Chapter 6: Choices

{Amazon Lily…}

"The execution of Fire Fist Ace."

Those words broke whatever peace of mind Luffy had gathered since his separation from his crew. It sent an unnaturally cold chill down his spine, making his mouth and throat go dry as every fiber of his body panicked. He had been unable to shake the feeling that something had been wrong ever since Thriller Bark, but Luffy had hoped and prayed to whatever Deities that would listen - even that asshole Eneru - that the gut feeling was incorrect. But now, as he stared down at the smoldering piece of paper in his palm, Luffy was bitterly reminded of the last time he had decided to hope that his initial instincts were mistaken.

The Baron Omatsuri.

That memory left a horrid taste on his tongue as he pleaded with Granny Nynon and Hancock to please take him on what basically amounted to a suicide mission - to Impel Down. He knew that to avoid the battlefield he would need to rescue Ace right there; however, again, that biting feeling edged into his stomach, and he understood the risks involved. Getting caught would ensure both of their deaths, but he had no choice. When he asked Hancock to help him, he did it out of necessity, not because he honestly wanted to put her or anyone else in danger. And, though having her agree to help him should have eased the dull ache in his chest, it didn't. Luffy would have lied to himself if he had ignored it even as they boarded the Marine Ship, even while they sailed and Hancock attempted to soothe his nerves, her delicate, but strong hands coming to touch his own.

"But… until Ace is safe… no one else is waiting for me."

Luffy appreciated her kindness, and the conviction she possessed in order to help him out despite their rocky start, but even as he smiled and thanked her, the ache didn't leave him. Taking in a deep breath, Luffy prepared himself for the fight that would come, and expected hell to wait for him. And it did. The second Hancock stepped into the doors of the notorious prison his senses were violated by the stench of death and blood, the sound of screams filled with agony, and the sensation of dread that ghosted across his skin. It had all happened so fast, him coming to this literal hell on earth to break his brother out as if he was some sort of hero from ancient myths seeking the soul of a loved one from the depths of the underworld. Naturally, Luffy didn't fancy himself as a hero - he was just a good natured Pirate - but that wouldn't stop him from stepping into the role when the situation called for it, and loosing his last living brother, was enough of a reason.

But, by the Gods he wasn't prepared for this.

He did everything he could, tried every trick he could come up with to avoid capture, even forcing Buggy and Mr. Three to join him despite their protests that he pretended to ignore. Admittedly, he got fairly far, but between the razor blade forest, the maze of beasts who said and did unnatural things, and the burning desert made of the dried up remains of long deceased prisoners - Luffy could feel both his physical and mental energy waning. Honestly, it didn't surprise him to be facing such horrendous things, but that didn't make some of them any less frightening. Luffy steeled himself, preparing for the worst, knowing there would be worse the further they went even when Bon Clay reunited with him after the last time he had seen him in Alabasta. But, Luffy didn't have time to hesitate, the clock was ticking and he had a life to save. Thus, he hopped over into the level that reeked of rotting bodies, and was blistering hot far worse than the desert they had just left.

Below the overheated metal of the catwalk, was a large vat of bubbling, almost molten looking red fluid that held the mistakable stench of blood. Luffy withstood the sudden gag that wanted to come up, knowing he would need to restrain the urge to be sick as they moved further into the level only for a monstrous demonic looking man to come crashing down with the sole hint of what was to be his next opponent came in the form a gelatinous violet hued ooze.

This beast of a person smelled like poison and sulfur, a putrid stench that had Luffy coughing and knowing that he had just run amok of a horrible opponent - he knew that for certain once Magellan sent an attack made of poison that killed even his own guards, leaving him dumbfounded at the sight of it. The people practically melted, their skin turning red or bruised purple as they begged for their lives and the others behind him ran for their lives.

