Fan Fic....Dueling Walkies

[dannavy85]

Dueling Walkies
An Astro / Atlas boy fan fiction
By Dan
© Astroboy 1980, Tezuka Productions. All rights deeply respected.

Chibitsu Suburb
New Shinjuku
2010

Astro knocked on the door and closed his eyes as he peaked inside his little sister’s noisy room. “Hey can you turn that down a little?” He shouted as he pointed a thumb down to the ground.

Zoran was sitting on her bed reading. She grabbed the remote to her player and muted the screaming music. “You need something?”

“Yeah. I was wondering if you wanted to go walkies with me this weekend. I know we haven’t done anything together in a while and I didn’t want you to think I was starting to ignore you.”

Zoran huffed and threw a hand around. “Like it’s going to kill me. I know what you’ll do on your “walkies thing”, nothing but stupid boy stuff that I a sophisticated girl hasn’t got the time for.”

Astro walked up and took a seat on the edge of her bed. “Even for Atlas? I’m going to ask him to come along. You know how you drive me crazy with all the huggie, huggie woo’ing you do when his name comes up.”

Zoran shook her head. “I just happen to have my weekend all planned out, you are way too late. I’m going with my friends Mimi and Rhikoni from school to see that new Disney movie, then we’re going to have a slumber party at Mimi’s house then we’re going to cruise the big Sotetsu mall in Minami with Rhikoni’s parents on Sunday. All of that is so way better than hanging around two confused boys who’ll spend more time arguing about which is the better half.” Zoran clicked her music back up to thundering and shooshed Astro from her room.

“Well gee…see if I ever invite you anywhere sis.” Astro turned around and bumped into Doctor O’Shay’s secretary and her robot Ostrich Momo.

“I came to remind you of the list of things Doctor O’Shay was asking from you this weekend.” Miss Emi said as she pulled out her pocket computer.

Astro stood smiling and rocking on his tip toes. “Done….done….done….lawn cut and done, car washed and done….done, done….inventory done and done.”

“You must think you’re a real wise guy huh?” Miss Emi replied snorting.

Astro adjusted his backpack and raised a finger. “Next time? Tell the doctor he shouldn’t e-mail me the list so early if he wanted me to stay around the house. And tell him I’m not turning on my radio or my tracker chip…I wanna go walkies and I’m going walkies and if he wants to find me? Send a dog sled team.”

Momo pecked his head for spite, causing Astro to run out of the house with his arms flailing. “Ouch! Watch it you crazy wind up toy!”

Minutes later
Old Nissan Car Plant

In the past year, Atlas Boy had given up his title as “supreme Mega-brat” of New Shinjuku. Gone were his days of “Adolescent Terrorism” sparked by vandalism of every description, harassing and threatening humans with violent destruction of their cherished possessions and the tantrums of cursing and fist shaking about the every minute “stupidity” of the human race.

Nope, the brooding red skinned and yellow haired bot had discovered two diversions from his norm…Internet forums and books. He still railed against incompetent humanity, wanted nothing to do with them and deeply distrusted them…only now he wasn’t risking being chased by the cops.

He didn’t give Astro any mind even as he stood with his body half exposed through the trap door in Atlas’s little hide-a-way. But after a while the gentle happy smile began to burn a pit into Atlas’s head…

“What?!” The red bot snorted in discomfort. “Don’t you have something to do? Go save some old laddy’s cat or something….dork.”

Astro pulled himself up and sat on the floor. “I just came by to see if you wanted to go walkies with me this weekend.”

Atlas frowned. “What? Walkies? Are you talking stupid again?”

“No.” Astro replied. “What are you planning to do? I guess you’ll just sit here by yourself blogging as usual. Why not come out and get some exposure, go see some things….kinda live a little?”

Atlas closed his book and scoffed. “Because you make me sick, I don’t feel like it and you’ll shove your typical human loving phrases down my throat.”

“A poor excuse.” Astro replied cheerfully. “I was willing to pay your whole way you know. I’m on the youth hostile program so I get food and lodging for free. I bet you’ve never been to Kodaima City before, you’d be surprised.”

“I’m perfectly fine right here.” Atlas snorted. “And unlike you I’m less likely to get myself in a fix. You on the other hand have a streak of dumb luck winding up on repair tables after getting hit by things. Besides, I find being with you a little boaring.”

Astro chuckled. “Ok then. Sit here and moap, I had to be kind enough to ask.” Astro turned his back. “Oh yeah…Kodaima has a small robot college and I hear the girl-bots are real dolls but since you don’t care I’ll drop em a hello for you.”

