Author's Note: This chapter's not as long, but that's because the real intense dark crap is next chapter. oUo So get ready for a buttload of darkness...MUAHAHAHA!


Chapter 2: A Peculiar Day

Astro woke up a little while later. How did I end up in the closet…? Looking around, he realized that barely any light shone through the window. Oh, crap! Did I sleep through the whole day? …But I had a good night's sleep last night... He stood. Dad will be worried…

Hurrying out the door, he kicked on his rockets and flew through the hallways, bursting through the front door and towards the penthouse. He could see it was clearly nighttime. Crap… Dad will be so worried…

Leaping through his open bedroom window, Astro landed on his floor. Hopefully his father wouldn't be awake—

"Astro?"

Crap! Astro turned towards his father as he switched the light on overhead. His father was in his pajamas and looked like he hadn't been sleeping at all. "Hi," he greeted, chuckling nervously.

"Where have you been?" he asked.

"I-I...I was..." Astro broke off and scratched the back of his head nervously. "I don't really remember."

Tenma took him to his bed and sat next to him. "What do you remember?"

"I remember walking through the halls and then blank," Astro replied, looking at the ground. "I woke up in a closet."

His father scratched his chin, deep in thought. "Hmm…"

"Do you know something?" the robot asked.

Tenma shook his head. "No, I really don't know. It's very peculiar..."

Astro bit his lip. What happened…?

Staring at the ground, Astro jumped as his father placed his hand on his shoulder. "A little jumpy?" Tenma chuckled, getting up from the bed. "Maybe a good night's rest will help you remember. Good night, Astro."

Astro smiled. "Night, Dad."

As soon as his father left the room, Astro took off his jacket and hung it on his bed frame. Looking down at his boots, he realized that he actually never tried to take them off. I wonder… Astro reached down and yanked on his boots. To his shock and surprise, the boots slipped off very easily, revealing his foot. "Aw, gross! I remember why I never did now!" he mumbled to himself, covering his nose. "They stink really bad..."

Weird how Toby's feet stank and how mine do too... I guess my Dad really did make me almost exact. He sighed. Oh well…

Hopping underneath the covers, Astro's eyes closed as he shut himself off for a good night's rest.


Astro awoke to a strange sound: the sound of metal scraping against metal. He looked around. There was nothing…but the noise continued. What is that noise? Astro asked, sitting up on the edge of the bed. He looked around frantically. And why am I so panicky?

Astro... a voice whispered in his ear.

He whipped around, but there was no one there. What the…?

Astro, my child… it whispered again. Come back…

Astro stood up quickly, and realized that his feet were cold. Oh, yeah. I took off my boots. Astro quickly put his boots back on, plugging his nose while doing so.

I need you, Astro… the voice whispered once more.

Astro looked around his bedroom. This is so weird. Am I…am I malfunctioning or something?

Please come back… it whispered. Come back to me…

"Come back to where...?" he mumbled to himself.

But the voice didn't sound again.

Astro rose an eyebrow and sighed. Well, so much for that. I think I should bring this up to Dad. Hurrying down the stairs, he was greeted by Orrin rolling past with a tray in his hands. The nervous house robot nearly toppled over as Astro raced past.

"Sorry!" Astro called back as he hurried toward his father's room.

As Astro neared his father's room, he froze in his tracks. I don't think I should go in... he thought. I've never been in my father's room ever.

Go in or not…? he asked himself. He felt the strong need to go in his father's room, but he was scared to.

Steeling himself, he pressed the button on the side of the door, and his father's door slid open. His father's room was dark; the shades were down over the large window to his left. To the right, Astro could see the light on in the bathroom. He hurried over to the bathroom and peeked inside, but there was no one there.

He frowned. That's odd. Why would the light be on if he wasn't…?

Astro turned back around and was instantly greeted by his father. "Hello, Dad," Astro greeted timidly.

"What're you doing in my room?" Tenma asked calmly. "You know you're not allowed back here."

"U-uh..." Astro stuttered, looking away and at the ground. "I-I... I think I—"

Orrin rolled into the room, and nearly jumped out of his robot skin. Astro jumped a little, startled by his sudden appearance. What's wrong with me? Why am I being so jumpy? he asked himself.

"Oh, I-I'm sorry," Orrin said, turning around. "I'll just go."

