AN: Hello, hello! My name is Patho, recently Bork and Beans.
It had been a while since I started a new story, or have even written a chapter for one of my existing stories, that's what school does to you apparently. Sucks up all your creativity and motivation like an evil, demented sponge.
Anyway, I watched Divergent and really wanted to write a ff with Eric, which is what this is, as it should be obvious. I'm currently reading the book and trying to use as much time with Eric as possible, so if something is off from the movie, it's from the book.
I do not own any of divergent, disclaimers, disclaimers, only my characters do I own. Forewarning, I don't really like editing, so if you see something obnoxious, please tell me so I can fix it, I'll probably find it eventually and cry.
Now that the term is over I hope to be writing a lot more, not just this story, but all of the others I have, so if you want this one updated the most tell me with reviews. Whichever story gets the most reviews per chapter gets the most attention, that's how it works for me.
Here's chapter, hope you enjoy!
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Chapter One
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"You're going to leave us aren't you Sam?" A voice broke the red haired woman from her thoughts.
It had happened just earlier in the day that Samantha had taken the aptitude test that was supposed to tell her what to do at the choosing ceremony. The test had been a rush of excitement and nerves for Sam, though she may have been one f the only students to ask not to be told what the conclusion was. She didn't want to know that the test would end up just like her older brother's had, Erudite, the same faction she had grown up in. The faction that her older brother decided to stay in, where her parents had both been from, and where some of her younger siblings were excited to reside.
There was a taste for knowledge; a thirst for knowing what others did not, something that was vital for a Erudite if not vaguely important. But she didn't care for all the talk about other factions or the accusation that everyone seemed to be throwing around. People? Who wanted to talk to people? Books didn't frown at her, gave her valid information, and left her alone when she didn't really want to talk to anyone. There were good things that came from living in Erudite, all the information they had stockpiled helped her accomplish many things she wouldn't have had the chance to do in other factions.
She was ready to leave. To be someone else in a different place, she was itching for a change even if it meant leaving the rest of her family behind. Her parents had never really understood her much, nor had her siblings cared to associate with someone who was content with being left alone. It was only her youngest sister whom she didn't want to leave by herself; Elaine was too kind hearted to be in Erudite. Sam had always urged her to be in Abnegation or Amity.
"Yeah," she finally replied with a sigh.
Not yet had she made up her mind, did she want to go to Candor where people told the truth all the time? Probably not, lying was one of the things she was good at and there was no way she would ever learn to speak her mind. She wasn't selfless like Abnegation, or carefree like Amity, though if it really came down to it wouldn't be hard to fake it and fit in. Erudite was a place she never wanted to be back in, or see again, there was a reason she wanted to leave.
"I know you're not supposed to, but will you tell me what your aptitude test said?" The younger auburn haired girl asked of her sister.
"I might've told you if I knew myself," Sam laughed shortly.
"They're supposed to tell you," Elaine exclaimed with an aghast expression. It was the very thing that kept most kids going, hearing the answer to the very question they had been asking themselves for years on end. What's going to happen? Where will I go?
"I didn't want them to hear them say Erudite," she replied icily. Her sister was a little taken aback, Sam was always aloof and indifferent about things, but Elaine could tell that her sister was edgy the past few weeks that she was coming home. She looked restless.
"They wouldn't have," Elaine stated firmly. There was no way the test would have said Erudite, not for someone who was impetuous, abrasive, and otherwise absolutely irritating when it came to having a conversation. She was too stubborn and got angry too quickly, Elaine knew exactly where her sister deserved to be, and it was just a matter of whether or not she would figure it out before standing in front of those bowls. "If you go to Amity I'm sure Lou would welcome you happily," she offered thinking of the choosing ceremony the year before. Their older sister had shocked everyone in the family by choosing the peaceful faction over the one she had lived in her whole life. Leaving her brothers and sisters behind in order to gain harmony away from all the rules and regulations that was Erudite. Sam didn't blame her, not when Collin was already setting such a good example by staying with the family. the suck up was their parents greatest joy in life.
Sam hated him, he'd been pressuring her to stay in Erudite ever since Lou had left, and Elaine had heard many a threat on his life while he slept.
"I can't stay here," she muttered.
"I know," her sister whispered before walking towards the door. "Try to get some sleep before tomorrow okay?" She mused knowing full well that Sam would be reading until she dropped the book on her face.
"Goodnight brat," Sam smirked as her sister closed the door.
"Freak," was the response she got from the other side of the door.
