Chapter Text
Regulus wanted to be like his parents.
He wanted to become influential like his parents, powerful like his parents. Therefore, he was going to live his life as an Erudite, just like his parents, and the parents of his parents.
He had known this all his life. The result of his aptitude test was positively going to be Erudite and he was going to choose Erudite during the notorious Choosing Ceremony.
An exact copy of them. They would have been proud of him, he would have made them proud, he would have finally made them proud.
And this was going to be his future. He had never doubted it.
Not until his brother had chosen Dauntless.
His entire world shattered. His brother had changed the plan they had built all of their life within just a day. Everything changed.
Every night after Sirius had left, Regulus had wondered why they couldn't have been born in Dauntless, Sirius wouldn't have left, but, as the days went by, he had started to think his brother would have escaped anyway regardless of the Faction. Sirius used to complain a lot about what Mother and Father did to them, Regulus was dense enough to not understand why. They cared about them, he believed, even though it might have been hard to acknowledge.
Regulus wasn’t sure about his life anymore, about who he was going to be.
He could have continued living his life, like he had planned, just without Sirius, his brother, the only person who could really understand him. But he had left, forever.
So Regulus started to imagine his whole future again, without Sirius.
And he was fine with it. He had to be.
He was Regulus Arcturus Black, son of Orion and Walburga Black, an Erudite and Erudite born and he had to be fine with it.
Consequently the day before the aptitude test he didn’t seem to have any doubt about what his results were going to be, it was not going to be any different from what he expected, from what his parents wanted. He wasn’t feeling confident as much as he wanted to, but he didn’t dare to show it, he had a certainty and he didn’t want it to be thrown away.
Maybe Sirius’ result to the aptitude test hadn’t been Erudite, he had simply chosen the other Faction, for whatever reason, but Regulus knew his result was going to be Erudite. It couldn’t be anything else.
He confidently put his all trust in the test, when perhaps he shouldn't have.
“Regulus, tomorrow is an important day, the day you finally become one of us, formally,” his mother said as she stretched her arm to meet his son’s hand on the kitchen table. Regulus wasn’t used to his parents’ gentle touch and every time they brushed their hands against him, it made Regulus shiver, not knowing if it was going to be a violent touch, like it was most of the time, or a tender one, which wasn't as common.
This time though she just laid her bony hand on his, glaring at him intensely. Regulus swallowed intimidated.
Tomorrow. Aptitude test. The test that would have confirmed in which Faction he belonged to.
“I remember my aptitude test,” she continued, as she began to recall her past. “My parents were so proud of me, also for the choice I made the day after, which was perfectly coherent with my aptitude test's result, they were happy... Do you want to make us happy, Regulus?” Walburga looked at Orion, her husband, with that smile on her face which Regulus didn’t know if he liked or hated.
Regulus hoped that, after his choice, his parents were finally going to love him like other parents did with their sons. His mother had told him herself that it would happen. What more could he ask for?
“Yes, I do,” he answered, almost whispering the words.
“Good.” This time, Orion talked and Regulus’ head turned to him immediately. His mother’s hand left Regulus’ and he could finally take a sigh of relief, silent enough not to make his parents hear him.
Regulus wasn’t hungry that night, his food was right in front of him but he would've have preferred to just go to bed. He ate slowly, one bite at a time, making a simple dinner last too much. At some point his parents began to boringly talk about their job, and everytime they did, it'd remind him of his own soon-to-be job. They were two of the fifty council members of the city, two of the most influential from Erudite. They valued everything Erudite stood for and they would have given their life for those principles.
“I wonder how many of the Abnegation children are going to leave their faction,” Orion observed as he finished chewing the food.
“According to the statistics of last year, probably the majority, I still don’t know why our society trusts Abnegation enough to give them full control of our government when they can’t even keep their own children in their faction,” his wife said, clearly irritated.
Walburga deeply despised whatever had to do with Abnegation, the selfless faction, as it was called, of course she did, one of the first requirements to be Erudite nowadays was to hate Abnegation, it seemed. They had too much power, too much control while the other factions had almost any in comparison. Abnegation was chosen to guide the society because of their selfless self but were they really that selfless?
