Preperation for the big day

As the weeks went by, more and more of Ookuma's allies and party mates were bombarded with scandals.

"Rebelle! What is the meaning of this!?" Benise fumed.

"I DON'T KNOW!" Rebelle fumed.

"Kabuki's even gone quit on the matter too, though she thinks our party will fail to win the election."

"We only need to win 5 more seats! Of the 10 we're contesting, only 5 of our candidates have been hit with scandals. The others are fine."

"But all 5 of those that are fine are in the hardest districts to flip!"

"We have control of the house of councilors, worst case scenario, we don't make any gains and maintain our current composition."

"Hmm, That wouldn't be the worst thing that could happen. Though our party has never lost a seat it's won no matter how good the opponent is or how many more votes they receive. Very well. For now, I will assume the leadership position and claim Madam Ookuma is recovering from her injuries."

"*Tch* I don't think you're suited to succeed Madam Ookuma, I should."

"You don't hold an elected office like I do."

"I'm her secretary."

"You have too many conflicts of interest."

"Says the woman who's trying to build the largest human trafficking ring in the world!"

The two ended up arguing for hours.

The next day...

Staff and patrons gazed at the TVs in the restaurant as Sayuri Benise made her address.

"Everyone! I have made contact with Madam Ookuma. She is currently recuperating in a private medical facility. She will live, though the heinous wounds afflicted on her by supporters of the despicable opposition, must not go unpunished! Those monsters burned her home in the middle of the night because they are degenerates polluting this fine nation. Sadly, Madam Ookuma's beloved daughter Mao, passed away from her wounds. Madam Ookuma was deeply saddened, but also unwavering in her duty to reform this country. Because she is courageous, and you all can be too if you vote for our party in the upcoming election tomorrow!" Benise proclaimed.

In the restaurant, everyone booed.

"I will admit, that even though I respect Madam Ookuma, I do not hold Councilor Benise to the same degree of respect. Though if she can step up to the plate in Madam Ookuma's place, then she will naturally gain my respect," Benihime stated as she walked into the restaurant.

"Momma hates that akuma bitch and her party so much. I do too," Madoka declared as she finished her meal.

"That's our crepe goddess for you!" a patron cheered.

"The Ginkawas are the cool kind of aristocrats," another cheered.

                                                                         ...

At highschool, Serika grumbled as she glared at the notice for a major test coming up.

"Shit, this thing looks like it's gonna be hell. *Sigh* I want to one up that twintailed bitch though. Well, studying can't be that bad," Serika thought."

                                                                      ...

"Oh my, you look sapped of strength. The books clean you out?" Yuni taunted as a mentally exhausted Serika entered the restaurant.

"Shut up twintails," Serika mumbled as she staggered up to her usual spot.

"What happened to you?" Mimi asked as Serika slumped down on a table.

"Studying. Gimme brain food. Too tired to complain," Serika mumbled.

"*Sigh* Seems you've hit your limit on studying," Mochi sighed as she and Bianka arrived.

Bianka poked Serika a bit before sitting down.

"I'll kill you later for that," Serika mumbled.

"Yeah, she overcooked her brain. Get her something stimulating," Bianka ordered.

"I'll do my best," Mimi smiled.

                                                                       ...

Downstairs, Yuni watched Fubuki's latest video on her phone.

"Why the hell are you watching that crap here!?" Kasumi glared.

"I just feel like it. Besides, Fubuki's gonna expose all those Ookuma sycophants and send em to prison for all that they've done," Yuni replied.

"Not gonna happen, cause nobody believes that heathen," Azami snarled as she walked in with Mahi and Rebelle.

"My, your family watches Kabuki Dakota? Heh, say goodbye too your social life," Rebelle sneered as she snapped a photo of Yuni and the triplets.

"Don't you dare associate me with her! I hate Kabuki Dakota!" Kasumi glared.

"Yeah, you're just saying that to save your own ass. Look forward to YOUR expose in the coming days, or weeks, I will be busy with Tabemono and forming the new cabinet after all."

"What the hell do you three want?" Rika glared as she twirled a knife around.

"My, SO dangerous. You an assassin or something?" Rebelle sneered.

"State your purpose or I throw you out," Rika glared as she sheathed her knife.

"We came to sample our corrupted children's cooking," Azami glared."

"Oh wow, your face actually got better."

Azami responded by launching a kick and stopping it just before Rika's face.

"Inform Itsuki and Masaru to cook for us," Mahi ordered as she headed up to the terrace with her two accomplices.

On the terrace, Serika had perked up a bit more due to the arrival of her food.

"Energizing honey takoyaki. Congrats on creating a new item for the menu," Mimi smiled as she watched Serika eat.

"N- new item?" Serika asked as she stuffed her face.

"It's pretty common here, but now you've got your own dish."

"It tastes even better than the regular takoyaki."

"Heh, looks like we got a takoyaki goddess in the making."

Serika blushed and smiled as she happily munched on her food.

"A goddess huh? I mean I am beautiful, but no one's ever called me a goddess before," she mumbled as she sipped her matcha tea.

"Ugh, to think a degenerate delinquent would be polluting the terrace," Mahi scowled as her group arrived.

"The hell's your problem bitch?" Serika growled.

"Uh, you broke my pretty face!" Azami fumed as she ran up and grabbed Serika by the collar.

"Huh? What's going on?" Rebelle asked as she stared at Serika.

Before Azami or Mahi could explain, the live broadcast on the TV was suddenly hacked.

"Good evening Japan. My name is Fubuki Dakota and I am a journalist," Fubuki stated.

