Astro Boy-alternative ending part 4

Humans and robots worked together joining forces to restore Metro City and the surface together, and unite them finally.
They sank into a heavy embarrassment; looks like from the top position and largest technology which serviced them, they fell down and had almost nothing left with which they could raise themselves again and move forward.
But the robots, shy but true, hesitated, willed to help.
After all, that was why they were created.
One full day was given for everyone to relax from the terror events of Astro and Stone affair, and the next day Dr. Tenma got up, neatly dressed, as usual, wearing his white coat and was neat and clean-shaven.
Much to the consternation of everyone who met him, especially the amazement of the scientists with whom he worked, he spoke calmly and efficiently as usual.
They were afraid to see a frantic and mourn creature. And it scared them even more.
They worked days on the restoration, on the debris removal and on the restoration of buildings and roads.
As Tenma was responsible for lifting of the island, he was also responsible for its reconstruction in the surface.
At days he was planning and giving a hand to the work.
No one knew he hardly sleep at night.
In his private laboratory, which not much left of, because of the fall, on a bunk that was bigger than his size, a robot lay still. This robot was a bit short and thin. He had human features; he was advanced for his time.
This robot was Astro, who in his core box was placed still the piece of meteor which absorbed the blue energy, but now it was gray and almost cracked and lifeless.
Astro lay there now, waiting for the nights, so Tenma worked about creating a source of life which will bring him back to activity.
For nothing.
Tenma didn't find a solution.
He tried everything - alternative energy, electric shocks - to no avail.
Astro's face remained frozen and expressionless, as when he first donned the skin on his robotic body.
Sometimes genius may be completed at an impasse, concluded Tenma sweaty and desperate.
Tenma designed it on a freelance basis of energy. Now this energy is gone, and Tenma again had to watch the programs, which actually he remembered by heart, and try to find a hint that would lead to a solution.
For nothing.
Astro ended his battle silently, and so he staid.
The days went by. Thanks to the robots and the fact that many have been restored and were half tools, they proceeded at high speed then everyone has expected.
Tenma rewrite some rules of robots, in conjunction with the new president, Logan, bespectacled man who always supported peace.
Robots were not just tools. From that moment, they weren't treated as a walking waste. Although they were assistants, they no more were considered in contempt, and robots that were broken, spoiled or obsolete repaired often. If they couldn't be fixed, they were recycled.
Repair and recycling also contributed to the environment, and everyone, humans and robots, felt that despite everything, they are really walking towards a better future.
"All thanks to you."
It was two a.m.
Tenma looked down at Astro.
Tenma was able to reproduce the laboratory, and hoped that it would help his efforts to revive the robot.
For nothing.
Again.
He wanted to talk to him. To tell him that humans and robots still consider him a legend.
That they're still amazed.
That they're still wondering what Tenma did with him.
That day he just picked up his body in his arms and disappeared into the crowd.
He talked with the youths, his close friends on the surface.
Twins, a boy of fourteen and seventeen year old girl, who he was surprised to learn she fled from Metro City in taunting her parents.
They cried when they saw him.
They talked a bit about what happened to them from the time Astro came into their lives.
Then broke into two people, pair who set upon Cora, sobering. Those were her parents.
They diverted the conversation to the old feud between her and them, and said the same day they regretted the reckless words and sought after her when they first knew she was gone.
Tenma let the family to be reunited.
At least someone got her parents.
But someone else was left, once again, without his son.
Now Tenma watched intently and longingly at the robot and he thought of the new name he called himself.
Astro…
"Who are you, Toby or Astro?" He murmured wonderingly.
"No ... I do not care who you are. I want you back."
Again he worked almost all night.
The scientists were surprised when the next day Doctor Tenma didn't appear next to them.
Elefun, who only became a scientist because of his wisdom and seemingly inherent warm feelings were in stark contrast to his position, suspected his actions and let out a sad sigh.
After failed attempts to catch him at home alone volunteered Elefun go to his house.
He found him in bad shape and in a worse mood.
Pale, dressed in clothes from yesterday, and long black shadows stretched under his eyes, received Dr. Tenma his friend.
"Tenma, what's with you?" Reprimanded Elefun.
"Nothing." Said Tenma in a new, quiet voice ... a serious one.
"What ... what do you mean?" Elefun recognized there's something behind this tone.
"Come with me." Tenma said quietly.
The two scientists were walking in the dark silence. Although it was daylight, the shutters were closed and a faint light penetrated the house.
