Lia's POV;

The crew has gathered together, already wearing our clothes for heavy combat. Nami, our additional part-time crew member, was standing nervously between her sister and Josef. After her arrival and hysterical crying, she has calmed down a lot and was trying to watch mostly.

“Okay, we will arrive at Impel Down in an hour,” I began the meeting and looked at Nojiko and Fiara for confirmation, they nodded, so I continued. “They won't be expecting us, the surprise will be on our side and we'll have to use that to our advantage. It is not known to us how many warships they have stationed at Impel Down. But it is highly likely that there are at least or more super-sized warships than during the buster call.

We've tested our ship cannons and will attack from the sky. I don't expect troubles on this end. But while we have to take out the defence from the seaside we also have to take care of the inbuilt cannons on the fortress.

Those will be bigger and may even be able to attack us while we still fly. That's why we will attack them first. It will be my and Nojiko's job to destroy those. Fiara will use the Raptor's cannons to take fire on the warships.

Still, this is only the first line of defence. Once we can make sure that there is nothing left we can start the attack on the prison proper. I don't know the layout of the fortress, but informants from the Revolutionary were able to give us some information.

The prison is mostly an underwater prison. It has five known levels to us, but it is rumoured there is a sixth level. That is the most likely level where we will find Mrs Chicken Wing's husband.” Mrs Chicken Wing clucked in thanks and bowed her head to all of us.

“Do we know anything about the levels? Do they differ from each other or are they alike?” Asked Nojiko.

“Not much, we were told that each level holds greater terror and ways of torture. We only know the bare minimum. Level one has mainly physical torture, the second is said to house beasts of huge strength. The third level starves its prisoners. The fourth is extremely hot and the fifth extremely cold. We know nothing about the sixth level.

Our clothes will protect us against heat and cold, as well as gas attacks. They are not impenetrable but should give us some protection.

It is important that we stay together and move swiftly. That is why we all will use waver skates, no exception. There are stronger and more guards in Impel Down than there were in Enies Lobby. Expect them to use Haki or the Marine Skills.” Again they nodded. Throughout our travels, they have learned how important it can be to fight together. The days where they flinched or didn't keep track of their surroundings during a battle are long gone. They may not be strong enough to do this on their own, but as a group, they will.

Inari rose her paw before she spoke. “Lia-sama, I do not know how to use these waver skates, nor what they are. From what you told they seem to be for movement. What am I to do?”

“Hmm, yes that might be a problem. You'll have to ride on Yosaku's back for now. We'll discard them if necessary. Only Fiara, Nojiko and I are able to use them during a fight anyway. It might be better to only use them at the start,” I answered, mentally cursing for forgetting that. Yosaku, Noa and Jonny aren't good with them while fighting. They would be hindered if they have to wear them in a fight. I hate it to make plans, Lara is better in this than me.

“May I offer my service in gaining access to the prison? I am trained in infiltration and might be able to sneak inside while you fight the outer defences,” offered our newest member then. Inari had told me that she is basically an assassin. She doesn't want the others to know yet but confided in me with the reason that the captain and second in command need to know. That and she is strangely fixated on me and Lara, something she says has to do with us freeing her from slavery.

“Only if you are sure you can handle it, be careful and carry a baby transponder snail. You'll call us the moment you meet trouble, is that clear?” I allowed it, but only grudgingly. I haven't seen her fighting yet and don't know if she could handle it. I do know that she is fairly strong, sparring fights have proven that. But a test fight is different from a real fight.

Inari nodded, pleased and with her tail waving widely. The rest of us was looking at her with mild worry. She was friendly and had a bubbly personality most of the time. They liked her, Jonny especially, as she is able to almost keep up with his speed. Having one more for training was appreciated by everyone.

“Can I ask why you simply aren't using your submarine to get inside?” Asked Nami suddenly. She had gotten a tour from Noa, who was eager to show off and knew about the Raptor's capabilities.

“There are fully grown sea kings inside the water. The submarine would be under constant attack and we would also not be able to get inside the prison. We may be able to blast a hole inside, but the prison would then get flooded,” explained Noa to her. She looked a little embarrassed for having forgotten the sea kings.

“Good stock up on any gear you might want, we'll soon be there,” I said and finished the meeting. Jonny and Yosaku went to their room, Fiara and Noa went to the engines to give them one last check, Josef said he would go over our medical supplies once more and Nojiko took Nami to the side. I walked out, followed closely by Inari.

The Raptor was mid-flight and cutting through the clouds with ease. Under us was the blue sea and far on the horizon, we could already make out the massive gate that stood close to Impel Down.

I could see how they were partially open, before soon after closing again. That means that Luffy was already out. That or there are either more or fewer warships now positioned at Impel Down.

We were quickly getting closer and the rest of the crew was also slowly coming out. Nojiko stepped next to me, “I told Nami to wait for us. She isn't strong enough. Fiara assures me that the ships automatic defences will stop anyone from getting on board, but I still worry.”

Ugh, I hate it when conversations are this emotional. “Nami may not be as strong as us, but she isn't too weak as well. She'll be safe here,” I said after a long moment of thought.

“I..know, it's just... I worry about her,” started Nojiko only to get silent again. This was something I could understand. I was worrying about Lara all the time. I couldn't sleep well without her next to me. I need her close, her scent, her touch, her being with me.

And who is at fault for her absence? These vermin that call themselves the bringer of justice. Her Lara would stand next to her if not for them. This will be the last time that the World Government separates them.

“Something is not right with the prison. There is smoke rising into the air and the warships are in disarray,” called Fiara out.

