Letters
Dear Luffy,
Yes, I'm really not dead! I kept my promise after all, though only thanks to Fox. I don't look much like I used to though: you probably won't recognise me next time we meet. Most of my brothers on Whitebeard's crew don't even know I'm not dead and they wouldn't recognise me either. I'm also weak, clumsy and having trouble adjusting to the other side-effects. Fox says it'll pass, but I think it'll take at least a year for me to get back up to strength, possibly more.
Considering all of this, Portgas D. Ace is going to stay dead; I never wanted to be known as Roger's son and if I keep my name that won't happen, never mind that if the Marines learnt I was still around they'd chase after me to the ends of the earth and I don't have the strength right now to protect myself, let alone my friends and family. So I'm going to take a new name. I'm not sure what yet, but you can be sure that no matter what I go by you'll always be my little brother.
Don't blame yourself for what happened: it was my own damn fault from beginning to end and I'm sorry you got hurt trying to help me. Fox has been keeping an eye on you, you know, even from the New World. She's cool like that.
I promise I'll see you again when you come to the New World to win the title of Pirate King and we can fight again. If you're gonna make it to the top you can't let me beat you, so no slacking off!
Your brother.
Big brother,
I'm gonna spend the next two years training! That way I'll be strong enough to protect all my nakama properly! See you in the New World,
Luffy.
Dear Madam Pearl,
Your daughter has agreed to my being her doctor for the duration of her pregnancy and informed me I should refer to you for her medical records. I trust there will be no delay as I need to check my findings against her history in order to properly determine her current state of health.
I have also considered your offer, and am willing to agree to the terms laid out at our last meeting; I look forward to doing business with you.
Yours,
Trafalgar Law
Dear Shyarly,
Not dead yet, honest! Tempest donated and adopted me, so I have a whole lot more family now. Can you give me any advice for dealing with little sisters? I have two of them now: Edward Mermera and Symphia. Do you know them at all? I want details!
Tell Ishilly I'm really sorry for worrying her as well; I had no idea you'd Seen what happened to me at Marineford. Fox saved me, so maybe this is a sign that your predictions can be thwarted or just misinterpreted? I'm getting the impression that fate is a lot more flexible than most people realise.
Your uncle still,
Edward D. Spadille
P.S. Tempest named me; d'you like it?
Dearest daughter,
I know you are preoccupied right now with your fiery beloved and your current condition, but there is nobody else I feel comfortable asking this particular favour of. Would you be willing to travel to Punk Hazard? Kuzan-san is currently battling Sakazuki there for the position of Fleet Admiral and I have had a bad feeling ever since he stopped by for tea just before leaving.
With love,
Mother.
Dear Tempest,
How are you? I hope all is well in the Calm Belts and with Spitfire; I know she's hard to keep out of trouble sometimes. Spadille is recovering nicely and will soon be back up to his full strength and more, though his Devil Fruit is a long way from being mastered. He at least recognises that and spends time every day experimenting with his abilities and limits. I've also started him on Haki exercises; do you think you or Spitfire could stop by sometime and teach him to use the Colour of the Conquering King properly? I'm so terrible at it he probably wouldn't understand what he was supposed to do if I tried to demonstrate.
With you and the others hanging around your father's former crew, I recently realised that they were likely to start wondering if Whitebeard was the only one to have children he was ignorant of. If the matter does arise, would you let me know? I wouldn't mind making a side-trip to acquire copies of the census records I know my mother will have requisitioned from the Ryugu Archives by now, and I am familiar with a lot of the people who would be affected by the news. Spadille has also expressed an interest, mainly in being there when Marco finds out exactly how many children he has sired. How many are there, anyway? I am certain of twelve and have suspicions about another ten, but I know there are probably more beyond those I am thinking of.
Regarding my continuing research into your condition, I suspect Doctor Trafalgar Law may have the necessary expertise to assist you. However, considering he is a pirate in pursuit of One Piece, I will be sounding him out very slowly and carefully so it may take some time to find out. Mother tells me he is affiliated with the Sea Network now, so I have her and aunt Charis' permission to show him the Otohime hospital and see where that leads us. I know you want your own children more than anything Temp, and that you worry this may reappear elsewhere in the family further down the line. Please don't give up hope just yet.
Love,
Lisska.
Dear Sanji,
Since you were always so interested in my letter cases you've probably already realised who's writing to you; I hope you are alright. I have no idea where you are, but I can tell you're in good physical health and training hard; remember not to overdo it! You're smarter than that!
I'm not writing just to catch up though. It turns out Zoro and I were not as careful as we might have been: when Kuma separated us I was slightly over two weeks pregnant. Zoro knew, incidentally; it just made him more determined to achieve his goal so he could protect the both of us, if you can imagine that. Of course with him training he can't be with me right now, but I'm sure you noticed that physical distance doesn't really keep us from communicating anymore.
You don't have to worry: I am being careful and eating properly, I promise! Not as well as I would be if you were doing the cooking, but well enough that my doctor has no complaints. I have also developed an obsession with pickles, which is leading me to eat all kinds of odd combinations that the people around me find quite off-putting.
Anyway, the reason I'm telling you all this is that at my latest check-up my doctor told me that I'm expecting a daughter and I'd like you to be one of her godfathers. I trust you to look after my baby should anything happen to Zoro and me, and raise her into a strong and confident woman. Please write back and let me know if you're willing to take on the responsibility; I know any daughter of mine will be a handful regardless and adding Zoro to the mix can only make it worse!
We've already decided to leave the baby with friends when the time comes to sail into the New World: our daughter would be a toddler then and need constant supervision that just isn't possible on board ship. I also don't want to find myself in a situation where I have to choose between protecting my daughter and achieving our captain's dream. I know some good people who will protect my little girl with their lives, so she will be staying with them until Luffy is Pirate King. I do however intend to bring her to Sabaody so Zoro can see her before we set off and hopefully I can introduce her to you then as well.
I have no regrets about my unexpected foray into parenthood; children are a blessing. Take care,
Fox.
Dearest Fox,
Of course! You didn't need to ask! I'd be honoured to be godfather to your daughter! She'll need a gentleman in her life to balance out the Marimo and I promise that if anything happens to either of you I'll care for her as if she were my own. I am in hell, but I am training hard and growing stronger. I wish I could be where you are to cook for you: you need the very best while in your current condition!
Love,
Sanji.
A lot of letters, starting from two weeks after Marineford up to the present. This is sort-of filler, but it provides some additional information I wasn't sure how else to include.