I'M ALIVE!pleasedon'thurtme.

Man, how long has it been since I last updated? Seriously, I don't know and I'm so sorry -_- Astro Boy was on T.V the other day and it finally motivated me to work on this story.

Now for the long, long, very long awaited chapter 9.

I don't own Astro Boy.

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The next morning Cora woke feeling refreshed and energised, strange for a Monday. The events of yesterdays beach day replaying in her head and making her smile. However, the smile instantly dropped when she remembered how the perfect day had ended.

.Something was wrong with Astro. That much was easy to tell. The injury, the weird little episodes he kept having and even the fact that all scans they did on him came up clean. Something definitely wasn't right.

"Cora, you awake?" She heard Lottie's voice float through the door along with two quick knocks.

"Yeah." She answered as she swung her legs over the side of the bed and stood. "Be out in a sec."

"I'll get breakfast started." Lottie offered, for once, her foot steps fading down the hall. Cora rubbed the remaining sleep from her eyes before starting her morning routine.

"Thanks." The teen said as she took a seat at the table and dug into her cereal, now washed, dressed and ready for the day.

"Yesterday was fun, huh?" Lottie started, beginning a conversation as she dug into her own bowl. Cora nodded.

"It was awesome." She agreed. "Didn't think I'd ever get the chance to go to an actual beach."

"I'm glad we moved." Lottie suddenly said, her voice strangely soft as a small smile graced her pale lips. "We've not been here that long and it's already better than anything we could have gotten back an that boring old town."

"Careful Lottie, or people will start thinking you're going soft." Cora joked as she smirked at her friend.

"Whatever." Lottie scoffed, wolfing down the last of her cereal. "C'mon, we got a week of torture to get started." This time it was Cora's turn to scoff.

"Don't pretend you're not enjoying yourself." She said as she moved to the kitchen to drop their bowls in the sink. Lottie said nothing. She knew it was true. School in Metro City was a lot better than back in her home town. She maybe even enjoyed it (not that she'd let anyone know that).

"Right." Cora clapped her hands as she returned to the table. "Lets get going. Unless you wanna continue our tradition of almost missing the bus."

With that, the girls grabbed their bags, flung them over their shoulders and left their apartment building. For once, the pair actually made it to the bus stop on time, getting a full five minuets before the hover bus finally arrived.

"A miracle." Lottie had muttered under her breath, making Cora chuckle. Soon enough they made it to Metro City High, scrambling off with the rest of their piers.

"Yo, Cora, Lottie!" The girls heard Zane's voice and looked up to see him waving them over to the steps of the school where the whole group was gathered.

"Morning." Cora greeted once they had made their way over. However, as she glanced around the group, she noticed one person missing. "Where's Astro?"

"Not here yet." Ken answered with a shrug. Cora's brows furrowed in surprised confusion. She hadn't known Astro to be late for anything. The others didn't missed her look.

"He probably just over slept." Zane dismissed with a wave of his hand, but when he saw the skeptical look sent his way, he held his hands up in a surrendering gesture. "What? He oversleeps all the time." Before anyone could argue, the loud ringing of the bell cut through the air, signalling the start of the school day.

Cora sat through he maths lesson in a bored daze, her science lesson also flying by. They saw no sign of Astro at brake. Robotics took up the next two periods and before Cora knew it the bell was ringing once again, signalling the end of lesson and the start of lunch.

"Alright students, projects away." The teacher instructed. "We'll continue were we left off tomorrow." Cora stopped fiddling with the little robot in her hand. It looked like a little, blue bird, its metal body covered in intricate, delicate designs. The idea was to allow the little bird to record a holographic video of yourself, and send it flying off to whomever you like. Probably a good children's toy.

Cora flung her bag over her shoulder and placed her project carefully into her cubby hole at the back of the classroom, before leaving and heading for the cafeteria. Once she'd walked through the double doors she quickly spotted her friends, however, much to her disappointment, still no Astro.

"Still nothing?" She asked the others as she sat down and pulled out her lunch. Shaking heads where her answer.

"Haven't heard from him all day." Zane said sulkily. "He won't even answer my text." The rest nodded their heads in agreement.

"I hope he's ok." Widget said softly, poking her spoon around her raspberry yogurt. "You think he's sick."

