Happy Holidays! I tried to post this for you as a Christmas treat (and then again the next two days), but I kept getting an error. I'm glad I could get this up for you today & hope you find it interesting. This story was inspired by Mendosuke's The Ones Left Behind. I'd love to hear what you think of the premise (or story). In the meantime, enjoy!

Shanks leaned over Red Force's railing, too caught up in his memories to really see the horizon. He'd been more prone to reflection ever since Luffy had reemerged from whatever island Vice-Captain Rayleigh had squirrelled him away on.

"I just heard from Inuarashi," Benn murmured, strolling up and leaning against the rail beside him. They spoke softly, facing the sea, so not even their other crew mates would be able to read their lips or follow their discussion. While small in size for a yonkou's crew, there were nonetheless too many ears for them not to be careful. Given their mandate, there were, of necessity, secrets.

"Oh?" Shanks questioned, not moving.

"He and Nekomamushi decided to show Luffy their Road Poneglyph." Shanks smiled sharply at the news. His hat was his treasure, but it also served as a marker; with Luffy wearing it, people knew to watch out for him. Vice-Captain Rayleigh's bold stunt at Marineford had shown the world who the late Pirate King's first mate deemed worthy of being his captain's successor, even if most people didn't understand that. The people who mattered got the message. With Nico Robin an apparently devoted member of his crew and access to Zou's poneglyph, Luffy no doubt had his first Road Poneglyph translated. His journey was certainly set to be a lot swifter than Captain Roger's had been.

"Any word on Anchor?" When Benn smiled, Shanks knew Luffy had done something, well, Luffy.

"He's on his way to steal back a crew mate from Big Mom… and grab her poneglyph while he's there." Shanks was thankful he wasn't drinking or someone would have ended up with a face full of liquor.

"What the hell happened to him picking a fight with Kaido?!"

"The other half of his crew is enroute to Wano."

"He split his crew?!" Shanks yelped, making his crew mates swing around to stare at him. "No, seriously," Shanks said, lowering his volume, "he's picking a fight with two Yonkou at once?"

"He wouldn't be Luffy if he did things the easy way," Benn replied breezily.

"Benn," Shanks whined, hiding his face in his hand, "we bet on a crazy kid." His first mate - the bastard - simply smiled.

"I thought that was his appeal." Shanks sighed, then lifted his head as he considered the possibilities.

"Kaido and Big Mom both have Road Poneglyphs," Shanks murmured. "Anchor could end up with three of the four Road Poneglyphs translated in a very short period of time."

"Do you want to slow him down?" Benn asked seriously. Shanks considered the matter. He loved Luffy, but he hadn't seen the boy in more than twelve years and he didn't want Luffy to reach the One Piece until he had matured enough to handle it. There were, of course, gold and jewels on Raftel, but that was never the One Piece. The One Piece was meant to be wielded carefully and only by the chosen heir. Shanks had spent twelve years believing Luffy would grow into that person, but until he met him as an adult, he couldn't be certain.

"…not yet. Let's see what he's like when he catches up with us. Ace's death must have really aged him."

"Not to mention Dark King Rayleigh's training. I can't imagine surviving that was easy." Shanks snorted and waved the concern away.

"I'm sure that was fun for Anchor. He probably had a great time with Vice-Captain Rayleigh." They stood in silence for moment. "I can't believe, after all these years, we're finally at this stage. Some days it felt like it would never come."

"Do you think the others will come to the New World now that they know the heir is here?" No question as to which 'others' Benn was referring to. Shanks frowned, considering the question.

"Vortex is pretty settled in the West Blue, so I don't think he'll come. As far as I'm aware, Seagull never really found a home in the North Blue, so he'll probably show up now that Anchor's on the move. Buggy's already moved here -" Benn snickered at that "even if he'd didn't really mean to. And Scopper Gaban is a wildcard. I'd be as surprised to have him show up as I would to have him not."

"It's hard to imagine Buggy living in the New World," Benn commented, because while all of the former Pirate King's crew deserved respect in Benn's eyes, there was one exception.

"He has before," Shanks replied.

"He had people to hide behind, then. There's a reason we spent so much time in the East Blue, checking things out." Which was, unfortunately, true. While all of the former crew were supposed to be on the lookout for the heir of the Will of D., one crew mate could be counted on to only be looking out for his own interests.

"From what I've heard, Anchor keeps dragging Buggy along in his schemes. He probably reminds Buggy too much of the captain for him to be able to refuse." The thought made him smile and they stood in silence for a moment.

"I still can't believe that Luffy found a survivor from that crew Doctor Crocus was looking for. He was so happy when he called to tell us." Shanks' smile widened at Benn's reminder of the call only a couple weeks back. Sometimes, just sometimes, miracles really happened and every once in a while, people made their own as they went. "It's nice that he was at Reverse Mountain to meet them."

"Anchor also has Yasopp's kid on the crew," Shanks offered, making Benn grimace.

"I know," Benn groaned. Which was fair; since the bounty poster went out for 'God' Usopp, Yasopp just wouldn't shut up. If they thought they'd heard him boast about his kid before, it was nothing compared to now. Shanks refused to believe he would ever be that insufferable even if his kid got a two hundred million belli bounty at nineteen. Then again, who knew what the world would look like by then?

"I wish I hadn't been right about Teach," Shanks murmured, rubbing the scar that covered his eye. Benn accepted the change in topic without hesitation.

"There's a reason we put it on the flag." A reminder, in the most visible place possible, to be cautious; even with haki to guide his decisions he was, in no way, infallible.

"Whitebeard was a good man," Shanks acknowledged, because his late captain's rival had been worthy of respect, "but he was blind when it came to his family."

"And you can't afford to be blind," Benn finished. Because no, as one of the ones guarding the path to the One Piece, he didn't have that luxury.

"Nobody believes they have blind spots, Benn, that's how they work."

"So who are your blind spots?" Benn asked, forcing Shanks to look at himself. It was never a fun experience, but necessity and pleasure were seldom on the same coin and he was a Gatekeeper.

"You," he answered without hesitation, "Lucky Roo, Yasopp." He thought about the crew.

"Luffy," Benn added, making Shanks' head snap around to him. He opened his mouth to object, before shutting it. This was, in some ways, Benn's most important job; keeping him aware and focused.

"Luffy," Shanks acceded after moment. It was hard to admit, but considering the stakes involved in Anchor finding the One Piece, crucial. Shanks looked to the sky considering the situation, before something occurred to him. "I thought they didn't use den-den's on Zou?" So what if he was a little sidetracked? Benn snorted.

"They didn't, but when Kin'emon - a retainer from Wano - mentioned they might be useful, Luffy's crew set them up." Listening to the stories of Anchor's mad exploits was always good for a laugh, but there were other things to consider. "What about the last poneglyph?" Benn asked, forcing him back on topic.

"We leave it."

"Are you sure?" Shanks glanced at his first mate with a raised brow.

"No one has found it in over twenty years. Why are you worried now?"

"I'm just thinking that Luffy could get caught in a storm, blown off course so he lands on the island you hid it on, decide to explore, and accidentally stumble over it." After staring at Benn for a moment, Shanks began to laugh a little hysterically.

"I'm too sober for this," he complained, turning back to his crew because Benn's idea was sadly plausible. He'd worry about that another day. "Give me booze!" He called out, not one for extended sobriety where it could be avoided. His crew understood.