Umm, hey guys. I"M SO SORRY! This took longer than I thought but here it is. chapter 6!

I hope you guys enjoy reading this chapter!

Don't forget to review or comment :)

I don't own Astro Boy

Chapter 6/ Breaking Free and a hidden room.

Astro's POV

The intense pressure started across my chest traveling down into my arms, then down the sides of my legs. It seemed there was an invisible strap clamping down on every sqaure inch of me. I tried to move my hand, well, try being the key word here. In fact, I could not move anything than a mere few inches. I pulled against the rough restraints, but it only tightened them more. I should be able to break them. What is going on? I cracked my eyes open, not liking the feeling of not being able to move, the blue pixelated vision faded to darkness. Each breath I took in felt damp with the smell of sulfur. Ugh, whatever that was coming from.

Where I am? What happened? The last thing I remember was walking into the plaza... Cora going into a zombie like state... the Wraithe crashing through... the Wraithe. Oh no. Oh no no no no no no no. I got to get out of here... Wherever here was? The only light I could see seemed to be coming from my right, reflecting off from white pillars, all of them covered with nature. I turned my head slowly to see roof to floor windows, ocean, and dark shapes; that must be the rest of the city.

THUCK! I whipped my head around in front of me, then, all at once, my breath was stolen. I gasped for air as the intense pressure returned, increasing more eagerly around my chest. With the amount of light coming through, I could barely make them out, but they appeared to be vines. That's impossible. I can crush concrete with my bare hands let alone break through tree limbs. I hung my head begging it to be over. I ceased fighting and the vines loosened their grip, but only enough for me to catch my breath.

"That was a warning."

My head shot up. A hooded figure was floating in front of me. I knew it was a man by the sound of his voice. His dark robe covered his tall frame, the ends of it looked to be disappearing into the shadows or turning to ash, almost like a ghost. I narrowed my eyes as my gaze floated back up to his hood. Bright ruby eyes, the only aspect outshining the rest of his features inside the hood. The desire to look away flooded my interior, but I stood my ground.

Dad told me they were demons, well, people turned into demons by a mutated version of the red core. The demon, whatever it was, did not seem to be out of control or unstable, instead his presence carried... unnerving patience. Nothing like the power of the red core I come to know. This was different. The aura of the energy standing in front of me was ancient, calculating, and unpredictable. Making me even more wary than before.

"What are you?"

A dark chuckle echoed from the hood. "I thought the old man told you that part already?"

"My dad," I corrected. "Told me you were nothing but a murderer and a manipulator."

"Did he now?" Then he was right in front of me. I gasped and instinctively pulled against the vines, but it was futile. I was not going anywhere. His hot breath blew right in my face, filling my nose and mouth with the smell of sewage and metal. At once, I gagged.

"You seem confused. You're wondering how I'm able to trap you with mere tree vines... of how my power came to be."

I felt myself freeze, "How did you-…"

He unfurled his wrinkly hands; they were murky like he had dipped them in black paint, and he was ready to start his masterpiece. And fingernails?... More like claws than fingers. "No... well," he chuckled, "yes... at least... Dad, was it? Was correct about two things. Yes. Long ago, I did do some things that weren't in the best interest... but necessary."

I scoffed, "Necessary? You murdered innocent people that were only trying to help others, to help you!"

He made no move, at first. Then, tossed a hand aside, carelessly, "Eh, as the saying goes 'Forgive forget,' right?" Not in this case.

When I didn't say anything, he pressed forward, "Anyway, I am curious on another subject; your 'father' and the other humans."

"What about them? What have you've done with them?!"

He leaned away from me and extended his arm to my left, "By your side, of course."

He was right. My eyes had adjusted to the dark better, and now I could see four other pillars. Equally thick vines covering each pillar from the ceiling to the floor, and in the amidst of them hanging, was my dad, Cora, and Zane. Their heads slumped to the side as unconsciousness overtook them. Where was...?

"Where's Reno?"

His hood tilted as if in confusion. "Ah, the other brat. If you so kindly look to your right."

I ignored him and looked to find Reno in the same boat as the rest of us, strands of bright auburn could be seen peeking out through the branches.

