AUTHOR'S NOTE: This story takes place at the very beginning of the Naruto: Shippuden Chronicles anime/manga. I've been meaning to write a Naruto Fanfic for a long time, and I am finally happy to say this is Part 1 of a story that is long overdue. Thank you in advance for your time, and please enjoy!

DISCLAIMER: NONE, and I mean NONE of these characters are mine, and Naruto or Naruto: Shippuden Chronicles is not mine either. Thank you.

"Hahaha, it's been a long time since I've seen that kid in the village. Isn't he your friend, Shika-chan? That kid named Naruto?"

Shikamaru Nara looked at his girlfriend Temari with a blank expression, and then sighed, "Yup, it's been a long time since I've seen Naruto around. He went into training with the legendary Sannin Jiraiya about two and a half years ago, and only just recently finished. Honestly, though…he's still probably stronger than all of us, just like back then, even if we are Jounin now. What a drag…"

Shikamaru then waited to see Temari's reaction to this, who unsurprisingly had a furious look on her face within moments, "Naruto? Stronger than me? Heh, don't make me laugh, Shika-chan." Temari then smiled to herself, looking off into the distance, "I hope he's glad he didn't end up facing me in the Chunin Exams when he was still around. My Wind Scythe Jutsu could have-"

"You're right though, Te-chan. I'm glad you didn't face him either," interrupted Shikamaru smoothly, as he had come up behind Temari and placed his arms around her waist, "I'm glad it was me you faced back then, and I'm also glad you saved me from Tayuya, that cursed girl with the flute. Who knows what would have happened if you hadn't arrived when you did…" Shikamaru did know, at heart, but he didn't like to think of times he had come so close to death in the past.

"Shika-chan…" sighed Temari happily, already over the surprise of being held so suddenly. She then closed her eyes, and gently leaned more into Shikamaru, "I'm…glad too. Sometimes…sometimes I wish I had been a part of the Hidden Leaf Village, so I could…be with you more. Shika-chan…I guess some things just aren't fair, huh?" finished Temari as she opened her eyes and looked back into the face of her lover.

"Te-chan…regardless of what responsibilities we have now as Jounin, or to our home villages, I will…always be here. Always be here for you…" Shikamaru said softly, and then slowly leaned forward and kissed Temari, embracing her close. Temari, as tomboyish as she was toward everyone else, could not help but succumb to Shikamaru's warm grasp, and leaned in and kissed him passionately as well. In fact, Shikamaru was the only man Temari had ever considered mature, and he had also put up with every bit of her rough personality. Likewise, Shikamaru was not one to understand relationships very well prior to meeting Temari, and had never understood women before her, not even his own mother, for that matter.

Not wanting to let this moment go, neither of the two Jounin who had become so close let each other loose for a long while, and Shikamaru couldn't help thinking of one thing when they had, and were gazing up into the sky-

"Women these days…"

"I can't believe he's back, after…after so long," said Sakura Haruno to herself, walking slowly down the dusty, crowded streets of the Hidden Leaf Village, her pink hair glistening in the warm sun.

Sakura was now a little over fifteen years old, and it had been ages since she had last seen her old teammate, Naruto, who had finally come back from his rigorous training with Jiraiya. "I wonder what he's like now, and how much stronger he's gotten," continued Sakura, "I can't wait until Jiraiya-sensei and Naruto are done talking with Tsunade-sama about what they have been up to the last two years, maybe then we can finally catch up. I've been doing some training also…oh!" said Sakura suddenly, stopping, "I wonder…I wonder if Naruto has found out anything about - about Sasuke-kun…"

Slowly, a sad look then came over Sakura's face, as she looked up into the sky for a few moments, thinking about the third Shinobi that had completed Team Kakashi, including herself and Naruto - Sasuke Uchiha, who had left the village shortly before Naruto had went into training. It had been a long time…

Smiling once more, closing her eyes, and shaking her head, Sakura forced a lighter tone into her voice, "Well, even if he doesn't, we can look for Sasuke-kun later!" she told herself, "Besides, I should hurry up if I want to see Naruto after he gets done talking with Tsunade-sama. Okay then!" she finished, as she happily began running toward the Hokage's office, leaving her worries in the wind behind her.

"At the least, the village is glad to have you both back," said Tsunade calmly. Tsunade was currently the Hokage, the leader of the Hidden Leaf Village, "Maybe now, as I have said previously, you can finally have your chance to seek out Uchiha Sasuke, Naruto. But don't be in any rush to do so; after all, you have just returned."

Tsunade then slowly got up from her chair and turned towards the window behind her, her short blonde hair resting on her shoulders, staring out at the extent of the village. Her village; her home; what she had been put in charge of, to protect with everything she had, including her own life, if necessary.

"Don't worry about that, Tsunade, me and the kid here are probably going to take at least a couple days to relax from all that strenuous training, and to also give Naruto a chance to catch up with all his old friends," said Jiraiya cheerfully, looking down at Naruto, and placing one hand on his shoulder, "It's been a long time, huh? Are you ready to see what happened these last two years?"

Slowly Naruto looked up at Jiraiya, his sensei. Even though he could never get over calling him 'Pervy Sage', because of Jiraiya's strange habits toward women, Naruto had a large amount of respect for his teacher, especially for all he had done for him during his elapse from the village. Grinning and then looking back at Tsunade, who was another one of the legendary Sannin along with Jiraiya, eagerly said, "I'm ready to get started. I'm ready for everything now. And by the way, Grandma…" Naruto paused, and then suddenly pointed at Tsunade with one hand, his other clenched in a fist, and seeing her surprised look, continued, "When I am done bringing back Sasuke, and convincing Sakura-chan that I am better than him so she'll finally like me, I will STILL become Hokage! So don't get comfortable!"

Tsunade then smiled to herself, and swiftly turned to fully face Naruto, "Well, you better get going then. I think I just saw Sakura running down here, probably just to see you."

"Sakura-chan!" exclaimed Naruto, shocked, who then immediately turned around and took off out the door against the back wall behind him and Jiraiya, who was now chuckling to himself, not wanting to miss the one person he truly loved - the one he had missed so much in the last few years, and not to mention never him forgetting about her, even for a moment.

'Sakura, I'm coming,' thought Naruto, almost to the bottom of the stairs, leading down from the main office, 'I'll never leave you again. I promise. I'll tell you everything I've done in my training, my experiences, and…' Naruto then forced himself to swallow, nearly out of breath, finally reaching the door at the bottom of the building leading outside, '…and hopefully, I can at last tell you how I truly feel about you. The way I've always felt…'

Naruto then grasped the steel door handle, and wrenched the door open, letting the sunlight from the outside pour into the doorway. He then gasped, speechless.

"Naruto!" exclaimed Sakura.

TO BE CONTINUED…