Astro Boy: The Movie (3 page)

“Core loaded,” the Peacekeeper reported in a deep, mechanical voice.

“Piece of cake!” President Stone cheered.

General Heckler, a stocky man with a smooth bald head, motioned to the soldiers.

“Activate weapon drones,” he ordered.

Small flying robot drones appeared, soaring into the testing area. They fired missile blasts at the Peacekeeper, but the mammoth robot easily deflected them, blasting them with laser weapons attached to its arms.

Toby slipped into the lab during this demonstration. His eyes widened at the sight of the Peacekeeper.

“Wow. I gotta get a better look,” Toby whispered.

He snuck past the soldiers, moving closer and closer to the testing area. Another robot drone swooped down on the Peacekeeper, firing away. The Peacekeeper lunged forward and absorbed the drone into its shoulder. Once the drone became part of the Peacekeeper, it started firing away at the approaching drones.

“It’s using that drone against the others,” President Stone said, surprised. “How is that possible?”

“It’s called adaptive technology,” Dr. Tenma explained. “It can absorb and control anything.”

Toby still couldn’t see well past the heads of the soldiers. He ducked under the control panel, unnoticed, and snuck into the testing area.

One after another, the drones were absorbed into the Peacekeeper’s body. The already-huge robot grew in size and power each time. President Stone was delighted.

“I may have flunked out of college, but I was right about the Red Core,” he bragged. “You scientists think you’re the only ones with brains.”

With no more drones to attack, the Peacekeeper turned its attention to the humans in the room. A missile blast whizzed past the president’s face, narrowly missing him.

“What the heck is it doing?” he asked in alarm.

The Peacekeeper’s eyes flashed red as it stomped toward them. Thinking quickly, Dr. Tenma reached for the controls and hit the Emergency Shield Activation Panel. A glass shield dropped down just in time to protect them from the Peacekeeper’s fire. The blasts buckled a part of the shield, but it didn’t break.

Toby stood up and pounded on the glass. The shield had trapped him with the Peacekeeper!

“Dad! Help me! Dad! Dad!” he yelled.

“Toby!” Dr. Tenma cried.

Panicked, he tried to raise the shield. But the blast from the Peacekeeper had damaged it. It wouldn’t move.

“Help me, Dad!” Toby pleaded.

The Peacekeeper was determined to break the shield. It raised its left arm and aimed a huge cannon-like weapon at the glass.

A blinding flash of light filled the lab. The area behind the shield filled with smoke. When the smoke cleared, there was no sign of Toby.

“Toby!” Dr. Tenma cried.

The Peacekeeper held up a hand. Instead of blasting the shield again, it absorbed the shield into its body.

“Fire now!” President Stone ordered.

Soldiers fired at the Peacekeeper with their guns, but he simply absorbed the blasts.

Dr. Elefun thought quickly. He reached for one of the large power cables with Blue Core energy running through it. Then he bravely charged at the Peacekeeper, jamming it into the Red Core energy in his chest.

The Peacekeeper’s power shorted out. The enormous robot fell back with a huge crash. The absorbed drones shot back out of its body.

Dr. Tenma frantically searched the lab.

“Where’s Toby? Where’s my son?”

Tenma picked up Toby’s baseball hat. It was all that was left after the huge explosion. Tears welled in the scientist’s eyes.

Dr. Elefun approached and put a hand on his shoulder. “I am so sorry, Tenma,” he said gently.

President Stone had only one concern. He walked up to the fallen Peacekeeper.

“It was just the Red Core,” he mused. “With the Blue Core, it would have worked perfectly, right?”

Dr. Tenma cradled Toby’s hat. “Toby, it’s all my fault,” he said. His eyes took on a look of determination.

Over the next few weeks, Dr. Tenma never left his lab. He worked day and night on his new robot—a robot that looked just like Toby.

Dr. Tenma had created every kind of robot there was. But this—this would be his masterpiece. He used whatever spare mechanical parts and weaponry he could find in his lab. He found a strand of Toby’s hair inside the hat, and used that to upload Toby’s memories into the robot. He didn’t take a break—and he didn’t let his assistants slow down, either.

He would not stop until he had Toby back.

Dr. Elefun arrived at the Ministry of Science one night, carrying a steel case. He headed up to the lab to find Tenma and his scientists busy at work. An older male scientist wearing glasses and a beret approached him.

“He hasn’t eaten or slept in days,” he told Dr. Elefun.

“I know,” Dr. Elefun replied.

He lowered his voice. “He’s gone crazy, hasn’t he?”

“If your son dies like that, and you don’t go crazy, you’re not human,” Dr. Elefun answered.

He moved on toward Dr. Tenma. The two scientists locked eyes.

“Clear the lab,” Dr. Tenma ordered his assistants.

As the scientists quietly left, Dr. Elefun saw the robot skeleton on the lab table behind his friend. He gasped. The shape of the robot looked just like Toby.

Without a word, Dr. Tenma activated a machine next to the table. A laser net made up of criss-crossed strands of green laser light moved over the robot skeleton. As the net passed over the robot, it left behind a realistic layer of skin. Now the robot looked even more like Toby.

“It looks just like him, doesn’t it?” Dr. Tenma asked. “A perfect replica. Plus, I’ve uploaded all of Toby’s memories. It’ll think it is Toby.”