Tenma led the Elefun to the lab.
On a large bunk lay a figure. The figure was covered with a thin, white blanket, and facial features and body bulged out.
"Tenma? Is it ... Toby?"
Tenma didn't say a word. He came to the bunk and pulled the blanket so the face and shoulders of Astro revealed. He still looked the same.
"I gave up, Elefun." He said quietly. "I tried everything ... but I couldn't bring him back. The core is gone…"
Elefun moaned sadly.
He put his hand on the shoulder of a colleague.
"I just have to ... Let him go. And that's it."
"I guess that is what you need to do." Groaned Elefun and his eyes grew moist again.
"Yes ... Tomorrow ... tomorrow we will destroy this body."
"What?"
"Yes. I can't look at him, not if he's silent."
"So ... Will he be recycled?"
Tenma sighed from the bottom of his heart. A mourning sigh.
"Yes."
Elefun inhaled deeply.

The field were present only Elefun and Tenma.
They wanted to keep it among themselves and to give humanity and robots to deal with reality after the fact.
Tenma dragged to a secluded place the equipment.
They didn't want to raise questions, thus masking the departure from the city for a walk, refresh their eyes and stiff limbs.
But someone watched them closely and saw Tenma cradling something big, the size of a child, in a white sheet, to hide and conceal what is underneath.
It was someone who watched with suspicious eyes the expressions of scientists. They looked pale and shadows under the eyes, and a grim expression of grief was spread on their faces.
That someone knew something was strange. And she decided to find out why the general atmosphere is so tense.
She was very quick because the two scientists entered a vehicle.
Not a bad trip, Doctor…
And she recruited several friends to help her and support her.
Or Astro.

The journey passed in silence. Orrin drove, even though Tenma wanted to do it himself.
But, to his embarrassment, Orrin mumbled something about Tenma also has a heavy responsibility and it can fatigue him.
Tenma thought of the robot attending him.
Despite his faithful, Tenma always found a reason to treat Orrin as something inanimate, or to doubt his readiness. A pang of guilt lifted him, despite the change of attitude has long passed.
"Here!"
He cried out of passing thoughts and confusion.
Slowly the car stopped, and the two scientists went out together with Orrin and the white clad over Astro.
Behind them walked closer in silence Cora, Zane and the twins along with 'Trash cane' in the borrowed car of Humegg.
Since this vehicle also moves in the air, it made no sound, and especially thanks to the far away parking and they moved tensed.
That allowed them to listen to the words exchange between the scientists.
"We will do it here, it's far enough. Adjust the bomb."
"Here, Mr. Tenma? Should I prepare? ..."
"No, Orrin. You don't deal with it. I will."
"Tenma…"
"Elefun, I already have coerced to take care of one child…"
"Therefore taking care of the second would be even more terrible."
"What would be terrible?"
Both scientists and the robot jumped up and turned back at once.
The four youths and 'Trash cane', stared at them, and Cora went ahead of everybody else in running.
"What .. what bomb? What are you going to do?"
"Cora, what are you doing here?" Tenma asked angrily, rubbing his eyes wearily. He appreciated her for her devotion to Toby, but he knew that now, when they're here, standing before him, the task wouldn't be as simple and quiet as they had hoped - he would have to deal with disputes and problems, and he was already tired for that.
"What do you mean what am I doing here? I saw you coming out with Astro – it's him under the sheet, right? Don't say it's not, it seems it's him! What are you going to do? Why did you go out without telling anything?"
"You must understand…"
"Understand what?" Zane asked, staring at the white-covered figure. "Why is he covered like that? Why do you need the bomb for?"
"Why did you go far from the city?" Said the twins.
"Isn't it clear?!" Cora cried with horror. "They're going to destroy his body!"
Oh, it was expected.
'Trash cane' barked loudly.
"No!  Don't destroy his body!"
"You can't!"
They attacked and tried to pull Astro out of reach, but Astro was too far, and the two scientists were adults and clasped in their arms in an attempt to prevent them from advancing.
"How can you do that?" Cried Cora. "I thought you loved him!"
"I still love him!" observed Tenma hardware. "And if I could return him, we were not at all on this occasion! Even if it would take years…"
"You mean you tried?"
"And despaired??"
"I tried everything I could!" Growled Tenma. "Nothing worked! If I found a solution, even if it would take many years, I continued to try and develop a way by which he could return, but with all the evenings and nights spent trying to computation and experiments, investigations and all the rest…
"I found out only one fact." His voice was quiet to nothing.
