A/N: hey guys sorry I haven't updated in forever , but I was having a major case of writers block. But I graduate high school tomorrow. So I wanted to celebrate by updating. It's also very short, and I'm sorry for that. Also do you guys want a Q&A chapter? I'll answer the questions to the best of my ability without giving away to much spoilers. So send In questions. Read/review/follow/favourite
i do not own divergent.
Stage 2 of initiation is dancing on my last nerve. I'm on my 5th initiate and I'm already tired of it. I've seen a variety of different fears come from the initiates. Heights, spiders, snakes, losing family, killing, etc. Each of the initiates last around 10-20 minutes in the simulation.
I walk out of the room to grab the next initiate. It was tris.
"Come on, tris" I beckon her. She gets up and comes walking towards her, I watch as Drew fails to trip her. I put my hand on her shoulder and guide her into the room.
We were no more then two steps into the room when Tris freezes. She bumps back into my chest at an attempt to escape. I gently nudge her towards the chair
"Sit." She does.
"What's the stimulation?" She asks voice shaky
"Ever heard the phrase 'face your fears'?" I say. "We're taking that literally. The simulation will teach you to control your emotions in the midst of a frightening situation."
"Do you ever administer the aptitude tests?"
"No," I say. "I avoid Stiffs as much as possible."
"Why?"
"Do you ask me that because you think I'll actually answer?" I raise an eyebrow at her and carry on with the necessary preparations for her stimulation. Her eyes follow me as I step around the whirring equipment in the room to hover beside her.
"Why do you say vague things if you don't want to be asked about them?"
I suppress a sigh. I want to tell her. I want to trust her, but I can't. For many reasons.
So instead I brush her hair to the side, I tap the side of the needle, and her eyes flicker down to my hand.
"An injection?" Tris eyes the needle in my hand. At this point I'm praying to god , she is not afraid of needles.
"We use a more advanced version of the simulation here," I explain, "a different serum, no wires or electrodes for you."
"How does it work without wires?"
"Well, I have wires, so I can see what's going on. But for you, there's a tiny transmitter in the serum that sends data to the computer."
I poke the tip of the needle into the sensitive skin on her neck.
"The serum will on into effect in sixty seconds. This simulation is different from the aptitude test," I explain. "In addition to containing the transmitter, the serum stimulates the amygdale, which is the part of the brain involved in processing negative emotions – like fear – and then induces a hallucination. The brain's electrical activity is then transmitted to our computer, which then translates your hallucination into a simulated image that I can see and monitor. I will then forward the recording to Dauntless administrators. You stay in the hallucination until you calm down – that is, lower your heart rate and control your breathing."
I ease my hands over her temples and lean my head down to hers, so close that my lips are just a breath away from her skin.
"Be brave, Tris." I whisper softly, trying to calm her nerves. "The first time is always the hardest."
I hold her gaze until she loses consciousness. The stimulation has begun.
(\_/)
(='.'=) page break! ( I'm skipping the simulation because I'm pretty sure we all knows what
(")_(") happens)
Sounds of movement from the metal reclining chair tell me Tris is fully out of the simulation. She brings her knees to her chest and buries her face them. A soft groan escapes her lips. Immediately, I walk over and gently lay my hand on her shoulder in a weak attempt to comfort her.I must have startled her because she shrinks from my touch and thrusts an arm out, her fist making contact with my stomach. "Don't touch me!" she crys
"It's over." I mummer. I put my hand out to awkwardly stroke her hair, careful to not set her off again.
I watch her silently. She runs her hands along her arms again and again, swatting at invisible things that are merely an extension of her imagination. I long to reach out and comfort her, but past experiences tell me it's better to just let her be.
"Tris."
She rocks back and forth on the chair, not blinking or speaking.
"Tris, I'm going to take you back to the dorms, okay?"
"No!" she objects, glaring at me through tear-filled eyes. "They can't see me…not like this…"
"Oh, calm down," I roll my eyes. "I'll take you out the back door." I gesture towards a second door that leads to a different hallway.
"I don't need you too..." She insists. Clearly she does if she's still shaking and crying .
"Nonsense."
Without another word, I take hold of her arm and guide her out of the room, down the hallway. To my surprise, she doesn't resist my grip. When we have put a fair amount of distance between us and the testing room, she yanks her arm out of my hand and turns on me.
"Why did you do that to me?" she starts. "What was the point of that, huh? I wasn't aware that when I chose Dauntless, I was signing up for weeks of torture!"
Don't snap four, I tell myself. Be calm
I answer her as calmly as I could."Did you think overcoming cowardice would be easy?"
"That isn't overcoming cowardice! Cowardice is how you decide to be in real life, and in real life, I am not getting pecked to death by crows, Four!" Her sobbing comes before I have a chance to say anything.
I want to comfort her to wrap her in my arms and whisper sweet things in her ear, like I do for Skyler. But she soon regains control again.
"I want to go home." She mumbles
"Learning how to think in the midst of fear," I say in my instructor voice "is a lesson that everyone, even your Stiff family, needs to learn. That's what we're trying to teach you. If you can't learn it, you'll need to get the hell out of here, because we won't want you.
"I'm trying"she whimpers. "But I've failed. I'm failing."
She shakes her head. "I don't know. A half hour?"
"Three minutes," I tell her. "You got out three times faster than the other initiates. Whatever you are, you're not a failure." I smile in encouragement. "Tomorrow you'll be better at this. You'll see."
"Tomorrow?"
I nod, we continue walking in silence.
"Four I'm so sorry about your arm!" She says were at the end of the hallway now. By the door that leads to the dorms
"It's okay tris, I'm fine."
She scrunches her nose and examines my face, searching for some sign I'm lying to her.
She doesn't say anything, so I assume she let it go.
I want to ask her about Eric, but I can't bring myself to do it. I don't want to hurt her.
She'll be hurt anyways. My subconscious tells her. You can prevent it.
She puts her hand on the door handle stopping the battle inside my head. Besides I'm out of time.
"Do I look like I've been crying?"
"Hmm," I lean in close and narrow my eyes, pretending to carefully inspect her face. A smile plays at the corners of my lips. "No, Tris. You look tough as nails." And I mean it.
(\_/)
(='.'=)
(")_(")
My friends and I were hanging by the chasm, having a few drinks. Unfortunately Eric was among us and I resist the urge to push him in the chasm. Like at visiting day Skyler and I are leaning against the railings, making out.
"Hey no PDA" Zeke slurs. I raise my eyebrows at him, then resume kissing Skyler.
"Uh oh" Lauren says. "Initiate alert"
I look up to see Tris, Christina , Al, and will walking past the chasm.
"Want to join us." Zeke yells to them. I glare at him.
"Umm..." Tris says looking around.
Eric walks towards them I follow. Crossing my arms against my chest.
"That answer better be no." I say glaring at them.
"And why not?" Zeke asks
"They're not official dauntless, when and if they get in at final rankings, then they are allowed to drink." Eric says. Zeke backs off knowing he won't win, with Eric's authority.
The others walk away sadly, besides Tris.
"Do me a favor and stay away from the chasm, okay?"she says looking at me, then Eric.
Then Al comes out of no where and lifts tris up, giving her a piggy back ride back to her friends.