Azami immediately let go of Serika and stormed up to the TV as everyone throughout the restaurant gazed at Fubuki on the TVs. Serika happily smiled, while Yuni began to tear up a bit. Kasumi, Rebelle, Azami, Mahi, and a few others shot Fubuki glares of scorn, while everyone else gazed with no preconceived notions.

"So it's go time then," Rika thought as she thought back to her encounter with Fubuki at the end of January...

January 31st 2017...

"And how long will it take to bring down Ookuma?" Rika asked.

"It will likely go down to the wire. That woman is highly intelligent and crafty. All I can do is share the truth that I find. I'm merely a journalist, not an almighty super hero," Fubuki stated.

"But you captured footage of her attacking Mimi."

"Sadly, I was unable to provide significant proof, mainly the existence of Mimi herself. Considering you're the one that brought her to the cryogenics lab, I imagine the Ginkawas and all present had no idea how she was slashed. I only got footage of her backside, and Ookuma was able to weasel out of it. Part of it was my fault for not pursuing the lead well enough, though to be fair, I was sadly pre-occupied with not getting killed by Ookuma's goons."

"*Sigh* So close yet so far. Well, this time I'll cooperate so that that inhumane bitch can be brought to justice."

Back in the present...

Fubuki began listing off the misdeeds of Ookuma.

"Ruchi Ookuma has been rigging elections for years in various ways. Many poll workers in districts she wins are visited by her following the election. Publicly, she claims its to thank them for their service, but actually, she's microchipping them so that for subsequent elections, they always make her candidates win, allowing her to expand her seat count without the worry of losing seats. Though the most heinous way she manipulates people to vote for her party is by having her supporters disguise themselves as supporters of her opposition and commit heinous acts of violence, all to gather sympathy for her party and demonize her opposition. However, this year, Ookuma will be finished. Her minions are being exposed left and right. Speaking of which, the new face of Ookuma's movement, Sayuri Benise, actually runs a human trafficking ring. Don't believe me? Here's the proof," Fubuki stated as footage of Benise engaging in human trafficking and kidnapping played.

Rebelle immediately went pale as she recognized the footage as footage she had secretly taken of Benise.

"I met the brave individual whom secretly recorded all this footage, and they entrusted their work to me with the hope that all those whose misdeeds they captured be brought to justice and exposed for who they truly are," Fubuki stated.

Rebelle immediately fell to the ground in terror as her face became paler and paler.

"No, NO, NO, NO! She's setting me up!" Rebelle screamed in her mind.

"Rebelle? Are you alright?" Azami asked.

"F- F- Fine!" Rebelle smiled in terror as she bolted.

"*Tch* Guess I won't be able to make your life miserable today, punk," Azami glared at Serika as she and Mahi descended the stairs.

"Fubuki...Thank you for saving me from a tussle," Serika smiled as she sat back down.

"Gimme another order of the honey takoyaki. As for you two geniuses, give me the hell-course so I get a perfect score tomorrow," Serika ordered.

"Another order coming up!" Mimi smiled.

"Alright, prepare yourself. Mochi, let's light her brain ablaze," Bianka grinned.

"It's simply called studying. Very well. I'm at no liability for your exhaustion," Mochi declared as she glanced at the textbook Serika had with her.

                                                                              ...

Rika's eyes went wide with shock as a terrified Rebelle sped out of the restaurant. Her surprise grew even more when Azami and Mahi walked out shortly after.

"I thought they wanted to eat. Well, I ain't gonna press em. Wonder what happened," Rika thought as she headed up to the terrace.

When she arrived, she noticed Serika hard at work studying while Bianka and Mochi helped her.

"Heh, guess she spooked em," Rika thought.

                                                                           ...

Sayuri Benise grew both angry and terrified as the footage of her misdeeds played on TV.

"That bitch! She sold us all out! I bet she did something to Madam Ookuma too, that TRAITOR! I'm shipping her to the cult immediately!" Benise fumed as she threw a glass at the TV.

Suddenly, Reika, Mutsumi and a group of officers arrived at Benise's office.

"Tokyo metropolitan police! We're her to arrest you on suspicion of human trafficking charges Councilor Sayuri Benise," Reika glared as she flashed her badge.

"That was just the ramblings of a conspiracy-"

"We have hard proof as well as witness testimonies."

Benise immediately went pale and charged for the window of her second story office. She leapt out only to find a squad of officers waiting below with an air cushion. Benise squealed in terror and fell on the cushion, but used it as a springboard to leap over the officers and run away as fast as she could.

"Ara, she sure runs fast in heels. Seems I underestimated her a bit. Well, put out a warrant for her arrest," Reika ordered.

"Hmm, come to think of it. Her conviction along with the death of Councilor Segawa means Ookuma's party no longer has a majority in the house of councilors. Considering the special election for Segawa's vacant seat will take place tomorrow as well, a victory by the opposition would strip Ookuma's party of control of the house of councilors," Reika mused in her mind.

                                                                             ...

Rika smiled as Serika peacefully slept at the table mumbling answers in her sleep.

"She really studied hard. Guess I can let her sleep over. Hmm, this mall used to have a hotel, wonder if we can renovate it," Rika mused.

"Rika, please don't consider any new renovations as of this time," Masaru glared.

"*Shh* she's sleeping peacefully. I'll stand guard over her for the night."

"For the night!?"

"No need to worry, I'll take her home," Reika smiled as she arrived.

She packed up Serikas things before holding Serika in her arms like a princess.

"Looks like she worked hard. Thanks for watching her," Reika smiled as she left with Serika.

"Heh, no problem you unreliable jackass," Rika smiled.