[X] Sekibanki was swayed.

[x] Sekibanki held fast
-[x] Once I finish here we'll go, okay?

[z] Sekibanki held fast
-[e] Once I finish here we'll go, okay?

Compromises.

[X] Sekibanki held fast
-[X] Once I finish here we'll go, okay?

Wow, you actually did it.

(X) The Bankister held fast and firm.

I know any one of us would lose his head over a chance to go on a date with a Banx noggin, but I would never have taken Kogasa for a fellow degenerate.

[X]Seki "Sex Machine" Banki was swayed

The absolute fucking madman.

[X] Seki "Sex "The Bankster" Machine" Banki was swayed

[X] Sekibanki was swayed.

[x] Seki "Four heads are better than one" banki held fast

[x] Sekibanki was swayed.

[x] Sekibanki was swayed.

I better go ahead and call the votes before they end up tied again. Sekibanki will be heading out with Kogasa!

Holy shit, this is back! Well, sorta back I guess. Still very excited to see what else you've got planned, I loved Heads Up and really missed it when it was gone. Got a lot of questions though: what happened between Reimu and Kogasa in "training?" Are Kogasa and Banki dating now? What other wacky shenanigans happened while Banki was waiting for her body to heal? And how did she finally convince Tenshi to work for her? I HAVE SO MANY QUESTIONS!

>>40491

Yo dude, you can't just ask questions like that to OP if he isn't acting in character in the thread. That's what story exposition is for.

>>40491
> Well, sorta back I guess.

I want to resume my other stories too, but so far I'm flat out updating this one. Hard to write much when you're messily emptying your guts every few hours.

> what happened between Reimu and Kogasa in "training?"

If I don't fuck it up, lots of HNNNNNNNNNNNNNG.

> Are Kogasa and Banki dating now?

Look at the title. Look at the votes. You can solve this.

> What other wacky shenanigans happened while Banki was waiting for her body to heal?

All of them. I come up with new ideas faster than I can write them. Kogasa in a miko outfit? Older than the Christmas short.

> And how did she finally convince Tenshi to work for her?

Next update might shed some light on that... then again, it might not.

> I HAVE SO MANY QUESTIONS!

Ego status: fed.

>>40492
> acting in character in the thread

Why'd you leave us, Marisa? (;_;)

Ten, actually, if you count stumbling around with no eyes or ears as being somewhere.

Which I don't, because I actually have to do stuff.

"...after work, okay?" I say.

"But-"

"I don't have some ancient art that can make me a years's worth of money in a week."

"Then-"

"Plus my reputation is bad enough without me skipping out on working at the drop of a hat."

"You-"

"I need to give this my all, dammit! I like living in the village!"

"But if we wait that long we're gonna miss out!" Kogasa whines.

Enough with the godsdamned love song already!

"...alright," I say, looking anwhere but at her.

"Hooray!" Kogasa cheers.

"Just today," I clarify sternly. "Not tomorrow, or the next day, or the day after that, no matter how much you beg!"

"Aye cap'n!"

I heave a long sigh and massage my forehead.

"...you," I say, jabbing a finger at Sekibanki the Riceless, "take over. And you," I add, poking the smuggest Celestial ever to walk the Earth in the small of the back.

"Not. One. Word."

I'm not sure it's legal for someone to enjoy cooking that much. Or have a voice that freaking beautiful. She really does sound like an angel.

"Let's go," I groan, trading places with my other head. "Before I change my mind."

Kogasa's smile damn near gives me sunburn. I follow her outside, feeling the eyes of every customer watching me. Judging me.

...they're not even looking at me, dammit! There's like three other heads floating around the room, who's going to notice one more?

Kogasa scoops her umbrella up from its spot by the door and twirls it open in one smooth, practiced-to-perfection sweep. At least she finally took the stupid decorations off it. She looks like a perfectly respectable girl with a perfectly respectable karakasa, color scheme be damned. Even if it is really the other way around.

Stupid tsukumogami.

"Good morning, Miss Tatara!"

"Good morning!"

"Good morning Miss Kasa!"

"Good morning!"

Everyone and their dog greets Kogasa warmly as we pass. Her smile is like a plague. The cheeriest, cutest, most endearing plague ever. It splits your face like a rotten tomato and sucks all your sweet, juicy worries away.

