I do not own anything associated with Divergent or the Vampire Diaries. If I did, I wouldn't be writing fanfiction.
I do not get to stay away from Klaus for long. It's only about fifteen minutes, in fact, because dinner ends and the Dauntless move to wherever they are to go, whereas the transfers stand around dumbly, looking for Marcel. And then Klaus whistles at us like dogs, holding up a hand casually, and we all take that moment to gather around him.
"You're in luck, initiates," he smirks. "I'll be escorting you to your quarters this evening." The hand goes down and he turns on his heel, sauntering through the hole in the wall with no other words, and we all hurry after him, stumbling over stray debris as we go, whereas he moves elegantly and lethally, like some type of animal. A leopard maybe. Or a wolf.
We follow him down a hall, taking a few turns my mind barely memorizes, before he stops in front of a pair of wide double doors. "For those of you who don't know," he drawls. "My name is Klaus. I'm a leader here at Dauntless- and I personally volunteered to oversee your training this year."
His lips curl into a vicious grin, and momentarily I wonder why just this year he volunteered to oversee our training. Maybe it's because of his sister. Maybe it's because of something else entirely.
"Of course, you'll all have to follow a few measly rules," his smirk sharpens. "You're all to be in the Pit by 7:55, where Marcel or myself will escort you to the training room, and inside the training room by 8:00. Come in even a minute late, and I won't be very convinced of your duty to your new faction. You will get no lenience here, which means each day will be a long one, from 8:00 to 6:00, with a one hour break midday for lunch. Other than that-" he shrugs. "Do as you please, and do try not to get yourself killed before the cut at the end of stage 2."
I want to open my mouth and ask what the cut is, what he means, but I want none of his attention on me. I don't even want him to look at me once. Thankfully,Bonnie speaks up before I can. "What cut?"
Klaus's eyes sweep over to her, and he grins, as if he was hoping someone would ask the question. "We don't want those who are weak," he shrugs. "Don't have time for them. So a new rule has been enforced. Only the top ten ranking initiates will be permitted to stay in Dauntless."
It takes all of my energy not to fall over right then.
Katherine's fingers clamp onto my skin tight, and I know she feels the same way, can see it in the way she pales, mouth parted slightly. We're thinking the same thing, that we're both presumed weaker and that already makes us targets. Why hadn't anyone told us that there was a cut?
"Lucky for you, there are only seven transfers this year- an unusually low number," he continues as if his words hadn't just changed our whole lives. This was no longer an initiation. This was a fight for survival. "But there are still ten Dauntless born initiates, which very well means you could all be cut." He shrugs.
"How are the cuts determined?" One of the only male transfers-Tyler, I had heard him called- demands, dark eyes fixed on Klaus.
Klaus, evidently, does not like being looked at by someone that boldly, because his own eyes narrow, and Tyler flinches back slightly. "You will all be ranked," the leader replies. "Separately throughout stage one than the Dauntless born initiates. However, at the end of the first stage, you will all be ranked together. The lowest four ranking initiates will be cut, and the rest will go at the end of stage 2."
"So, that's all the rankings are for then?" Bonnie asks, swallowing. "To cut those of us who don't make it?"
Klaus shrugs, obviously enjoying the fear he is igniting in all of us, even in his sister. "They're also used to determine who gets what job. Unfortunately, I'm quite positive only the jobs offered to the highest ranking initiates will appeal to you lot, but alas, a job is a job."
"But that isn't fair!" Someone protests, and I don't even look around to see who said it, too frozen in my own terror. "If we had known-"
"You what?" Klaus asks, cocking his head slightly to the side, and I have to stifle a shiver at the predatory look in his eyes. "Would you have not chosen Dauntless? Because if that's the case, you might as well get out now. What a pitiful sign of cowardice, not picking us because you might get cut. If you are truly Dauntless, you won't mind the chance that you could be cut. You'll give it your all anyways." Out of the corner of my eye, I see Rebekah stiffen, her lips pressed tight. Klaus is looking right at her, challenging his sister. "You chose us. Now, we get to choose you."
I pick a bed in between Katherine and Bonnie, and as soon as I've changed into my night clothes, they're there, sitting on my bunk instead of their own. I don't hesitate to join them. "So what do you think about Klaus?" Bonnie asks me.
Quickly, I glance for Rebekah, not wanting her to hear us gossiping about her brother. When I see she's still in the shared bathrooms (yeah, SHARED bathrooms) checking her complexion in a mirror, I turn back to my new friends. "He's terrifying," I answer simply, and Bonnie nods her agreement. Katherine picks at her cuticles, trying to act casual, but I know by the way she glances up that she's listening.
Klaus hadn't so much as glanced at Bonnie or me when we entered where we'll be staying. But Katherine- he had stared at her for a good five seconds before looking away, scowling. It hadn't been outright recognition in his eyes, when he studied her, but it had been something.
"My problem isn't with Klaus," I say glumly, studying my hands. They're callused- working hands from spending such a large amount of my time growing up in the fields. "My problem is that I'm going to be factionless in about 6 weeks."
"Well, yeah, if you keep thinking like that," Katherine scoffs at me, leaning back and propping herself up at the base of the bed. "We haven't even been here a whole day. Giving up is dumb."
"Katherine is right," Bonnie tells me firmly, and I can't help but feel that I'm actually facing two Candors, not just one. "Like Klaus said, there's only seven transfers this year, which, from the choosing ceremonies I've seen, is surprisingly low." She's right- there's only us three, Rebekah, Tyler, and two Candor transfers named Diego and Thierry. We could very well all become Dauntless together. Or we could all be factionless. "And we haven't even started training. You don't know if you're going to be good at it or not."
"Okay," I breath, nodding. "You're right. We can do this." It's time to put away neurotic, control-freak Caroline and let brave Caroline. If she exists.
Still, I don't sleep well.
Author's Note: This chapter was pretty lame and short, but there will be a longer chapter up soon, along with some much needed character development. c: