1 Rusty's Water Robot Dad

In a far away planet known as Wet Circle, there lives a civilization of robots known as Tin Tans. They are grouped by their colors that tell their roles in the community.

The blue Tin Tans live in the highlands and are the ones who provide fuel and fire —- a basic commodity in Wet Circle. The red robots stay at the foot of mountains and dig soils to get minerals and metals that are used in producing more Tin Tans. The last ones are robots that are color yellow and are called the Water Robots. They are considered as the guardians of the planet.

Wet Circle is as big as planet Earth. But compared to Earth, it is 90% land and 10% water. There is one big body of water and it forms like a gigantic hole in the middle of the round planet.

It is in this planet where a young Tin Tan named Rusty lives. He doesn't have a color yet just like the other little robots.

"I want to be a water robot someday," he tells his friend Brittle. "I want to be like my dad."

Rusty placed a toy on a flat metal sheet and let it float and sink in the pond.

"Hey! That's an expensive toy. Why did you just let it sink," Brittle asked

"I don't care," Rusty replied. "My Daddy Golden can buy me another one of that and next time it will even be bigger. He earns a lot of metal coins as a water robot for two years now!"

Brittle just shrugged his shoulder and say, "If only my dad is like your dad, maybe he could also get me a toy like that."

When Brittle goes home, Rusty is usually left alone in their house. His mom is a blue Tin Tan who sells hot lava, coal and gasoline in the fire station, a place where robots buy fuel to get the motors in their body going. Her name is Mommy Crystal who usually arrives at the house an hour before Rusty's sleep time.

"I'm home!", Mommy Crystal while knocking at the door.

Rusty immediately opened the door and gave his mom a big kiss. She has a big glass of fire that can light the whole house for one week. Rusty noticed a red robot standing beside his mom. The red robot is from a hardware company and is carrying a box that says "Fragile."

Rusty received the box from the delivery guy and excitedly unwrapped the small package. His two big eyes became bigger when he saw what's inside the box.

"That's right! You'll be having a little sister soon," his mom kissed him on his forehead

"At last! I'll have a new playmate! Woohoo!," as Rusty danced crazily all over the house.

"You need to start behaving, Mommy Crystal reminds him. "I want you to be good example to your sister. Now come, have her batteries charge."

The next morning, Rusty was awaken by loud hammering sounds. When he came down the stairs, he saw his mom having a hard time assembling his little sister.

"Rusty, can you call your dad through wallphone, please?!," she said

In a few seconds, Rusty's dad who is somewhere at Big Water is on the wide screen on the wall.

"What's the matter, Crystal? Hi there, Rusty," he said upon seeing his wife and son.

"I've already spent hours fixing our little daughter but it seems I can't do anything right," she lamented. "I know I followed all the instructions but... Can you please lend me a hand!"

"You'll get my hand tomorrow morning," Daddy Golden winked. "I really have to go, the big waves are coming. Take care."

The following day, a small package arrived at their door step. Rusty and her mom opened the box and bouncing out from it is a big yellow hand that seems has a life of its own. The hand walked towards the body parts of Rusty's sister. It used the screw driver, hammer, wrench and other tools like an expert mechanic.

In just a few minutes, a new baby in the house started to cry.

"How's your little sister, son?" Rusty heard a voice from the back.

It was his dad on the wallphone.

Rusty jumped around the room while his mom carries the baby. "I have a little sister! I have a little sister!"

"I'm glad you're happy with your new sister," his dad said. "By the way, can you ask your mom to send back to me my hand tomorrow? I really need it for work. Bye for now"

"Sure, dad!, Bye!" Rusty replied.

One day while Rusty and Brittle are playing at home, his mom, who looks very tired, entered the house carrying his little sister Baby Alloy.

"I hate this," her mom started to cry. "My knees hurt... it's really painful."

"What did the mechanic say, mom?"

