Divergent | Fight For Survival

[sunshine and whiskey]

1x1 between myself and @Akeira.


This is a Divergent Fandom roleplay, so if you're a fan or even if you are not, we invite you to read along.

 

[sunshine and whiskey]

Mycah was sitting with his Erudite family, hands clasped together but barely staying together since his palms were sweating. Walking into this, he was confident and ready but when he saw the sea of color, he was nervous. A soft sigh escaped over his parted lips as he felt a hand touch his shoulder, causing him to jump slightly. "You okay, bro?" It was Lonnie. His female friend and fellow Erudite member. "Yes, I am fine." He said in a shaky tone. Lonnie quirked up a brow at him. "You sure, you look so tense. Relax, bro." She said as her father came by her side, she waved off towards Mycah as he waved back then watched as she went to sit with her father, a few rows down.


He blew out a breath of air then saw his mother came and sit beside him. She leaned over and whispered to him. "No matter what you choose, you will forever and always be my son." She then stared straight as the Choosing Ceremony had begun. Name after name was called and he would cringe every time the male pulled out a name then would exhale when it wasn't him. Soon, his name was called and he stayed seated because he was basically frozen with fear. After hearing his name being called a second and third time, he finally got up and walked to the stage and stood before the five factions.


Mycah looked at the male, who waved his hand towards the small blade that Mycah picked up and sliced the edge of his palm. He winced in pain then eyed the five bowls, each imprinted with their respective faction name, in front of him then turned back and glanced at his mother, who nodded his head and mouthed 'I love you'. Mycah turned back towards the bowl of rocks then extended his hand far left and let his blood drop into the Dauntless bowl. Of course, the Dauntless men and women cheered while the Erudite men and women groaned. He walked over there and received multiple high fives then sat down on the front row. "I hope you know what you got yourself into." One of the members whispered to him as he did nothing but look at them then straight ahead.


His eyes danced over towards his mother, who had tears in her eyes. He felt a little bad but then wanted to know if he could do it over but then knew he could. Another sigh would present itself as the ceremony had ended and now, he felt really bad, leaving his mother all alone in the world of Erudite but he did the change for himself and no one else.

 

[Akeira]

April sat impatiently with her Dauntless family, tapping her foot against the floor beneath her feet. Unlike many of the other sixteen-year-olds whom would be choosing that day, the brunette was not worried. She was confident in the decision she would make. Next to her, her parents and elder sister wondered what faction their youngest would choose. The third born the Wood's, her eldest brother had chosen Candor, a revelation that shocked them. Unlike Andrew, the middle child, Margaret, had chosen Dauntless, making her parents proud, especially so after placing well in her initiation. Moments later, Margaret, whom sat next to April in the Dauntless section, squeezed her sister's hand. The younger girl responded with a smile of her own.


"Good luck." Margaret whispered quietly with a grin, exhaling a sigh afterwards. April's parents looked ahead, having said their wishes and farewells in the comfort of their home earlier that morning. "Thanks." She replied, winking at her sister and causing the elder girl to laugh. Their conversation ended there, as the Choosing Ceremony begun. Beginning with those who had last names beginning with Z, her name was called shortly. When the time came, April swallowed and sighed, rising slowly and glancing toward her family once more. Her father nodded approvingly, while her mother smiled, and Margaret squeezed her arm once more. The sixteen-year-old descended toward the stage in the middle, feeling many pairs of eyes on her back. Normally, she would be calm, though the importance of this moment could not go unnoticed.


April gazed at the male on stage, as he repeated the gesture of waving toward the small blade closest to her. Stepping forward, she picked up the small blade and sliced the edge of her palm. She bit her lip softly, though she barely felt the pain, as she sustained injuries due to her antics around the city. Her pale blue eyes scanned the five bowls, admiring the imprinted emblems on each one. Without a second thought, April raised her hand, extended it toward the bowl on the far left. She clenched her hand into a fist, watching her blood slowly drip over the hot rocks of Dauntless. As soon as her fluid touched the steaming stone, the Dauntless men and women erupted in cheers. She smirked and turned, locking eyes with her family who stood and clapped. She walked back to Dauntless, clapped on the back by a few members in the front. She took a seat there, sitting comfortably and waiting for the ceremony to end.


As the ritual continued, April hoped initiation proved she made the right choice to stay. Some Dauntless in her class chose to transfer, though a reasonable amount decided to stay, which caused her to smile. The ceremony ended and the brunette rose, as it would be time to leave soon. She had heard from some that Choosing Day was the hardest day of their life, though April felt the opposite at the moment. It was the best day of her life to date.

 

[sunshine and whiskey]

Mycah stood up to his feet with a slight sigh as one of the older Dauntless members looked at him. "Having second thoughts?" They basically asked a few turned towards him as he eyed them back. "If I was having second thoughts, I wouldn't be standing right here with you guys." Mycah said with a hint of attitude, rolling his eyes in the process. "You might want to strap up kid, this isn't going to be easy." And as the building was close to be empty, one of the Dauntless leaders called for them to go but instead of walking, they ran. It wasn't something he was use to but if he was going to part of The Brave, it was something he had to get use to.


They burst through the glass pane doors and ran for about two miles then climbed up a steel structure. His eyes scaled the structure as another Dauntless member eyed him from up top. "What's the matter? Scared to get your hands a little dirty?" Mycah clenched his jaw then he went to climb the steel structure as he reached the top and basically had to do it by himself, looking down as he saw how far they were up. He wasn't really cut out for this and knew that he had made a bold choice when he decided to be apart of Dauntless. The same member of Dauntless came up to him and whimpered. "Awe, is the Erudite afraid of heights?" The Dauntless member towered over him a little bit. One of the leaders of Dauntless whistled then shouted.


"If you fall, you will be out and live on your life being factionless! Got it? Good." And with those words said, a train appeared from a tunnel as they all started running then jumping on the train. Mycah raised a brow then started running as well as he jumped but missed the first time. He jumped again then missed yet again. With another attempt, he grabbed onto the railing and basically threw himself onto the train, landing next to a Dauntless born female. He couldn't really remember her name but decided to not say anything except apologize. "Sorry if I bumped into you. It wasn't intentional." He chuckled then raised up to his feet and dusted himself off.


Mycah held on then saw that everyone was jumping onto the top of a building. He had got a running start then jumped as well, rolling to save his fall as he watched as the train kept on going. 'These people are crazy as hell.' He thought to himself while getting up, only to be knocked down by the guy from Dauntless that has been giving him hell since the train of death jump. "What is your problem?!" Mycah shouted, causing almost everyone to turn around and witness what was transpiring between then.


The male turned around with a smirk and simply said nothing as he kept on walking and stood in the front. Mycah found himself in the far back then looked as a male with tattoos stood on the ledge, waiting for everyone to file in before speaking.

 

[Akeira]

April continued to stand, glancing around the large room, as those in the building began to exit. She turned to the female initiate beside her, Mavra, another one of the Dauntless born whom decided to stay. "I see you couldn't let go of Dauntless either." April smirked, causing the girl to chuckle and nod. "Definitely not." She murmured in response with a smug smile and a shrug of her shoulders. One of the important maxims of their society was faction before blood. Fortunately, the two Dauntless born girls would have no problem here, considering their faction and blood fell into the same category. They followed the others out of the building, laughing pleasantly when they began running as usual.


As they ran two miles through the crowded streets of the city, April whistled and hollered like the rest of the Dauntless born initiates. She felt free when she ran, like she could anything. Her dark curls whipped in the wind, yet the girl paid them no mind. When they approached the steel structure that led to the train tracks, she began to climb swiftly. April glanced over her shoulder, raising an eyebrow at a couple of the transfers whom seemed to be struggling. She could only wonder how they would manage in Dauntless. Moments later, she reached the top, whistling to a few of the others still climbing. Unlike some who taunted the transfers, she found them intriguing, as them seemed bold enough to move outside of the comfort zone they had known for sixteen years.


April was drawn from her thoughts when she heard wheels made contact with the metal tracks, turning toward her left and seeing the approaching train. Hearing the threatening words about falling and becoming factionless, she rolled her eyes, considering she's done this plenty of times. She grinned and looked toward Mavra before running once more, grabbing the rail and jumping onto the train, while it continued to move at top speed. The brunette moved toward the wall, leaning close to the door and flinching when a transfer threw himself in close to her. "No harm done." She chuckled in response to his apologize, quickly eyeing his Erudite clothing. "Nice jump, by the way." She said with a tone that hinted at a bit of sarcasm.


She ended the conversation there, looking toward the other initiates gathered in the train car. They were quite an interesting group. Her pale blue eyes were then drawn to the city, gazing out at the streets, as they passed each one by. She enjoyed that part of the ride, though peace was only momentary, given the hollers from the cars ahead. Soon, the Dauntless began to jump out, April joining them moments later and barely landing on her feet. She dusted herself off a bit, walking forward to where a group was gathering. A commotion broke out when she heard a vaguely familiar voice shout, seeing it was the Erudite who bumped into her earlier. She smirked in amusement at his outburst, seeing his anger directed toward a Dauntless male. April rolled her eyes, wanting to avoid any drama that might follow.


