What...was he planning to do, exactly.

A woman with iridescent hair barges into the room, a long white labcoat trailing behind her as she strides out along the flagstones. 

"Hey, Avalon! I thought I'd find you here." 

She looks sidelong at Z. 

"- who's the new kid?"

"–oh, hey."

He looks up from the growing tissue.

"I'm S–uh. I'm..."

He considers.

"Kai-zi Nothing."

She offers a hand, her eyes shifting a luminescent green. 

"December Morning-glory. Pleasure to meet you. New Genius?"

"Just Catalyzed this morning," Audrey confirms. 

"How'd you guess?"

He takes her hand and shakes it with the air of someone who is really not used to shaking hands but is trying his very best.

She squeezes his hand, then abruptly shifts her grip to grab his forearm in a hand-clasp: she hums appreciatively. 

"Good musculature you've got there. Tattoo's not my style, but I can see why you have it. Congratulations on surviving. If you ever decide to do the full replace like Avalon here, I can duplicate the scars for you if you like. A little fiddly, but doable. And -" 

She glances at Avalon, and nods. 

" - you ought to know Avalon was originally in a male body. I'd estimate - two, three years, from looking at you? You pass really well, I -"

Have absolutely no sense of tact, and I'm still invading the personal space of a guest in MY LAB.

December sheepishly drops Z's arm. 

"- fuck, sorry."

...he laughs, a little self-consciously.

"Nah, it's okay. It's, uh..."

He rubs his wrist.

"It's not bad somebody notices this stuff. And...it's good to know I could keep 'em. Not that more wouldn't show up, but..."

"Not if I did my work right they wouldn't. Not because you'd stop cutting, mind you: I build my bodies to last." 

December's one of the founding members of the Reformed Order of Progenitors, and one of the best Mad Doctors I know. Don't get her started on the Singularity - Hoffnung, she'll yak at you forever about it - but otherwise, I trust her with my life.

"Aww, such a glowing review! I didn't know you cared!"

I'll be sure to leave a formal complaint after you accidentally kill me. 

"Anyway, Kai-zi. What are you working on, anyway? I see you've got some nerves going - what are you after? Scanner? Regenerator? Orchid petal, cell phone..." 

She trails off, humming lowly to herself as her gaze flicks from component to component. 

He was about to ask about the cut thing, but that sidetracks him almost instantly.

"–oh, yeah, the petal's just – for the map, you know?"

He waves his hand vaguely.

"I wanted to wire something into me but I've just got the connection planned out, I don't know whether I'm gonna go for healing or for – have you ever wanted to see new colors? I kinda want to see new colors. Like, in a useful way, I guess but still– uh, sorry, for a new sense."

"Hell yes you're talking my language. Have you considered perfect proprioception? It's amazing how little of our own bodies we actually have any direct sensory feedback from."

"–oh, nice–wonder if I could stack that with something, improved sensation or–"

He peers in at the nerves eagerly.

"I wonder if I can make it upgradable, that'd solve a lot of problems...I could just put a port in on my neck or something..."

"Oh yes, that's very doable. I'd offer to help, but - this is what, your second Wonder? I'd rather not cramp your style." 

She gives Avalon a sideways glance.

... what December's trying to say is that usually people are still figuring out their Aesthetic this early -

"- and you're working from the example of Miss Fairy Princess over there. For all her packrattiness, you've still got kind of a limited selection of materials. I mean, where's all the steel?" 

And when was the last time you built something you didn't immediately stick into your body, Miss Extropian? Let him work: he can ask for what he wants, he's got a functioning brain.

"It's gonna be pretty small, I can melt down some old phone parts if I need to...probably. If there's a good place to melt things. Hey, do you have any fancy rings?"

Check the hose, I think there are a couple with inset stones or patterns. As for heat, the cauldron can get hot enough to melt steel: just twiddle the valve on the leg of the workbench.