Somehow I can believe other me would do that. That doesn't help your going straight case, by the way. Because if you did prison's supposed to be the rehabilitation part of that.
[ "Maybe", you hope, man. You hold onto that hope. ]
Despite appearances. You mean the fashion disasters you wear normally? That even me with my not necessarily good sense of fashion can critique. [ A pause. ] You and me, in person.
If you'd ever been to prison, you'd know it's not all that rehabilitative. But I was paroled, that last time.
[ That's not a lie. ]
And the stripes are slimming.
[ That might be a lie. ]
You pick the place, and I'll be a decent enough guy to show up. Show of good faith, and all that. Don't make me regret it — it's much more fun to be on my good side.
[ And because it's not Barry coming, ten minutes actually meant ten minutes. It does take Barry a minute to open the door for him though, so maybe it evens out. ]
You're on time. [ A pause and Barry just ends up sort of curling his fist a little at his side. He can resist the urge to punch him for this second or two. Just get him in and the door shut before he punches him. ] Come on in. And don't use this against me later.
[ Yeah, there's definitely an implication in that tone that he's not a fan of. The wording is too specific. Shady. And he knows shady. But he breezes right by it, folding his arms and putting on his best wounded expression. ]
[ Enjoy knowing that this Barry Allen is capable of immense shade that might as well be caused by a palm tree or some equally poetic thing like that. Barry just gives him a look at the wounded expression.
He may be a sucker for those but it'll take more than that in this situation. ]
Do they hurt people? Is that some goal you have in mind? [ A pause. ] And do you like Twizzlers?
[ But that's evasive and he knows it. He blows out a sigh through his nose and leans back against the nearest wall, arms crossed. ]
Look, my life story's not some big secret — it was in all the interesting newspapers. I grew up in the circus, got bored of the highwire act, blah blah blah, daddy issues, needed bigger thrills, turned to crime because robbing planes mid-flight got huge attention. It's not, admittedly, the best plan anyone's ever had, but I was like eighteen. No one's ever been too smart at that age.
[ He shrugs. He doesn't exactly regret it. He knows a better person probably would, but a better person probably wouldn't have done it in the first place. ]
I stole a lot of money, and a lot of other things, too. Sometimes I gave it back before I ever got caught, because it was funnier that way. It was like a game, you know? I wanted to see if I could do all this crazy, amazing stuff no one had ever tried before. And I wanted everyone to know I did it. That was the thrill. Not the money, not the power trip, not striking fear into the hearts of the people or whatever insanely creepy thing some of these guys get off on. Any jerk with a knife can hurt people. I made my name without any of that.
[ And, almost as an afterthought: ]
... I dunno, Twizzlers are okay. Not the most exciting candy, as candy goes, but I wouldn't turn 'em down. Why?
[ His tone goes up a little bit and it nearly edges on something akin to being shrill, but he reins it in just barely and listens.
He listens and he finds that as much as his brain wants to tell him that this is the same James Jesse from his home, they're not. He can't be entirely sure because he honestly didn't read James' files and even if he had— it's debatable that it would have been this in depth.
This James— This Trickster was in it more for the game. The game of attention and thrill. Did of all of his Rogues just enjoy games when it came to being criminals? Is that why they let themselves be called the Rogues because they were different than most criminals— villains you'd find?
Right now, he kind of deeply regrets ever calling anyone Snart was involved with a merry band of rogues, he inadvertently influenced his own stupid future. ]
You could have hurt people with those things. Robbing planes if you can't always fly them correctly or even if you can't doesn't always end well. [ A pause and Barry's hand just clenches a little. ]
Because other you sniffed them like some people might sniff a cigar and I was honestly a little creeped out at how he reacted. God why couldn't you maybe just at least have that in common. That would be great.
[ He won't punch him. He can resist the urge to punch James in the face. It's not hard, just focus on the fact that the Flash wouldn't do that. ]
So other me is just mega creepy. That's what you're saying.
[ He frowns, and sticks his tongue out in a clear eew, gross expression, because: eew, gross. ]
Even calling him other me makes me feel weird. Like I'm responsible for all that or something. Is that how you felt, with the whole alternate universes thing? I mean, minus the creepy.
Mega creepy, clinically insane, you know both I think fit pretty well.
[ How you know Barry Allen dislikes someone intensely, he can't muster up a nice thing to say about them. Barry's mouth twitches into a frown and while he really was trying to prevent himself from punching him, yeah no, sorry James, there's your punch to the eye because you do not get to ask that question.
Predictably that's when the toy appear and Barry's taken enough off guard by that to not punch James again. ]
Yeah. You don't deserve that answer, but yes, it did kind of feel like that. Except instead of creepy I felt bad you guys were expecting older, wiser me. And now I'm just the baby gets to meet all of you in horrifying ways.
[ Lightning-quick reflexes! Haha, no, just kidding, he takes the punch right to the face and doubles over with a hand to his face. Three jacks, a bouncy ball, and one of those sticky slappy-hands poof into existence, flopping sadly to the floor, as James whines. ]
Ooooooooowwwwwwwww! Jeez, you really don't look like you could punch that hard!
[ Or maybe Trickster is just a tremendous wuss. Or both. ]
Benefits of a cop and his daughter being the ones who taught me how to punch.
[ It would normally sound like a snappy comeback but it comes out out of his mouth slowly while he just watches the bouncy ball start bouncing into the kitchen for maximum effect. ]
Did you have toys in your hair?!? Or suit or what's with the toys?
I'm— I don't even have that much upper arm strength it couldn't have hurt that bad.
[ Oh my god, James, just stop it's not even that bad. ]
Jealous that you produce toys when someone punches you. Oh, yeah, super jealous that I've got superspeed and you spontaneously produce toys. Do you listen to what you say?
