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ACT ONE. NEPTUNE.
CHAPTER 5: TELEPATHY.

SHE WALKED OUT OF THE ROOM WHERE THE SANCTUARIES adjoined to welcome the strange visitor. She watched him through the windows, her starvation of interest was immediate, even if he found her unbearable, he had no other choice, much less after having worked so painstakingly to get into the Kamar-Taj by spending his 'last dollar' as he mentioned hours earlier. She listened with heightened hearing as something slammed against the floor and the murmur of a 'thank you', indicating that he was already inside.

It didn't take long for her to appear in front of him to shake his hand and help him up, she tried to put on her best friendly smile so that he wouldn't be afraid of her, although he doubted her grip, he ended up giving her his trembling hand, accepting her help to get up, they stared at each other, Strange completely serious and immovable, Claire with a smile showing her teeth in a pleasant gesture.

They both felt a sudden sensation of warmth, as if everything had suddenly caught fire, there was something in Claire's gaze that told Stephen that he could look at her forever and that she would be flattered to do so, just as Claire was overwhelmed by the clash with the indescribable color of his gaze, as if the brightness inside her had swept away her soul. Mordo appeared to guide him to his room as a ward, interrupting their instant connection, which made them turn in his direction.

They all walked together in a slightly awkward little group, Claire didn't mind being surrounded by men, it was very natural considering that her female classmates were few in an academy mostly dominated by men, she liked to train by their side, it made her feel proud to be part of the most talented women who were instructed by the masters, always with equitable treatment for all. Claire read his mind on the way involuntarily, which only thought of the broken watch that he held inside his pocket, she felt sorry for his loss and decided that from that moment on she would try to be his friend.

Strange felt her slightly indiscreet, but he supposed that the place was ridiculously mystical and unquestionable, so he decided not to start a fight over anything at all. They arrived at his room, where Mordo placed his things, he indicated where the shower was to clean himself, it was a quiet place, designed to meditate and reflect, the whole sanctuary shouted 'knowledge'.

When Mordo handed him the wi-fi key believing it was his mantra, she couldn't do anything but giggle from the doorway. Her partner left, but she kept standing there looking at him.

"What happen?" Strange asked before her look, which despite not bothering him or scaring him, seemed very analytical to him.

"If you like," she began to walk towards him keeping a distance "I can repair your watch." she proposed in a friendly tone. Strange's face reflected confusion, he hadn't mentioned it to anyone other than Mordo, who had only seen it to hand it to him after the confrontation with the thieves.

"Yes, thank you..." He let the sentence hang in the air, waiting for her to fill in her name.

"You can address me as a master if it makes you feel more comfortable, I am a Master of the Mystic Arts, although I am still an apprentice of the Ancient One, how do you want me to address you?" She mentioned emphasizing the word 'apprentice', implying that there would necessarily be fellowship.

"Doctor Strange, or at least that's how it was." he reached out with great effort to shake her hand gently, to which Claire responded correctly, shaking it just the same without looking too much.

For Claire, touch was the most powerful connection that the human being possessed, always very well received for her, both hearts beat strongly upon contact, the sensation did not last long since it was still uncomfortable for him to receive touch.

"And who are you now?" Naive Claire asked without receiving an answer, what determined who you are and who you are not? "Doctor, is it implied by your name or is it just a decoration?" She knew that he referred to himself as part of the medical profession, however, she did not understand his strange obsession with being referred to all the time as a doctor, what did that title represent for him? Was it the only thing that his person could be?

"I have a doctorate in neurosurgery among other degrees." He mentioned with a certain mockery, believing himself superior in IQ compared to Claire, although considering his situation, there wasn't much to brag about anymore.

Although her questions were not malicious, they irritated him. She turned to leave after testing the waters a bit and just to provoke him she projected into his mind  "I'll call you Mr. Health."

"And is there anything else you do besides tease people in their minds, master?" The mangy apprentice asked, using a sarcastic tone as he called her "master" as he slowly realized that he was still hearing her voice in his mind.

"Yes, I also know how to punish those who misbehave," She turned to see his reaction and his wide-eyed expression was hilarious to her, he quickly changed his expression to one of surprise "tomorrow I will repair your watch, I hope your first night at the Kamar-Taj to be nice." Before Stephen could say anything, she closed the doors and left for her room.

Strange came out of shock and placed the broken watch that Dr. Palmer gave him in the window of the room, Claire walked to her room reflecting on everything that had happened previously. Her restless mind kept spinning before the jumble of her vision, she had never had one that involved her, usually only the people she saw were the ones affected or blessed in her predictions, she was about to cross the hall to her room, until she heard footsteps behind her, she turned with great agility fearing it was another attack.

"He reminds me of you," The Ancient One murmured to Claire once close, the Bearer sighed in relief "His thirst for knowledge is remarkable, as was yours when you arrived." She felt that she wanted to say something else, but the Ancient One was somewhat hesitant to comment on it openly. She waited for her to comment on even a small tinge of her past or what she couldn't access inside her mind, but that didn't happen.

"Hedonistic but determined, if my gift doesn't fail, I know it's destined for something greater." Claire said confidently. The Ancient One couldn't help but catch her hope. She turned to go to sleep until the older one stopped her again.

"Before you leave," With complete seriousness, the Ancient One approached her "protect him, we don't want him to get lost on the way." There was a double meaning in her words, but she couldn't tell if she was referring to the book the sorcerer held out to her or something else, maybe even someone.

After all the commotion of the day, she got ready to sleep, it was the hardest part of her entire day, it was easy for her to move from one place to another very actively, but to stay still in one place doing absolutely nothing until abandoning her consciousness was terrifying, the darkness came to life in her nightmares, if her dreams were not visions of reality, they were tortuous hallucinations.

The plane of dreams was a constant unreal threat to her, the fear overtook her almost every night, even though she knew it wasn't real, she couldn't understand why her mind kept alert to nothing. Thinking about all that, by little, she fell completely asleep.