Thank you so much to my beta, SheikahLover! :)
Chapter One:
Mercea never thought her life could be simplified with one decision. It was a frightening realization, to understand that what she chose sealed a fate she had never once thought about. There had never been any doubt that Amity was her home, her faction. But now that she was finally given the opportunity, Mercea understood that while she was raised for Amity, she may not have been born for the faction. It hurt so much , to know that she could be leaving everything and everyone she knew behind her. Her mother, her father, and her own twin sister Roanne. But it was also inspiring to not be confined into something Mercea could never be truly happy with. She could branch out and be someone she never was allowed to discover. There would also be no more limitations placed on her, keeping her from being the real Mercea; the girl who was boxed up in a cage of Amity's peace serum would break free.
With any hesitation gone from her body, Mercea slowly raised her hand, the symbolic key that would release her from the confines.
"Wake up!" Her mother's jovial voice sang the noise she made was close to Mercea's ear as she brushed hair away from her face.
It was a familiar feeling, but did nothing to lessen her desire to stay bundled in the blankets. Underneath the weight of the sheets, Mercea tried her best to ignore her.
"Get up, little bird!" She could hear her dance around the room, picturing her usual skirt flowing around her ankles as she twirled.
"Ugh." Mercea groaned, shoving her head underneath her thin pillow. It did nothing to help with her mother's added singing.
"Good morning, Merry Sunshine. How did you wake so soon?" Her soothing voice filled the small farm home. "You chased away the little stars and shone away the moon!"
As Mercea relaxed into her mother's song, she felt her thin sheets suddenly tear away from her body. "Ah!"
She could hear the distinct disappointment in her sister's voice. "I told you not to stay up so late last night."
Holding tightly onto her pillow, trying to contain the warmth, she growled loudly. "You don't always have to sound so superior, Roanne."
"No," She could almost feel her sister shaking her head. "But I usually am."
In the background of their bickering, her mother continued to sing and dance around the room. "I shine upon the little birds and flowers on my way, and then I come back overhead to shine on you today."
"It's a wonder how you're not the oldest, with the way you behave." Mercea muttered, trying not to catch the cotton fluffs in her mouth.
Instead of a response, Mercea felt small and rough hands tug on her arm. It was her mother's hands. In her surprise, she let the pillow slip between her own hands as her mother pulled her to stand. A wave of vertigo fell over Mercea as her mother began to spin the two together. Behind her, she heard Roanne utter a small bark as she was pulled in as well. Hand in hand, the three moved around the small room. There wasn't much room between the two cots and miscellaneous stable supplies, but her mother managed to find a comfortable rhythm.
Now familiar with her feet again, Mercea could feel a large smile pull at her face. Looking over to her twin, she saw a smaller smile there as well. She didn't bother worrying about the tense look in her sister's face, today was a gigantic moment in their lives. In just a couple of hours, they would take their aptitude tests. Mercea couldn't even bring herself to think about leaving moments like that, leaving her family, for another faction. Sure, she knew she wasn't the nicest Amity, but that would be remedied soon during initiation.
"Alright my little ducks, we need to be at the Compound in five minutes." Her mother's voice cooed as she patted both of their cheeks.
With one brighter beam smile, she left the room. Mercea heard her sister sigh softly as she did so.
"What's wrong?" She forced herself to ask, afraid to hear something similar to any worries she could have.
Roanne studied Mercea for a moment, the girls pulling identical expressions of apprehension. Blinking, Roanne broke the moment to look towards the curtain separating their room from the rest of the home.
"What if I'm… not made for Amity?" Roanne didn't take her eyes away from curtain, as much as Mercea wished she would.
"You sound like you already know the answer." Mercea didn't mean to accuse her sister, as it wouldn't be very peaceful of her, but she couldn't help it. How could her sister want to leave the family? Wasn't family supposed to stick together?
"Mercea, please, try not to throw a fit." Her sister knew the exact ways to push her insecurities, this time by wounding her worry of not fitting into her family's faction.
"I'm not!" She instantly denied, turning away from the conflict.
