Sorry for the wait. And a Late Happy Halloween!

This chapter was re-written like 5 times. I'm reasonably happy with it. This has been the week from hell, I lost two gerbils, a tank full of fish, then we got hit by a snowstorm on Saterday, lost power for 26 hours, had no net when it came back, and a tree branch landed on my car, breaking the windshield. Then shit happened at work on Monday. And my computer is still dieing. Honestly, I'm so miserable, you guys as lucky I wrote a chapter. But, I know that there are people out there who really like this story (dare I say love?) and I don't want to let you guys down.

So I beat the shit out of my angst and banged this puppy out.

Then I looked at it said "Ah this is crap!" and did it again.

And again, and again till I liked it.

Next chapter is started, and HOPEFULLY will be up this weekend. Depends what else goes wrong, lol.

Thank you to all my lovely readers, reviewers, favers and alerters. Thank you to those who sent me Pm's too. I seriously needed it. Lots of cookies for you all.

Please enjoy this nice new MUCH longer chapter! No notes at the end, I think this one's self explanatory, but feel free to msg me questions or drop a review, I'll get back to you.

_POV MUSTANG_

Mustang didn't even bother turning to look. "What are you doing here, Ling?"

"Is that any way to greet a friend who's come all this way to visit?" Ling tisked as he and his ever-present shadow, Lan Fan, made themselves comfortable. "I got the old emperor to send me back to 'improve the relations between our two countries.'" The prince grinned, "Or something like that. It's just such a long way to Central, though, I thought I'd visit. Did you miss me?"

Mustang could feel a migraine coming on, "Now is not a good time."

"Really? Problems?"

"Nothing you need to concern yourself with."

"This wouldn't happen to have anything to do with a certain giant fox that crushed your storage building, would it?"

"How...?"

"Lan Fan, of course."

"Yes, well then you know we have it under control."

"I'd be willing to help, you know." There was a knock at the door. "Ahh, looks like the rest of our party has arrived."

"The rest of your...?" Mustang sputtered as Hawkeye came into the room followed by a blond teen and a young girl with her dark hair in pigtails. "Not you two!"

"Cor...I mean General! It's good to see you again," The boy began, gray eyes sparkling before he turned to frown at Ling, "You could have come with us in the front door, you know."

Ling shrugged, "it's more fun this way, right Lan Fan?"

"It's irresponsible for the next emperor!"

"May..."

Roy sighed as he sat down heavily at his desk, "Why is it whenever anything dangerous happens, you and your brother show up, Al?"

"I don't know, sir."

"Where is the little runt anyway?"

Al sheepishly rubbed the back of his head, "I'm not really sure. Honestly, I haven't heard from him since we left. You know how Brother is, though."

Scar smirked and muttered, "He's probably off in jail or something."

"Scar-san! Al-san's brother wouldn't do something like that," May put in, Ignoring Al's relief that someone else was standing up for his brother, "He's probably starving on the street."

Mustang couldn't help but laugh, feeling some of the stress just melt away. It's really good to see them, though I wish their timing was a little better. I don't like Xing knowing our problems...on the other hand, no one knows homunculi the same way Ling does. The little prick might be able to help. "Marcoh?"

For a moment, the older man looked confused. Roy watched as he realized what he was asking. The man seemed surprised, then a little hesitant, most likely because Ling was from Xing. He watched as the man warred with the question Mustang had given him. It seemed so simple, Marcoh wanted a way to try and reach the boy, help him in some way. With Ling, they probably could do it, the young man had insight on the situation, if nothing else, he could trick the homunculi into talking.

But there was a risk.

Ling could report to his father what was going on, leaving their nation open to a possible attack. He could also blackmail them; it was obvious he knew that none of them had reported this. Or, Ling could get the homunculi on his side and attack them.

Mustang thought about the young prince's personality.Then again, maybe this is a really bad idea...He glared at the teen, who, as he expected, completely ignored him. He was almost as infuriating at Ed.

Marcoh looked up, determination in his eyes as he nodded. "Scar?"

Scar sighed, "He can't do any worse then we have." Red eyes met black, "If he steps out of line, you could always just..."

"Hey now! Have a little faith in me!" Ling said, "I'm just here to help. Homunculi are a danger to all of us, you know. I seriously doubt Father would have stopped after he destroyed Amestris." The young man idly played with the folder containing all they had found out how the hell did he get that?"As for going back with this information, well it is tempting, but really, there's nothing in it for me. I'm supposed to be 'improving' our relationships, and if the old Emperor doesn't like how I do it, well, he's out of luck then, isn't he? After all I brought him a philosopher's stone."

"We will help as well." Al put it, "I've learned a lot in the last year from May, so I might be some help. I won't let them put the people I care about though that again."

Mei started to clamor her agreement, while Lan Fan tried to speak for Ling, who was already grilling Marcoh and Scar with Alphonse. Mustang's head throbbed at the task in front of him. "If we're going to do this, we're going to do this my way. Now sit down, and shut up!" Four teens looked up at him with expressions full of cocky excitement. Oh yeah, definitely feel a migraine coming on...