"Nonsense," Tenma said, and Orrin turned back around. "Orrin, I need to speak with you." His father turned back to Astro. "Son, go and eat breakfast and get ready for school."

Astro nodded. "O-okay," he replied, leaving his father's room.

Sighing to himself, Astro rubbed his left arm nervously, entering the dining room. "Just go eat," Astro mimicked to himself. As he sat down, he blinked. Where did that come from? Astro decided not to worry too much.

Digging into his pancakes and eggs, he looked up as his father came in the room with Orrin on his heels. Tenma sat down at the end of the table and tied a napkin around his neck. Orrin just continued on into the kitchen to do some more cleaning, or cooking. Astro took a slow bite of his pancake, staring intently at his father as he ate his breakfast. I really need to tell him about that...malfunction, but how can I? He's pushing me...away... Astro set his fork back onto his plate and stood up from the table. "I'm...not hungry."

His father watched as Astro hurried out the dining room and back upstairs to his room. He was going to see if the grinding noise would continue in his room.

Entering through the door, he listened intently for the noise, but couldn't hear it. Astro shrugged it off and continued towards his closet, picking out a dark gray sweater and black jeans. After he put the clothes on, he blinked. Why am I wearing dark clothes...?

Should I change them? But he thought better of it. These clothes are fine, he thought.

Astro reached for his bag where he usually had it, but realized it wasn't there. Aw, I must've left it in that closet when I woke up. He frowned. Oh well. I'll get it when I get to school.

Hurrying back downstairs, Astro opened up the living room door and stepped inside. Orrin rolled towards him with keys in his hand. "Would you like a ride, Astro?"

Astro shook his head. "No thanks." He hurried towards the open window and jumped out, kicking his rockets on and flying back to the makeshift school at the abandoned factory. I wonder how Lila and Blaze are doing? He shrugged. Guess I'll see when I get there.

Landing at the base of the first set of stairs, Astro was instantly surrounded with a group of kids.

"Can you take me for a ride?"

"Show us your arm cannons!"

"Can you really communicate with robot dogs?"

Astro frowned. All this attention was making him uncomfortable… "U-uh…guys?"

"Tell us how you defeated the Peacekeeper!"

"Could you actually look through clothes using your x-ray vision?"

Astro's eye began twitching.

"Astro!"

"ASTRO!"

Astro squinted his eyes shut and grabbed the sides of his head. "SHUT UP!" he shouted at the top of his lungs.

A great wall of silence greeted his words as he opened his eyes back up and lowered his hands. His eyes widened when he realized what he said. All those shocked faces… Some people even looked scared. No, not scared; terrified.

"I-I...I'm sorry," Astro murmured, hurrying away from all the kids and into the building, bursting through the door and down the hall towards the closet to retrieve his bag.

His ears started to ring and the voice came back. You've returned! You've returned!

His free hand flew to his ear as he opened the door. "What?"

Are you going back there when you leave this building? the voice asked. Back to the man who threw you to the Surface? Left you to fend for yourself or die?

Astro took a sharp breath, a sharp pain running through his head. "Wh-what? What're you talking about? Who?"

"You know, you are really my child," the voice replied. I made you. I made your 'soul', essence of blue. I would never throw you out like trash. That's why he did. You were unneeded. Unwanted. Trash.

Astro rose an eyebrow, staring back at the end of the closet, where it seemed to get darker. "Who threw me away...?" Astro broke off as he recalled the events before he saved the city from the Peacekeeper. "M-my...father...?"

The person who claims to be your father, my child. the voice echoed. I am your true father. I would never throw you away. I would not hate you or yell or be disappointed. You are my child. I am your father. Come to me, my child. Come to me, son. Essence of blue...

The pain subsided, and Astro blinked, staring straight ahead. He looked mesmerized, as if fixated upon something. Taking a few steps forward, he inched ever so closer to the box in the corner where the dark shadow loomed.

That's right, my son. Come to me. We shall become one.

Astro's eyes turned dark gray, and he froze, staring in the corner. "Become...one..." he mumbled.

I will care for you. I will give you the respect you deserve from these humans.

"Respect...deserve..." Astro said, his voice becoming somewhat distorted.

"ASTRO!" Blaze's voice shouted from the hallway.

Astro's eyes returned to normal and the ringing in his head returned. Grabbing his head once more he looked to the right. Oh...there's my bag. Grabbing it quickly, he looked back into the corner of the closet, but there was no shadow or anything there, and the voice hadn't returned.