No fight broke out, and everyone filed in, looking up at a male with tattoos. He stood on the ledge, scrutinizing the initiates and waiting for them to settle down. "Alright, listen up. I'm Ian. I'm one of your leaders. If you want to enter Dauntless, this is the way in." He stated, gesturing to the hole some meters below the ledge. It was unclear as to what was beyond the hole, given that it looked like an empty abyss from where they stood on top of the building. "If you don't have the guts to jump, then you don't belong here." Ian added afterwards, crossing his arms. "Who's first?"

 

[sunshine and whiskey]

Mycah looked around as he wondered who the male with the tattoos trailing up to his neck. His eyes moved away from him towards a girl, well, the girl who he bumped into on the train. His eyes then flashed back towards the male as he introduced himself as Ian, one of the leaders. Mycah raised a brow then watched to see who was going to go first. It was an original Dauntless member as he saluted towards them then jumped like it was nothing. "Next!" Ian called out. "Come on, we don't have all day." Mycah sighed as he pushed his way through the sea of people before him and stood before the ledge.


"Ah, a smart ass before us." Ian joked as Mycah looked at him then lowered his head while stepping up on the ledge. His eyes trailed down towards the rather medium size opening of darkness as he really had second thoughts about all of this just now. "What's the matter? Smart ass scared?" Ian said while leaning on the ledge, making a somewhat sad face. "No. How do I know when I get down there that I am still going to be living?" Mycah responded as Ian's face then turned into a scowled look. "Well, I guess you'll just have to found out." With those words said, Ian pushed Mycah off of the ledge, causing him to gasp and fall down through the abyssal dark hole below.


Mycah screamed of course but sighed with relief when he realized that it was a net that caught them. Some of the Dauntless members helped him down as they eyed him. "Holy cow. Our first Erudite." One of the them said. "We're going to eat you alive." Mycah's jaw clenched at their words as he stood out of the way and waited around till all of the Dauntless members came down. His eyes looked towards the female from before as he looked away again then watched as Ian came down. "Alright, now follow me." His stern voice said as they all trailed close behind him.


His eyes widened when he saw their living quarters but raised a brow at the toilets and showers. They were out in the open, exposed really. Mycah took off his Erudite coat, which was blue in color and tossed it on one of the beds then sat down. "Be ready to go in ten minutes." He raised a brow as the older members brought them out newer clothing. Mycah didn't really have no problem changing into the black muscle shirt, which was for the men while the women got full t-shirts, and black pants, which were just a little tight. They were going to the recreation room first then to lunch, where they will hear a small speech from one of the Elder Dauntless members.


About nine minutes went by as they headed towards an area that had a mat in the middle of the floor. "This is a ring." Ian waved his hand towards the white square then eyed them. "This is your first stage of training, of course. You do this, you move on. You don't, you become factionless. Got it?" Mycah rolled his eyes then Ian saw him. "Smart ass, you can go first." With the shrug of his shoulders, he stepped into the ring like it was no problem then wondered who he was going to face. Ian looked at Mycah with a smirk then called out his opponent's name.


"April." Mycah looked around as he wondered who this April person was.

 

[Akeira]

April stared ahead, as Ian spoke, raising an eyebrow in disbelief when he expected them to jump. The brunette was a valiant girl, though she would not be the idiot to go first. She chuckled when a Dauntless born initiate stepped forward, clapping him on the back, as he passed. She rolled her eyes when he saluted, resisting the urge to look over the edge when he jumped. After a few more people had gone, April found the courage to go herself. "Ian." She said with a hint of mischief, as she approached the ledge. The older man nodded in response, watching her hazel eyes scan the medium size hole that led to a dark abyss. She stepped up carefully, exhaling a deep sigh before closing her eyes and jumping off the ledge of the building.


As April soared through the air, she screamed in both fear and delight, opening her hazel eyes and staring ahead. Her body grew closer to the hole, and she watched, as the light disappeared before her eyes. When the net caught her, she laughed and bounced up, waiting for some of the Dauntless members on the side to help her down. She glanced at them for a moment with a smile, before dusting herself off. "Thanks." She replied lightly before stepping to the side to wait for the remaining initiates to jump as well. As she waited, April scanned the crowd of growing initiates, her eyes settling on the Erudite whom had bumped into on the train. She eyed him curiously for a few seconds, drawn from her pondering when Ian came down a few minutes later. "Alright, now follow me." He said sternly, causing April and the others to follow without a second thought.


She sighed when she saw their living quarters, seeing as both genders would be living together. Though she was not very self-conscious about her body, April was afraid of wandering eyes in the area. Already dressed in black, she waited, flopping down on the bed designated as hers and waiting for the ten minutes to be up. She turned to Mavra, whom was assigned the bed next to her and smirked. "They really want us all to bond, don't they?" April teased, causing her friend to laugh in response. "I don't know. A few of the guys might be nice to look at." She responded, her eyes scanning the room and scrutinizing the males present. This caused April to roll her eyes, as she threw Mavra a look. "Careful, they won't look as nice after being knocked out." She taunted lightly with a shrug, waiting out the rest of the minutes in silence.


When the ten minutes were up, April followed the others toward the area with a mat in the middle of the floor. She listened to Ian's introduction, eyeing the mat cautiously and nodding slowly. Having looked at the group earlier, it was easy for the brunette to tell who would be easy to beat here. Others would be hard, particularly those bigger and stronger than her. Of course, Ian picked out the Erudite transfer once more, smirking lightly when the leader told him to go first. To her surprise, April's name was called as his opponent for the round. "Alright." She said casually, stepping into the ring and gazing at the boy across from her. "Hi there." She said with a smug smile, eyeing him carefully and moving into a bit of a fighting stance. She continued to watch him, staying on her side of the mat until they were told to begin to match. "How long do we go far?" April asked curiously, her eyes flickering to Ian, before settling on the Erudite again.

 

[sunshine and whiskey]

Mycah looked around, waiting for April to appear before him as he waved his arms out, shrugging his shoulders. "Awe, come on, don't be shy, April." He called out as he saw a female step before him and his mood changed drastically. It was the girl he had been staring at since he got into Dauntless and the one he bumped into on the train. It was her. He couldn't fight her as he eyed Ian, who was smirking with sheer delight. "I cannot fight a girl." Mycah claimed as Ian chuckled. "This is Dauntless. Male or female, we fight them all." Ian said as he gleamed at April's question. "Until smart ass here is blooded and battered." Ian responded as Mycah's jaw clench and he stood in a fighting stance. "Begin!" Ian voice roared as Mycah went towards April.


After a brief moment of fighting, it was clear that Mycah and April were neck and neck with each other. Sometime during the match, he whispered towards her. "Hey April, I am Mycah." He chuckled then threw her to the ground. Ian was not pleased with the match going on before him as he called out, sternly. "Stop! Stop!" He stepped into the ring and whispered towards them both. "You guys think this is a game. A joke? Dauntless members does not draw. They either win or lose. Now get the hell out of my ring." Mycah walked out of the ring after shooting a glare towards Ian, who was highly pissed off at him and April. "Next!" Ian called out as Mycah went beside April.


"Hey..." He touched her arm to get her attention, his nose trickling with a bit of blood, heavy panting coming over him as he breathed then continued speaking. "That was a good match." He smiled towards her then nodded as he'd walk off after she'd speak back towards him. Mycah stood in the back now as one of the Dauntless came up beside him with his arms folded over his chest. "You know, instead of pissing off Ian, why don't you try and fit in here." Mycah looked at him then looked straight ahead. "You know, instead of you coming into my business, who don't you just leave me the hell alone." When Mycah spoke those words, he walked towards the showers and showered alone and changed into his full Dauntless clothing, which included a pair of black leather boots, leather pants and a leather jacket, which usually covered a black t-shirt.


Soon, everyone came in from the recreational area and showered as someone mentioned to him that they were to report to lunch. Mycah didn't hesitate to stand up and make his trek towards the cafeteria but bumped into April along the way. "Hey. Again." He chuckled nervously then stroked his hand against the back of his neck while sticking the other into his jacket pocket. "You know, since we are co-founders of the Ian Haters Club, I'll save you a seat at lunch." Mycah looked up into her eyes after chuckling at the name he had said. Mycah then smiled while sticking his other hand into his jacket pocket now. "So, am I saving you seat?" He'd ask while waiting for a response from her.

 

[Akeira]

April could not help but smirk lightly in satisfaction when the Erudite dropped his demeanor. She could see the surprise in his eyes to be fighting her. She found him intriguing, especially after their run-in on the train. He seemed to be everywhere she looked. When he refused to fight a girl, the brunette crossed her arms defensively, tapping her foot and looking at him. "Don't worry. I don't bloody you up too much." She taunted, moving into a fighting stance once more. Dauntless did not believe in segregating on the basis of gender when it came to fighting. April rolled her eyes discreetly at Ian's response to her earlier question, seeing the growing tension between leader and transfer initiate. "Fine." She replied simply, nodding when Ian roared for the match to begin. She chose not to attack, wanting to see what her opponent was made of, before making a move herself.


Minutes had past, and April could see that they were much more evenly paired than she thought. She hissed stubbornly when the Erudite introduced himself in the middle of the match, resisting the urge to groan when he threw her to the ground. She had gotten a few good punches and kicks in, but Mycah was physically stronger than her. Standing up afterwards, her body ached slightly, though she tried not to show the bit of pain. When Ian stopped the fighting, she could tell he was upset there was no clear winner. April eyed him, as he stepped into the ring, her hands balling into fists briefly when he told them to get out. She scowled stubbornly, avoiding their leader's eyes before walking out of the ring shortly after Mycah.