Something in this fight caused him to snap. Luffy started to become reckless, his gaze icy as he did all he could to dodge and attack Magellan; however, it ultimately proved fruitless as in one deft choice, he had put himself in a situation that only a miracle would rescue him from as he used a jet bullet, and slammed his arms directly into Magellan's chest, sinking into the poison that coated the man before he felt the pain of his mistake.

It felt like he'd stuck his hands in fire. A bolt of agony ran up his afflicted arms, reverberating in his bones and organs as his heart skipped a beat before picking up it's pace quicker than normal. He coughed, throat going bone dry as his ears began ringing, everything in his body screaming in pain as he found himself struggling to keep up the fight even as he was hit with the poison again, and this time his airways constricted painfully as Magellan breathed out poisonous gasses that distorted his vision as Luffy tried his best to push the toxins away, but failed. The pain grew worse, bringing him to his knees as he coughed, the bitter taste of copper dripping off his tongue as he attempted to get too his feet, but was thrown backwards by a blast of poison from the warden who told him that this would be his end - he was going to die here.

His mind swarmed, hazed, unsure of what to make of the sensations of vertigo that bled seamlessly with the pain that flooded his body. Luffy's eyes couldn't see clearly, but he could feel the biting cold that echoed within the area around them and smell the mixture of ice, poison, and his own blood as he was dragged through what sounded like snow. Luffy wanted to move, but his body was to weak, and he struggled to maintain whatever sense of consciousness he still possessed as ice met his pained skin and the voices of prisoners met his ears. They asked if they should keep tabs on when he died, but the guard said nothing as the people looked at the pitiful thing before them. The boy couldn't have been more that sixteen or so, his skin was stained with Magellan's poison, his breathing raspy and haggard as his thin frame trembled in the cold and against the pain that he was enduring. They knew he wasn't long for this world, and one of the prisoners came to crouch beside the boy, a bitter look on his face.

"You probably can't see anything anymore, but you can hear me, right? Just stop fighting it, it'll make your death less painful," he said.

"Poor thing, he's as good as dead."

Boy were they in for a surprise.

Luffy arched back with a pained scream, narrowly standing on his head as he forced his lungs to breathe and his damaged body brokenly moved into a state where he was on all fours, spitting blood and sounding like a monster as the prisoners moved back, bewildered at the sight as he made his body go up on his knees, head leaned back and mouth open as he coughed up more blood, letting it fall down his throat and face as he willed himself into a stance before ramming into the frozen bars. To someone who knew Luffy, they would be pained seeing his deteriorating state, but would understand that he wouldn't admit defeat here; however, to those who watched him now - he looked like a wild demon, gnashing his teeth, blood dripping from his mouth as he screamed and slammed himself against the bars and they wondered if this thing in front of them was even honestly human.

Because what human could do this?

"Let… me go!" he opened his mouth and blood fell out in a small puddle to the ground, freezing over quickly as he bashed his body against the bars that kept him locked away. He growled, hissing under his strained breath. People like him didn't do well in cages, and he would be damned if he died here.

"I HAVE TO SAVE ACE! LET ME THE FUCK OUT!" he slammed into the bars once again, scaring the prisoners.

"What in the hell is he?"

"Did he say Ace? Like, Fire Fist Ace?" the others stared at him, confused as he used the cell door to keep himself standing.

"Kid, no one is gonna help you and you shouldn't be bothering to try and save someone else! In this place the only thing that matters is your own life," a burly man said as crazed gray eyes locked onto him.

"I'll get out of here and save him! To hell with whatever anyone else wants!" he snarled as he continued to ram himself against the bars, bruising and cutting his skin from the cold as he coughed up more blood.

