5040/Hold the Line

Hold the Line
Date of Scene:	22 January 2017
Location:	Tokyo-52605 <NXC>
Synopsis:	It's been a week since Nintendo held its big online (and RL) press conference with release details about their next game console, the Nintendo Switch. Now stores in Japan are finally taking preorders, and dedicated otaku have lined up overnight to ensure their places in line to place their preorders. Tokyo-52605 being what it is, though, an overnight gathering of otaku is unlikely to go unmolested, no matter how many of them can (or more importantly, can't) protect themselves. Good thing a certain sage fox will be around to call for backup, right? .... what, you thought Xiaomu's going to give up her place in line? Not that easily - although she will if she has to ... and then there'll be hell to pay for whatever forced the issue upon her.
Cast of Characters:	707, 481, 898, Reiji Arisu, Deelel, Reina Kinney

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Xiaomu (707) has posed:
A little over a week ago, there was a big damn press conference hosted by Nintendo Co., Ltd., at which their next home* console, the Nintendo Switch, was formally unveiled to the world along with some of the company's plans.

Preorders *outside* Japan opened pretty much the very next day. Preorders *inside* Japan, however, were held off for a week ... and Xiaomu is one of many, MANY video game otaku who've been chafing at the bit for the intervening week; some of them have resorted to placing preorders overseas where feasible, while Xiaomu - taking advantage of her Multiversal contacts (read: Fayt Ravus) - has put in an inquiry about whether Fayt can get one for her if necessary.

Still. Ordering internationally (or across worlds) means waiting for shipping; Xiaomu would much rather go to the store, pay off the rest of her preorder, and carry her new Switch home on launch day. To that end, she needs to place her preorder in the first place - and here, now, she's in a fairly long line that literally formed overnight, the head of it being at the main door to the Akihabara gaming location of Sofmap.

The doors have not yet opened; however, Xiaomu's run down the charge in her 3DS *and* her PS Vita, and her smartphone is down to about 30% - close enough to plan on plugging it in to recharge as soon as she gets home. Many of the other otaku in line have been napping on their feet, or chatting, or conversing about what overseas politics will mean for the Switch and other game platforms over the months ahead.

None of them are paying any attention to a procession of youkai wending its way past the Kanda Myojin shrine a short distance away, and heading towards the main drag where Sofmap - and many other stores - are located. At least, Xiaomu isn't paying attention until a passing breeze bears a certain scent to her nose - that's the point when she looks up and around, vulpine ears pricking up.

She reaches for her phone, bringing up the actual 'make a phone call' screen and triggering a speed-dial code.

Kirika (481) has posed:
    Nobody seems to give a damn about the foxy lady with a sword perching atop a rooftop. Not that they'd notice Kirika, she's awfully sneaky when she needs to be sometimes, being a fox. She's standing out in the cold, a thick winter cloak draped over her as she glances down at Sofmap, perking her eyebrow at the crowd gathered. "So many people wait for this sort of thing? So curious." she muses softly.

Lumeria (898) has posed:
Lumeria's not exactly an otaku sure she plays video games but she's not the type to normally wait in line for them. Still, she needs to some to bribe a goddess for information with. The line was certainly long, being a female she's managed to talk a few people out of their places but she's still pretty far back. Sure, she could likely use her magic to move up but that might attract unwanted attention.

Reiji Arisu has posed:
Why is it always Akihabara?

    It seems like the electronic city is a hotbed for happenings of the supernatural kind anymore. Maybe it's all the electronics stores. Maybe they've all been arranged in a great big pattern that somehow makes the district enticing towards all manner of beastly things. Or maybe it's just that there are a lot of people here who wouldn't object too badly with going along with a youkai or two. Heaven knows there's enough material on the subject in manga and anime these days.

But that's a digression.

    A car passes by a busy intersection just moments before all the traffic lights in the district turn red. A lone man in a combat jacket somehow materializes behind the car as it drives by, standing right in the path of the advancing youkai. Reiji Arisu shoots the Hyakki Yagyo a glare, and unlimbers a...

...Megaphone?

    "Attention," Reiji speaks into the megaphone. "If you are here to reserve a new gaming console, please form an orderly line on the sidewalk leading up to the Sofmap. If you are here for the local attractions, please make your way to the cafe of your choice, but do not touch the maids. If you're here to cause trouble, turn away now or face the consequences."

Reiji Arisu is apparently doubling as Traffic Cop.

