Hi Anchor,

I bet you still can't swim when I'm back. I know you are too proud to ask me to teach you, but you should never let pride get in your way. That only brings a fleeting success, if any. But I won't bother you about that.

It's a lot more fun to tease you about it. Little Anchor.

Not much is happening. Just the usual bickering and partying. We hunted down a raider, but I will tell you all about that the next time we drop by.

Until then,

Shanks.

Hi Luffy,

I think I miss you. Isn't that weird though? I have only known you for a month and still… your smile is really contagious. You should never lose it.

Especially when you get mad. Then all oyu should do is grin and move one.

It might be fun to watch, but you are not doing yourself any favor. And I won't stop joking on your expense until you've learned that.

See you soon,

Shanks.

Luffy,

Why weren't you there to see us off? I am worried. I hope it's because you're still mad and not because something happened to you.

Because I know you are upset, and I also know why. But what you don't know yet, is that there is no reason for it. I told you before, and I tell you again. What matters isn't what they do, but what you do.

And that really was just harmless fun. If you wanna be a pirate, you better get yourself a thicker hide.

I can't even count the bottles my crew mates emptied over my head…

Think about it, Luffy.

I hope you'll be there to welcome us back,

Shanks.

I know you worry. I know you are sad. I know you blame yourself.

Don't, Luffy.

Yesterday you had more courage than all the adults standing around you. No one stood up for you, when you had stood up for us.

I am the one that has to be grateful here.

So thank you, Luffy.

You give me hope in the next generation. You have to live, no matter what, even if it costs me my life.

Be strong, Luffy. And if you ever need the other arm, just say so.

Shanks.

Hi Luffy,

I write smiling, even though it is so hard.

It is hard to be away from you. My life tries to carry on as if I hadn't met you, but I am not letting it. I hold on to every memory I ever shared with you.

Benn is worried, he says I would only suffer more with every year that will pass. But I will never forget you. Never.

Love,

Shanks.

Hi Luffy,

Benn was right.

But that won't change a thing between us.

Miss you,

Shanks.

Hi Luffy,

I don't know how you are. I don't know if you're alive even.

It is so hard. I think about you all the time, wonder if you are happy. And I wonder if leaving you behind was the right thing.

Benn keeps telling me it was, and during the day I agree with him. But at night I lie awake and doubt my decision. Should I have trusted fate to keep you safe?

All I know is that I, at the very least, should have trusted myself that I could do so. It might have killed me, but being so far away from you is consuming me too.

Always thinking of you,

Shanks.

Hello Luffy!

I met Ace today. And finally I know you are well and happy. And you have brother, too. There is nothing more important than family and the people you care about. Ace does and so do I. We both love you more than life itself, never forget that.

And Ace is a good brother. He told me all the stuff that happened after I left. I am so sorry to hear about Sabo. You are too young to know this kind of loss. I wish I could have been there to help you through it.

Maybe the question wasn't if you should have come with us but if I should have stayed there with you. We could have been pirates together one day again. Although Ace told me you wouldn't take any other position than captain, so I guess we would have run into that problem pretty quickly.

Maybe things are good the way they are.

I am happy you are well.

Shanks.

Luffy!

Never, in my entire life, have I been more proud.

I am proud of you.

The people you took down, the lives you saved. I know the marines have a tight grasp on most newspapers. But I know what happened. You are the light of this generation, giving hope where others before you have failed, including me.

Ace said I was your idol, but you don't need to be like me. Be your best, that is all I would ever ask of you.

I think it all the time, but today I tell you.

I wish you were my son. Then my life would be complete.

Shanks.

Hi Luffy!

It is so good to hear from you through the papers all the time. I collect every piece I find. Benn makes fun of me because of that, but I don't care.

If it wasn't that, the old grumpy man would find something else to torment me with. You said I was teasing you all the time? Try surviving around Benn for…damn…I'm old…for many years.

I can see your crew is growing. They seem good people. I entrust you to them now.

Don't forget about the musician though,

Shanks.

Luffy,

I tried to stop him…

I went to Whitebeard himself, but he didn't listen. Stubborn old man. Now Ace is chasing after a man I deem too dangerous and too powerful for Ace to overcome. All we can do is hope.

Hope that I overestimated Blackbeard or underestimated Ace. I know he is strong, I know he is fierce. But I think he is troubled. There is some darkness in him I never got behind. I don't know what it is, but I feared for him before.

Now I am terrified.

I am sorry I failed you.

Shanks.

Luffy,

Don't despair.

I know Whitebeard well enough that even the whole world wouldn't be able to separate him from his children. So there is still hope.

I think no matter what I say, you will come for your brother. So I won't try to stop you. Instead I ask you to remember our promise.

Live, Luffy. I beg you. Survive this war.

Shanks.

Dear Luffy,

I don't know what to say.

I could tell you that the pain fades with years or that everybody finds themselves in your position eventually.

But I won't lie to you.

Pain fades only to sneak up on you when you least expect it and I don't know anyone that has been in your shoes.

I don't mean to mock your loss or deepen your despair. Because no matter how lost you feel right now, I know you have people that would take on your suffering without thinking twice.

You have your nakama.

And you will always have me.

Shanks.

Hi Luffy,

The world is different since you disappeared.

I would be desperately looking for you were you with anyone else. But I would entrust Master Rayleigh with my life and so I will have to sit still through your training as well.

Don't tell him that though. I would never hear the end of it.

I find myself thinking a lot about Ace lately. I am glad I got to know him shortly. That shadow that lingered over him, I think I know now what it was. And it breaks my heart. If only he had known his father like I did. I wish I could tell Ace. But since I can't, I tell you.

I would not live without Roger. And growing up I wanted to be like him.

Sound familiar?

Shanks.

Dear Luffy,

This will be my last letter.

Tomorrow I will finally see you again. And then all these years will be behind us.

A life-long trial will be over. And I very much like the place you selected for us to meet up.

I bet Makino still has that juice in store.

Until tomorrow, my king.

Shanks.