Scar was in front of a mirror. Jellie was sitting on a small nightstand next to him. It was a small room, at the bottom floor of Larry the Snail. He rarely returned to the house, as he was so busy with his mayoral work, but he was here, and pondering his life.

"Jellie, you're the only one, the only person who listens to me."

"meow"

"You're right, you're right. You're a cat, not a person."

"meow"

"But still, you seem to understand me. I just can't talk to anyone else, because I've worked up this image of myself, and I don't want to have them knowing that I don't feel confident enough to lead them."

"meow"

What Scar didn't realise was that someone had entered the upper floor of his house. Grian had been trying to find Scar, and attempt to make peace with him about the resistance. A glint of metal caught his eye, and he looked over to see a fairly dusty key on a cluttered side table. He picked it up, and noticed an engraving on the knob portion.

"K-kgoomr? What the..." he said to himself; he put the key into his pocket, and spoke up. "Scar? Are you home?"

No answer.

Scar paused. He though he had heard someone upstairs, but passed it off as just being Jellie, likely hungry or waning out. He kept talking to himself.

Grian walked over to the staircase, and tried looking around, before hearing Scar speaking to either himself, or another out of sight person. "I-I just don't think that I can manage my job, not with everyone thinking I can come through with what I promised." Grian just stood at the bottom of the staircase, when Scar looked over his shoulder, and nearly passed out from the shock. "Grian! What... I-I...I don't...I don't know...What did you hear?"

"Scar, I heard enough to determine that you need help. By the way, I found your...kagoomer key? Am I saying that right?" Scar didn't take notice to the last part. 

"Grian, you're right. I need to talk to a colleague, but both Bdubs and Cub are ready to take my power and diamonds at the thought that I might be...you know... not confident."

"Scar..."

"I mean, if I can't lead, I can't be mayor, and I'd be rendered useless. Useless!"

"Scar, I..."

"Why won't they respect me? Because none of them actually want me on the diamond throne." Scar seemed on the verge of crying.

"Scar, if you'll just listen, I can help you. You're not a complete failure, and I think you know that. But what about Joe?"

"What about Joe, what is it about him that you think would be worth it?"

"Scar, Joe works with you; he's the dogcatcher." Scar just sighed, and pointed towards the door.

"Let's go," he said.

Grian told Scar that Joe was at xB's medical area, and that he was likely ill. They discussed various things along the way, and Scar seemed to have abandoned his despair, not really even needing Joe. Nevertheless, they arrived at the shopping district, and headed towards the medical area. 

Upon arrival, they heard violent and painful sounding coughing coming from inside the tent. Grian approached tentatively, as the voice emanating from the the cot under the canopy wasn't Joe's. After a bit of hesitation, they approached, and tried to talk to the Hermit. It wasn't Joe; it was Cleo.

"Cleo? Are you...okay?" Scar asked, despite the obvious answer in her coughing.

"Scar? I think it's best that we...you know...leave her alone? I mean, she doesn't sound very well, and we don't want to be a bother. Maybe Joe's gone back to his base?" Grian started to leave, opening the canvas door of the tent, and left. Scar stood for a while, then began to head for the door as well.

"Please don't leave."

Scar jumped and almost screamed. Cleo was now sitting up, and staring at Scar with a sort of sad, almost nervous look. "C-Cleo are you... Okay?"

"Scar, please..."

"Are you okay? You look terrible."

"I... Can't..."

"Cleo?... What's wrong?"

Cleo stared, and moved her mouth as though trying to speak, but words seemed to fail her, until she said, in a half sob "I'm losing my mind."