Inspiration

Chapter Three

"I'm telling you, Cas," Reed shook his friend's shoulders, happily, "It was him! Really! Honestly!"

"You've completely lost it," Cas pushed him off, shaking his head, "You actually expect me to believe you ran into at the coffee shop? Do you have any idea how crazy that sounds?"

"It's the truth, Cas," Reed insisted, "Please. You have to believe me! This is my chance! I have to convince him to come back to Angeles. You know I deserve this... I just have to try."

"I'm done with this, Reed," Cas put his hands up, "Seriously. You go out and chase this wild ambition of yours, if that's what you want, but I'm not leaving this place until we're ready to go to home - And I'm especially not following you to some creepy old man's house."

"I need you, Dude," Reed frowned, "We're supposed to be a team."

"I'm sorry, Reed," Cas rejected, "I just can't. You go."

"If that's how it's got to be."

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Toby looked up from making a sandwich at the sound of a knock to his front door. Smiling at the idea of company, he went to answer it, but the smile fell from his face as soon as he opened it.

"Hold up a second, Tobuscus!" Reed called, sticking his foot in the door to keep Toby from closing it, "I just need to ask a favour!"

"Kid. We met literally yesterday," Toby returned, storming into his house, angrily, "You have no right to be asking favours of me."

"Just hear me out!" Reed pleaded, "I'm your biggest fan, Sir! Do you have any idea how hard it is to find videos from your college days? I own them on blue-ray. I had to go out and buy a blue-ray player just to watch them! Do you know how old that thing is?

"Not as old as you think," Toby stated, "Look. I'm flattered, really, but I'm done with that life. I don't think you quite get it."

"I don't understand, though!" Reed cried, "You were at the top of your game! Literally, the first YouTuber to receive your level of celebrity status! The president invited you to the White House to entertain his children for a day! Why would you just let all that go?"

Toby's back stiffened and he spun around to glare at the boy, "Let it go? Why would I let it go? You clearly aren't that much of my follower, then, are you?" He stormed over to a desk, ruffling through a drawer until he found a couple pages of paper printed off from a website and tossed them to him.

"The Crash," Reed read over the article, suddenly realizing his mistake.

"YouTube got picky, remember? Only the best could stay?" Toby reminded him, "Well, of course I was permitted... Until I took some time off. I needed a few weeks. Three, tops. My mother and brother had just died. Do you have any idea what that's like? I was done. I didn't want to deal with that, anymore. I dropped all of it, packed up and moved out here. End of story."

"I... I'm sorry," Reed looked at the ground, "I forgot."

"Of course you did," Toby growled, "Everyone did. They chalked me up as a quitter - Saying I had lost my talent and just didn't want to admit it. There are still idiots out there that think the whole accident was just a big hoax. I'm not going back to that. No way."

"Tobuscus... Is this what your mother and brother would have wanted?" Reed asked.

"You don't know anything about them," Toby hissed.

"I know you cared about them," Reed replied, "You talked about them all the time - And  I know how proud and supportive of you they were. They were happy that you were following what you wanted. Do you have any idea how much I would like that? I would be doing what I love for them. My parents thought it was just some cute little game I would play when I told them I wanted to be like you. I mean, you were my family's favourite YouTuber personality, sure, but that's like saying you were our favourite actor. They frowned upon the profession. I left home without a single word of encouragement. I convinced my best friend to come out here with me and now he won't even leave the apartment to help me. Just because I don't have a lot of money or my parents don't work in Hollywood, I can't do what I want. All I need is one reference. Then, you'll never see me, again. I won't even tell the press or anything. Please."

"Look. I'm sorry, okay?" Toby sighed, retrieving his article and returning it to the drawer, "I really am, but I'm done with all of that. Besides, even if I did, they wouldn't believe it. I've practically died in the public eye - Like Michael Jackson."

"Who?" Reed asked.

"You don't know who Michael Jackson is?" Toby raised an eyebrow.

"Nope," Reed admitted. Toby stared at him for a minute. Contemplating.

"I'll do anything! Please... I need help," Reed pleaded, staring back.

"Alright. Look," Toby held his hands up, "How about this. You show me your audition act and, if I like it, I'll give you your reference, okay?"

"Deal!" Reed stuck out his hand, offering it to shake. 

Toby rolled his eyes, a kind smile hinting on his lips.

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"I don't get any of that," Toby shook his head, once Reed had finished.

"What do you mean, you don't get it?" Reed blinked, "It's Pop Culture at its finest."

"You didn't give a single shout out to the older generation, though," Toby replied, "You're aiming for a very small audience, Kid. How exactly do you expect to become famous if only the teen population understands what you're saying?"

"So... What do I do?" Reed asked.

"Go. Do some research. Then you'll get excepted in for sure," Toby informed.

"But... What about my reference?" Reed asked.

"I can't, Kid. You weren't really all that impressive," Toby shrugged.

"Well.... Then teach me to be!" Reed exclaimed, "Come on! I'll do anything!"

"That wasn't part of the deal," Toby refused.

"Are you saying I should quit?" Reed raised an eyebrow.

"I'm saying you have a lot of potential."

"Then help me reach it!" Reed stepped forward, gripping his arms in desperation, "Help me reach my potential! Please! I know your work! If anyone could make me into something, it's you! I don't have anywhere else to go!"

"Alright! Alright... Quit your groveling," Toby rolled his eyes, "I'll give you some pointers - But that's it."

"Thank you!" Reed cheered, doing a happy dance, "Thank you! I'll repay you, somehow! I promise! Really! Truly!"

"Alright. Enough of that," Toby chuckled, "You should go home, but come back here tomorrow, okay? I'll have some stuff set up for us to start your... Training."

"Sure thing, Tobuscus!" Reed agreed.

"And, Reed?" he called after the retreating figure, "It's just Toby." Reed's grin grew and he waved once before rushing out. Toby sighed as soon as he left.

What was he getting himself into?

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Catty: So, basically, I was trying to think of the most devastating thing that could happen to Toby that would make him leave his career. And then I remembered how much he talks about his mom and was like "Bingo." 

If you want to know what happened to Gryphon, vote on this chapter.