The Untrusting Hero From Another World

2015, Hailey, Age 8

I groaned as I tried to pick myself up out of the dirt. My vision was dazed from falling from the tree. No, not falling. It would be more accurate to say I was knocked out. The basketball on the playground dribbled back to a group of boys and girls, all laughing at me, "Looks like the show off isn't so tough now!" One of the boys managed to get out through their laughter. Who was showing off? I just like this sort of stuff. Sports, climbing trees, and things like that are just fun to me. I didn't care if other people saw it. Their laughter was suddenly cut off as one of the boys was met with a foot to his face.

"Get up. Get a teacher," A familiar voice ordered, and through my dazed vision, I saw the black-haired boy Dad had brought home. He had been going to my school, though he was in a lower grade than me and, by extension, these kids. Yet, he stood his ground. The girls of the group quickly ran away while the boys slowly inched closer, "Are you deaf? I said run!" His voice demanded obedience, and so I ran. When I got back with the teacher, he had them piled up on each other while he sat atop them like a throne. He was panting heavily with a variety of bruises and scrapes but still held a confident smirk before being taken to the principal's office. The two of us were told to wait outside while Dad discussed the event with the teachers. I was grateful but also a bit disappointed. The big sibling should protect the little one, not the other way around, right? Still, Dad always taught me to thank people when they help, but just as I was about to, "No."

"Huh...?"

"You heard me. I know what you're about to say. Don't," He insisted, looking at me with a glare, "This changes nothing between us. So get this 'sister' idea out of your head."

"Then why did you help me?! You could have just left me to handle it!" I shouted, getting genuinely annoyed. He's been living with us for months. If he still hates me so much, then why? He would slowly turn away, saying only two words.

"Never again." My original interpretation was that he would never help me again, yet every time I was in trouble, he would appear from seemingly nowhere. I guess he was always some form of hero. Why did someone that good have to leave so soon?

One Thousand Years Before Summoning Day, Ryan, Age 15

I looked around in confusion at the two opposing armies. The portal must have gone haywire and flung us back in time. Not wanting to stick around, I turned to Xandric, "Get us out of here! Fly as fast as you can!" I ordered, but as we started to move, we were hit with a barrage of spells, explosives, and gunfire. An ice pillar shot out of the ground, grabbing the Heroic Titan's foot.

"Damn, why can't we do thing's like that?!"

"Magic was much more destructive in this era!" Eliza answered before letting out a gasp as a shell hit the side, sending us to the cold metal floor, "Now might be a good time to test the new Goliaths out!"

"Agreed!" With that declaration, Jaune looked to me. It was only thanks to my Crimson Mind that we could build this thing, so I guess any attachments also fall on me.

"Heroic Titan Attachment: Gorgon Shield!!" I declared, and on command, the Gorgon Goliath came apart, her head firmly planted on the shield formed from the Storm Goliath's wings. However, I was far from done. I was going to use them all, "Heroic Titan Attachment: Hydra Armor! Chimera Blaster!" On command, The Hydra flattened out and wrapped around the Heroic Titan, turning almost invisible save for the scaled overlay that could be seen on us. Lastly, the mermaid fins that formed our axe retracted inwards, making room as the Chimera's legs folded under and the three heads lined up, mouths agape and ready to fire. Makoto wasted no time, raining down laser beams from her new blaster while the snakes of the Gorgon Shield destroyed the canons on tanks that barraged us. Any damage we did take was swiftly healed by the Hydra Armor, and we made sure to target only one side. It kept their enemy off of us, and eventually, we got a chance to fly away. They still tried to chase us down, and got a few good shots in that were thankfully healed by the time we got to a place to shrink our Goliaths. Without many options, we hid in a cave, where I set up a fire.

"Okay, now that we're not being shot at, can somebody kindly explain what's going on?" Makoto asked, popping her neck as she sat down

"The portal must have gone haywire and sent us back here," Xandric answered, keeping a close watch in case we were followed.