With a grin Sam went back to reading, the only thing she would miss was all the books and endless amounts of information on the computer screens. Where ever she ended up, this might be the last book she read, the last bit of information she picked up from reading.
-0-0-
Everything had been okay, the bus ride to the Hub, watching all the other factions' line up, seeing Dauntless run in, Abnegation give up their elevator ride. Just like it had been every year prior, Sam sat down with her parents at the end of the aisle so it would be easier to walk out when her name was called. She'd said her goodbyes at home already; Elaine had sniffled while Collin looked smug with himself, confident that she would be returning that night.
It was only now that they started calling out a bunch of names that Sam began to get a little anxious, it was a big decision that would ultimately tear her away from her parents and everything she had known up until then. But she had known this, so it wasn't as surprising as it was terror inducing, feelings she had scarce felt and actually made her feel more alive than ever. It was her choice. She had all the power at that moment.
Vaguely she paid attention to an Abnegation boy who caused quite the uproar by choosing Erudite, only to be followed his sister who chose Dauntless. Glancing at the shocked faces of everyone in the grey clothed faction Sam could imagine how the parents must feel after watching their parents leave them behind. For Sam it didn't matter, even if she left there were still three more kids at home, waiting to be melded and manipulated by her eager parents.
Faction before blood is what they always said, and Sam was going to take it just as seriously as they said it every year.
"Samantha Benks," the voice called out to her. Feeling her heart leap into her throat Sam let her eyes harden as she passed her icy parents who were certain of what she would choose. This was the daughter that spent all day reading and absorbing information, there was no reason for her to choose anything but Erudite. Yet they'd just watched a few of her fellow classmates tear away from the faction, of course Myra followed Edward, and she was like a lap dog to him.
Just a couple people before her one of their neighbors had chosen to stay in Erudite and been welcomed back to the blue clothed section with open and grinning arms. Sam's stomach had churned at the beaming smile that her mother had flashed in her direction; it made her wonder what sort of expression she would make once Sam was gone.
Making her way up to the front Sam caught the reflection on the knife as she picked it up slowly, her eyes flashing towards the bowl filled with water before completely disregarding it. She could see the bewildered look on her parents face as she so easily turned away from her family; of course they were going to be shocked. The packed earth filled bowl looked slightly inviting as she imagined her sisters smiling face when she showed up with the other initiates. But the thought of forever wandering the fields outside the wall seemed dull to her and her eyes shifted away from another bowl, and then another as glass was overlooked.
There was the warmth of coals and emptiness of stones in front of her now, immediately she knew that if she was going to live at least ten more years, she wanted it to be worth living. Quickly she slashed the knife across the palm of her hand, cutting just deep enough for blood to collect between her fingers before a drop fell away from it.
There was a sizzle and then a roar of applause from one section of the room.
"Dauntless," the voice called out to her again.
She turned around with a grin on her face to look at her mother and father before turning towards her new faction. Her blue pants and blouse was mismatched amongst all the darker colors around her but soon that would change as well. Someone cleared a spot for her to sit down while a few people clapped her on the back; this was what she had wanted. To feel the rush of excitement she had only ever felt alone with her studies, the anxiety and nervousness that came with not knowing what was going to happen next was something she craved.
She was Dauntless now.
At the end of the ceremony they started pushing each other towards the doors in order to get outside into the fresh air. The feeling of being free from all the rules and strictness that was Erudite felt amazing for Sam as they began to run down the street before stopping just below the train tracks. The other transfers seemed to group together slightly, wondering what they should be doing or if they were doing anything wrong. By now it was just the adrenaline in her veins that was taking over for Sam, catching a dauntless born scaling up the side of a metal leg she rushed behind him to follow. Her cut palm grating against the rough metal with minimal pain that seemed to wake her up all the more. She'd never been free to do this, to explore the streets and run rampant through them while screaming at everyone to get out of the way. Never before had she felt more alive than she did now, pulling herself pathetically up a rusty metal leg of the train tracks. Pulling herself up around the same time as the Abnegation girl Sam followed the crown to the other side of the tracks and followed their stature as they got ready to run again.
By now she was panting, big heavy breaths that filled her lungs completely before puffing everything out in order to peat the process over and over again. Quick feet brought black jacket past her as Sam turned to see the train coming, if everyone else was running it meant that the vehicle probably wasn't going to stop to let them on. She hissed at the thought of tripping under the tracks and having her body crunched and torn to pieces from the thundering beast whipping past her, it'd take a while to clean up. Breaking herself out of her thoughts Sam reached for a bar as it ripped past her, the cut on her hand protested again but she ignored it and pulled herself into the train car. Sitting back against the cool metal before standing to watch the stragglers pull up into it as well, the Abnegation girl seemed to be the last one to make it.
