Erudite's Experiments

Phase One

POV Rosalie

Over the next week and a half I enjoy training and spending time with my friends and Miles. It's all a new kind of freedom that I hadn't expected. Three days before Phase One ends I walk in with Sidney to see Jeremy and Lucy looking at the chalkboard in shock.

"This is going to be an easy win." Eric says smugly when he sees the board. His name is next to mine.

"Have you learned nothing these past two weeks? Rosalie is good at surprising people." Jeremy says, Eric's attitude snapping him out of it.

"This will be easy." Eric says with a scoff before walking off.

"You and Stiff are the only two he hasn't fought. If nothing else, make it hard for him to fight Stiff." Jeremy, ever the detail oriented one, says.

"You think I can't win?"

"Oh, I think you can win, but I'm also thinking of scenario number two: you fuck him up as much as possible before the dickhead wins and he has to fight Stiff either tomorrow or the day after with the injuries you inflicted."

"You just want to see Eric in pain." I accuse, amused.

"Very true. I don't want to see you in pain, but..." Jeremy says. I roll my eyes and turn to sit around the ring, a smirk on my lips.

I have to wait through Jeremy fighting Tanner-an ex-Candor-and winning, Sidney fighting Stiff and losing, and Lucy fighting Amelia-another ex-Candor-and winning all before I'm able to step in the ring to go against Eric.

"I've been waiting for this for-"

"You talk too much." I say as I punch him in the throat.

I move out of the way of his next punch, catching his arm and pulling him towards me to elbow him in the chest. Eric punches me in the jaw and then the ribs and I go down. I pull myself into a crouched position and he goes to kick me in the jaw, but I run towards him. He gets ready for an attack around the middle, not around the knees where I bring myself down as well. I straddle him and punch him in the jaw several times and there's a crunch when I punch him in the nose. He twists and gets me under him and then...nothing.

When I come to I'm in the infirmary with a headache. Sitting at my bedside is Miles.

"Damn. I lost." I grumble.

"Yeah, but you broke Eric's nose and bruised his ribs." Miles says from next to me.

"At least there's that." I grumble, rubbing my face.

"According to your shadows you lasted over five minutes with an opponent twice your size who has an extra eighty pounds on you. Rosie, that's amazing."

"Thanks. I'm surprised he went for the quick out." I say, rubbing my jaw.

"I'm not looking a gift horse in the mouth. You're an good fighter and amazing marksman, but that was an unfair fight."

"So I wouldn't be able to hold up against say...Skyler?"

"You would knock Skyler flat on her ass. I think the only Dauntless born you'd really have trouble with is Zeke."

"Not you?"

"I'm not fighting you, ever, so we will never find out." Miles says, gripping my hand tightly.

"Okay, I'm ready to get up."

"You sure?"

"Yeah, it's a little sore, but I'll be fine." I say, tossing back the covers and throwing my legs off the side of the bed. "How bruised is my face?"