Lando was waiting with Eren and Mikasa because Armin supposedly had found someone to help them out of this situation. Lando had a green raincoat covering his entire body so he could hide his ODM gear, they had some plan where Jean would take the place of Eren poor bastard ... .and of course, Lando had to be stuck with the classic trio.
"When is he going to be back? This thing is hot," Lando said.
"Armin always pulls through don't worry," Eren said.
"Annie isn't exactly a people person," Lando said. "Speak of the devil and he shall appear."
Armin and Annie were walking over to the three of them.
"Follow me." She said and they did.
They passed through checkpoints and walked through the city to the Underground. That's where they were going to move him through there. That was why Lando was necessary to be with them; he knew the Underground better than anyone in the Scouts besides Levi but Lando had been there more recently.
"We got through surprisingly easy…" Eren whispered.
"Shh!" Mikasa shushed.
"That's the mighty Military Police for you," Eren said. "Goes to show what kind of work they do…"
"Now is not the time for one of your damn speeches about the scouts, I don't think anyone cares anymore," Lando whispered. "And stop looking at everything you'll get us caught."
"I'm not doing a speech," Eren whispered. "Let's just hope they haven't realized Jean took my place. That definitely won't last for long. He and I look nothing alike."
"It'll be fine," Armin whispered. "You both have the same sort of mean, nasty look about you."
"You both have similar mannerisms too," Lando said.
"Me and horse face are nothing alike!" Eren whispered.
"Say…" Annie said. "How were you planning to get over the wall if I hadn't agreed to help?" She asked.
"We were going to barge through using ODM gear," Armin said.
"That's crazy," Annie said.
Lando hoped it wouldn't have to barge through, he could survive; he has avoided getting shot while using ODM gear. He couldn't say the same for the other three.
"Couldn't you have just escaped before reaching Stohess, to avoid all this trouble in the first place? Why'd it have to be here and now?" Annie asked.
"I felt this town's complex layout would make our body double ploy more likely to succeed. Plus, acting dutifully and keeping their defenses down will buy us far more time to escape than head-on opposition would." Armin explained.
"I see. Good point." Annie said.
"Oh, over here!" Armin said, running off to the entrance of the Underground.
"Here?" Annie asked.
"Yeah. We're going through here,"Armin said. "It's what's left of an underground city they were planning to make."
The four of them started walking into it, Lando was on edge.
"It leads to the vicinity of the outer gate," Armin said.
"Really? That's amazing" Eren said before turning around to look at Annie.
"Annie?" Eren said. "Oh, man. Don't tell me you're afraid of dark cramped places or something…"
"Yes. I am." Annie said.
"Don't blame her…" Lando mumbled.
"I doubt a brave, suicidal maniac like you would understand how a delicate damsel feels," Annie said.
Now the four of them were staring at Annie not saying anything before Eren said.
"Any damsel who can flip a grown man upside down isn't weak at all. Cut the crap! Let's hurry!"
"No. I'm not going." Annie said. "I'm afraid to go down there. I'm not helping unless we stay above ground."
"Quit being stupid!" Eren said. "Just get down here!"
"Eren! Don't shout!" Mikasa said. "I'm sure it's fine."
"Mikasa," Annie said. "Because, for some reason, this whole area…has been completely deserted for a while."
Oh yeah, Lando forgot to mention it but this whole thing was a trap because we believe that Annie is the female Titan. It was needed to trick her.
"Man…That really hurts." Annie said. "At what point did you start looking at me that way….Armin?"
Lando looked at Armin who was holding a pistol shaking, Lando was getting tired of everyone's incompetence; it seemed that only he, Erwin and his dad at least knew what they were doing. Armin just didn't belong on the frontlines; he should be a strategist only.
"Annie…" Armin said. "Why did you have Marco's ODM gear?"
Eren was staring with desperation at Annie as was Armin and Mikasa was on edge.
"It had all the same scrapes and bumps…. I could tell, because I'd helped him do maintenance on it." Armin said.
"Yes…" Annie said. "I found it and took it."
"Then those two Titans we captured alive…" Armin said. "Was it you who killed them?" He asked.
