Looking at the small community full of farmers with dirt roads mixed with paved. It reminds me of home and not in a good way. At least this place has power lines and other modern inventions so I feel more comfortable. “Is this really where your friend makes automail?” It seems like such an advanced piece of gear how are they able to make it here? Edward is still ignoring me but Al is at least willing to chat.

He’s looking around at everyone in their small-town waving at them as we pass. “Yes! I’m excited to see everyone. It’s been a while since we’ve been back.”

We slowly make our way up a small hill. There’s a house there and an old lady, she is probably about 4’6 tall with gray hair in a tight bun and glasses. She’s carrying a long smoking pipe while watching us arrive. At her side is a dog that has an automail leg that immediately starts playing with Al.

Edward speaks up first. “Yo Granny. We’re home!”

The old lady gives Edward an appraising look.

“What’s wrong? You’re not missing any more limbs… You’re still working for the military right boy?” Edward nods nervously.” Humph, you never come just to visit so you want something.”

Edward looks off awkwardly at that. Al also cringes slightly. “Um, a lot’s happened. Can you set us up again? We uh also have two friends with us.”

The old lady takes a long slow dreg from her pipe. “What am I going to do with you, Ed? Haaaah yes we can set you up. Introduce your friends will you?” She turns to me and Zig. “I hope you two don’t mind sharing a room. We aren’t exactly an inn.”

Edward gestures to me. “This is Jiang Du the 9th prince of Xing. He’s a traveling alchemist from another country that needs to be set up with some automail arms.” I bow politely to our host.

“A pleasure to meet you…”

“Ah, where are my manners Pinako Rockbell, Nice to meet you. I’m so used to those rude boys I’d nearly forgotten what it’s like to have one around that wasn’t an annoying brat.” She smiles as Edward sends her a glare.

Edward gestures at Zig next. “This is Ziggles?” A light hiss comes from Zig. “Ahem, Zig I mean Zig he’s Jiang's bodyguard.” Taking the time to look at the house… It has a small sign that just says Auto mail, Rockbell… That names familiar.

I can see a smirk on Pinako’s face. “You know, I haven’t seen you in a while, Ed, but you’ve somehow gone and grown smaller.”

Edward immediately has a strained smile. Probably exerting all his self-control not to attack her as even Al lightly moves his arms to catch him. “Hey! Usually, in this situation, it’s supposed to be “My how big you’ve grown!”

She takes another dreg before meeting his gaze. Blowing the smoke slightly in his face. “If you’d grown bigger I’d have said it. You wouldn’t want to make me a liar, would you?”

Now Al has to hold on to Edward. “What’s that supposed to mean you mini Hag!”

He wrestles his way out of Al’s grasp and gets in her face. Just as he’s about to say something a wrench is thrown from upstairs and hits him square in the forehead knocking him to the ground.

I turn to Al. “Um… is this normal?” He lets out a sigh….

“Yes… granny loves us but she and Ed have always had a sort of… special relationship.”

Looking at the two yelling at each other again. I briefly hear a girl's voice yelling from the balcony up top. “I told you, when you come back for maintenance, call first!” Eh, not my problem. I wonder if that’s the friend that he mentioned. She sounds pretty young considering she’s able to make this sort of stuff.

Edward gets up and starts yelling back at her. “Are you trying to kill me!” They keep having a yelling match as Pinako, Al, Zig, and I all filter into the house even the dogs lost interest at this point.

Pinako leads us to a nice little front room couch. “Don’t mind them. Once Ed starts yelling the only way to make him stop is to let him get it out of his system. Something must have really worked him up. Do you dears want some tea? Once Wenrys down we’ll take your measurements and start talking price.”

We’re given tea and making small talk when Ed finally comes inside with a huff. He sits down and glares at a bottle of milk that had been laid out for him.

He turns his glare towards the older woman. “I’m not drinking this granny. Can’t I just have tea like the others?”

She just laughs at him. “Do you want to be short forever, pipsqueak? You have to drink it if you want to grow.” Oh, interesting, so lactose tolerance is dominant here.

“No, it’s disgusting.” Him and Pinako start a small fight again.

I interrupt. “By any chance are you lactose intolerant?” They both turn their glares my way before the old ladies softens.

Huh, at least she’s not hostile towards everyone. “What does that mean dear?”

“Well, some people's bodies can’t break down milk anymore after a certain age. It causes several complications indigestion. It causes gas and… other problems.” Edwards’s face reddens at the mention of it.

