Chapter One
Twilight Sparkle
It was at school when it happened.
I knew this day was coming for as long as I can remember, so how come I'm still unprepared for it?
My mother, Twilight Velvet, cuts my mane and tail. My father, Night Light, doesn't like her makeovers on these days, because it's the same day that the dreaded Abnegations cut their manes and tails, but even he can't argue that this is an important day.
I honestly don't know what he's so worried about. He knows that I'll pick Erudite, no matter what my test results say. I'm not sure if he's worried about me because of Shining Armor, my brother who transferred to Dauntless, or because he doubts that I'll follow through on my promise to never leave Erudite. Either way, I'll prove him wrong.
My mother smiles and uses her magic to wrap a blue scarf around my neck. Blue is scientifically proven to be a calming color, and all Erudites wear at least one article of blue each day. My mother has on a blue scarf to match mine, and she smiles at me. "Nervous?" she asks.
"Not as nervous as you are." I inform her, noting the worried way she blinks and digs her hooves into the ground. "I'll pick Erudite, Mother, no matter what the tests say. I won't leave like Shining Armor."
"It's not that I'm worried about." she confides in me. "Shining Armor wanted to protect us, and that's what he's doing; I'm very proud of him. I'm worried that you will miss your friends."
I shake my head. "It's fine, Mother. Even if we didn't live in the factions, we'd have to separate eventually. It's the way of life." But even I know that that isn't exactly true. I will miss my best friends, and terribly.
She sighs. "You still haven't told your father about the sleepover?"
"No." I shake my head. "Tell him I'm spending the night at Applejack's, and he'll be fine."
My best friends and I are spending the night at Pinkie Pie's house tonight. The problem is that Pinkie is Abnegation; even though she'll probably choose a different faction, he still holds a grudge against them. Her parents don't mind whenever I spend the night, but they always watch me like I'm about to murder them. I'm not even sure if sleepovers are legal, as the Factions are supposed to stay separate, but we never really cared for what was "legal."
After a breakfast of Pumpkin seeds and Parsley (they are also supposed to reduce stress), I go off to the Child's School for the last time. I turned sixteen last month, and that means that it's time for me to go to the Aptitude Test in the afternoons.
I hear the younger ponies talk excitedly about getting a half-day off, but I see that Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle, whose older sisters will be taking part in the Aptitude Test, are highly nervous. I pass them and head to Math Class, where all my friends will be.
I get there before Pinkie, which is good; whenever I arrive later, she usually gets picked on, not that she minds. She thinks it's all a game of taunts, and teases the students right back, which only angers them more. I must say this, though- she mustn't care that she's Abnegation and bound by Abnegation rules, because she breaks them all the time.
Rarity, an Amity-born and Sweetie Belle's sister, gestures to me to sit next to her. She isn't happy-go-lucky like some other Candors, but she isn't pessimistic. She's very girly and glamorous, and looks happy that I took her suggestion of the way I had my mother cut my mane. I also notice that she is wearing blue to support me. She is wearing a black-and-white dress, which she always complains is awful wear, but for once she doesn't mention it. To Rarity's left is Applejack, Apple Bloom's older sister. She is Amity-born, and lives on an apple farm. She isn't very optimistic, but again, she isn't sad all the time. She just happens to be a normal pony, and I sometimes wonder if she would fit in Erudite. She is wearing blue fabric around her cowboy hat and hooves, so I wonder if she's really nervous, or just wearing the color to make me feel better.
I glance towards the door just in time to see Pinkie bounce in, with bright blue ribbons in her hair and blue confetti exploding out of her saddlebag. I sometimes wonder if she understands the concept of calm. The Abnegation-born is also wearing a long-sleeved gray shirt and long gray pants the same shade, reaching down to her hooves, which are covered in gray. I assume that her bright color must be hidden up by the Abnegations, which is one reason I agree with my Father that they are horrid; something so beautiful should not be concealed.
She bounces over to me and sits on my other side, which I save for her so she doesn't get teased by my fellow Erudites. She points out the window and calls, "Look! The Dauntless are arriving! Yipee!"
We look out to watch. Though their arrival is stupid, it's also very daring, which is why they do it.
We watch as the Dauntless train arrives. The Pegasi finish tying up their wings and the unicorns cover their horns with some last anti-magic spray. After that, the Dauntless-borns leap off the train, ten feet above the ground, and onto a small net they hung between the trees. I see Rainbow Dash's brightly-colored mane in the pile of ponies, and grin, knowing very well that she did not tie up her wings, but didn't use them, either.
The Dauntless leap into class through the window, all except for Rainbow Dash and out last friend. Fluttershy quakes on top of the ledge, only having taken a hop-skip-and-jump off the train. Rainbow Dash groans loud enough for us to hear, and flies up to drag Fluttershy down, and I notice that they are both wearing blue scarves.
It amuses me that Fluttershy was born a Dauntless and yet is more timid than anyone could imagine. She has her eyes closed the whole way down, and I know for a 100% fact that she will not pick Dauntless at the Choosing tomorrow.
As Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy fly in the window, Pinkie lets loose another set of streamers again. Fluttershy squeals and hides on the empty chair behind me. Rainbow laughs. "Honestly, Pinkie," she calls, "where did you get those?"
"They were left over from the party I threw for the Factionless!" she calls, and we shush her at the last word.
I shudder to think of the Factionless. Study shows that ponies need a purpose in life, and also other ponies, and the Factionless have barely any friends and no purpose. They are the ones who failed initiation into their factions and were forever punished for it. They live on the streets, where they do the jobs nobody wants to do and are cared for by the Abnegation. Our Erudite leader claims that the Abnegations secretly hoard the extra food for themselves instead of giving it to the Factionless, but I don't believe that; I can never see Pinkie hoarding food and not telling us.
"Why are you wearing blue scarves?" I ask Rainbow Dash. "Don't the Dauntless always wear black? Didn't anyone question it?"
"Eric was the only one to ask." Rainbow refers to one of her faction's leaders. "We just told him it was part of a dare, and then he was perfectly fine with it. He must have spread the news around."
At that point, the class begins. Cheerilee, our teacher, walks in and smiles sadly at us sixteen-year-olds. "So, today's the day." she says sadly. We nod.
"What day?" One of the younger students asks. I sigh when I realize that he's from Abnegation- the poor, uneducated pony.
"The Aptitude Test." Cheerilee explains. "This is the day when the Sixteen-year-olds take a test- which they are not allowed to prepare for- and they are given the faction which would be most appropriate for them. Tomorrow, they take part in the Choosing Ceremony, where they decide where to spend the rest of their lives- with family, or someplace else."
I am horrified to think of leaving my family for anything, but even more horrified to think of taking a test I am not allowed to study for.
The rest of the half-day goes as normal, until it comes. Us six walk down the hall together, ready to take the Aptitude Test together. Even Pinkie looks solemn- and by that, I mean she's bouncing and giggling slower than usual.
We sit down at the lunch table, waiting slowly for them to come. They go through three batches before the Unicorn comes and says…
"From Abnegation, Pinkie Pie and Apple Cobbler. From Erudite, Twilight Sparkle and Lyra Heartstrings. From Dauntless, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy. From Amity, Apple Jack and Derpy Hooves. From Candor, Rarity and Amethyst Star. That will be all."