"Who knows," Annie said. "But if that's what you suspected one month ago, why didn't you do anything then?"
"Even now I can hardly believe it…." Armin said. "I just…wanted to believe I had it all wrong…That's why I didn't…Still…Back then…The fact that you didn't kill me back then…is why we're in this situation now. "
"Yeah…I agree with all my heart." Annie said. "I never imagined you'd end up cornering me like this. Why didn't I do anything then…?"
"Hold on, Annie!" Eren said. "There is still a chance you're going along with all this as part of some horrible, idiotic joke! Just get down here! There's something you can prove just by coming down here! Come down here and prove it!"
"I can't go down there," Annie said. "I'm a failed warrior."
"I'm being seri-" Eren yelled before getting smacked in the back of the head by Lando.
"Lando!" Mikasa said.
"Wake up and smell the roses Eren," Lando said. "Ya'know Annie I respect you, you know when to strike, you know when to hold and when to fold, you're an amazing liar. I know how hard it is to keep up a lie, hell I was taught how to do it for 4 years among many other things….from one liar to another…No hard feelings?"
Lando grabbed the flare gun and shot the smoke into the air almost hitting Annie, the boom ringing out through the stairwell. Then men ran out and restrained her but Lando saw her lift up her hand and the ring that flashed in the sunlight. Then a spike came out of it, Lando saw it and turned to run down the stairs Mikasa also saw it and grabbed Eren and Armin.
"Mikasa?!" Armin yelled.
"She is going to turn into the female Titan!" Lando said
Then a bright yellow flash appeared in the sky. Causing everything around it to explode.
Lando opened his eyes after the explosion to see a huge foot that destroyed the stairwell. There was blood all over the wall, and human corpses. Lando got up and ran in the other direction. Mikasa grabbed Armin, and Eren and started running after Lando, Lando turned his neck and saw the Titan's hand reaching toward them.
"Damn! That ring…" Armin said. "She knew I was lying from the very start! She saw the ambush coming from a mile away! Surely there must've been a better way!"
"If it makes you feel any better I have thought of two other plans," Lando said.
"Save the regrets for later!" Mikasa said.
"What plans did you even think of, Lando?! Huh?" Eren said.
"First we have people walking around outside so she doesn't know it's an ambush and your guys' acting wasn't that good besides Mikasa's," Lando said. "Second, we are ready to capture her if she does turn into a Titan at the entrance."
"My second plan," Lando said. "We kill her as soon as we made contact with her."
"What if she was innocent?!" Eren said.
"Why take the chance?" Lando asked.
"Stop!" Mikasa said. "How do we get out of this?"
"First, we rendezvous with Squad 3 and get above ground. Then we fight Annie as per plan B." Armin said. "Eren, you'll help catch her in your Titan form, just as planned. All right?!"
"Yeah!" Eren said.
"Hey!" Someone yelled.
Lando looked up to see a man with his hand waving.
"It's Squad 3!" Armin said.
"Capture plan A failed?!" The soldier asked.
"It did!" Armin said. "Please switch to the backup plan!"
Then the female Titans fist went through the ceiling and crushed Squad 3. The impact sent a wave of debris and dust toward them.
"We have to go help them!" Eren says.
But before he could move Mikasa grabs his hood dragging him with her.
"Woah! Hey! Mikasa!" Eren yelled.
"Does she not care if she kills Eren?!" Mikasa said.
"She took a gamble," Armin said. "She gambled on Eren surviving when she made that hole. This makes her all the more formidable!"
Arim then took off running in the other direction.
"She is banking on Eren regenerating any damage done to him," Lando said.
"Annie's that desperate to catch Eren now!" Armin said.
The four of them stopped running and started to come up with a plan.
"Now what?" Mikasa asked. "Our escape routes been cut off."
"And she'll be ready and waiting for us if we make a run for it with ODM." Armin says. "That said…"
Then the Titan stomped through the ceiling away from them, sending dust all over them.
"We can't stay here long, she'll stomp on us eventually," Lando said.
"I'll manage somehow!" Eren said.
"You can but what about us?" Lando asked.
"Remember when I stopped that cannonball?" Eren said, "I'll be just like that."
