Bomb Under The Big Top

It took miles of hitchhiking, walking, and riding the rails, but at last he'd finally made it. Ah, the circus. Home sweet home, the animal scat, the drunk clowns, the sideshow freaks, it wasn't his circus or rather the circus he grew in, but it was the circus his mother happened to find herself in this new world. Speaking of!



The voice James himself could be be faintly heard through the canvas of a circus tent. Drowned out by, what could only be described as Italian gibberish, spouting from the mouth of an elderly woman, much shorter than James. A rough translation would involve a lot of, for lack of a better description, curses ranging from letters "F", "D", "B", "S", and "P". He was swatted out of the tent with a frying pan, stumbling backwards into a mud puddle. He scowled, deep in thought, contemplating what prior events had just transpired Gee, what's got her panties in a bunch?! OH! I know what'll get her spirits back up! Hehehehahahaaaaa! He jumped to his feet, excitable and anxious. A scheme had boiled up in his mind, a scheme that would only make sense in his head, and his head alone. Nonsensical and outright delusional. "Tonight's gonna blow their socks off! Hoohoohaheeeh! AHA! AHAHAAAAAA!"

It had become darker when Jesse returned. Around that time when the sun and moon just stared at each other menacingly. Neither exactly day or night. Just an awkward time of the evening that couldn't be classified. Everything had gone on as normal, freak shows acted freakish, the circus games acted gamey, and the sad clowns were sad. All was normal when the Big Top had finally opened up, giddy children and over-worked parents stumbled in to find their seats. A bag of peanuts, popcorn, or other cheap snacks rested in their palms. It was a tranquil sight, which suffice it to say, he'd missed from his childhood, it was almost disheartening how the memories flooded back that thrashed him about like violent waves... "Oh well, they're all goners now anyway! Ooooooon, with, the, show! Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha-Haaaaa!"

Once everyone was settled in, the lights centered on the center of the big top. James Jesse standing atop the large circle in the center. He wore an odd mixture of a Ringleader's costume, and his usual attire. A large blue top hat, with a red band around it. The band was checkered with bits of orange and blue as well, a long yellow feather extending out from the band. A checkered, striped, and polka-dotted orange, red, and blue unitard with a large red bow tie and flower. The bow tie kept a long blue cape flowing behind him. He adjusted his mask before speaking into a microphone

The Nightwing that Trickster knew off was a relatively new chump from some cesspool city along the east coast. While for the likes of Central City a nobody, as the Rogues were to Blüdhaven, Nightwing's particularly irksome title of the Aerial Avenger caught the Sultan of Silly's particularly devious ire. How could this loser get praised for his acrobatics?! James could literally walk on air! Yet that quipy pretty-boy quack is all the rave in acrobatics these days! So, while Nightwing had disregarded Jesse as some schmuck who didn't have the balls to pull the trigger (which he was), the Trickster had accumulated and harbored an intense hatred for Blüdhaven's bully. It was an intense hatred, which paralleled his own pops's hatred for those Grayson jerks. He had never ever even once met Nightwing, yet he was Jesse's arch-rival... (Flashie don't count! Him and James are pals!)

To say that the Master of Mischievous Mirth would've been happy that the Aerial Avenger crashed this little event of his would be a bold faced lie... Yet, he had bursted in with such gusto and style... Hammy acting, bold proclamations, theatrical poses... This guy actually wanted to play along! No one ever went along with his antics, not even the Flash! Other superzeroes would've just punched Jesse's face in, and then the Rogues would've called him an idiot and slapped him on the back of the head. The crowd had given him to such desired adulation, yet what seemed to be the validation of just one person. Ever emboldened, Jesse grinned deviously and matched Nightwing's own presence and hammy personality "Nightwing, you slimy cur!" The Trickster proclaimed in the most exaggerated of voices "So you've finally come out of the shadows to face your greatest rival.... The Trickster" Jesse struck a pose of his own upon proclamation of his name, his right hand guiding his cape into a dramatic flow. His left arm was arched, eyes closed and his face leaning away from both Nightwing and the crowd, his fingers rested nestled upon the ridge of his nose. The goons were all confused, and crowd had eased, chuckling off what had seemed to be hostage situation as simply an act. "You think you challenge my acrobatic prowess?! Then you have sealed your fate!... We shall Duel!"

Jesse snapped his fingers thrice in rapid succession. The goons responded by flicking the lights off and aiming an orange spotlight at Nightwing, and a blue one at the Trickster. The crowd gasped for a moment, but all eyes soon peered in wonder at the pair below. Jesse's grin widened, he covered the microphone and giggled softly "Heeheheheheheh! This is fun"