"Let them go." I said immediately.

"You see," waving off my last comment, he moved towards me again, "through all my existence, all humans have the same smell; their either sweet or rotten. You on the other hand smell of metal, rocket fuel, and... power."

I shivered as the set of kitchen knives inched closer to my face. Reaching past my cheek, his dark finger scratched a curly green branch. Wait. No, there was something else. Something inside it. A dark poison was pulsing, the scarlet strands twisting and tightening, like it was trying to make itself one with the plant.

"Is that...?" No, it can't be Red Core.

"Somewhat." He lowered his arm, his claw- like finger barely scratching my cheek. I stared at him for seconds until... "Can you..." Can you read my mind? He did not say anything, only that his eyes burned brighter in response. Yes, yes, he can. Crap.

A dark chuckle shook his hood again. "Yes, I can. A rather useful tool, a tool that has shaped my utopia."

"That's impossible! How? The red core? Th-" Without warning, the vines wrapped and tighten twice as hard, leaving no room for me to breathe or continue my thought. I felt one vine slither around my throat and lock in place. I withered against them as I tried to gasp for air. This should have been easy for me to break through. I could feel something seeping into my system, making me feel weaker than before. I haven't felt this deprived in years. Not since the... the peacekeeper. The vines! The energy in them. Red core?! It must be, it has to be.

I struggled to breathe with what little supply of oxygen I was being given. The wraithe floated closer and I was swallowed in his shadow, his eyes narrowing down on me. His hands were flexed into fists, as if they were squeezing the life out of me. Which he was.

His voice was quiet but intimidating, "Let me remind you," He released one of his hands and instead, dung his sharp nails into my scalp. I let out of cry. "Where you are. Oh yes, I can see those memories of your perfect little city. Ha, Metro 2.0." I gritted my teeth as he dug deeper. "I will answer the questions that I feel that are worthy to answer and you will do as I say. This is my city. And in a way your home too, but better. Cherish that memory of your little city because it's the last one you'll ever have of it... Astro." He Sneered as my name left his mouth, and as his final note shoved my head roughly to the side. What do you want?

My question barely flying across my mind as I mentally went through his speech, but I knew he heard it.

"Now were asking the important questions. And the answer to that question is, I want you to join me."

Say what now? Join him? Join him?!

"No way in hell am I joining you!"

I thought he was going to knock me out right there and now, but-

His chest decompressed as he sighed. "Why am I not surprised. But then again, there are ways I can persuade you. Your family for example." I felt my body go limp.

"I'll just kill you right here, and your family? They have two choices; to join me or... well... it has been years since me and the others have had a full course meal and we are a bit famished."

I didn't care if the vines tightened, I tugged against them. If I was human, my arms would have lost feeling, my chest would have no more room to be expanded and I would have passed out. But I was not human, but close. I tugged with all my might, zeroing in on the one thing I hated the most at that moment.

I hissed, "If you lay a hand on them, I swear I'll-"

"What? You'll do what?!" He snapped. "Let me remind you that your in my territory and those attempts of trying to get out of those vines are futile. The energy in those vines weakens you, I can feel it. Trust me, it looks like you're going to be here for a while."

He pushed away from me and headed down towards a set of doors, his robes disappearing behind him, his voice sounding like thunder. "Think about my offer, Astro, and if you haven't decided by the time I get back, then I will decide."

Yanking against the stupid vines grew more useless by the minutes. I tried activating my arm cannon, hoping it would rip the vines apart. Nothing. The vines wouldn't budge an inch. I tried activating my last good rocket boot, but they were too many vines occupying my foot in too many separate places. Nothing would budge.

I burrowed my eyebrows. There's got to be a weakness to these branches. Some sort of weak spot or something. I looked at my family. None of them had reached consciousness. The Wraithe had been gone for about fifteen minutes, and I was running out of escape plans and time before an entire legion of Wraithes come down on my family. What would my Dad do? What would Elefun do? Think Astro, think! I closed my eyes thinking this was the last time-

Drip. Drip. Drip.

Wait. What is that?

I opened my eyes again and listened for the sound.

