Madder than the Hatter

Chapter Two: Living Up

Disclaimer: I own Bellatrix/Alice, her parents, and other OC. The rest belongs to Veronica Roth.

Living up to the names Bellatrix and Alice, wasn't that hard. Especially after being labeled, 'insane', by the Erudite at a young age. The true, unconcealed, insanity began right after Alice's adoptive brother, Tobias, left for Dauntless and didn't look back. As the Erudite have claimed, Marcus Eaton was abusive to both children in the house. Tobias was only Four when Alice had been accepted into the house hold, Evelyn Eaton faked her death when Tobias was only about two years old, leaving her only son at a young age, to get beat by the 'oh-so-selfless' Abnegation.

Tobias protected Alice for the longest time, being both brave and selfless about it. When Alice was a young little girl, she told Tobias the both acts of bravery and selflessness could mean the same thing. When Tobias left, Marcus took his anger of Tobias leaving, out on Alice, she almost died multiple times, and she would have if Marcus wasn't so selfish and cared too much about his reputation. It took about two months before Alice's sanity snapped and she became deranged. The mad glint in her steel grey eyes seemed to cause both adults and children fleeing the other way, leaving her with no one to consult in. Which, in the long run, caused Alice to murder the simulation girl, and then the simulation man. It was fun, truly, but it was simulation.

Alice didn't think she truly belonged anywhere, not like the factionless, but not like the people within the factions. She didn't belong to the Divergent, so she truly didn't know where she belong. But that truly didn't matter, she was madder than the Hatter.

Like every other day, Alice got dressed, after a shower. Ate breakfast, than left the house, Marcus was always at the Hub before she woke so Alice didn't worry. She felt nothing as she watched the Abnegation children her age with their parents. She didn't truly have parents, not really. What Abnegation family qualified as parents anymore? Truly.

The ride on the bus to the Hub was boring, packed full of Abnegation attempting to hand over their seats to each other. Alice simply glared at anyone who attempted to approach her, it successfully ward off the 'selfless' stiffs. Once at the Hub, the other Abnegation took the stairs while Alice squished her small frame into a pack of Candor, Amity, Dauntless, and Erudite. Getting a ride up in the elevator instead of bounding up twenty flights of stairs. It was easy to blend into the corner of the Elevator, being petite an all.

It wasn't long before Alice was trudging out from the lift towards the choosing ceremony doors. But as Alice was about to enter, a female Alice knew to be the Erudite leader, approached her with a fake smile on.

"Alice Eaton, I wish to speak with you about your aptitude test which you took yesterday." The black haired female's eyes narrowed dangerously, it was one warning that Jeanine Matthews actually heeded.

"Not going to harm you, don't worry about that. I just have some questions for you. If we could take this into another hallway?" Alice nodded, while she didn't like the woman, but she was curious. It was in her nature to be curious for some reason. This could go either really bad, or decently good. It all depended on if this woman was truly as smart as people said her to be. So Alice followed her down a separate hall, a man that seemed to be her secretary, took one look at Alice and shuddered in fear. Interesting.

"Your test results told us something that we didn't think to be possible." Jeanine started off, admitting to something she loathed to admit, she didn't know everything.

"You are more than a Divergent, less than a factionless, and seem to be certifiably insane. I was wondering which faction you were going to choose today, perhaps I could help you move up the line because you have something I want, and I have something you want." Alice snorted, it was an odd sound coming from her, but Jeanine took it as a bad sign.

"What do you think you have, which I want?" Alice rose one dark eyebrow, in truth, she was curious as to what this woman thought she had, which she wanted. Whatever Alice expected, it wasn't this.

"Blood, you obviously have a dark desire of something that includes blood. I want to inspect your mind, see how it works, make serums from your mind, while you rip apart Abnegation and wallow in their blood." Oh, how blunt. It was an offer which Alice would not refuse, but Jeanine didn't know that. Not yet.

