"Do you know how much I love you and would do anything for you?"
"Yeah, that's what I thought."
Eric nods to Four as he passes him, walking out of the hall. Four rounded up the rest of the transfers and led them down corridor after corridor until they came to a large open room. Targets like those on the roof lined one of the walls, punching bags were spread out across another and several fighting mats were in the middle of the room, evenly spaced. A board, like the one they saw this morning was placed towards the centre of the room but unlike the other board, there were no names taking up any of the slots. Eric was near the targets setting out what appeared to be knives. He glanced up when they entered, a hard glare was immediately put into place. 'This is not Declan's best friend who smirks at Declan's younger sibling's antics,' Issy pondered to herself as Eric met them at the board. 'This is the Dauntless Leader Eric, the one who decides whether we stay or don't.'
"As you've probably noticed," Four looks bored as he faces the initiates in front of him, he probably says the same things each year like an annual speech. "This board is similar to the board that we showed you in the Pit. Both boards with be updated regularly as we score you each day on how you learn and adapt to each lesson we give you."
"Treat this board as your life." Eric adds. He taps on a small tablet in his hands and everyone's names appear yet again but in a different order from this morning. Thankfully, the twins and their friends are above the red line, more or less placed in the middle of the pack. "If you're still below the red line by the end of Stage One then you will be cut."
"With that being said," Four strides over to the table of knives and the initiates follow him with Eric just behind. "Knife throwing." He picks up one knife and flips it slightly in his hand. "Is a hard skill to master to it is useful in the field when your target is out of your reach. Pay attention as I will only show you once." Four then demonstrated the stance, explained how to hold a knife properly when throwing them and then hurled three knives at the target, all hitting the centre. Throughout the display, it was clear on each initiates face that they were trying to catalogue as much as they could. It was unnerving to some of the Dauntless members who had stood around Eric to see the twin's blue irises bleed into golden blue as they focused on Four's movements. "Everyone grab a set of knives and line up into front of a target." Four walked back to the table and set the knives down when the initiates swarmed forwards. Once they each had a set of knives, Noah led the way to one end of the line away from Kayden and his little band of followers. Bree stood in front of the target next to him with Issy on her right. Alec stood next to his sister with Cody flanking his right.
The first round they threw, Issy noticed with smug satisfaction that Alec wasn't picking it up quite as quickly as he did with the guns this morning. Her own knives were not bad, they stuck to the outline of the target but stuck no less. Issy glanced over at Bree who, surprisingly enough, had all of her knives stuck to the target with at least one of them in the centre.
"You're pretty good at this." Bree laughs and throws another knife, landing it just under where the heart would be. Cody peaks at her target and then looks at his own. Most of his knives had hit the centre but didn't stick so they fell to the floor. Cody, like most of the others, was on his last knife. His stance looked correct to Issy's mind but then again what did she know? This was her first lesson throwing knives. Cody flung his knife to the target and to their utter amazement the knife stuck, blade facing outwards and the hilt in the centre. Eyes wide, Cody ran a hand through his hair.
"You guys are seeing what I'm seeing, right?"
"That's certainty different." Cody spins around to find Four smirking behind him. Four looked round to see everyone had their knives in the target or on the floor next to them. "Go collect your knives and start again." He addressed the rest of them before turning back to Cody. "Be careful when taking it out." Mutely, Cody nodded and surged forward with the rest of them to collect their knives.
This time, Four and Eric went along the line, correcting people's stances and how they held the knife. Subconsciously, Issy started to twirl her remaining knives in her left hand while she threw with her right, allowing the knives to dance around her fingers. The hair on the back of her neck pricks up as she sensed two sets of eyes on her back; one dark brown and the other steely blue.
"How are you doing that initiate?" Four questions as she flips one knife from her left hand to her right and flings it at the board. Issy turns around, looking confused as both of her instructors stand behind her with their arms folded and their stance wide.
"Doing what?"
Four nods down to her left hand that is still twirling her last knife around her fingers. "Doing that?"
"Oh!" She looks down at her own hand. "I guess it's sorta similar to twirling a pencil, I suppose. . ." Four quirks an eyebrow questioningly.
"And just how are they similar?"
"Well," Issy grins wolfishly. "It'd be a bit of a mess but you can still draw and write with them both." Her grin widens when Eric barks out a harsh laugh and Four shakes his head, smiling slightly.
"Carry on initiate." Four walks over to the other end of the line and Issy turns back to the target. Eric however lingers behind her, watching as she readies to throw her last knife. Two large hands find her waist and pulls her back slightly, gentle kicking one leg forward.
"Move forward." She does as he says, highly aware of his chest ghosting her back and his lips near her ear. He then grabs her wrist and angles it in a different position. "Tilt your wrist like this and aim." Eric backs off a little, much to her disappointmen- 'No! No, Issy don't go there.' Listening to his instructions, she shifts forward, tilts her wrist like so and aims. Taking a deep breath in she throw her arm forward, releasing her knife as her arm straightens out. With a resounding thud the knife hits dead centre. Issy smiles, it's the best throw she's done so far.
"Nice throw initiate." When she glances back Eric is already moving towards Four. Issy glances to Bree who wiggles her eyebrows at Issy and her cheeks tinge a light shade of red. Alec starts snickering quietly into his hand.
"Shut up Alec!" She hisses.
"Always been a sucker for a blond haired, blue-eyed boy, haven't you Issy?" He grins mischievously.
"Shut up Alec!" He starts to snicker again and this time the others join in.