I looked down as well and could see the devastation that was left after Luffy's outbreak. There were six super-sized warships close to the now-closed gate. One was slowly sinking down and another ten were moving to the front of the prison.

Sixteen super-sized warships against the Raptor. I can also see at least twenty giant cannons and a good two hundred smaller ones on the fortress. Their defence may be formidable but is lacking if it comes to shoot at something in the air.

“Fiara, run a bomber attack over the six ships close to the gates. We don't have much time for them,” I ordered.

The ship began to dive forward, getting closer to the sea and the hostile ships. The pontoons under us were still in flight mode. When activated they will move under the middle section of our ship and reduce air resistance, but also position all twenty cannons to the underside.

Sirens announced our arrival. The warships have spotted us and were giving out their blaring battle noise to warn the others. “Bombs away!” Reported Fiara.

The bombs Fiara meant were originally water mines, designed to delay or destroy pursuing ships. Now she had taken the mechanism to deploy them but used her flammable pellets instead. Those pellets were easy to produce, which was shown when hundreds of them rained down over the warship we passed directly over.

They hit the ship and splattered open, releasing their contains and setting fire to the ship almost instantly. The single fly by was enough to completely douse the ship in Fiara's pellets. We would have liked to do this more often, but we had not enough for every ship. Those pellets may not be overly expensive, but they weren't for free as well.

Instead, the twenty cannons at the underside of our ship began to move and fire. A constant staccato of firing cannons rung through the air. I added a little bit push to them and made them fly down even faster. Scarcely few Marines were able to shoot them before they either crashed into the sea or into the unprotected deck of a warship.

It is rare for a cannonball to hit the deck directly, most hits are on the hull. The deck has a small line of metal against direct hits, but nothing that could withstand highly explosive bunker breaker.

Their own attempts at firing back were less than fruitful. Most cannons weren't even able to aim high enough to hit us. Those that were tried to shoot us down, but a little application of my power bereft them of all of their propulsion. They simply began to fall back down. Some of the warships almost destroyed themselves in their attempt of hitting us.

It didn't take us more than five minutes to destroy the six warships. Somewhere after the third, a sea king has taken part in the destruction as well. The disruption of the water must have made it curious. It poked its head out of the water, saw the many drowning men and decided that a snack would be perfect for him. It made it all the easier for us.

We left the happy sea king behind and took a course towards Impel Down. The remaining ten warships were now in position and between us and the fortress. “Remember Nojiko, aim for the bigger cannons first. I'll take care of the smaller ones,” I said before we were close enough.

Nojiko nodded and aimed with her sniper, the black dial and an axe dial were attached. It would give her weapon the highest penetration power.

I took a dozen steel pebbles out and aimed carefully. The moment they were in range I threw and twelve small clouds of dust rose from the fortress. My pebbles had each hit their target and destroyed the cannon.

Nojiko had shot her sniper as well. The extremely fast bullet had punctured through one of the massive cannons with ease and destroyed something important inside. The cannon had exploded and took a good chunk of the fortress with it, nineteen left.

We stayed away from them for now. Fiara was flying slow circles around Impel Down. We were too far away for them to shoot at us, but we weren't. It took time, yes, but was safer. Twenty minutes after our first shot we had taken out most of their cannons. Those that were left could not fire at us if we get down on the other side of the prison.

“This is a lot easier than I have imagined,” noted Yosaku from the side. He and the other close combat fighters of our crew had watched the meticulous destruction of Impel Down's defence system with bored interest.

“What did you expect? They may be heavily fortified, but none of them ever imagined the possibility of an air raid. This is the same as Enies Lobby, the name alone scares off anyone who wants to attack. We're lifting ourselves into the number one enemy list of the World Government with this stunt. And only the war against Whitebeard even makes all this possible.

They would have an Admiral already here if not for the war. And I can't imagine that these warships are fully staffed. There were almost no strong people on board. Usually, we have at least one or two that can shoot cannonballs out of the air,” explained Josef.

Another throw reduced the last couple of cannons. Now there were only the ten warships left. They couldn't shoot at us with their cannons. “Fiara, proceed with the attack. We have to get rid of the super-sized warships before we land. I don't want a single one of them left swinging,” I ordered and concentrated on a cluster of four of them.

I created a vacuum sphere around them. The air got pushed out of it and created an airless space. The Marines inside died quickly. The air inside them got sucked out as well and the water inside their bodies began to cook from the vacuum. The moment I released the vacuum air began to stream back inside and fill the hole. A loud crack followed the displacement of air.

Four gone six left.

Correction, Fiara had carpet bombed another one and destroyed the second ship with our cannons while I had to concentrate on the vacuum, that left four then.

They have seen the impossibility of winning this fight and were trying to escape, a futile attempt. Super-sized warships weren't known for their speed. Fiara destroyed one of them with our cannons, while I punched holes into the remaining three with my pebbles

Ships were really easy to destroy. No wonder the Straw Hats are already running. I would too if I were as weak as them.

I looked over the crew, they all were ready to fight. Mrs Chicken Wing looked so serious the air was shimmering around her feathers. I turned to our newest member and tried to smile encouragingly.

“Okay, Inari your turn. You can sneak in, try to find out what happened here and how the guards are reacting. Your main objective is to gather information. Do not engage unnecessarily, if you get into a fight you can't solve quickly and silently then fall back and call us. We will attack our own in twenty minutes.”

She saluted with her paw against her chest and jumped overboard. She was wearing one of our ANBU suits as well, her trousers had a hole for her tail, but other than that she looked the same. Her mask got form-fitted to her snout, thanks to her own ability to use Haki. Without she would have to forego it. Having heat and night sight will help her now.