"Portal?" Eliza asked

"The old Peacock made a portal to the past, using spirits to power it," I replied, allowing Xandric to focus on his task, "According to him, he planned to end the war before it began by stopping the Demons from coming into existence."

"Messing with time? That's a slippery slope."

"And a pointless one, if the first Hero Red's journal is to be believed," I noted, pulling out the book, "If he's right about this world just being a Uchronia, that would mean our timeline would be unaffected. The only way to deal with the problem is to do it in our time."

"Good plan. Just one problem..." Makoto's sarcasm almost cut me as she stood up, "How are we even going to get back?! I didn't see the portal anywhere! It just zapped us, and here we are!"

"I don't know, but we need to try!"

"Then how about we make contact with this time's heroes?" Eliza suggested, "Judging by the technology and level of magic shown earlier, I think I know where we are. Meaning there are heroes running about." I didn't like putting ourselves in the open like that. However, we're essentially strangers here, cut off from all our allies and resources. We need help and fast.

"Alright. Let's get some rest for now, though. We've had a long day." Nobody had any complaints, and we went to sleep with the four of us alternating between shifts while Eliza slept. Capable mage or not, we could do so much more than her. Makoto and I were about to trade shifts, but I felt her grab my wrist. Knowing what she wanted, I sighed and asked, "Is this really the time?"

"Maybe not, but I want to in case one of us gets hit by a tank before we can," She answered. We had sent our miniature Goliaths to scout ahead, so it was just the two of us. We sat by the entrance of the cave, barely feeling the heat of the flames on our back, "I want to say thanks first. You knew from the start that Jarred was controlling me. I was worried you'd assume the worst."

"Honestly, I did for a moment. But I know you better than that," I said, partially joking and causing her to punch me in the arm, "Ow!"

"I'm being serious. It meant a lot," She continued as if nothing happened, "But before we talk about the incident, I want to ask something important. What if I wanted to stay?" Her question caught me off guard. Why would she bother asking? I have nothing to go back to but her? She has two brothers and a dad who loves her very much, "It's just... that world is painful. You may not have to fight monsters, but everything feels like it's constantly stacked against you. Need to compete for a decent job to pay thousands a month just to keep food on the table and even have a home to eat in. That's not even accounting for something going wrong. But here, everything's just so...perfect. There's no other way to put it. Everyone's needs are catered to, and they are encouraged to work for what they want, and we're treated as heroes. Why should we abandon it?" I didn't know how to answer that. I never really thought about going back. Here, I got to be everything I ever wanted, even if I was sure I would be stabbed in the back eventually.

"I don't know, honestly. Everything you said is true and I'm a bit biased towards this world anyway," I admitted as I gently reached to grab her hand, "But I genuinely think you'll make the right decision and I'll back you up no matter what. Even if it means ripping a hole in the Space Between Worlds." That last part seemed to earn a giggle from her, "What? That's how I feel!"

If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.

"I know, dork," She said softly, leaning in, and before I knew it, her lips were pressed against mine. My eyes widened, but I didn't fight back. Instead, I pulled her in closer until she was practically in my lap. When she eventually pulled away for air, I could not help but smile through my heavy breaths.

"So it's okay for you to kiss me but not the other way around...?"

"Sorry... I was worried you didn't really know how you felt... I didn't want to take your first kiss if you didn't mean it..."

"Huh? Who said that was my first?"

"Well, you did say you've never had a girlfriend before."

"Yeah, that doesn't mean I've never kissed a girl... well, doesn't mean a girl's never kissed me at least," I argued, the memories of Hailey's friends attempting to flirt with me seeping back in before being quickly knocked away by the feeling of Makoto hugging me, mostly so I couldn't see her face so beet red with embarrassment, "Sooo, does this mean we're a thing now?"

