Leadership Qualities: A Big Four/ Divergent Crossover

Old Memories, New Friends

My only thought is to protect Merida. I try to block her with my body, but she shoves in front of me, obviously thinking the same thing. Except I'm much taller than her.

As the people file into the room, I realize with horror who all is here: Lori, Punzie (In a silk bathrobe), Hiccup (In a pair of boxers), Elsa, and a couple of guards.

“No," Merida says fiercely, wrapping her towel around her shoulders more tightly.

“Good. Then you won't mind if I do this." Lori says coolly and with a snap of her fingers, I'm wrenched into the grasp of a guard. Elsa smirks in delight, her icy eyes skimming us, until she reaches me. She does a quick double take at my towel, and whispers something to Lori. Lori whispers something back, but Elsa whispers something else and gives her a pleading look. Lori, sighs and nods in consent.

“Jack, go into the house with Elsa and get some clothes. Don't even think about running away; your friends are being held here."

I don't want to, but I grasp my towel firmly around my waist and follow Elsa into the the cool night, and into the warm house. As we go upstairs, I contemplate running and hiding somewhere in the house, but I have no idea where I'd go, and I don't want my friends to be hurt.

Elsa guides me to a large, modern bedroom and gestures towrds the closet. I find a blue Erudite hoodie that resembles the one I own, and a pair of cargo pants that Amities use to work in the field. Once I'm finished, I go out and cross my arms at Elsa, who's sitting comfortably on the bed.

“Uh, okay," I say, trying to avoid her gaze. “Well, I'm done."

“I know."

“Stop that."

“Stop what?" She asks, still pinning me under her wrathful glare.

“That. You keep staring at me like you hate me and love me at the same time." I say uncomfortably.

“Maybe I do." She says, getting up and advancing towards me. I try to back up, but I just hit the wall. She kisses me roughly and I struggle to get out of her grasp, but she's surprisingly strong. She pulls off my sweat shirt and rests her hands against my chest. Then, she pulls her shirt off and presses herself against me.

By now, I'm struggling with all my might, but Elsa throws me to the bed. She sits on top of me, and begins to unbutton her pants, so I open my mouth to yell out.

“You don't want Merida to hear do you?" She asks. Then she shifts to take off my pants, and I see my chance. I slip from under her running out into her hall, slamming the door for good measure, and running to the kitchen. I grab a knife and run back outside.

Lori nor her guards saw me, so I was able to get to Punzie's guard and stab him in the arm, causing him to cry out and release her. Hiccup's guard reaches for his gun, but in doing so, lets Hiccup go. Hiccup kicks him in the side of the head, knocking him out cold. Merida's guard is taken down by Punzie.

Lori roars in fury as we run through the house and out the front door. Elsa comes down stairs and is hot in pursuit as we run into the cold night air.

“Where....are...we...going?" Punzie wheezes. Even though he's out of breath too, Hiccup lifts her onto his shoulders. Merida is the only one without any issues. She runs effortlessly, somehow keeping her towel tightly around her.

“I...know....a...place." Hiccup says, slowing down. “Just...gimmee...a...sec."

Once he catches his breath, he leads us through the Amity sector with a little help from a half-asleep Punzie, and into the Erudite sector. Finally, we come to a stop at a two-story house. It's not quite as grand as Punzie's, but far more homely.

He sets Punzie on a loveseat on the porch, where she curls up immediately, and goes to the yard and picks up a rock. A small lotion bottle is glued to it and he pulls out a small key.

“That's brilliant." Merida says, tying her towel tighter.

Hiccup grins at her. “I guess that's why I'm in Erudite, huh?"

Merida smiles back, and I feel a twinge of jealousy.

Hiccup unlocks the door and leads us upstairs to our rooms. Punzie went to make something to eat in the kitchen, Hiccup went to look for movies and his laptop, while Merida went upstairs to change. I try to help Punzie cook something, but she shooes me out, and I go to try help Hiccup, but he's so absorbed in his laptop, I just go upstairs instead. Merida's door is wide open, so I just walk in. She wears a simple blue T-shirt and shorts.

“Hey," I say, sitting on the bed. She flops down next to me.

“Hey, yourself. How're things with Elsa?"  She says calmly.

“Uh, what?"

“I dunno, you and her in a room, alone, together? But it's cool, I understand." She says, flashing me a sarcastic smile.

“No, I don't like her," I say, looking at her. “The girl I like has long hair..."

“Punzie?"

I shake my head. “It's red..."

“Ariel?"

“Keep guessing. She's funny, nice, and a great kisser."

“Not as good as me though." Merida says, sitting on my lap. She gives me a kiss and rests her hands on my chest. Unlike Elsa, who wanted me so badly she was willing to hurt me, Merida is careful. In fact, I'm so involved, I see anything wrong, until Merida lets out a gasp.

Shyly moving out of the closet is a small, dark-haired girl, of about five. She wears a small teal hoodie, red skirt, and black shoes. She looks as if she's only been eating just enough, maybe a little less.

“Who are you?" She asks, her chocolate brown eyes wide. Merida does what I least expect: she kneels down and gives her a soft smile.

“I'm Merida and this is Jack. What's your name?"

The girl smiles proudly. “Vanellope VonSchweetz!" She says, and gives a cough.

“What's wrong? Are you sick?" I ask, giving her a hug.

“Yeah. But it's okay."

“Where'd you come from?" I ask. She points to the closet.

“Hold on, I'll be right back." Merida says, and bolts downstairs. She comes back with Hiccup and Punzie in tow. Vanellope explains and Hiccup nods thoughtfully.

“Yeah, when I was little I built a small tunnel and chamber, for, uh, when I got mad at my dad. Why we're you using it Vanellope?"

“Uh, I've been there as long as I can remember. My parents were there too..." She trailed off and furrowed her eyebrows, like she forgot something. But just as fast her face lit back up and she led us down to the chamber.