Pookie
The story of Atlas's favorite snuggie
by Dan Rush
© Atlas boy 1980 Tezuka Productions. All rights respected. For fan enjoyment with no profits expected nor desired.
Chapter 2
6am...
Endo Masei snatched the cut piece of wreckage and threw it back over his head..."We're coming BOSS! We're coming!" He screamed maddened as he dropped to his knees and held his hand out. "CUTTING SAW!"
When nothing was coming...he turned to his fellow firemen and cursed..."GOD DAMN IT! CUTTING SAW!"
"Endo? No one could have lived through that inferno?" One fireman beckoned. Endo snatched him by his jacket...
"WE DON'T GIVE UP! NOW DIG BEFORE I KICK THE SHIT OUT OF YOU DAMN IT! GIVE ME A DAMNED C UTTING SAW!"
It took a half hour for the crew to get the debris out of the way before they came upon the brick wall where the cubby hole was...
"Flashlight..." Endo asked as he looked into the still dark space. He came face to face with a pair of eyes on a small blackened and charred face. The small body was holding a fire extinguisher which Endo carefully pulled away...
"What is it?" One of the probie's asked from behind.
"A robot." Endo replied... "Chief?"
Throwing his hand forward...Endo felt the grip in returned and started to cry..."The Chief's alright!"..."THE CHIEF'S ALRIGHT!"
Cheers went up all over the devastated site! "I need stretchers!" Endo yelped as he carefully reached in and pulled Atlas out of the cubby hole and cradled him in his arms...
"The little guy must have thrown the Chief in there and blocked the fire with his own body." Endo said as he patted Atlas on the head..."Hey?...Hey little guy?"
Atlas tried to talk...he knew he was seriously messed up..."Chief...ok?" He asked softly.
"Yes!" Endo replied. "Stay with us..."
Atlas gave a light smile..."I'm..." And then his eyes closed...
Ministry of Science
6am
Reno walked into his kitchen to find Astro already cooking breakfast..."Morning!" He said as he flipped the sausages on the burner plate.
"Hey." Reno replied as he sat at his kitchen bar..."You could sleep in you know? It's Saturday."
"Yeah...but I promised Zoran we'd go to Tokyo Hands Delux in Shibuya today." Astro replied as he spooned the sausages on a plate and started cracking eggs. "Big fire last night in the industrial district.
The Kobusaki Chemical plant went "Boom!"...though they kept it from getting worse."
"Surprised they didn't call you?" Reno said.
"Well..." Astro replied as he waved the spatula around. "You know that's a sensitive subject... specially with the police and the fire department. They don't want me everywhere because it could be read as "Meddling" and you know I love to meddle."
The phone suddenly rang and Reno hopped to catch it..."Hello? Reno Takahashi of the Ministry of Science, you know today is Saturday right?"
Astro joked..."Oh wow...what a scam artist...wait for it?"
Reno hung the phone up. "I gotta eat quick."
"Something serious?" Astro asked.
"That fire? A robot put himself in front of a firefighter to save his life and he's really messed up. That was a guy from Company Seven. They want to see if I can help." Reno said as he grabbed his plate and started spooning food.
"Let me come with you?" Astro said as he sipped a can of oil.
"Start getting my bags together while I eat." Reno replied. Soon the boys were driving in Reno's small car to the Engine Seven fire house where they met Endo Masei at the door...
"Glad you came...he's in a really bad way." Endo said with worry as he led Reno and Astro into the recreation room. "We had no good place to put him for you to have room to work so...we used the pool table..."
Astro saw the only locks of blonde hair left on the blackened body and yelped..."Atlas?"
Astro slipped through the firemen who were clustered around the table and reached for a charred hand..."Atlas?"
"He's in and out of it Kid." One of the firemen said.
Astro saw the eyes flicker and leaned in close..."You're a mess."
Atlas turned his head a little and whispered back..."Shut up...loser."
Reno lightly pushed firemen out of his way. "Come on guys, give me some room. Uh? Did anyone call the police?"
The firemen looked at each other then one replied. "No...why?"
