ShadowDragon03 That ending was steamy! It was great fun to write! I did enjoy my holiday thanks for asking, but I'm back to exams now , but updated will come as soon as my typing wills it!

Snowingheart I'm glad you like my writing and you're enjoying it! Lily's such a great character, so headstrong, she'd usually be the main character so it's a lot of fun writing from a different perspective!

Dear Charlotte,

I'm so sorry about your dog! I completely understand, my parents had to give away my dog Snowy because there was no one to look after her, and I never saw or heard about her for a year when we were told she had died. Pets are with us for life though! It's good to take your mind of sad things like that so I'm glad the chapters helped! And Your continued support is so heart warming, truly! The phrase in English would be "I hope everything is going well", rather than "doing well", but I admit after learning german I think English language can be confusing!

Thank you as always,

TheCloakedShadow

After my run in with Eric, I spend the rest of my time sprinting through the compound, the burn in my legs blurring any remaining thoughts before I join the others.

"Morning." I mutter, sitting opposite Jay with a nod.

"Damn, you're sweating! Productive run then?" Jay replies and I keep my thoughts away from Eric, merely nodding. Lily comes and sits next to Jay, and I frown at her modest plate, before glancing back down at mine, and adding two syrupy pancakes to her
plate from mine.

"I thought I told you to eat better." I say bluntly, and she avoids my eyes.

"I do eat well, don't I? I don't want to gain any fat." She says evasively.

"You won't. We do so much cardio you're just losing more and more weight, you need muscle. You don't want to fall over with a little shove." I tell her, though I know I've told her this before.

"You're not eating much at all! Surely you should take your own advice?" She deflects, and I stare back pointedly.

"I maintain my muscle mass. Which is less than what yours needs to be, I'm agility based. You're much more all-rounded." I answer easily, and she scowls a little, but eats her food nonetheless. As Ben and Beth join us, the conversation moves away, but
Jay meets my eyes with wary knowing. He knows today marks the start of me pissing her off.

We get to the training room, and silence sounds as Eric strides into the room with a pointed look at Four, who calls the first pair.

"Jay and Lily, in the ring."

Oh shit.

My eyes snap to Jay and I'm moving to intercept him before he steps up.

"Just bash her on the head, or suffocate her, she needs to be in shape for this afternoon, I'll explain later." I say quickly and he gives me a desperate look before moving up.

I move to stand by Ben, since Beth has restarted avoiding me again, but we wait with baited breath as they begin.

It starts slow, because even though Jay has obviously accepted there's no getting out of it, Lily hasn't. She skates around the edges of the ring, until Jay reaches her.

It starts like one of their spars, and Lily manages a solid punch to his collar through Jay's multiple light hits, but as soon as her opening arrives, she waits back. I look away, shifting my jaw as I meet eyes with both Four and Eric, the former mildly
paying attention, the latter obviously bored.

I know he gave me advice on how to help her, but I don't expect him to be at all interested in Lily's progress. I hear a heavy thud and with a glance up, I know Jay's knocked her out.

As Jay sets Lily down on the side I pat his shoulder as he hides his pained look.

"She'll be back up in a few." I mutter and lean against the wall next to him. A couple more fights go through, Beth losing to Thomas, Ben winning against one of the Erudite girls, during which Lily woke up. I ignore Jay's apologies and Lily's acceptance,
trying not to scowl. True, she never would've won, but she could've lasted a lot longer, and she definitely could've bruised him a little. It wasn't a poor effort, it wasn't an effort at all.

"Avery! Zander, you're up!" My eyes slide to the once-abnegation on the other side of the room. This will be fine, I beat him with two others, alone should be fine. I can make my point to Lily as well.

My feet meet the mat and I settle into my defensive position. But I don't have to wait for it to start. He comes at me, at what seems a comfortable pace, for both of us. I slip out of his punches as he blocks mine, and we move around the mat and I realise
he's doing exactly the same thing as me. Gauging your opponent, testing the waters. And at some point-

I bend my back and plant my hands on the floor and do a hasty back handspring to avoid Zander's precise and lightning quick uppercut to my chin, a smirk on my lips.

