Vibrant Lights [o.h]

-ˋˏ18ˎˊ-

    "Rise and shine! Get up, now! You guys got thirty minutes to get dressed and lined up before we drag you all out!" 

Ember shifted on the so-called bed she was sleeping on, not wanting to get up at 6:30 in the morning. It's been the same drill for the past two months. Get up, eat breakfast, sit in a plain white room to watch cartoons or color, go to 'school', eat lunch, stay in the room again, play in the gym, eat dinner, arts and craft, before finally going to bed. Of course, taking her medication the doctors here prescribed her whenever they deem it a good time. 

   "Jalus! Don't make me drag you out of bed! Up and at 'em!"

Ember glared sharply at the person standing at her door, with her shared roommate. He didn't seem phased, simply tapped his watch and left. She scoffed, quickly getting dressed in some sweatpants - with no strings, - a loose shirt, and put on some socks instead of some lace-less shoes. 

They were very, very forceful when it came to clothing around here. Of course, it was to be expected. She was in Willow Crest. 

She waited in line as usual to get her food and sat down at the same table she sat at everyday for meals. Her eyes seem glazed over as she picked at her food, moving it around her tray with no intent of eating it. 

   "Ember," A voice hissed, making her raise her eyes up. One of her friends here - named Dessie - was sending her a glare. "Eat your food, before they send you back to Tubes." 

Ember narrowed her eyes and took a big bite of her oatmeal. Tubes is what the patients here called a procedure staff does whenever they notice a patient isn't eating enough, or trying to starve themselves. Basically, they strap you into a chair, shove tubes up your nose and down your throat, and feed you that way.  It wasn't very pleasant. 

When the whole upper section finished their meal, they were all herded pass the younger section and into the plain white room they were to sit in for hours on in. The TV blared above them all in a corner of the room - protected by a square of plastic so no one could touch the actual TV. 

Ember on the floor while her friends piled in around her, on the benches that were drilled into the wall or on the floor with her. Roy started to deal out cards to those who wanted to play while the rest gazed at the TV with dead eyes. 

Usually, it was weird old cartoons that played on the TV - things like Fairly Odd Parents and Powerpuff Girls - but today, it seemed that the news was taking up every channel. Ember quickly found out why as well, and the news made her go into a complete panic. 

Kerberos Mission Disappears Due to Pilot Error.

The only person that checked up on her while she was in the hospital was dead.

  Oh, Keith.

Ember didn't remember much after the news. She blacked out and when she woke up, she was in an empty white room with nothing but a door to let her out. Whenever the staff deemed her sane enough. 

Which was another two days. 

When she finally got out of the room, Dessie explained what happened. Apparently, Ember went on a grief-filled rampage, kicking and hitting any staff that tried to get close to her as she tried to find something. Dessie wasn't sure what, but Ember knew all too well. 

She kept it to herself. 

Realizing that nothing was going to actually bring Shiro and his team back, Ember worked on herself. She tried to change her mindset, thought things through and was on good behavior. 

Ember was back at the Garrison two months later - her field changing from a pilot to a medic. For Shiro.