...it's like everyone has forgotten she freaking decapitated someone in the middle of the village. And I'm not talking about yours truly. I try to reconcile the innocent, carefree girl beside me with the thousand-year-old professional killer and suddenly feel very cold.

She scares the absolute piss out of me.

...so why do I like her?

I like it when she touches me.

I like it when she kisses me.

But which one is it?

Someone once told me that youkai are attracted to strength. I think it was that moon doctor. Smug bitch, but she knew her stuff. I called bullshit at the time, but...

...what if she was right?

"Heeey. You okay back there?"

"Hweh?"

Godsdammit brain work.

"I-I'm fine! Everything is fine! I'm definitely not feeling guilty because I should be at work!"

Kogasa giggles.

...just bury me now.

"So, uh, the shrine, then?" I ask. Totally noticed we'd left the village.

"Yep! The cherry blossoms there are the best, after all!"

"...you sure that's a good idea?"

"It'll be fine! Reimu won't even know we were there!"

Kogasa walks the rest of the way in cheerful silence. On foot. Which means climbing up aaaaaaall those stairs.

Makes my knees hurt just watching her, and I didn't even bring 'em.

When we finally get to the top, we're greeted by a breathtaking sight... of complete and utter chaos.

"Whaaaaaaaaaaaat? Why are there so many people here!?" Kogasa wails.

"Hell if I know," a grumpy miko growls. "Shingyoku! Quit yapping and get over here!"

"Yes, Lady Hakurei..." a guy I've never seen before in Shinto priest garb sighs.

We quickly put some distance between ourselves and Reimu, which is easier said than done because the place is packed. Suika and Yuugi are drinking up a storm with a bunch of tengu and kappa. Mamizou and her gang are getting chummy with the crazy hermit. The Taoists are bugging the Myouren crew. Clownpiece and her circus cronies are huddled together conspiratorially. The Scarlets are out in force - even the little sister is here.

And that's just the people I know. A chick with a horn like Yuugi's is drinking with an stern, bearded old guy. Some shinigami is trying to keep a blond woman wearing a sunhat from taking all her other clothes off. A girl with pigtails is pulling faces and blowing raspberries at a kid with four... five? giant eyeball... things floating around her, who is copying her.

"Hey! Quit teachin' her dumb stuff!"

...since when did the Ordinary Magician have a kid?

I'm so busy gawking that I don't notice when Kogasa suddenly stops, and bump right into her. I peer over her shoulder and oh fuck why am I here.

Yuuka Kazami is wrestling with someone with long green hair. And not the sexy kind of wrestling, either. In fact I'm pretty sure any normal opponent would be being ripped limb from limb right about now. Which suggests that whoever she's fighting is at least as strong as she is and Yuuka just threw her straight at us.

We don't have time to dodge, but thankfully it doesn't matter - she flies right through us.

CRASH

...though apparently not through whoever was behind us.

"Mima you dick," an exasperated voice groans.

"Gahahahahahaa!"

Then Yuuka sits up, hair mussed and clothes askew, and starts laughing hysterically. While looking in our general direction.

Two seconds later Kogasa and I are behind the shrine.

"Ah geez!" Kogasa fumes, "I wanted to get here early so there wouldn't be anyone else yet! How can anyone enjoy the cherry blossoms in the middle of a riot!?"

I take a look around. Mokou and princess wassername smirking at something. The lady of the netherworld, her gardener, her cook, and Reisen drinking sake in refined silence. The Prismriver Ensemble playing some soft music.

"...seems quiet enough back here," I hazard.

"But there's too many people!" Kogasa huffs.

...what, exactly, was she planning on doing here?

[ ] Sekibanki mingled.
[ ] Sekibanki lingered.

---

Sorry for the wait. I spent way too long polishing this turd.

[X] Seki "Halloween Blowjob Queen" banki mingled.
-[X] That flower chick was pretty cute. You wouldn't mind watching her for a bit.

[X] Sekibanki lingered.

Loitering time.

[X] Sekibanki mingled.

On the one hand, more time with Kogasa. On the other hand, Prismrivers and/or Mokou. Tough choice to make, that is.

