[hr][hr][center][h3][color=a187be][b][u] M A D I S O N    C O L E [/u][/b][/color] & [color=B0C4DE][b][u] P E R C Y    J.    M O O R E [/u][/b][/color][/h3][b]Medical Facility - New Anchorage (Morning)[/b][/center]
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The nurse had been in the ICU room for the past half hour giving Madison a full medical check to make ensure that she hadn’t suffered any adverse effects from being comatosed for such a long period of time. What started off as the usual health check on her body eventually turned into what felt like a full mechanical tune-up when the datatool was connected to her arm. Once connected, the nurse began to go through all the various system settings, as each finger began to operate and twitch on it’s own giving a very subtle electrical jolt to Madison herself.

While checking on the arm’s performance the nurse spoke to her in a calm, collected voice as she both shifted her view from the information screen to the injured girl herself. [b]“Just a little bit longer, Madison, and we can dismiss you for some light duty work. However I’m afraid that we can’t allow you to sync up with any NCs in your current state as your body may experience a possible prolapse back into your previous coma.”[/b]

[color=8B5B36]“Not to mention, there is the fact that there is no way she is [i]ready[/i] to synchronise with the Mad-e at her current physical, mental, and emotional state. No, no, no. [i]Not ready.[/i] We do not just put girls in machines when they wake up, no.”[/color] The voice of Dr. Herbert Bonheur was blatant as the brown-haired doctor scurried from the doorway into the room with a few papers in his hand.

[color=8B5B36]“Nurse, have the nanomachines been flushed from the system? And are the stims correlating well with Ms. Cole’s system? We cannot risk an imbalance…. given her mental history. That would be [i]bad[/i].”[/color]

Madison remained silent during both the bedside test and the speech that she was somehow supposed to understand. She tried to remember back to what happened, recalling that her last actions involved her NC attacking a Volkov Tank at close range… and then—

[indent][color=999999]===WARNING!!!!===
> Target in close proximity
> Possible damage to [New User]’s NC: 40%
> Possible damage to Warhead Launcher Ammo supply[/color][/indent]

Madison’s eyes started to water and her teeth chattered as she visualised the explosion her NC endured. The fire and the metal soaring past her body, a searing sensation in her left eye as her right arm was pierced with rusty, oil-covered shards of metal. The medical machines that were still connected to the bedridden girl fluctuated for a brief moment when her heart rate spiked but as the nurse looked at monitors noticing the rise, she dismissed it when Madison’s vitals returned to back to a normal level.

[b]“The nanomachines have been flushed, and the new stims have not caused issue with Ms. Cole, Dr. Bonheur.”[/b]

[color=8B5B36]“Excellent. It is good that you are not [i]incompetent[/i]. Had to throw away the last nurse I had. She forgot to apply the correct stims… very bad. Wham! Dead patient.”[/color]

[color=lightsteelblue]“Why are so many people in here?”[/color] a soft, familiar voice asked, [color=lightsteelblue]“Is something up?”[/color]

Doctor Bonheur turned his head, [color=8B5B36]“Gah! Moore, you know it is incongruous to show up as you please! This isn’t a food dispenser, this is a [i]medical facility[/i].”[/color]

The redhead pilot backed out of the room - he wasn’t but a couple steps inside anyway. He kept his voice quiet as he tried to explain himself, [color=lightsteelblue]“I thought it was alright, the doors were open. Sorry. I-I was just checking on Madison. Didn’t mean to interrupt anything.”[/color]

[color=8B5B36]“Visiting hours are not— wait, wait… oh I see. Actually, Ms. Cole might be relieved for a familiar face after waking from her neural comatose…heh. Don’t just stand there, come in.”[/color]

Percy stepped back inside, walking past the doctor to Madison. He smiled at her for a moment as he saw her finally awake before speaking softly, [color=lightsteelblue]“Hey. How’re you feeling?”[/color]

In a zombie like state Madison turned to the familiar face of Percy, giving a slight smile and trying desperately to speak in her weakened state, but all that came out was the soft whisper of, [color=a187be][b]“Hey Freckles?”[/b][/color]

Percy couldn’t keep himself from snorting in laughter, [color=lightsteelblue]“Yes. It’s Freckles. Good to see you still have your sense of humor.”[/color] As he sat in the chair beside the bed, he watched as Madison gripped the green dinosaur on her free arm. Giving as much effort as she could, she began mouthing the names of those that she could remember.

