Knowledge is Proud; Wisdom is Humble (Collins)

[Catherine Novella]

Knowledge is proud that it knows so much; wisdom is humble that it knows no more.

William Cowper

*outfit*

Cat had gotten the notice that she was going to be assigned to a trainer the next day. She was a bit hesitant about it since she was not quite sure what her last trainer had meant. He was nice enough but the fact remained Cat didn't understand her power and she still had no clue how to control it. She honestly didn't know anything about her power other then that she wasn't supposed to read journals or poetry. She found that out the hard way though.

So she was a bit anxious about who was going to be teaching her, or trying to for that matter. In the notice it said she was supposed to be out side at nine am the following day. Cat had frowned since she had rather be at the library instead. For one thing it was inside and for another it was with someone she hadn't met. Cat doubted she would be able to sit and read in her training. Most people wouldn't like that and would think it rude. Cat didn't want to be rude.

Cat had set her alarm to early in the morning. She did not want to over sleep and she thought it would be best if she was up and ready for the day. After waking up and groggily getting ready for the day Cat looked at her watch. Apparently it was early. Smiling a bit Cat sat at the bench where they were supposed to meet and pulled out a book. She could read while she waited couldn't she? Soon enough Cat was lost in her book world and she wouldn't notice anyone coming up t her. It was just that simple to her to get lost in the world of her book. She didn't notice anyone approaching her. She really didn't.

[Bill Collins]

Bill's training schedule was always subject to change. His students came and went because of this reason, or that. He had yet to receive someone with the power of precognition, like himself, but he wasn't too surprised. Powers like that were few and far between. He does have one student, who has the power or retrocognition. While it isn't the exact same thing, it's in the same ball field. Bill doesn't mind the fact he isn't training people with his exact power, because he can still offer help through his training methods.

Dog therapy is just, the best.

Today, he was getting ready for an early training session with a new trainee by the name of Catherine. He decided to take with him, Chibi, and Disco. An untrained dog, and a very trained dog. He drove with them in the back seat, Disco's hulking head out the window. He arrived precisely on time to the spot in the courtyard, to see a girl setting on a bench reading a book. He wasn't used to his students beating him to his training sessions. He made a note to arrive early from now on.

He walked with Disco and Chibi following beside him (Chibi nipping at Discos monstrous paws the entire way). "'Alo. Are you Catherine?" Bill Collins had been in America for only a year and a half now. His Scottish accent was thick, and not going anywhere. "Nine o' clock, time for trainin'. Put yer books away." He wasn't a particularly strict guy, but he had his method of doing things, and that didn't involve reading.

[Catherine Novella]

Cat was too caught up in her book, Pride and Prejudice to notice the older man approaching with two dogs. All that was going on in her mind a the moment was Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth and how their sheer stubbornness to admit they liked each other was making the other drift farther away. She knew that Ms. Austen was someone who was able to entrance people with her thoughts and musings but did she have to draw out the inevitable falling in love and the two realizing it? Sighing she finished the book swiftly and quietly.

There that was better. All was right with the world.

Looking up at a voice Cat nodded and stood setting her book in her bag. Yes indeed, she was Catherine. Most people just called her Cat though. “Yes I am Catherine, but if you wish you may call me Cat, everyone else does.” Cat pushed up her glasses on her nose. It had been a while since she had met someone that would regularly call her Catherine. If she thought about it only her grandmother regularly called her that. Smiling slightly at the man's words she put her book away. She knew most people didn't like her reading when she was supposed to be doing something else. Oh well, she had read Pride and Prejudice enough to know how it was going to work out.

Then of course the two dogs caught her eye. Cat slowly got up and made her way towards the dogs, sticking out a hand for them to sniff. It was only proper dog etiquette. Cat rolled her eyes at the thought of someone just going up and petting the dogs, for one thing the owner had to get used to you and so did the dogs. It was rude to not. Cat had to laugh. They differed in sizes so much it was funny. Cat had no idea what type of digs they were, she thought the big one might be a Dalmatian but it was too big for that, and the little one she had absolutely no clue. Smiling to the man which would be her trainer she politely asked with a smile, “What are their names sir?”

[Bill Collins]

"Catherine'll do. I'm Mr. Collins." Bill believed in the professional relationship between teachers and students. He would call his students by their last name, as they had done in Kocher and his normal schools in Scottland, but he knew that wasn't the 'American' way, and he tried to assimilate as much as possible, without completely losing himself. He was a proud Scotsman after all. "This here is Disco, he's a Great Dane," he felt the need to tell her the breeds of the dogs because she had a look of slight confusion on her face--that was acceptable because Bill was aware that not everyone loved dogs like himself. He did notice, however, that she approached the dogs properly by letting them sniff her hand first, which was good.

