Circusmaster Grayson

Learning New Tricks

In Dick's experience, the circus was the best place to learn stuff. Anything from firebreathing to juggling to the latest gossip could be found here. All you had to do was know where to look.

For example, the magician of the circus alone could teach him all sorts of things, like card tricks and escape artists' tricks, as well as the fundamentals. Dick was especially good at diverting people's attention and sleight of hand. He enjoyed the days that his mother permitted him practicing escape artistry. According to the magician, Kazinga the Magnificent! (to his friends Kyle), he was learning the real deal. He was being taught to escape from tight knots, real chains and padlocks, and actual complicated traps that were more trouble in setting up than they were worth.

From one of the lion tamers, he learned to make a big show out of nothing. They weren't actually taming vicious carnivorous beasts; if anything, they were acting out a theater performance with their good friends who happened to be large felines. The cats were simply taught to make a lot of noise and fuss. Their part was entirely a sham. (Coincidentally, that was also where Dick found his love for animals and seeming aptitude for calming angry beasts.)

He learned a lot about climbing from Fernando, the circus' only monkey. While his teacher couldn't speak, he could see what the primate was doing that he needed to.

Dick learned anything from anyone that would teach him. Except firebreathing. His mother drew the line at that.

However, even with all he was doing and learning, he still practiced on the trapeze. Everyone agreed that he should continue on in his parents' footsteps.

"Keep your feet together now!" his mother called one day during his lesson.

"And don't let go!" his father added half-jokingly.

"But if I don't let go--" He grunted as he swung himself harder-- "How can I fly?" He released his grip on the bar and flipped once. Twice. Thrice! And--

He landed in the net below.

His parents rushed over as quickly as they could with their handicaps as he pulled himself up and out of the net with a huff of frustration.

"Are you--" his mother started.

"Fine. That's what the net is for, isn't it?" But his lip still curled.

"What is it, Dick?" John wheeled forward to see his son eye-to-eye.

"I didn't get it. I fell."

Mary wrapped her arms around the disappointed acrobat. "My little Robin. Do you think we learned to do that overnight?"

"No. But I've been working on it for more than overnight."

John smiled. "Then keep working on it. You said it yourself. That's what the net's for. If every time we fell, we decided to stay down, do you think we would be where we are now?"

"In a wheelchair?" Immediately after saying it, Dick regretted it. But he couldn't take it back. "I'm sorry, I mean-- I didn't mean it like--"

John shook his head. "Don't be sorry. Because the 'get back up' philosophy applies to this, too." He patted his wheelchair. "We can just give up our dream, or we can fulfill it through you." He took Dick's head in his hands. "So will you get back up and take the leap?"

Dick looked into his father's eyes and saw a rare seriousness: a grim grit and determination that had brought him through life this far and would keep him going to the end of his days. He saw it, and he wanted that kind of resolve.

He ran to the ladder, hauling himself up hand over hand. He reached the top and set the trapezes swinging. He rubbed his hands together and counted, one, two, THREE!

He leapt. Caught himself. Swung. Released. Caught. Swung. Released. Twisted. Caught. Released.

Flipped.

Once.

Twice.

Thrice.

Four times.

Caught. Swung. Landed.

He looked down and saw his father applauding and whistling, his mother calling, "That's my little Robin!"

And he felt triumph.

xXx

Bit of a short filler chapter. Whoops. But I updated it, which is more than I could say before.

Anything in particular you want to see in this? Romantic interests, yay or nae? And should he try the superhero gig independently, as a child OR adult? Or no? Should he meet the YJ team? There's a lot I could do here.