Chapter 9: Bitter Work
KIM POSSIBLE
"Is it almost ready?" I asked.
"Yup. So here come the part you might have been dreading."
I sighed and picked up a glass of water.
Ron stepped over and said, "It will be okay, I'll be right in the next room if you need anything."
I smiled and said, "Thanks Ron." I put my hand on his helmet. God, I wish I could kiss him right now.
Winry got up and said, "Alright, all boys are to please exit the room. Mrs. Possible, Shego, and Riza are the only ones allowed in here from this point."
Mom looked at Izumi and said, "Do you want to stay Izumi?"
Izumi smiled and said, "You have your job, I have mine."
She looked at Jim and Tim. Looks like they'll get some training in either discipline or alchemy. Either way the boys won't underestimate her again.
Ed gave a weak smile said to me, "Good luck, and listen to Winry's instuctions carefully and you will get through this as fast and painless as possible."
All the guys got up and started leaving.
Jim, Tim, and Dad came up and hugged me before leaving.
Ron was the last one out. He nodded at me and closed the door.
"Okay Kim, we need to take off your t-shirt." Winry said.
Mom pulled off my shirt, revealing the nub that was my shoulder. It had healed a lot but, still I feel the pain of my missing limbs. At times it was unbearable and made me physically ill.
I can't believe Ed live like this for a year.
I looked down at my body.
Now I understand why the guys aren't in here, all I'm wearing is my bra and a pair of shorts that covered up my nub of a leg.
Winry had me lie down with my back on the table.
She picked up the automail arm and placed it down. I looked at her and said, "It looks like Ed's"
She smiled and said, "That's because it almost the same. This style is an alchemist automail, it's all made of one material for easy transmutation."
She moved the fingers and said, "I made it to were you can transmute your claws more easily."
I looked at Riza and she said, "Winry took everything into consideration when making your arm."
We all laughed a bit.
Mom looked at me and said, "Now is probably the best time to talk."
I turned my head to her as Winry began getting things into place to attach my arm.
I asked, "What about?"
She smiled and said, "Like what are these marking or tattoos on your arm for starters."
I gave a small chuckle and said, "They're called transmutation circles. In alchemy you have to have this basic matrix or it won't work. Before I went through the portal this was the only way for my alchemy to work, but now my body is the matrix. So all I have to do is clap my hands together and then transmute."
Mom looked at me and said, "I'm still pretty confused on the whole alchemy thing. How does it work?"
I sighed and said, "It's a scince where an alchemist can deconstruct and recontruct objects..."
"OWWWWWWWWWWW! WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?!"
I turned my head to see that Winry, Riza, and Shego had began attaching my nerves to the automail with a pair of pliers.
Winry smiled and said, "Well looks like our distration ploy worked for a while."
Mom sighed and said, "How much more of the nerve need to be attached to the automail?"
Winry smiled and said, "We're half way there."
Mom was distracting me? She was keeping my mind off the pain.
Winry looked at me and said, "Okay Kim, last nerve. Not going to lie this one is the most painful for Ed. But I have no idea about you."
I smiled and said, "Well then, let's do it and get it over with."
Winry pulled out her pliers and placed them on the automail.
She took a deep breath and said, "One. Two. Three!"
Her hand jerk fast and...
"OWWWWWWWWWW! AHHHHHHHHHHH! WHY THE HECK DOES IT HURT SO MUCH?!" I screamed out.
Winry smiled and said, "Because we are literally attaching your nerves to the metal joints in the automail."
She paused and said, "Wiggle your fingers."
I looked over to my new hand and saw the metal fingers move just as I wanted them to. I tucked in each finger seeing if I was really doing it.
Mom smiled and said, "That's one down..."
Winry looked at me and gave me another smile and said, "Surprise!"
She pulled out an automail leg.
Oh god. I thought I had a week before that thing was ready.
Riza smiled and said, "Winry worked all night getting your leg ready."
Shego sat down as Winry and Riza went to the other side of the table.
She smiled and said, "Okay, lets try lifting your arm."
I slowly lifted my arm up flipping around and bending it.
