Divergent: Unleashed | ✓

Chapter 7

Tris walks into the Dauntless compound, looking around. Someone told her that all of her friends would be there, and she figured that the person was one of Zeke's friends passing on the message. She pulls out a walkie-talkie-type-thing that Myra had given her earlier and types in a message: Where the heck are you guys?

Myra responds within a few seconds: The school. Duh. Where the fuck are you? We're all here.

I was told that you guys were going to be at Dauntless. Tris is confused now.

Well the idiot told you wrong. We'll come to you, just stay there. Tris stuffs the thing into the pocket of her black jeans and leans against the metal railing that separates her from the Chasm. If she thinks about it, she can imagine kissing Tobias down on one of the rocks and Christina hanging over the railing.

Eric is still alive. Good God. Eric and Jeanine. She wishes they were still dead. It would make her life so much easier. But no.

She wonders how everyone else has been and completely zones out. It's the only thing that'll keep her occupied while she waits.

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Ashlyn's head whips around, and she immediately breaks into a grin. Lauren, the other Dauntless trainer besides Four, had been the one that had spoken. Lynn and Shauna, as well as Uriah and Zeke, stand behind the trainer.

Ashlyn pops up and brushes herself off. "Four, this your little sister or something?"

Four laughs. "Nope. She's my cousin or something."

"The jury's still out on how we're related." Ashlyn holds out her hand, very aware of Dauntless customs. "Ashlyn Leason."

"The one that's ready to go through intitiation. I'm Lauren."

"Tell me something I don't know." Ashlyn smirks and shakes Lauren's hand. Then she shakes hands with Zeke, Uriah, Lynn, and Shauna.

"I like this chick." Shauna grins. "Total Dauntless."

"She looks the part too. Fortunately, a makeover is necessary." Ashlyn is surprised to see a girl with dark skin, hair, and eyes standing near them.

"Christina, I'm guessing?" Ashlyn asks.

"Yup. Candor-born, Dauntless-transfer."

"Nice to meet you." Slowly, everyone else joins them- Will, who kisses Christina and ends up getting covered in dirt thanks to Lynn; Marlene, who runs over and all but tackles Uriah; Edward and Myra, who have started dating again and smile at everyone; Cara, who smiles and high-fives a few Dauntless; and Al, who apologizes to Christina and Will, and everyone forgives immediately.

"Where's Tris?" Four asks.

"Dauntless compound. Someone gave her the wrong place." Myra tucks what looks like a phone into her jeans. "I said we'd meet her by the Chasm. Might as well do every one of Ashlyn's initiations there, anyways."

They start for the tracks, and get there just as the train arrives. Ashlyn surprises everyone with how easily she boards the train. Once they're all on, she starts talking: "Don't bother with the guns, Four already taught me how to use one. I know the basics of knife throwing, and I took karate for two or three years, so obviously I know self-defense."

"Hmph, this girl is good." Lynn says.

"She can shoot a bow, too. She's really good." Ashlyn shrugs off Four's comment.

"I'm not that good." Before Four has a chance to argue, everyone notices the Dauntless compound coming into view. Everyone- with the exception of Ashlyn, of course- stands up and gets ready to jump. Ashlyn, noticing the compound, scrambles to her feet. Zeke and Uriah jump first, deciding to take the intiates' way into the compound. Shauna, Marlene, Lynn, Cara, Christina, and Myra go next, closely followed by Edward, Will, and Al.

"Let's go." Four grabs Ashlyn's hand and they jump out at the last minute. Only one of Ashlyn's feet hit the roof, the other dangling in the air. The others watch as she easily rights herself without Four's help.

"What're you lookin' at?" She grins, the only sign that she's joking. Her smile fades fast. "Rooftop jump?"

Zeke nods. "Yup. You wanna do initiation, you gotta play the part, kid."

"Don't call me kid." she snaps.

"Fine." He raises his hands in mock surrender. Ashlyn moves slowly towards the edge where the net is, one foot in front of the other. Her heart pounds in her chest. If Tris did it, you can too. She repeats this to herself several times, then says, You've been on worse. Remember the Tower of Terror? The front half of her boots hang off of the edge. She glances over her shoulder at Four, who gives her a half-smile.

She takes a deep breath, readies herself, and jumps.

A/N: Just in case you didn't remember, Ashlyn is 13. I decided to include some minor characters (why else would Myra and Edward be here?) and even Al, just for some tension. Yes, there will be Fourtris moments. Later on ;)