Can we start again

[madeready]

[By all accounts, Toby had not been around for very long. At least, not Toby as he was now. The Toby he'd been made in the image of- the Toby whose memories he now had- was long gone.
And just a few weeks ago, he had to deal with overhearing his father brokenly confessing to his assistant that he'd made a mistake reviving Toby, and that in all best interests he should just shut him down.

And when Toby himself questioned his father about his intentions, his response had been to tell him that he didn't want him anymore. And though his assistant tried to assure Toby that he would be able to find his place somewhere in the world, it didn't exactly help him feel any better.

That night, he flew out the window and left home, and later the entirety of Metro City. It wasn't long before word got out to the government that Tenma had been using a certain energy core that was reserved for the military to revive his son, and that didn't please the people who funded his scientific works. They pursued Toby, and only through falling to the earth's surface could he escape from the city in the clouds, and in turn from the life he'd now be leaving behind.

On the surface that Metro City had detached from, Toby would meet others. Other people, and other robots. Those robots in particular would rename him: Astro.
Desperate to find a new niche in life, he would cling to that name and long for some sort of purpose, even when he could no longer stay in the place he'd found.
In the end, he began to wonder if maybe his place was in hiding, where no humans or robots alike would run into him and risk destroying his hope just like his father had.

He'd traveled hundreds of miles from Metro City, winding up in a place he didn't recognize. It was easy enough to pretend to be human, at least on the surface,
when he needed to blend in with any people he found. But it was overwhelmingly lonely. But what could he do but wander?

Maybe he would find someone, somewhere. But he wasn't sure that would be for the best.]

Comments

[matataku]

[It's not long before Toby would eventually break away from the concrete and urbanity, grasslands and hills replacing what were skyscrapers and highways. Tree covered mountains replaced those, before one looms in the distance like an ever-watchful father over the land. At it's base, long steps led up to an orphanage, home to well over 55 children, all of whom were now trying to piece their lives back together after the Aliea Meteorite. Hiroto, especially, who'd been closest to the one they called 'Father'. They played around in the courtyard, they cleaned and cooked, they ran errands. They were determined to get things back to normal.

It's amazing how normalcy was what they'd always wanted. No 'aliens', no revenge, no hopeless wishes for love from a man who only saw past them.

It was by chance that they'd even meet at all. Hiroto, who often ran errands for Sun Garden by taking the bus down to the city to do some shopping, was now returning, plastic bags slung on his elbows and making his way up those long steps towards Sun Garden.

A normal errand, had he not noticed some rustling along the side, his green eyes flicking in that direction to get a better look. Usually it was an animal--wildlife wasn't terribly uncommon in these parts...

But something told him he had to check it out anyway. Turning from the path, he heads into the grassy hillside and follows the sound, making his way forward until he sees the back of a...child who couldn't be any older than Kimiyuki or Ruru...

...

It only takes a second before he speaks out.]

Excuse me...Are you lost?

[His voice is gentle, almost a whisper, as he slowly approaches the boy. It was so far away from any real city, his only assumption being he accidentally took the bus too far and had to get off here.

Poor guy.

He smiles, though, green eyes glistening as the sunset starts to reflect off them. Friendly faces, he found, often made all the difference, thinking of what Endou would do in a situation like this..]

[madeready]

[As Toby wandered the country side, the landscape becoming less and less city-like as trees and grass took over, he actually got the opportunity to appreciate what the world looked like beyond Metro City's awful pollution problem. Pollution not localized to Metro City of course, oh no. The richer residents of the town in the sky would dump defective robots over the side for the earth dwelling folks to deal with. This was the first time, then, that Toby had seen an earth this...lush. With actual growing grass and trees and even animals that occasionally watched him as he passed, curious as to why he'd come into their domain.

But what he wasn't expecting to hear was a voice coming from behind him, and soft though it is he can't help but gasp and turn almost too quickly, his heavy feet sinking into the earth and nearly tripping him up with the momentum. But he manages to stay upright as he looks the other boy over, his eyes darting as he takes him in. He's definitely not like the kids beneath Metro City...he looks different, and dresses differently. Acts differently, too.

Toby, on the other hand...doesn't look all that great. His clothes are the exact same clothes he's been wearing since he left home, so by now they're in a various state of tattered disarray. He's covered in dirt and other things that you get covered with when walking through the woods for long enough, so he's definitely seen better days.

It takes him a moment to reply, mulling over the question and how best to answer.]

Y...Yeah, I...I guess I am.

[matataku]

[Toby's quick movements are enough to shock him, arms out as if that would catch him mid fall should it come to that. Thankfully, the boy stabilized himself, catching his ground at just the last second. It's only then that he notices the boy's own skittishness, the way he pauses to think his question over. A simple yes or no question would be easy for a child to respond to, it's the hesitance that catches Hiroto's interest most, his eyes cool but also searching for an answer within the dark eyes of the boy.

And when he gets it...well answer's obvious, his eyes softening when he sees the state of the boy's clothes. Not only was he lost, but he must have been lost for quite some time.]

It can't be helped, I suppose.

[He walks over, gently leaning down slightly to brush some of the leaves and forest debris off his clothes.] You're not the first to come wandering this way...a lot of kids forget their stop when getting off the bus and end up here.

[He knows it's not that, though. This boy obviously came OUT of the forest, not a bus stop.]

Well. You're not too far from my home, at least.

[He keeps that gentle smile, trying to coax him into sitting on the steps at the very least.]

