Another chapter, enjoy.

Chapter 9-Calling Home

Nightwing's condition wasn't good. Greyson had gotten the shit beaten out of him, repeatedly. Chopper had an extensive list of injuries but Jason stopped listening right around the broken ribs and dislocated shoulder. Looking at the man lying in the cot, swaddled in layers of bandages with several IV's in his arm, Jason felt sick and he wished they had done more to the Marines. Damien seemed to feel the same if the way he was glowering in the corner was any indication. He obviously got that brooding look from his father.

"Well, Doctor Chopper, will he make it?" Jason asked, interrupting the diminutive doctor. He was trying for flippant, but he just sounded worried.

The reindeer sighed and Damien flinched. "Yes, yes of course," Chopper replied quickly, trying to remain cheerful. He ran a hoof over Greyson's bandaged hand which had three fingers in splints, the other hand was worse. "He'll definitely live and I'd wager he'll make a full recovery but it will not be an easy one. Several of his injuries will require physical therapy if not surgery before he can regain full movement again." He turned to his table to run some more tests and jot down some more notes to give the brothers a little privacy while the brothers considered the situation.

Damien looked up and made eye contact with Jason. "We need to get him home. We have access to the best medical care in the world. Father will not allow this to stand."

"I'm sure B will pull all of the stops to make sure Golden Boy gets back on his feet, but the question is how do we get home?" Jason asked softly, finally giving a name to the elephant in the room. "We haven't been able to contact the cave or Replacement since we got here. And it's not like we have access to a dimensional portal on the ship."

"So we could be stuck here for a while," Damien hissed, like he had only just thought of that. His face fell and when he glanced at Nightwing, he almost panicked. "Chopper, what do we do?"

Chopper turned around and crossed his arms. "If you can't get home in the next few days, I'd like to call in a surgeon to help with some of the tissue damage. I'm worried that if we wait too long, the scar tissue will hinder his recovery. We could try to call Trafalgar Law. He's a brilliant surgeon, if a little scary."

Nicco Robin chose that moment to poke her head into the infirmary, and Jason was just glad that she hadn't decided to just appear out of the wall. "The captain has already called Captain Law a few minutes ago. He thought you'd appreciate some help," she explained with a smile to Chopper. "Though it was probably more of an excuse to call the man then a comment on your abilities, Doctor."

Chopper danced in place, his cheeks red under his fur. "It doesn't make me happy to hear you call me doctor, you jerk," he mumbled happily.

"How did you call anyone?" Jason asked carefully. He hadn't seen any technology on this ship that looked like a radio or a telephone. That was part of why he had been so frustrated that none of their tech was working; he hadn't found any alternatives.

Robin turned to him. "With the transponder snail of course."

Jason and Damien shared a look. "A snail?" Damien asked, incredulous.

Robin nodded. "Would you like to see it?"

~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~

Apparently on this world, especially on the Grand Line, communication was limited to News Gulls (seagulls who delivered the daily paper and mail) and transponder snails. Each of the Straw Hats tried to explain how the strange mollusk worked, but after listening to all the explanations, Jason and Damien decided to accept Luffy's succinct declaration: "It's a mystery." Honestly, Red Robin and Batman's minds would seize when faced with what passed as science on this world, so it was just as well that neither Damien nor Jason really cared about those things. If it works, that was all that mattered.

Damien poked at the snail who regarded him with resignation. "This thing lets you call someone on the other side of the ocean?" he asked.

"Yosh!" Luffy agreed cheerfully. "How else would you call someone?"

"With a phone?" Damien snapped back, turning away from the grateful snail.

"What's that?" Ussop asked from his seat at the table where he was trying to make some new ammunition for his slingshot. He preferred using his new pop-greens but you can't beat the classic Tabasco-star, apparently.

"Ussop, I swear, you better clean that shit up before dinner," Sanji threatened without turning around as he stirred a pot of something that smelled heavenly. Ussop blanched as he focused back on his task.

Damien grabbed his bag from where he left it by the door; he rarely let it out of his sight. He rummaged inside for a moment before bringing out phone. It looked like a big, black, and clunky satellite phone. "This is a phone," he explained. "It uses radio signals to allow people to talk across long distances." He knew it was much more complicated than that, but he didn't want to confuse the pirates. "This one was built to amplify the signal using native technology to reach across … well reach home."

