Vol 1 Chapter 3 - (Abydos Volume)

Yume's Yume 1.1

Francis opens a place.
There's a guy in there, ex-Gematria technically. He was expelled according to Francis.
He says "your penance is over, get out now" basically.
The Man notes oh, it's you, "The Anonymous Traveler" (「匿名の行人」)
Francis says "Oh, nah now I go by Francis"

Please just leave this humble servant alone (starts laughing, while basically saying "I can't take this anymore")
Francis informs him that Gematria has been destroyed.
Francis then (INCORRECTLY) blames Sensei for making this happen because he twisted the narrative (dumbass forgetting Beatrice called the Color which called Shiroko (Terror) who killed his predecessor and fucked Gematria up)
The Man is then like stfu, quiet, goddamn
Then I guess I see where the D&D stuff comes in because then he says "Oh so the RULE BOOK (Codex) has been updated, then?"

It's a new world, new rules, something weird and foreign has entered. It's the start of a new campaign, then. This excites the Man, who confirms your name and asks if you're the Boss of the campaign.
He is not happy about the setting being an academy city, and you being a Sensei. He says this is going to be tough to deal with. (This is reminding me of a certain character in LonaRPG, oddly enough)
But he's like, okay, there's always some sort of strat or weakness to exploit
Francis warns him Sensei is not to be underestimated, though.
Francis tells the man he doesn't care what way he decides to perceive the world but if he keeps thinking of it like a boardgame he's going to get fucked over.
Now then, I'll tell you how to beat that person, you just have to--
"FUCK OFF, SCUM"
(there's a music sting here, too, which was new)

You, who doesn't even comprehend "death", are talking to me!?
(sound effects imply he's strangling Francis)
He starts going off about how no one can understand how pitiable his existence is. Suffering, loneliness, fear, all that
"DON'T MESS WITH MY SHIT, THIS IS MY CAMPAIGN"
basically
"What's important is what I can learn through penance, don't you GET IN THE WAY OF THAT"
(he mad)

Then the screen goes red and freaks out and a sound effect implies he broke Francis's neck. Wow.
He remarks, why does everyone always seem so obsessed with winning?
We all die! So who gives a shit! If we're all going to lose, then it's not even important.
This guy is all about the journey and what you learn on it, not the destination (it feels like he's talking to the baiters in this thread, lol)
Anyway he starts mocking the name Gematria, and how it's silly to carry it as if it's a noble title. Even though that name will mean nothing in the end too (basically)

He tells himself he really needs to chill.
So, Gematria is destroyed? Wait no, the real Gematria is me, here.
Gotta show the TRUE Gematria, yeah.
New campaign, new rules... OK, yeah, let's start from "that quest".
Abydos.
He says it's an empire where mystic was born, and wonders what form it takes under the new codex (??? Been thinking for a while but he seems to be implying that Kivotos can take different forms in different "instances" or something)
He hopes he'll enjoy this, and he leaves the room. That's the end of that scene. It immediately starts with a flashback to old Abydos.

SCENE TRANSITION

Buried treasure in Abydos lfgoooo
Fireworks, made of rare materials (allegedly)
Yume talks about how old Abydos was absurd. They basically wiped their asses with money. The materials in those fireworks were absurdly valuable, but since the project failed they dumped the mats into a lake. Yume says this is about what she expected of the same people who would only use gym mats made of feathers.
Right, I forgot that Abydos was once totally decadent.

As has been posted, to our surprise young Hoshino is ecstatic at the idea of buried treasures and says let's get going right away
Obviously it goes nowhere, but basically we get to see what Hoshino and Yume's relationship was like when it wasn't at its worst parts. Hoshino is nice to her and Yume pretty much reaches out to her for reassurance. They're of course desperate for money, and they seem pretty in sync overall, kind of a usual boke tsukkomi thing

Back to present day, a meeting is about to start with the FTF, but Hoshino's not there. Shiroko did see her napping, but claims it's hard to wake her up so she didn't get her. Nonomi notes that Shiroko is soft on Hoshino. Very cute.
When they find her, I guess she's reminiscing.
They don't talk about it though. Does seem like Nonomi understands and, at least, Shiroko won't prod.