The twin's room was silent as both girls got dressed. Mercea slipped on her cleanest bright red dress without the usual help of her sister, silently fuming as she wrapped a thick braided rope around her waist to hold up the baggy clothing. On a peg stationed against the wall, Mercea took an old and faded coat to wrap around her shoulders. She wanted so badly to spin around and smile, just to show her sister that she wasn't afraid or worried. Instead, she turned around and held a hairbrush out—a silent apology.
Roanne was dressed as well, the thin yellow pyjamas struck away in the wicker basket. She was wearing similar clothing, as well. Though, her red skirt was faded lighter and her yellow puffy sleeved shirt was cleaner than Mercea's jacket.
"Turn around." Roanne accepted the brush, sighing lightly as she pulled several ribbons out of a smaller basket propped on a different peg.
Mercea, for as long as she could remember, always had long hair. She wondered sometimes if it was her mother's way of living through them, as she could never grow her hair past her neck. It proved to be a daily challenge, in the mornings especially, for a tidy brushing and out in the fields for daily work. She didn't know what she would do without Roanne to assist her in the process.
There was a slight tug on her head before Roanne announced that she was done. Spinning around to face the beds, Mercea looked at her reflection through a dingy tin they had hung up on the wall. Her hair was brushed cleanly, with two sections of her hair near the temples pulled back; red ribbon weaved through the small braids. The rest of her sunny blonde hair fell down her back with tangle free ease.
"Do you want help as well?" Mercea offered, smiling at her sister's reflection.
For being identical twins, they could be so different. Even in the tarnished mirror of sorts, she could see it clear as day. While they both had heart shaped faces, Roanne's jaw had a softer curve to it. Their eyes settled a bit too largely on their faces, the warm blue tone almost identical. The only difference Mercea saw in those was her longer and darker eyelashes. Roanne also had a bigger upper lip, one that evenly matched her bottom. But Mercea's were fuller. They both had no obvious cheekbones unless they smiled, but even that was different. Mercea loved to show all of her teeth when she smiled, whereas Roanne never settled for anything more than her small closed grin.
Roanne simply nodded in response to Mercea's question, stepping forward to replace Mercea's position. Without needing to ask, Mercea ignored the ribbon in favor of plain twine. Her thin fingers pulled at the twine for a few moments, twisting it in a familiar pattern. It wasn't anything special, just a simple band made from the thick cords. She placed her work down onto her unmade bed, holding the smooth wooden brush in her palm. She let the bristles run through her sister's neater hair and suspected that she had already brushed it. Mercea decided not to say anything, crowning the band onto her head instead.
"You look perfect." Mercea told her honestly, watching her sister's smile widen slightly.
Then, her smile fell as she exhaled softly. "You do realize we still need to talk about earlier."
Mercea stubbornly shut her eyes, tossing the brush aside. "We need to get to the Compound."
Turning around in her brown burlap shoes, she strutted out of the tiny bedroom.
"We need to talk about it, Mercy!" Roanne lightly called, following after her.
Mercea ignored her, stopping in the living room beside an occupied rocking chair. "I'll see you later, Nana."
There was no reply from the elderly woman, who slept soundly in the wicker chair. A large beige blanket was pulled over her body, keeping her upright and secure. Her grandmother on her mother's side had been living with them for as long as Mercea could remember, sickness making her bones too frail for fieldwork. The Caine household had to take her in to account for any losses out in the farms.
Before she could reach out and adjust the blanket, thin fingers grasped her upper arm. "Mercy, please, I need you to hear me out."
"I'm listening." She whispered, waiting to hear what she would say.
"I just want you to be prepared, for anything that could happen tomorrow." Roanne said, just as quietly.
If anyone was listening in, they wouldn't be able to differentiate the two girls by their higher pitched voices.
"There's nothing to prepare for." Mercea stubbornly stated, sniffing in the air and shaking her arm free.
The Compound was a beautiful sight, Mercea decided. On the wooden platform, she could just look on in never ending awe at the curving wooden planks, wrapping them up in the lovely expansion. In the middle of the large open room was a giant tree, with knotted bark and long limbs. Curving around with the circular shape, large tables with many communal people sat. It wasn't strange for people to often sit with people outside of their family, as everyone was considered family in Amity. Seating herself at a table near the beautiful tree, Mercea eagerly asked for the bowl of fruit to be passed towards her. As usual, without her asking, a passing Amity member dropped a large slice of bread onto her plate.
