literature

AF: A Leap Forward 3

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“Whew! Now that was quite a dust up wasn’t it my partner in crime?” the once called Pierce shouted as he dismounted from his horse and began walking towards Antoine. Seeing him up close Antoine saw that was a fairly handsome young man, perhaps a year older than himself at the most, with dirty blonde hair that reached his shoulders. In addition to the cowboy hat, Antoine saw that he was also wearing cowboy boots with spurs and a black duster that completed the image. “Howdy partner, that was some fancy sword work you were doing.” He said extending his hand to shake which Antoine accepted hesitantly. “Names Virgil, but my friends call me Pierce. And I think you met Shakespeare.” He said indicating the behemoth that was walking towards them.

Shakespeare sighed in exasperation before he began speaking.
“Actually my name is Walter Falconey, but my erstwhile immature compatriot finds my name too dull and as such calls me the moniker of Shakespeare.” He said as he finally reached them.

“You say that but you don’t tell me stop.” Pierce said with a smirk.

“Now might we have the pleasure of your name good sir?” Shakespeare asked Antoine politely ignoring Pierce.

“Antoine Cunningham.” Antoine replied numbly
The two stood looking at Antoine for a few seconds before Pierce burst out laughing, not in mockery but in full mirth as though he found Antoine’s name to be the funniest thing in the world.

“Ah that’s a good one pal. I weren’t expecting that let me tell ya!” Pierce said in between bouts of laughter.

“A good one what?” Antoine asked in confusion.

“It was a good joke my good man. I found it to be quite the rib tickler myself.” Shakespeare said with a slight smile on his face. “But in all seriousness we need your name.”

“I told you my name, it’s Antoine Cunningham. And I don’t really get how it’s funny.” Antoine said annoyed struggling to be heard over Pierce’s laughter.
“Okay, okay, Antoine.” Pierce said chuckling “If you really are Antoine then, show us your black anima.”

Antoine felt another blow to his stomach as the words tumbled out of Pierce’s mouth.
‘How does he know that?’ he thought to himself. Deciding to go along with the request Antoine held up his hand and gathered a ball of pure black anima the size of an orange that hovered gently in the air.
“Okay, okay, not bad. But I’ve seen plenty of people with dark anima before. You gotta do a little more if you want to convince me you are who you say you are.” Pierce said with a smirk which got Antoine agitated. Remembering the accident in the lab, Antoine felt he had the perfect demonstration in mine.
‘This will steal some of his bluster.’ He thought to himself.
“Alright you want a demonstration, blast me.” He commanded.
The two stood for a second looking like he’d grown a second head before Shakespeare spoke up.

“Are you serious sir?” he asked incredulously.

“Absolutely.” Antoine said simply.

Shakespeare hesitated only for another second before he shrugged his shoulders.
“As you wish, I hope you’ve made peace with your maker.” He said as he thrust his fist forward a blast of deep royal purple anima roaring off at Antoine. Raising his hand Antoine blocked the blast with his sphere then as it struck he willed his anima to absorb the blast, to draw it in as it did before. For a moment nothing happened, then to the amazement of all gathered Antoine’s anima slowly began to eat away at Shakespeare’s. As he watched his anima slowly break down and absorb Shakespeare’s, Antoine was once again reminded of a black hole sucking in light.
Looking back at Pierce and Shakespeare, Antoine found them both looking at him in stupefied silence. Before Antoine could ask what either of their problems was Pierce had his gun drawn and point at Antoine.

“Who are you? Who do you work for?” He shouted at Antoine who tensed splaying the ball of energy he’d gathered into a black force field before him.

“Pierce that’s enough calm down!” Shakespeare shouted forcing his partner’s arm to the ground.

“Calm down? Look at what he did! He sucked in your blast like it was a milkshake!” Pierce shouted trying to force Shakespeare out of his way.

“Yes I noticed that and I’m alarmed by it as well. But if you’d stop and think my erstwhile companion, you’d realize that if he has that ability then he must be whom he claims to be!* Shakespeare shouted as he lifted Pierce of the ground.  
Antoine watched as Pierce struggled against Shakespeare’s vice-like grip for several seconds, never once allowing his barrier to fade or dimmer. He considered running, but he realized it would be futile. He still didn’t know where he was or how to get home. If he could get these two to cooperate with him, hopefully they’d be able to show him how to get back. After a few seconds Pierce stopped struggling and went limp in Shakespeare’s grasp.
“Alright, alright, I’m calm, I’m calm! I won’t shoot the kid, now put me down you gargantuan, I despise being pawed at.” He said testily, his western accent becoming more prominent by the second.

“Good.” Shakespeare said lowering him to the ground. “And good God man, try not to make such a fuss next time. It’s completely undignified.”
Pierce said nothing as he huffed and put his gun away then turned to Antoine.

“You can lower the barrier now sir, I swear I’ll not try to shoot you again.” Pierce said raising his hands above his head to emphasize his point. Antoine wasn’t entirely comforted by the action, Pierce was after all an anima user, but he felt that one gesture of faith deserved another. So, reluctantly, he lowered his barrier.
“Okay so you are Antoine Cunningham.  You want to explain just where in the name of Satan’s forked tongue you’ve been?” Pierce asked his voice layered with skepticism and an accusation.

“Where I’ve been? What are you talking about? I don’t even know where I am, or who you two are, or any idea of what’s been happening!” Antoine shouted at the end, the events of the day finally weighing down on him. He stood panting for several seconds, Shakespeare and Pierce watching him carefully, while he tried to calm himself.

“We can explain all of those things to you my good man. But first allow me to ask a question of my own, and if you answer it honestly, then we will furnish you with the answers you seek.” Shakespeare asked.

“What if I can’t answer your question?” Antoine asked.

“I have a feeling you will be able too. If however you cannot, then no harm done. So do we have an accord?” Shakespeare asked.

Antoine hesitated for a moment, and then nodded his head in agreement; trying to mentally brace himself for whatever this eloquent behemoth might ask.

“Good, now my question is simply this. What is the year?”

Antoine almost sighed in relief at the question. Pierce meanwhile looked at his taller companion
“Its 2014.” he spoke with confidence.

Pierce’s eyes widened in surprise while Shakespeare merely nodded his head, as though he had anticipated Antoine’s answer. Antoine furrowed his brow in puzzlement.
“What? You asked what year it was, and I answered. I didn’t lie.” Antoine put in, trying to make sure that the two would not attempt to get out of the agreement. Shakespeare raised his hands in a placating gesture.

“Yes my friend, indeed you did, and you confirmed beyond doubt that you have been honest all throughout. But you see you are quite incorrect it is not the year 2014.”

“What? Of course it is. If it’s not 2014 then what year is it?” he asked.

“My good man, I hate that I am the one who is forced to tell you but…It is the year of our lord 2034. And you, Antoine Louis Cunningham, son of the legendary Abraham Cunningham, and Sotto-Capo of Anima Famiglia have been lost to us for twenty years.”
The next installment in my ongoing group project. Now that I've gotten past the difficult part, it should start snowballing.
© 2014 - 2024 Alleluia00
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KrizelQ's avatar
Now things are getting very interesting. >w< Can't wait for the next chapter!