She pulled herself in and landed next to a girl from Candor, they grinned at each other and Sam almost wanted to frown at them, it was always so easy for everyone else to make friends but she was the awkward one. She listened to them mutely as Abnegation introduced herself as Beatrice while Candor was Christina.
"Is it just me or are they trying to kill us?" Christina said with a shaky laugh.
"That would be a little counterproductive, wouldn't it?" Sam piped in without meaning to. She's gotten used to shooting down all her older brothers comments when he was trying to be smart or persuasive. Instead of looking away from the girls she kept her gaze, a small smile on the edge of her lips.
"It really would," the Candor said with a grin. "I'm Christina," she repeated while Sam nodded at her briefly.
"Sam," was her reply before gazing out at the city passing by them. She'd never been one for small talk because no one had ever asked her for anything other than the correct answer.
All the buildings passing by them were different, as if each one had had a different identity at one point during their standing, faintly she heard a woman tell them to get ready before people started to jump from the train. Just a little further down the car there was Will talking to a Candor while Sam stared out the open door, at least if she fell the fall would kill her. With that thought she pushed past the remaining Dauntless in the car and jumped for the gravel in front of her.
She remembered to keep her knees bent unless she wanted to face plant with ferocity, but still she tumbled to a stop that made her knees ache. Christina and Beatrice jumped quickly before the train passed by the building completely. There was a scream behind them that made a few people turns their heads, Sam leaned back over the side of the building to see a crumpled body on the ground below them. She could tell just by looking that the girl had broken her arms and probably her neck, which meant she was dead, or she hoped that she was. How awful it would be to be broken on the ground, still conscious with immeasurable pain eating away at their insides, she hoped the girl was dead. If not she was sure internal bleeding would kill her eventually.
"All right listen up," someone called out to everyone on the roof. It made them turn their heads away from the girl on the ground and start walking towards the other end of the space around them. Sam took a few last glances towards the girl and at the sobbing one on the roof before following behind Will, now that he didn't know what was going to happen next he appeared a lot less smug. "I'm Eric, I'm one of your leaders," he stood on stop of the border around the building, looking very much at home. "If you want to enter Dauntless, this is the way in. And if you don't have the guts to jump, then you don't belong in Dauntless," he finished before Sam could hear a few transfers gasping.
"Is there water at the bottom or something?" Will asked. It was a good question, but otherwise unneeded in Sam's mind. They wouldn't go to the choosing ceremony and lead them all the way here to let them jump to their death; it was just like what she had told the two girls on the train. It would be counterproductive.
"I guess you'll find out," Eric seemed bored with the whole thing. As if he was annoyed by even having to deal with the fresh meant that was transfers, he probably thought it was a waste of time. "Or not, he added at the end. There was small whispering amongst the group before he spoke again, looking around at everyone disinterested. "Someone's gotta go first. Who's it gonna be?" He looked around at everyone again, eyeing the Dauntless initiates who glanced this way and that. If anything Sam would've thought they would be eager to prove that they belonged her, yet they stayed silent. Sam started to walk towards the edge until the Abnegation girl spoke up.
"Me," she said. The people in front of her parted in order to let her walk up to the front. Her expression faltered as Eric stared her down as she got to the end. Shucking off her jacket while a few people jeered at her, using the name stiff in response to the recent news about her old faction. Sam had never cared for name calling, it was childish, everyone was pointing fingers and avoiding the blame, it was better to just stay out of it.
"Today initiate," Eric said dully when she stalled before stepping off abruptly. Eric and a few others looked over towards the bottom to see where she had gone before the leader turned to look at everyone else.
"My turn," a Dauntless initiate said before pushing past everyone forcefully. He stopped and looked over the side for a few moments as if regretting his so eager approach.
"Getting cold feet?" Eric chuckled before his expression hardened again. The guy turned around with a sneer before throwing himself over with a yell that could be heard all way down, fading out slightly the farther he fell. Again some of them looked to see if he had landed okay or whatever happened at the bottom before Eric again turned around, the ever present bland expression on his face. "Well," he glanced at everyone. "Who's next?"
