Bayushi Senshuken is here to report!

[Bayushi Senshuken]

Ask me anything really!

[Yasuki Taraka]

Ask me anything really!

Who are you and what you have you done with the real Bayushi Senshuken? XD

You brought a fun energy to the game. You also flirted with/romanced nearly everyone who crossed your path it seems Is Senshuken actually serious about being in love with the governor, or does she think it's just fun? Just how serious is she with Haruhi?

[Bayushi Senshuken]

Senshuken is a very thoughtful and caring partner, whether it is just for one date or more. She would never hurt Haruhi, or anyone else she's dated. She cares about her, likes her a lot and has been honest with her since the very beginning. She's not in love with her, though. Still she's been present in every minute they spent together and was eager to devote much of her time thinking how to make Haruhi happy.

With Ayame it's different. Senshu cannot say the words and she'd rather leave than stay and chase her, but yes, she has a serious thing for her. She believes that they are very suitable for each other and she's very intrigued to see where this could get them. Conquering the whole world with style and falir? Spreading chaos? Whatever it is, it would be a wonderful miracle to bask upon! Alas she's not patient enough to give Ayame time. Perhaps, their age and maturity difference is the real problem in this part of their common story.

Generally speaking Senshu is very flirty, yes. I genuinely hope that I didn't make any player uncomfortable with my rp.

[Miya Kisha]

For what it's worth, I wasn't uncomfortable with you. But then, I'm me, so...

Anyway, I very much appreciate our scenes!

Why a descendant of Shoju?

[Bayushi Senshuken]

I enjoyed rping with you as well!

Well, why Shoju. I wanted a great Scorpion hero for her prestigious line advantage and I like Shoju in a lot of things. Not everything but I prefer him to almost all Scorpion Clan Champions that followed.

[Hatoful GM]

You brought some great energy to the game! Also, good job on picking up on the rumors about the governor; that was a plot thread! I also had a surprising amount of fun exchanging letters as Senshu's mother.

... so just how many girlfriends did Senshu have?

What's next for her?

[Kakita Haruhi]

I loved our scenes!

While Haruhi was hopelessly smitten, I was very comfortable as a player and understood it was not going to work out for them. You were great at checking in ooc as we went along.

Would Senshu stay in touch? I like the idea of them turning into friends, exchanging letters about how their lives moved on. But understood if you don't want to pin down any after day 12 stuff.

[Bayushi Senshuken]

You brought some great energy to the game! Also, good job on picking up on the rumors about the governor; that was a plot thread! I also had a surprising amount of fun exchanging letters as Senshu's mother.

... so just how many girlfriends did Senshu have?

What's next for her?

Thank you, thank you. You know my rp and writing style. I go for hilarity and exaggerations often.

Oh the letters! I laughed so hard with them! Can I post them publically here in case someone wants to read them? I think that they are revealing, even if a tiny bit, how Senshu's family was while she was growing up.

Now now. Senshu dated Sumiko, Ayame, Haruhi and Kisha (in timely order). The first 3 knew that she was dating other people as well, but Sen never revealed any names to them. Kisha never asked. The only one who opened a discussion about labeling it as a relationship was Ayame. Thus she was Senshu's first gf.

For the future now! I don't want to say much because I liked playing Sen and I might return to her if a future game allows it. But! She already had a business back in the world of dreams, manufacturing bike motors with a new alloy that I had come up with in the previous game. This company will get a branch in Nakahama, under Taraka. Despire her current rejections of the idea, I think that she will be returning to Nakahama often. How many board meetings through Zoom can a person handle! Perhaps, who knows, she might sometimes stoically use large groups of people to... serenade the governor. Stoically!

I loved our scenes!

While Haruhi was hopelessly smitten, I was very comfortable as a player and understood it was not going to work out for them. You were great at checking in ooc as we went along.

Would Senshu stay in touch? I like the idea of them turning into friends, exchanging letters about how their lives moved on. But understood if you don't want to pin down any after day 12 stuff.

I had a lot of fun rping with you, as well!

Senshu will definitely stay in touch! As I mentioned above she will probably be visiting Nakahama from time to time. And yes, I think that the idea of staying friends fits them a lot!

[Hatoful GM]

Can I post them publically here in case someone wants to read them?

You can!

[Bayushi Senshuken]

Emails between Senshuken and her mother!

Around day 8 or 9

Subject: Nakahama Report & a… mildly surprising proposal

Honored Mother,

I hope this message finds you well and preferably not in the middle of lecturing some minor official about the meaning of “basic competence.” I am not writing to ask for money or complain, but to report.

