To Be a Hero

Chapter 2

    Toby was having a blast. Granted he wasn't a huge party person, but he was still having fun. Grayson, or Purpled as his friends called him, knew how to throw them. There didn't necessarily need to be a reason to do so. And being the responsible teenager he was, he made sure they were safe for the most part as well, which Toby appreciated. He'd heard horror stories of other high school parties with drinking and substances, and he was glad he could easily avoid it.

He smiled out on the front steps, sipping his punch and thinking about this. He could feel the bass of the music that was coming from inside. He and Tommy had been there for an hour or so helping Purpled decorate, when Karl and Quackity had shown up. The five of them had finished decorating when other people started showing up, and the party had really begun. Toby just wanted to see the stars and relax for a bit, though they were more difficult to see closer to the city center. It was a beautiful night, he thought. Quiet, peaceful-

A scream broke through the peaceful silence of the night, making the boy jolt upwards.It had sounded semi close. He looked back at the house. The music was probably too loud for anyone inside to hear, and the residents of the surrounding buildings were probably either asleep, or assuming that it came from the party. Just stupid, loud kids messing around. After a brief mental argument with himself, and another yell, he got up and started towards the sound. God this was stupid, what was he doing? He was going to get himself killed, or possibly hurt someone else- But someone was in danger, he couldn't just ignore the could he?

He heard sounds of a scuffle in an alley, peeking around the corner carefully. His eyes widened. Two people were fighting, well, not exactly. A girl who couldn't have been more than two years older than himself, closer to Wilbur and Techno's age, was trying to get past a man, out of the alley. She was slightly injured, a cut above her eye, and a few bruises. Was this an assault..? No... Tubbo pulled himself back behind the wall fully as quickly as he could when he noticed the ram horns on the man. There was only one man with horns that attacked civilians for fun...one villain so elusive they only knew his ability, and the villain name he had given himself. One villain so powerful and influential, no one had caught him yet, nor had anyone survived an encounter with him without at least a few scars. If you were lucky to survive at all.

Part of him wanted to run, to go back to the party and not get involved. This wasn't his fight. He was no hero. If he left now, he would be safe. He heard a sudden gasp from the girl, and a dark chuckle from the villain. He peeked, against the part of his brain telling him to ignore it, back into the alley. The girl was being held up and pinned to the wall by her throat, trying to claw at his hand. As she struggled, her eyes met Toby's causing both pairs to widen in shock and surprise.

"Help...me..." she choked out quietly

Something in Toby shifted, and he pulled himself behind the wall again, heart beating fast. He pulled the green bandana Tommy had given him up over his mouth and nose, before pulling the hood of his hoodie up as well, before fully stepping out into the entrance of the alley. The villain was laughing cruelly.

"No one can hear you, might as well accept your fate-" he snarled, squeezing harder.

Toby raised his hands, closing his eyes. His body seemed to be moving on his own as he imagined puppet strings coming from his fingertips and connecting to the horned man's wrists, ankles, and torso. He hadn't done this in years, but it still felt natural, which he wasn't sure he liked. As soon as they were connected, he opened his eyes, closed his fists like he was grabbing something, and yanked. Seemingly pulled by nothing, the villain stumbled back, releasing the girl, who dropped to her knees, coughing. The man whipped around to see what caused this, spotting Toby and glaring. The boy made sure to avoid his eyes, remembering the registry saying he could cancel your powers out for about five minutes if you made eye contact with him. He could also do it for as long as he kept skin to skin contact with someone.