Important authors note at the bottom!

Effulgent- Ch. 8

Despite Tobias being ill, I knew I couldn't just disband training, so I had to return to the initiates. I leave a sleeping Tobias, and hope that he'll still be sleeping when I get back. Losing my appetite for lunch, I go straight back to the training room, where the initiates will be back soon also, considering the recent events took nearly an hour. When I get back I find Christina and Uriah in there also. They both smile upon my entrance, but assuming because of the look my face, they immediately look worried. "Where's Four?" Christina asks, concerned.

"I had to take him back to the apartment, he was ill… He'll be okay, just a fever." I say to Christina and Uriah, who also now looks concerned. "So, are you guys training in here for the rest of the day?" I ask, at an attempt to lighten the mood, with success a smile returns to both of their faces.

"Yea, figured since we both only have two fights left, we'd have enough time to finish up by four or so." Uriah now speaks, as giddy as he always is. And we continue our casual conversation as the initiates begin to file in. They warm up as Christina, Uriah and I finish talking.

"Alright everyone," I say, "Four had to go for the rest of the day, so you're stuck with me… Since the Dauntless born and transfers only had two fights left each, we're combining the groups for the rest of the day." I watch as an exasperated look goes around the room, as I tell them that they'll be here for an extra hour or so. "First up are the Dauntless born, so Maddie and Ava, you're up" I say, and though they both look anxious and a bit scared, they get in the ring. I, for one, am anxious to see how the fight will turn out, considering these are two of the weakest female initiates, but I inwardly hope for Maddie's success.

They both get in, taking their proper stance. Circling each other before Maddie makes the first move like I'd told her to, catching a shot at Ava's side. Though Ava is tall and skinny, her body is unproportioned and awkward. Honestly, she looks like a bird who's just learned how to walk as she walks bow legged and pigeon toed, just to point out a few things. And her arms sling around when she attacks, almost uncontrollably. And Maddie on the other hand, reminds me much of myself as an initiate, and unlike Ava, her body looks normal, and she actually has control of it. The only thing that really stops her from becoming Dauntless is her attitude, she is too nice; truly Amity. I'm pretty sure her aptitude test was Amity, and the only reason she came to Dauntless was because of being with Chase.

The fight goes on, both taking cheap, boring hits at each other, which only make me tired. They both easily recover from the small damage taken, but they visibly begin to wear. Ava uses her length to her advantage, kicking the back of Maddie's knee, causing her to crouch. Ava quickly goes behind Maddie before she has time to recover, holding her arms behind her head, but Maddie reverses it. Maddie uses what looks like all of her strength, to throw Ava on the mat, and gets one good shot to the side of her head, knocking Ava out cold. I'm surprised Maddie had it in her, and I wonder who lit the fire inside of her to do that. But then I am proud, and I wonder if this is how Four felt towards me during my initiation; the need to help them. I AJ and Leo take Ava to the infirmary, but I'm sure she'll be fine considering she didn't even have a bloody nose. "Olivia and Tayton, in the ring." I say, but before they get there, I'm interrupted.

"Uh, Six… I'm apologize for disrupting anything, but I must speak with you, it's urgent" I hear the voice coming from the training room doors. I turn to find Max, and I immediately wonder what he'd need with me so urgently. I look towards Christina and Uriah, who're already withdrawing Olivia and Tayton to put in two Dauntless born initiates, because I have to be there to score the transfers. After making sure that everything is alright there, I go out to the hallway to find Max there, arms crossed, waiting for me. "I'll try to make this quick" he says, then handing me a file. I postpone looking through it until I hear what he has to say. "I'm going to need you to travel to the Abnegation, this weekend. I was going to have an ambassador do this, but they notified me that they just became ill, and it seems that all of the other time slots are fulfilled. I hope you don't mind it being such short notice, but you'll be meeting with Marcus Eaton and Andrew Prior" he says, and all of a sudden, the joy rises inside of me at the thought of seeing my father, but quickly diminishes when the thought of meeting with Marcus climbs through. Yea, I'll give him a meeting, with my fist. I push the thoughts aside as Max continues, "now from my understanding, Andrew Prior is your father, and in order to abide by the rules of 'faction before blood', I'll will have to make clear to you that this is strictly, a business meeting, no family matters shall be implied. Am I understood?" he states.

I nod, trying to find the words within me to answer as I swallow down a lump in my throat. "Yes sir, completely. I'd be completely fine with doing that this weekend. I would like to notify you that Four is also ill, and I'm not sure how long her will be out of training" I say, in the best firm voice I can to someone who scares me more than Four did during initiation. Not more than Eric, nothing could be worse than him.

