Scene opens in the faint pre-dawn light outside the arena. Dakota is sitting alone on a low stone wall, his gaze distant and his expression contemplative. Andri approaches, still looking somewhat worn and bruised, but there's a determined look in his eyes.
Andri: (hesitating slightly) Couldn't sleep either?
Dakota looks over, nodding slightly. He doesn't respond at first, and Andri takes a few steps closer, stopping just beside him.
Andri: Yesterday... you were holding back, weren't you?
Dakota tenses slightly, his gaze steady as he considers how to answer. He sighs, looking away.
Dakota: (quietly) Yeah, I was. But it's not what you're thinking, Andri. It wasn't about doubting you.
Andri frowns, not sure if he understands.
Andri: Then what was it? I've been going over it in my head since the fight. I pushed everything I had into that form, and I still couldn't break through. And you—you held back like I was a kid in practice.
Dakota looks down, clenching his fists slightly as if grappling with his own thoughts. He glances at Andri with a mixture of regret and something deeper, something he's hesitant to say aloud.
Dakota: (slowly) I've made mistakes, Andri. Big ones. I'm not talking about little things; I'm talking about decisions that left people hurt. People who trusted me. They were friends, people I wanted to protect, and I let them down because I thought I was invincible.
As Dakota speaks, memories from a past life flash through his mind—images of friends and allies who had depended on him, whose trust he had taken for granted, all of them fading away one by one. He feels a weight in his chest, the sting of losses he can't fully explain, even to himself.
But Dakota keeps his voice steady, choosing his words carefully so Andri will think he's talking about this life.
Dakota: (continuing) There was a time when I put my own pride, my own strength, ahead of everything else. I thought I was fighting for the right reasons, thought I was strong enough to protect everyone just by fighting harder, pushing myself to the limit. But… I was reckless. I ignored the risks, ignored what it would cost the people around me.
Andri listens, frowning slightly as he tries to reconcile this side of Dakota with the person he knows. Dakota's voice is steady, but there's a harshness in his tone, a self-imposed anger that Andri can't quite place.
Andri: I… never thought you had that kind of past. You always seemed so confident. Like you always knew exactly what you were doing.
Dakota: (sighing) Confidence is easy to fake. But making the same mistakes twice? That's something I can't live with. I've had to carry the weight of those mistakes. That's why I'm careful now. It's not just for me—it's for the people around me, for the friends who stand beside me. I've learned the hard way that being reckless, letting my pride get the better of me, does more damage than any opponent could.
He pauses, wrestling with memories that Andri will never know—the faces, the names, the haunting echoes of a past life he can never speak of. The decisions that left him alone, forcing him to watch friends suffer because he thought his power would be enough to shield them.
Andri watches him, and there's a flicker of understanding in his eyes.
Andri: (quietly) So, it's not about you proving anything. It's about making sure that no one else has to pay for your mistakes.
Dakota: (nodding) Exactly. Every fight, every choice I make—I'm thinking about more than just winning. I'm thinking about who might get hurt if I mess up. That's why I held back yesterday. It wasn't because I doubted you, Andri. It was because I know what it's like to lose people to my own pride.
Andri absorbs this, the weight of Dakota's words sinking in.
Andri: (sighing) I think I've been doing the opposite. I've been so focused on proving myself—on making everyone see that I can stand toe-to-toe with the strongest fighters—that I didn't think about what I was fighting for. Or who I was fighting for.
Dakota gives him a sidelong glance, something like a faint, approving smile touching his face.
Dakota: That's normal. I think we all start there. Wanting to be strong is good, Andri. But strength without a purpose… it's just noise. And noise isn't enough when people's lives are at stake.
There's a long pause, both of them sitting in the stillness, each lost in his own thoughts.
Andri: (breaking the silence) I thought if I could just get strong enough, everything else would fall into place. That the strength alone would be enough to make me feel… complete.
Dakota: (softly) I used to think that too. But I've learned the hard way that it's not about how strong you are. It's about what you're willing to protect, what you're willing to fight for that makes you truly strong. Strength just for the sake of strength—it's empty.
He stops, his gaze growing distant as he reflects on the lives he failed to protect in that other lifetime. He can still feel the weight of those moments, a reminder that strength alone hadn't been enough to save them.
Andri seems to sense the gravity of what Dakota's saying. He sits quietly, processing Dakota's words and trying to find his own sense of purpose.
Andri: (murmuring) Then I guess… I have some things to figure out for myself.
Dakota nods, his expression softening slightly.
Dakota: (gently) We all do. Just remember this, Andri: there's more to fighting than proving you're strong. You've got the power; now, it's about finding the right reasons to use it. Not just for yourself, but for the people who stand beside you. They're the ones who make all of this worth it.
They share a quiet moment, a mutual understanding settling over them. Andri looks up, determination replacing the uncertainty in his expression.
Andri: I think I understand now. It's not just about me—it's about being someone who can be counted on. I need to be strong not just for myself, but for the people around me.
Dakota gives him a firm nod, his approval clear.
Dakota: Good. It's not an easy path, but if you're willing to walk it, you'll find more strength than you thought possible. The real challenge isn't in fighting harder—it's in knowing what's worth fighting for.
Andri takes a deep breath, as if solidifying his newfound purpose.
Andri: Thanks, Dakota. I needed to hear this. I thought fighting was just about me, about proving something. But now I see there's more to it than that.
Dakota places a reassuring hand on Andri's shoulder, a faint smile breaking through his usual stern demeanor.
Dakota: You're not alone, Andri. None of us are. And as long as we remember that, we'll be strong enough to face whatever comes next.
Andri nods, a mixture of gratitude and resolve in his expression.
Andri: I won't forget it. And next time, when I'm in that arena, I'll be fighting for more than just myself.
They sit in silence for a while longer, both of them lost in their own thoughts. Dakota's mind drifts back to that other lifetime, to faces and moments that no one else will ever know. But as he looks at Andri, he feels a flicker of hope—a chance, perhaps, to keep those past mistakes from repeating.
Scene fades with the two friends sitting side by side, each resolved to face their own journeys with a clearer purpose. The quiet of dawn surrounds them, a silent promise of the challenges and battles yet to come.