'Possibly.' Cora thought to herself. Besides Lottie, who had been there the first time it happened, she seemed to be the only one who noticed the strange things that were happening to Astro.

"I'm gonna call him." Cora decided as she pulled her phone out of her pocket and located her robotic friends number. She held the small device to her ear and waited.

And waited.

Nothing.

Straight to answering machine.

"Anything?" Alejo asked when he saw her frown down at her phone. Cora shook her head.

"Let me try again." She muttered as she once again held the phone up to her ear. After the fifth ring tone, someone finally answered.

"Astro." Cora sighed in relief. "What gives, we haven't heard from you all day, are you ok, where are yo-"

"Cora?" Her rant was cut short by the voice on the other end, but it was not the voice of the phones owner.

"Dr Tenma?" Cora asked in confusion. "Why do you have Astro's phone? Is he there?"

"He's not with you?" That was not the answer Cora wanted. She noticed the others leaning forward, hoping to catch a snippet of the conversation so she pulled the phone away from her ear and put it on loud speak.

"He's not been here all day." She finally answered. A sigh was heard on the other end.

"I was hoping he just got up early and forgot his phone." Dr Tenma admitted. "I'm sorry Cora, I have to go."

"W-wait, Dr Tenm-." The call ended. A stunned silence fell over the group as they stared down at the now silent phone.

"I wonder where he is." Ken finally mumbled softly. He got no answer. No one had an answer. Cora silently shifted her gaze to Lottie, who did the same, the two girls sharing a quick nod.

"Well, I hope you guys don't have any plans after school." Lottie said flatly, gaining every ones attention.

"Huh? Why?" Sludge asked, a brow raised in confusion. Cora turned her serious blue eyes on them.

"Because we're going to look for Astro."

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Pain. That was the first thing he felt. A horrible, stabbing pain going right across his temples, all the way around his head.

The next thing was the smell. A rancid, musky smell that definitely did not belong to his room. Friends had told him his room smelt like a mix of rocket fuel, probably from all the times he chose to exit through his window, and his favourite cologne.

Astro squeezed his eyes tightly through the pain, attempting to get them open. It took more effort than he'd like to admit, but finally he managed to crack them open. His vision was pixelated and unfocused, making him feel slightly nauseous, colours shifting and mixing together. By colours, he meant greys and browns. Definitely not his room.

"Urg." He attempted to lift his hand to his pounding head but found he couldn't move his arms. In fact, he couldn't move anything. This discovery finally gave him the motivation to fully open his eyes, thankful that they were now clear. He quickly assessed his surroundings, his core practically freezing at what he saw.

He was in some sort of room. A big, grey, dirty, barren room. He shifted his frantic gaze to himself and found he was sitting in a thick, metal chair, his arms tied behind him by equally thick metal wires, that, for some reason, he could not brake. Strange.

A soft hiss from the sole door in the room, drew his attention to directly in front of him, his breath held as he watched it slide open, seemingly in slow motion. A lean shadow appeared in the doorway.

"Well, well, well." The figure chided in a scarily familiar voice that made Astro's eyes widen in fear. "Lookie what we have here."

"No." The robot teen whispered. The shadow emerged into the faint light that hung from the ceiling, revealing the last person Astro had ever wanted to see.

"Oh yes." Stone smirked down at the tethered boy, his dark eyes as cold as ice and full of hatred.

"Stone." Astro hissed, his own eyes narrowing into slits as he glared at the ex-president with all the fury he could muster. Stones smirk only grew.

"Well look at the mighty Astro Boy." The man chuckled humorously as he circled around the chair and sized him up, Astro straining his neck in order to keep him in sight. "Though, not much of a boy anymore. Haven't we grown." Stone finally stopped in front of him, grabbing his chin with cold, rough fingers and moving his face side to side, examining him. "Incredible."

Astro ripped his head out of the mans grasp, his teeth gritted and eyes still narrowed. "Don't touch me." The robot teen practically growled. "What is it that you want, Stone?" Stone stood straight, his hands behind his back, towering over the boy.

