Yo this is my Big Bag fic for the One Piece 2016/2017 Big Bang project. I'll be posting a chapter every second day for the next month or so just to make sure I can get everything edited. Real life and motivation have been hitting me left and right but I'm doing my best to get at least some of this fic up in time. Warnings for this chapter at the end, and feel free to ask for any specific trigger or squick warnings either here, at AO3 (Zoewinter1) or tumblr (fanatic-author)

The solid metal door creaked open, several figures wearing lab coats streaming in to the room, clipboards clutched in tense, disapproving hands. Several of them eyed the figure curled up in the corner, others jotted things down on their clipboards. A few sniffed the air, their upset at the smell obvious on their faces.

Luffy's eyes darted between the scientists, not staying on one adult for long before hopping to the next, observing one after the other then returning to the first. His little hands curled inwards, ready to attack should any of them approach too quickly.

He was scared, though he didn't want to admit it. He was scared of them and what they might do, of what they were thinking, of what they might make him do. Nothing good never came from them. They pretended to be good, to care, but every last one of them was a selfish liar. He knew this, sometimes he just knew things. The scientists were studying that, among other things.

A few of the scientists whispered among themselves, keeping their distance from the feral boy. After several days of isolation his dark hair frizzed around his head, his wild eyes catching every movement. He still hadn't moved from his spot in the corner, keeping his back to wall, watching them.

One scientist slowly began to slowly approach the boy, his hands held upwards in a calming display The boy had a nasty habit of springing at the scientists, especially after time in isolation. Sometimes he just knew what they wanted him to do, and would show his disagreement in very obvious, and painful, ways. That was why this scientist in particular had been sent in to confront the boy. For all his flaws, he was wonderful with children, even if Luffy often reacted negatively.

"Shirororo... hello Luffy," The man grinned in a relatively peaceful, if somewhat unnerving, manner "are you feeling any better today?"

Luffy's eyes didn't leave the man in front of him. He clenched his hands tighter, staring the man down "No"

Caeser made a disappointed sound, crouching to the boy's level "And why is that, Are you hungry?"

Had he had any where to go, Luffy would have scooted away from the clown. As it was he had trapped himself in a corner and could only glare "No"

"Hmmm what's wrong Luffy?" He reached towards the boy, who flinched back, pressing against the wall to escape the man's reach.

Heart pounding, Luffy's eyes widened and he whimpered in fear "No" Head shaking back and forth, he repeated again and again "no no no nononono"

"Hey there hey there it's alright" Caeser backed a few steps up "we don't want to do anything bad, we just want to go to the pool-"

Darkness and blood and laughter and nowhere to run and-

" -The pool's fun, your grandpa will be there-"

Warm arms encircling him "You did such a good job today Luffy"

"-you want to see your grandfather right Luffy?"

For several moments there was no movement in the room. The scientists observing the affair didn't move, didn't even dare breathe out of fear of setting the boy off again. Caeser himself was frozen in a calm smile, not daring to move a muscle as he watched the boy run the idea through his head

Luffy slowly turned away from the scientist, not directly facing towards nor away from him. He sniffed "I want to see grandpa..."

A sigh of relief swept through the room. Caeser tentatively reached towards him again, this time much slower "Then let's head to the pool, shall we?"

With as much reluctance as an 8 year old could muster, Luffy took his hand.

Luffy didn't like the pool.

He liked pools in general, when his mother used to take him. They were large, and there were lots of other kids there, and he'd get to swim and play.

But this pool wasn't like the pools his mother used to take him to.

Luffy stood, barely shaking, next to his grandfather while various cords and other things he didn't know were attached to his arms, his chest, his forehead. He was cold.

"I'm very proud of you Luffy" his grandfather kept rubbing his hand up and down Luffy's back, though it no longer provided the comfort it used to "I'm proud that you keep trying"

Grandpa hadn't always been there for Luffy, although he had a hard time remembering when he wasn't. But Luffy knew there had been a time when he hadn't been there, just him and his mother.

Luffy hadn't seen his mother in a long time.

Caesar approached Luffy with the oxygen tube he'd need "Luffy I need you to remember that you are completely safe, they can't hurt you"

they

The scientists refused to say demons.