She turns towards Edward. “Is that right? Well, Ed? Is that what you’ve got going on?” He just hides his face.

“Huh, learn something every day.” She picks up his glass of milk and drains it in three gulps. “Hah anyways, what kind of automail are you looking for kid? Just for basic needs, lightweight, combat like the boy here?” Hmm, what do I need it for? I suppose I should go for combat.

“Combat would be preferred. I assume that’s the most durable frame?” She nods.

“That’s also the most expensive. How do you plan on paying for it?” I turn to Zig and he starts pulling out goods. As he does everyone's eyes are glued to the golden statues and silk that all depict the sun god Leto.

Al speaks up. “Huh, I didn’t realize that Leto was worshiped in Xing.”

They didn’t realize it’s from the last place? Well, no use correcting them. I just smile and nod.

“Well, that stuff looks like gold.” She feels the fabric. “That’s real silk too. I’m sure we can work something out.” She smiles before turning to the girl that came downstairs. She’s about 5’8 with long blond hair and blue eyes.

“This is Wenry, my granddaughter. Wenry meet Jiang Du the 9th prince of Xing and his bodyguard Zig.” Wenrys eyes go wide.

“You’re a prince? Like royalty prince? You’re going to wear some of my automail?” She practically drags me to a seat that has a bunch of measurement tools around it.

She tries to get to my arm but realizes that I’m wearing a specially tailored cloth that has no armholes. “Can you please remove… right you can’t. Can I please remove your shirt? I need to see the site where it was lost to determine how to connect it.” I nod and my shirt pulled off. She doesn’t even glance at my body only focusing on the area where I’d lost my arm. She’s professional that’s good.

She doesn’t even look away as she starts calling out parts. “Hmm, granny! Looks like we’re going to need to use the R-G-17 connector.” She starts taking measurements. While she does so, she keeps spouting out different tools that will be needed and the old lady points them out to Al who goes and drags them over.

At a lol in the middle of her work, I can’t help but speak up. “If you don’t mind. Can I ask are you the one that designed the substance used to the nerve tissue connection?” She finally looks up from where my arm would be while testing different angles for arm dimensions.

“Hmm? You’re actually interested in Automail?” Her eyes sparkle. Behind her Edward and Al both sigh. I think I hear Edward even mutter something about Automail freak.

“While I wasn’t the one that made the original mixture, I’ve made some modifications to it. My parents made that particular formula, they mostly used it for during procedures since they were doctors but it’s something that’s been passed down in the family for a while. I’ve since adjusted the ratios a bit and added a little bit and it’s made the connection much more accurate.” Interesting…

“So, you’re saying your able to do all this and design a fully functional arm… in a house all the way out in the middle of nowhere? That’s pretty impressive.” She has a light blush but I can tell it’s mostly at the complement to the automail.

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“Yeah… just imagine what I could do if I had an actual shop!” Hmm, I feel like it would be worth funding her learning.

“Is there somewhere you can go to learn more? I brought some gold I’m sure it’ll more than cover the arms. You can keep the rest and put it towards getting another teacher?” She looks really excited at that idea. She looks back at her grandma for confirmation. She just gives an okay sign.

She gives me a quick hug before swooning holding her tools. “YES! Thank you! We’ve been out here forever. I love this place, but I’ve always wanted to visit rush valley! Maybe with a bit of extra cash, I can learn from one of the people there. Ah, the smell of oil! The sounds of gears, how lovely my sweet automail~” She closes her eyes and looks up. Like she's dreaming.

She coughs and gets serious again. “Regardless let’s get back to your automail.” She takes measurements for most of the day and starts working on the schematics.

Hmm, I don’t know how long this will take. I hate being idle for too long. “Pardon me, Mrs. Rockbell.” The old lady looks over at me surprised.

“Oh dear, just call me Pinako. But what do you want?”

“About how long should I expect it to take?” She lets out a humph.

“Well, we’re adjusting the brats automail first. That’ll only take a day or so. Then we’ll get working on yours. It’ll take about two weeks one for each arm. The real-time sink is the rehabilitation as the nerves take time to connect properly with the automail.” I wonder… maybe since I already have access to my Chi, I’ll have better control?

“Okay… In the meantime, do you have any books on automail I might be able to read?” She grunts and points off to one of the sides of the room.

