Fic Title: Until the Sun Dies
Summary: Believing her father's concerns as a black family living in the secluded mountains of Wall Maria to be simple paranoia, a young girl sets on her own to discover the world and what it truly holds. Only to find after encountering another secluded family, the Ackermans, that maybe his concerns weren't so unfounded in the terrifying yet beautiful reality they live in. Befriending their daughter, a fellow survivor in what it means to be the last of their kind, Akunna finds her path leading to the horrors of the Fall of Maria and the 103rd Cadet Corps.
Pen Name: TheQuintessentialFicWriter
Cover Art by: pngdraws on Twitter

Chapter 16

Group 2

Group Leader: Akunna Okoro

Record-keeper: Armin Arlert

Marco Bodt
Eren Jaeger
Jean Kirschstein
Sasha Braus
Connie Springer
Christa Lenz
Mina Carolina

Different groups.

Akunna bit her bottom lip, trying to keep her disappointment contained. At least we're setting out at the same time. Depending on our speeds, we can see each other at the rendezvous point. She opened her mouth to say just that but fell short when she saw the look on Mikasa's face. "Let's just get out of the way of everyone else."

"I mean, I can understand their choice." Akunna reasoned as they shuffled away, trying to look at the decision from the other side.

With how they were yesterday, it could be easily speculated by anyone cadet or commander a lot that they had a soft spot for each other. Soft spots can prevent a person from making rational decisions. "But I wouldn't be upset. Chadwick isn't that bad, I think you'll like his leadership as his record-keeper." Akunna kept to herself that she was just relieved it wasn't two 103rd cadets being in charge of the same groups of underclassmen. You can't avoid the conversation forever. She told herself. I can avoid it for now. She said right back. Mikasa didn't look convinced from the reluctant expression on her face.

"It just would've been nice to be in the same group after so long." Mikasa mumbled lightly. "Armin and Eren are in yours too. I'm stuck with Reiner instead." Mikasa looked over at the boy, oblivious to her glare, darkly. "He wouldn't be a good boyfriend, he flirts with anything that moves."

The snicker came without Akunna meaning to much to Mikasa's evident dismay. "Mika, he isn't my type so it's fine. Please don't get into a fight with Eren and Armin's friend."

"But still." Mikasa went on with a sharp look. "He's a plague to women everywhere."

"Mikasa!" Akunna choked. It was Mikasa's seriousness that made it all the more amusing.

Mikasa huffed into silence, directing her glare to the ground. "He is though."

"Alright, he's an enemy to women everywhere." Akunna conceded, raising her hands as metaphorical white flags. "What's got you so bothered? Did he do something to you specifically because if he did-"

"He didn't." Mikasa attested quickly but she didn't look at Akunna at all. "It's just..." Not that I feel she's lying but... The darker skinned girl knew there was something bothering her, giving Mikasa an uncertain look.

Akunna poked Mikasa's forehead, "hey I just remembered, you have some wishes stocked up." The expression on Mikasa's face at such an abrupt comment was pure confusion. "Birthday wishes." Akunna clarified. "I've missed a few since I've been gone, right? So you have some wishes stocked up. Maybe you can focus on that instead of the fact we aren't in the same group. And no crappy wishes like sleepovers again, we're already doing that when we get back here." Akunna still remembered the first time she used that excuse to cheer Mikasa up. She still rested her case that a sleepover was the most boring wish Mikasa could've asked for. Mikasa opened her mouth to protest but Akunna shook her head, "I want exciting wishes to grant this time. World domination, all the jewels from the capital... shaving Eren's eyebrows off while he sleeps..." Akunna shifted her eyebrows playfully at her last suggestion.

She got a light shove on the shoulder but Mikasa still laughed softly. "We're not shaving off Eren's eyebrows."

"Not with that attitude we're not." Akunna clicked her tongue.

Mikasa shook her head with a light roll of her eyes before looking down thoughtfully. "Three years so three wishes..."