Wait a minute, something is bugging me.

>goofy umbrella girl
>thousand-year-old professional killer

You're not the only one who's confused, Banki. Wasn't like half of Heads Up spent on Kogasa pointing out that she really is that nice and isn't secretly working on a master plan or harboring murderous tendencies? I'm sure there's something I'm not seeing and it'll make sense eventually, but I'm having trouble squaring the current Kogasa with someone who would straight-up execute somebody in the middle of the Human Village. Is it just me or does that not quite add up?

[X] Sekibanki mingled.

>>40498
Maybe it's some canon thing that got added at some point, but it's not ringing any bells for me either. Anyway this isn't the story I was hoping for when I saw a Kogasa picture on the main page but it's by the same author so that works too.

[x]Sekibanki Lingered

It's obvious what to do: she has to beat the shit out if Kogasa. Then, if she still likes her she will know that it wasn't due to her strength.

[x] Beat the shit out of Kogasa. Right now.

>>40498

I can't give you a straight answer without spoilers (I will write this shit one day I swear), but there's a very simple line of reasoning that will answer all of your questions at once. You're only missing one variable.

Doesn't mean I'm not a shitty writer for confusing you.

>>40498

Maybe it's a rumor she spread intentionally to capitalize on the free surprise food. She still needs to feed off human emotions or whatever.

On second thoughts, I think I'd rather not know.

Not that I'd have anything against it, whatever it was. Kogasa's not into stuff like that.

...that I know of. But surprises are kind of her thing...

OKAY CHANGING TOPIC NOW

"Well, they're here, so we may as well join in, right?" I say. Kogasa's shoulders slump.

"I guess so..."

"Hey Kogasa! Over here!"

A girl in a purple outfit a bit like mine waves at us, with hands full of spoils from the kitchen. A brown speck perched on the brim of her hat seems to be making a similar gesture.

"Sumireko!" Kogasa calls back.

"It's been ages," Sumireko says once we're better in earshot. The inchling on her head shoots me a grin.

"I, um, didn't think you'd be too keen on seeing me again after last time..." Kogasa says, rubbing the back of her head guiltily.

Right, Outside stuff. Still not sure what happened there. Shinmyoumaru glances between the two of them curiously. Sumireko laughs a little too nervously.

"Oh come on, that wasn't your fault!"

"But still, if I hadn't been there..."

"Then I'd probably have gotten myself into trouble later, without you to bail me out," Sumireko says quickly. "But anyway! Flowers! Friends! Food!"

"And don't forget the booze!" Shinmyoumaru cheers.

"Ahahahaha, I'm not old enough for alcohol yet..."

"Gensoukyou rules here, missy!" Shinmyoumaru insists, undeterred.

"You don't have to drink if you don't want to, whatever these knuckleheads say," Mokou says, plucking Shinmyoumaru up by the back of her kimono. "Yo," she adds in our direction.

"Yo," I reply.

"Graagh! Hey! Put me down!"

"Good morning Miss Mokou!" Kogasa says.

"- because I'm small doesn't mean -"

"I don't mean to rush you guys, but I haven't eaten anything all week, so..."

"- can do whatever you like -"

"Ah! You shouldn't neglect your health like that!" Sumireko scolds.

"- not a toy you can toss around as you please -"

"I don't die, so it's fine," Mokou says with a shrug.

"ARE! YOU! LISTENING!?"

"Shush," Mokou says, shaking Shinmyoumaru gently, "grown-ups are talking."

"Bleargh..."

"Anyway, let's not keep Her Highness waiting." Mokou waves us over to where Kaguya is sitting by herself.

"I'm a princess too, you know..." Shinmyoumaru mumbles.

"Then act like one, instead of a spoiled brat." Mokou drops her off in the middle of a neatly-prepared minature of the mat Kaguya is sitting on.

"Hmph." Shinmyoumaru tugs her clothes back down and folds her arms.

"Move over Kags, we've got guests," Mokou says, before flopping down beside Kaguya, her still-booted feet sticking out in front of her.

"Do you mind if we join you?" Kogasa asks politely.

"My my, with manners like that, how can I say no?" Kaguya says. She nudges Mokou with her elbow. "You should behave yourself, like she does."

