Queen of the Pirates

The Underwater Prison

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I clench my jaw as we stand on the deck looking at the looming stone walls that surround Impel Down. A single metal gate is the only way in or out of this prison. In a similar way that Enies Lobby was surrounded by a giant iron spike topped fence with a single entrance and exit point. The biggest difference though is the multitude of warships that seem to be surrounding the entire prison. I'm sure it's connected to my brother's imprisonment to turn away anyone who was even considering attempting to break him out.

This morning I was harshly reminded that I am still a prisoner to the men surrounding me, and that yesterday was probably one to make me feel comfortable before an inevitable doom.

After a fairly nightmare-less sleep, I was fully awoken to aggressive knocking at my door with one of the men shouting at me that if I wasn't ready to go in ten minutes they'd bust down the door and drag me out. I believed the threat and didn't dally.

The first thing I did was do my best to comb my hair with my fingers, which is a lot easier with the length I slashed it off to. Then I made sure my shoes were double knotted and secured my pouch around my waist. The only thing left to do was scarf down the few foods I had set out.

When I opened the door, Burgess was standing there with an evil grin on his face. I'm sure that he was seconds away from busting the door down. I'm sure that he was hoping of catching me in some indecent way, and I'm glad to have crushed that dream of his. Still, he didn't waste the opportunity to roughly grab me by the upper arm before tugging me up towards the deck where we all find ourselves now.

It's strange to be looking at the prison that is holding my brother somewhere inside it's walls. After Alabasta he continued on a journey that would lead him here, and after everything I've done since then, I would also find myself heading to this horrid place. Both of us unbelievably reaching this place because of the same despicable man. Even though I doubt that Blackbeard will keep his promise to let me see my brother, there is a simmer of hope within me that I will get to see Ace today, and it's not going to be watching him die on an execution platform.

I'm unsure what time it is right now, since even though we all got up early, we weren't right at the front door of this prison like I assumed we'd be. Impel down lies in the Calm Belt, some of the most dangerous waters in the world, but that's what the Marine warship has been for this whole time. We don't have to worry about Neptunians coming for us with the bottom coating in Sea Prism Stone, and we can easily sail through the still waters.

Before this, Blackbeard was at Marineford with the other Warlords waiting for the war that will no doubt be waged today. Using the opportunity of chaos with everything that's been happening this past week, he stole a warship before heading towards Impel Down to break some people out while everyone is focused on the execution.

Still, we've been standing on the deck for a couple hours as we wait for the prison to come into view. To be wide awake and ready to enter the second that we could. It's definitely given me plenty of time to try and figure out how to get the hell away from Blackbeard. If I can just find one person I know in there, I'll have a chance to escape Blackbeard's clutches. I don't care that they'll have been a former enemy. Anyone is better than the man standing next to me.

"You're still my prisoner, Portgas," Blackbeard speaks up as we as moments from docking at Impel Down. "If you try to run, I'll just kill you right there and turn your body in later for the bounty. I still haven't decided if I want to turn you in now for the bounty. I'll see how I feel inside."

"Bastard," I grumble.

He laughs, "I have to keep you on your toes somehow."

About ten minutes pass as the warship is docked and we make our way off the ship to the solid ground of the walkway to the front entrance. Except, it doesn't seem as organized and composed as I was expecting a prison of this caliber to be. There's a whole bunch of marines running around shouting orders, and I can hear the chaos that is going on within the prison even from all the way outside. I guessed there might be a little turmoil with Ace being moved from here to Marineford, but I wasn't expecting it to be at this level.