"Ah... Winry, our first patron has graced us with their presence," Edward called out from the counter. Winry was busy tinkering with an intricate automail in the warehouse of their newly established garage. Shisui found himself perplexed; he hadn't intended to become a customer at the shop, yet curiosity compelled him to stay and learn more about what awaited him.
"Hello, and welcome to our esteemed automail emporium," Winry warmly greeted, stepping forward to represent their establishment. As Shisui remained in the dark about automail, he felt compelled to inquire.
"Ed, show him," Winry instructed, choosing to let Edward demonstrate rather than explain. With a nod, Edward elevated his leg and placed it on a nearby table. Intrigued, Shisui cast his gaze upon the display.
Edward removed his shoe, revealing a metal leg underneath. Shisui's eyes widened, and he activated his sharingan to examine the mechanical limb more closely. The sight of pure machinery without a hint of flesh astonished him.
"What is this?" Shisui couldn't contain his astonishment and questioned the nature of this extraordinary metal limb.
"We hail from a distant place, and this, my friend, is what we call automail. It stands as an extraordinary marvel of advanced prosthetic technology. Crafted by me, it is primarily intended to replace lost or damaged limbs. Aoto must have sent you, knowing that someone in your family suffered a similar loss," Winry explained with enthusiasm, leaving Shisui dumbfounded by the revelation.
Indeed, someone in his family had endured such a tragedy—his father. During the Third Great Ninja War, his father had lost a leg, which ultimately robbed him of his ability to embark on missions, leaving him mired in despair.
"Can you truly fashion a functional prosthetic limb?" Shisui inquired, his interest piqued.
"While it may not possess the same power as a natural limb, our automail is designed to function just as well. However, since you shinobi put your bodies through rigorous trials, maintenance will be crucial. Rest assured, it will be on par with your original hand or leg," Winry assured.
Deep in contemplation, Shisui fell into silence. The endorsement from the clan chief and Aoto was reassuring, but this technology was unprecedented to him. Nonetheless, he desperately wished to aid his father, making this opportunity seem promising.
Even if the automail wasn't built for combat, it would grant his father the ability to walk and lead a more ordinary life.
"My father has lost a limb due to the war. Can I schedule an appointment to bring him here?" Shisui inquired, determined to introduce this life-changing possibility to his father.
"No appointment is necessary, especially since we currently have no other clients," Winry responded warmly. Shisui nodded, grateful for the ease of access, and after receiving further advice, he left for home, with the intention of persuading his father to consider this option. He was even prepared to resort to white lies if that meant liberating his father from misery.
Witnessing Shisui's enthusiasm as he left, Winry and Edward exchanged smiles.
"According to Aoto, the procedure should not be too painful for jonins," Edward remarked, his own memories of the initial surgery surfacing.
"The degree of pain depends on their tolerance and willingness to endure. Additionally, adapting to automail will take considerable time, perhaps even more than your case. I expect a fair share of challenges ahead," Winry responded thoughtfully.
"Hey, I didn't get into fights willingly when I was a state Alchemist." Ed defended and then they started to bicker like old couples about who was responsible for the extensive damage of his automails.
Meanwhile, Shisui was in deep thought as he returned to his desolate home. Shisui hesitated outside his father's room, gathering the courage to broach the sensitive topic. His father had been struggling for years, grappling with the loss of his leg from the horrors of the Third Great Ninja War. The pain in his heart mirrored the pain in his body, and Shisui knew he had to do something to help.
With a deep breath, Shisui knocked softly on the door before entering. His father looked up from his chair, acknowledging his presence with a weary smile. "Shisui, is there something you need?"
"Yes, Father," Shisui replied, sitting down opposite him. "I've been thinking about your leg. It's been some time since the incident, and I can't bear to see you in such pain and discomfort. I have found a solution about your leg. They now have something called automail which could be used to replace your leg and make you walk again like normal."
His father was confused and had a black face. Shisui went on to explain what an automail was and what he had seen before. His father's expression wavered between surprise and skepticism.
"Are you sure that this automail thing will work?"
"Father, it's worth a try," Shisui insisted gently.
"I suppose I could look into it," his father mused, his curiosity piqued. "But I don't want to burden you with the expenses. These things wouldn't come cheap from what you tell me."
Shisui shook his head. "Don't worry about that, Father. I've been saving up and I am a jonin, and this is important to me. Seeing you happy and able to move freely again is all the payment I need."
With everything in order Shisui pushed his father in his wheel chair through the streets of Konoha. His father hadn't come out of the house for a very long time and he felt a little refreshed and hopeful in this chilly weather which had signs of spiring season already.
His father was kind of a hero during the war so he was well greeted from many people even though much of Konoha had been a little hostile towards them. Soon they reached the garage where they saw Edward reading a book which seemed to be a manga.
"We are back." Shisui called and this attracted the attention of Ed. He immediately called Winry. Seeing the eyes of Shisui's father, Ed already knew that they had already landed the first customer.
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