So you're a walking talking joke shop. Are they even real chickens you talk to? Or is it the rubber ones? Since I imagine you might see more of those on average.
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[ "Maybe", you hope, man. You hold onto that hope. ]
Despite appearances. You mean the fashion disasters you wear normally? That even me with my not necessarily good sense of fashion can critique. [ A pause. ] You and me, in person.
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[ That's not a lie. ]
And the stripes are slimming.
[ That might be a lie. ]
You pick the place, and I'll be a decent enough guy to show up. Show of good faith, and all that. Don't make me regret it — it's much more fun to be on my good side.
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[ Nah. ]
That's not an excuse any more than plaid makes me look older is for me. Also pretty sure you're not supposed to tell someone that in general.
[ In hindsight, he's going to call you a lying liar who lies. NO STRIPES COULD SLIM THAT ISSUE DOWN. ]
Heropa 13. I won't lock you in where I live and I don't want to do this in public.
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You're on time. [ A pause and Barry just ends up sort of curling his fist a little at his side. He can resist the urge to punch him for this second or two. Just get him in and the door shut before he punches him. ] Come on in. And don't use this against me later.
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[ But he holds his hands up in the old familiar "I surrender" gesture as he heads in. ]
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[ And the inner voice Barry has that sounds suspiciously like Oliver is going "that doesn't mean I won't punch you in other places". ]
But not helping your case with me when you threaten using my home address against me if I punch you in the nose.
[ Of course, that doesn't stop Barry from shutting the door behind him. ]
Deadly pranks or no?
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Pranks, yes, deadly, no. I'm not a killer.
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He may be a sucker for those but it'll take more than that in this situation. ]
Do they hurt people? Is that some goal you have in mind? [ A pause. ] And do you like Twizzlers?
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[ But that's evasive and he knows it. He blows out a sigh through his nose and leans back against the nearest wall, arms crossed. ]
Look, my life story's not some big secret — it was in all the interesting newspapers. I grew up in the circus, got bored of the highwire act, blah blah blah, daddy issues, needed bigger thrills, turned to crime because robbing planes mid-flight got huge attention. It's not, admittedly, the best plan anyone's ever had, but I was like eighteen. No one's ever been too smart at that age.
[ He shrugs. He doesn't exactly regret it. He knows a better person probably would, but a better person probably wouldn't have done it in the first place. ]
I stole a lot of money, and a lot of other things, too. Sometimes I gave it back before I ever got caught, because it was funnier that way. It was like a game, you know? I wanted to see if I could do all this crazy, amazing stuff no one had ever tried before. And I wanted everyone to know I did it. That was the thrill. Not the money, not the power trip, not striking fear into the hearts of the people or whatever insanely creepy thing some of these guys get off on. Any jerk with a knife can hurt people. I made my name without any of that.
[ And, almost as an afterthought: ]
... I dunno, Twizzlers are okay. Not the most exciting candy, as candy goes, but I wouldn't turn 'em down. Why?
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[ His tone goes up a little bit and it nearly edges on something akin to being shrill, but he reins it in just barely and listens.
He listens and he finds that as much as his brain wants to tell him that this is the same James Jesse from his home, they're not. He can't be entirely sure because he honestly didn't read James' files and even if he had— it's debatable that it would have been this in depth.
This James— This Trickster was in it more for the game. The game of attention and thrill. Did of all of his Rogues just enjoy games when it came to being criminals? Is that why they let themselves be called the Rogues because they were different than most criminals— villains you'd find?
Right now, he kind of deeply regrets ever calling anyone Snart was involved with a merry band of rogues, he inadvertently influenced his own stupid future. ]
You could have hurt people with those things. Robbing planes if you can't always fly them correctly or even if you can't doesn't always end well. [ A pause and Barry's hand just clenches a little. ]
Because other you sniffed them like some people might sniff a cigar and I was honestly a little creeped out at how he reacted. God why couldn't you maybe just at least have that in common. That would be great.
[ He won't punch him. He can resist the urge to punch James in the face. It's not hard, just focus on the fact that the Flash wouldn't do that. ]
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[ He frowns, and sticks his tongue out in a clear eew, gross expression, because: eew, gross. ]
Even calling him other me makes me feel weird. Like I'm responsible for all that or something. Is that how you felt, with the whole alternate universes thing? I mean, minus the creepy.
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[ How you know Barry Allen dislikes someone intensely, he can't muster up a nice thing to say about them. Barry's mouth twitches into a frown and while he really was trying to prevent himself from punching him, yeah no, sorry James, there's your punch to the eye because you do not get to ask that question.
Predictably that's when the toy appear and Barry's taken enough off guard by that to not punch James again. ]
Yeah. You don't deserve that answer, but yes, it did kind of feel like that. Except instead of creepy I felt bad you guys were expecting older, wiser me. And now I'm just the baby gets to meet all of you in horrifying ways.
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Ooooooooowwwwwwwww! Jeez, you really don't look like you could punch that hard!
[ Or maybe Trickster is just a tremendous wuss. Or both. ]
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[ It would normally sound like a snappy comeback but it comes out out of his mouth slowly while he just watches the bouncy ball start bouncing into the kitchen for maximum effect. ]
Did you have toys in your hair?!? Or suit or what's with the toys?
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[ He's just gonna keep whining for a minute. It takes the edge off. ]
Jealous?
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[ Oh my god, James, just stop it's not even that bad. ]
Jealous that you produce toys when someone punches you. Oh, yeah, super jealous that I've got superspeed and you spontaneously produce toys. Do you listen to what you say?
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[ Chickens. Jesus he is not made to handle this bullshit. ]
Do you want me to punch you again?
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