The Doll That Saved Team Crafted

Chapter One

"How can the Team stay together like this?"

A young man walks down the street, a light rain giving the air a refreshing feeling. He has raven black hair, a blue and orange hoodie, and gray sweat pants. His grey eyes seem unfocused as he walks along the road. His sneakers squelch with each step from being wet. Jason Stars, former member of Team Crafted, had certainly seen better days. He had tried to keep the group together after Adam's disappearance. But without him, the team didn't even make it a full year. He hasn't seen any of his old group since the funeral, two years ago.

Jason left to the complete other side of Minecraftia, hoping to start a better life then where he was previously heading. He's now a guard in a small village that's not even on most maps. But his past haunts him with every step, every breath, every heartbeat. But he can't go back. There is nothing to go back to; with the remaining team scattered, or disappearing off the face of the earth. Fortunately for Jason, his old space helmet always covered his face, even if he doesn't wear it anymore. No one recognizes him. No one can remind him of the past except himself.

     I wonder why it's been raining so much lately? Yeah, it's good for the crops, but it makes guard duty on the wall a real pain. My socks are already soaked. Quinten would of li-. Nope. Can't think about that. I push my thoughts to the side and focus on moving my feet towards my home. It's been a long day. Maybe I can just go to sleep and forget about life for a change.

After a few more minutes of sulking through the rain, I finally come within sight of my house. It doesn't look anything fancy, but there is a secret basement found via some red stone I had set up. I go over to my door and almost trip over a cardboard box that's been thoroughly drenched. "Seriously? Why would a package be delivered and left in the rain!? Why would I even have a package delivered to me!?", I ask out loud. I sigh and pick up the waterlogged box and unlock the door to my house.

I step onto the welcome mat and close the door before water gets onto my carpet. I wiggle out of my muddy boots and walk in my socks. My house is three rooms on the first floor, kitchen and living room connected, with a bathroom and one bedroom. And the basement, but I prefer not to think about it. I plop the soppy box onto the counter and ignore it for now. I open a chest and dig around a bit before pulling out an apple and sitting down to eat it. Things have been a lot more quiet lately then I would have liked.

My gaze eventually wanders back to the mysterious package, so I get up and cut the tape off. The box is mostly filled with feathers and pieces of wool to keep whatever inside from breaking. It must be pretty fragile. I look on the outside of the box one more time for any return addresses, but there's still none that I can find. Nothing else left to do, I dig around in the box until my hands brushed up against something solid. Pulling it out, the first thing my brain registers is that it's a wooden doll. And then I drop it. No, more like I throw it across the room.

With little pegs on shoulders, elbows, knees, and waist, the clever toy let the limbs move and bend. They weren't to loose to swing around, but not too tight to bend. The fingers were even carved out. It was really only the length of my hand. Brown painted-on hair is held back in what looks like a ponytail. But what made me throw it is the outfit it wears. With tiny black shades and gloves, red shoes, black and grey fabric shirt and pants....... it looks exactly like my lost leader, Adam.

I lean against the wall and sink to the floor. Who would of sent this to me? Why send it now? Who would even take the time to make something like it, and give it away? I can only stare at the doll while my thoughts swirl around in my head. I eventually push myself up, shakily walking over to the doll. I pick it up off the floor and hold it in both hands.

I miss him. I wish I knew where he went all those years ago. But I miss everyone else too. Staring at the wooden doll, I laugh a little as memories play through my head. We used to have so much fun together. I remember when I first met Adam. Him, Ty, and Ian were being chased by mobs. I had seen them and opened up the red stone door to my house for them to come inside. My life was never the same after that. I went with them, soon meeting Mitch, Jerome, Quinten, and Seto.

And now without us, everyone else is paying the price. I was shocked with how much we made a difference around the world. We never stayed in any place for long, but just tried to help wherever we went. I didn't realize until we broke up how much we brought the different cities together. How much people looked up to us. When we broke up, the cities slowly began to distrust each other. They don't help each other 'just because', anymore. That's what we did. Helped because we could. I squeeze the doll in my hands, tears staring to leak from my eyes.

What am I doing? Sure, I'm helping this city a bit by watching the mobs at night, but it seems so insignificant with what I used to do. Just last week, I was forced to chase people away, simply because they wanted to get in after dark. They literally had nothing on them. No weapons, no food. They're probably dead because of me and the other people who were on guard.

I can't stand this anymore! Stuff like this never used to happen! Someone needs to fix it, and it won't be fixed with me feeling sorry for myself. I have to do something. With adrenaline building up in my veins, I drop the Adam doll on the counter and race over to my bedroom. I flick a lever on the wall before running back into the living room. A staircase has opened up in the ground, moved by sticky pistons. I dash down the steps and into a small room.

The only thing in the room is an armor stand and a chest. I stop for a moment, simply looking at the one thing of my past that I still have. It's just like I left it. With a new layer of dust, my blue spacesuit sits on the armor stand, orange visor seeming to beckon to me. Should I really do this? I mean it's been so lo-............no. I have to this. I march forward and pull the flexible suit off the stand. The metal plates were designed to bend and shift. I pull the first sleeve onto my arm, a little shocked with how right it feels. I quickly done the rest of the suit. My vision shifts to the familiar orange tint, and I can't help but smile with glee. Next, I move to the chest. I grab the only thing inside, a shining Nether star. I then open the chest plate of the suit and put it inside.

I can't turn back. Nothing has made me feel happier for the last year then now. I might get to see them all again. Or at lest most of them. This world needs out help, and I can't ignore it anymore. I've been so selfish by staying here, hidden away from everything I used to protect. I slowly climb back up the stairs. My feet pound on the wood. I've never been so happy to wear my suit. It's like part of me has finally been returned. This is me, TruMu. Otherwise known as Jason, protector of Minecraftia.

I walk back it the living room, and out the door. I find it almost funny that the rain has somehow stopped. My suit already has shaken off the dust, gleaning in the sunlight. People are walking around, but I hear them stop and shout when when the see me. I almost feel embarrassed to show myself to them now. "S-Sorry for leaving you guys hanging. I hope you can f-forgive me", I hesitantly say to them, ducking my head a little bit.

"TrueMu? Is it really you?", one of the farmers asks me in disbelief. I nod my head. Smiles break out from the crowd's faces. "I wish I could stay here and chat, but I have a world to save, people to find. Thank you for believing in us", I say, my voice sounding stronger and with more confidence. They cheer for me as I start up the jetpack in my suit, the Nether star powering it. This was the right decision. I'm more sure of it with every second that goes by. I wave one last time at the crowd, hovering in the air before blasting off.

I will find the last us. No matter how long it takes. The world needs us, and I have a feeling that we need each other even more.