"Exactly, so let's make them count." Akunna placed her hands on her hips, puffing her chest. "A wish that's about you being 100% selfish about what you want. Not me, Eren, Armin, or whoever else. Just something you've really been wanting for the past few years, alright?" When Mikasa was unable to reply immediately, Akunna nudged her shoulder. "You don't have to come up with all of them right now, yknow. You can take your time, we'll be stuck together for a while even once this exercise is done. Reiner isn't the one I'm going to be spending time with after all this either." Akunna grabbed Mikasa's hand for emphasis.

A wave of relieved embarrassment washed over Mikasa's face at the reassurance, squeezing back gently.

"Don't get me wrong, I'm still mad you joined the military too." Akunna clarified, not wanting that to be swept under the rug. Mikasa's brow furrowed. "But." A big but at that. "I missed you. A lot. I wanted to see you everyday. But if I can survive three years, I can survive a few more days. This isn't gonna end with me disappearing on you again." Akunna bumped a fist lightly against the flap of red fabric resting in the middle of Mikasa's chest. "We have a red thread, remember?"

"I do." Mikasa nodded with a whisper, her free hand latching onto the scarf tightly.

"I'll see you soon, okay? I promise."

Soon, however, couldn't come soon enough under the heat of the dry sun traveling through dry and crackled terrain. Dust kicked up as the horses galloped forward to the distant trees, a haze distorting the barely visible foliage. "Is this what you guys have to deal with all the time?" She looked at Marco, a dark-haired boy with freckles incredulously. "I don't even fight Eren that much, what the hell."

Marco chuckled with a nervous expression, "Eren and Jean haven't really ever gotten along, not even when we first started out." He looked between the two boys with a mildly amused look. "I think it's because they're so similar, they repel each other."

"We're not similar at all!" Eren and Jean's glares at each other only intensified as they retorted in tandem.

"Eren, keep this up and I'll finish the story I started at breakfast." Akunna said in a sing-song voice.

"Why are you just picking on me!?"

"Oh I'm sorry, Eren." Akunna rolled her eyes, shooting Jean a dry look. "Say, Jean, do you have any embarrassing stories of yours that I can exploit? Ones you wanna share willingly? No? See Eren, it didn't work." Eren scowled and Akunna shrugged, leaving that at that. She gave Marco a curious look as the freckled boy laughed nervously. "Do you deal with the two of them arguing this often or do their love spats take place once in a blue moon and I got caught up in it?"

"Love spats?!" The two boys in question shrieked.

"I wouldn't say often but-" Marco started.

"Oh don't be modest, Marco!" The boy with the buzzcut, Connie, guffawed. "They argue all the time. Doesn't matter what and doesn't matter when."

"Great, nice to know what we'll be listening to most of the way this assignment." Akunna muttered with a shake of exasperation. You'd think that by now he'd be better at making friends but I guess not. Even back in Shinganshina, Eren's list of friends were limited to herself, Mikasa, and Armin. He admittedly had more now in his grade here in the Cadet Corps, that was a bonus. She would just prefer that Eren wasn't fighting them constantly, mostly for her own sanity. "What if we don't argue the rest of our trip that way Armin doesn't have to report any of it?"

Armin's pencil tapped against his clipboard nearly as consistently as the clopping of their horses, anxious and unsure. "Yeah that would be nice."

"I just think Horse Face here should take the training more seriously." Eren grouched.

"This training isn't going to score us any extra points." Jean grouched right back. Akunna bit her lip, eyebrow twitching. "And we aren't allowed to rush through it, so we might as well take our time!"

"True as that might be, Jean," Akunna piped up, voice neutral. "we should still go at a moderate pace in between. This way everyone wins. We don't rush through but we don't expend a bunch of energy trying to get to the target goal." But I don't wanna spend all my time doing this either. The full week is what everyone gets to get to their destinations but this can definitely be finished by tomorrow if we rushed or in three days total with the right amount of breaks. Depending on when Chadwick's group finished, there could be four days to spare for the assignment and four extra days to spend together.

