They slipped out of the house, silently waving good-bye to Winry and Pinacko.
"C'mon. If we hide up North, it's less likely they'll find us! No one but the Briggs soldiers are willing to brave that cold!" hissed Terios.
"And we're willing?" Strawberry asked dryly.
"Yes, of course we are. It's that or die!" Darks said grimly.
They traveled over the land quickly and silently. It took almost a week to reach the North, and they had only spoken to other living people when they needed to stop and get more supplies.
"That's a lot of snow!" gasped Daisy upon their arrival.
"Wow, that's deep." Karina said in surprise, sinking up to her knees in the powdery white.
"Maybe Dark and I should carry you and Violet. That way you won't get stuck in the snow." Black Cat said, picking up the little green-clothed girl.
They trudged through the snow until Lyn stopped. "What was that? Did anyone else hear it?" she asked, her voice almost inaudible.
"Hear what?" breathed Cathrine.
"Transform!" yelled Terios as something large burst through the trees.
They quickly obeyed, the air full of the glow of their transformations. They stood, battle-ready, facing their opponent. One thing they all noticed at the same time—
"He's wearing a military uniform! Damn! They're already cracking down on us!" Edward yelled angrily.
They all jumped out of the way, clinging to trees and landing softly in the snow as the man struck with a massive auto-mail arm. "So, a small band of Drachma spies, is it?"
"Hah! No!" snarled Terios, becoming the large Chimera-cat that was his fighting form.
"Wait a minute! I know you!" Dark cried. "Captain Buccaneer!"
"How do you know me, kid?" the man growled.
"Old war-buddy, I take it. You shoulda said you had friends up here before, Bluesy. Woulda come in handy." Black growled.
"I would've, but they're all military! And seeing how they're after us, I can't very well turn to them!" Dark wailed.
"Dark? You're Dark, aren't you? What're you doing way up here?" the man asked.
"Well… We're kinda on the run. We found out that the military is using this country as the base of a trans-mutation circle that'll kill everyone in the country. And so… I'm a fugitive now." Dark admitted.
"Can you prove this trans-mutation circle exists?" Buccaneer growled, his eyes narrowed.
"Yeah. Here." Dark handed the large man the newspaper they carried around. "It isn't done yet, but every incident involving blood-shed marks a point on the circle. We're trying to stop them."
"Hmm… I think you need to see General Armstrong."
"Waaaahhh? Did you say Armstrong?" he cried.
"Oh, yeah. Major Armstrong's sister runs Fort Briggs, Edward. Buccaneer, I'm not the only former military. Edward used to be a State Alchemist, but he's our leader, the Spectrum Alchemist, now." Dark said. "He used to be the Fullmetal Alchemist."
"Now that's something! You're as busy as ever, kid! C'mon."