Deelel has posed:
Deelel had taken up to playing User Games, sure they were fun and didn't mulch progeam like say the GAMES CLU ran though she wondered about the systems tht ran therm where there basics like here going about their lives while she played? That lead her to some very honestly? Scary relgious thought for her. She'd been in line near Xiaomu and she may end up having to give up her own place in line as something may be going on here. She lets out a unhappy noise, she wanted to get one of these things.

Reina Kinney has posed:
Having heard about what was happening through StarkNet, Reina decided to come into the area to try to keep an eye on things just in case they got out of hand. She didn't have any weapons visible, but that could change at the drop of a hat. Not to mention her unarmed fighting skills and her TECHNICs worked wonders too. But for now, she was just keeping an eye on how things were for the time being, and she was hoping they didn't get out of hand. Although, her gut instinct was telling her something else was up...

Xiaomu (707) has posed:
Fortunately, it's not exactly a Hyakki Yagyo in the strictest sense of the phrase. There aren't anywhere near a hundred youkai, and it's not so much 'night' as 'early morning,' so that's two kanji down out of the usual four.

Unfortunately, it's still a few dozen youkai sauntering down the street, ranging from kappa to bakeneko to oni. None of them look terribly well-nourished, most of them look various shades of irked, and as Reiji calls out his official spiel of directions and a cursory warning, a half-dozen kamaitachi erupt into motion too fast for the normal eye to follow. Three of them keep going straight for Reiji.

The other three hang a sharp right at the intersection, leading the youkai charge south.

It's about three blocks - long ones - from the intersection to the tail end of the line at Sofmap; there are lines outside a couple of other stores, like Gamers and Liberty and Yodobashi Camera, as well. Most of the youkai who continue into the intersection seem like they're inclined to join the rest of the southbound group - that is, if they make it into the intersection in the first place.

(There are exactly two catgirl-form bakeneko who duck *north*; both are in maid costumes, and they give sheepish-looking, apologetic bows to Reiji and any others as if to say, 'we're not with those troublemakers.)

And in the Sofmap line, Xiaomu just looks intensely annoyed as she peers northwards. "Can't promise much, Deelel, but I'll swing what I can. Got your credit card? That'll make it a little easier - and I swear not to use it for *my* benefit," she adds. It doesn't look like Xiaomu is going to get out of line to join the fray ... ?

Lumeria (898) has posed:
Lumeria feels a twinge as the youkai get closer. This was a two-sided situation, a light mage was well equipped to deal with the Youkai but she's also quite vunerable to them as well. Still, if she didn't do something she might become too fatigued to stay in line. Not to mention she's likely a rather tempting meal for them.

It takes her a moment to think of a compromise, "If anyone takes my place in line, they're going to get a nasty rash in an uncomfortable place!" She glares at the others behind her as she says that and removes her book from its satchel. She keeps some distance from the Youkai as she steps out of line, letting them get within melee range of her wasn't a good idea.

Kirika (481) has posed:
    It doesn't take long for Kirika to get involved with the others via radio. Her surprise is definitely pretty great, but she otherwise takes Xiaomu's orders to head northward, swiftly taking off toward where it seems to be trouble is brewing, three blocks away from Sofmap.

    She sprints and leaps from building to building, before she spies a few dozen thugs causing trouble. Leaping from the rooftop, Kirika teleports to ground level in a flash of petals and light, before she rematerializes, dropkicking one of the thugs swiftly out of nowhere.

    You couldn't think of a more fittingly concise way for the fox to enter, really.

Deelel has posed:
Deelel has a cash card ya it has a union special forces logo on it but shockingly it's still good the company that issued itsomehow /endured/ through this whole mess and she'll move to pass it to Xiaomu. "Do what you can and if not I'm crashing at your place to play!"

She makes a bit of a face at one of the few people who can legitly call her a kid. With that she's going to get going to try and help direct things she's not going to be moving to intercept the misbehaiving ones she notices the catgirls who seem to be ducking out of the way she'll accept htey are not looking for troubel meanwhile Deelel goes to end up being a distraction.

Reina Kinney has posed:
There's something to be said about listening to a gut instinct, and that's why Reina listens to hers in this case. She spots the various youkai coming and she shakes her head. "It always seems that when things are at their worst, they can always get even more worse!" She sighs and shakes her head, before snapping her fingers on her right hand and causing her sword, with a blue energy beam for a balde, to materialize in her right hand. "Guess it's time for a little real life role-playing?" She says sarcastically, before looking to size up the situation and figure out which one to take on first.