"Okay then." I mutter to myself, and pursue forwards. My arms move quicker as I let my feet guide my movements around his defences. I'm still abiding by my goal not to use any kicks in these fights, to strengthen my punches and I'm glad to see the improvement
as I get a firm punch under his ribs before aiming a quick second for his jaw. He dodges, but looses his balance as he falls to the floor and I take a few steps back. He's pretty good, I'll get some useful practice whilst pissing off Lily.

Zander stands up, his expression angry as I finally see the vengeance in his eyes.

"You know I underestimated you that night, we all did. Don't expect it again!" He growls before moving forward, and I can't stop the smirk on my lips as he completely misses what seems to be a tackle as I duck out of his way, tripping his foot sending
him sprawling back to the floor.

He regains his footing as I turn to face him, but revert back to evasive manoeuvres seeing the fury on his face grow.

"Fight back!-"

Just as the words leave his mouth I step up close just as Axel likes to, and jam my elbow into his solar plexus as he's winded and thrown back on to the floor.

It takes him longer to get back up this time as I wait, stretching my shoulders which for some reason are a little tense. As he stands up, I can see his fury is renewed but he makes the same tackling move towards me, it's like he's asking for it. Wait…

Zander grabs onto my t-shirt sloppily as he falls, and I work to keep my footing against his weight. He hangs on, buttwists so he's almost horizontal facing up at me when I hear the rip of my t-shirt.

There's a moment, a second when our eyes meet against the bruising scabs between us.

And then I jam my elbow into his jaw, and he's out like a light.

"Avery wins." Four says, walking over to me as I catch Zander's shoulders. "Help me drag him to the side, you didn't hit him hard enough for the infirmary right?" Four asks and I shake my head as we move him to the side. I notice Four's holding something,
and as soon as his hands are free he gives it to me.

"I don't think anyone saw." He mutters quickly, and my hands fold over my jumper as I look down at my ripped t-shirt displaying the bruises.

"Thanks." I mutter in return, facing the wall to pull it over my head.

"Right, listen up!" Four yells. "For now-"

"Four, Eric, Max wants us!" Lauren, the Dauntless-born trainer yells interrupting Four who glares at her in response.

"Right, you've got the afternoon off remember, but we finished early so you're on the punching bags till 12! Get to it!" Four instructs before going off with Eric and Lauren, as we move to the punching bags.

"You sure got him good Avery." Ben says admirably and I nod despite the unsettling feeling in my stomach.

"A bit too well I'd say." Ah there it is…

"Hm? What do you mean?" I question Lily and she looks at me different from how she has before.

"Don't you think it was a bit much? I know you're all for the drama of it from what I heard, but you were showing off a little muchweren't you?" She points out. She's definitely the reckless brave type, can't believe I didn't ever notice her in
Amity.

"Drama? It wasn't for the drama god no, we were just fighting." I say shrugging, moving to a bag and starting some slow jabs as Lily places herself next to me, but just looks at me with her brow furrowed.

"Well it was definitely something! We're all fighters here, you were holding back on a serious fight!"

"That could be said for you too, the difference is I'm able to." I say simply, and I can see her frustration from the corner of my eye.

"What are you talking about? Everyone knows I would lose to Jay, he's number 1! You could've done what he did and ended it quickly rather than drawing it out!"

"Now, let's just-" Ben starts to join in since the other three are just listening in silence, but I don't want him to get involved.

"And you could've drawn it out showing some skill rather than giving up before it started. Besides, what would I have gotten out of it? He was good practice, quite unexpected. I held back because I had no need to hurt him and the fight was more beneficial
to me." I say carelessly, and I know that will really piss her off. I don't think I'll miss this one day of staying in the dorms, avoiding it is much nicer.

"How can you say that?!" Lily yells at me outraged as the only other remaining initiates, Tom and the two erudite girls look at us warily.