Over the next several days I can’t help but feel like I’m forgetting something. Which should be impossible with my memory skills. I’ve got the knowledge of whatever it is but I’m just not making the connection… I give a few short lectures on different chemical combinations to Edward and Al.

Edward keeps pushing back putting the blood on Al’s seal. I think he’s just nervous that he might screw something up. It’s pissing Al off but he’s patient. Eventually, they need to leave to attend a meeting they made with that blind alchemist they’d mentioned. Wenry and Pinako are working on my arms now.

Man, the small amount of surgery done to open up the wound to attach the nerves was… probably the… third? Most painful thing I’ve ever experienced. Oh well, I probably could have taken some pain meds, but they wanted to know when I felt something through the connection.

They are working on the actual arms now while I’m healing. As soon as I get one functional arm, I should be able to heal myself with treatment+ and transmutation circles. I know some basic methods of closing wounds to improve healing rates. So I should be able to heal up far quicker than average.

After about 8 days Edward and Al are coming back up to the house on the hill. They look a little nervous and a lady with long red hair and a yellow dress is there with them and a man that looks like a butler with a large white mustache.

They look really out of their element; their clothes are rich, and they are struggling to walk up the dirt path.

They eventually make it up to the house. The woman seems nervous as she finally knocks on the door. Unaware that I’ve been watching from upstairs. The woman had barely knocked before Edward starts yelling out.

“Hey, Granny! Open up! We got some more important guests!” Hah, I start making my way downstairs to meet them.

“Damnit Ed what did I just say about this place not being an inn!” The old lady starts scolding him but is interrupted by Wenry storming past me up to Ed I can see the bags under her eyes as she smacks Ed for waking her up before she storms back off to her room.

The woman seems really nervous upon seeing me. “W-we’re sorry about the loud noise. The um young uh I’m sorry. Please… we we would like your assistance…” Okay? What did Edward tell them?

Edward comes up next to me and pulls me down to whisper. “They performed human transmutation as well to heal their daughter. They only sort of succeeded though. The resulting person looks like a dried-out husk, unable to move, see, hear or speak. It can still survive through somehow.” That’s a tortured existence… I hope she’s just asleep in there and not able to feel anything. Even if I do fix her, his mind might be broken.

Ah, they want someone to fix their daughter… How would I even… okay that’s actually not as hard as I’d thought… but where would I get the materials for it…. Looking at their clothes they are probably loaded… okay this is going to work but be annoying.

“Okay… I need my arms first though?”

He nods. Turning around he gives a thumbs up to the lady and butler and she sags in relief. What? I didn’t even tell her directly? Hmm, should I mess with Edward? No… looking at that girl's relief I don’t want to rip away her hope as soon as she has it.

Walking over she reaches to grab my hand then realizes that I’m armless and just bows slightly.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you. I-I’m lady Hamburgang of the noble house of Hamburgang. I… we implore you to please come with us as soon as possible to see if you can assist us with our… problem.” She’s almost teary-eyed. I look over at Pinako who lets out a sigh.

“I need my automail installed before I can do anything. I’ll also need some supplies to set everything up. I need a large flat stone room to engrave the floor, I need… do you have a preference on animal?” She looks confused at that.

“Ah well, the only process I know of that can probably accomplish what you want I transmuted my pet snake into my friend. Zig do you mind showing them your face?” I turn to Zig and he reluctantly pulls off his mask. She visibly recoils at the sight.

“B-but you're still y-you right?” Zig nods. “Yessss I have all my memoriessss from before. I jussssst have the ssssnakesssss too.” She relaxes at that.

She turns back to me pleadingly. “I-Is there a purpose behind the animal? I… we can get a snake if it’s necessary we don’t care if she’s a little different so long as she’s our daughter…”

“Honestly? I have no idea. We can try it without the animal first if you’d like? Is she currently dying? If not then it shouldn’t hurt to do it without first. I just used it because alchemy works on symbolism and my mark for the soul was an eternal snake eating its own tail around the heart. So, I laid out a heart and placed my pet snake around it. It improves the odds of success but I don’t know by how much vs what’s lost from adding snake.” She nods then gets nervous… “Where will you acquire the heart?” She almost doesn’t want to ask.

“Hmm? Oh, I’ll make one.” That surprises her, Edward and Al also look surprised. I told them I’d help them remake bodies. Did they not think I could do it?

“What else do you need?” She’s looking a lot more confident now.

