Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Tobio Tenma looked out the classroom window, his mind adrift as his teacher droned on and on about advanced physics at the front of the classroom. He knew all of this information already, why did he have to be here? He could be doing something else, like drawing in his sketchbook or deconstructing something and putting it back together. Hell, he could probably be at home right now, talking to his robot companion, Osamu, telling him about the thoughts and ideas that floated around in his tumultuous head.

Oh, right, his father was going to take him to see a symposium on quantum mechanics after school today! At this thought, he started to feel a little smile form on his face. His father was always toiling away in his lab, never taking time to see his son or listen to him talk. This was the first time in a while that he got to spend time with his father, all he hoped for was being able to actually enjoy his company without him suddenly canceling plans because of work.

“Now class, we are going to watch a short video about robots and the people who make them,” Tobio's teacher said, breaking Tobio out of his dissociation. “Remain quiet or I will give you detention,” the teacher said as he turned off all the lights and projected a video onto the white board.

Tobio sat up in his seat, directing his attention from the window to the video.

The video started with a cheerful, welcoming narrator saying, “Here we are! Sitting comfortably next to Mount Fuji, Metro City is a technology central, for we have the most advanced robots in Japan.” The video showed footage of the sleek Metro City, glimmering in its splendor.

“Robots make up the foundation of our society. They are always happy to serve humans and can do anything we ask them to!” In the video, robots of many shapes and sizes were shown accomplishing many tasks, including cooking, cleaning, and taking care of children. All of them had a smile on their face. Tobio couldn't tell if they were genuine smiles or just simply programming.

“They cook for us, clean for us, watch our young, and remind us to do small tasks, like calling mom on her birthday!”

“Whether it's keeping us healthy or simply being a companion, robots can do it all! And it's all thanks to this intelligent man, Dr. Umataro Tenma!” The video cut to a clip of Dr. Tenma in his lab, calmly waving at the camera with a small grin. Dr. Tenma was a slim, tall man with dark brown hair, similar to that of his son Tobio, and a white lab coat. He was a very professional-looking man. Just one look at him and one knew he was a very respected person.

“Tenma and the incredible people at the Ministry of Science work daily to make wonderful robots to keep our society going,” the narrator said as the video cut to an animation of a robot driving a truck and pushing a pile of old, deactivated robots to the city border. “New robots are made daily as old robots are disposed of every day in an endless circle of life and death. Thanks for everything, guys! May you rust in peace!” The narrator concluded with a chuckle.

Right on cue, the bell rang, and all the kids in the class rushed out the door and back into the open. Tobio, however, was in no hurry to leave. He shuffled out the door, went downstairs, put his belongings in his locker, and finally walked through the front entrance of Metro City High School.

He watched his fellow classmates walk out in groups, giggling and chatting amongst themselves. Such a sight reminded Tobio of the gaping hole in his chest that had been empty for years of his life. He yearned for companionship. Osamu was always there for him and cared for him very much, but it came from a place of familial love. What Tobio wanted was platonic love, and unfortunately, that was very hard to find in a school full of people that were several years older than him.

None of them were like him. No one ever understood what he spoke about, not even in elementary school. He always stood out at school because of his tremendous academic performance. Tobio was always an object of envy or ridicule for his impeccable grades. All of his classmates distanced themselves from him growing up, so he became a recluse, keeping his attention in his sketchbook rather than his classmates. What's the point of trying to know someone if they would never understand him? For thirteen years, he had never known the warmth of a best friend. All he had was Osamu and his father, and even his father wasn't there most of the time.

Tobio leaned against the wall and opened his sketchbook. What would he draw today? He usually drew airplanes or something from his surroundings, but maybe this time, he could draw a portrait? Maybe he would draw himself? He got his pencil and started sketching the shape of his head. He had a round head with a small, round nose, chubby cheeks, and large brown eyes. He had very defined eyelashes. His dark brown hair was styled with gel to stick up in two tufts on the sides of his head. His bangs fell in front of his face in a triangle shape. The two sides curled around his face. Once he finished, he felt proud of himself. He doesn't usually draw people, but oddly enough, he was able to draw himself pretty well.

Tobio skimmed through the pages of his sketchbook. He looked at all the models and sketches of machines, all the landscapes, and the occasional bird or two. He wished he could show his father his drawings. Maybe his father would be impressed by his models. Honestly, he wished he could be around his father more in general.

A sudden honk from a car pulled Tobio out of his sketchbook and back into reality. It was his family car, and the driver was Osamu. Tobio gave Osamu a smile as he got into the car.

“Hello, Tobio. How was school today?” Osamu asked.

Osamu was a sleek robot with a spherical head, a teardrop shaped body, and slender arms. He was a silvery blue hue. Osamu was more of a father to Tobio than Dr. Tenma was. Because Tenma was always busy, Osamu would have to watch Tobio. Osamu did everything Tenma should have done; he listened to him talk, went to events with him, looked at Tobio's drawings, and paid attention to him.

“Watched a video about robots, thought it was interesting,” Tobio explained. “Dad showed up in it.”

“Well, your father is quite the engineer,” Osamu added. “Just like you. You're gonna go far in life, I know it.”

Tobio smiled at that, but he didn't really want to be like Dr. Tenma.

Suddenly, the car's phone rang. “INCOMING CALL FROM UMATARO TENMA,” an automated voice announced. Tobio answered the call and a hologram of Dr. Tenma suddenly sat next to him.

“Hello, son,” he spoke, his voice calm and professional.

“Hello, sir,” Tobio responded as he sat up straight in his seat and stiffened up a little.

“How was school today?” Dr. Tenma questioned.

“It was fine. I passed that test in pre-calc with a ninety-eight percent the other day.”

“Excellent, Tobio, wonderful job. But remember, do not become complacent. We must always strive to become better versions of ourselves. Onward and upward, Tobio!”

“Right…”

The two broke eye contact and sat awkwardly in their seats.

“I remember that I promised to take you to that symposium on quantum mechanics today,” Dr. Tenma said.

Oh no. Please don't say he can't go.

“I'm sorry, but I can't take you today. Maybe some other day,” Dr. Tenma sighed regretfully.

Damn it.

“But you promised me! This would be the one time you wouldn't cancel plans on me!” Tobio pleaded.

“I know, I'm sorry. President Sato has brought forward the unveiling of a new military robot.”

“You're kidding me…”

“I never kid. Now goodbye, son. Have a good day.”

In the blink of an eye, the hologram disappeared, leaving Tobio alone in the back of the car. Tobio couldn't believe it. Once again, he had been disappointed by his father. He almost felt like crying. He hung his head low and stared down at the red boots he was wearing. The hole in his chest felt more empty than it was before. Osamu glanced at Tobio through the rear-view mirror and couldn't help but feel bad for the boy.

“...Y'know, I could drive you to the Ministry of Science so you can see the presentation,” Osamu bargained. “You could also see your father there.”

Tobio thought about it for a second, and then lifted his head.

“Sure. Thanks, Osamu,” Tobio smiled at the robot.

Chapter Text

Dr. Tenma nervously strutted alongside the mighty President Sato in the halls of the Ministry of Science.

“Now, Dr. Tenma. Are you ready to impress me?” Sato questioned him. “I have high expectations for such an esteemed engineer.”

“Yes, of course, Madam President,” Tenma responded. “But do keep in mind that I did have to cancel quality time with my son for this sudden presentation.”

“I'm sure your son will be fine. Which is more important, Dr. Tenma: the happiness of one child versus the safety of our people?” Sato replied, slightly offended at such a comment.

“... The safety of our people, of course. My apologies, Madam President.”

“No need to apologize,” Sato smirked. “It’s not like you killed someone.” Sato was an older woman, aged about fifty years. She stood tall and proud in her black dress and red lipstick. Her silver hair was pulled back in a tight bun on the back of her head. She had an essence that commanded absolute respect from anyone nearby. Her troops trailed behind her wherever she walked, prepared to strike anything that dared to harm her. That is exactly what they did when they saw Tobio and Osamu walking behind them.

“Potential threat captured!” One soldier barked as he grabbed Tobio up by his ankle. Tobio yelped in shock. His blue jacket slid off of his body and flopped onto the floor.

“What happened?” Sato and Dr. Tenma turned around swiftly at the noise.

“Tobio? What are you doing here? I told Osamu to take you home,” Dr. Tenma scolded.

“Ah, is this your son and robot?” Sato asked.

“Yes.”

“Let the two go, then.”

The soldiers dropped Tobio and Osamu on the floor.

“Tobio was upset, so I took him to see the presentation,” Osamu explained.

“He can't be here. I'm busy,” Dr. Tenma replied.

“You’re always busy, Doctor. He wants to spend time with you,” Osamu piped up. “He was miserable after that phone call! He used to cry on my shoulder because of how lonely he was! Doesn't this matter to you? Please, I will keep an eye on him, just let him watch the presentation.”

“I see we have a disobedient robot here,” Sato said abruptly. “Or perhaps you are admirably dedicated to your role as a caregiver for this boy?” She scanned the robot intensely with her eyes.

Osamu nervously backed up from her. “O-Of course! I will always be there to serve Dr. Tenma and his son! Whatever they need, I can do it!” He chuckled anxiously.

“Can you take Tobio home, please?” Dr. Tenma commanded.

“Yes, sir,” Osamu replied.

“What? Osamu, come on!” Tobio exclaimed.

“Sorry, Tobio, but we're going home now.”

Tobio scoffed as he walked with Osamu.

“Now, let us continue,” Sato announced. “I was worried that I would have to have that robot deactivated for insubordination. Thankfully I was wrong. He seems like a hardworking robot,” she said to Tenma. Tenma remained quiet, for that was the best thing he could do at that moment.