Sensei is present, how nice.
Meeting starts with weird stuff happening in Abydos, starting with Kaiser Group.
We go over volume F stuff. Kaiser Corporation was digging in Abydos, they discovered it was a ship, the ship has since been destroyed and its wreckage lost.
But seeing as it's gone... Ayane speculated Kaiser would no longer have any stake in Abydos.
Indeed. They don't. So, they've been gradually withdrawing. But yknow, money's money so the debt still exists. Nonomi notes that Kaiser seems more interested in Sanctum Tower, which is currently being rebuilt (finally, I was wondering if they'd ever talk about it again)

BUT, that's where the big news starts
As has been mentioned, Kaiser is trying to convert and sell Abydos's debt as bonds. Naturally most of the girls are confused because they are high school girls, not bankers. Hoshino gets it though. If you don't get it: they're trying to pawn the duty of debt collection to another entity. Abydos would still be in debt, but it wouldn't be to Kaiser. Still, Hoshino thinks it's an impossible ask. "Yeah, I'll buy a debt that 5 high school girls have to pay off. Sounds great!" Yeah right
Poor Serika imagines if the debt is sold cheaply as Hoshino flippantly posits, then they will get a lower debt. Ayane informs the cat that that is unfortunately not how it works, of course.
Anyway they aren't trying to sell the entire debt anyway, just a lot of it: 45%
And Nonomi's like OH, WHAT IF WE BUY IT??? Which is a good idea in theory.
Everyone agrees, so they go look at the market...

Suddenly the bonds are being bought out at an alarming rate, and before they know it the the sold debt is sold out.
Who bought the securities?
Well, it's already been spoiled: Nepthys Group, Nonomi's family's company.
Nonomi seems unaware of this.

Then the Underground Man is back. He's got his strategy, calls you "player" before calling you Sensei, says let's get started. In this game, we will come to realize the depths of death.

The prologue ends with a title card, the dark art of young Hoshino alone. The title is "Footprints left by a Dream"
For EOPs: "Dream" is read in Japanese as "Yume"

Yume's Yume 2.1

The new Abydos main story update starts with some Highlander girls in an old warehouse for confidential documents. It's so old parts of the room itself are falling down. Says a pillar falls, here. Anyway, they notice something: a file noting a sale, from Abydos High school.

Then it goes into a flashback

hey look the devs/art team remembered that Abydos is supposed to be full of sand.

Anyway, as you've seen: Nonomi is tailing Hoshino--who she actually recogizes as the vice president of Abydos's student council. She's confused as to why Hoshino is still here, mentioning that despite being from far away she had heard rumors about Hoshino. Then indeed there's a "teleports behind you" moment

Hoshino seems to take some offense to Nonomi looking into her even if Nonomi, but then notices from her school emblem that Nonomi is from Abydos (the region, that is). Surprise to me: I guess "Nephtys" is part the region. Nonomi goes to its private Middle School. Anyway Hoshino is a little surprised that Nonomi is younger than her.

Hoshino notes that Nepthys actually moved out of the region, however, and that the school had closed here.

The Nepthys middle school is slated to close after Nonomi's year graduates. Hoshino notes that the school was one for elites, and she'd heard of a successor to Nepthys. She knows who Izayoi Nonomi is (Nonomi's surprised by this).

Uhhh, then Hoshino fucking THREATENS TO MURDER Nonomi if she gives an unsatisfactory answer as to why a lady of the infamously corrupt Nephthys has come here

Oh and something interesting about this: Hoshino says OUR school even though she's alone at this point in the story.

Nonomi isn't taken aback by Hoshino's threat, but she is really nervous and quiet in general in this scene and ultimately she runs off. Seems less that she was scared and more that she couldn't say what she wanted to. The flashback ends immediately after that, though, with Hoshino thinking she said too much.

Yume's Yume 2.2

Back to present day, Hoshino explains what Nepthys is because Serika is too DUMB to have ever heard of it. Nonomi also assists in the explanation. We know most info but she adds, surprisingly, that Nephthys actually was ruined just like Abydos was with the onset of desertification. In fact, after the attempt at the Trans-Desert railroad project, it was on the verge of bankfruptcy

Nephthys was a too big to fail sort of company that nonetheless failed, and with its failure Abydos got even more fucked because of a massive blow to employment opportunities. Then, Abydos school started taking out loans to try to save the region.

