Hey! :D I'm back! Did you miss me? Nah, you don't have to answer that. XD Anyway, as you can see, I updated. :P Funny how that works, right? Any who, my Internet was down. So it gave me plenty of times to update this. I don't own Astro Boy. Now that that's been said, let's go check on Astro, shall we. ;)

Chapter 20

Mending the Wounds of Hatred

Astro's POV

To be honest, I knew Toby didn't like me. He was probably still mad about dad replacing him with a robot. But that's not my fault. If anything I'm the victim in this situation. But if I was Toby, I wouldn't be so mean about it. I've caught him starring me down on more then one occasion all within the past twenty-four hours. It wouldn't have bothered me if it wasn't for the fact that he looked like he was plotting revenge or something along those lines.

"Is there something you want to talk about?" I finally asked. We were currently sitting underneath a palm tree at the beach. I didn't honestly like this beach. Salt water wasn't exactly healthy for my circuits, when I was in it for long amounts of time, so I always tried to get out of going to the beach. Toby didn't know this of course. I know literally everything about him, but he knows virtually nothing about me.

"No." I knew that's not what he wanted to say.

"Toby, you can tell me. We're sorta like brothers." He glared at me, then looked back at Astrid splashing around in the water with a few other girls I didn't know.

"Brothers?" Toby said with hatred dripping with with every syllable. "We're nothing like brothers. No, you were my replacement. How wonderful." Toby said sarcastically. I was his replacement in a way. But then dad shunned me when I wasn't exactly like Toby.

"You know almost right after dad made me, he shut me down. Would you like to know why? It's because I wasn't exactly like you. I might have your face, and all of your memories, but it doesn't mean I'm you." Toby shot me a face of sympathy, but it didn't last long.

"Hmph." Was my only response. "So how are you here now?" He asked, curiosity taking the best of him.

"About two years after dad shut me down and went into hiding, Dr. O'Shay reactivated me." I replied, starring at my boots. The sun was glistening off them, making them even more shiny then normal. It was kind of hypnotizing.

"Two years, huh?" I nodded. "What happened after that?"

"Well, I fell off a building on my first day, and learned that I could fly. After that I started going to school. All of your friends hate me, by the way." Toby laughed at that. "Anyway, it was insane. Between school, my sister Zoran, and saving people, my schedule was always full. Dad went to jail, because he was trying to start a war between robots and humans." Toby gasped.

"Your kidding." I shook my head.

"Nope. I stopped it, but he broke out of jail shortly after. Then I got my sister Star. She was my birthday present, even though the only reason she's here at all is to help us figure out who destroyed Staropia. Anyway, that's basically my life right now. Saving people, going to school, and my crazy family." I sighed. "Sometimes I wish I was you." Toby stared at me confused.

"Why? Dad ignored me all the time, and I was barely allowed to do anything, and I barely had any friends."

"I know. But your life would be a vacation for me. You had it easy right up until you died. If dad hadn't ignored you I wouldn't be here though." Toby nodded, understanding what I was trying to say.

"So what's it like being a robot?" He asked. I looked at him, to find curiosity and wonder written all over his face.

"It depends. Sometimes it's harder then other times. Like in school, I don't get picked on, but I get hate notes all the time saying things like: Robots don't deserve to be in school. There are a lot of people who hate me, but a lot of them love me too. But like I said, it depends. I can't do a lot of stuff humans can do because of racism towards me. But I can do a lot of stuff humans can't do. Like my arm cannon, and fly. But none of that really matters to me." I replied, hoping I answered his question.

"Then what does matter to you?" I looked back at my boots.

"Honestly? All I want is to help people and make them happy. I want friends who don't care that I'm a robot, but think it's cool. People who really appreciate me. If you know what I'm getting at." Toby nodded, and smiled. I didn't really know why though.

"I have a present for you. Astrid will call me when she wants us to walk her home, so come on. I want to show you something cool." I shrugged, and got up. I dusted the sand off of myself, and followed him. He brought me to the castle. I had never been inside before. Looks can be deceiving." Toby said over his shoulder in my direction. When the guard let us in, I was surprised to see something relatively new. "Like I said, looks can be deceiving."

"Wow. How is that even possible?" I didn't think anything like that was possible. "Ow!" I shouted. My finger was sparking. Odd.

"You OK?" Toby's sudden concern snapped me out of my trance.

"I'm not sure." I said, as another spark danced on my finger. I couldn't move my finger. That could be a problem. System Scan? I selected yes. It would take a few minutes for the result to come up. "But I'm gonna find out." Toby looked at my finger, and sighed. I followed him into his part of the castle. Apparently since mom is the queen, he's the prince. He doesn't really like the tile 'Prince Toby' though. Toby's quarters reminded me of home, and it made me sick to my stomach. If I had one of course. System Scan Finished. Right hand motor functions slightly damaged, Ear Software update available, Memory bank slight error, Proccesser levels 13.5 percent slower then normal. Wow. That was kind of a long list. Normally it was just one or two tops. That was four... Wireless Network Open, Continue? Yes! Finally! Maybe I can contact Star. I selected yes, and almost shouted for joy.

