Chapter 79 - Seeking Advice (2/2)

"Here, use this to cool them off, you might need them later!"

Gray felt his hopes rise only to be crushed by Yurika, again… "This woman is a she devil!" Gray thought to himself. Still, she had a point earlier so Gray felt obligated to address everyone.

"Guys, I'm sorry about earlier. It suddenly hit me that if any one of you dies in a real mission, you won't get to respawn. I honestly got scared thinking about how I could lose any one of you. I'm not saying I can just shrug it off so I hope we can do some capture the flag for now until I wrap my head around this."

Caleb was the first to speak up and said "I'm sure none of us are ready for that sort of thing, but remember, as our commander, we count on your orders."

Geoff spoke next and said "Earlier I know I said I wanted to be the leader, but in matters of life and death I've realized I am not cut out for leading at all. I know it is selfish, but please continue to lead us since I can't handle that sort of responsibility."

"…It's ok to fear death… If you fear failure you will fail…" Xyra said in her usual soft voice that was barely audible.

Gray slumped down on the bench and smacked his forehead a few times against the table causing everyone else to look at him in alarm.

"What the hell are you doing Gray?!" Yurika shouted.

"Stop it you idiot!" Caleb even yelled for once.

Gray thumped his head one more time then sat up and said "I am sorry everyone, I was just trying to knock some sense into myself!"

Everyone looked at Gray curiously and Stacia finally asked "Did it work?"

"Ahhh… nope! I never had any sense to begin with!" Gray said while laughing slightly.

"Yep, that sounds more like you Gray!" Geoff said while nodding his head and everyone else nodded in agreement.

"Screw you guys! Can't I just wallow in misery once in a while?" Gray complained.

"Nope! You can cry yourself to sleep at night all you want, but while you're out with us you better man up!" Yurika declared.

Gray looked at Yurika and said "Fair enough… can I borrow a shoulder to cry on then at night?"

"Of course, anytime you want!" Yurika said happily, then she grabbed Caleb and threw him at Gray and said "We even have a volunteer shoulder!"

Caleb was a bit confused and just said "I don't sleep with other men… I respect you Gray and like you, but that is the extent of it."

Gray wanted to cry right now thinking Caleb, as well as a few people walking by, were misinterpreting Gray's orientation again. Still, Gray was happy that he had good friends that were not so nice as to let him just wallow in self-doubt.

"I have to do more for them, not just give orders, but actually lead them. I wonder who I can talk to about it." Gray thought to himself as he started picturing the same man that introduced them this world. "Yes! I have a feeling Major Valen could point me in the right direction!"

Gray stood up from the table and said "Let's just relax and play some Capture the Flag, then later I need to go find Major Valen."

Everyone else nodded and got up with Gray to head back over to the simulator pods.