"Simply as I put it. I can hold back because I'm good enough to, and it was beneficial. You held back and it got you nothing. You could've scored some points for getting a few hits in, it's not just black and white." I say, but she's too far gone.

"He deserves to be fought properly! What did Zander ever do to you?!" She accuses as I carry on with the punching bag, the force behind them growing as I let my next words slip out unintentionally.

"Be friends with that bastard."

Apparently I didn't mutter it quiet enough.

"Well today you reminded me of his fight with Isobel, you might as well be as bad as Kasper with what you pulled!"

I stop midway through my punch, catching the punching bag abruptly in the echoing silence from Lily's shouts. I nod to myself, a smile on my face as I meet Lily's outraged eyes. I let my stare bore into her since she doesn't know half of what her words
mean.

A light chuckle moves through me as I pass her, stalking towards the door.

12321

"Avery! Avery wait up! For heaven's sake stop!" Jay's voice echoes through the corridor behind me as I finally let me steps slow, comfortably far away from the training room.

"Hey." I say as I turn around, and he looks at me outraged and I realise Ben has followed him.

"Hey? Avery what the hell?" Jay questions me and Ben puts a hand on my shoulder and I move slightly away.

"That went too far, Lily was out of line it's like she forgot what Kasper did to her!" Ben says aggressively and I shrug his arm off.

"I knew this would happen eventually, and I can't control her thoughts, she makes comparisons on her own." Even if that's what she thinks of me.

"What? Avery!" Jay exclaims, not saying more just staring straight at me.

"…damn she really did a number on me." I mutter with a smile, as Jay sighs in frustration at me. "I knew she was gonna be bad, but I never expected that I'll admit."

"But she was wrong! Avery I can't let her say that about you, I was never happy with this in th-" I glance at Ben, wanting to keep Jay's involvement quiet.

"She's the master of her own thoughts Jay."

"But she was wrong!" Jay says again, catching my wrist as I start to turn away. "I saw Avery, I know that night wasn't just a meaningless fight. Meaningless fights don't end with someone down the chasm, nor with that mess all over my best mate's
stomach."

I look back and Ben's face in confused, so I'm guessing only Jay noticed the bruises.

"You didn't even hurt Zander, look at what Kasper did to you." Jay mumbles and I hesitate.

"Zander, actually." I correct, and his eyes widen. "Look, we talked about this already Jay, remember that. Remember what it's for." I whisper the last part in his ear, before leaving them to go get some lunch.

12321

Since the afternoon's off, and I'm obviously avoiding Lily, as well as Jay and Ben since they should be wither as well as Beth, I don't feel like going to find Leon and Mark with the other dauntless-born since I'm definitely more in the mood for some
quiet… I'm going to go to the salon.

I've worked up quite a number of points since I haven't gotten many tattoos unlike the others, so I ask for a quick trim to my layers before I think about the colour.

"I want the chocolate highlights out… but I'm undecided other than that." I tell the stylist honestly.

"Well the shadow root has been making a return… you could go an even darker red than your natural colour at your roots and your ends are naturally quite light." The female stylist with black down to white hair suggests.

"Yeah sounds nice." I say noncommittedly, and I wait for the process to finish till she blow dries my hair out. I'm left with black cherry roots fading to my natural dark red, and I admit I'm liking the darker look. As I'm leaving, I bump into Ben who
is surprisingly separate from the group.

"Hey, you get your hair done?" Ben asks and I nod. He looks around nervously as I wait for him to say whatever he obviously wants to say.

"You were great today… in fights. I think it's just getting to Lily, since she hasn't had any matchups she can beat…" Ben says.

"It's fine. Beth's been a bit off lately as well, it happens, initiation is stressful, especially now there's barely two months left." I say reasonably.

"Yeah… you don't need to worry though, you were great! If I'm honest I don't know why you aren't above Jay, you're clearly above him in running and knives, and you two seem even enough on guns and fights…" Ben says.

