Hi guys! I finally got to write again! :D I've been very busy with my studies in education, but here I am with, finally, another chapter of Impel Down Outbreak! Enjoy!

(NOTE: I know 'outbreak' in this sense isn't really correct English, but I think it sounds more interesting, and it didn't occur to me at the time that it's not really correct. I'm not going to change it though, since it's always been the name of this story. I might change it if I rewrite it, but not right now. ;) )

Chapter Three: The Arrival

The journey to Impel Down was a fairly lengthy one. After all, they had to travel from an island in the New World back to the Calm Belt. That was the biggest difficulty though. The Calm Belt was overrun with Sea Kings and had no currents. You had two real choices to get to the prison: Either you go through the Tarai Current through the heavily protected Gates of Justice and most likely alert the Marines, or you go through the Calm Belt itself with ships that have paddles and are lined with seastone to keep the Sea Kings away.

Luffy and his allies, however, had come up with an entirely different way to get to Impel Down, a way that bypassed all dangers of the Calm Belt.

It was Jimbei, always prepared for anything, who had come up with the idea. He had also been the one to bring along the necessary materials and had his men prepare their ship so it could help with this big plan.

"Ma, ma, maaaah… The Calm Belt is on the horizon, Vivi-sama, gentlemen!" Igaram announced loudly from the Sunny's Crow's Nest a few days after their departure.

"Alright, then we must put the plan into action." Jimbei spoke up. "Ivankov-san, please use the Denden Mushi to notify the other ships to get everything in working order."

"But of course!" Ivankov responded with a twirl before heading inside to pass the orders on to the other ships.

Luffy grinned in excitement as all the final preparations were made for their awesome plan to move safely move through the notorious Calm Belt. "Nishishishi! I can't wait! This is going to be so cool!" he exclaimed enthusiastically, bouncing around the ship instead of helping the men prepare.

Luffy's antics caused Vivi to giggle in amusement. He really hadn't changed a bit, hadn't he? The desert princess was relieved that, after all the hard times he had been through, Luffy was still the cheerful, goofy pirate she knew. "Well, the Marines will certainly be surprised when they see us coming." She agreed.

Yes, they weren't going for stealth this time. They actually decided that it was for the best to properly invade Impel Down and escape before reinforcements from New Marineford could get there. There was little doubt that they would still run into the Marine Admirals, who could get there faster using their Devil Fruit Powers, but they planned their escape so that they hopefully could not harm them. It was definitely a risky plan, but there would always be a risk if you tried to break people out of the most heavily guarded prison in the world. Besides, they had to do whatever they could to save their friends, even if it meant invading Impel Down at the risk of their lives.

The crews on the ships soon finished the final preparations for their launch into the Calm Belt. The ships formed a line and were tied up to one another with powerful steel chains that Jimbei had brought on his ship. The Sunny was at the front, the Fishman ship was at the back and the ships Vivi and Ivankov had come with were in the middle.

"This plan is completely crazy, so I am very surprised that it was you who came up with this Jimbei-kun!" Ivankov commented with a laugh. "You've become so much more manly and gutsy, I love it!"

Trying to ignore Ivankov's latter comment, Jimbei took his place behind the Sunny's helm. "It is the best option we have, so didn't have other options." He said in his gruff voice while taking hold of the wooden wheel in front of him. "Alright everyone! Go ahead and start the plan!" he then ordered. The men on the ship shared looks with one another, still not completely sure of the plan, before all running to the back of the Thousand Sunny. The men on the other ships did not move and waited nervously, no idea whether this would actually work or not.

"HAHAHAHAHAHA, this is so much fun!" Luffy laughed as he jumped and grabbed on to the steel chimney at the back of the ship, wrapping his arms around it several times with his Devil Fruit powers.

A bit scared for what would happen, Vivi clung to one of the railings while Igaram stayed right next to her doing the same.

Slowly but surely, as planned, the weight of all the men on one side caused the Sunny to tilt, the front slowly rising out of the water.

"It's working! Good!" Jimbei spoke firmly. "Then let's start it up! COUP DE BURST!" he shouted as the ship's Coup De Burst launched the ship into the air above the Calm Belt and the Sea Kings' reach. They had tilted the ship before launch to prevent the Coup De Burst from completely destroying the other ships. Instead the other ships were now launched into the air with them without any harm coming to them. Vivi and most of the men on board screamed their lungs out while Luffy laughed it all off, having the time of his life.

"DEPLOY THE BALLOONS!" the fishman captain then ordered the men, who were still half panicking from being so high in the air. They soon realised that actually falling back down with the Sea Kings was much scarier and pulled the ropes that released a large white balloon the length of the entire ship. This was the signal for the crews on the other ships to do the same thing and soon enough the four ships slowed down and floated through the air like airships. The Sunny and Jimbei's ship started up their engines to keep them moving through the air. Once they fully realised their insane and dangerous plan was successful everyone burst out in cheers and celebration. They had done it! They were flying over the Calm Belt! (NOTE: In the anime, the Sunny's paddles that come from the Soldier Dock system were eventually replaced with an engine. This would probably be able to move a ship through the air like an airship if there is a balloon carrying it. The paddles would not be able to do this.)