Fingers crossed. With a renewed sense of determination, Akunna exhaled quietly and smiled to herself. Now if we can keep Eren and his boyfriend from arguing the whole time. She looked over her shoulder at the thankfully non-argumentative members of her team. "So let's do some icebreaking. Where are you all from?"

Connie thankfully indulged her, grateful for the chance to silence their raucous accompaniment for once. "I'm from Ragako in the south, Marco's from Jinae, oh and Sasha's from Dauper."

Akunna's eyes sparkled with interest at the brunette, "Dauper's that hunting village right?" She implored the brunette who perked up at her interest with an unsure look. "My dad and I were hunters way back in the mountains before Maria fell, believe it or not. I finally found a sister in this place, moving to Shinganshina was the weirdest because I had no idea what I was supposed to do in the morning." When she asked Grandpa, he told her she didn't have to do anything unless their were some errands he needed help with for the day. Looking for work eventually became her favorite past time in order to find something to fill in the gap no longer being able to hunt had left. "Damn city folk just had fish in the markets, maybe duck if you're really lucky."

At Akunna's complaints, Sasha really seemed to brighten with an enthusiastic nod. Only a fellow hunter would understand the trials and tribulations of the lack of game. "Dauper's had to switch to breeding horses for the military and cleared away the forest." There was a dark look in her eyes, lingering irritation at the decision made. "But my father seemed to think it was the best option for our family. We preserved the rest of the meat we had before I left for the Cadets." Sasha sighed before shifting the topic slightly. "Best meat preserving method on three." Sasha grinned and Akunna grinned back, even wider at the request. "1, 2- Smoking!"

"Salting!" Akunna exclaimed before gasping lightly. "No smoking is better, there's more flavor and it takes away the extra saltiness." If there ever came a time where she'd have to hunt for her food again, she'd keep that in mind. "Smoking beef with maple just sounds so..." She sighed wistfully as a belly that wasn't her own grumbled loudly. Sasha didn't even look embarrassed as her own gleeful expression at imagining such a meal. "We mostly caught duck and rabbit where I was from, maybe a couple of deer a year if we got lucky. Apparently Trost has this whole giant boar running around and if I wasn't out here, I'd definitely catch the thing myself."

Sasha nodded with vigor, her ponytail dancing along. "That would feed my entire village for a season!"

"If it was just me, Mikasa, Armin, and Eren, it'd probably last a year." Maybe before moving to the interior, she could snuff out the thing and take it with them. Shit how are we getting that much meat there though? Maybe we could rent a carriage... "How many rounds do you think it'd take? A thing that big is probably thick-skinned."

"We used arrows for our hunting." Sasha shrugged, looking thoughtful herself. "It's quieter and we can at least reuse the arrows, you can't with shotgun shells. But one good shot to the head should work, right?"

Akunna hummed thoughtfully before looking at Armin and Eren who looked so far removed from their conversation of hunting tactics and meat preservation methods, she might've laughed. "One of you do me and favor and marry this girl so we can talk more often." She said, expression serious. They looked so red that if she hadn't known better, Akunna might've assumed it was from the heat.

"Akunna!" Armin stammered. "Stop it!"

"You've known her longer than I have though, so that marriage would make more sense."

"We're soldiers, dumbass!" Eren hissed, ears so red you'd have thought he was lying if you weren't aware of the context.

Akunna snorted at his argument, sticking her nose in the air. "And soldiers don't get married? You don't have a romantic bone in your body."

"Oh and you have so much expertise." Eren drawled sarcastically. "I don't remember you courting anyone back home."

"Shhh, Eren, I'd make anyone happy." Akunna chuckled, sighing lightly. "Come to big sis if you ever need advice in wooing someone over. Trust me, you'll need it, Eren. And before you ask why I singled you..." Akunna took a breath. "I honestly think Armin would have an easier time winning someone than you would." Being the first to try and punch someone? Sure. But Akunna was sure Eren would sooner jump off of a cliff into a lake to take a chance at a risky dive than walk away from initiating a courtship in one piece. "It's a hard truth, but only a true friend would be that cruelly honest."

