Front Steps to the Ministry of Science, December 29th

. . .

News broadcasters from all over the world were in attendance as Professor O'Shay prepared to make one of the biggest speeches of the decade. Astro and Uran sat behind the podium as the professor's legally adopted children. Shunsaku Ban sat a chair away from Uran as an honorary uncle. All of them were there on behalf of Professor O'Shay as moral support- the news he had to give was important, and knowing the controversial history behind it made the old man more nervous than he had ever been before.

"We will now begin the program..." an announcer proclaimed through the speaker system, which then slowly made the crowd quiet down. "Please give your attention to presiding Minister of Science, Professor Orchanomizu O'Shay who will present today a new ordinance to be observed throughout the city."

"Greetings Metro City!" Professor O'Shay said into the podium's microphone. "As a new year comes upon us, we also greet a new ordinance that could one day make our city far greater than what it has ever been before! Fair people of Metro City, I propose to you the Robot Right Ordinance Act- with this act in effect, robots all around our city will share the same rights we do as humans. At the start of the new year, robots will be able to earn the same pay we do at workplaces, attend school with our children, they will be able to express their own developed opinions and theories that could further boost our great city into an even higher ground of respect and developmental progress."

"Professor O'Shay!" a reporter from the crowd suddenly shouted, "Professor O'Shay over here!"

The professor squinted to see where the reporter was before acknowledging him. "Yes, you over there, do you have a question?"

The reporter stood up so the professor could see him better- the hat that the reporter was wearing bore the logo of the Channel 8 News Network. "Professor O'Shay, several of us on the press understand that you adopted the young Sarann Uran-Zoran on December twenty-fourth."

"I do not see what this has to do with the subject we are gathered to learn about today, sir." Professor O'Shay told the reporter sternly. A pit quickly formed in Uran's stomach that almost made her sick, Astro picked up on this quickly and carefully took hold of her hand for support.

It's going to be okay, we're going to get through this together. No one will break us apart, no one will tear you down- not with me here. Promise. What could they want with you any way?

"I'm sure that you are aware that Sarann is not completely human." the reporter then announced. "For years many reporters have tried to decide how human Sarann really is… considering she has a robotic skeleton that takes up over twelve percent of her body at whole. Is this new ordinance put in place because of her more cybernetic pieces?"

"Never!" Professor O'Shay immediately shouted, unintentionally, as Shunsaku Ban and Astro did the same thing. Uran had a sudden feeling of wanting to cry.

"And what of the boy you adopted as well," the reporter went on to say, "The adoption paperwork claims that his name is Astro, but there are no record of such a boy at his age ever living in Metro City before. In fact, I believe that upon closer inspection, several members of this crowd could easily recognize him as the late Doctor William Tenma's son. Is he the same child, Professor O'Shay, despite the child would have been in his early twenties by now? Or is he something more? Is this child not a child at all Professor? Is this Astro the last creation of Doctor Tenma's that proved the Kokoro Theory? Well Professor, is this not a robot child that not only breaks many of our already recognized system, but also contains the very givens of being as human as we are?"

"How DARE you make such accusations toward these children!" Shunsaku Ban declared, pushing O'Shay out of the way from the podium, "Don't you see how PETRIFIED they are!?"

"But it would make perfect sense." a female reporter spoke up as she stood up- a broach on her shirt made it known that she was reporting for the science channel. "Reports of a secret project from the Ministry of Science have been accumulating since October. Too many of these reports all confirm something very akin to the Kokoro Theory. Are you denying these facts in favor of this new ordinance?"

"The Ministry never confirmed any of the rumors." Professor O'Shay said into the podium's microphone after pushing Shunsaku Ban out of the way again.

"They weren't denied either." the reporter for Channel 8 pointed out. Several members of the audience started to agree with this new idea of thought- some folks were starting to demand more questions. Professor O'Shay wiped his forehead as a beads of sweat started to form from stress while he attempted to answer as many questions as he could, but it wasn't long before it became too overwhelming. The professor also had to try to hold Shunsaku from attacking several audience members in the name of Uran and Astro.

Astro only stared at the mutiny. Everyone kept telling him how screwed he would be when the world found out that he was a very human robot- but he never could have imagined that it would have been this bad…

Beside him, Uran had gone into a state that was attempting not to freak out or cry while making a very upsetting whimpering sound. He looked over at her and instantly felt bad for her. What was going to happen to her if truth came out that she truly was more than just a human? Sure, some humans had robotic implants, but they weren't to the same degree as hers; normal implants don't contain the secrets to creating human robots.

Making a quick decision, Astro activated his rocket boosters and flew high above the scene, but still close enough so everyone could see him.

"I am a robot!" Astro shouted to everyone below, who all looked up at him. "I was created by Doctor Tenma after the death of his son Toby. He wanted me to be as human as possible- maybe even be a perfect copy. He gave me emotions, and right now, I don't want them! All this anger, and fear, and… and stubbornness to accept something new- it hurts me to think that I can't be accepted too.

"I go to school, just like any other kid. I've been going to school since I brought in the robot tamperer Skunk in to the police, and I've made friends. Real friends, only because they don't know that I'm a robot. And Uran… Uran is my sister. She helped bring me to life because of something Tenma did before he died- she couldn't have helped it because she didn't ask for it. I've never once wondered whether she wanted me or not, nor did I ever think that Professor O'Shay could have done something to her that would have hurt her to get me online. But… that doesn't matter! I wanted to help everyone- I wanted to protect everyone! Being here, as you all go around as if a nuclear bomb is going to explode, I don't know how I feel anymore. I… I almost feel more compelled to help everyone now, because it is obvious to me that you all need help. But I don't know where to start. How can I help a lot of people, when they don't even understand that maybe some robots can help them.

"I want to help..." Astro concluded. "But.. why…? Why won't you let me…? Why won't anyone listen long enough to realize that we can work together?!"

Finished, Astro slowly landed back on the stage with his head hung low. The world watched as the little android just stood there, and watched as a single tear fell down the side of his face to land right next to his red boots. It was then that the entire world realized that this little android, looking like a normal thirteen year old boy, was more human in that second than what they had been ten minutes prior.

It was in that moment that the fight for robotic freedom had just began.