"And the only native technology you have is a snail," Robin mused thoughtfully. She kept tapping her fingers like she was considering something, and her eyes were sharper than before, less trusting. "I could see where that would be frustrating."

"Oh, yeah!" Franky boomed. "Hit the nail on the head, Robin. But hey, don't give up hope, little bro!" The cyborg stuck a ridiculous pose. "SUP-AH Franky is on the case. I should be able to rig something that will connect your thing-a-ma-jig to our transponder snail. Then you can call home! Oh, yeah!"

Jason let his head drop to the table with a bang. Based on what they had seen on the ship so far, there was no doubt that the cyborg was a mechanical genius, but was hard to put all their faith in the pervert. "It's not like we have any other choices," he pointed out with a sigh, waving at Damien to surrender the phone to Franky and Ussop. The two pirates cheered when the boy hesitantly handed it over. "But I can't watch this," Jason decided, pushing away from the table. "Let me know how it goes."

Damien watched Todd leave, probably to sleep or train somewhere. He watched the pirates carefully pry open the case of the phone. Franky started crying with joy at the complex circuitry. Damien decided to follow his brother's lead. He slipped out as Ussop carefully poked at the tangle of wires, earning himself a light shock that made Franky boom with laughter. Leaving the fools to attempt to make contact with their home, Damien returned to Grayson's bedside to resume his vigil on his unconscious older brother. Robin watched him leave with narrowed eyes.

~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~

That night, at dinner, Franky announced that he had the phone connected to the Transponder snail.

"You can try it any time, bros," he said around a mouthful of fresh baked bread. "We didn't try to make a call. Kinda figured we'd save that for you."

Jason shook his head in disbelief. "That is amazing, guys. I can't believe you figured it out so fast."

"It was pretty impressive," Ussop preened. "But nothing it too difficult for the Mighty Ussop!"

"Sit down and eat your dinner, idiot," Sanji ordered, shoving the younger man back into his seat before he could literally start singing his own praises.

"So, you'll be going home soon?" Nami asked as she daintily picked at her perfectly prepared slice of bread.

The bread tasted amazing when dipped into the thick beef stew that Sanji had made. Luckily it wasn't meat, so everyone could eat their fill without having to fight off Luffy. The steaming loaves made Damien and Jason a little homesick, remembering Alfred's amazing baking.

Jason glanced at Damien who shrugged. "We need to see what they say at home," Jason admitted. "Our ride home might be out of commission for the moment."

"And what exactly is your ride home?" Robin asked, pinning them with her gaze.

"You know, I hadn't thought of that," Nami mused. "Where did you say you were from?"

"Um," Jason hedged. Damien was no help; he just tsked and kept eating. They hadn't discussed what was safe to tell their new friends. Would the Straw-hats object to them being from another world?

"Who cares?" Luffy said, picking his nose. "They're our friends, right? So what does it matter where they come from?"

"Even if they are from another world?" Robin asked with a fond smile for her captain. Everyone's heads snapped around to look at the two sheepish heroes, well, almost everyone.

Luffy flicked his booger and ignored Sanji's indignation. "Yeah, so? How is a mystery world any different than a sky island?"

All the pirates looked around at each other. It always caught them off guard when Luffy said something intelligent, but they never argued when he was right.

"Or a giant, island eating goldfish?" Ussop pointed out with a grin.

"Yo ho ho ho, or a floating island of zombies?" Brook added cheerfully.

"Many consider Fishman Island to be another world," Jimbe put in his two beris with his usual calm demeanor.

"I wish that hell island had been on another world," Sanji muttered darkly, remembering his time during the crew's separation.

Nami rolled her eyes as her crew continued to compare notes on the outrageous places they had been. She turned to Damien and Jason, who looked bewildered. "So it doesn't matter where you're from, but it would help to know how you got here, so we can help you."

Damien opened his mouth to either say something very condescending or too technical to understand. Jason beat him to it to prevent a fight. "It was a magical doorway that connected our two worlds. If we can talk to the gang at home, they can tell us what we need to do on our end to open it again."

"Good, so that settles it," Sanji interrupted putting a new basket of sliced bread, hot from the oven, on the table. "Let's table this discussion for now and eat. You can call after dinner."