"I hope you choke on your rations."

"You're not being a team player, Eren." The dark-skinned girl scolded mockingly. It was nice, being like this. It almost felt normal, like the two of them were having any old conversation back in Shinganshina rather than atop of horses for military training. Eren would give her a firm yet playful shove and she'd return it, putting him in a headlock while ruffling his hair until Mikasa or Armin intervened. She pushed away the dark feeling in her stomach, those were days they'd get back after she graduated. "The rest of you lot, don't pay Eren or me any mind. This is how we express our love for each other. If he ever gives you any trouble though, just let me know."

Eren grumbled against the light chuckles about how he wasn't a child.

I know that already, dummy. Akunna looked ahead at the dusty trail that branched out ahead of them. You and Armin stopped being little kids a while ago, I just... Her hands clenched her horse's reins tightly. She was really tired.

"Oh, Big Sis, you said we could ask you any question we wanted, right?!"

"That's right, my hunter sister. Go ahead and ask whatever you want." Akunna chirped.

"Why is your skin so dark?"

Ah, there it is. At least the question was more innocent than antagonizing.

"So this is what field rations taste like." Jean grumbled in disgust.

They finally made it to a decent resting spot a little over an hour ago, settling down with mild soup and the ration cracker bars of sorts. It wasn't the worst thing Akunna ever tasted, although it certainly wasn't the best. Mixed with the soup that tasted like the oldest carrots and potatoes was been used to make it, however, it was like the worst possible combination conceived. Just think about being in the interior sipping tea and eating diamonds or whatever it is they do there. It was hard imagining life there when she'd never been. At least things were peaceful, the sound of spoons scraping against metal bowls and the crackle of flames a strange yet calming melody.

"Don't you ever stop complaining?" Eren sneered under his breath, just loud enough for Jean who was sitting right behind him to hear.

And there goes the peace, Akunna thought as Jean expectedly froze. "Says the guy who always whining about the Titans."

"Guys-" Akunna started.

"What did you even join the Cadets for?!" Eren stood up angrily.

"To actually live a better life than the one I have back in Trost!" Jean cracked back.

Akunna rolled her eyes so far back into her head it was painful as Armin anxiously grabbed for his clipboard and pen. "Just write that Group Leader Okoro reprimanded Cadets Jaeger and Cadet Kirschstein for disrupting dinner." Akunna glowered, setting aside her meal. There were only so many fights she could deal with in a day before she would snap, this being such one occasion. Two flicks and two red foreheads letter, a tense but quiet calm fell over their group. If they even do this again later, I'm making them stay up all night to do watch. She gave Eren a sharp look before he could have anymore ideas to make another passing remark. Who even argues this seriously everyday with the same person? They need to find a new hobby, it gets old fast.

Bedtime couldn't come soon enough, most everyone setting up their sleeping bags. "Hey you, Christa, right?" Akunna called to a the small blonde sitting in a corner on her own. Her expression was anxious. "You should get some sleep, you'll feel a bit more comfortable sleeping out in the woods by tomorrow since we'll probably drag this out a bit longer to keep the commandant and instructors off our backs. I'll take first watch, being the leader and all."

Christa shook her head, "it's fine, I don't mind taking the first watch."

"I really don't mind taking it." Akunna waved a hand with a lackadaisical air. "You should all get some sleep. I can wake you up for second though if you really wanna do your watch early."

"No, no, really. I can do it, you've been tied up with stopping Eren and Jean from fighting." Christa insisted and Akunna raised an eyebrow. Christa ducked her head when she must've realized how strange her adamant request seemed. "I just... really wanted to do the first watch."

Akunna relented, looking back at her own sleeping bag. "Well if it means that much to you. Just wake me up in a couple hours then." Anyone who wanted to do watch that badly must've wanted to stay up for a reason and who was she to impede on that. Now to just keep the peace until the assignment's done and then Eren and Jean can argue all they want.