Astro walked really slow, pausing a minute or two and counting quietly to himself, waiting for the inevitable clumping sound of boots frantic to catch up. A block after the old car plant he wasn’t disappointed. “I know you’d change your mind.”

Atlas came up behind Astro wearing a backpack, a pull over blue hoodie with yellow TMFD (Tokyo Municipal Fire Department) letter covering the front and a red ball-cap. “I bet it was the thing about the college.”

“Wrong!” Atlas snorted in reply. “I….decided to keep you from trouble that’s all. A gullible human trusting bot like you would be such an easy target by himself in a big city.”

Astro smiled. “I can surely take care of myself if that’s not too obvious.”

“Oh sure….” Atlas replied pursing his lips. “Like the time I had to snatch your leg to keep you from becoming street pizza?”

“I ran out of fuel. Go ahead, make a big deal out of it again if it tickles your superiority button.”

“I didn’t think you’d be so careless.” Atlas replied smirking. “I think you actually did that on purpose to see if I’d save you or not.”

“I did not! I was just so busy that I didn’t bother keeping track. It was bewildering though that you cared.”

Atlas stopped short of crossing the street to the train station and smirked confidently. “I didn’t want my main rival to be destroyed in such a simple manor that’s all. To be cheated out of the chance to one day face you in superheated combat? I would be so annoyed!”

Astro giggled. “There you go again. Your posing brings out your Ah-nald Dork-en-ator so well.”

“Shut up!” Atlas replied as he took a swipe at Astro’s head. “let’s not waste the whole afternoon standing here.”

Tokushinsan Line
4pm Express toKodaima

It was a crowded car, why not since it was the end of the work day. Astro and Atlas shared a pole to cling to on the way to Kodaima and while Astro wasn’t bothered by the sardine like existence, Atlas’s fidgeting and scowling showed obvious annoyance.

“We could have flown there.” The red bot said as he hugged the pole closer as more people got into the car.

“Why waste the energy?” Astro replied. “Besides, it’s a nice way to get around and how else can you learn to deal with humans if you stay away from them all the time?”

Atlas frowned. “Well if these humans keep closing in on me, I’ll show you how…”

Astro grabbed a wrist when Atlas tried to throw an elbow jab. “You need to relax and stop thinking every human’s got some silly laser cannon and a grudge.”

“What?” Atlas snorted. “I don’t…”

“It’s kind of obvious.” Astro replied. “Do you really think every human’s looking to turn you into a soup can or something?”

Atlas pursed his lips. “Always be ready. I think “you” said that once?”

“I didn’t mean be ready to turn a train car into a smoking wreck.” Astro replied as the train entered the suburbs of Kodaima.

“So….what’s the big deal about this city since you’ve been fawning over it for like the last half hour?”

“Can’t you wait till we’re there?” Astro replied.

“I’m crazy with anticipation. Or does my obvious frown tell you what I really think?”


part 1

[dannavy85]

Rhikotsuke Station
Kodaima City

The two bots squeezed their way out of the packed train car and found a refuge from the stampeding horde of after work travelers near a row of vending machines.

“Wanna drink?” Astro asked Atlas.

“If it’s not natural oil, I’m not drinking.”

Astro passed a can of lubricating oil out of a machine. “Grade A.”

Atlas watched as Astro popped the top off a can of fruit juice. “Duh? What’s that?”

“Peach drink.”

Atlas gave a snort. “You’re weird. What possible benefit can you get from that?”

“The taste.” Astro replied as he took a sip.

“Totally irrelevant. We don’t need to experience tasting, the liquid provides no value, totally pointless.” Atlas said as he started walking.

“Giggles”….”You really need to get out more.” Astro laughed.

“I am right.” Atlas said. Both boy bots walked through a small Ginza under the station, browsing the passing windows till one caught Atlas’s eyes. “Ah!” The red bot sounded surprised as he glued himself to the window of a toy store. “Now there’s a nice collection toy!”

Astro smirked. “The fire engine?”

“Duh! What else super Einstein? That happens to be the latest hot off the factory, Matchbox collection edition, 1985 Mack Mark 3, heavy chassis, Centurion Fire engine.”

Astro smiled watching Atlas salivate over the shiny metal toy. “I’ve never seen any toys in that dump you call a home.”

“They’re in another room where you can’t touch them! I happen to know that you’re not kind to your toys.”

“I’m sure Reno says I’m too heavy handed.” Astro said as he leaned against the wall. “Where will you get the money? It’s not like you’re leaking Yen everywhere.”

