Chapter 38: Son of the Sea
Luffy sighed heavily as those around him stared at him in awe and wonder. "Just twenty hours.""It's a miracle." "Is he even human?" "Nobody survives Magellan's poison attack!" "What is he?" "He ate so much."
It went on and on as each of the strange people continued to speak. Luffy didn't care because no matter what they said, he survived and now he had to get to the bottom of this prison and gain the support from there there. Suddenly the crowd gathered around him, picked Luffy up and tossed him in the air. Chanting his name or at least his title: Strawhat.
"Bon!" Luffy cried out when he saw his friend suddenly faint. Jumping from the shoulders of the people, Luffy ran over to his friend, careful of his bandages and gently touched him. "You didn't just die on me, did you!?"
"Bon-boy is just fine. He's only exhausted from worrying about you." Stated a voice from beyond Bon. "It's best to let him rest for a bit."
Looking up, Luffy saw the strangely dressed man Or is he a woman? Luffy thought cocking his head in confusion. Oh! Wait! "Oh! It's you Iva." He greeted the Queen of the Queers; if he remembered that's how he had addressed himself. It didn't matter. He liked Iva. Maybe he'd join my crew? I'll ask later. "Thanks buddy! Your treatment did the trick. Thanks for helping my friend too!" He grinned up at the man.
"Well, I did my best." Iva stated trying not to take the praise to heart. "I'm not the one you should be thanking. Bon-boy worked hard for you." Luffy seemed confused. "Yes, I nudged you in the right direction but it was his perseverance and belief in you that helped. He spewed blood. Stayed by your side all night and fought for you to stay alive! All through the power of friendship did he do this. It was quite ridiculous but he even instilled in us the passion of his belief that you'd overcome this adversity." Luffy stared with amazement at his friend. "He yelled Hang in there! Or You can do this Strawboy! You have to live! Words of such conviction and encouragement." Iva wiped a tear away. "It was so amazing to watch and experience." Iva looked down at the young man. "I can't help but think that your miraculous recovery is all because of this man's efforts and belief in you."
Luffy stared in disbelief at his friend. "Thank you Bon." He whispered to his unconscious friend. "I owe you a great debt that I'll never be able to repay."
"I have your hat and clothes, but I'm afraid you cannot leave yet, as it will still take a few days for rest and recuperation for you to be back to yourself." Inazuma stated as he held out the clothing for Luffy.
The young man looked at the warmly dressed man and smiled his thanks for his clothes being cleaned. "Thank you for your worry but I don't have time to wait to fully recover. I've already wasted too much time. I need to get to the bottom of the prison. Get some strong allies there, destroy the prison and then head out to my brother to kick some Marine ass and stick it to the World Government where the sun don't shine!"
Iva's jaw dropped. This young pirates aspirations were undoubtedly the craziest he'd heard in a long time. Certainly something even Dragon would aspire to do but never on that level of insanity. He thought with a wide grin spreading across his large face. "My goodness Straw-boy, you have quite the laundry list to do and yet; I don't think it'll quite happen the way you want it to. Rarely do plans go accordingly."
"Mine will." Luffy assured the man. "I hate to asked, as you've already done so much, but please look out for Bon for a bit. I'll be back for him later." Luffy turned to run off towards the quickest exit when he stumbled.
"See, you can barely walk." One of the Okama told the young man.
Luffy slowly pulled the Vivre card out to check on it. The edges were burning still, indicating Ace was hurting. "Good he's still alive." He said softly ignoring the other man. "Before we came here, Bon said he was coming to help release you Iva, aren't you going to escape too?"
"He was coming to rescue little ole me?" Iva looked at the unconscious man. "Well isn't that sweet. But alas I don't need to be saved. Here on level 5.5 I am the Queen of New Kamaland. I know what's going on, on the outside right now. I have my resources." He explained when Luffy looked at him shocked. "There's been a shift in the tide and a big change is about to take place. The world government and the Whitebeard pirates are about to go head to head. Even so, it's not time for me to break out." Luffy raised a brow, a silent request for Iva to explain why. "I'm of course referring to my comrade, the leader of the Revolutionary Army, you may know him as Dragon."
