Things are started to speed up. Now the boys just need to find one hero on the Grand Line. Can't be too hard right?

Enjoy!

Chapter 3-Welcome to the Grand Line

Red Hood and Robin fell in a heap as they passed through the door. Robin pushed away from his partner and hurled into the sand, retching until he lost everything in his stomach. Red Hood didn't feel much better but he fought the roiling in his stomach until he could control it.

"Better?" Hood asked sarcastically.

Robin snarled at him, but it was weak as he was still dry heaving.

Hood laughed and stood to get a better look around. "Well, Dickie-bird's luck is true to form," he muttered. "Look at this beach, feel that sun. It's a tropical paradise."

Robin finally stood up and kicked sand over his mess. "Let's find him and get home. Batman needs us."

"Demon-spawn want to fight his kin?" Hood teased.

Robin ignored the jibe and started to walk along the beach, looking for clues. Hood smirked and followed the younger boy. They had walked in silence for half an hour when they saw the town. It was up on a rock ledge above the beach and they could barely make out the masts of sailing ships.

"Looks like a port town," Robin said, coming to a stop. He looked over at Hood. Todd didn't have his helmet on but he did have his mask. Robin considered his own clothes. He wondered how their appearance would looks to the beings in that town. "We need to get a closer look. See if they're human, and what they're wearing."

Hood nodded. "Lead the way, ninja-brat."

Robin gritted his teeth but didn't respond, instead moving to the vegetation along the edge of the beach so they could fade into shadows. They were both used to the city, but the tall jungle trees would have to suffice.

The trees were bigger than either of them expected, and with their grapples it was easy to disappear into the canopy and approach the town from the air. They traversed the interlocking branches as easily as rooftops and while neither would admit it, they were having fun. When they reached the end of the trees they stopped, finding perches where they could get a good look at the locals.

Below their tree a beaten dirt road wound between the huge trees of the jungle and passed through a wooden arch into the town. The arch declared in faded red letters that the town was named "Bombshell Cove". From what they could see, the people looked human and normal enough. It was obviously a technologically backward world since there didn't seem to be electricity or cars. People or animals pulled carts full of their wares. Robin saw one man pulling a cart full of clay pots and another pushing a wheelbarrow full of cabbages.

"I think we're good to walk around down there if we take off our masks," Hood said, thoughtfully. "Most of those people are wearing odd clothes. Without masks, I bet we can blend in so we can start asking questions."
"Agreed," Robin said. He pulled his mask off and held it in his hands, considering it for a long moment. "Do we stick with code names?" he asked.

Hood considered the question as he peeled off his own mask, stuffing it into his pocket. "Let's play it by ear, but it's not like anyone here is going to know who Jason Todd or Damian Wayne are."

Robin nodded and moved to start climbing down. Hood followed.

They walked through the town, discretely asking after Nightwing with no success. They had been at it for a couple hours when Hood called for a break.

"I'm going in there for a drink," he said, pointing at a disreputable looking pub. It was called the Drowned Duck and the sign was of a creepy looking duck with x's for eyes laying on its back. "Coming?"

"How are you going to pay?" Robin hissed as he followed reluctantly through the swinging doors. "We don't have any of the local currency."

Hood grinned and held up a cloth wallet. "Picked this up earlier, someone must have dropped it," he lied smoothly.

Robin scowled. "Thief," he snarled quietly as they sat at the bar.

"Like I care," Hood said. "Whatever you got," he ordered from the man behind the bar before turning back to his partner. "B isn't here to lecture me and it's easier to get information if we have money. It's not like we packed gold along with us and I don't think they'll take your credit card."

The barkeep came back with a tankard of something that smelled like rum. "Anything for the kid?" he asked. "I got juice."

"Sure," Hood said easily, taking a swig of his drink. "Good stuff."

"Thanks," the man said as put a glass of orange colored juice in front of Robin. "We make it here, best on the Grand Line."

Hood took another drink, sizing the man up. He looked honest enough, for a dirty barkeep. "I bet you know everything that happens around here," Hood said bluntly. He didn't feel up to subtly at the moment, it had been a long day. Robin glared at him, suspiciously.

"Sure do," the keep said, pulling out a towel to start wiping down the bar. "No one gossips like pirates, and they all come through here. Well, maybe Marines are worse but they all go to the Seagull and Mary and I are old friends so we talk."

"We're looking for our brother," Hood said, leaning forward. "He came here about a week ago and we can't seem to track him down."

"What's he look like?"

"Tall, black hair, dressed in blue and black. He's real tough, a fighter," Hood said, giving the description that he and Robin had pared down to the essentials over the course of the day.

The barkeep leaned back and glanced around the room. Hood followed his gaze. There were only three other people in the bar, a woman in the corner, her face hid by the shadows, a drunk slouched over a table, and an older man with an eye patch who was playing cards with himself. None of them appeared to pay them any attention.