Atlas stopped before the stairs leading to the outside. “Hmph….I’m not to ashamed to find…useful employment.”

“You got a paper route? Well will the wonders never cease!” Astro replied gleefully. “So which one is it? The Asahi Shinbun? The Tokyo Standard?”

“Are you joking?” Atlas said pursing his lips. “I don’t need to tell you. All you need to know is it’s all legal.”

As they walked out onto the streets surrounding the train station, Atlas seemed instantly happy. “Well this is a surprise. I never expected so many trees. You walk through Tokyo or Yokohama and the greenery is sorely lacking.”

“Did I tell you the mayor’s a robot?”

Atlas smirked. “Hmph! It would take a robot to realize the importance of such things as trees. Humans never give em a pause.”

Astro smirked. “You sure have a lot to get used to. Mister Konoi****a makes “environmental balance” a priority. And he doesn’t have to be a fist shaking tyrant to get the humans to follow him.”

Atlas stopped to look at a fountain. “Humans need 24 hour surveillance. I’m quite sure that behind the Mayors happy façade is a stressed out, power surging robot who asks the same question we all do….Humans! ARRRRRGH!”

“Always dramatic.” Astro said sarcastically. “Be honest Atlas, the only reason you snipe so much about humans is because if you couldn’t? You’d get board silly.”

The boys stood at a map kiosk looking for something to occupy their time for the afternoon. Atlas tapped his lips as he thought deeply. “Don’t you get tired? I mean between catching crooks, snatching J-Walkers, tackling pick pockets and rescuing your school friends from who knows what stupid things they do…don’t you think humans need to be coddled and cared for? Heck, why did they build us in the first place?”

Astro giggled…”Rock em Sock em Robots?”

“There! You get it but you treat my concerns like their jokes, no wonder I sometimes feel like….ugh….you know you make me want to practice auto body on your chassis?”

Astro smiled. “Wanna play paint ball?”

“Huh?”

“Wujimayan Paint ball park.” Astro pointed to the map. “A less destructive way of satisfying your bully cravings.”

Atlas frowned. “You’re trying to annoy me.”

Astro rocked on his feet. “Always. Come on…” The boys ran down the street towards the paint ball park.

part 2

[dannavy85]

Central bank of Tokyo
Kamabushin City
5 miles west of Kodaima

There’s no flashy moves, no stupid little notes, no quiet “Hi, I’m here to make a withdrawal, do you like my little pistol?” chit chat with one of the nice tellers behind the counter. No…just a blast to the ceiling when the doors fly off their hinges makes enough of a first impression.

“KABOOM! GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE, IT’S YOUR FAVORITE TAX COLLECTOR!” Skunk yelled as he walked through the shattered swinging doors with a big rifle in his hands. ‘DO I HAVE TO TELL YOU PEOPLE WHAT TO DO?! HIT THE FLOOR!” “KABOOM!”

The terrified customers dove for cover as glass fell from the hole above their heads. “Shorty!” Skunk called for his stumpy henchman, who was trying to talk to a college girl after busting up her pocket texter. “Shory…we don’t have time for your romantical interludes.”

“Sorry boss!” Shorty ran up thumped his chest. “Got some one ya need busting up?”

Skunk pointed to a lone shivering skinny suit wearing man behind a desk. “Take laughing boy over there and kindly get the safe open?”

While Shorty terrorized the poor bank agent to open the safe in the back, the taller and more brutish of the trio was looking outside at the street. “Hey boss? Don’t you think we made too loud an entry? The cops will be here in a few minutes?”

Skunk smiled evilly. “Hunk? Why the heck do you have that cannon hanging off your back? Don’t tell me it’s a Christmas ornament.”

The big lug pulled the large rifle off his back and held it. “You haven’t told me what it can do yet.”

Skunk rolled his eyes. “Cheese, I should have gone to a better temp agency I guess.”

Shorty called from the back of the bank. “I got the vault open!”

“Wonderful!” Skunk said back. “Now set a table and we’ll have tea and maruzan biscuits!”

“What?”

“Put the money in the bags you knucklehead!” Skunk yelled as he slapped his head. “By the time we get this done they’ll have the army camped out in the street!”

Suddenly, but as expected, police sirens sounded as Shorty was pulling two heavy duffle bags full of cash out into the lobby. Skunk pushed him back as he and Hunk stood to the sides of the bank doors. “Now I’m going to show you what my new gun does. HEY COPS! IS INSPECTOR NOBUTA THERE?!”