Jason agreed happily and dug in with a will. Sanji's food was better than any of the five star restaurants back home.

~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~

After dinner was finished and Jason and Damien checked on Nightwing, who still unconscious, everyone, except Chopper, gathered to see if Franky had fixed the transponder snail to call Gotham. Damien glared at Jason until the older man gave in and allowed him to place the call. They all waited with bated breath as the snail gave a strange purring ring for several seconds until someone picked up with a "ka-chink."

"Greetings, you've reached the Wayne Residence," said a cultured English accent.

Jason whooped, pumping his fist in victory. Damien stared in amazement as the butler's voice came from the snail's mouth. The creature's whole expression was calm and dignified, much like Alfred's usual demeanor.

"Is that you, Pennyworth?" Damien asked carefully into the little hand-held receiver.

"Master Damien?" the snail said with Alfred's voice. "Thank goodness. Where are you?"

"We're still in that other world," Jason said leaning over Damien's shoulder to speak.

"Master Jason, it is good to hear your voice as well," Alfred said warmly, the snail's expression softening into a gentle smile. "Allow me to transfer this call down stairs. There are a few others who would like to speak to you."

There was a moment of silence before someone else picked up. The snail's expression changed to a grim, stern glare. "Robin?"

"I'm here, Father," Damien said, unconsciously straightening his back. "Red Hood is with me."

"Report," Batman demanded. "Where is Nightwing and the scientist?"

"We arrived on the other world unharmed," Robin began. "We were on an island in a region called the Grand Line. After some reconnaissance we discovered Nightwing had been arrested by a corrupt local official who intended to execute him. We found no evidence of the scientist. We enlisted the help of a crew of pirates to track and attack the marine vessel that held Nightwing. We rescued him, but discovered that he received severe injuries. He is currently being treated by the ships doctor, who is very knowledgeable."

"Poo," Luffy pouted, loudly. "That makes this whole adventure sound so lame."

"Who was that?" Batman growled.

"Straw-hat Luffy, the captain of the crew who helped us," Damien answered, waving at Luffy to be quiet.

Batman considered this answer for a moment before answering. The snail looked even grimmer, if that was possible. "Captain Luffy," he addressed the pirate, "will you continue to assist my sons?"

Luffy stepped forward and took the handset from Damien. "Yosh, of course," the cheerful young man answered. "They're real strong, so they can sail with us as long as they want." He paused with a thoughtful expression on his face. "Hey, I've got a question."

"Then ask it," Batman said harshly.

The tension in the room ramped up. Damien and Jason exchanged looks, wondering what Luffy wanted to know. Would the pirate captain demand something for his help and continued cooperation? They had learned that he got attached to people sometimes. Maybe he wouldn't let them leave. He had a pretty big barging chip with Nightwing injured in the other room.

Luffy regarded the snail with a serious expression. "Do you poop, mystery man?" he asked.

All of the Straw-hats groaned at their captain's foolishness. Nami punched the top of his head hard enough that his neck stretched to smack his face on the floor. "You can't just ask people that!" she screeched.

Damien looked ready to spit nails, so Jason snagged the receiver. "Ignore that last question, B. Luffy's kind of special, but he's good in a fight. What's happening in Gotham? How'd it go with the pits to hell?"

The snail grit its teeth. "Faust teamed up with Morgan La Fey to draw a demon from the pits of Tartarus, but they lost control of the spell so it spread across the world. Doctor Fate managed to close them after we tricked Klarion into lending his assistance, but as we anticipated, it closed the doorway we used to send you. We're working on fixing it now, but it could take a few days."

"So, no quick ride home. Do you even know how to find us to bring us back?" Jason asked suspiciously. Honestly he wouldn't be surprised if they didn't have a plan. Well, a little surprised that Bats didn't have a way to bring his son and Golden Boy home, but it wouldn't be the first time he had failed Jason.