"Listen, boys," the keep said quietly. "I know who you mean, but you should be careful. There was a man, about a week ago that showed up. Really nice guy, helped out around town to make some money. Well, he got into a fight with a Marine captain, a corrupt bastard named Captain Joudan. The Captain was pushing around a couple of local girls and the guy steps in and tells him to back off. Joudan scoffs and throws a punch, and corrupt he might be but he's no light weight. So he's surprised when the guy dodges and springs back. That pisses the captain off so he orders his men to arrest your brother. It took a score of them to finally take him down and they were all sporting lumps, I'll tell you. Captain Joudan held him in the local jail for four days before getting permission to take him to the nearest marine base. They left yesterday, and I didn't see him but I heard your brother wasn't looking too good."

Hood and Robin listened with rapt attention but when he finished, Hood just let his head fall and thump against the bar. "Arrested? Mr. Perfect got arrested," he groaned. "Now what? How are we going to spring Dickie Bird if we can't even find him!"

"Where is this marine base?" Robin asked, his eyes flashing dangerously.

The barkeeper didn't seem intimidated by the pint-sized hero. "Don't know for sure, a couple islands away I think. You'd need an eternal pose to catch up and you won't find one around here. The marines won't let anyone sell them," the keep answered with a shrug.

"We need a ship," Hood groaned without lifting his head. "I don't know how to sail. Do you?"

"No, but how hard can it be?" Robin said dismissively. "What we need is a way to track Grayson so we're not sailing all over the place."

"I like you boys," the keep said, leaning over the bar and lowering his voice conspiratorially, "so I'm going to help you how I can. What you need is a vivre card. That'll let you track straight after your brother. Do you have anything like hair or nail clippings of his?"

Hood couldn't help it. He laughed, an honest belly laugh that left him gasping for air and holding his sides. "We do, we actually do," he said when he caught his breath. "We brought DNA samples in case none of our tech worked, which it doesn't. Damn, I am not living this down. Bat was right to make me get that crap from Dickie-bird's apartment."

"Perfect," the keeper said, honestly happy for them. "Now, go to the apothecary by the docks, tell Nisha that Noonan sent you. She'll help you out. I don't know about a ship though. You'll need to hire someone and only a pirate will go after a marine vessel, so be careful. But I wish you the best of luck." With that, he turned away and left the boys to finish their drinks and follow his advice.

Outside, after a quick conference, they agreed to do as Noonan said. They set off toward the docks, though it was starting to get late and the sun was starting to set. It wasn't like they were worried about being mugged. Hood actually hoped that someone would try. Then they could steal some more money.

They had only just reached the docks, and were searching for Nisha's apothecary when Robin noticed they were being followed. He hissed at Hood, "We've got a tail."

Hood didn't bother to look, trusting his partner. "Who is it? Someone else got a problem with Dick?"

"No," Robin said, pulling Hood between some parked carts to try and hide. "I think it's that lady from the bar, the one who was in the corner. She's wearing the same clothes."

Hood pulled out his gun and checked the magazine. Non-lethals, Batman would be proud. "It's rude to keep a lady waiting. Let's find out what she wants."

With only a look they split, Robin going high, Hood going low, skirting the carts to hopefully come out behind their tail. However, when he came back out on the street, the woman had vanished. He kept his gun up as he looked around.

"Careful where you aim your weapon," a woman's voice whispered. "I wouldn't want you to hurt yourself."

Red Hood spun around and pointed his gun at the woman. She stood calmly in the middle of the road, arms crossed over her chest as she looked him up and down. She was pretty, he noted absently. She had long black hair and wise eyes. She was spilling out of her tight shirt in all the ways a man could appreciate and her loose skirt had a slit in it that allowed him to relish her long legs. Hood swallowed, wondering where Robin was.

"It's not me you should be worrying about, sister," he growled at her. "Why are you following us?"

She smiled at him, her expression mischievous. "I want to help. I heard the story you told Noonan."

Robin dropped down behind her but she didn't flinch when he spoke, only turning slightly to keep them both in sight. "What is it to you, lady?" Robin demanded.

"You will need a ship, a fast ship, to catch a marine warship. You need allies who don't care about picking a fight with marines," she said softly. "I know someone who might be willing to lend you a hand."

Hood reluctantly put his gun away. "Why would you help us?" he asked suspiciously.

"I have no love for marines and my captain takes things like brotherhood very seriously. He would consider this a great adventure."

"What's in it for you?" Robin said.

"I just told you," the woman said. "Adventure for my captain. He mentioned he was bored this morning."

Hood looked over at Robin. Neither of them were the trusting sort, that was always Dick's thing, but they had to admit they needed help if they wanted him back. If this woman was willing to help, fine, they would take it. It wasn't like they had a lot of options, or time.

"Fine," Robin said, speaking for both of them. "We'll get the vivre card the bartender told us about and then we'll meet with your captain."

The woman smiled. "Wonderful. Meet me at the cove on the other side of town. Our ship is anchored there. You can't miss it." She laughed and started to walk way. Hood rushed forward, meaning to ask her name, but when he turned the corner she was gone.

"She gives me the willies," he admitted to Robin as they went back to looking for the apothecary.

"What choice do we have?" Robin griped. "This whole place is weird. We need to rescue Grayson so we can go home."

"Agreed."