"So...what were you two up to last night?" Edgar drawls, while we survey the pairings chalked on the board:
Cassie versus Amy
Isaac versus Phoebe
Jo versus Edgar
Plato versus Brooke
Dex versus Sam
"Training," Isaac replies, in that casual way of his, "I did ask you if you wanted to come."
Edgar snorts, "No. It was clear you two wanted some private time." Isaac raises an eyebrow as the three of us sit down and the first pairing enter the ring. Amy must be the name of the Abnegation-transfer.
"You will fight until one of you concedes or one of you can't fight anymore. A brave man acknowledges the strength of others. Remember that. Never forget it," Amar says, and then nods to Cassie and Amy, "Good luck. You may begin Initiates."
"Besides," Edgar whispers to Isaac, "It's not like I need any training."
"Says the one against Jo," Isaac retorts.
Edgar shrugs, "I can take her. It's my turn to get back at her after what she did in the Cafeteria."
Isaac shakes his head and I turn my attention on the fight, just as Amy makes the first move and punches Cassie right in the nose.
"Ow!" Cassie cries out.
"Listen to me very carefully. Both of you," Isaac says to me and Edgar in a low voice, "Before your fight, I want you to taunt your opponent. They'll get angry or they'll feel insecure. Either way, it'll mean that they're more likely to make a mistake and you have more of a chance of winning."
"Why are you helping us?" Edgar hisses, his thoughts echoing mine, "It's everyone for themselves here."
Cassie glares at Amy and punches at her whilst her other hand holds her nose. She misses and Amy kicks her to the shin. Cassie falls to the floor.
Isaac smiles enigmatically, "It might be nice to have some friends join me in Dauntless."
"But we might beat you and you might get cut," Edgar retorts.
"Right! That's it!" we hear Cassie yell, "I give up!"
Amar circles Amy's name on the board to show she's won, "Ok, Cassie and Amy out the ring! Next up Isaac and Phoebe!"
"I can't be beaten," Isaac smirks again to Edgar as he gets up, "Just you watch."
"Oh, I'll be watching," Edgar says as Isaac walks confidently over to the ring. Jo gives Phoebe a reassuring smile as she nervously makes her way over.
"Initiates! Begin!" Amar shouts, once both of them are in the ring.
Isaac towers over Phoebe, "You shouldn't be in Dauntless," he taunts, "You're nothing but a weakling. Ever since I've known you, you've been a coward."
Phoebe gasps and Jo gets to her feet, ready to defend the girl.
Amar glances at Jo, "Sit down Initiate."
"But-"Jo protests.
"That's an order. Sit down," Amar says. Jo looks at him and then reluctantly sits back down, Amar turns his attention to the action in the ring, "Stop teasing her and get on with the fight Initiate," he barks at Isaac.
Isaac makes a sour expression, and then grabs Phoebe by the arm, who stares at him, frightened. He pulls her towards him and then gives her a sharp chop to the back of the neck. She collapses, unconscious.
"Too easy," says Isaac with disgust, and kicks her.
"That's enough Initiate," Amar says, "You've won." He circles Isaac's name on the board and then heads into the ring, draping Phoebe's arm around his as he half-drags, half-carries her out," He turns his attention to Cassie and Amy, who are bickering over where April and her other friends are sitting, "Cassie! Amy! Take Phoebe to the Hospital wing! Jo! Edgar! In the ring! Now!"
"Great," Cassie groans, loud enough for us all to hear, "Now I have to work with the Stiff." Amy glares at her, but they both take Phoebe off Amar and carry her unsteadily out of the door.
Edgar grins at us, "I've been looking forward to beating her up," and he saunters off towards the ring.
Isaac turns to me, "I bet you a slice of Dauntless cake that he won't last minute."
"Half a minute," I reply. I know it's unfair making bets on how long it takes for people to get beaten up. But this is Dauntless. People make bets. People issue challenges. And if you don't join in, then you're not Dauntless.
"Done." Isaac smirks.
"Alright," says Amar, when both of them are in the ring, "Begin!" The pair of them stand there, eyeing each other.
"Ten seconds and counting..." Isaac whispers to me softly.
"I don't this should be allowed," says Edgar loudly, "Girls can't fight."
"Is that so?" Amar asks calmly.
Jo looks at Edgar, surveying him, while he dances oddly from left to right. Then she suddenly lashes out, and punches him right in his chest. He doubles over, wrapping his arms around himself.
"Twenty seconds..." Isaac murmurs.
"You win! You win!" he cries, "I take back what I said!"
"And my Dauntless cake is yours," Isaac flashes me a smile that seems almost scary.
"Alright!" Amar says, circling Jo's name on the board, "Next up! Brooke and Plato!"
