Alfred, who works for the IASPL (International Association of Saving Past Lives), has to travel back in time to repeatedly save the life of Arthur Kirkland. UsUk Summer Camp Day 9 – Back to the Future. Warning for attempts at suicide.

I didn't want to take this mission. I didn't. I knew that if I went on this mission, I would get horribly attached to someone and end up having to leave them. And that's exactly what happened.

- I'm going to end up depressed from this so I'll warn you now -

I jogged down the street, looking for that person I was supposed to save. That was my mission. Go into the past and save someone (someone off of a list) who could contribute to the world. But I dreaded these missions, if anything my coworkers say are anything to go by. The stoic German was so depressed when he came back that they transferred him to office work – he had met a ditzy Italian and he got too attached, apparently. Something similar happened with Heracles. The normally lazy Grecian had met a Japanese boy on one of his missions. And while he doesn't act much differently at first glance, he's always staring at a certain sketch he did and he's adopted a lot of cats since then. There are a lot of other guys who seemed to fall in love with one of their targets when they go on these missions, and it doesn't seem fair. That's why I picked the guy I felt like I would like the least.

Arthur Kirkland was described as being irritable and unapproachable. I honestly wondered why he needs to be saved when I first read that, but then I read his background. He grew up in a mixed and broken family where he was the dark horse. He was bullied by all of his older brothers and was usually in charge of his younger because their mother was usually out drinking. He was bullied by all of his peers and he eventually ran with his younger brother to America from England after he saved every penny he had. I thought it would get better, but it didn't. His little brother ended up getting hit by a drunk driver before Arthur could save him. Arthur had been alone ever since.

But that wasn't enough to warrant a mission to save him. The person has to be able to contribute something to society. The ditzy Italian was ridiculously optimistic and a brilliant cook and artist and was amazingly selfless, if not a coward. The Japanese boy Heracles saved, although quiet, had a lot of hope for the world and spread it to anyone who tried to get past his barrier. Arthur had his brains and his vision. Besides being talented in many artistic areas – painting, drawing, dancing (his cooking was filed as being horrendous) – he envisioned a lot of things in the world that could be changed and aspired to change them if he could.

I stood in the middle of a busy street sidewalk, wondering where this Arthur guy was supposed to die so I could actually prevent that. This is my first mission. I can't screw it up! If I screw up, I'm ruined! They said I had a lot of promise so screwing up is absolutely not an option. I sighed, thinking I was going to fail, when I finally saw him. He was standing completely still, letting the crowd flow around him. He stared straight ahead with a blank expression. I watched as he walked forward. Now I knew what I was supposed to save him from. I was supposed to save him from himself. Just as he nearly stepped out into traffic and got hit, I yelled, darting forward and jerking him back.

"What are you doing!?" he snarled, struggling against me. I held him tight so he wouldn't try to jump into traffic again.

"Saving you, what does it look like!?"

"Well what if I don't want to be saved!?"

"Well it isn't up to you!"

"And who says it isn't!?"

"The International Association of Saving Past Lives says it isn't!" I blurted, and he stared at me with shock. People continued around us as though nothing was happening. As he stared at me, I sighed in resignation. This was going to be a long trip.

- this will probably be turned into an original story or a fan comic too -

He stared at me over his cup of tea. "So you're from the future?"

"Yes."

"And your mission is to save someone who can contribute to the world?"

"Yes."

"So how do I play in?"

"They decided that you are worth saving."

"I see... Why am I worth saving?"

"Beats me." he scoffed, looking away and sipping his tea.

"I don't know either..." he mumbled, staring out the cafe window at the passerby. "It seems you'll be here for a while..."

"Huh?"

He looked at me over the rim of his cup, green eyes glinting dangerously. "I'm not done yet."

- I need a life outside of this but school's starting soon anyway -

Arthur turned out to be much more trouble than I think he's worth. He was always trying to off himself and at this point I was seriously getting pissed off. He glared at the other as he trailed behind him. The other just snorted dismissively.

"Why are you always trying to off yourself, anyway?"

"Well, at first, I was sick of my monotonously miserable life. But now..." he grinned over his shoulder at the American. "Now I have a hobby." I huffed irritably and he laughed, skipping and twirling gayly like a girl. Needless to say he attracted a lot of stares to us. He skipped his merry way into a convenience store, where he apparently needed to pick up some things. I never did ask what.

Then things took a turn for the worst.

"Alright! Nobody move! This is a robbery!" an apparent robber yelled, his lackeys pointing guns at the customers while he went for the cashier.

"No shit this is a robbery..." Arthur mumbled, but not quietly enough, apparently.

"What did you say, you little fag?" one of the goons asked, pointing his gun directly at Arthur's forehead. I shifted closer as much as I could without the goon noticing.

"Well, its kind of obvious this is a robbery, so I don't see the point in announcing that," he said, not batting an eyelash at the gun. I moved before the goon could speak. I grabbed him in a choke hold, taking his gun and brandishing against the other ones.

"Call the police," I whispered to Arthur, who stared at me in seemingly shock and fumbled to get his phone out. The goons all stared at me, and when one moved, I pointed the gun at them. But then I decided to take another turn, and pointed the gun at the goon I had in a choke hold. "Don't move or I'll shoot his brains out," I said, and they all froze. We stayed like that until the police arrived and took them away. I looked at Arthur.

"Why did you risk yourself to protect me...? I know it's your mission, but... I don't think your life is a necessary risk..." he mumbled, staring at me with wide eyes.

"It's absolutely necessary. You are absolutely worth it." as I said those words, I realized they were true, and I was totally and completely screwed.

- Part One, End -

1224 words. Not bad. But this is only a part. But it's all I'm writing for now because I need sleep.