"Jason," Batman said slowly while the snail glowered, "we do have a plan to bring you home. The only problem is we don't know where the door will open. Because of Klarion's spell, we think the location has changed. You will need to find the new location."
Jason slammed his fist on the table, making almost everyone in the room jump. "It's not that simple, Bats!" he yelled angrily. "It's not like we can enter coordinates into a GPS! You're talking about finding a random location in the middle of an ocean where compasses don't work. If that's your only plan, you're signing our death warrants." Jason clenched the receiver until it creaked in his hand. He couldn't see through the red clouding his vision. He thought he had been resigned to this, expected this, but it felt like that warehouse all over again; that moment when he realized Batman wasn't going to get there in time. Only this time it wasn't just him, it was his brothers too.

"Todd, you still there?" a new voice said. Jason sneered at the snail. At least Batman still had his replacement; he'd never had a problem finding new Robins. "Jason, we're not abandoning you. We don't know where the new door will open but we're working on ways to find out and send out a signal you can follow. We will get you home," Tim Drake promised. "Just be careful until we can come get you."

Unable to speak, Jason handed off the receiver to Damien and left. He needed to see Dick, to prove to himself that it was worth it to come here. He walked past Zoro, who appeared to be napping beside the door, and Brook who had been surprisingly quiet this whole time. Both swordsmen let him pass without a fuss, watching him with only one eye between them. It reminded Red Hood of the Fates in Greek mythology. He didn't want to think about fate right now, so he slammed the door behind him.

Damien watched the older hero leave with a frustrated glare. The young man was so impulsive and sensitive. Damien had more control than that. "Todd left, Drake. He just needs to brood for a while, don't worry about that fool," he explained.

"Damien, you believe me right?" Drake asked. The snail's eyes drooped, looking pitiful.

Damien rolled his eyes. "Of course, Drake. How will you contact us when you're ready?"

"I don't think we can call you. Can you check in with us once a day?" Drake asked, apparently distracted from his worry for Todd. "Can you ask the crew if you will be in the same area or will you be moving on soon?"

Nami stepped forward and held out her hand to accept the receiver. "Hello, this is Nami. I'm the ship's navigator. What do you need from us? Will there be a problem if we continue on our journey?"

"Hello, Nami. I'm Red Robin," Drake introduced himself. "No, actually, I don't think there will be, if you're traveling in one direction. We think the new location will follow along the path of the planet's rotation, so if you're moving in one direction, then it will be best."

Nami tapped her fingers on the table. "The Grand Line runs along the equator of this world and we travel along it going from island to island. So that will work perfectly for us."

"What do you need from us, to find where the door opens? What are your technical capabilities?" Drake asked.

Nami handed the device off to Franky. "Oh, yeah! Super Cyborg Franky, here. So, bro we need to know what kind of signal you're sending. Then I can try to make a receiver that will let us pick it up. How's that, bro?"

"Can I let you know next time?" Drake asked, sheepishly.

The snail yawned and the signal started to get fuzzy. Damian snagged the receiver from the cyborg with a flip to reach that high. "Drake, we're losing you. The snail is getting tired."

"Wait, what? Damien!"

"We'll try to call back tomorrow. Good bye," Damien said before putting the receiver back in its place on the snail's back. As soon as the call clicked off, the snail yawned hugely and slipped back in its shell. Soon soft snoring echoed through the quiet room.

Ussop stepped forward and poked at Damien's phone that was wired to the shell. He yelped and jumped back. "Youch, that's hot. I think we need to keep your calls shorter from now on or you'll burn your thingy out."

"Is the snail okay?" Nami asked worriedly.

Ussop poked his long nose into the poor snail's shell. "Yep, he's just tired. This dimensional thing must be harder than normal calls."

Nami nodded. "Fine, let's leave the poor thing alone for a while."

Damien sat down, crossing his arms over his chest as he ran the conversation through his head. They had learned somethings, but there was plenty to worry about. First and for most, was finding the new location of the door so they could go home. Unfortunately there was nothing they could do about that from this end. It was up to Father and Drake. Damien's first priority then was Greyson.

"You said you called a surgeon?" he asked, turning to the rubber captain. "When will he arrive?"

Luffy broke into one of his signature grins. "Traffy said he'd meet us within a day. It sounded like he was really close. Lucky, huh!"

Damien glared. "Tsk, he better be as good as you say," he declared before leaving the room with a swish of his cape. He could hear the pirates erupt into a rowdy discussion about their guests. The loudest was, of course, Luffy who loudly complained that no one answered his poop questions.