“Don’t expect too much, Tenma,” Dr. Elefun warned.

“It has the most advanced defense system ever created,” Dr. Tenma said proudly. “I won’t lose him again.”

He paused. “Did you bring what I asked?”

“I couldn’t refuse a grieving father,” Dr. Elefun replied.

He placed the steel box on the table and opened it to reveal the Blue Core glowing inside. Then he gripped Dr. Tenma by the shoulders. His friend had such high hopes. He didn’t want him to be disappointed. He had been through so much pain already.

“The core is ... unpredictable,” Dr. Elefun told him. “I can’t guarantee what effect ... ”

Dr. Tenma was not about to give up. “It’s going to make it perfect—perfect! Just like Toby was.”

He took the core and faced the robot boy. Dr. Tenma placed the Blue Core in an opening in the robot’s chest.

Nothing happened for a moment. Then ...

Cables lowered from the ceiling and attached themselves to the robot’s head and back. Then the cables began to retract, lifting the robot with them. Bursts of energy shot from the robot’s core chest.

A huge explosion rocked the lab. The table collapsed underneath the boy. He rolled onto the floor, landing flat on his back.

The room quieted down. The two scientists stared, unable to move.

The robot’s eyes opened. They looked blank and lifeless. He turned to look at the two men. He stared blankly at them for a moment as the complicated program whirred to life inside his robot brain.

Suddenly, his face lit up with a smile. He looked as human as any real boy.

“Dad?” the robot asked.

“Toby,” Dr. Tenma said, breathless.

The robot stood up and took a few unsteady steps. Then he leaped into Dr. Tenma’s arms.

“Dad!”

Dr. Tenma wrapped the robot boy in a blanket.

“Welcome back, son,” he said tearfully. “Thank you, Elefun. I’m going to take it ...
him
home now. Quality time. Bonding. All the good things.”

Dr. Elefun gazed curiously at the new Toby, as Tenma carried him to the door.

“Bye, Dr. Elefun,” the robot said cheerfully.

Dr. Elefun was startled—the robot even sounded like Toby. “Uh ... bye ... Toby.”

He watched them exit the lab, shaking his head.

“Incredible,” he muttered.

Poor Toby Tenma was gone forever. But thanks to his father, he would live on in robot form.

Astro Boy was born!

Astro didn’t know he was a robot. He just thought he was Toby Tenma, Dr. Tenma’s son. That night, he drifted into a peaceful sleep.

When he opened his eyes again, sunlight was streaming through his bedroom window. His dad sat at the edge of his bed, clutching his baseball cap.

“Dad?” Astro asked sleepily.

“Good morning, son,” Dr. Tenma said. “How do you feel?”

“Uh, kind of weird,” Astro admitted. “Have I been sick or something?”

“No, you’re fine, Toby,” Dr. Tenma said. “You’re perfect, you’re wonderful.”

Astro was relieved. “That’s good, cause ... ”

Dr. Tenma interrupted him by gripping him in a strong hug. Astro was surprised. His dad wasn’t exactly big on hugs.

“Are you okay?” Astro asked.

“Come downstairs for breakfast,” his father said, smiling gently.

Dr. Tenma went downstairs, where Orrin was frantically scurrying around the kitchen. He took his seat as Orrin slapped bowls and plates in front of him.

“Breakfast is served, sir,” he said. “Whole grain cereal, prune juice, figs ... ”

“Ah! It’s past eight o‘clock!” Astro yelled from his room upstairs.

Orrin went into panic mode. Master Toby could be very unpleasant when his breakfast was late. He rolled off to get the rest of the food.

Astro ran through the kitchen doorway.

“You should have woken me earlier, Dad. I’m going to be late for school,” he said, worried.

Bam!
Orrin bumped into Astro, carrying a tray of croissants. The pastries spilled all over the floor. Orrin bent down to pick them up.

Astro reached down to help him.

“Orrin, are you okay? Your battery levels look a little low this morning,” Astro said with concern.

Orrin spun his head around to look at Astro, surprised. Master Toby had never asked about his health before.

“Orrin?” Astro asked.

“Thank you for asking, Master Toby,” Orrin said. “I’m fine, you know. Mustn’t grumble.”

“Sit down, Toby,” Dr. Tenma said. “I want to talk to you.”

“Sure, Dad,” Astro said cheerfully. He took a seat at the table.

“It’s about school,” Dr. Tenma began. “I’ve decided you shouldn’t go anymore, son. I’m going to teach you at home myself.”

“Sounds good to me,” Astro said. “Hey, Orrin. Looks like we’re going to be hanging out together.”

Orrin nearly dropped the teapot he was carrying. Master Toby wasn’t acting like himself at all. Dr. Tenma would not like that one bit.

“Together? Oh, well, that’ll be very nice ... Master Toby ... oh dear.”

Orrin dropped the teapot after all. It fell on the table with a clatter.

“Would you please stop talking to the robot?” Dr. Tenma asked Astro, annoyed. “They’re not like you and me.”

“Sorry,” Astro said. “Hey, if you’re going to be home-schooling me, what about the Ministry, your job?”

“My job now is to be your father,” Dr. Tenma replied.

Still nervous, Orrin walked into a wall.

“Ouch!”