"And she is Chibi, a Samoyed." His accent kinda butchered that word up pretty bad, but hopefully she was a little familiar with it. He let both dogs off the leases, but they stayed right at his ankles.

"I am not aware how much you were told of me, Catherine," he continued, "but my power is over precognition. Not the same as retrocognition but close enough, eh?" Small smile.

"Tadee we'll be workin' on concentration, and staying confident. Through these two here. It'll be weird at first, but remember. I'm the adult here and know what I am doing." Yes, that was a joke, but he was also serious. He had come across several students that thought his methods were stupid, but they worked.

[Catherine Novella]

Cat nodded as the older man introduced himself as a Mr. Collins. “Nice to meet you Sir.” Cat always felt the need to be proper with elder adults. They had been in the world longer then Cat had and as it sufficed they would know more about it. Cat's grandmother had raised her as such to call teachers by Sir, or Ma'am. If they rejected that idea then Cat was to use a Mr. Misses, Miss, or Ms. In front of the name. It was just respectful. She smiled as Mr. Collins introduced the dogs to her nodding as each was introduced. “Nice to meet you Disco the Great Dane” With that she slowly ran her hand along the top of the dogs ears and scratched behind his ear.

When the small dog was introduced she smiled and reached a hand down towards Chibi. A what? Cat didn't quite catch what exactly Chibi was, but that was okay. Chibi was Chibi after all. Cat didn't know where Mr. Collins had come from but his accent was thick. Smiling she reached out a hand to the smaller dog petting it as Mr. Collins let it off of its leash. “ And it is nice to meet you also Chibi.” Smiling she stood and attempted to put on a polite smile to Mr. Collins as she waited for him to continue.

Cat listened as he explained what his power was. She frowned only in the slightest. She really did not want to seem rude but Retrocognition is not exactly her power. “ Um.. Sir..” Cat bit her lip. This was going to be harder then she thought.” My power isn't exactly retrocognition. I.. I hear the thoughts and experience the feelings of the person that writes something... It is sort of like retrocognition, but... it is not..” Keeping her eyes downcast Cat slowly continued. “They.. they called it... Creation Psychometry.” Cat didn't really know how to go about correcting an adult. It just wasn't done in her household. Looking down still she bit her lip some more ad pushed her glasses up on her nose. “Sorry sir...”

Cat listened as the man continued on to talk about concentration and staying confident. She could do this. She could. She listened and watched as the man motioned to the dogs when he talked. They were going to help? If they could help it was all the better. She smiled lightly at the trainers joke. “If you say so sir.”

[Bill Collins]

She had already patiently told him once before that her power wasn't retrocognition, and Bill remembered that after he'd already compared her power. He sighed out his nose for a moment and worked up his apology, when wait. They had just met, and he'd never seen her before. She was about to patiently correct him. He didn't know exactly when, because she was still greeting his dogs, but he had a feeling she was about to.

The look on her face was familiar and he nodded faintly as she explained her power (again, but not again at the same time). "I do apologize for getting it wrong." Creation Psychometry, he would try very hard not to forget it again. "Now there is no need for you to be apologizing," he told her with a dismissive wave of his hand. Alright. They had that behind them. He smiled and nodded for them to walk further away from the bush.

"This here is Disco's favorite toy." Bill produced the tennis ball from his pocket, to which Disco immediately latched his eyes on it, his big tongue loling out of his mouth. "For the first few minutes I want you to just play with him. Get to know him, and let him get to play with you. This has a point; trust me."

[Catherine Novella]

Cat watched her trainer's face as he listened to her explanation. What she was doing was wrong wasn't it? Correcting an elder? Her grandmother would swat her if she knew. Cat sighed and fought with herself and the urge to run. She would much rather be in the library reading. Ir was simpler and Cat would not risk the bad habit of offending someone. That was always a bad thing.. No matter who it was.

Cat still had her face flushed and her head bowed. She really didn't like correcting teachers, but she knew that it was better for him to know what her power was exactly. She stood there head bowed until he spoke. Why was he apologizing? He had done nothing wrong. Muttering to him Cat still looked down at her toes. “It is not your fault sir.” Cat was still keeping her meek stance when he said she should have no reason for apologizing. She slowly smiled up at Mr. Collins and walked away from the bush when he did.

When Mr. Collins took the toy out of his bag and Disco saw it Cat smiled a grander smile. The dog obviously loved the toy, just from the immediate reaction it produced Cat could tell. She listened to the trainer nodded. If he wanted her to play with the dog she would. If the trainer said it had a purpose it did. “ Yes sir.” Cat watched Disco and waited for the Trainer to give her the toy. It was not as if she could just start yet right?