“Just some gold silver and platinum. I don’t need much of each and it’s not consumed in the process so I can just repair it after the job is done. I’ll add a bunch of other small groceries but they should be simple enough to pick up in the market once we’re there.” Although she keeps nodding along happily the butler with her speaks up now.

“How do we know you’re not going to just run off with these materials? They are awfully expensive after all?” Fair question.

“Because I’ll be locked in the room until after the ritual. You can have guards outside or you can come and watch. I’ll also need a girl of approximately the same age as your daughter the closer in age and look the better. They will serve as the template for rebuilding the body.”

They brighten up at that then somewhat sag with worry. “We already have the perfect one. This… isn’t going to hurt her is it?” I shake my head at that and they brighten back up. “No no, I just need to have a model to base the design on.” They smile at each other.

“Now how do you intend to pay me? Also, keep in mind you don’t owe me anything until after the successful procedure.” The lady looks at me confused.

“Oh! You’re not from this country. My family owns the patent to most of the automobile industry designs. We also own several designs for other parts of the military. If there is something you want we can get it.” They are that rich? Why did they walk… oh they are that desperate. I’ll help them out. I’ll make them pay out the nose but I’ll help the best I can.

“We’ll discuss payment after I successfully heal her.” I’m starting to feel a little worried I won’t succeed.

“Rosaline… you’ll be back with us soon!” Huh okay, I guess that’s their name. I really hope I’m not going to screw this up…

That night while sleeping arrangements are still being discussed. Al walks up to me looking nervous, I notice that a few adjustments have been made to his suit as well. “Um, Jiang…” Turning to him and nodding to show he has my attention.

“My brother and I redid my anchor while we were gone… I regained some of my memories and… I just want to say thank you. I didn’t even realize I’d lost some things. I gained the same gift as brother from the truth… There were a few other memories too that I’ve been missing until now. It feels like I was slowly unraveling but I didn’t notice until after I got it all back. I’d just like to say thank you for your advice to fix it...” That’s good, I wouldn’t want him dying or anything because someone spilled a drink on him.

“Did you also take precautions to protect it?” He nods with his whole body. “Yes, we covered it in a resin then it’s layered in metal with enough room to breathe.” Makes sense, make it waterproof then cover it in metal to protect it from what that won’t help.

After some heated debate, it’s decided Wenry will be fast-tracking my arms now. She’s going to be pulling an all-nighter to work on my automail and the lady is using her bed for the night. I keep working on projects mentally and going through all of the automail books. I sort of miss the engineering LVL 50 skills to test projects without actually doing them. It would make this a lot easier… Then again once I have my arms back I can just make it myself and use alchemy to teak any small parts.

The next morning I’m woken up by Wenry banging pots together.

“Come out! I’ve finished them!” Rushing out as quickly as I can I nearly trip as I glide down the steps.

“Where are they?” It feels a little bit like Christmas. Wenry walks around from the side shop with two arms in hand.

“Get your ass in here so we can connect them, and I can sleep!” Ah… she’s a little cranky… Reasonably so I guess.

“Right away…” I move in and sit in the chair. She and her grandmother sit on either side of me and hold the arms up to the joints.

“Now, this is going to hurt a lot. We need to connect the joints will give you a count down okay? It’s going to go like 3, 2, 1, go.” Not expecting them to go then I’m not prepared for the sudden pain and flinch. Instantly I hear a notification and feel a rush of feeling as both hands surge forward much to both Wenry and Pinako’s surprise. The sudden feeling of being able to move… I can’t help but slowly get a feel for it.

Checking the notification it’s I guess I know why Chi manipulation wasn’t leveling up.

Skill: Chi Manipulation level 50

Description: Chi is level % easier to sense.

Lvl 25: Chi is level % easier to manipulate within your body.

Lvl 50: Chi can travel through objects lvl % easier

I’ve been doing the wrong things to level it up. I have been practicing the same exercises that I’ve always known, and I never thought to try something more.

Reaching up to touch my own face I smack myself at full strength with metal hands. Right in front of nearly everyone, I knock myself out.

In the room, an awkward pause holds everyone in place. Eventually, Wenry just shrugs and goes to bed.

Edward turns to Zig. “So… should we just carry him?” He just nods before going over and picking up Jiang's crumpled form. A large bruise forming on his forehead.

“Let’ssss go.” Slung over one shoulder everyone departs once more for the train yard.