Luffy jumped down and eagerly ran to the front of the ship to see the Calm Belt beneath them. He could also see a bunch of Sea Kings that had no way of reaching them from up here. "WOAH! SO AWESOME!" the infamous pirate captain exclaimed in complete awe, staring ahead of them with stars shining in his eyes.

After calming herself, Vivi joined him at the front, soon followed by Igaram. "It truly is incredible. I was afraid it wouldn't work." Vivi said with a smile. She could still feel her heartbeat thumping strongly in her chest from the adrenaline. "It was really scary though…" she added a bit more quietly.

"Do not worry Vivi-sama! Should something have gone wrong, I would have protected you from danger!" Igaram reacted with a bow. No way he would let harm to come to the princess!

Since their journey through the air would take some time more time, there was room for final preparations before their attack on the prison. The flag and any other things that could be traced back to the Kingdom of Alabasta were removed from the ship Vivi and Igaram had arrived on. After all, Alabasta was a kingdom under the World Government's wing, so it would be a disaster if they found out the princess of Alabasta was helping one of the most dangerous rookie pirates in the world. Vivi and Igaram also disguised themselves with robes and masks to hide their identities. Vivi would never forgive herself if she put her country in any danger. Despite that, she did not hesitate for even a second to come and help Luffy. She wanted her friends to be safe, no matter what it was she had to do to make sure of that.

"We decided to go in without a particular plan. However, this does not mean we should not be prepared for what is ahead of us." Jimbei spoke up as the most important figures of the whole operation sat together on the Sunny's deck. "This will be a much bigger trial than it was two years ago. There is a very good chance we will run into one or more Admirals, so try to avoid combat with them at all costs. If there is no other option, then try to immobilise them as quickly as possible. Magellan will undoubtedly be there too, so keep an eye out for him and avoid his poison. Also, try to stay together. We should move as one group to the best of our abilities. That way we always have somebody watching our backs." The fishman instructed firmly. There was no room for error on this mission, or they would all pay dearly.

It was hot… Unbearably hot… Staying hydrated was an enormous challenge, and having to work in that tremendous, burning heat made it even more difficult.

He had to use his hands for this labour, carrying around wood to throw into the massive pit of fire on the floor of the prison he resided in. He hated it… This was not what Sanji's hands were meant to be used for. They were for cooking, not for slave labour that made his skilled hands fiery red and full of splinters. Whenever he protested, or the guards simply felt like amusing themselves, a wip came down on his bare back with tremendous force, marking his back like some sort of brand burnt into his already angry red skin.

Sanji had absolutely no sense of time in this place, so there was no way to know what day it was or how long you had been imprisoned for unless you were very observant. He guessed that it must have been about a week or so since he was brought to Impel Down. He had kept track of when the guards were replaced by a new shift. He assumed they switched once a day, and it had happened seven times so far so it had probably been seven days since he was locked up down here.

Even so, it felt like an eternity.

He worried about the rest… What kind of pain were they experiencing? Were they hurt?

Sanji knew he had to stay strong and keep a calm and collected mind though. He had faith that soon, their captain would come and get them all out of this hellhole.

Luffy and the others' destination came into view a while later. The dark building seemed very intimidating in the distance, but no one even considered turning back. They had set out to do this, and they would not back down until they achieved their goal. The Straw Hat Crew had to be saved, no matter what.

"I wished I would never have to return to this dreadful place, but if it is to save Straw Hat Boy's friends, then I will gladly do so." Ivankov spoke unusually seriously while gazing ahead at the most notorious prison in the world.

"I could not agree more, Ivankov-san." Jimbei spoke gruffly. "I will not idly stand by while my dear friends are tortured in there. They saved my people and I, and now it is my turn to save them."

Ivankov and Jimbei weren't the only ones who were this determined to rescue the Straw Hat Pirates despite the awful memories of Impel Down that would never fade away. Luffy himself stared at the prison that had nearly killed him and had kept his brother in dark isolation until he was brought to the location of his death. He had a foreign angered yet determined look on his face. It made him seem like a seasoned warrior, rather than a young man that set out to discover the world and fulfil his dreams with his friends. Vivi could not help but be very impressed by this never before seen side of Monkey D. Luffy.

Maybe she had been wrong in thinking that Luffy hadn't changed over the past two years…

He had grown…

And that is all for this chapter! I hope you guys liked it! I'd love some feedback so always feel free to leave a review/comment if you want to ;)

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