Skunk was smiling as if the whole thing was a TV Comedy. Outside a short, sort of plumpish man came forward from the line of officers. He was slightly balding and his cheeks were covered in freckles. “THIS IS NOBUTA! IS THAT YOU SKUNK?!”

“WHO’D YOU THINK IT WAS DUMPLING! I SEE YOUR WIFE STILL OVERFILLS YOUR TROUGH!”

Skunks pals laughed hysterically. “SO TELL ME OOPA LOOMPA, ANY NEW CANDY FROM THAT WANKAVATOR AT YOUR HOUSE YOU FAT…”

As he expected, Skunk heard the inspector lash out with a torrent of curses and watched as his arm pointed towards the bank. “CHARGE!!!”

“Here they come boss!”

“Hunk…you may shoot the gun now.” Skunk waved his hand and watched his big companion level the oversized rifle at the charging horde of police.

The spherical rounds came forth from the muzzle, flew threw the air and exploded amidst the charging police in bursts of….

Gunk?

Yes….Gunk. It covered the police, it covered their cars, it covered the street. A rapid fire mess of brown sticky goo that got into gun barrels, radios, car engines, police belts, whistles, sirens and left poor Inspector Nobuta pinned against a light pole.

Skunk sauntered forth with his two companions behind him and tweaked the poor Inspector’s nose. “How do you like this? After all my dear Nobuta it’s something sweet you like to eat.”

Shorty poked a puddle with his finger and tasted it. “What the? Maple syrup boss?”

“Please…” Skunk said smirking. “That’s too weak. It’s just your average grade A Molasses. Got the idea from the web. In 1908 there was a huge tank full of hot Molasses in downtown Boston that cracked in half, people there dubbed it the great Molasses flood, wonderful story, took em a month to clean the mess.”

Skunk patted Nobuta’s head. “Have fun and tell you wife I said hi.”

Nobuta screamed his head off. “SKUUUUUUUNK!”

Wujimayan Paint ball park
Mid-afternoon

Atlas leaped over a cylinder and rolled till he was sitting flat up against a recess in a square block. He blew a puff of air from his mouth and looked around the area. “You are obviously better at this than me.” He thought.

“I did tell you, you can use all your senses right?” Astro’s voice came back. “Had to give you a little handicap you know.”

Atlas smirked. “I’m still better than you though. I got you four times already!”

“I did that so you wouldn’t get upset.” Astro replied giddishly. “I hope you’re finding the humans….”SPLAT!”

Atlas frowned. “You got hit again didn’t you?”

“A lucky shot. I’m not good at picking out the snipers.”

Atlas paused quickly to send two paintballs into the side of a careless teenager. “Thanks for letting me use my sensors. I thought humans were crafty?”

A sudden push on his head made Atlas wince. “Guess what?”

“You got hit by a crafty human?”

“I was talking out loud.”

“So much for the superior being that you are!” “giggles”.

Atlas smirked. “As the humans so aptly put it……bite me.”

part 3

[dannavy85]

An hour later
Downtown

Astro stood patiently while Atlas slowly scanned over a tourist map. “Found anything interesting?”

“A couple of fire stations. I’d like to see what kind of gear they have.”

“We have all day Saturday. It’s almost dinner time.” Astro looked over Atlas’s shoulder. “We could go meet a friend of mine near the college. It’s a pizza house and if you really want to get a good idea about humans that’s about the best place.”

Atlas frowned. “First off, I don’t need to eat. You really take this mimicry of humans to an absurd level and second….”

Atlas suddenly pushed Astro aside and blasted off the ground in a cloud of whipped up dust and dirt, leaving his partner to cough and wave his hands in stunned amazement. “Cough!” What the heck?! “cough, cough….” As he stumbled from the cloud, Astro saw Atlas landing a block away clasping a man by the strap of a safety harness.

“What are you a stupid lunatic?!” Atlas was cursing the poor man out as he sat shivering. “Gee…I wonder what this lanyard is for?...I know…IT’S TOO KEEP STUPID HUMANS FROM GOING SPLAT! YOU MUST BE THE BIGGEST IDIOT….”

Astro snatched Atlas from behind and spun him around. “What are you doing?!”

“Dufuss here was walking up on that steel frame without his safety lanyard hooked up. They make these for your own good you stupid idiot!”

Just then another Iron worker walked up and pushed Atlas off his feet. “Who do you think you are robot?!”

“You must be his supervisor, Ima Stupidcreep! Maybe you need a….”

Astro snatched Atlas off his feet and held him over a shoulder with an iron grip. “Sorry, he’s new in the hero business.”

