Team Crafted: Second Generation

Tyler

"What do you mean, I can't go?" 

I stared at my dad, not being able to believe it. He was joking, right? He had to be joking. 

"I mean exactly what it sounds like I mean." He said. "You're not going to the fight. I'm putting my foot down." 

"But Dad!" I exclaimed. "I have to go! I have to! I promised Skylar I'd help her!" 

"I know you did, Tyler, but I'm not letting you go through with this!" 

"Go through with what? Helping my friend?" 

"No, Tyler." He said, his expression grim. "You know exactly what I'm talking about." 

My stomach filled with dread as realization sunk in. "How did you-"

"Jess told me what you've been doing. She's worried about you." 

Betrayed. That's how I felt first. 

"So what, now you trust her? Now you listen to her?"

"Tyler. Look me straight in the eyes and tell me you aren't doing this. Then, I'll think about going back on believing her."

I glared at his forehead, trying to make it look like I was looking at his eyes.

"I'm not corrupting myself."

"That's not my eyes, Tyler."

I shut my eyes, taking a few seconds to breathe and calm down. I can't be convincing when I'm angry.

I looked him straight in the eyes.

"I'm not...I'm not..."

But I couldn't do it. I couldn't bring myself to lie to him, and I didn't know why. 

There were a few seconds of silence, and he sighed.

"Why, Tyler? Why did you do this?"

"She...she said I could be strong." I said. "She said I could destroy him in one hit."

"So what was your plan?" He asked. "Ditch your family and your friends and go on a one-on-one battle against the closest thing we've got to a devil since Herobrine?"

"I thought Herobrine was a myth."

"That's not the point, Tyler." 

"I thought I could help." I said, staring at the floor. "If it's just me, no one has to go fight, and then no one will die."

Dad sighed. "Look, I know how it feels to be in this position. But you can't just do this to people who love you."

"You were going to!" I retorted. "When we first got the message, you were just going to walk right in there on your own!" 

"That's...that's different."

"How is it different?" 

"It doesn't matter how it's different, it just is, okay?" Dad said. "The point is, you're not going."

He started to leave the room, reaching for the door handle. 

"Dad, you can't do this." I said, and he stopped. "I promised her. I promised her, Dad."

He stood there for a few seconds, and my hopes lifted. Maybe he would change his mind. 

"I'm sorry, Tyler. But I'm not letting you throw your life away." 

And with that, he left, closing the door behind him. 

I stood there for a few seconds, unable to believe what was happening. I couldn't just not go. I had to go! I made a promise, I...

I leaned against the wall, sliding down it until I was sitting on the floor. 

How was I supposed to save her if I couldn't even go to the fight?

I heard the door open, and turned to see Shane walk into the room.

"I heard the last part of that conversation." He said. "What's going on?"

I sighed, and stood up. No use keeping it from anyone, they'd find out soon enough.

"Dad says I can't come along to the fight."

"What? Why?" Shane asked, his eyes wide with shock.

"He wants to keep me safe." I said, and half-heartedly kicked the wall, the reality of the situation setting in. "He said I'd be too reckless and get myself hurt."

"Wow." Shane said. "That's...that's bull."

"What?" I asked.

"That's bull." He said. "You've worked hard to get to this point just as much as the rest of us have. You're probably the one who wants it the most. Keeping you away from it...that's a load of crap."

"I know." I said. "It sucks. But that was Dad Mode."

"'Dad Mode?'" Shane asked, confused.

"My dad's normally pretty chill about most things." I explained, "But when he's really serious about something, I call it Dad Mode."

I sighed. "Never once in my life have I gotten past Dad Mode."

"So what, you're going to just sit here and take that as an answer?" Shane asked.

"I want to go." I said. "Seriously, I do. But you don't know my dad like I do. There's no way in Nether I can change his mind about this, and I can't sneak off by myself."

Shane stood there for a few minutes, and then a smile slowly spread across his face.

"I don't like that face." I said. "You look like Jenna when she has an idea that's definitely going to get us all killed."

"You said you'll never be able to sneak out by yourself." He said. "What if you weren't alone?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, I still kind of owe you for not killing me the night we first met." He said, shrugging his shoulders. "And I know I don't have Cam's brain, but I do know how to make a plan."

"You're going to help me get to the fight?"

"Duh." He grinned. "Like I said, you deserve to go. You want it so damn bad, I think you'll find a way to make it there with or without me."

I smiled, my hopes returning. "I'm suddenly happy I didn't kill you that first night." 

He scoffed. "Oh, please.You couldn't even beat me in your wildest dreams, Mr. Can't-Figure-Out-How-To-Summon-My-Only-Weapon."

I was about to retort, when suddenly, I noticed the sound coming from outside, It sounded like a huge crowd of people talking, but it sounded like there were way more people than the usual fifteen of us.

"Hey, do you hear that?" I asked.

Just then, Alyssa opened the door, peeking her head inside to see us.

"Guys," She said. "You're going to want to see this." 

***

I'M ALIVE!!! WOO!!!

I finally finished that animation I've working on for forever, and I'm decently on top of my homework now, which means I can finally get back to writing this story! WOO HOO!

(I'm going to try and get another chapter out by today or tomorrow, so keep a look out for that!)

(Also, the thing where you enter a character in the comments is now CLOSED. More details on what it was for are coming soon!)