"Hey... You alright?"

Rounding a corner not far from their recent battle, Daichi walked over and sat down on the curb next to Keita.

"If you're here to recruit me, don't bother. Hibiki already tried." Keita was staring at his shoes with an unreadable expression on his face. "...I'm just not going to help someone if they don't even have some sorta plan."

"Even if that someone was me?" Daichi had a sad smile on his face, and Keita glanced up at it for a moment before looking back to his sneakers.

"Even then."

Daichi stared at the broken road in silence before laughing a bit to himself.
"I guess you're right. I don't have any sort of plan for the world. I just don't want us to fight." He turned to Keita, trying his best to look cheerful. "Why did you want a meritocracy? It wasn't just so everyone would have to fight you, right?" Keita continued to hang his head in silence. After a while, he let out a breath and answered.

"No... I mean, I did want it for that, but even I'm not that dumb. This is the whole world we're talking about." He looked at Daichi with something in his eyes he'd never seen before. "Like, here, the weak can take advantage of the strong. They can take everything you have, and you have to deal with the losses... He didn't deserve that-" Keita shook his head, "in the world we were going to make, people couldn't screw you over. Everyone gets exactly what they deserve, exactly what they earn. You don't take stuff from people... It'd be easier to trust, in a world like that..."

"Huh... I never thought about a meritocracy that way." Daichi's expression turned into an apologetic smile. "Sorry I took that away from you."

"Don't bother. You were stronger. This is how it's supposed to go." Keita glanced up Daichi again. "Look, neither of us are dead, and it's not like I'm going anywhere either. Just because I'm not helping you out doesn't mean I won't be living in whatever world you guys come up with."

"Yeah..." Daichi sighed, his eyes closed. "I just wish I could have you beside me." Suddenly embarrassed, he fumbled with his words. "I mean- I want everyone here! That we're all split up, I- I don't like having to crush everyone's dreams..." He sighed again, his false smile fading. "I'm not cut out to be a leader. I'm not cut out for any of this."

"That's bullshit." Keita was glaring at him now. "You beat us because everyone was willing to take the pain of that battle for you and your stupid ideals. If you don't back that up with results, you're screwing them all over." Keita stood up from the pavement, a new life in him. "Not just that, but the rest of us are going to have to live in that world you make too, so you better do a damn good job! If you don't, then I'll be waitin' here to kick your tail afterwords, alright?" Daichi got up, scratching the back of his head.

"Yeah... I guess you will all be waiting, huh?" His smile was back, brighter than ever. "Then I'll make sure to make the best world ever! A world for the people I love to live in!"

"Rrrgh, will you cut the cheesy crap and get movin'? You don't have much time you know!" Keita stomped his foot down, causing Daichi to jump back a bit. After a moment, he started walking away, with Keita calling after him.
"We're going to live in that world together, you hear me? So don't you dare get yourself killed! I'll beat your ass, Daichi!"

He watched him go, unaware of the smile on his face as he sat himself back down on the pavement, waiting for his first glimpse of the new life ahead.