She prepared to watch the next fight, stepping beside Mavra and panting, as her heart rate returned to normal. April flinched in surprise when a hand touched her arm, looking up to see Mycah staring at her. "You've got more potential than I thought." She smiled lightly in response, giving him a gentle compliment in her own way. The girl was upset that she did not win, though she was glad to have an even opponent. April would have been utterly embarrassed and downright angry if she was beaten badly, especially in a match against a transfer. She found herself smirking when Mycah talked back to a Dauntless member, thinking he had to have a lot of guts to do it. Definitely a Dauntless trait, she thought to herself, as he walked away from the group.


When the fighting ended, the initiates left the recreational area for the showers. April was delighted when the hot water ran over her body, even taking some time to wash her hair. She exited the shower with damp hair, dressing in a pair of black leather boots, as well as a tight tank top and leather pants of the same color. Making her way toward the cafeteria, she chuckled when Mycah bumped into her again. "Is this going to be a regular thing now?" She teased, though a small smile lingered on her face. April found herself crossing her arms in a defensive manner, watching curiouslywhen the boy chuckled nervously. She eyed him carefully, almost snorting at the phrase 'Ian Haters Club.' "I didn't know I was elected for a position." She retorted, uncrossing her arms with a smirk and looking up into his eyes. "Yes, you can save me a seat. You might have to save a couple though. My friend, Mavra, might be looking for me." She said with a smug smile, as if she was doing him favor by letting him save a spot.

 

[sunshine and whiskey]

Mycah gave her a thumbs up and nodded his head while walking alone towards the cafeteria, seeing a few of his fellow Erudite faction members head into a room, which was guarded. "Mycah?" He heard a voice call out towards him as he remembers that voice. "Mom? What are you doing here?" He asked her while walking closer towards her, whispering. "I just came here on..." Her eyes looked left then right as she leaned in closer. "Business." She chuckled then walked past him, also walking into the guarded area. She gave him one final glance before the guard shut the steel door. It was weird, freaky even. His wandered all over the place now as he made his way into the cafeteria.


Mycah sat close by the entrance way and placed his legs up to reserve the seats. Whenever he would see April and her friend, who name he doesn't bother to get to know, came into the room, he waved his hands in the air like an idiot and waved for them to come over. "I told I'd save you a seat, didn't I?" He'd ask April with a chuckle then eyed Ian as he walked by and glared at them two then continued on walking. "Looks like we're on his hit list now." Mycah said while fixing his plate, eating the food before him and taking a small sip from his metal cup. "You know what's weird, I just saw..." He couldn't even said it as all of the Dauntless members started banging their cups on the table.


A rather young, black female walked upon the scaffold above them and held onto the railing with a smile. She held up her hand and the clattering seized immediately. "Initiates, stand." She cocked a brow up at them then eyed them each one by one. "Welcome to Dauntless. You are here because you are brave and fearless and willing to protect the town from danger. It was nice for the ones that left their other faction and became Dauntless and for that, we salute you." She smiled as the members of Dauntless cheered and applauded, along with her. Mycah eyes widened as he was lifted up over everyone's head and basically crowd surfed.


He giggled then looked towards April with a smile, giving her a high five as he past by her. Soon, they lowered them to the ground and things got serious once again. Ian walked up behind him and April, whispering. "You two are fighting in the ring again. A winner will be decided, or you both are out." Mycah looked towards April with a bit of a worried look plastered against his face as he shrugged his shoulders then walked past her, following most of the Dauntless winners to the targets.


"Wait!" Ian's voice echoed as he eyed Mycah. "Go stand in front of the target. If I see you blink, flinch or move at all, you're out. Got it?" Mycah scoffed as he walked towards the target then turned around, sighing a little bit, seeing Ian's smirk danced across his lips. "April." Ian waved for her to come forth as he wrapped his arm around her, whispering in her ear while directing her to the table of throwing knives. "Now, you are going to throw those knives towards smart ass and don't go so easy on him." Mycah eyed April and nodded his head, mouthing the words 'You got this'.

 

[Akeira]

April waited for Mavra to finish up in the shower, sitting on her own bed and staring at the dull wall. She was still getting used to both genders living together, though it would not be a problem. When her friend finally finished up, she glanced toward her with a light smirk. "We have seats saved for us at lunch." April relayed with a bit of mischief in her pale eyes. "By who?" Marva inquired, raising an eyebrow in curiosity. "You'll see when we get there. Be patient." The brunette reprimanded lightly with a shrug, rising from the bed she rested on. She added the last bit on purpose, knowing her Dauntless born friend was not the most forbearing person in the entire city.


From there, the two girls exited their living quarters, making their way through a couple corridors toward the cafeteria. Upon entering, April raised an eyebrow when Mycah waved them over, giving him a small grin and heading in that direction. "Yes, you came through with your promise." She retorted with a smug smile, sitting down in one of the seats he reserved. Mavra gave her a look, though the brunette ignored it for the time being. Her pale blue eyes locked with Ian's, as their instructor passed by them, and she resisted the urge to scowl slightly. She began to fill up her plate with food, raising an eyebrow at Mycah's comment about being on Ian's hit list. "I wouldn't be surprised if one of us disappeared at night." She joked, though it was quite possible, given the deep Chasm at the bottom of Dauntless' Pit. She was going to ask Mycah about what he saw, only to be interrupted when Dauntless members started banging their cups on the table.


She laughed, considering this was a common occurrence in Dauntless. When their leader, a young, black female appeared on top of the scaffold, April paid attention, knowing it had to be quite the announcement for her to be here. She listened with interest, grinning as their superior welcomed them to the faction. When she concluded, April clapped with the rest of the initiates, laughing in surprise when she was suddenly lifted above everyone's heads. She looked around and braced herself, as she was passed from person to person throughout the cafeteria. It was a liberating feeling she enjoyed, being praised for daring to take the journey of becoming a full-fledged Dauntless member. She laughed and gave Mycah a high five when he passed, still chuckling when she was lowered to her feet moments later. Having never been present for this welcoming before, she thought that her faction rolled out quite the red carpet for their initiates.


Her pleasant mood was ruined when she heard Ian's voice near her ear, shivering in annoyance and turning around to face him. "Alright." She replied stoically, eyeing their educator before he walked away. She dropped the hard demeanor when he left them, giving Mycah a troubled look and biting her lip with worry. One of them could go easy to produce a winner, but how would that look? She thought to herself, following the other Dauntless tributes out of the cafeteria. Again, they were in the dark corridors of the compound, this time making their way toward the room with targets. Here, there was a wooden wall with carved out figures of human bodies, all separated by a few feet. They were to practice throwing knives, trying to get as close as possible.


April looked at the targets with intrigue, drawn from her thoughts when Ian roared once more. Her eyes widened in surprise when he told Mycah to stand in front of the target, knowing he would be in the way of flying knives. Her own name was called, and she stepped forward, immediately feeling uncomfortable when Ian wrapped an arm around her. She looked down and shifted a bit uneasily, her hands balling into fists when he whispered to throw knives at the boy. She could tell that he was enjoying this, though she didn't want to give him the satisfaction. "Fine." She replied, stepping away from him quickly and moving toward a table with four knives. April exhaled a sigh, knowing Ian wouldn't be satisfied until she got exceptionally close. She looked toward Mycah and nodded, giving him a sorrowful look, as she picked up the first blade.


The sixteen-year-old clutched the smooth handle of the blade tightly in her hand, glancing at Mycah, as he stood in front of the target. She prayed that he wouldn't flinch, throwing the first blade and watching it land near his left thigh. April looked to Ian, who only encouraged her to throw more, three others still sitting on the table. "C'mon April, you can get a little closer." The leader taunted with a smug smile, as the brunette picked up a second knife. She gripped it tightly for a few moments before throwing it far, biting her lip when it landed very close to his right shoulder. "Closer." Ian pressed, and she nodded reluctantly, picking up a third blade and hurling the metal at the wood a few inches above his head. April bit her lip, looking at Ian for a moment, before picking up the last knife. She gripped it very heavily in her right hand, aiming for the top of Mycah's head, releasing it quickly, and hoping the knife would only clip the very top of his spiked hair.

 

[sunshine and whiskey]

Mycah watched April as she threw the first knife, which landed beside his left thigh. He didn't flinch nor blink, though the urge was creeping up on him but he tried his best to fight it off. When the threw the second knife, it seemed like it was going to stab him but it landed a little bit above his right shoulder. He exhaled through his parted lips then heard Ian say something about getting closer. Was he trying to kill him? Or was he just amusing himself in front of the initiates? Either way, he never took his eyes off of April as she threw the third knife, which landed mere inches from the top of his head. The last knife however made his stomach churn as it landed close to the scalp of his head. His eyes watched as a few pieces of his spiked hair fell to the floor. He looked back towards April then saw the smirk on Ian's face.