"We shall do the tightrope first! Then the crowd will deem me as the best!" James knew that this would be a cinch for him, he assumed Nightwing didn't know about his shoes (even though he probably did), so he decided to keep as a secret competitive advantage. He climbed to the top and signaled a drum roll "Unlike you, Nightwing, I don't need a pole! Heeeheheheh" He dramatically threw off his cape then hat, his grin widening once again, more sinister than the last. It was the sort that would've put even Wiley Coyote smug grin to shame. Simply because his shoes permitted it, and to show off for the crowd, Jesse turned in the opposite direction of the rope. He took a deep huff of air in, then, almost spontaneously, Jesse jumped into a backwards flip to the tightrope. The crowd gasped, following immediately after was a rip-roaring applause. Jesse looked at Nightwing with a "beat that" expression. He stepped the rope backwards then paused. He leaned to the left, and fell off the rope. Once more the crowd gasped, yet Jesse hadn't fallen far. His feet were coiled around the rope. The Trickster hung from the rope upside down, yet noticeably somehow the rope was effected little by gravity, or Jesse's own weight. "AAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAOOHOOHAHAHAAAAH!" More applause, James Jesse is perhaps the biggest showoff in the world. Through it all, he became only yet more giddy. As his final trick, Jesse thrusted himself back and forwards whilst hanging, the rope still minimally effected by gravity. His legs released their coil, and thrusted Jesse into a backwards flip in the air. Now facing proper direction, his right hand grasped the rope and pulled himself up, walking the rest of the way. He was greeted with Mass cheering, which he gave a pose for. As the crowd was distracted, a blade slipped from his shoe, which was used to make a small slit into the rope (scandalous!)

The Aerial Avenger's low blow insult was taken to heart by the perverse prankster. This guy had some smack talk for sure, and he sure as hell knew how to grind an aerialist's gears. The net was considered an insult to the professionals. The true professionals that is. Anyone chicken enough to use a net was a hack. At least that's what pop's always told him. Not that the Jesse's were all that interested in actual talent, they just wanted the cash. A more fantastical show meant a more plentiful revenue stream, and the net was not fantastical. This jerk's words were taken as a challenge, and with a deranged grin James chortled to himself "Oh-hoh-hoh! It's on now..." This kid could talk the talk, but could he walk the walk? The tightrope walk to be specific. James had heard stories of this guy back at home for sure. Amazing aerobic feats which even old-man Bats probably couldn't even do, but to see it in person... This was gonna be good. And damn was it.... A handstand walk across the high wire... It was amazing, and difficult to top. James was impressed, visibly impressed in fact. His jaw fell slightly agape, though it twisted into a delighted grin, matching Nightwing's own (in Jesse's own twisted way). Accepting Nightwing's upside down grin as a challenge, the Trickster retracted the blade to his lucky shoes and discontinued attempting to slowly slice through the tightrope. "You cantankerous cad and villain! Your foul words are matched only by your poor skill!" James theatrically mocked as his rival crossed the rope, one hand at a time. "You stand no chance against the star child of the Flying Jesse's!" With one more boast from the Trickster, Nightwing had crossed the halfway mark for the wire. He was stealing the show, in fact! Oh nay, nay, this simply would not do... It was time to prove the superior showman. "Fear acrobatic talents of..... The Trickster!"

With a malignant grin, Jesse signaled a peace sign to one of his goons. Rather, it was a signal to play track two on the speakers. Jesse grinned once more back to Nightwing as he continued crossing the wire, a delighted glare of both mischief and jovial glee as a very recognizably eighties sounding tune rattled the crowd. Pointing at his eyes, then to the Aerial Avenger, the Trickster made a proclamation "I set my sights on you! And noooo one else will do!" He spun in place, then began a backwards moon walk on the high wire as Nightwing was continuing to cross. With a spin, his body twisted and twirled like a ballerina in place, now facing his rival and bopping his head to the beat. "I... Gotta be your friend now, baby!" The crowd marveled at the dance, though was not as impressed as with Nightwing's act. James spun a second time, facing away from old Dorkwing once more and continuing his moonwalk, waltzing and inching ever closer towards his rival. "And I... Gotta move in just a little bit closer! Heh-heh!" After pausing a second time, the crowd tensed up. With a manic grin, the precarious prankster fell off the wire. The crowd gasped in unison, though he'd already caught himself, dangling from the wire with one arm, he grinned up maniacally at the last Grayson, whom was only a few feet away. "All I know is that to me - you look like your lots of fun! Open up your lovin' arms, Watch. Out. Here. I. Come!" With that, he swang, and swang, and swang, rocking back and forwards, and twisting his body around like Twizzler, all until finally thrusting himself into the air as the music swelled. The sultan of silly had propelled himself above the wire, soaring above Nightwing, and spinning around midair like a top. A little idea he stole from the villain of the same name. "You spin me right round, baby! Right round! Like a record, baby! Right round, round round!"

The master of mischievous mirth landed just behind Nightwing, grabbing the wire as he spun by, dangling below with the absolutely widest of grins. The crowd went berserk, roaring in cheers and applause. An immediate uproar of praise and cheer. Roaring like thunder, and rattling his lungs similarly like thunder would. The proudest he'd ever been, James climbed up, propping himself to crouch on the rope. The stress that feat had caused the rope made the slight tear James had cut earlier widen a little, though it still held the duo tightly. James had practically forgotten he'd even done it. He grinned at the back of Nightwing's head, and spoke to it though it were his face "You ain't bad, dude... But you're waaaaaaay outta your league, hehhehhahhahhaaah! No ones been able to challenge me since the Grayson's croaked! And you, ain't no Grayson! HAHhahhahhahhahhaaaaah!"