Disruption to the peace they had for the evening came all too soon, however, when Christa's shrill cry rang out through the air and Akunna woke up to find herself at the end of a rifle. Chaos followed the camp quickly afterwards. Eren tried rushing, Jean nearly shot, and confused and scared underclassmen all around her. Akunna swallowed dryly.

"Hey, there's another group of trainees out here too somewhere." Akunna redirected the thieves' attention to her, heart pounding heavily. Please don't do anything else, Eren. She begged silently, hoping that her thoughts would reach him somehow. "Have you already ran into them or are we first in your little detour through the woods?" How did they even know about this training in the first place? Did someone tell them? One of the instructors? Akunna's mind racked for potential suspects. George, Berrgs? That Shadis man from the 104th with the sunken in face and yellowing eyes? Christa? She eyed the blonde from the corner of her eye remembering how she kept requesting to be first on watch duty. "Not hearing anyone calling out from your carriages so I'm guessing that we're the first."

"That's none of your information." One of the masked figures growled. Akunna released a quiet breath she'd been holding. That wasn't a no, but that wasn't a yes. Mikasa wasn't here too, she was safe, that was the important thing. He'd have said something about already having a hostage if they did. The man pointed the barrel of his rifle towards Christa. "Grabbed the blonde, we're taking her with us."

Christa gasped shakily, taking a step back.

"You shouldn't do that." Akunna's voice sounded foreign, even to her. Armin looked like his heart was ready to fall out of his chest. Eren, from his place on the ground, looked at Akunna as if his plan to rush the thieves was about to be revitalized. Just how in the hell am I getting myself out of this one? "You should take me instead." Akunna kept her form steady as dirty masks looked at her, their rifles still trained on those around her. She willed Eren to keep his mouth shut, ignoring his livid look of surprise in the moonlight. "I'm sure you're taking one look at me and thinking that I'm just dirty brat but I'm worth way more than her." She continued calmly with a shaky breath, forcing herself to sound more charismatic with each word. "A long time ago when there were lots of different humans, my family got into the Walls and now I'm the last member of the Nwabu tribe. You're people have heard the legends, right?" She forced her tone to sound coy, recalling the men from years ago. "Dark as the night, strength of ten, and to sweeten the pot, I'm a girl.

"If human trafficking is what you're playing, I'm worth a helluva lot more than her." Akunna pointed her chin in Christa's direction, the blonde looking just as terrified as Akunna felt on the inside. "Leave my friends alone and I'll come with you willingly."

A ripple of murmurs spread among the thieves until a census was reached, a man with a red vest speaking. "I was originally planning were just going to leave the girl in the forest once we were in the clear but now that you mention all that, that does sound a lot better."

Akunna started in surprise, fighting to keep her lips from turning into a grimace. Why did I open my fucking mouth?. But at this point, it was too late. This is what you get for trying to be a hero. Akunna had to take responsibility despite the look of horror pointed towards her by her underclassmen. She pointedly ignored Armin and Eren's own looks, taking a small step forward with her hands in the air. "It does, doesn't it?" Akunna's voice was sickeningly sweet as she smiled at the men. "There was someone in the capital a while back who actually wanted to buy me and everything, I bet he'd pay a lot for me. Got away when I was 10."

"Akunna!" Eren hissed, his teal green eyes furious in the moonlight. "What are you do-"

"Stand down, Eren." Akunna interrupted without a sparing glance as Christa's would-be-captors turned her attention onto her. "I know what I'm doing."

"The hell you do, you-"

"Eren, for once in your life why can't you just listen to me!?" Akunna snapped, Eren balking at her tone. She glared back at the thieves. "Just trust me. I promise, I'll be fine. Just don't do anything stupid and take care of each other." "Eren and the others could reorganize in that time, find the instructors and report this incident. But who the hell even knows if they'll get to these crooks in time enough for me. Akunna's heart stammered like a drum and her blood roared in her ears. She looked back to the thieves. "You let Christa go now and keep your word and I'll keep mine. I'll go with you." Time swept on like a blur, Christa released and Akunna's hands being tightly tied with rope. Her own thoughts were inaudible, Akunna not even sure if she was thinking in actual sentences.