"Follow me, initiates." Ian spoke softly and calmly then turned heel and walked away. Mycah grabbed April by the shoulder and nodded his head. "Thanks for not killing me and the cool haircut." He winked with a smile then followed behind the initiates. Mycah was directed by Ian to come forth as they continued walking into what seemed like a cave but then saw a rusted bridge up ahead and wondered what were they going to do. "You did good, kid." Ian said as they closer to the bridge then eventually on it as he pushed Mycah, who caught onto the edge, though his fingers were slipping since he was unprepared. "Now, you have two choices, fall and die or hang there and let everyone see what a smart ass is made of." Ian chuckled after those words, eying April then winking at her.


Mycah pulled himself up to remain in a stable position as his eyes went towards April as well. His eyes were really tearing up as he didn't want to let go but his fingers were telling another story. He winced from the pain as the rusted bridge were cutting slightly into the palm of his hands. Ian continued to tower over him with his arms folded over his chest as he smirked then parted his lips to speak. "Alright. Time!" His voice roared as a few of the male initiates went over and grabbed him, pulling him back up onto the bridge. He panted heavily then coughed a little bit as he was trying to catch his breath. Ian smirked as he went over and grabbed April, throwing her over the bridge now. "Let them see your cowardice. No one touch her." Ian said as he walked away, Mycah eyed April with a sorrowful look, much like the one she gave him earlier.


"Help her. Now!" Mycah's voice roared as the males helped April up. He eyed April, still trying to catch his breath. "You okay?" He asked through his breaths then looked at her. Her friend, Mavra came over to make sure she was alright as well. "I think we need to have some fun tonight. Tattoos anyone?" All of the initiates basically agreed with Mycah as they helped him and April back up to his feet. He was directed towards the infirmary, were he had his hands patched up tightly as he looked up and saw Brady, a new friend he had made within Dauntless come in. "You alright, man?" Mycah nodded his head while looking at Brady. "Do you and that girl have a death wish or something?" He asked as Mycah eyed him. "That girl name happens to be April. And if we do, we're surviving and doing a hell of a great job of escaping death."


With those words, Mycah raised up and walked off then walked past the pit and saw a device, which seemed to be something like a scoreboard. He was at the bottom, last place to be exact. His name searched for April as she was well above the line, though on the bottom row. He shook his head with sigh then turned heel and walked down to the tattoo parlor and club area of the Dauntless compound. Mycah searched the tattoo section and decided which tattoo to get.

 

[Akeira]

April sighed in relief when only a few pieces of Mycah's hair fell to the floor. She blinked rapidly and cleared her throat, looking at Mycah and then a smug Ian afterwards. "Follow me, initiates." Their instructor commanded, walking away and expecting the others to follow. She began walking, though she stopped when a hand grabbed her shoulder, turning around to face Mycah. "Thanks for not flinching. That definitely would have killed you." She remarked with a soft smile, choosing not to tell him that she was uncertain about the last knife when she threw it. April tried to erase that doubt from her mind, raising an eyebrow in curiosity when the group entered a cave with a rusted bridge. When Ian called Mycah forward, her eyes widened when he pushed him off, rushing forward to help him, though Mavra held her back. April's friend was right, considering he would have to endure this on his own until Ian was satisfied.


Her stomach churned when Ian winked at her, crossing her arms in a defensive manner and staring at him. April's pale eyes soon met Mycah's dark ones, and she softened a considerable amount, hoping he would not let go of the bar. She saw him wince and bit her lip, wondering how long their leader would let this torment continue. She exhaled a breath she didn't realize she held when Ian called time, watching a few of the male initiates pull him back onto the bridge. Just as she was about to ask him if he was okay, Ian caught her by surprise, grabbing her as well and throwing her over the bridge. April cried out in astonishment, the rusted metal burning against her flesh, as she tried her best to hold on. "Let them see your cowardice. No one touch her." The words burned in her mind, as the pain her fingers felt increasing rapidly. She bit her lip to resist crying out again, breathing heavily and glancing toward Mycah for a few moments.


April was seconds away from letting go when the males finally helped her up, breathing loudly and laying on the side of the bridge. Her pale blue eyes looked down at the Chasm, knowing she would have died quickly, if she went through with letting go. "I'm f-fine." She huffed stubbornly, eyeing Mycah and then Mavra, as the girl came over to check on her as well. "I-I'm game." She replied at the mention of getting tattoos, needing something to do to take the weight of initiation from her mind. April was helped back up to her feet, glancing down at her hands that had raw, red marks due to the rusting bridge. "Let's get those taken care of." Mavra suggested, and she nodded in agreement, never letting her friend know that dancing with death left her a bit shaken. Remaining quiet, she followed the blonde to the infirmary.


As her hands were patched up tightly, April stared down at them quietly. Mavra stood a couple feet away, saying nothing until after the assigned personal was done with their task. "Are you sure you're alright?" The blonde asked, causing April to sigh and look up at her from where she sat. "Yeah, Ian is just an ass." She replied with a light smirk, though her hands burned, and she was still shocked about how close her knives came to killing another person. She was not sure if Mavra bought her calm demeanor, yet she decided not to question it. Her friend did not reply, and soon, the two girls left the infirmary for the tattoo parlor. Mavra had suggested checking their rankings on the scoreboard, but April insisted taking a mental break for now.


They arrived at the tattoo parlor and club area of the Dauntless compound, weaving around to the tattoo section for now. Mavra went to look at the insignias on the other side, leaving April alone to choose what she wanted. She smirked when she eyed Mycah not too far away, wondering what he would choose to adorn on his body. "What are you looking for? A nice butterfly or a pretty rainbow?" She teased lightly, her pale eyes never leaving the rack of designs in front of her. There were not enough words in the English language to describe how indecisive she was herself.

 

[sunshine and whiskey]

Mycah eyes scanned over the tattoo section then scoffed as they really didn't have anything good for real. He felt a presence come beside him then heard the voice and knew it was April. "I don't know though both of those are now at the top of my list." He joked back while nudging her lightly then folded his arms over his chest and sighed. "Well, seems like Ian is trying to make our lives a living hell now, huh?" He chuckled while lowering his head, only to bring it back up and meet her gaze. She had amazing eyes but he broke out of his own trance while placing his hand on a design. "I think that I'll get this one." It was a tiger paw and he decided to get it upon his upper right breastbone.


"Hey, I would like this tattoo please." The woman nodded and walked off, meaning for him to follow her, which he did. Once in the tattoo chair as the female was powering up the tattoo device and placing it where he wanted it, she spoke. "You need to stay away from April. She is Dauntless born. She is dangerous." Mycah raised a brow at the woman then laughed. "You don't know what you are talking about. She is nice. Did Ian put you up to this?" He'd ask as she finished up the tattoo then eyed Mycah in the eyes. "April is dangerous. Just wait and see." Mycah rose up from the chair and placed back on his shirt then looked at her. "You're crazy. Thanks for the tattoo though."


As he left her station, he bumped into his friend Brady. "Hey guy." Mycah rolled his eyes. "You were pretty cool holding onto that bridge, bet you couldn't do it again." Mycah jaw clenched and his fists balled up. Brady looked down at his gestures then leaned into whisper. "Make your move." Mycah stood down then smirked. "In the ring..." He turned heel to walk off but yelled. "Now!" They weren't really allowed to fight without a leader being present, let alone be in ring at all. Mycah took off his shirt, revealing his new tattoo as a small crowd of other Dauntless members gathered. Brady stepped into the ring first followed by Mycah as they both took defensive stances.


Brady swung first but Mycah ducked underneath it and punched him in the stomach, hearing him groan then kneed him in the gut afterwards. Brady clasped his hands together then brought them down hard onto Mycah's back, which caused him to fall to the ground. Brady then got on top of him and started punching him repeatedly until the word stop echoed throughout the pit. Everyone's eyes fell upon Lysa, a female Dauntless leader. She stepped into the ring, just as Brady got off of Mycah then helped Mycah up to his feet. "I've been watching you kid." She smiled softly. "And you suck." Her face turned into a serious look, causing Mycah to lower his head and step out of the ring, grabbing his shirt but not putting it back on yet.


Lysa eyed April with a wink then looked at everyone else. "Disperse!" She commanded of them as she walked off. Mycah went back to the barracks, sitting on his steaming like a pot of boiling water. Brady walked in and looked at him with a smirk. Mycah jumped over two beds and jumped on Brady. It took about four Dauntless members to break them apart. "You are a coward, Brady!" Brady looked at Mycah. "You're done in Dauntless." Mycah pushed the Dauntless members away from him then went back over to his bed and laid down. Ian soon walked in with Lysa beside him. "I hear we have a tough guy in the group. Smart ass, stand." Mycah looked at Ian then stood with a sigh. "My name is Mycah dammit!" Ian quirked a lip along with a brow. "Okay, Mycah dammit. You're next fight will be between Brady here. Good luck." Mycah sighed while laying back down on his back, staring up at the ceiling, thinking.

 

[Akeira]

April chuckled in response to Mycah's answer about the feminine tattoos, rolling her eyes when he nudged her lightly. "I'm sure they'll look lovely with your hair." She joked with a light smirk, continuing to look at the rack in front of her. Unfortunately, she was no close to figuring out the tattoo she wanted. It was not an easy task for her, as she wanted to make a statement with the ink on her body. "Ian doesn't seem to like many people. We just seem to be at the top of his hit list for the time being." She laughed softly, finally turning her eyes to meet his gaze. She bit her lip softly, as pale eyes met charming, dark ones once more. April pushed away the feeling in her stomach, breaking the gaze and glancing at the tattoo he pointed out. "Nice choice." She complimented with a nod, sending him a small smile before looking through the other designs once more.


