Wise council; Hope and Shatterstar (backdated)

[xp_trance]

 Hope runs into Shatterstar venting his frustration and decides to offer some council.

 

The rhythmic sound of wood hitting wood was what drew Hope from her dictation and she changed course to investigate the unusual sound. The dusky twilight made it a bit harder to see, but it wasn't hard to identify the young man attacking the wooden pole in front of him with a wooden blade.   

She watched him for a few moments, but when he did not show any sign of letting up, Hope remarked drily: "That pole must have done heinous to offend you?" 

Shatterstar froze at the sword pell before he realized he recognized the voice. He had only met Hope Abbott once, but she had been polite to him, so he stopped in his wailing on the pole. He had been at it for a long time anyways, working out his anger and his form was getting sloppy. He turned to face her.

"No," he said, not understanding that she was joking. "I was mad about other things. The pell is just a pell."

Hope stepped closer, studying the pell for a moment. It was covered with dents, here and there even cracked with bits of wood falling off. "Then I hope your anger is as well defeated as this pole. It looks like you could break it with a few more good strikes, if you truly desired." 

He shrugged and held the wooden sword at his hip. "It helped," he said defensively even though he was lying. He wasn't a very good liar. "You can break it if you want. I was told there's a lot more." He hadn't meant to nearly destroy it, but was trying to seem like that had been his intention.

"Swords are not my weapon of choice, I am afraid. Nor am I dressed for it." Hope indicated her pencil skirt and pumps. "And with all the work you have done, you might as well finish it. Either now or next time..."   

Shatterstar shook his head- he didn't like when other people witnessed him act out of anger. Especially someone who hadn't actually witnessed him fight how he did when he was more focused. Besides, Hope Abbott had been polite to him before and he wouldn't be as rude to her as to continue fighting when she wasn't. "The shoes aren't very practical, no," he agreed.

"Not for this." Hope easily agreed, quickly taking him in. Finally she reached into her tote for a bottle of water and handed it to him. "I was planning on heading back to the mansion. You are welcome to accompany me if you plan to return as well. Maybe to freshen up?" 

Shatterstar realized that he was very thirsty, not having thought to bring his own water bottle out with him in his anger. It just made him frustrated with himself to take the water bottle but he did with a terse "thank you." He also nodded at her invitation to go back to the mansion, noticing how his tank top was sticking to his skin with sweat.

Hope turned and started heading in the direction of the mansion. "So who was the unlucky soul?"

"Haller," he admitted as he walked beside her. Shatterstar didn't admit that his anger was out or proportion through. She didn't need to know that.

 "Mr. Haller?" Hope tilted her head in surprise. "I have to admit I am a bit surprised. Though he is awkward, I know him to be a kind and capable man in general. May I ask what happened?"  

"No." Shatterstar said simply, though he scowled at Hope calling him a capable man. A capable man wouldn't have lied to him by omission. The psychic resistance training wasn't helping either. Also there were levels to it someone like Hope, or at least he assumed someone like Hope, wouldn't understand.

"Alright." Hope simply walked besides him for a few moments, her eyes far away in thought. "I cannot pretend to know what happened, Shatterstar. However, I have lived here at the mansion for many years." She ventured carefully. "One of the most important things I learned is that many things are not what they appear to be at first sight. And often this is the case for a good reason."    

He snorted slightly at what she said. She didn't know the half of it when it came to things not being what they appeared. Shatterstar wanted to snap that sometimes there wasn't a good reason but instead just nodded, a little petulantly. "I'll be done being angry when I'm done being angry." He just had to let it run its course. 

He held grudges too easily, he knew.

"If that is what you learned what worked best for you..." Hope fell quiet, choosing not to push but to simply continue on their way to the mansion.  

"Working through it works," Shatterstar said, gesturing behind him to the pell he had left behind. Working through anger with activity is what had always worked for him before.

Hope simply nodded with a small smile as she hmmed her agreement.

"Was there something you needed?" He asked after a moment of silence as they walked.

She quickly masked a sigh at the stubborn young man next to her. "There is nothing I need. And this is not something I commonly do but I would suggest you do not just work out your anger, but also take steps to resolve the cause of your anger. So if that is something that happened between Mr. Haller and you..."  

Shatterstar pursed his lips at her advice. He didn't want it. He was not about to explain that the cause of his anger was broken trust between he and Haller. 

"I'm taking steps," he said simply, which was true on a technicality.

"That is good to know." Hope gave another small nod. "Then I hope you and Mr. Haller will be able to work things out soon. I know I see him as kind and capable, but he is also a good teacher and strong ally, someone who I would want on my side. But that is something you will have to discover for yourself."  

"He's a decent teacher," Shatterstar conceded. He looked over at Hope and shrugged a shoulder. "You have a point there."

The impressive front of the mansion rose before them and Hope turned towards the door before stopping. "You have your starting point right there. Remember, an ally or a teacher does not have to be your friend. You do not even have to like each other, though it can certainly make it easier."  

Shatterstar nodded his head in thought. He had always liked his instructors for things he enjoyed, had strived for their praise, but Hope was right that he didn't have to have that relationship with Haller. "Thank you, Ms. Abbott."