Thanks guys for the reviews. Here goes with chapter 2.

Disclaimer: I still don't own any Naruto characters or affiliated names.

"The boy with the demon seal," said a man wreathed in shadow, "is no longer under the Sannin's protection." He stood in a dimly lit small room with one window, from which a ray of inconspicuous sunlight illuminated the dust particles hovering in the air.

"Two years it has been. Two years, and not a word or mite of information in regards to the Kyuubi boy…very well. This changes things, doesn't it…Itachi…" said the figure leaning on the side of a small table.

"That's what it seems like," replied the shadowy man. "Just find Kisame and I'll set out. This time I'll be prepared. Hatake Kakashi and his pathetic friends can't keep me from the kid for long." At this, the man who had been called Itachi clenched his fist and chuckled. His laughter flowed out of the room in waves, carrying the evil of his intentions on its wings, resonating throughout the headquarters of the international terrorist organization called Akatsuki. Thousands of miles away, the "kid" in question was jogging up the street, a smile on his face and a lively inspiration to his step.

Umuino Iruka sat up from his bowl of ramen, hearing someone calling his name.

"Iruka-sensei! Stay where you are!" cried a boy Iruka thought he would never see again, Uzumaki Naruto. He was practically sprinting toward the ancient ramen stand, Ichiraku, and as he got closer to the stools his step faltered on an abandoned parchment, sending him face first on to the cobblestones of the street. "Hey, hey, hey, Uzumaki Naruto!" Iruka called, and walked over to the boy sprawled on his stomach in front of the ramen stand. "Hey Naruto, you alright?" Iruka offered his hand and Naruto took it, pulling himself up and jumping to meet Iruka's amused gaze.

"Iruka-sensei, you haven't changed at all!" said the abnormally loud Naruto, scratching his head and squinting up at the young man in flak vest and other Jounin apparel.

"What, you expected me to go somewhere?" said Iruka, laughing as he embraced his formal student. "You got tall, Naruto! What have you been eating?" Iruka felt a pang of emotion as he examined the teenager standing in front of him. Naruto's physique had indeed grown, lean and lithe showing through the black and orange jumpsuit. Naruto's hair fell over his forehead protector casually, blonde as ever, accentuating his striking blue eyes. Naruto put his hands behind his head and offered up a huge grin.

"I knew I would find you here, Iruka-sensei. Hey, we should have ramen tonight, my treat! How about it? Just like old times!"

"I'll go for that offer anytime, Naruto, just come by and pick me up."

"Alright! Now, off to see the others! Later, Iruka-sensei!"

"Hai, Naruto, see you later!" He's grown…Uzumaki Naruto, the Kyuubi boy…Ah well, times change, and he wasn't going to stay forever, Iruka. Iruka pondered the life of his student, flipping a coin to the stand owner and striding on into the marketplace. He smiled to himself, thinking of all the surprises Naruto will find…

As usual, Nara Shikamaru was gazing at the clouds, on his back on the wooden bench that had melded itself to the shape of his spine in the many years since he was a child that it had held the cloud-watching boy. Suddenly, a puff of smoke blinded him and he sat up, coughing and brushing dust off his vest. His eyes widened as he stared at the person standing in front of him, and he stuttered. "You-but you-you're back?"

"Damn right I'm back Shikamaru, you lazy ass!" Naruto smiled widely, and he touched fists with Shikamaru. "So what happened while I was gone, fill me in!"

"Holy shit Naruto, you expect me to just give you a complete briefing or something? That would take hours!" He looked at Naruto, now almost as tall as he was, and smirked. "Patience, Naruto, hold on and let me think. You can come in if you want…" He opened the door to his house and Naruto walked in and sat down. Shikamaru scratched his head and poured himself a glass of water. Looking adoringly out the window at the sky, he wondered whether he'd have peace again since this loud-mouth was back.

Shikamaru stroked the small goatee he had grown recently, and thought about the last two years he had spent in Konoha. "Well, as I've been training with Asuma a lot lately, I'm gonna take the Jounin selection test next year…other than that not much…a bunch of B and A class missions with my team, lying around, saving villages and such…" he smiled at Naruto and put up a finger. "Before you question me about all the eventful adventures I've been on, let me tell you about the others in Konoha. Let's see now…guess we'll start with my team. As you probably know, Chouji made a full recovery and he's still as chubby as ever…his strategy really hasn't changed, but he made a few creative modifications to his Multi-Size no jutsu, other than that not much…Ino grew her hair out and has like 8…no probably more like 10 boyfriends by now. She's a valuable resource in battle, but she needs to think more about my plans then about last night with some stud. Oh yeah, Ino's a chounin, Chouji's somehow not…I don't know what the hell he's doing…

"Geez, Shikamaru, I can't listen to you talk anymore, I've gotta get going! Naruto slapped the lanky, tall ninja on the back and sprang out of the room, waving to Shikamaru just before disappearing beneath the dividing wall. That brat…no patience whatsoever…I hope Lee finds him…

Shikamaru closed the door behind him and began following Naruto.

Let's see…who next, who next…Naruto thought as he strode along the sidewalk with his hands behind his head. Ah, I know, I'll go see…

"Uzumaki Naruto!" The greatest ninja that Konoha has seen of late challenges you to a fight, right here, right now! I will not lose! Naruto, get ready!"

Naruto turned around, only to come face to face with the one and only, thick-browed, bowl-cut, genius of hard work, Rock Lee! He cringed and took a step back. Lee was standing menacingly in his old stance, with his arm extended and his fingers beckoning Naruto forward. He was dressed in a full black body suit with a zipped up flak vest, a tattoo of a dragon on his left arm. There was a fire in his eyes, and he smiled expectantly at Naruto, who smiled back. "Ready, midget!" Lee called, fastening a set of shining brass knuckles to his right fist. He slapped his fist, yelled a deafening but incomprehensible battle cry, and leapt into the air. To be continued…

What you guys think, eh? Next chapter coming as soon as I get the chance to write it! REVIEW PLEASE!