A/N: I own nothing except new characters and events and make no money from writing, all rights go to the rightful owners.
Al, Will, Chris, and I talked for nearly two hours before Tris looked like she was going to be waking up. We turned to her, looking down on her. "Is her eye already black?" Will, jokingly, asks. Al shoves him but not hard enough to knock him over, he's learned his own strength. Tris struggles to open her eyes, one stays swollen shut, and it was indeed bruised already. She groans and tries to sit up but Al gently pushes her back down.
"What happened to your face?" she slurs, her lip is swollen and split open. Until the swelling went away she'd sound a bit weird. Chris laughs in response, she has a bruise and is pressing an ice pack to her jaw.
"Look who's talking. Should we get you an eye patch?"
"Well, I already know what happened to my face," she grumbles "I was there. Sort of."
"Did you just make a joke, Tris?" Will was stunned, dauntless was washing away her abnegation. He grins "We should get you on painkillers more often if you're going to start cracking jokes. Oh, and to answer your question—I beat her up."
"I can't believe you couldn't beat Will," Al says, shaking his head.
"What? He's good," she says, shrugging. "Plus, I think I've finally learned how to stop losing. I just need to stop people from punching me in the jaw."
"You know, you'd think you would have figured that out already." Will winks at her. "Now I know why you aren't Erudite. Not too bright, are you?"
"You feeling okay, Tris?" Al asks. He looks at her like she's about to break at any second, or maybe like he is. I can't tell which.
"Yeah," she tries for a comforting smile but instead it looks like she's in more pain. "Just wish I could stay here forever so I never have to see Peter again." I look away from them, Chris stands up and stands by my side. "I'm sorry Alessa"
"No, it's fine. He's…changed, already." Chris squeezed my arm, I didn't want to be here. Maybe this was a mistake. Maybe I should have chosen opposite my brother, maybe I should have gone to Amity.
"Don't worry about Peter," Will looks from Tris to me. "He'll at least get beat up by Edward, who has been studying hand-to-hand combat since we were ten years old. For fun." Oh, that's how he knows everything.
"Good," Chris and I say at once, I wasn't happy about it but he was getting what he deserved. Chris gave my shoulder a squeeze as she checked her watch, "I think we're missing dinner. Do you want us to stay here Tris?" Chris loved food, it meant she truly cared about you if she was about to give up food for you. Tris shakes her head, her swollen lips pursed.
"I'm fine."
Will and Chris walk out but Al stays glued to the spot, "You coming? I asked, he nodded.
"Yeah" he looked to Tris, "Go ahead, I'll catch up" I looked to Tris who at first looked confused then gave me a slight nod. I walked out and jumped on Chris' back.
"I think I want to follow in Al's footsteps, I want a tattoo" Will said, Chris rolled her eyes.
"What do you wanna get?" I asked him, he looked thoughtful for a moment.
"I think I want to get a crow on my back, they are the smartest known animal. Crows possess unusually big brains, which are proportionate to the chimpanzee brain. Plus I think they're quite beautiful."
"Do you now?" Chris raised her brow, he shook his head and smiled. Once we got the cafeteria I hopped off Chris' back then we made our way to get our food. In candor we ate a lot of red meat but now that I'm here I've grown fond of grilled chicken with rice and snap peas. Chris seemed to like everything.
After dinner Will gets his tattoo and goes on a rant about different kinds of birds, I nearly fall asleep while walking to the dorms. Chris makes fun of him, this was going to become common wasn't it? I smiled to myself as Chris threatened to hang him over the edge like Eric did to her.
"I think I could manage, I have good proportions and more upper body strength than you." He grinned, I covered my mouth as she kneed him the groin.
"You're so going down next time we fight." She smirked. As we walked I caught sight of the girl from the first day, she was with a small group of dauntless born who were goofing off close to the pit. "Who're looking at?" Chris tried looking where I was but quickly I snapped my head away as heat rushed to my cheeks.
"Just at the Pit." I shrug, she narrows her eyes as she looks me over.
"You're lucky that you were a candor, I can't tell if you're lying." She huffed, we kept walking but I didn't dare look back again in case Chris was watching.
Everyone was showered and in bed by 10, some were even asleep. Those who weren't saw Tris creep in sometime near 11, one of them being my brother. He scowled and turned on his side, what was his problem with her? Her eyes flickered from his bunk to mine, they widened when her eyes met mine.
'I'm sorry' I mouth, she offered a small smile before pulling her blankets up and closing her eyes.
Was my brother scared of her, intimidated? He had no reason to be, he was strong but if he let someone who wasn't doing anything under his skin then he would crumble.
