Chasing Dauntless (A Divergent OC Fanfic in Dauntless)

Chapter Four

After breakfast, we went back to the targets in the training room. Chase stood in front of our group, arms crossed like always. He was wearing a well-fitting black hoodie, zipped up all the way, rolled at the elbows. I was wearing a simple black three-quarter v neck shirt and black leggings. The shirt, unlike most of my other clothes, didn't fit perfectly. It was a little small on me and kept riding up on my stomach.

"Today is knife day," Chase told us, smiling widely. He really seemed to like knives. He walked over to a table, selected a few knives, and strutted to a target. He looked like a damn peacock, he looked so arrogant. Well, what was to be expected of an eighteen year old guy?

Chase walked to a target. He held the knife by its blade. He instantly threw the knife, barely bothering to aim. It spun through the air and landed with a solid thwack in the middle of the target's head, intentionally outside of the circle.

Chase and Eve taught us how to hold, handle, and throw the knives. When I threw my knife for the first time, it didn't get that good spin that Chase had. I kept on trying, and my throw improved, but I was only hitting the target's feet. I tried aiming higher, but it didn't work. I finally set down my knife.

"Chase?" I called, looking around for him. I saw him, about ten targets away. He glanced at me, and his expression darkened. He spent another few seconds with the initiate he was working with, then walked over to me. "Yes?" he said, planting his feet and crossing his arms defensively. He looked down at me expectantly, one eyebrow slightly raised. I sighed slightly. "Can you help me?" "I - what?" "Chase. Can you help me please?" "Uh, yeah. Here." Chase reached for the knife. I handed it to him, handle-first. He personally showed me how to hold the knife, then how to throw it.

"Give it more power," he said after my knife bounced off the target and clattered to the floor. "Should I go grab it?" I asked. "There aren't any left on the table," I added. "If you want." I shrugged, then walked into the active knife-throwing area. I was aware that I could get hit with a flying knife, but I needed something to elevate me: with Chase's and my current status, I would be getting cut before section 2. I picked up a few knives I had thrown badly. Carrying all the knives expertly in my hands, not cutting myself at all, I walked back to Chase. He looked slightly surprised, but said nothing. After a few more demonstrations by Chase, I threw the knife, and it lodged itself securely just next to the circle on the target. "Damn," Chase whispered. "Nice." I nodded, then turned to Chase. "I think I got it." It was his turn to nod. "Kay." As he turned to walk away, I remembered. "Thanks," I added. Chase stopped, and looked to the side, but not all the way at me. "'Welcome," he finally said, then walked away.

I managed to get one knife in the circle on the target, and quite a few on the target itself. When Chase walked by again, he stared at my target. "Better," he reluctantly said.

After lunch, we were learning more kicks and punches. After digesting our food, we would fight.

Chase showed us more elaborate and more effective punches.

"Does everybody have it?" he called to us. We all nodded. I happened to not be looking directly at Chase while nodding, but I was listening. "Jess," he said sharply. I turned to him. "What?" I said. "Do you have it?" "I nodded, Chase." Chase crossed his arms.

"Then come show us."

I picked my way over to him, unsure why he wanted me to show the punches. I stood in front of Chase and waited. He looked at me, his head cocked to the side, deciding what to tell me. His whole head of hair sort of flopped to the side when he turned his head. "Give us a left uppercut on the bag," he decided, pointing to the red punching bag set up in front of one of the targets. He had taught us uppercuts just before.