"Don't wanna," Mokou retorts, grabbing a piece of tempura with her fingers before Sumireko has even finished putting the tray down.

"Really now, you could at least use your chopsticks like a civilized person," Sumireko says. Mokou just grunts.

"Don't waste your time, dear; she's a relic of a bygone era," Kaguya says haughtily. "Cavemen have no concept of table manners."

"If I'm a caveman you must be a great ape," Mokou retorts.

"That would make me blue-green algae," the one and only Eirin Yagokoro jokes as she arrives with even more food.

"Uh, hey Doc," I say, moving out of her way.

"Hello Sekibanki," Eirin replies. "Staying well, I hope? You look a little, shall we say, not all there at the moment..."

"Ha. Ha. Ha," I deadpan. "Some of us have to work for a living, even in spring."

"You poor, inferior beings," she says with a healthy dollop of mock pity and a side of ham. "Now you know how I feel managing the household and clinic all by my lonesome while my apprentice is off rutting with that half-dead gardener."

"...they're that bad?" I ask, shooting a glance over to where Youmu and Reisen are sitting side-by-side.

"No, but I do wish she'd spend less time daydreaming when she is supposed to be working," Eirin sighs.

"Joys of youth, eh?" Mokou says with a smirk.

"You're one to talk," the doctor shoots straight back, cocking an eyebrow and looking between her and Sumireko. Sumireko splutters and reddens.

"How's Keine these days?" Mokou asks, unconcernedly taking a swig of her sake. "Her new neighbours don't like me visiting much."

"I have a professional interest in her psychological wellbeing," Eirin says loftily.

"Don't mean you're not makin' out with her on the side," Mokou grunts. "Gods know she could use some love right now."

Eirin puts down her bowl and opens her mouth, but Sumireko cuts her off.

"Hey, uh, now that we're all here, do you mind if I take a group photo?"

Eirin's professional smile returns so fast I can practically hear the snap.

"Not at all."

Sumireko pulls her... whatchamacallit out and holds it up, fiddling with the glowy side. Shinmyoumaru quickly wipes her face and straightens her skirt, and I catch a few other movements around the group out of the corner of my eye. Kogasa pokes at my bow.

"Uh, I can't quite reach... can we all move together a bit or something?"

"Can't you just levitate it?" Mokou asks. Sumireko shakes her head.

"It's a capacitive touch screen, I can't operate it with my telekinesis. Maybe if I had some wire..."

"I'll get it," Kogasa says, jumping up.

"But then you won't be in the picture!" Sumireko says.

"That's okay, I don't really fit in this group anyway," Kogasa says. "We can take another one afterwards, right?"

"I guess so..."

Sumireko hands the device over. I stay behind Kogasa where I belong as she steps back and holds it up, poking and rubbing at it.

Huh. It really is a picture of everyone.

"Smile!"

Kogasa prods something with her thumb, and it makes an odd clicking noise, twice.

Mokou has her hand behind Kaguya's head, two fingers poking up like minature rabbit ears.

"How's that thing work, anyway?" Mokou asks, gesturing at it as she withdraws her other hand. "It looks too small to fit lenses and film."

Sumireko and Eirin start talking over each other about stuff that goes in one of my ears and comes straight back out the other, no matter how hard I try to follow the conversation. Mokou either understands way more than I do or is doing a really good job of pretending she does, nodding along and interrupting with questions.

Kogasa, meanwhile, is still playing with Sumireko's picture-board.

"Ooooh! Who's this handsome young man~?" she suddenly asks, grinning like an idiot.

"Wha- HEY! Give that back!"

Sumireko scrambles to her feet and snatches at it, but Kogasa dances out of the way, continuing to flip though the pictures with one hand while holding Sumireko off with the other. Sumireko lunges at it over Kogasa's forearm, leading to her dangling awkwardly in midair while bent almost double. Kogasa holds her up with ease.

...why does nobody ever remember they can fly?

"I rest my case," Mokou says to nobody in particular, waving her sake bottle in their direction. Shinmyoumaru is either laughing or choking.

"That was mean," Sumireko huffs, puffing her cheeks out and hugging her reclaimed belonging to her chest.

