"Listen to me Edgar," Isaac growls, his high-pitched voice making it sound like a squeak, as we survey the chalk board, "You better win this time. You're failure is making us look like idiots." I wince inwardly at the bluntness. 

Edgar turns to Isaac, his face red, "My failure ?"

Isaac nods once,  his expression hard and cold, "It's clear you're weakest link in our group. It means that others aren't nearly as intimidated by us as they should be. Today's your chance to prove yourself."

It's the day after we visited Amity, and of all the people Edgar happens to be against, it's April. The one Isaac singled out for us to pick on yesterday. 

Edgar glares at Isaac, who sighs and rolls his eyes to the ceiling, "At least try this time, ok?" 

"First in the ring, Dex and Edgar!" Amar announces. Edgar heads, looking unsure of himself for the first time, followed by April, who is smiling broadly. It's clear that she's been anticipating this. 

Instead of sitting down, Isaac surveys the fight by standing up. If he's feeling anxious, that's the only indication I've got because his face is, as usual, expressionless. 

"Begin!" shouts Amar, as April and Edgar face each other off. April gives him a solid punch in the stomach. He backs away, but instead of giving up immediately this time, balls his fist and lunges at her. She seems surprised but dodges as Edgar seems to be naturally clumsy. April throws another punch, this time a right hook to his head. 

Edgar stumbles, "I give up," he says, clearly preferring the wrath of Isaac to another punch from April. 

Isaac sighs and sits down beside me, scowling. 

April walks up to Edgar to stare him in the eyes, "Like I said," she grins, her voice ringing loud and clear through the room, "I'm no 'pansy cake'. I'm Dauntless." She turns on her heel and gives him one last look of disgust, "Unlike you."

Edgar walks back to me and Isaac, the humiliation clear in his eyes, but he tries to cover it up with bluster. 

"She throws a good punch," he appeals to Isaac, but Isaac just ignores him. Edgar sits down, on my right side so he doesn't have to be near him. "Looking forward to your fight?" he asks me. It's clear that he's making conversation in order to ease the tension. 

I smirk, "Mine should be nice and easy." I'm paired against Phoebe who, although tries to stand her ground, has only won one fight so far. And that's been against Edgar. He follows my gaze to where Phoebe is sitting beside Jo and winces, as if remembering how fast he lost that fight. 

"Next up! Plato and Sam!" yells Amar, after circling April's name on the board. The pair head into the ring, with Sam grinning openly at Plato, who just stares at him with his usual sombre expression. 

"Begin!" says Amar, as the two begin to circle one another. Quick as lightning, Plato moves suddenly forwards and gives Sam an uppercut to his chin. Sam flails and hits Plato on his arm. Plato backs away and two begin to circle again. 

"Please Sam, " Even though Plato's voice is as quiet as a mouse, the nature of the room means that the words echo around, bouncing off the walls so we can all hear it, "Please concede. I don't want to hurt you."

Sam just smiles, "I'm afraid you're going to have to." He lunges at Plato, but Plato dodges last minute out of his reach, and sends another punch into his chest. Sam doubles over, breathing heavily. 

"Just give up," Plato pleads. 

There's a flash of anger and irritation in Sam's eyes as he answers curtly, "No." He attacks Plato again clumsily but again, he just dodges out of the way. 

"Please." Plato whispers again. 

"Stop stalling and just get on with it initiate!" Amar growls, sending Plato a quick glance. I blink; Amar is not unusually sharp with Plato. His anger is usually reserved for me, Isaac and Edgar. Isaac leans forward, his eyes trained on Plato, taking sudden and uncharacteristic interest in the fight. 

Plato meets Amar's eyes and nods almost imperceptibly, and turns his attention back to Sam, his expression pained. Sam moves to punch again but this time, Plato manages to get him into an arm lock. Sam struggles for a few moments before saying, "Alright. I concede."

Plato breathes a sigh of relief as he and Sam exit the ring, and Amar circles Plato's name on the board. 

"Alright," he says. Isaac's gaze follows Plato as he heads back to his seat, "Next up: Jo and Cassie!"

Cassie heads, her figure noticeably trembling, into the ring. Jo follows her, her body almost radiating confidence in comparison to Cassie.

"Begin," orders Amar. Jo nods and focusses her gaze onto Cassie. Jo throws a punch with Cassie attempts to block, but fails miserably, the blow making a sharp impact to her head. Cassie clutches her head with both her hands, leaving the rest of her body vulnerable. Jo punches her heavily in the stomach and Cassie backs away. 

