The Oda Manor

Oda Washi walked along the street of Sunagakure. It was not as populated as Konohagakure but there was a similar atmosphere around. There was the marketplace selling water, beef and fruit. He looked around and he saw the ramen shop that he used to go to when he was young. With a sigh and a happy warm feeling around his body he continued down the main street, getting closer to the heart of the village.

He touched his hair with his hand feeling the silky smoothness that was accustomed to the arid and hot climate. He looked down at his white robes that shone so brightly in the sun. Washi felt tailored, made, created and born for this village and yet his heart was now in Konoha. He walked quickly, his shoes making small imprints on the sand ground before he made a right turn. Across the street was the Hokage's office, beyond it the academy and now that he's turned right he was directly facing his old home: The Oda Manor. It seemed that he still knew most of Suna off by heart and there he was right on the doorstep of his old home. It was a large and grand building but it's splendour had somewhat faded.

He knocked on the door softly. Most houses had long abandoned wooden doors but on the Oda Manor it remained. There was a creak as the door opened softly and his eyes met with that of his fathers.
For a while time seemed to have frozen while they kept eye contact. Memories interchanged between the two, years of emotions boiled up again and then faded.

"Welcome back Oda Washi," said his father calmly, "I knew that you would return."

"Father..." said Washi calmly although he was surpressing his emotions, "It seems that you still recognise me."

"How could I not recognise my son? You are a fellow Oda," said Nobuyuki, "Actually I recognised you from the white robes. There are not many Oda left anymore. We and the Shiroto clan are the few noble clans left in Suna."

"Of course, my white robes," said Washi quietly as he glanced down, " I see that the splendour of this grand house has deterioted much.

"Yes, our fortune has indeed whittled down and the wind and rain has weathered this great mansion away. But come in quickly. There is much we should talk about."

Washi entered although he was still in no hurry. Indeed his old home has stirred up memories. Memories of expectation and that fateful day... Even now, people on the street has recongnised his heritage just from his clothing.

"To think that you would still leave the furniture in the same place," said Washi grinning, "Or is it that your simply too lazy to do so now that my mother is dead?"

"I see you haven't really changed Washi..."

"I've changed alot, it's just that you've never seen and maybe never will."

Washi closed his mouth, aware of what he had just said. It was like his rage had left out of his open mouth temporarily,

"Anyhow how are my old comrades doing?" he asked carefully.

"Oh they're doing fine I think, Kiza has become Kazekage."

Washi snorted and then straightened his face again.

"Kazekage? He's become Kazekage?" asked Washi, almost bursting with laugher,
"That little runt was a ruthless chuunin when I first met him."

"It seems that he may have even surpassed you Washi, after all your not exactly a Kage are you? Still a Jounin for six years," replied Nobuyuki.

"Ahh. Don't remind me, the prodigy of the Oda clan and Sunagakure to have been beaten by his own comrades. I was always overestimated though."

Nobuyuki coughed slightly as he sat down on to an opposite stool. His face was getting older and his hair whiter.

"Overestimated? Rubbish. Kiza had simply surpassed you while you were in the wilderness doing whatever you did then."

"That reminds me," said Nobuyuki again, "What did you do in the wilderness?"

Washi's face darkened although he kept his voice calm,

"I travelled far and wide, into many distant countries and I travelled alone for a long time, sometimes attempting to gain information on my sister's murderers sometimes training with various masters of ninjutsu and genjutsu," said Washi calmly, "Finally I had found out about the location of those criminals, and I killed them one by one but had Konoha's Ninja not been on a similar mission to eliminate them I could've very well died."

"Ahh, so judging from your forehead protector your now a member of the leaf?" asked his father.

"Yes I'm a Leaf Jounin now, that will atleast protect me from any of those village elders who saw my betrayal as unforgivable," replied Washi, now twirling his hair.

Nobuyuki and Washi both stood up this time, almost in sychronised fashion they hugged each other.

"Father, I must now meet with my comrades. I may return in due tume."

"Very well son. It was good to see that you were well," replied Nobuyuki.