Knowledge Pt.7

Knowledge pt.7

check the other parts here!

Summary:

The story begins the same for everyone, on the day of the ceremony, one of the most important for all the kids who take part in it every year, and Michelle will not miss the opportunity to leave behind a faction that she did not feel belonged to her.

On her journey, however, she will encounter someone who will make her initiation feel like hell.

Pairing: Eric Coulter x reader

Word count: 4.9k

The tattoo healed surprisingly well, and before long, Michelle was back to her full strength. She was starting to get used to this strange routine: training, eating, training, sleeping, eating, and training again.

It was odd but satisfying. She was finally finding balance in her life, finding peace after sleepless nights plagued by the nightmare that still haunted her. Every time she thought about it, she felt powerless because it was true: what had she become?

The Michelle from a few weeks ago would never have hit a fellow teammate just for the sake of it, just to see her suffer after the years of isolation she had caused her.

She had become strong, was becoming strong. She used the advice Lauren gave her secretly during their occasional nighttime meetings, and thanks to her, Michelle managed to astonish many of her peers when she defeated Bowie, even though it was a bit of a struggle.

But what surprised her the most was Eric's expression. Instead of being proud or even a little satisfied with how she had beaten the boy, he looked at her almost with disdain. She hated that his revolting gaze made her feel so awful.

It was wrong. Eric was a jerk, and no matter how handsome he was, he was still Eric. Someone to avoid.

"You're improving!" Sunny exclaimed, grabbing Michelle by the shoulders and shaking her before hugging her joyfully. In less than two weeks, Michelle had managed to get back in the game, crossing the red line and returning to the top seven. "I'm proud of you."

"Me too," Michelle replied, returning the hug. Sunny was just below her, in ninth place, after taking several beatings from her teammates. However, she managed to maintain a high rank thanks to her precision with firearms.

Michelle, on the other hand, couldn't boast the same. She felt more comfortable with a blade in her hand; the cold metal gave her chills, especially when she pressed the sharp edge against her palm, trying to see how long it would take to draw blood.

Michelle often wondered what would happen if she let her thoughts take over, if she sank the knife's blade into her palm or put the barrel of the gun in her mouth and pulled the trigger.

These thoughts were new; they made her uneasy, slightly disturbed by her own mind. Yet, every time she picked up a weapon, she wondered the same thing.

What would happen if?

She stared at the target in front of her, the sound of blades falling to the floor making her ears ring. It was annoying, a continuous tinkling of varying intensities.

Michelle assumed the correct position and took aim, unaware of Four standing behind her, observing her closely. She threw the blade, hitting the target straight in the head. She smiled to herself but immediately stepped aside when she heard the rough voice of her trainer behind her.

"Not bad," he said, taking a place beside her to inspect the target. Every hit was on point, all lethal. "Well done."

He moved over to Sunny, who wasn't having as much luck. She wasn't bad—most of her throws hit the target, but just as many fell to the ground clumsily, making Michelle wince.

Michelle looked around, waiting for the right moment to retrieve her blades, and took the opportunity to glance at her teammates. Some were doing better than others, undoubtedly.

Andy was probably the best among them, after her, in her opinion. Next to him, Arlo and Bowie were trying their best, mimicking their friend's movements in an attempt to land a lethal hit.

Finally, as she scanned the gym, she saw the devil.

Eric was leaning against one of the columns, cleaning a sharp blade with a small cloth. He kept his head down, focused on his task, and for the first time, Michelle saw him with his guard down. Without his murderous glare, puffed-up chest, and broad shoulders covered by a black hoodie, he wasn't that intimidating. Michelle would have sworn that the young leader could read minds because he suddenly lifted his head, looking around until he locked eyes with her.

His eyes, cold as ice, observed her from a distance. He glanced at her target, and he had to suppress a look of surprise when he saw most of the hits were lethal.

Michelle continued to be a surprise, and Eric hated surprises. She looked away first, hearing the tinkling of blades hitting the floor cease. She seized the moment to go retrieve her blades embedded in the target.

The blonde shifted his gaze to the ranking board, searching for her name among the top five. He hated to admit it and would never say it out loud, but he was pleasantly surprised by the girl; in just a few days, she had climbed two spots, moving from seventh to fifth place.

She had potential, perhaps too much for his liking.

"Alright, everyone, that's it for today!" Four shouted as he returned to the table where he indicated they should leave their blades. He stopped Max. "You stay here and clean," he ordered, and when Max started to protest, he cut him off again. "No buts, no ifs. There are rules, and if you break them, there are consequences. Now clean."

Sunny, after placing her blades on the table, ran over to Michelle, and the two friends began walking toward the exit. Training was over for the day.

"What happened?" Michelle asked. "To Max." She had noticed his new black eye, but given they were in training, it could easily be the result of one of his recent encounters.

"Yesterday around lunchtime, he started a fight, insulted some Dauntless guys, and let's just say they didn't take it well. He got quite the beating—it's a miracle they didn't break his nose," Sunny shrugged. "You had already left by then."

Michelle nodded, not very interested in the interaction. She had already talked to Sunny about it; she had little interest in Max and Tina. Any sympathy she had started to feel for Tina had completely vanished when she began complaining every single day.

Tina had become insufferable, and Sunny seriously considered adopting Michelle's routine to avoid her as much as possible, fully aware that Michelle's routine was borderline insane. Only someone not entirely sane would push themselves to such limits.

That evening at dinner, there was a strange atmosphere in the cafeteria, especially at one particular table. Eric, Lauren, and Four were whispering among themselves, intent on discussing something secret and watching the initiates closely.

Michelle paused at the entrance of the cafeteria, confused by their behavior; she wouldn't normally have noticed or been curious about them, but they were their trainers, so their conversation must have been about the initiates.

"Elle?" Michelle whipped her head around, startled by the all-too-familiar name. Sunny was watching her, puzzled. "Everything okay?"

"Don't call me that," she said, perhaps more harshly than intended, walking past Sunny toward an empty table. She huffed when she saw that the table she usually used was occupied by Tina and a group of other initiates.

"Michelle!" She stopped again, rolling her eyes at having to move to another part of the cafeteria. She turned and saw Lauren beckoning her over. Cautiously, she approached their table under Eric's vigilant gaze.

She stopped in front of their table, acutely aware that several eyes were on her. Lauren smiled at her. "Tonight, don’t sneak out. Stay in the dormitory, okay?"

Confused, Michelle started to ask why, but Eric's firm and authoritative voice cut her off. "That's an order. Return to your seat, initiate."

As Michelle walked away from the table, Lauren turned to the young leader. "Can't you ever be nice, Coulter?" she said, flipping her long hair to the side and playing with it absentmindedly.

"Where's the fun in that?" Eric replied with a malicious smile. It wasn't a true smile; it was more of a sneer that didn't reach his eyes or light up his face as it should have.

"They're not pieces of meat to play with," Lauren retorted, stabbing her fork into her hamburger. "And what's your problem with her anyway?"

Four turned, curious to hear the answer, if Eric would even give one. The slight smile vanished from Eric's face, replaced by his usual mocking expression, almost amused at seeing someone think they could mind their own business.

He sprawled in his chair, legs spread under the table, making Four pull back to avoid contact. "Jeanine wants to keep an eye on her, and I think you already know that. The fact that she's being handled with kid gloves is infuriating."

“Aren’t you glad you can’t torture a little girl? What a shame,” Four remarked, standing up from the table, but Eric’s arm shot out, blocking him. “Watch how you speak, Four.”

His voice was icy, his gaze murderous. Anyone else in Four's position would have fled in fear of Eric’s wrath, but Four stared him straight in the eyes, swallowing hard.

“Thanks for the reminder,” he replied sarcastically, shrugging off Eric’s arm and leaving the cafeteria. His exit drew curious glances from several Dauntless members, having caused a minor commotion.

Lauren’s giggle caught Eric’s attention as she shook her head and stood up as well. “Unbelievable, truly unbelievable. See you tonight, Coulter.”

She patted him on the shoulder as she walked past before leaving for good. Eric followed shortly after, retreating to his quarters to rest before the evening’s events.

He smiled to himself, anticipating that they would definitely have some fun tonight.

Michelle lay on her bed, fully dressed and on top of the covers. She knew, she felt, that something was going to happen. Their trainers whispering among themselves, the early end to training, and the directive to stay inside the dormitories all pointed to it.

She stared at the bunk above her, motionless, waiting for something to happen.

Tick. Tock.

Midnight.

Tick. Tock.

One minute past midnight.

Tick. Tock.

Two minutes past midnight.

Tick. Tock.

She was going mad, the ticking of the clock on the wall slowly carving its way into her mind. She could hear her heartbeat, her breathing, syncing with the clock’s ticking.

She got up, unable to stay in bed another minute, waiting for something that might not even happen. She walked around the room as quietly as possible, hearing the faint sound of her boots on the cold floor.

