Author's Note: We've finally come to the Impel Down Arc! And let me tell you that this chapter and the next few chapters will be the longest ones yet! Be prepared for some major reading as some of these chapters will be 5,000+ words! Please review and make sure you pay attention, because this is where it all comes down to the wire everyone! Please enjoy!
Level 5: Freezing Hell is the fifth level of Impel Down in which prisoners are kept. This is the level where criminals with bounties of 100,000,000 beli and over are kept. In stark contrast to the level above it, the entire level here is a giant freezer. The level is so cold that not only do the prisoners kept here either freeze to death or lose pieces of their flesh from severe frostbite, but the food given to them is frozen to the level of being virtually inedible. Due to the extreme cold, Den Den Mushi do not function in this level, thus cutting off both contact and surveillance, except on the locations localized around the entrances that connects Level 5 to the previous and next levels. Along with the severe cold, the level is inhabited by wolves. These wolves roam around the level like the beasts of Level 2, where they were originally stationed at. However, they proved to be too brutal to be in Level 2 as they also hunted the other beasts as well, including the Basilisk and the Sphinx.
My breath hitched in my throat as I heard the fast approaching sound of footsteps that ran my way. The cold kept my body numb as I stood hiding behind a pillar that lead to the 6th Level of Impel Down, waiting for the intruder that was quickly approaching. You're probably wondering as to why I am here, still within the walls of Impel Down, well, right before Garp and I was about to leave I had returned into Impel Down to ask something of the Warden, Magellan, and that's when the break-in happened. That's right, I said break-in and not break-out. We have no clue as to who it was that has broken in side the wall of Impel Down, but that was about two hours ago, I have been in Freezing Hell for that amount of time. Magellan had asked me to station here just in case the intruder had gotten past him in Level 4: Blazing Hell I had agreed though I have been without a Den Den Mushi for all this time, I have come to the guess that Magellan was defeated by this intruder.
Upon hearing footsteps, I decided to peek my head from around the corner. I raised a brow as Inazuma, one of Emporio Ivankov's people, came into view. But, what puzzled me even more was who he was carrying. Deciding to step out form around the corner, I took a few steps forward before stopping as Inazuma turned around at the notice of my presents. When he turned, however, I was able to get a better view of who he was carrying and it was then I took notice that he had in both his arms, Mr. 2 and Monkey D. Luffy.
"And just where do you plan on going with them?" I asked, my voice deeper than usual thanks to the cold. Inazuma just stared at me, not making a move nor sound as he just stood there with both of them underneath his arms.
"I have orders to take care of them both, so if you would drop them and return to your level it would make my job much easier." I stated, taking a few steps forward until I stopped as I noticed the purple goop on Luffy's arm. My eyes widened, Luffy had fought against Magellan after all and his arm had been poisoned.
"It seems that you have already taken notice Commodore that if we do not hurry and bring them to Emporio, you will not have any living prisoners to take back with you." Inazuma said, turning his back on me without another word. I stood there baffled by not only Inazuma, but by Luffy's injury as well. I watched as he took the both of them down the stairs as I stood there debating on weather or not to follow them, but I figured that if nothing else I could always beat the shit out of anybody who questioned my reasons for following.
I took a deep breath, my body still chilled to the bone as I walked through the crowd on Level 5.5 of Impel Down. This level was nothing more but groups of transvesdites that were kept on this level for the soul purpose of protection. You would never htink that there would ever be the many, but hte reason was far more than anyone really knew. Ivankov was their "leader" on this level. Ivankov was once part of the revolutionary movement that all started with Luffy's father, Monkey D. Dragon. How do I know all of this? Simple. I like to know my history and possible future enemies. Garp had been my mentor for many years and much of it I had learned form him, seeing as how Dragon was indeed his own son.
