Homecoming

From the moment his two feet touched the ground and he breathed in, Akihiro could tell: He was home. There was a scent in the air of the Uchiha Clan district and a certain pressure too. Certainly too thin to be noticed by any outside but the Sparrow was confident he would be able to tell where he was even if his eyes had been kept closed. Akihiro and Ikomiko would arrive at his house, which hadn't been occupied and still held the Uchiha Gunbai within. Despite not being inhabited, it was clear that someone still took care of it. There wasn't a spec of dust lying around. Akihiro wasn't all that worried about the dust tho, he was more worried with the outside. So he took quick steps towards the main door of the house and opened it, taking more steps into the garden. He was gad to see it also been taken care of- the plants, trees and bushes had been properly trimmed and the koi fish still swum happily in the pond. There were cherry trees randomly spread across the yard, sprouting from the rug of green grass that covred the whole area.They would blossom soon, he reckoned. Truly a beautiful sight it was, his garden during spring. Akihiro was glad he made t back before the sakura flowers made their appearance. In a way, it seemed they had waited for him. Of course this made little sense, but it brought him comfort. Overall, it was as if he had never left in the first place. He would turn back to Ikomiko who should now be exiting the house the same way he did. The building itself wasn't large- he lived alone after all. He had it built in a simple traditional style, so it wouldn't s6tand out too much. But there was beauty in its simplicity. Inside there was a living room, and small library and a kitchen. On the upper floor was his bedroom, attached to a small room where Akihiro practiced the subtle ninja arts that required absolute chakra control. From Genjutsu, to Ijutsu and even some fuuinjutsu- that room was filled with all sorts of gadgets.

"Well, welcome to my house. It's not much for a clan leader, I suppose. But I'm moving out soon anyway. " he'd say. There was a pinch of sadness in his tone, but he had already come to terms with the need for moving out. Either to a bigger space in the Clan District or to another country completely. Things were what they were, he guessed. "You'll be safe here. And we can use the Uchiha training grounds to test your power at will."

Akihiro would then close his eyes for a moment and sense the world around him. The clan district was buzzing with activity, and so was the village. It seemed Konohagakure had recovered from the robbery it had suffered. Three distinct chakra signatures picked up his curiosity. He'd need to check on them later. But for now, he needed to make sure Ikomiko was okay with being back at the village.

Instant transportation. It was hard to get used to. This was only the second time she had moved in this way, although this time it had been expected instead of the sudden surprise that the first time had been. As a result it had none of the previous nausea, although that could also be in part due to the circumstantial differences. Here she was calm, and not panicking and begging for help in fear of a Jinchuuriki as she had been during the Chunin Exams. She would be deposited, exactly as she had been positioned before, into the Uchiha Clan district.

On the floors of the compound, Ikomiki would raise up to her feet. It was a new environment, and one she did not immediately recognize. The interior of the building was unfamiliar, and as she followed Akihiro out, driven by curiosity, neither would the gardens and blossoms that littered the area. It was simple and traditional, although Ikomiki wasn’t the sort to appreciate the historical trends of architecture that would make something ‘traditional’.

He would reveal the mystery shortly after though, not keeping it a secret. They were at his home. Konoha. The Uchiha Clan compound in Konohagakure no Sato, in the Land of Fire. It was pretty difficult to wrap her head around, considering just a few moments ago they had been in Kirigakure no Sato in the Land of Water. Before the distance she had been teleported was only from the exams fields to the Kirigakure hospital. Likely only a few kilometers, if even that.

“This is your home?” She would find herself wishing she had analyzed the environment better now that she knew that. It was mostly curiosity, but she understood the reverence that some humans put on home. If they were safe here that would surely mean that it was protected, and likely special to him.

“It doesn’t smell like you. Or, you don’t smell like it. Has it been a long time since you were last here?” It was a casual observation, one she could tell without needing an in depth sniffing.