All she needed was a gag and this would be just like that day. Almost. Mikasa wasn't here this time and there wouldn't be any angry green-eyed boys coming to save her.

"I'll be okay." Akunna repeated, not sure who she was trying to reassure more. She looked Armin in the eye that looked an even darker blue in the moonlight. "Take care of each other. And tell Mikasa I have to break my promise again."

Author's Note

Carla: eren, why can't you listen to me for once?
Akunna: mind if i copy ur hw?
Carla: sure but just change it up a little.

Completely with a rushed bit at the end because I was tired of this chapter being in my drafts. Next chapter though, I had fun. A lot of fun.

As it turned out, I needed a longer mental health break than I thought after everything that happened so I kinda just took one. But I am back for the indefinite future and with more UtSD because not only did the chapter end with a doozy we are approaching the end of the first real arc of the story starting from chapter one and ending in the next handful of chapters before I come in swinging with the stuff coming next. If anyone's still reading this or was looking forward to this update, thanks it's appreciated. It's been hard but I've got a ways before school starts up again for the fall and a desire to still write this story. Next chapter will certainly be interesting and I hope you guys like it. Christa insisting to take watch felt pretty in character to me since, in her Christa personality, she wanted to do risky things to be more well-liked and viewed as a hero by her peers, especially if it looked like a noble sacrifice in the end. So I had her insist and Akunna decide to just let her do what she wanted.

Things are doing better now, not perfect but definitely better. I hope you guys have all been doing well. (Also did you guys hear that Utada Hikaru, the person who sang all the opening songs for the Kingdom Hearts games, came out as nonbinary last month? Just found out reading a Japanese article on the Japanese side of Twitter. Good for them!)

Also yes. Akunna made an Abridge on Titan joke.

Song(s) I Bopped to For the Chapter: Kiss Me More by Doja Cat ft SZA, Ela Tem o Dom by Tritom, On My Mind by Escape, Reach Out by George Duke, Humanity's Last Hope (Erwin Smith character song), The Box by Roddy Ricch

Next Chapter Preview (because after this hiatus, you guys deserve it. I was pretty inspired to do a Lost Girls type chapter where, during her capture Akunna dreams of an alternate reality where she didn't ultimately deliver on going to the Cadets. That isn't the whole chapter, just the first part before we continue on with reality after she wakes up):

"Stay." Mikasa whimpered with a quiet sniffle. "Please stay."

"I have to go though." Akunna whispered back but it sounded forced, even to her. "It's what Gramps would've wanted."

"But what about what we want?"

Akunna meant to walk away after that, but her feet felt glued in their place until she heard a masculine voice calling, "any stragglers need to board now or they're being left behind!"

This is it. Akunna's nerves felt shot and she didn't know that was even possible with how hectic things had been emotionally. "I gotta go." She repeated the man unnecessarily. Reluctantly, she pushed Mikasa back gently and using the sleeve of her shirt, wiped away the trail of tears and snot on her face. "We're gonna be okay. Okay?" Mikasa shook her head, unconvinced. Akunna looked at the carriage, at who would be her future comrades in arms. Her chest churned with dread. What she was dreading, however, Akunna wasn't completely sure. She made to move towards the carriage, but a soft hand wrapping around her wrist stopped her and soothed the stinging.

Eren looked at Akunna with confused green eyes, nodding to the carriage. "Aren't you going? They'll leave without you, you know."

"I know, I just..." Akunna trailed off, looking at the ground with a frustrated noise. The instructor was making his absolute final calls as the last few kids were getting ready to board.

"Are you okay?" Armin queried.

No, I'm not. Akunna let out a breath knowing her resolved had been thoroughly cracked. She glanced at the carriage again, what could've been. Maybe she would have made friends in the 103rd class, maybe she wouldn't have. She adjust her arm accordingly in Mikasa's grip, inching it back and forward again so she could hold it properly. "Let's go back to the settlement."