video;

[getwrenched]

( Winry taps on her tablet screen, waiting for some sign of feedback. When it plays, it shows her frowning, bandana in hair, apron on. That also appears to be the ceiling. )

No, send the message already, don't do whatever you're doing now --

( Ah, but the tapping pays off, the video feed ending and a text message posting to the network soon after. )

Imports -

I'm looking for some kind of foam molding to outfit a leg I'm working on now that my customers have all reappeared. I don't know if any of you have worked with prosthetic limbs before, but I've heard rumors of some kind of shape-retaining foam that used to be used for them? Has anyone seen some kind of material that would work similarly?

Let me know if you have, or if there's any good scrap metal or hardware stores you've run into off the main part of the city.

Thank you,
Winry Rockbell
Automail Mechanic and Prosthetics Consultant

Comments

video

[chittybang]

Hey! I'm sorry, I actually can't help you, but I'm wondering what an automail is? If you don't mind. It's just that it's in your signature.

video forever

[getwrenched]

( Winry attempts to write a response in return -- but the video light keeps blinking and sitting here having a delayed conversation has her staring flatly at her tablet and then flicking it and deciding live conversations are far easier in the first place.

Besides, someone's asking for an explanation Winry loves to give. Or -- one she loves discussing in detail. Extensive detail.

For hours. )

Automail's a kind of prosthetic back where I'm from! They're metal limbs built and maintained by mechanics like me that connect to a person's nervous system, giving people fully responsive limbs after they finish initial physical therapy. Automail isn't sensitive to heat, or cold, or pressure, or pain, but it can mean allowing someone to walk again when they've lost a leg, or to have both hands again when they've lost an arm. Or to have both, if they've lost more than just one of anything.

[chittybang]

[ It becomes clearer that this is Asami's sort of girl as Winry speaks. She settles in for the conversation. ]

That's so neat! And do you build these all by yourself?

Text

[trustycrowbar]

Back during the raid, we were using some kind of foam-stone material to patch up part of the labs that had collapsed. The problem is, it's a little dense for what you seem to be suggesting...

If I were you I'd start with carbon-fiber instead. You get the right kind of lattice structure and the stuff is harder than steel. The problem is processing it.

Also there's a scrapyard near town you can investigate. Hell, the whole TOWN'S arguably a scrapyard what with the bombing debris. I'm sure you can find something you can use.

Text forever

[getwrenched]

( Now she sees the little letter blinking. That's for straight text, she thinks. )

It'd need more give than what I'm imagining with this foam-stone you're mentioning, yes.

What would be the ideal conditions for processing this carbon-fiber you're talking about?

Which direction? I ran into a smaller one in what looked like a vehicle graveyard. Is it bigger than the lot south-east of the Hold?

Re: Text forever

[trustycrowbar]

there's a bigger one near the river. it had a bunch of old appliances and stuff. technically ancient, now that I think of it.

I'd have to investigate what fabrication techniques they have now. you're probably looking for a carbon-fiber reinforced polymer, I'll send you whatever I can scrounge up.

[Which he does, a few hours later. But right now there's something else he wants to ask about:]

incidentally, did that vehicle graveyard have any cars that looked worth salvaging?

[text]

[got_it_memorized]

[In ur post, reading your replies.]

So this automail stuff, is it just for limbs? Or can it be used to replace other things?

[text forever]

[getwrenched]

What other things are we talking about?

[text forever]

[got_it_memorized]

Well, you said it could replace things that had been lost. What about an eye or an ear or an organ of some sort? Does that kind of technology exist?

[grayatonement]

Prosthetics?

[getwrenched]

Are you asking because you haven't heard the term before or...?

[grayatonement]

[Because why would you waste your time on something for the weak.]

Because I want to help.

[video]

[raisedbybirds]

You want a synthetic polyurethane.

[Hi, ambiguous robot person.]

[getwrenched]

( Something amazing has appeared on her tiny tablet thing.

Winry might have her hands on her face right now. So cool... )

A synthetic polyurethane... you wouldn't happen to know where any are in Exsilium? Either way, thank you for the heads up on what I'm looking for.

... Are you robotic?

( ROBOTS ARE STRIKINGLY REAL??? )

[raisedbybirds]

Not yet. I've been on the hunt myself. Dr. Freeman's suggestion should suffice in the meantime.

[She should start keeping a running tally how many times she's been asked that here, hn.]

...No.

text

[neveraskedforthis]

[ .... oh. well. ]

How advanced are the prosthetics you usually work on?

[getwrenched]

I get a feeling the answer is advanced enough to be directly connected to the nervous system but less advanced than some prosthetics on worlds that don't have the same connectivity advancements. I can give a look over any system to come up with better answers. Asking what you have is a bit of a shot in the dark.

[neveraskedforthis]

I've got a number of Sarif series cybernetic enhancements and prostheses but now I got the feeling that might not be telling you much. But if you're really good, maybe you can figure them out regardless. I'm starting to feel sort of uneasy without a go-to person when they're acting up.

audio

[imperfect]

[The feed's on, but it's a few seconds before any sound can be heard - because how the hell do you phrase the question "hi, are you actually someone I know or just a parallel-world lookalike" without sounding crazy? On Earth, face to face, he'd never had to ask...]

Uh... Winry? [Another pause.] ...Listen, if you know who this is, call me back.

[Also, guess who hasn't yet figured out private messaging. Or conceptually untangled the way these recordings work from a regular phone call.]

[getwrenched]

( What.

What?

She knows that's Ed's voice, and it's enough to really shake her up -- Ed's here?

He's -- what took him so long? Not that she wanted him here, he was doing better things, more necessary things back home, but --

And what did he mean if she knew who -- )

Edward Elric, when were you planning on telling me you were here! What do you mean, if I know who this is? Don't ask such unnecessary, creepy things!

audio

[imperfect]

[Okay, she's annoyed. Must be a yes.]

Whaddya mean, when was I - how was I supposed to know you were here too? And doesn't this count as telling you, anyway? [There's a disgruntled huff, but after it, he sounds noticeably less aggrieved.] But it's good to hear from you again. I had to check, that's all.

[Wait, thinking back to the picture... did she look a little younger than the last time he saw her? It's a stretch, but he's heard a few things about time travel so far, and if it works one way...]

Just... tell me one more thing. What year was it back on that side before you wound up here?

[Somebody was in too much of a rush to reply to bother looking at the rest of the post.]

[video]

[profligates]

There's a nice hardware store I've found over to east end of town, but like the boy said before, the whole city has become one large salvageable heap. I've started to collect anything I've seen of interest, you're welcome to take a look.

[He grins.] And I don't tend to let people look through my things. But it seems to be for a good cause, so perhaps I can let it slide.

[getwrenched]

( Free invitation to rifle through someone's supplies?

... B] )

You're so kind! Thank you, I think I'd love to do that sometime soon. When are you available? I've got an idiot to sort out first, but most my time should be free and clear. My scheduling with those patients I do have is flexible.

video

[livinuptothename]

[oh sup roomie.]

Yo, didn't know you had a business going already.

[getwrenched]

I'm still waiting on the circus.

( Said with a smile. Yeah, by now, she just wonders about you, roommate. As for the rest... she gives a small shrug of her shoulders. )

I won't fight, but I couldn't sit around doing nothing, especially not after everything right after we got here. It seemed like the natural choice at the time.