"Yeah, but I started with a broken arm, he's just in a more stable position." I say, though I'm growing wary of Ben. I can't have everyone except Jay acting weird with me, I may be antisocial but without Eric all the time…

"I guess, and…. You two are friends right?" Ben says and I nod.

"Of course, we all are." I say vaguely.

"Yeah, exactly, but you two-"

"Can't you see it, him and Lily like each other, honestly Ben I thought you'd have realised." I say easily, realising the direction of this conversation. Could it be… oh god no!

"I have to go Ben, I've got to get my final tests done to check I haven't screwed up my arm." I lie easily.

"Oh, okay, you sure you don't need-"

"Bye!" I say before jogging my way in the direction of the infirmary, only to change direction almost immediately. I'm bored. I've been avoiding all those guys and I've already got my hair done and it's only four o'clock. I don't feel like training but
I have till 11 to be back at the dorms per Eric's instructions. Even though I can't stay at Eric's anymore… that doesn't mean I can't spend time there…

Some of those books looked appetizing. Plus I can change my ripped shirt. Plus I can avoid social interaction at dinner by eating there.

And so I go there. My fingers remember the passcode as I let myself in, and after going into Eric's closet and stealing a t-shirt, I take a Charles Dickens book. I've never read any before despite being classics, but they're nice and thick, and I'm sure
if Eric keeps them they're worth reading.

A small grin creeps onto my face as I slip into Eric's covers to read. The time slips by, and I vaguely remember getting up to eat, but by half ten I'm bookmarking A Tale of Two Cities, and leaving Eric's covers mussed up for him to realise I was here.

12321

I had slipped into my bunk barely an hour ago, when the loud clang sounds.

"Everybody up!" Eric

I hop easily down the ladder and suddenly realise I should've been more prepared as I stand in Eric's stolen t-shirt reaching my thighs. The lights are on as the other initiates are up, and Eric and Four stand at the front of a mass of black. I see Leon,
Raven and Kray and realise it's the Dauntless-born, eyeing us with a glint in their eyes. I move closer from my spot in the corner, and I relish in Eric's quick glance over me before he yells again.

"Five minutes, be up at the tracks." Eric orders before stalking off, before the other transfers start scrambling for clothes. I quickly reach for some thick leggings and my thick black hooded jacket before slipping my black combat boots on. I notice
Lily still flailing with Beth and deem it safe to start walking up with Jay.

"You alright?" He murmurs and I nod.

"This should be fun, midnight expedition with the dauntless-born…" Jay mutters and I chuckle.

"It's those tactical exercises we theorised. This was why Lily had to be in good shape, this goes towards rankings and it's her best chance." I tell him and his eyes widen.

"I've just stopped questioning you knowing things." Jay mutters and I smile.

"You hide in the right places and you can hear everything, intentional or not." I say elusively.

We reach the tracks and I see the crates clearly labelled PAINTBALL. This was going to be fun.

"Are you kidding?" Jay says, clearly with the same opinion.

"Avery, Jay, are you ready for the best night of your time here?!" Mark calls to us, slinging an arm round Jay.

"You betcha! Why did no one tell us about this I would've gone to sleep early to be ready!" Jay exclaims and Leon laughs coming up to us as well.

"You should know we dauntless don't run on sleep, you gotta be ready to run 10 days straight!"

"Ten is overdoing it." Raven says dryly.

"Everyone listen up! Grab a gun!" Eric yells and we do as he says. "Everyone on!"

I see the light of the train in the darkness, and move into a run behind Mark whose behind Eric as it nears. As I climb on, I pass Eric, whose gaze scours mine with that smirk back on his face, before it's gone.

"Right, we're playing capture the flag, two teams! Mixed Dauntless-born and transfer, the two teams will get off at different points, hide the flag, then move against the other team. Eric and I are captains." Four yells to the carriage absolutely full
of initiates, but his voice is loud in my ear as I ended up right next to him and Eric.

"The dauntless-born will know this is tradition, and it will contribute to your ranking, so take it seriously." Eric says.

