Time Traveling Hero

Traveling through time was a strange experience to say the least, and I mean in that it felt like it took years to get to our destination (when in actuality it was just the author taking a long ȧss time to get back to the story).

When I finally got to the other side, I had an overwhelming feeling of vertigo come crashing down onto me, to the point where I almost passed out on the spot, if it wasn't for Anna who managed to catch me.

"Whoa, that was unexpected," I muttered, leaning onto Anna who nodded at my predicament.

"It happens to everyone the first couple of times. Master will get used to it soon."

"If you say so," I said, warranting looks from all the other soldiers before scowling at them. I managed to steady myself before releasing myself from Anna's grasp.

"Thanks."

"No problem," she said in her normal flat tone, and I took a moment to gaze around at our surroundings.

It was like a vast, overgrown jungle outside the clearing we were in. Trees far larger than what you would find within our time surrounded us, and strange noises echoed around us within the humid night air. While it was too dark to tell, I could've sworn I saw plants moving around the edge of the clearing as well.

The clearing itself was manmade, with large white tents scattered around. Guards were walking around the perimeter with their energy guns, probably to ward off both enemies and beasts alike. Our squad was going to an empty corner of the clearing before setting small white squares on the ground, which erupted into similar tents that were around us.

"Master, stop gawking and hurry," Anna said, pulling on my arm.

"Hey, can't a guy look around some? It's my first time and everything you know," I said, but I nonetheless let myself be dragged by Anna.

"Now, our operation starts tomorrow at noon, so I need everyone to be in tip-top shape by then, got it? Review the mission details before you go to sleep everyone, understand?"

"Yes sir!" The entire squad yelled out, saluting Roberto.

"That'll be all, you're dismissed!" I started to walk towards him, and he scowled when he saw me. "Oh right, you. I'll give you the details to look over, but you already know your instructions, right kid?"

"Yep, the Director told me yesterday I would just observe the operation." Roberto nodded and sent me the details to Nymphy before sighing. "Honestly, what a pain in the ȧss this is gonna be. I don't expect much, but just stay out of our way, got it?"

I nodded, and he waved me off before going to the other soldiers, who were watching the entire thing.

I heard them snickering before they retired to their respective tents, and I was left alone with Anna.

"Man, I forgot how it feels to be treated by normal ȧduŀts," I said, looking over at Anna. "I quite missed it."

"Master is a weird guy," Anna commented, sitting next to the nearby fire.

"I don't wanna hear that from you, got that?"

I sat down next to her and opened up Nymphy to see the mission details. .

"Hmm, let's see here," I murmured, scanning through the details in earnest.

"You're quite attentive, you know that?"

I stopped reading temporarily to see the hot-pink haired Model come up to me, still chewing the same piece of gum from before.

"Well, I like to know as much as I can about stuff before going into things. I'd rather be overprepared than underprepared," I commented, making room for her on the log Anna and I were sitting on.

"I wouldn't take their behavior to heart you know," the Model said, looking over at the tents. "You're the youngest Hero we've had to date. The last hero we had was pretty young too apparently, not that I ever met her or anything."

"I really don't mind. It's quite refreshing compared to the other ȧduŀts I deal with in my life," I said, thinking back to Eris and Caelestis before sighing. "Honestly, I quite like it."

"Master is a very strange person," Anna added, and I jabbed her in the side.

"Quiet you. Anyway, what's your name?" I asked the pink-haired model.

"Hmm? You mean my model number? I'm Model 2512018935," she said before blowing a small bubble with her gum before popping it. "Nice to meet you Hiro."

Huh? I frowned at what she just said. Nah, it can't be. "So, you don't have a name either?"

"Models have no need for names, since we're easily replaceable," she said, blowing another bubble.

"Is that really the case?" I asked, looking over at the other Model, Anna. "I thought you said you were human."

"Anna was joking. Do not take everything Anna says seriously," she said, and I jabbed her in the side again, although this time she dodged.

"Now that I think about it, where do we sleep?" I asked randomly, glancing at the rest of the tents.

"Master gets a tent to himself," Anna said, pointing to a rather large tent nearer the center of the clearing.

"Okay, what about you guys then?" I asked, and Model 2512018935 shrugged, popping her large bubble of gum.

"On the ground. Models don't get tents."

"Uh, what? You do know shelter is important, right?"

"Models don't need it," she responded before blowing another bubble.

I sighed. Man, what type of place is this? Are Models just robots then? But that doesn't explain the bleeding I saw in the dual Anna fight. Now that I think about it, her blood was red too if I'm remembering correctly. I think anyway.

"Ugh, I can't be bothered. There are ten Models here, not including Anna, right?"

"Good, you guys just sleep in my tent. I'll sleep outside next to the fire.

The pink-haired girl's eyes widened, dropping the gum out of her mouth. "Huh?"