So far as I walked behind Inazuma, who held Luffy and Mr. 2 underneath his arms, I had gotten harsh and cruel looks from everyone. But, there was something that peeked my interest that came as soon as I had entered onto this floor. Why had nobody attacked me yet? And wast more, why was I brought down here? I continued to follow behind Inazuma until I was brought into the center of the room, Luffy and Mr. 2 were placed on some tables that were off to the side out of the way. Once they were placed down, Inazuma made his way back over to me, his eyes hidden behind his glasses but I knew his eyes were on me.
"I present to you, Emporio Ivankov." The room became dark and suddenly a spot light appeared that lit up a stage like area. The men behind me cheered like girls when suddenly a very, very, very large man with a purple afro and dressed in a pink get up with fishnet appeared on stage. I sweat dropped when he started to shouting into a microphone and dance around, turning the men into women and vise-vursa. When he came to me, he stopped and his eyes widened as he gasped and took a step back.
"What do we have here? A little lady in Newkama Land of Impel Down? Eh... and she's so cute too!" My face reddened with embarrassment from the sudden attention and complement that was given to me.
"Emporio Ivankov, she is a Commodore in the Marines." Inazuma told Ivankov, who then seemed to realize my position and the sudden "welcoming aura" was no more.
"Eh? What would a Commodore being doing all the way down here in the depth of Impel Down? Well little lady?" Ivankov questioned, the room re-lit and the spot light disappeared. I frowned as I looked up at the much taller man before looking over at the table where Luffy was laying.
"I'm here for the boy and the escaped prisoner." Ivankov crossed his arms and gave me a dark look.
"And why would a Commodore be sent into Impel Down for escaped prisoners?" He asked, not trusting me one bit. I sighed, nor really wishing to repeat my story once more to him, but it seemed like I really didn't have a choice in the matter.
"As I said before, I was already here on other business and when I heard of the break-in, I imminently came to assist the Warden." Ivankov narrowed his eyes before he glanced over toward the table where Mr. 2 and Luffy were both resting, the poison slowly effecting Luffy. When Ivankov's gaze returned to me, he noticed that I too had my gaze on them, but mainly on Luffy. Ivankov raised a brow, something within him told him that there was more to my story than what I was actually telling him.
"But my question for you is can you save him?" Ivankov blinked, unfolding his arms from over his chest and placing his hands on his hips.
"Young lady, just what is your interest in this boy?" I pulled my eyes away from Luffy and looked up at Ivankov, taking notice of the look on his face. He was trying to figure me out, but I wasn't about ready to let him know anything about me or my feelings toward Luffy. I straightened my posterior and frowned deeply while some of my newly cut, thanks to Killer, bangs fell in front of my eyes.
"It is my mission to bring Monkey D. Luffy back alive. I cannot fail such an important mission." Ivankov's eyes widened as he gasped and took a step back as he gave a rather strange looking pose. His eyes flickered back and forth between myself and Luffy as his voice seemed to change to a higher pitch as he talked, leaving me confused with such a strange behavior.
"M-M-Monkey D. Luffy! Y-You mean to tell me that this is Monkey D. Dragon's son!?" I blinked before realizing Ivankov's past relationship with Dragon in the past. I nodded, resting my wrist on the hilt of my two swords before turning slowly and facing Luffy, who still laid on the table passed out from the poison.
"He is a very important person, and I cannot allow him to die down here. I'm asking you once more, Emporio Ivankov, will you please use your powers to heal him?" I asked, my gaze never leaving Luffy as I hoped Ivankov would agree to my request knowing who Luffy actually was now. Ivankov nodded, walking over to the table and sticking his claws into both Luffy and Mr. 2 before pulling them out. I walked toward them and waited next to Luffy, I only hoped that it wasn't too late for him. But, it seemed that luck was on our side as Luffy suddenly sprung to life and screamed at the top of his lungs. I took a step back, surprised by the sudden outburst that came from the young boy as he jumped up from the table and onto his feet.
"WHAAAAA! I'M COMING FOR YOU!" Luffy screamed, starting to run off in a random direction. I narrowed my eyes and reached out to grab the back of his shirt and slam his face into the ground.