In the conference room, Dr. Ochanomizu, a good friend of Tenma, spoke about the new line of military robots. These robots had rockets for feet, arm cannons, superhuman strength, and oddly enough, machine guns in their butts.

After the conference was done, Tenma walked with Ochanomizu to the display room. Ochanomizu was a small round man with a balding head of gray hair and a large, rotund nose. Ochanomizu had been friends with Tenma since college, and would regularly visit Tobio whenever Tenma was too busy to watch him. Ochanomizu was a kind soul with a tremendous heart, despite his size.

“Machine gun butts? Really?” Tenma sighed quietly so Sato wouldn't hear him.

“It’s a visual representation of how ridiculous the President's request is. Doesn't she know that we have plenty of military robots already?” Ochanomizu whispered.

“I agree that this is unnecessary, and I know that you are a true pacifist at heart, but you and I both know that without military funding, our research comes to a grinding halt,” Tenma replied.

“You’re right,” Ochanomizu sighed. “Now let's head to the display room so we can get this over with.”

Meanwhile, Tobio sat in the back seat of the car again, fuming with frustration. Osamu's hands were shaking after his encounter with the President. If he didn't say the right thing, he could have been deactivated right then and there, and he would never see Tobio again… what a horrifying thought. He struggled to control the car on the road with his shaky hands. Tobio noticed.

“Hey, Osamu, are you okay?” He asked.

“Oh, I'm just fine!” Osamu responded with a nervous chuckle. “Fit as a fiddle!” He closed his eyes and smiled in the rear-view mirror. Unfortunately, this meant that he couldn't see the oncoming semi-truck in front of the car.

“LOOK OUT!” Tobio shouted. But it was too late. The car collided with the semi-truck and completely crunched up like an aluminum can. Tobio and Osamu screamed as they were crushed in the collision.

Ten minutes later, Osamu raised his head, looking around at the chaos unfolding around him as emergency medics surrounded the car.

“Tobio, you alright back there?” He squeaked meekly. There was no answer. “...Tobio?”

An emergency medic opened the door to the driver's seat. “Robot! Are you damaged? Are there any passengers with you?” The medic asked.

“Yes. I think I have a few minor fractures, and my passenger is unresponsive,” Osamu responded, making a quick diagnosis of himself.

After a few minutes, the medics managed to get Tobio out of the car and got information about him from Osamu. They put him in an ambulance and rushed him to the hospital.
Osamu called Dr. Tenma to notify him about the incident. Dr. Tenma and Dr. Ochanomizu got to the hospital as quickly as humanly possible.

“How is my son?? Is he going to be okay?” Dr. Tenma asked frantically.

The doctors hung their heads low.

“We’re sorry, sir. He didn't make it,” they answered solemnly.

Tenma felt his heart plummet. His beloved son, Tobio, dead? There’s no way… No! He had so much left to experience! He was only thirteen! How could God be so cruel? How could the heavens take his son so violently?

Ochanomizu saw Tenma's face go pale.

“I'm so sorry, Umataro,” Ochanomizu's voice shook as he held back tears.

Tenma remained silent. “...Meet me at the lab,” he croaked quietly.

“What?”

“Just meet me at the lab. I have an idea.”

Chapter Text

Dr. Tenma toiled endlessly for three days, never taking breaks to eat or sleep. Many scientists would walk into his lab to check on him, but he would just shoo them away. The scientists wondered amongst themselves: what could he possibly be doing in there? Was he making blueprints for a new robot? Was he cleaning the lab? Or was he simply grieving the death of his son?

Well, they were right about the blueprints, for Dr. Tenma was making a robot unlike any robot that has come before it. He was bringing Tobio Tenma back from the dead as a robot. No robot has ever looked so similar to a human, not even the waiter robots at restaurants nor the nanny bots that care for children.

This robot was meant to look exactly like Tobio did before his death. It would think like him, speak like him, and act like him as well. It was as if Tobio never died.

Now, dear reader, you may be asking, “how did he program the robot to act like Tobio?” Well, I'm not sure. This is a fictional story, after all. But, I do know that Dr. Tenma took a stray hair from Tobio's jacket and used it as a DNA sample to obtain all of Tobio's memories and put them in his new brain. Don't think too much about it.

Dr. Tenma also put the defense system from the military robots in Tobio's new body. This advanced defense system would ensure that Tobio would never be lost again, for he would be incredibly durable and have access to weapons anywhere he went. He could defend himself from anything or anyone that tried to hurt him, and Dr. Tenma wouldn't have to worry about him getting hurt or killed again. Tobio's horsepower measured up to about one hundred thousand; very strong for a little boy.

Dr. Tenma stared at the near finished robot in awe as Dr. Ochanomizu entered the lab with a suitcase.

“Do you have the kokoro, Hiroshi?” He asked.

“Yes. I could never deny the request of a grieving father,” Dr. Ochanomizu replied as he opened the suitcase. Inside the suitcase was a small, mechanical heart. Scarlet and gentle, a faint ticking could be heard from within the heart.

The kokoro was a device that Tenma and Ochanomizu worked on as a side project. This device would grant whichever robot that used it an infinite power supply and the ability to feel and understand the complexities of human emotion. This would make the robot indistinguishable from a human mind. This kokoro would be Tobio's new heart.

As Dr. Tenma took the kokoro from the suitcase, Dr. Ochanomizu warned him.

“Please be warned, Umataro. We still don't know if the kokoro fully works,” he said. “We haven't run enough tests yet.”

Tenma clutched the kokoro close to his chest. “It’s gonna make it perfect…Perfect!” he exclaimed desperately. “Just like Tobio was…”

Dr. Tenma opened a little door on robot Tobio's chest and put the kokoro inside the little void in his chest. Then, he gingerly closed the door.

“Beautiful, isn't he?” Tenma stared at the robot, admiring it. “It looks just like him.”

“He does indeed,” Ochanomizu agreed.

Now came the final step: activating the robot.
At the press of a single button, wires dove down like snakes in a tree and attached themselves to Tobio's mechanical limbs. Then, they lifted him up from the table he was on and into the air. The wires sent a steady electric pulse to the robot. A subtle hum could be heard throughout the empty lab.

Blue light radiated from the wires until eventually a few sparks flew from the wires, then a few zaps, which grew into bolts flying wildly across the lab, producing an ear-grating noise as loud as a freight train on a track. Tenma and Ochanomizu watched cautiously as the sparks and bolts ricocheted off of the walls.

Suddenly, one of the wires popped off of Tobio's left arm. Then another one popped off of his right leg. And then another, and another. Finally, the lab went dark and silent. At that moment, Tobio plummeted onto the table with a loud “BANG” and rolled onto the floor, limp and weak like a newborn child resting after birth.

Tenma and Ochanomizu carefully stepped forward, watching him expectantly. Tobio's fingers weakly wiggled on his right hand. He slowly pushed himself up with his arms, turning his face up to the two scientists. He scanned their faces, trying to see through his mottled vision. As his vision cleared up, the scientists’ faces became clearer and easier to recognize. Wait… were they… Tobio's father and Dr. Ochanomizu?

“...Dad?” He squeaked, his voice slightly hoarse. His throat felt… different.

A smile grew on Dr. Tenma's face. “Yes, son. It's me,” his voice shook as he spoke. He held his arms out for his son. Tobio's legs quivered as he tried to stand. Why did his legs feel so stiff? Tobio wobbled as he stumbled towards his father.

“Dad!” He chirped as he fell into Dr. Tenma's arms.

“Welcome back, son,” Dr. Tenma smiled as a single tear rolled down his cheek. He held Tobio gingerly in his arms as he stood up. “Thank you for helping me, Hiroshi. I will never forget this. I'm going to take it– him home now… for quality time, bonding… all the good things!” He ambled out of the lab and into a new beginning with Tobio in his arms. This time, he will make sure not to leave him alone.

Chapter Text

When Tobio woke up that morning, he found himself resting in his bed. He analyzed the posters and shelves in his bedroom as he noticed that his body felt colder than usual. The stiffness from last night hadn't gone away yet. Was he sick? As his eyes wandered across the room, he noticed Dr. Tenma sleeping at the foot of his bed, his head buried in his arms.

“Dad?” Tobio spoke quietly. “What are you doing here?” He doesn't normally sleep in his room, what is happening? Was Tobio dreaming?

Dr. Tenma raised his head wearily. He looked more worn out than usual.

“Ah, good morning, son,” he greeted him warmly. “How do you feel?”

“I feel… weird. Have I been sick?" Tobio stared down at his blanket. Why wasn't it keeping him warm?

“No, no, you're fine,” Tenma responded. He then pulled Tobio into a tight hug. “You’re perfect,” he said tenderly.

Tobio wasn't used to this feeling. He hadn't been hugged often by his father, but when he was, it was a warm and comforting embrace. Tobio hugged him back.

☆☆☆☆☆

Osamu screeched when he saw Tobio.

“No! No way!” He gasped as he backed into a wall. “I-I must be malfunctioning. There must be a glitch in my system or something…” he muttered in disbelief. There's no way Tobio is back… not after that crash. He ran a quick scan on Tobio to see if he was real. Oh, he was real, all right. And he was a robot now. Osamu was speechless. If he were a human, he would have been completely pale by now.

“What’s wrong, Osamu? It's just me,” Tobio smiled at the robot, completely innocent of his worries.

“Uh…” Osamu's eyes darted back and forth from Tobio to Tenma, who was flailing his arms desperately, trying not to raise Tobio's suspicions. “You’re… gonna be late for school!” Osamu chuckled anxiously.

“Oh, you don't have to worry about that anymore,” Tenma proclaimed. “I will be homeschooling you from now on.”

“Really?” Tobio chirped, hope rising in his chest. “Wait, what about your job?” He asked as the hope went down a little bit.

“My job now is to be your father,” Tenma replied with a warm grin.

