Patching It Up

"This is the Automaton factory!"

Tyvetta presented the building to me. After showing me the Reverse Flauna center she had taken me through the streets — hitching a ride on a hovering transport unit.

It had taken us to this large factory building, that had constant Automatons going in and out of it.

Some seemed to be only paying a visit to the place. Some looked to be Support Automatons that worked here; while others, with broken parts, were entering and exiting later with brand new parts.

I raised my head and inspected the building, it was honestly a sight to see.

The top of the building had great pipes that would spew out and pull in reverse Flauna. Even though the factory seemed to be for Automatons' it seemed to have some use for Reverse Flauna.

"Is this a repair facility?"

"Yes, and no. This facility is where the Automatons come for repairs, but it is also where more of them are made."

"Really, what about those pipes on the top? What does it use Reverse Flauna for? The Automatons aren't made of it."

Whenever I found myself looking toward an automaton, I would find that they didn't operate on any form of Flauna — they were entirely metal and machinery.

The only time I would sense Flauna on them as if they had some sort of Flauna-powered tool, equipment, or weapon.

It wasn't even every one of them that required Reverse Flauna. Many even used other forms of energy sources.

Such as batteries, gears, engines, etc. They used all forms of varying sources; so I couldn't help but be curious.

"Indeed, you aren't mistaken. The things that require Flauna are the machines that repair and make the Automatons. Now come along, it's about time we get you out of here."

Not wanting to dilly daily anymore, Tyvetta led me into the factory with slight haste.

Upon entering through the large sliding doors, I was met with surprisingly clean marble-like floors and machines with visible power sources releasing vibrant waves of red energy only visible to me and Tyvetta.

Was that even true in this situation? The Automatons used things that were powered by it, but wouldn't it be more efficient for them to be able to see it? I don't know.

Shaking the questions out of my head I dismissed them. They weren't important enough for me to ask them at the current moment.

She brought me here for some reason and wanted to do something before sending me home.

I wasn't sure what she wanted to do that would require her to take me into this parts factory or whatever it was called, and I didn't feel like asking; better wait and see.

"Alright now. Sit riiiight here, Veltae."

Tyvetta had less me through the factory and pulled out a machine next to some type of workbench, it was covered with machine parts, screws, and all sorts of tools.

I didn't dwell on the bench next to it and compliantly sat down.

I watched her fiddle with the pad on the side of the bench before walking into the room off on the side.

I heard something loud and metallic fall on the ground before she stepped out — dressed in full-body mechanic apparel.

Following her, a moving mechanical toolbox exited the room. It waddled as it moved, in a somewhat... adorable fashion.

I silently watched them approach the workbench, keeping my eyes on the moving at a steady pace.

"Come on now, I still have to send her back!"

"What are you planning to do with that?"

"I'm planning to fix up that arm of yours. it technically is my fault that it looks like that. — hup!"

Lifting the moving toolbox onto the table she had it standing there before its legs folded into its side.

Bweep, Bweep

It made this strange but cute beeping sound as it seemed to shut off. Once it was off Tyvetta began digging into it.

"You'll fix it?..."

I stared at her for a moment and then looked down at my arm; I didn't think about it much earlier but not a single drop of blood had fallen from it after she had reappeared.

My bones in the arm were certainly broken, shattered, and crushed — my flesh, muscles, and tendons ripped apart.

Yet it wasn't bleeding. When I had forced the beast off my arm earlier it was dripping a nauseating amount of blood on the ground — creating puddles even.

It was honestly the main reason I was feeling tired and didn't want to move. At the moment I was feeling better than earlier, but I was, strangely, lightly lightheaded.

"Yes, fix it. I'll replace your bones with the most durable metal and mechanics, and replace your other missing flesh, muscles, etc with mechanics as well."

"You won't just replace my entire arm? How will that work? Can the flesh, organs, and mechanical parts work well on the same together?

I don't know much about bodily mechanical enhancements, I never left the house much but when I did I never saw anyone with them. So how would it work?"

Pulling many pieces and parts out of the toolbox, Tyvetta looked me in the eyes — not uttering a single word.

"Oh, sorry... I keep asking so many questions, it's a habit."

