Chapter 60: Friendship
The sun had already set when Scar woke up. He sat up on the edge of the bed, his internal clock instantly registering the time. It was well past eight in the evening.
He tutted, a sharp sound of annoyance breaking the silence.
"I shouldn’t have slept," he muttered, rolling his shoulders to test for any lingering stiffness. "I just wasted precious hours."
He swung his legs off the mattress, intending to head to the bathroom to splash cold water on his face, when a soft knock echoed through the room. Before he could even grant permission, the door clicked open.
The warm light from the hallway spilled in, silhouetting Felicity.
"Hey. You’re awake," she said softly, stepping inside. "When I got back from work the staff told me you already returned since midday. I came to check on you earlier, but you were taking a nap. Are you alright?"
"Yeah, I’m fine," Scar replied, his voice slightly raspy from sleep. "Just tired."
Felicity closed the door behind her, walking forward. "The assessment with Alicia must have taken a toll on you," she chuckled. "How did it go?"
Scar paused, his mind rapidly filtering through the chaotic events of the day.
How did it go? Hm, let’s see: I nearly exploded my heart and killed myself, got saved by a redhead, gained a little bit of speed, got un-blackmailed, and watched the redhead throw a tantrum.
"It was okay," he finally said, keeping his tone perfectly neutral. "I managed to increase my top speed. Alicia also gave me this really cool visor."
"That’s good," Felicity smiled. "Sounds like you had fun."
Scar merely hummed in response, offering nothing else.
"I’m just glad to know the assessment went well without the two of you tearing each other apart," Felicity added with a chuckle.
Scar let out a dry chuckle at the sheer irony of the statement. He had nearly torn himself apart on that track. But there was no strategic benefit in telling her that. No need to stress the woman more than she already was.
"Make sure you have dinner before you go back to bed," Felicity instructed. "Tomorrow, you’ll be having your first training session with Vincent at the Speednasium."
Scar immediately groaned, leaning back on his hands. "Do I have to?" he scoffed. "It kills me to say this, but I’d prefer if you trained me instead."
Felicity chuckled, shaking her head. "Sorry, Roy. I’m really busy," she said. "You haven’t even gotten to know Vincent yet. Spend the day with him tomorrow. See him for who he really is."
"All I see is a sad, self-righteous bootlicker who constantly tries to get your attention," Scar stated flatly.
Felicity sighed, crossing her arms. "Do you always have to be so cynical?"
"Yes," Scar replied without missing a beat. "It’s what keeps me alive." He stood up, pacing a few steps. "And frankly, you have to find a way to make this regimen more convenient for me. What if I already had plans of my own for tomorrow?"
"I know, and I apologize for imposing it on you," Felicity said gently but firmly. "But it wasn’t my decision either. The schedule is determined by whenever your trainers are available. They inform me of the days they can make time and I use that to arrange your regimen for you. They have other things going on in their lives, Roy."
"Fine," Scar conceded. "But I was planning on hunting throughout tomorrow. And since my schedule has been forcefully modified, I have to go out tonight. To hunt." He stopped pacing and looked directly at her, waiting to gauge her reaction.
Felicity fell quiet. A distinct flash of maternal concern crossed her face, her brows knitting together. But Scar could see her processing his logic, realizing she couldn’t reasonably refute his point. She let out a defeated sigh. "Okay, fine. But please, be careful out there." She hesitated. "Perhaps... perhaps I should have a guard follow you."
"No," Scar rejected instantly. "I can take care of myself. You know that."
Felicity offered a humorless chuckle. "No, Roy, I don’t. Not when you’ve been going out of control lately."
Scar frowned. "Are you talking about the crash the other day? That was just a minor miscalculation on my part. And honestly, I gained a lot from it."
"And what about today?" Felicity asked, her voice dropping an octave. She stepped closer, looking deeply into his eyes, staring directly into his soul. "Was that a ’miscalculation’ too?"
Scar’s eyes widened a fraction. She knew.
Well, of course she did. She was psychic, and literally all-knowing when it came to everything happening around her. He furrowed his brows, dropping the innocent act.
"You knew all along, didn’t you?" he scoffed.
"Lying to me is pointless, Roy. You ought to know that by now," Felicity said, a slight edge of amusement in her voice.
"But you didn’t say anything earlier," Scar furrowed his brows.
"Because I didn’t feel the need to call you out," Felicity replied smoothly. "Alicia already told me everything that happened at the stadium. Including your little... spat."
Scar’s frown deepened. "What exactly did she say?"
"Just everything you already know," Felicity chuckled.
"I didn’t even do anything!" Scar said, immediately moving to defend his tactical position. "She suddenly got upset just because I didn’t say ’thank you’. And then she started going on and on about me killing the Henry who first owned this body. It was excruciating and incredibly annoying to bear."
