All Regret (Isabel Magnolia x Reader)

On and Off the Wall

You guess it could have been worse. It usually was. It had been forever since you had the pleasure of working on the walls that kept the cattle inside.

You looked down and saw the city below, and the people lived their daily routines. Going to work, shopping, or just simply walking - a mundane lifecycle that you longed to escape from. If things didn't work out for you in the scouts, would you be below right now too?

Behind you was the world of the unknown. Vast green hills and fields, littered with abominations; Titans. Even from this height, seeing their sexless bare bodies made your skin crawl. Your eyes eventually traveled up to where all the recruits, underground and not, listening to lecture about the canons and what they were used for.

Truth to be told, you hadn't fired or used a canon since your advanced training, but it might've been practical to use such a tool if a time would ever require it. The best type of soldier was flexible, after all.

The words coming out of the instructor's mouth went into the heads of the others while they traveled uselessly into yours. The information being provided wasn't anything new to you, so it was just white noise. Not to mention, your attention was so fixated on Isabel that you found it almost impossible to think about anything besides her. You swallow at the lump forming in your throat and look down, releasing a heavy sigh from your lungs. Living a mundane life with a girl like Isabel might not be wrong...

You felt your cheeks flare with the idea, and you cough, drawing a glance from the instructor to you briefly before returning his gaze to the recruits.

Get a hold of yourself, man! She isn't worth those kinds of thoughts. Damnit!

You tried to convince yourself that you hadn't fallen for her, but you were hopelessly wrapped around Isabel's fingers. And she didn't even know it. As you stared at Isabel, she glanced at you and smiled, wiggling her fingers at you in a friendly gesture. You flash her your best smile and spin on your heel to face away from her. Your face felt as hot as the sun, but you didn't want to overthink it.

You sat on the edge of the wall and looked down. "Dumb Titans," you groaned, spitting down. So many questions have been left unanswered for so long you were starting to let go of them—you just all of the Titans to simply die.

The group of cadets filters to one of the canons. The instructor goes on to explain how to use it. The garrison spared a few soldiers to show it load and fire, a process that was tedious to learn the first time but was easy to master once you got the basics. The recruits from Isabel's group began hands-on practice, firing grapeshot and HE shells off the wall. It was hard to tell whether or not these were effective at this distance, however. But the thump and effect were exciting, no matter how many times you've done it.

They tilted the canon down and peered over to see a 15 meter Titan awkwardly groping the wall as if it climbed. The group shifted as it loaded a canon downward. A direct hit would definitely kill the Titan, but it would depend entirely on whether or not they managed to do it right.

Isabel helped load a round into the canon and stepped away. Her smile was wide, and she was bursting with excitement — when the instructor gave a few tips, he handed Isabel the pull string and told everyone to clear. You got up and plugged your ears.

"One solid tug," the instructor told Isabel. "You'll hit a firm wall, but just keep pulling until it fires!"

"So cool!" She chimes, twisting her torso with the wire held tightly to her hip. One swift tug and shift, and the cannon fires a 9-pound projectile straight into the brain of the Titan with a loud "KABOOM!!"

Your insides jiggle, and your heart pounded. Below you, a steady stream of white smoke plumes. The Titan, as you guessed, was dead. "Good shot, Isabell!"