I hastily apologized for my habit. I was quite aware of what I commonly did; I was an overly curious child, and I constantly asked questions.

It was something that Norton and a majority of his clan members found annoying so it had also become a habit for me to apologize for it.

"No need to apologize, dear. I understand how you wish to be knowledgeable — there's nothing wrong with wanting to know more of the world and all that's in it."

Tyvetta placed a hand on my head and ruffled my hair and stopped searching the box.

"No need to be ashamed."

"Mm."

Humming in response I watched her begin to disassemble the arm that was sitting on the desk while at the same time, observing my arm and organizing all the parts placed around it.

She pulled a blindfold out of one of her pockets and continued with the disassembly. Her sharp and squinted eyes showed her extreme focus.

Following Tyvetta's example, I kept myself silent; the only sound coming from the machines in our surroundings.

She was surprisingly serious about this arm matter. Yes, she was inadvertently involved in this happening to my arm, but I didn't blame her.

It was just how the world went.

For a while now I've been confused, my family, my friend, those that were extremely close with my family — they all confused.

I don't know when it started, but I've never understood their worry and the amount of seriousness they had toward any matters related to me.

When I was hurt they would act like it was the end of the world, especially Karma. She would constantly apologize as if it were her duty to protect me — I could no longer understand it.

This wasn't necessarily anything new. I've always felt a disconnect when it comes to caring for myself; my father, and the few friends I had commonly commented on it, yet I was and still don't understand their worries.

I was told that it was... strange.

I looked at my wrecked arm, I honestly thought that it was better for it to all be replaced, it would be safer and much more efficient.

"Veltae, I'll cover your eyes with this blindfold. You won't need to worry about pain, you won't feel any for as long as I'm here."

"Wait."

"Hm?"

She paused with the blindfold in her hands, waiting to hear what I had to say.

"I don't want only some of my arm to be replaced. From the shoulder down, I want my entire arm to be replaced. There would be fewer future problems with a completely mechanical arm — it'll allow for more efficiency as well."

I twirled my head, cracking my neck as I told her what I wanted.

She started at the parts she had on the table for a moment, before shifting through the toolbox, seeing that what she was looking for wasn't in there; she got up.

"Alright. We'll do what you want, give me a moment, I need to grab something."

Saying this she went into the room she had gone in earlier. I only had to wait for a moment until she exited the room with a long stretchy metallic in her hands.

Standing next to the workbench she measured my arms; once she had the measurements she took the pipe to one of the nearby machines, placed the pipe into it, then entered the measurements she had just taken.

Tek, tek, beep

Waiting for a moment the machine signaled its completion. Pulling it out of the machine, the pipe was noticeably more condensed and elastic.

Examining the pipe, Tyvetta stood with it in her arms for a moment.

"Alright, looks good! let's get this show on the road."

Bobbing her head, she once more came over to the table.

"So you're going to start now?"

"Yes, firstly I'll be... er, cutting off your arm, well what remains of it."

"Oh, right — can you put the blindfold on me, I feel like I'll pass out if I see any more blood or gore right now."

"I understand, just know that there won't be much blood when I begin, I've been keeping the blood from leaving your body for a while now."

"I had assumed it was you doing this. I still want to be blindfolded though, not really into seeing an arm being cut off."

"Mmm."

With my words, she nodded with a slight hum while pulling a few more tools from out of the bench, along with a cloth.

I placed my arm on the cloth and pulled my head down to allow Tyvetta to put the blindfold on.

I gulped as she did so, I was getting a bit nervous at the thought of going through this procedure — there was a possibility that something could go wrong.

"Keep calm, Veltae. No need to worry, just close your eyes and it'll all be over before you know it."

"Ok."

Closing my eyes, I slowed my breathing as I heard her quick movements that lacked any hesitation.

At that quick moment, I felt a lack of weight on my left shoulder — it felt like something was missing from there.

With that feeling was something flopping onto the workbench; I had a feeling of what it was, but the fact that I couldn't feel it was astonishing.

I didn't want to open my eyes though, seeing my arm separated from my body would probably cause me to empty my stomach — so I kept them shut.

***

"Ve..."

