Chapter 1: Aptitude Test

TRIS'S POV

I woke up to the warm feeling of Tobias beside me. After what feels like hundreds of years being with him, that intense feeling whenever he got near me never entirely disappeared. I smiled, placing my hands on his chest. Then, I remember. I remember what today is. The twins were going to get their aptitude tests. I worry about how their results would turn out, but if it does come out as inconclusive, I demand that they find another faction to go to. A safer one. During my initiation, I got lucky. Even if I am the highest Dauntless leader right now, it won't be long that someone in my own faction will try to hunt down the divergent rebels.

I got out of bed and went to see if Georgia and Gabe had woken up. Because I had a high position in the faction, I built a house near the pit, but outside the headquarters. It has become a routine that when time comes to welcome new members, which is the initiates, my family and I will move to the headquarters until initiations are over. The morning of my children's aptitude tests, I looked in the dining hall, assuming that is where they would be. I did not see them, so I searched their rooms, which were empty. I felt a tap on my right shoulder and turned to see whom it was. It was Tobias.

"Morning, Tris," he greeted, kissing me on the forehead. I smiled, "Where are the twins?"

"I have no clue. I tried looking in the dining hall and in their rooms."

"I think I know where they are." Tobias grabbed my hand and ran towards the fear landscape. I saw a head peak out of one of its corners and recognized it almost immediately. Oh, so that's where they are.

"Georgia, Gabe!" Tobias called, running up the stairs.

"Gabe is inside," Georgia shouted. I went to see the screens beside me to see what his reactions towards his fears were. In all these years, Tobias still holds the record of the least number of fears. I started with 7, and Gabe started with 10. As for Georgia, she went in once when she was 10, but wouldn't speak of what she had to go through inside. She also made me and Tobias swear that we wouldn't try to find out what her fears were until she actually goes through the fear landscape for her initiation, that is IF she chooses to stay in Dauntless.

"Why are you up here, honey? Did you go inside?" I asked Georgia, hoping I could fish some information out of her. Tobias gives me a warning look, which reminds me of Caleb, my older brother.

"Nope, haven't been for the last 6 years. You know I have never been there but that one time. Once. Besides, I should let Gabe have the entire spotlight. He is down to 8 fears, you know." I was impressed. Tobias had been trying all his adult life to conquer 4 fears. Gabe, who isn't even technically allowed to go in the fear landscape just yet, had conquered 2 of his fears in just 6 years.

"Go get ready for school, G. I know its too early, but trust me, you will need that extra time on the train to think and calm yourself. You go ahead. Your father and I will wait for Gabe to finish his landscape."

With that, Georgia left the site. I waited for Gabe to finish while Tobias tries to figure out what stage of his fear he is on. Seventh. It has been so long that I've tried to go inside that thing, I thought to myself. I see Tobias go in it once a week. Sometimes, I go with him. Being in his fear landscape was one thing, but being in mine is a whole entire different matter.

I heard the beep go off, which meant that Gabe had completed his simulation. I looked at the screen to see how long he took to complete his fear landscape. 15 minutes. Impressive, I thought. Gabe walked out of the room with a look a terror on his face.

"Morning Gabe," I said, hugging him. Tobias turned of the simulation.

"Morning, mom. Where is Georgia?"

"I told her to go ahead. It is a big day, you should probably get ready as well."

GEORGIA'S POV

Before I got into the train, Gabe ran up to me, catching up. I was hoping he wouldn't, because I want the time on the train to think and to mentally prepare myself. As much as both my parents love me, it was against the law to tell what the aptitude test would be about. I have no clue what I am about to get myself into. All I know is that the person conducting my test will not be from the same faction I am. If not a Dauntless, I hope it would be Abnegation or Amity.

"So eager to leave, sis," greeted my brother.

"Yea well you took too long in that 7th stage."

"Ouch, thank you for the support," he snapped. I looked at him. That is when I realized this might be the last day I get to spend with him together, because deep in my heart, I know that he might not choose Dauntless. I've always known.

"Sorry."

"You nervous?"

"Terrified."

"Well, G, you should know that whatever you choose, whatever I choose, I will always be there for you," says Gabe. I smiled, knowing that what he just said was true. Never once he failed to be there for me when I need him.

The rest of the ride to school was quiet. I needed to think, and I know Gabe feels the exact same way. When we arrived, like the Dauntless always do, we jumped off the train and ran towards the school's entrance. I arrived inside and walked towards faction history. Like always, the aptitude tests are held after lunch, so classes are cut short. Lunch came faster than I imagined. I sat with Dauntless, not hearing a word they were saying. I completely spaced out.

"Earth to Georgia!" I heard. I looked to my right and saw Cass, my best friend, calling me out. I have known her ever since birth. Her mom, Christina, and her dad, Will, were my mom's friends during her initiation.