"What do I want?" He repeated, slow and deep. "I would have thought that would have been perfectly clear." Astro kept his glare as he watched the elder pull a small remote out of his pocket. "I want my city back, my money, my power." Stone paused, turing cold, emotionless eyes on Astro. "And you out of the picture."

With that, he pointed the remote in Astro's direction and pressed the large red button that sat on top. Electricity shot through Astro's body, making the robot scream and writhe in his seat. He screamed until his voice was raw and his core was spinning so fast he was surprised the small sphere hadn't set his chest on fire. Finally, the torture stopped, leaving Astro a heaving, shaking mess as he slumped in his chair.

"Like my new toy?" Stone asked as he caressed the remote almost lovingly.

"Wh-what was t-that?" Astro gasped as little sparks of leftover electricity continued to ripple over his body.

"Something to keep you in line." He gazed down at the boy, taking in his half lidded eyes and hunched position. He smirked. "Feeling a little run down are we?" He said knowingly.

Astro attempted to sit a little straiter in his seat, his arms aching slightly from their position behind the chair. But he felt drained, more so than the last few days. "What did you do to me?" He demanded softly, the pieces starting to click together.

"Oh nothing much." Stone replied. "Just placed a small, undetectable micro robot into you system to mess you up a little. He said this like he was casually talking about the weather. "It was a lot easier having you walk here of your own free will, so to speak."

Astro's eyes widened. "How?"

"Did you enjoy your milkshake?" Astro froze.

"Have you been spying on me?" The robot grit out, his face set in a disgusted scowl before quickly shaking his head. "Never mind. I checked my systems over and over, there was no sign of any bug."

"Like I said, dear boy." Astro shivered at the term. Only Dr Elefun called him that and hearing it coming from Stones mouth made him slightly sick. "Undetectable by any scan, internal and external."

"Where did you even get that kind of technology?" Stone smirked at the question. Suddenly, the door behind him hissed open and Astro saw the short, stocky general, who's name he never bothered to remember, waltz into the room with a second person struggling in his strong hold. The person had a bag over his head and his voice was muffled making him impossible to identify.

"I guess you could say we have a friend in common." Stone said as he moved to stand beside his general and the hostage. Astro's brow scrunched in confusion.

"Who is he?" The bot asked. This just got a whole lot more complicated now that a hostage was involved.

"Someone you know quite well." Stone answered as he gripped the bag on the mans head. "Someone els who's life you also ruined." With that, Stone pulled the bag off the persons head revealing…

"Hamegg?" Astro gasped in surprise. He looked awful. A rolled up cloth was shoved in his mouth, acting as a gag, whilst dirt and sweat covered his face. His hands were also tied behind his back as he knelt on the floor, his wide and equally surprised gaze locked on Astro.

"How about I let the two of you get reacquainted." Stone said as he removed the gag from Hamegg's mouth and nodded his general toward the door. Hamegg was too stunned to say anything once his mouth was free, but was quickly brought out of his shocked silence by the sound of the door closing behind him.

"Astro?" The man asked softly, his wide eyes trailing up and down Astro's body in something that could only be described as awe.

"Hamegg." Astro answered flatly. He too looked the man up and down, taking in his filthy clothes and ragged looks. "What did they do to you?"

Hamegg blinked away the surprised awe, his face setting into a disgruntled scowl. "They kidnapped me, that's what." He finally replied. "Kidnapped me, brought me here, though heaven only knows where the hell here is, and forced me to work."

"So I'll take it you're not working with Stone?" Astro asked with a raised eyebrow, though he already knew the answer.

"What part of forced don't you understand?" Hamegg snapped back. Astro glared slightly at the man, all the memories of what he had done to him came swarming back. The false kindness, the robot games, the electrocuting. "How did you end up here?" Hamegg suddenly asked in genuine curiosity.

"All thanks to a certain little bug of yours." Astro said coldly. Hamegg's eyes widened a bit in realisation.

"So that's what they were using it for." The man mumbled to himself, his eyes turned to the dirt floor.

"Will you just tell me what's going on." Astro groaned, quickly getting frustrated with his lack of answers. Hamegg returned his gaze to the boy, shifting his position in a vain attempt to get more comfortable.

"A few days ago Stone broke out of prison." He began. "I run a small robot repair shop on the surface and he just comes waltzing in demanding my help. He new I used to work at the Ministry of Science and that I also had a run in with you so thought I'd be perfect."

