Honestly, it was rather nice to have someone who he could share stories with. Most of his friends had grown tired of his stories, as most of his friends had been made while the stories were being written by the fates. Sunshine couldn't fault them, he too knew the grip of boredom. Repetition of anything but storytelling was often a tiring and consuming experience, and boredom was the brain telling the body that it had other more important things to do.

There was dark credence to the tale of the foreigner, dark subtext and gripping gritty reality. [i]What a riveting tale![/i] Brighton's mind mused, every word spoken with a deadly sincerity. Thoughts of denial were swiftly pushed from the mind by the look adorning Tanzo's face, his stern look. The sheer confidence that his tale was not only the truth, but that he had witnessed it himself. 

While this man wasn't a storyteller, his face certainly was, Brighton could read it like a well written novel. The tale was not so much told through his words and language, but rather in his body language and the way his voice shimmered with sincerity. It was moving enough to bring a tear to his eye.

Actually a tear, Sunshine wept a singular tear from his right eye that he swept away with his fingertip. A tear of joy, Tanzo's story was terrible and dark, and that Tanzo had fared such a tumultuous adversity and stood to tell the tale. Deeming Brighton worthy of his words, it filled him with determination and vigor. 

He spoke finally, once Tanzo had finished his tale. Nodding as his newfound friend offered him a challenge. [color=a36209]"Fantastic tale, my friend. Your words move my soul, they fill my heart with joy and my blood with excitement."[/color] During the tale he had lowered his sword arm, allowing its tip to touch the ground. It cut a clean groove by his foot in the dirt below. Tightening his grip on the handle and tilting his wrist slightly, Sunshine angled the blade to parallel the ground. 

This battle was different than those passed, Tanzo hadn't the ill will or impure nature of those had had faced. This was the wheels of fate finally grinding two matching gears against each other. It wasn't a battle that needed to be fought, nor was it a battle that would decide the fate of the world. These men were not of that great of import, while they would remember their actions here for the rest of their lives, the world would move on. Never knowing the truth of this tale. Day to day lives didn't rely on the outcome of this battle.

Yet both warriors, at the gates of an ancient coliseum, felt compelled to face the others sword. Possibly to lose limb, eye, or their very lives. A storm brewed in their hearts this day.

This storm brewed over calm waters.

Brighton nodded, and turned his wrist to his right. Aiming the tip down the passage into the coliseum. [color=a36209]"I feel as though this fight would be best served in the arena that fate has laid out for us. Do you not feel the same, my friend?"[/color]