"I'll go," Sam spoke up before catching eyes with the young leader. They held each other's gaze briefly before he moved slightly towards the left as if to allow her to pass. Her expression didn't change as she walked up to him and stopped for a moment, frowning ever so slightly before pulling her eyes away from his. They were blue, reminding her of her younger sister who had the clearest of blue eyes that made Reeve jealous, if only hers had been that normal.
Taking slow steps onto the wall before stepping off into empty air, her eyes looked frantically all around her, as if she would miss something when she closed her eyes. It reminded her on all the times she'd been leaning back on a chair and started to fall, or when she used to go exploring as a child, thrilling. Before she could even guess what was actually waiting for her at the bottom a net welcomed her into its embrace. She stayed there for a few moments, staring up at the sky with a grin on her face, wondering if they might let her do that again. Then someone was pulling her towards the other side of the net where it met the ground and pulling her onto the solid surface.
"Name? You can pick a new one if you like," a tall stony faced man spoke to her shortly. Apparently he was used to doing this. Sam opened her mouth to say Samantha, but that wasn't who she was anymore, and she really didn't want the name that Erudite had given her.
"Reeve," she said breathlessly. He nodded at her before turning to look at someone behind her.
"Third jumper, Reeve," he shouted before turning back to look at her, staring a little bit longer at her eyes. "Welcome to Dauntless," he said before turning her towards where the Abnegation girl was already standing. Someone had already written their names down on a board, Tris and Reeve, the other jumper had been placed on a different board.
Peering around the room Reeve watched as the man took a few steps away from the net and waited for the next jumper to come into the room. His posture reminded her of how someone looked after receiving some sort of adulation, straight back, chest out, and a strong stance. Although his looked more robotic, as if it had been drilled into him early on.
"So Reeve," Tris spoke as if testing out the new name on her lips. The old Erudite looked over at the girl with a smirk, the name sounded much better than Samantha ever had. The name felt too plain to her, careful and cautious, completely unlike how she was as a person, and it would've suited her older sister much better. Tris looked away from Reeve for a moment before getting caught in the red haired girls stare; she couldn't decide which eye to look at. The left one that was green or the right one that was a darker grey color, both of them contrasted starkly with her hair and left Tris confused about what to look at. "I didn't notice," she stopped short before catching her words. "Your eyes," her comment made Reeve grin.
It was something that always gained her much more attention than she ever wanted, the fact that her eyes were two different colors. She'd even gotten teased as a child by the older kids who liked to call her freak and chase her home after school, only to be scared away by her older brother Clive who waited outside for her to get home. She learned to ignore such comments very early on in her life, this was who she was and she couldn't change it.
"Weird right?" Reeve muttered ruffling her long hair. By now it was in tangles and she wanted to growl at much she just wanted to chop it off. Tris didn't know which color to focus on and instead turned away from the girl, noticing that she was around the same height as Reeve, if not a tiny bit taller.
Instead of talking more they watched the rest of the initiates fall into the net, most of the transfers screamed along with a handful of the Dauntless born. Reeve had never been fond of menial chit chat with other people, it was just an excuse for her to practice her smile and pretend she was listening; it was handy when speaking to her mother. Though she much rather preferred to immerse herself in studying other people, finding the twitch in their lips when they lied, or a small exhale proving they were nervous. It intrigued her that people were so easy to figure out after such a short time of looking at them, if she asked the right questions and watched them stumble, she'd have all the answers she needed.
Finally after everyone had jumped the man who pulled them off the net shouted at them to gather before introducing himself as Four. Christina responded with a dull question that made some of the other kids laugh, but Reeve wasn't paying attention as her eyes glanced around the area around them. It didn't hurt to memorize the place she was going to be living in for the rest of her life, probably would even help her in the long run.
Just before turning to look back at Four, who was taking slow steps towards Christina, she caught sight of the leader from the rooftop, Eric. He was speaking to a few other members before turning to walk away until he glanced in her direction and saw her following his form. She stared at him blandly, trying to figure out what the tattoos on his neck might mean, she'd read that each person got them for a different reason, if not to overcome a fear. She didn't even notice he was staring back at her, only when the other initiates began to follow Four through a hallway did she look at his face to hold his gaze. His eyes were dark, as if he was trying to scare her away with just his expression, but Reeve was used to the look. She'd gotten and given it to her family many times. Quirking her mouth at him slightly she turned on her heel to follow the rest of the teenagers in front of her.
A few years ago she might have been frightened of the intimidating man, scared to even walk up next to him much less speak to him. But all Reeve saw was her brother when she looked at him, a bully who would do nothing to her if she didn't react, because eventually everyone got boring, and then the bully would leave them alone.