Reiji Arisu has posed:
Of course, nothing can be so easy that just asking nicely will ever work.

    Three Kamaitachi charge at the exorcist faster than the human eye can see. Reiji's lips tilt almost imperceptibly into a frown before he turns the megaphone so that its narrow end baps one Kamaitachi on the nose. Bernoulli's principle suddenly takes hold, causing that particular wind-weasel to experience a rapid and disruptive pressure drop while also actually widening out enough to slow the other two down. But, perhaps not enough for Reiji to avoid ending up with a thin, weeping wound across his face.

That's about when the remaining weasels get a flaming sword right to the snoots.

Specifically, a fire sword.

Reiji glances north towards those two Nekomata and frowns meaningfully as Karin burns through the Kamaitachis' airy essence. Just caught up in the crossfire, was it?

Xiaomu (707) has posed:
For better or for worse, the youkai are NOT just all charging in a single mad rush. On the plus side, this cuts down on how many the defenders have to deal with at a time - but it also means the youkai who hold back have a chance to size up how the mortals' protectors are dealing with the first batch.

And speaking of the first batch, those three kamaitachi never stoof a chance against Reiji's speed, skill, and mastery of basic human physics. 'What has science wrought' just doesn't quite encompass it, y'know? That still leaves the OTHER three kamaitachi heading south, but if Kirika didn't drop in and kick one of them out of being a danger, they'll be easy enough prey for a well-timed spell from Lumeria. But that was just the vanguard of the first wave; there are a couple of nekomata heading south as well, three tengu airborne and headed for Reiji, and a pair of river kappa just looking to throw down with anyone they can get. One of them actually seems to have wrapped truck-suspension-grade springs around his arms and fastened cast-iron 'fists' to the end of each .... almost as if he's taking a page from one of the games announced alongside the Switch. What's up with *that*?

(Well, if a Chinese fox spirit can be a fanatical gamer ....)

Reiji Arisu has posed:
    Tengu, kamaitachi and kappa. What, did Ouma run out of Video Game money, or something? Did Saya's internet connection finally get cut? Reiji grimaces at the arrival of the airborne tengu, but replaces his trusty sword with his equally trusty firearms. Gold and Hollywood are fired into the air like a combination of flak cannon and CIWS as the exorcist strafes his way over towards the other members of today's throw-down team.

Or at least, to rendezvous with Xiaomu. That would probably be a good idea.

Kirika (481) has posed:
    KIrika drops one of the thugs out of the fight. "Reiji," She greets the exorcist and fellow yokai fighter with a nod, before she draws her blade. "We should stop meeting this way." Her sword raises as she grips the weapon, blade glowing while she charges one of the thugs, specifically the Kappa with chain-fists as weapons.
    She will first go for severing the springs, without harming the kappa himself, before she tries to go any further in subduing this hooligan.

Deelel has posed:
Deelel has an idea as the trouble contiunesw to keep going, she sees the ones who left did indeed leave while more troublemakers keep comming. "You made me get out of line to handle this, I'm not happy and your not going to be happy glitches." She pulls omething out of her pocks and tosses them it seems to be some fort of grnade, the lucky thing is? It's just a flash one which could blind the whole horde.

"FIRE IN THE HOLE"

Lumeria (898) has posed:
Lumeria's attention turns towards Reina as she says that, "Never say that, because then it happens." She's savvy enough to know that. Her attention turns the nekomata as she casts a light spell to drive the catwomen away. She figures it's not necessary to hurt them severely just enough to get them to run away. If they were smart kitties they would leave before any of the others go after them.

Reina Kinney has posed:
"Too late for that now!" Reina comments as she takes aim at the nearest youkai. "We're gonna have to take them out!" She makes sure to aim away from the catgirls, being a cat lover herself. Instead, she aims for the more dangerous ones before firing.

Xiaomu (707) has posed:
That certainly is a lot of firepower suddenly being turned loose against the youkai, isn't it? It's almost like a tower defense game all of a sudden.

First in the path of onrushing youkai is Reiji, running and gunning, strutting and cutting, and generally giving the first wave of youkai a really bad time of it.