"Everyone stop what you're doing." Thankfully, Four's voice cuts into the conversation. "Gather your knives and put them back on this table. After dinner, as we've said, is your own time to do what you want but your not allowed to drink or leave the compound. Lights out is at eleven so be in the dorms before then. Go." Swiftly, they place their knives onto the table and head out of the training room.
In the dinning hall the managed to find an empty table to themselves. Helping himself to the food in front of him, Alec grins at the others.
"So that was an interesting lesson, wouldn't you agree Issy?" Cody and Bree smirk into their cups as Noah out right laughs.
"Oh my god Alec! I said shut the fuck up!" Issy buries her head into her hands. "And what about those sly glances I've seen you share with Lilah? Hmm? Hmm?" Alec starts to blush even more so than his sister did. "Yeah, that's what I thought bitch."
"So what do you guys want to do after dinner?" Noah said, leaning over Cody to get more food and Bree gasps loudly.
"Tattoos!" She nearly screams, slapping Issy excitedly on the arm.
"And piercings."
"No," Cody looks to Noah. "It's best to get piercings after the fights finish 'cause people will pull on them."
"Basically, it's a dirty tactic but it works." Issy adds.
"Guys! Hurry up, I want a tattoo." Bree whined with an empty plate in front of her.
"Chill your beans, chick." Issy laughed. "The parlour wouldn't be moving any time soon." Bree stuck her bottom lip out. "Pleeeaaase hurry up!"
"Okay, okay!" Cody put his hands up in mock surrender. "We're going!"
The tattoo parlour was easy enough to find after several wrong turns on Alec's part. Music poured form the shop as other members came in and out of the neon door. Inside there was pictures of newly inked skin all over the walls, folders of designs were spread around one half of the room while the other side held different types of piercings. Like little kids in a sweet shop, they didn't know where to go first. Bree literally bounced over to the first folder she could find and flipped through it. Alec, Cody and Noah wandered to a few folders to the side while Issy looked at the walls, amazed at the artwork. She found them inspiring. Heck, she found all of Dauntless inspiring, enough to pick up a pencil and draw. Issy couldn't remember the last time she had drawn something, anything. She smiled remorsefully when she remembered why she stopped drawing in the first place. 'I think,' she paused, trying to get her memories under control and breathed in and out slowly. 'I think he would want me to. . .' Issy closed her eyes and breathed in and out and in and out. Opening her eyes with determination she looked around the room for a free artist. At the other end of the room stood a man with long blond hair thrown into a man bun and a slight beard growing. He was just saying good bye to a customer who was obviously pleased with their new tattoo. Issy walked over to the man and cleared her throat, gaining his attention.
"This may sound like a stupid question but do you know where I could get a decent pad of paper and a few drawing pencils?" Issy inwardly cringed at how stupid that sounded. The artist smirked and studies her for a second.
"Follow me." He walks out of the main room and into a smaller room to the side that seems far more cosier. Couches and several leather chair fill the room. He motions for Issy to sit as he walks over to a cupboard and rummages through it. As he scavenges through the draws he looks over his shoulder at her. "You're Issy right?" Issy scrunches her face up in confusion.
"Yeah. . . How do you know of me?"
"There's a lot of talk going round about twin initiates whose eyes glow gold. You've both earned the nickname Golden Eyes I believe." He throws a grin over his shoulder. "I'm also friends with your brothers so that kinda helps."
"Oh god, what have they said?" He chuckles as she groans, throwing her hands to her face.
"They told me stories of how you'd all get into trouble. They'd tell anyone who'd listen." He turns around slightly, gripping something in his hands. "Did you really bullshit your way out of nearly blowing up a part of Erudite?"
"Ha, yes. It still can't believe I got away with it."
"Names Josh by the way." He says as he strides over and sits down in a chair opposite from Issy. When Josh hands her a pad and a small pack of pencils she notices a small green and black viper wrapped around his right ring finger. "Sketch me something."
"Now?" Warily, she accepts them.
"Yeah, anything that comes to mind." Josh smiles reassuringly at her hesitance.
"Okaay." Flipping to the first page she readies a pencil and pauses when the tip is nearly touching the sheet. It takes a minute for inspiration to strike and when it does she lightly draws an outline of a wolf jumping through a hoop. 'No,' She stops and rubs some of it out. She changes the hoop to the Dauntless symbol and adds little flames to the wolf. After a few minutes she looks at it, studying the lines. 'It'll do.' Issy hands the pad over to Josh and waits awkwardly for his opinion.
"Good . . ." He nods his head in approval. "This is really good. I thi-"
"Josh! I need my-" The voice abruptly stops as Eric stands in the doorway, his gaze fixed on Issy. "Initiate what are you doing?" Issy opens her mouth to answer but Josh speaks up for her.
"She was just looking for a sketch pad and some pencils." Josh stands up with Issy, closing the pad and handing it back to her. "You're a good drawer Issy. Come back when you've filled the whole pad."
"Thanks Josh." She knew it was her cue to leave. Throughout their small conversation Eric hadn't stopped staring at her. When she turn to walk out of the room she stared right back with a small bit of defiance, refusing to back down. Their shoulders brush slightly as she walks through the door. She was probably only a step away when she felt a hand grip at her forearm, spinning her back around. Eric analysis her for a minute before the corners of his lips twitched up in a small smile, letting her arm go.
"Good work today Issy." His smile lasted for another second before his cold mask of indifference slid back into place. He dips his head at her then walks into the room.
Originally I was going to wait until after Initiation for Issy to be attracted to Eric but apparently not. . . :P Hoped you enjoyed the chapter