As Mycah walked away to get his tattoo, the brunette sighed, completely indecisive on what to get. Her pale eyes scanned various racks, a few designs sticking out, yet nothing jumped out at her as if to say 'I'm the one.' She continued to look for a few more minutes before her gaze settled on a pattern near the bottom of a rack. It was a small strip of flames, reminding her of the Dauntless insignia instantly. Upon seeing the tattoo, she smirked and nodded, knowing it had the deep meaning that she wanted. Not only was Dauntless the faction she was keen on joining, it was the group she was faithful to. "Bates, can I get this one?" She inquired, looking at one of the male artists who didn't have a client at the moment. This was one of her first times in the tattoo parlor, though she knew the guy well enough by association. He was distinguishable enough, sporting a tattoo sleeve in each arm and showing them off by wearing muscle shirts. In addition, April was sure that he did some ink for her sister, Margaret.


Bates nodded and motioned for her to follow, which she did until they arrived at his tattoo chair. She sat down comfortably, raising her right arm up and positioning it for the tattoo. "All the way around the wrist." April told Bates, relaxing in the chair and humming lightly. He powered up the tattoo device and began to place it where she wanted, causing the girl to wince occasionally. "Too much for ya?" Bates chuckled softly when he saw her grimace for the third time, raising an eyebrow and smirking lightly. She rolled her eyes, throwing him a look and making sure not to move. "You of all people should know wrist tattoos aren't the easiest to get." She reprimanded with a playful smile, causing him to laugh once more. They were silent for the remainder of the session, April closing her eyes and relaxing while Bates finished up.





When the artist was done with his work, April rose from her chair and thanked him with a small smile. She exited his area, looking around the tattoo parlor for Mavra. Her blonde friend was done earlier, having decided on a design much sooner than her counterpart. "Let's have a look." Marva said when she approached, April proudly showing the tattoo wrapping around her right wrist. "Very nice." She complimented, showing her friend the tattoo on shoulder blade in return. As the two girls left the parlor, they chatted animatedly about initiation and the ink they had just gotten. As they approached the fighting area, April raised a suspicious eyebrow, when she heard a commotion coming from that direction. She looked at Mavra curiously, the two girls heading over to see what was happening. The brunette was surprised, as she pushed her way to the front and saw an inexperienced Mycah fighting Brady. "What the hell does he think he's doing?" She asked Mavra, to which the blonde replied with a shrug.


April watched the fight with crossed arms, wondering why the two halfwits thought this was a good idea. It was clear that Brady was winning, as he brought his hands down on Mycah, getting on top of him and punching him repeatedly. She sighed, knowing there was nothing she could do without risking a punch herself or causing more embarrassment on the part of the boys. Minutes later, salvation appeared in the form of Lysa, a Dauntless leader who broke up the fight between the two initiates. April watched their interaction intently, listening to their conversation and biting her lip to avoid laughing. She turned to Mavra and began talking about some nonsense, though Lysa's wink did not go unnoticed. April smirked in return, letting Lysa walk off and resuming her conversation with Mavra. The two girls walked toward their living quarters, holding a discussion about what they just witnessed.


It seemed like a déjà vu moment when they arrived, watching Mycah jump across two beds to get to Brady. April frowned and watched the confrontation, wondering how the tension between the two boys arose in the first place. Four Dauntless members broke them apart, and she rolled her eyes, walking further into the room with Mavra in tow. She never understood males and their constant need to prove their masculinity. Instead of watching the rest of the interaction, she simply made her way to her bed, lying down on it and staring at the ceiling. "Mav, I told you about boys. Idiots." She said with a smug smile, looking at her friend for a few moments. Things settled down considerably when the Dauntless leaders left, leaving the initiates to mingle among themselves. April sat up, looking toward Mycah with curiosity. "Why are you picking fights with Brady?" She asked.

 

[sunshine and whiskey]

Mycah continuously stared up at the ceiling then looked at April when she came over. He sat up with a sigh then looked up at her. "Sorry. It's just that I had a flashback back from Erudite." He bit his bottom lip, a little nervously then rubbed his hands together, standing up now and placing back on his shirt. "Hey, want to go for a few drinks?" He'd ask her while noticing Ian coming back into the perimeter of the room. "Alright, guys. Listen up." His tone of voice had changed somewhat as his eyed bounced over towards Mycah. "Him and Brady are meeting in the ring, right about now. Let's go." Mycah sighed then looked at April, shaking his head.


After changing into his fighting gear, he past by April and muttered. "Guess we'll have to take a rain check on those drinks." He'd wink at her then continued walking, following everyone else towards the ring. Brady was gladly to be the first one to step into the squared circle as he was bouncing around and eyed Mycah, waiting with sheer anticipation. Ian smirked towards him then pushed his head forward towards the ring, chuckling under his breath.


Mycah sighed with his head lowered then stepped into the ring, immediately rushing towards Brady then wrestled him down to the ground. Mycah threw some fierce punches early on but then Brady turned the tables, punching Mycah repeatedly in the gut. A young, black female came into the ring area and demanded that they stop fighting at once. It was the Head Leader of the Dauntless faction but what would she be doing here, now. Ian stopped them at once then looked at Mycah with a smirk. The Head Leader went over to Mycah and knelt down. "You alright?" She'd ask him as he nodded his head and was helped up by some of her bodyguards.


"Initiates, I am Jackye. I use to be in your shoes, many ages ago. I appointed Ian, leader while I worked more behind the scenes now." She said while standing in the ring now. "The first part of the test, which is physical is almost over but when have something special we like to play here in the Dauntless faction." Her lips pursued into a light smile then pressed together to speak again. "War Games or Capture the Flag, if you will." She eyed Ian then walked over towards him. "Remember that the old rules for War Games are out of the window." Jackye then walked away, her bodyguards not trailing too far behind her.


Mycah looked over at April then lowered his head again. At first, he was winning but now, he felt like he was losing her as a friend. When Ian called for them to catch the train. As everyone whooped and hollered, Mycah walked over towards April, pulling her back and away from the rest of the group. "I saw Erudite members in Dauntless. Why would they be here?" It was a rhetorical question towards her because he'd know that she wouldn't have the slightest clue. He shrugged his shoulders then grabbed her hand, running with her towards the train.


He'd lift her up, so that she'd catch onto the train and get aboard, he followed after her soon then exhaled, panting. "Look, sorry for my recent displayed actions. I am not some male that needs to prove his masculinity." Mycah spoke towards April in a whisper then saw as Ian stepped forth, dropping an unknown black bag onto the ground. What was in that bag? No one had no idea as he eyed everyone with a smirk.

 

[Akeira]

April tapped her foot impatiently, raising an eyebrow in curiosity when Mycah mentioned Erudite. Though she would never admit it, the brunette was intrigued each time he mentioned his old faction. It was similar to learning about their city from a different perspective. She continued her defensive demeanor, wondering what he was playing at when he asked her to join him for a few drinks. "Hmm, well-" She began, though before she could finish her reply, Ian appeared in her peripheral vision, and she stopped talking. She rolled her eyes when their leader announced the fight between Mycah and Brady, throwing the former a look for a moment and shrugging her shoulders. "He does really have it out for you." She noted tersely before going back to her bed.





While Mycah changed into his fighting gear, April hung back and waited for him to finish, letting Mavra go ahead with the rest of the group. Part of her thought she was being stupid by shutting him out, yet the stubborn side of her thought she was doing the right thing. Letting him leave the room first, a smirk appeared on her soft lips when he mentioned a rain check on those drinks. "Good luck." She said flatly, trying to ignore the feeling in her stomach when he winked at her. It was for reasons like these she tended to stay away from the opposite sex unless absolutely necessary.


When she arrived at the ring, a large crowded had already gathered around it. The Dauntless born female pushed her way to the front, standing beside Mavra and giving her female friend a soft nudge. Her blonde friend replied back with a nudge of her own, and April smiled, looking toward the ring where Brady seemed to be warming up for the match. She bit her lip when Mycah stepped in, hoping he wouldn't get his ass kicked too badly. It was obvious that fighting was not his strong point, though she reckoned more practice would help him get better. Unfortunately, she had to watch, as Brady began to punch Mycah in the gut repeatedly. She winced and wished she could help, though Mavra's words about holding back lingered in the back of her mind. The Erudite transfer would have to fight his own battles, especially if he was keen on becoming a fully-fledged Dauntless member.


The fight continued for a few more minutes, and April found herself becoming more tense, as time went on. Why the hell would Ian put him through this? She thought to herself, momentarily glaring at Ian and wondering why he found pleasure in the pain of others. He seemed to be relishing the moment, only to be disappointed when a young, black female demanded the fighting stopped. At that request, April exhaled a breath she didn't realize she was holding throughout the entire match. She watched the Head Leader of Dauntless speak with Mycah, wondering if he was okay, and sighing in relief when he was helped up by a few bodyguards. Soon afterwards, the Head Leader introduced herself as Jackye, and April smiled, seeing as they were close to finishing the first part of the initiation process. War Games sounded promising, something April had been looking forward to since she let her blood drip over the hot rocks.


