Night falls. Sir Iida escorts her from her room and out of the tower, Camie following close behind. It's a little disorienting being out and walking so freely, among bright flowers that glow under strings of electric lights hanging all over a secret garden that makes her wonder if she's walked into a dream. It's certainly not a treatment reserved for a prisoner, that's for sure.
"You are no prisoner, Princess Uraraka Ochako-kun!" Sir Iida declares with a meaningful flash of his glasses. "You are an esteemed guest and marriage candidate of the crown prince of Shizuoka! Please adjust your conduct accordingly!"
Camie guffaws, especially when Ochako scowls specifically to irk him. "Tenya, my man, don't kill the vibe, aight? Shou already likes her plenty. She's gonna do great."
Burning her arm off and treating her like a dead girl doesn't sound like he 'likes her plenty'. "I highly doubt that," she mumbles under her breath, not bothering to cover her doubt.
Sir Iida frowns. "Do not doubt the Prince! Being of the highest nobility and impeccable upbringing, he will undoubtedly receive you with all the grace and refinement befitting a—"
"Sh—SHOUTO!!! Yer grace, I mean!!! Are ya stuck in the bushes?!! I'm gonna grab yer butt now, pardon me in advance!"
Iida chokes mid-sentence upon a much louder bellowing from the other side of the garden.
"Don't. Please keep your hands away from my bottom, Yoarashi." Despite the words, Prince Shouto's familiar baritone flows smooth and undeterred from within a shrubbery where half his body is inexplicably hidden.
Sir Yoarashi meets eyes with Iida, panicked, and mutters to his Prince in the most discreet way he can, "Yer highness, can the cat wait? The Princess is here, you see, and she's seeing everything—"
Camie, who looks like she's about to lose her mind, laughs long and loud. She can't blame her--even though she's feeling pessimistic on the way to this place, Ochako suddenly has the urge to laugh along with her. But she shouldn't, she has to take this seriously...
Keeping a straight face gets harder when the heir to the throne is finally pulled free from the bushes and she sees him for the first time out of the tower. He's wearing fine garments, dark blue with fine golden embroidery shaped like flame and frost. His hair is done up differently and his scales are buffed up and shined. All in all, he looks more princely than he's ever looked.
This is despite the fact that he's covered in twigs and leaves while a claw is gently cradling a befuddled black kitten.
"Geez, yer highness!!! You get stuck in a tower for five years and the first thing ya do is run into the bushes to rescue a kitten?!" Yoarashi moans in disbelief. "Yer unbelievable!"
Unbelievable indeed. Is this really the Prince who almost killed her the night before?
Ignoring everyone else giving him shocked and judgmental looks, Prince Shouto gives all his attention to the kitten. With a little smile in the human side of his face, he mutters, "There, there. You're safe now."
The cat mewls, and Ochako swears that even his monster side soften at the sound. It's terribly, terribly cute.
Iida begins to sputter pleas at the Prince. It takes a while before he finally notices Ochako. "Ah. You're here."
"Your highness." She curtseys politely, only just noticing how warm her face is. She blames her utter weakness for anything cute, even big scary monsters who are rude. "Good evening. It's lovely to see you in good health, my Prince. I'm honored and grateful to be spending this evening with you."
It's the type of script Yaomomo has taught her to say in front of important people since she was young. Politeness is a weapon of the powerful, she says. Never lose your confidence in front of anyone. Don't let your guard down, no matter who you're facing. It's a lesson she's always taken to heart, even though Bakugou has other things to say about that topic.
Shouto eyes her, appearing regal even as Tenya indiscreetly plucks out leaves from his head and Yoarashi gently takes the kitten from his arm. How does anyone do that?! "Are you, Princess Uraraka? I have been expecting the contrary, considering what we went through last night and then things you told me this morning."
"Is that so? I already forgot about all that, so please, don't worry."
Prince Shouto's human side regards her dully. "I did not take you as someone forgetful."
She keeps her smile plastered on her face despite the suddenly awkward air between them. He isn't going to make this easy, is he? But Ochako can do it--just keep channeling Yaomomo, pretend she's here to scrutinize her every movement... "Maybe? Let's just say I know how to let bygones be bygones--"
To everyone's surprise, Prince Shouto clicks his tongue. "That isn't something that somebody who's kidnapped and almost murdered is supposed to say."
"Perhaps that is so, but that's hardly a proper topic to kick off such a lovely evening, isn't it?"
"Well this is hardly a proper evening, there's no need to be pretentious. It makes this farce less appealing, if I have to be honest."
"--I'm just trying to make this work, you stupid prince!!! God! "
Pretentious?! Is he serious?! Even though he's the Prince, who gave him the right to be so judgmental?! She's about to attempt another fake, polite line but then she sees Iida and Yoarashi's slack-jawed gazes at her and Camie clamping her mouth shut with a hand.