"It simply isn't a scientific term" Vegapunk was unapologetic, shifting through papers on his desk, jotting notes down while he spoke "demons are creatures of myth and lore, boogeymen of the bible meant to scare children into behaving"

They'd left him alone, sitting on the floor, dripping wet, and he couldn't stop shaking and he couldn't stop crying and he couldn't stop the sharp gasps that kept leaving him, he couldn't breathe, he couldn't get enough air

"With all due respect" his grandfather was calm, standing in front of the scientist, so far away from where he sat "he was the only one there. If he says they're demons then I'm inclined to believe him"

He wanted his grandfather and he couldn't stop shaking he was dripping he was wet he was cold and he wanted his grandfather and that LAUGHTER-

The scientist shuffled a few papers, pushing his glasses up "Garp, we are dealing with actual physical beings, not creatures of bed time stories or-" he cast a sharp glance Luffy's way "the product of a child's overactive imagination. Additional research will be required for an appropriate term"

Luffy flinched and the scientist noticed. He didn't- he couldn't- HE was there and HE laughed and HE was evil and he couldn't go back, not to HIM, not if HE was waiting.

"Get him something to calm him down, some morphine or something. We're sending him back in in ten"

"NO" the shout ripped itself free before Luffy even realized it had been him that shouted. He sprung to his feet "no no no nonononono" he backed away, inching faster and faster towards the door, away from this evil man, away from his plans that would lead him back THERE.

"Luffy..." his grandfather frowned "you're making great progress. Everyone is ecstatic to see where this development will lead us. You are the first person in record to make direct contact with them in their territory. If you would just-"

"NO" he turned and he ran, scrambling away towards the door. His limbs felt heavy, still exhausted from his earlier adrenaline, he heard his grandfather behind him, and the door was so close-

He hadn't made it out

They'd locked him away- alone- when he refused to co-operate. He didn't like to be alone. Alone was cold. Alone was dark. Alone meant no grandfather to hold him, to tell him it was okay.

He'd agreed to help after they let him out, just so he wouldn't have to be alone. He hated that room, he hated the dank smell, the inconsistent flickering light bulb, the cold. He hated the cold most of all, the walls just seemed to steal any warmth and leave him shivering for days.

But HE was always there, on the other side. Always waiting to taunt, to grab, to pull, to scratch.

"What's wrong with him?!" the scientists scrambled around the lab, papers flying, alarms ringing. Somewhere, distantly, a siren was blaring away.

"There's nothing wrong! He's simply panicking! Nothing on the charts indicates he's in pain, or danger, or anything to cause this reaction!" Someone was slamming on a keyboard, rapidly sweeping through the various monitors surveying the boy

"Clearly something is wrong! Get him out!" His grandfather was raging, screaming, grabbing the various scientists and technicians running around to listen to him.

Atop a platform, Vegapunk watched the entire endeavour with little emotion. Several scientists and technicians kept glancing his away, awaiting permission to release Luffy from the tank.

All the while Luffy, inside the tank and wrapped in monitors, banged on the glass and screamed for help

Luffy was in his swimsuit atop the metal tank with his grandfather while Caeser inputted data into the computers, various technicians on the ground level doing last minute calculations and shouting numbers across the room

"You're going to be fine, Luffy" his grandfather helped him secure the oxygen mask and tube around his mouth, suctioning it on, stretching the straps behind his head, clasping them shut "Water is their weakness, so he can't hurt you in there"

not physically

Luffy stood up, cool air flowing through the mask nearly forcing him to breathe. He hated the pool, he hated the tube, but mostly he hated going there. The Other Side.

Slowly he scooted until he sat at the edge of the platform, his feet dangling in the water. His grandfather leaned over "Remember Luffy, you're safe" Still, he offered his arm for reassurance, which Luffy gladly took.

"We need you in there for at least twenty minutes okay Luffy?" Caesar was still fiddling with the machines the various wires attached to him lead to, "That way we can get the most accurate readings. Don't worry, one of us will pull you out when it's time, okay?"

Without responding or releasing his grandfather's arm, Luffy slowly lowered himself into the water using his grandfather's support to keep him afloat, treading water near the surface. Garp held him for another few moments, before beginning to pull back which only caused Luffy to hold tighter. One last time he tried to refuse, tried to convey to his grandfather without words why he couldn't go there, why he would rather do anything else. Staring back at his grandson it seemed Garp understood, but still he pulled away leaving Luffy alone in the water.