It was cold, very cold, and Michelle wasn’t sure if it was because the entire Dauntless base was carved into rock and built with concrete. But damn, it was cold. She soon found herself with goosebumps, wearing only a simple T-shirt.

The dormitory was too small. She found herself pacing it at least twenty times, and when she turned to check the time, the clock showed just twelve eleven.

She rolled her eyes, putting on her leather jacket, and decided to leave that small room. It was late, and their trainers probably wouldn't show up. She mentally scolded herself for overthinking and jumping to conclusions too quickly.

She marched towards the door but stopped in her tracks when she heard voices outside. She immediately recognized Eric's cold tone, accompanied by what she thought was Lauren's laughter.

Her heart started pounding in her chest, not wanting to be caught disobeying orders. She looked around as the voices and footsteps grew louder and closer, then decided to press herself against the wall adjacent to the door.

The metal door burst open, slamming against the wall, and some of her companions stirred at the noise. "Get up, you good-for-nothings, wake up!" Eric started banging what Michelle recognized as a rifle against the stair railing, making a loud metallic clanging.

Michelle winced at the unpleasant noise, which soon stopped.

"Where the hell is she?" Eric demanded through gritted teeth, glaring at the empty bunk. He scanned the room, furious at her insubordination. Before he could say anything else, Lauren chuckled again.

"What the hell are you laughing at?" he snapped, irritated, but she ignored him. "Hello, Michelle, been up long?"

Eric whipped his head in the direction Lauren was facing, spotting Michelle leaning against the wall with the most serene expression. He looked her over from head to toe, noting that she was already dressed and ready to go.

Eric arched an eyebrow in surprise. "Well, what do we have here?" he said, crossing his arms over his chest. "Not getting enough sleep, huh? It shows."

Michelle grimaced at the young leader's unpleasant comment, fully aware of her exhausted appearance. She shrugged, trying to appear indifferent to his words.

What infuriated Eric the most was her lack of reaction. Her gaze was empty, devoid of emotion, as she observed those around her and listened to what people had to say. She seemed like the most boring person imaginable.

Michelle watched out of the speeding train, the screeching of the rails giving her a slight headache, but she didn't want to miss the sight of the city at night. The downtown buildings were illuminated amidst the apocalyptic landscape, a view she rarely got to enjoy.

The last time she had such a clear view of the city at night was with Anne, the night before the test—the last carefree time they spent together.

She looked around at the groups of teenagers in the train car and thought about how young they all were. They were training, fighting each other to the blood, and they were only sixteen years old. Was this really their fate? To grow up too fast for a society like theirs?

Michelle often wondered what life was like before the war, when the world was united, and everyone lived life as they wished. Teenagers went to school, had fun, made mistakes, and it was okay. Now, each of them carried the weight of their faction on their shoulders.

"Alright, listen up, everyone!" Four's voice boomed inside the car, catching Michelle's attention, though she didn't move from her spot near the door. "Today, we're going to play a game. Some of you might know it. Capture the Flag."

As protests arose from the younger group, Eric stepped in, pushing off the wall he was leaning against. "But with our twist." He dragged duffel bags into the center of the small circle that had formed. "Each of you will be given one of these. You won't kill each other. They are designed to shoot a dart that simulates the pain of a bullet, so you definitely don't want to get hit. The team that captures the opponent's flag wins."

"It's a strategy game. We'll split you into two groups. One will get off first to plan their strategy, while the other will get off in a different area to do the same. You'll have half an hour to organize." Four began distributing the rifles, similar to those used in their training. "Eric and I will make the teams."

Eric smiled arrogantly. "You go first. I wouldn't want to take away your only possible advantage."

"Chloe," the girl smiled, moving to stand behind Four.

"James," a boy Michelle had never seen before positioned himself beside Eric. The game would be more interesting mixing the children of the Dauntless and the transfers, comparing different strategies and strengths.

Four then called Lauren, giving her a high-five as she took her place beside him. He shot a quick glance at Michelle, avoiding Eric's gaze, which followed his trajectory and smirked mischievously upon seeing the person of his interest.

Perhaps it was a mean trick, a stupid choice, but Eric called Michelle solely to spite his opponent. The girl looked up, equally surprised, but remained by the door, watching the blonde with suspicion and distrust.

"Unexpected," said Four. "Do you want to blame someone in case you lose?"

"Yes, we can say so," Michelle felt offended by Four's comment, not expecting such little consideration from him, especially considering she had only shown sympathy towards him.

"Maybe you're not as special as you thought," the voice in her head told her.

She returned her gaze outside, curious about which part of the city they would end up in following the rails; they weren't too far from the Abnegation houses, maybe about twenty minutes away.

The two 'leaders' continued calling names one after the other, and Michelle sighed at the idea of being on the team with almost only children of Dauntless. She didn't know anyone except for Andy, who, in any case, she hadn't had the chance to get to know yet.

"Now, Four's group will get off first, while we'll get off at the next stop. Understood!" They nodded in unison, and shortly after, Four's group disembarked from the moving train, leaving the remaining kids to wait.

"We'll get off in a square surrounded by tall buildings," Eric said, buttoning up his jacket to protect himself from the cold night. "We have to win, your safety depends on it."

A couple of guys exchanged worried glances at the young leader's premise. It didn't take them long to understand that losing was not an option; they would have to do everything in their power to win, and there were no discussions about it.

"The area is surrounded only by buildings, so keep your eyes open for their flag," Eric pulled out a green flag from the bag, and Michelle was intrigued by the strange material. He passed it to several teammates, each of them touching the peculiar fabric. It almost seemed like luminescent velvet.

He passed it to Andy, taking a moment to carefully observe his teammates, noticing how, even among the few women present, she was the smallest. Not the shortest, fortunately.

"Let's go, move!"

The group followed his orders, leaping out of the moving train, landing on their feet or rolling on the concrete floor. They turned on the small lights on their jackets, emitting a faint glow to better observe their surroundings.

They gathered in a circle in a small square.

"Let's climb a building and put the flag there, simple. Then, from the other side, we'll check where they've hidden theirs," said one guy.

"The structures are unstable, idiot, you can't just climb them!" a girl elbowed him. "In my opinion, putting it on the ground is the best option; they'll expect us to put it up high."

"Shitty strategy," growled Eric. "But it's probably the one Four and his group will follow, so find something better."

Michelle distanced herself from the group, deciding to start exploring the area in search of a good vantage point; she felt a strange excitement inside her. It had been months since she had been able to explore an abandoned place, let alone go out at night.

The designated area was relatively small, and the two groups would have to play their positions well to hide the flag and win. She shifted the rifle so it wouldn't hinder her, entering an old building.

Her teammates' voices were now indistinct.

Sighing, she saw that the stairs were unusable, forcing her to exit and find another way in. It was a beautiful structure, tall and distinctly unique, modern despite its age.

"What are you doing?" Michelle turned abruptly, raising the rifle in the direction of her interlocutor, but immediately lowered it when she saw Andy's surprised expression. "Woah, calm down. The boss wants to know what the hell you're doing."

"The boss?"

"Eric? Anyway, what are you trying to do?" He approached her.

"A lookout point, to get a better view of the area," she said, walking away. She wanted to position herself more towards the center, allowing her to have a total view of the area around her.

She resumed walking, ignoring Andy's sigh as he hurried back to the group still busy working on a strategy. At that pace, they would fall behind, losing any advantage they had.

The night was cold, and Michelle reproached herself for only wearing a T-shirt under her leather jacket, trying to warm up by running around the designated area. She reached what she thought was the center, which was full of old containers surely brought there during the war.

She listened in silence to the deserted city, hearing no noise, she decided to enter one of the buildings to climb it. She chose the tallest building, but when she entered, she froze in her tracks.

The entire structure was completely engulfed in darkness.

Swallowing the lump that had formed in her throat, she advanced, shining the light in the direction of the stairs.

"There's nothing. There's nothing. There's nothing," she continued to repeat to herself in a low voice, keeping her gaze low on her feet to carefully observe where she stepped. They were old buildings, very old, and also unstable.

Michelle climbed the stairs, one flight after another, until she reached the roof. Stepping out, she took in a deep breath, relishing the clean night air that the city offered; she looked up at the sky, fascinated by the stars illuminating the night.

"The view might just be worth it," she whispered to herself, moving closer to the roof's edge and crouching down to avoid being seen. Using the scope of her rifle, she scanned the perimeter, taking advantage of the night vision.

She observed the interior of the buildings through the windows and soon spotted the opposing team's flag, fluorescent orange, hanging from a window. She wondered how she hadn't seen it before; from ground level, it must have been clearly visible.

Shifting her gaze away from the flag, she noticed movement inside the building; someone was guarding the flag. At the base of the building, she saw more movement, people hiding behind columns, ready to defend their flag.

On the other side of the small square where several containers were abandoned, she recognized some members of her team hiding behind them, initiating the actual game. Shots rang out from both sides, and Michelle used her advantage to advance her team.