_POV NARUTO_

Naruto rolled over on the cot. He'd spent the night exercising instead of attempting to escape. Well, except for getting the shackle off. He had a plan, and the first part of the plan involved nursing his slowly returning chakra by taking it easy. This seemed so much easier last night...The second part of the plan was a little more tricky, and really depended on his captors.

If all went well, though, he'd give these bastards something to think about.

The door opened and he eyed it from his spot of the cot with trepidation. Imagine his surprise when the Charcoal-king Mustang just cheekily waved before making room for two people to enter the room, sealing it behind them. One of the people wore a mask, much like the ANBU of Konohana. Naruto was sure the person was bristling with weapons, just like they were, too. The other person had a classically foxy face that Naruto was more then familiar with. He was basically unarmed, but moved with a grace that told the blond shinobe that he knew how to handle himself in a fight. Hey, he kinda moves like bushy-brows...That was all unimportant, however.

He had food. Two massively heaping plates full of food.

Naruto sat up, eyeing the strangers warily. Well, this is a new tactic... "Yo," he waved, "You gonna eat that?"

The new guy stopped in surprise, blinking dumbly at the whiskered youth. A wide grin appeared on his face before he answered, "Well, there's a lot here. I might be willing to share with a friend." He came over to the cot and cocked his head to the side. Naruto, never being the fool around food, and wanting to keep a good distance from this guy, moved over to the far end of the cot, tossing the shackle to the floor as he did. He noticed that the ANBU look-alike tensed suddenly, but backed down when the other guy just shook his head slightly So he's the leader... "I'm Ling, from Xing."

"And I'm really hungry, so are you going to share?" Ling just frowned at him. "Charcoal-for-brains calls me 'Stupid.'" Naruto shrugged, "I'm not too fond of it, but it'll do for now."

Ling shook his head as he plopped on the other end of the bed, putting the rather full plates in between them, "That's a horrible name."

"Yeah, well, he said something about calling my 'Yuri Fox', but that's just mean. I'mnot a fox." Drugged, maybe? Gah, this is so mean! It's food, you shouldn't be allowed to use food to manipulate someone! His stomach rumbled, voicing it's own complaints.

"Well, aren't you going to eat up?" The other puffed, tossing his long hair over his shoulder. Something in Naruto's face must have given his dilemma away, "Hey, you really don't have to worry, my friend, it's all safe. Here, let me prove it." He deftly ate a small bite of everything on the plates.

The blond just tugged at his hair before quickly grabbing the rubbery plastic spork, "That doesn't prove anything!" He gripped before stabbing some meat with the fork, "That just gives you a head start!"They can't kill me with poison, and Tsunade-baa-chan always said drugs never really worked right one me, so here's hoping!

"Hey now! Some of that's mine!" The two teens made quick work of the food, and soon, all that was left were the inedible bits, though Naruto did eye them speculatively. "Wow, you were hungry."

"Mmmmhummm."

"I bet you used to eat your folks out of house and home all the time."

"...Never knew them." Naruto sighed, the warm feeling of being full fading as reality set back in.

"Really? Sorry to hear that. I was never really close with my father, either. He's a bit of a selfish jerk." Nothing about his mother?

Here it comes...

"You know," Ling began, "If you decided to co-operate, you could eat like this any time you wanted."

The blond contemplated his words before musing, "You know, your face would look much better with my fist in it." He gave Ling his trademark grin, "Sorry, but I said I wasn't going to tell cigarette-butt anything, and I always keep my word."

The two lapsed into silence. It wasn't quite strained, but nor was it companionable. Just because we ate together, doesn't make us friends..."I'm just like you, I bet." That got Naruto's attention, at least. It always did, after all. Ling noticed and grinned, "Well, that is to say, I used to be like you. I was a Homuculous, too, you know." To the blank look he continued, "No, really! I was Greed for quite a while. I learned all sorts of things from it. I could help you, maybe."

"You were Greed?" The blond mused, "But now you're not?" How can you BE Greed?

Ling moved closer, almost conspiratorially, and he had to fight the sudden urge to growl at him, he was much to close. "That's right. I'm free of him now. Why? Do you want to know how?" Since he was watching the intruder so intently, he noticed the gleam in his eyes.

"Who says I need any help? I have no freaking clue what you are talking about."

The dark haired guy leaned back, "You can't hide it from me. The people of Xing, well, let's just say we're a bit more...equipped for finding things like you." He opened an eye, "I can feel you."

"That's just...creepy."

Ling chose to ignore the comment, "I felt you the moment I came here. I know what that feeling is. It's something that doesn't belong in this world. A homunculus, and it's coming from inside you."

Crap. Just. Crap."You are a seriously creepy guy. I mean, I thought I knew some creepy guys, and ok, yeah, I do, but you're right up there with Oroch...that snake guy."