"Time to submerge, little submarine~" Caesar cooed from his spot near the machines and computers. Several technicians stood by, ready to close the hatch atop the tank once it was confirmed Luffy had gone under.

For a few moments Luffy considered resisting, jumping out, and running until he was outside the lab, into the forest, all the way to Russia. He couldn't remember what was so important about Russia.

But he'd tried in the past, and never succeeded. So with absolutely reluctance he let himself sink until he reached the bottom, then hooked his feet under the straps to keep him below. They couldn't physically hurt him here. Not in the water.

The technicians above closed the hatch, sealing away the light for a few panic-inducing moments before the observation panel on the side of the tank slid open, allowing the scientists to watch and observe the boy wonder.

Screaming and banging on the glass and they were just watching and he hurt so much and he was cold he was bleeding he needed out he needed out he needed out

He couldn't physically hurt him here.

The Other Side was dark. He always seemed to forget just how dark it was but standing there in his swimsuit, thigh deep in black sludge and surrounded by tall grass. He couldn't ignore the darkness, it felt like night time with no moon or stars, just impenetrable darkness.

He waded a few steps forward, the thick slime clinging to him and dragging his legs back. He was terrified of what was to come, never in his many visits to the Other Side had he encountered another being except for Him.

Gentle sucking waves of scum made by his own steps hit the shore, the only sound in the silent void. Nothing moved, not that he could see beyond several feet in front of him, and nothing made a noise except for him. His first time here, it had amazed him.

He gazed in awe. It was so quiet, he'd never experienced a quiet quite like it. In the labs there were always scientists buzzing, keyboards typing, papers printing, people shouting. Only in the isolation room, when he was a bad boy, was there ever a complete quiet like this. But this quiet wasn't bad, or oppressing, or silencing. It was simply empty, like nothing existed except for him.

Now he knew better.

As quickly as he could in the thick sludge he tried walking out of the pond but in all his journeys here, he'd never reached the edge. He could hear his waves sloshing along the sides, could faintly make out where the ground rose up, but he never made it there.

Slowly, with utmost precision, he crept forward. He kept his eyes peeled and ears open, in an attempt to spot the creature approaching even though he never had before. He couldn't hear anything but the blood rushing through his ears and the frantic beating of his heart with his heavy panicked panting. He tried his best to stay silent because maybe this time would be different, maybe this time he could run maybe this time-

"Zehahaha I thought little human boys knew better than to come here?"

Luffy felt nothing but pure adrenaline before he realized he was running. As fast as he could through thigh deep sludge, he desperately reached away from himself for something, anything to fight back with.

A force like no other slammed into the back of his head, knocking him face first into the sludge. For a few, paralyzing, moments he couldn't move, he couldn't breathe. His hair floated around him in the slime and his eyes were open but he couldn't see anything, not there was anything to see in the black oil or so he hoped.

Finally his feet found purchase on the pond floor and he shot up with a choking gasp, running again for something anything just away from Him.

"Now now aren't we just having so much fun? Come back little human booyyy" He was following him, His pace slow enough to mock but not enough to actually fall behind Luffy's desperate sprint through the sludge.

A force grabbed his ankle, ripping him up into the air. Desperately he released terrified scream, thrashing to escape the grip. He was dangling several feet above the surface, his wide eyed reflection staring back at him in the pond goop. He struggled against the incorporeal constraint, reaching up in an attempt to claw at the nothing that held him.

"Come on Human Boy we're just having FUN!" With a laugh, He tossed Luffy into the air, catching him again by the ankle.

Luffy screamed first in fear, then in pain as his entire weight was once again forced upon his ankle held high. His breaths came in short gasps, hardly able to breathe with the panic and adrenaline running through his system. No longer struggling, tears dripped down his forehead into the pond below.

"Oooh?" something was watching him now, closely observing him, watching his unmoving figure "come on little human boy" his entire figure shook, the force gripping his angle suddenly jerking him around causing a pained shout to escape him "the fun's just begun, don't die NOW"

Suddenly He tossed the little boy, and for a brief second Luffy realized the demon had never done THAT before. For just a few split seconds he flew through the air, no demon holding him, no sludge clinging to his legs weighing him down, he felt free.