Taking aim, she shuddered at the thought of hitting the wrong person and jeopardizing the game. They couldn't afford to lose due to her mistake.

She fired at a boy she thought was Bowie, trying to stop Eric, who took on the task of advancing as far as possible. She sighed, nervous at the thought of hitting Eric instead of the enemy, realizing it would be a grave mistake.

Eric hid behind a container, ignoring the commotion around him, preparing to shoot the initiate as soon as he turned the corner. But before he could raise his rifle, the boy appeared, falling to the ground in pain.

For a brief moment, Eric glanced behind him, confused about where the shot had come from, but he didn't let himself get distracted and continued on his path.

Michelle did her best to help her teammates, shooting anyone who came too close, but her attention returned to Eric, defending his back to ensure he reached the entrance of the building. Then he would be on his own.

No one seemed to realize her presence, her advantage of being up high, and she smiled to herself when she heard someone from the opposing team shout about a sniper.

Michelle looked back at Eric, taking out a boy crouched behind a column with a shot to the shoulder; at that moment, Eric raised his arms in frustration, annoyed by anyone who continued to shoot.

He turned several times, searching for the person responsible for those shots, but each time there was no one. Until something came to his mind, a person from his team who had been missing from the start, and he looked up at the roofs of the surrounding buildings.

There, at that moment, he managed to see a dark figure peeking slightly over them, and involuntarily he smirked mischievously, not expecting such a strategy from her; he was convinced the girl had gone into hiding, returning to the opposing team to reveal the location of their flag.

Instead, she was there to pave the way for him.

He nodded in approval, indifferent to whether she saw it or not.

Michelle blushed slightly when she saw Eric gaze in her direction, a nod of approval before he disappeared into the structure, preventing her from helping him further.

"Well done," Sunny said as they returned to the Intrepid base, feeling a bit tired and disappointed from losing the challenge. "Where were you? Guarding the flag?"

"No," Michelle simply replied, wrapping an arm around her in an attempt to lift her spirits. "I saw everything," she whispered in her ear, receiving a playful slap on the arm from her side.

Michelle chuckled as she remembered her fall on the stairs, giving Eric the perfect opportunity to grab the flag. It had been embarrassing for her, both because of the poor impression she made in front of the young leader and because it made his victory easier.

"Forget about it!" she exclaimed, pulling away from her and laughing. "You mustn't tell a soul what you saw. You have no idea how humiliating it was to fall in front of him," she covered her face with her hands, continuing to laugh to try to forget the embarrassment.

At the back of the line, Eric watched the young girl, his fingers stroking the soft velvet of the opposing flag. He felt caught off guard by her actions, genuinely surprised by the strategy she had decided to adopt in just a few minutes.

"Stop it, or you'll create a hole in her head," Lauren slowed her pace to walk alongside him, noticing how he was keeping an eye on Michelle. "What's on your mind?" she asked, seeing his puzzled, almost annoyed expression.

"Michelle was on the roof," he simply said. "She was the one leading us from above."

Lauren smirked. "In other words, we won thanks to her," she shifted her gaze to the girl, smiling. "She's not as bad as you think, you know? We know you're not fond of the initiates, but Michelle is sharp."

"Well, don't get your hopes up too high. She's good, smart, and thinks quickly, but she's not at the top of the leaderboard—"

"Almost. She's almost at the top of the leaderboard, and after today, she'll rise to fourth place, one step away from the podium. I don't know why you're so fixated on the idea that initiates are worthless," Lauren stopped, forcing him to do the same. "You were an initiate too, and nobody discredited you for being new here. In fact, you had people who believed in you. I believed in you, and damn if I was right! You're the youngest leader this faction has ever had."

Eric looked at her in silence, biting his cheek, hating that Lauren was right. "Give her a chance, harness her potential, and see what a bright future she could have here."

She looked at him defeated, tired of his continuous sadistic and tough behavior, thinking it could be of help to him or his position. "You need to let go of what's behind Jeanine's request. None of us know what she wants from her, why she wants her results regularly, or why she's so interested in her. It's none of our business, especially not yours."

“Not–”

“Eric, put aside that Erudite mindset; it doesn't serve you much here, and you know very well that asking too many questions isn't a good thing, even in your position," the girl whispered, pointing a finger at him as a warning.

She moved, making space when she saw someone approaching them out of the corner of her eye. To her great surprise, she recognized the slender figure of Michelle, who was no longer wearing her gear, but instead a simple black tight-fitting shirt and a pair of black sweatpants.

“Four is asking for you to join him,” she said simply, her voice barely above a whisper, afraid of interrupting an intimate moment between them. She hated even the idea, feeling guilty for wanting to be in Lauren's place.

“Sure, let's go, Eric. You can complain to your best friend,” Lauren joked, resting a hand on Michelle's shoulder, inviting her to lead the way through the cold corridors.

Eric remained a few steps back, observing the girl's back, whom he tried to hate more and more, but curiosity was high, more than hatred. Michelle was unique, something about her caught his attention and drew him toward her.

"Excited for the visits tomorrow?" 

Michelle looked at her confused. "Visiting day? It's when families come to say their final goodbyes," Lauren explained, still texting away, ignoring how the girl beside her seemed anything but enthusiastic.

Michelle walked straight, chin up, trying not to think about her mother. She would bet gold that the woman wouldn't show up, glad to have relieved herself of a burden when she left, yet she couldn't stop thinking that maybe she wanted to see her one last time.

To show her that she had changed, that the Ellie she knew no longer existed. That she couldn't lock her up in that cage she called home anymore.

Michelle was free.

Knowledge Prologue

check out my other works here!

Summary:

The story begins the same for everyone, on the day of the ceremony, one of the most important for all the kids who take part in it every year, and Michelle will not miss the opportunity to leave behind a faction that she did not feel belonged to her.

On her journey, however, she will encounter someone who will make her initiation feel like hell.

Pairing: Eric Coulter x reader

Word Count: 475

Warnings: REALLY slow burn, angst, ncn elements, charachte death, Eric being an asshole at the start, hurt/comfort

"Are you ready for tomorrow?"

"No, how could I be?"

"Come on, Ellie, it won't be the end of the world." A slender, red-haired girl with a face dotted with freckles smiled at her, attempting to reassure her, but to no avail, as she too was gripped by anxiety. "So, it's decided." her smile slwowly fading.

Ellie, gazing at the panorama before her, watched as the city below slowly faded with the onset of night. A gentle wind blew, and she tried to shield herself from its cold by wrapping herself in the white blazer draped over her shoulders.

She shrugged, her voice a sigh. "It was decided years ago, Anne..."

Anne looked at her, tears welling up in her eyes. The looming Aptitude Test would separate them, the friendship they had forged would break irreparably.

They could have lied, said everything would be fine, but in that moment, on the rooftop of the building where they had lived for sixteen years and shared countless memories, they realized it would be one of the last times they would see each other.

The redhead approached her friend, resting her head on her shoulder, seeking comfort. Ellie embraced her, allowing a few tears to escape, silently reliving all the moments they had shared together.

But in the end, they had always known. They had become inseparable for a reason, both excluded from the faction that was supposed to be their home, too different from all the other kids dressed in black and white like them, yet at the same time too different from each other to choose the same faction.

Anne was, she was good.

Ellie watched her as she tried to suppress her sobs, hiding within her arms. Her heart was made of gold, rare in its kind. Always ready to help others, hesitant to speak anything but the truth knowing it could hurt someone.

However, the Candor were not pleased with all this caring nature of hers. They were not pleased even with Ellie's silence, especially with her penchant for getting into trouble.

Her mother considered her a disgrace to their family. Ellie's antics tarnished the name her father had built through years of hard work before disappearing, presumably killed by the outcasts, those without a faction.

It wasn't a secret that her mother was more excited for Ellie's Aptitude Test day than Ellie herself. She didn't hide the fact that if Ellie left their faction, she would do everyone a favor.

"I'll miss you," Anne managed to say as she wiped away her tears, her eyes now red and slightly swollen.

Ellie smiled faintly but said nothing, returning her gaze to the landscape before them; the city was fully illuminated now that the sun had completely set, creating a breathtaking view.

"I should go, or they'll wonder where I am. Goodbye, Ellie."

"Goodbye, Anne."

Knowledge pt.3

check the other parts here!

Summary:

The story begins the same for everyone, on the day of the ceremony, one of the most important for all the kids who take part in it every year, and Michelle will not miss the opportunity to leave behind a faction that she did not feel belonged to her.

On her journey, however, she will encounter someone who will make her initiation feel like hell.

Pairing: Eric Coulter x reader

Wordk Count: 6.5k

That night, Michelle couldn't sleep, whether it was due to the snoring of several of her companions or simply because she hadn't yet fully realized where she was.

