Reawakening

Chapter Four

I climb onto a top bunk and peel off my hoodie to leave there and stake my claim.  Marlene takes the top bunk of the bed next to me, and Lynn chooses to be Mar's bunkmate and sleep below her.  "C'mon, guys, let's go get our stuff from home and get to the cafeteria.  I'm really looking forward to that second piece of cake."  Marlene glares at me, and I chuckle and toss an arm over her shoulders on the way out the dormitory door.

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Tobias

I wait by the net for the first initiate to jump.  "I bet you it's one of my Dauntless-born," Lauren, the Dauntless-born trainer, says.

"It's always a Dauntless-born.  No bet."  The initiates that were born here at Dauntless usually have the advantage of knowing that a net will catch them at the bottom of the drop.  The cultures of our factions determine how we are raised, what is valued and encouraged.  Dauntless dependants are curious and adventurous, so they've usually explored the compound enough by the age of sixteen to be aware of the net.  They also grow up with an all-or-nothing mentality; when they do something, they commit and see it through.  They don't hold back.  For a transfer to just innately have that same mentality and personality without it being practiced would be extremely unusual.

I hear Max giving the speech and I get ready for the first one to drop.  Typically, it takes a few minutes and some taunting for anyone to get the courage to jump but this year, it's nearly immediate, and when it's a small blur of gray, I'm shocked.  Abnegation?!  Not just any Abnegation.  This is a girl is so small, it's hard to believe that she could be sixteen.  She looks so fragile, I'm surprised the landing in the net didn't shatter her to pieces.  She doesn't scream on the way down and when she lands she giggles with joy.  That's right, she actually giggles.

I reach my hand into the net and she grabs hold.  As she rolls out, she loses her balance, and I catch her, a hand on each arm to steady her.  As I had first noticed, she's very small and fragile looking.  A full foot shorter than me, scrawny.  Her long blond hair is still in its standard Abnegation-style bun, but several strands have come loose and hang framing her face.  She has full, pouty lips, a thin, straight nose, and piercing blue eyes.  They are large and round and have me absolutely mesmerised.  Her eyes stare directly into mine, and I could swear she's looking into my soul.  It's as if she can see right through every wall I've spent my whole life building and it's unnerving.  Even stranger, it's not one-sided.  She seems familiar, but not because I know her from Abnegation.  It's deeper than that; a connection waiting to be explored.

Lauren breaks my trance.  "A Stiff?  First to jump?  Unheard of!"

I shouldn't care-- I'm not a Stiff any more, and I certainly did not jump first my year.  In fact I was last.  But for some reason, I can't help defending this small but fierce girl.  "There's a reason why she left them, Lauren."  I turn back to my first jumper.  "What's your name?"

The girl smiles and answers without hesitation, "Tris."  Huh.  I don't remember anyone in Abnegation named Tris.  

"Tris," Lauren repeats.  "Make the announcement, Four!"

I call over my shoulder, "First jumper-- Tris!"  As the next initiate-- a Candor this time-- lands in the net screaming her head off, I guide Tris to the stairs with my hand on her back.  "Welcome to Dauntless," I say.  I doubt she'll make it, small as she is, but, though I can't explain it, I really hope she does.

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I have just finished showing my initiates around the Pit and the Chasm.  This is my second year training the transfer initiates.  The group is made up of five Candor, three Erudite, and, much to my surprise, one Abnegation.  Up to now, I was the sole Abnegation transfer in the history of Dauntless, so for another to come just two years later is a shock.