14 Sango POV III: ESU

Of course initially he'd been a bit annoyed with everything and he made no apologies for that, considering...

By the time he saw her again, however... While there was some irritation at the dreariness and casual disrespect, he also found himself struggling with the amount of his curiosity and - unexpectedly - his amusement.

Imagine telling him she was used to luxury - as if he hadn't seen her bedroom/cell. He had to repress another smile just remembering it.

And then there was that hearty belly rumble.

Jakuta snorted, then frowned and recomposed himself.

It was the boredom of course. Grass could look good to a lion if he was hungry enough.

A strong breeze cut through the forest leaving the leaves gossiping in it's wake. Jakuta heard the name of his brother.

He opened his eyes to a black mist shimmering before him.

It shimmered to red then black then repeated itself a few times while Jakuta rolled his eyes. Finally it coalesced into the shape of a beautiful, youthful man with glowing, brown skin and a freshly woven hair style. He was dressed entirely in red and black clothes that Jakuta recognized from his shopping spree to be a brand from his new home... what was it again? YS? YSL?

Orisa did not typically appear in designer wear and Jakuta glared at his brother.

"What?" Esu grinned and preened, "You don't like it? I wore it to congratulate you!"

"The one who should be congratulated is you," Jakuta rejoindered grimly as he rose from his rock and jumped down nimbly, "For finally finding the trouble you have been looking for with me. You should just have asked - I'm always willing to grant anyone the trouble that they seek."

Rather than intimidated, Esu looked thrilled as the much taller and wider Jakuta stalked up to him. "Did you come here to beat me?" He glanced at the warrior god's empty hands. "I see you couldn't even bring your hammer with you onto my roads," he whistled, "that is one tough juju!"

A muscle ticced in Jakuta's jaw, "It's not a hammer, it is a battle axe," he said as calmly as he knew how, "And you and I both know I don't need Ose to handle you."

Esu visibly vibrated with joy. Jakuta wasn't stupid, he knew he was being deliberately wound up and the Orisa was deriving pleasure from his annoyance but knowing was one thing and being easily irritated was another. He had it in mind to break the rock he'd just gotten off. With Esu's pretty head. Just to satisfy his ire a little.

"So you're really going to beat me? You don't fear Orunmila again?"

"He will understand that I had just cause." Jakuta ground out.

Esu smiled lazily, "I see. And if I run?"

Jakuta stopped short of him. If Esu left, there was nothing he could do about it because spaces like this between dimensions were as far as he could get without finding himself right back in that dreadful cell. From experimenting he'd learned that even the time he had here now was limited. Of course Esu would know that, he knew everything.

Faster than thought he reached out and grabbed for the older Orisa, cursing as Esu melted to red and black mist in his hands.

Esu re-appeared sitting cross legged on the rock behind him.

"Acting like I'm not faster than you," he mocked lightly.

Jakuta twisted around and opened his mouth. The familiar taste of bitter herbs and sweet palm wine filled it as he poured out white flames in a powerful, straight line towards Esu.

Esu went up in a conflagration and Jakuta smiled in satisfaction.

"Sometimes," he smirked.

The older Orisa fell from the rock and rolled around in the dirt, and Jakuta felt his temper finally calm at the sight. He waited patiently for the while it took his brother to put out the flames and even smiled as Esu finally stood again, naked, covered in dirt and pissed off.

"Ouch!? Must you always go too far?" He growled.

"If you know I'm like that, why do you provoke me?"

Esu sighed, "Fine, I was wrong, but for your information I have nothing to do with your current incarceration."