Numinous

Chapter 8

I was about to leave the shops when I bumped into Nat and a group of other transfers.

"Maeve! There you are, where were you?" Nat questions.

"Oh nothing, just went for a walk."

"Yeah, Peter took quite a toll on you, didn't he?" I shrugged in response.

"It's all part of getting through initiation, right?" she nodded understandingly. "Where are you heading?"

"We are getting some tattoos, you should join!" I gladly accepted her offer. I spoke a little with Will and Al, them having to initiate the conversation first.

Entering the tattoo parlor, we were met with pierced and tatted faces, loud hip-hop music playing through the parlor. Splitting off from the rest of them, I searched for a design I wanted.

"Can I help you with anything?" I was startled, chuckling at my slight jump. I turned to face the mysteries person behind me. He was a giant, had to be way more than 6ft! How he was Dauntless, I don't know because his face looks like a puppy. Literally, a puppy.

"Oh I-I was just looking for a design. Can you free hand designs?"

"Yeah, I can do that for you; follow me!" the human puppy says leading me to a room with a drawing desk. Taking a seat, he asks me if I have an idea of what I want.

"S-sort of, I want some memorabilia of my old faction; t-to remember my old family in Amity." I hope he isn't like Eric and Four and totally despise you if you even utter a different factions name.

"Relax" he laughs "I understand, I transferred to here from Candor a couple years ago. I have a younger brother there. He actually chose his faction this year too, but decided to stay."

"So why are you here? No offense, but you don't exactly look Dauntless."

"I look more like a puppy?" Did he hear me call him that? "When I came to Dauntless, I changed my name to Puppy."

"On purpose?" making him laugh.

"Yes, I know I don't look intimidating. I got third in my initiation though, and I am Dauntless, but they didn't want a softy out there trying to be an authority figure...so I'm here. It's a good thing I'm quite the artist too."

"So, what was your name before you came here?"

"Oh, sorry blondie, we haven't reached that level of friendship yet. Ask me when you reach level ten of our friendship." He joked.

"Well, my name has always been Maeve, so, you can call me Maeve."

"Will do Blondie! So, tat ideas?"

"Oh yes! I was thinking a blossoming tree on my right wrist, for Amity. On my other wrist, fire, for Dauntless." Puppy took his time sketching before he showed me the final template. On the Dauntless side, he also added the word 'warrior' underneath the fire; and an arrow underneath the word. I had him make one change; turn the 'I' in warrior into a semi colon. He made the adjustments and set the equipment up.

He pressed the weird patched on my wrist and started the painful process. A couple of horrible minutes went by and he finally took them off. They look amazing!

"Oh my gosh! Thank you so much! This is amazing! You are incredible Puppy!" he laughed at my giddiness. Tattoos and piercings are apparently free in Dauntless because of the Dauntless 'aesthetic'; at least, that's what Puppy told me anyways. 

I found Tris sliding off a tattoo chair and showed her my tats. She got a tattoo on her collarbone. They were birds, three of them, she said they represent her three family members she left. 

I explained to her my Amity tattoo but not the truth about the warrior one; this one will stay between Eric and me. 'I just thought I would look cool'; she bought it. 

I told everyone that I was heading back to our dormitories. I should get to bed early so I can wake up for my appointment tomorrow morning.

'I'll show you Eric.'

***

If I'm late to initiation I would probably be immediately kicked out' I thought while barreling down the halls as fast as I could go. I made it to my hair appointment on time; it didn't take long to do, but the salon is far from the training room.

Approaching the door, I slowed down, calming my breathing so it didn't seem like I was running. Pulling the door open, I made my way in the room. Four and Eric were just about to get started when I joined the initiate group.

Eric was looking down at a clipboard so he hadn't noticed yet, but Four and the others noticed my hair. Oh, way to go Maeve! Should have though this out better but NO! You just had to go on a wild streak and shave half your head. Did I seriously think only Eric would notice? I seriously am regretting my decision because of all this attention; attention that I don't want.

"Any reason why you were almost late Pinky?" using that stupid name, he still hasn't looked up.

"N-No sir, just terrible time management on my part." He scoffed finally deciding to look up at me. It looked like he had to do a doubletake to confirm it was me. 'I didn't think I did anything too crazy? A little, but not a lot crazy.' I mean, I did shave off the hair on my left side, down to the skin; no hair on that half at all!

I'm sure he knew I ran here, obviously because my breathing pattern. Also, because my face is flush from running.

"So, you should have no problem starting the day off with running, right?" he smirked tauntingly. I returned the smirk and shook my head 'no'. "Good, everyone ten laps around the whole place for a warm up." he yelled; everyone quietly groaning and complaining under their breath.

'Thanks Satan' I mentally direct my thought to Eric.