This all happened quite a while before Hoshino even had entered Abydos, and so Hoshino never saw much of Nepthys in the region.

Serika interpets this simply and dumbly: the reason for everything bad in Abydos is Nephthys. I guess nobody told her what family Nonomi is a part of

Hoshino says yeah Nepthys bad, but only one bad. Nonomi however agrees that it was the failure of Nephthys that put the final nail in the coffin for Abydos. Also, she tells Serika that it's her family's company.

Ayane's like "Yep. Right." and Serika's like WHAT!? YOU KNEW!? And Ayane explains no, she just figured it out a while back and had speculated it since Nonomi is rich and has a crazy high limit gold card. It flashes back to that small moment in volume F where Nonomi talks about the railway leading to Abydos's downfall and helped get the trains moving. That was when Ayane figured it out.

The cat is bothered that only she didn't know or notice.

"Shiroko, you definitely didn't know right?" (obviously hoping for an idiot pair)

To this Shiroko says "Yeah...sure". This satisfies the kot. She does start to ask why Nonomi hid this, but relents and just says she's happy that even if Nepthys left, Nonomi stayed. Nonomi says nothing to this (guilt?)

Back to the situation, Ayane actually notes that with the sale of 45% of the debt by Kaiser, the amount owed shot the fuck up to 4-5 the amount, so Kaiser made a killing. Of course, Nephthys bought the debt. Nepthys gets development rights etc but not land ownership. Still Kaiser #1 baybee

anyway that means RAILROAD!!!! Nonomi knows fucking nothing about this.

Serika: WAIT, NO WAY
Rest: what
Serika: DID THEY FIND OIL?????
Rest: ...

This story is mean to Serika.

Poor cat wonders if maybe they found precious metals. Germanium or something. Hoshino says no, no way, and also Germanium is cheap. Serika is embarassed and tries to move the conversation on

A siren blares.
Who is it, Ayane?
Railroad school.

Yume's Yume 2.3

Oh they have new music, have you guys heard it?

Also wow, Nozomi has a fucking cute laugh, it's "Pahyahya!"

The way they talk is hilarious in general, honestly.

The shupogaki, Hikari and Nozomi, are getting that old train moving again and they're having a blast watching it all happen. When asked if it's okay to act in another schools autonomous rego, they have some choice words that can be summed up as:

"And?"
"Who asked?"

Hikari, a kind of light and airy brat says "Whateeeever, it's fine, right?" and Nozomi, the mesugaki brat says yeah the trans-desert railroad is ours now.

H: Liiiike it's over 51 percent
N: yeah so it's ours now, or not, but IIII dgaf
Time's money, quit hassling us and there's a deadline on construction (they're a week ahead!)

Mob says well this is the CCC making the call so... it really is okay? Right? Right??

H: Maybe (said in English (in Japanese))

Abydos comes in. Hikari says "Welp, we got caught". Nozomi remarks that was faster than she expected. Also she says "Wao", similar to Mika

Ayane says stop right there, this is our territory. This amuses Nozomi. Ayane remarks that she can't believe this school and Gehenna are like this. It's outrageous. What happened to common sense? Serika tries to calm her down.

Hikari says, U mad?

Sensei speaks up, really calmly I might add. A friendly ask of Say, could you maybe tell us what you're up to?

They are unimpressed by the adult. The mob says IT'S THIS NIGGER
THIS MOTHERFUCKER
THIS CLOWN WHO ACTS UP VIOLENTLY IN THE NAME OF PEACE
HE FUCKED UP OUR TRAINS BEFORE AND ALSO HE SHOWED HIS DICK IN PUBLIC

Sensei: "Y-You've got the wrong guy..."

Hoshino asks what Sensei has been up to, and Shiroko is deeply proud. "Nn, Sasuga Sensei" (literally). Serika does chastise her for feeling pride, though, and the wolf balks.

