As she lay on her knees, depending on her telekinesis to keep her from falling, Claire was struck by a sudden realization: She was weak. Somehow, though Claire already knew it, it wasn't until she was faced with defeat that she truly accepted this cruel truth. Looking at the arrogant man who defeated her, Revna, and Cecilia, Claire couldn't help but remember how it all started.
(Six hours earlier.)
Although she was far from forming a habit, Claire was already getting used to certain aspects of her stay in the Martial Sovereign World. Reviewing the day's reports was one such habit. The task was tedious to the point of giving one suicidal thought, but Claire bore the hassle.
Whenever Claire found the paperwork tedious or boring, she thought of Desmond, who did these and many other tasks for them. Although Claire hated to admit it, of the group, she was the most dependent on Desmond's attention and help, making her feel somewhat inferior.