"Well if this is the way Stone treats all his employees, I'm surprised you agreed." Astro cut in, giving the man a pointed look.

"That's the thing, I didn't agree." Hamegg continued, catching Astro a little off guard. "I'm done with the whole 'holding a grudge' thing, I just wanted to be left in peace with my work. Unfortunately that was not the answer Stone wanted so he had to his creepy little general bag and gag me and before I knew it I was here, being forced to build some micro robot."

"They didn't tell you what they were gonna use it for?" Astro asked sceptically. Hamegg shook his head.

"They didn't tell me squat." He answered bitterly. "Just forced me to work day and night, A little food and water here and there." Astro stared closely at the man, trying to find any sign that he was lying. But taking in his defeated position, his dirty face and clothes, a few scrapes here and there, he knew he wasn't.

A tense silence fell between the two. Neither really knowing what to say. What could they say? Finally it was Hamegg who broke it.

"Look Astro…I'm sorry." Astro blinked at the man, not sure he'd heard him right.

"Come again?"

"I'm sorry." Hamegg repeated. "For everything I did to you, to the kids. It's just…I've never seen a robot like you before and you power…" He paused a mesmerised look on his face. "If Zog had enough power to run a city, then you have enough power to run the entire planet and then some." Hamegg's mesmerised look turned to one of guilt. "I thought your emotions were fake, pre-programmed. But looking at you now…" He looked Astro up and down, taking in his older appearance and his facial expressions as he listened closely. "I know I was wrong."

Astro stayed silent, letting it all sink in. He sighed. "I guess I should apologise too." He said as Hamegg looked at him in confusion. "For lying to you. I didn't tell you I was a robot so I can understand why you would have been couscous, so…truce?" He smiled. One of those little Astro smiles that only he seemed to be capable of.

Hamegg couldn't believe it. After all those years of hating himself for the pain and suffering he had caused those kids, was Astro really…

"You forgive me?" He asked softly, scared for the answer.

"Everyone deserves a second chance, Hamegg." Astro said sincerely , and that was true. His father, Cora, even himself. They all had a chance to start over, try again for something better. So why not Hamegg?

"Astro." Hamegg began, still totally stunned, however, whatever he was about to say next was cut off by the sound of the door hissing open.

"I hope you two enjoyed your quiet time together." Stone said as he came strobing back into the room, his general not far behind. "Because I have work to get started."

"What kind of work?" Astro asked as he once again glared at the man. Stone got right into the boys face so Astro could smell every putrid breath that accompanied his next words.

"Time to kick Logan off his high horse." Stone said menacingly. "That no good, hippy, surface loving bastard is sitting in my seat smoking his weed and stinking up my office with his incense sticks-"

"Logan is ten times the president you'll ever be-"

SMACK.

Astro's head snapped to the side from the shear force of the backhand he received to the face, hard enough to actually leave a mark on his cheek. Stone stood over him, his arm still raised and his face murderous. Completely forgetting about the remote that sat in his pocket in his display of pure, physical violence.

"I suggest you keep your mouth shut, robot." He growled. Hamegg shrunk back, genuinely terrified of this man and what he could do. "You're at my mercy now." He turned on his heal at made his way towards the door, stopping just before he stepped out. "And don't hold any hope of someone coming to rescue you because believe me…" He turned once more, his cold dead eyes boring right into Astro. "They won't." And the door slid closed.

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"Where are we going, Cora?" Sludge asked as he attempted to keep up with the group of friend who were briskly making their way down the street. Cora slowed her pace a little but didn't let up.

"To Astro's." She answered.

"But his dad said he's not there." Zane pointed out.

"I know that." Cora snapped. "We're gonna help him look for Astro." No one els said anything as they strove to keep up the quick pace, all anxious to make it to Astro's apartment.

Before long the building came into sight and they wasted no time barging through the door. Rayne was startled slightly by the group of kids, who she recognised as Astro's friends, as they practically ran through the lobby.

"Sorry Rayne!" Zane shouted over his shoulder when he saw the receptionists disheveled expression. "We're in a hurry."

