Disclaimer: I don't own, nor do I pretend to own, Fullmetal Alchemist.
Part I: Iced Over
Major Knight Kennedy stood, brushing the dust off his military overcoat and looking up at the towering inferno that rose above North City's only oil refinery. A few of his White clad soldiers scrambled around trying to find a suspect. The pungent smell of burning oil filled Kennedy's nostrils.
"Damnit! This is the third time this week, why can't we find this guy?" Kennedy yelled at one of his soldiers. He stroked the peach-fuzz on his sharp chin and thought. Out of the corner of his eye, a flash of light drew his attention. He drew his pistol and gave chase. Waves of his men poured over the streets while Kennedy darted across the narrow snow-crested rooftops of North City's trade district in pursuit of a fleeing man. He could see the culprit clearly now. A small boy, not even eighteen, with long blond hair and a red jacket.
"You, stop! Your under arrest you punk!" Kennedy lowered his head and drew his knife from his shoulder holster. He plunged the knife into the snow and looked at his target with a look of murderous intent. Rivers of steel erupted from the rooftops and surged after the fleeing criminal. Without so much as flinching, his target spun around and slammed the ground with his open hand. Kennedy's steel tide rocketed towards the young man. The boy's hand crackled with lightning as three stone pillars exploded from the frozen streets beside them. Kennedy dove to the side quickly, but so did the boy. He quickly leapt onto his steel tendrils and sprinted full speed towards the boy. Kennedy had apparently caught the kid off guard and dug his serrated blade into the perpetrator's right arm. He smiled, expecting the sinister crack of cold steel meeting soft flesh, but instead, he saw the boy smiling. Kennedy grimaced as he heard the vinyl scratch of steel meeting steel. He jumped back as the boy produced a large rock wall between them, and vanished in a cloud of snow.
"Damnit! You coward! Come out here and fight! Ahhhhh!" Kennedy shouted into the wind. It had started to pick up, and a blizzard was undoubtedly coming this way. He turned and saw a few soldiers staring at him from below.
"Sir, the Lieutenant-General wishes for you to return to command at once!" The first soldier said as he snapped to attention. Kennedy waived them off. Great, he thought, The General is going to kill me if I let this punk get away again. This cat's out of lives.
He returned to a car waiting for him in front of the now smoldering oil refinery. He opened the door of the car to see a friendly face. A heavyset man in pressed uniform with buzzed black hair and a cleft chin. The man adjusted his glasses and smiled at Kennedy.
"Major Kennedy, your late. And," he added with a sigh, "you are once again empty-handed. To be honest Major, if I had the authority, I'd send the General down here myself to finish this job. I'm sure things would be so much better if-"
"Colonel Pollox, sir, I'm sorry for the interruption, but neither myself nor the General are interested in what you would do 'if you had the authority'. Perhaps you would like to chase this lunatic through the frigid cold and blinding snow on your own, with no certainty of whether or not you'll make it back or not. When you drag your sorry ass out of that car and stick your neck out for this country, then you can tell me I'm doing a bad job. Until then, sir, please shut up and take me back to command."
Kennedy smirked. Checkmate, you bloated idiot. He complacently took his place next to the dumbfounded Colonel and began cleaning his knife. His fingers moved gently over the transmutation circle engraved on it's blade, he could see Colonel Pollox eyeing his knife too. It's ornate carving was his father's work. The day Kennedy pried this knife from his father's dead hands was the day he had learned of his talents as an alchemist. His father had been shot in the chest by an Ishvalan sniper while trying to resuscitate a dying comrade. Kennedy watched as his father's lifeless body fell to the ground. He was nineteen years old, and his father was 31.
"Major," Pollox said after a while, "If you don't mind me asking, where did you get that knife? Was it a gift or-"
"It was my father's sir. That's all I'm going to say about it," Kennedy replied with a grim look on his face.
"Well," Pollox said shrugged, "You don't need to be such a slouch about it. Lighten up. You can't keep repressing your feelings. It's not healthy." there was a long pause.
"We're here sirs." the driver said.
Kennedy got out of the car and scratched his short brown hair. He saw Pollox adjust his tie and slowly climbed the icy steps towards the Northern Command Centre. Warm air splashed over Kennedy as he stepped into the foyer. The center was alive with activity. Soldiers in bright blue uniforms bustled about the office with forms and papers, the kind of things Kennedy had never bothered with. His personal assistant Lieutenant Shelt waved as he walked by.