"Very well then. Thank you for letting me know Tris. I'll be seeing you" Max finishes, before promptly turning and leaving me alone in the hallway, with a more than likely classified file. Going back into the training room, I take off my jacket, wrapping the file with it before placing it on a secluded bench. The best I can do to hide it as of right now. As I walk back towards the ring, I listen into the conversations of the initiates to hear yelling. I look towards them to find AJ and Logan practically screaming at each other, too muffled to understand what they're saying, though it looks like Logan is getting really angry. I jog the rest of the way to them, then standing between them with the best 'Four look' I can muster, after the news that was just delivered. But I quickly realize that standing between them was an extremely bad idea, because Logan takes a swing, attempting to his AJ but soon comes colliding with the side of my jaw.

This quickly enrages me, as I'm sure everyone can see the anger in my eyes. By now, we have the eyes of everyone in the training room, everyone watching. "Both of you, out now. In the hall" I say, what would sound normal despite the menace dripping from my tone. I go the sink, grabbing an ice pack, holding it to my jaw, as Christina and Uriah attempt to get the attention of the initiates to resume the Dauntless born fights. I storm out into the hell, still holding the plastic to the side of my face. When I get to the hall, I see both of them sitting on the benches across from each other, staring daggers at each other. If looks could kill, they'd both be tragically murdered and six feet under by now.

Tossing the ice pack onto one of the wooden benches, which thankfully took the ache out, but there will still be a bruise which I'll have to lie to Four about. I stand between the two of them once again, just staring between them, looking back and forth, and trying to muster the words for them even though I am speechless. "What the hell is wrong with you two?" I ask, quietly, not wasting the energy on yelling. They both continue to stare at each other, practically ignoring me, which enrages me more, "Answer me." I mutter, through gritted teeth which must have finally gotten their attention.

Jack looks up to me for a second before staring back at his feet, almost shamefully. "I was talking to Olivia, helping her before her fight, and he gets all mad for no reason… It's not like I was hurting her or anything, wasn't even giving her bad advice. I'm not so weak that I have to sabotage" AJ says, anger one again bubbling up as I hear it drop from his voice. I place my hand on his shoulder as an attempt to sooth him. I look to Jack, as if asking him to say something, anything, but he remains silent.

"You both know that if Four were here, you'd be out of Dauntless before you even had time to beg for it back. Especially for hitting an instructor" I say to them, and their eyes widen nervously. I shake my head before I continue, "Luckily for you, I'm not like that. But another warning and you will be gone, understand?" I state, and both of their head shake answering as a yes. I already know I'm going to have a hard enough time explaining to Four what happened, I don't have time to deal with some crush. "Leave. Now" I grit, and they both rush back into the training room without looking back. Moving my hand up to my now sore jaw, I wince as the touch, and I'm positive that it's already black and blue. Before walking back into the training, I decide that I can't hold in my anticipation anymore, so I go to grab the file wrapped in my jacket, and bring it back out in the hallway, taking a seat.

My eyes wander around me nervously, to be sure no one is watching. I finally peal the manila colored folder open to find maybe four or five papers. And on those papers, I find lists, lists of people, and the worry bubbles up within me further. As leaders, Four and I should know what this is about, but we're completely left in the dark, and I don't like it. I read further, only to find more names, rows and columns of only names. Why would this be going to the Abnegation? I nearly put the papers away before something catches my eye. I scan back through the list to find names that I recognize, our names. I find Tobias' name somewhere near the middle of the list, then finally Uriah and I at the end. And at the bottom is says 'more to be found with initiate class'. Before, I was only a little concerned, but now I know I must find out what these lists are about. I decide that I will meet with Max before I go to the Abnegation this Saturday, impossibly hoping that he'd tell me.

Finally shoving the stack back into the file, and wrapping it back with my jacket, I return to the training to find the Dauntless born fights just finishing. Olivia and Tayton quickly take the ring after the others are drug out. And they fight, though I don't pay much attention, I can tell that it's a back and forth fight by how long it takes. My mind wanders off for the rest of the fight and next thing I know, Olivia is out cold. Tayton won. I shouldn't be as surprised as I am, Tayton is much like Tobias, quiet, and secluded and strong.

After the fight is over, I help drag Olivia to the infirmary. After everything that's happened today, I quickly remember that Tobias is still at the apartment, probably unsure of what even happened, and I feel a sense of urgency to get home. "Alright, we're done for the day. Everyone out" I say, sternly, before going over to the bench where I once sat and grab the file while putting my thin jacket back on. I rush out the doors before anyone has time to stop me, thinking about Tobias, the file, and what the Dauntless could possibly have to do with the Abnegation.

A/n- Alright, so I'm really sorry for this pathetically short chapter. But this is the start of the rest of the story, I promise. If all goes right, this story will end around the end of February. After that I will be releasing a short prequel of Tris and Tobias' life before this story. Then a sequel to this that will be absolutely epic. I hope. So yea, that's my plan, I hope you enjoy. I will be extending my offer for one more update, anyone who reviews will get a sneak peak at my new story, 'Saint and The Sinful'. So please review, and thanks for reading!