Isaac grabs my sleeve as I stand up, "Remember what I taught you," he hisses. His expression is suddenly terrifying. I nod, mutely. How could I forget the four hours we spent yesterday evening, where Isaac drilled various self-defence moves into my head until I got them all completely right?
I head into the ring and survey my opponent. Looking at him full on in the face, I realise that I recognise him. Even if I didn't know the name belonged to him. He's the Erudite boy from the Choosing Ceremony. The one I sat next to. The one who wanted to chose Abnegation but changed his decision to Dauntless at the last minute.
He's small-just slightly shorter than me. But even from two metres away, I can see the determination in his eyes. Determination mixed with fear. I realise in that moment that he doesn't want to fight me. Whether that's because he doesn't want to hurt me or because he's scared of me, I don't know. But his despite his reluctance, I can see from his straight back and pulled back shoulders, that if we fight, he's not going to back down easily.
"Begin!" I hear Amar call. Plato and I circle each other, all the while staring each other in the eyes. Then, without changing my expression, I dart forward and punch him in the side. His eyes widen, and I see him lash out at me in panic.
His fist seems to move in slow motion as I duck and punch him in the stomach. And then, as his right arm moves slowly to block me, I do it again. In his windpipe. Time seems to speed up and he gasps, doubling over.
I'm sorry I think, bitterly, But if I don't beat you, I won't be accepted into Dauntless.
I take a deep breath and knee him in the stomach. He collapses on the floor.
"I...I concede," he says. His voice sounds weak and hurt, as if it's not just him I've injured but also his pride.
I know that everyone's eyes are on me. Nobody watches the loser after the fight. No. I know they train their eyes on the victor. Trying to gauge how I'm going to be feeling. To see if I feel any regret.
And I can't afford to show regret. Because I'm meant to be an idiotic Dauntless. An idiot, for whom emotional sensitivity is just too much for me to comprehend. And I need to show everyone that I don't care about anyone else.
I aim a kick at Plato's leg, to show, that even though he's just admitted defeat, I feel nothing but disdain for him.
"'Concede' means he gives up, you moron!" I hear Amar shout, and it takes all my effort not to allow a small smile to flicker across my face. I've managed to fool Amar- a Dauntless Instructor-that I'm an idiot.
I turn nonchalantly and do my best to saunter out of the ring. Edgar hi-fives me as I re-join him and Isaac, and Isaac gives me a brief nod of recognition. As I turn my attention back to the ring, I see Plato stand up, and walk slowly away. And even though he's just lost the fight, it's clear that he hasn't lost his dignity. His head is still held high and he walks with a quiet air of confidence.
I know that it will take much more than one beating to truly defeat him.
"Next up. Sam and Dex!" Amar shouts, as he circles my name on the board.
Sam and April enter the ring, both a similar height. Sam looks unsure-probably feeling uneasy about having to fight his friend. I also see that he's taken off his glasses, forcing him to squint slightly.
But waves of anticipation are literally rolling off April. I know from experience that she enjoys fights-even if that means fighting one of her new friends.
"Begin!" shouts Amar. While Sam stands there awkwardly, not sure what to do next, April reacts immediately. Before he can bring his fists up to fight, her right hand punches him in the chest, while her left hits him on the side of his head.
"Dex!" he protests, startled, the hurt and shock that his friend would even do this to him is audible in his voice. But April just looks at him, determined to win.
Taking a shaky breath, as if steeling himself for what he has to do, Sam punches at April's head. She manages to duck at the last second and sends an uppercut to his jaw. It connects with a sickening thwack. Sam stumbles away, momentarily stunned. He somehow manages to trip up on his own feet and sits on the ground.
"I give up," he says, still sounding shocked. April grins and offers him a hand up, which he accepts. He stands there, taking some shaky breaths, before looking at April and smiling, "Remind me not to get on your bad side!"
"Ok," Amar says, circling April's name on the board as she and Sam leave the ring, "That concludes today's session! You are free to go!"
As we all file out, Isaac grabs my arm, "You won your fight. Congratulations." I smile at him, nervously, as his cold blue eyes bore into mine, "So we can spend some time celebrating this evening." I nod, and then he continues, "But I still want to do a few more hours training tonight. That fight could have got smoother."
He turns to Edgar, who's been watching our one-sided conversation. "Will you be joining us?" Isaac asks.
Edgar looks at us uneasily, "For the celebration, sure. But as for the training, I think I'll pass..."
I still don't understand why Isaac is training me so rigorously. But I'm pretty sure it's not just to have some friends who will pass Initiation with him. He probably has something bigger planned. But with my own efforts spent on trying to survive, I just can't think what.