"We're reporting live from outside the newly refurbished City Centre of Lagaard, here with the new Senator of the Okugawan Council – Kokichi Ouma won the popular vote of the people of Okugawa. Ouma, how do you feel about the future of Lagaard with yourself in charge?"
The televised interview of the outside of the City Centre rang throughout the centre itself, the officials inside watching intently, more-or-less.
"…T-That boy looks kind of familiar…" Touko clutched onto her braided hair, keeping a fairly intent look on the broadcast as Kokichi gave his response to the reporter, smiling to her and waving to the crowds.
"How so?" Celes deadpanned, standing by the open window and balcony. The balcony overlooked the event in question – Kokichi providing the crowds with the answers they wanted.
"Y-You remember Byakuya's childhood friend, right…?" Touko responded, as Celes wandered back towards the television along the wall.
"Vaguely…" Celes took a glance at the televised broadcast, frowning and trying to remember. "... My, you have a point. Little Yamagi didn't do too bad for herself after dying, no?" She gave a laugh, to which Touko responded with a scowl.
"S-Still… Yamagi rejected nobility… b-but a lookalike is t-taking on a role of nobility." Touko sighed, before lying back.
Celes shook her head, before turning her attention to exactly what was being said over the broadcast.
"… planning to provide a safer, cleaner community here in the Capitol, now that it's back on its feet after the Tragedy of Okugawa."
"And what do you plan to do about the rising popularity of androids, robots, cyborgs, and CyBERs?" The reporter asked, handing the microphone back over to Kokichi.
"They're not humans – they're robots, and they should be treated as such. We will be denying citizenship to them." Kokichi responded, smiling as he elaborated. "They will still be protected under discrimination rights, but they will be given a different set of rights. Because they are different. An android, a robot, a CyBER? They can't think for themselves beyond a simple computer program. Any thinking is done by a machine, rather than a creative solution by-"
Celes shut the television off with a groan, though she could still hear the faintest thralls of Kokichi's voice from the open window and balcony.
"H-He's got Yamagi's looks, b-but not her attitude…" Touko commented, staring towards the ceiling.
"Ruthless, stubborn, willing to sacrifice others to advance what they believe to be the greater good…" Celes responded, to which Touko gave a shrug.
"P-Point taken… st-still, this guy gives me horrible vibes."
"You're one to talk. Your body's still 100% natural." Celes tapped her temple, placing emphasis on her eyes.
"Y-You put yourself in that situation…" Touko groaned.
"The details aren't important anymore. That was four years ago." Celes retorted, following Touko's lead and lying back. "Besides. Nagito is 90% robot. He's going to get affected by this boy's political pushes. Nanami, too."
"Kuzuryuu's also going to be affected…" Touko pointed out, rolling herself onto her side.
"Look, I wouldn't be opposed to shoving him onto the freeway, but I don't believe that someone who assisted taking down the woman who caused the Tragedy of Okugawa should be stripped of their rights." Celes sighed. "Maybe tea will help clear our heads."
A request order and ten minutes later, both women were sitting up in front of a marble-white, hovering tray, a cup of milk tea in both of their hands. The tray soon situated itself on a desk in the room, as the two began to drink.
"… Do you ever worry about your position, Touko?" Celes inquired, trying to change the topic from the new Senator's agendas.
"I-It's no Senator's Advisor, b-but… honestly, i-it's better than playing th-third wheel to a man who p-picked you over someone who cared about him." Touko retorted, before taking a sip of her tea.
"I did love Byakuya, hard as that is for you to believe." Celes responded, giving a tilt of her head. "I simply gave him his space when he required it. Anyway, let's not dwell on the past. Byakuya's long gone now."
"F-Fine… My position's pretty stable. Speech writing… I-I can manage that fairly easily. Not many other people can." Touko replied. "… Yours?"
"I'm quite good with diplomacy and manipulation, so being a diplomat for Okugawa? I'd say that position's quite stable, too." Celes gave a smile, and for a few minutes, silence hung between the two, broken occasionally by sips.
"… D-Do you think anybody's found out a-about your part-time profession?" Touko asked, finally, breaking the silence between the two.
"Unless CyBERs, police, and the public have been following a mere diplomat like a hawk… ahaha, I don't believe so." Celes responded, smiling. "Or if they've heard about it from you."
"I-I don't have a reason to tell… b-besides, you'd kill me if I did."
"You learn quickly, Touko."
"Y-You tried killing me the last time I was going to talk… o-of course I wouldn't tell." Touko sighed, standing up with her now-empty cup. "B-Besides, there's no benefit to talking…"
"Here, mine too." Celes handed her own over, and with a scowl, Touko took the cup, placing both back on the hover tray. The tray took off with the two cups, leaving the room. "I commend you for being a quick learner, Touko."
"Y-Yeah, whatever…" Touko returned to the large couch, sighing. "... I-I'm gonna be honest… I miss the days where we were actively fighting something. That… that was the most alive I've ever felt."
"We were constantly at risk of dying a horrific death at the hands of a tyrant or a necromancer's undead army. I can't say I miss that." Celes twisted a piece of her hair around her finger, trying to avoid getting her finger tangled. Letting her hair grow out might not have been a wise decision in her retrospect, but it felt a lot better than the fake drills she used to wear.
An announcement broke out through the intercom. "All androids, robots, CyBERs and cyborgs will report to the main hall immediately." The announcement demanded, before shutting off. Touko turned to Celes, who simply shook her head in response.
"Y-You might lose your job if you don't go…" Touko pointed out.
"The only cybernetic enhancement I have is my eyes, Touko, after they were gouged out. If I'm regarded as a cyborg, you can be regarded as a panther." Celes responded.
"P-Point taken… what are you going to do instead?"
"Meet with Nagito and Chiaki, try my luck with the underground. Later tonight, obviously, I wouldn't dare go out and do this in broad daylight."
"… So what about now?"
"Both you and I could probably use a rest. If this is our new Senator… any rest we can get will be needed."
"W-What, we go back to our homes and rest?"
"What, you cannot take a nap here? It's quite comfortable."
Reluctantly, Touko laid back down on the large, silvery-beige couch.
"… Y-You're not going to do anything to me while I'm asleep… right?" Touko inquired, frowning.
"I can't do much to you in your sleep if I'm also going to be asleep, Touko." Celes responded, before giving a dainty yawn and lying on the other side.
"… Right." Touko responded, waiting for Celes to close her eyes, before doing the same.