Recognition came across Luffy's face. "Oh! You're talking about my Dad." He stated nonchalantly.
Iva smirked. "Yes, that's the plan." He turned his back towards Luffy, his mind not registering Luffy's comment. "When your Dad makes his move, only then shall me and my fellows appear; call it my grand come back tour. If I were to escape from this place now it would ruin all our well laid out plans." He suddenly paused in all thoughts and spun around towards Luffy. "D-D-D-DAD!" He screamed in shock causing his fellow Okama to jump in fright.
"DRAGON IS YOUR DAD!" Everyone screamed in unison.
Luffy looked unimpressed and quite bored at the excitement everyone was showing. "Yep." He said with a shrug.
Iva jumped backwards dramatically. "You're dear Papa…" he said in a daze. "And I, his friend, never knew." He the screamed at Luffy. "Dragon has no children! Don't be ridiculous!"
Luffy scratched his head. "Huh. Maybe I shouldn't have said something. Gramps is always saying stupid stuff anyways."
"Gramps?" Iva asked.
"Yeah. Grandpa didn't keep it a secret, so I didn't think much of it." Luffy said with a shrug. "Big brother Ace got all upset when I mentioned it awhile back in our last communication and big brother Sabo just laughed. So I didn't think it was that important."
"SABO!" Iva cried out. No it can't be the same person.
"Oh yeah. Sabo works as the Chief of Staff for Dragon in the revolutionary army. Pretty cool but he thinks he's gotta protect me all the time. Guess that's what big brothers do." Luffy stated with a grin.
Iva's jaw dropped. "WHAT!?" Sabo? Our Sabo is Dragon's older son? Ace is his eldest child? What the hell!? Why didn't Dragon ever say anything!? A sudden memory came to his mind. "Boy, where do you come from?" He demanded.
"Oh. Dawn in the East Blue." Luffy answered not really thinking much about it.
Iva's jaw would have hit the floor. "No way." He whispered. Dragon always was looking eastward as if he were mourning over something or someone out that way. Not only does this boy have an amazing recovery he also comes from the bloodline of Dragon and he has two older brothers! One of which I saw grow up! Just then it hit him. If he really is Dragon's son, this could be a disaster! Dragon will destroy this place to free this boy! "Inazuma! Begin preparations! We will be assisting Straw-boy from here on out!"
His right hand man knew not to question Iva. Something had changed within a very short time. "Of course." He answered with a slight bow.
"We don't have much time." Iva muttered softly.
"Really!?" Luffy asked. "You're really going to help?" Luffy then cocked his head in confusion. "Didn't you say this is level 5.5? Does that mean there's a level 6?"
"Yep." Answered a woman behind him like it was obvious.
Iva grabbed Luffy by his shoulders. "You need to keep that a secret! Don't tell anybody that you are Dragon's son!"
Luffy pushed himself away from Iva. "Yeah, I just figured that out." He stated as he walked back over towards Bon. "Bon, stay here and rest. I'll be back later for you."
Iva then spoke out. "I'm one of Dragon's Revolutionary Commanders. As such is the reason I was arrested. As of today I will support Strawhat Luffy and begin recruiting those in level 6 to his cause. Those who wish to join are welcome to." He placed his hands on his hips. "I just cannot stand idly by and watch my friend's son get himself killed. Tell everyone the plan! We are going to be breaking out of Impel Down, freeing all who wish to help Fire Fist Ace and bring those dogs in the government down to our level!" Cheers filled the room.
Meanwhile on level 3, Buggy couldn't believe their luck. The prisoners they'd released earlier had taken out the guards, placing them into the jail cells. "Impressive, even by my standards." He muttered.
"How are we to get all these people out of here?" Mr. 3 inquired. "There's just too many."