She chose a bunk bed with Sunny, taking the cot below, figuring that with her habit of sleeping little at night, it would be more comfortable and effective to be underneath.

The beds were uncomfortable, hard as rocks, and sleeping on the floor would probably have been more pleasant, but the other initiates, unlike her, were already deep in the world of dreams.

Michelle sat on the floor with her back against the edge of the bed, gazing ahead at the open showers and bathrooms, a small source of light emanating from there. It was the only light in the entire room.

If it hadn't been for the thin rays of light seeping through the cracks of the door, the room would have been completely engulfed in darkness. She could barely make out the shapes of the beds, let alone who was who.

She pulled out the photo of her and Anne from under the pillow, smiling as she looked at it. She had managed to sneak it into initiation with her, hiding it under the bed while they changed to take their belongings to be incinerated.

She didn't mind seeing her clothes burn; it was like tangible proof that her past no longer existed. Ellie Black was gone; she had been replaced by a better version of herself.

Michelle.

She promised herself to give her best, to push herself to the limit, and to prove to everyone that she was the best by coming out on top. It wouldn't be easy; she was practically starting from scratch unlike many others; she was agile, fast, but lacked the physical strength she would need for the first part of initiation.

She spent the entire night wandering around the dormitory, curious to see if it held any secrets; of course, she found nothing and remained seated at the foot of her bed contemplating her choice to join the Dauntless.

It was done now; she couldn't go back or she would become an outcast, and if there was one thing she would rather do than be cast out from the faction, it was certainly to die. She would throw herself off the cliff if necessary.

She didn't understand where this innate fear of hers was coming from; when she had stepped onto the platform just a few hours earlier, she had been struck by lightning, realizing that it was the right choice.

Her place was with the Dauntless; she just had to learn to live with it.

She took advantage of the fact that everyone was asleep to take a quick shower, which turned into a full-fledged session. She stayed under the water long enough to hear her first companions waking up.

As the water streamed down her body, Michelle scrubbed vigorously at the dirt she had accumulated throughout the day, from climbing onto the platform to jumping off a moving train. She wasn't dirty, just a bit dusty, but she felt weighed down by it, her only thought being to rid herself of that sensation.

She rubbed so many times at different parts of her body that they began to redden, tingling slightly. She ignored the faint burning sensation before getting dressed and putting on the clothes they had issued that evening. They could go pick out clothes of their choice the next day with the points they were given weekly.

Eric had explained to her how things worked in the faction; there was no money, only points, earned by working or, if participating in initiation, given weekly in small amounts for personal indulgences.

Unless one had a private kitchen, everyone ate in the mess hall, saving on food expenses. The rest, besides clothes, were things they could easily do without.

But there was one thing Michelle wanted to get, a sketchbook to start drawing again. In the short time she had spent in that faction, she had felt inspired for many new drawings; she was brimming with ideas; between the cliff, the Pit, and the various tattoos, she had plenty to work with.

"You're an early bird, huh?" chuckled Sunny, still half asleep with a towel in hand for a quick shower.

Michelle smiled at her disheveled hair, resembling a bird's nest in its disorder. "I didn't sleep."

Sunny stopped and looked at her, eyes wide open. "You're crazy. If you don't sleep, you won't have the strength for training."

Her concern made Michelle smile even more. She had a friend.

"I don't need much to feel rested," she replied, pulling her hair into a tight ponytail for the day; it would be the most efficient solution to keep her hair out of her face.

"Maybe not for you, but for your body," Sunny continued as she undressed, stepping into the warm water and sighing at the heat. "It's not good for your head either; you need to sleep a certain number of hours to be fully functional."

Michelle didn't respond, but someone else did in her place. When she heard the voice, she recognized it immediately, rolling her eyes and trying to brush her teeth as quickly as possible.

"There's no need to repeat it to her; she's always been like this. A stubborn head that doesn't understand a thing."

Chloe stepped up to the sink next to Michelle's, splashing water on her face and smiling at the girl beside her. "Isn't that right, Ellie?"

"Ellie? Who's Ellie?" Sunny's voice sounded muffled under the water stream, but both former Candors heard her clearly.

"Our dear Michelle. Her real name is Ellie, or rather, it was," Chloe's tone was sharp for no apparent reason; Michelle had no problem admitting that she had decided to leave her past behind.

"Michelle?" Sunny stepped out of the shower and didn't find her new friend, but instead the girl she had just been talking to and two other guys she remembered being from Michelle's old faction.

"Oh, get used to this," replied one of the guys, the one with a buzz cut.

She looked at him confused, not knowing what he was referring to.

"Ellie takes off, silently. Don't be surprised if she leaves you in the mess to save her own ass," said the other guy, slightly shorter than the first.

She didn't know how to respond honestly, watching them while clutching her towel to her chest, immediately feeling intimidated. The girl smiled at her before turning on her heels and heading back to the dormitory.

After all, it was only six in the morning.

While Sunny was left alone in the dormitory bathrooms, Michelle was exploring the Pit. It was empty, a stark contrast from when they had arrived the day before.

There were few people, just some Dauntless heading to work or simply going to sleep after a long night shift. It was cold, very cold, and Michelle blamed it on the fact that the structure was built into the stone, consequently isolating the warmth.

She wrapped herself in the black leather jacket provided to her; it wouldn't be the most comfortable for training, so she decided to wear a simple hoodie underneath.

Trying to remember where the mess hall was, she crossed the Pit and thankfully found it right in front of her. The day before, they had taken twice as long, having taken the opposite route to see the cliff; maybe it wasn't the labyrinth she had thought it was.

As she entered the mess hall, she was pleasantly surprised to see that it was almost entirely empty, only a few Dauntless were present. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted Four, sitting at the same table they had dined at the previous evening.

She decided to sit at the same table as him, directly across. When she sat down, Four looked up and gave a slight smile. "Isn't it a bit early for you, initiate?"

Michelle looked at him, feeling bored from hearing the same thing twice in a short period of time. She ignored him and poured herself a strong cup of coffee, without adding any sugar or milk, receiving a disgusted glance from her instructor.

"What?" she asked, taking a sip from the cup, savoring the pure taste of coffee that filled her mouth.

"Nothing, I just don't know many people who like their coffee plain, and... that's it."

Michelle shrugged, grabbing a slice of toast for breakfast.

She looked around the mess hall to see who was there at that early hour and pleasantly noticed that there wasn't a soul around. Just then, she spotted Eric and Max sitting at a table in the center of the room; had they just arrived?

She narrowed her eyes observing the blond, he seemed bothered by something Max was saying. They spoke in hushed and suspicious tones, one of them calm, relaxed on the bench where he sat, while the other had a cold, furious expression as he listened to what his superior had to say.

"Ignore them, it's for your own good," Four tried to warn her, but Michelle didn't shift her gaze from the unusual pair, continuing to watch them closely, wishing she could read lips at that moment.

Max turned his head slightly and caught Michelle watching them out of the corner of his eye; he whispered something to Eric, who suddenly turned his head to look at the girl.

Michelle decided it might be best to stop staring and resumed her breakfast, trying to ignore the tension building in her body from being caught. Eric's gaze was sharp, cold. It was intimidating.

She tried her hardest not to turn around to see if they were still talking, but glancing at Four, she immediately understood that someone in particular was approaching. She expected to feel a presence sitting at their table any moment, but instead, two hands fell heavily on her shoulders.

"What do we have here?" Eric's voice was almost amused as he began to move his hands over Michelle's shoulders, who was confused and scared at the same time.

Scared not because she had been caught staring, but because it felt like he was giving her a massage. With his thumbs, he started to knead her shoulder blades, and she even found it strangely enjoyable until he found a spot on both sides and pressed down, causing her to straighten up with her back immediately.

Michelle cried out in pain, but Eric didn't seem to have any intention of letting her go.

"Eric, let her go. She hasn't done anything," Four stood up abruptly, attracting the attention of the few people in the mess hall, who began to watch the scene and whisper among themselves.

"I'm not talking to you, Four. Sit down," he glared at his peer, who reluctantly took his seat again. "So, what do we have here, huh? A nosy little initiate?"

Michelle remained silent, and Eric, not appreciating her silence, pressed even harder on her shoulder blades. Michelle gritted her teeth at the unpleasant sensation, not exactly painful, but very uncomfortable.

"If I ask you a question, you have to answer me, initiate," Eric lowered himself to her eye level and whispered into her ear. "Huh? Has someone cut out your tongue already?"

The mocking tone in Eric's voice annoyed her, and before speaking, she swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat, hoping her voice wouldn't tremble when she spoke. "Nothing."

It came out no more than a whisper, and Eric smiled, a rather unpleasant smile according to Michelle; it was the kind of chilling smile, sadistic.

"Nothing? Are you sure, because a moment ago you seemed very interested in our conversation," now he was whispering too, amused by the situation. Max had told him to let it go, that hers was just too much curiosity, nothing to punish a girl for.