"What if I refused? Would I then become your enemy and would you then attempt to kill me for how my mind works?" The muscle in Jeanine's jaw ticked, she expected the girl to accept it right away, be a Dauntless and sign up for something they didn't know the full extent of. But, there was a small spark of something in the young female's eyes, it was intelligence, it was a bright spark. But that spark cowered under the mad glint, easily hidden.

"I don't think you will refuse, I believe you will choose Dauntless. Your hospital files say that Dauntless is where you want to go, I want to know why young people keep defecting from Abnegation." A bell rang in the distance, letting everyone know that it was almost time for the choosing ceremony to start. Alice knew her answer, so there was no need to ponder upon it anymore.

"I will accept, I want a contract brought up. I want to revise it. When you visit Dauntless next time, look for me." Without further ado, Alice left the hallway and went to find her spot in the boring gray Abnegation sector, the mad glint ever present. The thought of the perfect gray walls in Abnegation splattered with the deep red color of blood was pleasing. Alice was to be called on last of the 16 year olds, there didn't seem to be many who transferred to Dauntless when it was time for Alice to choose. They called her birth name, Bellatrix Maelle. It was Marcus who had done the boring speech this year.

As Alice walked up to the stage, she wondered if Jeanine would save Marcus for her. Prolonging the torture for what he did to her and her brother… it sounded like a day in paradise. Taking the knife from the man who raised her, Alice felt nothing as she sliced her palm. She felt no pain from the knife, and she felt nothing for the gray clad male standing in front of her attempting to send her a warning look. But Alice didn't heed it, she stood there for a second. Looking down into the red liquid which was pooling in her small hands. Red was such a beautiful color. Holding her hand over the Dauntless coals, Alice looked into the eyes of Marcus Eaton and smiled a Cheshire cat smile.

The Dauntless cheered, they didn't care, well most of them didn't care that she was considered a 'Stiff'. To do something so selfish and brave was rejoiced in Dauntless, the fact that an Abnegation did such a thing made it all the better. Alice skipped from the stage and into her new faction all dressed in deep black. They welcomed her with smiles, pats on the back, one even went as far as hugging her. It didn't feel any different, not yet. This wasn't her home yet. She still had to pass initiation without killing anyone… which Alice believed to be easier said than done.

When the ceremony was finished, they ran, down the stairs, out the door, and down the street. Laughing, yelling, and making all sorts of noise. Alice was laughing for a different reason, the pain, and the pain in her thighs, her arms, and stomach. It felt good. The black haired female didn't look back once, that was all behind her, she would only return when it came time to destroy everything. Climbing up the steel pillars of the train tracks proved to be easier than Alice thought it to be. The Dauntless-Born were fidgeting as the train came into view, as the train came closer, the sound of whipping wind was all Alice could hear other than the faint shouts of Dauntless. They started jumping onto the train, and Alice followed beside the train, running as fast as she could. Latching onto the bar outside the door, she rolled into the train section giggling like the mad woman she truly was. Other took second looks at her, a few noticing the mad glint and taking a slow step back. But one Candor who was wearing more black than white on this fateful day, didn't take a step back or become alarmed by the deranged giggling. Instead, he helped offered Alice his hand, which she warily took to be helped up.

"I'm James!" He shouted over the wind which was still whipping into the train cart with determination.

"Bellatrix." He rose an eyebrow at the female, looking her up and down. She was short, wild black hair, high cheek bones, and mad glint in her steel grey eyes, and a devious smirk on her lips.

"Your parents name you after the book as well?" She merely shrugged, choosing not to answer, but to look out over the city though the open door. James sighed, it would take a lot for this one to crack. So the male with bright blonde hair stood by the door and looked out to the passing city. Alice decided that it was time for a change… Bellatrix would be a fitting name. She silently wondered when the first fight would be and what the rules were. Alice sat there for about thirty minutes, silently wallowing in the crazed thoughts of what she would like to do to someone in their first fight.

Alice seen them jumping. Bouncing proudly off the train and onto the roof and rolling with shouts. So Alice prepared herself, her mind doing the calculations on if she would have enough muscle strength to make the jump. With a smirk plastered on her rosy lips, Alice ran before launching herself off the train. Rolling as soon as Alice hit the ground, she felt minimum pain, but by the scream of someone, then the crunch of bones in the distance. Someone didn't make it. Alice bounced to her feet and skipped over to the edge. Looking down with a blood thirsty look in her eyes. Everyone who seen this look, backed away as quickly as possible.