Nonomi speaks up and says this isn't right! You should have spoken to us at least

H: Gee Nozomi, what are we gonna do about this?
N: Same thing we do every time, Hikari

RUN THE TRAINS

they get aboard and start riding off. Shiroko says let's give chase, and Hoshino agrees--it's go time.

Yume's Yume 2.4

Nozomi is surprised at how strong Abydos is. Welp. Deadline is shot now. Hikari wonders if this is a dead end (her dialogue is always quite short, by the way, usually just a word or two and often she speaks "long". Kinda like Chise.)

Things calm down and Ayane asks for an explanation.

Someone then interrupts: Nozomi calls her "Supervisor". Hikari says "Help me (in English (in Japanese))"

Ayane: "Who are you?" (politely asks)
Hoshino: "Hehh, you can to help them out?" (politely raises shotgun)

She, Suou, says "No I have not." Nozomi is shocked! "Betrayal~?" mutters Hikari.

Suou says no I'm not betraying you, but it'd be trouble if people thought we were comrades. She introduces herself: Asagiri Suou, A supervisor/manager of Highlander and one who reports directly to the board of directors 理事会直属 that's what it says! I dunno. I guess that's their student council?

"It makes no difference to me if you think I'm simply acting on the commands of the government. Those idio...
Those twins are Tachibana Hikari and Tachibana Nozomi, both executives from the Central Control Center."

They're important brats!

"My relationship with those brats (aitsura, not police) is that we monitor and check on each other"
Nozomi says rather, that there is an enemy: an enemy of both construction and deadlines. Also, she didn't miss Suou almost calling her and Hikari idiots. Hikari says "Oh, so we're not twins, we're idiots~? Huh~?"

Highlander seems to have an almost Gehenna like style (or old Hyakkiyako)... The organizations in it each exercise independent authority rather than necessarily all being under a true supreme umbrella. There are factions and lines drawn between them, basically (so Suou explains). Anyway, because of that she won't pretend she's friends with the shupogaki.

Suou offers an apology, saying that while these CCC idiots were responsible she is still a supervisor. They caused trouble, apologies.

That being said, it is still their schools' right to develop here--and Abydos should've known that. Nonomi asks, what about Nephthys?

Suou says Highlander often works with private groups (hey, just like real life railway companies) and they're partnered in this case with Nephthys. Suou drops Nonomi's full name here, remarking that surely she knows a lot about it.

Regardless, Suou requests the release of the idiots in Abydos custody, offering a promise to explain fully and formally later.

Hoshino allows it. The brats skedaddle and start thanking Suou in a flippant manner. Suou just ignores this and asks that Abydos prepare any questions it may have before they meet again. All 3 leave

Yume's Yume 2.5

New episode and back to the past. Yume is crying in an office (like cute crying not sobbing or something)

She just did some ridiculous 90 hour job, and the bots are laughing at her. Money? lol, idiot. Yume says her kouhai's gonna worry if she's stuck here and the bots keep laughing.

Then there's a rumbling noise

Hoshino bursts in. They thought she was an earthquake. She b-lines to Yume and says cmon, time to go (no urgency, she just seems annoyed Yume was missing). The bots call for help and Hoshino says she wiped out all the help in the building. She the completely wrecks the robots in a second

On the way home Hoshino scolds Yume for being so easily deceived (again) by weird adults. Hoshino says Abydos has gone to the dogs and that basically, you're better off assuming everyone you don't know is a bad person.

Yume asks what if she finds someone who's really in trouble?

Hoshino says: doesn't exist, everyone is a villain. Yume still has apprehension over that claim. Hoshino tells her that even if someone is literally reaching out for help, if you take it that's going to lead to immediate betrayal. If she wants to protect Abydos, Yume can't be doing stuff like that. Yume now FLATLY disagrees, and even steps up to Hoshino (who steps back). Yume steps forward again, inadvertantly pushing her tits at the smallfry (there's a sound effect, and Hoshino backs away embarassed and annoyed), and she starts imparting a lesson on her kouhai, telling her to listen carefully.

It's the same thing Hoshino told her own kouhai: once you lose track of your core values, you will one day lose yourselves completely. She can't allow herself to accept viewing Abydos as hell on earth because eventually that would become the truth, and not the peaceful place they envision Abydos ultimately becoming.

