A peaceful little island basked beneath a bright sun; the sky was clear, a gentle breeze brushed the land, and waves rolled one after another onto the beach.
A purple-haired girl in a white sundress stood on the sand, cradling a small pegasus and gazing out to sea as if waiting for someone; her solitary figure stirred pity.
"Sister, when will you come back? Is it because I'm useless that you left me behind? If only I were as strong as Ayanami, I could stay beside you…"
"Whinny!" Sensing her mood, the little pegasus in her arms looked up and called softly, as if telling her not to be sad.
"Thank you, U-chan. You're always with me; without you I'd be even lonelier." She hugged the pegasus, bending her head to touch its own; the two rubbed affectionately against each other.
After petting the pegasus, the girl's gloom lifted; she no longer looked so alone. Moving her soft lips, she murmured to U-chan, "It's lunchtime; we should head back. If we're late, Azuma will scold us."
"Whinny!" As if sensing something, the pegasus leapt from her arms and trotted off, abandoning her on the beach.
"Wait, U-chan! Where are you going? That's not the way to the Admiral's office for lunch!" Startled, the girl chased after the little creature.
U-chan acted as though she hadn't heard and kept heading where she wished.
Thus one horse and one ship began a sunlit chase along the shore.
Soon U-chan stopped at a spot on the beach, trotting in circles around something white and fluffy.
Having lost sight of her, the girl followed the direction U-chan had taken; after a while she spotted her and, exhausted, breathed a sigh of relief.
Seeing her mistress arrive, U-chan ran over, perhaps aware she shouldn't have run off. She lifted large violet eyes brimming with tears, pleading for forgiveness.
The girl walked up, pouted, planted one hand on her hip, bent down, pointed at U-chan with the other, and scolded, "Hmph! Those pitiful eyes won't work this time. How could you run off like that? If you got lost, what would I do…?"
At the words, U-chan's ears drooped and she hung her head, looking utterly remorseful.
Seeing the repentant pegasus, the girl relented. "All right, I'll stop scolding. Just don't run off again, or next time I won't forgive you so easily. Let's go home."
But when told to come, U-chan shook her head; she had a reason for being here and couldn't leave yet.
"Why won't you come back with me?" the purple-haired girl asked, puzzled when U-chan shook her head and refused to return.
U-chan turned around, glancing back at the purple-haired girl as if to say, Follow me and you'll understand.
After a moment's thought, she realized U-chan never ran off without good reason. "Did something bring you here? Is something over there? Then take me to see!"
A moment later U-chan led the purple-haired girl to the spot where she'd seen the white fluffball, lifted her head, and gave a cry that seemed to explain she'd dashed out of her arms because of it.
There lay the white fluffball, face-down in the sand, arms and legs splayed like a starfish, motionless as if dead.
"What is that white fluffball? Don't tell me it's an Abyssal!" The purple-haired girl's voice trembled; she'd never fought an Abyssal before.
Her big sister had warned her: Abyssals were terrifying monsters with snow-white hair and blood-red eyes. Some bared fangs wide enough to swallow a Ship Girl whole.
Would this white fluffball suddenly leap up, open its grotesque maw, and devour her in one gulp?
If so, better not disturb it—let Azuma and the others handle it. Fighting such a monster was still beyond her.
Once her sister taught her how, she wouldn't fear Abyssals anymore.
"U-chan, let's go! Don't stay in this scary place," she whispered.
U-chan circled the white fluffball, nudging it with a hoof, plainly fascinated.
"U-chan, stop! Come back to me! Leave that thing alone—if you wake it we're doomed!" she cried.
Watching U-chan trot around the fluffball—and even touch it—made her heart race; one more prod and the monster might wake and swallow them both.
U-chan tilted her head, unable to see why the girl feared waking the fluffball; besides, her own shout was far likelier to rouse it.
"Who on earth has the gall to shout while people are napping?" Sure enough, the motionless fluffball stirred, voice muffled by sand, furious at being disturbed.
"We're finished—we'll be eaten. U-chan, you've killed us," she quavered, face ashen.
U-chan rolled her eyes; the girl had only herself to thank for waking the creature.
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