But after those few seconds he felt an immense amount of pain in his chest as he slammed into something solid on the ground, sliding down into the sludge once more. It only took him a moment to realize what he'd hit had been the edge of the pond he'd so desperately sought. Tears streaming down his face, he dug his fingers into the brittle frozen soil, cracking his nails in attempt to pull himself onto the shore. His breathing felt funny, something wasn't right.

"Zehahaha so you are alive!" He came closer, Luffy could feel his evil presence approaching "and just when I thought play time was over"

With a heave, Luffy pulled himself over the edge onto the ground. He hadn't realized just how cold it was before, but now he was shivering, cold breaths puffing out of his mouth before evaporating into the air. Off in the distance there was something amongst the darkness, a light?

A warm breath along his neck pulled him from his thoughts "I wonder what other fun we can have hm?"

Luffy whimpered, crawling away with bleeding cracked hands and broken ribs along the frozen ground towards the light, he was certain that's what it was now, a light in the darkness.

Darkness gripped his ankle, pulling him back towards the pond "and where do you think you're going little human boy, the fun is over here"

He wouldn't make it, not today. But he could try again.

The scientists grumbled amongst themselves while Luffy sat shivering, alone on the platform next to the tank. Someone had given him a thin towel, not that the he'd noticed. Several scientists tried to decipher the data they'd received from Luffy's brief time on the Other Side, but the facts remained: he hadn't stayed long enough to provide any useful information at all.

Luffy stared at his hands, unblinking, taking deep breaths.

His chest didn't hurt. His fingers weren't bleeding. His ankle was fine.

That was always how it was, ever since they'd started sending him to the Other Side. While submerged the demon couldn't physically hurt him, but he still FELT the pain. Back on This Side it was so strange for him because he was plagued by memories of horrific pain and torture, but there was no physical evidence of it ever happening at all.

He continued dripping as the scientists still ignored him, moaning and groaning about the incomplete charts, the ruined data, the inconclusive evidence they'd received. They'd come up here, soon, to harass him, to punish him, to do whatever they wanted. But for now he was alone.

That also meant Grandpa was nowhere to be found. It hurt, but it didn't surprise him. He hunched his shoulders, drew his legs in a little closer. His ankle throbbed in phantom pains from the demon's attack.

Grandpa was only there when Luffy did well, when Luffy made him proud. Leaving early didn't make grandpa proud of him, ruining data certainly didn't make grandpa proud of him. The scientists need that data to better understand the Other Side, to harness their power, to safely explore the new world and it's opportunities.

At least that's what Grandpa always said.

The metal stairs creaked under the weight of Caesar coming up the stairs, the only one who would speak to him when he failed. Everyone else didn't care about him, Caesar certainly didn't care about him. But everyone said Caesar was good with kids. Luffy wasn't sure he'd agree.

"Now Luffy" He crouched down to Luffy's level, like he always did "Do you know what you did wrong?"

Luffy refused to look at the man, but after a moment's hesitation managed a shaky nod. He was supposed to stay for twenty minutes for conclusive data. He failed, meaning anything they could have gained from the venture was worthless. Luffy was mad too, all that work and pain for nothing.

"And do you know what you should have done instead?"

He waited another moment, then gave a shaky nod. He should have toughed it out, should have acted like a man, should have dealt with the pain for the sake of the greater good.

Or at least that's what Grandpa always said.

"Now because of what you did wrong, we need to start all over. Can you get back in the pool Luffy?"

He shook his head with no hesitation, He would not go back, they could not make him go back. HE would still be around, HE would still be nearby. Luffy needed to wait, until tomorrow at least, for HIM to lose interest and leave the pond, so Luffy could wait and hide. He'd done it before.

Caesar shook his head disappointed "Luffy..." there was fake concern in his eyes, and fake worry in his voice "We can't wait until next week, or even tomorrow. A lot of money brought all this equipment to life, and all these nice science people are here so you could safely go to the Other Side today. If you don't stay for the necessary amount of time then it's all one big waste, and you don't like waste do you Luffy?"