But he saw the perfect opportunity to make her talk, whether she wanted to or not. He had seen her the previous evening, silently around people who talked too much, and his curiosity was evident.

Why wasn't she speaking?

Eric stopped pressing on her shoulders, but he didn't release his grip. He straightened up and gave her two pats on the back.

"Nothing, huh? See how you'll become nothing in no time," he said, walking away without saying goodbye.

Only then did Michelle realize the silence that had fallen over the entire mess hall, causing her to blush slightly and lower her head over her own cup. She resumed sipping her coffee under Four's watchful gaze.

She was afraid she wouldn't make it; Eric's words certainly didn't help. The initiation itself was already tough, she didn't need one of the faction leaders against her as well.

Four noticed the slight trembling of her hands despite her efforts to appear impassive; he sighed, continuing to watch her.

"Don't listen to him, you have a chance like everyone else," his voice was gentle, and Michelle looked at him, grateful for his attempt at reassurance.

But the fear of not making it, of becoming an outcast, had already solidified in her mind. She would have to give her best to succeed, to use all her non-physical skills to win because she knew she didn't have much strength.

"Everything okay? You both look like you've seen a ghost," Lauren, full of energy as usual, took a seat next to Michelle for breakfast. Her good mood waned slightly as she noticed that neither her colleague nor the new recruit had said anything yet.

"Michelle, I told you to be careful. It's not a joke," Four stood up from the table, visibly annoyed.

Lauren turned to Michelle to find out what had happened, curious about her friend's strange behavior, but she ignored her, continuing to drink her cup of coffee.

The rest of the faction didn't take long to wake up; by seven in the morning, the mess hall began to fill up, and Michelle decided it was time to head to the training quarters, even if it was an hour early.

She left Lauren with a nod, which she returned with a smile. As she passed through the doors of the mess hall, she encountered Sunny and other initiates heading to breakfast.

"Hey, where are you going?" Sunny stopped her, grabbing her forearm and pausing with her.

"I'm going to find the gym," she replied, waiting for Sunny to let her go.

"Oh, okay. See you later."

Michelle began to walk through the Pit, trying to figure out where the gym actually was; there were no signs or anything that could indicate where the facility might be.

The Pit had come back to life; children ran recklessly, risking bumping into Michelle at any moment, and several Dauntless headed to work, opening the shops that faced the Pit.

She had to give the impression of being lost because someone touched her shoulder, catching her off guard. She jumped back and heard a raspy laugh.

"Hey, easy there. Didn't mean to scare you!" It was the man Max had been talking to while they waited for all the initiates to jump off the roof.

"Everything okay? Are you lost?" Michelle observed him, getting lost in the intricate tattoos that covered almost all of his skin. The man must have noticed because he smiled and rolled up his sleeves. "Do you like tattoos?"

"Yes," she replied, continuing to admire the ink patterns on his arms, fascinated.

"Where's training happening?" she asked, still captivated by his tattoos.

"See that corridor?" The man pointed to a hallway at the far end of the Pit. "There are stairs, lots of stairs, that will take you straight to where you need to go."

"Thanks," she said, tearing her gaze away from his tattoos to head towards the corridor he'd indicated. But before she could leave, he stopped her. Michelle turned to him, puzzled.

"Feel free to drop by the tattoo shop anytime. Tori and I run it. You could get one yourself." Despite his distinctive appearance, filled with piercings and covered in tattoos from head to toe, he seemed like a genuinely kind person.

He spoke to Michelle with kindness, and there was everything but ill intent in his eyes.

Michelle nodded before leaving.

The hallways were as dark as any other, and she paled at the thought of the number of stairs she'd have to climb to reach the dormitories; stairs upon stairs.

During her journey, she encountered no one, making her feel as if she were in the wrong place. After about five minutes of nothing but stairs, she reached a long, empty, dimly lit corridor. From a distance, she saw iron doors and cautiously opened them.

She was relieved to see that she was in the right place. At that moment, she understood why it took her so long to get there, with all those stairs; it was the interior of an old factory, probably, a vast empty space set up with various machinery and objects for training.

In the center of the room were four mats that she guessed would be used for hand-to-hand combat, while a few meters away, several punching bags were hung from a beam.

On the other side of the room, in a corner, there were machines that she had already seen during one of her explorations in an old abandoned complex. It was a weightlifting area.

"You're early," Four's voice echoed through the empty room, and Michelle turned to try to figure out where he was.

Four was on a bench near the mats, holding a bottle. Michelle shrugged and approached, surveying the place with attentive eyes.

"You never talk?" Four asked curiously, watching her as she moved around the gym.

"I don't like to," Michelle simply replied, touching the punching bags to gauge their weight. When she saw that they didn't budge at her touch, she realized she'd likely end up hurting her knuckles.

"I figured as much. You'll be hot in that sweater during training," Four remarked.

Michelle shrugged again, ignoring him, and Four smiled, mimicking her. In doing so, he earned a glare from her, and to defend himself, he raised his hands in the air.

The door opened again with a loud noise, grabbing both of their attention. Four stood up when he noticed Eric entering with Lauren.

They were an odd pair, with Eric looking ready to kill someone and Lauren walking with all the tranquility in the world. When she saw the initiate, she smiled.

"Always early, I like that," she said as she passed by, giving Michelle a friendly punch on the arm.

However, Eric didn't seem pleased with that small interaction and decided to stay silent, with a bored expression on his face as he took a seat on one of the benches opposite to where Four had placed his belongings.

The latter began reviewing data on a tablet, while Lauren took a seat on the other side of the gym where an area similar to where they were now was set up.

Michelle stood with her hands in her pockets, watching Four tinkering with the tablet and occasionally glancing at the blonde to her right, who seemed intent on wrapping his knuckles.

She didn't realize she was staring until she locked eyes with Eric. She immediately looked away, not wanting to risk getting in trouble like she had an hour before, and fortunately, the other initiates, both interns and transfer ones, diverted Eric's attention from her.

Michelle approached where Four was positioned. She began to feel anxious, unsure of what to expect from the first training session, and she sincerely hoped that Eric was only there to supervise.

It was barely eight in the morning, and his knuckles were already sore, blood staining the wraps he had just put on.

In a few minutes, all eleven transfer initiates gathered in front of Eric and Four, who silently observed the initiates. They waited for silence before speaking.

"The initiation is divided into three different modules: the first is more physical, the second emotional, and the third mental. These three phases will last for two months. After these, if you pass, you'll officially be part of the Dauntless," Four began, walking towards the huge windows, and Michelle was grateful she had brought her jacket.

The sky was overcast, as it had been for the past few days, indicating they wouldn't have a sunny day for a while. One of the windows lacked glass, and they passed through it to enter a rooftop, which was set up with various targets and types of firearms.

"One per station!" Four shouted, standing in front of the table where the weapons were positioned, picking up a couple and approaching the initiates to distribute them. "The three modules carry different weights on your score, so don't worry if you're not good at something; you have a chance to catch up."

"If you're not good, you'll be thrown out," Eric added, entering the rooftop behind them with a nonchalant and bored air. He took his place at the table where Four was handing out the guns.

He reached Michelle and handed her the pistol; it felt heavy in her hands, and if she were honest, she didn't like it. She weighed it, passing it from hand to hand, feeling it.

It didn't feel right in her hands. 

"Now copy my position," Four positioned himself, holding the pistol with both hands, legs slightly apart for balance. "And fire."

His shot was perfect. It hit the center of the target's head.

Michelle began to tremble slightly, feeling awkward with the gun in her hand, and looking around, it seemed like everyone else had already done it. She raised the gun and spread her legs.

Around her, several shots rang out, but few of them hit the target. Even fewer were lethal.

She was the only one who hadn't fired a shot yet. She felt as if the gun would explode in her hand if she did.

She felt Four's presence behind her before seeing or hearing him. "Everything okay?" he asked, looking at the target with her, still devoid of holes.

Michelle nodded slightly, and he looked at her, immediately understanding what the problem was. It wasn't the first time he had seen someone react that way to a gun; it was a natural reaction to be afraid of a firearm.

With a gentle touch, he adjusted her stance, nudging her legs apart a little more with his foot.

"If it helps, close one eye to aim," he said, waiting for her to pull the trigger. Michelle took a deep breath, closing her eyes to try to isolate herself from her surroundings.

She opened her eyes and took aim, still trembling a bit, but when she fired the first shot, she managed to hit the silhouette. Nothing lethal, but she would certainly have lost the use of her right leg if it had been a person.

"Well done," he said before moving on to the person next to her.

Michelle smiled at having managed to pull the trigger and looked around, unconsciously searching for Sunny. She saw her busy shooting at a position a little to the right of her, and when she looked at Sunny's target, she was surprised to see two shots to the head, lethal, and some to the abdomen.

When she realized someone was watching her, she turned, locking eyes with Michelle. Sunny smiled at her, a euphoric expression on her face.