So, Yume will always help anyone who is hungry, cold, or needs any help at all.

Hoshino asks what if she DOES get betrayed again, and Yume says aw you'll come save me right? And goes for a hug. Hoshino dodges it, but does say she will. This makes Yume happy enough to write it down in her weird-ass notebook: "Hoshino says she'll come help me whenever I'm in trouble".

Hoshino complains about the weird notebook and says Yume should get a new one, that one's for gradeschoolers. She then says she actually came up with a good idea recently and Yume disappears.

Yume's Yume 2.6

Where is she?
Yume?

Hoshino wakes up in her 2nd year. She's confused for a second and asks where Yume is, then realizes she was actually trying to close the doors to the student council room.

She tries again, but can't, and leaves. She says she should, but says she'll do it tomorrow. She mutters she will, alright, to her senpai.

Hey it's Nonomi. Seems like she found her spine, she says she has something to talk about with Miss Vice President. Nonomi acknowledges that she's from Nepthys, but insists she can still do something.

With her gold credit card, she can and WILL clear all of Abydos's debt!

Hoshino lets Nonomi down a bit gently, explaining to her that if she uses that card it won't be "her" paying the debt, but Nephthys, and she wonders whether Nonomi's ever earned any money at all. She urges Nonomi to think more about who would be providing that money she wants to use. Once you use it, the school will belong to a company: Nephthys. Or, that's likely how things will play out.

So, Nonomi asks how she can clear the debt. Hoshino says an Abydos student should pay it off with what she earns as a student.

Nonomi goes hm, got it. And says btw I have a name (Hoshino keeps calling her Ojou-san)--"It's Nonomi, Hoshino-senpai". Hoshino is perplexed, and Nonomi says she'll come back later.

Hoshino has another nightmare about Yume being missing, and screaming for her to come back. She wakes up to Nonomi being there, who heard her scream in her sleep from outside (she says she's not a stalker though). Basically Hoshino is quite thoroughly traumatized at this point in her life.

Hoshino says middle schoolers aren't allowed in here, Nonomi says she's slated to go to Highlander for her highschool, and Hoshino's like okay? So go? Don't waste time here. But Nonomi just wants to look around before it's finally completely decided.
Also she mentions she heard about Yume's disappearance. Oh, disappearance? Are people right about the theory that Yume never died?

No, it's top secret but Nonomi learned that the person who found the truth and body was... /looks at Hoshino
This conversation makes Hoshino uncomfortable and Nonomi stops it.

Nonomi is nonosy and talks about hearing that Hoshino often goes out into the desert. Is she done with that? Was she looking for something? How about here in the student council room? It should be closed. Were you looking for something here?

Hoshino says "I'm leaving." and walks out. Nonomi follows her.

School's fucked up. Hoshino says it's too much to clean by herself. Nonomi talks about how the main building was buried and Hoshin's like yup. Also, Hoshino, you moved into this building after you enrolled right? Hoshino is disturbed by how much Nonomi knows about her.
Nonomi spots the festival management room, like the Oasis festival? She heads in on her own.

This room looks familiar, huh. Nonomi's already got some ideas for events.

For instance, idols...
Oh there's nothing in the room.

Hoshino's like yeah, duh, there's no oasis anymore. What'd you come here for? Nonomi says well, idols, senpai... And Hoshino says no not that, why'd you follow me? And why are you calling me senpai? Aren't you enrolling at Highlander? But Nonomi says she'll likely regret it if she does. Hoshino remarks, even though it's connected to Nepthys? And Nonomi's like yeah, true, I could even become student council president there probably. Hoshino's like dope, that sounds cool! (she looks genuine, not sarcastic)

Anyway Hoshino says she shouldn't waste her life here, listen to the old man.

Nonomi: "Old man...? Aren't we only a year apart?"
Hoshino: "You're still in middle school, right?"

Nonomi says she's already graduated though. I'm guessing that means this flashback roughly takes place at the end of a school year, so Hoshino is technically still a first year (sort of). I was sort of wondering why "second year" Hoshino was here with a Nonomi still in Middle School.

Yume's Yume 2.7

Back to the present!