“We should consider ourselves lucky to have someone like Tom as our leader, he’s going to seize power once and for all,” Orion reminded his wife. “Lyall is not going to last much longer as a political leader,” he continued, amused by his thoughts about what was going to be the future of his faction.
Lyall was the most influential member of the council, he was from Abnegation and Walburga and Orion, of course, couldn’t stand him.
Regulus was always silent during these conversations. He wasn’t sure of what to say, or if he was allowed to speak anyway. Sirius and him never talked during dinner, or lunch, or breakfast, they said it was because of discipline but in reality it was because they were too scared of saying the wrong thing at the wrong time. They couldn’t risk it. Regulus should have understood something was changing when Sirius started to speak up, he should have understood Sirius didn’t want to live that life anymore. He should have understood Sirius wasn’t going to be silenced anymore, that choosing another Faction wouldn’t have terrified him, the idea of their parents didn’t scare him anymore. He had no fear of doing what he thought was right. And neither had Regulus, because he was doing the right thing, right?
Later that night Regulus finally went to bed, alone, thinking about the next day as he stared at the empty bed right in front of him which had belonged to a young boy just one year earlier. He let himself imagine, just that one night, what would have happened if the result of the test was not going to be Erudite, so he could have been prepared for every possibility. However the only other possibility he imagined was the test telling him he was Dauntless and him realising he had something in common with his brother after all, the boy who had once occupied the empty bed.
But he had to admit to himself nothing was going to change much, he couldn't have been Dauntless, but he liked to think it would have. The thrill of thinking it could've changed something let him stay awake for too much more time than planned. Has Sirius made the same considerations a year before, while his younger brother had been quietly sleeping beside him, unaware of everything?
His mouth was dry, eyes struggled to open, his skin touched by a cold but pleasant breeze coming from his slightly open window. It was early in the morning and the sun was lightly illuminating his room.
He was awake.
Regulus managed to wake up and put on a suit, the shirt light blue, while his jacket and pants were of a darker shade. Blue was the colour of his faction, the calming colour that helps stimulate the brain as Erudite was the faction of knowledge, intelligence and curiosity.
Looking at himself in the mirror, he imagined if only that blue got suddendly darker, darker to a point it wasn’t blue anymore, but black. He wondered how black would suit him. It wasn't the first time he had thought about it. Maybe he would have looked more similar to his brother… What a silly thought. He shook his head and his clothes became blue once again.
He had a quick breakfast before leaving his house, alone, his parents didn’t follow him. They were going to see their son making the decision of his life the day after, when the Choosing Ceremony was going to take place, right after the aptitude test.
So he was alone, he was used to it, he made sure he got used to it, especially after his brother had chosen another faction.
He walked out of his house, heading to the car which would have taken him to the Upper Levels buildings, where the test would have taken place. He thought he was not going to be anxious, but as he walked out of the house, the tension reached him, he felt his heartbeat increasing and he noticed he was swallowing too much.
Once in the car, his leg also started shaking as he glanced out. The car was going fast and he could clearly see all of the other teens leaving their houses to attend the aptitude test. The number of people on the street started to increase when the car was finally reaching its destination. The building in front of him was the same he'd see every time he'd get to school, a school he would not step foot in anymore. Made of steel and glass, just like every other building in the city.
The moment he stepped out his vehicle, he saw the students of his age waiting in line to enter the building. There were so many, making it almost impossible to walk.
The lines were divided by Faction, all recognisable by the colour of their clothing. Amity, who wore red and yellow. Candor in black and white, like how their mind worked. Abnegation-they are quite depressing, Sirius had said to him one day-they wore all grey and those were the ones Erudite grew up learning how to hate. Erudite, a Faction Regulus was familiar with, wore just blue. And Dauntless.
They arrived fashionably later, Regulus saw them suddendly getting off the moving train that speeded close to the building, having everyone around gasp in surprise.
