I wake up with the understanding that my brother was not going to let it be known that I was his sister, he wanted to leave the past behind, he wanted Faction before Blood, then he got it, but he doesn't know me anymore, I am not the weak preteen he remembers I have studied and trained and I know I am meant for Dauntless no matter what he thinks and I am going to prove it to him and to everyone, starting today.

"Training falls under three stages" Six starts to say. "The first is primarily physical, the second primarily emotional and the third is primarily mental. The stages are not weighed evenly so even if you score low in stage one you can though difficultly move up in ranks. Now speaking of ranks they are important for two reasons. I first is to pick the order in which you will choose your jobs and the second is to determine who stays and who becomes factionless. There are two cuts at the end of stage one and three and only the top ten initiates become members."

After she finishes Four hands out a gun to each of us, and shows us how to shoot. We all line up in front of targets and try to hit the bull's eye. I lift my gun as he showed us and I aim as best as I can but this is nothing like a bow I pull the trigger and fire almost falling over but steadying myself quickly. I look around and don't think anyone noticed. I didn't hit the target but I am just happy to not be the one to fall flat on my ass. A small victory but a victory none the less. I lift the gun again and this time I am ready for the kick back. I pull the trigger and remain standing there is a small hole on the corner of the target.

Then I try something else I switch which eye looks down the barrel aim again and fire letting out a breath as I do and I hit the center of the target. I lower the weapon and smile.

After lunch we are back in the training room.

"Now you will learn to fight." Four speaks. "Today I will show you some moves and tomorrow the fights will begin you will be scored on your fighting and that will determine your official rank for the start of this stage. Are we understood?"

We all nod. Four shows us different punches, kicks and a few blocks while Six walks around us watching and fixing what she sees us do wrong while at the bag. I feel a bit more relaxed in this since I had started working on fighting as more of a way to protect myself from my father, but at least it is helpful here and now. I am hopeful that I might not lose my first fight and my ranking will be closer to the middle instead of the bottom. With only six of us there is a small margin for error.

The next day I walk into the training room with everyone else and see my brother Eric in the corner writing on a chalkboard. Next to three people's names are other names the pairings for today's fight. I look at my name D vs. Ryan. I look around I know he has to be one of the Candor boys James was sitting with but other than that I have no clue. I look at Steph and she points to a boy about a foot taller than me but larger than me, meaning he should be slower. We have the second match so I watch as Chris goes up against James. I hope Chris kicks James' ass, Lord knows he deserves it, but after about 10 minutes James knocks Chris out.

I step into the ring and notice Eric fidget as the match starts. I raise my arms and Ryan begins to walk towards me hands up and ready to fight. He throws a hard punch to my ribs and I block it with my left arm throwing an uppercut with my right under his chin. He stumbles back a foot and rushes me, he grabs my arms and throws me across the ring. I quickly get back to my feet and try to kick him in the ribs but he grabs my foot so I twist my body enough to throw him off balance jump up and punch him while the momentum carries him to his back and I on top of him making him let go of my leg. I straddle him and punch him in the face till there is blood on my fingers. I see Eric circle my name a small hard line where his mouth used to be and his eyes slightly widened. I guess I showed him I wasn't so weak anymore.

It's the day before the first cuts and it is also visiting day. The one day when families from different factions can see each other. I am pretty sure that my parents will not be there in the pit waiting for me, based on what I know from my brother our mother only visited on his first visiting day. I figured I would go anyway, and hope I wasn't going to be disappointed.

I sat against the wall not to close to the chasm railing but still close enough to feel a light spray of the water's mists. I had been sitting there watching families hug and talk and laugh dauntless born and transfers for about an hour now. Even James' parents showed up. I turn my head and look at the chasms' railing and see Four and Six, Six staring down at the water below when Four taps her on the shoulder. She lifts her head and a smile goes across her face I follow her gaze and see a woman in abnegation clothing walking towards her, she looks familiar, then I realize it is Natalie, the woman who gave me my test results. Six and Natalie hug and Four shakes her hand. I decide to be bold and get up from the ground, realizing how stiff I got sitting there for so long. I walk over to my trainers and say excuse me. All three of them look at me smiles on only Natalie's face. I asked my trainers if I could talk to Natalie for a moment. Six looks at Four who shrugs and then to her mother whom is still smiling and said alright. Natalie leads me towards the dining hall but makes a quick turn down a dark hall I have not explored yet. She stops and looks at me quizzically.