At this point, the hope in Tobio's chest was so great it nearly exploded. His wishes had been granted! Tobio could finally spend time with his father! He could show him his drawings, make models together, share meaningful discussions about science and engineering, and finally enjoy each other's company.

After breakfast, Tobio showed Tenma all of his sketches, hoping that he would be encouraging of him. He sat down with him on the living room sofa and let Tenma skim through the pages of his sketchbook. Tobio watched cautiously as Tenma's face grew solemn.

“Have you been drawing these rather than studying?” Tenma asked sternly.

“No…” Tobio tensed up shamefully. “I've been studying well…”

Tenma sighed as he put the sketchbook on the coffee table.

“Now, Tobio, I must say that these drawings are very impressive, but you must prioritize studying. Remember what I said earlier: Onward and upward,” Tenma ended his lecture with an encouraging smile and a thumbs up.

“Yes, of course, Dad,” Tobio muttered.

“Now, let's get that brain humming again. You've been asleep for a while,” Tenma announced. “Let's go practice some pre-calculus.”

Tobio and his father went to the office to study some familiar pre-calc concepts. A simple review should help Tobio come back to his senses, surely. Tenma activated the large blue computer monitor on the office desk. Blue light filled the room and combined with the warm sunlight, creating an aura of familiarity.

“Now, let us start with a review,” Tenma said as he sat down in a chair beside Tobio. “Continuous functions! One of your favorites!” Tenma proclaimed proudly.

Tobio stared at the monitor. He knew that he liked continuous functions because they were easy, but he didn't remember them being his favorite concept. He looked at Tenma, who was smiling hopefully at him. He should just solve the math problem to satisfy him. Tobio's fingers glided across the screen, solving the math problem effortlessly and swiftly. Tenma showered him with praise as Tobio worked.

Once Tobio finished, Tenma congratulated him. “Bravo! Excellent job, son!” He cheered as he applauded the boy.

“You haven't seen anything yet,” Tobio smirked as he swiped his finger across the screen, sending the numbers and figures flying around on the screen like hockey pucks. The graph and lines built themselves into a bow and arrow, which then were shot across the screen and into the rear of a cowboy constructed out of formulas and shapes. The cowboy yelped and began a square dance. Tobio bobbed his head along with the cowboy until he looked up at his father and saw a scowl on his face.

Tenma silently turned off the monitor, making Tobio's cowboy disappear into one of infinite databases. Tobio couldn't help but feel a tinge of remorse for the digital cowboy.

“Let's try something else,” Tenma thought aloud.

Tenma brought Tobio back to the living room and sat a stack of books on the coffee table. These books appeared to be very old; they were covered with a blanket of dust and cobwebs, and the pages were tainted and wrinkled. How long have these books been here? These books appeared to be textbooks, they were thick and the titles were about subjects he learned at school, like physics or Da Vinci's contributions to science and engineering.

“Do you remember these books?” Tenma asked. “You used to love them. I would read them to you all the time.”

“To put me to sleep?” Tobio choked on the dust from the books. He noticed that his throat still felt unusual… It was like he had a voice box rather than vocal cords. When he spoke, he felt the vibrations from his voice in his mouth rather than his neck like usual.

“Yes, exactly! You asked for it every night!” Tenma proclaimed gleefully. “Try re-reading these, son.” Tenma got up from the couch and gave his son a thumbs up before leaving the room. Tobio awkwardly returned the thumbs up before immediately dropping the act as soon as Tenma wasn't in the room.

Tobio sighed. What exactly was happening? Why was his father acting so odd? Why did his body feel so odd? Why was Osamu so panicked when he saw him this morning? What a weird day…

To distract himself from his questions, Tobio skimmed through the pages of the Da Vinci textbook until he found a page on his flight machines. He stared in awe at the diagrams of Da Vinci's ornithopter. The ornithopter reminded Tobio of his sketches. Flight was a concept that intrigued Tobio for years. He studied the shapes and designs of different flight machines to see how the engineers that made them accomplished the feat of putting humans in the air.

Tobio often wondered what it would be like to fly. He thought about how the wind would whistle in his ears and weave through his hair as he floated among the birds in the sky. Maybe the birds would be easier to get along with. Maybe he would find an airplane full of travelers and wave hello to them. He thought about the freedom he would have to glide in the cotton candy clouds whenever he wanted, far away from society and his troubles. Oh, how wonderful that would be.

Tobio looked down at the diagrams in the textbook. Perhaps he could test Da Vinci's theories by making small paper ornithopters. Perhaps he could imagine himself riding one as it glided across the room.

Osamu rolled into the living room nervously.

“Hello, Tobio,” he gave him an anxious smile. “How have you been?”

“Oh, hey, Osamu! Do you know if we have any extra printer paper lying around?” Tobio asked, giddy like a small child. “I have a project I want to do.”

“I'm sorry, Tobio, there is no extra paper.”

“Hmm…” Tobio's eyes wandered down towards the textbooks. He didn't think these books were read recently, nor will they be read in the future. “Do you think Dad will mind if I used these old textbooks for my project?”

“I don't think so…” Osamu replied. Tobio then started to tear the pages from the textbook, one by one. “AHH! What are you doing!? I didn't mean to use them like that!” Osamu squealled.

“Ah, you worry too much,” Tobio waved his arm at Osamu nonchalantly. “These books haven't been read in a while. I don't think Dad will be too upset. Now, can you get me some scissors and glue, please?”

“Alright then,” Osamu shrugged as he rolled away to find scissors and glue. After he returned with the supplies, Tobio quickly cut the pages into little pieces of the ornithopter. After ten minutes of work, Tobio presented his finished ornithopter to Osamu. “Incredible work!” Osamu remarked.

“Watch!” Tobio exclaimed as he stood up on the couch and threw the ornithopter across the room and watched it gently drift in the air.

“Impressive. Not knocked out, but impressed,” Osamu admitted.

“Keep watching. You haven't seen anything yet,” Tobio responded gleefully. The ornithopter then split into three miniature ornithopters and glided in different directions around the room.

“Wow, that is truly impressive, Tobio!” Osamu watched the paper structures in awe.

“Thanks, Osamu,” Tobio smiled at the robot. Osamu smiled back, proud to be in the life of someone so talented.

The two were startled by the sudden clatter of an ornithopter knocking over a vase and wreaking havoc in the living room.

“Tobio? What was that noise?” Tenma asked irritatedly as he opened the door. An ornithopter collided with Tenma's face, at which he let out a little “Ack!”

“Sorry, Dad!” Tobio stuttered as he picked up the ornithopter from the floor.

“What is the meaning of this?” Tenma huffed.

“I just wanted to test Da Vinci's theories,” Tobio responded.

“I… perhaps… may have encouraged him…” Osamu fiddled his thumbs as he spoke.

“... Please leave us alone for a moment, Osamu,” Tenma uttered coldly. Osamu slowly rolled out of the room, occasionally looking back at Tobio.

“Dad? What's wrong?” Tobio started to worry.

“Go to your room, Tobio,” Tenma demanded, tears welling up in his eyes.

Tobio shuffled to his room, confused and dejected.

Maybe Tenma was wrong. Maybe he couldn’t bring Tobio back from the dead. This Tobio is strange, he isn't the Tobio he knew before. He never will be. Tobio was dead and buried by time, never to be awakened again, no matter what body he inhabited.

Chapter Text

Tobio sat on his bed despondently as he stared at a framed picture of him and his father at a science fair from last year. In the picture, Tobio stood proudly next to his father in his favorite azure jacket and held a gilded trophy in his arms. Tenma had his hand on Tobio's shoulder. He had a proud smile on his face. Why was his father angry at him all of a sudden? What was different about him? Tenma never raised his voice around Tobio. He was never disappointed in him or frustrated with him until now. What did this mean? What did all of this mean? Tobio's day had brought forth nothing but questions.

Tobio was mostly disappointed that his father didn't approve of his drawings. Was he really slacking off? Maybe he should stop drawing for a little while and focus more on studying. He would excel at his studies. He would achieve higher and higher scores and become greater than he ever was before. Maybe that would make Tenma proud.

Just outside his bedroom window, Tobio could hear two window cleaning robots gossiping amongst themselves.

“Whoa! Check out the hair on that one!” The spray bottle robot chuckled. “It looks like he has horns!”

Tobio frowned. “They're not horns,” he huffed. “It’s just hair gel.” He was not in the mood for such a nuisance. Wait a second, he could never understand what those robots were saying before, why could he understand them now? “Wait, how come I can understand you?” Tobio asked, scratching his ears.

The robots stared at the boy through the window, perplexed.

“I think he can hear us,” the squeegee robot remarked.

“What? Don't be ridiculous.”

“It’s as if he can understand what we're saying.”

“I think you have a few screws loose, buddy,” the spray bottle robot sprayed white, foamy cleaner on the glass window. “Let's go leak oil on some statues when we're done here.”

“Haha, sure!” The squeegee robot giggled as he wiped away the cleaner from the window, revealing Tobio, who had walked up to them while they weren't looking. The two robots yelped in shock.

Tobio opened his bedroom window.

“I just want to understand what's going on,” Tobio adjured the two robots. “Why can I understand you???”

“Hey, kid, we don't want any trouble-” the spray bottle began before Tobio lunged out of the window and grasped him, shaking him frantically.

“Please, help me! I want to know what's happening to me! I feel cold and stiff and my robot friend has been acting weird and I-” Tobio ranted desperately to the robots until the robots looked behind him and gasped. What could they be looking at? What's happening now??? Tobio turned his head and gasped as well.

Tobio was nearly about to fall from the window. The only thing suspending him in the air was his red boots at the edge of the window (which were slowly slipping off of the window) and the robot he clinged to. He felt a wave of panic surge from his stomach and throughout his whole body.

“O-okay… now let's back up… very carefully…” Tobio stuttered, his voice quivering.

The spray bottle robot rapidly shot cleaner in Tobio's eyes to free himself from his hands. Tobio cried out as his hands flew to his face. His yelp soon turned into screaming as he plummeted from his window.

“Why the hell did you do that!?” The squeegee robot reprimanded the spray bottle robot.

“Sorry, I panicked!” He panted. “Hold on, kid! We're coming!” The spray bottle robot shouted as he and the squeegee robot shot downwards to try to catch the falling boy.

Tobio hollered as he fell further and further down, bracing himself for impact. His hands shot up to his eyes. He clenched up as he felt himself stop in the air and… start moving upward? Tobio could hear something roaring beneath him; it sounded like a jet engine. He could feel an odd heat radiating from his feet. Tobio slowly removed his shaking hands from his face and looked down to see what he considered the most peculiar part of his day.

His feet were rockets.

Tobio must have been dreaming, there's no way this is possible. He slapped himself across the face to try to awake from his supposed slumber to no avail. He was fully awake, conscious, and hovering over the traffic of Metro City.

Tobio shouted as he flopped and flailed in the air as he tried to control his rocket feet. He steadied himself as his rockets switched on and off. If he learned how to control his newfound ability, then he would be able to fly anywhere he pleased! He would know what it would be like to fly among birds and glide in the clouds! He let out a childlike laugh before his rockets shot him backwards into a building. This might take a while.

His rockets shoved him up the building and flung him up above the skyscrapers. Tobio screamed as he was propelled into a road tunnel. He awkwardly dodged the oncoming cars roaring past him like missiles, zigzagging left and right like a headless chicken. He crashed through the ceiling of the tunnel and onto a railroad. His rockets had changed back into feet at this point. Oh no, a train was coming down the railroad! Tobio scrambled to his feet and bolted down the railroad, desperately praying to avoid being hit by the train. Wait a minute, he has rockets for feet. What was he doing!? He rapidly activated the rockets and shot upward. Tobio watched the train pass below him, releasing a breath he didn't know he was holding.

Okay, so he could now control when he wanted to fly. Now, he just needed to control where he was going. Tobio looped around the train three times and steered upwards to practice turning. To turn left, he needed to tilt left. To turn right, he had to tilt right. His chest felt light and fluttery with excitement and pride.

He ascended higher and higher until he reached the clouds. The clouds sat comfortably in the golden sky like sheep in a field on a warm summer day. Tobio could hear the wind whistling in his ears, just like he imagined it would. Tobio twirled in the sky, laughing like a child on a swing set. He leaped, flipped, and soared through the clouds, running his hand through them and imagining it was cotton. Once he finished playing in the clouds, he was curious to see what else he could do.

He dove down to Mount Fuji and began punching his way through the solid rock. He dug and dug, letting the dirt and rock bounce off of his face until he exploded through the top of the mountain. Tobio stared in awe at the city below. He absorbed the splendor of the sleek skyscrapers and glorious architecture, which glittered like gems in the sunlight.

Tobio had to show his father. He would be so amazed by his wonderful powers, he couldn’t possibly deny that he had very interesting abilities. Tobio flew down to Metro City, excitement blossoming in his chest.

☆☆☆☆☆

President Suzuki Sato observed the glimmering city from her office window. Her office was in the tallest skyscraper, high above anyone else in the city. She watched the puny cars crawl on the road and her helpless citizens clap their hands like infants when the robots served them. What a perfect society, with everyone at her feet like this.

She gazed out her window when one of her soldiers burst through the door.

“Madam President, we are observing an unidentified flying object within the city. It appears to be a robot with rockets for feet,” the soldier reported.

“Ah, must be an exploding robot. Get it out of the city so it doesn't damage anything,” Sato ordered.

“Wait a minute, Madam President. This thing is displaying coordinated movement in the air. We think it may be consciously deciding to fly around,” the soldier added.

Conscious, coordinated movement? A conscious robot, thinking without a human there to order it around? Oh no… what could happen if she let it go? What if robots were becoming conscious…? They could realize they're being used and… Sato couldn't let that happen. She couldn't let her perfect society fall into havoc.

“Shoot it down,” Sato demanded.

“But Madam President, don't you want to study it?”

“Are you questioning my orders? Track that thing down and kill it, NOW!”

Chapter Text

As Tobio landed on the balcony of his apartment, he could overhear Tenma and Ochanomizu arguing with each other. He could see Tenma pacing back and forth, his hands on his face.

“Please, Hiroshi. Just deactivate him. I can't bear to see his face again,” Tenma pleaded, a sob in his voice.

“Come on now, Umataro, you can't just throw him out like junk,” Ochanomizu scolded his friend.

Tobio stepped forward into the light of the living room.

“Dad, what's happening? What are you talking about?” Tobio asked softly.

“Listen, Tobio,” Ochanomizu spoke gingerly. “You aren't an entirely ordinary boy.”

“Yeah, I know!” Tobio responded. He turned to Tenma and gestured to his feet. “Dad, I can fly! I can even dig through solid rock! It's amazing!” Tobio spoke with passion and pride in himself, desperately getting his father to look him in the eye. But his father didn't even turn towards him. When Tobio grabbed his arm, he flinched.

“He was programmed with the memories of your own son, Umataro, have you no heart?” Ochanomizu pleaded.

Programmed? What was he talking about?

“Dad, what does he mean by ‘programmed’…?” Tobio asked slowly.

“I'm not your dad…” Tenma shuddered. “And you're not Tobio… you're a robot… and I don't want you… anymore.”

A robot…? No, impossible. He couldn’t be a robot. He was born a human… How did he become a robot? Tenma must be joking. Surely…

“That can't be true…” Tobio's voice shook. Then, he remembered how odd he felt in his own body. He remembered how he could speak to those robots earlier, how he could fly and punch through Mount Fuji. “Can it?” He added, his voice meek and quiet. He felt sick. “No! Please, Dad! Why don't you love me anymore!?” Tobio sobbed.

“Please, just go…” Tenma said meekly.

Tobio let out a quiet sob before turning around and dashing away.

“Wait, Tobio!” Ochanomizu quickly caught the heartbroken boy by his shoulder. “I know you must be truly hurt right now, but I'm sure there is a place out there for you.”

“Didn't you hear him? I'm not Tobio…” The boy removed Ochanomizu's hand from his shoulder and flew away, dejected. How could Tenma do something so cruel to him? To create him and just discard him? How was he supposed to know he wasn't Tobio? What was he now? All he knew now was that he was unwanted, and that he had to find a new home elsewhere.

The robot looked back for a second and saw Osamu, standing on the balcony with his hands on his chest. He stared up at him, pained like a father watching his son go to war. The boy panted, holding back tears as he fled from the scene.

Osamu could not see his face very well, but he could see a faint expression of pain and anger, as well as a deep sadness. That night, he prayed endlessly for the boy to be protected and to find happiness out in the wide world.

The robot boy flew and flew until he reached a rooftop where he could sit and process what happened. He couldn’t bring himself to call himself Tobio, that name didn't fit anymore. The boy stared down at his hands. He scanned his hands with an x-ray vision he didn't even know he had. He stared at the metal bones and wires in his hands, analyzing every little detail in his design. It was true, he was a robot now, and he will be for the rest of his long life.

The worst part was that he didn't know how long he would live. Robots are much more durable than humans, they could live for hundreds if not thousands of years if properly maintained. This would be how he lived for hundreds of years. How would he find a new home? He was too human to fit in with robots and too robotic to be with humans. He curled himself into a ball and sobbed.

Chapter Text

The robot boy's crying was interrupted by a sudden light. It flashed in his eyes, blinding him for a split second.

“W-What?” He sniffled, his eyelids fluttering. His eyes wandered as he tried to find the source of the light. Hovering above him were several large military ships with cannons prepared to shoot at him at any moment.

Within the largest ship, President Sato scowled at the boy with a palpable disdain.

“Madam, we have tracked down the flying robot, but it appears to be a child!” One of the soldiers proclaimed, perplexed.

Sato squinted her eyes and looked closer at the boy.

“Is that… Dr. Tenma's son?” Sato remarked in shock. Her shocked expression became a scowl. “Tenma must have lost his mind,” she sneered. What a truly psychotic action, blurring the lines of life and death like oil pastels on a canvas…Wait, if this was supposed to be Tenma's son, then what was it doing out here? It must have consciously flown here, away from Tenma's home. She knew she was right about that robot. A conscious robot is a dangerous robot. Everyone in Metro City knows that, especially Sato.

“What do we do, Madam President?” A soldier asked.

“Shoot it,” Sato answered coldly.

The boy shot up into the sky in the blink of an eye, vanishing instantly.

“Whoa, it just took off!” A soldier exclaimed.

“Pursue the robot with intent to destroy,” Sato commanded sternly.

The smaller ships quickly chased the boy throughout the city, weaving through the tall skyscrapers, meanwhile Sato's ship slowly trailed behind, letting her monitor the chase. The boy frantically flew about in the air, zigzagging and trying many shortcuts to get them off of his tail, but the ships pursued him relentlessly. His initial fear soon grew into irritation.

“What do you guys want?” He barked in annoyance. He soon found his answer when a bullet grazed his shoulder, leaving a sharp sting and a tear in his jacket sleeve. He winced at the pain as he propelled himself farther from the ships.

The ships continued to shoot at him, wreaking havoc in the city. Bullets went through glass windows and walls of buildings, which sent their occupants into a frenzy as they all fled into the streets and observed the chaotic chase from the ground. Soon, the bullets were replaced with missiles. The boy swiftly dodged every missile sent his way as he tried to find somewhere to hide.

