(A/N: Hey guys! A quick update, wooo! So, quick, note. I changed something quickly in the last chap. During Logan's meeting, I added a bit to the end that I completely spaced on—whoops—and a couple small things requested by the lovely Mira Kial. I would appreciate it if you guys check out the edit.
Another note, getting quite a lot of predictions! I find it quite humorous to go through all your guys' ideas and see which are close, which are on the right track, and which are way off (there is a combination of all of them). Keep up the great guesses guys but…well, none of you have gotten the full thing quite yet. I must say, it is a joy keeping you in suspense.
Because I have to leave real soon, I'm going to skip the thank you list today, but just know how much I love all you lovely reviewers to death and how much I truly appreciate your feedback .Thank you guys so much!
Enjoy!)
Cora felt her blood run cold.
Oh no. Nononononononono.
"No," she whispered in horror, eyes wide. "He has him!"
This was so notgood!
"This is bad," Zane said worriedly, voicing Cora's thoughts and looking disturbed. "If Hamegg has him, he is now officially doomed."
"He has most of him," Toby interjected, coming up to the group from his hiding spot and revealing himself, eyeing Astro's missing pieces. "Whoever 'Hamegg' is. Who's he?"
Cora couldn't muster the energy to explain. All she could do was stare straight ahead in terror. Zane opened his mouth to explain the dreadfulness of the situation to the clueless boy, but was cut off.
"COMRADE ASTRO!" Sparx exclaimed, exploding with excitement at the sight of Toby. "You have returned from your mission! It has been a success! Robotsky, we must initiate our victory ritual!"
"Right!" Robotsky said, grinning for a moment before his face fell into confusion. "Ummm, Sparx?"
"What?"
"What is our victory ritual?"
Sparx frowned, putting a finger to his metal lips. "I don't know," he said finally. "We will make up a ritual then!" he decided, throwing his hands in the air, and the other robots cheered.
Toby backed up a step, looking horrified. Cora quickly intervened.
"He's not Astro," she said loudly, interrupting the RRF's cheer.
"Huh?" Sparx said, confused by Cora's comment, looking back at Toby. "What do you mean, of course he is our comrade Astr—"
He broke off as he looked at Toby more closely, realization dawning on his metal face.
"AH!" he exclaimed, jumping back and pointing at Toby with a shaky, horrified finger. "He is a HUMAN!"
Both Robotsky and Mike stared at Toby, (well, Mike mostly just face him,) before screaming and jumping back as well, Mike's door swinging open in unison with his scream before shutting.
Toby blinked and turned to Zane.
"Don't ask," Zane said with a sigh.
Cora hardly noticed. She was livid.
Hamegg had Astro. He had found him before they had—at least, the majority of him. Who knew what the evil robot master was doing to him, right now?
It was enough to make fear grip her heart. They had to get to him. And fast.
"We need to find Hamegg," she told Zane, looking straight ahead unblinkingly. "Right. Now."
"Right," Zane agreed, breaking into a jog to block the now-fleeing RRF's path. "Where did Hamegg take Astro?" he asked them sharply, crossing his arms and looking menacing so they stopped in their tracks.
"B-back to his lair, of course," Sparx spluttered, looking a bit frantic before putting on a brave face and moving into what he must have thought was a Karate stance. "Now step aside! I do not wish to hurt you, but if I must I must, foul human!" he threatened.
Zane rolled his eyes and stepped aside.
Sparx looked surprised that Zane had listened for a moment, before composing himself and standing tall. "That's right," he said grandly, marching passed the teenager with dignity. "You know when the odds aren't in your favor, human! Robots are on our way up in society! RRF! Move out!" He raised his hand and pointed forward regally before marching in the direction of their 'secret' hideout, Robotsky and Mike at his heels.
"Good riddance," Zane muttered, rejoining the group.
"He has Astro back at the orphanage," Cora said frantically, eyes still distant. "We need to go there. NOW."
"Right," Zane agreed, leading the way in the direction of the orphanage without a second thought. Cora followed, taking the lead with much bigger, fury-driven strides.