"Oh, Major Kennedy? You have someone in your office that needs to see you." she said with her usual uninterested smile.
"Thanks, beautiful," he said with a similar smile, he pulled a cigarette pack from his bandolier and lit it, "Tell them I'll see them in a minute. I have a meeting with the General."Shelt looked a little surprised.
"With the General? Good luck sir."
Kennedy smiled again, this time however a bit more concerned. He and the other staff members at Northern Command knew very well that most people didn't leave the General's office in a good mood. He stood in front of the doors to the office and took a deep breath. He pushed on the heavy steel doors and a chill shot up his spine. The door's metal surface was freezing cold. If it weren't for Kennedy's gloves, he was sure his hands would have frozen to the door.
He entered the office, and immediately the thick haze of his breath and cigarette smoke blurred his vision. As the fog cleared, he saw the General, seated across the room, looking out the window.
"Major Kennedy."
"Yes sir?"
"I've been told that you let our suspect escape again. Is this true?"
"Sir, I didn't-"
"I asked you if that was the truth Major," The General said, turning to face Kennedy, "Now is it, or is it not?"
He looked into The General's deep purple eyes. Major Kennedy had only seen the General's face once before, when he had just been transferred from South City. The General had greeted him warmly, and had personally shown him his office and living quarters. Since then, he hadn't seen The General in almost a year. All of his orders had been given to him by one of The General's assistants. His eyes quickly darted to the floor.
"It's true sir. My men and I could not apprehend the culprit." He looked back at The General.
"That's unfortunate. Maybe I'll have to oversee the next operation myself. Would you like that Major?"
Kennedy was a bit surprised by this question. A higher-up had never asked him how he felt before. He wasn't sure if there was a right way to answer her.
"Well sir, I don't think I would like that."
The General's eyebrows rose slightly. Kennedy continued," I think that it's two things; first, it's an indication that you have no faith in your most capable soldiers, and second, it shows that you have far too much confidence in your own abilities."
"Hmph. Well Major, anywhere else in the world, I'd have you killed for such an insubordinate answer. But here, I feel like you've almost hit the nail on the head, but your answer isn't entirely right. I do have little faith in you, but I am very well aware of what I can and can't do."
Kennedy dropped his cigarette.
"Well, Major? Are you going to say anything, because if you're not-" The doors burst open. A winded Colonel Pollox Entered the room and caught his breath, gorging himself on the precious oxygen like it was his first breath.
"General! General!" he managed to wheeze, "General Rockbell! There's been-There's been a development."
The general whirled around and glared at the red-faced colonel. Pollox flinched and Kennedy quickly stamped out his cigarette. The General's eyes pierced through Pollox like purple spears. The bloated colonel backed up into a corner as the General neared him.
"What do you mean a development?" The general asked, grabbing Pollox by the collar. Pollox's cloud of cold breath blanketed the General's face.
"Our detectives spotted your culprit getting on a train headed for East City! Please don't hurt me!" Pollox collapsed in a heap.
"Major, get Pollox to an infirmary for his inhaler, then meet me at the train station. We're getting this bastard together, understood?"
"Yes sir. I'll see you then." Kennedy left the General alone in the cold office. Lieutenant-General Delilah Rockbell sat down in her chair and popped a Mihimano chocolate candy in her mouth. She looked over one of the papers Pollox had left on her desk. It was an artist rendition of the terrorist who attacked the refinery. She recoiled a bit.
"I know this kid, it's Edward Elric, the Fullmetal Alchemist. Son of a bitch..." she said to no one. She hung her head and ate another candy. With that, General Rockbell left her office with a bag if her favorite chocolate candies in one hand, and a silver pocket watch marred with scratches in the other.
Major Kennedy and Colonel Pollox stood at the platform of North Station dressed in suits that clearly did not fit them. Kennedy tugged at his grey necktie that was slowly strangling him to death while Pollox did all he could to keep his pants from ripping.
"Why do we have to dress like this? It's not like anyone will recognize me-" Pollox began.
