Asking young adults to make a decision that will shape their entire lives at the age of twenty one is a pretty big deal. An intimate understanding of yourself almost always takes longer than that to develop, and even then, people change over time. What if you're much younger mentally than you are physically? What if you are unable to separate who you wish you were from who you truly are? What if you simply don't know?
Tayeon fidgeted uncomfortably as she sat on one of the benches of the great hall beside her two best friends, Daehyun and Iseul. The three of them had grown up together in the Candor faction - the faction that valued honesty above all else. Today, however, was their coming of age ceremony. They would be given the opportunity to chose to move to any of the five factions, and there was only one catch: the choice, once made, was made for life.
"What if you fit more than one category?"
"You don't," Daehyun said, turning to look at his blonde friend. "Nobody does." His expression was hesitant, despite his firm tone of voice.
"There's no way that's possible," Tayeon retorted.
"Divergence is a myth, you know," said Iseul. "I know who I am, anyway."
Daehyun rolled his eyes, pulling the white sleeves of his hoodie down over his finger tips. "Of course he does."
Tayeon could only wish for the self assuredness of Iseul. In taking the aptitude test a few days ago, she had expected to receive an answer that would help her discern which path to take in life. Something that would help her decide which faction she belonged in. However, after entering her test results manually, the woman from the Abnegation faction who had taken her test had told her she'd gotten Amity, and sent her out the back door. You were not bound to chose the faction you received as your test result, it was just highly recommended, but Tayeon couldn't bring herself to even consider choosing Amity.
There were five factions, each of them unique in what they believed was the most important aspect of preserving the harmony of society. The factions system allowed for differences in human nature, acknowledging that people are born with different strengths, and different weaknesses. The only thing it did not allow for, was hesitation. Insecurity. Imbalance.
Candor, the honest. It had been Tayeon's home for twenty one years. Completely transparent and open, but still, Tayeon believed some secrets were worth keeping.
Erudite, the intelligent. There was so much to learn about the world, and Erudite were doing a good job of finding out as much as they possibly could. But Tayeon didn't want to attend school for the rest of her life.
Amity, the kind. Happy and peaceful, and living off the land, they'd rather conform to expectations than rock the boat in any way. Tayeon could barely relate to them, and she didn't understand why she'd received this faction as her result.
Abnegation, the selfless. They'd give up anything to help someone else. They'd even take the stairs just incase they accidentally indulged themselves in using the lift.
And finally, Dauntless, the brave. They'd stand up for what they believed in, and go to war over it if they had to. Courageous and strong, Tayeon was never entirely sure if they were the ones keeping the harmony, or the ones causing the problems to begin with.
Then of course, there was the deep rooted energy bubbling beneath her skin, a source of power she didn't understand. Nothing she'd read of in text books or learned of in school could explain what this was. But sometimes it felt as though her emotions were going to burst from her skin in an array of fireworks, as she barely maintained her grip on them.
"You're deep in thought," Daehyun said, glancing at her.
"I honestly have no idea what faction I'm going to chose today," the blonde girl sighed.
"If you were Candor you'd have told us your test result by now," said Iseul.
"Maybe I'm not Candor then," She chuckled, shaking her head.
The three of them were sitting on the third row bench of the Candor section in the hemispherical great hall, ready for their choosing ceremony. They had approximately twenty minutes before they would make the biggest decision they'd ever have to make, and not a single one of the twenty one year olds in the room felt ready for it. Up the front of the arena-like hall stood a large white stone structure with perfectly carved edges. Sitting upon its flat top were five bowls, each filled with a particular substance representing the five factions. Sizzling hot coals for Dauntless, grey pebbles for Abnegation, pure water for Erudite, perfectly cut glass shards for Candor, and simple brown dirt for Amity. Before them on the stone table was a metallic knife which seemed to glint at the young Candor girl as she looked at it.
"You'll be okay, you know," Daehyun said, laying a hand on Tayeon's shoulder. Tayeon turned to look at the tan skinned boy dressed all in white, who for the past few years had been growing into a man before her eyes.
"How do you know that?" She asked, glancing down at her own white jeans and t-shirt. There was a certain comfort in them - the familiar, the tried and tested. Even if she did always get them dirty. Huh, maybe she was meant for Amity.
"I know because you'll make the right decision," he responded. "You me and Iseul... I believe in all of us. We've been friends for years now. And whatever happens today, we're going to end up in the place where we're supposed to be."
It wasn't an explicit goodbye, but Tayeon could read between the lines.
"Stay strong, brother," she nodded to him. He smiled, before turning to look at the front. Tayeon glanced at Iseul, who looked focussed, and decided not to disturb him. They were all going through a lot today, and he looked like he needed time to think.
"Quiet please!" Suddenly Jung-Ho, leader of Abnegation, was calling for order. Everyone turned to face the front, and a hush fell over the gathering of girls about to become women, and boys about to become men. In the rows behind, parents, friends, and faction elders looked on, ready to accept new transfers to their faction, or to mourn the loss of a loved one to another.
"Our founders established the factions system to preserve peace in our city. Today is the day you will take your place as individual cells which constitutes our society. Each and every one of you is important, and I hope you will make the correct decision, not based upon who you wish you were, but who you truly believe yourself to be. The future belongs to those who know where they belong."
Jung-Ho glanced around the room as he spoke, making eye contact with as many of the twenty one year olds as possible. He spoke well in public, and had always been a strong leader of the Abnegation faction. Most of the city respected him.
"The choice is before you now," he continued. "Chose wisely, for you cannot chose again. Faction before blood."
In so saying, he took up a file, and opened it, before moving to stand to one side of the stone table. Then he began reading from the top of the list. Tayeon was unable to sit still, feeling impossibly indecisive. Perhaps in her heart she had already chosen, but her head refused to cooperate. Trusting the aptitude test is what they'd been raised on - in school they were always taught that you chose what the test told you to chose, but that was not the case. In reality, you were the only person who could decide where you fit best.
Already, there had been several transfers between factions, as the new initiates each took up the silver knife, and sliced a cut on the palm of their hand, before swearing allegiance to the faction of their choice by allowing the blood to fall into one of the bowls.
"Yeon Iseul."
Iseul looked up at the sound of his name spoken by Jung-Ho, before glancing at Tayeon and Daehyun one last time. He made his way down to the front of the hall, and took up the knife. He split his hand open, and held it confidently over the sizzling black coals.
"Dauntless," Jung-Ho proclaimed.
There was a cheer of excitement from the portion of the room dressed in black clothes. Tayeon's heart leapt in her chest in hearing that Iseul had chosen Dauntless, another indication that her heart already knew what it wanted. However she remained hesitant. Amity was what the test had told her. Amity was the safe option. But did she want safety, or freedom?
Jung-Ho continued to call names.
"Kim Taehyung."
"Chang Aeri."
"Gim Daehyun."
Daehyun gave his friend's shoulder one last squeeze, before leaving the Candor bench for the last time. He too held his open cut over the coals, and was pronounced a Dauntless initiate. And maybe it was Daehyun who finally convinced the blonde to go with her heart.
"Kim Tayeon."
She too was confident as she took the freshly cleaned knife from the table, and pressed it into the palm of her hand. She felt the sting of the blade as it drew blood, and glanced at each of the bowls. Her gaze was caught by the Amity dirt, at the opposite end of the spectrum to the Dauntless coals. It lingered over the glass of Candor, before finally coming to rest at the other end again. She held out her hand confidently, and heard the drop of blood fall, sizzling in the heat of the bowl with the symbol of fire imprinted on the rim.
"Dauntless."
The Dauntless members cheered for her, and a Dauntless elder was there to greet her as she stepped off the raised platform to join her new family.
"Welcome to Dauntless," he grinned.
"Thank you," Tayeon returned his grin, feeling a little dazed, but mostly excited. She took a seat beside Iseul and Daehyun once again. Both of them reached for her simultaneously, and Tayeon turned to smile at them, as they sought the comfort of physical contact, even if it was just a pat on the back. No parents now. There was no turning back. But whatever happened from then on, at least they'd be in it together.
With the conclusion of the ceremony came the journey to the Dauntless compound, beginning with a yell from their leader who had been the first to greet Tayeon earlier. "Alright, new initiates, lets go!"
Then they were out the door, and running.
"Try to keep up, transfers!" Called one of the Dauntless born initiates.
"Shut up Jimin," returned another. "They'll be beating you soon enough!"
"Not likely!" The one called Jimin retorted, as they neared the train line.
Tayeon couldn't help but smile at their easy banter. She ran with the group, until they reached the city's train track, when she slowed to a stop with the others. She stood with Iseul and Daehyun, watching as the Dauntless born began to scale the side of the scaffolding which supported the train track above.
"Guess we're climbing then," said a pink haired Erudite transfer, glancing at two others beside her, two girls with dark brown hair.
Tayeon watched as the three girls dressed in blue began helping each other climb the scaffolding, and turned to find another support to climb. Daehyun and Iseul were ahead of her, and they gave her a hand for the last bit, helping her to clamber on top of the track.
"I can't see it yet," she could hear a Dauntless born saying. "Is it coming?"
"Ay, there it is!" Called another, as the train rounded the corner in the distance. "Let's go! Come on guys, run!"
"Baptism by fire," Daehyun muttered, and Tayeon laughed, feeling exhilarated.
"You're not kidding!"
Tayeon had seen the Dauntless riding the trains of the city many times, but never expected to try it herself so soon. Pretty soon the train was level with the runners, and ahead of them, she could see a few people already reaching for the door handles. There were ledges just below the level of the door, and you could use the handles to lift yourself to the ledge, and from there you could jump into the carriage. Daehyun, Iseul, and Tayeon all made it into the last carriage, falling on top of each other and laughing.
"Crazy," Tayeon smiled. She turned to look out the door, to see one of the Erudite born transfers she'd noticed earlier was still running, trying to keep up with the train.
"Come on, you got this!" She called to her. The brunette reached out her hand to grab the handle just in time, and Tayeon reached for her, helping her to make it to the carriage door.
"Thanks," the girl smiled at her gratefully. "I might not have made it."
"Aw, yes you would," Tayeon grinned. "But no harm in a little help is there?"
"I'm Nu-ri," said the Erudite born.
"Tayeon," the blonde replied. "Is it just me or are they trying to thin out the population by putting us through this? Has initiation started already?"
"This is just the beginning," said Daehyun, with a smile. "I'm Daehyun, by the way. This is Iz."
"Iseul," Iseul corrected him, with an eye roll. Nu-ri chuckled at the two of them.
"You three are friends?" She asked.
"We are," Daehyun nodded. "I still can't believe we've all ended up in the same place, to be honest."
"Weren't you with a couple other Erudite transfers earlier?" Asked Tayeon.
"I was," Nu-ri nodded. "We got separated when we were trying to get on the train. I hope they're-"
"Nu-ri!" Came an excited yell, and Nu-ri's worried expression melted away into one of relief.
"I better go tell them I'm okay," she turned to smile at Tayeon, Daehyun and Iseul.
"Go," Daehyun nodded. "See you later."
"Uh... they're jumping," called Iseul, who was looking out the door of the carriage.
"What?" Asked Daehyun, moving to look. Tayeon joined the two of them at the door, and sure enough, the train had reached a flat roof, onto which the Dauntless were launching themselves.
"Let's go, baby," Iseul grinned, taking a run up, and leaping out of the train. Daehyun followed him swiftly, leaving Tayeon to take a run up, and follow him. She sailed over the gap which was as high as a skyscraper, and landed on the roof. She landed in a heap on top of Daehyun and Iseul, who were both complaining bitterly. Especially Iseul, who was on the bottom.
"Ow, Daehyun get OFF me!"
"Not my fault," Daehyun grumbled, pushing Tayeon aside so he could free Iseul.
"Cheers for the soft landing," Tayeon grinned at her friends.
"I hate you guys," Iseul muttered, attempting to remove the rocks that had embedded themselves into his skin upon impact.
Tayeon had been about to get up, when another body landed on top of her, knocking all the air from her lungs. She let out a groan, and turned to meet the gaze of the boy who'd landed on her. Chocolate brown eyes stared back, full lips and soft blonde hair. He appeared to be as startled as she was, and the two observed each other for a long moment.
"Hi," he spoke simply. "I'm Park Jimin."
Tayeon couldn't help giggling softly at this startlingly cute introduction.
"Kim Tayeon."
"Jimin-ah, get off her," came another voice, and Tayeon glanced behind Jimin to see a tall, dark haired boy looking at them with amusement.
Jimin rolled off Tayeon, and held out a hand to help her to her feet.
"Sorry for landing on you, by the way," he said. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," Tayeon replied.
"This is Kim Taehyung," Jimin added. "He's my best friend."
"Nice to meet you, Tayeon," Taehyung smiled at the Candor transfer. "Jimin likes to collect Kim Taes, apparently."
Tayeon chuckled at this, as Jimin began to look bashful, and smacked his friend playfully on the arm.
"You're both Dauntless born?"
"We are," said Jimin. "You're a Candor transfer?"
Tayeon nodded.
"Two of my best friends transferred as well." She glanced to where Daehyun and Iseul had made their way over to where a large group of initiates was forming.
"We better go and join them too," Taehyung nodded.
Once they'd all dusted themselves off, they headed over to join the group at the other side of the building. The roof they were standing on was completely flat, with a parapet around the side of it. No sign of any stairwell, and presumably the drop on the other side was just as steep as the one they'd just crossed from the train.
Up on the parapet stood a tall figure with short, black hair, a sleeve of tattoos, and a glint in his eye that didn't exactly look friendly. Tayeon eyed him almost with suspicion, thinking that he looked like he'd eaten bricks for breakfast without any sugar. He wouldn't have needed to stand on the parapet to tower over most of the initiates who were there.
"Initiates! Welcome to Dauntless," this formidable figure stated. "My name is Yoongi, I'll be one of your trainers over the course of your initiation. If you want to join us, this is the way in. So, who's jumping first?"
A/N: Welcome to Dauntless ;)
And welcome to Let It Burn! I am super excited because this is my first BTS story I'm posting, so please say hi if you like the story. I need more ARMY friends on wattpad.