Michelle resumed shooting at her target, but she could only hit the arms or legs. She huffed in frustration at not being able to get closer to the heart or head.

"Is that the best you can do?" Eric's derisive tone caught her off guard, turning her head so quickly it gave her a headache.

She watched him in silence, hoping that after this comment, he would leave to torment another initiate. But he stayed there, arms crossed over his chest, watching her as if she were incapable.

"Shoot."

Michelle turned, the trembling in her hands more pronounced under the critical gaze of one of the leaders. She took a breath and took aim. The shot threw her off balance a bit, feeling the recoil more than before.

Surprisingly, she managed to hit the area between the neck and shoulder.

"See you below the red line, initiate," Eric whispered in her ear.

He left Michelle at her station, annoyed to see so many incompetent people gathered together. His eye fell on a girl, the shortest among them all, who had managed to hit the head, heart, and abdomen with every shot.

He stopped behind her, observing her technique. She was short, lacking muscles, without curves, but she had good technique.

The girl realized his presence behind her and briefly turned her head to see who it was. Seeing Eric, she turned her head back to the target, frightened. The stories from Four and Lauren had terrified her; she wanted to have as little to do with him as possible.

"Name?" his tone was monotone.

"T-Tina," she stammered, glancing to her left to observe Max, who watched the scene suspiciously.

"Not bad," he said, returning to take a round to see how the other initiates were faring.

Tina blushed at the compliment, turning to Max to silently celebrate.

Four kept an eye on him, feeling his gaze on his back, and if he were honest, he was annoyed by that behavior. He turned to look at him, catching him again near the same initiate he had sat next to at breakfast that morning.

What was so special about her? He had been wondering since Max, at breakfast that morning, had told him to keep an eye on Michelle. He hadn't told him why, just to be careful of her movements.

He didn't understand; she was obviously incapable, lacking muscles or strength, and she would be thrown out at the end of the first module. Wasting energy on such a recruit was pointless in his opinion.

They remained on the roof for the entire morning, shot after shot, everyone managed to become familiar with the pistol. Some more than others.

Sunny joined Michelle as soon as Four declared that they would have an hour for lunch, releasing them.

"It was amazing!" exclaimed Sunny, taking Michelle's arm, who, on the contrary, had a rather annoyed expression. Her arms and fingers were tingling from the effort of holding the gun up in the air for hours.

"Don't you like it?" Tina asked, joining the two girls and noticing Michelle's unhappy expression. "I thought it was so cool!"

"You did great," commented Sunny.

"Thank you, you were pretty good too," Tina took Sunny side to talk to her, but they were interrupted by Max, who, in a rather impolite manner, barged into the conversation.

"I, girls, was much better than all of you put together," he puffed up his chest, strutting around like a peacock to show off.

Tina shoved him playfully, laughing. "Yeah, right. That's why Eric came to compliment you," she said proudly, and Michelle felt a twinge of jealousy knowing that he had complimented her, when instead he had told her that she wouldn't even pass to the next module.

Michelle detached herself from the group, irritated by Tina's showing off. She knew it was a bit of an overreaction, she had no reason to take it so personally, but knowing that she was already on thin ice made her even more irritable than before.

"Hey…" Sunny tried to call out to her in vain, Michelle quickened her pace to reach the cafeteria.

She arrived at the cafeteria sooner than expected, overtaking anyone in her way, and when she reached the Pit, she was joined by Sunny. Unconsciously, she relaxed, a more serene expression on her face knowing that her one friend in that faction was by her side.

In many ways, Sunny reminded her of Anne, perhaps it was the fact that she was insistent and wouldn't leave unless she spoke to her.

"Are you sure everything is okay?" she asked, approaching her because of the noise in the cafeteria. A worried expression on her face.

Michelle pondered whether to tell her or if it was too stupid of a reason, but seeing her so concerned, she decided to talk to her about it. "Eric is convinced that I won't pass the first module."

Sunny looked at her first surprised and then angry. "Don't listen to him, we've just started. You have plenty of time to improve, and besides, you weren't even among the worst. Some didn't even hit an arm on the target!"

"I don't know what to say," Michelle shrugged and went to sit at the same table she had chosen since it always seemed to be empty.

"Ignore him, show him that you're the best in here," Sunny clung to her arm, smiling, and Michelle couldn't help but laugh along.

She reminded her too much of Anne.

"Anyway," Michelle lifted her head from her plate when she heard Sunny speaking to her, "What do you think of the other initiates?"

Michelle looked around to locate where the remaining nine initiates were sitting. Most of the former Erudite were sitting together, except for the brunette in front of her; the two Abnegation were sitting by themselves with the lone former Amity.

Then there were her former faction mates, talking amongst themselves on the other side of the cafeteria.

She shrugged. "Nothing special."

"True, but that Patrik over there is really good at shooting. He also seems to be in good shape," Michelle turned to look at the boy sitting with Chloe and Connor, with his usual cocky expression.

Michelle remembered all the times she saw him bullying some poor kid at school; it was obvious he was in good shape. He was the type of person who sailed through every situation, and it was almost normal for him to be so comfortable among the Dauntless.

"I guess you two don't get along from the way you're looking at him," Sunny turned to her, smiling mischievously.

"He's been a jerk since we were kids, that's all," Michelle replied bluntly.

"Yeah, it shows," her friend said lightly, returning to her meal.

The remaining ten minutes passed in silence as they finished eating and headed back to the training quarters. Michelle and Sunny were the first to leave the cafeteria and the first to arrive in the gym, after Four, of course.

He turned to look at them when they entered and then returned to writing something on a whiteboard placed near the various mats used for combat. "Today we start with techniques, we don't want you to get hurt."

"Good," Sunny said, starting to stretch, receiving confused looks from Michelle. "You should stretch too; it will make your muscles hurt less."

Michelle trusted her, especially after Four nodded in agreement with her friend. She stood next to her, copying her movements, and discovered that she was more flexible than she had imagined.

It didn't take more than ten minutes, just enough time for the huge room to fill up again with the transfers.

Michelle looked around and was relieved not to see Eric with them, but rather in the distance with the Dauntless kids and Lauren. Maybe this time she would be able to do her best without feeling intimidated.

She was wrong.

Eric's presence or absence didn't change the fact that she struggled to move the punching bag. She was relieved to see that many of her other classmates were in the same situation, although not exactly as bad.

Four moved from initiate to initiate to correct their form and give advice on how to improve, but when he came to her, he remained silent, observing her.

"You lack strength," he remarked, moving from her right side to her left. Michelle felt her cheeks burn with embarrassment. "But you're fast, very fast. Use that to your advantage."

He helped her improve her form, slightly bending her back and then pointing out critical points to strike. She felt slightly relieved to know that she wasn't completely lost, but that she simply needed to focus more on her tactics than strength.

Four had been kind in correcting her mistakes, in highlighting her weakness, but she knew that when Eric passed by, he could bury her. 

As she continued to hit the punching bag, she thought about how much harder than expected it would be to pass the initiation; she never imagined it would be so tough. Had something changed?

Towards the end of the training, Four stopped them and ordered them to pair up according to what was written on the whiteboard. Michelle paused for a moment to catch her breath and, walking towards the whiteboard, saw that her name was not paired with anyone.

She looked at Four in confusion, who approached her. "You're odd, one of you had to be with me."

Everyone took their places on the mats, and Four began to speak. "Now apply what you've done so far between yourselves. Don't hit each other hard; it's just to get the hang of the movements."

He turned to Michelle, giving her a small smile. "You start."

Initially, she was worried about having to train with their instructor, thinking he would be too harsh, but instead, it was pleasant; the movements were fluid, and every mistake he corrected, showing her a more effective way to defend or attack.

"Four!" all the initiates stopped to watch Eric advance towards them, a malicious grin on his face. "Allow me to give a demonstration."

Four looked at him grimly, not pleased with his tone and behavior. He approached them and took his place in front of Michelle, before casting a brief glance at the other initiates.

"Continuing like this will get you nowhere," he said sternly. "You have to prove that you're the best for us to choose you."

He assumed an attacking position, and Michelle watched him, immediately going into defense mode. She tried to hide the trembling in her hands as people began to surround them to watch the scene.

Everyone knew Michelle wouldn't come out of this without a bit of blood. Especially Four.

"Now watch, and maybe you'll learn something," Eric said before turning his attention back to Michelle, immediately noticing her insecurity and trembling. He smiled, pleased with her reaction.

Eric began to circle, forcing Michelle to move. He waited a few seconds before taking a step and then attacking, which she immediately noticed, allowing her to dodge the punch coming her way.

He was surprised, he had to admit.

After the first missed strike, he focused on the poor girl, launching blow after blow but failing to land a hit. Sunny watched them tense, ready to assist her friend as soon as something happened.

Four was surprised; he had noticed her speed but underestimated her tactics; Michelle could anticipate Eric's moves.