[color=a187be][b]“Ana?”[/b][/color]

[color=lightsteelblue]“Yeah, she’s here. Not with me at the moment, she’s in our shared room. She’s on base with me now. She’s wanted to see you, but.. I..”[/color] he cleared his throat, he wasn’t sure what got caught in it, [color=lightsteelblue]“You know. I didn’t really want her to see you like this.”[/color]

[color=a187be][b]“Joe?”[/b][/color]

[color=lightsteelblue]“Pale as ever. Still a brainiac... I think he’s working on some kind of sound cannon..? I didn’t ask about it.”[/color]

She smiled. The sound of sweet music was something she was looking forward to hearing again. The next name came with extra effort, giving a bit of sound to her raspy voice, [color=a187be][b]“Duncan?”[/b][/color]

Percy opened his mouth to answer, but he didn’t say anything. He fumbled with his hands for a few moments before finally going to answer. [color=lightsteelblue]“He’s—”[/color]

[color=8B5B36] “—Duncan left New Anchorage several weeks ago, was going on and on about how he ‘failed’ you. No word from him since.”[/color]

The pilot couldn’t keep himself from glaring at the doctor. [color=lightsteelblue]“Seriously? Did you have to be so.. [i]blunt?[/i]”[/color] He didn’t exactly sound angry, just shocked… Maybe a little angry. Just a little.

[color=8B5B36] “Honesty is the best policy.”[/color] Bonheur smirked as he patted the other man on the shoulder. [color=8B5B36] “Unless you prefer me lying to a patient? That’s unethical.”[/color]

[color=lightsteelblue]“You didn’t have to be that [i]forward[/i] about it.”[/color]

As Percy and Dr Bonheur continued their bickering, Madison glared up at the doctor [color=a187be][b]“Liar! Duncan wouldn’t leave me!”[/b][/color] she spoke in a whispering scream before looking over towards Percy for confirmation. She could see the saddened, sympathetic look in his expression. He looked like he wanted to say something, but he just couldn’t figure out what. 

Dr. Bonheur sighed, also sympathetic as he shuffled his hands in his lab coat as he looked over at Madison, cringing as she screamed. [color=8B5B36]“I’m sorry, Ms. Cole, but he [i]did[/i]. If you want, I’m sure that the administrative office might be able to locate him for you, if that’s something you want to do. Don’t know what else to tell you beyond that.”[/color]

[color=lightsteelblue]”Maybe he’ll come back,”[/color] Percy suggested, trying to keep it light-hearted. [color=lightsteelblue]“I could go and ask if you want me to.”[/color]

Madison gave a stern shake of her head. As much as she cared about Duncan, the fact that he left her only meant she would be chasing after someone who had made the decision to remove themselves from her life. Even by the time she was to go to where he was last reported, there was no guarantee that he would still be there. For the time being she knew she had to focus on both herself and how she was going to get back to her usual, perky attitude.

Percy stood up from his chair hesitantly, then asked, [color=lightsteelblue]“Is it alright if I come back to check on you later?”[/color] He had this guilty look on his face, like he didn’t really want to go. He probably had a good reason, though.

Madison nodded with a sad and sombre expression, watching as her acquaintance began to leave the room.

[color=lightsteelblue]“Later today, then,”[/color] Percy mumbled, more to himself than anyone else. Judging by how he was frowning and looking even more guilty, her pouting must’ve worked. He turned around to give her a small wave, then continued his leave.