Luffy was determined, but his body was shutting down and he was in dire need of help, that much he understood as he slumped onto his knees, breathing as much air in as he possibly could. He wasn't surprised one bit that those around him had given up - honestly this was either going to break him or kill him if it kept up. His vision swam, body swaying as he collapsed onto the frozen ground, staring out at the blizzard that was spiraling around the place as the other prisoners watched him, unsure of if he would rise from near death to continue or if this was the end for him. The notion of never seeing his brother again, of never keeping his promise to Shanks, and never seeing… something important again caused his chest to tighten. Luffy was at a loss, frozen in pain and left weakened to the point that if he knew he wasn't going to live much longer.

"I don't want to die! Not now!"

As that thought echoed within his mind, a lone figure approached the cell, opening the door and crouching down to him, his vision blurred to the point where he had trouble seeing, but recognized the scent as Bon Clay. The Okama picked him up, placing him into the sleigh he'd brought with him before dragging him across the frozen wasteland, seeking something he couldn't bring himself to understand as they wandered. However, in the midst of this search, a snarl came from nearby and screams of pain and shouts of a fight broke out, leaving Luffy to stare up at the artificial sky that bore down upon him as his heart gave a painful squeeze. Was he really going to die here?

"LEAVE STRAW HAT BOY ALONE!"

That woke him up as wolves howled and Bon Clay gave a painful shout, trying to fight the beasts off. Like a zombie, he arched his body upwards, looking like a corpse as he stumbled from the sleigh and moved forward, a shout coming from him as the wolves were blasted by a surge of heat that radiated out of his body like a wave. They fell to the ground, and his mind went blank as the snow greeted him. Bon Clay could only stare as he painfully tried to gather Luffy up into his arms, and protect him as the sound of footsteps crunching in the snow greeted him, his attention turning to a person standing there with white and orange split hair, glasses perched upon his nose, a matching coat that were the same colors as his hair, and a wine glass elegantly held in one hand. The man held out his hand, letting him know they were safe and that Bon Clay could save Luffy's life.

But Luffy couldn't be sure if he had been saved or cast into the lowest ring of hell.

Because, when his eyes finally flickered open, he was greeted by a dark, cold cave and the imposing weight of chains biting into his damaged flesh as stone greeted his back. He was locked into place and a man in a purple one piece suit with matching gloves and boots, fishnet stockings and a matching cape, adorned with a purple afro and make up that rivaled Bon Clay's own stood before him looking quite curious as he struggled for a proper breath. The man before him smelled like the stone that surrounded them, and the tiniest traces of plum perfume. He smiled, leaning to look at him as if appraising him before nodding.

Luffy was given two choices - be healed or die. But, there were catches and price tags that his pain riddled mind could barely comprehend as he laid there, listening to Imporio Ivankov, the Miracle Worker explain what he could do with his Devil Fruit. He could give Luffy an injection, and healing him of the poison, but it would be painful process, and that alone could kill him. Even worse, the process would take up ten years of his life. Luffy knew what he was giving up; even if normal humans lived to at most a hundred and forty years, while superhumans could live far longer with little difficulty, and he was positive that he wasn't exactly normal - it didn't change the choice he had to make. But, in a moment of clarity, he took in a deep breath ignoring the pain as he did so and nodded his head slowly.

"Do it. I don't have time to wait!"

Ivankov seemed curious about his choice, but far be it from him to understand how painful this truly would be; because the second nails punctured his side and the injection occurred his body was burning. Everything inside him felt like it was ripping apart, blood having turned black from poison oozed out of his mouth and any injury his body had, it pooled on the ground and his body convulsed, his voice catching in his throat as his eyes rolled back into his head and Luffy felt his body arch and thrash against the chains that bound him. He wanted to rip at his own flesh in the vain hope that it would ease the pain - but he knew it wouldn't. Twisting and turning in manners that if he had not been made of rubber would have surely broken more bones than any fight he had been in could, Luffy felt an agonized scream rip itself from his throat as a sense of lightheadedness reached him, screams continuing as he thrashed against his restraints, internally begging for it to stop, for the burning, the ripping, and sense of drowning to end. But it wouldn't.