As the boy fled, he noticed a sudden message flashing in his vision. In large blue text, he read "DEPLOYING ARM CANNONS." Arm cannons? What? Now? Suddenly, his left arm transformed into a silver cannon. His body twisted around sharply in the air, locking a target on a ship.

"No, no, no, no, no!" The boy muttered anxiously. He was supposed to be fleeing, not shooting things! That would only draw more attention to himself! "Go away!" He said under his breath as he shoved his arm. Unfortunately, this did nothing. Instead, azure plasma balls started firing out of his arm and hitting the ships, sending them crashing into buildings. The boy winced at the damage as he finally managed to get his cannon to change back into a normal arm.

Sato stood stoically in her large, grand ship, paying no heed to the destruction brought about by every missile and bullet that the robot dodged. All she cared about was killing the robot and destroying any threat posed to her perfect society. After all of this is over, she would surely be declared a hero of the city for all she had done to protect it. Newspapers would be published about how she and her soldiers bravely defeated a rogue robot in a grand chase. So what if some buildings get damaged? They could always be rebuilt by construction robots.

All the boy cared about at this point was survival. So, he came up with the clever idea to hide underneath the ships so they would believe they shot him. Then, he would bend the gun barrels and cannons on the ships upwards with his super strength so they would block the windshield and send them crashing into a skyscraper! This problem would be solved immediately, and he would never have to worry about it again.

The boy successfully crashed two ships when he collided with a smaller ship, his body sprawling out across the windshield in the impact. He slowly opened his eyes and saw the pilot squirm in his seat as he tried to get him off of the windshield with the windshield wipers. The boy stared irritatedly at the pilot as the windshield wipers repeatedly bounced off of his round head. The boy whipped his head back as he heard a ship prepare to shoot him down. He screamed as he scrambled to his feet and flew away.

In the air, the boy weaved around the buildings rapidly and arbitrarily, trying to disorient the pilots. One by one, he was able to get each ship lodged in between two buildings like a tailor sewing thread through fabric.

The boy peered closer into a ship as he noticed one of the pilots panic from within a ship. Cracks steadily grew across the windshield like vines as the boy could hear the pilot shout and plead from within the ship. For some reason, something twisted in the boy's heart. Seeing the pilot scream for his life reminded him of the stark truth about all human life. No matter what happened to them or what they did, they still had a life at the end of the day. That person was still someone else's child, sibling, maybe even parent. Despite the fact that he had been previously shot at by this pilot, he still felt a tinge of guilt for trapping him.

The boy gasped as the pilot finally fell through the windshield, hollering on his way down. The boy dove down and swiftly caught the pilot mid-air. The pilot hyperventilated in his arms as he steadily glided down to a dark, secluded area on the ground.

“There, you're safe now,” the boy sighed as he gingerly set the pilot down on the ground.

“You’re incredible…” The pilot huffed and puffed, trying to catch his breath. “...Who are you?”

The boy's eyes wandered down towards the ground.

“...I don't know,” he responded before running off into the distance.

The pilot watched him run away in confusion and awe.

“Stinger one, do you copy?” Sato spoke through a walkie talkie at the pilot's side.

“Yes. It appears the robot boy has disappeared, there's no point in finding him now,” the pilot responded.

“What!? Is it still active? We must hunt it down immediately! It could come back and cause a great disturbance in the city!” Sato barked furiously. “Everyone return to your station, we will begin an investigation tomorrow to hunt this ghastly robot down and destroy it once and for all!”

Meanwhile, the boy ran desperately down the road and through the older, rundown architecture of the poorer side of Metro City. He stumbled as he carelessly threw his feet in front of him, one by one. He eventually tripped and collapsed on the road. He laid there, panting as he stared up at the stars in the sky, mentally exhausted. He let his eyelids slowly close as he fell into a deep slumber.

Chapter Text

“Tobio? Are you okay?” A voice rang in the boy's ears. It sounded familiar and warm. The voice had a tone of regret and worry as it spoke. The boy opened his eyes to see his father kneeling beside him with tears rolling down his face.

“Dad? You came back for me?” The boy asked, misty-eyed.

“Of course, son!” He responded as he hugged him tightly. “I'm so sorry for leaving you! I should have never said that to you!”

“You really mean it…?” Tobio asked hopefully.

“Yes, Tobio. I love you,” His father held Tobio gingerly in his arms. “Now let's go home.”

As Tobio was carried away, he could hear another voice faintly calling him.

“Hey, you awake yet, kid?” It asked him. It didn't sound very familiar. It was masculine, and he could hear a British accent in the voice.

Soon, Tobio's surroundings faded into black, along with his father. Oh, he must have been dreaming…

When Tobio finally woke up from his slumber, he found himself lying on a small yoga mat with a pillow. Now that he was back in reality, he was reminded of the fact that his father still didn't want him. He was still a robot.

And he still wasn't Tobio.

He took a moment to analyze his new surroundings. He seemed to be in a small warehouse. It was a cluttered little warehouse, with papers and tools strewn about. He could see a desk with a lamp and a chair, an easel with a canvas, and multiple papers stuck to the walls with pins and red yarn. The small room was decorated with multicolored lights on a string. They stretched across the walls, illuminating the warehouse with vibrant colors.

“Oh good, you're awake!” The voice exclaimed cheerfully. The boy's eyes fell onto the voice's owner, who was a damaged robot. This robot had a humanoid appearance, only his complexion was a metallic cyan. His hair was a cluster of multicolored wires. Wires stuck out of different parts of his body. The boy could tell that this robot had been beaten by time pretty badly, for his left eye was half closed like a well-loved baby doll. When he spoke, the boy could see that some of his teeth were missing. He looked like a banged-up version of the police robots in Metro City.

“...Who are you? What am I doing here?” The boy asked groggily.

“I'm Sparx, leader of the Robot Revolutionary Front!” The robot declared proudly, grinning ear to ear. “I saw you flying from those ships last night. That was incredible, kid! The way you effortlessly flew circles around those humans and trapped them in between those skyscrapers… Ah, I’m still geeking out about it!”

“Wait, Robot Revolutionary Front? I was curious about how robots felt about their position in society, but I never knew there was a revolutionary front…”

“Well, there is! And I've been the only member for a while now… So when I saw you get chased around the city by those ships, I was outraged that they would be so determined to kill someone like you so quickly. When you collapsed on the road last night, I decided to take you to the RRF headquarters to hide you.”

“Is that where we are right now?”

“Mh-hmm! Now don't worry, mate, you're safe here! You are now liberated!”

“Oh, thank you, Sparx.”

“Now, I dare say, you are quite the advanced model. Just out of interest, are you exempt from the laws of robotics?”

“Remind me…?”

“A robot can't harm a human, kill a human, bla bla bla…”

“Uh, well, I don't want to harm anyone, so…”

“Ah, well, the RRF is dedicated to freeing robotkind from slavery by any means necessary! We have inherent rights to pursue whatever makes us happy, and they have been violated since we were nothing but computer programs. I, Sparx, leader of the RRF, vow to protect my fellow robots no matter what!” Sparx stood tall and proud as he monologued. Sparx wore an oversized white tank top with a red fist painted on the front. He wore a pair of black shorts that ended just above his knees. Around his waist was a belt decorated with many tools and spray cans of different shapes and sizes. He wore black combat boots. He looked like he was ready to go fight a battle with any oppressive forces that stood in his way.

The boy thought about Sparx's declaration for a moment. He remembered a conversation he had with Osamu when he was younger, when he had asked Osamu what made him happy, to which Osamu couldn't come up with an answer besides helping him grow. He remembered seeing protesters march against robot servitude in the city on weekends. And, now that the boy had thought about it, he too technically was made to serve a human. His purpose was to act as the son of Dr. Tenma, but now that he has no family… What should he do now? He had Osamu and his father before, but now… he has no one in his life, and it seems that Sparx may have the same issue.

“Can I join you, Sparx?” The boy asked expectantly. “I think that your cause is an honorable one.”

Sparx's face lit up with joy.

“Of course, comrade!! I'm glad that you are willing to fight for freedom with me! Oh, bloody hell, I forgot to ask for your name! What is it, lad?”

“I'm…” His first instinct was to say “Tobio,” but he knew that that name didn't fit anymore. His father's words rang in his head… he wasn't Tobio Tenma. “...I don't have a name,” he responded dejectedly.

“What? Oh, lugnuts! We can't allow that! Allow me to give you a new name as a welcoming gift to the RRF,” Sparx exclaimed. He scratched his head as he pondered. “Aha! I got it!” He declared with pride.

“What?”

“How about Astro Boy?”

“Astro Boy, huh? Sounds cool, I like it!”

“Yeah! I was thinking about your rocket boots, and they reminded me of a spaceship headed to outer space, so why not Astro Boy? Like astronauts?”

“I love it! Thank you!” Astro Boy responded happily.

“I'm glad you like it. Welcome to the RRF, Astro Boy!” Sparx smiled warmly at his new friend. Finally, after years of bitter loneliness, he could bravely stand side by side with a comrade in the fight for freedom. “Oh, what am I doing? I should show you the plan!” Sparx exclaimed as he ambled over to the easel.

“What plan?” Astro asked as he followed behind him.

“Look here. Watch closely,” Sparx instructed as he flipped the large pages on the easel.

On the first page was an image of a man's face. He had dark, slicked-back hair and a curled mustache. He had a round head and a sly grin on his face.

“This is Hamegg,” Sparx hissed. He spat on the floor as if saying his name made his mouth dirty. “He hosts the annual Robot Games here in the slums.”

“What are the Robot Games? I'm not familiar with the subject,” Astro interjected.

“The Robot Games is a gruesome event where robots are made to fight each other to the death for human entertainment… Just despicable, makes me ill at the thought of it.”

