"Do I have to, Hakase?", Astro asked.

"No, but if you don't you'll disappoint all the children," Professor Ochanomizo replied.

"Well, in that case, I guess I'll do it," Astro replied, "but I really don't like being the center of attention like that."

"I know Astro," the professor said, "but the kids love you, and they are curious about you."

"Sometimes I wish I wasn't so special," Astro sighed, "Why couldn't I be like every other robot, or for that mater, a human kid."

"We are, what we are," Ochanomizo replied. "Are you ready? The children are waiting for you."

"Hai," Astro voiced.

As soon as he entered the room, Astro was surrounded by the crowd of eight to ten year olds. The boys and girls from the Metro City elementary school had come to the Ministry of Science on a school field trip, and they had been assembled in the large conference room, that had had the tables and arm chairs removed, and replaced by many rows of smaller, kid sized folding chairs.

"Please sit down!", Mrs. Penelope cried out, "Give Astro and the professor some room!"

The students scrambled for seats, and quieted down.

"Thank you for inviting us over the Ministry today Ochanomizu Hakase," Mrs. Penelope said. "I know you have a very busy schedule, and we are very glad you could find the time for us today."

"Nonsense," the professor replied. "We think it is very important that our young people get to learn about science and technology. Your students will be the ones that carry on our work once we retire."

Ochanomizu paused and around the room. He smiled and continued. "I know that one of the things you students really came here to see is our robotic factory. Kids your age seem to be fascinated with robots, I know I was at your age. We build all sorts of robots here, and it may surprise you to know that very few of them look like people at all. Most robots are built to perform dedicated tasks, and as a result they look more like tools, vehicles, or machines. Most don't even have a voice, you have to communicate with them though a computer interface. There is a good reason for that, it's easy to design a machine with a completely self aware A.I."

At that one of the students stood up, franticly waving his hand. "You mean Kokoro, don't you?", she asked when the professor pointed to her.

"Yes, that is one kind of human like A.I.," the professor said.

"Just like Astro!", another student yelled out.

"Hai," Astro said. "I've been told many times that what makes me special is my heart. That's what Kokoro literally means you know, heart."

"Astro's partly correct," the professor continued, "but Kokoro has come to mean a lot more in A.I. terms. The word is sometimes associated with the human soul, which is what various religions claim makes humans different from animals, that we contain a life force that will transcend death and go up to heaven after we die. As a scientist I don't necessarily believe that, but I do agree with the notion that there is something within us that goes beyond biology. Even the idea that the human brain is merely a computer running a program, some how can't explain our existence. The Kokoro A.I. theory was first set down by professor Kutcher, and only a limited few roboticsts have been able to implement it. That's why Astro, and his siblings are very special."

"But you built Astro, didn't you?", Mrs. Penelope asked.

"Iie," the professor sighed. "I reactivated him when he was recovered from the ruins of the old laboratory building years ago, and I've repaired him numerous times, but I was not his creator. I also didn't create his brother Cobalt, nor did I design his sister Uran. Each of those robots were the design of Dr. Umataro Tenma."

There was a hushed silence across the room. "But Tenma Sensei was a mad man," one of the students quavered.

"Dr. Tenma was a very misunderstood person," the professor quickly replied. "After the death of his son, he became very depressed and went through a difficult time, resulting in his hospitalization for mental collapse. I understand he's been recuperating rather well, however. Anyway, let's get on with more pleasant matters, shall we?"

The professor motioned for Astro to move to center stage. "Now I know that some of you know Astro as a classmate, and most of you usually don't even think of him as a robot," the professor laughed, "but I'm sure you've been curious about him, and were too polite to ask any questions. So I'm going to insist that you ask them now."

"Don't worry about asking me embarrassing questions," Astro said, "cause, I'll let Hakase answer those."

Ochanomizu laughed, and asked "OK, whose first?"

All at once lot's of hands went up. Astro let the professor field the questions, which Ochanomizu realized he'd better handle, seeing the slight blush on the boy robot's face.

"Can you eat human food, and if not, what powers you?", came a question from large boy wearing a sports Jersey. Astro smiled and motioned that he'd answer this one.

