Perception Is Belief (Part Five)

We won. Not really a surprise, as the hardest part of everything was the brain-bender portion. From there, we had a walking cheat code in Laura to find who we were after... and we didn't even have to take down our target once we found them. Easy stuff.

The Paladins got some accolades, and we verified that Mister Rasputin was good at his fucking job of advising us by pulling out a clean win. He was so pleased with our performance, that he took us out to eat afterwards. Free food and a chance to celebrate? We were all onboard for that.

Mister Rasputin didn't cheap out either. He took us to a pretty good steakhouse in town, and didn't put any limits on what we could order. If I didn't have good home training, could have ordered some needlessly expensive crap. But as it stood, I found a steak on the menu that was 15 oz and left it at that.

Mister Rasputin looked around the table at the five of us with a pleased smile on his face, "You all did exceptional job today," He complimented all of us, "You handled yourselves in the field like real X-Men."

Even as he ate, Eddie kept a tight grip on the trophy we'd won with one arm. He hadn't stopped clutching the thing since it had first been handed over to him. I was pretty sure he'd end up going to sleep with it every night for the next week, "Let's not act like we didn't have a team full of ringers for this thing. Two of us technically are real X-Men; Sol. Armor."

Hisako ignored Eddie's pointed look in our direction, "-And the fact that Laura's probably done more real missions than some active X-Men," She accurately added. Laura just shrugged her shoulders from what she sat, keeping her eyes down as she sipped at her drink.

"Still, it feels good," Mister Rasputin said, "You remember, I was not certain I would be good advisor in place of Katya."

Yes, I did remember that. And what I said in response on that day still stood, "And I told you, you're a Paladin just like the rest of us. Of course we're gonna try to make you look good."

He had nothing to say in opposition to that, "That you most certainly did," He said with a chuckle.

Hisako grinned mischievously, "How many of the other advisors were mad about us winning?" She asked. Mister Rasputin didn't answer aloud, but held up two fingers, still smiling about the whole thing, "Ha! It was Gambit and Wolfsbane, wasn't it?"

Eddie raised an eyebrow, "Why those two?"

Hisako poked me in the nose, getting an annoyed snort out of me, "Because Gambit probably remembers Bel threatening to blow the three of us up during the last Field Day, and Wolfsbane because she advises she-who-shall-not-be-named-right-now."

Mister Rasputin wasn't much of a liar, and honest guy that he wasn't couldn't deflect when someone was right on top of the truth, "Hisako... is not wrong."

I made a note to myself to avoid any classes taught by Wolfsbane when signing up for courses for the next semester. There was no telling when any bad blood over the Megan breakup would subside. But what was with thinking about negative things? The day had by far been a net positive for the Paladins, and I said as much.

"Today was a good day," I started to say. For the most part, I was right, "And I think we need to celebrate two members of the best goddamn team at Xavier's right now," I reached out for Ruth and pulled her closer, "First, Ruthie. I know your precog powers aren't the most fun... but I really think you telling us something was going to happen kept it from happening."

All of the attention had Ruth shrinking in on herself, even though she was among friends. She'd made big strides in being comfortable with herself and her powers since we'd met, but there still some adjusting needed. We'd get there eventually if we kept working at it. And the rest of the team were quick to back me up with the positive reinforcement.

"Isn't there some kind of theory that knowing the future negates that future?" Hisako asked, her brow furrowing in thought, finally nodding to herself, "That sounds right. Let's go with that."

"That, or Blindfold telling us about it created an alternate reality," Eddie said with a shrug. It wasn't like any of us were experts in time and space, "Either way, I'm going out on a limb and saying lives were saved today," He said, leaning back cockily in his seat, "Certainly makes me feel a hell of a lot better about myself."

"That's right!" I exclaimed, in agreement with Hisako and Eddie. Whatever could be done to give Ruth's self-esteem a much needed boost, "And the second teammate we need to give it up for today is Laura," Her eyes went wide and she froze in place like she'd been caught by a predator whose sight was based on motion, "Don't look all shy now. You're the reason we won today."

Eddie let out a sigh that was half relieved, half mortified, "We took so much time on the first part, we would have gotten smashed if we didn't have the best tracker in the school on the squad," He then stage whispered to Laura as a show of humor, "Psst...that's you."

"I was just doing my job," Laura said quietly. Jesus, did she ever get any positive reinforcement before she showed up at Xavier's? She never responded well to it.

Fortunately, Mister Rasputin was full of encouragement for all five of us, "When you do your job well, you deserve reward, Laura. You and Ruth should take more pride in your abilities... though I know it is hard for both of you."

Laura looked around the table, getting encouraging looks from Eddie, Hisako, and I. I reached over and gave Ruth's hand a little squeeze. 'Little sister' grinned over at me and fidgeted a bit in her chair. Warm thoughts were projected to all.

I seriously loved my team.