A/N: *shitty early 2000's music plays* "Guess who's back, back again!" It's me! I'm back! Honestly I hope you all like this chapter because this coming week I have finals and I wrote this instead of studying. Please forgive the wait, I'm taking AP classes, and they are not the bee's knees.

Disclaimer: I have blonde hair and am in high school. Clearly, I am not Veronica Roth, supreme goddess who can pull off a pixie cut better than anyone I know. All characters belong to her.

Chapter 17: The Zipline

Tris's POV:

"You're going to take the zip line down," she said.

"What? Me?" I inquired in disbelief. I suddenly noticed the thick steel cable that ran down into the darkness that was connected to the top of the tower.

"Yup," Christina said, coming from behind Shauna and me with a large crate. She pulled off the wooden lid and inside were large black harnesses.

"I mean, we're all going to go, including Four here, but you're first." Shauna informed her.

"I don't know, I mean, who's going to catch me at the bottom?"

Shauna laughed and clapped me on the back. "Well first of all, you have this here." Shauna put her hand on a silver device with two hand grips. "This is the brake, pull it when you get to the bottom to slow down. Also, we're not the only people who come up here. There's a group of Dauntless at the bottom who are going to catch you."

I looked to Tobias, but all he did was nod at me when we made eye contact. I turned back to Shauna.

"Alright. Okay, I'll do it."

She grinned widely. "Alright, Stiff!"

The next five minutes went by in a haze of nerves. The group strapped me in to the harness and went over a bunch of safety things that I promptly forgot, and next thing I knew I was face down in the harness, being held back by Tobias and Zeke.

"Any last words Stiff?" Lynn asked.

"See you at the bottom," I replied, and I felt the two men let go of my legs.

My stomach dropped as I picked up speed, flying away from the Tower. I raced past brightly lit towers, and the glass Erudite building. I whizzed past office buildings and people working in cubicles. I felt like screaming, shouting, something, but the sound got stuck in my throat.

This is it, I thought. This is what being alive feels like.

I spread my arms wide, like wings, and felt the wind whip through my hair. I couldn't remember the last time I wore my hair in something other than a bun. My fingers were so close to the glass windows of the skyscraper next to me, but I was just far enough away that I couldn't touch them.

Too soon, I saw the end of the zip line. I didn't want it to end. I loved the thrill, the excitement, the energy. As I grew closer, I saw them motioning to me, like they were pulling something.

Pulling something… OH MY GOD THE BRAKE.

I frantically tugged at the straps and heard a terrible screeching sound as sparks flew from the brake. It was working though, and I slowed down enough that my impact with the arms of the Dauntless didn't hurt too much.

As they helped me out of the harness, people clapped me on the back and congratulated me.

"Wow," one girl said as she loosened the straps around my left thigh. "You must be a hardcore Dauntless to wait so long to pull the brake."

I didn't say anything but felt a small glimmer of pride inside my stomach. I was a true Dauntless.

I helped the group catch the next person coming down, Uriah. Then Zeke, Lynn, and Tobias all came flying down, albeit Tobias was a bit pale. Finally Shauna came flying down smiling widely, sparks flying behind her.

"How was it?" Tobias asked as we walked back to the train tracks.

"Pretty fucking fantastic," I replied.

"Good."

"Well Stiff, you proved yourself. You're not so stiff after all," Zeke said as we walked back to the Pit.

"Anything else you really want to do?" Christina asked.

I thought about it. I was feeling invincible. I was feeling Dauntless.

"Yes." I paused. "I want to get a tattoo."

Tobias looked at me and raised his eyebrows in an are you sure? motion. I nodded slowly, becoming more confident in my decision.

"Yes Tris!" Christina cried. "Let's get you a tattoo!"

Our group ambled our way slowly across the pit to the tattoo parlor. The only person inside was a woman with dark hair and she was cleaning up.

"Hey Tori," Tobias called out to her. The woman turned around, and I gasped, recognizing her as the woman who had administered my test.

She raised an eyebrow at me, but put down her cleaning supplies and walked over to the wall of tattoo designs, gesturing towards the ink drawings. I gazed at them but then looked at Tori.

"I know what I want," I said, then picked a panel with three ravens on it.

"Okay," Tori said. "Let's go to the back. You guys wait here," she said, pointing at my friends.

"You got it babe," Uriah replied cheekily, winking at her.

"Boys…" Tori muttered. I followed her in to the back room, a more brightly lit area than the entrance to the store.

I sat in the chair and waited as she turned on the machine.

"So, looks like you couldn't keep quiet now could you," Tori said, not looking at me, as she prepared the needle.

"I guess not. I thought… Abnegation was all I needed. I was wrong."

"Where do you want it?" Tori asked. "It's best to do it where there is the most cushioning under the skin."

"My collarbone," I replied. "From my collarbone down towards my heart."

"So basically the opposite of what I just said. Alright, that's fine, if you can take it."

"I can take it," I assured her, firmly.

Tori took a cotton ball and soaked it in alcohol, cleaning my skin. Then she reclined the chair and I took a deep breath. I bit my lip as Tori pressed the needle in to my skin.

"Why did you choose this design?" she asked.

I let out a deep breath, my hands gripping the armrests. "The three ravens are for my family."

After what felt like forever, Tori switched off the machine and covered my new ink.

"You're done," she told me, and helped me out of the chair. I looked in a mirror over on the left wall. Through the clear saran wrap that was covering my tattoo, I examined the new companions on my chest.

Together we walked out in to the front of the store, where Zeke and Uriah were entertaining the group.

"Finally!" Christina cried out. "Let me see!"

I pulled back the side of my v-neck, exposing the entirety of the tattoo.

"That's so cool," she said, brushing her fingers over it and I winced. "Sorry. I forgot how painful it must be."

Tobias came over and looked at it, touching the skin around the tattoo, giving me goose bumps.

"I like it," he whispered into my ear.

As all of us walked out of the tattoo parlor, Christina turned around to face everyone, walking backwards.

"Okay pansycakes," she said eyeing Uriah. "It's time to go back to rooms."

"Okay, mom," Uriah sighed and Christina smacked him on the back of the head. Tobias's friends started to break off and leave until just Christina was left.

"You're cool, Tris." Christina smiled at me. Then she turned to Tobias, "Keep her safe, Four."

"I have a feeling she can do that herself," he replied.

Christina bit her lower lip, then lunged forward and hugged me tightly. "Please."

I was shocked for a moment, but I wrapped my arms around her, cringing slightly from the pain on my shoulder. Christina released me, kissed Tobias on the cheek and walked away. I didn't realize I was crying until Tobias wiped the tears off my cheek.

"We'll be alright, Tris," he whispered grabbing my hand. "I promise."

Thank you babes! Next chapter will hopefully be up soon. Please, please, please review! I'm sending hugs from beyond the internet. Also if any of y'all want to chat, just send me a PM!

-Elise