"What do we get if we win though…" A dauntless-born next to me mutters and I scoff.

"Bragging rights." I mutter dryly, quickly moving my eyes away from Eric as I accidently speak aloud.

"You get to win." Four says bluntly.

"You want to go first?" Eric offers, and Four frowns, before taking a quick look at the initiates, and smirking.

"Odd number of dauntless born… Yeah I'll go first." Four mutters with a meaningful glance at Eric who glares at him.

"Avery."

Eric's glare visibly darkens as Four calls my name.

"What? There's no rule about picking dauntless-born first." Four says smug. Wait… Eric wanted Four to pick first so he got first pick of the transfers?

"Jay." Eric replies and Jay nods to me mischievously before moving to Eric's side.

"Mark." Four says and Eric moves through the dauntless-born before they get back to the transfers. Ben ends up on my team, but we also end up with the two erudite girls while Eric got Lily and Beth. However, Mark, Leon and Kray are all on Four's team,
so I have company.

"We're getting off first." Eric snaps.

"Sure, we got first advantage after all." Four replies, and as Eric jumps off Four turns back to look extremely smug.

"Alright team listen up! We can't waste this time! Sorry, I was a little selfish and majorly pissed of Eric, so he's going to go full out, nothing we can do. We need a strategy!"

"Four, do we have the stronger shooters? Was that the advantage you were talking about?" A dauntless-born questions and Four nods.

"In terms of transfers, Avery and Ben are second and fourth for shooting, but 1st and 3rd are extremely static, they'll be useless. Obviously Dauntless-born we have Mark and Leon, plus the overall more talented bunch. But we need a good hiding place,
because no one will be able to stop Eric. It's something I'll admit he's better than me with a gun." Four tells us.

"We should bury it." Kray says immediately, but Four shakes his head.

"It has tobe visible."

"How about an abandoned hut in the fairground?"

"No! Are you crazy?"

"But then…"

"No we should put it in clear view then ambush…"

I let out a sigh as Four tells us to shut up before we jump off. We land in the abandoned fairground, I walked past it quite a lot back to amity.

"Right ideas!" Four yells. "One by one!"

"Inside a house. It'll technically be visible, but also not!" Mark argues and Four seems to think it through.

"This is Eric we're talking about though…" Ben trails off.

"Well why don't you transfers have some ideas?" Someone from the back yells, since neither Ben nor I nor the erudite girls have made suggestions. Ben doesn't speak, so I sigh.

"It is Eric, so it needs to be unreachable. Somewhere even we can't reach it. Is there somewhere around here… high up maybe? A platform, a tree that we can throw it up? Then no one can even reach it." I say pointedly, and Mark pats my back.

"I take back my suggestion. This is brilliant!" He says. "That ride over there- Detonator! The stairs are completely broken, Leon has a great throw he can get it up there!"

"Attach a weight, it'll be easier to throw." I mutter to Four, who nods, picking up a stone.

"They only got off at north point, it's so close! Since we don't need any people guarding, we can just use a scouting line, move forward together then once we engage, everyone move to fight except Kray. She's small and quiet, and can go right up to the
flag, she can be at the end of the line." Leon explains and Four nods.

"Right then. Let's get going."

We're paintballing! I can't wait for the kicking arse next chapter, though Avery and Zander's fight was pretty bad ass as well! You guys know I've been busy so I won't bother explaining why this chapter's so late, and I wouldn't rely on regular updates for the next two months or so, sorry to say. But never doubt that I'm carrying on this story! We're only just getting started, since I've planned out so far into the future! I'm wondering whether I should start a second book rather than keeping it all in this one since it's already at 90,000 words, any thoughts? This was a bit of a longer chapter as well (mostly because I had no idea where to end it), and since I plan on following up on requests for longer chapters, I may have to start on another book, maybe rate that one M. Anyway, obviously it's paintballing next chapter, and the real business with Lily started this chapter, so much to look forward to I hope! Read and review as always, I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter!