Forky: " Woody, somebody's whispering in your ear. (whispering loudly) Everything's gonna to be okay."
My name is Andrew Davis, but you can call me Andy. And I'm trying to solve a mystery.
It all started with a boy. A new kid who transferred to my school freshman year.
His name is Sora. He's always smiling, but, when no one's looking, he's sad. All the time. At first, it was like he was grieving. But for who? For all that he was an open book, not even he knows why he cries a lot. A bad dream he doesn't remember? Who knows. At least he has no shortage of friends here.
All that aside, that wasn't the mystery.
The mystery started during the incident with Space Ranger Warp Darkmatter and the ceremony where Buzz Lightyear and his new team received their awards.
We were there for that. A big crowd, even bigger party. Sora ahead of me trying to get an autograph. Buzz takes one look at Sora, and it's like a fog gets lifted as he signs the photo. Sora walks away with a thank you before Buzz blinks back into awareness, Sora seemingly none the wiser.
What was that ?
There were a few other incidents like that. Most I heard from rumor. One incident was when Sora got caught in an attack with Zurg and only him and another couple made it out. The article about it showed the couple acting just as Buzz did that first time. In a daze and behaving differently than normal.
Even Sid is acting strange after talking to him!
I vowed to avoid him.
That worked… until we bumped into each other getting off the same bus stop as he visited a friend and I went home. I don't remember what happened, but he waved goodbye as I walked the short distance home in a daze.
I don't know how I got back to my room and it's really freaking me out with the transition. Waking up the next morning- (That's when everything sunk in).
After realizing I was here to stay and NOT a dream, I tried finding out about the apparent life I had here. Similar, yet different, considering the new reality of things. Like, I have my own ship instead of a car, The technology is insanely far advanced, yet treated as old junk...
"I can go into space. I can go into space! " (I practically did a happy dance in my room when that particular thought finally sunk in.) The stars are more clear than I ever remember them being.
Then I start seeing familiar faces, like that Al guy from those old toy commercials back home.
Molly learns about the festival from a friend and begs to go. Unfortunately, I actually work for Al here, so I got roped into working at the stall instead of enjoying the festival. Next to me was an older guy listening to music and not paying attention to the customers. As I do inventory at the main store to be shipped to the stall, I see so many of my old toys...
I can only stop as nostalgia creeps up on me now and then throughout the day.
Picking up two toys, I had to stop myself from lifting their feet to see my name in permanent marker.
Later, mom senses something off about me and Molly just ignores me like she did before and hangs out with her friends. Same names, but a few are definitely alien, but no one bats an eye.
Finally the day of the festival. My nerves are shot when a rumor spreads that Buzz Lightyear is in town. My foot bumps a box full of eerily familiar action figures, but also a few other rangers I vaguely remember from the show and posters in my room.
Picking up a shiny new Bo Peep lamp. This takes me back. Wasn't this Molly's lamp?
Clutching the toy and making my way over to the stand as Al wanders around securing the merchandise. He lets me know he's going out back to change into a costume that has some suspicious looking feathers sticking out...
Making a face, I eventually walk over and straighten up while looking at the toy belonging to the hat.
It feels like I'm being watched. Looking across the street, I see the local authorities talking to a man in a faded brown, futuristic cowboy costume in a more detailed Police uniform beneath the coat. As the man continues talking, face covered either by the collar of his trench coat or the rim of his hat. I can't help but feel he's familiar somehow.
Al eventually comes back out and excitedly greets the group. And I'm kneeling behind the stand getting the last of the boxes in order before we open.
"Congratulations on becoming Sheriff, Mr. Woodrow Pride!"
The man in the hat chuckles and waves him off with a smile. "Please, call me Woody."
I startle and my eyes widen. Whipping my face up and standing in shock, the man, Woody, is blocked from view because of the other officers standing next to him.
I'm so in shock, I didn't notice Woody discreetly look at me, eyes widening in recognition. Then he eventually walks away with the group as something over the radio catches their attention.
First Buzz is in town, now Woody is the new Sheriff.
It was Al going into pre-opening panic-mode that snapped me out of it.
Other than keeping an ear open for my old friends (toys?) the festival ran like any other. Well, I had to hide my shock and surprise -but quickly adapted- to various aliens, Sci-fi themed products and people flying around or on hover bikes/vehicles.
The song changed over head to a song I haven't heard since I was a kid and you can't blame me for humming it.
With my back facing the stall to check the register, I see in a reflection a very familiar Space Ranger walk up to the stall. Turning to him, I can only stare.
Buzz...
He's smiling as he's looking at all the toys. Eyes lingering on the ones I used to own. Wait...
Does that mean he remembers...?
Remember what? Being a toy?
Shaking my head I walk over to greet him, inwardly nervous and excited. I see him startle and face me for a moment. I can see recognition in those eyes. The moment passes and he hastily picks up a toy (himself) and 'nodding in approval'.
I quietly chuckle then see movement behind him.
Now to make sure.
I smile and he nods in greeting, face still hidden by his hat. He picks up himself, Buzz appears oblivious. Until...