Winry yelled, "Stop doing that! You need to let your nerve settle or risk tearing it!"
I set my arm down and said, "Sorry."
I turned my head back to Shego.
"So Shego, what's new with you?" I asked nervously.
I hate small talk, it's literally boring and goes nowhere soon.
Shego replied, "I was actually doing a little research on the alchemy that you use to contstruct your clawed gloves."
I smiled big. No small talk. More my style.
"Really?" I asked.
Shego nodded and asked, "So in your basic construction, how do maintain the claws light enough be thrown and strong enough to slice through rock?"
I nodded and said, "Well, I take the lightest metal and layer it over and over, to a point where it's very light. It's kind of like a katana blade."
She smiled and said, "So my next question is more personal."
I rasied an eyebrow and said, "Well go ahead."
She looked me at fairly serious and asked, "What was The Portal of Truth like?"
I sighed and said, "I should have seen that coming. Just to let you know there is no way to desribe it accurately."
"What I saw when I went through the doors was unbeliveable. All the alchemic knowlage in the world, but there's so much going in at once it drives you crazy. Then when you come out and Truth claims his payment, the pain is..."
"OH MY GOD! OWWWWWWWW! GIVE ME A FREAKIN' WARNING NEXT TIME YOU DO THAT WINRY!"
Winry shyly smiled and said, "We were able to attach the all nerves without you noticing. So I call that mission accomplished."
I looked down at my automail foot and began wiggling my toes.
I smiled and said, "Well that was certaintly worth it. Now can someone please get me my shirt."
Riza grabbed it and tossed it to me.
I looked at Winry and asked, "Can I use my arm now?"
She nodded and said, "Yeah, but you can't use your leg to walk for about two weeks. The leg nerves take longer to heal. And try not to overextend your arm. You can use it just don't try lifting heavy things yet."
I pulled my shirt on and bent my arm. It felt good to do that again.
Winry brought over a set of crutches.
I picked them up and got off the table. It felt good to do this again too.
Mom opened the door and I made my way out.
Dad gave a big smile seeing me make my way out.
Ed gave a thumbs up and said, "Well you defininatly be my record for geting back up."
Al laughed and said, " You mean after passing out from the pain."
Ed looked at Al and growled. The room busted out in laughter.
Ron walked up to me and said, "So how long until you will be walking and flipping around?"
I looked at him and said, "Two weeks until walking and a month until I can do combat practice."
Ron nodded and said, "Well that will give me some time to improve."
I laughed and punched him in the arm with my automail arm. "Speak of which, Ron why don't we test your new abilties against me?"
Ed said, pulling off his gloves.
Ron nodded and said, "Your on."
"Well then let's get to the training area." I said, already making my way to the door.
I pulled up a chair and sat down at the edge of the balcony.
Mom sat down next to me and said, "Didn't Drew use to have a moat?"
Al looked at Mom and said, "Who's Drew?"
Oh, right. I never told them Drakken, first name.
"I'll tell you later Al and to answer your question Mom, we transmuted the floor up to make a place to practice."
Ed and Ron stood across from each other.
Roy stood in the center and said, "First one to be knocked out of the area loses. Hawkeye and I will officiate."
Ed and Ron nodded. The Colonel nodded and said, "Then let's begin! The Fullmetal Alchemist v.s. The Chain Blade Alchemist."
Dad looked at me and asked, "What's with the titles?"
I looked at him and pulled out my silver pocket watch. "This is the offical badge of a state alchemist. Although we didn't take the test in Amestris like all the other alchemist, Ed and Al declared us state alchemist after we completed our training based on our skill and abilities."
I looked back down to the battlefield and said, "And as state alchemist we recive a the rank of a major, acess to resticted material, and a title. Ed is the Fullmetal Alchemist for obvious reasons." I pulled up my automail hand and wiggled my toes on my new leg.
Mom looked at me and asked, "But why is Ronald called the Chain Blade Alchemist?"
I pointed back down to the field. Ron pulled out his chain and clapped his hands together, creating his signature sword. He swung his sword causing it to break into the links and come back solid.
Mom gazed at the battlefield and said, "Never mind."