Highlander has no autonomous region! The rail lines they own and manage are their "regions"! Weird as fuck! And Ayane's done research: indeed the idea of "factions and discord" is true.

The twin shupogaki are members of the CCC and my oh my, THAT is their student council! I do believe we have found the actual worst student council in Abydos. Cherino only torments her own school, Makoto's an ineffectual idiot, but this school is pervasive and dangerous. How lovely. The Supervising group at Highlander is supposed to be the check to the CCC but it's unclear how.

A doorbell rings. It's so rarely ever been used it surprises everyone.

Low, and behold:

"We're comin' in~" says Hikari (I guess that's a decent TL of 推参 which is like, "intruding")

Highlander CCC here, could you let us in? Huh... no answer. Hikari, do the thing.

Hikari does the thing (Hikari rings the doorbell 16 times in a second). Diing Dong dash

Suou pushes them out of the way and Nozomi goes shuposhupo (like for real, as a reminder that's one of the game's sound effects for emotions (anger))
Anyway, the girls let 'em in. Hoshino's worried about them breaking the doorbell.

Suou says sit the fuck down, and don't bounce on any chairs or I'm gonna get pissed. She asks if this is everyone in the Abydos Foreclosure Task force and I believe Shiroko interprets this as "starting" and takes a step toward Suou. Who knows what triggered her wolf brain, but Serika steps in front of her and tells her to hold it. Shiroko says Nn, embarassed, and relents.

The meeting begins.

Hikari says "Gimme this candy~"

Nozomi says what, no tea? This is how Abydos treats its guests? Despite them deserving nothing, Ayane promptly and kindly gets ready to make tea but Suou says forget it, this'll be quick. Hikari is annoyed at that, and Suou ignores her pouting to say that not being "properly" welcomed makes perfect sense. These people fought Kaiser off and reclaimed their lands. They'll use force if necessary, and if you were expecting a relaxing fun time you should've just gone home.

Shiroko evaluates this, watching.

Suou says "That being said, even if you do use force, I will win in the end."

Shiroko interuprets this most definitely as starting, gets pissed, and steps forward again. Serika, her handler, holds her backs and tells her to relax.

Shiroko: "I wasn't gonna..."
Serika: "You weren't? Yeah right, your face said you were about to!"
Shiroko: "Nn..."

Sensei gets things back on track. Suou says this is about introducing Abydos's new creditor (debt collector)--those who bought the bonds.

It's this guy. The uhh... head of the pawnshop union, apparently.

oh my bad, THESE guys.

Pawshop dogger, creditor rep fatbot, and private debtor labor union cat

These guys helped buy the bonds. Nephthys gets the train system.

A lot of people contributed, this is just 3 of the reps. The fatbot outright admits to being someone who ordinarily peddles stolen goods on the black market when Serika mentions they all sound shady.

Sensei gets responsible and wants their proof and papers to confirm they are who they say they are and they have what they say they bought. The reps huffle and puffle about this just like real corrupt businessmen who take offense at being called corrupt in public, but then Nonomi's butler joins the conversation and confirms they are creditors. The butler, by the way, is also an executive.

Anyway these folks want full rights to the trans-desert railway, but they currently merely have development rights. Nozomi's like yeah, that! That's why were were working. Hikari says Iyeeesu, nooo problems~

Shiroko gets pissed again, and Suou tells them to shut up for a seocnd.

Nonomi is rather passionately upset about what Nephthys is attempting, especially because on paper a railroad hub in Abydos is an awful idea--there's nothing out here, but Hoshino tells her to keep calm.

Anyway time for business, fatbot asks everyone not directly involved to leave, so Suou shoves the twins toward the door. Hikari says I don't wanna go hone~. Suou throws them out.

As they're leaving the butler says "Yeah I'm not a rep either, I'm out". Nonomi asks, well, who the heck is the rep for Nephthys then? Butler says "I appoint Supervisor Suou"

Suou hears this, walks back in and says "Uh, what?"

Yep, just think of her as Nephtys. Butler hangs up.

