Chapter eighteen: The operation
Before the operation
"Please, Coniniaue, let the doctors in." Edward pleaded. "I promise, I'll stand guard at the door and make sure to yell at Mustang!"
"No. Way."
"Coniniaue… Please."
"The wound will heal on its own! Leave me alone, Edward!"
"When the wound heals, your nerves won't connect right and your arm won't work! They need to fix it!"
"…Fine. Take down the wall."
Edward went to the door and took down the wall. Four doctors rushed in, as well as…
"WINRY?"
Winry flipped blonde hair behind her ears. "Hey, Ed!"
"What are you doing here?"
"I need to operate…"
"…Oh, no…"
During the operation
"GAH!"
"Coniniaue, hold still!"
"IT HURTS, DAMMIT! IT HURTS!"
"I know, I know! Just stop squirming… There! It's in, it's in!"
"OH MY GOD IT STILL HURTS!"
In the hallway
"AND ANOTHER THING MUSTANG YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELF YOU INSULTED A TEENAGE GIRL DO YOU KNOW HOW THAT MUST FEEL?"
"No, Fullmetal, but…"
"BUT NOTHING! CONINIAUE IS MY FRIEND AND SHE WILL ALWAYS BE, MONSTER OR NOT! SHE IS NOT A HOMUNCULUS! SHE IS NOT A MONSTER! SHE IS A HUMAN BEING, DAMMIT!"
After the operation
The doctors filed out from the operation room. Edward and Alphonse darted in.
"CONINIAUE!" He shouted. Then, Edward just stared. "No… Coniniaue, no… They didn't…"
"They did." Coniniaue flexed her automail fingers. "The bullet his some vital nerve… They had to reconnect them and give me an automail arm, like you…"
Her tattoo was still visible, though.
"They couldn't go over the tattoo, it wouldn't let them." She explained. "That's why it doesn't go over my whole shoulder like yours."