"I couldn't help it! To think a misfit like you has a boyfriend-"

"I'm telling you he's not my boyfriend! And who are you calling a misfit!?"

Eirin picks up my chopsticks from where Kogasa left them and offers me some more tempura.

Ah, spring.

[ ] Sekibanki was vigilant.
[ ] Sekibanki was ruminant.

---

I actually finished this yesterday but never got around to posting it. I'll forgot my own head at this rate...

[X] Sekibanki was ruminant.

[x] Sekibanki was rumiant.

[x] Sekibanki was vigilant.

Outsider, do you feel like you deserve the happiness they have?

[X] Sekibanki was vigilant.

With a crowd like this and the alcohol flowing freely, paranoia is less of a flaw and more of a survival skill.

[X] Sekibanki was vigilant.

Ever vigilant.

[X] Sekibanki was vigilant.

[X] Sekibanki was ruminant.

I feel a tie creeping up on me. Better call it.

Sekibanki will be keeping her head on swivel.

Okay, I'm not going to drag this out: I'm thinking of dropping this story.

Something has been bugging me about it for a while, and >>/gensokyo/14861 finally let me see what was right under my nose: this story does not have a plot. It has a goal, but getting there is not going to be very interesting.

On the other hand, Heads Up! had no plot or goal, and I was getting as many as twelve votes a day on the few occasions I actually managed daily updates. So I know there are people out here who like that kind of thing.

And on the gripping hand, I don't want to write two meandering slice-of-life stories. So I'll leave the choice up to the people who actually read this shit:

[ ] Finish what you started, faggot.
[ ] UMBRELLA UPDATES WHERE
[ ] Write a proper story already geez.

[x] UMBRELLA UPDATES WHERE

Tough choice. I like Sleepybanki and Umbrella Girl. If I have to pick a story, I guess I'll stick with this one here.

[X] Finish what you started, faggot.

[x] Do what makes you happy.

Wanna completely rejigger the current story somehow, retcon everything, whatever? Do that. If you wanna kill it off and start a different thing, do that instead, then. You do alright with 'gasa and 'banki, so I wouldn't mind more of the same, but don't kill yourself on our account. Figure out what works for you and just do it. Better to ask forgiveness and all that good shit.

[X] Do what makes you happy.

You're the writer, write what you enjoy. Write what you want.

[x] Write a proper story already geez.

Pls stop with the hiatus/cancelation people.

[x] Do what makes you happy.

Remember the mantra: "It's just a show (or story in this case), I should really just relax." If you aren't enjoying yourself, go ahead and take a break; I for one will be here when you come back. That being said, I don't give a damn about any plots or lack thereof, I'm here for character interaction, and I think you're doing a damn fine job of it. More Heads Up! would definitely make my day, but this seems like a pretty good story in a similar vein, so if you want to continue this then go for it. I suppose I'm rambling, but what I'm trying to say is that I like both stories as well as your writing style in general and I'd be happy to read whatever you want to write with these characters. Of course, if I have to pick one or the other then I have to go with

[X] UMBRELLA UPDATES WHERE

but I'll be happy to read whatever you want to write, so don't worry about it too much. Sorry about the wall of text!

[x] Do what makes you happy.

I liked them both, plot or not, but if you'd be happier writing something else then go ahead.

My mind says [x] Do what makes you happy.
but my hearts screams [X] UMBRELLA UPDATES WHERE

SEKIBANKI STORY NEVER!

CURSED, CURSED IS THE DULLAHAN!

I saw this coming from a mile and a half away, and yet I feel no elation - no sense of victory - only a calm certainty that we have once again walked blindly into a THP's trappings. I couldn't make sure whether Duct Tape had ever truly meant to write a Sekibanki story... and now it appeared I would never know.

Hey YAF. Dunno who Duct Tape is, but I did mean to write a Sekibanki story. I'm also wasted as fuck because of lol real life, so I fucked it up so hard I feel like the morning after a party I don't remember. Yay me.

Anyway, story dropped. I think I'll sleep for a week or so and decide what to do then. The sensible answer is nothing, but "wait until it blows over" is only a good excuse for temporary problems, so fuck it, I'm going to write something.

Might not be on THP though.