“PUT ME DOWN! PUT ME DOWN! DON’T MAKE EXCUSES FOR THAT STUPID BAG OF FAT! SOMEONE LOCK HIM UP! HE VIOLATED THE SAFETY LAWS!”

Astro carried Atlas down the street and into a park where he nimbly flipped his irate rival into a public fountain. “SPLASH!”

“Cool off hot head! Sheesh, your bed side manor needs some work.”

“Why do you make excuses for them?” Atlas snorted as he sat in the water. “You never make them responsible for what they do.”

“Well I don’t make a public scene and act like a jerk any way.” Astro replied. “You can make them own up to their mistakes without pulling a baseball bat out of your quick tempered head, what good did that just do?”

Atlas stood up and poked Astro’s chest. “And what do you think would have happened if I did it your way. “Yawn….back to work….ARGH!....SPLAT!” Humans don’t listen to “goody goody weakling talk.” Or have you been living in a cave all your life?”

Atlas climbed out and started wringing the water from his clothes. “This….is why we have to be more stern with humans and not let them skip willy nilly all over the Earth. It’s a wonder they all haven’t jumped off a cliff like a bunch of dumb lemmings yet.”

Astro grabbed an arm and held up his other as the hand morphed and vanished, startling Atlas. “What are you doing?!”

“I’m drying you off you big baby.” Astro replied as he waved the heat from his arm rocket around Atlas’s body. “You keep up like this and you’ll burn up your circuits.”


part 4

[mr skunk]

Excellent writing! I like the whole "sarcastic rivalry" thing you got going between Astro and Atlas. They're chemistry as characters works very well. And I LOVE the scenery! I know it's a weird observation but that's what really sticks with me. And of course the scene with Skunk was devine, especially his new "gun." Only Skunk would think up something like that. Poor Nobuta!

Please continue!

[tonigirl1000]

Thanks Dannavy85, love the story, hugs

[dannavy85]

Atlas ran a hand through his hair. “Come on. You can’t possibly tell me that not once have you ever thought like I do, not one single time?”

Astro finished drying Atlas off and stood adjusting his backpack. “A hundred times, believe me. I mean you know how many times I’ve pulled humans from burning houses only to find out they set the couch or bed on fire with a lit cigarette. Then there was this one guy I stopped from crashing his car off a cliff. What did I find in his visor? A slip from a car shop warning he needed the brakes fixed.”

Astro walked up to a swing set and sat down. “Oh yeah, I’d sometimes think my brain was on fire just thinking of all the dumb things I’ve seen humans do.”

“Then why don’t you agree with me?” Atlas snorted. “I know what your problem is, you’re totally infatuated with em! You wear the “hip” outfits, listen to the “cool” music, “hang” with your pals and suck down ice cream all day long.”

Both boy bots swung back and forth till Astro stopped. “And you think that by keeping humans under our protection 24 hours a day will fix the problem? Good luck. Humans are freedom loving beings, they’ll home run your head if you keep em tied up 2 seconds! You can’t restrict them, you can’t program them and you sure as Willy can’t lock em in a room for very long.”

Atlas pursed his lips. “Aren’t they hypocrites. They make all these laws, rules and regulations just to bust every one of them. Illogical, ill tempered, animal morons.”

Astro smiled. “You’re good with words.”

“I read dictionaries.” Atlas said as he stood up. “I don’t hate them, much as you may think. I do take into account that if it were not for their tiny amount of brilliance, you and I would not exist, I give them that.”

Astro started walking. “And…what if only robots walked the Earth? I think it be totally lame. I haven’t seen a single fun thing a robot has yet invented. We’re still so painfully analytical.”

Atlas fussed. “No baseball….no cool fire engines….an orderly, logical and outrageously bland existence.”

Astro smirked. “No Ice Cream.”

“That would suck.” Atlas replied.

Skunk’s hide out
Outskirts of Kodaima

“Wait a minute?” Shorty huffed as he recounted his earnings. “You took more of the take boss! How fair is that?!”

Skunk calmly shook a finger. “I made the big gun, I planned the heist, I get more money…just consider me the CEO of this operation . Besides, we need to save some seed cash for bigger stuff. Didn’t you take home-ec in school? Didn’t you have no bringing up?”

“My mother was a tyrant and I didn’t like to wear those silly school aprons. I totally sucked at sewing.”

All of them laughed. “I failed art class myself.” Skunk said as he threw a table full of Yen bills into a canvas bag. “Once again I find myself looking for a really big score, you know the front page, grand slam…”

Shorty huffed. “Super wedgee from that plastic brat.”