He realised he was staring too hard too late. Unwittingly, his eyes drifted among the black-dressed runners, in search of familiar faces he knew weren’t going to be there that day. He moved his eyes quickly away, pretending it had just been a casual glance.
Ignoring the Dauntless members, Regulus stepped in line, the one for Erudite where he actually saw some known faces-not a single one of them he wanted to talk to-he must have already seen at school.
The loud chattering that had reached his ears since he had gotten out of his car became louder when Dauntless arrived. Regulus tried everything not to turn and look at them again. He shut his eyes briefly and clenched his fingers. But since Sirius had dropped his blood into the Dauntless bowl, the way in which he had finally confirmed his choice, he had never stopped thinking about how he could take in consideration following his brother.
He just missed him so much and he couldn't stand it.
But that’s not where he truly belonged, so he looked at his Faction’s members and reminded himself they were his family, like his parents had told him endless times.
That was where he belonged.
A sudden shake woke him up from his thoughts. He was able to glance only at he hand on his shoulder which belonged to a man that must have been much older than him. Regulus looked at it and immediately turned to see the owner of it.
“Alphard.”
Regulus' heart finally calmed down, his thoughts stopped messily spinning around and the chattering around him silenced for a moment. “W-what are you doing here?”
His uncle smiled. “I was going to work and I remembered what day it is today, so I figured I came looking for you,” Alphard spoke softly, putting a hand on Regulus' hair, moving it around.
Alphard was the only person in his family he trusted, even though he was also wearing blue. He was kind to him, and had been kind to Sirius too. He wasn’t like Regulus’ parents, he wasn’t like his sister, Walburga, Regulus’ mother, he was different and Regulus appreciated it.
He didn’t have the same job as his parents, he was a researcher, nonetheless another typical Erudite job. Regulus knew he was going to be like his presents but if something happened he decided he was going to choose the same job as Alphard.
“Just wanted to wish you good luck, it’s an important day.”
Alphard must have felt the tension rising when he spoke. Regulus looked away from him, concentrating his gaze on their feet.
“Regulus,” he recalled his attention. “Remember what I always tell you?” Alphard’s fingers were on his cheek, trying to lift up his face gently. Regulus almost flinched but he remembered it was Alphard who was touching him, not Walburga, not Orion. So Regulus raised his head and nodded.
“Do whatever you feel is right, don’t let others tell you what to do and what to believe. I can’t even imagine what my sister has told you all these years, but, please, Reggie, don’t let them get to you.”
They stared at each other. Those words couldn't possibly get to him the morning of his aptitude test.
Regulus thought about Sirius. Alphard must have also talked to him before his aptitude test and Choosing Ceremony. Maybe Sirius had realised he wanted something else thanks to those words, but Regulus was sure about what he wanted, wasn’t he?
He didn’t say anything back, he just looked at him and he could feel his heart clenching. Alphard was the only one who had been there for him after Sirius had left and the only person Regulus had trusted to be around him.
“Understood?”
Regulus closed his eyes just to slowly open them again after. Alphard didn’t need words.
“I’m heading off now, work calls. Tomorrow I’ll be there but it’s better if we don’t greet each other, just know I’ll be there… Can I hug you, Regulus?” he said and his words were so soft and so gentle Regulus could have cried, but he didn’t. He just wrapped his arms around Alphard’s shoulders and he felt so loved when the man’s arm tightened around him too. Alphard was capable of making Regulus feel comfortable enough to let him show this side of him, a side he kept to himself, so hidden he didn’t even know when it would surprise him with its presence.
At least he was going to have someone this much trusted in Erudite with him.
That was another good reason to spend the rest of his life in Erudite. Certainly the best one he had for choosing that Faction.
Alphard left and the boy kept his eyes on the man’s shoulders, not wanting to look away. He felt empty again, all alone, but much more optimistic than before.
Regulus reminded himself he was going to see him maybe later that day, maybe the day after, but he was going to see him, he wasn’t leaving forever.
