A/N. Hey guys! Sorry for the late update! Christmas has been hectic, but also fanfastic! Hope you all had a good New Year!

This chapter may not be my best, but the drama I have written for the story doesn't come in until later, so hang in there, folks! In the chapters following, time will speed up because the good things I have planned take place during the second stage of initiation. Eeek. I'm so excited to post them! I still hope you like this chapter, though! R&R with your thoughts!

I can't believe how much popularity this story has gotten! I'm glad many of you like my original idea! I love each and every one of you! Your feedback really means a lot to me. I'm sure any author would say that.

Throughout this story, Tris will continuously debate with herself whether or not her family are good people since they never helped her out of the nightmare with Eric. Just thought I'd warn you now since it pops up frequently.

I'm sorry in advanced for any spelling errors. I usually make lots and never come across them when I re-check the written chapter.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy!

Chapter 3:

I walk into the cafeteria the next morning and find that the news of my blood tie with Eric has in fact spread - just like wild fire. I can't shake the uncomfortable feeling I get when I know the Dauntless are staring at me - sizing me up. They're probably wondering if I'm anything remotely like the beast Eric is, and of course I'm not, but I doubt they know that. I want to show people that I'm not. In fact, I have this sudden urge to scream at the top of my lungs, Eric Prior is my brother and he beat me! Now see how much of a coward he is. But, of course, I don't. That could possibly be the stupidest thing I could do here, the reason I left was to begin a new life, not dwell on my old on. But all I do is dwell.

I have this strange feeling that Eric will make an announcement telling the Dauntless exactly just what he did to me, and how I was too weak to stop him, therefore making me a coward. But am I really the coward here? Picking on someone who obviously isn't as strong as you – beating them to a pulp knowing that they couldn't go for help. That's being a coward.

"Morning stiff," I turn and see Eric smirk at me before he heads off to the table shared with Max and the other three Dauntless leaders. I sigh, not bothering to respond back to him. I know he's not going to leave me alone now, so there really isn't any point.

I head for the table shared with Christina and other initiates and have yet to learn the names of, not eating as much as I'd like to. Even though I know it's stupid to not get as much energy stored in my body as I can, seeing Eric brings up unwanted feelings. Something along the times of being so terrified I want to be sick.

"Why aren't you eating anything?" Christina asks me, "Wait, don't tell me. They also didn't serve Cornflakes in Abnegation?" she asks me with a wink, and I shake my head at her but can't seem to fight off the small twitch of a smile that pulls on my lips.

Maybe Christina could become a good friend.

After breakfast I begin to regret not eating more than a few mouthfuls of cornflakes. Four had us shooting with a small nine mil hand gun before, which was easier than I expected. I managed to hit the target, and I was the only one. But now we're learning the techniques needed for hand-to-hand combat. I'm not the strongest person to begin with - I'm short and slim, with small shoulders and weak arms. My frame completely contradicts one needed for a fighter- not eating much this morning disadvantaged me in many ways. After lunch we'll be putting theory to practice – using what we've learnt and placing them on a punch bag. I shiver looking at them; black, hard leather with a rough surface and thick body. It isn't going to be the easiest to knock around. So much for starting off easy.

I head down to the cafeteria with Christina, an Erudite boy named Will, and a Candor boy called Al. We pass the tattoo parlour and I know what I want to do after my first day of initiation – get a tattoo. Once I'm inked, I won't be so much Abnegation anymore. I'll be marked a Dauntless, therefore marking my new life. I smile and decide to share my plan to get a tattoo with my new friends, who are quick to accompany me later on today.

Heading down to our usual table I'm quick to pick the food from the trays at the middle of table and place them on my plate. Practicing the hand-to-hand combat Four taught us on the punching bags will use up a lot of my energy, which I don't have a lot of anyway. So eating the pork they're serving will build up my strength. I'm going to need a lot of strength from now on.

I'm in the middle of trying to handle my body punching the leather bag in front of me when Four stalks over and stands in front of me; arms crossed, posture up-right and intimidating. I try not to think about it too much. That he's just another person I see daily who isn't my instructor and doesn't make me feel like I'm about to combust, or melt, or burn like a witch at the stake.

"You have a small frame," be begins, walking over to me and placing his hand over my torso. His long fingers almost cover the width of my stomach, making my heart beat faster, "so you should keep tension here, and use your knees and elbows. They'll prove to be the stronger parts of your body." His eyes lock with mine for a few seconds before he decides to take his hand from my stomach and walk to check the progress of the other initiates. I stand there is a daze. Not only was it inappropriate for an instructor to physically touch his trainee where he did, I also didn't feel as scared as I usually do when another person touches me. It doesn't matter if it's my leg, or a brush of the shoulder, I always flinch. But sometimes about Four makes me feel protected. This is completely absurd because he seems torn between wanting to protect me and terrify me. One thing's for sure: I shouldn't trust anything yet. I was smart enough to get an Aptitude for Erudite, and I have common sense. Nothing here can be trusted.

I blink a few times then come back to the present. I take Four's advice and start again using my elbows and knees. This does prove to help, but only in small doses. It's strange to use my elbows; the angle is usually off and I get a strange recoil sensation in my shoulder. I don't particularly like this strategy, and I can see myself forgetting all about it in an actual fight. But my knees are quite powerful: I could wind someone badly with them with the right timing. Smack them in their face to make sure they're down then take a blow to their chest which would knock their balance, then kick them a couple times in the gut to finish them. I have thought so many times about using this against Eric, but he's so much bigger and stronger than me, even when he wasn't a trained up Dauntless leader. He always had this mental, unspoken power over me, too. If I even tried to fight back, I'd get it worse the next beating and he'd make sure I didn't tend to the wounds he inflicted on my body. So I'd usually just lie there in a broken slump, bleeding and shaking.

