Hey guys, sorry if I haven't updated in a while, especially on my other story. I'll be honest, the 'Wraithes' story is a bit of a mess and trying to update has been difficult. Writing where the story will go has been hard and trying to come up with ideas has been harder. But... I was recently listening to 'Delicate' by Taylor Swift, and I got this idea in my head for a different Astro Boy story, and I immediately had to write. Also, in my story Cora and Astro are between 15 and 16 years old. Enjoy! Also, I don't own Astro Boy
Rain Dance
Robot parts littered the ground everywhere. Heads, torsos, arms, even whole bodies of rusted robots covered every square inch of the surface that Astro had become so familiar with.
In the last few months of Astro's existence, he had become nothing but the center of attention. After the battle with the peacekeeper everything seemed to take off. He was in the news, the media, reporter's articles written only about him whenever he 'saved the day.' He was everywhere. He appreciated that people wanted to thank him for what he did but as soon as the throng of reporters and TV hosts surrounded him, microphones here and there, a bjillion questions thrown at him, he would always try to jet off quickly.
But now he was far away from that. Away from the public's eye. Away from Metro City. Metro City was his home. With his dad, Orrin, and his friends. Metro City would always be his home, he knew that. But when he and Cora started walking among the junkyard, it felt like it had been weeks since he visited, when it had only been a couple of days ago. He missed it, he realized with a deep inner sigh.
The people on the surface didn't hound him with random questions like the people in Metro City. They, of course, knew him and recognized him, they would smile and sometimes wave. He would always smile when some of the kids would run up to him and say hi or want to shake his hand. He didn't mind that.
Soft thunder rumbled in the distance as dark clouds were slowly moving towards the regions of the surface. He took in the clouds and their destination; the pale tall buildings of the surface were not too far away. Astro had suggested he go with Cora to the city on the surface to help retrieve some parts for Zane's cat he had been building for some time. Zane was almost finished but soon realized he was missing a few parts. He had been looking everywhere for some specific parts but to no avail. Cora had heard of a shop where they sell robot parts, and more importantly the parts he needed. She decided she was going to surprise him and get the parts as a gift since his birthday was coming up fast.
Now, Astro was so familiar with the city almost as much as Metro City. The good and the bad. He'd come to know that parts of the city had not the friendliest of people. As soon as Cora brought up the idea of going to the surface, Astro suggested he go with her, just in case anything happened, and to keep her company. Cora looked like she was about to roll her eyes and remind him that she knew the surface like the back of her hand and that she would be fine but instead said, "Fine by me."
But they would have to be quick, he guessed in thirty minutes to an hour this place would be soaked and muddy. And their trip back home would be very much that, wet, muddy, and cold. Traveling through the rain and wet would not be good for Cora as she would be soaked and freezing within minutes.
He knows his body would not be affected by the cold ever since he discovered his heating and cooling system. In school, his teacher, Mrs. Sallow, liked to turn the heating off because that's how she likes it. He guessed it must have been close to fifty degrees. All the other kids in his class would have sweaters on or would bring one even though it was eighty degrees outside. He can't shiver, though he can feel his body tense when he is 'cold.' That's how he discovered it, he was ten minutes into class, tense and uncomfortable. Then he felt it, a heat traveling through his limbs, into his fingers, his torso, his legs. Until he was warm and cozy with no help from a sweater or jacket.
More thunder rumbled as he continued after Cora, her voice suddenly came into his ears.
"Not slowing down on me are you, Metro City?" Her voice slightly lifted at the end as she looked behind her at the horned hair boy.
"Huh," The nickname, she had kept for him since Hamegg's, making his stomach flutter. "Oh yeah- I mean no, just-just thinking." Quickly coming out of his daze and walking beside her. After a few minutes of walking on robot parts, they finally come upon the faded old red bridge.
Cora took in his expression, how he looked at the surface with reminiscence and almost longing. She wondered, what was he thinking about? His time on the surface? The robot games? The first time they brought him to Hamegg's? Did he miss it? She too took in what she once called home. Had it only been four months ago? When she was still scavenging for robot parts for Hamegg? Going to the robot games? Eating fished out cold pizza every night? She blinked, yes. Yes, it was. Though it felt like yesterday.
Now, her life was so different. She was grateful she had her parents back. She never regrets having them back. The past four months have been the best four months she's had in a long time. But every time she looked back at the surface, the mounds of trash looking back at her, a part of her wished she was still living on the surface. They were slowly coming up on Hameggs orphanage, they were almost close to the slide where they were enter before now.
Cora took in the boy beside her, "You okay, Astro?"
