It was funny really how quickly things could become outright mundane. All the days at the underground junkyard were pretty much the same, and soon started to float together into one.

Down here there was no sun; the only lights were the flashlights and lanterns they used to scan around the perimeter, the flashing lights of robots who weren't entirely out of power yet, and that fire in the middle of the camp which was kept going by all times, serving as a beacon for people who were out scavenging so they could always find their way back.

It was soon clear that everyone had their role they fit into. Most people just scavenged, but there were those who tried to maintain the camp itself. Elisa was the boss; she kept the camp itself running with a stern hand. Even though there was no sun to indicate night or day, Elisa kept up a very strict daily routine. Breakfast was at eight in the morning. Those who intended to go out scavenging were allowed a bit of bread and one single water bottle each, which substituted for their lunch, and, lastly, dinner was at six in the evening. No other food was served at any other time of the day. If you came too late for breakfast or dinner it was just too bad.

But it was hard to deny that the specific routine was probably beneficial for all of them. It reminded them that days really were going by and it didn't all just continue out into nothingness. One of the camp's inhabitants made a new scratch on his large metal plate each morning to count the days like a prisoner in a medieval dungeon. Merely glancing at the plate, Tenma counted over three years the man had been there. Huh, three years. That was before Tenma had even been put into prison. Sure seemed like a long time ago now. A life time, in fact.

After word had gotten around that Tenma was an official nutcase, people had started to avoid him, and walk around him in a wide berth when they saw him. Even Oda seemed more nervous around him, but always tried to be nice and ask how he was doing anyhow. To be honest, though, Tenma was happy people were avoiding him; it suited him best when he could be on his own.

He spent his days walking across the junkyard, searching for something useful. He would have to be careful with what he did. Those droids were constantly following him around, asking him to build Voltak a new body. It was really annoying.

Sometimes Tenma's thoughts would start to wander, and he would think about Astro. What was Astro doing now? Was he playing with his friends? Or taking Uran for a flight? Was Astro worried about him? Or was he relieved to finally be rid of him? Tenma wouldn't blame him either way.

But then he remembered Astro's words to him. Astro had this chance once before, to leave him behind or burn together at the Ministry, but he had been so sincere when he'd said, "I don't want you to die." That was the kind of person Astro was; a much better person than Tenma could ever be. Astro was probably deeply worried for him and had probably been searching, flying across the country itself with his scanners turned on.

Thinking of that, Tenma felt bad for putting Astro through even more stress. This was why he had to find a way out: so Astro wouldn't have to feel that way.

How long had it been now? Weeks? Perhaps a few months? It was so hard to tell. Tenma hadn't bothered to keep track of time and every day felt the same.

"Why won't you just build me a new body?" Voltak asked. "Your behavior is irrational." It was the same thing he had said a million times now.

Tenma didn't respond as he walked over the hills of robot parts.

"I would have let you go long ago, if you had just built me a new body," Voltak said. "The other humans too. I would have let you all go."

"So you keep saying," Tenma shrugged, then suddenly his gaze shot to the side. He halted in his tracks.

"Are you finally acting rationally?" Voltak asked.

Tenma, though, didn't even seem to hear the robot, instead walking across the heaps of parts. Finally, he crouched down and the swiped the scraps away, revealing the remains of a robot dog. Its body was slender and elegant, yet strong. However, the most important part was missing. Its memory, its AI… Without that, it was only a husk.

Looking at the robotic dog, Tenma suddenly felt oddly sad. "So this is what happened to you," he murmured. "Your final resting place. You deserved better."

Voltak's green light shone over the dog. "This is yours," he concluded.

Tenma didn't respond, looking away. He had build this dog with his own two hands, created its AI and brought it to life. It had been faithful to him and kept him company even in his darkest hours, and now it was here, lifeless, never to walk again. Tenma closed his eyes, trying to temper the anger that rose inside of him by the thought of the people who had so mindlessly taken apart his beautiful creation.

"Will you repair it?" Voltak asked.

Tenma sighed deeply as he stood up. "I can't," he said. "It's most basic circuits are gone. Even if I made it walk again, it would be an entirely different robot. New memories, a new personality… Not the same. In other words, it's dead."

"That's why it was thrown into the graveyard.".

Tenma stared silently at his old faithful servant, before turning and walking away.

"Do you not care for it?" Voltak questioned.

"Doesn't matter either way. Dead is dead," Tenma replied.

"Would you care if Astro was the one who laid there?"

Tenma froze, his hands balling into fists and his brow furrowing deeply.

"Your physical reaction to that question was rather strong," Voltak observed. "Do you care so much for Astro?"

"Of course I do," Tenma seethed. "He's my son. Not that I would expect a garbage disposal unit to understand that."

"Why do you consider Astro a son, but not the dog you created?" Voltak asked. "Did you not create both?"

"I've created many robots," Tenma replied. "Astro, though, is unique. There will never be another like him." He continued on his path.

Voltak's droid had stopped in the air, its green light shining after Tenma. "Unique…" it repeated, almost like it was in deep thought.

Tenma paid him no mind as he kept continued over the junk heaps, looking, searching. It was a good thing he was a patient man.

A frantic voice suddenly rang out through the graveyard, "HELP! I NEED HELP! MANPOWER! TIMMY IS TRAPPED!"

Tenma's gaze shot up and, without even thinking, he ran towards the source of the voice.

In a matter of moments he had reached it, to find Timmy sitting on the ground with his leg caught under a huge box. Oda, Rumiko, and another man were beside him.

"I'm stuck! It won't come out!" Timmy cried.