"Sorry, I'm just a little preoccupied right now, Cass," I told her.

"Its fine, I guess I'm just a little too enthusiastic. I mean, I've always known that I was a Dauntless or a Candor. So whatever I get today must be either one. I trust the tests, and whatever it tells me, that is what I will probably choose," she said. I smiled at her, not knowing what else to do or say. When the bell rang, I got up and formed a line. I looked around for Gabe, and he was way behind me.

"Good afternoon, everyone," greeted one of the Abnegation volunteers, "This year, the order of the test will be a bit different. We will have 5 different floors for testing, one for each faction. Abnegation, please go to the 1st floor. Erudite the 2nd, Amity the 3rd, Candor the 4th, and Dauntless in this floor, the 5th." I watched the other factions go out, and the emptier the cafeteria feels, the more nervous I got.

"First 10 to go will be Cassidy Shields, Gabriel Eaton, Georgia Eaton, Sebastian White, Jaden Shields, Charlotte Todd, Evelyn Pierce, Harry Ramirez, Steven Ward, and Kate Vasquez," When I heard the names, I immediately realized that these were all children of Dauntless leaders, or at least if not leaders, Dauntless that are in a higher position. I walk towards the testing rooms behind Gabe, feeling nervous.

When I entered, I saw a woman dressed in grey colored clothing. Abnegation. Thank god I didn't get a Candor or an Erudite. I smiled at her.

"You look just like your grandma did when she was younger, Georgia," the woman immediately said. It has been years since I last saw grandma Natalie. I smiled and took a seat. It looks a lot like the fear simulation seat. The last time I went through that, it was not pretty.

"I'm Sonya," she introduced herself, "Just be calm and drink this serum. Good luck." I drank the serum and dozed off.

"Choose," I hear a woman say. I looked ahead and see nothing but white.

"Choose what?" I asked.

"Choose!" I ignored her. I was looking at a gold box that was in the distance. Then it hit me. This is exactly what I saw during fear simulation. I went towards the box and opened it. Just as I expected, there was a purple diamond inside it. Then, I woke up.

"That was…unexpected," Sonya said.

"What?" I asked her.

"Listen, Georgia. Among important Abnegation members, it isn't a secret that your mother's test results were inconclusive, which meant she was-

"Divergent, I know," I felt the need to interrupt her. Is this what I've become as well? Not belonging in just a single faction?

"But the thing is, that was not inconclusive. I don't know what that was." I felt tears at the edge of my eyes.

"Tell you what, if I report this, they will have you killed. But I will file you in as Dauntless, and I will cover the graphics so no one would know, ok? But listen carefully, go straight home and tell your mother about this," Sonya commanded. It wasn't a suggestion. From the way she said it, I knew it was a command.

"Okay," I said.

GABE'S POV

I went inside the test room and saw a man dressed in a bright yellow shirt, which hurt my eyes a little. I sat on the simulation chair and waited.

"I'm Greg, from Amity," he finally said while fixing some wires behind the chair.

"I think it's obvious," I snapped. I wasn't feeling friendly, and when Greg doesn't respond, I felt guilt for being so difficult earlier.

"Sorry, I'm just feeling a bit intense," I apologized. I turned my head to see what he was doing, and he just smiled. He gave me the simulation serum and I drank it. Soon, I dozed of.

I saw a knife and a cheese, and a woman's voice that I recognize tells me to choose one. I refuse to choose either one. Then, I see a dog barking, ready to attack. I also see a little girl coming the dog's way, trying to pet it. The dog went over to the little girl to hurt her, but I throw myself at the little girl. Then, a new scenario appeared. I was in a bus where an old man holding a newspaper asked if I knew the guy on the newspaper. I feel like it's a familiar face, but I have a feeling that if I told him I knew the person, something bad will happen. Nonetheless, he told me I could save his life if I knew the person, so I told him it looks familiar and offered to help. After that, I woke up in the testing room with Greg on my side.

"So, what was the result?" I asked him, bracing myself for the answer. Deep in my heart, I've always known that I don't belong in Dauntless. I've been trained to be brave and to not be a coward, but part of the reason why I agreed to being brave is because I know that being brave could help someone in need, and I want to help the people in need – the factionless.

"Thanks for making this an easy one, Gabe," he replied, "You didn't choose the cheese nor the knife, but throwing yourself to the little girl to protect her, even if you know that the dog might hurt you, is a Dauntless and an Abnegation response. In the 2nd scenario, you chose to tell the old man that the face looks familiar when you knew for a fact that something bad will happen to you if you do, which is Abnegation quality. It could also be a Dauntless quality, but a real Dauntless soul would have chosen the knife and killed the dog. Your result is Abnegation."

I smiled.

That is exactly the faction I wanted.