"I know," Felicity sighed heavily, her posture softening. "Alicia also told me how she blackmailed you a few days ago. And judging by her explanation, I admit that her approach might have been wrong. But she did it out of fear, Roy. She panicked." Felicity tilted her head. "Didn’t you ever wonder why her sole request during this blackmail was for you to get stronger? What could she possibly benefit from your growth while simultaneously threatening you?"
Scar shrugged dismissively. "I don’t know. I just figured she had some much bigger, hidden plan."
"Perhaps you should ask her," Felicity suggested.
"What? Why would I do that?" Scar scoffed. "I don’t care about what she wants. Not anymore. She already made it very clear today that she was no longer blackmailing me. Which means that nothing ties her and me together anymore."
Felicity shook her head slowly. "Well, she doesn’t see it that way."
Scar raised a skeptical eyebrow.
"Alicia is a very smart girl," Felicity explained, her tone turning somber. "And just like you, she often works purely with logic. But she can be very emotional as well. After what happened with Henry... my son, and her best friend, dying... it affected her terribly. And having to watch everyone else live their lives in total obliviousness only added to the pain. And I understand exactly how she feels."
"Do you, though?" Scar asked, his voice flat.
Felicity exhaled, looking away for a moment. When she met his gaze again, her eyes were swimming with a profound sadness. "I know it doesn’t seem like I’m grieving for my lost child. But I am. I have been doing so since the day he was born." She took a step closer to him. "You have no idea how it feels, to be told just shortly after he is born, that your child will die an untimely death. I have been mourning him for seventeen years, long before he actually died. And right now, I am trying my very best to get past it and move on. And I hope Alicia will eventually do the same. But for that to happen... she needs you."
Scar crossed his arms, genuinely baffled. "What are you talking about?"
"You might not have noticed," Felicity said, "but Alicia has been trying to get closer to you. I know it seems strange, especially after she tried to blackmail you, but you need to try and understand her perspective. Whenever Alicia sees you, all she sees is Henry. Her Henry. She hasn’t gotten over him yet. Having you around is hard for her, but it’s also all she has."
"Okay," Scar deduced logically. "Which means it’s best for her to stay away from me, right?"
"No, Roy," Felicity said firmly. "See, It’s the exact opposite. Alicia needs to be around you. Others in her shoes might want to stay away, but she is different. In a strange way, she believes being around you will give her closure."
"Where are you leading with this?" Scar asked, his patience thinning.
"I know you have the wrong impression of her, and that you two got off on the wrong foot," Felicity said gently. "But you should forgive her. Try getting closer to her. Not as Henry. But as Roy."
Scar stared at her as if she had grown a second head. "Are you out of your mind? She threatened to give me a heart attack. She was going to expose me to the Triad!"
Felicity chuckled softly. "She wasn’t actually going to do that. Alicia is loyal to my family. She is like a daughter to me; she would never really betray us."
"You put way too much trust in her," Scar scoffed.
"Yes, I do. And for good reason." Felicity smiled knowingly. "If you are so skeptical about Alicia, why don’t you look into the memories you inherited? Look at all of Henry’s interactions with her over the past fifteen years. See the kind of person she truly is."
"I already have," Scar admitted quietly.
"And what kind of person did she strike you as in those memories?" Felicity asked carefully.
Scar hesitated. His mind flashed back to the laughter, the shared secrets, the brilliant girl building gadgets in her garage. "Kind," he finally said. "Playful. A bit annoying. But... full of this jovial energy. And a warmth I can’t really explain."
"Good," Felicity said. "Now ask yourself: why would someone like that blackmail and threaten you, unless she wasn’t thinking straight? Unless she was being controlled by fear, grief, and anger? I’m not trying to justify her actions—I would be furious if I were in your shoes—but please, try to get over it. To be honest, Alicia is someone you’d like to have on your side. She will turn out to be very helpful to you."
Scar fell silent. He ran the calculations in his head. ""So you want me to be her friend," he concluded.
Felicity chuckled again, walking toward the door. "I can’t ask such a thing. Friendship isn’t something you can force through logic or duty. All I’m saying is that you shouldn’t see her as an enemy. Try to make her your ally. You need allies in this world, Roy. Not enemies."
Scar sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Okay. I’ll consider it."
"Alright." Felicity placed her hand on the doorknob. "And about what Alicia said today... about you not being needed? Please don’t take that to heart. You are very much needed here, Roy. Not just by me, but by Alicia herself... even if she refuses to admit it. And also by this world. So don’t entertain any thoughts about leaving because of a momentary outburst."
Scar scoffed, rolling his eyes. "I wasn’t even thinking about that. Her words meant nothing to me, and I couldn’t care less."
Felicity studied his face for a long moment, then smiled. "Okay, good," she chuckled. "I have to go to bed now. Be careful when you’re hunting tonight. Make sure to run if a fight gets too tough."
Scar nodded.
"Have a good night, Roy," she said, beginning to step out.
"Wait. One more thing," Scar called out.