“Don’t mention that little…..don’t worry, I have a plan for him that will seal his fate once and for all.”

Hunk smirked. “Yeah sure boss. If I remember the last time, it was you stuck to an oversized lollypop.”

“The kid’s got a real sense of humor for a robot.”

“You even squeak his name Shorty and I’ll shoot you to the freeking moon.” Skunk warned.

“Boss, you’ve been making ideas of do’in away with Astro and every time he ends up chump’in you.” Hunk said as he watered a lollypop in his mouth. “Face it, you should stick to smaller stuff that don’t trigger his funny bone and he’ll pay no attention to yah.”

Skunk sat cleaning dirt from his fingernails. “Real bright talk there Hunk, heck we should just give up and flip burgers for a living…you big clutz!”

Hunk tried to dodge the paperweight Skunk threw at him and fell over backwards, chair and all, into a trashcan. The noise of the symphonic mess he created caused Skunk and Shorty to grit their teeth.

“Move the trashcan?”

Irukia-cho College District
Late afternoon

The boys scrambled out of the trolley, across a wide street and under the nearest awning as rain poured on them from above. “I should have packed an umbrella!” Astro screamed.

“It’s rain!” Atlas snorted. “Only you would run!”

“These are my nicest clothes!” Astro snorted as he slid under the awning while Atlas casually walked.

“You forget…we have built in dryers.” Atlas said confidently as he started blowing himself dry. “So where’s this eating place?”

Astro pointed to the doorway on the next building. Atlas looked puzzled over the sign.

“Sneakers Pizza” “A touch of pine, your life with dance with joy.”

“Tell me they can’t be this dumb?” Atlas asked. “They call it “Sneakers”, where does the pine come in? uh…..”

Astro patted him on the shoulder. “Don’t try…I gave up long ago.”

Atlas laughed and shook his head. “And these…..run the world?”

Astro stopped just short of the door. “Two things Atlas? Don’t start fights and please…please….please? Don’t stand around with a killer look on your face? Smile?”

Atlas huffed. “Ok…if it amuses you, fine.”

They both walked down the wood panel stairs, hearing the crowded noise below in the restaurant and the equally loud music from a J-Rock radio station, and came to the small foyer where an attendant stood behind a podium dressed in a vaudeville looking outfit. Astro dropped a wadded ball of Yen from his back pocket and pulled Atlas behind him into the crowded dinner floor.

A girl quickly snatched him up in a hug. “I knew you’d drop by here sooner or later!”

“Yeah, I had to wait so I could drag him with me.” Astro said as he thumbed to Atlas. “Atsuki, this is Atlas.”

The girl wore art decorated jeans, a Ghost in the Shell anime blue t-shirt and seemed overly sprinkled in glitter. The squeal alone caused Atlas to cringe. “Oooooo! Isn’t he adorable! He looks like Hot Stuff!” She ran her hands across his hair and that made poor Atlas flail…

“Du…ahhh! Don’t touch my hair! She’s crazy!”

“Relax!” Astro asked as he grabbed a hand. “He’s kinda new to crowds.”

“Crowds my eye! She’s nuts!”

Atsuki laughed. “He’s blushing!”

“I am not!” Atlas said defensively. “That’s a human emotion I’m not capable of.”

“He looks just like you.” The girl said as she pointed.

“I do not! Are you blind or something?”

Astro gave Atlas a little push. “I’m gonna introduce him to some pizza, be right back.” Grabbing a hand, Astro led Atlas to a table full of pizzas. “You really need to learn how to mingle.”

Astro cut a slice off a pie and handed it to Atlas. “Try it.”

“This is a….”

“I know…”It’s a worthless activity.”….but while you’re here you do what the Romans do.”

Atlas struggled with the hot dripping cheese. “It’s all gooey and slimy.”

“Fold it like this and take a bite.” Astro folded the slice and watched as Atlas chewed a good portion of it.

“I don’t see what the big deal is.”

“You got a lot to learn.” Astro said smirking. “Well just eat a few slices and get to know a few humans. If I see you standing by yourself or trying to leave, I’ll tie you up and use you as a pinyata.”

Astro pushed Atlas away and walked back to Atsuki. “Is he allright?” She asked concerned.

“Yeah….as long as he doesn’t destroy the disco ball he’s tame.” Astro took a seat and slowly worked his pizza slice. “I’m trying to get him to enjoy food.”

Atsuki watched Atlas mill around. “Here’s not as fearsome as I heard.”

“Not like he used to be.” Astro replied. “I think it’s because he was so lonely and he couldn’t find any robots that shared his thoughts. He’s still not comfortable with humans.”