"You idiot! What the hell do you think you're doing all the way down here! Stupid moron!" I shouted, shoving my foot into the back of his head, causing his face to crack the floor underneath him. Luffy's muffled voice spoke as I shoved his face further into the ground before getting off of him and pulling his head from out of the ground, causing him to look at me.
"Eh?" He blinked a few times, looking right at me. It took him a minute, but after a while Luffy's eyes widened as his mouth dropped to the ground, literally thanks to his Devil Fruit powers.
"EH!? EMILY! WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE!?"
"IDIOT! I JUST ASKED YOU THE SAME THING!"
"I'm here to save Ace!" Luffy shouted, climbing onto his feet as I released him from his answer. I felt my mouth gape as I looked at him, he couldn't be serious could he? I clenched my mouth shut before balling up my fists and throwing a punch straight into the side of his face, sending him flying clear across the room and into the adjacent wall. The prisoners all gasped, along with Ivankov who seemed to be the most confused out of all of them.
"Idiot! Do you know what you're asking for by going after Ace in a place like this?" I shouted across the room to make sure that the moron could hear me clearly. Luffy climbed up out of the ruble of the wall coughing and hacking as the dust finally settled. Climbing up to his feet he dusted his self off before walking toward me, a determined look on his face.
"I don't care! I will save Ace no matter what happens!" He replied, stopping just a few feet in front of me. I growled, feeling the anger boiling up within me once again finding it harder to control my anger now than ever before.
"You won't be able to save him, not by yourself. Do you even know what's going on right now as we speak?" Luffy raised a brow, conforming that he was indeed clueless to the situation.
"Since you broke into Impel Down and started making your way down through the seven levels the guards here started moving Portgas D. Ace," Luffy's eyes widened as I continued. "Ace is going to be taken to Marine Ford within a matter of hours, Luffy. For all we know Ace could already be there and awaiting his execution." Luffy's mouth hung open before he closed his eyes and lowered his head, his fists balled and held out from his sides.
"No way! I will save him! No matter what happens I will save him!" Luffy shouted, looking back up at me and allowing me to see the determination that was clear in his eyes.
"Emily! I'm running low on time so will you please help me!" Once again, the prisoners gasped and were all shocked from such a request from Luffy. Never before had any of them seen a pirate ask a marine for help, something like that was completely out of the question for it was an unspoken code: Marines never helped Pirates.
"Emily, you're our friend, and Ace needs us both now more than ever. Please, please help me save Ace!" Luffy shouted. Ivankov made a noise from behind me, finally figuring out why I was so hell bent on having him help Luffy; we are friends.
"Luffy, you are asking the impossible from me. I am a Marine and my orders are clear." I told him, causing him to frown and grit his teeth, angry with my decision.
"What about your promise to Ace? Does that mean nothing to you anymore? What happened to the old Emily? Has joining the Marines really changed you that much! Emily, you promised Ace! You promised him remember!" My eyes widened as my mind drifted back to that day many years ago at the docks as I started my departure from the island to return to the Marine HQ with Garp.
"This isn't easy at all for me, but Emma-" Ace paused, his face coloring deeply as his body started to quiver as he threw up his head and looked into her eyes. "You're my friend, and I care a lot about you!" Emma's mouth just gaped, he really did care about her!? A slow grin came to her lips as she laughed and jumped the boy as she gave him a large hug, which didn't help his blush at all.
"Ace! You're such a jerk, but you're my friend too!" Emma cried out, "All I ever wanted was to be friends with you, but you never gave me a chance!" Ace pulled away from her, smiling now.
"You're such a cry baby sometimes, squirt." Ace laughed, pointing out the tears that were holding in the side of her eyes. Emma took her hand and whipped her eyes clean from any tears as she smiled back and laughed.
"I am not a cry baby! And stop calling me squirt, I'm not that short!"