"Vel..."

I began to stir awake from sleep and heard some inaudible talking.

"Veltae."

This time I fully heard my baptismal name being called out.

"Mmm?"

I hummed in a questioning response as I rubbed my eyes, I had found myself having fallen asleep in the middle of the operation.

As I was still drowsy and slightly confused I was unable to notice the fact that I was no longer wearing the blindfold — my eyes were still shit.

"It's about time you wake up, I've finished working on your arm."

"oh... oh... Oh! Yes, er, give me a moment okay."

Finally walking up, I clutched my head and caught myself stuttering and tripping over my words. This was how I always felt after waking up; the confusion I get whenever I wake up was always the result of my mind being uncomfortably numb.

Ugh — At the same time, I clutched at my chest as I felt mild chest pain — as if my heart was being squeezed.

This was also a common happening when I woke, it was like — I slept so well that I was in pain, it was strange but it was painful and satisfying at the same time; my body felt good.

"Ah... that feels much better now."

I released a satisfied sigh and patted down my... flat chest, no its size didn't matter! Don't think about it, Lulu.

I opened my eyes and stared at Tyvetta's dirty appearance. She was covered in dried blood and oil, there was oil on her cheeks along with a big smile.

"What feels better now, dear?"

Tyvetta raised a question to me while wiping her hands with a rag.

"Nothing, just — ah~, got some good sleep."

"That's good."

Replying, I let out a moan of satisfaction as I cracked my neck with my right hand. It seemed that my body was now much better than it was before.

Now that I was thinking of my body I could tell that there was weight added back to my left shoulder.

Looking at my arm that was resting on the now workbench, my gaze had changed into one of amazement; my arm was now fully mechanical.

After looking at my arm, I also looked at my shoulder. I had asked for my left shoulder to be left intact, but it seemed she decided to do the opposite.

"How come you removed my shoulder as well, Tyvetta? I remember asking you to keep it and only remove the arm."

I questioned her, my gaze still on my new arm. I couldn't see its components completely as it was covered in scale-like armor but there were still I could see.

In the middle of my arm was the pipe that I had seen earlier, it was moving as much as it was before and it was much more stable. It was likely the centerpiece for everything else.

Other than that there was part of my shoulder that opened up, there seemed to be something I could insert into it.

I could only stare at it in unbounded curiosity.

"Oh yeah, I did that because I remembered you saying something about efficiency — and in remembering so, I removed your shoulder as well because it would work out better for you if your entire arm, shoulder included, were replaced and completely removable; if you so wish."

She chuckled at how I was acting before explaining her reasoning.

Understanding her reasoning I stared at the part that was connecting the arm with my torso; I couldn't understand how it worked, just that it did.

I looked towards Tyvetta once more, this was a new addition to things that changed how my body would work.

"Um, hey Tyvetta?"

I spoke to her, who for the short while of me inspecting the newly made, was cleaning up the workbench and putting away tools.

"Yes?"

"Is this thing—"

The only thing that worried me though... the same issue my hex plates face, the reason I was still, er, regrettably, unable to wash by myself: Them not being waterproof.

I was interjected by Tyvetta though as she quickly answered me and put my worries at ease.

"Yes, Veltae. It is completely waterproof, it won't be affected by water at all.

Also, dear. It's about time you go home, your family and that redhead friend of yours are anxiously worried over you at the moment.

I will be sending you to the entrance of the forest since you can no longer walk at the moment, alright?"

"Alright."

After cleaning up and putting everything away, Tyvetta quickly switched back to her comfy clothing and prepared to send me back — It was quick, with just a snap of her fingers my senses were disoriented.

My eyes were blurry, and my ears were muffled, it was dark out and I could see the stars in the sky, not to mention pain once more returned to me.

The liquid in my neck device needed to be switched out by now, so I couldn't speak a single word and there was a slight stinging in my throat.

I was in pain again, but this time I could see a familiar head of red hair, who was cradling me in her arms.

"Lulu, Lulu! Are you okay!? Your arm, what happened?"

I could only laugh upon hearing her nervous and worried words and seeing her face full of worry as I raised my new arm to her cheek, for just a moment.