"Y-Yeah! Sure, totally! Once we get back, at least." Her answer was difficult to make out through the embarrassed squealing. She's adorable like this. With a soft smile, I break from the hug and make my way closer to the fire. I could feel something cross my face as I fell sound asleep.

The following morning, we all got up and shifted, figuring that they'd know who we were if we approached like this. Backtracking to the battlefield left very little in the way of clues, but we did find something interesting, a familiar-looking gate, "Well, that's quite the surprise. I didn't think it came with us."

"It was unstable. I wouldn't be surprised if it imploded on itself after a few shots," Eliza chimed in, sliding down the crater to look into it with us following, "Still, it's borderline useless to us now. Time magic on its own is incredibly complex, and it would require a lot of mana to go back this far."

"Hence the spirits," Xanndric spat, making no effort to hide his disdain, "Damn it, Calling on spirits is one thing, but using them as batteries, it's nothing short of desecration!"

"I can't say I disagree, but if it meant ending our war, I'd accept it," Eliza argued, but before we could continue the debate, we found ourselves surrounded by men with rifles, mainly humans and dwarves in one united blue and gold uniform.

"I figured the mystery weapon would return here, or at least its pilots," A voice scoffed, and we all tensed up. It was younger, but we knew it all too well, that same voice that echoed through the castle before appearing before our eyes on his throne. This time, he simply walked past his men who made an opening, his skin more tanned than the pinkish red we were used to. His horns were much smaller and less jagged, but he had a glare that could kill. "So that bastard king made his own heroes, eh? How about we see what you cheap knock-offs can do?"

"Cheap?! Sorry pal, but armored suits suck!" I exclaim, much to the surprise of the others, that I was focusing on that, of all things

"Please, listen! We are not your enemy!" Xandric spoke up, stepping forward only for one man to fire a warning shot

"Wanna tell that to our men you killed with that giant monstrosity?!" he asked before a man beside him whispered in his ear, "Huh?! What do you mean nobody was-?!" he exclaimed before turning to us, "So you may not have killed any of our men that we know of, but I still don't trust you."

"Quit being stubborn! You're sounding like Ryan!"

"What's all this about?" Catching our attention, a man in red plate armor appeared beside him, looking at us with an audible sound of shock. His armor looked similar to ours, though worn due to the constant battle. The wing ornaments were missing, making it much more simple and it lacked a face covering unlike our helmets. He took it off, revealing a fairly young man, at most in his early twenties, "Are you...?"

"Ryan Harlow, Hero Red. I take it you're my predecessor," I answer, trying to contain my excitement. We're doing a crossover episode! I removed my helmet as well, shocking him further, "What? We sending kids off to war now?"

"Hey! You're not much older!"

"Can you even drink?"

"Legally, no, but I still do it!"

"Point proven then!"

"Ugh, whatever! Anyway, we're not soldiers. Well, Xandric is, but we're not. Still, we're heroes from roughly a thousand years in the future."

"The future, huh? Well, I died and got sent to another world with superpowers, so I guess I can't rule it out. Zeddral, I'm taking these kids back to base!" he ordered

"But-!"

"If you have a problem with it, you can come along instead of skulking around, waiting for that walking tank to show up." It was almost impressive how he talked down the guy we were supposed to wail on with such ease, even if it was a younger version. I looked at Xandric, who seemed abnormally nervous. I guess that's fair, though. Who knows how I'd react seeing my dad old enough to be my brother? We follow them off the battlefield through the forest. The piles of bodies, at least the ones that weren't on spikes, were almost comedic with how large they got

"You see, this is more like what I was expecting when Thaddy told us we were summoned to another world," I admitted, prompting the attention of the other Red.

"Thaddy? You know Thaddeus? Just how far in the future are you?"

"Roughly a thousand years, give or take. Medical technology turns out to do wonders for the betterment and lengthening of one's lifespan when it's not being wasted on needless conflict."