“So when are you coming our way? I heard you got an invite from the entrance committee?”

Astro gobbled cheese from his fingers. “Uh…I wanna finish Middle School first. I still haven’t decided what I want to do. Maybe I’ll go to work wearing an orange vest and flashing a stop sign, whatcha think?”

“Nah….you’re not plump enough.”

Atlas meanwhile drifted about the crowd, listening to the back and forth conversations and wondering how to join in, when he came up to one human with oddly spiked black hair talking to another character, obviously a robot with off color synthetic skin. He tilted his head questionably as he studied the student’s hair.

Part 5

[tonigirl1000]

Thanks, love the friendly threat Astroboy gave Atlas, thought Atlas was going to ask Astroboy when the army he would need to do that would arrive. Thanks and hugs

[dannavy85]

“Is that a mating sort of signal?” Atlas blurped.

The other robot laughed. “No…it’s a fad, things humans do to fit in, you know…feel a part of a group.”

The spiked haired kid stuck out a hand. “Name’s Hirada, this is Bingo from applied physics. What do you major in?”

Atlas pursed his lips. “Nothing. I really don’t understand why robots need to attend a school. Don’t you find it a waste of time when you could just “plug in” and get what you want?”

Bingo shrugged. “I go for the company, I mean sure there’s the Net and computers but it’s different being among others. You learn so much more.”

Atlas frowned. “What if no one likes you? I’m sure not everyone in “school” likes you.”

“You go look for people who do.” Hirada said. “You can’t live in a box all your life worrying if the girl behind the fast food stand told you to take a flying leap.”

Atlas smirked. “What’s a “flying leap”?”

Hirada chuckled and slapped Atlas’s back. “You’re new huh? Let me show you around.”

Castle Yominada Museum
Early evening
Cho-Kodake suburb
Kodaima

Skunk seemed to be struggling under his breath for an obvious reason, he was trying to steady himself on Hunk’s shoulders while laboring to push Shorty up to a window above. “Damn it! You need to lose some weight!”

“I told you to get a ladder boss!” Shorty snapped back. “You have to do everything the impossible way?”

“That’s not the point!” Skunk huffed. “Grab the window sill and pry the thing open already! I disengaged the stupid alarm now get going!”

Shorty slammed his crow bar into the bottom of the window and broke the locking catches on top with a quick jolt. “Alright it worked!”

A struggle and some kicking, mostly to Skunks face which caused him and Hunk to fall over onto each other, Shorty sat on the window sill smiling.

“Ok, now go open the side door and we’ll finish this job up.” Skunk whispered loudly. “We have to grab 2 Piccaso paintings from the South wing.”

Shorty waved, flipped himself around and landed onto the hard wood floor…

And the alarms went off like mad! “I thought you disabled the alarm boss!”

“SH**!” Skunk screamed. “They must have trip alarms on a separate circuit! Get out of there!”

Shorty leaped for the window sill but screamed in frustration. “I’m too short! Throw the rope! THROW THE ROPE!”

Hunk snatched up the black rope from the ground and tossed it through the open window. He and Skunk gave it one good pull and out flew Shorty like a rocket! The collision turned the three criminals into a twisted pretzel of limbs.

“REEEEEETREAT YOU KNUCKLEHEADS!” Skunk yelled as he ran across the wide lawn of the museum and down the street.

“Why don’t we just stick to simple stuff next time boss!” Hunk yelled out.

“Stiffle it you oversized excuse for a bus boy!” Skunk snarled angrily as he batted Hunk and Shorty with his hat. “With half-wits like you it’s a wonder we ain’t starving!”

Sneakers Pizza

“LEFT!RIGHT!FRONT!BACK! LEFT! LEFT! BACK! FRONT FRONT!!” The crowd around the Dance Revolution game yelled out as fast as they could keep up as Astro’s legs flew around the pad! It was the fastest song they could find and the little robot was screaming through, nailing every arrow on the arrow.

“Hmph! Show-off” Atlas remarked with a huff. He’d found a table where a lively debate was going back and forth about humans mistrusting robots and the reverse, three robot students were pushing points and counters against three humans…

“Bah!” Atlas snorted as he pointed to one of the students. “You humans have a problem because your stupid movies pump up the whole fear climate! You’ve been doing it for a hundred years now, Robocop, Terminator, Run-a-ways, 2001 a Space Odyssey. How about that Bionic Woman episode with the world killer computer! I’m surprised you haven’t created a deviant, perverted, serial killing, pick pocketing, beer drinking robot movie!”

