The Vanishing Act

Toby Jones: Best Player

Fandom: Undertale
    Today was a school-day, Toby Jones woke up to his mother screaming up the stairs at him to get up and get ready...not like he wanted to wake up in a good mood or anything. He got himself up from bed, being already dressed for school in a simple white T-Shirt and some blue jeans, he went to grab a homemade jacket that looked like Sans' fluffy blue jacket in Undertale...but then he realized he'd be yelled at for even showing "how much of a nerd you are" in the words of his father, so he sighed a little and closed his closet. As he got more ready, the closer it got to the time the bus got there, by the time he was ready and cleaned up, the bus was there. He quickly climbed out his window and got onto the bus, only to be tripped by a bully on his way to his seat.
     School went as usual; he kept quiet while doing his work, regardless of people trying to get under his skin. As the day went on, the more and more he wished he wasn't here, wasn't in his world; the more and more he wanted to be in the underground, sitting in Toriels house while she read him a book about snails, or sitting with Papyrus and Sans on their couch watching a random movie that Undyne made them watch, or even just sitting in the small grassy patch with Flowey...but no...he was here being picked on for having a black eye from earlier in the week when he was caught getting a snack from the fridge. He ended up sitting in the gym locker room, not wanting to have a weight pushed down on top of his chest again like yesterday. He reached into his bag and grabbed out a stuffed animal pictured after Lesser Dog, he hugged onto it and cried silently into it's fake fur.
     The day soon ended as he got off the bus at his house, walking through the front door to be met with a beer bottle thrown at him the moment he closed the door. Toby rushed himself up the stairs before he was actually hit by his drunken father. He locked the door and hid himself under his bed, grabbing his switch to replay Undertale for the millionth time to calm himself down. But...this time was different. He opened up the game like usual but, Gaster showed up on screen luckily "speaking" in english instead of hands, his text box read "A certain flower would like to meet you, do you expect?" with a yes and a no button lit orange underneath of his feet. Toby was confused, he'd never seen this beginning before, had he just missed it in a panicked time? He didn't know, but he of course clicked the yes button.
     A night flash of white blinded Toby from everything around him, not just on the screen, everywhere around him. Next thing he knew...he was laying in a small grass patch looking up at the sky from inside of a deep hole, the grassy patch was covered in nice yellow flowers. Toby rubbed his eyes a little, groaning as his head hurt a little from the bright flash...he'd been here before...but...he couldn't be in the game could he? The only rational thing he could think of doing was to go onto the next room where you would normally meet Flowey, and since Gaster said Flowey wanted to meet him...maybe he had some answers for him? He took a second to look around a little though...he was actually here...or at least it felt real enough for him to think he was there, which was more then enough to make a smile spread across his face.
     After about a minute or so of him just taking it all it, he made his way to the room east of him, where sure enough, Flowey was there. Toby walked over and sat in front of him.    
     Flowey snickered, "finally, jeez it took you long enough idiot."
     Toby gave a little chuckle, "I mean I would've been faster if I wasn't looking around just the main room. But I mean how was I not supposed to?"
     Flowey rolled his eyes, "well you're wasting my time, you already know why you're here-"
     He was cut off by Toby, "actually I have no idea why I'm here, Gaster just kinda said you wanted to meet me...which is weird cuz this is a game..."
     Flowey hit him was a Friendliness Pellet, which Toby dodged quickly. "Don't interrupt me idiot! You're here for a test, I want to see what you can actually do, I want you to change the ending. Easy enough right?" He gave a slightly evil laugh.
     Toby looked a little confused, "what do you mean change the ending? Like, have it so you stay down here? Or like getting you guys out but...what do you mean change the ending?" He was, quite confused.
     Flowey laughed his signature pixel-y laugh, but now that it wasn't a game on a console, it was more "human" like, less glitchy. "That's up to you Toby, I mean you are the most skillful player we know of, figure it out yourself."
     Toby looked shocked for a second, "most skillful player? Really? Wow...um...I guess I'll figure it out sooner or later." He gave a nervous chuckle.
     Flower laughed, "good luck with that idiot, see you around. Oh and don't die." And with that being said, he sank down back into the ground.
     Toby bit his lip a little, what was he supposed to do to change the game? Maybe spend more time with his friends? Refuse to fight Asgore? Maybe stay with Toriel instead of going? No he couldn't stay with Toriel, no matter how much he wanted to...he had to help everyone get out. He didn't know if it would make a difference; if it would let them actually out or if it'd just send him back home with nothing...but he couldn't risk keeping his friends stuck under the ground.
     He got himself up from the ground just as Toriel walked in, "oh my, are you alright from the fall?" Toby looked up at her, smiling big as soon as he saw her and immediately hugging her, she made a small surprised noise and hugged back. "Well hello there, what's this about my child?"
     Toby smiled and snuggles into her fur, "I'm ok, just...needed a hug I suppose."
     Toriel gently rubbed his back, smiling gently to herself, "that's alright too my child, take as long as you need. Would you like me to carry you back to my home? We can get some ice of your eye."
     "Oh...yeah that," Toby gave a soft chuckle, "you can carry me if you want to, but I can walk with you." He looked up at her softly, smiling lightly.
     "I think I'll just carry you my child." Toriel smiled, calmly rubbing her thumb over the bottom of his black eye before gently picking him up and holding him on her side like you would a toddler.
     Toby smiled softly and snuggled into her. He'd always wanted this...just feeling like he belonged somewhere, in someone's arms. He never wanted to let go of her, he was terrified that he'd be sent back to the awful place with his parents...with those awful people at his school...he'd been dealt with so much pain and suffering, all he wanted was to stay here, safe and loved, where he knew he actually had friends that cared about him...
     Toriel meanwhile started to walk as Toby thought about how his could stay in the underground. She felt awful for him, not even knowing what had happened to give him that awful black eye. All she knew at the moment was that she was going to protect this child with her life, not like the other six children, she was going to go allow with what he wanted...which she knew was probably to go fight Asgore like all the others, but this time she'd let him, fighting all the others hurt her more then anything, this time she wouldn't do it.
     Toriel walked home carrying Toby, the ruins were still dark and dusty but homey at the same time. Tori doing all the puzzles, calmly explaining them to Toby, who was half asleep against his side. He was utterly comfortable against her soft, white fur.
     Time went on as normal, Toby getting the cinnamon butterscotch pie, which he only took a few bites of, saving the rest-the pie was better then he ever imagined and damn did he saver the taste. He stayed with Tori for a little extra bit, letting her read a book about snails to him while he rested against her, but eventually he did have to bring up the whole conversation about leaving, and just like Tori thought at the beginning, she let him go peacefully, no fighting this time. Toby was a little shocked, hugging her tightly at the bottom of the stairs, "thank you mom, I promise you I'll be safe, and I'll call you, I swear, you just gotta answer," he gave a little chuckle.
     Tori snickered softly, hugging him back close, "I promise you to answer every call I get from you my child, good luck out there."
     Toby sniffled and looked up to her, "I really love you, even though you've only known me for a day or so, you've meant so much to.me for such a long time," he gave a soft chuckle and wipe his teary eyes.
     Tori teared up a little and gently rubbed Toby's tears away, "I love you too Toby, remember that ok?"
     He gave a soft nod and gave her another soft squeeze, not wanted to let go of her. Eventually though, he left go and smiles tearfully. Not being able to say goodbye, he turned around at looked at the big door...taking a step up to it and opening it up. He looked back to Tori again and waved softly. He was greeted with a soft wave back before he turned back around and carefully took a step out into the snowy forest, the big door closing behind him.