A/N: All I own is my OC and ideas. Everything else belongs to Veronica Roth.
This was an assignment I did for class this year. I had a lot of fun writing this. It was really cool that our assignment was actually to write a fanfiction!
Growing up, I knew that I didn't belong. Yes, I was intelligent and excelled at studying. But of course I was. That was expected of me. Yet, pursuing knowledge didn't interest me in the way it did for my fellow faction members. I only wanted to learn about things that would be applicable in life. Instead, I was forced to sit in the library and learn about everything that I was certain would never become useful.
I went into the aptitude test almost positive that I would show no affinity towards Erudite. After all, my seemingly perfect model Erudite brother had transferred out almost two years ago. If he didn't belong, how could I?
My results were shocking, to say the least. I displayed aptitude for Dauntless. However, I also had traits that definitely marked me as an Erudite. When the pale faced Abnegation volunteer told me my "shocking" results, it looked like she was about to faint. Yet, I didn't think much about my inconclusive test results. I knew what I would choose. Not Erudite.
At the Choosing Ceremony, I felt calmer than I would have expected. Even though I was sure of my choice, I would still be leaving my parents behind. Putting on an emotionless mask, I said what I was sure would be my last goodbyes to my parents, and left to go join the long line of 16 year olds. Throughout the Ceremony, I couldn't help but keep glancing at my parents, trying to ingrain their faces into my memory. My brother was nowhere to be seen.
"Ashley Coalter." The sound of my name ringing throughout the hall jolted me to my senses. Stepping towards the bowls, I took one last look at my parents sitting in the ranks of the Erudite before taking the knife from the representative, Marcus Eaton.
I calmly walked towards the bowl containing sizzling hot coals. My blood slowly dripped into the bowl and my choice was done. Unable to help myself, I looked to my parents once more as I moved to stand behind the other Dauntless initiates. My father nodded at me once before he turned back to face the bowls in the center of the room. My mother gave me a sad, but accepting smile. They were always so understanding.
After the last person chose, I followed the rest of the Dauntless and moved towards the stairs. What started out as easy going running became a full out sprint towards the train. Seeing most of my fellow transfers out of breath, while I easily swung into the train compartment, all I could think was, 'It's a good thing I thought Martial Arts would be applicable.'
I watched as a tall girl from Candor helped pull an Abnegation transfer up into our compartment. 'Might as well get to know my fellow initiates,' I thought as I approached the two.
"Hi. I'm Ashley," I said as I held out my hand.
The Candor girl grasped my hand in response. "I'm Christina," she said, smiling.
"I'm Beatrice," the Abnegation girl said as she looked uncertainly at my hand and attempted a hand shake.