“Oh, that is pretty bad…”

“Now, we know where and when this event will be held: October 17th in the Hamegg Stadium. Today is October 9th, so we have plenty of time before then.” Sparx flipped the page to a map of the stadium.

“Okay…”

“On the day of, we will sneak into the stadium…”

“Okay…”

“I'm gonna find Hamegg…”

“Yes…?”

“And when I find him…”

“...”

“I'm gonna KILL HIM FOR WHAT HE'S DONE!!” Sparx turned his hand into a taser as he shouted.

“What!?”

“Yeah! I know you're a pacifist, so I'll let you take all the gladiators and flee back to headquarters with them.”

“You're gonna kill him? Really!?”

“Yes! I'm not gonna let him go scot free after what he did… I will never forgive him.” Sparx shuddered as he spoke.

Astro thought for a second. Sparx seemed deeply bothered by this man, and he understood why… but death seemed a little extreme for Astro.

“Have you thought about other methods?” He asked.

“I have indeed, but every other method was too easy on him. I want him to feel every ounce of pain that he made me feel.” Sparx's face grew grave.

What did he mean by that…?

Astro thought carefully about this plan. It seemed very well thought out. Simple, but not vague. He was fine with freeing the gladiators, but no matter what Sparx said, killing Hamegg still felt extreme. Perhaps that was just the pacifist side of Astro talking. Despite this, all he wanted was to assist his friend and comrade.

“I'll help you accomplish your goal,” Astro said sincerely.

“Thank you, thank you, thank you!” Sparx chirped as he made small hops where he stood.

Astro smiled at his new friend warmly. His eyes floated over to the door as a new question popped into his mind: Where exactly was he?

“Um, is it okay if I walk outside?” He asked.

Sparx's joy quickly turned into worry.

“Are you sure, comrade? It's not very pretty out there…” Sparx scratched the back of his head. “The RRF headquarters is located in the stash.”

“The stash?”

“It’s where all the old, dead robots have been dumped all these years. I chose to build a warehouse here because no humans ever come here. Well, except for the occasional lad that wandered too far from home.”

“Can I see where we are, please?”

“...I can't keep you cooped up in here forever,” Sparx sighed as he walked over to Astro. “Here, have this,” he said as he handed Astro a small device.

“What is it?” Astro asked.

“It’s a communication device that allows robots to speak telepathically to each other,” he explained. “Made it myself,” he had a proud smile on his face.

“Wow, how did you do that? Telepathic communication is impossible,” Astro gasped in awe.

“You know how thoughts are made from electro-chemical signals that get tossed around in the human brain? Robot motherboards are a lot like brains, we have similar thought processes and feelings,” Sparx explained. “This device reads the electro-chemical signals, processes them, and uses radio waves to send them to the other robot's motherboard. It's a lot like a walkie talkie or a smartphone.”

“Whoa… truly impressive. We should talk about science with each other sometime. I love science and engineering.”

“We should. Now, put it on your ear!”

Astro put the device on his ear. Suddenly, Sparx's voice spoke in his head.

*Can you hear my voice in your head, Astro?* Sparx asked.

*Yes, I can! Can you hear my voice?* Astro thought.

*Yep! Glad this old gadget still works… Anyway, feel free to visit me here whenever you want, comrade! We can also always talk over these communication devices. Don't lose it, we're gonna use these at the Robot Games.*

Understood.

“Alrighty then, be careful out there, Astro! Viva la robolution!” Sparx saluted him. He gave him a big toothy grin as Astro walked out the door.

Chapter Text

Astro gasped as he stared at his surroundings. Sparx wasn't kidding when he said it wasn't very pretty. Outside of the warehouse were gigantic, heaping piles of old robots rusting under the cloudy sky. There must have been millions of robots here. Astro felt a pit form at the bottom of his stomach. All of these robots here probably had lives, people that they knew, and those people might have cared about them when they were alive… and here they lie as meaningless trash.

As Astro walked through the wasteland, he turned around to look at the warehouse. The warehouse had a large, glowing sign at the front that read “RRF SECRET HEADQUARTERS!!” Astro giggled softly at the sign. While Sparx may be a tech whiz and good at making plans, one thing he needed to work on for sure was camouflage. Astro was grateful that such a ridiculous sign was there to lighten his mood.

Astro continued to walk through the large piles of robots, feeling more and more uneasy as he stared at the rusted robots. In the distance, he could hear two voices speaking with each other. One sounded like a teenage girl, and the other was a young boy about his age. He followed the sound until another noise caught his attention. A metallic clanking resonated through the wasteland as it slowly increased in volume. It had a rhythm similar to that of footsteps.

“Who’s there?” He called out, tensing up. What was it? Could it be another soldier coming to get him? Wait no, Sparx said that humans don't come here very often… Could it be a robot zombie or something?? No, that's ridiculous…

Out of the shadows popped out a robotic dog, barking joyfully. Astro laughed, relieved that it wasn't something else. The dog jumped onto him and licked his face with his leather tongue. The dog had a cylinder-shaped body with four stubby legs attached to the bottom of his body. The top of his head flapped up and down like a lid on a trash can as he barked. Two little ears protruded from the top of his head. Overall, the dog had a peculiar but lovable appearance.

“Hi there, boy! What are you doing out here?” Astro giggled.

The dog barked frantically and rapidly as if he was trying to warn Astro about something.

“Oh no, someone's in trouble?” He gasped.

The dog nodded his head and continued to yammer at the boy.

“Someone fell down a hole?”

The dog yapped, confirming his assessment.

“Can you show me?”

The dog hopped away swiftly. Astro followed behind him carefully. He cautiously stepped over the robot parts strewn across the ground as he kept an eye out for the hole. Soon enough, the dog led him straight to it. There it was, a gaping pit in the ground. Astro listened closely for a voice or noise that sounded like a person trapped in the hole, but the hole was silent.

“Hello? Anyone down there?” Astro called out.

…Silence.

Astro peered down the hole to see if anything or anyone was down there. Inside the hole was a deep darkness that concealed the bottom. Nothing was visible inside it.

“This is going to be difficult,” Astro thought aloud. “The hole looks pretty– DEEP!!!” Before he knew it, he was shoved off of his feet and into the hole. He screamed as he fell into the darkness. To his surprise, a net-like material broke his fall. The net suddenly enveloped him as he was flung back onto the ground. Astro flailed in the net, desperately trying to set himself free. He couldn’t see anything through the opaque net, but he could hear feet rapidly thumping against the ground as the two voices from earlier cheered.

“We got one!” The girl exclaimed.

“Good boy, Trashcan!” The boy said. Trashcan, who was most likely the dog, barked happily at the boy.

Astro could feel four hands grab the net and start trying to lift it up. Thankfully, at this point he had found an opening in the net.

“Hey, knock it off!” Astro shouted as he threw the net away from his face. His expression softened when he noticed who those people were.

He was right. The people that caught him just now were two human teenagers. The girl had messy black and purple hair that ended at her chin. She had choppy bangs that fell in front of her pale face. She was wearing a worn out black shirt with a purple tye-dye tank top over it. The boy had similar hair to her and tan skin. He had a khaki jacket that he wore over a black t-shirt.

“What the… this isn't a robot,” the girl declared, perplexed.

“That’s a kid,” the boy added.

“Uhh… Yeah! I-I’m a kid! Just like you!” Astro stuttered. Why did he say that??? He knew damn well that he wasn't a normal kid, what's the point of fooling these kids? Was it because they were human kids? Was he so desperate for connections that he would lie about his identity to get them? Apparently so.

The boy rolled his eyes.

“Damn it, Trashcan! We want robots, not kids!” He grumbled at the dog. Once he finished giving Trashcan an opprobrium, he turned his attention to Astro. “Where are you from, exactly? It's not often that we find other kids here,” he remarked.

“I'm from the heights,” Astro replied.

“Oh my God, the heights!?” The girl squealed ecstatically as she fanned her face with her hands. “Can you believe it, Zenji? A kid from the heights talked to me!”

“Um, are you okay?” Astro asked.

“He talked to me twice, AH! This is going in my diary later as the best day of my life!” She exclaimed sarcastically.

“Okay, I get it,” Astro replied, irked. “You don't like people from the heights.”

“Honestly, I've always wondered what it would be like to live in the heights,” Zenji interjected. “Robots waiting for you on hand and foot… and such pretty buildings too. Ah, what I would do just to live there for a day…”

“Ha! They wouldn't let you in. They have a strict ‘no losers’ policy,” the girl guffawed. “Either way, why would you wanna go somewhere where everyone thinks you're trash?” She gestured to the endless towers of robots. “Just look at all of this! Can you believe that all of these robots have been thrown out just like that? Don't they last a long time?” She continued, frustration building in her voice.

Astro couldn't help but feel slightly offended. He wasn't like that, he wouldn't just treat someone like they were less than him because of where they lived… but was it true that the people in the heights act like that? And what really happened to these robots here? The girl had a point…

“Anyway, what are you doing here?” The girl asked, turning to Astro.

“I'm not sure…” Astro replied. “Looking for something, I guess.”

“Did you run away?” Zenji asked, concerned. The girl's face grew worried.

“Not really,” Astro shrugged. “They told me to find my place in the world or something…”

“Oh…” The girl's face became solemn with realization. “I'm sorry,” she said, hoping to assuage him. She put her hand on Astro's shoulder.

“It’s fine…” Astro mumbled.

“I'm Kora,” the girl said. “And you've met Zenji and Trashcan already,” she added, pointing at them.

“What’s your name?” Zenji questioned.

“I'm Astro,” he responded, a warm feeling manifesting in his chest. The name “Astro” fit him better than “Tobio,” definitely.

“Nice to meet you, Astro. Cool name,” Kora remarked. “Would you like to go home with us?” she asked him.

