Chapter 46 - Changing Teams (1/2)

Recovering from their shock, everyone looked at Xyra who was now looking down in embarrassment.

"Uhm, I don't see a problem with that, but is that fair to your team to just up and leave?" said Gray.

"…n-no... but that was before… I mean… I don't trust them… none of them talked to me after… you know… finding out I k-killed someone…" said Xyra looking a little upset.

Gray scratched his head and looked at everyone else to get their thoughts, but Stacia had already walked over to her and gave her a big hug and said "We will gladly welcome you, but you have to tell your current team so they don't feel betrayed."

Xyra looked down at Stacia and nodded with tears in her eyes and barely whispered "…nk you…"

"Hmmm?" Stacia said to Xyra

"Thank you." Xyra whispered again

Gray smiled at Xyra and Stacia glad that Stacia seemed to be good at this sort of thing since he wasn't very good at comforting people except in a direct and blunt way.

Xyra left everyone to go find her team and tell them she wanted to leave them.

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"Yeah, that's fine, we're probably going to disband anyways since our friends from before are now here too. We're gamers so we're used to it being a sausage party anyways!" said the captain of Team EXPANDS when Xyra informed his team that she wanted to leave.

"…oh… sorry…" whispered Xyra, apparently the rest on Team EXPANDS were used to her low volume so nobody needed her to repeat that.

"Do you have another team in mind or something?" asked Paul

"Steel Wolves… Gray's team…" said Xyra with a slightly blushing face.

"Hmmm…" Paul said while appearing to be thinking to himself.

Xyra bowed politely then left to return to Gray and the others

"Ok, so now we gotta change our name anyways, can't be Team EXPANDS without the 'X', so what word can we use with an E, P, A, N, D, and S?" said the captain of Team EXPANDS.

"You guys should do Team SEDAN then" said Paul "I'm going to go with Xyra"

"Damn it Paul, not you too, fine whatever!" said the captain of the team formerly known as Team EXPANDS, now Team SEDAN.

Paul ran off to catch up with Xyra.

"Can we please use a real name instead of our first initials?" complained one of the other members of Team SEDAN.

"That's probably a good idea, it'll be a pain in the butt once we get more members…" said the team captain of Team SEDAN.

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Gray and the rest watched Xyra come back to them in a better mood and smiled when they saw her, then they saw Paul next to her also approaching them.

"Thanks for walking her over Paul, you didn't have to do that" Geoff said

"I'm not walking her over… I'm joining too!" declared Paul

"No, you can't, we would've had a perfect guy to girl ratio!" complained Geoff "Gray! Say something!"

"If that's all you're worried about Geoff, Paul can take your spot then." Gray said while smiling like the devil himself.

"I'm… I'm fine with Paul joining…" Geoff said disheartened

"Welcome to the team Paul and Xyra! What mechs do you two have and what are your proficiencies?" asked Gray

"Just the starting mech and I'm a tank! I like to protect people!" said Paul valiantly.

"…Starting mechs… scout… sniper… I'm good at not being seen…" Xyra whispered.

"Ok, so Xyra is a hunter of sorts and Paul is suicidal." Said Gray while nodding to himself.

"Suicidal?!? What are you talking about? I take the hits for my teammates!" Paul said hotly.

"Ok, then how many times do you see a human soldier stand up and intentionally take bullets for another repeatedly even drawing attention to themselves to do so?" asked Gray.

"Huh? I do it all the time in other games! Doesn't every team or squad need a tank or two?"