A Chance at Freedom [An Attack on Titan Reader Insert]

Chapter 3

I guess I should mention that Y/N is.. Your first name... rather than your full name Uhh, yeah.

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"Straighten those spines, piss-ants! The 104th Cadet Corps Boot Camp starts now!"

The cadets stood in numerous rows and columns, their lines straight and orderly. The young men and women stood tall, with their shoulders back and the eyes forward, looking directly to the back of the head of the person in front of them. The sun shone down on them, the heat putting a heavy weight on their shoulders. Sweat dripped from many of the cadet's faces, but Armin, Mikasa, Eren and Y/N stood proud. Determined expressions, exceptional bearing and no regrets.

"Allow me to introduce myself: I'm Commandant Keith Shadis; And you will grow to hate me." A loud, shouting man stood in front of the cadets. He was bald and had dark bags under his eyes. He's seen a lot during his time as a soldier. "Training is gonna be a white-kuckle ride through Hell. If I've done my job, you'll be waking up in a cold sweat from memories of this place every night for the rest of your miserable lives.

"Right now, you're nothing. Livestock. But over the next three, soul-crushing years, you'll learn to take down your own Goliath. Remember this moment when you come face to face with him, 'cause here's where you ask yourself: Am I a fighter, or am I feed? Am I gonna be ground up to pulpy human grist 'tween boulder-sized incisors? Or am I gonna be the one to bite?" The commandant finished. The skin of his bald head glistened in the bright sun.

Out of the corner of her eye, Y/N watched as Commandant Shadis began to walk up to some of the cadets. They were already sweating because of the overbearing heat and the overwhelming anxiety that was taking over as the Commandant made his way to them only made them sweat more.

Time felt as if it went so much slower than usual. Seconds felt like minutes and minutes felt like hours. Standing in the powerful waves of heat made Y/N feel as if she would melt sooner rather than later. The hot sun made her skin tingle under her uniform of a gray shirt, the brown cadet jacket, white pants and tall brown boots. Everyone else wore the same but with a variety of different shirts under their cropped jackets. Those who had their hair pulled out of their faces were smart, their hair wouldn't stick to their faces due to how much they were sweating, at least not that much. Y/N had her hair pulled back into her usual braid with a few locks out to frame her face.

Using her peripherals, Y/N watched as the man began to make his way up to her after skipping Eren, Mikasa and a few other cadets. If she had to guess why, it's because Shadis can tell that they've witnessed the attack two years ago just by seeing the harsh look in their eye. If that's the case, then she didn't understand why Shadis began to make his way to her. She's been through that and had the glare only a few from the Underground possess. Maybe that's what made him walk up to her.

"And what is your name, cadet?" Commandant Shadis shouted from a mere few inches away from Y/N's face. He bent down to her rather short height, something she still blamed on the lack of sunlight as a child. While other cadets would panic and squint their eyes shut, Y/N remained unwavered and her harsh glare bore into the commandant.

Y/N raised her right fist to rest on her chest, over her heart and her left leg snapped to her right. "Y/N L/N of Shiganshina, sir!" She shouted, staring straight forward. Even under the commandant's harsh glare, she was able to stand tall, relaxed and still. This intrigued the commandant, even if he wouldn't show it.

"Why is someone as small as you here? You aimin' to be titan fodder?" He asked, just as loud as he's been for what felt like the past few hours.

Y/N's eyes narrowed slightly. She was rather offended by his comment about her height. She still has plenty of time to grow and yet he's poking fun like that.