“Actually we have…it was called Future-rama” One student remarked.

One of the robot students, a 1950’s comic book looking bot named Virgo, pointed a mechanical finger. “There’s never been a basis in history of robots hurting humans, not one.”

“2008, a man in Australia built a suicide robot to end his life.”

“That was a stupid R/C toy with out a sentient brain!” Another robot said. “Now you’re trying to reach!”

Atlas was enjoying this, a real back and forth debate, a nose to nose, knock down mental brawl and he felt the robots were winning! As he got ready to throw something else at the conversation though, his eyes caught a solitary figure at one table reading a book? All this noise and she was doing homework or so he thought as he excused himself from the debate and slowly walked over to her.

She was a robot, that was obvious by the light reflecting off her skin. She was wearing a cream white top with puffy short sleeves, her gold hair flowed from the top of her head neatly behind her. He looked at the title of the book and smiled…

“Emerson?” He said as he pointed.

“Yes.” She replied. “Do you read Emerson?”

Atlas nodded. “I….don’t read many books but nothing brings out the wisdom of Emerson better than the plain paper. I think he speaks a lot of wisdom we robots could learn from.”

The girl reached into her book bag and pulled out another book. “Do you read Troya?”

Atlas took the book. “I’ve only read small parts of things Troya wrote. I’m Atlas.”

“Vivian.” The girl said smiling. “I saw you come in with your dancing friend.”

Atlas smirked. “He’s not my friend. We’re just hanging out this weekend because there wasn’t anything going on in New Shinjuku. So….you’re a student?”

“A freshman. I’m majoring in journalism. You’re not a student?”

Atlas raised a finger. “Majoring in stressing out humans, driving him nuts and pointing out the inherent stupidity of the human animal.”

“Interesting.” Vivian said as she rested her head on a hand. “Any major discoveries?”

Atlas giggled. “If you count them waiting till they’re crying and dancing because they don’t know when to go to the bathroom? Plenty.”

The two of them giggled together as the evening wore on.

10pm
The mini-train to Tokoshima

They sat silent together for most of the trip. Astro seemed to have the courage to bust up the crickets but sat back nibbling on crackers instead. The strange, almost doeish look on Atlas’s face intrigued him.

“Did you enjoy the monkey prancing?” Atlas blurted out suddenly.

“Huh?” Astro replied a little wide eyed.

“Did you enjoy looking like a fool? Dancing like that, it makes you look stupid.”

Astro pursed his lips. “At least you were talking to people. That’s a good start for you. So.. any good conversations?”

“Hmph! Just typical humans complaining about the same dumb thoughts about us.” Atlas said. “I will say I did….enjoy the pizza a little.”

Astro smiled. “That’s great. You’re catching on, I told you places like that get infectious.”

11:30pm
The Youth Hostel
Tokoshima

Astro came out of the bathroom pulling his P.J. top over his head. “Do you need anything before bed?”

Atlas was wearing light blue “footsie Jams” and his red ball-cap as he sat up on his futon bed reading a book. “No.”

Astro came walking over and sat close, his smile becoming troublesome as Atlas tried to ignore it. “What?” He said with a moan.

“Well? Did you make a date?” Astro said gigglishly. “The girl you were sitting with?”

“What are you spouting off about?” Atlas snorted. “She has a similar interest I find fascinating.”

Astro leaned on Atlas. “That’s it?”

“Get off me!” Atlas snarled as he pushed. “Stop being a jerk.”

“But that’s it? Just a mutual interest?” Astro said with a toothy grin. “Same color hair…come on Atlas, it’s more than that.”

Atlas crossed his arms and scowled. “It’s none of your business anyway. I may be built like you with the same parts but I’m not easily confused by the silly emotions you so like to emulate.”

Astro walked back to his futon and started making kissing noises.

“Shut up!” Atlas snarled. “I’ll start pounding you!”

“Ok…ok…” Astro said waving his hands. “Sheesh you need to relax. How about tomorrow we go find a batting game place and swing some frustrations out?”

Atlas agreed. “Yeah…then I can wipe the floor with you. I’m very good at baseball by the way.”

Astro rolled over. “In your own world maybe. Night Casanova.”

“Bite me.” Atlas replied sourly.

part 6

[mr skunk]

Lol, this chapter was excellent! I found it very amusing. Skunk works well as a slapstick, bumbling criminal. The whole museum scene was hilarious. And Livian! I love how you incorporated Livian. Her character was very convincing. And Astro on Dance Dance Revolution was a smart idea, lol. He'd be good at that.

More please!