Choose Your Own Adventure: Divergent

Fight Training- 38

Four strides through the dark hallways, pausing before a new, enormous cavern room you've never seen before. The wood floor is cracked and creaky, and a large circle is painted in the middle. On the left wall is a green chalkboard, with your names written in alphabetical order. Hanging along the wall are faded black punching bags. 

You line up behind the bags, behind Peter and with Tris behind you. Peter shakes his muscles loose, an anticipating grin on his face. Tris looks nervous but determined, brushing at her hair with a hand.

You don't know how you feel. You know a decent bit of fighting, but nothing formal- just enough street defense to stop Old Man Lackey and his posse from taking the food you forage. Actually, it would probably be better to unlearn that, and make way for whatever tactical defense they're about to teach you...

"Next you will learn how to fight," Four says, pacing in front of the line. His voice is clear, arms crossed behind his back as he looks you each up and down. "The purpose of this is to teach you how to act: to prepare your body to respond to threats and challenges, which you will need, if you intend to survive life as a Dauntless. Today we will go over technique, and tomorrow you will start to fight each other. So I recommend you pay attention: those who don't learn fast will get hurt."

You freeze. Fight each other?

"Scared, Amity?" Peter says, leaning over to you, a smile on his face. "Don't worry, I'll go easier on you if you cry."

He cracks his knuckles, and you purposefully look away from him.

He gapes at you, but Four's already demonstrating the punches, first on the air, and then on the bag with a THWACK.

You smack your bag, landing each hit with satisfying thumps. You notice, to your delight, that not only do you already know several of the techniques, but you're getting it faster than Peter is.

You see him watching you uneasily, and you lean over, his harsh breath in your ear. "I'll make you the same deal," you tell him, cracking a grin and whipping into the punching bag with your strongest kick. It slams against the back wall, and Peter visibly jumps back, gaping.

Your foot stings, but you shake it off and bounce back into it. Totally worth it. 

"Do they teach you how to fight in Amity?" a voice says behind your ear, and you whip around to see Four, almost bumping into him. His gaze drifts over you, practiced.

He gestures to the punching bag when he sees you noticing. "No, no, keep going."

You throw a few self-conscious punches and a kick, then turn back. Maybe I should tone it down. Does he know? Does he think I'm just catching on quickly, or is he suspicious? 

Four nods thoughtfully. "You have a lot of lean muscle," he comments. He touches your arm, and your heart flutters against your chest. You shiver away, the feel of hand on your arm lingering. "Must be from the farm work. Keep up the good work."

You nod, shivering and turning back to the punching bag. You see him walk over and help Tris, and your shoulders relax. So he didn't single you out. That's good. That's better. 

"I want to get a tattoo," Al announces once you reach the Pit and start to file out.

"A tattoo of what?" Will asks, raising his eyebrows.

"I don't know," Al laughs, but it's a hollow laugh, like he's trying to convince himself. "I just want to feel like I've actually left the old faction. Stop crying about it." He pauses, grimacing. "I know you've heard me."

"Yeah, quiet down, will you?" Christina pokes Al's thick arm. "I think you're right. We're half in, half out right now. If we want all the way in, we should look the part."

"I will not cut my hair," Tris says firmly, giving you a meaningful stare. "Or dye it a strange color. Or pierce my face."

"How about your belly button?" Christina adds, and you all burst out laughing, almost falling over.

"How about it, Y/N?" Christina says, nudging you with an arm. "Want to come with us?"

"Sure!" You say, grinning. 

"We're going for clothes first," Christina instructs.

Will snorts. "I have clothes. I'm going directly to the tattoo parlor."

"Me too," Al chimes in, shifting from foot to foot. "I'm not wasting any longer."

If you go with Al and Will to the tattoo parlor, advance to 39.

If you go with Tris and Christina to get clothes first, advance to 40.