Still Alive

Day 34

Disclaimer!!: I did not go the realistic route with Piers' prosthetic. I mostly took inspiration from the automail in "Fullmetal Alchemist" and not real prosthetics so please keep that in mind while you read, thank you!

Piers had once again woken up to an empty bed but he was fine with that. He understood that Chris was busy with the BSAA and didn't mean anything by it. Besides, he always leaves a note. Piers saw a fresh note sitting on his desk along with a new picture frame. The note read: "Sorry i can never stay till morning. Hope this picture can earn your forgiveness!" Piers held up the frame and inside was the picture Chris had taken of them at the hospital. Piers smiled as he stared at the joy on each of their faces.

"Chris definitely earned a kiss for this." Piers chuckled to himself. He then got dressed into his eyepatch, a tee-shirt, and sweatpants, he hoped to be able to put jeans on after today. He then made himself breakfast and waited with TV until his scheduled time to get his prosthetic.

Once it was nearing time, he hopped on the nearest bus and started heading over to the place. When he made it there, he introduced himself to the woman at the front desk and she told him where to go. He entered a room at the end of a hall and there to greet him was the familiar James.

"Glad you could make it!" James said. "Shall I explain how it works again, or are you ready to go?"

"Give me a walkthrough, just in case." Piers masked it well but he was definitely nervous.

James began to explain what he already had in the hospital, "The metal limb links directly to your nervous system, and, thanks to technology these days, it doesn't require you to charge it or equip batteries! It takes the natural electrical pulses from your nerves and allows you to move the prosthetic like any other part of your body. It's made from carbon fiber and aluminum alloys allowing it to be extremely durable. It has an armor like plating on the outside to cover and protect the intricate wirings and such inside. I should warn that the procedure to getting it attached is extremely painful, especially for the first time. Luckily for you, however, you will be put under sedation as we connect each individual nerve to the prosthetic." James continued on saying, "I happen to be a specialist in mechanical engineering and my partner, who is set to arrive any minute now, is a surgeon who specializes in this process."

As he said this, a tall young woman entered and introduced herself, "Hello, I'll be your surgeon! You can just call me Florence." She washed her hands and dawned the proper clothes as she spoke. "We can begin whenever you're ready for us Mr. Nivans."

"I think I'm ready now." Piers said his anxieties were more present in his voice than he intended. The two led him into an adjoining room all prepped for the surgery. Already waiting in there was an anesthesiologist who got him settled in and knocked out before he even had a chance to count back from ten.

He awoke in a different room an unknown amount of time later. His shoulder felt sore and he felt super out of it. He then heard someone approach and looked up to see James heading his way.

"The surgery was a complete success. It didn't take too long either; it's only 4:30 right now. I have this for you." James held out a piece of paper that Piers groggily grabbed with his new arm. This shocked him awake and he sat up admiring the metal prosthetic. It moved a little rough but it looked nice. He was in awe with how it moved like his old arm. He stopped to look back up when James continued speaking, "That paper just has some answers to frequently asked questions and some basic recovery instructions. I also wanted to remind you that your hospital did pay for all of this so if you don't have any questions for me you're free to leave whenever. No driving until the anesthetic wears off in a couple hours, however."

"I've got no questions, thank you." Piers said still very much feeling the shock from seeing his new arm and having just come out of surgery. He held the paper in his left hand and flexed his new one. It looked badass but also so strange. He read on the paper most people can get the hang of the movement and grip control in the first week but he wasn't so sure that would be him. He sat in the room for a few more moments before realizing he probably wouldn't make it back to the bus with anesthetic still flowing through him and he called Chris.