The next morning I nearly jump out of bed when the alarm goes off, Chris laughs as I groan. I hop out of bed and dress for the day, the usual make-up and everything. It was easy to sneak those little things in.
Even when Chris and I were done dressing Tris was still asleep, how did she sleep through the alarm and the chaos of the morning routine of eight people? Chris crouched and shook her awake, "Come on" she says when Tris' eyes flutter open, "Up and at 'em"
She looks panicked and her cheeks were stained with tears, she looks to me with fear flashing then to my brother who's across the room making his bed. He was taking his time, maybe hoping he would get her alone. I couldn't let that happen. Peter glances over and matches my gaze, he furrows his brow and walks out.
"I'll run and get us some breakfast. You just…get ready. Looks like it might take you a while," Chris takes her hand and helps her up.
"I'm gonna stay with her." I say as I move to Tris who's wincing as she tries to get clothes. Chris smiles as she runs out, the dormitory was now empty other than the two of us.
"Last night you said you were sorry" she starts as I pick out her clothes then help wash her face and braid her hair. "You shouldn't be. It's not your fault, you can't control what your brother does." She stares at herself in the long mirror, her lips pursed and her expression confused.
"I wish I could, I've never seen him like that before. It was crazy."
"Maybe he is" Chris says as she walks in, she hands us each a muffin then bends to tie Tris' shoes. She has a muffin stuffed in her mouth, I guess she couldn't wait to eat it. They did smell good. Tris' muffin was banana and walnuts, something I saw the factionless have often but in bread form. I had a blueberry one, I had no ideas what Chris' was because it was already in her mouth.
We ran through the dauntless compound, then climb the steps from the Pit to the glass building above it and run to the exit. We make it to the tracks just as the train arrives, its horn blaring. "What took you so long?" Will shouts over the horn.
"Stumpy legs over here turned into an old lady overnight," Chris grins as she motions to Tris.
"Oh, shut up." She smiles but punches Chris.
"And she." She motions to me with a laugh, "Was making love to a blueberry muffin" Tris' eyes widened and her cheeks flushed crimson.
"Best lover I've ever had" I retorted.
"The only lover." Chris corrected, Tris looked shocked.
"What?" I question, why would she be shocked by that? Did I seem like that kind of person?
"Oh, nothing. You're just…one of those girls." She struggled to find words, "The ones that look like they could have anyone they want."
"Oh." I felt heat rush to my cheeks, Chris smiles at each of us.
Our instructor, Four, stands tense at the front of the pack of initiates. It looked as though when the train would pass it would take his face along with it but I knew he wasn't stupid enough to stand that close. I imagined it happening and cringed. Everyone was running again, tossing themselves into the train cars. Will was first, he had little difficulty swinging himself in. Then Chris, who landed on her back with a thud and groan, Will pulled her up only to laugh at her. Next I swung myself in, landing on my butt. Surely it would be bruised, Chris stifled laughter as she pulled me into standing position.
"My butt is going to have major bruising." I groaned, rubbing my bottom. Some of the initiates had snappy remarks which made mine and Chris' cheeks blaze. Al looked out and when he turned toward us he had Tris by the pits, she looked to be masking anger.
"Feeling okay there?" We look to see my brother behind Al, giving a look of mock sympathy to Tris—his lips turned down, his arched eyebrows pulled in. "Or are you a little…Stiff?" I sighed, he needed a doctor.
Peter laughs, it's not as deep as his voice but loud, his lackeys join in. Molly has an ugly laugh, all snorting and shaking shoulders, and Drew's is silent, so it almost looks like he's in pain.
"We are all awed by your incredible wit," Will glares at Peter.
"Yeah, are you sure you don't belong with the Erudite, Peter?" Christina adds. "I hear they don't object to sissies."
"Why don't you just walk away Peter, you're only making a fool of yourself." It hurt to say it, anger flashed in his eyes.
Four doesn't turn to us, he continues standing by the open door peering out. He speaks before Peter, Molly, or Drew can retort. "Am I going to have to listen to your bickering all the way to the fence?" Everyone is silent.
I look to Tris, about to apologize yet again for him but then I see her staring at Four with flushed cheeks. Her eyes are softer than I've seen them since meeting her, they were guarded then too. But when she looks at him you can see it all fall away. What was that like, to love someone? My chest burned and my mouth was unusually dry, I leaned against the wall and watched everyone mill around. I look out one of the open doors to see what we're passing—a sea of crumbling, abandoned buildings that get smaller as we go. It was oddly beautiful, what would it be like to explore them?