They'd already been split from the Dauntless born without Reeve noticing and were going towards what Four had called the Pit. Gazing around at all the catacombs and hideaway's in the rock Reeve wonders if she'll ever have time to explore them or if she'll even make it that far at all. There are people fighting at the bottom, others clustered around as if it's an event for everyone to watch and speculate, she'd known that there would be violence. Further he led them into a room lined with cots, and sinks near the far wall.
"You're gonna be sleeping here for the next 10 weeks," he says before walking past the cots. A Candor boy looks around before speaking briefly.
"Girls or boys?"
"Both," he replies. His answer earned some sighs, gasps, and whistles as everyone takes in the information. "If you like this you're gonna love the bathroom," he shows them to the back of the room. Toilets lined up against a wall, Reeve figured the only way she could use it with any sort of privacy would be to wear her jacket on her lap while she did her business. "Get changed," was the last thing Four said before exiting the room.
"Sam," a voice called out her old name. Reeve turned to see Christina and Tris next to two cots with clothes on them, a third with additional clothing that they were saving for her.
"It's Reeve now," she said before stopping to look down at the dark material beneath her.
"Sounds cooler anyway," the dark skinned girl laughed. As they changed a few of the guys jeered at Tris, Reeve glared at them coldly, how very mature of them.
When everyone was changed they were led towards a fire pit where they were told to toss their old clothes into the flames, Reeve was more than happy to do so. If she never have to wear blue clothes again she would be very happy. Afterwards they were taken to the cafeteria, where all the other members got to stare them down while they looked for seating, which ended up being next to Four. Reeve ended up in between Tris and Christina with a boy from her old faction in front of them, she liked to think her name was Will, maybe.
Hesitant to take the food Tris prodded the hamburger in front of her while everyone else loaded their plates with food, Christina spoke past Reeve in order to ask Tris if she'd ever seen a hamburger before, it got the conversation flowing. Sparking responses from the two guys on the other side of the table, Will maybe, and some of teen.
"Which textbook did you swallow?" Christina asks Will maybe, making the other boy laugh.
"Nice to meet you, too. I'm Will, Erudite," he said with a smile. This made Reeve nod slightly, she'd gotten his name right, surprisingly, she'd never been all that good with remembering names of people.
"Of course you are," was Christina's response.
"Same faction as Samantha," he motioned over to the red haired girl. She looked up at him blandly; he'd never really spoken to her before, or even cared what she had been doing, although that may have been her fault.
"It's Reeve now," she muttered before taking another bite of food.
"No offense, but I'm surprised Abnegation even eats at all," Christina gets the conversation flowing again. "Too selfish, right? No wonder you left."
She listened faintly to the rest of the conversation, not participating, but also not ignoring, she'd found out, thanks to Christina, that the other boys name was Al.
"I don't want to hear about your old Factions," Four breaks up the conversation making Reeve turn to him. "You're Dauntless now." It was true, they had no place to talk about it anymore, which Reeve was grateful for, the faster she left that faction behind, the less she would ever have to speak of it again. She ignored the rest of what was exchanged between Tris and Four, only hearing the small scoff of Christina next to her.
"You know, he was first in his class. They tried to recruit him for leadership twice, but he said no," Will murmurs in front of them softly.
Suddenly everyone around them started thrumming the table and tapping their metal cups, so violently that water began to spill and quake with the movement, only stopping when a voice could be heard over the noise.
"Initiates, stand," it commanded. Reeve looked up until she saw a dark skinned man leaning over a railing above them; he must've been the leader or something to have that kind of power to silence a room. Christine, Tris, Will, and Al stood up before glancing at her, she stood up as well. "You have chosen to join the warrior faction, tasked with the defense of this city and all its inhabitants. We believe in ordinary acts of bravery and the courage that drives one person to stand up for another. Respect that. Do us Proud." He finishes abruptly before walking away; Reeve watched his form until it could no longer be seen against the railing when everyone started cheering.
Then there were people picking her up along with Tris and the other initiates, hands touching her everywhere in order to keep her body in the air. She tried to smile like the other girls she was becoming friends with, faking it like she had always done, because if there was one thing she hated. It was being touched.
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AN: I apologize if I don't get everything exactly correct, and maybe you hate my main character, oh well. Also I hate writing in first person, so this story will obviously be in third person which is what I am good at.
Don't forget to review and tell me what you thought, there will be more Eric in the next chapter, first one is just to establish everything, pick a new name, all that jazz.
Thanks for reading.