Drip. There it is again. I looked in all directions for the source until- something green skimmed my vision. Drip. I leaned towards my right. Far below me, was a green substance making its home on the floor, and around it? Vines with red core forming a circle, in fact, the vines seemed to be scooting farther away from it, as if it were poison. I felt my core spin faster.

I looked up to find a cracked hole in the ceiling and leaking through the cracks was the green substance.

Less than a second, my eyebeams turned on. There was a barrel, in a room above me, it was laying on its side, the front of it busted leaving a stream of green to dribble into the crack. I squinted, there wasn't just one but more behind it standing upright. Suddenly, the familiar blue text ran across my vision.

SOURCE IDENTITY: HERBICIDE.

Herbicide? Of course!

I looked back down, my blue vision fading away. That's why the vines don't like it. It's poison to them. It weakens them. It was still coming out of the ceiling, dropping a couple of feet away from me. I felt a smile form on my face as a plan began to form.

If I could just get just get the vines to touch the herbicide, it will make them weak enough to let me break free.

Ok, here goes nothing.

I began to tug against the vines, and they immediately began to pull back. But I didn't let go and kept pushing to the side, reaching for the green entity. The smell of sulfur sucked into my lungs, so that's where that smell was coming from. The vines started to stretch while red become clearer to the naked eye. I was almost there. In response, the red began to pulse again, growing bigger inside the thin branch and pulling me away from my only escape.

"No!" I pushed back twice as hard, using all the strength I had. No, you will not keep me contained. I had to get out. I had to- the herbicide was inches away. I gritted my teeth. Com-on, com-on, com-on. By now I was stretching my fingers and my arm began to ache against the pressure being applied. Just a little further, just- Drip. A drop of Herbicide soaked into the vine.

I watched as the vine curled into itself as it met the substance. Yes! But... the vine started to take its natural form again, the red core taking over, wrapping itself around my arm again. It's not enough! I need more!

Drip. Drip. Drip. Drip. Drip. Drip. Drip. Drip

I grinned as the vine started to become a crippled dead weed traveling all over my body, and the red core- became nothing more than dust floating through the air. I get it. Without a host, the red core dies and the host becomes nothing but a shriveled-up skeleton of itself. Mmm.

I sucked in a breath and I simply tugged.

The now flimsy dead branches burst into a thousand pieces and I was free.

After forgetting I was a few feet off the ground and in result of that, I tumbled to the ground.

A familiar aching pain entered my lower leg and I groaned. "Forgot about that."

Slowly getting up at first, I remembered what the Wraithe said and his offer and what he would do if I didn't decide, I forced myself to move faster. My surroundings hadn't changed much, a large, curved desk was occupied in the middle of the room, columns occupying the walls, my family tied to their own column, the two large doors, and another set of doors behind the desk covered with thick branches. I didn't see that before. I walked around the desk, as every joint in my body moved with robotic noises. I didn't know how long I was in those poisonous branches before I woke up. It was going to take a while before I am fully recharged to my maximum strength.

Moving the branches aside, I came upon a door. Somewhat of a door. The outside of it blended with the walls so much that if you didn't look close enough you would just mistake it for a wall. The faint edges of the words 'Shaft' was molded into the wall on the side. That would do. Hopefully long enough to hide from the Wraithes to charge up, eat, rest, and figure out a plan.

Grabbing the closest object that was to a bowl, I went over the to the puddle of Herbicide that was slowly sweeping its way across the floor. Filling my makeshift bowl, I speed walked towards my dad, pouring the nasty stuff on the vines till they let go of him. I went back and forth, filling and refilling, till everybody was freed from the wraithes power. Then I started carrying my dad towards the shaft, then Cora, Zane, and Reno.

Instantly, chilly air blew into my face as I slide the door open. It was pitch black and I couldn't find the source to turn the power on. I forced my eyebeams to come on and found a metal ladder leading deeper into the shaft. Carrying each person down into the shaft, I came upon another room to my right. A few cots were spread out, a small desk and a wall with many controls. This must have been used as an infirmary. Placing a person to their own cot, I went back up to the ladder to seal the thick door. With the door sealed, an inhuman scream could be heard on the other side.