Eren then grabbed the three of them and pulled them together.
"Here goes!" Eren yells. "Here goes!"
Eren then bit into his hand and nothing happened.
"Again?!" Eren says with desperation "Damnit!"
Eren then fell on his knees holding his hand.
"Of all the times..!" he says. "Damn, that hurts!"
Lando and everyone were watching while Eren kept biting his hand.
"Don't you have to have a clear goal to transform?" Lando asked.
"Try to focus," Armin said.
Mikasa squatted next to Eren.
"Are you sure?" She asked. "Could it be you still have qualms about fighting Annie?"
Eren stared blankly, not saying anything.
"Really?" Lando asked, annoyed.
"Eren," Armin said concerned
"After all this, don't tell me you still think that Annie can't possibly be the female Titan…"Mikasa said. "What did you just see now? She killed our comrades, you know. Do you still think it's not her?"
"G-Give me a break!" Eren yelled. "I'm trying here!"
"You know the female Titan is Annie," Mikasa said.
Eren had the 1000-yard stare.
"Then you know you have to fight. Or care there, certain special feelings stopping you?" Mikasa said.
"You guys are a mess…" Lando said.
"Huh?!" Eren said flabbergasted at what Mikasa just said.
Nobody spoke for a moment before Armin pulled out his swords and announced.
"I have a plan!" He yelled. "Lando, Mikasa, and I will exit that hole and that entrance at the same time. At that point, Annie will go for one of us. When she does run the opposite way, Eren!"
"Wait!" Eren yelled. "That means one of you will get killed!"
"If we stay here all four of us will die," Armin said.
Lando threw on his hood.
"No sacrifice too great…." Lando mumbled.
"Lando! Mikasa! Get into position!" Armin yelled.
"Right! I'll take this way!" Mikasa said.
Mikasa drew her swords and took off to the stairs and Armin and Lando took off toward the two holes the Titan made.
"Mikasa! Armin! Lando!" Eren yelled. "How…? How are you guys able to fight?! How?!"
Lando stopped and turned around.
"Because it's worth it…" Lando said. "I told Jean this after Trost it's worth fighting, it's worth it to keep choosing and to keep being chosen." Lando then ran off and got into position.
The three of them ran out Lando in the middle, Mikasa on the left and Armin on the right. Lando immediately used a building across from him to get into the air and started spinning toward the Titan's nape but she put her hand on it and Lando couldn't get a clean cut. Mikasa came flying in but the Titan grabbed her, she cut the fingers off while in the Titan's hand.
"Annie! I will not let you have Eren!" Mikasa yelled, dodging her attacks with her ODM gear.
Lando came spinning in again, slicing her MCL on her right arm while Mikasa cut the other arm but not enough to do any serious damage. The female Titan punched the roof of a building causing debris to fly all over, Lando was dodging the debris barely he looked over at Mikasa as she got hit with a huge rock and was sent to the ground. Lando took after the Titan he stuck to the right side but it seemed the Titan regenerated, she planted her right foot and sent a right hook flying at Lando who in the nick of time shook a hook into the building behind him and used gas to get high into the sky. Then scouts came out of nowhere and started attacking the female Titan. Lando then landed on top of a building and watched the Scouts go to work.
"I really hate you, Annie…" Lando said. "Always such a big inconvenience…. I really do hope I get to kill you…"
Lando then watched as Mikasa got back into the fight and tried to cut her Achilles tendon but not fully.
"I guess I lied when I said I respected you. That was my bad…." Lando said.
Lando then took off hooking the female Titan then using gas started to fly all around her cutting every ligament and tendon he could cut, she covered her nape with her hardened hand not letting swords cut through it. Lando then heard Armin yell.
"Lando! Lead her down the street!" Armin yelled. "Annie! If you don't kill me this time your sore excuses about your real bet starting now will be worthless!"
Lando used that opportunity to try to slice her nape but her hand covered it again and his swords broke. Jean came flying by yelling.
"Armin! Lando! This way!" He yelled.
"Understood!" Armin yelled.
Lando didn't say anything but he followed.
