The year is 3002, after WWVI, the 3rd great depression hit. ⅕ of the population was lost to the war. Due to this, there were obviously mourners.
These events lead up to the opening of MHI, Mental. Health. Intelligence. It was in fact, a mental hospital. Built-in a time of need, the people were desperate for consolence. MHI provided that. The company skyrocketed. And started to expand. New hires. New building. New strategy. New owner.
The original owner of the company died of an unfortunate sickness due to food poisoning. Their assistant took over, and started to call himself 'Gold'. At this point, the company had made millions. And could afford more employees than they knew what to do with. Gold was getting lost in his money and fame. His newfound friend offered assurance. Gold gratefully took it, and with that, that new friend became; Silver. The 2 hired tens of thousands of new employees. These new hires gave the company more money than ever. The paychecks started to get more hefty, and it became difficult to find people in the establishment. With so many people working there, Silver had the idea to call the employee's numbers.
The employees were taught to forget their birth name, and to respond to their given one instead. Numbers Didn't need any form of degree, in fact, if a 13-year-old passed the exam, they'd be in the company. They needed someone to keep track of all the numbers. Thus, Bronze was hired. He kept track of all the new hires, and their numbers, well everyone's numbers for that matter. Later Bronze suggested letters, the actual doctors, psychiatrists, and therapists were having a hard time. Not to mention confusion to the customers when their counselor is named after some impossible-to-remember number. So, therefore, letters A-Z blossomed. Getting a better pay than numbers. Paid by the billions each month. However Gold thought it would be wise to keep his employees as close to the hospital grounds as possible. Besides, he didn't want his employees to blab anything about his newfound goldmine. He then organized the building of the dorms. Numbers got a penthouse that they would share with 3 others. Letters would get a manor. Colors (Such as Gold, Silver, Bronze, and Crimson) Could choose anything that came to their liking. Although Gold was the only one he let leave the building, with the occasional company of silver. With these dorms in place, they needed someone to monitor them. Gold was slightly paranoid and wanted all his employees accounted for. A curfew was set at 12pm and Gold hired Crimson. Crimson would make sure everyone was in the right place at the right time, along with operating the security cameras. Bronze, after befriending Crimson to an extent. Had another idea. Before the dorms were finished he reminded Gold that the employees would need to eat, and with numbers sharing dorms it would slowly get extremely filthy and unsanitary. Next came flowers. Only 5 of them: Rose, Lilac, Dandelion, Lily, and Tulip. 2 of these flowers would be in charge of the kitchens, with transitional numbers working under them. Another 2 would wander the building, checking everything to make sure it was clean. This included; Dorms, colors offices, and number offices. With 1 flower left to handle engineering. With the occasional help of the other flowers who had free time. Flowers didn't last long, expected to live to 28, they would be worked 19 hours a day, 6 days a week. With 3 breaks in the day for their meals.
Students of the public would take a test when they hit 13 years old, if they pass, they'll become a number against their will. If the person answers certain questions oddly, or has an aspiration to be a doctor, psychiatrist, or therapist, then they'll be given free education, and be put as a number once graduated, although these peculiar numbers could be promoted to a letter once a former letter is killed. Frankly, if you fail that test, you could be given another chance when you turn 17, it's very rare, it would have to be when MHI requires a new group of flowers, if you pass, you have no choice but to start your underpaid career as a flower.