"Thank you, Aron." Mercea smiled pleasantly, welcoming the ease to her worries.
With the Amity serum, the peace serum, she didn't have to bother fretting over the aptitude test. Mercea could feel the happiness and joy she should have been feeling taking up enough space to push away any negative thoughts.
Humming lightly to herself, she continued to eat, not even slightly bothered by the absence of her sister.
Not long after she sat down, she heard an airy voice call through the compound. "Alright, cubs, the trucks are waiting by the stables!"
Happily, Mercea stood up, swaying her feet around as she did. Giggling in excitement, she joined her arm around another Amity girl named Iris.
"Oh, I'm so eager to see my results!" Iris cheered, following the line of sixteen year olds.
While nodding her head in agreement, Mercea saw her sister standing several people ahead of her.
"Forgive me, Iris, but I must go after my sister." Her own voice was lighter without the stress of losing her sister to another faction.
Iris nodded her head in understanding, throwing red curls everywhere.
As Mercea carried her feet faster away, she tried to push through the crowd. Gently excusing her rushing, she took a deep breath in as she settled next to familiar blonde hair.
"Are you ready?" Her giddy tone carried above the noise from the crowd.
Her sister didn't answer, looking at her feet as she continued walking. Looking over at her, Mercea could see her sister's lips tightly closed. Her large blue eyes were narrowed down at the ground, refusing to look back at Mercea.
"Okay, grumpy skirts, what's wrong?" Mercea teasingly pushed against her sister. She truly didn't understand why she wasn't as excited as she was.
Realization struck as she widened her eyes, looking at Roanne like a mother to a naughty child. "You didn't eat your bread!"
"Shh!" Roanne instantly hissed, but made no move to deny the accusation. "Would you be quiet ?"
Mercea pulled away from Roanne. "Why didn't you eat the—"
Roanne struck her hand over Mercea, pulling her faster towards the old trucks. "I would rather not be, er, peaceful during my aptitude test, I need a clear head."
"But how will you get into Amity, then?" Even through the thick happy cloud, Mercea knew that she would do the same, had she had no worries about her decided faction.
It really didn't matter, she believed, whether or not she received Amity on her aptitude test. Tomorrow, she would hold her head high and made the finalized step. There wasn't any desire to leave her family, or even leave the forced peace.
Roanne sighed, something she seemed to always do. "Mercea, please, just stop."
While her sister pinched the bridge of her nose, looking so much like their father, Mercea took the incentive to completely let go of her sister.
"Iris, wait up!" She called out, her voice carrying over the cheers of their faction.
"Mercea!" Roanne yelled from somewhere behind her, but Mercea paid no attention to it.
Looping her arm once more with Iris, ignoring the wild storm of hair, she skipped hurriedly to the first truck. The truck was old and discolored, with wooden planks surrounding the bed of it. One could hardly see the white paint that used to color the metal underneath all of the dirt and rust. With a heaving breath, Mercea pulled herself up onto the truck. She didn't bother assisting Iris, as most Amity's had impressive arm strength.
Seated against the floor of the truck, while many more teenagers pilled in, Mercea bumped her knee against Iris's. Within moments, the gritty truck sprung to life; bring clouds of dirt with it.
"Where's your sister?" Iris asked, leaning her head close to Mercea.
Without any visible care, Mercea smiled and shrugged. Deeply, she was upset she couldn't share the quick journey with her sister. What comforted her the most was knowing they would be doing their Choosing Ceremony together. But, that brought on more worries than it should. Mercea was afraid that Roanne wouldn't choose Amity after her. She was even afraid she wouldn't choose Amity, and then have to watch the betrayal on her family's face as her sister did.
"Mercea?" Iris began quietly, not needing to cheer in the loud car with the others. "Isn't it a bit funny, being so close to the buildings?"
She could understand what Iris meant. Being in Amity for sixteen years, it was an odd sight to see the old skyscrapers. As they got closer to the heart of the city, the Hub, Mercea watched as less and less buildings looked like ruins. Most, the ones not being used by the factions, sat unused and broken. The paved roads were broken, but not horribly so. Thankfully for Mercea's back, the roads smoothed out as they neared the Hub. As she learned in Faction History, the Hub used to be a building called the Sears Tower. Now, it was a centerpiece for the factions.