The three were being chased by the Titan through the streets and finally, booms were heard all around the three turned around in the air and saw the Titan hooked by cables keeping her from not moving. The female Titan reached out her hand in a final act to try and catch them but Lando cut off her fingers before she could grab them. The female Titan tried to move but she fell down then they rolled a spiked net over her keeping her in place. Lando jumped on top of the female Titan's neck ready to cut Annie out of there but then he heard a female yell at him.
"Stop!" The voice yelled.
Lando turned around and saw a girl with glasses and she had brown hair in a ponytail.
"Section Commander Hange." Lando said. "Why?"
"Because I said," Hange said.
Lando sighed. " I was really hoping to kill her…"
"Yeah yeah," Hange said. "Now I suggest you be a good girl and behave yourself." She then walked over and took out her sword pointing it at the Titans eye. "You can't call any Titans to eat you this time." Hange then gave her a glare that would scare even the dumbest Titans. "But don't worry. I'll savor the information I pry from you instead."
The female Titan then dragged her leg destroying all the equipment holding her down on her right side. Lando used his ODM gear to get to the rooftop.
"She broke free?!" Mikasa said.
"Looks like we didn't set enough traps!" Hange said.
The female Titan started running down the street.
"Don't let her escape! After her!" Hange yelled.
Lando looked at Hange angrily.
"This is your mistake and we have to clean it up." Lando said. "I'm getting really tired of cleaning up your messes because of your guy's incompetence, all these deaths are on your hands." Lando then jumped off the rooftop and gave chase to the female Titan.
Hange sighed and then followed.
Lando saw a yellow flash of lighting in the sky. He made his way to Annie and saw Eren's Titan punch her in the jaw, sending her into a building.
"Always love to make a grand entrance…" Lando said.
The female Titan got up and started to run, Lando saw the building's inside and it looked to be a church and there were dead bodies all over.
"We all gotta get drunk on something," Lando said remembering his times with Kenny he would be the first to admit this isn't what he'd expect trying to find his father, he was much happier with Kenny.
But there was no time to reflect as the two Titans were battling in the streets. Lando landed next to Jean Armin and Hange on a rooftop and watched as the two Titans ran by.
"Looks like he is in control this time around," Hange said.
"Yes," Armin said. "But Eren has yet to win against the Female Titan once.
"No," Lando said.
"Huh?" Everyone asked.
"Eren isn't in control right now," Lando said.
"But he looks in control, he is fighting the female Titan," Jean says.
"He is in rage right now I bet as soon as the rage wears off he will go ballistic," Lando said.
"We've got to help him while he still is in control then!" Hange said and the four of them took off toward the Titan fight. They were on flat ground and the Scouts couldn't use their ODM gear, so they all watched.
Eren ran at her and threw a punch but she did the hardened thing with her elbow and the punch didn't do anything and caused Eren to be unbalanced. Annie threw a kick but Eren blocked it with both his arms then he grabbed her leg, picking her up and throwing her over a building. Eren ran through a building to get to her but she ran as soon as he got there causing him to run into the buildings he threw her in.
Lando chased after them and landed on a rooftop with a perfect view of the fight Jean and Armin landed by him.
"The only way to beat a monster is by being the bigger one, and I guess we'll find out who is after this." Lando thought.
Eren started to run at Annie but Annie hardened her leg and kicked Eren's leg causing it to fall off, Eren now on one leg jumped off of it sending a punch at Annie who blocked it with her arms. Annie hardened her leg again and kicked Eren in the head this time but he bit onto it she lodged herself free leaving a battered Eren missing a hand and a leg and his head was all messed up. Eren's Titan started to glow orange and fire started to surround part of his body and he moved way faster than someone missing a Leg should he was moving faster than Annie who was running. He caught up to Annie putting her into a chokehold and tackling her right next to the wall.
Mikasa finally caught up to the fight and saw what Eren was doing.
"Eren!" She yelled.
"Stop!" Hange yelled. "I'm not sure Eren would recognize you right now."
The female Titan ran to the way, hardening her fingers and started to climb it, Eren bit onto her leg trying to bring her down but he bit off her leg causing him to fall.
"I tried too hard to let her get away.." Lando said.