Dad looked at me and asked, "So what your title Kimmy?"
I looked at him and said, "I got the title of the Iron Madien Alchemist. I would show you why I got that title, but I would need to be standing up."
He nodded and looked back down a the two boys go at it.
Mom looked up and said, "Wait a second. You said state alchemist recive the rank of a major, does that mean..."
Al responded, "Amestris is a miltary state. The only way brother could get acess to the matrerals we needed was to become a state alchemist."
Mom looked down at Ed and said, "But the boy looks like he only 13."
Ed looked up and yelled, "I'M SIXTEEN AND I'M NOT A DAMM KID!"
Ron looked at him and said, "ED WE'RE FIGHTING REMEMBER?"
The two ran at each other. Al and I sighed.
Al looked at my Mom and said, "Ed was actually the youngest person ever to become a state alchemist. He was only twelve when he passed the test."
Mom looked back down at Ed. "He was called an alchemic prodigy, just like Kim." Al said.
Al continued, "It took her about a week after we started teaching her before she started transmuting. For most people that would take month, even years."
Dad looked at me, gave a thumbs up, and said, "Good job kiddo."
I smiled and said, "Enough talk, let watch the action."
I looked down to see that Ed was transmuting fist out of the ground.
Ron swung his blade, cutting each fist in half.
Finally Ed transmuted his automail into a sword.
The two boys ran at each other. The blades clashed letting little sparks out from where they hit.
This was going to be a long fight.
They fought and fought until finally Colonel snapped his fingers creating a wall of fire between them.
Mom looked at me and asked, " Does he have a title?"
I nodded and said, "That's Colonel Roy Mustang, The Flame Alchemist. He has a special pair of gloves that ignite a flame and transmutation circles sewn in that allows him to control the flames."
Al laughed and said, "But like Lieutent Hawkeye says, he useless on a rainy day."
Ed looked at him and said, "What the hell Mustang?"
Roy stepped up and said, "You two have been at it for nearly two hours now. Me and Hawkeye declare a stalemate."
Ed and Ron groaned. They transmuted their weapons back to normal and Ed began fixing the field.
Mom looked at Ron and said, "Ronald! Your arm!"
I looked at it. It has a huge cut going down it.
Ron looked up and said, "Don't worry Mrs. P, I can't feel a thing."
I sighed and yelled down, "Come up here so I can fix your arm you idiot."
Ed smiled and said, "Allow me."
He clapped his hands and sent Ron flying through the air on to the balcony.
I looked down as Ed laughed his ass off.
Ron yelled down at him, "I'll get you back for that!"
Ron walked over and sat down next to me.
I took off his helmet (or head? Still not sure what to call it yet...) and looked at his blood seal.
"Your just like me Ron. Brother is the only one who can trasnmute my armor because he used his blood to draw the seal."
Ron replied, "Yeah, Kim is the only one who can fix me."
I clapped my hands together and placed my hands on the sides of the seal. Ron's armor smoothed out and looked normal again.
I smiled and said, "All done."
Ron chuckled and placed his head back on his body.
Mom sighed and said, "It's still quite hard for me to understand, that Ron isn't in there."
I nodded and said, "I'm just glad I was able to pull him out."
BOOM!
I turned my head around to see it was coming from outside.
We all made our way to the window to see a man climbing the castle wall.
We saw Izumi at the bottom, getting ready to transmute.
She pressed her hands on the wall making a spike go through the guys head.
Mom yelled "Oh my God!"
The guy pulled his head of the spike and began regenerating his face.
It was defiantly a homunculus.
Al looked at him and said, "LING!"
He opened the window and yelled, "Teacher! Stop, it's Ling!"
The guy yelled, "For the last time, my name is Greed!"
I looked at Al and asked, "Who is this guy Ling or Greed?"
Ed replied, "He's both. Ling got turned into a homonculus and him and Greed share a body."
Greed climbed in.
He looked Asian in heritage, he had long black hair tied in a ponytail, and his right hand had an ouroboros tattoo.
Greed looked at Ed and said, "Who was the lady outside, who was trying to kill me?"
Ed smiled and said simply, "A housewife."
