Author's Note: So, I'm reading Brave New World in English right now and the caste system in that book made me think of Divergent. Then I picked up Divergent to re-read it and then this happened. I won't be using any of the characters from Divergent, they're all gonna be Titans, but let me know if I need to (or should) mark this as a crossover. I'm sure I'm not the first person to try this but I'm doing it anyway! Enjoy! And I WILL be finishing All Too Well, I just don't know when. Also, consider this a teaser, cause tomorrow I'm leaving for my band trip to Chicago until Sunday, so sorry. Still! Enjoy!
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Teen Titans or Divergent. Seriously, I don't even own my own physical copy of the book; I got it from the library.
Chapter 1
I stood in front of the singular mirror in my house. My faction only allows us to see our reflections on the 2nd day of every third month, to have our hair cut back to regulation length. Not much has changed about my face since my last haircut. My eyes are still bright green, my skin is still a golden tan and my hair is still the same fiery red. Secretly, I think I might be very pretty, but that is a selfish thought and we of Abnegation reject selfishness.
But maybe after tomorrow, I won't be Abnegation anymore.
Allow me to explain myself. My name is Korina Anders and I'm 16 years old. I live near a place that used to be called Jump City a long time ago. I've heard a lot of stories about what life was like back then, but history was never my best subject. The word I live in is immensely different from that. The city's population is split up into five factions, each who live by very different sets of ideals. When you turn 16, you take an aptitude test to determine which faction you would be best suited to live in and then there's a ceremony where every 16 officially joins a faction. Most people stay in the factions they were born in, but faction transfers aren't uncommon. However, if you switch factions, you can never see your family again.
You can see the dilemma for someone like me, who hates her faction but loves her family.
I suppose hate is a strong word. I don't hate Abnegation; I'm just too selfish for the lifestyle. I love helping others, but still, I'm too selfish for Abnegation. I am selfish because I think I might be pretty. I am selfish because I let my friends call me Kori behind my parents' backs because I like that better than Korina. I am selfish because I think about myself more often than a member of Abnegation should. Most of all, I am selfish because I think of abandoning my parents to satisfy myself. I feel my mother finish trimming my hair and trying it back in the standard Abnegation bun.
"Today's the big day."
"The tests don't have to change our decisions. You know that, mother."
"Yes, but the tests can be rather… Nerve-wracking. Either way, good luck Korina. Now come on, Komila's waiting for you."
I nod and head downstairs to meet my sister. Komila's just a little older than me and we are nothing alike. She has black hair and bluish purple eyes and she's the ideal Abnegation child. In fact, as we ride the bus, she gives up her seat to an older Candor gentleman in his black and white suit. The Candor idolize truth and believe that the truth is black and white. So they dress in black and white to reflect this, similar to how the Abnegation wear grey to shy away vanity.
When we arrive at school, Komila and I go our separate ways. She and I aren't particularly close unlike most Abnegation siblings. The first half of the day goes by in a blur and before I know it, I'm sitting quietly with the other Abnegation 16 year olds in the cafeteria waiting to take my aptitude test. In a few minutes, I will found out where I belong. With the selfless Abnegation, the intelligent Erudite, the peaceful Amity, the truthful Candor or the brave Dauntless. I idly look around the cafeteria at the other factions. The Amity are in a circle singing as they play some game involving smacking each other's hands. The Candor are having some form of debate. The Erudite are reading. The Dauntless are playing some kind of game that involved their hands and knives.* I can't help but watch the Dauntless for a little while longer. I'm fascinated by their blatant disregard for their safety.
"From Abnegation, Korina Anders and Tara Markov."
My train of thought is derailed as my name is called and I get up with Tara. I am ushered into a room where a blond haired, blue eyed woman dressed all in Dauntless black waits for me. She gives me a friendly smile and I sit down.
"Hello Korina. My name is Donna and I'll be administering your test today."
I see her preparing a vial of something and notice a tattoo of a black and white eagle with red eyes on her neck. I'm tempted to ask, but I don't say anything. She hands me a vial full of an unfamiliar liquid.