"I mean, it should fit all ten of you, and Anna and I can just sleep out here. Besides, I'm curious to gaze at a night sky one normally can't see," I said, shrugging before looking at the star-filled night sky, no moon in sight. "You don't mind either, right Anna?"

"Nope, Anna does not care a bit," she agreed, looking up at the night sky.

"Wait a moment!" We both turned to the pink-haired girl, who looked flustered.

"Is there an issue?"

"Of course there is!" she yelled out, and I frowned.

"Well, would you rather sleep out on the ground?"

"Well, no, not really."

"The other Models feel the same?"

"Probably, but-!"

"The tent can fit all ten of you, right?"

"Of course it can, but-!"

"Then why are you arguing so much? I already told you I don't need the tent," I said, and she just blinked.

"Wh-what type of logic is that? I can't even make myself argue with it," she said, letting out a small laugh in response.

"If you understand, get a move on Model 2512018935, and make sure to tell the others as well, got it?"

"Wait, you remembered my Model number?" She seemed even more bewildered than before.

"I mean, if my suspicion is correct, they made it pretty easy to remember for a reason," I said shrugging. "Now are you gonna stay there gawking, or are you gonna sleep?"

She let out a small laugh before laughing even harder, smiling at me. "Oh man, you're one weird Hero, you know that?" She continued to giggle to herself as she walked away, gathering up the other Models before pointing towards me and explaining the situation.

"Uh, is something wrong? Do I need to explain myself again?"

They shook their heads before bowing their heads slightly.

"Thank you for your kindness Time Traveling Hero," they said simultaneously, and I couldn't help but get a little freaked out.

"Hey, don't worry about it! Seriously, it's alright, raise those heads. Oh, and just call me Hiro, got it?"

The pink-haired girl started to laugh again. "See, I told you he's funny, treating us like that!" I scowled and waved them all away.

"Go enjoy the tent already you idiots! I'm the one who's gonna be fighting tomorrow you know!" They scattered at my words, and I breathed a sigh of relief.

"Hey Anna, are all Models like that?"

"Yep, including Anna," she said, smiling sadly to herself.

I scratched my head, looking back up towards the night sky. "You guys really are weird if that's the case."

"But Anna and the others appreciate the gesture nonetheless," she continued. "It means more than you could know Master."

"Is that so…" I murmured, looking at Anna's face. She was gazing into the crackling fire, a somber look on her face. "Hey, you go sleep with them too. I'll be fine out here on my own, trust me."

She nodded. "Affirmative, Anna will go sleep in the tent." She walked up next to me, and I could see the faintest hints of a smile on her usual emotionless face.

"Thank you, Master," she uttered out, bȧrėly audible to me, before she walked towards the tent to the other Models.

I watched her vanish inside the tent before I finally looked back at Nymphy, the mission details still appearing midair.

"Now then, let's see what this is all about," I muttered to myself before reading through it…

---------------------------

"What the hell?" I murmured, having finished reading through the details for our squad.

I got up from the log and went into the tent where Roberto was staying in. Luckily for me, he was still up chatting with a couple of the soldiers, although his face soured immediately when he saw me enter.

"What is it kid? You got a question or something?"

I couldn't help but smile at the way he treated me, which caused a shocked expression to appear on the soldiers faces. "Not exactly, I just wanted to read the entire operation's details as well."

"Huh? The hell do you wanna do that for?"

"I'm just curious about something is all," I said, and he sighed before shrugging.

"Whatever, it's not that big a deal, plus clearance isn't really an issue," He pulled out his Hephy and sent me the entire operation's details.

"Does this have each individual's squadron's details as well?" I asked, and he looked even more confused.

"Yeah, it's all there, but seriously, what do you even want all this information for anyway?"

I gave him a grin. "Oh nothing, I wouldn't worry too much, it's just me wanting to know everything. It is my first time here and all."

"Damn, you even act like a kid," Roberto muttered, and the other soldiers snickered at his remarks. "Fine, just make sure you get some sleep so you can properly observe."

I saluted him. "Rodger Dodger bossman!"

"Ugh, why did it have to be a damn kid like you," Roberto ġrȯȧnėd out, and he waved me away, and I walked out before, grinning to myself, rushing back to the fire to pour over the new onset of information I had received.

And when I was done, I looked up at the star filled sky and grinned.

"You damn Director, you figured I would notice this, huh?"

That was fine with me, all things considering.

"Still, if I wanna make this work, I'm gonna need a lot more information. Luckily for me, I don't have to ask Roberto for that."

I looked back at Nymphy and used the search function, which allowed you to look up a variety of general info that the TRTF had.

"I guess we should start with weapons then, then move on from there," I said, starting to get a bit excited.

Because if my ȧssumption on this matter is correct, then this could very well be my first Triumph as the Time Traveling Hero.

"But the real question is if I'll get done in time. Luckily for me, I just woke up before coming here, so I should have about a day's worth of energy in me."

And thus, began his preparations.