Astro smiled softly at her, "Yeah," then he chuckled, "It's weird to think that the last time we walked on this bridge, was the night you and the others brought me to hamegg's, now everything's so..."
"Different?" Cora finished. So, he was thinking about that.
"Yeah."
When everyone thought he was just a little kid and not a powerful robot.
Suddenly, the twisting slide was in front of them, along with the orphanage lurking in front of them. Long leafy vines were now coating the walls of the building. The letters of 'Hameggs' were slightly rusted. It didn't look like anyone was home or was living there. Astro didn't really want to know if anyone was home or not. He wasn't really up for a visit with the one who tried to kill him in the arena. Not yet.
They didn't say anything for a while, just staring at the one place they once called home.
Astro's voice startled Cora out of her daze, "Do you... do you think he's still there? Do you think he left?" Not needing to explain who 'he' was.
Cora shook her head, her face turning into a dark cloud. "I don't know. Maybe? Honestly, now... I really don't care where he is." She said this, continuing to stare at the orphanage.
Astro immediately noticed the change in Cora's face. Her eyebrows pinching together, a slight frown, but her eyes told another story. Sadness.
To Astro, Cora is quite easy to read. She always puts up her tough side, a brick wall; guarding her emotions. But she could not guard her emotions for too long, because her brick wall had windows. One look at Cora's eyes and Astro knew. Yes, she was angry at Hamegg; for electrocuting her best friend, trying to kill her best friend, adopting her into a family that she had grown to love so dearly then him packing up and leaving them on a whim because his reputation got ruined, leaving her and the kids behind.
Under all the anger, there was still a part of her that asked why? Why did he do it? Did he ever really care about the kids in the orphanage? About her?
"I'm sorry," Astro said softly.
Cora tore her gaze from the building and looked at him in surprise.
"I mean, in a way he was like a dad to you."
She shook her head and looked him in the eye, "It's not your fault, Astro." It's not your fault that he chose to leave us. "And in the end," she continued. "It turned out better. My parents found me, the other kids are finding good homes of their own; and most of that was because of you."
Astro felt his cheeks turn hot, "I didn't do anything." His hand absentmindedly rubbing the back of his neck.
She chuckled slightly, "Sure."
Raging notes of thunder echoed above them. They took in the orphanage one last time, just for a second, then Cora turned a sharp eye to the boy once again, though her smile was soft. "Come on, Metro City, we got parts we need to get, and it looks like this storm isn't going to wait for us."
With a smile of his own, all he said was, "Lead on." And followed after her.
After finding and securing the necessary parts into Cora's bag, the two stepped out of the small mechanic supply shop. The door closing behind them with a cherry ding. They froze.
Heavy droplets were gently wetting the dirt inches from Astro's boot. At first, the droplets were soft and small, barely making a noise. The sky lit up for a second before being followed by a thunderous crack. After that, it was almost like the thunder and lightning was egging the rain on; come on that's all you got? The rain only responded with more and more.
A few surface people ran past the two teens, while another one ran across the expectantly wide street. By the time they made it across, their shoes up to their knees were splashed with mud.
The outside of the buildings had become a slightly shade darker. The main street had turned into a sopping mess of mud and rain. The only place the rain was not pummeling was the sidewalk beneath the city's shops' individual samout's, the thick materials' becoming soaked quickly, where Astro and Cora stood now.
Astro took in the rain, the dirty road, and the hazy clouds where the glistening buildings of Metro City should be.
He turned to Cora, "I'll fly us out of here. That way we can get out of the rain quicker." He took in the girl in front of him, noticing she had forgotten to bring a jacket. He quickly unzipped his own, holding it out to the surface girl. "Put this on, it'll keep you warm on the way... Cora?"
Astro held his jacket out towards the pink striped hair girl, but something else had caught her attention. Her head was turned away from him and her eyes were focusing on a group of little kids in the muddy street. He lowered his arm and instead walked up beside her.
Astro counted seven kids, seven kids dancing, jumping up and down, the result of it; mud and rain painting each of the kids and everywhere else. In seconds, the kids were covered in mud. The hair on each head was stuck to their foreheads. They were laughing, cheering, sticking their tongues out to taste the salty drops that hit them.
And not long after that, Astro noticed other people started coming out of their homes. More and more people came and soon were flooding the sidewalk. Not only people but robots of various kinds started making their way outside, too. At first, it looked like no one knew what to do, some would look at the others next to them, sending them a knowing smile. It was like they were waiting for something. Astro looked at the crowd of people confused, wondering what the heck was going on.
Then, two dark shadows stepped out from the crowd.