Without realising it, I'm punching and kicking everything I have into the punching bag, silent tears trickling down my cheeks. It helps to get my anger out, I understand, but I'm glad no-one has realised I've had an emotional out-break. I quickly wipe the tears away and act again and continue to furiously pound all me anger and energy onto the object in front of me.

When our training is over, Four lets us all leave but me. I feel him grab my arm and ask me for a word, I tell Christina, Will and Al that I'd meet them at the tattoo parlour and turn to see what he has to say, "what was that?" he asks as soon as he knows for sure there is no-one within ear shot.

My hearts stops momentarily. He saw me crying! I can't let anyone see me weak, especially him. I tell myself it's because he's my instructor and that anything I do from now on will affect the final ranking score. But I know it's so much more than that. "What was what?" I ask him, trying to feign confusion. But I know he's smart enough to see past it.

"Don't play dumb with me Stiff, I saw your tears," he snaps and I try to swallow the lump in my throat, "If you're not cut out for Dauntless, maybe you should just leave?" he states more than asks me, and I find myself slightly surprised by his behaviour. How dare he have the cheek!

"You don't know anything, Four! And if you were half decent, you'd not get yourself involved," I retort and stomp out of the training room leaving a very confused Four in my wake.

Hopefully he'll get my warning; I really don't want anyone involved in this. I can handle myself with Eric. I've been doing so for sixteen years already.

I find Christina, Will and Al outside the tattoo parlour and make my way over to them.

"Hey, Tris!" Al says, and I manage a smile. "What did Four want?"

Oh damn, I never thought about making up an excuse.

"He was...erm...just telling me how pathetic my combat attempts were." I reply, smiling even more now as to try and pass it off. But I have two Condors in front of me, they'll sniff me out.

Christina eyes me up but doesn't take Al's question or my explanation any further. Maybe she figured out that I didn't want to talk about it?

"Come on, then!" Al says, "Let's get inked!" I nod and follow the rest into the parlour. And not-so-to-my-surprise Eric is there getting what looks like the Grim Reaper on his left bicep. It's hooded figure is walking out of flames, dragging what looks like a begging mother behind him. The Scythe is loosely hung over his felt shoulder, with fresh blood dripping from it. The only colours used are gray, red and orange. The use of gray is ironic to me. I shiver involuntary, and he looks up and smiles evilly at me. "Are you sure you got the right store, Stiff?" he taunts me, and I just stand there with a flat – almost bored looking – expression. Maybe without giving him the satisfaction that he is getting to me will make him bored of these dumb games, "I could ask you the same thing, Eric" I don't give him time to reply to me, for I have walked over to the back of the room to examine the rows and rows and bird tattoos. The one that really catches my eye is one with three ravens in flight. They remind me of my family, and no matter how much I may dislike their disloyalty at their daughter, I'm still not ready to let go of them completely. I decided I want these I symbolise the family I left behind.

"Hello, again," I hear a familiar voice say behind me, and turn to become face to face again with Tori. Seeing her immediately brings back the gut wrenching feeling I had when she told me about my Divergence. I have this sudden urge to ask her what she meant by it being 'dangerous', but I know that would be a dumb idea since Eric is only sitting ten feet away.

Tori seems to sense my internal argument with myself, "Not here. Not ever, Tris. I'm sorry, but I've helped you as much as I can." He states and I feel myself go limp at her words.

No more hope.

I turn my attention back to the Raven tattoos, running my fingers over their small wings; I find myself remembering jumping off the Dauntless building and onto the net. How good it felt to be free from the world. How I felt infinite. Maybe I still can, and even though I want the three ravens to represent Mother, Father and Caleb, it can also represent my attempt of freedom, and how it might not all be in vain.

"You want them?" I hear Tori's voice behind me, and I nod at her explaining how I want them going down my collar bone and eventually ending near my heart. I tap the areas I want inked and she leads me over to a chair to begin.

An hour or so later Tori has finally finished inking me with Dauntless blood. I take a look at her work with the small mirror she lends me: The smallest Raven is meant to represent Caleb, mainly because he doesn't have as much meaning in the family status. Then goes my Mother, and I try not to remember what she said to me before our Choosing Ceremony: "I love you. No matter what" her words mean so much more to me than she'd probably ever know. I force any tears I want to shred back. The last, and the biggest Raven is of my Father. He had the most authority in our family, so the Raven in larger, it is also bigger and closer to my heart because I feel like I've disappointed him the most. I remember what he said to us at the dinner table the night before the Choosing Ceremony about Marcus' son Tobias: "Or his son's betrayal, you mean?" he must think I betrayed him, so by having him closer to my heart, I feel like I'm paying him back just a little bit for leaving, even if he never saved me from Eric. He doesn't deserve to have all three of his children leave home.

I thank Tori for her work then pay the right amount of points for the tattoo – the points are a type of currency, and the initiates are supplied with some at the beginning of initiation. Then I head over to Will, Christina and Al to see what they got, but at this point I'm not really taking it in. I feel lighter with the tattoo than I did before it. Maybe it's because it shows a change in me as a person.