Setsuna was nervous. It didn't happen a lot but this was one of those rare occurances. Her new hands had arrived today, a day late but still. So she was now sitting on the couch while Kaede was cooking breakfast and Haru was sleeping on the couch in the spare room. They'd decided not to talk to Konoka about what they'd found out and Setsuna had kept the photo tucked away in the waistband of her jeans. Mana had used a butcher knife to cut the remains of her metal hands clean at the wrists so she could put the new ones on. An oval metal plate was wielded directly into her wrist. Putting the knife back on the table Mana examined the new ones which were lying on the table.
"I don't know whether I trust you with that," Setsuna eying her apprehensively.
"Have some faith Setsuna. I'm the one that fixed your hands last time this happened," Mana chortled.
"That time someone was telling you what to do instead of giving you written instructions," Setsuna pointed out.
"The instructions I received are very clear and precise. There's nothing to be scared of."
"I'm not scared just cautious."
Mana glanced over her at Setsuna, "Just trust me. There's bound to be some pain there's no avoiding that."
"If something goes wrong I'm blaming you."
"And these hands cost 10000 yen each that I'll be putting on your tab so we're even," Mana remarked.
"10,000?" Setsuna gaped at her in disbelief.
"These new ones are made of light-weight metal and have an extra layer of plating. They're especially hard to hack off at the wrists and have a high resistance to fire. Then there 's a few extra features that you'll find out about eventually," Mana said. "All activated through the power of your brain and technology. I believe the method is called neuroscience."
"What kind of features are you talking about?"
"Hmm…that scientist wasn't specific but put it this way you won't have any trouble picking locks and opening jars and cans," Mana mused.
Leaving Setsuna to figure out what that meant, Mana strode to her room, disappearing inside and returned holding a flannel shirt.
"Here," Mana said, bunching it up and passed it to her.
"What's this for?"
"When you need something to distract yourself from the pain since you're being so childish about it," Mana answered
Taking it Setsuna shot her a sour look. She put it in between her teeth as Mana picked up the soldering iron and one of the hands. Levelling it against Setsuna's wrist and aligning it with the wires sticking out from the centre of the plate inside she began to join both of the wires together. That part didn't hurt. When they were joined Mana leaned over to take a screw-driver and a handful of screws from the bench except these screws had points on either end that would secure the hand to her wrist. The back of the hand had tiny holes drilled in it.
Spaced out within the rim of the metal in her wrist were tiny square indents. They were holes for screws. Mana began to twist them in. When she'd finished putting all the screws in she picked up the metal hand and carefully slotted it so that the holes in it fit inside the screws.
"Ready?" Mana's eyes flicked to Setsuna.
"Yeah, do it."
Mana pushed hard. It was worse than last time. Electricity and bursts of agony shot through her up her arm, through her bones. Her wrist burned. She bit down hard on the shirt as she felt the screws slam together, combining. She could feel the wires fusing together, shortening and locking the hand in place. When it was over Setsuna opened her eyes.
"Well I have to say you can't tell the difference," Mana commented. She was getting to work on the other hand.
Setsuna tried to move her fingers. Yep they worked just like the real thing. The seam where the hand connected to the wrist was closing up leaving nothing but skin. It looked like a real hand. Mana tapped the back of it hard with the screw-driver.
"Hey what are you doing?" Setsuna demanded as a tiny spasm of pain run through it.
"You felt that didn't you?" Mana asked.
"Yeah…I...oh, oh god…," Setsuna trailed off as it dawned on her.
"Science really is amazing," Mana said as she began to solder the wires for her other hand.
A.N: I decided to end this on something less...dark and violent since it's New Year's, X-Mas and all. Cheers everyone.