Up the escalator to the pent house, they finally made it. Cora knocked on the door, maybe a bit harder than necessary, but was rewarded when the door slid open and Zoran stared up at them with large teary eyes.

"Cora!" The little girl wailed as she ran up for a hug. "You're all here." Cora knelt down and wrapped her arms around the child, holding her close.

"Zoran, has anyone heard from Astro yet?" She asked. Zoran shook her head on Cora's shoulder before pulling away revealing her tear stained face.

"We can't find him." She sobbed.

"Zoran, who's at the door?" Cora looked up to see a beautiful woman with dark brown hair and glasses walk into the room. "Oh." The woman said in surprise when she saw the group of teens standing in her doorway.

"Henna, we've come to help you look for Astro." Ken said. Henna's eyes softened at this and she smiled at them.

"Thank you." She said sincerely as she ushered them in. "Come in, come in, I'll make you some drinks." She herded them into the lounge where they all took a seat whilst she vanished into the kitchen.

"That's Astro step-mom right?" Lottie asked as she ran her hand over the silky material of the sofa.

"Yeah." Zane answered. "She's cool, and can make one helluva hot cocoa." Lottie nodded as she practically sank into the sofa cushion.

"Man this thing's comfy." She exclaimed. "These guys must be loaded."

Cora thought about that as she gazed around the luxurious pent house. It had been so long since she had been in Astro's place and looking around it now, it really struck home how rich they actually were. But that was one of the many things she loved about Astro. He never flaunt his money or bragged about his rich family. He wasn't a stereotypic rich kid. He was modest and kind.

Cora felt her heart sink the more she thought about him. They had to find him.

"Drinks are ready." Henna announced as she returned to the room, a trey of mugs in her hands. She handed one to each of the teen.

"Thanks Henna." Alejo said as he took a sip. Cora followed his lead, he eyes widening at the smooth, chocolaty taste that hit her tongue. It was perfect.

"That's Astro mug." Zoran said quietly from beside her, holding her own small pink cup of hot cocoa. Cora blinked in surprise and looked down at the mug in her hand. It was white, with a rather crudely drawn picture of an atom on it. Around it were smaller images. A blue, glittering sphere, that she guessed was the blue core, childishly drawn flowers and hearts and the wobbly words: #1 bruther. "I made it for him in school." Zoran clarified as he lower lip began to tremble. Cora but her arm around the small girl and drew her to her side as she smiled down softly of the mug. She could easily picture Astro sitting on the couch, sipping contently out of the mug his little sister had put so much love and effort into.

"I think it's the best mug I've ever seen." Cora said with all the conviction she had. And it was true. Zoran looked up at her with glistening brown eyes.

"Really?" She sniffled.

"U huh." The teen nodded. "Astro's lucky to have you as his sister." Zoran grinned through her tears as she hugged her own cup close to her chest. Cora smiled back when she suddenly felt some sit on her other side and turned to see Henna had placed herself next to her.

"You must be Cora." The woman said.

"That's me." Cora nodded. "Thanks for the drink by the way, it's perfect."

"Thank you dear." Henna smiled softly but Cora could easily see the undisguised worry in her deep, blue eyes.

"He didn't tell you where he was going?" The girl asked, not needing to specify who 'he' was. "No note or text or anything?" Henna shook her head.

"No." She replied. "Nothing." They suddenly heard footsteps coming down the stairs.

"No sign of him at the Ministry, but Elefun thinks he might have something that can help us-oh." Dr Tenma froze in the door way as he took in the sight of his living room full of teenagers.

"They came to help us look, Bill." Henna explained as she got up out of her seat and made her way towards her husband. Tenma shook off his surprised expression.

"Well." He cleared his throat. "Ten heads are better that one, I guess."

"You mean, you're gonna let us help?" Zane asked, rather excitedly.

"You'd do it even if I said no, at least this way I can keep an eye on you." Tenma chuckled at all the grumbling around him. "Well then, shall we get going?"

"Wha-right now?" Lottie said and she quickly chugged down her chocolate.

"Where are we going?" Cora questioned as she stood from the couch. Tenma pulled his car keys out of his pocket and moved towards the door.

"To the Ministry of Science."

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Wow, you waited all that time for that? O.o

Anyhoo, hope to see you next chapter :)