Garp chuckled at the scene before him. He watched as the two children before him started to get along. DanDan had wrote to him about the progress of Emma, and in the letters she had informed Garp about the way Ace and Luffy treated her as well. Garp wasn't the least bit surprised to hear that she and Luffy got along well, but when he had heard about the way Ace acted... well, he had his suspensions.
"Emma! We have to leave now, say good-bye to Ace and let's get going." Garp said, a large smile on his face as both children looked over at him. Both of them now frowned as Emma turned back around to face Ace while she hung her head.
"Well, I guess this is good-bye?" Emma said, looking up at the boy who shared the same expression as she; disappointment.
"Naw, we'll see each other again. We're friends remember? We'll cross paths on the sea someday." Ace told her, a smile coming to his lips. Emma's eyes widened.
"B-But Ace, you'll be a pirate and I'll be a marine! How are we suppose to stay friends?" Ace's smile never faltered as he raised up his hand and held out his pinky finger.
"I promise that if we ever cross paths, I won't attack you, no matter what your orders might be I won't hurt you, ever." Emma just looked at his finger for a moment before she smiled, no longer able to hold back the tears as they slid down her cheeks as she held a smile on her face. Taking her pinky finger, she linked it with his and shook on it.
"And I promise that if you ever get into trouble, I'll come save you!" Ace laughed.
"Yeah right, you'll be the one who will need rescuing, Emma!" Emma started laughing herself as they unlocked their fingers.
I closed my eyes, remembering our promise from when we were children. I felt my heart pounding in my ears as my chest started to ache, there was that strange feeling again. Why did it continue to torturer me every time Ace would cross my mind? I opened my eyes to see Luffy still standing before me, the same fiery look in his eyes. I sighed, knowing that Luffy was right and that if I didn't do anything to help, how could I even live with myself knowing that I just allowed Ace to face this alone? I looked at Luffy, he was willing to go to any distance in order to save Ace, so why wasn't I willing to do the same?
I closed my eyes and gritted my teeth. Had all this time with the Marines truly made me such a horrible person? Someone who wasn't willing to fight for their friend all because of them being labeled the enemy? Ace had stepped up and saved me when I was faced to face with Whitebeard, even though he was a pirate and I a marine, he still kept me safe from the wrath of Whitebeard and his crew. I opened my eyes and approached Luffy, stopping just before him and held out my hand, extending my pinky finger toward him causing him to raise a brow.
"I promise, I'll help you save Ace. I'll fight with you, even to the very end if I must in order to make sure that you save him." Luffy's grin reappeared as he wrapped his pinky finger around mine and we shook on it. From behind us, Mr. 2, Ivankov, and the rest of the prisoners gaped in awe as they couldn't believe that a pirate and a marine had just made a pact in order to help save another pirate.
"So, how do we know we can trust you?" Mr. 2 asked what everyone else was wondering. I turned around and frowned, opening my mouth to speak but instead it seemed that Luffy had beaten me to the answer.
"Emily here is Ace and mines friend!" I deadpanned, along with everyone else who seemed to be shocked to learn of this "pirate-marine friendship". Ivankov laughed, placing his hands on his hips while he bellowed it all out.
"I knew there was more than what the little lady was letting on!" I sighed, the sudden uproar of mine and Luffy's relationship had caused an unexpected uproar that I had hoped to try and maneuver around, but I suppose that they would have learned sooner or later.
"We are wasting time!" I shouted, having to have my voice be heard over the crowd of people that were all talking to each other about the newly found discovery. My shouting caused them to become silent as they all looked at me, remembering what I had said earlier.
"If you wish to go to the lower levels, the stairs is that way." Ivankov informed us, pointing in the direction of the stairwell. I nodded, turning to Luffy and nudging him onward.
"Wait! Let us come with you!" Ivankov shouted, rushing toward the both of us, Inazuma accompanying him, along with Mr. 2 right beside him.
