The train rumbled and vibrated violently, jostling everyone around and almost throwing them all out of their chairs. The scenery, once lush and green trees and hills, had cleared away to the dull brown and grey of rocks and stones. Beside him, he could feel Hawkeye methodically pulling apart and cleaning her gun, checking each piece over meticulously. On his other side, Havoc was breathing in his third cigarette in two hours. Across from him, Mustang sat with his arms crossed and his eyes closed.

Naruto couldn't stand it.

He wanted nothing more than to leap out of one of the windows and run along side the train to see if he could move any faster. His fingers were twitching and he was chewing on the sides of his tongue, fighting away the feeling that he was about to explode with chakra. Every once in a while, he would catch a wisp of red seeping from his skin, but he would always catch it and pull it back within himself. He didn't want to waste anything before those bastards that hurt Edward got their comeuppance.

He knew that his eyes were red and that the scars on his cheeks were much more prominent than usual, but he welcomed the changes. His mind teetered on the edge of primal instinct, but he refused to deluge over too soon. Not where there were still at least fifteen hours left on the train.

Edward looked into the utter darkness that surrounded him. His flesh fingers twitched uselessly, the movement only serving to remind him that the limb was still there. There was a fuzziness to his arm, though, as a combined result of the rope tied tight and the placement of his arm above his heart. The forced tingling of un-circulating blood was uncomfortable, but a welcome to the pain that others forced on him. At least this he could control.

A door opened and he was suddenly blinded with light. He tore his gaze away to the pile of metal and wires in the corner of the room that had once served at his arm and leg. If he focused on that long enough, maybe the person would go away.

The shifting of the bed he was tied to and the pressure of another being on his flesh informed him of just how wrong he could be.

The Fox eyed the bars of the seal, amazement deep within its being that they had stayed together for so long. A tail snaked out and pushed lightly on one of the rusted-looking bars and it fell, splashing into the boiling water and raising a wave of red. Crimson eyes blinked at the frailty and a grin formed. It wanted to try the other bars to see if they were equally as weak, but it stopped itself.

The shadow of the Fox shifted, shrinking and collapsing in upon itself. Just as it appeared that it would go out like the flame on a candle, a pair of pale arms, looking as gentle and lithe as a bird's wings, reached through the hole in the seal. Slender fingertips twitched, drawing the bar close enough to grasp. With a strength that belied the frail look of the limbs, the bar was yanked up to balance in the spot it had once resided in.

It was too early now, the Fox told itself, looking out into its muggy den with a pair of human eyes. But soon…

Naruto was on his feet the moment he felt the train begin to slow. His glittering eyes and the presence of military personnel around him prevented any other patrons from approaching him and telling him to sit down until the train came to a full stop. The only reason he didn't force his way out the door was the fact that Hawkeye had latched onto his shirt and was holding him in place.

"You must be patient," she informed him coolly. He would have snarled at her, but her other hand was resting on her freshly polished gun that sat in her lap. So instead, he merely waited, eyeing the windows impatiently, especially when Mustang and Havoc stood with and excruciating slowness. Eventually, Hawkeye let go of his shirt and he was ushered along the isle and out the door by Havoc.

Naruto's entire being was strumming with chakra, and each breath through his nose brought the unfamiliar and exotic scents of a less-than-populated mountain range that he knew he'd never be able to forget if he was paying attention. But he was more interested in finding anything that might relate to Edward - his scent, a flash of color, a familiar voice. He again felt Hawkeye close to him, grasping his shoulder so that he didn't run off without them, and he tried to ignore it.

Colonel Mustang looked around the military-owned station, eyes seeking though the sparse crowd and locking on two personnel dressed in the black and red uniform of the North branch. The two women - one tall brunette and the other a short blonde - noticed his gaze and quickly made their way over to him.

With a salute, the blonde quickly introduced, "Colonel Mustang, I am Lieutenant Colonel Rose and this," with a motion to the brunette, "is Major Wilson. We were contacted by Second Lieutenant Breda thirty hours ago and informed of your arrival, sir."

Mustang nodded once and the women relaxed into an at-ease position. "Have you been informed of our purpose as well?"

Lieutenant Colonel Rose didn't respond, but instead cast a curious glance in Naruto's direction. "Sir, do you have permission to speak in front of this civilian?"

Mustang glared. "I see no civilian, so speak."