The other teen crossed his arms, obviously annoyed, "Don't you get it? You can't hide what you are from me. You might as well spill, because now that Mustang knows for sure, he's not going to hold back anymore."You call that holding back? "You seriously can't be that stupid."

"Not as stupid as you are."

"You should just let us help you. Tell us what you know and I promise we'll turn you back."

"Into what? A turnip?"

"Into a human, idiot!" Asshole, Jinjuriki are human!

"There's nothing to 'turn me back' into. I'm the same as I've always been. One hundred percent human. Hu-Man. Not a fox, not a monster, not a Humocu...whatever it is you called me. Just a guy. A really amazing guy, but still."

"So how do you explain turning into a giant fox-monster then?"

Naruto shrugged, "Wasn't me."

Ling grabbed his arm and shook him, "If it wasn't you, then let me help you! I understand what it's like. I can help free you from that thing."

A wave of rage blindsided the blond. Quickly he fought it down. Damn you, fox. "Bullshit! You're Nothinglike me." He took a few deep breaths, fighting the Kyuubi as he whispered that they should test his claims, "Now I know you're full of it." He stood up and glared down at the other, "I'm really not sure how many are left who really understand what it's like," he thought briefly of Gaara, and of Pein saying he was the last, missing the ANBU leaning forward slightly "but, everyone knows there were nine, so you couldn't be one!"

A moment of tense silence greeted the statement. "How do you know I'm not?"

"Because you said you weren't anymore, stupid!" How dare he...how dare he act like it's nothing! He's got no clue what it's like, what it was like for Gaara when Shukaku was taken from him... "Doing something like that, it kills you! Everyone knows that. I saw that. Ga...He died. And you know what? He said it really sucked! You can't use his pain as you please!" He swung a fist at Ling, only to be blocked by the ANBU.

Without missing a beat, he lashed out with his other hand, racking a long cut along the mask as his blocked hand redirected for a chest punch. The woman avoided the followup spinning kick by leaping back, only to find Naruto still in her face. He was surprised when his fist connected with metal instead of flesh when she put up her guard. Not so surprised that he didn't pocket some of her kunai though as he dodged Ling's surprise attack from behind.

"It would be better if you would just co-operate with us!"

"You first! Hold still so I can hit you, you damn grasshopper!" Naruto wasn't too surprised when in a flash of blue he found himself glued, then chained to the floor. "DAMNIT! Let me up!"

"I don't think so." Mustang growled, kneeling down by his head. The two glared at each other for a while, "Ling, good try, but I don't think your plan worked. Your Lucky Lan Fan was here, if that punch had hit you, you'd probably be dead. He's stronger then he looks." The man stood and headed to the door, "We'll take care of this small problem tomorrow."

"HEY! Don't call me small! I'm not small, damnit!" He shouted at the door as it closed.

_POV MUSTANG_

He felt a chill at those words as he sealed the door shut with May and Al. Combined, there was no way that thing could get out. The walk to his office was habit at this point. Armstrong, Hawkeye, Marcoh and Scar were already there. For some reason, it had been designated operation headquarters, even though there really were way to many players involved to fit in it's cramped interior. Roy was just glad he could still order Havoc and Feury out of there and they listened. As he glared Scar out of his seat he sighed, I really miss myCentral office sometimes."Ling, what can you tell me?"

The prince sighed as he settled onto the arm of a chair, "Not much more that we didn't already know, or at least suspect. I can confirm that he's human, or at least part human. That guy's definitely got something nasty inside."

"I could feel it in the hall," May put in, "it's horrible."

Ling nodded, "Yeah. I think I saw it for a bit. The eyes. That thing wants us all dead."

"Well, we knew that."

"Can the boy be saved?"

"I don't know, Marcoh-san. When I suggested it, that's when we found out some real information."

"Such as?"

"Well, there were originally nine of them, though our guest doesn't seem to know how many are left. It's at least eight, including him."

"One's dead?"

"He said that separating the homuculus core from him would kill him. But here's the odd bit. He said he'd seen it happen, and the person it had happened to told him it sucked."

"But..." Al asked, "If he was dead then how did he tell him that?"

"Personally, I think he's stupid. Or crazy. He knows how to fight hand-to-hand though."

"So he's either older then we thought..."

"No, he said he didn't know his parents, so he had to be created after our battle with Father and the others." Lan Fan put in.

"Damn." That means the human in him knew how to fight before he was turned into a homunculus. He's good enough to give those two a run for their money, I bet. I wonder how he'd fair against FullMetal? Roy had a sick, sinking feeling in his stomach. The homuculi was blond, a little short, was a pain in the ass and was really good at martial arts. It sounded a bit like a certain golden eyed blond he knew... The eyes, they're different...He remembered the glare, "So, when was the last time anyone spoke with..."

"Ed?"

"The runt?"

"Edward?"

"FullMetal?"

"Elric?"

"Brother? I'm going to call Winrey right now. She might know where he is. I'm sure he's written her recently, at least." Apparently the flame alchemist wasn't the only one who was reminded of the other obstinate blond in their lives.

Hopefully, Al would come back with some good news.