As they drove, Mercea could see the black tower up near the clouds. So caught up in her eager searching, she was surprised to see the raised train tracks block her view.
"Look, you can hear the Dauntless kids!" Iris giddily screamed, laughing at the barely heard yells and shouts above them.
Mercea hated the Dauntless as they were the exact opposite of her faction. While Amity preferred peace, the Dauntless stood tall as soldiers and ruffians. She had nothing against the brightly colored hair and studs on their faces, only their preference in hate rather than love.
As they drove by, she could see the big dome like shape of the Dauntless headquarters. Black panel windows reflected the truck back at them as they jovially sped by. It might have been just her, but Mercea swore they rest of the trucks laughed extra loud beside that faction.
"We're here!" The older Amity member shouted back, not that he needed to. All of the Amity children ran out before the truck could officially cease moving.
Staying beside her faction, Mercea and the rest entered as a group to the Upper Levels School building. It was a large building made up of glass with steel furnishings. She could barely contain her giggles as she entered the building. On a normal day, Mercea would veer to the left and make her way to class, Roanne towing behind. But today, all of her normal classes were halved, meaning she would attend the more important classes first.
"I'll see you later!" Iris said, twirling away down a different hall.
A bubbling feeling twisted in Mercea, knowing she would never walk around this school after the day was finished. She had no doubt that Amity would assist in any further knowledge.
After lunch, Mercea and the others waited afterwards on the long tables. Nervously, as the peace serum began to disperse from her body, Mercea bounced her feet on the floor. On the cafeteria floor, several from her faction played common hand games, singing loudly. Mercea couldn't stomach laughing when she was so anxious. Sitting with the other Amity boys, Roanne was only a table away.
"Alright, the next ten will be called up." An Abnegation member called his gray robes and small smile gathering her attention.
Mercea hoped she would be in the next group as she was getting tired of waiting so long. Tuning his words out for a moment, she rested her head against the table. It was so loud in the room; she almost wished she could get up and sit with the silent Abnegations. Candor was arguing, as usual, and Erudite wouldn't stop talking. Dauntless was the worst, though, as they kept jumping and screaming around the room. The only saving grace to her sanity was the calmness of the boys from her faction, who weren't giggling and cheering like the girls, instead they were calm and collect.
"Two from Amity: Mercea Caine and Roanne Caine …" Her and her sister's names got her head perking up from the table.
Across from her, Roanne neatly stood up . It helped, to know her sister was called upon as well. The rest of the ten faction kids, two from each faction, stood as well. As she walked, Iris stopped her cheering to smile up at Mercea.
As they exit the room, the faction member leads them to a hall with ten rooms. She had never seen the hall before, as they are only used for aptitude testing. Normally, the rooms would have glass to divide them, but the room Mercea was led to had mirrors. Her reflection still had the bright pink cheeks, normal in Amity, and slight sunburn on her nose. Inside the room, a different Abnegation member stood next to a reclined chair. She was kind looking, dressed the same as every other Abnegation with her gray robes and shirt. Her gray hair reminded her of her Nana, which eased the tension in her stomach.
"Hello, my name is Maggie." Her smile was small and reserved and no doubt Mercea's own beam looked strange next to it.
Without needing further instruction, she moved and sat back in the chair. She tried watching what Maggie was doing, but only succeeded in staring at her back. As she did, she noticed small black details on the back of her neck, underneath her gray bun. She must have transferred from Dauntless when she was sixteen.
Mercea quickly looked away when Maggie turned back around, holding a small vial full of opaque liquid.
"Alright, now you just need to drink this and relax." Maggie handed the vial over to Mercea.
Mercea nodded, afraid at what would happen after she did.
It was as if someone had forced her eyes shut and moved her body. She was no longer sitting in the testing room, but instead the cafeteria. This time, though, all of the tables were empty. Looking out the glass wall, she noticed that it was snowing out there as well.
"Roanne?" Mercea called, out of instinct.
Instead of her sister speaking, she heard a strange woman's voice. "Choose."