The line started to move and he also progressed forward. Without realising it, he was already waiting for his name to be called. He was sitting next to Erudite boys on one of the cafeteria tables where they had been told to wait. He was not talking, and he was not thinking, he just wanted to be told he was Erudite and leave the place, no more, no less.
And the waiting didn’t turn out to be long, his name was one of the first to be called. Every time the Amity volunteer entered the cafeteria, Regulus held his breath, ready to release it when his name was called and the third time the woman entered the room, he finally did.
“From Erudite, Regulus Arcturus Black and Bartemius Crouch Junior.”
Eight other students stood up, two for each faction. He had never seen any of them but Bartemius. He had seen him in class, he was the son of one of Regulus’ parents’ colleagues but he had never spoken to him, he had never had the chance. He didn't seem too friendly though.
They all walked together out of the cafeteria just to wait in a long hallway. Alongside the hallway, there were ten different doors, one for each student, one was going to host Regulus.
They were all standing one beside the other, staring at the doors in front of them. Regulus thought if they were feeling just like him. Scared, excited, anxious…
They waited again, just a short while, and when the doors opened, Regulus looked around just to make sure he had to enter. Apparently he wasn’t the only one thinking the same, so he met the eyes of Bartemius. His eyes were pitched black, the pupil was left to be found. They met Regulus’ greyish, almost green eyes and for some reason, Regulus’ uneasiness left his body for the short time frame they looked at each other.
Regulus wanted the time to stop, just a second, just to think.
But neither of them had time for it. They had to walk into the rooms and they did, interrupting th eye contact, ready to leave behind all their doubts.
The room Regulus entered in was smaller than expected. A dull yellow light enlightened the space and he felt a non-existent heat trespassing his body. The walls around him were covered by mirrors and Regulus saw his reflection, noticing how pale his skin was, how miserable he looked.
A curious-looking girl, all dressed in black, was standing right next to a big reclined chair Regulus figured he had to sit on. So he moved some steps forward but without actually sitting on it. He was waiting for the girl to speak and give him directions.
She had long blonde, nearly platinum hair, her skin almost as pale as Regulus, but she had bright pink cheeks that brightened her face. Regulus noticed tattoos on her neck coming out of the black shirt she wore, which probably continued down her body.
“You can sit,” she said, her voice almost dreamy.
Regulus hesitated.
“Don’t be nervous, it’s going to be quick.” She was fidgeting with a machine that stood right next to the chair. Electrodes were hanging off of it and Regulus shuddered at the sight.
“I’m not nervous,” Regulus said back, knowing it was a lie.
The chair was comfortable, he thought as he sat down, and it would have been even more if he wasn’t in that particular agonising situation.
“Everyone is nervous.” She stopped moving her hands on the machine and looked at the boy. “I’m Pandora.”
Regulus wasn’t sure if he had to say his name back again but he figured he didn’t, considering he was probably never going to see that girl ever again.
“What are those for?” he asked, moving his gaze to the electrodes she had just picked up.
“These are going to get you into the simulation and they are going to let me observe it.”
“You are going to watch my simulation?” Regulus might have been even more nervous then.
“Of course, darling,” she said as she tucked her hair behind her ear.
Regulus started breathing faster. It was going to happen. He was going to get his result soon. He was going to finally get an answer.
And he was so scared of not getting the right one he could have waited another year to know the result if only it could've meant getting Erudite. But it had to be done.
So he let Pandora press the electrodes to his forehead and hers, just wanting everything to be done already. They felt cold over his skin and every time Pandora added one, the moment he had to enter the simulation approached faster.
“Drink this, it’s a serum, to get into the simulation,”
The boy didn’t ask any questions because Pandora had already anticipated him. She passed Regulus a small glass full of a clear liquid that looked like water but Regulus knew it would have tasted differently.
The serum entered his mouth, going down his throat slowly, denser than water and it tasted like… nothing.
Regulus couldn’t give it a proper description. He only felt his eyelids instantly getting heavier on his eyes. He tried to fight it, tried to keep his eyes open but whatever that liquid contained was stronger than his own will. The last thing he saw was a tuft of Pandora’s blond hair almost touching his face. And then the dark.