At this point, the rain had become a thick sheet of wetness, making it hard to tell what exactly had come out of the crowd. Like a camera lense, Astro's eyes focused, cutting through the rain like a knife.
The woman was slender, her arms long and graceful. The man's form was powerful but gently guided the woman in a dance along the mud, a rain dance to be exact. He twirled her around, into his arms, under his arms, until they became a swirl of colors on a blank canvas.
Astro watched them in fascination, wondering how neither of them ever seemed to slip up. Astro swore one or the other slipped on the mud once or twice, but both would quickly fix their stance. Making it a part of their rain dance.
The couple had danced the entire length of the street. Like an invitation, other couples started occupying their own spot, old and young, navigating their own kind of dance through the rain. The kids from earlier started going up to the robots pulling at their arms, telling them to come dance with them. They would only go up to specific models, while the other models stood and watched from the sidewalk. Astro guessed that some models were waterproof while some were not.
"What are they doing?" Astro suddenly asked.
"It's called dancing, genius." Cora smirked.
Astro evened his eyes at her, "Yes, I know they are dancing but... Why? In the rain?"
"Anytime it rains on the surface, which is rare, everybody comes out of their homes and just starts dancing. Almost... in celebration. They've been doing it for almost fifty years now, or so Hamegg told me." Cora explained, looking out into the sea of bodies, both human and robot.
Almost everybody had gone out into the street, dancing and laughing, enjoying each other's company. Soft music blared out from speakers that hung on the corners of each building in the square. The music and thunder seemed to dance to each other, taking turns, creating a rhythm, a song for the participants below.
The two teens and some others were still on the sidewalk.
"Why don't you dance?"
Cora turned her head to Astro, his question swirling around in her mind. Why did she not dance? Did she know how to dance? Maybe. Maybe once when she lived in Metro City, and she was younger. But that was a long time ago.
"For your information, I am not a dancer." she said, turning back to the crowd and purposely not at Astro's gentle eyes. Those eyes always seemed to know what she was thinking. She always thought she had a good poker face. That is, until Astro came along, and she had told him her secret that she was really from Metro City. Ever since then, she felt her mask crumble every time she felt his eyes probe her face. Maybe because he was patient? Never casting a judgmental look her way. Waiting. Listening.
She sneaked a quick peak through her lashes. He was looking at her. Not good. Not good.
"What, afraid of a little rain?" Astro said, smirking.
She scoffed, "No." That answer only made the smile on his face grow more. And against her will, the corners of her own mouth started to turn up.
Astro was not a dancer by any means. He had never danced in his life before. Cora's eyes did not leave the crowd once and he could see the longing in them. Like she wanted to join the surface people. Did she? If she wanted to, what was holding her back?
He looked out at the surface dwellers, dancing, laughing, and smiling. Then it hit him, everyone had a partner. His smile dropped a bit, casting his gaze back at Cora... so that's why she didn't dance. She didn't have someone to dance with. Probably, never.
Maybe Zane? No, Cora would rather be caught dead than let people think they were a couple, let alone dance with him, Astro thought. One time, the trio had gone out to get lunch. One of the restaurant's robotic waitresses was out for the week and was getting a checkup and, a human waitress had taken her place. Her bubbly personality floated around the trio as she took their order. She waved a manicured hand at the siblings and asked if they were together. Zane's expression turned into one of disgust and said, "Absolutely not." Cora not far behind him, pointing a finger at him and stating, "Brother."
Astro was trying his best not to let a laugh escape his mouth. The blonde bouncy curling hair only let out a giggle and a short 'Sorry.' Astro thought that was the end of it, but the awkwardness only continued when she directed her attention to him and Cora and suddenly asked if... they were a couple. Both the teens turned red, glancing at each other for only a second before turning away, and mumbling a short and soft reply, "No."
Light erupted behind the dark clouds for the thousandth time, illuminating the small city. Would she want to dance? If she said no, he would understand. It couldn't hurt to ask, right?
Suddenly his hand was in front of her.
The motion quickly bringing the surface girl out of her daze away from the people.
Her eyes focused on his hand then up to his face, her bright blue eyes locking with soft brown.
Astro felt his core spin a little faster. She was gonna say no. He could see it on her face. She was going to say no, push his hand away and say, 'thanks but no thanks, Metro City.'
It felt like forever as they stood there, looking at each other but only being seconds.
Then she unfolded her arms and instead of saying no, slipped her hand into his.
Astro stood there almost in shock. A part of him thought she wasn't going to take his hand, that she wouldn't want to dance with him. But he was proved wrong. In response, a smile tugged at the corner of lips.