Buzz Lightyear remembers being a toy. He remembers Andy, Slink, the Potatoheads, Hamm, Rex, Bo, Jessie... Woody. He remembers them all. He remembers the day when Andy went off to college and was given to Bonnie. But what he remembers the most was saying goodbye to his old friend at the fair. Hugging him goodbye.
Woody's not a Lost Toy. Not anymore.
It was hard going to sleep, but eventually-
When Buzz opened his eyes-
He's in Star Command. A celebration being held for his team. A hauntingly familiar young teen before him. Spiky brown hair, crown necklace. But more red in his clothes than the black he remembered. The boy skipped away for the next fan in line, distracting him.
Eventually he made it back to HQ to his room. Turning to the locker where his spare suit is-
Buzz stared in awe at his suit, realized as the real thing. No longer plastic and stickers or that blinking light; but metal alloys, working electronics. This is an actual combat space suit. There was obvious wear and tear, but you see the care that went into its upkeep. All the resewn stitching around the cloth portions. Scratches, dents and wear around the more common settings. An actual contact list, working computer and a log to record what happens. The whole thing was extremely high-end and militaristic. The suit looked like Buzz treated it like his baby. (And considering that as a toy, he was stuck in the suit the entire time… It kinda was?)
He could faintly hear Mira outside the following morning telling to hurry up, but could you blame him?! Buzz finally came to terms that he was a toy, only to get smacked in the face that he is now a real… Space Ranger.
This is happening!
He spent that whole day in a panicked daze and putting on an act near auto-pilot. Pretending to be his by-the-book self from the VHS tapes of his show. The fact that he was HUMAN and not a toy is what really threw him off his game.
The next several months went in a blur, but he never forgot his friends. And now that Zurg is defeated, he finds himself with a lot of free time on his hands. The reason he's out here today is to avoid his team, who has been trying to set him up on blind dates; worried that he'd be alone.
Buzz strolled through a town that has seen better days, but is fortunately still lively today. It's safe to assume because of the festival going on. Looking around, it appears to be a seasonal festival with a side party near town square for some kind of celebration for the new Sheriff who was just promoted. Sheriff Woodrow Pride .
He paused briefly.
No. It's not him.
As Buzz walks along the line of stalls, a name catches his eye, Al's Toybarn . The song: " You Got a Friend in Me " playing on the radio speakers above. He cracks a smile as he sees Al in his chicken costume trying to advertise his toys. Walking up, he expected toys of him and the other Space rangers. But... stopping in front of the display, he noticed Slink. Eyes widening, he looks at every toy. There's Rex, Hamm, Slink-
There's a little girl paying for a box. As she turned, he was able to get a better look. It was Bo Peep as her lamp, sheep included! The child ran off into the crowd.
"What?"
A passerby bumping into him caused him to shake his head. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea. Looking back, he wonders if he should step closer to the stand.
With a sigh, he tries to get a closer inspection of the wares. Humming in thought, Buzz notices that there are handfuls of other toys he's met in their travels as Andy's toys. A cowboy doll catches his eye and he half suspects Jessie. In his peripheral vision, he sees a young man walk up and Buzz hastily picks up a new toy of himself and pretends to analyze it and 'nodding in approval'. ( It's an exact replica of his toy self! What is-!? )
As the young man comes closer, Buzz almost drops his toy self.
It was Andy. The same Andy from that last day wearing an Al's Toybarn uniform.
"Reach for the sky~"
Slowly, Buzz looked towards the one catchphrase that was as familiar as his own. There, a few steps away, stood a handsome middle aged man in a brown trench coat, new hat, shiny star-shaped badge and the town's Sheriff uniform. He was holding the doll Buzz now recognizes as Woody.
The supposed sheriff chuckled and closed his eyes, as if lost to his own memories. Still closed, he pulled the string again.
"You're my favorite deputy!"
"There's a snake in my boot!"
"Somebody's poisoned the waterhole!"
"Sheriff Pride! Welcome!" The Andy look-alike greeted with a smile. The sheriff looked up and faced him, allowing Buzz to get a better look at his face. Buzz clutched his toy tighter and took a small step back.
"Please, call me Woody." The man spoke calmly, now facing Buzz. Words kept escaping Buzz as 'Woody' chuckled and faced Andy. "Forgive me. But I remember having this when I was a boy. In fact, I used to have a lot of these toys. Including the one you're holding." Looking at Buzz again and pointing to the 'Buzz' in his hand.
"Surely you must be mistaken!" Al cut in, still in his chicken costume, "That action figure is the latest on the market!" He boasted.
"Oh! Uh... is that so?" Buzz wanted to hit himself.
"May I?" 'Woody' held out his leather-gloved hand.
"Uh.. yeah sure." Reaching out, 'Woody' grabbed the toy as they brushed their fingers. He's really here...
"Now, what was it you used to say?" 'Woody' pouted with a dramatic thinking face. "Hmmm. What was it? Oh, yeah... that's right. It was:" Looking Buzz right in the eye, "To infinity... and beyond." He smiled.
None of them noticed a camera flash.