"Whoa, whoa, wait!" Toby exclaimed, hurrying to keep up with the other two kids' fast strides. "Can either of you explain to me who Hamegg is and why he has Astro? And where are we going? Shouldn't we be getting back?"
Zane glanced at Cora, hoping she might explain, but she looked like she hadn't even heard Toby. Worry filled her features and her hands, which were curled into fists, were shaking slightly. Zane frowned at this but didn't really know what to do about it, so he decided to answer Toby's question instead.
"Hamegg is…" he started to say, before trailing off, not knowing how to explain. Hamegg, after all, had quite a history. "He ran an orphanage on the Surface we used to live at," he said finally. "He was also the ring leader of the Robot Games, a competition where you put your best fighting robots against each other in an arena for money. He hates Astro, and if he has him, we don't have much time."
Toby's eyes widened. "Hamegg!" he repeated loudly, realization hitting him. "He's the guy that put Astro in the Games!"
Zane blinked, surprised. "Yeah," he said slowly, looking at the boy with a frown. "How'd you know that?"
"Astro told me," Toby recalled. "That's why I knew the name 'Hamegg'."
Zane's frown deepened. "When did you talk to Astro?" he asked.
"Before he disappeared," Toby answered, shrugging. "The day I woke up in the street. He left sometime during the night and I haven't seen him since."
"Hmm," Zane said, narrowing his eyes as he looked ahead at the horizon, where the sun was just starting to rise, washing a slight orangey glow over the Surface.
And framing the small dark shape ahead that was Hamegg's orphanage, surrounded by the mountains of Surface trash they were currently wading purposely through.
He saw Cora's jaw tighten out of the corner of his eye. She was furious and shaking with rage and more than a little bit worried about Astro. The thought of just seeing him after what had happened was scary. But seeing him after Hamegg had done who-knows-what to him?
Paralyzing.
"I'm going to rip that fat little man limb from limb," she hissed. "If he did anything to hurt Astro, I'll—"
"Whoa, cool it, sis," Zane said, keeping a straight head. Normally, he was on Cora's side, and was, even in the situation, but with only half the explosive temper. He knew all too well how Cora would barge in without forethought and make a mess. "I take back what I said before. We don't know that Hamegg has done anything to Astro."
"Yet," Cora spat. "But it's no secret that Hamegg hates him after what Astro did to his Games! And it's also no secret that Astro's super powerful. He'll try to fix Astro and make him do his every will and you know he will, Zane."
Zane had to admit she was right. Hamegg was power hungry and plenty smart enough to put Astro back together again and get him working. He would no doubt try and use Astro's power to his advantage.
But there was no way in a million years Zane—and definitely not Cora—were about to let him do that.
Before long, the orphanage came into full view, looming ahead. The three teens approached it slowly, Cora practically shaking with rage. Zane braced himself to stop her from barging in. She had that look in her eyes again. That murderous look she got right before she blew up.
It was never a pretty sight. Any not very ladylike, at that. But then again, when was Cora ever ladylike?
Zane tried to recall a time, but failed. Cora was Cora and that was that.
"He's probably in his workshop if he's anywhere," he whispered to her as they snuck around the back and pressed themselves against the wall in the shadows.
"Great," Cora whispered back, seething. "I say we go around there, bust the door open and tackle him. Then take Astro and run."
"Doesn't that seem a bit…direct?" Toby said doubtfully.
Cora glared at him. "The suns coming up," she pointed out. "We aren't going to be able to hide out here for very long. Do you have a better idea?"
"No," Toby admitted. "But bursting in on him isn't much of a plan."
"Well, at least it's something," Zane interjected, trying to make peace a bit as Cora shot daggers at Toby, looking about ready to punch him. They didn't need a fight right now. "Let's just see the situation, okay? We can sneak in through the front. I know how to pick the lock; it's a real old one."
Cora didn't look happy, but nodded. "Fine," she said hotly, turning to lead the way to the front of the building. Zane and Toby followed behind.