"They told me to soak both my knees in hot oil and I need to rest for a few days. Can you call dad, Rusty?"

In less than a minute, Daddy Golden is on the phonewall. "Hi there, guys! What's up?"

"My knees are hurting and no one's gonna walk Baby Alloy. I can't let Rusty bring her to the park alone. He's too young to do it," Mommy Crystal talks to her husband.

"Don't you worry... I can lend you my left leg and you'll receive it tomorrow! Would that be okay?"

"That sounds great, dad," Rusty said. "Also, can you include new toys in the delivery box. Please, dad. Please"

"No problem, son. I'll drop by our shop here on our ship before I send my package."

True to his words, Rusty's dad sent one of his legs to his family. Hopping around the park, the leg pulls the Baby Alloy's stroller. The leg would jump from one hardware store to another to buy things for the baby robot —- grease, oil, metal brush and anything pink and fancy.

Before night time, the leg safely brought home Baby Alloy who was already sleeping. The leg hopped on Rusty's lap and suddenly, the side pocket of the pants of the leg glowed. Rusty unbuttoned the pocket and he found there a note that says,"Hi son! Kindly send back leg tomorrow?

I really need it for work. P.S. I have a new toy for you. Love, Daddy Golden"

Rusty excitedly searched the pocket for the toy. But when he saw it, he became upset and threw it in the trash can, "I don't like this toy. Umm!"

"That stuff is for babies!," Rusty went to bed very disappointed.

Rusty woke up very early the following morning. He called the postal company and asked them to pick up a package for delivery. He prepared the box for the package but instead of packing his dad's leg, he turned it off and kept it in the cabinet. He then took the box outside the house and placed himself inside the box. When the delivery truck came in, they picked up the package and shipped it to Big Water.

After a few hours, The package was received by Rusty's dad on board a ship and was surprised to find out his son was in there.

"Rusty, what are you doing here? Where's my leg?," said his hobbling one-legged dad.

"Dad, I need to talk to you," Rusty replied. "Why did you send me a baby toy? What were you thinking?"

"Rusty, you should not be here? It's very dangerous and..."

Rusty's dad was not able to finish what he wanted to say when the captain of the ship suddenly sounded the alarm

Woo! Woo! Woo! Woo!

"Command your post, everyone! We have a big wave coming our way!," the captain announced.

With one leg, Daddy Golden quickly took his son and tied him on one of the steel posts of the ship.

He was about to return to his station when a strong wind blew and knocked him off the ship.

"Help! Help!," Rusty's dad shouted.

Without his other leg, Daddy Golden could not swim. He slowly sinks deep down Big Water. Rusty can't do anything but cry out for help while holding on the steel post for dear life", Please, anyone!

Help my dad!"

The captain heard Rusty's plea and quickly jump off the ship to save his dad. Despite the strong wind and big waves, the captain was able to save Daddy Golden from sinking deeper into the strong water.

When the big waves stopped, the other crew members of the ship lifted the captain and Daddy Golden from the water and back to the ship. Rusty hugged his dad who looks very exhausted and weak because of the accident.

"I am okay, son. Don't worry," Rusty's dad in his soft voice still tried to calm his crying son.

"From now on dad, I'll be a good son," Rusty promised while sobbing. "I didn't know that your work is this hard and dangerous. It is only now that I realize your sacrifices for us."

In spite of his situation, Daddy Golden still smiled when he heard what his son have told him. He believes that beginning that day, Rusty will be a better robot than before.

And true enough, after a several years since that incident at Big Water, Rusty grew up as a responsible and intelligent adult Tin Tan. He may not have become a courageous yellow water robot like his father but he make sure he does the best he could as a blue Tin Tan like her mother.

Rusty sells fire and coal as the owner of a store which he called "Golden Sacrifices" in memory of his father who may not survived the accident at Big Water but was able to present the best gift a father can give to his son —- the true meaning of selfless and unconditional love that he can pass on to his own child.