His surroundings had changed when he had woken up. He still found himself an empty aptitude test room but this time he was not sitting on the chair and he was alone. The mirrors covered the walls even then and Regulus had no clue on what to do.
He looked at his reflection in the mirror, realising how he had grown similar to Sirius. His hair had gotten longer-not as much as Sirius kept it though-his bones structure was more defined and, despite the fact that he had not seen Sirius in a long time, it looked like it was even more defined than his brother’s.
Regulus' heart almost sank to his feet at that sight, but he had little time to dwell on it as he noticed one of the mirrors behind him opening, like a door, letting water in the room.
“What?” he spoke, almost whispering, too confused about what was happening.
The water was running fast into the room and there was no immediate way to stop it. It soaked Regulus’ shoes first, rising fast to his legs and waist.
Regulus almost started to shake as he thought about what was going to happen if he couldn’t find a way out of the room. The water had already reached the boy’s neck when Regulus couldn’t keep his feet on the ground anymore. He started to float but the ceiling was right over his head.
His hands went over his head trying to push the ceiling up, the only thing he seemed able to do at that moment. He took one last breath before getting fully under the water. He tried not to panic to keep his breath as long as he could but it wasn’t as easy as he thought.
The door from where the water had come from continued to let out the liquid and the pressure it was creating caused the mirrors to start shattering. Regulus noticed the mirrors breaking and he shut his eyes as he was scared that the pieces of mirrors were going to hit him.
As soon as he opened his eyes, he was still surrounded by water but this time there was no room, no mirrors around him, just more water. Over his head, the ceiling disappeared and a bright light lightened the water. Regulus quickly started to swim towards the light, his feet moved fast and he wished they had moved even faster as he was almost out of breath, but he soon successfully reached the surface.
The moment his lungs finally filled with air again, Regulus started to gasp for all the air that he could, glad he wasn’t still trapped into the room. He brought his right hand to filter the light coming from the sky and instead of his hand, a gun covered his face from the sun. He realised he wasn’t empty handed. A black loaded gun appeared in his hand and Regulus didn’t know why but he knew it was loaded.
He didn’t have time to process what had just happened and why he had a weapon when a loud scream coming from behind him reached his ears.
He turned and saw a little girl in the water, moving her arms and legs, splashing water all round her.
“Only one can get into the boat, choose,” a deep male voice suddenly said but Regulus couldn’t find the owner. He felt like it came from everywhere.
A little boat appeared beside him, big enough to contain both the kid and Regulus. He had to choose but for what reason?
“Choose what?” he replied, asking the question directed to the voice he heard earlier.
“Only one can get into the boat, choose,” the voice spoke again but it didn’t add many details so Regulus decided to act.
The kid was still yelling, with a strident and nasal sound, but this time she was pointing at something in the water. Regulus looked around, he noticed a movement near them.
A large fin of some creature emerged from the water and it looked like it was approaching the two.
Regulus knew what it was. It must have been a shark. He had read about sharks in books, but he had never seen one. They lived in the ocean and Regulus had never seen it. Inside the Fence, the barrier that confined the city he lived, there was no sea or ocean or lake, he didn’t even know if they existed outside anymore, but it had definitely existed before the war that had destroyed the world humanity had once lived in.
He realised he must have been in the middle of the ocean.
Regulus had read books also about it, about the ocean, about sharks as well. Big fish, almost always carnivores and everyone was terrified of them. But there was no actual reason to be. They weren’t used to eating humans and had no business doing so. The reason the shark near Regulus and the kid was approaching, was probably not to devour them.
He had to act fast and find a solution. And he was not going to choose.
He swam carefully to the kid, who was still kicking and moving, and put his hands on her shoulders.
“Hey, look at me, don’t move,” he looked her in her eyes, trying to distract her from the animal. “If you don’t move, the shark is not going to get us.”
It turned out to be easier than expected. As soon as the little girl heard Regulus’ words, she actually stopped moving.