Tenma skidded to a halt and fell to his knees. "What happened?"

Oda turned to Tenma. "Timmy tripped again, though this time this robot came loose and fell over him."

"It's too heavy," the unidentified man huffed as he struggled to lift. "It weighs a ton."

Rumiko sat down beside Timmy. "Does it hurt?"

"N-No," Timmy swallowed. "I can't get it out though."

Tenma sighed as he examined the leg that was caught. The big box had settled on Timmy's lower leg, just below the knee. Tenma frowned. "It would probably be easiest to just detach the leg," he commented.

"WHAT?!" Oda shouted. "Are you crazy!?"

Tenma turned to him.

"Ah… I mean… urhm," Oda backtracked. "Being crazy is no excuse! I won't let you just saw off his leg!"

Tenma frowned in annoyance. "Who said anything about sawing off legs? It can just be detached." He pulled up the pant leg to reveal a robotic leg caught under the box.

Oda's eyes bulged so much it was a wonder they didn't fall out of his head. "Timmy is a robot?!"

Tenma glared at him. In his mind, Oda had just fallen into idiot territory. "It's a prosthetic," he explained with no small amount or irritation.

"Oh," Oda blinked.

"I see. That's why you keep falling," Tenma frowned.

"Mister?" Timmy hedged.

"You've been down here for around two years, right?" Tenma asked. "Undoubtedly, you've grown in that time, but no one has been adjusting your leg for your growth so it's too short. No wonder your balance is a mess."

Timmy swallowed as he looked up. "I'm sorry," he said.

"Sweetheart, why didn't you just tell us?" Rumiko asked. "We've got tools. I'm sure someone could have fixed it."

"I…" Timmy swallowed. "My leg is robotic. I am part robot, like those people who keep us here. I... I got scared."

"Timmy, you're not a robot. What a silly thing to say," Rumiko smiled lightly.

Tenma sighed as he pulled the pant leg all the way up to the thigh where the leg was attached. "How did you lose your leg?" he asked as he started to work.

"I was born that way," Timmy smiled. "As long as I remember, I've always had a robotic leg. It's been changed out a few times, though."

"Of course; you're growing," Tenma reminded him, and then finally the leg harmlessly came off.

It was much easier to dig out with the leg detached, and soon Tenma was holding it in his hands. "These damages are pretty minor; it should be easy to fix and to adjust the leg for Timmy's current height."

Oda blinked. "You can do that?" he asked.

"No problem at all," Tenma smiled lightly as he turned the leg. "Just need to…" he began as he opened up a part of the leg. But as he did, a surge of electricity went through his body. "ARGH!" he cried, then furiously whipped around to his stalker. "Do you mind?!" he hissed.

"If you build anything that is not my new body, you will be shocked," Voltak reminded him.

"You stupid garbage disposal piece of junk!" Tenma hissed. "It is just repair!"

"Wait, what is this about?" Oda asked, confused. "Building him a new body?"

"Build me a new body," Voltak said. "If you build me a new body I will let you go. I will let all the humans go."

"Wait, what?!" Oda shouted, turning to Tenma. "Are you telling me that if you build him some robot body he'll let all of us go?!"

Tenma rolled his eyes. "That's what he claims."

Oda's stared at him with wide eyes. His face turned red and he grabbed Tenma by the shirt. "All this time! All this time you had a way out of here?! I have a wife out there, you know! Get me out of here!"

"ODA!" Timmy exclaimed.

"Think about Timmy!" Oda continued. "He's been trapped here, wasting his only childhood down here! How can you sleep at night?"

Tenma smirked. "I don't sleep at night," he reminded Oda.

Oda stared at him, dumbstruck as he slowly lowered Tenma down. "Who are you?" he demanded. "What makes you so damn special?"

"You have not disclosed your identity to your fellow humans?" Voltak asked.

"I saw no reason to," Tenma shrugged.

Now everyone's eyes were on Tenma. The silence was immense.

"Umataro," Rumiko's voice was tinged with fear. "Who are you?"

"Name of subject: Dr Umataro Tenma," Voltak informed them all. "Former Minister of Science, father of the modern AI, and my creator."

They all gaped.

"You… You created that abomination that is keeping us all down here?!" Oda cried.

"This is as much of a surprise to me as it is to you," Tenma admitted. "I don't remember creating you," he informed Voltak in a bored tone.

"I see," Voltak said. "I am that insignificant to you. I have never forgotten. The first time my visuals powered up, the first thing I saw was you. You said I was special, one of the first to mark a new era of robots, and you asked me to make you proud," he said. "I worked hard at my job, keeping cities clean, helping humans. You asked me to make you proud, so I worked hard, but I never saw you again. Then I was worn down, better models were made, and I was thrown down here. Now my real body can't even move. And you will not make me a new one."

Shocked, all listened intently and turned as one to face Tenma.

"You… You made him," Rumiko swallowed. "Don't you feel anything?"

Tenma was quiet for a while, then, "I don't know what it is you want me to feel. I made a robot once, long ago. Like so many other of my creations, what that robot does now is out of my control. All I can do is to create robots, I cannot control them. That seems to be my curse."

"Will you not build me a new body?" Voltak asked.

"No," Tenma replied. "I know what you are going to ask for: some sort of strong body, something indestructible. You are a rogue robot; I am not willing to hand you such power."

"Because you know you won't be able to control me?"

"Yes," Tenma replied. Then he bowed down, and picked up Timmy's leg. "You can ask me all you want, pester me until the world ends. I will not do it." With that, he walked away, leaving a very stunned audience in his wake.

This chapter has been beta read by MugetsuFoxPipe