Things here in Nakahama are going splendidly. Truly. I have been dutiful, efficient, and, if I say so myself, dazzlingly successful. Our corporate influence is spreading through the city like a well placed rumor. Quietly, elegantly and impossible to stop once it starts.

The locals are cooperative, the markets promising, and the politicians… delightfully malleable. I assure you, Mother, the Scorpion will thrive here. Even the governor seems eager to assist. In personal matters for now. Very eager, in fact.

Which brings me to a small, tiny, absolutely minor detail that I should probably mention before someone else does. I have reasons to believe that the governor would not object to making our alliance more permanent. Permanently permanent. As in, maybe I should stay here forever. Through marriage. To her.

I thought it best to consult you before making any moves. Politically speaking, it could anchor our presence here beautifully. Personally speaking… well, let’s just say I’ve survived worse assignments. And okaaaay. I kinda like her and I see much potential if I join her family.

If you approve, please advise what dowry you deem appropriate. Land? Shares? A collection of embarrassing childhood stories we must swear never to spread? I trust your wisdom and your sense of humor on this matter.

With love, respect, and only a tiny bit of urgency,
Bayushi Senshuken

My dear daughter,

It is a pleasant surprise to hear from you. It is an even more pleasant surprise that you are not writing to complain, although I can't help but note that the subject of money does come up later in this letter. Still, good behavior should be rewarded, and, if your report is accurate, your behavior has indeed been good.

I do find myself wondering at this alliance and marriage to the governor. If the politicians are so malleable, is such a thing necessary to secure our position? A bribe is a moment's thought, influence of all sorts comes and goes, but I have only four children. And only one Senshu.

I am not yet offering my approval, but neither am I disapproving; far from it. Rather, I would like more information, so that I may give you my approval secure in the knowledge that this is the best arrangement for both you and the family. In truth, seeing you properly settled is something I had hoped for. So much the better if it does help to seal an auspicious alliance.

If this governor of yours would accept embarrassing childhood stories in lieu of a dowry, I shall have them written at once. Do you think she'd prefer them in order from least to most embarrassing, or is simple chronological order the best?

Lovingly,
Mother

Day 11

Mother,

Please update your records. Mental, written and the secret one you think I don’t know you keep. Everything we talked about in our previous emails? Completely outdated. Imagine a table flip. That level of invalidation.

I had to jump in and preserve Scorpion honor in a situation that I definitely did not cause (probably). And while the Clan now looks fabulous thanks to my sacrifice, my personal… endeavors have been annihilated with the precision of a well thrown shuriken. Let’s just say: whatever chances I had of arranging a certain long term, socially advantageous partnership… Well. Imagine a candle. Now imagine it being blown out by a hurricane wearing war paint.

And no, I don’t want to talk about it or at least I'm fabulous at pretending that I don't.

Now, Mother, I need your help. Family dinner is approaching and you know what they’re like. One mention of “So, Senshu, how’s that whole thing going?” and I will simply perish. Not metaphorically. I will fall face first into the miso soup and you will have to mourn me.

I have tried coping. Truly.

Working: Not working. The paperwork stares back at me with judgment.
Drinking: Not working. Apparently sake cannot drown this specific type of humiliation.
Dating: Absolutely not working. I have achieved negative charm. I’m currently about as romantically appealing as a wet futon.
Racing: Shockingly… also not working. I know. I’m alarmed too.

Nothing distracts me. Nothing works. It is awful.

So please, Mother, just glare at everyone. Threaten them. I don’t care. Use your famous “I am disappointed in all of you” voice. If they even smirk, unleash it. If you love me, and you do, please deploy whatever motherly leverage you must.

Your daughter,
Bayushi Senshuken

And a second e-mail is sent right after the first.

Mom, I feel strange. Not ill, do not worry. I checked my temperature twice, once with a proper thermometer and once by pressing my forehead to the window like a dramatic poet. Both readings were normal.

And yet something is very much not normal. It's not the failure that burdens me because I am still quite certain that the delegation will succeed. but there's something. It’s as if it is sitting inside my chest, shifting around whenever I think about... well. About the whole affair. About how it ended. About the person involved. I’m not sick. I’m not injured. But I feel off balance, restless and annoyingly aware of my own heartbeat.

I don’t understand what is happening to me and I don’t like not understanding things.

—S.

And a third.

Perhaps vacation would help? Or a new bike? Idk. Just saying.

Then a fourth.

No, they won't. I'm dying inside. I hope that it's a common flu and not something either lethal or contegious. I will keep you updated on my chances of surviving.