System Warning: Reprogram commencing. Emergency Audio Recording. View? I selected yes. I knew that this wasn't going to be the best news. "If you can hear this, well then I have a major problem. This message should only be sent if I was unwillingly shut-down. Follow my chip's code before I get reprogrammed or permanently shut-down. My chip's code is as follows: B86ATOM1537KW04692851. I'm counting on you." That was Star's note. She was in trouble. And I had to find a way out of here. But how?

"Toby I have a problem." He was laying on his bed watching TV. He looked at me.

"And what would that be?" He asked, curious to hear what could possibly be bugging me.

"How do I get out of here?" He tilted his head to the side, not getting what I was trying to say. "How do I get back to Metro City. My sister's in trouble."

"Oh!" Toby laughed. "You can't leave. It sucks, but it is what it is." He went back to watching a random anime I had never heard of before. He seemed really interested in it. I on the other hand had other things on my mind. I couldn't focus on what was on TV, when Star could be trouble. I walked over to the window, that covered the whole wall. "Where are you going?" Toby asked, as I opened it enough for me to jump out of it.

"Out." I said simply, as I jumped out of the window and my rockets gained altitude. I flew in one direction and one direction only. Up. About 2,000 feet up I hit what to a human felt like a brick wall. A barrier? What kind of place is this, that it would need a barrier? I lost altitude, and sighed. When I hit the wall I dented my nose and my cheek. It could have been worse, but it still hurt. "Great, just great. How was I going to explain that?

"Oh, yeah I was out walking when I ran into a tree." Right because that makes sense. I sighed, and slowly flew back to where I had left Toby.

"What happened to you? Run into a pole? Or maybe you got in a fight with the lady at the Market?" I sighed.

"No. Wait there's a market here?" Toby rolled his eyes and went back to his anime. I closed the window and sat on the foot of the bed. I looked at the TV, to find some guy, who looked like a monk, fighting this other guy who had the weirdest goatee. But who an I kidding? In some of the pictures he had, he seriously looked like the chicken man. It was hilarious but sadly true.

I didn't really feel like watching TV at the moment. What I wanted was to get home, then maybe bring Star here to meat Toby and Astrid. But I knew that probably was never gonna happen.

"Toby I have a really random question. It's been bugging me since day one. Maybe you could shed some light on the matter." He looked at me and shrugged.

"Fire away."

"Do you remember how you died?" He looked at me shocked, and then sighed.

"Yeah actually I do. It was a car crash. I had run away from dad on my new hover-bike when I got hit. I can't really remember the pain, though." He sighed and went back to watching TV. I've almost died so many times, sometimes I must get some of them confused. "That was an odd question to ask me." Toby said after awhile.

"I know. But it was really bugging me." He snorted and went back to the TV. I was sprawled out of his bed starring at the ceiling. It was painted black, and had several constellations on it. I already knew all of them, but it never ceased to amaze me how many stars there actually where. I must have fallen asleep because the the next thing I knew, Toby was shaking my arm like a mad man.

"What the heck, man. I couldn't wake you up. What happened?" I looked at my internal clock. It was still on Metro City time meaning that is was exactly eight.

"My timer kicked in. I'm not broken or anything. It's completely normal." I sighed.

"Well, you're really heavy. That being said, we couldn't move you to your room." He didn't seem all to happy about that.

"My room? But I have to help my sister." I got up and stretched, knowing that I wouldn't be able to break the habit. I sighed and looked at Toby. His hair was a total mess, like he hadn't put his gel in it yet. "What happened to your hair?"

"Yes your room. I I know you have to help your sister. You've only mumbled it in your sleep like a hundred times. And I haven't gelled it yet. I'm not leaving our quarters till it is either. I mean look at this? It's not presentable!" Toby ran to the bathroom and I laid back down. I closed my eyes, and thought about how I would get away from here. Obviously I couldn't fly to far upward. So what were my other options? I could see if there were any other barriers. I didn't like being in boxes, and if I was in one, I'll beat up the person who put me here. "You still up? Toby asked when he had finished with his hair.

"Yeah." I replied sitting back up. "I have to go check something, I'll see you later."

I am ending it there! :P I made this chapter longer. I'm not exactly sure why I felt I had to though. Maybe Osamu Tezuka possessed me or something... XD Anyway, please review or PM me with your input! :D I almost always respond within 24 hours. ;) See you guys soon with the next chapter! :D -Star Atomu Saturday