Copy, (An Astro Boy Story)

Chapter 6: Lifeless

Astro sat on the windowsill, looking out on the quiet, serene view of the city. All was calm and peaceful outside, but he himself was not.

His mind was whirling, his thoughts jumbled and disordered, tumbling through his brain at a rapid pace. His face was passive and emotionless but he was trembling lightly. Taking a shuddering breath he closed his eyes and hugged his knees tightly to his chest. He felt like he was going to cry. If he was human, he was positive he already would be crying.

Why? Why? Why did this have to happen to him? Why did Toby have to come back? Things had been so good. No, better than good. They had been wonderful. Perfect, even. His Dad had accepted him for who and what he was. Stone was gone, the city was safe, and everyone loved him. He was a hero! And Cora. Cora, she had kissed him! Actually kissed him! She didn't care he was a robot and she had kissed him.

But now, now all that seemed like a world away. Everything had changed and Astro felt like his whole world had been knocked off its hinges.

Just like last time.

Last time. Astro took in a shaky breath as all the memories came rushing back to him. How he had fallen out of the window, this very window, and found that he was no longer the boy he thought he was. He could fly, he could drill his way through solid rock, he was faster than a train—he wasn't normal. At the time, it had been cool. Now, Astro would give anything in the world to be normal. To be human.

And then he had come home. The memory of the look his father had given him when he returned that night would forever be etched into his brain and forever haunt him.

"You're not Toby. You're a copy of Toby and I don't...want you anymore."

The words were like a knife in his heart. Just thinking about them made him gasp for breath and squeeze his eyes shut as if to prevent tears he knew deep down would never physically be able to come. He wasn't wanted. He wasn't needed. He was just a copy, an imperfect copy of the original that was only here, on this earth, to serve its purpose and then be thrown out like a piece of trash. That's all he was good for.

No. No! He couldn't allow himself to think like that. His father loved him. He was sure of it. His Dad had promised. He had promised that no matter what happened, Astro would always be his son and he would always love him, robot or no. Toby's reappearance wouldn't change that. It couldn't change that.

But still he had to be sure. The pain, the doubt and the turmoil that had been running through him since that fateful moment when he had walked into the living room to see Toby on the couch was too much. He had to know for sure that his dad still loved him and wanted him. Because if not he...he wasn't really sure what he was going to do.

Taking a huge breath, Astro quietly got to his feet. As softly as possible, he slowly opened the window, glancing back at Toby as he did to make sure he didn't wake up. He didn't and Astro pushed the window open, gasping slightly as the cool breeze touched his face. He stared at Toby for a long moment, biting his lip. He looked so peaceful and angelic as he slept. So careless, so free. How he wished he could be like that again. How he wished he could have no worries, no pains. But he couldn't.

"You don't know how lucky you are," he whispered quietly to his sleeping twins form, holding the frame of the window sadly for support.

He stared at him for a long moment, unidentifiable feeling running through his robotic frame before turning and jumping out of the window, closing his eyes and letting himself fall. He savored the feel of the wind that met him. It felt so wonderful and freeing, like flying but not like flying. It was the exact opposite of flying and it too captivated him.