My dear daughter,

And to think, last time I offered my prayers, I wished that you might write more. Now that I see the power of my prayer, I shall be sure to be judicious with its use.

I glad to hear of the Clan's success, but sorry to hear of your personal losses. I am even more sorry to hear that you may be dying of a mysterious malady, and that none of your usual remedies are working. Do keep me informed as to your continued survival; I would miss you terrible if you were gone, and could only be consoled by turning your old room into a home office. Yes, I already have one, but yours would get more sun.

Based on what you describe, it sounds as though you may be suffering from a broken heart. Oh, my child. I am afraid that we Scorpion are not immune to our own venom. If this is the case, you truly have my deepest sympathies. I can assure you that it will get better. And the next time, it will be easier.

For healing, I prescribe that you break three hearts in return over the next three months. I recognize that this is a very generous allotment of time for such a task for you. I am including a bit of time to remember that you are Bayushi Senshuken, that my blood flows in your veins, and that we are never beaten.

If anyone attempts to needle you over family dinner, I shall transfix them with such a chilly glare that they shall think they've been ejected into space.

Caringly,
Mother

Mother,

Your letter reminded me, painfully, elegantly and with that trademark precision of yours, why I have always admired you. Truly your mastery is unmatched. You know exactly which words to use, in precisely which order, to manipulate your offspring into rising from the ashes with posture, eyeliner and ambition restored. It is inspiring. And terrifying. Mostly inspiring.

Naturally, I accept your challenge. Although I must point out that I only have two months, twenty nine days and twenty three hours remaining to locate and arrange the third of these so called hearts. Fortunately, I already have something in the works. Is this the challenge you want to base my entire recovery upon, dear Mother?

Speaking of which. Judging by your previous words, you will be pleased to know that my mysterious malady continues to ravage me in subtle and humiliating ways. My temperature is fine, my pulse is steady and my physician claims I am “perfectly healthy,” which only proves they are incompetent and cannot detect complex ailments of the spirit, or the embarrassment glands, which I am certain I have strained.

Whatever this is, Mother, it is absolutely not a “broken heart.” Nor anything related to… fondness. Or longing. Or romantic interest. Absolutely not. This is clearly a rare, refined, Scorpion only illness brought on by excessive duty and inconveniently attractive people. A documented medical phenomenon, I’m sure.

All that said, I do believe a motherly embrace might help. Strictly for diagnostic reasons, naturally. But since falling into your arms like the tragic heroine I definitely am is something that you have not encouraged since I was three years old, perhaps we could consider a more probable alternative.

For instance:
Two weeks of paid vacation.
A small (or medium or somewhat large) financial contribution to help your afflicted daughter regain stability after such a challenging condition. A gesture of compassion, really. A life saving trick. Surely you would support such preventative medicine.

I remain fragile, melodramatic, but in no way romantically compromised,

Bayushi Senshuken

P.S. I will keep you informed of my continued survival. Know that now a new symptom has been added. My temperature suddenly rises when I think certain thoughts. My suffering continues. I have come to believe I’ve inhaled a cursed pollen that affects only Bayushi women of exceptional talent. You don't want me back home so soon. My presence would put you at risk.

My Dear Daughter,

Good.

Although perhaps even my words could use some additional precision. I meant to suggest that you might acquire and break three new hearts. It surprises me not one bit that you already have two in the palm of your hand, simply waiting for you to close your fingers. Had that been all I'd intended for my challenge, I would have simply stated some trite nonsense like 'be yourself' and waited for nature to run its course.

I am sorry to hear that your malady still troubles you. Perhaps there is some truth to what you say, that it is a uniquely Scorpion condition. In that case, allow me to present you with some Scorpion wisdom. Everyone knows that deception is perhaps our best tool in dealing with others. What we know is that it is also our best tool in dealing with ourselves. Something to meditate on as you travel.

Despite that, I shall not engage in deception, of self or other, by suggesting that any sort of motherly embrace might help. Two weeks in some resort shall do you good. Perhaps someplace with excellent skiing. And I do wish you a speedy recovery, although I shall have the contractor take a look at your room just in case.

Do send me an electric postcard once you've reached your destination. One of the tacky sort with the resort's slogan or animal or whatever.

Sympathetically,
Mother

[Kakita Haruhi]

These letters are a treasure! Thanks for sharing.

[Kitsuki Ichitaiyo]

God, those letters add so much of what I hadn't seen of Senshu yet, my heart!

I still have all the scorpion plotting on my docket to read.