They were waiting for his conclusion.
"To be the human robot he was, he could live only with the blue core.
Anything, old-timers to the most modern and innovative, did not help. Not even a mechanical robot activity, as was the early history of building robots."
"You mean that…"
"Without the blue core, this is only a persuasive metal body."
"And you…"
"Yes," his voice softened and darkened. "I tried everything."
The four stopped fighting. They stared at the inert body under the sheet. The sight was frightening. As if someone died…
Tenma opened an eye on them in case they try to fight again.
"But ..." Output Widget, her young age frees her tongue, as her friends are quieting her. "You ... you left him…"
"And then I take him back." He replied.
They stared in silence.
"So ... He's lost?"
This did not require an answer. They understood it.
The four wrapped themselves mourn. And Widget sniffled and wiped her eyes. Sladge Zane and Cora stood frozen in their tracks. 'Trash cane' sighed thin dogs whimpering sound.
"Could we ..." Cora output with a tremor. "Could we at least ... say goodbye?"
The serious scientists exchanged glances.
"Yes."
She came, Widget with her and followed by Sladge and Zane, and a rolling robot dog behind.
Cora bent over and knelt beside the still Astro. She pulled off the sheet completely.
His face was expressionless frozen, though he looked peaceful. He was dressed in clothes of Toby, and looked completely like a child.
It was hard to believe there is iron under the skin.
"Hi, Astro," she breathed softly. "Um ... it was fun to meet you."
"Bye, buddy," Zane muttered.
"We, you know ..." Tears filled her eyes. "We'll miss you."
They ran down her face. She wiped her eyes and cheeks.
"It's not fair," she announced in tears. "All he did was help people!"
Suddenly there was a deep creak.
"Not just people." Said a deep voice.
Everyone looked up. Zog came toward them.
A giant work robot which had a little awkward gait, heavy weighted and wide scope, colored with funny shapes and colors by the youths' hands. It was nothing like Astro, in any way.
Except one.
"Oh yes," Cora murmured and a smile flickered across her face.
"What?"
"Astro also helped Zog."
"What?" Elefun was surprised. "How?" He turned to look at the robot.
Zog held up his hand with the palm and tapped the great chest.
"The blue thing."
"What blue thing?"
"The energy Astro volunteered from himself to restore me."
"Really ..." the scientists were shocked. The energy was enough for Astro and Zog, which means there was a tremendous amount. And the more the energy works, the more it's increases itself, and rolling in a different way.
The laws of physics helped them to find another solution, perhaps, if Zog may…
"Zog," Elefun tremor output. "Can you bring back some of what was given to you? To turn on Astro?"
The huge round head of the robot nodded once.
Then heavily moved up until he towered over Astro.
Orrin, Tenma and Elefun dragged away the young, to not be affected unexpectedly by the steams of the core.
Zog leaned over the silent robot boy and shadowed him.
Curling streaks of blue steams floated away, and penetrated the body of Astro.
The steams were increasing.
The limp body was lifted into the air and surrounded by a blue, vague halo.
Then Zog stopped of pump energy and Astro's body fell softly on the grass.
Tenma approached and knelt beside him. He drew up the robot's body and stared at him fearfully mixed with hope.
One minute passed and nothing happened, just Tenma took his body and the rest didn't dare to approach, just look from afar.
Then his lips opened slightly and he let out a low moan.
Tenma felt his heart pounding. Astro's head tended to him and he half opened his eyes slumped.
"Dad?" He muttered.
"Yes. I'm right here." Output Tenma.
"I ... Am I dreaming?"
"No!" Output Tenma excitedly, smiling and tearing simultaneously. "No, you're not dreaming, you're alive!"
"I'm alive..." He struggled to sit up. He seemed a bit floating, as if asleep and was waking stages. He put his hand on his chest, looking more intently.
Then he sighed and sagged.
"I'm not really alive ... I ... I thought -hoped … I'm really Toby
"But I'm not, I'll never be ..." He supported his head in his hands. "I wish none of this would have happened ... that…"
"Toby," Tenma changed his face, into serious and interested one. "Would you really give up everything that happened to you? Do you regret everything?"
The boy robot sat beside him with his head lowered and eyes almost completely closed. Then hesitant smile flickered across his face.
"No, I don't regret anything," he said. "There are things I would never want to erase from my memory."