He blinked in confusion. What just happened? Frowning and glancing back in the corner once more, he pressed the button to open the door and stepped out into the hallway, bag in hand.

Lila, who was behind her brother, sighed. "There is a bad aura in that room. Don't go back in there."

Astro looked at the ground and threw his bag over his shoulder. "I was just getting my bag..." Without waiting for a reply, Astro began walking away from the siblings.

Lila huffed. "What's his problem?"

Astro glanced back from the corner of his eye. "I don't have a problem..."

Blaze crossed his arms. "Well, there's obviously something up. You disappear for the rest of the school day yesterday, and today we find you in a closet being all gloomy and crap."

Astro just shrugged, continuing towards his class. "I don't know," he replied.

Lila frowned and turned to Blaze. "Never underestimate the cards again."

"The cards didn't warn you about his weird behavior, did they?" Blaze retorted, glaring at his sister.

Astro froze to the spot as the siblings continued to argue.

"They told me bad things would happen. Now shut up, it'll start raining soon," Lila hissed. When Blaze looked at his sister with bewilderment, she added, "Yes, the cards told me that too!"

Astro slowly turned around, looking at the ground. "I...feel weird..."

"Maybe you should visit the nurse?" Lila suggested.

Astro looked sideways a bit. "I don't think it's a sickness... I can't get sick."

"Um… Maybe there's a mechanic nearby that can help?" Lila replied with a sheepish grin.

"I...don't know..." Astro trailed off, and began to stagger on his feet.

Blaze and Lila darted forward, Blaze catching the boy robot before he landed on the ground. "Astro! Are you okay?" Blaze asked, his voice rising into a high-pitched whine.

"Cut that whining out, or I'll do it for you," Lila warned.

Astro's eyes were fluttering open and shut. "I tried...telling my...dad...but he...wouldn't listen..." he whispered.

Lila scowled. "Blaze, go get a teacher or something! He needs help!"

Blaze was frozen to the spot, but after a few seconds, he gently set Astro on the ground and ran off in the direction of the classrooms.

Lila looked back down at Astro. "Stay with me, dude. Don't die on me now."

Astro stifled a laugh. "Hilarious. I can't...exactly die unless my...Core is...taken out."

Lila poked him. "Where is it, duuuuude?"

But Astro didn't answer. His head rolled to the side and his eyes closed.

She started to freak out. "HELP!" she yelled. What was taking Blaze so long?!

Astro began to convulse, letting off little electricity waves that burnt bright blue. Lila stepped back, shocked by one of the sparks. She rubbed her arm and looked back at where Blaze disappeared. Almost instantly, Blaze came around the corner with Mr. Mustachio, and they raced towards Lila and the convulsing Astro.

Lila hid behind Blaze. "H-he just p-passed out and started sparking! I swear I-I d-didn't do anything!"

Mr. Mustachio tried to get over to Astro to find out what was wrong, but he was too afraid of getting zapped. "We're going to have to call his father," he said, turning back to Lila and Blaze.

But just as Mustachio got to his feet, Astro stopped convulsing and sparking, lying completely still.

Blaze's eyes were wide. "Is...is he...?"

"H-he said he couldn't..." Lila choked. Her bottom lip started to quiver and tears filled her eyes. What if he was dead? She knew something bad would happen, she just didn't know it would be this bad! She felt like it was her fault.

Just then, Astro's eyes fluttered, and he began coughing. Blaze leaned in and helped him to sit up. Astro held his fist in front of his mouth while he coughed. He opened his fist and saw black grime, but it wasn't oil.

Lila gave him a confused look and looked at the grime. She was still tearing up, just not as bad.

"What...what just...happened?" he asked, his voice shaky, still looking at the grime in his hand.

"You just sort of blacked out and then you started convulsing and producing lightning, and I went to go get help, and—"

"Blaze," Mr. Mustachio interrupted. "Calm yourself, son."

Blaze sighed and looked at the grime that Astro held. "We thought you were dead," Lila replied blankly.

Astro glanced at Lila with his honey-brown eyes. "I told you I can't die. Not unless my Core dies too."

"About that," Lila started. "You never answered my question…"

"About what?" Astro asked.

Lila just replied with a devious grin.


Author's Note: Well, what'd you think? Good, or no? ^^ I think it was awesome. The darkness is up next...

Leave a review! :3