Tris still stares at Four but tears herself away to ask Chris and me, "What do you think is out there?" She nods out the doorway "I mean, beyond the fence."
"I think…other people. Maybe bad people. Past the farms. And a whole world like ours, like the way the abandoned parts of the city look maybe worse."
"Is that why they guard the fence?" Tris asks like she believed what I thought.
"Or" Chris begins, "They're protecting us from monsters." She wriggles her fingers in our faces. I shake my head as a smile spreads across my face.
"We didn't even have guards near the fence until five years ago," Will says with a raised brow. "Don't you remember when dauntless police used to patrol the factionless sector?"
Tris looked sheepish, "Yes."
"Oh, right," he says. "I bet you saw them all the time."
"Why do you say that?" she narrows her eyes and purses her lips, did her realize how often she did that? Her tone was sharp and daring him to give her a reason to throw him off the train.
"Because you had to pass the factionless sector to get to school, right?"
"What did you do, memorize a map of the city for fun?" Chris raises a brow.
"Yes," says Will, looking puzzled. "Didn't you?" Maybe I could have them explore the buildings with me, if we have a walking talking map then we would have no reason not to go.
The train's brakes squeal and everyone lurches forward, some lose their footing and others grab hold of each other. I held onto the pole that stood in the corner. The dilapidated buildings are gone, replaced by yellow fields and train tracks. The train stops under an awning. I wait for Tris and Chris to get off then I jump out, landing on my feet in the lush grass. In front of me is a chain-link fence with barbed wire strung along the top. When we walk forward, I notice that it continues farther than I can see, perpendicular to the horizon. Past the fence is a cluster of trees, most of them dead, some green with colored apples waiting for their turned to be picked.
*Tris p.o.v
Milling around on the other side of the fence are dauntless guards carrying guns. "Follow me," says Four. I stay close to Alessa and Christina. I don't want to admit it, not even to myself, but I feel calmer when I'm near them. If Peter tries to taunt me, they will defend me. Alessa is strong, stronger than Christina and I and from what Christina said she is willing to fight her brother if it means protecting us. She had already, secretly I was hoping they would get the chance to fight.
Silently I scold myself for being such a coward. Peter's insults shouldn't bother me, and I should focus on getting better at combat, not on how badly I did yesterday. And I should be willing, if not able, to defend myself instead of relying on other people to do it for me. Maybe Alessa could help me, I saw her fight, and she was good.
Four leads us toward the gate, which is as wide as a house and opens up to the cracked road that leads to the city. When I came here with my family as a child, we rode in a bus on that road and beyond, to Amity's farms, where we spent the day picking tomatoes and sweating through our shirts. Another pinch in my stomach.
"If you don't rank in the top five at the end of initiation, you will probably end up here," says Four as he reaches the gate. "Once you are a fence guard, there is some potential for advancement, but not much. You may be able to go on patrols beyond Amity's farms, but—"
"Patrols for what purpose?" asks Will. Four lifts a shoulder.
"I suppose you'll discover that if you find yourself among them. As I was saying. For the most part, those who guard the fence when they are young continue to guard the fence. If it comforts you, some of them insist that it isn't as bad as it seems."
"Yeah. At least we won't be driving buses or cleaning up other people's messes like the factionless," Christina whispers to us.
"I am not guarding a fence." Alessa narrowed her eyes, I'd rather fight Peter than fight her.
"What rank were you?" Peter asks Four.
I don't expect Four to answer, but he looks levelly at Peter and says, "I was first."
"And you chose to do this?" Peter's eyes are wide and round and dark green. They would look innocent to me if I didn't know what a terrible person he is. "Why didn't you get a government job?"
"I didn't want one," Four says flatly. I remember what he said on the first day, about working in the control room, where the Dauntless monitor the city's security. It is difficult for me to imagine him there, surrounded by computers. To me he belongs in the training room. We learned about faction jobs in school. The Dauntless have limited options. We can guard the fence or work for the security of our city. We can work in the dauntless compound, drawing tattoos or making weapons or even fighting each other for entertainment. Or we can work for the dauntless leaders. That sounds like my best option. The only problem is that my rank is terrible. And I might be factionless by the end of stage one. We stop next to the gate. A few dauntless guards glance in our direction but not many.
They are too busy pulling the doors—which are twice as tall as they are and several times wider—open to admit a truck. The man driving wears a hat, a beard, and a smile. He stops just inside the gate and gets out. The back of the truck is open, and a few other Amity sit among the stacks of crates. I peer at the crates—they hold apples. "Beatrice?" an Amity boy says. My head jerks at the sound of my name.