"Well?...uh...this is Atlas? You guys know he's wanted by the local police right?" Reno asked. Astro gave him a worried look.
"Let's just say?..." One fireman replied. "We don't give a damn."
"Guys? I can't work on him. He's got warrants out on him. I can't do anything without police accent or the Ministry of Science giving permission..."
Endo replied..."Kid? We don't care...alright? All we know is that this robot put himself between a big fire and our Chief...that's all we care about. Screw what the police think, screw the warrants...we don't care."
Astro placed a hand on Reno's arm..."Just examine him? Please?"
Reno pursed his lips..."Alright! Alright...I'll look at him ok? He thinks we humans are nothing but shit but I'll look at him. Everyone get out and let me work?"
Two hours later...
Reno came into the kitchen where Astro was sitting with Endo Masai and took a seat. "He's in really bad shape...not just from the fire alone. To be honest how he's still functioning is beyond me."
"What's that mean?" Astro asked.
"It means...he's hanging on a string. His processor's barely functioning, everything's shot to hell, he's like being held together with Elmer's Glue and gum...it's only a matter of time." Reno said.
"Matter of time to what?" Astro asked.
"Till his processor fails and when that happens? He dies." Reno replied.
Astro sat quiet for a moment playing a finger on his lips..."Then you fix him."
"It's not that simple..." Reno replied.
"Then make it simple...fix him." Astro begged.
"Astro? There's not enough time! There's legal matters, The Doctor, getting things together..."
Astro threw his hands up and huffed. "Oh heck, there you go weaseling again!"
"I'm not weaseling!" Reno snapped back. "There's serious repercussions here Astro!"
"Who cares about repercussions?!" Astro snapped. "He saved someone's life!"
Astro sighed and gestured..."Don't you see? This proves that Atlas isn't the monster we've made him out to be...he saved a human despite his own disgust...that has to count for something?"
Astro grabbed Reno's hands..."If he was made from my own plans Reno? That means he's my brother and pain in the ass or not, he deserves a chance. Go ahead, take my trust fund and bring him up to my modifications..."
"Are you fricken high?" Reno replied. "Your modifications? You're serious?"
"Everything..." Astro said gesturing. "Everything."
Reno huffed. "You...are out of your mind...no! You've gone crazy! Your processor's cracked! Upgrade him to your level, with your weapons? And I suppose you're going to tell me to keep him as he is too?"
"I won't do something so terrible as re-program him." Astro replied. "Nothing gets changed in his programming...nothing Reno."
Reno pursed his lips. "This time? I really want to tell you no. I'm not going to upgrade that little prick with your abilities so he can be twice as bad as he is now. No Astro! I'm not going to stick my neck out and end up in a prison cell for your mistake...no!"
Astro didn't say anything...he just gave Reno a hug...
"Oh...you little dumb crazy moron." Reno huffed.
Astro snuggled him in the chest.
"Astro? Don't pull this shit with me, I mean it!" Reno gasped.
Astro started to pour on the water works...
"Ugh!...I'm gonna walk out of here! Cut it out Astro!"
Astro looked up with tears streaming down his face.
"Sheesh"...Reno relented..."Oh there are just times I fricken hate you."
Two weeks later
Engine House 7
Atlas woke up at first with two big black eyes looking back at him...which caused him to flop off the bed he was laying in and get tangled in the sheets on the floor...
"Well...look who finally decided to wake up?" Endo said as he walked into the single bed room. "How you feeling?"
Atlas stood looking himself over a little confused. "I dunno?...How long was I sleeping?"
"A week." Endo replied as he reached for the stuffed bear dressed like a fireman and put it in Atlas's hands..."Like your present?"
"Mmmmm...yeah." Atlas replied smiling as he gave the bear a snuggle. "It's not like I did anything big."
"Did anything big?" Endo snorted back. "You saved eight of our guys and the Chief and that's not something big? Don't worry...we kept it low key to protect you."
Atlas looked at himself again. "I thought I was all messed up?"
"Well?...You were...until the kid from the Ministry of Science fixed you. And since you're now awake? Someone's here to see you."