"-That kid saw me quite clearly. If he sees three people in military garb holding wanted posters with his face slapped on the front, he'll notice us and try to run," Kennedy said while lighting a cigarette, "If Delilah wants to personally oversee this mission I'm not taking any chances."
"What did you just call me Major?" Kennedy's heart sank. How long had she been there?
"Uh...General, I Uh..." he snapped to attention. The General forcefully laid an open palm across Kennedy's face. He clutched his face in pain.
"Don't salute me you morons," she barked, looking at Pollox whose sweaty hand was still pressed against his forehead.
"We're going under the radar. Not even Führer Grumman knows we're leaving. The last thing we want someone to recognize us as soldiers. And I'm sorry about these clothes. I'm sure you feel about as comfortable as I do right now."
Kennedy eyed over The General. She wore a rather unprofessional black dress. It contoured to her every curve and her long blond hair danced playfully upon her shoulders... Kennedy flinched. How long had he been staring at the General? It's at least 30 degrees in here, how is she wearing a dress?
"Alright Pollox, I'll need those tickets. Kennedy, do you have my pocket book?" Coded message, he thought. He felt the inside of his jacket for the pistol shaped lump in his pocket and pretended to tie his shoe to feel his knife tucked neatly in his sock. He gave the General a nod. Pollox fumbled around in his pockets for three train tickets, which he proudly presented to the General. The trio climbed aboard the train and sat down at a small table. The General lowered her head and closed her eyes. Kennedy lit a cigarette and looked out the window. The train was moving now, and the snow-white countryside slowly faded into green pastures and small towns. Kennedy had never been to the East before, but he had always imagined it to be something like this.
"I need a drink. I'll be back." The General got up and walked to the bar at the rear of the car. Kennedy tapped his cigarette into an ashtray and leaned closer to Pollox.
"So, Colonel," he said leaning even closer to the Colonel, "What can you tell me about the General?" Pollox chuckled to himself and adjusted his glasses.
"Trying to figure General Rockbell out, eh? Well let me tell you Major, I know a lot more about the General than anyone back at command. Not even her staff could tell you some of the things that I have found rooting around in her personal files. However, Major, this is information is pretty exclusive. For one thing, the General is a-a, a very nice woman." He said smiling at someone over Kennedy's shoulder.
The General sat down with a glass of pale brown liquor. Pollox looked anxiously at General Rockbell, then to Kennedy. He took another puff of his cigarette and turned over Pollox's words in his head. A nice lady? Probably code. He had heard that code before, from his C.O at South Command. He had called General Mustang a very nice lady. He hadn't thought about it too hard then, but now...
An alchemist! General Mustang was an alchemist, and that means Pollox knew that General Rockbell was an alchemist too. How long was she going to keep us in the dark about this?
"What did you say, Pollox? Something about me being nice? Wouldn't want any rumors to spread that I'm being nice to you guys." she smiled. Had she heard Pollox's message too? Kennedy hoped not. But it was strange, why would General Rockbell keep that a secret from her men?
Kennedy let out a sigh and put out his cigarette. The train slowed to a stop and the passengers disembarked. Pollox, Kennedy, and General Rockbell stepped out into the warm glow of the midday sun. Pollox squinted and scanned the platform for any signs of Elric.
"I can't see a damn thing," he said definitively, "We should start asking around. I bet he's pretty well known in his home town."
Kennedy nodded. Pollox handed him a wanted poster with a sneering portrait of Edward Elric plastered on the front. For the next hour, Pollox and Kennedy visited Homes and shops in search for Elric. Most people said that they hadn't seen Edward in some time.
"Dead ends. No one's seen Elric. Are you sure he got on this train Pollox?" Kennedy and Pollox were now seated at a bar on the limits of town. Pollox sipped on a glass of water while Kennedy lit a cigarette and sipped a beer.
"I'm certain Major," he paused "But I'm not certain where General Rockbell has gone off to."
"Excuse me," asked the bartender, "But did you say Rockbell? The Rockbell Auto-Mail outfitters is right up that hill over there." he said pointing to a small two story house alone on a hill. Kennedy and Pollox exchanged glances, paid for their drinks and left. Sure enough, a sign that read "Rockbell Auto-Mail" sat outside the house perched on a small hill. General Rockbell stood on the porch, with one hand resting on the door.