[Bayushi Hinata]

The letters really give context as to why Senshu is the person she is. It is refreshing to see a rich scion of a prestigious line be loved so deeply and with such a unique way of communication! It really shows off the chemistry between you and Craw after all these years playing together, thank you so much for sharing!

[Yasuki Taraka]

Those are amazing. Keeping them locked in your pf would have been a crime.

[Tamori Kanna]

Seconding Taraka's post, it would have been a crime to keep them locked away! I wish they had been visible during the game to shed some light on what happened behind the scenes.

Thank you for sharing, and for bringing so much energy and enthusiasm to the game!

[Susumu Sumiko]

Thank you for bringing back Senshuken! She is such a fun character to read.

Will the experiences in Nakahama change her much if at all?
Would she be happy or sad if Sumiko ended up marrying Hinata and joining the Scorpion?
When's the next race?

[Bayushi Senshuken]

Writing emails to her mother was a thing that started in the previous game. In that game there was no reason for the gms to answer because I was using them to show what a mess of a rich brat she was. She was mostly pleading for more money and complaining because as a courtier she was sent to do a courtier's job.

This time, there was an initial reason to write and I continued it mostly because I enjoyed writing them and reading Craw's responses. (Thank you, my internet guy, for taking the time to respond!)

Thank you for bringing back Senshuken! She is such a fun character to read.

Will the experiences in Nakahama change her much if at all?
Would she be happy or sad if Sumiko ended up marrying Hinata and joining the Scorpion?
When's the next race?

Sumi, Sumi, my eurobuddy who is there for me when I don't want to work at... work.

Sen was already a bit changed. She was less reluctant to actually do her job. Less bitter for being taken out of the racing circuit. She actually liked the island a lot (far less dangerous that the World of Dreams, lower stakes, quieter but not boring). Now about the ways she will change further? That vastly depends on what kind of rp I want out of her when I call her for duty in the next game. But! She let herself catch feelings for someone for the first time. This is new!

Apart from that, she will be happy if Sumiko is happy. Only a tiny bit sad for losing the with-benefits part from her BFWB!

The next race is in D12+1. She will be racing to get away from Ayame's ire. It's a two week race. The stakes are high. Will our arc-villain-turned-super-heroine manage to survive the wrath of a Crab warrior and win her heart at the same time? Stay tuned for our next episode. (Right after this announcement, the show got cancelled. We'll never know.)

[Boogiepop]

Hello!

Thank you for returning to Banner and playing the game! I know that Bayushi Senshuken was attached to a few characters in the previous Banner, who ultimately left, but it was nice to see Senshuken stick around and ultimately even reprised in this game.

How many girlfriends did she have? Oh, they asked that one already? XD

Honestly, Craw/Hatoful GM went above and beyond with those letters. They were super impressive!

Everything in the world remaining exactly how it was, what do you see as a possible future for Senshuken? In 5 years? 10 years? Obviously, not a contractually binding question!

[Bayushi Senshuken]

Thank you for having me! Truly. Returning to Banner felt like slipping back into a familiar kimono.

Now.
The girlfriends question.

Listen. Please. Let us all take a respectful step back from the word girlfriends. There are… people. Some of them are women. Some of the women out there were friends. Some of them were friends who went on dates. Some of those dates involved feelings. And letters. And music. And serious planning. That does not automatically create a ledger titled 'Bayushi Senshuken’s Official Girlfriends.' Absolutely not. Were there romances? Yes. Were there attachments? Also yes. But girlfriends implies conversation, intent and emotional clarity and Senshuken has been accused of many things but never those three at once! Please stop counting. She is sweating already.

As for the future, assuming the universe continues exactly as it is and no one sets it on fire out of spite or passion and tries to blame Senshu for it, in five to ten years from now Senshuken will almost certainly be married. Not for love, mind you. "Because I'm the last child Mother can sell." Marry. She meant marry, I promise! Obviously. Slip of the tongue. Horrible. Moving on.

She will continue dating and speeding, because habits die hard and she refuses to give up racing hearts or actual bikes. She will do her duty as a businesswoman, which still feels deeply incorrect and occasionally makes her stare into the distance whispering. “Kami, what have I become.” She will also continue as a courtier. Yes. Ew again. But a very effective one, teeth hidden behind silk and charm, always smirking like she knows something others do not.

In whatever time is left between obligation and impulse, she will live loudly and love badly but honestly without of course admitting it.

Or she might mature a tiny bit.

Now please excuse her. Someone has mentioned the girlfriends again and she needs a drink.