Mercea was confused, looking around rapidly. Her breath came out in quick pants of fear as she noticed the table now had two wicker baskets. Unlike the ones in her room, they didn't have ribbons in them, but cheese and a large knife.
"Choose." The voice said over Mercea's panic.
She didn't know what to do, carefully trying to think about why she would need it. Carefully, she picked the knife. With shaking hands and a quivering lip, she noticed it was larger than her forearm.
The woman didn't speak again and when Mercea looked back at the table, she noticed the baskets were gone. Behind her, the cafeteria doors squeaked open. Mercea reactively spun around, hoping to see a familiar face. Instead, she dropped her knife with a panicked yell, seeing a large dog. Mercea was no stranger to animals, living in Amity, but held her reserves when it came to growling and foaming hounds.
"Oh god!" Mercea screamed dropping to the ground to find her knife.
She feels the cool metal of the tables, but not the blade. Realizing she had to look away from the frightening dog, she ducked down to find the knife. Mercea saw that it didn't fall too far away and easily grabbed it.
"No, no, no." Mercea cried, watching the dog near her.
Her mind felt heavy as she tried to remember how to calm wild animals. She did it often, even with her own animals. But she couldn't remember, as she was too caught up in her fear. Making the decision, she shut her eyes and braced the knife close to her chest. She couldn't do it while looking at the defensive animal.
Once she heard the nail scraping stop, she looked up to see the dog growling close to her face.
"I'm sorry." She whispered, bringing the knife up and dropping it.
Instead of clattering against the ground, she heard the dog howl. She meant to cast the weapon away, not stab the creatures paw.
"You hurt my puppy!" A tiny little girl screamed, running over in her yellow dress.
"I'm sorry, it was an accident!" Mercea pleaded, as if the little girl would run away and tell her faction about what she did.
Over her voice, the dog roared, leaping towards the girl. The wound wasn't enough to stop it from charging.
"Puppy!" the girl shouted, as if she's unaware of the danger.
"No!" Mercea screamed, knowing she would be cast out of the faction if she sat there and let and Amity get hurt.
The knife was too far away now and she was running on thin time. Hurtling her body, she pulled the dog back by the tail, the only thing she could reach. She felt the dirty tail in her hand and didn't hear any shrill cries. She hoped that meant she succeeded. Falling with the momentum of her leap, her head collided with the edge of a lunch table.
Instead of feeling pain, she opened her eyes to see she was on the bus. Normally, Mercea didn't have any need for the bus. Being in Amity, she didn't travel anywhere else but to school with the trucks and the fields. It was strange, to feel the hums and jolts of the bus, crowded with several other faction members. She saw all the seats were taken and followed the example of an Erudite man holding onto the shiny poles between the seats.
What caught her attention was burned hands directly near her face. She couldn't see what his face looked like as it was hidden by a large newspaper. Reading the headline, she found herself cowering away from him. "Brutal Murderer Finally Apprehended!" There hadn't been a murder in ages, especially in Amity. Casting her eyes lower, she saw a plain looking man with a beard. Something in her mind said she knew him, knew the killer in the newspaper.
"Do you know this guy?" He inquired, catching her staring.
Immediately, Mercea cowered away. In Amity, they used lies to protect and keep the peace. She knew he would be angry if she told him that she knew the killer.
"No, I have no idea who he is." Mercea replied with ease, twisting her straight hair around her finger. During the altercation with the dog, she had lost one of her side braids.
With the newspaper lower, Mercea could see scars all over his face, gruesomely matching his hands.
"You're lying!"
He must be a Candor, Mercea realized.
She pushed away from him, sending his body crashing back into the seat. "I don't know him!"
"Stay away!" She moved further into the bus, hearing his yells.
"You could save me!"
"I don't know who he is!" Mercea yelled back just as loud, boldly lying.
"Ah!" Mercea sat up suddenly, finding herself back in the aptitude room.
Maggie stood over her, holding a hand up to remove wires off her head and Mercea's. She must have placed them on the both of them after the serum took effect. Her hands barely touched Mercea's face as she pulled the wires away.
The Abnegation woman smiled softly. "Alright, all but one faction was eliminated in your simulation."
