Blue Archive story · Volume 1: Foreclosure Task Force, Chapter 3, Episode 12
Vol. 1 Ch. 3 Ep. 12: The Foreclosure Task Force's Beginning
1 scenes, 232 lines
1. Abydos High School Bicycle Parking
232 lines
...Shiroko. Sunaookami Shiroko.
Hm, that's a nice name. So, Shiroko, whatcha doing all the way out here?
...
This place might be in ruins and all, but it's still an Abydos satellite...well, actually, Abydos High School.
I've never seen that uniform before.
...I don't know.
...?
I just...woke up here. I don't remember anything. Except my name.
Wh-What kinda story you selling here? Is amnesia a new thing the kids are trying these days? This old-timer must be out of the loop.
(Old-timer...?)
D-Do you mean your name is the only thing you know about yourself? No academy? No phone number? Nothing else at all?
*nod*
Wh-What should we do, Hoshino?
Hm... What a pain.
Let's get inside and continue this conversation, Shiroko. This isn't exactly a good place to share a cup of tea.
Huh?! W-We're taking her with us?
Here, it's cold. Put this on.
A scarf...?
It's not much, but it'll help keep you warm, at least a little bit.
...
There. Better?
Heh, heh. Lookin' good, Shiroko. Now, this old-timer bought that scarf on sale, but you still better take good care of it.
Yeah. I will.
...
Why're you looking at me like that, Nonomi?
You keep calling yourself an "old-timer"...
Oh? Do I...?
Plus, you just did this "heh" laugh that I've never heard you do before.
R-Really? Aren't you imagining things? It's just my old-timer laugh.
You said "old-timer" again...
Ah!
A-Achoo!
W-We gotta get indoors! Shiroko's nose is starting to run!
Ah, you're right! Hurry, Shiroko, it's this way!
Heh. A perfect fit. Some student left this uniform behind, but they barely wore it. It's practically new.
Um.
I hope you don't mind for now, Shiroko. I'll buy you a new outfit as soon as I can.
No. It's okay.
Well, it's just...that's an Abydos uniform...
*shakes head*
Heh. She likes it.
I could at least buy her a new uniform. That one's an old design... Well, I suppose if she likes it...
We have to force our way in.
Are we back to that? How are the five of us supposed to break through hundreds of troops?
We can do it with proper preparations. We'll need intel on the number of troops, supply lines, their scouting routes, and any CCTV locations.
No way! I know you're good at robbing banks, but this is totally different!
Heh. My bad. I was just reminiscing on the good ole days.
To think, just a year ago, Shiroko was an adorable little girl with a runny nose. Now, she's a grown-up high schooler delivering terrifying lines like she's reading the news.
Yup, yup! It was like that, once upon a time! ♧
U-Um... Why are we talking about the past...?
When I look at Shiroko, I get a little sad sometimes. Where did that cute little kid go...?
You're not even that far apart in age! And it was just a year ago!
You're still super cute, Shiroko, so it's okay!
Hm...
Yeah, it's already been a year since we created the Foreclosure Task Force.
...
...Mhm.
Huh...? Shiroko?
Bring it on. It's a showdown.
Sh-Shiroko?! A showdown?!
What?! Hoshino?!
But, just so you know, I've never lost a one-on-one fight in my life. I might even be the strongest person in Kivotos. You still wanna go, Shiroko?
Yeah. I've fought you once, so I won't lose this time.
Hm... What happens if you lose, then? Do I get to do whatever I want to you?
Fine. Whatever you want.
Heh. No take backsies, okay? If you lose, you have to stay in Abydos forever. You'll have to accept this old-timer as your upperclassman.
Like I said. Whatever you want.
H-Hoshino?!
Excuse me! What's all this, Shiroko?!
The whole pile appears to be scrap metal. Screws, bolts, empty shell casings... Where did you get these?
Mm. Stole them.
What?!
S-Stole them?! From where?
From the scrap dealer in town. I can earn money if I resell it to that scrap dealer. And help pay off the school's debt.
Reselling to the place you stole them from?! I guess that's inspired?!
Call them, Nonomi! Right now!
Yes! Okay!
Shiroko!! You can't do stuff like that!
Why not?
Why...? Well, because...
So this is where you ran off to! You stole my truck!
H-Huh?!
Truck?! What truck? Shiroko?! You stole a truck too?
Yeah. The whole truck. I killed two birds with one stone.
I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Our Shiroko here, she doesn't know any better!
I-I'm sorry... I have a credit card, so I'll cover any damages!
No, no. First things first! We have to properly repent, Nonomi!
Okay... I'm sorry.
You think I'll just let it slide like that? Huh?!
Okay, just this once. Don't ever let me catch you again!
Y-Yes...
Yeah. Next time, I won't get caught.
No, that's not the lesson to be learned from this!
...Well, its fine.
I had thought all the students at Abydos turned tail already. I guess there are some still left.
...
Well, stop by if you ever have any scrap to sell.
I'll see you around, Abydos students.
Heh. Would you look at that?
...Winter is finally ending.
Yeah...before we even realized...
Mhm. Even though it felt never-ending at one point...
What're you gonna do, Nonomi? Isn't it time for you to head back? You're supposed to be enrolled in the other school...
...
Their entrance ceremony is probably starting soon. Are you gonna be okay here?
Shiroko, Nonomi, smile!
Mm. Cheese.
D-Do we really have to do this?