Luffy didn't care about waste. He didn't care how much money went into sending him today, he'd gone back before when they'd told him to and it was always worse.

Caesar didn't care about him. Caesar cared about moving up the ranks, and was placing all his bets on Luffy. Wasn't Luffy's fault Caesar was a grubby greedy bastard.

But Caesar didn't care about him. Caesar picked up Luffy gently and placed him in the pool. Clinging to the edge, Luffy glared at Caesar as the man sent his best grin, offering the oxygen tube to Luffy before shutting the top, forcing Luffy to grab the proffered tube and let go of the edge.

They could force him into the pool, but they couldn't force him to project himself into the Other Side.

It took about five minutes of everyone outside the tank watching him float calmly with arms crossed to realize he wasn't going to the Other Side. Ten minutes of grumbling, going through empty charts, old corrupted data and still Luffy sat at the bottom of the tank watching them. Fifteen minutes of cold water, cold air, blurry figures moving around before several of them gave up and left the lab. Twenty minutes before Caesar opened the tank with an irritated scowl. Luffy swam to the top.

"Now Luffy..." He ignored Caesar, angry at being forced back into the cold water. He ripped the tube off his face, and climbed out of the pool "Remember what we said? It's going to be a waste if you don't-"

"No" he cut off Caesar, having heard this speech not half an hour earlier. Putting him back in the pool had been a waste of time, and they'd have known that had they just listened to him.

Caesar was looking at him with that expression, the one he wore when he knew a battle had been lost but a war was still raging. If Luffy refused to go, there was nothing he could do to make him go but motivate him to try harder next time.

"Well" Caesar stood up, rubbing him temples "I guess we don't have anything left to discuss then, do we Luffy?" Luffy refused to look at him, instead glaring at the floor and his cold shivering hands

"I'll see you in a few days then" He turned and walked back down the steps from the platform, several guards passing him on their way up.

Luffy couldn't stop himself from crying even if he wanted to, and he really, really wanted to. But he was already so cold, and tired, and scared. He started shaking with heavy sobs and whimpers. When the guards grabbed his arms to drag him away he began thrashing, and cried out "NO"

They ignored him, as did all the scientists while he was dragged through the labs and towards the corridor, all the while screaming and thrashing.

Luffy managed to land one kick on one of the guards but he was unfazed, and it left his foot aching from connecting with the body armour at such a speed rather than flesh. Luffy could still feel his ankle give a phantom throb now and again from where He grabbed it, only causing Luffy more distress and discomfort.

His tears, his sobs, and his pleas for help were all ignored. The guards merely stared straight ahead, ignoring the small boy to the best of their abilities. Their hands were clenched tightly on each of his arms, pulling him along as he dragged his legs and kicked at them, desperate to escape their crushing grips dragging him back to his room.

The guards released a sigh of relief as they reached the gray metal door to Luffy's room, ignoring him despite his thrashing increasing upon spotting it himself. Carefully one of them opened the door while the other dragged him in, placing him on the bed before turning to leave.

Desperate not to be alone, Luffy grabbed at the guard nearest to him

"Please don't go, I'll eat the weird plants, I'll let them put the weird cords on my head, they can take all my hair again, but please don't leave me alone please" He pleaded, small fingers clutching at the black body armour. He was dripping and cold and afraid and they were just going to leave him in there, alone.

The guard stared at him, face twisted in a grimace "Sorry kid" he grumbled, before ripping Luffy's hand off of him and turning fully away to exit the room. The other guard slammed the door shut behind them.

Still crying, snot and tears still escaping him, Luffy curled up on the bed clutching his threadbare blanket.

For now he was still wet, still cold, and still in his swimsuit but he knew a change of clothes would we waiting for him on one of the shelves, and his towel still sat soaking wet on the floor. He wanted to get changed, to dry off, and to warm up just a little in this dark concrete room.

But he didn't know how long it would be this time, so for now he was wet and cold, and he continued to cry alone on his bed.

Warnings for this chapter: Forced isolation, one sided fight that's pretty much torture, and human experimentation. The fight is graphic but the experimentation is not.

So this is the first chapter? I know it's only Luffy really right now but I promise our favourite boys will be coming in soon. This is crossposted on AO3 under the same name. Feel free to review here, or yell at me on tumblr (fanatic-author)