"I maybe helping out Luffy, but I am still a marine, I cannot allow more than the necessary amount of prisoners to exca-"
"Trust me! You'll need us down there with you!" Ivankov told me, towering over me as if trying to intimidate me. I blinked, wondering what it was that Ivankov was talking about. I growled, looking over at Luffy who was looking at Ivankov.
"This is your rescue mission, do as you please with them." I told Luffy, who gave me a confused look before looking back at Ivankov.
"Do you know where Ace is located?"
"Yes."
"Alright, you're coming with us then." Luffy said, taking the answer and running with it. I sighed, this was going to be a long and stressful rescue mission, I just knew it.
"It's dark down here!"
"Where are all the lights!"
"Idiots! It's suppose to be dark down here for a reason!"
"Who are you calling an idiot?"
"Just shut up Luffy and just keep running!"
Our voices echoed off the cold and damp cell walls of level 7 as we ran through the many different cells. Men screamed at us to be released, but we ignored them as we continued to run onward toward Ace's cell. I once again felt my heart pounding in my ears as the thought of finding Ace already gone occurred through my mind. I shook my head and narrowed my eyes as I picked up my feet and started running faster, passing by Ivankov and up to Luffy's side. Luffy glanced over at me but said nothing as we ran side by side through the halls of level 7 searching for Ace's cell.
"It should be right around this corner!" I told everyone, Luffy looking at me strangely.
"How do you know where his cell is?" I looked over at Luffy, seeing that he was waiting for my answer as he kept on running beside me.
"Garp and I came here earlier today to see him. When we heard about the break in I came back inside to help, not knowing who or what had gotten inside. For all I knew, they could have been coming here for someone else. But, when I found out it was you, I was stationed on level 5 and was then cut off from any communication from the other levels due to the cold." Luffy opened his mouth, but ended up closing it instead guessing that whatever he was going to say could either wait till later or he decided to just not ask at all. When we rounded the corner I knew that the cell was straight ahead, we were so close to him, but yet so far away.
I came skidding to a stop, out of breath, sweaty, and tired my eyes gazed into the empty cell before us.
"We're too late." I groaned, walking over to the empty cell where Ace was being held.
"Where could they have taken him?" Luffy asked, wrapping his hands around the cell bars and peering inside. I crossed my arms over my chest, trying to think. There would be no way they would take the stairs, that would take far too long, so where would they have gone?
"The elevator!" I shouted, figuring it out finally. Luffy looked over at me confused, probably not knowing that there was an elevator.
"The elevator is used by the Warden, it connects to his office and goes to every level through Impel Down. They most likely have taken him up to the top using that! Luffy looked at me, determination showed on his face once again.
"Where is it and how do we get to it?" I shook my head, causing him to frown.
"The only one who can use it is the Warden, he has the key... but," I thought, putting my hand underneath my chin and thinking for a moment. "That doesn't mean that I can't use it!" Luffy blinked, confused with my plan.
"The Warden doesn't know that I'm working with you guys, so if I were to contact the Warden on a Den Den Mushi, I could get the elevator working and we could get out of here faster!" Everyone in the group gasped, amazed with my plan and way of thinking.
"That's a smart idea little lady!" Ivankov commented.
"Hey, you over there!" A gruff voice called out from a cell that was adjacent to the one we were standing in front of at the moment. I turned, squinting my eyes before gasping and running over to the cell. Everyone watched me as I stuck my head in through the bars as far as I could as I peered inside the darkened cell, shocked to whom had called out.
"Jinbe! You're alive!" The fish man gazed up at me through the bars, a small smile on his lips.
"I never would have expected to find you in a place like this, Little Emily. And what's more, I would have never have guess you be down here helping out a handful of pirates." Jinbe said, frown a little as he looked over at the group behind me. I frowned, looking at the bruises and marks that littered his blue skin.
"What have they done to you down here?" My voice a whisper as I looked back into his eyes. He looked back at me and lowered his head.
