AN: Sorry for the hiatus. I've been in a writing slum. Next few chapters may take a while but I have written some of it already so they might be done sooner.
Tris POV
When we get back we're given free time for the rest of the day. Christina, Will, Al, and I head to the cafeteria. Uriah, Lynn, and Marlene are there chatting. Uriah looks up and waves before noticing my exposed arms. I had started to regret listening to Shauna on the train this morning, but I couldn't take it back now. Everyone had seen them.
"Hey guys, I didn't know you had so many scars Tris."
"I'd rather not talk about them." He shrugged so casually, like they were no big deal.
"That's cool, I have a nasty scar on my foot, but nothing compared to those."
"Yeah, and why don't you tell them how you got that scar Uriah," Lynn is smiling. He shrugs.
"My brother bet me I couldn't win a game of Flinch, I won though!"
"Yeah and Mom nearly killed me." Zeke, Shauna, Lauren, and Four approached our table. I had no idea what Flinch was and I couldn't hold back my curiosity.
"What's Flinch?" I ask.
Shauna answers, "It's a stupid Dauntless game. Two people throw knives between each others feet. Then you move one foot up to where the knife landed, making the gap smaller and smaller. First on to move or Flinch loses."
"That does sound stupid," Will says.
"But I won!"
"Only because I stabbed you in the foot! I could've kept going!"
"Oh yeah? How about a round two?"
"No!" yells Shauna, "I will NOT be patching anyone up today! It's my only day off this week!"
"Okay, well Tris still needs to get a tattoo from her dare," Christina offers. "We could all go, maybe get some of our own."
"You don't have to get tattoo if you don't want to," Four speaks up but at the moment he's being Tobias. "It was just a dumb dare."
"No, I want to. It'll be fun," hopefully it will distract the others from my scars. Most of my bruises from my last beating have healed. The remaining might be an unnoticeable yellow, maybe greenish. I could get one on my clavicle, some place I can easily show off without revealing more injuries.
"Great!" Everyone makes their way to the tattoo parlor. With such a large group the parlor quickly fills up. We look at all the examples on the wall. Christina and Will flip through a book. Zeke and Four are talking. Al follows me around looking at the walls. Lauren stands next to me.
"So what are you thinking of getting?" she asks.
"I'm more concerned with where you're planning on getting it," Shauna walks away from Zeke behind Lauren.
"I'm thinking right here," I say pointing to my shoulder above my heart. She nods approvingly. "As for the tattoo, I'm not sure yet." They seem to accept that and walk away. Al goes to join Christina and Will. Some small black birds in flight catch my eye.
"They're ravens," a familiar voice says behind me, "Pretty, right?" Behind me Tori stands looking at the art. I didn't expect to see her after my aptitude test, but I suppose I would have had to see her eventually as I did transfer to her same faction. "I've heard you go by Tris now."
"Yes, do you work here?"
"I do, I only took a break to administer tests."
"Well, I'd love to talk to you sometime. I have some questions."
"I'm notre that would be wise. Want a tattoo? I could cover those scars on your arms," she casually gestures to my arms. I'm not embarrased though, instead filled with curiousity as I had never thought of the possibility of being rid of my scars in any way.
"You can?"
"I've done it before for others."
"Four?" I ask after making sure no one was paying attention.
"Did he tell you?" she seems surprised. I shake my head.
"He didn't need to, but I won't cover them today. But I do want a tattoo." If I was going to cover those I wanted the tattoo to be special that did. I look at the birds and remember her tattoo., a reminder of where she was and where she is now. A way to remember the life I left behind while embracing my new one. "I want three of these flying birds on my collarbone." One for each member of the family I left behind.
Tobias POV
Today, they have more fights after lunch. So before, I teach them how to dodge and defend effectively allowingthem to practice with either a bag or a partner. Lot's of people pair off and I notice Tris walk up to Edward and Myra. Myra seems frustrated with him. Tris must have sked to spar with Myra because Edward walks over to a punching bag. I see Tris demonstrate to Myra a stance but she starts going over different strikes. She must've learned these from Lauren, but I do see a lot of improvement from Myra. Before Edward had been showing her normal punches not taking into account her small stature. I can see Myra's confidence improve as she learns more. Tris would be a great trainer one day.