Gritting his teeth, Luffy prepared himself for the fight ahead of him as he coughed up more of his own poison riddled blood, the acidic taste and putrid smell indicating that it was dead and being expunged in hopes of purifying his body of it. But, even in guessing that it left him in no better state as pain became the only thing he knew, his mind fell blank and his own screams became recognizable to his ears as they steadily became more wild and frantic, sounding akin to a devil or monster as he struggled, his body almost seizing as he endured the pain that encroached upon him. While hours past, Luffy continued to resist death and endure the agony and outside, Bon Clay watched, having peered into the room to see what had become of his friend.

What he had seen was something out of a nightmare. The boy could hardly pass as human anymore - no he looked like a corpse. A violent, starving thing that had clambered out of a nightmare that hungered for something that Bon Clay could only account to be life. Right now, when he saw the thing Luffy had been reduced to, his heart seized in his chest and he wanted to cry, in fact he did as he started shouting to the boy, pleading for him to live as more and more of the Newkamas joined him, not knowing the young man struggling to live, but hoping and praying for his safe return to health. It was quite a sight to behold, and yet Ivankov couldn't help the curious curl that formed into a smile upon his face. It was rare for him to become so locked onto any individual, but here he was, witnessing the sight of a boy - whom many had never met - bringing people together to cheer for his victory. It made Ivankov wonder if he was in the presence of some sort of God or a miracle worker of a different sort. Strangely, as he watched the clock the screams had died down, and eventually a loud crash greeted the door as the boy inside pleaded for food, and Ivankov grinned.

"Well, I'll be damned!"

After giving the boy enough nutrients to supply a small army, they had watched him return the needed calories to various parts of his body before at long last he stepped out of the darkness. His body was bruised and covered in wounds, but he was standing and breathing and those wild gray eyes were alert and taking in everything as he cheered that he was back. Ivankov watched him, confused and fascinated by the creature before him and how much the boy reminded him of someone he knew quite well. Black hair and tanned skin, a mischievous smile and clear dark gray eyes - why did some of those features look familiar? Ivankov remained silent as Bon Clay cheered, thankful that his friend was safe only to collapse as Luffy caught him, relieved that he was only unconscious when the man who saved him confirmed it. But, despite their little bit of chatting, Ivankov couldn't help but think of where he had seen someone favoring this unnatural child before. He shook his head, deciding he had done enough and Luffy thanked him, and an off hand mention of the Revolutionary Leader Dragon made Ivankov stop dead in his tracks.

"Oh, you mean my dad?" dark eyes turned wide as the purple-haired Queen looked at the petite boy who stood before him with a smile on his features.

"What did you say? Boy! What's your name?!" he asked, urgently seeking an answer to his own curiosity.

"Hmm? Oh, I'm Monkey D. Luffy." and, all of the sudden Ivankov recalled where she saw some of this boy's features before. Those dark gray eyes and that pitch black hair reminded him of Dragon, and the more he looked at the boy the easier it was to see the shape of his friend's nose and other tiny details that made Ivankov certain that it was no mistake.

This boy was Dragon's child. No mistake.

Suddenly, the notion of why Luffy was even in Impel Down mattered a great deal. Ivankov couldn't ignore it anymore and he decided it would be up to him to ensure that this boy rescued his brother and successfully got to safety. As it stood, level five point five had never been meant to be a permanent residence of the Newkamas, and thus he rallied his troops and with a little extra adrenaline to keep the straw hat wearing boy going - they were off.

But things would not go according to plan. And many tears would be shed once this battle was said and done.

Because fate had other plans in mind.

{.….}

Author's Note: just a little chapter that covers some of Impel Down. I won't be covering Marineford because there is way to much that happens there to compress into a solo chapter, thus as you most likely know what is going on here, I will continue on. Remember, these are just selected moments from the story, not a memory watching story or anything like that. Just my interpretation of events. Anywho, see you next time.

Sincerely,

ShadowDragon94.