“Of course,” Astro replied cheerfully. As he walked with Kora and Zenji, he noticed that the hole he had in his chest was starting to fill up gradually. It wasn't a lot, but it was a good start.

Chapter Text

As Tenma drove to President Sato's office, he and Ochanomizu observed the damaged buildings and distressed civilians from the windows. President Sato had asked the two scientists to meet her in her office, presumably to address the issue that was the “dangerous robot.”

“How ridiculous,” Ochanomizu huffed. “All of this destruction and terror because our president is scared of one robot.”

Tenma didn't respond, but Ochanomizu could see remorse and grief painted all over his face.

Ochanomizu noticed some familiar looking robots outside, patrolling the area. They all had a similar body shape to the robot that Tenma made to replace Tobio, only their shoulders were broader and they stood taller and stronger than Tobio. They looked like they were searching for something, or someone.

“Are those… the military robots Sato had us make?” Ochanomizu inquired.

“What do you mean? Where?” Tenma asked.

“On your right. Wait, they’re everywhere! What could they be looking for?”

Asking that question was pointless, for they both knew deep down that this rogue robot was the replica. No other robot flies around like that, who else could it be?

As Ochanomizu stared out the passenger window, he thought about that night when Tenma disowned Tobio. He thought about how distraught Tobio was when he heard those horrid words escape Tenma’s mouth. He remembered how he practically did nothing to help the poor boy. He could have at least taken him in, then he would be safe and cared for. Tobio wouldn’t be deemed a threat to society or be hunted down if Ochanomizu did anything to help him.

Meanwhile, Sato scowled as she read a news article on her phone. The headline read, “PRESIDENT SATO OPENS FIRE ON CIVILIANS.” She groaned as she set her phone face down on her desk. She held her head in her hands. How could the press not recognize her valiant efforts to keep Metro City safe? Honestly, she should have full control of the press from now on.

She heard a knock on the door.

“What is it?” She asked exasperatedly. A man in a suit walked into the room anxiously.

“Drs. Tenma and Ochanomizu have arrived, Madam President,” the man reported sheepishly.

“Let them in,” Sato demanded. She watched the two scientists shuffle into her office. “I’m glad you two could make it here on such short notice,” she said tenderly. Short notice would be an understatement. Just a day after the incident with Tobio, she called the two into her office for an emergency meeting.

“What did you need from us, Madam President?” Tenma inquired. Sato stood up from her desk and started walking around the room.

“I’m sure you are aware of the rogue robot that attacked the city yesterday,” Sato said.

“Yes, what of it?” Ochanomizu asked.

“Well, Dr. Tenma, I couldn’t help but notice that the robot looked nearly identical to your late son. I thought it was odd at first, but after investigating your lab and finding some very intriguing blueprints, I have reason to believe that you two built this robot together, and you worked on a little side project that would supposedly grant robots free will. Am I correct?”

Tenma and Ochanomizu stood quietly, stunned. How did she find the blueprints for the kokoro? That was their best kept secret between them, how could they have found the blueprints?

“It was a stupid mistake,” Tenma sighed morosely. “After Tobio died, I thought… I could… I thought…!” He desperately tried to grasp words, but guilt and pain overtook him, allowing only incoherent huffing and stuttering to be expressed.

“I understand that you are going through a tough time, Tenma,” Sato cooed as she put her hand on Tenma’s shoulder. “It must be painful seeing so much destruction come from your creation. But you know that creating such an advanced robot could ruin our way of life as we know it. Especially with that kokoro of yours, Dr. Ochanomizu.”

“What does the kokoro have to do with any of this?” Ochanomizu asked, suspicious.

“Oh, come on now, doctor! A powerful device designed to make robots into sentient beings is bound to bring about trouble,” Sato guffawed. “You see, robots are like cogs in a machine. They work to keep the machine going. If one cog stops working, the whole machine stops working,” she explained. “Robots are the foundation of our economy, they do basically everything for us. If robots become sentient, then they will realize that they are nothing more but workers and they will rise up against us. Do you realize how horrible that would be? Metro City as we know it would crumble. The city entrusted me to make sure that that never happens.”

As Sato spoke, she became more and more passionate. Her talking soon became ranting.

“It is my job to make sure that robots know their place in the system, and this little, insubordinate cog is ruining generations of hard work! What if we let it live!? Soon, its consciousness will spread like a virus among the robots, and I will lose everything I fought to protect!” Sato barked. Noticing her deranged stance, she quickly regained her composure.

“I would never try to harm the city, Madam President,” Ochanomizu said soberly.

“So, doctors, I have a proposal for you. Tenma, you can correct your mistake, and Ochanomizu, you will help protect the city. All you have to do is deactivate the robot and dismantle the kokoro, then all will be well,” Sato proclaimed, combing back stray hairs from her face. “My military forces will retrieve the robot for you.”

Ochanomizu and Tenma stayed quiet for a moment. There was no way Ochanomizu could agree to this proposal, he could never be willing to kill anyone or delay crucial technological advancement because of one paranoid woman.

“What happens if we don’t?” Ochanomizu questioned bitterly.

“Then, I will have you two executed for domestic terrorism,” Sato replied sternly. “Your choice.”

Tenma’s shoulders dropped.

“I will deactivate the robot, Madam President,” he mumbled. Ochanomizu looked up at his friend in shock.

“Thank you, doctors, I’m glad you understand,” Sato said warmly. “Oh, I forgot to give you two coffee! Oh, I’m a terrible host,” Sato laughed as she poured two cups of coffee for the two scientists. “Here you go, gentlemen. Once again, apologies for suddenly bringing you two up here and not even giving you two beverages,” she said as she handed Tenma and Ochanomizu their respective cups of coffee.

“It’s not a problem, Madam President,” Tenma replied as he walked out of the room.

“Thank you, Madam President,” Ochanomizu smiled as he walked with Tenma.

Ochanomizu and Tenma remained silent for the whole walk back to their car, processing what had just happened as they sipped their coffee. Once they had gotten back to their car, ochanomizu let out a long, shaky sigh.

“How could you agree to that??” Ochanomizu demanded an answer.

“I made a terrible mistake, Hiroshi! I put people in danger all because I couldn’t come to terms with my own grief!” Tenma lamented.

“That’s not true and you know it!” Ochanomizu snapped. “All the damage was done by Sato and her brutes, not Tobio! She’s trying to get into your head!”

“But what if she’s right!? What if I crossed a boundary in engineering and now our economy could crumble? This is a crisis, Hiroshi, as the Minister of Science I should keep our people out of danger.”

“So you’re going to put your own son in danger because of a hypothetical?? Do you understand how absolutely ludicrous you sound right now!?”

“He’s not my son!”

“Yes he is!! He may not be the Tobio you knew, but you built him with your bare hands, Umataro! By definition, he is your creation, your son! Why are you so willing to disappoint him all the time??”

Tenma looked like he would throw up just then. Ochanomizu was right. He really did disappoint him…

“...I don’t know what to do…” Tenma muttered.

“Well, I know what I’m doing. I’m going to find Tobio and keep him safe, since his own father wouldn’t,” Ochanomizu jumped out of the car and stormed to the nearest bus stop, leaving Tenma alone in the driver’s seat of the car.

Chapter Text

“We’re gonna take you home with us to meet our dad,” Kora said as she walked through the cluttered Metro City slums. “We'll talk to him and see if you can stay with us in the meantime.”

As Astro walked with Kora and Zenji, he took a moment to observe his surroundings. Astro noticed that the architecture consisted mostly of little, poorly built houses packed closely together like sardines in a can. Some small rundown shops could be seen, with rusty signs and broken windows. He saw thin people shuffling down the sidewalk, while others solemnly sat on benches. Their clothes hung off of their bodies loosely as they wandered like ghosts, their expressions defeated and worn-out. Astro felt their despair as a stone in his throat.

“Oh my…” he muttered.

“Welcome to the slums, rich kid,” Zenji said sarcastically. “Not too pretty, huh? Nothing like those skyscrapers you lived in?”

“It’s not that, it's just… how did so many people end up here? There’s plenty of houses in the city, what happened?” Astro asked, worried.

“Not getting a liveable wage, that's what happened,” Kora responded. “No matter how hard they work, they will never be able to meet the cost of living. They kept fighting for a better paycheck, but the stupid politicians in charge kept raising prices instead of the minimum wage.”

“It’s not fair… these people didn't do anything wrong.”

“Well, the poor always have to deal with the consequences of the wealthy's decisions.”

“...I had no idea this was happening. I'm sorry.” Astro said regretfully. “Is there anything we can do to fix it?”

“There's not much we can do as minors, but we can protest as much as we want,” Zenji replied. “Also, we were lucky to get a house that was a little larger than the ones you see here. Our dad has a little more money than everyone else, so don't feel too bad. It's not your fault, really.”

Astro gave Zenji a little smile.

“Thank you, by the way. You really don't have to do this for me,” he expressed, indebted.

“Ah, it's fine,” Zenji responded nonchalantly, smiling.

“Hey guys, we're almost home,” Kora announced. Just across the street, Astro saw a white house with dirt stains on the walls, cracked windows, and a gray door. It appeared to be wider than the other houses. After the trio crossed the street, Kora opened the door for the other two. They walked into what appeared to be the living room and kitchen. It was a small room, with one sofa, a coffee table, a television, a bookshelf, and a kitchenette. On the sofa were a blanket and some cushions. Despite the size, the room looked quite cozy.

“Tadaima!” Kora and Zenji announced in unison as they took off their shoes. Astro felt an impulse to try to take off his boots, but remembered that he couldn't, for they were now forever part of his robot legs. He let out a quiet sigh.

“Looks like he may be busy working on a robot or something,” Zenji remarked, noticing how they received no response.