Before she continued, Mercea saw her glance at the red dress she wore.
"During your simulation, you chose the knife and both attacked the dog and saved the child. On the bus, you decided to lie and become aggressive with the man." Mercea didn't want to hear more. "Your results show Dauntless, Mercea."
She couldn't understand. Had she not been kind enough, forgiving enough, or at peace with others. She never misbehaved and always acted in a manner approved by Amity.
"What about Amity?" She whispered quietly, wishing she had reacted differently.
"I'm sorry; Mercea, but you didn't show any traits for Amity." Maggie told her easily, as if she was making small chat with Mercea.
"But I didn't mean to hurt the dog! I dropped the knife!" She yelled in denial, not caring that Maggie was reeling back from her now.
Maggie shook her head, turning away to the computer. "You dropped the knife on the dog, and then attacked the dog."
"I'm not Dauntless!" Mercea spat, as if the word was poisonous. "I am Amity!"
"Look, Mercea, you can choose Amity tomorrow but you are better suited for Dauntless." She calmly stated as Mercea panicked.
She would try harder then, she realized, to be an Amity member. She had to, if she wanted to pass initiation.
As she left the room, avidly avoiding her reflection, she realized that being concerned she wasn't suited and knowing she was created a much worse feeling in her.
Outside the room, she saw Roanne was already done. Her sister looked satisfied, leaning against the wall with a smile. When she looked up to see Mercea, her smile shrunk. Mercea imagined that she looked frightening, with a sweaty face and rumpled clothing.
"Are you alright?" Roanne asked, scrunching her eyebrows up.
Mercea didn't reply, looping her arm through Roanne's. She saw Iris sitting outside with the other Amity members, smiling and chattering happily. She tried to see if any of them looked the way she felt, but their faces betrayed nothing but happiness. She was jealous, seeing them confident and staying in their faction. The faction they were compatible with.
"Come on, they're waiting for us." Roanne told her in a hushed tone, leading Mercea to a truck with blue paint.
She realized that they were the last of their faction to finish the aptitude test.
"How long was I in there?" She knew that several more Amity kids were left when she went in.
Roanne looked at her, assiduously. "About thirty five minutes, just the average time."
It felt so much quicker, yet still made her sick to know her fate was studied in under an hour. She felt bad, doubting the test, but she couldn't bring herself to accept the results.
"How did you do?" Mercea asked, despite knowing she wasn't allowed to.
Her sister knew as well, flashing a disappointed frown towards her sister. "Let's go, Mercy."
That night, the small farm house was especially quiet. Her mother, even as jovial as she is, could not look between both daughters for most of the night. Her father was much calmer about the situation, more Amity. He simply kissed both girls on the forehead and laughed, as if he knew nothing was different about his Amity children.
But there was, as Mercea was different now. Upon coming home, she realized that she stood apart from them. Faction before blood, it was the most enforced law. Could Mercea really choose her faction before her family? She didn't think so. Even the idea of becoming a solider made her feel sick.
"Alright, my little pups, it's time for bed." Her mother didn't see both her daughters flinch at the mention of 'pups.'
With a tight smile, Mercea nodded her head towards her mother, and carried her heavy heart to her room. Looking around the small home, she didn't want to even reflect about abandoning her livelihood. What would she do without her sister? Roanne was an extension of her very soul.
Settling into her bed, Mercea turned her body away from her sister's side. She could hear Roanne do the same. She wondered if they had both gotten unexpected results.
"Roanne?" Mercea muttered.
There was a quiet exhale before she responded. "Yes?"
"Will I see you at dinner tomorrow?" She hoped to sound casual, not afraid.
There was a beat of silence before she finally answered. "… Goodnight, Mercea."
There was slight hope, that maybe her ignoring was a yes. But Mercea wasn't dumb; she knew that they might not be the same again. Tomorrow, at the Choosing Ceremony, she would have to decide.
"Welcome." The loud, council member Candor man began. "Welcome, to the Choosing Ceremony."
Mercea felt her stomach lift at his words.
"Welcome to the day we honor the democratic philosophy of our ancestors, which tells us that every man has the right to choose his own in this world." He stood beside five large metal bowls.