The scenery changed fast, in a blink of an eye, literally.
Both Regulus and the kid were lying down on a sandy shore. Their bodies weren’t floating in the water anymore. The soft sand was under Regulus’ hands and he had never been more relieved of feeling the ground beneath him.
The gun was still beside him.
He groaned under his breath, lying on his back, taking deep breaths.
“Get up!” another loud voice ordered but this time it wasn’t the same as before.
Regulus followed the order, automatically, not thinking about disobeying. His legs hurt and he was still recovering from the previous mission.
“You or the girl!”
The voice belonged to a man. His clothes weren’t of any colour of any Faction so Regulus figured he must have been Factionless. He kept a gun in his hands and his arms were trembling. The weapon moved from Regulus to the kid, waiting for Regulus’ choice.
Not again, he thought.
When he realised the man wasn’t looking at him, he quickly picked up the gun from the ground, pointing it at the man.
Regulus had never used a gun. It looked out of place in his hands, he didn’t know how it worked, how to actually shoot, he just hoped the man was going to get scared.
But he didn’t. He kept moving the weapon around, not stopping.
“I’m going to shoot both!” the man yelled, his voice was guttural, almost scary, it fitted his look.
When least expected, Regulus heard a loud and deafening sound. The sound of a gunshot.
As soon as he heard the bang, Regulus pulled the trigger and the man was on the ground, but there was no sign of blood. He wasn’t sure what made him pull the trigger so fast, he just knew he had to.
The kid was alive so Regulus didn’t know where the man had shot but the only important thing was that they were both fine.
Regulus blinked.
“Excuse me sir, do you know this man?” Someone tapped Regulus’ shoulder from the side where the kid stood moments before. Regulus turned and there was no kid, no beach, no sea.
He was in the aptitude test room again but the mirrors were not broken anymore and there was no sign of water. It was just empty. Only him and the woman who asked the question occupied the space.
She was smaller than Regulus, so she held a piece of paper up to reach Regulus’ eyes.
It was a wanted poster with the face of a man.
The man he had just killed.
He knew, he felt it, that if he had told the truth, something bad was going to happen to him.
“It could help the whole city, knowing where this guy is,” the woman spoke again, looking up at Regulus, waiting impatiently for an answer.
Regulus was tired of all of these questions.
Did he want to save himself? Did he want to help those people? After all, he killed the man they were scared of, why would something bad happen to him?
“I killed him,” he answered sharply, looking the woman right in the eyes, waiting for something to happen… something bad perhaps, but something.
He opened his eyes quickly. The woman disappeared, the aptitude test’s room changed, it wasn’t empty anymore. He found himself again in it, the real room. This time Pandora was beside him and he was sitting on the reclining chair with the electrodes still on his forehead.
He had woken up from the simulation.
He could feel the sweat on his palms, on his neck, on his forehead. He felt dizzy, he wasn’t sure if he was going to be able to stand up.
As he focused, he noticed Pandora's breath was heavy and she looked worried, like she was the one who just experienced the aptitude test for the first time.
“What did I get?” Regulus asked. He wanted to leave, wanted it all to be over but Pandora seemed to do everything but tell him what he needed to hear in order to leave.
She took the electrodes off of Regulus, almost hurting him. He felt his skin being ripped away. He brought a hand to his forehead, massaging the area. She didn’t dare to look at the boy, her eyes drifted between everything, the machine, the electrodes, the chair, the mirrors, but they seemed unable to look at Regulus.
“Do I need to do this again?” he asked quietly. Regulus really hoped he didn’t have to do it all again. It had been a draining experience, mentally mostly, but his body had been affected by it too somehow.
“No,” she answered rapidly, murmuring the word that had been almost missed by Regulus’ ears.
“Therefore, I think you are able to tell me what Faction I got.”
He didn’t want to sound mean or grumpy but he had waited for that answer for so long.
“You got Erudite,” as she let the words come out of her mouth, Regulus’ breath stopped.
