the sun dipped toward the horizon, painting the divided seas in blood and gold. Akira—Simon in body and spirit—stood atop the dune, red cape snapping like a battle standard. Lagann hovered before him, its crimson dome gleaming, eyes burning with eager light.
Stay Gold bounced lightly on her feet, ears perked forward, tail swishing with barely contained excitement. "Trainer! That little guy looks ready to fly! Are we running the whole way, or…?" Her voice carried that familiar upbeat lilt—bright, energetic, always looking for the next burst of speed, just like after a perfect practice lap.
Simon gave her a confident smirk, the kind that said I've got this. "Running's fine for warm-ups. But we're making an entrance." He placed one hand on Lagann's smooth metal skull. The mecha responded instantly, lowering itself until its top was level with his waist.
With a fluid leap born of muscle memory that felt both foreign and perfectly natural, Simon vaulted onto Lagann's head. He landed in a crouch, boots magnetizing lightly to the surface—exactly the way the real Simon rode in the anime. One hand gripped the raised ridge at the back, the other held the glowing Core Drill ready.
Lagann's eyes flared brighter.
"Come on up," he called down to Stay Gold, extending his free hand.
Her eyes sparkled. "A ride on a mecha? No way! This is gonna be the coolest lap ever!" She took three quick steps and sprang—light, graceful, powerful—landing softly in front of him on Lagann's dome. There was just enough room for both. She settled with her back against his chest, tail flicking happily against his leg.
feeling the closeness of the two of them now, he couldn't help but smell the scent of the stay gold and feel how warm and small the uma was. "Hold on tight," Simon said, his voice low but full of joy and also a little worry. "This will happen quickly."
"Always do, Trainer!" she chirped, gripping his forearm with both hands. "Ready when you are!"
Simon slotted the Core Drill into the ignition port at Lagann's crown. A deep, resonant hum built beneath them.
"Lagann… IMPACT!"
Green Spiral energy erupted in a spiral column around them, kicking up a vortex of sand that glittered like emerald fire. Lagann's thrusters ignited with a roar, and in a single explosive burst they launched forward—skimming mere inches above the waves at breakneck speed.
The ocean blurred into streaks of sapphire and white. Wind screamed past them, whipping Stay Gold's dark brown and light ocher yellow hair into wild streams. She laughed—pure, exhilarated, the sound of an Uma Musume in her element.
"Woooo! This is amazing, Trainer! Faster than any turf sprint! I could get used to this!"
Simon grinned wide, leaning forward into the rush. His cape streamed behind them like a comet tail. With subtle shifts of weight and pressure from his boots—just like in the anime—he guided Lagann through gentle arcs and sudden bursts of acceleration. The mecha responded instantly, as if it were an extension of his own body.
"Left a bit—there's the harbor!" Stay Gold pointed ahead, ears flat against the wind but voice still bright and clear. "They've got really pretty buildings! Like a fancy stadium!"
"Got it." Simon banked Lagann smoothly, carving a glowing green wake across the water. Spray exploded in glittering curtains on either side.
As they neared the outer buoys, alarms began to wail across the port. Searchlights snapped toward them, illuminating the speeding mecha in harsh white beams. Destroyers scrambled to defensive positions along the docks—rigging deploying with metallic clanks and flashes of light.
Lagann slowed drastically, its thrusters reversing direction in a burst of emerald flame. Simon maneuvered it into a perfect hover position directly above the main dock. The thrusters' wind wasn't strong enough, but it still kept the mecha hovering steadily, the spotlights holding them in place.
Simon glanced out from inside Lagann's head, one hand still resting possessively on Stay Gold's waist, the other still tightly gripping Lagann's steering wheel. "Hmm, we're here," he said softly and lowly, perhaps a little worried, but there was also a sense of great joy there.
Stay Gold nodded at her coach's words. She felt the same way as Simon: the anticipation of the rock adventure and the nervousness of meeting people she had never seen or known before. "I'm sure this will be a life-changing encounter, both for us and for the world, and it will be because of you, trainer," she said, leaning her head closer to Simon's chest. There was nothing but genuine conviction in her voice.
Seeing how much she trusted him made Simon smirk slightly. I'm overthinking, there's no problem my drill can't solve "You're right, let's go meet them," he said with even more determination than before. Whatever it was, he could handle it, and as long as Stay Gold was by his side, he had nothing to worry about.
Now face-to-face with the Royal Navy welcoming committee.
There stood a woman in a classic style maid outfit, complete with a white lace apron over a long black dress. Details such as the high collar, cuffs, and maid's headdress, Simon immediately knew who it was, the light cruiser Belfast of the Royal Navy faction, a member of the Town class (Edinburgh Subclass), known for its role as a skilled and efficient servant, not just as a warship.