Astro walked into the room as Endo walked out. "I'll leave you two alone."
For a moment...the boy bots stared at each other quietly..."That's very nice of them." Astro said pointing at the bear.
Atlas put it on the bed and stood brooding. "I know what you really wanted to say?"
"Already complaining?" Astro giggled. "I expected that. Proves that Reno didn't try anything underhanded."
Atlas snorted. "You're an idiot. A stupid, gullable, weak, pathetic, human hugging idiot!" Then walked around Astro poking at him. "Making your rival equal to you? Such a pathetic example for a robot...showing sympathy to your hated rival."
"Yeah..." Astro groaned. "Especially the hair...I should have spiked it, Billy Idol's more your speed."
Atlas crossed his arms. "And that human? Reno? Double stupid for listening to you. Helping me will get him thrown in prison...what a dumb ass. Of course he did it because you're a whimpy, soupy sniveling human hugging cry baby. You disgrace your own kind, you're pathetic and I hate you."
"Yeah..." Astro replied taking a seat. "He's so easily brainwashed."
Atlas pursed his lips. "Why did you help me? I know why...you think you can change me by being nice huh? Well too bad human's dog. I will not change for you!"
"Why did you save that fireman?" Astro replied.
Atlas took a moment to walk around, kick his feet and scratch his head..."Alright...I...I admit that there are qualities about you that...well...I...admire."
Atlas frowned. "And stop the stupid smiling? Gnah...you're face is so annoying to look at."
Astro giggled as he walked to the bed and picked up the teddy bear..."Qualities like...oh...Teddy Bears? I sleep with a big stuffed white lion. My sister teases me all the time about it too."
Atlas snatched the stuffed bear. "You keep your hands off Pookie! It's mine!"
Astro smiled..."Pookie?"
Atlas snorted..."Yes...Pookie...and if you make fun of me I will kill you."
"I won't." Astro replied. "That would be mean."
Atlas snorted. "See that! You're such a weakling!...get some fire in your circuits and stop being so nice! It's a wonder any of the humans give you respect you're so annoyingly kind."
Astro took a moment to think..."Was it wrong for me to care about you so much?"
"No." Atlas replied. "No...we're robots... we should be expected to care for each other. Cept you upgraded your rival...which...well?...is kinda stupid."
Astro started laughing.
"There's nothing funny about this?!" Atlas snapped. "I'm fully committed to making an example of you...you're a human hugging pet on a leash...I've beaten the snot out of you like a hundred times and then when I'm burnt charcoal you give me all your advantages? It doesn't make any sense! Are you just stupid or..."
"Or happy you're still here?" Astro replied as he rested his head on his hand and smiled.
Atlas flopped on the bed and held Pookie..."This WON'T change how I feel about humans."
"I wasn't thinking it would." Astro replied.
"You're still disgusting to me." Atlas snorted.
"Of course." Astro replied.
"It...is a nice gift...isn't it?" Atlas said as he pointed to the stuffed bear.
"It fits you." Astro said..."Sometimes it's not so bad being a hero huh? There's some nice fringe benefits...and you even passed yourself off as me...which I understand why."
Atlas cocked his head. "Would you perhaps?...carry it for me? I mean...me being seen carrying it would be...well...a little embarrassing."
"Sure." Astro replied as he took the bear.
Atlas played with his lips..."If...I show you where I live? You won't tell Towashi will you?"
"No..." Astro said with his eyes looking up. "Unless you're planning to kidnap me and turn me into a washing machine or some stupid thing."
"I'm making no promises." Atlas snorted.
"I understand completely." Astro replied with a smile.
As they walked towards the door, Atlas stopped. "Ummm...I like pizza...you don't eat human food do you?"
"Well..." Astro said scratching his head. "I'm very interested in pizza."
Atlas frowned. "You tell anyone you came over my place for pizza? And I'll destroy you."
"Oh...perfectly understood." Astro replied. "You know? This could be the beginning of an interesting friendship?"
"Oh...blow it out your ass...flesh licker." Atlas huffed.
"I don't have an ass." Astro giggled.
"What ever." Atlas snorted.
The End
