though.

Newgate had been walking for what had to have been miles, yet the small blonde boy was still tailing him, trying desperately to keep up, yet at the same time attempting to make it look like he wasn't.

He wasn't entirely sure what he was supposed to do. He had no idea that the kid would actually follow him, the man had presumed he would run away.

Newgate had spotted the poor boy when he had been walking through the less than savoury part of Sabaody. A crowd of people had gathered, which had piqued his interest and he had gone to see what was going on.

It was a street performance, a very disturbing one. It's not like Newgate hadn't witnessed this sort of thing before. When you were a pirate this sort of thing was just part of the package, especially if you happened to visit the dark parts of town.

Didn't mean the man didn't hate it.

Normally the pirate would just turn away, ignore it, pretend it wasn't happening.

But his heart hit the bottom of his chest when he saw a young boy was part of the act. He was sat on the muddy ground with a rope leash around his neck.

"Lookie here folks at the Immortal Phoenix! He's a true mystery, it is said that he can heal any wound, he can't even be killed! Watch as the miracle happens!"

The cruel street performer then stabbed him with a spear. The kid barely even reacted at all, as the sharp pointed object was shoved brutally into his left ribcage. A moment later his whole side erupted into blue flames, as the spear was torn out once again.

The sick crowd started applauding as the boy's stab wound began to slowly close up, the child's face was devoid of any emotion.

Newgate didn't even think, he was too enraged as he barged through the group of twisted spectators, slamming his fist into the performers face killing him almost instantly, his whole neck snapped and cheek bone crumbled from the hit.