Major Wilson caught on and nudged Rose with the toe of her boot. Rose's watched Naruto for a second more before turning her gaze away and focusing on Mustang as though there were no one else there. "I apologize, sir. Yes, we have been informed of your purpose. At North HQ we have prepared a map of the area, including places where we have already searched. If you will follow us, we will take you there for a quick briefing of what has happened so far."

Somewhere in Naruto's mind, he was paying attention to the conversation, but the main focus of his consciousness was on the sudden scent of steel and sweat and sun that he had come to identify so closely with Edward. his eyes swung around, taking in every corner and every wall of the station. As mustang and the two Lieutenants began to leave, Naruto found the trail of the scent - weak from being days old, but still strong enough to exist - and took off after it.

Lieutenant Colonel Rose clenched her hands and looked to Mustang when the child suddenly ran off. He was still calm as he had ever been, though his eyes flickered in the direction that he had run off in. She trusted his judgment, though, and didn't say a word, instead merely taking the trio from central to the military-issued, grey and black car that was waiting to take them to North Headquarters.

Naruto ran down the road, ignoring the crowds and the cars and the way they yelled at him whenever he had to shove them out of his way. His vision was hazy with red and he felt the minute pain that informed him that his pupils had changed into the demon's cat-like slits. The brown boots he'd been bought were uncomfortable now as his toenails hardened and sharpened into claws, tearing away at the rough leather. Deep inside, he apologized to Havoc for ruining his new cloths, but figured that he wouldn't mind too much. After all, he seemed to like Edward too.

Chakra was dancing around his body like an electric aura, flicking away in crimson strands and clinging to whatever plant life was around. Grass blackened and began to smoke, trees heated internally to amazing temperatures until steam began to escape their leaves. The rock and dirt that made up most of the small town centered around the station began to quiver and melt into red hot trickles.

The townsfolk began to watch the mountains worriedly, wondering if there was indeed a demon on the loose as the stories of old used to say.

Havoc eyed the map of the Briggs Mountain Range that had been spread out before him, feeling Mustang and Hawkeye looking over his shoulders. It was a bit of a disconcerting feeling, but he ignored it in favor of allowing his eyes to trace over the sketchy lines that belied the pathways of the mines. He could hear the Lieutenant Colonel speaking, but was only vaguely paying attention.

"There have been reports that a gang of bandits have taken refuge within the mine shafts. Women in our area have claimed to have been attacked, usually in this area." She pointed to an area that, by the map's standards, was only three or four miles away from the train station. "The gang is reported to be at least ten men strong and we suspect that their main lair is in the Cavern of the Winds."

"And where is that located?" Mustang asked. Havoc was suddenly all too glad that the Colonel was with them. He wasn't too sure that he would have been able to stay as calm as he had when Naruto had run off like that. His hands and legs were still itching to chase after the young charge, especially with the order he knew Mustang was sure to give - if the child had anything to do with this gang or Edward's disappearance, he was to be killed.

"Here," Major Wilson responded, in the same, shy-soft voice she always used. She pointed cautiously to a round bubble-like sketch. "It's a tourist attraction."

"It was," Rose corrected and Wilson seemed relieved that she could quiet again. "It was closed almost a year ago because the ceiling collapsed in and almost killed a few tourists. We assume that's the reason the gang moved in - no one was there to drive them off."

"Then that's where we'll search first. Gather as many men as you can spare and we'll head out tonight – at 2200 hours."

The Northern personnel saluted, and there was an organized rush to find and fill out the proper forms and alert the proper persons.

Edward's entire body ached. His muscles were sore from struggling as well as the awkward position he was held in, and he felt like he was frozen from the constant chill in the air. The metal plates on his skin that would have otherwise connected his automail merely served to freeze him more, draining what little heat his body still held.

He was both glad for the darkness and terrified of it. He knew that as long as there was no light that there was no one in the same room to hurt him. However, there was always the possibility that someone would come in at any minute.

He didn't want to think it, but his mind supplied him anyway with, 'The suspense is going to kill me…'

You people should be glad – this was originally going to be a one-page teaser instead of a full-length chapter. And for all of you concerned about Konoha and what's going on there – I'm planning a sequel that will take care of that, so don't worry.

Also, ignore my South Park referneces - I couldn't help myself.

I don't own Naruto or FMA, so, till next time!