I don't think Strawhat was really expecting so many to actually come with him, that might mean that they're expendable? He shook his head. If he's anything like Shanks then that means he's expecting to find a ship in the harbor for everyone to escape on. He looked around the level as he saw that many were looking to him for leadership. "Okay you bunch lazy louts here's the plan. Those of you who are wanting to escape probably heard ole Strawhat about his older brother Ace's plight. So we're all going to make a run for level 1 and get ourself a ship. Strawhat has gone further down to level 6 and said if we don't heard from him by mid morning we're to leave." Not really but who's to say the kid is even still alive. Buggy thought. "If any of you survive the upcoming battle I'll personally enlist you into my group. The Buggy Pirates are always looking for capable fighters who are ready to cause a little mayhem." He told everyone. Plus I really don't want to fight an army of marines! He whined mentally.
The crowd of inmates all cheered at his words.
"As encouraging as those words are, Buggy, where are we going to find the ship to keep everyone on?" Mr. 3 asked.
"Simple, the harbor will have battleship and other sizable ships in it." Buggy pointed out. "All we have to do is escape from Impel and then take a couple of their ship. No big deal." And if we lose a few hundred here or there, that's fine by me. "Magellan can't take all of us on at once. He and those beasts of his were no match for Strawhat." Hopefully the kid took that Warden out!
"Hopefully." Mr. 3 whimpered.
"Holy shit! I don't know why but I've got a crap ton of energy!" Luffy screamed as he, Iva and Inazuma raced through the snowy drifts of level 5.
"That would be from my second injection that I gave you when you passed out." Iva explained.
"It's good that it's working." Inazuma said. "Otherwise we'd be up shit creek. Just don't waste it."
"Crude." Iva stated with a smirk. "Just keep running Strawhat. There's no security on this level for some reason. So flex those muscles and run like your life depends upon it."
"As if I could do anything else!" Luffy yelled as his body raced forward with speed that he's never had before in his life.
Suddenly the giant ice wolves attacked them. "Gomu, Gomu, fist barrage!" Luffy screamed as he pummeled the beasts with his fists.
"Oh my." Iva said with a gasp. He hadn't really seen Luffy's abilities in person and the monitor they'd see him fight on didn't do him justice. As his fists hit the beasts you could hear the cracking of bones as the creatures bodies were beaten to a pulp.
"DEATH WINK!" Iva winked at the monsters in front of him, which sent a sonic wave of energy towards the creatures. The wave hit them with a full force of energy sending them flying into the air and high above their little group. "Inazuma! Open the door!" He yelled as they neared the door to level 6.
Inazuma raced ahead and pulled the locking mechanism to the door. A click and a clank later the heavy door were pulled open. "They're open!" He yelled out, causing the two fighters to run from the remaining wolves.
In the main control room of the prison the alarms began going off. "The transponders are going off! Somebody is heading down from level 5 to level 6!" A guard yelled causing everyone to rush over to him.
"Oh my god! It's him! It Ivankov! He's the self proclaimed Queens of the Queers that went missing years ago!" Another guard yelled.
"Isn't that Strawhat Luffy! I thought Magellan's poison killed him!?"
Just who is this Strawhat? Everyone thought.
"A third one is with them! It's another Revolutionary! Inazuma! He went missing years ago!"
"What the hell is going on?" Vice Warden Hannybal's voice echoed into the room. He was holding up an ice pack to his head. After returning to the main level he had learned that the dancing ballerina had taken his form and disappeared into level 5. Now Strawhat had reappeared after twenty hours of being MIA!
"Strawhat Luffy has found two missing prisoners from years ago and they're making their way down to level 6!" A guard responded. He looks upset! Is it possible the fake one is back?
"Since I can't blame the Warden this time, get the passage traps activated and begin alerting Mistress Sadi about this." Hannybal ordered them.
No it's him. They all thought as they began activating the traps and alerting the teams on standby.
