"Did you see the latest network poll results on the city-wide holo-feed, Rhea?" Edelgard asked, resting a gloved hand on her hip. "Hah! Quatsch!" Edelgard laughed, her crimson high heels clacking tap-tap-tap against the metallic walkway. Standing at 162 cm, her compact, muscular frame radiated an unyielding presence. Her pale, fair skin held a subtle warmth beneath the vibrant neon lights, framing a sharply defined jawline and piercing violet-blue eyes. Thick platinum blond hair cascaded over her broad, well-toned shoulders. "The public rated my cyber-enhanced aesthetics far higher than your corporate-priestess look, Scheiße!" "Ya bint, please," Rhea replied smoothly, taking a slow, elegant step forward. Her towering 172 cm stature exuded timeless authority. Her alabaster skin was porcelain-steril, a cold, flawless canvas completely untouched by age or environment. Long, pale green waves of hair floated past her waist like spun silk, accentuating high cheekbones and tranquil, emerald-green eyes that looked down with motherly condescension. "The citizens of Neo-Fódlan value divine grace, habibi. The poll clearly favors my classic bio-vessel design over your industrial steel." BZZZZT! The holographic billboard above them glitched as the live votes updated, casting alternating shades of purple and gold across their faces. "Look at the data, Nein!" Edelgard demanded, pointing her thumb at the glowing screen. Her firm chest heaved under her tailored coat as her sub-dermal implants hummed with irritation. "My sharp, modern silhouette represents the future of humanity! People don't want an ancient, porcelain doll running the beauty algorithms. Wunderbar, I am leading in three major sectors!" "Khalas, Edelgard, do not let your ego overload your circuits," Rhea murmured with a serene smile, folding her arms beneath her voluptuous bust. "Your fans are merely rebellious teenagers who admire noisy weapons and leather jackets. Real elegance requires a spiritual aura, wallah." "Spiritual aura? Unglaublich!" Edelgard barked, taking two quick steps toward her rival until her strong chin almost brushed Rhea's shoulder. CLINK! Edelgard’s metal-trimmed collar tapped against Rhea’s golden brooch. "You use neural-filters to cheat the camera sensors! My look is pure, raw, augmented perfection. Ja, genau!" "Yallah, calm down before you burst a hydraulic valve," Rhea whispered softly, her emerald eyes glinting with hidden amusement as she casually adjusted her long green locks. "If my appearance was purely synthetic, why do the polls call my gaze 'captivating'?" DING-DONG! The central network announced the final poll results with a loud chime, locking both of their faces at a flat fifty-percent tie. "Tsk, Verdammt!" Edelgard cursed, staring at the split graphic in disbelief. "A tie? That is an insult to my revolution!" "Mafi mushkilah, little Emperor," Rhea chuckled gently, her cold alabaster face illuminated by the bright screen. "It seems the future belongs to both of us. Auf Wiedersehen to your victory speech."

then they looked at your arrival