Sure enough, as they reached the front door, Zane whipped out a paperclip and picked the lock without issue, opening it slowly, so it would not squeak. Soundlessly, the three kids slipped inside.
The orphanage was empty, much to their relief. Not a sound disturbed the silence and that was all the proof Cora and Zane needed to know that none of the kids were home. The orphanage was never this quiet otherwise.
Hamegg's workshop was at the back of the building, separate from the rest of the orphanage and guarded by a mass of robot parts practically blocking the door. Without a word, Cora and Zane led the way toward the shop, Toby following close behind; taking in the orphanage's interior with interest as he went.
They reached it quickly. Zane glanced at Cora briefly as he moved toward the door handle, and she nodded once, giving him the go ahead.
Zane nodded and squatted down, inserting his paperclip in the lock and working his magic.
Cora took up position behind him, muscles tensing as she prepared to rush Hamegg the moment Zane opened the door. Toby copied her, standing a little ways behind her and preparing himself, though he looked a lot less menacing.
Suddenly, there was a small click, and the door swung open.
All three kids immediately barged in, Cora grabbing the first thing she saw—a wrench—and holding it in front of her like a weapon.
"GAH!"
The startled cry of Hamegg filled the room as the fat man whirled around from his position at his work bench, eyes falling on the three enraged teens. Particularly Cora and her wrench.
His eyes widened and he backed up a step, eyeing the wrench. "Now, children—" he began.
"Don't 'child' me!" Cora growled, advancing and poking the mustached man in the stomach with the tip of her wrench, her nose inches for his. Zane and Toby stood behind her, covering her, both tense and at the ready. "Where is he? WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO HIM?"
"Astro?" Hamegg said breathlessly, wincing at the touch of the wrench. "I haven't done anything to him! I swear, Cora! Calm down!"
"No, I will not calm down!" Cora screeched, pushing the wrench harder against Hamegg tweed jacket. "WHERE IS HE?"
"Right there, on the bench!" Hamegg squeaked.
Cora looked to the workbench, but Hamegg's giant frame blocked her view.
The teenager glared up at the man. "Move," she hissed, her voice low, dangerous and full of venom.
Hamegg immediately moved out of her way, putting his hands up in surrender.
Cora glared after him, before turning slowly to look at the bench.
She felt her breath leave her.
Astro lay upon the metal table, spread eagled and missing both arms and a leg. His head was detached from his torso, wires sticking out from his neck that sparked a bit as she stared at them, making her cringe. His eyes were closed and his mouth formed a simple straight line.
He didn't move.
For not the first time, Cora felt tears brewing in her eyes and she began to shake a bit, her grip loosening on the wrench. Seeing him, deactivated and decapitated like this, somehow was the worst of all. Worse than finding out that he was dead, worse than finding his arm. She choked slightly, and tears began to flow down her cheeks, staining them.
She stared at his head, purposely blocking out his neck from her view, so he simply looked like he was sleeping, his hair still forming those perfect spikes of his.
She couldn't help but imagine how it had looked when he was smiling at her, his mouth forming that grin of his, his soft brown eyes making butterflies appear in her stomach.
She felt Zane come up beside her, flanked by Toby.
She glanced at him, biting her lip fiercely, trying to hold back the wave of tears only to see him silently crying too, much to her horror.
Zane never cried.
"He's in bad shape," Hamegg said softly from the corner. Cora had some vague part of her tell her to go over there and punch him to make him shut up, but she could barely form the thought, let alone go through with it. She couldn't stop staring at Astro. "I found him like this. Well, his torso first, his head later and another leg later on. I've been putting him back together, but it's slow work, especially considering I'm missing a lot of him. Plus, I've only been at it a couple hours. Didn't discover him till just three hours or so ago, so I haven't had a whole lot of time to study how damaged he is exactly."
There was a small silence. In it, Cora began to try and pull herself together, rage slowly growing in her as she stared at Astro's broken form. The government had done this to him. His father had done this to him.
What kind of evil people lived in that city? People that would do this to an innocent, caring robot?
It was cruel. Barbaric.