Then he straightened up as if awakened from his reverie. "The peacekeeper-!"
"Liquidated," Tenma smiled again. "Thanks to you. You made it, Toby. You ruined the robot, saved the humans and robots and destroyed the red energy. Thanks to you, now Metro City is developing on the ground."
"On the ground?"
"Yes. The air has been purified and environment is clean again. Stone was arrested. The second candidate, the one you told to choose him instead of Stone was elected. Logan is the new president. He immediately improved the living conditions in many areas…"
They both laughed. Then Astro stopped.
"But wait .. If I stopped the peacekeeper, how did I…?"
"Thanks to him," They turned toward Zog, who contentedly watching Astro, who was again safe and sound, and his arm was back in place.
Astro smiled again. He understood immediately. He rose and approached Zog.
"Thanks, Zog," he threw his arms around him in a hug. His naturally slender height and girth were not enough so he couldn't really encompass Zog with his pair of arms, but the robot was pleased, and he hugged Astro with one arm which could scope of him.
Then he turned back over to Dr. Tenma, and the corner of his eye revealed Orrin, Dr. Elefun, the twins, Zane and Cora.
His smile faded momentarily halting phrases when he saw the youths. They answered a similar view, but obviously they wanted to say something.
Astro dared to smile a little more and took a step toward them. Immediately he was attacked by Zane and the twins' brave bear hug, which made everyone laugh with relief and joy.
It took a few minutes before they freed Astro, and he found himself hugged again, almost overwhelming.
Cora couldn't even define herself how happy she was for getting back her best friend.
Astro was very surprised, but seemed to be also satisfied. Because she felt his strong arms around her.
He felt her heartbeat against him and smiled in complete relief. He could not imagine a better ending to the event.
"Don't you ever scare us all like that," she hissed in his ear, and made him smile.
"Dr. Elefun ..." He turned to the scientist in his side from beginning to the end.
Astro approached to him and smiled; the scientist put his hand on his shoulder.  Then pulled Astro toward him and took him to his heart.
Tenma looked at them sideways, and he thought he had never seen Toby smiling like that, when Astro turned his face to promote with joy Orrin, and 'trash cane' raged around him happily,barking loudly.
"We've heard you have had fun meanwhile," laughed Dr. Elefun. "Your friends told of your exploits ... and adopted a new name for yourself?"
"Oh ..." The boy robot smiled and guilt crept gesture. "Astro. Actually didn't find it myself, I got this idea from someone else…"
"Astro." Dr. Elefun said thoughtfully. "It sounds innovative. I like it."
Astro laughed.
"I think," said Dr. Tenma, smiling. "There are people who would be happy to see you again."
"The townspeople felt sorry for you," said Widget renewed enthusiasm.
"Really?" Astro was embarrassed, but happy.
"What are you doing these days?"
"We are renovating the city and bring it back."
"Then I can help," Astro grinned.
"Time to go. We have nothing to do here." Agreed Tenma. And they did start to pick themselves up and organize a return, but before they entered the car, Astro stopped Tenma.
"Dad ..." the word slipped hesitantly out of his mouth. Tenma looked at him.
"I'd like to fly to there."
"Fly?"
"To feel the air, the wind, moving in space and not on solid ground is something special, not everyone can experience it."
"Yes."
"I was sure that day I wouldn't live to see, move, speak ... To be with the ones who are important to me. Fly. Like you said," They both smiled and said together at once: "Onward and upward."
Tenma laughed.
"This will be an amazing entry. I hope you won't generate too many riots. In fact, I wonder if as a father I can allow it."
Astro joined his laugh, but was a little nervous about the answer.
"You may. And be careful."
"From what?"
"Don't encounter birds on the way."
Astro laughed.
Orrin entered the carriage back, after he had relaxed in front of Tenma's good mood.
Cora insisted the wheel vehicle of Humegg.
His friends watched him from inside and smiled at him in a kind of expectation.
He himself was excited.
He easily activated the jets and float above the ground. He rose and rose, and present its jets are working properly, as always.
His smile broadened.
Time has come…
The cars rose in the air and to the city.
Astro gave them the advantage of a mile before joining them.
Then his fists out to stabilize his body, he flew after them.
He crossed the air and felt for the first time since he couldn't guess his clothes blowing past the skin.
Like a fish in the sea, like a bird in the sky, he crossed the air space.
And felt at last was unable to meet his father's password:
Onward and upward, take off the top.