"Uh, sir? How long have you been standing there?" Kennedy asked. General Rockbell didn't answer. After a few minutes, she knocked twice on the door and waited. The door creaked open and a small old woman squinted in the midday sun.
"How can I help you? Do you need a tune-up? You don't look like-" she paused, "Oh my god."
The elderly woman motioned for The General to enter. Pollox and Kennedy approached the porch as the door closed in front of them. They peered into the window to see the elderly woman preparing tea. The General sat down with her back to the window, and appeared to be engaged in a jovial conversation, as if the two had known each other for a very long time. The grandmotherly figure reached for something in her sleeve. Knight's eyes widened as the woman glared at The General and continued to remove a weapon from her sleeve.
Kennedy burst through the door with his pistol drawn. The old woman dropped her weapon and The General pulled her one pistol and pointed it straight at his head.
"Major Kennedy? What the hell are you doing? Pulling a gun on my-" General Rockbell began. Before she could finish, the elderly woman pulled her weapon from her sleeve and struck General Rockbell on the back of the head. Kennedy fired off two shots, splintering the old woman's wooden spoon. The General's fist collided with Kennedy's face at an alarming speed. Kennedy collapsed in a corner and licked his wounds.
"You idiot! How dare you fire a weapon at Pinako! You should be ashamed of yourself! The nerve! Grandmother, are you okay?"
Kennedy remained in the corner, rubbing the spot on his face where the General's fist had made a dark red mark. He looked at the frail old woman, then at The General, then back to the old woman. He chuckled and pointed to Pinako.
"Wait, that woman is your grandmother? You look nothing alike!"
"And just who do you think you are?" the old woman shouted at the wounded Kennedy, "You barge into my house, point a gun at me, break my only beating spoon and then have the nerve to say I look nothing like my grandchildren? You soldiers are all alike." She turned to General Rockbell, "Are you okay sweetie? I hope your bastard Major didn't hurt you."
"Ugh. Major Kennedy, this is my grandmother, Pinako Rockbell. Grandma, this is Major Knight Kennedy. And that person cowering outside the window is Colonel Lionel Pollox."
Pollox's sweaty forehead emerged from the door. He smiled awkwardly at Pinako and then went back to the porch. The room simmered down after a while. Kennedy sat down and sipped some tea, while General Rockbell and Pinako continued talking.
"So grandma, why did you hit me with a spoon?"
"You haven't called in almost 10 years, Delilah. I was starting to worry about you. I mean. I know it's foolish to hope that you'd make it back home when you joined the military and all. Your parents wrote to me when they found that you had joined and- they were mortified. They couldn't stand to see you die before they did. But I guess..." she faltered. General Rockbell closed her eyes. After a few minutes, the General spoke up.
"Where's Winry? I haven't seen her since her fourth birthday. I bet she's grown up, and I can't wait to see her."
General Rockbell touched the piercings in her right ear. There were five, three deep purple studs and two rings, made by her mother before she left for Ishval. Their mother had made four for Winry too. Before she left to follow her parents to Ishval, General Rockbell had been so close to Winry that it seemed almost too hard to say goodbye.
"Winry isn't here. She went out to Drexel for some new ratchet heads. She'll be back tomorrow. Till then, you can keep yourself occupied in town. I'm sure they could use a hand with the new government offices."
"Government offices?" Kennedy perked up.
"Yes. Führer Grumman decided to put officers in most of the major cities in Amestris. We can visit them for loans, for settling disputes or just griping to the military I guess."
General Rockbell smiled. It had been so long since she had actually spoken to Pinako, that she missed those conversations. She thought about what her grandmother had said about her and her parents. Kennedy rose and walked to the door.
"Thank you Ms. Rockbell. The tea was great. And I'm sorry for, uh, shooting at you." he turned to the General, "General, I'll be staying at the inn at the bottom of the hill. The room is under the name 'Oswalt'. Later." Kennedy waved as he walked away.
"Oh my Delilah, he is a nice man, he'll make a great husband." Pinako said with a wide smile.
"Grandma he and I- We wouldn't- No! No way. Please, I would never fall for a guy like him. Never."
Kennedy laughed. Delilah was so different around Pinako. He had never seen anyone make The General cringe like that. On the other hand, he did like the thought of getting hitched...