The air was warm and the entire group, Saria, Sakura, Justicur, Sasuke, Tric, and Naruto, where sitting down to bowls of Ramen that Justicur had made for the special occasion of their friends return. On the floor, Kurogekko sat purring as he finished off the fish Justicur had prepared for him.
"So, what's happened while I was gone, Hm?" Tric slurped up a mouthful of the delicious noodles.
"Well, Saria and I have become Genin of Konoha village, which Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke already are," She motioned at everyone's headbands, "And Justicur and I have been getting along since...wait a second how come you aren't all Black-eyed and murderous? And what's with the cat?"
Tric flashed a smile, "Well, I wondered how long it would take you to get to the point! Anyways, first things first the cat, Kurogekko, is the demon in his physical form, and that cat possesses all of the demons basic emotions and intelligence, we even have chats occasionally, but I managed to seal away his more violent side within me and he's pretty much let me take control although he kind of goes berserk when we get near a village and people, so we've set up several agreements, I had to make and especially tedious one for him to relinquish all of his control for me to come here, and right now he's kind of screaming in my head."
The group looked at Tric astonished, "You've reasoned with it!?!"
Tric looked surprised, "Well, yeah, I mean after the first few weeks of failing to escape me but still having some control we've set up an almost symbiotic relationship, If I steal him one secret each month he gives me complete control, He's actually not all that violent, the reason he acted the way he did before I took us away was because he was furious that he had became chained, no pun intended, in my body. But it's pretty neat; providing he doesn't get to crazy or out of hand we enjoy each other's company!" Tric tilted his head and smiled and the group at the irony of it all.
Sakura broke the groups astonished silence, "Wait you said you have to steal secrets from the villages? Does that mean you'll have to steal one from us?"
Tric hung his head in shame and mumbled, "Yes."
Instantly everyone at the table jumped up, arming themselves, Sasuke spoke, his tone level ad serious, "We can't let you do that."
Tric sat unmoved, "I'm afraid you don't have a choice."
Justicur flinched at his friends tone, sensing the shift.
Tric looked up, an insane grin plastered across his face, and stared straight into Sasuke's eye's, "Tric has left the building."
As Sasuke looked into Tric's eyes and watched as the entire eye became shadowed until it was completely black, and then like a solar eclipse the iris reappeared, completely white.
Before they could even flinch they where pinned against the walls by a heavy black mesh that seemed to sprout from the tips of several black chains that led back to the spools on Tric's limp arms.
There was a blur at the window and another chain flashed up, knocking away the kunai that was aimed at his exposed neck. Without turning he spoke to the would be assassin, "Tsunade, I know you're there. Now come out or the genin will die!"
Saria was limp in the mesh, quietly crying.
Tsunade stepped from hiding on the roof into the room, defeated.
Tric informs me that you might be willing to make a deal in return 98.4 for one of the secrets of the Hidden leaf village.
Tsunade nodded her head, "Yes, we might be able to make an arrangement of sorts, but first return control to Tric and release his friends.
Tric nodded his head, and then lowered his head as if to compose himself as the chains released the genin and re spooled, and when he lifted it again Tric's normal smile greeted them.
He scratched behind his ear and blushed, embarrassed at the outburst, "I am really sorry, he usually doesn't do that, I guess not being able to get the secrets kind of pissed him off a bit.
Justicur rushed over to help up Saria, "a bit!?! He nearly killed us!!!"
Tric hung his head in shame, speaking softly, "I'm sorry, maybe I should just go, "He turned and walked to the window, about to jump out when he was stopped by a hand on his shoulder. He turned and found the hand belonged to Saria. He looked at her tear stained face, he had a flash back, her face was replaced by his sisters. He quickly clasped her to him, hugging her tightly,
He spoke softly, "I could never leave you."
He held her at arms length, "after all, family sticks together, am I right?"
Saria smiled and then hugged him again.
After she had let go and they had all sat down, with Tsunade joining them at the head of the table, they got down to business with Tsunade placing a small white drill tipped cylindrical object on the table.
Tric picked it up and examined it, "what is this made of?" he asked almost hesitant to hear the answer.
"Tsunade plucked it from Tric's fingers and held it up so that the entire group could see it. And then she spoke, "This is made of bone."
Everyone at the table gasped, Sasuke spoke first, "But that would mean that...!"
Tsunade closed her eyes, "Yes, it means that Kimimaru is still alive."