Lando then jumped off the rooftop and used his ODM gear to get to the wall, he heard Mikasa right behind him they both caught up to Annie. Lando started spinning, slicing off her fingers that weren't hardened and Mikasa did the same on the other hand, Annie fell down to the ground with a huge thud. Eren then jumped onto her and started punching her, he punched off her arm first sending it flying he then punched off her head but then he was about to eat Annie straight out of the nape. Lando was hooked onto the wall and seeing this he started to spin down to Eren's Titan and cut him out of the nape with one swing of the sword and then grabbed him.
"This is my kill…" Lando said. " Don't you dare take it from me…"
Then a blue light came from Annie and Lando saw her start to turn into crystal, then dust kicked up everywhere.
Mikasa jumped off the wall yelling "Eren!" She ran over to where the Titan fight was and saw smoke but no Eren. Everyone else followed her down there. Mikasa frantically started to look around for Eren.
"Don't worry about Eren," Levi said.
"What do you mean?!" Mikasa yelled.
"The brat saved him," Levi said.
Mikasa looked up and saw Lando holding Eren hooked onto the wall, Lando got off the wall and threw down Eren in front of Mikasa who immediately started to take care of him and Armin did the same. The Scouts did what they did and started to look over Annie in her crystal thing, and Erwin and his subordinates were talking about something.
Lando walked over to Annie as Jean tried to cut through her crystal to only break his blades even worse.
"Damn it!" Jean yelled. "What the hell?! After all this, we get the silent treatment?! Annie! Get out here! Get out here and pay for what you've done! Come on! Don't be a coward! Annie! Annie!"
Levi walked over with Lando and put a hand on Jean's shoulder.
"Stop," Levi said. "It's pointless."
Jean stared for a second before stopping. But Lando still had something to say to her.
"It's ok to be afraid," Lando said. "You're just another Titan out here, I really do hope you get out of there so I can find you again…and maybe I will find your family before you break out of there….we could all have a little chat."
Levi, Jean, and Hange were looking at Lando like he was crazy.
"She can't hear you," Levi said.
"I hope she can because she'll be in for a rude awakening," Lando said.
"Make a wire net!" Hange yelled, getting things on track.
Levi walked toward Erwin.
"Seems the plan wasn't much of a success," Levi said.
"No, I'd say that the scout regiment is in the clear now," Erwin said. "Just barely."
"I hope so," Levi said
Later in the day.
Lando was with Jean, Armin, and Mikasa in Eren's recovery room. Lando was sitting in a chair drawing Annie in her crystal form with her Titan climbing the wall, then Eren woke up.
"Eren," Mikasa said. "Do you feel alright?"
"Yeah…" Eren said. "It's weird how normal I feel. I guess Annie is still stuck in there?"
"Yeah," Lando said.
"Damn.." Jean said. "That big of an operation, all for nothin',"
"Annie went that far to keep her information safe…" Armin said.
"Yeah. She slipped right through our fingers." Jean said.
"Eren let her get away…" Armin said. "Isn't that right Eren? If it hadn't been for that brief moment…"
"Yeah," Eren said. "It's true. I screwed up. I froze as soon as I saw her…."
"I thought I saw that," Lando said. " What is wrong with you? Am I the only one who realizes that Eren is constantly screwing things up? Am I the only one here with the will to act?" Lando questioned.
The room went dead silent. Then a captain came into the room.
"Armin Arlert. Jean Kirschtein. Lando. You're wanted for debriefing." The soldier said.
"Right," Armin said.
"Guess we're up first," Jean said.
"I just want to relax and now I have to go to a debriefing…." Lando complained.
"See you later, then," Armin said and the three walked out.
While they were walking Jean said.
"It's too much for me to understand," Jean says. "Abandoning your humanity to rise above monsters….That's the only way to win huh?"
"I know what it's like abandoning your humanity and abandoning your sanity to win. I did it for 4 years," Lando said. "In the Underground, it's a dog-eat-dog world you're either making it out or you're not…"
The three of them made their way toward the debriefing.
This is the end of season 1. Are you enjoying the story? And Levi didn't have a kid at 8 years old. Ophliea gave birth when Levi is 20 almost 21.