"Do you remember me?" I ask her she nods. "May I ask you a question?" nods again. "Is there ever really a choice on which faction you are going to choose? I mean for some people it seems obvious, but are there many people like me who actually get to choose for themselves." Natalie looks around cautiously while I am talking, then back down to me and says.

"There is always a choice my dear. Some people just know it and some people are forced into it and then there are some like you who just have to go on blind faith," She smiles and talking quitter now so I lean in really close to hear her. "Those who go on faith are the ones that have the most to lose. If you chose dauntless I believe you can become dauntless, I mean look at my daughter and Four they both came from abnegation that is an incredibly rare thing for one of us to transfer let alone transfer here. Only two have even done it and you have met them both."

I am not quite sure why she would tell me how rare it is for Four and Six to both choose dauntless but I am sure it is a good reason. I thank her for talking to me and we both walk back to the pit, she walks back to Six and I just start walking back to the dorms, tired of seeing happy families.

"D!" I hear as I am about to enter the hall for the dorms, I freeze and look over my shoulder to see my mother running towards me her blue dress running with her. I smile and hug her when she is close. My mother came. After the initial hug wears off she steps back to look at me. Smiling in approval. Then she looks a bit more serious and places her hands in her pockets, a sign that I may not like what is coming next.

"Have you met any of the leaders?" she asks sounding ashamed.

"If you mean Eric yes I have, why would you lie to me and tell me he went to amity." I asked her coldly. She looked at her feet and then back up to me before speaking.

"I was trying to make sure you weren't going to be persuaded in any way, so I lied."

"What are you talking about" I said louder than I expected to. She gave me a you better lower your voice i'm your mother face.

"You know how your father works on serums," I nod. "Well your brother was a part of that too in a way... he was part of a group of kids that worked closely with Jeanne Matthews and your brother ended up top of the class. Your father was proud of him and enjoyed working closely with him and her, but something happened towards the end that started to stress your father out and your brother also started…changing as well. By the time the choosing ceremony had come around for him he was no longer the overly happy boy he once was and was more harsh and determined and angry. I knew something was wrong and when he chose dauntless without a second of hesitation I was worried. When I came to visit him that day he told me that I was no longer part of his family and was upset I allowed him to be forced into something he did not want. He was mad he never had a choice in his life. The last thing he said to me was to make sure you did. And I promised him I would. That was the last time I saw your brother."

I stared blankly at my mother, I knew she was telling the truth but I still couldn't believe what she was saying to me or maybe I just didn't understand what she was trying to tell me. I stood in silence for what felt like ages before speaking.

"What did he mean make sure I had a choice?"

"I never gave you a push towards any faction he wanted to make sure your choice on your life was your own, and so whatever you were interested in I allowed you to pursue. That is why I convinced your father that what you were doing in your free time was just another form of knowledge. That you enjoyed learning about the past and that you focused more on history then science, But I have been here to long your brother had made it clear that I couldn't stay here long" She slowly takes her hand out of her pocket and shakes my hand with it. "Just know I always will love you."

As her hand moves away I feel a piece of paper being left in it, once our hands separate I quickly put both hands in my pocket. She smiles at me turns and walks away. I sighed, I was given so much information and yet nothing at all. I started walking back to the dorms again, hands in my pockets feeling the paper between my fingers.

Later that night Four and Six are in the dorms chalkboard in hand. I stand there hoping that I made it to the second stage. When the last person shows up Six turn the chalkboard while four puts it back onto its hook.

1-James
2-D
3-Chris
4-Ryan
5-Steph
6-Joey

I am happy I am second and Chris made top three but I am worried Steph might get cut. I can only hope that the dauntless born scored less than her to save her. Steph and Chris are really my only friends here and I would hate to have to lose one of them. I see James in the corner of my eye walking towards me. I sigh as I turn towards him arms crossed.

"Congrats on second D, I always knew you were a loser" he snarled.

"Shut up James. Everyone knows you're just an ass so get off your high horse, besides I'll beat you when it really matters in the final ranking jerk."

I see him storm off with Ryan and Joey close behind and I turn back to Steph and Chris.

Steph being obviously upset says to the group "If I am going down I am going down in flames who wants to get tattoos?"

We all smile and nod and head to the tattoo parlor. We all decide to get the dauntless symbol tattooed onto us. Chris on his chest, Steph on her right shoulder and mine on my left lower calf towards the ankle.