"Ha! A world without needless conflict. That's crazy," Zeddral mocked. Dang, is this how I sound to the others, "There will always be some reason to fight, no matter how small."

"You would think so, but in our time, save for one issue, everything is peaceful," Xandric assured. He seemed to be avoiding eye contact, careful not to give away too much. It doesn't really matter, but I don't fault him for being cautious. After a long walk through the destroyed forest, we arrived at a campsite. The injured were on the brink of death, and children were struggling to compete with the starving soldiers for rations. I was tempted to give those old fools a piece of my mind, but Makoto held me back. Soon, we arrived at a large tent. Inside was a massive table, surrounded by the current Heroes Blue and Yellow, a woman who looked scarily similar to Eliza with her hair in a tight bun and a young man in torn royal attire with long blonde hair. If not for that last part, I wouldn't have even noticed.

"Welcome back, Jack," the young prince greeted us with a rare smile before turning to us in confusion, "And who are these?" With that question, the floodgates opened. We explained everything from who we were to how we ended up here. Jaune, Makoto, and I intentionally left out small bits, such as Eliza's mother dying and Zeddral being the Demon King. Their kids can tell them if they want. Thaddeus nodded his head, seeming to be listening but preoccupied, "I see. So not only do we win, but save for these 'Demons,' everything is at peace. But more importantly..." Suddenly, I felt my helmet snatched off my head, and before I knew it, he was wearing it, "This is incredible! Built-in communications, a visual display of damage sustained, and mana intake. It even has a list of spells and abilities as well as a detailed guide to using them!"

"Yes, it's useful, so I'd appreciate it if you could give it back!" I insisted, earning him a hard whack as if ordering him to give it back, which he complied to

"I'm sorry about him. Prince Thaddeus has a...profound interest in technology."

"Trust me, mom. I know," Eliza said so casually, much to the shock of everyone in the room. Instead, the woman tilted her head to the side and smiled.

"You know. I can actually see it."

"Allison, is your mother? Who's the father?" Thaddeus asked, and Eliza went silent before giggling and dragging Allison off, likely to make up for lost time

"I can definitely see her in that girl," Hero Yellow said, removing her helmet to reveal a woman with short blonde hair, likely dyed, and missing her left eye, which was covered by an eyepatch, "Lu Yang, Hero Yellow."

"Jacob Wehner, Hero Blue." Jacob removed his helmet, revealing a disheveled man, easily the oldest of the trio. The sides of his buzzcut hair were visibly grey, and he looked simply done with life.

"And I'm Jack Tate, Hero Red and leader of this team."

"Ryan Harlow, Hero Red"

"Makoto Fujisaki, Hero Blue"

"Jaune Allard, Hero Yellow"

"Xandric Volum de Gravaditch, Demon Hero Black"

As we introduced ourselves, the others removed their helmets, letting them see who they would be working with. Thaddeus nodded and approached the map, "With that out of the way, I would like to propose a deal. I assume you five would like to get home, but you stated one of these 'Hell Heroes' was with you when you were sent back. I will send a team to retrieve the portal and fix it to the best of my abilities."

"Is that even possible? It was made using spirits who continuously poured their power into it."

"I do enjoy a challenge." Thaddeus's smirk inspired a surprising amount of confidence. He gave off this kingly aura that I simply didn't get from his older self. I suppose it's easier to act like a big shot when you don't spend a thousand years pushing for a Utopia, "However, while you are here, I would like your aid. You said that the portal uses spirits. I have heard such stories about the Demi-Human slaves my father keeps. Help us liberate them, and they may help us."

We all looked at each other, hesitant, as we had never seen anything like this. The tech, the destruction. We had heard about similar events in history class, but experiencing it would be something else. Still, with no other option, I turn to him, "We wouldn't be very good heroes if we refused. Consider us your Reinforcements From The Future."

Thaddeus couldn't help but smile at my answer and reached out to shake my hand, "Thank you. Welcome aboard."