Eric, unlike Four, was more pissed off and annoyed than surprised. Sure, it was lasting longer than he wanted, but the fact that he missed her by inches was infuriating him.

Their skirmish picked up speed, and Michelle began to miss shots; her anxiety was starting to get the better of her. Her movements became less precise, and with a lunge, Eric managed to graze her, making him realize that this was his chance.

Michelle tried to dodge his strikes, but with each blow, Eric was getting closer and closer to hitting her. She was short of breath, her heart racing as she struggled to hold her ground.

The only thing she could focus on were Eric's words, telling her that she wouldn't make it, that she would be eliminated at the end of the first module, and as much as she wanted his words to motivate her, they had the opposite effect.

They dragged her down.

She got distracted for a moment, just a second, and in that moment, Eric managed to land a hit on her cheekbone. Michelle fell to the ground, and for a few seconds, she felt nothing, neither the people around her nor the pain.

But then it came.

She gritted her teeth in pain, the sharp sensation preventing her from opening her eyes. It felt as if her entire face had been shattered into a thousand pieces by that simple punch.

In the background, she could hear Eric's voice speaking to the initiates, but she couldn't focus on his words because of the intense pain.

She remained on the ground for a while, not too long, because when she got up, Eric was still standing in front of her, proud with his arms crossed over his chest as he looked down at her.

He smiled at her. "That's how you get yourself kicked out," he exclaimed to the other initiates before dismissing them.

It was already six o'clock.

Some of them stayed to watch Michelle for a few more seconds before heading back to the dormitory to take a shower. She remained still, holding the right side of her face with her hand, the pressure alleviating the pain.

She stared at Eric, who was still on the mat. He looked back at her, pleased with the blow he had landed; it would leave a nasty bruise if it hadn't already broken it.

They locked eyes, a silent promise to make each other's lives hell.

MATERIALIST

-Eric Coulter

Knowledge: Prologue, pt.1, pt.2, pt.3, pt.4, pt.5, pt.6, pt.7, pt.8, pt.9, pt.10, pt.11

-Four

Knowledge pt.1

check out the other parts here!

Summary:

The story begins the same for everyone, on the day of the ceremony, one of the most important for all the kids who take part in it every year, and Michelle will not miss the opportunity to leave behind a faction that she did not feel belonged to her.

On her journey, however, she will encounter someone who will make her initiation feel like hell.

Pairing: Eric Coulter x reader

Word count: 3.3k

"Wake up, or you'll be late," a woman with short bobbed hair entered Ellie's room, opening the blinds to let in the morning rays. She stood, hands on hips, wearing a displeased expression. "What were you up to last night? I heard you come back late, too late."

"I was with Anne," Ellie stretched, trying to awaken her still-sleepy muscles.

"Always up to something, you two," the woman continued to complain as she left Ellie's room, closing the door behind her and yelling for Ellie to get ready for the Test.

"Good morning to you too, Mom," Ellie thought as she rose to begin dressing, opting for a simple white suit with a black turtleneck to wear underneath.

She took a quick shower to fully wake up and paused to look at herself in the mirror. Her long brown hair framed her pale face, caused by the little time she actually spent outdoors during the day; she preferred the night.

She left her hair down that day, the sky covered with dense clouds and the wind blowing strongly as she stepped out of the house, tousling her hair.

As she exited the building, she was greeted by Anne, who approached her with a big smile, jumping onto her and wrapping her arms around Ellie's neck. "Hi, Ellie!"

"Hi, Anne. I see you're in a good mood," despite their conversation from the previous evening, Anne seemed like her usual self, tears replaced by a big smile.

"There's no point in moping, don't you think? And besides, we still have the whole day to spend together," she said, starting to walk, trying to catch up with the rest of the group of Candors.

Ellie adjusted her jacket, feeling chilly. "You're right, this might as well be the last one."

Anne tried not to let what her best friend had just said affect her; the smile was in danger of fading the more she thought about it. Their separation was inevitable, she knew that well, but it didn't hurt any less.

They quickened their pace and finally joined their companions, who were chatting animatedly among themselves, ignoring the two girls nearby and casting glances in their direction.

Neither of them let the comments they overheard about themselves sway them, walking with their heads held high until they reached the building where they would take part in the test.

"Everything will be alright," Ellie whispered into Anne's ear, seeing her agitated; she was nervously biting her cuticles.

"It's just that... Ellie, what if the test says I'm something I don't believe I am?"

Ellie looked at her with a touch of pity; anxiety consumed her from within every time they had an important event, and the Attitude Test was the most crucial day of their lives.

In contrast, she was calm; her hands tingled from the long wait that would lead to The Choosing Ceremony, her only chance for escape.

"You don't have to choose what the test tells you, you know that," she replied, joining the queue with her peers, observing the boys and girls from other factions doing the same.

Anne spoke to her, but if she were honest, she wasn't listening; she had become lost in watching the different groups of youths join their respective lines. It was a beautiful sight to see five distinct lines, neatly separated by five different colors.

Slowly but steadily, the line moved, letting hundreds of boys and girls from all factions into a massive hall with seats for each of them; a woman dressed in blue with a tightly pulled chignon stood in front of a blackboard, her gaze stern as she watched the youths enter.

Once everyone was seated and silence fell over the room, the woman began to speak, explaining the history of their city, the utility of the Attitude Test, and the importance of the Choosing Ceremony. These were crucial for maintaining order within their society.

But Ellie wasn't exactly paying attention; a notebook on her thigh and a small pen in hand, she doodled random lines on the paper; she didn't care to pay attention, she just wanted lunchtime to arrive so they could start with the tests.

That was her only thought for the next few hours, with the woman's voice in the background and Anne beside her continuing to nibble at her cuticles.

A bell signaled the end of the long lesson, prompting the students to split into various small groups for lunchtime. She and Anne took a table apart from the others, away from any other group to spend some uninterrupted time.

"Was the lesson that boring?" Anne asked her, nibbling on a piece of meat, having no appetite.

Ellie shrugged, continuing to eat. "A bit, it's stuff we already know," she said with her mouth full, looking at Anne. "These lessons are pointless."

Anne looked around the lively cafeteria, sighing before pushing away the plate in front of her. "If I eat anymore, I'll vomit."

They fell into silence until five volunteers, each from a different faction, entered the cafeteria to call two students at a time. The redhead began to fidget more, her hands trembling as she watched her peers leave the cafeteria to take the test.

Ellie took her hand, running her thumb over the back of it to try to comfort her. It pained her to see the person closest to her in such a state of anxiety, but alas, Ellie was the last person capable of consoling anyone.

"I can't do this," Anne said, holding her head in her free hand. Her palms were starting to sweat, and Ellie tried to ignore it so as not to make her feel worse; she was disgusted by having her sweaty hand on hers.

The ten students remained inside the rooms for just over five minutes each, some longer than others, and in no time, the second set of students was called.

The cafeteria was now engulfed in silence, each student engrossed in thoughts about their future. Would they leave everything behind just because the test gave them a different result from their original faction?

Almost ten minutes later, the volunteers emerged again.

"For the Candor, Anne Bishop and Ellie Black," the Candor called before returning to the corridor from which he had come, expecting the girls to follow him.

With great calm, they got up, leaving the cafeteria to finally make their way to the rooms where they would take the test. Anne didn't let go of Ellie's hand until they were standing in front of two separate doors.

"Good luck," Ellie whispered to Anne as they entered their respective rooms. The door closed immediately behind her, leaving her alone with a woman dressed entirely in black.

The room was completely covered in mirrors with a chair in the center, the woman was typing something on the computer without showing any sign of having seen Ellie, who stopped to observe her.

She was an Asian woman with long black hair and clothing typical of the Dauntless faction, perhaps the sleek black jacket was too big for her. Ellie noticed a tattoo on the back of her neck but couldn't make out what it was, her hairs was on the way.

The woman turned around, a fairly serene expression on her face. "Nervous?" she asked, smiling at her. "Don't worry, it doesn't hurt."

"No," Ellie replied, still standing.

The woman gestured for her to take a seat in the chair. "Make yourself comfortable, I'll be with you in a second," she said, returning to enter data into the computer.

Ellie observed the room, her image being reflected multiple times, creating a strange optical illusion.

"My name is Tori," the woman said, turning towards her with a reassuring smile and a curious gaze. "I've never seen a Candor so quiet before."

"There's a first time for everything," Ellie replied quickly, irritated by the phrase that had been repeated to her her whole life. She looked ahead, ignoring the glare Tori sent her way.

"Now I'll attach these. They'll allow me to see your choices," Tori said, attaching two suction cups to Ellie's temples. A slight shock passed through Ellie's body. "Drink."

She handed Ellie a small cup containing a slightly blue liquid, its consistency resembling that of water. Perhaps Tori sensed her insecurity and wanted to reassure her that it was harmless, but Ellie took a deep breath before bringing the cup to her lips and swallowing the liquid.