Duh! When you've got something to celebrate, you have to commemorate it with a pic!
But, you know, isn't it hot, Shiroko? Why don't you take the scarf off?
No. I'm okay.
There we go. This is now the official Abydos Foreclosure Task Force club room!
Yes!
Yeah. You can count on me. I've come up with eight different plans.
P-Plans...? What kinds, exactly...?
Rejected.
Double rejected.
...
Wh-What is this?! Did you guys activate some kind of reminiscing-mode?
Ayane! Snap them out of it somehow!
Hahaha. I think we feel a little bit left out, since you're reminiscing on times when we weren't around...but I understand it's a kind of privilege for upperclassmen.
Heh. You could put it that way. But I can remember when Ayane and Serika first joined, too.
Yup, yup! They were just the cutest!
Yeah.
E-Excuse me! Are you all students of Abydos?
We want to enroll at Abydos High School too!
Yes! We would like to be of service to Abydos' future!
Exactly! Was it called the Revival Committee?
Serika... It's the Foreclosure Task Force.
Whatever she said! We're joining, okay? So please take good care of us!
Yes! Looking forward to working with you!
Wh-What are you doing?! Don't pull us into your reminiscing-mode!
Haha... It's not like that didn't happen...
Yes! With this, our five-member Abydos idol plan commences! ♧
Leave this old-timer out of it. That's a job for the youngins.
Then maybe a two-member group comprised of fresh, first-year students?
Yeah. I like that.
Heh. Now that I can get behind. I'm getting excited!
What're you plotting?! Stop talking about us like we're fresh produce!
I agree. If we do it, we all need to do it together.
...I absolutely don't want the Foreclosure Task Force to disappear.
Nonomi?
I would say there's really only one possible option... We'll have to find a way to successfully attend the general creditors' meeting.
That'll mean forfeiting either the Abydos Student Council or the Foreclosure Task Force. I know it's just a name, and it doesn't matter too much at the end of the day, but...
I still just...don't like the idea of the Foreclosure Task Force being gone.
I was able to find the strength to stay in Abydos thanks to Shiroko. And it's thanks to her, along with everyone else, that Hoshino is able to laugh and smile every day, now.
The Foreclosure Task Force...it means more to me than just its name...
Nonomi...
...
What do you think, Shiroko?
...the most important place in the world. I know that, even if you don't say it out loud. The Foreclosure Task Force is everything to you, isn't it?
...Well, um...
But if you flip the situation around, isn't it the same for you, Hoshino?
U-Um... Me?
The Abydos Student Council... It must be filled with memories of you and President Yume...memories we can't even begin to know or understand...
It's too much...to think about all of that going away...
N-No. Don't sweat it. I'm not really the type to cling to things like that, you know?
That's not true. You never gave up your association with the Abydos Student Council, even after we made the Foreclosure Task Force.
You've always been a part of the Foreclosure Task Force...but also the Abydos Student Council.
Are you really okay with letting go of your last tie to President Yume? Hoshino?
I'd be lying if I said all of that meant nothing to me, but...
Didn't you refuse to take on the role of president for Yume?
Ah, geez. Yeah. It felt like I'd be accepting Yume's death if I became president...
So...you're not wrong there.
But I can say one thing for certain...
Preventing the Train Cannon from falling into the hands of the villains is more important than preserving a name.
...
...
I might never find out why Yume wrote that contract, or what even happened, but...
Hoshino, you can't live your life being suspicious of everyone you come across. Accepting violence and lies as the norm...taking them for granted...
If we do that, one day we'll wake up and realize we've become the people we hate the most.
You're right. We might be able to save Abydos using your methods. But it won't be our Abydos anymore.
I can't bear the thought of Abydos becoming synonymous with lies and violence.
That would make me...sad.
This Train Cannon of theirs...it's a direct contradiction to the kind of Abydos Yume was trying to build.
So I have to find the Train Cannon and destroy it.
For that, I'm okay with letting go of a name.
...
...
...
...
And if I had to choose one, I think the Foreclosure Task Force is better.
Because the Abydos Student Council is just me now. But the Foreclosure Task Force...it's Shiroko, Nonomi, Ayane, and Serika. It feels like the right choice.
But...still...
We have to focus on the problem at hand, Nonomi.
And our problem is that, regardless of if we're the Foreclosure Task Force or the Abydos Student Council, we still have to find a way to make it to the general creditors' meeting.
Our priority isn't names, it's figuring out how to get past hundreds of troops and get inside the building.
...You're right.
Yeah, understood...
We all on the same page?
Yes! It's settled.
Tomorrow at noon, we'll break through the private equity fund's troops guarding the Abydos Central Station District Office and certify the continuation of the sales contract!
But how exactly are we going to do that?
Figuring that out will be our next step...
To start, none of this will be possible without Sensei's help. In reality, even with Sensei's help, it's going to be difficult.
Speaking of, have you heard from them yet? Sensei said they'd come by today, but it's pretty late already...
You're right... Well, I'm sure they have a full plate...
Hm...
You don't suppose...something happened to them, do you?
KYAAAH?!
Wh-What is it, Ayane?
Y-You okay?!
The news...?
...And now, to our next story. Early this morning, an unexplained explosion rocked the Schale building, located in D.U. Authorities have confirmed that Sensei was inside the building at the time of the incident...
Wh-What?!
!!
They were swiftly transported to the hospital. As speculation continues to swirl about the cause of the building's explosion, doctors...