"They have kept me down here for a while it's the World Governments doing."
"Emily, who is that?" Luffy asked as I closed my eyes, my grip tightening on the bars of the cell to the point where my knuckles turned pale. I ignored Luffy at the moment, my mind buzzing with ways on how to fix this situation.
"Jinbe, just hold on and don't move." I ordered. He did just as I said and sat there watching and waiting. I took a deep breath before pushing myself back off the bars and drawing both my swords, catching everyone's attention. Jinbe raised an eye, watching me carefully as I moved both my swords in a diagonal motion through the air at the cell before sliding them back into their homes by my side. It took a second, but when I placed my swords back into their places, the bars slid apart and fell to the floor in a broken pile.
"A-Amazing!" Mr. 2 shouted, not expecting something like that to come from such a simple swipe of two swords. I walked into the cell and keeled down in front of Jinbe, he watched me as I looked over the Sea Stone cuffs that were around his ankles and wrists.
"I'm getting you out of here, Jinbe." I whispered to him. He looked down at me and watched as my small hands moved over the Sea Stone shackles that were cuffed to his body. I narrowed my eyes and concentrated while my hands grabbed hold of the cuffs. I gritted my teeth as I raised my hand as if I was going to slap the cuffs, but instead I brought my open hand down onto the center of the shackles. My fingers hit square on the target as I repeated this action quickly to all four cuffs around his body.
Everyone behind me watched in silence as I went to stand up, my head at the height of Jinbe as he was sitting down. Everyone waited to see what I had done and within seconds the Sea Stone cracked before exploding across the cell floor.
"You've gotten much better since the last time I had seen you." Jinbe said, watching as the last cuff shattered and went flying, allowing him to stand up on his feet. I looked up at him, he still towered over my small body, causing me to glace up at him.
"There a lot of things I've gotten better at since we last seen one another, Jinbe." I told him, turning around to face everyone else who seemed majorly confused with my powers. Ivankov had his mouth wide open, while else seemed to be doing the same thing.
"E-Emily that was cool! How did you do that!?" Luffy shouted. I shook my head as I walked out of the cell and up to him.
"I'll explain it to you later, but right now we have more important matters at hand. Luffy, this is Jinbe, Jinbe this is Luffy." I introduced them to one another before I turned to leave.
"I see how it is, you rescue him and not me?" I stopped, my eyes widened as my mouth gaped slightly. The darkness held an all new meaning to "eery" for me as the voice continued.
"Running around with a handful of pirates, I knew that one day you would grow tired of the life you had." I turned slowly, my body stiffening as my eyes widened while I looked down at the cell at the very end of the hall, which caused everyone else to stand there confused and looking around in the darkness until the voice continued allow them to know where it came.
"So, my proposition still stand for you." Everyone else turned around with me and saw who it was that was speaking to me. Luffy, for the first time in his whole life of ever knowing me had for the first time seen the scared expression that held on my face as my eyes never left that cell. Locked inside of the cell, was a large man who's jet black hair was slicked back and had a long scar running across his face. However, the item that topped it off, the item that truly allowed you to know just who the hell he was was the large golden hook that was on his left hand. I narrowed my eyes as I felt my stomach bubbling up with a sickness that I hadn't felt in a long, long time.
"Sir. Crocodile." I whispered, standing still in my spot as his eyes fell upon mine and that genuine smirk fell upon his lips.
"Hello, Little Miss. Red."
Author's Note: And this looks like a swell place to end this chapter here! For those of you who don't know, or might already know, I'm doing a "behind the scenes" type of story where I am accepting OC's to star in the story that entangles with this one here. The story is called "In Times Like These", you can go check it out and fill out the information form and submit your OCs to me VIA Private Messaging if you wish to have your OC star in the story. I'm only accepting so many OCs, about 10 or so, so make sure you jump on it if you wish for your OC to be written about!
Thanks again for all the wonderful reviews and I'm glad that you're all enjoying the story thus far!