Down on the concrete below was the body of an Amity boy, his blonde hair smattered with the bright red which Alice loved to see. Bones were protruding from an arm and leg, his head in an odd angle, and eyes open and dull looking. While the others who got a look at the body would have nightmares, Alice would have happy dreams. It was strange, looking back on one's life, comparing it to others who were considered 'normal'. While Alice was always a tad bit mad, she used to like flowers at the very young age of 6, now… well… flowers were annoying little bright things.

A deep voice called them over, quickly dismissing the death of boy as if it didn't occur. He was standing on a ledge, making him look more intimidating that he really was.

"My name is Eric, and I am one of the leaders here at Dauntless. Behind me is the entrance to Dauntless. If you can't jump, then you aren't fit to be in Dauntless." Alice was still across the roof, her head cocked and looking down at that body with interest. She was surprised it took the male leader as long as it did to realize someone was away from the pack. He opened his mouth to shout at Alice, but before he could do it, an Erudite female with blonde hair and green eyes spoke up in disgust.

"You expect us to jump off a ledge?" His attention snapped to the female, Eric wasn't glaring, but there was amusement in his eyes.

"Indeed." "Is there something down there?" "Who in the hell knows?" Alice laughed softly, her melodic tone carried by the wind, some most turned to look at her.

"Another Stiff?! Common, last year's stiff didn't make it a week. Why don't you pitch yourself off the ledge over there right now and we'll call it a suicide? Eh?" Alice laughed again, though her tone was colder, more maniacal. Within a few seconds she was laughing loudly. Standing from the edge, Alice walked over towards the group, still giggling.

"I find the color red to be beautiful color don't you?" Alice asked as if it was the most normal thing to do.

"If you like the color red so much, you should have joined Amity." Shaking her head wildly as she got closer to the ledge with Eric stood on, her wild curls whipping in the wind.

"No, no. That is the wrong shade of red." James, the Candor spoke up, he was curious.

"Than what shade of red Bellatrix?" Skipping a little, Alice climbed onto the ledge beside the leader who hopped down, taking it as a sign that she would jump.

"The shade of red that lies within your veins. I think it would be a nice contrast splattered against the Abnegation Gray walls, don't you think?" Alice heard an Erudite in the back mumble 'Crazy', causing another round of giggles.

"Not crazy, my reality is just different from yours." With a wave of Alice's small hand she stepped off backwards off the room, falling deeper, the sun slowly disappearing. Alice made no noise, merely enjoying the feeling of being weightless. It was a calming feeling, the feeling was quickly stopped when what felt to be a net, engulfed her small body and bounced her back up a few short jumps. Even though silent, Alice had a wicked smirk on her face.

She laid there for a moment before rolling over to find a way off the net when come face to face with the man who abandoned her. The emotions which she buried for so long resurfaced like a tsunami and brought a familiar sharp pain back into her chest.

"Tobe…"

"Bell…"

A/N I know, another cliff, but hang in there dears. The chapters will get longer and the plot will actually become visible. For those of you who have returned, MERCI! For those who are new, I am sorry, for my writing skills.

Oh, by the way, I have this rated as M just in case, there might be smut, there might not be. I'm unsure because I actually uploaded this as a spur of the moment thing because I loved my summary for this story so much, that I had to share it with you all.

If you like Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings, check out my other story which I have began to upload, The Second Chance. Like this one, hold on! The chapters may be short at first, but will gradually grow. It is a Hermione Granger/Legolas Greenleaf. I am going to share a small tidbit of info with all of you even if you hadn't read it (consider yourselves special), I orginially planned it to be a Hermione Granger/Elven King Thranduil.

Anyway! Please, please please! Leave a review and don't forget to follow so you can get the latest updates. As for when I will update, I hope to get on a twice a week schedule or something. MUAH 3 Je vous amie tous!