He was weirdly not satisfied with the result. He was not like his brother, he was like his parents… and that troubled him? He had hoped to get that result for such a long time but when he finally got it he wasn’t as satisfied as he thought. He was actually like his parents.
Pandora was focused on him and Regulus wanted to yell at her to stop looking at him like that, like he had done something wrong. Regulus raised his eyebrows when she looked unable to move.
“Good,” he grunted as he pushed his arm up to leave the chair, sounding as calm as he could.
“And Dauntless, and Candor,” she added, managing to make Regulus stop. “You didn’t get only one result.”
Why was she messing with him?
“Yeah, that’s impossible, it’s well know we can only get one result-“
“Divergent,” Pandora interrupted the boy. “You are Divergent. It’s not impossible, it’s rare.”
Regulus was beyond doubt confused. He didn’t know if she was joking, a really bad joke, or if she was high, or drunk perhaps. “I’ve never heard of it, and if it really exists there must have been something wrong with the machine, I can’t-” he explained to her, pretty sure of what he was saying as he wasn’t intimidated by her words.
“The test is built to exclude a Faction based on what you choose to do. You told the girl what to do in the presence of a shark? Erudite response, but then you killed the man, that’s a Dauntless response and lastly you told the truth to the woman, a well known Candor response. You are Divergent, kid. Divergence is rare and it’s considered dangerous by society because they don’t fit in any of the Factions, they don’t fit into any specific behaviour recognised by the government, so you must be really careful and you can’t talk to anyone about this, not even your family or friends, keep it to yourself.”
Her words travelled Regulus’ mind faster than he wanted them to. Divergent? Government? Behaviour? Why had he never heard of it?
“I don’t understand.”
“It almost never happened to me, I knew someone who was Divergent but I’ve never seen a simulation by a Divergent before. You are extremely rare.”
The only thing he counted on, the test, couldn’t give him an answer.
“You are telling me I got three different results, how am I supposed to choose? And how do I know you are not going to tell anyone about this if you are saying it’s dangerous for people to know.”
Regulus asked himself why didn’t she stop at the word Erudite? That was enough for him, for his parents and for his faction.
“You are free to choose whatever Faction you want, think about the result you really wanted to get and choose that faction, this doesn’t change much. Someone I knew who was Divergent got killed and I would never do this to someone. I already wrote in the result manually in the system, the result is stored as Erudite, ninety five percent of people get the Faction they were born in, you are no different,” she answered his questions but Regulus still felt it was not enough.
“So it doesn’t change much-“
“You have to leave, go home, don’t talk to anyone.” Pandora got dangerously closer to him. She was slightly taller so her head bent down to stare into Regulus’ eyes, hands on his shoulder. “Remember, no one can be trusted.”
He knew he couldn’t trust anyone, he didn’t need a stranger to tell him that, he had learnt it well enough alone.
At her last words, she almost threw the boy out of the room.
He found himself out of the room, more confused than before when the only purpose of the test was not to be anymore. He met no one's gaze as he ran out of the building.
Regulus spent his whole way back home reflecting on what the Dauntless girl had said to him.
He wasn’t Erudite.
He was Divergent.
He was Erudite, Candor and Dauntless. He was Dauntless, there was something in him that resulted to be Dauntless-like. Like his brother.
He didn’t receive a result, but three different ones. What was he going to choose? Knowing something like Divergent changed the whole perspective of the Choosing Ceremony. He had enough doubts before and when he thought he could clear them off, he’d just gotten more.
He wasn’t Erudite, he wasn’t fully Erudite, he wasn’t fully like his parents and that’s the only thing he knew, or better, the only thing he seemed to accept.
Everything changed, again.
His future was put at risk, the future he had planned. Destroyed, for a second time.
He was not going to tell his parents, it would have made everything worse and he certainly didn’t trust them enough.
It was his secret, something he was going to keep for himself and no one was going to know. He just had to make a choice the next day.
Before opening the door of his house, before having to confront his parents, there was only one word filling his head.
Divergent.
Divergent.
Divergent.