One of the Amity in the back of the truck stands. He has curly blond hair and a familiar nose, wide at the tip and narrow at the bridge. Robert. I try to remember him at the Choosing Ceremony and nothing comes to mind but the sound of my heart in my ears. Who else transferred? Did Susan? Are there any Abnegation initiates this year? If Abnegation is fizzling, it's our fault—Robert's and Caleb's and mine. Mine. I push the thought from my mind. Robert hops down from the truck. He wears a gray T-shirt and a pair of blue jeans. After a second's hesitation, he moves toward me and folds me in his arms. I stiffen. Only in Amity do people hug each other in greeting. I don't move a muscle until he releases me. His own smile fades when he looks at me again.
"Beatrice, what happened to you? What happened to your face?"
"Nothing," I say. "Just training. Nothing."
"Beatrice?" demands a nasal voice next to me. Molly folds her arms and laughs. "Is that your real name, Stiff?" I glance at her.
"What did you think Tris was short for?"
"Oh, I don't know…weakling?"
She touches her chin. If her chin was bigger, it might balance out her nose, but it is weak and almost recedes into her neck. "Oh wait, that doesn't start with Tris. My mistake."
"There's no need to antagonize her," Robert says softly. "I'm Robert, and you are?"
"Someone who doesn't care what your name is," she says. "Why don't you get back in your truck? We're not supposed to fraternize with other faction members."
I hear Alessa snarl, like a small angry animal.
"Why don't you get away from us?" I snap.
"Right. Wouldn't want to get between you and your boyfriend," she says, she starts to walk away but Alessa pulls her back by her shoulder and punches her square in the jaw. The light leaves her eyes and she crumbles to the floor, no one saw this except us. Alessa walks away from Molly's body and stands by Christina again, Robert looks terrified.
Robert gives me a sad look. "They don't seem like nice people."
"Some of them aren't. These are my friends, they're some of the nice ones."
"You could go home, you know. I'm sure Abnegation would make an exception for you."
"What makes you think I want to go home?" I ask, my cheeks hot. "You think I can't handle this or something?"
"It's not that." He shakes his head. "It's not that you can't, it's that you shouldn't have to. You should be happy."
"This is what I chose. This is it." I look over Robert's shoulder. The Dauntless guards seem to have finished examining the truck. The bearded man gets back into the driver's seat and closes the door behind him. "Besides, Robert. The goal of my life isn't just…to be happy."
"Wouldn't it be easier if it was, though?" he says. Before I can answer, he touches my shoulder and turns toward the truck. A girl in the back has a banjo on her lap. She starts to strum it as Robert hoists himself inside, and the truck starts forward, carrying the banjo sounds and her warbling voice away from us.
Robert waves to me, and again I see another possible life in my mind's eye. I see myself in the back of the truck, singing with the girl, though I've never sung before, laughing when I am off-key, climbing trees to pick the apples, always peace full and always safe. The Dauntless guards close the gate and lock it behind them. Chris walks to stand with Will who is with the other dauntless but Alessa stays and sees what I see.
"Are they…are they trying to keep us in?" she looks at the locked fence, analyzing it.
"Why would they do that?" I purse my lips.
"Are we the monsters?"
"I don't know." The lock is on the outside. I bite my lip. Why would they lock the gate from the outside and not the inside? It almost seems like they don't want to keep something out; they want to keep us in. I push the thought out of my head. That makes no sense. Four steps away from the fence, where he was talking to a female dauntless guard with a gun balanced on her shoulder a moment before.
"Alessa, back to the other dauntless" his eyes bore into her like she's a puzzle, she walks away without question. "I am worried that you have a knack for making unwise decisions," he says when he's a foot away from me. I cross my arms.
"It was a two-minute conversation."
"I don't think a smaller time frame makes it any less unwise." He furrows his eyebrows and touches the corner of my bruised eye with his fingertips. My head jerks back, but he doesn't take his hand away. Instead he tilts his head and sighs. "You know, if you could just learn to attack first, you might do better."
"Attack first?" I say. "How will that help?"
"You're fast. If you can get a few good hits in before they know what's going on, you could win." He shrugs, and his hand falls.
"I'm surprised you know that," I say quietly, "since you left halfway through my one and only fight."
"It wasn't something I wanted to watch," he says.
What's that supposed to mean?
He clears his throat. "Looks like the next train is here. Time to go, Tris."
I run to catch up with Alessa, Christina, and Will.
Thanks for reading, review maybe?