Belfast's calm voice cut through the tension like polished silver. "A most… theatrical arrival. You certainly know how to make an impression." Her gaze swept over Lagann's still-glowing eyes, then to the intertwined hands of Simon and Stay Gold before settling on the Core Drill. "I am Belfast, head maid of the Royal Navy. In the name of Her Majesty, identify yourselves and state your purpose in these sovereign waters."
Lagann began to hover just above the dock, the water swirling beneath it in a vortex. Simon spun the Core Drill, shutting off the thrusters with a soft hiss as they began to off. Stay Gold leaped first, landing lightly on the dock with a clatter of her feet, her posture straight and confident as if she were stepping onto a winner's podium.
"Whoa, easy there! We're not here to cause trouble!" Stay Gold called out, her tone cheerful and upbeat, waving one hand while flashing her trademark radiant smile. "I'm Stay Gold, and this is my Trainer—er, Simon! We just woke up on your beach and figured we'd drop by. Nice setup you've got here—looks super organized, like a well-prepped racetrack!"
"I am Simon—the Digger who pierces the heavens!" His voice carried across the harbor, deep and unwavering. "like my partner say, We come from beyond your world, seeking allies against the Sirens. We mean no harm to the Royal Navy… but we won't stand idle while darkness threatens these seas."
Not far from Belfast stood another shipgirl. She had a friendly, youthful, and energetic face, with large, bright blue eyes and an eager expression. She wore a white naval officer's cap with black accents and a gold badge on the front, which was tilted on her head.
Beside her stood another shipgirl. small and slender, reflecting her young age, and of average height for a shipgirl. She had bluish-silver hair cut short in a slightly messy bob, framing her face, which always looked tired or sleepy. Her eyes were a bright red, contrasting with her hair color, and her characteristic expression was a blank or half-lidded stare, accentuating her listless nature.
Both wore standard sailor uniforms; any Azur Lane player would be familiar with these two shipgirls. Javelin is a J-class destroyer from the Royal Navy faction, one of the three starter ships that players can choose at the start of the game, and Laffey is a destroyer from the Eagle Union faction and is also one of the three starter destroyers that players can choose at the start of the game.
Javelin and Laffey stood at the forefront, weapons half-raised but eyes wide with awe.
Javelin skidded to a stop on the waves, her spear at the ready but eyes wide with curiosity. "A flying robot head? And a horse girl? That's... that's awesome! Are you like, from another dimension or something?"
Laffey floated nearby, rubbing her eyes sleepily. "...Flashy entrance... zzz... kinda cool..."
Belfast descended from the tower with graceful leaps, landing on the dock without spilling a drop of tea. Her gaze swept over them appraisingly, lingering on Lagann's glowing eyes and the faint Spiral Energy residue in the air. "Such an arrival... dramatic, yet controlled. Your power is unlike any we've encountered—not Siren, nor from our allied factions." She set her teacup on a nearby crate, her smile polite but probing. "The seas are fraught with division. Eagle Union watches from afar, Sakura Empire sharpens their blades in isolation, and Iron Blood plots in the shadows. Trust is earned, not given. Yet... your eyes hold the fire of true warriors."
Stay Gold nodded enthusiastically, her tail swishing. "Totally get it! Back where I'm from, races aren't won on trust alone—you gotta prove your spirit on the track! But Trainer here's the real deal—he's guided me through tougher spots than this. We're here to help, promise! No tricks, just full effort!"
Simon met Belfast's gaze steadily, his veteran poise unshaken. "Then let us prove it. Your queen and council—take us to them. We'll show this world what it means to unite against the impossible."
Belfast paused, then nodded. "Very well. Follow me. But tread carefully—Her Majesty does not suffer fools."
As the group turned to lead them deeper into the base—past rows of curious maids and battleships stealing glances—Stay Gold leaned close to Simon, voice a cheerful whisper.
"Think we broke the ice, Trainer?"
He glanced down at her, the corner of his mouth lifting. "We're just getting warmed up." and seeing that Laffey is here, it seems like the Royal Navy and Eagle Union have started working together he thought while looking around and it seemed like he had arrived at the beginning of the story and from what Belfast said about the Sakura Empire and Iron Blood, this was indeed the Azur anime version where they were still divided and had not yet fully cooperated to face the Siren attack
Lagann powered down behind them, settling into standby with a soft, contented hum.
The divided world of Azur Lane had just received its first spark of impossible unity.
And the drill was only beginning to turn.