Fatbot is like "Hoshino is the only student council member so everyone else, fuck off". Serika and Ayane remind him that the Foreclosure task force IS the student council, so no. Also SCHALE is here and he vouched for that decision. Sensei says yeah, and fatbot's like okay then, but isn't it odd that it works like that? Hoshino is the only actual student council member, so you have two student councils? Hoshino says the student council name for Abydos is merely symbolic, and the Foreclosure Task Force is effectively the student council in truth. Fatbot accepts this and they move on.

He has a sale thingie. Yume is the one who signed it to Highlander. Blahdiblah, it's a bad deal. Hoshino recognizes Yume's handwriting on it.

In fact, Hoshino says there's no way she'd forget Yume's handwriting. Foreshadowing, huh

Hoshino says she definitely through out every single thing Yume left behind, but she hadn't heard of this contract. Fatbot says that's because it was never completed. Money never fully changed hands. He notes that by happenstance, it was found while clearning a warehouse. Both Serika and Sensei pick up on this. I guess the first scene was actually planned all along. The Highlander mobs in that scene did mention that it was weird they had to go clean that place. Someone probably set finding the old contract up.

Anyways, things are incomplete, so they're asking the student council to complete things and maintain the contract. It's a million yen fee so they're like... no. And surprisingly fatbots like okay then let's cancel it, sign here Hoshino. Hoshino's like whoa whoa and Sensei asks for some time to think this over.

Sensei says sooo, is there a reason you're pushing this so hard? And fatbot mentions the contract will be auto invalid in 2 days. Ominously, he says if you want to maintain the agreement come to this meeting of investors or whatever in 2 days, if possible. I think suggesting that they're going to try to attack them if they do? They seem to want the contract to end. Everyone's confused, including me.

Suou hangs back as everyone leaves.
I have a strong suspicion she will be ultimately an ally in whatever is happening here.

Yume's Yume 2.8

Serika thinks this is all bullshit, and Shiroko makes a face like "I'm proud of you, Serika", but this makes Serika uneasy.
Ayane starts pushing Hoshino and Nonomi for information about Yume and the student council. She actually knows that the room they're in is NOT the student council room, but the festival planning one. The student council room is actually the only locked room on the first floor, and there's no key. Shiroko also wonders about this, and why Yume signed that contract.

Nonomi tries to protect Hoshino, but Hoshino says it's alright and starts explaining.

Yume, who was a naive troublesome senpai, never graduated because instead she disappeared.

After being missing for 33 days she was found with a broken halo. Hoshino says it looked like an "accident", her getting lost in the desert. She does not know how Yume died.
Big news! Also pretty fucking horrible. So not only did Yume die but she had gone missing and when she was found Hoshino found her dead.
That is fucking horrible and too real.

Anyways Hoshino describes her confusion over the whole ordeal, how she tried to follow Yume's footsteps to no avail (hey that's the title of the story), and remarks that likely what precisely happened was written in Yume's notebook. Sounds like Hoshino doesn't know where that notebook is, though.

While looking at the contract, Hoshino's eyes land on the date and she gets triggered (like actual term, triggered PTSD) though mainly just seems to have a small fit that worries everyone. Hoshino has flashbacks to talking with Yume, and to finding her dead, and remarks that the contract was signed on the day Yume vanished.

Hoshino remembers when she yelled at Yume and told her there's no hope for Abydos anymore and she remembers something else I couldn't see (had to replay), and then she SERIOUSLY gets triggered. She suddenly runs out of the room.

And I mean RUNS. Shiroko chases after her, but the other girls note that they will not be able to catch up: only Shiroko can.

Here's what she remembered that really set her off:

A note that says "Thank you for everything you do, Hoshino-chan!" and something else, but I can't read it it's too blurry. I can only make out a "ne!". The "Hoshino-chan" does mean this is definitely from Yume though. Overall seems like the idea here is Hoshino is getting torn the fuck up over shoving Yume away, letting her do something stupid, and ultimately dying in a horrible way while she basically let her die.

I like Shiroko and Hoshino's relationshp so I like this scene a lot.

Hoshino has run far away, and she asks why Shrioko's following her. Shiroko's like Nn, just following you, and Hoshino's like high school girls shouldn't be chasing old men.