"Drink this please."
"Why? What will it do to me?"
"I'm not allowed to say. Just drink it please."
I do as I'm told and I feel my eyelids grow heavy. I close my eyes and when I open them, I'm back in the cafeteria, but it's empty now. In front of me on a table is a hunk of cheese and a knife. A voice speaks behind me.
"Choose one."
Huh? I don't see what these two objects have to do with each other.
"Choose. NOW!"
"What? No!"
The cheese and knife vanish.
"Have it your way…"
A door opens behind me and a snarling dog enters the cafeteria. Well now I see why the knife would've come in handy. The dog is running towards me and I stand my ground. I remember that there's something in a dog's nose that allows it to smell the pheromone associated with fear so I stand my ground as the dog leaps on me. I wait for the dog to bite me, but instead it licks me. I look up and the dog is now panting and I smile. I scratch the dog's ears.
"Hey, you're not so scary, are you?"
"Ooh, puppy!"
A little girl in a white dress runs in and the dog starts snarling again. Before I can warn the girl, the dog is about to pounce. With no other options, I leap on the dog, but it vanishes. I'm briefly back in the testing room but I'm quickly transported to the bus with a man reading the paper. On the cover of the paper is an article about a murderer on the loose and the picture looks vaguely familiar.
"Do you know him?"
The picture looks familiar, but I don't think I should tell the man.
"Do you know him?"
"Nope."
"You're lying!"
"No I'm not."
"Yes you are I can see it in your eyes!"
"No you can't!"
"You know him! Just admit you know him! You can save me!"
"Sorry, can't help you."
The bus scene fades and I'm back in the testing room. Donna looks troubled.
"Excuse me Korina, I'll be right back."
Donna leaves and I'm alone with my thoughts. Uh-oh. I've done something wrong. We're not allowed to know how these tests work and therefore we're not allowed to prepare. How do you fail a test you're not allowed prepare for?!
Before I can panic, Donna returns.
"Korina… Your test results were… Inconclusive."
"Inconclusive? What does that mean?"
"You tested equally compatible with Erudite, Abnegation and Dauntless. We call this… Divergence. Korina, you must never tell anyone about your results."
"I know, we're not supposed to talk about our results-"
"No, not just until after the Choosing Ceremony, Korina, forever. Divergence is very dangerous Korina. Nobody can ever know. I think it would be best if you went home."
"But, my sister-"
"I'll tell her. Just go, Korina. You have a lot of thinking to do before tomorrow."
I nod and leave. I walk down the street toward the Abnegation section of the city, deep in thought.
I am intelligent. I am Erudite. No, I could never be Erudite.
I am selfless. I am Abnegation. That won't really work out for me, either…
I am brave. I am Dauntless. Well, maybe…
"Excuse me miss, do you have any food?"
I turn and see a homeless man begging on the sidewalk. I'm tempted to walk away, but my father does have me carry extra food for this situation. This man has no home because he is factionless. I hand him a bag of dried apples and he grabs my wrist.
"You're a pretty little thing, aren't you? Too bad you're a stiff."
Stiff is a slur for a member of Abnegation seeing as we tend to be fairly unaffected in nature. I know that underneath my unflattering gray robe I have a lovely slender and curvy figure. I straighten up to try to appear intimidating.
"I'm not little. I'm 16."
The man smirks.
"Ah… Tomorrow's a big day for you, huh?"
I don't respond. The man takes the dried apples and chuckles darkly.
"Choose wisely, little girl."
*The Dauntless kids were playing the Knife Game. If you don't know what that is, look it up and don't try it at home.
Yes, I made Starfire the Tris of this story. Mostly because Robin is a better Four than Beast Boy and I could never write a Rob/Rae story. Seriously, if that's your ship, good for you, but I would sooner get into another car accident than write a Rob/Rae story(EXAGGURATION).Okay, so that wasn't great. But it'll get better! I swear! I just had to leave you wonderful people with something before I leave! Like I said, All Too Well will be finished, I just don't know when. Until then, let me know what you think of this story! Love you guys! -Starprincess