After Jackye left, April's pale blue eyes caught Mycah's, and she simply stared at him without knowing what to say. As everyone hollered and began to leave, she was pulled back, knowing by whom right away. "What?" The brunette snapped slightly, turning around to face Mycah and wondering what he wanted. She raised an eyebrow when he said there were Erudite members in Dauntless, looking around to make sure they were alone. She knew it was a rhetorical question, as she didn't have the slightest clue to why their two factions would be meeting.


Before she could voice her curiosity, he grabbed her hand, running toward the train with her in tow. As they got closer, he lifted her up, and she caught the train, climbing into the car and looking over at him. "Thanks." She murmured softly, her eyes flickering to his for a moment. April listened his apologize and looked out the train window, nodding gently at his explanation. The sixteen-year-old found herself softening considerably, her eyes met his once more. "Are you okay?" She asked genuinely in a whisper, watching him carefully for any sign of pain. Before he had the opportunity to reply, Ian stepped forward to give them instructions about the game they were to play.


Ian had been waiting quietly in the corner for everyone to board. A few minutes later, he stepped forward, dropping an unknown black bag on the ground with a smirk. The leader paused, letting the initiates ponder what its contents could be. After he was satisfied with their confused expressions, he reached into the bag, producing a dart gun. "The game's simple. Just like 'Capture the Flag,' as Jackye said. Here's the weapon of choice." He noted, making sure each of the initiates could clearly see the gun. When one of the Candor transfers began to protest, Ian loaded the gun, shooting the boy in his left thigh. The boy sunk to the ground clutching his leg, causing Ian to chuckle in response. "These are neurostism darts that simulate the pain of a real gun shot. It only lasts two minutes." He stated afterwards, glancing toward the boy on the train floor. "Okay, we need two teams. Lysa and I are captains." Ian continued, pointing to the Dauntless leader beside him.

 

[sunshine and whiskey]

Mycah eyes looked at the Candor as Ian shoot him with the gun and caused him to immediately go down in pain. It was a neurostism dart that Ian explained, which had the real affects of a real gun wound. His eyes went back over to Ian after was done explaining then eyed Lysa and him again after he named her and himself as team captains. Mycah leaned over towards April and whispered. "I hope we're on the same team." He smiled awkwardly then eyed Lysa as she smirked towards him. Lysa called his name first and Ian snorted. "Got to have someone to blame for your defeat, huh?" She eyed him with a smile then looked back Mycah, who was now standing beside her. Ian eyed Mycah then eyed April, his lips conjuring up another smirk. "I choose April." He said as Mycah's heart dropped as he eyed Ian then April.


He wanted to say something so bad but did nothing as he leaned down and picked up a gun for himself then picked up one to hand to April. Lysa came over and grabbed it for herself though, eying him. "She is currently the enemy, not a friend." Her eyes then rolled to look at April, briefly as Lysa and Ian went back to picking teams and finally getting through. "Well, looks like we got our teams." Ian said as the train came to a stop, the door was opened up by him and his team whooped and hollered as they departed from the train. His eyes quickly gazed over towards April as he mouthed 'Good Luck.'


As Lysa's team were departing from the train, everything had gotten pretty quiet until two people, a Candor and an Erudite started arguing about how to get the flag. Lysa sighed and just shook her head as Mycah stepped between the two. "Might just want to start arguing and look around." He then pointed his index finger towards some tower up ahead, which had the opposing teams flag shining through the glass. "Nice work." Lysa eyed Mycah with a smile as everyone dispersed into the night, leaving Mycah to basically fend for himself. His ears twitched at the slightest sound, bring his gun up, ready to shoot but nothing was there.


Soon, he heard someone come up behind him but it was Lysa and he dropped his gun back by his side. "You scared me." He muttered with a whisper towards her as she nodded her head. "I can tell, stop shaking." She chuckled lightly then waved for him to follow her. They both ducked down a pillar of wooden crates and devised a plan. As soon as they were done they raised up, only to meet Ian before them. Before Ian had a chance to shoot at them, Mycah shot a dart into his right knee while Lysa did the same to his left. They then ran past his body, as it was descending to the ground.


Mycah ran towards the but them bumped into April, which caused them both to fall to the ground. "Sorry." He said while getting up and dusting himself off, staring at her and wondering what was going through her mind. Mycah was wondering if he should shoot April but decided not to. "So, this is fun, no?" He was actually trying to distract her, which he felt bad for while a few members of his team made their trek into the building that lead to the tower. "I am still curious about those Erudites being in Dauntless." He whispered towards April then waited for a response from her.

 

[Akeira]

April rolled her eyes when Ian named himself a team captain, wondering why he had to make an example of the Candor transfer. She really hoped she was on Lysa's team, that way she would not have to put up with Ian's antics. When Mycah whispered into her ear, she shivered lightly but smirked, looking up into his eyes for a moment. "So do I, that way I won't have to shoot you." She murmured back with a teasing smile, nudging him gently before watching their leaders once more. The brunette raised an eyebrow in astonishment when Lysa picked Mycah first, wondering what she was playing at, as she saw his fighting skills earlier in the day. Despite the reason or strategy involved, April was glad that her companion would not have to put up with Ian the entire time. She had an inkling that Ian would 'accidentally' fire a neurostism dart at Mycah in the middle of the game, if they were on the same team.


The sixteen-year-old almost gawked when Ian chose her, staring at him with irritation. Her hands balled into fists, still stinging from when he purposely made her hold onto the corroded bridge overlooking the Pit. She snapped out of her daze when Mycah picked up a gun to pass over, chuckling softly when Lysa grabbed it instead. April could tell she meant business, deciding not to challenge her and picking up another gun for herself. Moving over toward Ian's group, she sighed in relief when Mavra was also chosen to endure the same misery. "At least we'll suffer together." April whispered to her blonde friend when she joined them, which Mavra responded to with a small scowl. "I'm sure you'd rather be on Lysa's team for more reasons than one." The girl hinted, glancing at Mycah for a moment and then looking at April with a smirk. Instead of responding, April simply rolled her eyes and gave her friend a warning look. Despite her pigheadedness, she smiled when Mycah wished her luck, returning the gesture with a good luck of her own.


When Ian's group exited the train, they moved in an opposite direction of Lysa's team, darting away and debating where to hide their flag. Ian ended up deciding on a large tower for them, arming it with initiates and sending the remaining numbers of search for the opposing side's flag. Sent with the latter, while Mavra was chosen to stay and defend, April moved out, sweeping behind some pillars and hoping the night helped to shroud her from view. Darting behind a large structure, she tried not to breathe heavily, as she heard footsteps approaching. Pressing her body flesh against the crate, the brunette waited until the initiate on Lysa's team was clearly in front of her, aiming her dart gun and launching the neurostism into his shoulder. She smirked in satisfaction, when he fell to the ground with a grunt, moving from her hiding spot and searching for others to take down.


Walking cautiously, April looked back and forth, as she stalked toward a female initiate on Lysa's team. Just when she was about to shoot, a body knocked into her, and they both fell to the ground. The brunette rolled over swiftly to defend herself, hesitating when she heard a familiar voice apologizing. She sighed and lowered her gun, standing up to her full height and looking up at Mycah. "How fun can it be with Ian barking orders the entire time?" She huffed, looking past him, realizing the initiative she spotted earlier had gone, and wondering where she went. April squinted her eyes in suspicion, feeling that something was amiss, while she continued her conversation with Mycah. "I really don't think this is the best time to be having that conversation." She chuckled softly, keeping her gun lowered, though her finger was still on the trigger. "But if you must know, yes, I find it very peculiar that Erudite was in Dauntless. Perhaps they're trying to work something out to strengthen the factions." She remarked with a shrug.


April stalked a bit closer to Mycah, holding up her gun and pointing it at his chest. "Now, I'm going to give you a ten second head-start before I fire this gun. I'll be seen as weak, if I don't shoot." She said simply, though a slightly teasing tone lingered in her voice. She knew that she was already at a disadvantage, as it was obvious to anyone with a brain that Mycah was one of her weaknesses. She dreaded the day in training when one of the initiates brought that to light, holding it against her until she burned at their feet. The brunette continued to hold the gun against his chest, waiting for his response and staring at him with a solemn expression. "Given how much they hurt, I'd run fast, if I were you."

 

[sunshine and whiskey]

Mycah laughed at April when she said something about Ian barking orders at them the entire, thus leaving the idea of the game not fun. His eyes went to hers when she stated that right now wasn't the best time to be having the conversation about the Erudites being in Dauntless. "Yeah, maybe you're right since on opposite sides." That was when she pointed to his chest with her gun, her finger pressed against the trigger. "You're not going to shoot me." He winked his eye then turned around, walking away but bumped into Ian. "Oh, I'm going to enjoy this." Mycah gasped but then shoot Ian in the knee, causing him to fall down. His head turned towards April with a slight smirk.


He then caught up with some members of his team, who were panting heavily so he basically fell in line with them. "Guys, I saw the flag. We need to create a diversion to get it. And I think I know how." Mycah discussed the plan over with his teammates as they nodded their heads. "Okay, break!" Mycah said as the rest of his teammates scurried behind him, shooting at any possible person that was near them. As they got to the door, Mycah kicked it opened then charged right on in. He pointed his gun left and right, making sure the coast was clear before running up the stairs but when his team reached the top, their were literally five people standing there defending the flag. Mycah shot two of them down while his team handled the rest. He tucked and rolled, reaching his hand out and grabbing the flag as he stood up with a smile.