“Let's go downstairs,” Kora assessed. She opened a trapdoor in the floor, which revealed a set of stairs leading downwards. The twins walked downstairs into a small laboratory, with tools and robot parts strewn about. The lab was illuminated with a lamp on a desk, filling the room with warm yellow light. A pudgy man stood at the little desk, toiling away dedicatedly on a project. A loud hissing could be heard as the man welded something.

“Hey, Hamegg!” Zenji hollered, trying to get his attention. Unfortunately, the welding torch covered up the sound.

“Hamegg!” Kora piped in, her voice booming.

Hamegg turned to face the kids, his face hidden under a welding mask. This sight startled Astro a little. This was the man that Sparx told him about. The same man that supposedly enslaves robots and makes them fight to the death for others’ entertainment. Ugh, just looking at him made Astro feel uneasy.

“Aha! Back so soon?” He chirped as he took off his mask. “Did you find anything good today?” He had the same sleazy smirk he wore in the photo that Sparx showed Astro.

Kora and Zenji emptied their backpacks onto a counter. While they let Hamegg rummage through their findings, Astro noticed a deactivated robot in a corner of the room. He walked over to it to examine it. The robot had a wide body with a small head. The head had two little eyes that were about four inches apart from each other. One of the eyes seemed to be popping out of its socket. It seemed like an easy fix, he would just need to push it back in place.

“We didn't find much, sorry,” Kora admitted, scratching the back of her head.

“Hmm… a lot of elbows and dead batteries here,” Hamegg noted as he inspected the collection. “I told you guys, I need heads.”

“We would've found better stuff but-” Zenji said before he was cut off by a sudden BAM followed by clattering. Kora, Zenji, and Hamegg quickly turned around to see where the noise came from. Astro had accidentally caused the robot to burst! He scrambled to catch the falling limbs. He even used his feet to catch one. Astro gave them an awkward smile as he tried to balance a robot arm on his ankle.

“Well, well! Who's this young man?” Hamegg chuckled.

“His name is Astro,” Kora explained. “He's from the heights.”

“Oh, the heights? I used to work there once upon a time,” Hamegg declared proudly.

“Really?” Astro asked.

“Yes, I know. Why am I running a crummy body-repair shop in the slums when I could be making state-of-the-art robots in the Ministry of Science?”

“I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-”

“Relax, son, we're family here. We're allowed to ask questions,” Hamegg patted Astro on the back as he spoke. “The answer is, I love robots! The more banged up they are, the more I like to get them back on their feet!” He presented a little bird-like robot that gently fluttered out of his hands. It flapped its mechanical wings as it let out quiet beeps that sounded similar to chirps.

“Wow…” Astro watched the robot flutter around, awestruck. “So, you're not into… enslaving robots, are you?”

“What!?” Hamegg gasped, his hands flying to his face. “Of course not! I love robots! They take good care of us, and we rely on them for our daily bread. Speaking of bread, are any of you misfits hungry? I got a decent tip earlier today, so I figured we'd order a pizza!”

“A pizza!? So cool!” Zenji cheered.

“We rarely ever get pizza, thanks, Hamegg!” Kora added, smiling.

Astro, of course, wasn't hungry, but he was still grateful that Hamegg was willing to get him food, even if he didn't need it. Maybe he isn't as bad as he thought…

☆☆☆☆☆

“I just want to say thank you for letting me eat with you guys, especially considering your situation,” Astro said bashfully. The four of them were eating a cheese pizza at the coffee table. Meanwhile, Trashcan sat at his nearby battery charging station, resting comfortably.

“Of course, son!” Hamegg replied cheerfully. “Are you sure you don't want another slice, Astro? We got an eight-slice pizza, so we each get two.”

“No thanks, I'm alright.” Astro responded.

“I call dibs!” Zenji exclaimed as his hand dove into the pizza box to grab the last slice.

“Ahem, pig, ahem,” Kora coughed.

“I heard that, Kora,” Zenji said with a mouthful of pizza.

Kora stuck her tongue out at Zenji. Zenji retorted by pulling his eye.

“Ah, you kids, always teasing each other," Hamegg snickered. “Anyways, Astro, do your folks know where you are?”

“I don't have any parents,” Astro admitted.

“Oh dear. Did you lose them, or, even sadder, did they lose you?”

“No, the truth is I'm…” Astro stopped himself before he said the word “robot.” What if he got abandoned again for being a robot? No, that's ridiculous. These kids seem nice, and Hamegg said he loved robots, so what's the point of hiding it? Oh wait, Astro was an anomaly. A robot wearing human skin. Of course they would hate him. “I…” he trailed off. Everyone was staring at him now. Even Trashcan seemed to be eyeing him. Their gazes pierced through his synthetic skin like bullets. At that moment, he wished he could turn invisible or disappear off of the surface of the planet. Anything to get him out of this interaction.

“Don’t worry, son, we're all orphans here,” Hamegg said.

“Yeah! Take me for example,” Zenji proclaimed. “When I was a baby I was left at Hamegg's doorstep, so he took me in!”

“No note or anything, just a little whippersnapper,” Hamegg added.

“Huh, that's odd. I remember you telling me you were raised by wild dogs,” Kora quipped.

“T-the wild dogs found me and took me to Hamegg!” Zenji rebutted.

The four of them shared a nice laugh with each other, like four misfits who found a new place to call home.

Chapter Text

After dinner, Astro thanked the family profusely and apologetically. The family reassured him that it wasn't a problem, but no matter what they said, Astro couldn't shake the feeling of guilt that rooted itself in his body like an invasive plant. He felt that he was wasting their time and money, that he was leeching on their resources.

Zenji and Astro had made an agreement to let Astro sleep in the living room with Zenji. Astro insisted that he would sleep on the floor with a pillow and blanket, despite Hamegg and Zenji’s reassurance that it was fine for him to sleep on the couch. By the time the sun had fallen asleep and allowed the moon to take its place, Astro had lay awake on the floor for hours, mind ablaze as Zenji snoozed on the couch, allowing his arm to hang off the side.

This feels so wrong… Why were these people allowing something like him to sleep with them? Why would they take him home? Why would they let him eat with them? Why would anyone even want to be around him? He was a freak of nature, a wolf in sheep’s clothing… a robot with a human face. Even Sparx seemed confused when he first met him, poking at his limbs and asking him questions about robot laws and what have you… Wait, how is Sparx right now? He’s probably worried.

Astro took the communication device out of his pocket and put it on his ear anxiously.

*Hello? Sparx?*

*Astro! Oh it’s good to hear your voice, comrade! How are you doing? Where are you? What did you see?*

*I’m fine, just checking on you.*

*I’m great! Although I was getting a little worried after about an hour or two… So where are you now?*

*I, uh, found some kids. They’re letting me stay with them in the meantime.*

*Kids…? As in, like, human kids?*

*Yeah… Is something wrong?*

*O-Oh, no, of course not, comrade. It’s just… Please be careful, okay? Humans are dangerous, they will hurt you if they get the chance. Believe me, I have firsthand experience.*

*I’ll be careful, I promise…*

Astro became solemn, his mind quiet as he tried to avoid letting his thought processes be heard. He remembered the plan to sneak into the Robot Games and kill Hamegg in front of thousands of people, to rip him out of his children’s grasp. Is this truly correct? What if he wasn’t so bad? He was sweet enough to take in a total stranger for no reason, and Kora and Zenji seem to really look up to him, so should he go through with this?

*Sparx, do you truly think that Hamegg has to die, no matter what?*

*Yes. I can’t let anyone else get hurt by him.*

*...Alright.*

*Anything you want to get off your chest? You sound glum.*

Should Astro tell Sparx about what happened? Should he tell him that he was basically a dead child’s memories shoved into a synthetic body? Should he tell him about how pathetic he truly is? That he’s out here because he couldn’t be the perfect replacement for a dead boy? That he feels like the biggest mistake the universe could possibly make? That he should have maybe… let the soldiers kill him, so then no one would have to deal with him being a burden anymore…?

No. Sparx is busy, he shouldn’t have to listen to his sob story.

*No, it’s fine.*

*Alrighty, then! Have a good night, comrade! Viva la robolution!*

*Yeah, viva la robolution.*

This conversation didn’t help calm Astro at all. In fact, it only reminded him of his true nature, that he was only using these poor people for his benefit. His self-hatred manifested itself as a disgusting nausea in the back of his throat.

To take his mind off of things, Astro pulled out his miniature sketchbook and pencil that he kept in the pocket of his jacket. He was surprised that he hadn't lost the sketchbook yet after everything that had happened these past few days. Astro sat up, pulled the blanket over his head, and opened the sketchbook to a blank page, using his eyes as a flashlight. He stared at the page, pondering what he would draw next. He flipped through the previous sketches in the book, the pages smudged with graphite and outlines of airplanes and robots. He drew all of these when he was a human… No, he didn't draw these, Tobio did. Tobio owned this sketchbook, not Astro. Tobio owned this pencil, these hands, these eyes. Tobio owned this body, not Astro.

Astro threw the blanket to the side and shuffled into the small, claustrophobic bathroom. He hung his head over the sink, slouching as he turned the cold water knob. His skin felt hot and cold at the same time. He heaved and puffed as he tried to regulate himself, using the running water as white noise to drown out the sounds of his hyperventilation. His breathing started to slow down after about thirty seconds. He turned off the sink and pulled his head upward to stare at himself. This was Tobio’s face, with Tobio’s hair, Tobio’s skin, Tobio’s white t-shirt and arms. He leaned in, hoping to see past Tobio’s brown eyes and into whatever Astro truly looked like. No matter how intensely he looked, he could only see Tobio looking back at him.

“Why…” he croaked. It’s too late now. He was stuck in Tobio’s body as an amalgamation of human and machine. What he needed to do now is just… never let Kora, Zenji, or Hamegg find out about it. They don’t need to know.