Weeks passed by, then the weeks became months and eventually the memory of Uran drifted away from Astro's mind. Professor O'Shay had taken Astro in as his own and sought to teach the android all about human life. The little android was fascinated by it all and his hunger for knowledge never wavered by the day.
The professor had started to run multiple tests on Astro, to see how well he would do with other humans and to better understand the full extent of Astro's abilities. On the greater scheme of things, this meant that Professor O'Shay had to call in multiple other scientist, robotists, and doctors to make sure that Astro performed admirably; but they had to swear an oath of secrecy to keep the thought of a human-like android out of the public gossip circles.
It still didn't stop the rumors though.
Many have them proven to be benign, from the common (the Ministry of Science is making a human android) to the rather outrageous (Doctor Tenma had somehow risen from the grave to revive his last project that will enslave all of humanity). Professor O'Shay had taken special care to make sure that Astro knew nothing about these rumors- the android had an innocence about him that was unlike any other, and the professor wanted to preserve it for as long as possible. One's innocence should not be treated like an experiment when, in nature, it is truly an experience to those who can endure the pain.
However, Astro was built to experience such pain, along with a whole spectrum of other emotions. The professor understood that he was protecting Astro like a child that was never allowed to see the outdoors. One night, Professor O'Shay had laid in his bed as he thought of why he would do such a thing when Astro was more than capable of handling himself; he was afraid. O'Shay was afraid of what the world would think of the android- would they accept him as human? Would they disown him for being so human but internally mechanical?
"What are you thinking about Professor?" Astro asked one day as O'Shay drifted into his thoughts. The professor snapped back to the real world and turned to look at Astro with a sudden awareness.
"Oh, Astro, it's only you." Professor O'Shay sighed comfortably. The android boy did not look as relaxed.
"Where you expecting someone else Professor?" Astro inquired.
"No, no." the professor told the almost worried android with a shake of his head. "I was simply… reflecting. That's all."
"Reflecting on what, Professor?"
O'Shay gave Astro a certain look before going into a little chuckle.
"Pull up the news report Astro." O'Shay then instructed. "Let's see what mischief the world is getting into today."
"Yes Professor." Astro agreed as he called a holographic monitor from a projector connected to the ceiling. The monitor gave off a static response before the picture began to clear to show a redheaded female newscaster.
"Hello and welcome to the Metro City News Network." She greeted happily. "My name is Kero Midorikawa, and I'll be presenting your three-thirty news this afternoon."
"A Purifier Unit was known to have broken down today, causing quite a bit of damage through the outer sections of Metro City. The Purifier Unit in question, known as Trigger to his family, had been showing signs of being on the brink of a serious malfunction earlier this week after a regular checkup."
The footage of Kero switched to an earlier piece of footage that showed a different girl, this one had a darker completion and she looked rather worried. The lower ticker of the video feed addressed her as Yuna Kiyoma, one of the owners of the rouge Purifier Unit.
"Trigger had been talking about feeling more sluggish that usual, but I didn't think it would escalade to this!" the woman said, sounding nervous as well. "I wonder if it had something to do with the robotist my sister and I took him too; the one we usually choose was out of town but Trigger was feeling a bit off before that."
"Who did you take the Purifier Unit to if your typical repair physician was out?" Kero asked from offscreen.
"A certain Fink fellow; Jeremiah? No… Albert…? I can't remember what his first name was at the moment."
The footage then changed back to current time and to Kero's face.
"As we speak, the local police are looking into the situation." Kero concluded.
"A malfunctioning robot is none of the police's concern." Professor O'Shay muttered. "Something like that should have been reported to the Ministry of Science."
"How come?" Astro curiously prodded.
"The malfunctioning robot for one." O'Shay told him. "Although it isn't uncommon for a Purifier Unit to feel a bit run down after a certain length of time before a scheduled tuning, there was no reason for him to go completely maverick after that. Whoever that 'Fink' person was tampered with the Purifier Unit- a case that would be closer looked at with the Ministry than what the police can accomplish. We have certain technologies and records they don't have, you see."
Astro nodded, almost understanding. Their conversation was then put on old as a red ticker ran across the screen and Kero started to become prominent once more.
"We have just received word that former Ambassador, Carrietta Zoran has died just a mere hour ago in downtown Metro City. The youngest of any Ambassador our country has seen thus far, and the first female to ever take the position, Carrietta was found in Old Metro Park with no clear signs of being attacked. She has survived through her only daughter, Sarann Chiiko Zoran-Uran (currently thirteen years old), who will be temporarily looked after by the eccentric Shunsaku Ban until a permanent decision is made on her new dwellings. There has been no report yet on times for the former Ambassador's funeral."
"Tu-turn the report off Astro." Professor O'Shay whispered before turning away. Looking at the professor with a curious tilt of his head, Astro did was he was instructed.
"Did you know her personally, Professor?" Astro asked. To the android's surprise, the professor shook his head.
"Then why are you so upset sir?"
The android's response was a still silence that he did not like.
"What about Sarann?" Astro then asked, starting to feel a bit annoyed that he wasn't getting a direct answer. "What will happen to her now?"
Professor O'Shay shrugged. "Her father should still exist somewhere."
"But what if they can't find him?"
"Then… I suppose… she'd go a foster home."
"They can't do that!" Astro exclaimed. "She'd be taken from everyone she knows!"
The professor only shook his head, helpless. An emotion that Astro had never felt before started to take over his system- it made things horrible and twisted. This new emotion that ran through his circus made him repeat the same phrase over and over again in his mind; it is not fair, it wasn't fair, it just isn't fair!
Without any other warning, Astro left for his bedroom that Professor O'Shay had provided for him while the professor only looked at the android dully.
There was nothing he could do, nothing at all. So why did he feel so bad about it?