Dauntless -Clone Wars

Choosing Day

Qui-Gon Jinn

"Choose anything but Dauntless."

The words ran through his head. In a way, he felt he belonged here among the brave. But he was also intelligent, compassionate, and far too kind. Candor was never an option. It never is when you're Divergent.

When you're Divergent, you don't fit in anywhere. You are your own faction. You belong to yourself and yourself alone. That's what makes you dangerous. You can't be controlled.

But.

You can learn to live among those who are. You can learn to compromise and give up the will to be free-spirited. At least as much as possible.

I can blend in.

And there was only faction who lived by a code of disappearing and blending in.

Qui-Gon's blood slid off his hand onto the smooth, grey stones. Quiet applause was heard from his new faction who -instead of shaking his hand or giving a welcoming hug- nodded their heads politely to acknowledge him.

Meanwhile Dauntless was in chaos. He was a traitor now. It tore him apart, but it was too late. There was no going back. He had no choice but to leave them.

"Nothing happens by accident." A gentle man said later. "It is God's will that you are here."

Qui-Gon never quite understood the religious beliefs of the Abnegation people, but the idea was comforting. And in time, he'd come to understand that in some way it might have been true.

. . . . . . .

Obi-Wan Kenobi

"Really, Obi-Wan, you should be studying."

"I was helping-"

"You weren't studying."

Maybe I'd rather be doing something useful in my life. What good are books if one cannot put into practice what he has learned?

"Yes, Ma'am."

"Hurry and finish your chapters. We need to prepare you for the aptitude test."

. . .

"I'm disappointed with your results, Obi-Wan. You deliberately disobeyed me."

"I'm sorry, Mother."

"Don't you dare tell me you're sorry!"

"It is the truth. I am sorry that I am not like you and that my aptitude was not what you wished. But this is my decision and not anyone else's."

The woman turned away from him. It didn't startle him that she asked a friend to reveal  her son's results. It seemed like something she -or any Erudite parent with connections- would do.  All he could wonder was how heartbreaking it was to her, knowing that he might leave her, knowing that her youngest  son wasn't like her. He could see in his mind the image of his older brother, happily making his was towards Amity. It was selfish to leave. It was wrong to stay where he could not be himself. It was wrong to disobey his parents. But was it wrong because now he knew what he was?

Choosing Day came. He left his parents to grieve as he turned towards solitude in the rival faction, Abnegation. Soon, I can help people. I can be at peace here. I can be a leader. I can matter because they trust me and not because of how smart they think I am.

The emotion was bliss.

. . . . . . .

Padmé Naberrie

"Steady, it's okay. You're awake."

"What was my result?"

The Candor woman smiled. "Abnegation."