I'm Hiroto.

[madeready]

[He takes a breath reflexively and holds it as Hiroto brushes him off, hoping he doesn't press too hard and wonder why he doesn't have the same exact sort of give a person should have, like his skin is firm silicone instead of actual skin. When that doesn't happen, he relaxes and lifts a hand to rub the back of his neck as he looks on toward where Hiroto just came from. He didn't even realize he was so close to a building, much less other people...he can't help but wonder why it might be so far off the beaten path like this.]

My name is T-

[He stops, seems to reconsider his words, and then starts again.]

...Astro. Call me Astro.

[He decides to turn the attention off of him, then, looking back the way Hiroto came again.]

You say your...home is nearby? You live all the way out here, by yourself?

[matataku]

[There is something different about him...maybe it was the softness of his skin, how it didn't have the same warmth as his brothers and sisters. Hiroto's own skin was pale, unhealthily so, so he never put too much thought into circulation the way other people might. To him, it's undeniable that he's a human...

After all, what would he be? An alien?]

Astro.

[Hiroto's smile lights up at that, sounding out the syllables to make sure it's said exactly the way Astro had told him. A simple name, but one that definitely reminded Hiroto of the stars.]

Like asteroid. It's nice.

[But at the question, he pulls away, a hand running through his hair and looking up the steps where Sun Garden stood at its end.]

Mm...Not alone, no. I have 55 siblings.

[...adopted siblings.]

[madeready]

[Though he's still a little wary, it's obvious from his body language that he's relaxing in Hiroto's presence. He's being very friendly and kind to him right off the bat, after all, particularly for being someone so young. You'd think he'd have something sharper to say, but no...he's as polite as anything, unlike the other earth dwellers he's run into over the last week.

He even takes a step closer, like he's going to follow him, but then he hesitates and looks back up as he registers the second thing he said.]

I'm sorry? ...55?

[matataku]

A-Ah...sorry. Siblings by adoption.

[He's so used to it coming out so naturally as 'siblings', he forgets often that many people would not see an orphanage that way. Hitomiko often made sure they were all loved as one big family. Something Kira had torn apart seam by seam.

With that hopefully settled, he looks back towards the steps, and then to the setting sun just over the tops of the trees. With it being so late...the buses won't be running until tomorrow morning. He could probably convince Reina to sit one more for them to eat...she was never one to turn away someone who needed help.

It just wasn't in her.]

It's getting a bit dark out, and you look a little worn.

[With a quick head nod to the stairs, he has to ask:]

Would you like to join us for dinner, then? I've just gotten enough ingredients for some ochazuke...I won't keep you from going where you need to go, but it would be best if you stopped for the night.

[madeready]

[He wishes he could be honest and say he has nowhere to go, but he's not about to stomp all over Hiroto's hospitality so immediately like that. He's not sure he'd feel right staying indefinitely anyway, yet...one night couldn't possibly hurt. The thought of spending even one more night alone is almost unbearable to him now, so the invitation alone is enough to make him sag a little with relief as he lifts a hand to rub at his forearm with a sheepish grin.]

That...sounds great actually, Hiroto. It's been a lot of walking, coming this way.

[He's not tired physically though, not at all. Just...emotionally.]

And uh...thanks.

[matataku]

[The affirmation's enough for him, his hands securing those bags as he nods cheerfully.]

You're pretty far out from most cities...I'd say the closest one is half hour by bus. And you walked...you must be starving.

[He returns to the steps, waiting by them with one foot on the next, ready to walk when Astro's ready.]

I'm sorry, it's a bit more of a walk--they didn't exactly make Sun Garden easily accessible. But I'm here with you, so you'll be okay.

[madeready]

Hah, no kidding...

[He sort of just...gently doesn't respond to the comment about starving, instead starting to walk and letting Hiroto stay a pace ahead of him so he can lead the way.]

It's okay. I mean, I made it this far, right? A promise of not having to walk any more after is pretty much enough to help me out the rest of the way.

[Now that they're on the steps, he tries to tread carefully along with continuing to talk, just so the tinny sound of every step he makes sounds a bit less like a soda can being dropped down a flight of stairs.]

55 brothers and sisters, though...even adopted ones. I can't imagine what that's gotta be like. I never had any growing up.

[matataku]

Mm, you've got quite the stamina, Astro-kun.

[Even during their Aliea training, he can't imagine running as far as civilization. That was quite some feat... His eyes trail to Astro's footsteps for a second, only minorly noticing that soft 'klink' with every walk up the stone steps they make.

Nothing he'll think too hard, on, though.]

It's busy, that's for sure. And there's always something that's getting broken. But there's also a lot of love there, and you're never alone, no matter how much you might feel like it.

[His smile warms as he turns to look at him.]

You'll fit right in, I can tell.

[Sun Garden was where the people who didn't belong anywhere else found a place to belong, after all.]

[madeready]

[Geeze...he wasn't expecting to be told that. It isn't like Hiroto knows what he's been dealing with lately, so that's a lot to hear, suddenly. It isn't bad, quite the contrary actually. It's just not something he would have thought to hear from someone he just met, let alone after his experiences with most people on earth being wary of others, especially those coming from Metro City.]

It does sound pretty busy, but I'm glad to hear that.

[...Oh god, there's a lot of steps. He's just now starting to realize just how far up they go, and he can't help but ask-]

You're talking about me having stamina...you don't get tired climbing all these steps every day?