A smile softened her face as Cora felt Astro's fingers gently encompass her hand. Turning towards the crowd, Astro only took two steps, and his boots contacted mud. Heavy wet droplets hit his spiky hair traveling onto his white t-shirt. Within seconds, his head and back were soaked. A deep warmth traveled through his body, till every nook and cavity warmed beneath his artificial skin.
He didn't mind getting dirty, though he could picture the look of horror on Orrin and his dad's face as he walked through the front door, asking what the heck happened to him. But he didn't care. At that moment, he didn't care as he looked back and saw Cora step out from under the samout and into the rain with him. It was worth it.
Pulling her with him through the crowd of couples, Astro found a spot where three other couples surrounded them but still had enough room for the two to still dance. No one looked at them, didn't look at her, didn't look at him. Almost... Almost as if they were invisible. Like it was just the two of them with the occasional accompany of rain and thunder. Almost.
Wait. What was supposed to happen now? Oh right, dance. And Astro had no idea how to dance or where to even start for that matter, as he stared at Cora with a complete loss of what to do. Her hair was already hanging limp with a few drops escaping out of the spiky ends.
A sudden lightning bolt danced across the sky, the thunder following close behind and was louder than ever before. As soon as Astro heard the thunder crack, the feeling of the vibration in his shoes, he jumped slightly. Cora jumped a few inches towards him, suddenly startled by the loud sound. She was closer to him now.
Her nose was inches from his, the same butterflies returning in the pit of his stomach from earlier and the day before that and the day before that. Cora felt her cheeks heat up and her pulse quickened.
Astro tried to think of old movies (Toby had seen) when the main characters would suddenly break into dance. He remembered the man would always have his hands around the girl's waist. He could do that. He could manage that.
He reached out, slowly at first towards her, until his arm wrapped around her waist. While grasping her other hand with his.
Then, they were dancing. Moving, slowly in circles, at first. But they were dancing. Cora was dancing. The smile on her face had grown till she was showing teeth. Gliding their feet through and over the mud, she felt her feet itch to move faster. They were dancing, creating their own rain dance. After dancing for a while, mud had been sprayed and splashed on both of them, the lower half of them was covered in filth.
Astro watched the other couples, trying to copy their moves. Simple moves, simple moves like a spin under his arm or spin her into his arms. Some moves they tried to do, like when he tried to dip her, the ground was a slippery mess, and his foot went out from under him resulting in a tangle of limbs, laughter, and mud.
After standing up and trying to wipe the mud off from his hands, Astro leaned down and offered Cora his hand. Her hand was slippery, and her feet almost slid out from underneath her. But Astro saw this and grabbed hold of her before she went down. Her hands landed on his shoulders.
Astro suppressed a laugh, mud was everywhere on her, mostly on her shoes and pants and was slowly creeping up on her shirt. Patches of mud were in her hair, on her face and on her neck. Cora narrowed her eyes, "What?" She sputtered.
"You're filthy."
Cora gasped dramatically, "No, really?"
He laughed.
When she heard this, she couldn't help but laugh as well, her sound mixing with the horned haired boy, "You should take a good look in the mirror yourself." And she was right. Though he couldn't see, she could see perfectly through the thick rain. Like her, his boots, pants and half his shirt were filthy. The bright red color could not be seen, not one inch. His once white shirt now covered, without mercy, in mud, most of it was thanks to her.
"Yeah," he said softly. His eyes captured hers, and for some reason she could not look away. His arms were still around her waist, her hands slowly worming their way around his neck. The mud on their clothes seemed to stick together, pulling them closer than they both thought possible.
Without thinking, Cora touched her wet forehead to Astro's, and closed her eyes. At first, Astro's eyes were wide, wondering what she was doing, but they slowly softened in understanding and eventually closed. He responded by tightening his arms around her and giving her head a gentle nudge back.
It wasn't long before something or a certain someone started to shake in his arms. He lifted his head. The poor girl has slight convulsions going throughout her entire body. She was shivering.
"Should we head?" Astro suggested this though he noticed pretty quickly it was time for them to go. The last thing he wanted was Cora to catch a cold or get sick.
"Yeah, that's probably smart." Cora said through chattering teeth.
"Probably?"
Cora was about to respond back when more shivers coursed through her body. Astro loosened his hold on her, and said, "Come on, let's go home."
There it is! Hope you guys liked this short story. Music inspires me so much. The scene where Astro just simply reaches his hand towards Cora asking her if she wants to dance, I pictured the song delicate to start playing and then when the beat drops and the tempo starts to pick up is when Cora takes his hand. ;[) I really like how it came out but tell me what you thought of it and what you liked. Good Night!