Chapter Five

Rainbow Dash

This is the best. day. ever.

Of course, I had absolutely no indecision whatsoever. Dauntless was where I was raised, and it's where I belong. No questions asked.

I see one Abnegation transfer- I think her name's Beatrice or something- and a whole mess of Candor transfers, with perhaps three Erudites. They probably wanted to get away from their boring lifestyle or something.

The train comes by, and I hear a boy yell, "Do we have to jump on it?"

Well, duh, genius. Do you think it's going to stop for us or something? Please.

The second an opening comes my way, I jump in. I'm followed by my best Dauntless buddy, Lightning Dust. We hoofbump again, and watch as the other initiates jump in. One Candor girl- Christina- and Beatrice barely make it into the last compartment.

"Welcome to Dauntless, transfers!" I call, and Lightning shoots me a look. I know we're not supposed to be super-friendly, but I smirk at her and continue. "If you thought that was scary, just wait and see what's coming for you!"

Lightning sees my method and starts laughing as the transfers look worried. Melilot, an Erudite transfer, asks, "What's coming up?"

"Well, let's put it this way." Lightning giggles. "We jumped on the train. How do you think we get off?"

Blueberry Cloud, an Amity transfer, gulps and starts whispering with her friend, Graceful Falls.

Yeah, I memorised their names. Why wouldn't I? Some of them might pass initiation and make it to my faction. But I doubt it.

It takes a while to make it to where Dauntless' hyper-secret HQ is. And that is the top of a building. I take a short nap on top of a crate, but I wake up a few minutes later. When I do, I find that my wings have been tied to my body.

"Hey!" I scream, leaping up. "Who tied my wings together?"

I look around accusingly. The one-or-two unicorns that are there are trying to rub some sort-of plaster off their horns, and all the other pegasus' wings are tried together, including an upset looking Lightning Dust.

"What happened?" I ask.

"Time to get to HQ." Lightning tells me.

"Without flying?" I gulp. I've never gone to HQ without flying before. I just realized that the plaster on the Unicorns' horns was magic-proofing spray, which will wear off in an hour.

The building approaches. I smirk at the others, trying to feel as confident as I look. "See ya at the HQ, stiffs!" I laugh.

"Stiffs" is another word for Abnegations. It's usually used as an insult, and the transfers take it as such. I have second thoughts about using it, though, after I do. Am I betraying Pinkie and Fluttershy by using it?

Fluttershy. Who left us.

I don't have time to think about it, though, as the roof approaches. I close my eyes and leap. (AN: The second word in that sentence to the end is from a song I often associate with Rainbow Dash. If you can guess it, you get free Internet Donuts! Here's a hint: the sentence begins with, "It's time to trust my instincts…" I will also have another line from that song in a later part, so see if you can spot it.)

I obviously underestimated my talents. I'm the first to hit the roof, and I slide across it. I land in the middle, and when Lightning Dust lands, I help her to her hooves.

Max, one of our leaders, gives us a wink. Lightning and I hoof-bump. I think we're going to be doing that a lot.

One by one, the other initiates appear. The Dauntless-born are first, of course. Apparently Melilot felt he'd rather be Factionless than brave, for he gives us a sad-but-relieved glance as he goes off on the train. Blueberry Cloud and Graceful Falls make it, but only barely, and Graceful Falls looks like she's going to puke.

Finally, the last compartment appears. Beatrice and Christina land safely, along with another couple Erudite transfers, Will, Peter and Molly and Drew. One of my fellow Dauntless-borns, Rita, breaks out in a wail as Uriah holds her back. I look over the edge of the roof and gasp.

Rita's sister is sprawled on the ground, her limbs at an awkward angle. I stagger backwards, horrified.

Not even we are safe.

"Hello, initiates." Max calls. "I am Max, one of the Dauntless leaders. To get to our headquarters, you're going to have to jump again."

A few transfers peek over the sides and squeal at the black, gaping hole.

"Is there something to catch us at the bottom?" Beatrice asks.

"Only one way to find out." Max smirks. "Transfers first."

Lightning and I grumble, but step back. Peter smirks at Beatrice. "Move it, Stiff."

I decide that I don't like hearing that, and will never say it again. What would Pinkie and Fluttershy think?

I remember that Fluttershy left us, and it hits me like the train that just passed by.

She will be forever shamed by the Dauntless. Her parents won't visit her. She'll be considered a weakling and traitor.

She joined Abnegation. There's the second-worst, according to Dauntless, for they don't like aggressive action. I wonder if I'll ever see Flutter again.

Lightning hits me on the shoulder to snap me out of my thoughts. I notice that all the transfers have jumped now. I smile, nod to Max, and then run to the edge of the building and jump.

I land safely in a net, and I tear the ropes off. I stretch out my wings and move out of the way for Lightning Dust to land.

Four, one of the head trainers, raises my leg. "What's your name?" he asks.

"Rainbow Dash."

Four raises it higher. "Rainbow Dash!"

We go straight to our dorms afterwards.

There are a few extra beds. I feel very sad when I realize that one was for Rita's sister, and the other was for Fluttershy.

"How do you think the transfers will react to the news?" Uriah asks.

"What news?" I blankly stare at him while I settle on my bed. I don't bother to change into pajamas; my black one-piece is enough.

"The news that only ten of us will make it into Dauntless." Lynn responds.

I had forgotten about that. "Who cares?" I ask. I look around. "I'm sure we'll all make it, anyway."

The other Dauntless-borns smirk at each other, giggling. Everyone but Rita, who sniffles and looks like she wants to die. Her and her twin sister, Amaris, have been inseparable since birth. I have a feeling she'll end up factionless… or dead.

Lightning's bed is next to mine. She catches my expression. "Chillax," she says, "You'll make the cut. I'll be surprised if one of us isn't in first."

I nod, but groan inside. She has no idea what's troubling me.

I mutter, "I miss Flutter."

Lightning nods. We were the only ones who had been nice to Fluttershy before she left. "You can't see her again." she reminds me. "It's law. You can't change it."

I look at her, and grin, which startles her. "Some things I cannot change. But 'till I try, I'll never know."

I wonder what Fluttershy is doing now…