Shiroko asks why she came here (a new BG in the game afaik), no one lives here anymore. Hoshino says yeah, no one lives here anymore, and notes that this is where she first met Yume-senpai. She came here without thinking. Shiroko says she's not sure what happened or anything, but Hoshino shouldn't keep secrets anymore. Ayame, Nonomi, and Serika are all worried. She asks if this is about the missing student council president and Hoshino says WHOA LOOK AT THAT AN UNATTENDED BANK CASH TRANSPORT VAN, THAT'S CRAZY and she runs again

Shiroko catches up and catches her, though, quite easily. Hoshino's surprised by her speed, but is also like god damn it my autistic wolfdaughter why are you like this, READ THE ROOM

Shiroko: "No, I'll keep catching you."
Hoshino is left cutekyfrustrated, but Shiroko stays with her until night.

Nonomi says she'll try to contact the butler again, and when Ayane's like you okay with that? she notes yeah I haven't spoken with my family at all for a long time so I guess things have gotten bad. She steps out.

Shiroko comes in. Alas, Hoshino escaped.

Shiroko's like yeah, sorry... I still don't have enough power.

Has she been trying to surpass Hoshino? lol

Anyway Hoshino told her she'll be at school tomorrow, and not to worry. Nonomi says she probably just needs some space. Nonomi did not step out I guess (confusing animation)

Nonomi calls her butler. He's... as reticent and subtly a dick as before. He says yeah I know everything, but since you aren't involved with work you don't need to know right? You doing alright? It's been 2 years. Let us know if your card limit is sufficient. Nonomi persists a bit, but the butler tells her listen, you've always been critical of Nephthys, your rep with them is bad, and if you push on this point people will think you're trying to have your cake and eat it too. Look I'm sorry for speaking harshly but Nepthys is doing BAD right now. The fate of the company is probably going to be decided in two days. Anyway is anyone else from Abydos there? (everyone stays quiet) Well, I'll come there tomorrow, it's late and I'll give you details then. Anyway remember to let us know about exchanging that card if you need to

Nonomi: What? I said that's--
Butler hangs up.

Sensei tells everyone to get some rest and they can all meet up tomorrow, he'll go back to SCHALE and research. Shiroko says I'm fine tho and Serika says you look tired as shit. Ayane remarks she had to have ran as hard as she could trying to catch Hoshino. Everyone agrees to rest, but Ayane feels like something's off. Like there's clearly something afoot much bigger than what they're seeing, like someone malicious is behind everything. Serika's like wut? and Sensei's like Hmm... but Ayane ultimately decides this must just be because they don't know much. They'll learn more tomorrow. Sensei says not to overdo it.

Yume's Yume 2.9

hello underground man

First strategy: can't change what's already happened
If you want to change the future, you need to utilize the past.
Even you can't change the past, Sensei. The key to this strategy lies there.

...Hoping for now time travel here!
Anyway we see Nonomi fretting while looking at her student ID.

But that's it. Underground Man comes back, chuckling to himself, and noting that there's 4 strategies in total, with the first already underway and the 4th probably not even likely to happen since it's unnecessary. He laughs more, saying let's look forward to the choices to come, and I want to note: he uses the same word the GSC President uses in the prologue: 選択, sentaku. It comes up a few times for significant stuff, like the chapter after Sensei sacrifices himself to save Kuroko

Everyone's here except Hoshino, but everyone's relaxed. Shiroko says Hoshino hasn't contacted her, but she said she'll come so she will. Sensei is also not here, but Ayane figures he's busy researching still.

Back to SCHALE Arona is asleep. Plana wakes her up and Arona's like FUCK we have to wake up Sensei! Plana says nope, Sensei didn't sleep last night. What a healthy protagonist. Arona is still bothered by this, but it can't be helped. Plana agrees but brings up construction work. There's something happening with the gas piping, so she asks Arona if anything was scheduled to happen. No. Well, Plana goes into emergency mode immediately. She says something is distorting things unnaturally. Feels bad.

And then SCHALE explodes

We see the Underground Man ready to explain the second strategy. That is: Sensei, you are completely weak so a bomb should kill you right? lol... LOL

LMAO
No really.
Also he stole Beatrice's story theme.