Anomalous

Chapter 3: Choosing Day

"They believe that they should be the governing coalition, not us." her mother said.

"So you have to be careful right now, okay?" her father.

Something is bothering their father, and he finally tells them that Chronos, one of his colleagues, had a difficult day at work.

"Even Chronos is under attack," her mother.

Chronos Matteos Goldwyn is a political leader, and also her father. All of the city's political leaders come from the Abnegatus coalition.

"For what?" she asked.

"It's an old accusation. He mistreated his son and that's why the boy defected," her father.

Ananke Achlys Poster, the sole Eruditus representative on the council, wrote a report attacking Chronos' character. She claimed that Chronos was violent towards his son, which caused the boy to switch from Abnegatus to Domitare. It is very rare for anyone to switch out of Abnegatus, so Chronos' son is well remembered.

"Is that true?" she asked.

"No," her father.

'Course not," her mother. Children defect for all kinds of reasons."

Neither the Crawford parents believes Chronos was violent, they insist that his son's transfer was a betrayal, and nothing else.

After eating the two children went to the kitchen to wash the dishes and do the remaining chores. Apollo washes the dishes while Omega dries them up.

Their father enters the kitchen.

"Don't take too long in here. You need a good night's sleep...then he places the remaining dishes at the sink, and continues speaking, for tomorrow."

Apollo and Omega looked at their father.

"I, um..." Apollo stuttered.

"We love you." their father then hugs Omega and her mother hugs her brother.

Her mother hugs her and then whispers, "Good night. I'm so proud of you, honey."

Their parents went to their rooms and only the two of them were left in the kitchen.

Her tears gently pour down and sighs deeply thinking of the Eruditus has lived attacking Abnegatus with reports like this for months.

Apollonio believes that Eruditus lusts after the power Abnegatus has as the seat of political influence. Due to the simmering tensions between the coalitions, Omega notes that despite her aptitude test, she will not choose Eruditus.

Climbing the stairs to their rooms, Apollo tells Omega that they do have to think of their family, but they must also think of themselves.

"Omega?" he asked.

"What?" she replied.

"Tomorrow when we choose...You have to think of the family."

Omega nods, "Yeah."

"But you also have to think of yourself," his voice is shaking.

The Choosing Ceremony arrives, and Omega takes note of the homogeny within the members of Abnegatus and finds it somewhat comforting. The Abnegatus ascend twenty flights of stairs, giving up their place in the elevators to the Amicus.

Gawking at the hall she saw Ananke Achlys Poster in a blue corporate suit as usual an Eriditus wearing, walking down the stairs with her colleagues on her back.

"Good morning, Achlys," her father greeted.

She greeted back, "Good morning, Zeus. How is Chronos holding up?"

"As well as can be expected," he answers.

"I think we all know who it is," her mother replied.

Achlys sighs, "If it's someone from Eruditus, I promise I'll find out who." then she looks at Apollo and Omega.

"These are your children. I don't think I knew they were choosing today. What's your name?"

"I'm...I'm Rho Apollo, then shakes hands with her. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Ananke Achlys Poster. And you are?" looking at Omega.

"This is Omega Dianna," Apollo replied.

"Well, you both have a big decision to make today," she sighs. "I'm sure your parents will support whatever choice you make."

Omega replies, "That's not supposed to be a choice. The test should tell us what to do."

"You're still free to choose."

"But you don't readily want that."

"Omega..."Apollo warns her.

Achlys is feeling upset and replies in a low voice to Omega.

"I want you to choose who you truly are and where you truly belong. Not on a whim. Not because you wish you were someone you're not. But because you honestly know yourself. I want you to choose wisely. And I know you will."

The responsibility to conduct the Choosing Ceremony rotates each year, and this year it falls to Abnegatus. Chronos leads the ceremony and reads the names of the children who will choose in reverse alphabetical order.

Ananke Achlys stood up on the stage. Crowds clapping.

"The coalition system is a living being composed of cells, all of you. And the only way it can endure and flourish is for each of you to claim your rightful place. The prospective belongs to those who know where they belong," she said and walked back to her chair.

"When we leave this room, you will no longer be dependents but full-fledged members of our society. Coalition before blood," Chronos said.

"Coalition before blood," crowds said repeatedly.

There are five large metal bowls in the room, each containing a substance that represents coalitions.

Abnegatus holds gray stones, Candidus holds water, Amicus holds earth, Domitare holds lit coals, and Eruditus holds glass. When someone chooses, she must use a knife to cut into her hand and sprinkle blood into the coalition bowl of her choice. Before the choosing begins, Apollo and Omega say goodbye to their parents.

Mrs. Crawford whispers, "I love you. No matter what," in Omega's ear.

Matteos recites the history of the coalitions.

"Long ago, people who blamed the trouble in the world on the faults in human personalities formed coalitions as a way of reforming themselves. Those who blamed aggression formed Amicus, those who blamed ignorance formed Eruditus, those who blamed duplicity formed Candidus, those who blamed selfishness formed Abnegatus, and those who blamed cowardice formed Domitare."

He insists that without the coalitions, mankind would not survive.

"Hypnos Ceto Zimmer," the boy from Eruditus stood up and sliced his palm with a knife and poured his blood into the bowl of water.

"Eruditus."

"Aether Moros Winslet," the boy from Domitare.

"Domitare."

Then one by one, the children begin choosing. Most people seem to be choosing their home coalition, but a boy named Hades Ourea Wick is the first one who came from Candidus to transfer to Amicus.

"Hades Ourea Wick," the boy from Candidus

"Amicus."

"Eurybia Aion Roth, Candidus."

"Harpies Poseidon Poggioli, Abnegatus."

Omega notes that he will be considered a traitor if she chooses the Eruditus coalitions.

It's Apollo's turn, and Omega watches in shock as her brother chooses Eruditus. She realizes that when he told her to think of herself, he was planning on taking his advice, too.

"Rho Apollo Crawford, Eruditus."