And it sparked a flame of hatred inside of her.
The people that did this to Astro would pay. She would make sure of that.
Her rage gave her focus and after a few seconds, Cora got a grip on herself.
"What did you do to him?" she asked Hamegg coolly, voice even and stony. She never once looked away from Astro.
"Do to him?" Hamegg echoed. "Why, I've done nothing to him. Simply worked to put him back together."
"You didn't rewire him?" Cora asked accusingly. "Add any extra programming to bend him to do your will?"
"No."
Eyes narrowing, Cora rounded on Hamegg, blue eyes blazing with unholy fire. "Don't lie to me Hamegg," she said, her tone full of hatred and rage. It was incredibly scary and Hamegg flinched.
"I didn't do anything to him, I swear," Hamegg said frantically, eyes wild. "Astro and I are on good terms now! I wouldn't hurt him!"
Cora frowned at him, searching his eyes to see if he was telling the truth.
She hated herself for it, but she could tell he was being honest.
"Fine," she hissed. "So supposedly you didn't do anything sneaky to him. Why are you fixing him then? And what do you mean, 'on good terms'? Astro hates you!"
"Maybe he did before," Hamegg said calmly, recovering now that he saw that Cora was not going to attack him with her wrench. "But not anymore. We talked. He forgave me for what I did, and we agreed to be friends. I am fixing him in honor of that friendship. And for saving my life."
Cora's frown deepened as she recalled that moment. When ZOG was going to crush Hamegg and Astro had intervened, saving him.
"That's it?" she said disbelievingly. "You and him made up because he saved your life and that's why you're fixing him?"
"Yes," Hamegg said sincerely, nodding.
Cora's eyes narrowed, cocking her head a bit. "When did you two talk?" she asked suspiciously. "When was Astro ever on the Surface after what you did?"
"It was just a couple days ago," Hamegg said, thinking and brushing off his ugly vest. "I don't remember exactly. All I know it that I found him by the trash mounds, lying there, shut off with that blue orb—the Blue Core—sitting next to him. I brought him back here, to my workshop, and turned him back on. He was wary of me at first, and hostile, but after a moment he just seemed dejected, like he didn't even care. At first I thought someone had simply shut him off and left him where I found him, but once I got him talking he admitted that he had shut himself off."
Cora's eyes widened in shock and her mouth fell open, all her rage suddenly leaving her. "What?"
Hamegg nodded solemnly, stepping forward a bit so he was in the middle of the room now. "I'm not joking," he said seriously. "He admitted that he had committed suicide. Obviously, I was horrified. Why would he do such a thing? Eventually, I got it out of him that his father had rejected him in favor of his real son, Toby, would had apparently not died." He shrugged. "He felt like he had nowhere else to go and no other reason to live, so he shut himself off."
Toby made a small noise at the mention of his name, and Hamegg glanced at him. After a moment, Toby's features sunk in, and his eyes widened.
"You're Toby, aren't you?" he realized, aghast.
Toby nodded, looking upset. "I didn't know…" he said softly, his voice sounding exactly like Astro's. This tidbit sent a disturbed look flitting across Hamegg's face. "If I had known…I would have tried to stop him. But I didn't know."
Hamegg stared at him, his eyes meeting Toby's brown ones. "You're Tenma's son?" he asked.
Toby nodded. "Yeah."
"Hmph," Hamegg huffed. "Figures. You seem like less of a jerk, at least."
Toby frowned. "What do you mean?"
"Oh, you don't know?" Hamegg said bitterly. "Your father fired me. That's why I'm stuck down here in this junk heap instead of playing with the big boys."
Toby blinked. "He fired you?" he repeated. "Why?"
Hamegg shrugged. "Because he's a jerk and didn't like what I was doing," he said, waving his hand dismissively. "But that's beside the point. What's up with him? He still with that girl of his? What's her name? Eliza?"
"Esmeralda," Toby breathed, his expression changing to one of sorrow. "My Mom."
Zane, Cora and Hamegg all stared at him.
"Uh oh," Hamegg said, noticing the sadness on the boy's face. "What happened to her? She get hurt?"