Mycah waved the flag above his head as his teammates cheered, well everyone congratulated him. As they exited the building, he caught sight of April and danced with the flag as he came beside her, laughing charmingly. "So, is this where I gloat about my victory and you hate me?" He laughed as someone came up beside him and invited him to celebrate with them. His eyes bounced over towards April then back towards the person standing before him. "Uh, sorry but I have something else in mind. Thanks though." He walked back over towards April and grabbed her by the hand then walked with her. "Come on, I want to show you something." He took her one of the nearby buildings and ran with her up the stairs.


Once they reached the top of the building, his eyes would stare out at the lights, which were somewhat bright tonight. "It's not that pretty but I just enjoy the unusual scenery." He chuckled softly while reaching out to hold her hand again. "It's so beautiful up here and the breeze is amazing." He stared at her then looked back out at the scenery before them. Mycah was enjoying this moment with April and didn't want it to end but sadly, it would have to. "Well, it was nothing special, I know but just wanted you to see it." He then grasped both of her hands with his and stared into her eyes with his.

 

[Akeira]

April rolled her eyes when Mycah asserted she would not shoot him, lowering the gun and gazing at him. "You don't know that. I think you trust me too much." She argued, as she was Dauntless-born and willing to do what it took to survive in Chicago. Despite her yearning for greatness, the sixteen-year-old perceived that he was right. Mycah was her one of her Achilles' heels, and she noticed that he realized that. She groaned, letting him walk away freely, angry with herself for not having the nerve to just do it. He would not experience the pain for too long, given the stimulant wore off after a few minutes. The brunette shrank into the shadows, hiding near a pillar and raising an eyebrow when she saw the confrontation between Mycah and Ian. Biting her lip gently, she almost snorted when Mycah shot Ian in the knee, giving him a melodramatic round of applause when he gave her a smirk.


Continuing to hide behind the pillar, she shot a member of Lysa's team in the leg when they ran past her. Knowing Mycah was in pursuit of their flag, April saw that Ian's team did not have much time to claim a victory for themselves. With their leader down and some of the others defending the flag, she hoped their fortress would be strong enough to hold, while some of the other initiates looked for the opposing group's flag. They were at a disadvantage, given that their team was clueless as to where Lysa hid her flag. April rushed forward and dived behind a crate, looking both ways and shooting another initiate on the opposite team. Hearing them fall to the ground with a grunt, she rushed from her hiding spot, only to stop moments later when she heard cheering at the tower where their flag was hidden. The girl turned around quickly, witnessing a proud Mycah waving a bright flag above his head.


April slowly accepted the defeat, walking toward the building and rolling her eyes, as Mycah danced around her with the flag. She crossed her arms and glared at him slightly, resisting the urge to smile in response to his charming laughter. "This is exactly where I hate you for distracting me." She announced, smirking softly and letting him converse with someone who wanted to celebrate. She blinked in surprise when Mycah looked toward her instead, declining the offer to boast of his victory. "I'm surprised you don't want to brag about winning. I'm sure Ian's going to be pissed either way." The brunette noted, nudging him gently and letting him hold her hand. "Okay, lead the way." She murmured, when he said there was something he discovered, running after him up the stairs of a nearby building and wondering what he had in store.


Upon reaching the top of the building, April gaped at the scenery in front of them, admiring the bright lights against the dark background of the night's sky. "I think it's pretty." She voiced moments later, continuing to peer at the lights and then glancing at their joined hands. "Maybe we should come up here more often. It is pretty special." She murmured gently, staring at him and feeling a rush of butterflies in her stomach. The Dauntless born gazed into his dark eyes, mesmerized by their color and never wanting to look away. "Thank you for showing me." April expressed with a warm smile, leaning closer and gently kissing his cheek. The gesture was much softer than her usual demeanor, surprising her immensely and making her uncomfortable. She cleared her throat and reflected on the view again, slowly rubbing one of his palms with her thumb.


"I've heard that the second part of training is going to be difficult." She said suddenly, changing the subject lightly and staring into his eyes again. "My sister, Margaret, wouldn't tell me much about it, but I do know we'll be tested, much more so than with the physical aspect." April continued, rambling slightly and continuing to hold his hands. "Promise me that you'll do well? I wouldn't be able to stand it, if one of us didn't make it through initiation." She murmured gently, squeezing his hands lightly and waiting for a reply.

 

[sunshine and whiskey]

Mycah couldn't help but smile and blush a little bit at April's words. His eyes widened when she kissed him upon the cheek as it caused him to stammer through his words. "You're Welcome." He replied while continuing to listen to her about the second part of training. The grip of her hands were gently squeezed with his as he stared down at them then at her. "April, you have nothing to worry about, okay?" He removed his hands from hers only to cup her face as he smiled. "I'll be here with you till the end." He then reached down and grabbed her hand again. "Trust me." Mycah muttered while walking down to the building's entrance, opening the door and seeing Ian.


Ian grabbed Mycah and threw him down to the ground while a few other Dauntless stood there and watched. "Get up!" Ian commanded of Mycah, who groaned and coughed while standing to his feet. Ian went to throw a punch but Mycah ducked, only to be kneed in the midsection by Ian, causing Mycah to fall on the ground again. "Stop it!" Lysa cried out and Ian looked at her, giving Mycah one good punch across the face before looking at April, winking with a smirk and walking off with the other Dauntless members that cheered him on.


His eyes were shut momentarily but he felt his body moving, which was weird to him. He felt his body hit a soft surface and a blanket being thrown over him. A voice could be heard, which twitched his ears. It was Brody telling April that everything was going to be okay and to just get some sleep for tomorrow's testing. Mycah knew that he was in deep shit with Ian now and couldn't wait to get his hands on him again.


As the nest day came about, Mycah woke up with a massive headache as he groaned while looking around and jolted up with a gasp. "You okay, bud?" Brody asked him while sitting down at the foot of his bed. Mycah shook his head then raised a brow. "Where is everybody? Where's April?" Mycah asked curiously and in a slight panic. "Don't worry. Your girlfriend is doing fine." Brody chuckled while helping Mycah up out of his bed. "She is not my girlfriend." A slight blush came across his face after speaking those because he did have feelings for April and knew that a slight, possible connection were there. "Come on, I'll take you to the testing room." Brody insisted as Mycah put on his Dauntless jacket and followed behind him.


As they were in the small waiting area of the testing room, he quickly rushed over and sat down beside April, giving her a brief hug. "So, what happened last night?" He'd ask while eying everyone else around him. The normal size door opened up to the testing area and April's friend, Marva came out, shaking and mumbling nonsense. Mycah raised a brow then looked at Ian, who eyed him with a scoff. "April. You're next." Mycah eyed April then reached for her hand, whispering to her. "Good luck." His eyes went back towards Ian with a slight scowl as he hoped that April would do good on the testing.

 

[Akeira]

Seeing Ian waiting for them, April rolled her eyes, wondering what he wanted. She gulped in surprise when Ian threw Mycah down on the ground, stepping forward to help and beginning held back by Mavra. The brunette stared into blonde's eyes, which cautiously told her not to intervene. April only wanted to get out of her grip, flinching when Ian kicked Mycah in the midsection. "What the hell is his problem?" She hissed quietly, though only Mavra heard the angry words. When Lysa cried out for Ian to stop, April sighed in relief, leaning against Mavra and closing her eyes. She opened them moments later to see Ian punch Mycah across the face, moving closer to hurt the leader, after he winked at her. Fortunately, Mavra and Brady held her back. She struggled against them both until Ian walked away, crossing her arms defensively and looking down at Mycah's bruised body.


While some of Ian's followers walked away and laughed, the other initiates helped a motionless Mycah to the train. April was silent the entire ride, glancing at him every couple minutes to make sure he was still breathing. Mavra rubbed her back softly to calm her down, and it helped soothe her nerves dramatically. Arriving at the Dauntless compound, the brunette gave her friend a smile of gratitude, following the initiates carrying Mycah toward the infirmary. "Everything's going to be okay." A voice said, and April turned, raising an eyebrow to see Brady talking to her. "I'd just get some sleep for tomorrow's testing." He continued with a shrug, looking toward the sleeping boy on the bed. "If you ever provoke him to fight you again, you'll have to deal with me, got it?" April said, staring at Brady and moving closer to him. "We all know I can throw a good punch." She murmured with an ominous tone, feeling emotional, as she glanced at Mycah again and exited the infirmary.


At dinner, April was fairly quiet, staring down at her plate and eating her food. She made light conversation, though she was in another world for the most part, as her thoughts were consumed with the immobile boy in the infirmary. The next morning, the brunette dressed in her usual Dauntless attire, giving Mavra a gentle wink and following her toward the testing room. The girls sat next to each other in the waiting area, anticipating their turn and wondering what was in store. "Mavra." They heard Ian call sometime earlier, causing both girls to look toward the door. "Good luck." April whispered to her friend, giving her an encouraging smirk and watching the blonde disappear behind the door. Alone, April continued to wait, leaning against the wall and hoping everything went well.