"Stop," she screams, her voice high and shrill, "Just stop. Please, just stop." She starts to cry, and sinks to the floor, wrapping her arms around her body. Jo hovers over her, unsure whether to comfort her or to continue the fight. 

"Do you concede Initiate?" Amar asks, his voice and face impassive. 

Cassie gets to her feet and sends him a glare, "Of course I do, you idiot!" I gasp, unable to stop myself from reacting, and I hear the gasps of the others around the room that they are equally shocked. No one, not even April Dexter Meadows, would talk to a Dauntless Instructor in that tone of voice. 

Cassie looks around the room, looking stunned herself, as if she's only just realised what she's said and her eyes widen with fear. She bursts into tears and hurries out of the room, the door slamming shut behind her. Jo is left, bewildered, still standing in the ring. 

"Excuse me," Plato says, standing up, and giving Amar a courteous nod, turns and leaves, following Cassie. Amar sends a glare at Plato's departing figure and circles Jo's name on the board. 

With a heavy sigh, he says, "You can sit back down Jo. Next up in the ring: Isaac and Amy." Isaac smirks as he enters the ring, Amy trailing reluctantly behind him. 

He grins at her and flexes his muscles, "You ready for this Stiff?" She doesn't reply, simply adopting a fighting stance and standing there, resolute. 

"Begin," says Amar, his voice sounding a bit of reluctant, fully aware, just like we all do, that Isaac is going to thoroughly beat up Amy. 

"Imagine if she beat him," whispers Edgar to me. I just smile. 

"You know, something Stiff?" Isaac asks Amy, as the two circle each other, "Abnegation transfers to Dauntless are really rare. Like one in a million." He leans down to punch her in the stomach. She flinches but no blow comes. 

He grins, as he says, "So why do you think you're so special?" She still says nothing, and continues to watch him warily out of her scared brown eyes. "In fact," he says, feigning another punch to her head, "I don't think any Abnegation has actually become a member of Dauntless."

"That's enough Initiate," Amar says sharply, "Stop playing around and get on with it." And as Isaac turns his attention on Amar, Amy throws herself onto him, punching every bit of skin she can find. 

Isaac looks surprised for a moment, before throwing her off. She lands heavily in the corner of the ring, and looks scared and startled, as he walks towards her menacingly. 

"I concede," she says, when he's less that a meter away, her voice a whimper. 

"Sorry, what was that Stiff?" Isaac asks, cupping a hand to his ear, "Couldn't quite hear."

"Get out of the ring Isaac," snaps Amar, circling his name on the board, "Brooke and Phoebe get in!"

Isaac saunters out of the ring and joins me and Edgar, just as I'm getting up. 

"Make it more fun." He hisses, and I nod, an uncomfortable feeling settling in my chest as I know that he wants me to jeer at Phoebe before knocking her out. 

I brush past Amy, who looks shaken from her fight with Isaac, and join Phoebe in the ring. 

She looks at me, her brown eyes wide and open, surveying me calmly. 

"Begin," says Amar, again with reluctance in his voice. 

I do my best smirk, "You should never have joined Dauntless," I taunt. 

But instead of looking embarrassed, Phoebe instead surprisingly just rolls her eyes, her voice ringing throughout the room, "Yes you, Isaac and Edgar have made that sentiment perfectly clear. We both know who's going to win this. So just get on with this and knock me out."

I try to smirk again and exude confidence that I don't have, "Suit yourself." I say, and move, somewhat warily due to her lack of fear, behind her. I give her a sharp cut to the back of her neck and she collapses instantly on the floor. It will hurt but she should recover fairly quickly. 

"Brooke wins," Amar says, his voice monotone. He circles my name on the board as I go and re-join Isaac and Edgar. 

"I thought I told you to draw it out," Isaac seethes. 

I blink, "You did?" I ask, trying to sound as confused as possible to remind Isaac that he's speaking to an idiot. 

"Never mind," he hisses. 

"Ok," Amar says, "I think it's best if we called it a day. You're all free to go." Isaac, Edgar and I join the others filing out, making sure to barge into as many people as possible. We are nearing the end of the first stage of Initiation. The tension in the air is almost palpable as the day where some of us will be cut is drawing ever closer.