Kirika is next, but rather than dispensing the kind of general damage that Reiji's displaying to thin the herd, the elseworldly vixen just disarms the kappa. Fortunately, the kappa's REAL arms weren't there to get cut - which might be why the spring-things were there, who knows? - but two good slashes sever the springs, and the vaguely turtley monster just runs for it, straight up 'nope.gif'-ing out.

Then, *GRENADE* courtesy of Deelel. Much of the pack which had managed to survive Reiji's onslaught without beign singled out by Kirika (read: everyone but that one kappa) eats flashbang, which takes a lot of oomph out of the general charge that was shaping up.

The non-hostile catgirls are far enough away that a decent pair of sunglasses would keep them safe from Lumeria's light spell. They aren't wearing sunglasses, though - the sun's barely up for crying out loud, you have to be standing on a street which points towards the sun to even SEE sunlight right now - and so they, along with the other catgirls and light-sensitive types of other youkai, are abruptly removed from the equation.

That doesn't leave very much left for Reina to shoot, but that doesn't mean there are *none* left. The Guardian from Gurhal has her pick of dangerous-looking youkai to open fire upon ... and even if none of them are actually killed, those she shoots at are, well ... discouraged.

Discouraged enough to turn off the street and run for safer parts of the city, at least.

Those youkai who hadn't joined the fray are also dispersing ... and instead of the roars of monsters or the screams of terrified innocents, the only noise which remains is loud cheering and applause from the lined-up gamers. The cheering barely subsides as the stores begin opening for business and their customers file in to place their preorders; if Deelel is fast about it, she can even reclaim her spot in line (and her debit card) rather than Xiaomu having to justify placing two separate preorders. If the good guys choose to linger, they might even be asked to sign autographs.

Hey, what better way to drum up hype for a not-yet-released game system than by staging a fake youkai attack in Akihabara? At least, that's what all the otaku are absolutely convinced it was - and nobody will ever be able to convince them otherwise.

Reiji Arisu has posed:
    Another day, another gaggle of youkai sent running for the hills. Reiji breathes a long, tired sigh as the last few break off and disperse back to whatever hole they might have crawled out of. That WAS some very strange behavior, though. Did some of them just want a brand new game console? Were the others just here for the chaos of it? But they all seemed pretty haggard and hungry. That's... Mildly disconcerting.

If they're here just to eat, then... Hmn.

    "Kirika," Reiji says to the former Unionite. "You know, you never did drop in for that tour. Though I suppose that vacation we talked about would be a bit difficult to arrange anymore, wouldn't it? Ah well." The exorcist is drawn out of his quick conversation by... The sound of cheers. Cheering nerds. He squints at their teeming, dakimakura-cuddling faces and shakes his head. Of course they all think this is some kind of publicity stunt. Why wouldn't they?

Well, it'd make the job easier down the road.

Kirika (481) has posed:
    Kirika doesn't seem to be too terribly disappointed by the Kappa's retreat. In all honesty, he made the right call running when the chips were down. THere's no dishonor in knowing when to fold, after all. She nods to Reiji again, sheathing her sword deftly before she tucks it in her belt. "Perhaps. I still have that card you sent me, whenever time permits, I've some matters in Kasun you and Xiaomu could be of great assistance to me." She says cooly, before her ear perks, her head turning to the sight of chanting fanboys and girls. She does allow a smile, however. "I've not forgotten my promise however, soon we'll have a chance to meet under more pleasant circumstances."

    "I'm still curious about the thieves themselves. I doubt they desired the devices for entertainment purposes. Perhaps..." She rubs her chin, like she were scratching invisible stubble as per the tradition of your average ronin. "Perhaps there is great worth in them on the resale market somewhere."

Reiji Arisu has posed:
"No, you'd be surprised about youkai and gaming consoles," Reiji admits with just a hint of fatigue in his voice. "I'm more concerned that they seemed to be more haggard than the usual fare. Maybe Ouma is trimming the fat and these guys were out a paycheck, or something." He shaks his head.

"Just let us know when you might need the assistance," he says, then. "We'll do as much as we are now able."

Lumeria (898) has posed:
Of course Lumeria's not exactly the heroic type but she's not going to pass up the free attention. Besides she's even able to cut in line and is much closer to the front than she was before. If any of the others do compplain she'll just point out that she helped save the day.

Deelel has posed:
Deelel looks s things seems to see tht hing have settled fown for a momeht she takes a deep breath as it seems to be down, she will end up having several people asking her to sign things for them. It seems some people recall her from being a Union Elite.