"I actually do have a sense of taste," Astro replied, "Though I've never been accused of actually having good taste." His answer resulted in a barrage of laughter. "I enjoy the sensation of food, both the texture and the taste, but then again, I also enjoy drinking motor oil. My body can extract limited amounts of electrical power from food from a fuel cell that performs a similar function to the human stomach and intestines. I can also make good use of the liquid water extracted from food and drink for cooling. But please don't ask me what happens to the waste products."

"That process is similar to human biology," the professor quickly glossed over, which also resulted in laughter. "Next?" he asked.

More hands went up. "What's under your clothes?", a young girl asked timidly.

"Should I?" Astro asked.

Mrs. Penelope looked at the professor, "Would that be appropriate?"

"I think so," the professor replied.

Astro started to unbutton his shirt. "Most of you have seen me without my school clothing on," he said, looking at the teacher. "Don't worry, I'm rated PG at the worst."

He folded the shirt and then removed his knee length trousers, carefully pulling the leg sleeves over his moon boots. He pulled up one of the chairs and sat down in front of the students, now wearing only the black brief pants, the green sash around his waist, and his moon boots. Astro motioned to the girl that had issued the question, to step forward.

"Are those painted on?" she asked pointing to the briefs.

"They are sort of a second skin," Astro laughed. He reached out for her hand and placed her fingers on his waist.

"It feels like metallic cloth," she giggled.

"That is correct," the professor said. "It has to be flexible, yet durable, able to withstand the heat of friction. Astro is able to fly faster than the speed of sound, and into outer space, after all."

"I was modeled after a human boy," Astro said, "but not quite." He slowly pulled the briefs down over his legs, while turning about show his bare buttocks. "See what I mean? Nothing more exciting than the leg-hip joints, covered by robotic skin. Of course, there is also these," he said as two holes appeared, and the gun barrels of his fanny machine guns projected out. "My briefs have slits in them that are sized just right to allow the guns to project though when necessary." As he spoke, the weapons retracted and the openings in his posterior disappeared.

The class giggled at his 'moon'. He then turned to face them and then pulled up the pants. "Nothing to see on this side either, I'm afraid," he laughed, and the class laughed along with him.

Astro then lifted the green sash up a bit. "This isn't painted on either. It's a metallic band that covers the gap between my hip and torso. My body is built in several sections, just like a human skeleton is. I can be dissembled for repair, and I split apart at this seam," he explained. "This sash covers the joint."

"Are those boots part of you?" a boy in the middle of the crowd yelled out.

"I guess few people have seen me without them," Astro laughed. He sat down and lifted his right leg. Carefully he grabbed at his calf, just below the knee with his right hand, while holding tightly onto his knee with the left. He twisted it, and removed the lower leg to hold it up.

"My lower legs house a rocket-jet engine hybrid," he explained. "As you can see, they are removable for servicing the engines they contain."

Astro re-attached the lower leg, and held it in a horizontal position so the class could see his heel and sole. "The bottom of the boot opens up to allow for the operation of my jets," he explained. "The bottom of my foot can fold inward. But the boot is only a covering."

He carefully pulled off the moon boot, to reveal a bare foot with stubby toes. "It looks like a baby's foot doesn't it?" he laughed. The class watched as the sole spit open and the whole foot rotated 90 degrees, folding inward in the process. The exhaust nozzle of the jet engine then extended outward. "Neat, isn't it?" Astro laughed. He then reversed the action, and stood up on the bare foot.

"I don't always wear the moon boots," he said. "I have a few pairs of flat's, and even a pair of Geta clogs. But I like the moon boots the best."

"What's powers you?", another boy asked.

"Several things," the professor replied. "Like most robots, Astro's systems are electrical, but mere batteries are not enough to generate the kind of horsepower he's capable of wielding. Astro has a deuterium fusion power cell that can produce over 7.5 megawatts of power. He also has both jet and rocket fuel cells to power his flight engines."

"So he could run out of jet fuel and not be able to fly, but could still punch through a building?", the boy asked.

"That has happened to me," Astro replied. "Though my jets can run in ion ramjet mode only on electrical power. I can't fly as fast that way, or even out of the lower atmosphere, but it's better than nothing."

"How sharp is your hearing," a girl whispered from the other side of the room.