In the large expanse, each faction was separated in the seating's. Abnegation, Amity, Erudite, Candor, and Dauntless formed a half circle, all focused on the five bowls. Each faction was represented in those bowls; Abnegation had gray stones, water for Erudite, dirt for Amity, burning coals for Dauntless, and glass shards for Candor. Each sixteen year old will walk up to those bowls, cut their hands, and pledge their selves to the faction of their choice.
"Our dependents are now sixteen. They stand on the precipice of adulthood, and it is now up to them to decide what kind of people they will be." The Candor man, a representative for the faction, stood beside his factions bowl as he spoke. "Decades ago, our ancestors realized that it is not political ideology, religious belief, race, or nationalism that is to blame for a warring world.
"Rather, they determined that it was the fault of human personality—of humankind's inclination towards evil, in whatever form that is. They divided into factions that sought to eradicate those qualities they believed were responsible for the worlds disarray."
Mercea leaned back in her seat with a grimace, ignoring the way Roanne even leaned forward to hear with such rapture. They almost knew this speech by heart, hearing it every day in class.
"It's almost time, Mercea. " Roanne hissed, not taking her eyes away as she pressed her hand into Mercea's.
"Those who blamed aggression formed Amity." The Candor gestured to the dirt filled bowl, pausing as the Amity smiled at each other.
"Those who blamed ignorance became the Erudite." He hovered his hand above the water filled bowl.
"Those who blamed duplicity created Candor." The Candor man smiled as he said that, his voice displaying obvious pride.
"Those who blamed selfishness made Abnegation." The Abnegation remained quiet, as usual. Mercea was jealous of them, with the ability to do what's best for others.
"And those who blamed cowardice were the Dauntless." That's where her aptitude test was mistaken, Mercea wasn't brave like Dauntless were supposed to be.
She listened as he mentioned the harmony of the five factions living together, contributing in all different ways for our society to work. Abnegation provided selfless leaders in government, Candor created trustworthy leaders in law, Erudite supplied intelligent teachers and researchers, Amity gave an understanding of caretakers and counselors, and Dauntless gave the people protection. Mercea wasn't a protector. But she didn't know which faction she stood for, could she provide what is expected of either faction.
As the Candor finished his speech, many people applauded for him. Mercea, out of politeness, copied her sister deftly. She wished she could run away, but that would mean becoming Factionless.
Without letting the silence after the applause settle, he began to call names. Several people choose the faction they were born in, only one chose differently.
"Mercea Caine." That was her name.
Doing as the others before her, she stood up with shaky legs. She smiled back at the Amity faces, which looked ready to welcome her back officially. She could barely look at her sister, who maintained a small smile.
Luckily, her seat was close to the floor, which meant she only had to walk down a few steps. With wobbly legs, she walked onto the raised and slanted platform. The Candor man smiled at her, politely as he did with the others, and passed the knife over. She didn't want to touch it, mercilessly blaming the weapon for her aptitude score. Without looking down, she sliced the bottom of her palm open. She tried to make it as shallow as possible and felt blood come out of the wound.
Even with her cast away eyes, she could hear the sizzling coals haunt her thoughts. She wished the Amity had something loud for her to listen to, but it was silent from her faction. Mercea didn't know what to trust, her heart or her traits.
Mercea never thought her life could be simplified with one decision. It was a frightening realization, to understand that what she chose sealed a fate she had never thought about. There had never been any doubt Amity was her home, her faction. But now that she was finally given the opportunity, Mercea understood that while she was raised for Amity, she may not have been born for the faction. It hurt to know that she could be leaving everything and everyone she knew. Her mother, her father, and her own twin sister Roanne. But it was also inspiring to not be confined into something Mercea could never be truly happy with. She could branch out and be someone she never was allowed to discover. There would be no more limitations placed on her, keeping her from being the real Mercea; the girl who was boxed up in a cage of Amity's peace serum would break free.
With any hesitation gone from her body, Mercea slowly raised her hand, the symbolic key that would release her from the confines and let her blood drip over the embers.
AN: I hope you all enjoy the first chapter! :)
Disclaimer: The Divergent Series does not belong to me, nor does the song used at the beginning. I am not making this fanfiction as a monetary means, only for fun.