"My heart is pulsing and bloody,
and beats for nobody specifically
Your love is muddy and jaded,
 been played in fifty ways,
deliver me
Tell me your pretty lies."

"Pretty Lies" -The Dudes

                Dauntless was grungier than Erudite, but then again all the factions aside from Candor were that way. Candor and Erudite were very tip top, the other factions had the dirtier, more physical and hands-on style jobs. Not that this was a bad thing, in fact, Harper thought everyone should have to dip their hands in various jobs before choosing one. Perhaps she should have chosen Amity so she could dress in comfortable clothing that flowed in the wind, and she could harvest the foods of the seasons. 

If things had been different, though, she would have chosen to stick to Erudite. Knowing that which she knew, things about Jeanine Matthews and Eric, she had to choose Dauntless. Harper and the other initiates had been separated from those born in Dauntless; their training would be done differently since most of the Dauntless-born initiates already knew the bulk of what the others still had to learn.

Harper's father, Judah, had given her the run down of Dauntless, that which he knew about it. All he knew what the physical aspects of it, the tests that she would have to survive. His speculations were that she would be tested mentally as well, as many of the other factions did. He trained her in the physical aspects, pushing her until she whimpered in pain as her muscles burned and screamed, and he never let up. He watched as her average frame grew stronger, going from the child he raised on his own to the woman she would grow to be. Painful as it was to train his own daughter to leave him and risk her life for the sake of the factions, both of them knew that it had to be done. By the time she was choosing her faction, she was nearly seventeen, having just missed the last choosing ceremony by two months time. She had all the strength and fury of a tiger, but it was not only from the training she had received, but the drive that pushed her into carrying out her father's wishes.

After she was shown the living quarters, small beds next to each other, bathrooms were open and everyone saw everything. Harper didn't mind, with her physical state at the best she could manage for now she had no issues with her body. It was still a bit tense, especially hearing the murmurs of complaint or even those of cruel intention, but Harper kept herself composed. They had burned their clothing from their previous factions, though Harper couldn't think that it would have been better off to send them to Abnegation to give to the factionless. Dressed in tight black pants, lace-up boots and a black tank top, Harper slid the grey jacket over her arms and pressed her lips tight together. People were already chatting with one another, making friends, but Harper's mind was distracted.

The dining hall was loud, and Harper finally felt slightly relaxed. Glancing around at everyone who was eating and chatting, laughing and some were like her, sitting alone at a table filled with people. Finally, someone nudged her; it was the first jumper. "Erudite, right?"

The brunette nodded. "Names Harper."

"Jenner," he replied. "You're not hungry?"

"I'm starving," Harper admitted, not realizing just how hungry she was until now. She glanced at the food around her, reached over and grabbed the neglected salad bowl. A few slices of bread, a heap of salad and some other things later, Jenner raised an eyebrow. Harper raised hers back. "What?"

"You know, there are hamburgers." He nodded towards the quickly emptying plate of meat patties.

Harper flushed slightly. "I don't eat meat."

"Oh," he said, nodding appreciatively now. "Well good for you. I'll see if they might add something else for you."

"Thank you, Jenner. Have you always known you were going to choose Dauntless?" Harper carried on conversation, telling herself that while it would be safer to have no friendships, it was healthy and would be expected from overbearing eyes. She savoured the food upon her tongue, realizing how hungry she was. Breaking the seal, she began to eat like there was no tomorrow.

Jenner paid no mind, as his mouth was full of burger. He chewed, then spoke with his mouth full. "Never a doubt in my mind, you?"

Harper forced a tight-lipped smile. "No doubt once I made the choice, but it wasn't always my first option."

He nodded. "I guess that's typical for people who change factions."

Harper didn't reply, because she did not want to let anything slip. While Jenner was a nice kid and she suspected he was a good person, she couldn't allow her mission to slip. Having a friend was welcoming, made her relax a bit, but she wasn't about to spill a years worth of secrets and training to someone she had just met. She would bring this secret with her like a mark upon her flesh until it was time to reveal it to the world. Of course her mission could not remain secret for her entire life, she would have to reveal it when she exposed Eric and Jeanine, but Harper worried that she was not equipped for such things. She had physically trained herself to beat the odds, and her mental state was solidified when a traumatic event plummeted her into a breaking point from which she rebounded. How could she alone, with no more assistance and guidance, take down a political force?

Eric's voice suddenly boomed over the mess hall; he stood above everyone, leaning over a railing. "Initiates! Enjoy your evening, rest well, because tomorrow, your training begins."

There was a hum of light chatter among everyone, Eric scanned the crowd and Harper couldn't stop herself from staring at him. She wanted to look away, to blend in with the crowd as just another average initiate. And yet, she felt her green eyes boring into him, studying the way his large muscles flexed in his neck as he looked over the crowd. 

Initiates and true Dauntless members all ate in the same mess hall, but it appeared that those who were higher up did not. With an unsatisfied look in his eyes, Eric pressed his lips together and shook his head briefly. Very few people caught it, but Harper wondered if it had something to do with the crowd not being up to his standards for what he had planned. An army of Dauntless, people trained to kill and fight, could do a lot of good or a lot of damage. A nervousness sat within Harper, it had been there for an entire year now, and it seemed to double when Eric did land his eyes on her.

Their eyes met, and she couldn't pull them away, as if she were in a dream and couldn't control what she was doing. His stern expression was as if he were reading right through her, seeing everything that she had kept secret, like it was written upon her flesh. And yet something held her gaze there, a challenging look in her eyes; she would not be the first to look away, she would not show that she was intimidated by him. At last, Eric smirked from atop the overlook and tore his eyes away from Harper. Turning his back on the mess hall, Harper only saw his strong back as he disappeared. Her heart fluttered and she felt like she was going to throw up. When she composed herself, Jenner was staring right at her.

"What the hell was that?" he asked.

Harper gave a half-smile, the one she gave when she was nervous or unsure of something. "I bet it is some scare tactic of his."

"I don't know, that was ominous." Jenner shuddered over-dramatically.

Harper knew he was right, but put on a full, open-lipped, fake smile. "I may or may not have given him some sass before I jumped today."

"Uh oh." He laughed, licking his fingers, his plate now empty and everyone around was beginning to finish up their meals. "You don't want to be on his bad side."

"Too late." She grinned, but inside, she could only think of her father.