The Air We Breathe - A Divergent Fanfiction

Chapter 3

The next day was all for fighting. We would first practice for a time, and then we would start doing fights, as Four told us. As I practiced, I ran through what Eric had told me.

I was strong enough that I could push a person back, but I was also fast, so I could dodge well and would be able to counter any hits they got in. Theoretically speaking, of course.

~•~•~•~•~

Four put the pairings on the board and let us see who we were fighting.

DJ and Clara

Sara and Bella

Connor and Stephen

Gaton and Tyler

Hadrian and Air

So I was going against Hadrian. What a coincidence. I didn't have any hate for him, so it would be a fair fight of skill. I stepped over to the ring that DJ and Clara would be fighting in, and watched as they skittered around.

Five minutes into the fight, and both of them had only attacked a few times. Looking to the other side of the ring, I could tell that Eric was getting as impatient as me. He eventually told them that if one didn't knock the other down, he would go in and do it himself. That got them moving, and eventually DJ countered one of Clara's punches and socked her in the face, effectively knocking her out.

The next fight went quickly, with Sara sweeping in and knocking Bella down unconscious. She dragged Bella off out of the ring and to the infirmary as Connor and Stephen stepped into the ring.

Connor started by throwing a punch to Stephen's head, but he blocked it and kicked Connor in the stomach, knocking the air out of him. Connor quickly recovered, putting his arms back in the defensive position. He swept Stephen's legs, and threw a quick blow to his head to knock him out. Eric declared Connor winner, and he dragged Stephen off the ring.

Gaton and Tyler went up next, circling around each other.

Gaton threw a punch at Tyler, but was dodged by him. Tyler then countered by kicking Gaton in the side, knocking him down. Gaton swept Tyler's legs then, so that they were both now on the ground. He turned on to Tyler and punched him in the face a number of times, trying to get him knocked out. Tyler shoved Gaton off him, and knocked him out with a swift uppercut.

"Winner, Tyler!" Four announced, circling his name. "Next is Hadrian and Air."

I walked onto the platform and faced Hadrian, going into the defensive position. Hadrian had come from Amity with Bella, though they didn't know each other very well, as Bella had told me. He had the tan skin of Amitys, and black hair and green eyes. His advantage over me was that he was a lot stronger, after years of working in the fields.

He charged at me and tried a punch to my face. I side stepped, and did a round kick to his stomach, knocking the air out him. He stepped back and reassessed me, counting in my strength. I stepped forward and threw a quick punch at him, and then followed up with a front kick. I continued punching him in the stomach, even after he had the wind knocked out of him. Hadrian eventually fell unconscious from lack of air, and I let Four take him out of the ring. Eric circled my name, declaring me winner.

~•~•~•~•~

Dinner was a quiet affair, until Four entered the hall and said that he had posted the rankings for the first fights.

"The rankings were determined by who won, how fast they won, and how effective they were. The rankings will not be mixed with the dauntless-born initiates yet." Four said as we walked to the dormitory. Upon entering, we saw a chalk board with names scrawled on it, obviously in a boy's handwriting. The rankings were not as surprising as I had expected.

1. Connor

2. Sara

3. Air

4. Tyler

5. DJ

6. Hadrian

7. Gaton

8. Stephen

9. Clara

10. Bella

"What! Why am I fourth?!" I heard Tyler yell.

"Your fight was one of the longest, and you got beat up by Gaton. DJ would have been higher than you if he hadn't taken such a long time." Four told him, glaring. Tyler scowled, and walked away.

We all then began to get ready for bed after Four left. As I was changing, I felt someone's presence behind me. Turning, I saw Tyler with his lackeys.

"You're good. Mind showing me how you do when not training?" He said, smirking. If this was his way of flirting, I felt very bad for any other girls who caught his attention.

"You touch me, I'll make sure you can't fight ever again." I snapped.

"Is that a threat?" Tyler whispered, stepping forward. I folded my arms across my chest, and stepped closer to him.

"No. That's a promise." I muttered, and went back to changing. I saw Tyler leave in my peripheral vision, but I didn't expect him to snap back and punch me in the face. My head was thrown back, and my eyes widened in shock. I turned to him, and saw that Clara was the one who punched me. She kicked me in the stomach and grabbed my white hair, pulling my head back. I still hadn't let a noise out, and apparently Clara wanted to change that. But I had been doing this for years, and nothing would change that.

Clara continued to beat me, even after I had coughed up blood. By now, everyone had circled around, but I couldn't find DJ in the crowd. I was covered in blood and was wishing for the pain to go away, when I decided to retreat back into my mind.

My eyes glazed over, and I was eventually painless, not feeling a thing. I saw DJ run into the room with Eric and Four behind him. He pushed Clara off my limp body and grabbed my shoulders, shaking me and trying to get a reaction. By now though, I couldn't react. All I could do was see.

I saw DJ get pulled off me, and then felt warm bliss. I knew that someone had picked me up and held me, but it felt like a warm blanket had been placed on me. I then let my body shut down and begin the healing process.

~•~•~•~•~ (No ones POV)

While Clara was beating up Air, DJ ran to find a leader. The first person he found was Eric, who was also with Four.

"Clara's gonna kill Air!" DJ gasped, out of breath from running so much. Eric and Four began running to the dormitory with DJ close behind them. Eric slammed open the door to see Clara kicking a bloody Air.

Her white hair was now filled with red, and her face was bruised and swollen. Blood trailed down her arms and over the tattoos, and her exposed stomach was cut up from the tips of Clara's spiked boots.

Eric marched in with Four behind him, and DJ threw Clara off of Air. He grabbed Air by the shoulders and shook her a bit, trying to get any sign of recognition. Air's eyes were glazed over, with no sign of life. And yet, when Eric took Air and held her in his arms, he could feel a steady pulse. He pushed past Four and the rest of the initiates, blocking Air's weak body with his own.

~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°

Kay Kay, all done. I would've written more in the chapter if I had time, but, unfortunately, I do not. Next chapter should be up soon! Thanks!

FYI - For anyone who asks, I watch Sherlock and in it, it shows that the geniuses (Sherlock, Microft, etc.) are able to go into their mind and stay there, going through memories that are solid and 'real'. Since Air has such a high IQ in this and is a 'genius', I want her to have a 'Mind Palace' like in Sherlock.

Amber Silverwood