I dismiss the initiates for lunch before going and writing the pairings on the board. Once again Eric has phenominal timing.
"Who do you have the littlest one paired against?" He asks.
"Tris?" I ask for clarification."
"No, the other one," he says.
"Myra?"
"Yeah that one."
"Tris, why?" very suspicious now.
"I saw them training," I never saw him. How distracted was I? "Put her against someone else, the big wimpy kid."
"He's twice her size."
"You and I both know he won't really hurt her, we'll see if she can actually put her practice to use. Plus it will tell us if the big guy is even trying." I can't argue with that. If there is one thing about Eric you can actually trust, it's that his logic is usually sound. And at least that puts Tris with Christina not someone else twice her size.
During her fight Myra did really well and used her speed against Al's sluggishness. She managed to dodge his punch and elbowed him hard enough in the face that he fell down and was to dizzy to stand back up. I circle her name on the board, this win will really help improve her placement. Tris wins her fight against Christina. Peter wins against Will, Molly wins against Drew. Nothing to abnormal happens for those matches. The next surprising thing happens when Edward actually wins against Eric. Oddly Eric doesn't seem upset more impressed. I dismiss them for the day and go to clean up and plan for tonight. Capture the flag is definitely a hightlight of training. This is actually something Eric and I can agree on as well.
First we run to grab the Dauntless born since they know what's coming before going and waking up the transfers. The weather looks like it's going to be nice tonight so we can go outside this year. The Dauntless are already awake and whooping, everyone hushes as we approach the initiates before Eric shouts, "Everybody up!" flashing his flashlight on them. Most of them start to grogily get up and change. Tris meets my eyes and stares. "Did you go deaf, Stiff?" that seems to snap her out of her stupor. She stands up already dressed, did she not change for bed? "You have five minutes to get dressed and meet us by the tracks," says Eric. "We're going on another field trip."
The initiates don't take long to arrive and we begin to disperse the guns and ammo. It would be too much of a hassle to attempt to get the crates on the moving train. After some light banner, Eric using me as a clock since I've kept the simple abnegation watch, the train arrives. Everyone boards and I explain the teams. Eric suggests picking transfers first a glint in his eye. I can't let him get Tris, she's been doing really well since her first match. He'll most likely pick Edward first since Ed beat him in their match today. So I'll have to choose her first, but I can't make myself seem anxious. I have to let him choose first.
"You go first," I say. He shrugs.
"Edward," I was right. I look around pretending to weigh my options.
"I want the Stiff," not saying her name to further detach myself. I hear some laughter from the members and dauntless born, but none of the transfers. The others don't know how well she's done in training.
"You do know that this is capture the flag, not tackle football right? Hand to hand is going to be helpful and if I remember right, she's not the best shot. Trying to prove something or are you just picking bad shots so that if you lose, you'll have someone to blame?" Eric's just trying to get me to change my mind so that he can take her.
"Something like that," not like I'd tell him anyway. Speed and stealth matter more than brawn and brute in this game.
"Peter."
"Christina." Not the greatest but I saw the way Eric looked at her bare legs in the dorm, not letting him get a hold of her.
"Molly."
"Will." Fast and smart. But that only leaves Al, Drew, Myra.
"Al," down to Drew and Myra. Myra hasn't done the best but she did improve today but do I want to separate her from Edward. Maybe it will be good for her. She is small, fast, and smart.
"Myra."
"Guess that leaves me with Drew. Dauntless born next."
"Uriah."
"Max."
"Marlene."
"Sheke."
"Lynn"
"Jacob and that's everyone." I end the selections, uncrossing my arms and righting my gun.
"Your team can get off second," says Eric.
"Don't do me any favors." I know he is looking to give himself a reason for when he loses. "You know I don't need them to win."
"No, I know that you'll lose no matter when you get off," says Eric. "Take your scrawny team and get off first then." The train approaches the ground and it's time to jump. May the games begin.
AN again sorry for the long wait really had a hard time writing. Might be a bit but hopefully not as long.
