It was no secret that Pico wasn't well liked among his community. He knew that. He knew it better than the layout of his small apartment home.

It was even better known he couldn't have given two shits about the fact. Sure, his presence wasn't "well received", but it wasn't like that was going to stop him from humanly functioning.

He was bored. People bored him. Everyone was just so shit at doing something as simple as copying a few notes from him. Pico was well known as a rapper with a bad temper and atrocious attitude. Maybe it was the fact that he only ever received a compliment once a blue moon, or maybe it was simply the fact he treated the weak like absolute shit.

Either way, his reputation clearly needed improvements.

Pico muttered the lyrics to his own composed songs while he stood in his usual smoking spot. He was completely zoned, staring indirectly at the neon blue hair in the distance.

Someone actually went through the trouble of getting it that colour? He thought to himself. Clearly they have practice... it's pretty bright.

Before he knew it, the hair was right below his nose. He looked down slightly at a boy about his age with a wide grin. Beside him was a slim woman taller than both of them, with a carefree and relaxed look.

"...can I help you?" Pico asked, raised a brow.

"Battle." The boy blatantly said, holding out the microphone in his hand. It was pretty high quality, the more Pico looked at it.

Even still, he rolled his eyes and sighed, expecting this battle to be the same as any other. "Fine. Best out of three. I pick the songs and... you've battle before, I bet."

"Mhmm!"

"...right." Pico cracked his knuckle, picked up the boxy gun by his side and the microphone behind it. "Speakers are over there. Let's hope you do well with loud sounds."

He grinned walking over to the train line. The duo looked at each other, smiled, then followed him.

After a solid 10 minutes, the three songs were over, and...

He lost. Pico lost. He stood there in utter surprise, before beginning to clap.

"Well, unexpected. You didn't even stutter."

The boy bowed, looking up and smiling. It was that moment, that very moment, he realised the difference between them both.

Confidence and worth.

The kid was clearly well liked. He had a good reputation and he knew it. He bathed in the fact, proud of it.

Pico on the other hand... he didn't have confidence. He didn't think he needed it. He wasn't purely confident in himself at all. If anything, he sorta had pretty low self worth.

The girl came over and hugged the boy. They must have been a couple.

A couple...

That must have been what Pico needed. Needed to get better. Someone to... compliment him? If anything, he wasn't sure.

"Hey, what's your name, huh?" He asked the boy who turned to him in an instant.

"Keith."

"Well, Keith... good job."

"You too!" Keith smiled with his teeth. He didn't say much, but... clearly meant every word. He hadn't dropped that smile ever since he arrived.

Pico felt a new feeling he hadn't really felt before.

He felt the need to improve.