(Author's Note: This Chapter will only be a few paragraphs, as this is a 3-part story and the last will be a bit longer than the first two).
The three Sand Shinobi reached the gates of Konoha a little before the evening set in. Of course, the new Hokage had been expecting their arrival around that time. At the gate was a face that Temari recognized as a friend.
"Ah, so you three decided to come bother us again?"
"We thought that Konoha would be too peaceful without us, Shikamaru," Temari called out as she returned the joke,
He was leaning against the gate door with a bored look, with his arms crossed and his right leg crossing over the other's ankle; this man didn't change one bit. Not like anyone was expecting him to change in the first place, but everyone can do with a few surprises here and there.
Shikamaru arched his back slightly and pushed himself off the door and gave a hand gesture to the other three to follow him. Not much had changed, although all the buildings had been rebuilt since the invasion of Konoha. They walked through the town, without any familiar faces passing by. Only the restaurants and bars remained open as the other stores began to close their doors.