In a few seconds, she felt a strange sensation, like dizziness, before closing her eyes and reopening them; she immediately noticed how the room had changed, the Dauntless woman had disappeared, and the room had widened.

The simulation had begun.

She rose from the chair she had been sitting on to inspect the room and noticed how the door had also changed, but when she reached out to touch one of the mirrors, a voice interrupted her.

"Choose!"

Ellie spun around abruptly, but when she tried to figure out who had spoken, she was met only by her reflection. When she turned back again to touch the mirror, she found two different pedestals in front of her.

One displayed a slice of cheese, while on the other rested a dagger. Ellie immediately reached for the dagger; it would be useful in various situations and objectively much more useful than a simple piece of cheese.

In an instant, the pedestals disappeared, leaving the room empty again.

Ellie observed the dagger in her hands, the cold blade against her palm sending shivers down her spine. What would happen if she even lightly pressed the blade into her palm?

Her thoughts were interrupted by a fierce growl, and a large dog with froth around its mouth began to charge at her; she stood still, waiting for the dog to come close enough to defend herself and, if necessary, attack.

"Oh, a puppy!"

Another voice chimed in, but this time, when Ellie turned, a little girl dressed in white stood behind her. She observed her for a few seconds, completely forgetting about the dog that was about to attack her.

However, at her feet, a whimper caught her attention; a puppy.

She looked around; the fierce dog from before had disappeared, replaced by an adorable puppy. She bent down to pet it, noticing out of the corner of her eye how the little girl was slowly approaching.

She shifted her gaze from the puppy for a second, just in time to see the little girl's happy face contort into an expression of fear. The growl returned, and when she looked back at the dog, she saw how the sweet puppy had turned back into the fierce dog from moments before.

The latter lunged at the little girl, but Ellie stopped it in time by throwing herself onto it and plunging the dagger into the animal's body. She closed her eyes; she didn't like the idea of hurting an animal regardless of its actions.

But she didn't feel the dagger hit anything, and when she opened her eyes, she noticed she wasn't in the room full of mirrors anymore, but rather on a bus, an old man reading the newspaper next to her.

Ellie immediately noticed the image of a man on the front page, with a caption calling him a brutal murderer.

The man reading the newspaper lowered it, eyeing the girl and narrowing his eyes. "Do you know him?" he asked, pointing to the man's face on the front page, his voice trembling.

Ellie had never seen him before, yet there was something familiar about him, like an invisible thread connecting them. She wanted to answer him, to tell him that maybe she had seen him somewhere before, but she stopped herself before a single word escaped her mouth.

She couldn't.

She decided to ignore the man, looking straight ahead and ignoring his pleas.

The man's pleas turned into distant lament, and Ellie closed her eyes, reopening them immediately after. She was back in the initial room, Tori next to her, observing the computer screen.

"The Test gone well" Tori removed the suction cups she had previously placed on Ellie's temples, returning to the computer to input more data. "You've been identified as Dauntless. I hope to see you in a few days."

She turned towards Ellie, smiling and gesturing that she could leave the room.

Ellie didn't linger on the chair any longer than necessary, leaving as soon as she was given the green light. She stood still in the hallway for a few seconds, hoping to encounter Anne, but a volunteer urged her to leave to make room for the next group.

She was ushered out through the back door where various youths from different factions were talking among themselves, some happier than others. She tried to scan the crowd for her best friend but without success; it was as if she had vanished into thin air.

She attempted to wait for her for several minutes, even an hour, but eventually, bored and likely assuming Anne had left without her, she headed home.

During her journey, the sky clouded over and a few drops began to fall, but she didn't seek shelter, too lost in her thoughts.

Dauntless? Could she really be one of them?

Her heart began to beat fast in her chest; she knew she would be leaving her faction, but the idea that the day had finally arrived filled her with a strange anxiety.

The unknown worried her; she was aware of the challenges of initiation among the Dauntless and wondered if she would be able to pass it.

She hurried home as the rain began to intensify, the sky growing darker, and she needed to see Anne, to know how she was and especially what her result had been.

The rules were clear; it was forbidden to reveal the result of the Attitude Test, but the two friends had sworn to tell each other at least.

When she arrived home, she was relieved to notice that her mother was still at work, so she took the opportunity to leave the house again and take the elevator to Anne's floor. In less than five minutes, she stood in front of Anne's apartment door and knocked, patiently waiting for a response.

The door opened shortly after, but it wasn't Anne who greeted her; instead, it was her mother. Her expression changed, a genuine smile appeared on her face. "Oh, hi Ellie! How are you, dear? Come in!"

The woman made space for her to enter. "Good morning, Mrs. Bishop. I'm fine, thank you. And you?"

"I'm good, dear. How did the test go?" Mrs. Bishop gave her a warm hug, a small part of her old faction never left her.

"Good, I'm happy with the result. Have you seen Anne?"

The woman's expression darkened, the smile fading. "Uh, she's in her room. I don't think she's happy with the result. She came home early because she wasn't feeling well during the test," she whispered the last part to avoid being heard by her daughter, who had returned home in tears.

Ellie thanked her before heading towards Anne's room. Some of their photos were hung on the door; she stood still, observing them for a while, reliving the countless memories that would be lost in less than twenty-four hours.

Ellie knocked, and shortly after she opened the door, closing it behind her.

Anne was shattered, her face covered in tears as she hugged the pillow and didn't even look at Ellie when she entered. Unsure of what to do, her friend glanced around, feeling slightly uncomfortable seeing her best friend in tears and being unable to help her.

Trying to regain some composure, Anne sat on the bed and wiped away her tears. She made space on the bed for Ellie, who gladly sat down, putting an arm around her shoulders.

And that's when Anne burst into endless tears, burying her face in Ellie's shoulder. Ellie began to stroke her back to provide some comfort.

It's unknown how long they stayed there, with Anne crying and Ellie thinking about the Choosing Ceremony that would take place the next morning. She glanced down to see her friend lying down, using her legs as a pillow.

When Anne managed to calm down, she got up to go to the bathroom, and shortly after, she returned with a still-red face and clothes wrinkled from the position she had been in.

"I guess it didn't go very well, I imagine," Ellie whispered, trying to be as tactful as possible, and she sighed with relief when she saw that Anne sniffed without falling into tears again.

"Amity, my result," Anne said, looking at the floor and continuing to nibble on her cuticles.

Ellie nodded. "Dauntless."

Anne gave her a small smile. "It wasn't hard to figure out."

"I could say the same about you," but Ellie's words seemed to hurt Anne somehow, causing her eyes to well up again

"Anne, are you okay?"

Ellie approached her again, but her friend recoiled when she tried to touch her arm. "Yes, I just felt sick during the test. That's all."

"Are you sure, I—" 

"Can you just go, please?" Anne's tone was sharp, catching Ellie off guard. She had never received such treatment from her best friend before. Sensing her mistake, Anne closed her eyes. "I need to think..."

Ellie left without giving her a chance to finish her sentence, irritated by her behavior. She always tried to do her best for her, to comfort her even if she wasn't capable of it, and the fact that she was being dismissed like that when she was just trying to help bothered her a lot.

She returned home to seclude herself in her room, hoping her mother would leave her alone until dinnertime, but luck was not on her side that day. In fact, when she closed the door behind her, she saw her mother sitting at the table in the living room.

Her gaze lifted as she saw her only daughter entering the house in a hurry, a un-happy expression on her face as she tried to avoid eye contact with her.

"How did the attitude test go? Are you pleased with the result?" Despite her feigned interest in her daughter's affairs, she couldn't deny she was curious about which faction her daughter belonged to.

"Well, goodbye," Ellie replied, slamming her bedroom door shut, bidding her mother farewell for the last time. The next day, she would have to go to work early; many of her colleagues would be absent due to the Choosing Ceremony to accompany their children.

And Ellie would wait until late at night to have dinner, wanting to avoid as much contact with her mother as possible, knowing she would try to get her to reveal which faction she had chosen.

She would find out the next day, from the whispers in the corridors after the Ceremony, but she didn't want to give her mother the satisfaction of knowing before everyone else, especially seeing that content little smile knowing she would be rid of her.

She hated to admit it, only Anne knew what she felt towards her mother; she hated her, hated her with all her being, but despite that, she harbored a love for her that she couldn't even put into words.

She always tried to appear worthy in her mother's eyes, even unintentionally, but it was as if everything she did was wrong and branded her as the family's shame, the black sheep tarnishing her father's name.

And that's how Ellie fell asleep, still fully dressed and with tears in her eyes, thinking about her best friend, about what she would leave behind by choosing the Dauntless the next day.

Perhaps it was her time, her opportunity, and she wouldn't let anyone ruin that day for her.

Not even someone she considered a sister.

MATERIALIST

Negan Smith -Home Is Where The Heart Is: Prologue Home? Another Day No Heaven, Only Trouble