"From now on we'll be monitored." Inazuma warned the two as they raced down the stone corridor.
"Once in level 6, there's a man there that I think will be essential to your plight Strawhat." Iva told him. "His name is Son of the Sea Jinbe; he's a former warlord that has refused to be apart of any fight against Whitebeard or his sons; including Ace!"
As they raced down the narrow hall they came in contact with the jailers who were waiting for them. Luffy stretched out his foot to block the oncoming troops before he bit his thumb, skipped over gear 2 and activated gear 3. He began blowing a large amount of air directly into his bones, causing the hand and a portion of the arm to inflate and increase in size. He then transferred the air through his entire body. The limb then became a size equivalent to that of a giant's body part. This caused both Iva and Inazuma to gasp in shock and awe at the incredible ability this young man possessed.
The sound of guns being shot off was quickly followed by bullets being ricocheted off of Luffy's body as he transferred the air into his torso before it suddenly was transferred towards his arm which slammed into the regiment of troops so hard that many of them would be sent to the infirmary very soon.
Suddenly a still standing jailer pulled a cord in the wall causing spikes to shoot out from every imaginable way. "What a boring little trap!" Iva yelled as he spun quickly. "DEATH WINK!" The spikes broke and splintered as the shockwave from the blast of energy hit the metal. "HEEEHAW!" Iva yelled quite immensely enjoying himself. I haven't had this much stimulating fun in years. He thought.
"You should probably not do that down here." Inazuma warned. "Too much activity could cause an implosion especially since we're basically on the sea floor now." He pressed the doors to the next level open.
"Which way now?" Luffy asked as he stepped onto the floor. There were cells everywhere.
"Depends." Iva said. "Who do you want to save first?"
Luffy grinned up at Iva. "Well, everyone has been talking about this Jinbe guy, perhaps start with him."
"Of course!" Iva said as he looked around. "I've never been down here." The three men began running forward. As they passed cell after cell Iva began recognizing a lot of the men in the cells as huge bounty prisoner. The colossal battleship is here! He thought as they passed the cell of Sanjuan Wolf; the hugely sized man would make even a giant think twice of fighting him. If I recall some of Roger's old foes are down here. Ivankov thought.
They suddenly came to a stop at a cell with a blue skinned fishman. "Are you Jinbe?" Luffy asked as he looked at the man before him. He looked like a grand fighter. Probably a noble one too. Luffy grinned as the man crack an eye open to look at him.
"You must be Strawhat Luffy. Boa Handcock was here. Told me to help you." He said sounding tired and anxious. "There are many warriors down in this level. Why choose me?"
"Because I heard you've refused to fight Ace's old man. Ace is my brother and has tried for years to find a place that makes him happy and if that's Whitebeard; so be it." Luffy explained. "So nobody puts a target on my big brothers back and tries to take his happiness away from him! Now I need help to keep those bastards from hurting Ace, by hurting his old man and their crew! So I'm rounding up every available fighter and freeing them if they agree to help Ace."
"And what should happen if they go back on their word?" Jinbe inquired knowing many would.
Luffy stuck his finger into his nose to pick it. "Simple. I'll throw them into the sea and let them drown." He stated as he flicked the booger away. "So? Will you help?"
Jinbe grinned. "You know I do owe that brat another good fight." He stated sounding ready for a good fight.
Just then a crashing sound echoed across the level. At the entrance to the level where hours earlier Magellan and Boa Handcock had come down from the elevator, said elevator came crashing down, leaving no way up. At the top of level 1, Magellan grinned. "Now Strawhat will have no other choice but to go up through the stairways as there is no other way for him to escape from this place!"
A guard looked down the long elevator shaft. "Sir, as good of a plan this is, doesn't this mean we'll have no way down to get to him?"
Everyone stared at the Warden who seemed dumbfounded at this discovery. "Damn it!"
M-Angel: Ha! Magellan thinks he's so smart. He's about to see that Luffy can be even smarter when he's actually trying.