Her solitude was interrupted by the presence of Mycah and Brady, smiling when the former rushed over to give her a brief hug. April sighed gently, hugging him back and looking up at him. "Ian was being a triumphant asshole." She scowled, rolling her eyes and glancing around the room. "A lot of people were nervous about the testing today." The brunette continued, giving Mycah a small smile. "Also, if you don't make it through initiation because Ian killed you, I'm going to kill him and then kick both of your asses." She warned afterwards, pushing his chest gently and trying to lighten the tension in the room. "I hope you know I trust you... A lot more than I really should." The brunette murmured afterwards, pushing away the urge to tell him more about her developing feelings. Her thoughts were interrupted when the door opened, and Marva came out. April bit her lip in concern, seeing as her blonde friend was shaking and mumbling nonsense. "Shit." The girl cursed, looking toward Mycah when her name was called next. "Thank you." She whispered when Mycah reached for her hand and wished her luck, giving him a nervous smile before letting go and heading toward the testing room.


Entering the room, April noticed bright orange lights, a single chair, and a computer to monitor her progress. "Take a seat." Ian said, closing the door and turning back toward her. She nodded, moving toward the chair, laying down in it, and watching Ian get the serum ready. "This will stimulate the part of your brain that processes fear." He said simply, glancing at her and bringing the needle closer. "Okay." The brunette snapped, becoming cross in remembering what Ian did to Mycah yesterday. The leader moved closer to her and pushed some hair from her neck, causing her to scowl when he smirked and rubbed her skin gently. Next, he punctured her neck gently with the needle, injecting the serum and watching, as her eyes fluttered to a close. "You're going to be facing one of your worse fear in there." She heard before her brain went hazy, and she entered the simulation.


Opening her eyes, she stood in an empty room, dark walls of vast emptiness surrounding her. "April, p-p-please." She heard suddenly, flinching and turning around suddenly to find her brother, Andrew, strapped to a chair. The sixteen-year-old gasped, given that she had not seen him since he chose Candor. "Andrew?" She remarked in surprise, moving closer and freezing in her place when she heard a sudden voice. "Stop!" The voice commanded, though she could not see where it was coming from. "You must kill the traitor." The speaker continued, as a table with a small revolver appeared near the chair. April shook her head and stood motionless, staring at her elder brother, as he began to weep. Her heart broke, as she watched him pour out his emotions and beg for mercy. "Faction before blood." The voice resounded loudly, and the brunette reluctantly picked up the gun. Feeling tears flow down her own face, she pointed the gun at Andrew, her hands began to shake wildly, as she attempted to focus.


The sixteen-year-old had no idea how long she stood there. It could have been seconds or many hours, as she listened to her brother's cries and shed her own tears. "I-I-I'm sorry." April whispered softly after a long time, slowly pulling the trigger and waiting for the recoil of the gun. Instead, she woke with a jolt, letting out a scream and looking around frantically before realizing she was in the testing room. Ian stared at her with a mixture of intrigue and amusement, and she breathed heavily, suddenly feeling anxious and wanting to leave. "C-Can I go?" She whispered, looking away from him and staring at the door instead. Upon hearing his affirmative answer, April rushed out of the room and stared at the other initiates with empty eyes. Without a word, she crossed her arms and kept her head down, leaving the waiting area and thinking on her brother. Heading toward the living quarters, the initiate's only thoughts were of Andrew in Candor clothing, wishing things were different.

 

[sunshine and whiskey]

Mycah was twiddling his thumbs as April was in the testing room, alone with Ian. Just the thought made him want to go and punch Ian in the face. He was shaking nervously as he looked towards Brady. "How long has it been?" Brady looked at him with a raised brow. "A minute. Trust me, if she wanted Ian, she would have him by now." Brady added as Mycah rolled his eyes then looked as the doors to the testing room opened up, revealing an empty April. His brow raised up as he wanted to go after her but instead, Ian called his name next. A slight scowl appeared across his face as he raised up from his seat and followed Ian.


The room was a little bit weird with the vibrant colors of orange though the chair felt the Dauntless image a bit more. He sat down and immediately leaned back as Ian pushed him back even farther and held his hand around his neck, injecting him a serum that shortly after caused Mycah to fall into a deep sleep. His ears twitched as he heard Ian's voice. "This will stimulate the part of your brain that process fear. I assume to see a lot in there." A slight chuckle escaped from his lips as his eyes went to the screen before him.


Mycah saw that he standing at top of a scaffold, looking out and over the city. A slight shake began to take over his body as he muttered to himself. "This isn't real." So, Mycah jumped off of the scaffold and hit the ground though that made him jolt up from his stimulation. Ian looked at him then back at the screen, pointing to it. "Dauntless wouldn't have did that. No one would have done that." Ian muttered then went and stood in front of an unphased Mycah. "How long do you think you were in the stimulation?" With the shrug of his shoulders, Mycah answered. "I don't know, thirty minutes?" Ian chuckled slightly. "Ten seconds. Better than anyone else's time." Mycah looked at Ian then at the door. "So, is it over?" Ian nodded his head and waved Mycah away.


He opened the door and walked into the waiting, again, unphased and the other initiates looked at him with confusion. Mycah went to the living quarters and saw April, going over towards her and kneeling down beside her. "Hey. How did everything go in there?" He'd ask her while resting his hand upon her knee. "I can tell you how mines went." He muttered though was interrupted by another initiate. "So, Mycah, why don't you tell everyone how you came out of the stimulation unphased while everyone else was so shaken up that they basically had to be escorted out? Hm?" Mycah shook his head and stood up. "I don't know what you're talking about." The initiate looked at Mycah then pointed towards April. "At least tell your little girlfriend there." The initiate walked off with a smirk as Mycah turned to look at April.


Mycah waltzed back to her side and knelt back down. "How about we take a day away from Dauntless? I'd love for you to see Erudite." He said with a slight smile curving among his lips as he reached his hand out for her to grab. If she did grab his hand, he'd take her through the compound, where the board was displayed. He saw that his name had finally reached above the line. After a brief celebration to himself, he'd take April to the tracks where the train were and waited for it to come through. Once it did, he'd hit the button that opened the doors then help April inside while climbing in himself. Of course, he never knew if the train had an actual driver but shrugged that thought off as they were making their way towards Erudite.

 

[Akeira]

Arriving at the living quarters, April noticed that many other initiates were in a similar daze. Walking toward her bed, she saw Mavra laying on her own, staring up at the ceiling in solitude. The brunette sighed, flopping down next to the girl and gazing up at the blank ceiling as well. "Are you okay?" She murmured gently, her pale eyes never shifting over to look at the blonde. Instead of a reply, she felt a hand graze hers, and the two girls held hands, exhaling a breath at the same time. They found comfort in each other, simply laying quietly and trying to recover from what they both witnessed. "That was horrible." Mavra whispered a few minutes later, and April released a sound of agreement. "They're going to make us to it again." The sixteen-year-old said morbidly, wondering what other dark fears lived deep within her. "Hopefully, the first one was the worst." She mused aloud.


April sat up when she heard footsteps approaching the bed, watching Mycah walk toward her and sighing in embarrassment, when he knelt beside her. She hated appearing feeble in front of others. "I've never done anything so terrible in my entire life." She murmured vaguely, glancing at him with downcast eyes. Another initiate interrupted his next words, and she raised an eyebrow, noticing that Mycah did seem unfazed by his simulation. Perhaps he doesn't have any fears. The brunette thought to herself, though she knew this was impossible, as everyone was afraid of something. When the initiate insisted Mycah told them what happened, April looked at the former and glared softly. "Just leave him alone. Maybe he's just better at controlling his emotions." She stated halfheartedly, though she was also intrigued as to why the fear landscape did not affect Mycah in the same way it did the others. She let the "little girlfriend" comment go, given that she was only partly herself for the time being.


She smiled gently when Mycah knelt beside her again, listening to his suggestion of visiting Erudite and thinking it a good idea. "Okay, I'll go." She breathed out, glancing at Mavra with a soft simper and taking Mycah's hand. Standing up beside him, April let him lead her through the compound, not wanting to look at the board when they passed. The girl knew she was well above the line, and judging by Mycah's smile, she reasoned that he was too. Afterwards, the sixteen-year-old followed him to the train tracks, waiting for the train to arrive. When it did, she let Mycah help her on, leaning against the wall and waiting for him to join her. "Thank you." April murmured gently with gratitude, squeezing his hand lightly before staring out the window.


"I have an older brother." April said suddenly, continuing to gaze out the window, as they rode through Chicago. "I don't talk about him much because he chose Candor when he was sixteen. When he left, I felt betrayed, yet I never stopped loving him." She sighed, her hands balling into tight fists, as she cleared her throat moments later. "In the simulation, Andrew was strapped to a chair. A voice wanted me to kill him, insisting he was a traitor and that our faction came before blood." She continued, turning to Mycah and looking up at him. "I don't know how long I was in there, but I finally did it. I pulled the trigger and shot him, jolting awake before I could see his lifeless body slump over." April whispered quietly, continuing to watch Mycah for a reaction. After a short while, she broke eye contact, glancing out the train window again, as they got closer to Erudite.


"How did yours go? You seemed fine afterwards." She inquired with curiosity, moderately jealous that he seemed to avoid the pain the rest of the initiates felt. April looked at him strangely, wondering how that was possible. Though she felt her own sorrow at the moment, the brunette was determined to find out how he did it, especially since she wanted to succeed in the second part of training as well.