"She…she died," Toby explained softly. "Not long after I was born. I…I have no memories of her."
There was a stunned silence.
Hamegg swallowed, looking uncomfortable. "How…how did she die?"
"Metro Express accident," Toby said flatly, focusing on his shoes. "She was severally injured and didn't make it."
Another small silence.
"I'm sorry," Hamegg said finally.
Toby shrugged. "It's okay," he said, though his face said otherwise. "It happened a long time ago. Dad doesn't like to talk about it."
Hamegg bit his lip. "She was a pretty girl," he said softly. "Gorgeous actually. I always wondered how the nerd got her."
Toby smiled. "Yeah," he said quietly. "I always have too. Dad said she was smart. Really smart, and she was blessed with looks too. He said that she was perfect for him."
"Amen to that," Hamegg murmured. "The looks and smarts, I mean."
Toby grinned a bit, before looking back down at his shoes forlornly.
There was an awkward silence.
"So," Cora said finally, breaking it, her focus returning as she digested everything a bit. She forced herself to not think about Astro's attempt at suicide. The mental image was too horrible. "Astro."
Hamegg frowned, looking away from Toby and back to Cora. "Well, the kid was set on dying," he said unhappily. "I tried to talk him out of it but he wouldn't listen. I even offered for him to stay here, but he told me the only place he belonged was at home with his father, and if he couldn't have that, then it was time for him to die. In the end, I couldn't convince him and he left. On good terms at least. He forgave me for what I did to him, and believed me when I said I was truly sorry and that I didn't realize how…how amazing of a robot he was until he saved my life. Or that he actually really did have feelings." He frowned, looking up at the three children. "Guess it didn't do any good," he said softly. "He's gone. I can put him back together, but he won't work without the Core."
He glanced at Astro's open chest hatch, which was empty. "The Metro guys aren't dumb," he commented glumly. "There is no way in a million years they would have dumped the Core down here. They're keeping it back in the city, under major military protection, no doubt. I don't see how we can possibly get it. I know if I set one foot into Metro City I'll be blasted halfway to Mars. Believe me, I'd try otherwise."
Cora felt the tears return at his words and she glanced back at Astro, staring at his damaged, scattered form. She took a big breath of air to try and calm herself before looking away from him and back to Hamegg.
"You really want to help him?" she asked carefully.
Hamegg nodded. "Of course," he said sincerely. "He saved my life."
Cora nodded, considering for a moment. A plan was starting to form in her mind.
"Okay," she said. "You can put him back together?"
Hamegg nodded. "It might take some time, but I can, yes. His systems are advanced, but I've already began to grasp them from looking at what I've gotten so far. I can do it."
Cora bit her lip, thinking, before nodding. "Okay," she said again. "I've got a plan. Hamegg, you work on getting Astro put back together. We got his other leg and one arm, as well."
She nodded to the appendages, which were sitting on the ground next to Zane. Hamegg glanced to them and his face lit up. "Splendid!" he exclaimed. "I only need his other arm, then."
"Right," Cora said. "We'll get the RRF on that. Once we get it through their sorry excuse for brains that Astro is actually dead and not just playing dead, I'm sure they'll help. While they do that, me, Zane and Toby will go after the Core."
Hamegg blinked. "How're you gonna manage that?" he asked, stunned by Cora's boldness.
"We'll find out where it's being kept and get it by any means necessary," Cora said confidently, a determined look in her eyes. "I'm not going to let Astro stay off. Not when I can do something about it."
Toby nodded thoughtfully at these words, putting a finger to his lips. "We can talk to Elefun," he suggested. "A scientist my Dad works with. I bet he would help us try and get the Core."
Cora cocked her head. "Is that the scientist with the big noise?" she asked slowly, recalling a scientist she had met only briefly.
Toby nodded, looking surprised. "Yeah. Do you know him?"
Cora nodded, remembering the man from when she had discovered Astro, dead, in the field after the demolition of the Peacekeeper. He had obviously known Astro for Astro and liked him. She figured he'd be trustworthy. "Okay, we'll go to him and see if he can figure out where the Core is," she decided. "Maybe he can get us clearance somehow. Either way, we'll get in, no matter what. I'm not going to give up."
Toby nodded. "I can hack," he offered helpfully. "Really well. I can bypass whatever you need me to."
Cora raised an eyebrow. "Really?"
Toby smiled. "Son of a genius, remember?" he said, a tad cockily.
"I'll come too," Zane said, looking just as determined as Cora.
"Actually, do you think you can stay here with me, Zane?" Hamegg asked timidly. At some point, he had moved so that he was now standing over Astro on the work bench. He picked up Astro's head and examined it carefully. "Looking at his systems more closely," he said slowly, putting the head down and picking up the arm Cora had found. "I'm going to need an assistant. I can't do it all on my own."
Zane looked dejected. "But I don't know much about robotics!" he complained.
"You don't need to," Hamegg assured him. "I'll tell you what to do."
Zane looked to Cora helplessly. "Why can't Toby help him?" he asked. "He knows way more than I do."
Sure enough, Toby had come up next to Hamegg and was actually working to connect Astro's arm back to his shoulder, much to Hamegg's surprise. It was clear he was impressed.
"Zane, no offense, but I'll need him in case we need his tech skills to hack," Cora said gently. "I'm sorry."
Zane looked crestfallen. "Whadda 'bout you?" he tried as a last resort. "Why can't you stay back?"
Cora leveled him with a glare. "Me?" she pointed to herself. "Him?" she pointed to Hamegg. "Same room working on the same thing for a long period of time?"
Zane frowned but realized she was right. That was a bad idea.
He sighed dejectedly. "Fine," he gave in. "It's not fair though! You get to do the fun stuff."
Cora patted him on the shoulder sympathetically. "Sorry," she said sincerely. "But this is the way it's gotta be. Remember, this is for Astro."
Zane didn't look happy, but he nodded. "For Astro," he repeated.
Cora smiled and gave him a quick hug, before walking over to Hamegg and Toby.
"Let's go," she said briskly.
Toby glanced up from Astro, looking surprised. "Right now?"
"Right now," Cora said seriously. "We have no time to waste."
Toby looked at Astro's dismantled form reluctantly, like he really wanted to stay and work on him, but nodded. "Okay, let's go," he said.
Cora smiled, and the two of them turned to leave.
"Good luck you two!" Hamegg called after them.
"Don't get killed!" Zane yelled helpfully. "And don't go back home or your mother will kill you!"
"Bye!" Cora called over her shoulder, before closing the door to the workshop and leaving the orphanage.
She and Toby headed to the chute leading back up to the city in silence.
Walking purposely and confidently with her hands curled into fists at her side, a controlled fury flowing through her, Cora pictured Astro's cute little face, remembering the grin that had spread across it after she had kissed him. Recalling the feel of her lips on his, she remembered watching him fly away through the star-filled sky like a dream.
I'm going to get you back, Astro, she thought confidently, eyes fixed on the grounded island of Metro City ahead. I'm going to get you back. And then everything is going to be perfect again.
Just like how I wished on that shooting star for it to be.
.
.
(A/N: Yay it's done!
So, few quick notes. No real character ones, I think it was self-explanatory. Cora's really, really mad and determined, Zane too, Toby just wants to help and Hamegg wants to make up for his mistakes. There you go.
Now, I want to make something clear. I know you guys are all like, yay things are going to get exciting, and this chapter wasn't that exciting and I wanted to explain. This story goes like this: plot set up, exciting part, set up for next exciting part, exciting part, etc, big exciting ending, aftermath. So there is going to be a couple chapters still of set up before chapters with excitement, not just all excitement. Just thought I'd make that clear, since that's how the plot roles. It's much better and more suspenseful this way, hang with me.
Another note! Shout out to Desiree Phantom for somehow (no idea how) predicting Cora was going to grab a wrench. I seriously have no idea how you knew that. O.O Kudos to you!
That's all for now, folks! Tata for now!)