"I heard that!", Astro laughed. "My hearing is 1000 times more sensitive than yours, and I can also hear things that only dogs or bats can, well up into the utrasonic frequency range. My eyes can see in very dim light, and also in the deep infrared and ultraviolet, and I have one million candle power search lamps in my eyes as well. I can also see in xrays, but I have to be careful using those because xray radiation can be harmful to living cells."

"Yeah, superman never thought of that in the comics," a boy laughed.

"I guess you want to see this next," Astro sighed. He ran the index finger of his right hand along his chest, feeling for the hidden catch. He gently pressed it, reveling the outline of the access panel, which he then opened. The kids seated closest to him jumped out of their chairs and moved in for a closer look. "He looks like an anatomical model," a boy wearing thick glasses exclaimed. "I can see different organs inside, just like the frogs we've dissected in class."

"Well, most humanoid robots are modeled after human anatomy," the professor explained. "If you look closely, you'll see that Astro's power cell is shaped like the human heart, and his deuterium fuel refill valve is located in the center of it. His computer brain is actually located inside of his torso, where it is better protected than if it was in his head. Robots usually only have sensory elements in their heads, such as eyes and ears, as well as gyroscopes for balance and accelerometers to sense movement. Astro's speech center is there as well."

"I've got a computer interface socket in here as well," Astro smiled, pointing to various instrumentation built into the inside of the access panel door. He then turned around to show his back to the audience.

"Astro has a second access panel on his back as well," the professor said. The professor produced a small tool and carefully opened a hidden latch on Astro's back. He then opened a double doored panel to show the hidden internals. "I can reach other systems for repair from this side," he explained, but there isn't anything located here that Astro could self adjust. That's why he can't open up his rear panel himself. Ochanomizu then closed the doors and the skin on Astro's back closed up without the slightest hint of a seam.

Mrs. Penelope looked at her watch. "Well class, it's getting late, we should be leaving soon."

"Any last questions, then?" the professor asked.

Several of the older girls pushed a smaller one forward. The timid younger one just kept repeating, "Iie, iie!"

Astro walked towards her, "Are your classmates bothering you?"

She nervously lifted her head to look Astro in his brown eyes. She swallowed hard and stammered a bit, trying to get the words out. "I, I, … I wanted to ask you if you might, that is, could you give me a ride, you know, up there?", she asked pointing up.

Astro smiled. He bent his knees to stoop down, and planted a kiss on the girls forehead. "What's your name?", he asked softly.

"Nami," she whispered.

"Well, Nami," Astro asked. "Would you like a little ride?"

"Hai!" she said, nervously.

Astro took her by the hand and led her out of the room. The rest of the class followed them out of the building, and into the nearby courtyard. Astro bent down. "Put your arms around my neck," He said, "and hold on tightly."

The girl did what she was asked, gripping onto Astro with a bear hug like grip.

"OK, here we go," Astro laughed.

He made a very gentle takeoff, and flew slowly around the building. The flight wasn't very long, but when Astro landed, there was already a long line que'ed up.

"Looks like you've got a few others that would like the experience," the professor laughed.

Astro shrugged his shoulders. "No problem, I've got more than enough jet fuel!"

"I guess we're going to be keeping our bus driver waiting," Mrs. Penelope sighed.

Astro entered the professor's office, waving towards Yuko who sat at the other end of the room. "What's up Hakase," he asked.

"Nothing much," The Ochanomizu smiled. "I did get another request from the elementary school for a visit, and they asked for you of course. I told them that you weren't available."

"Why did you do that, Hakase?" Astro asked.

"Well you did say that you didn't like being the center of attention, Astro," the professor smiled, "I felt guilty for volunteering you last week."

"Well, it really wasn't THAT bad, Hakase," Astro replied, "and the kids did enjoy it."

"So you really DID enjoy entertaining your classmates, didn't you?" Ochanomizu asked.

"Well," Astro said, pausing, "Hai, I guess I did. Is it too late to tell them that it's OK, or have they changed their plans?"

"No, I don't think it's too late," the professor laughed, "Actually, I never really did tell them no."

Astro stood still for a few seconds, and then his face burst into a broad grin, and he started to laugh. "You knew all along how I'd react, didn't you!"

"Of course, Astro," the professor grinned, "I can read you like a book."

Without warning, the boy robot ran towards Ochanomizu with outstretched arms and embraced him in a bear hug.

"Well, now," Ochanomizu laughed, and returning the hug, "That, I didn't see coming!"