#(But the fangirls are aggressive with their honmei-choco)

[more-than-a-princess]

For @quickdeaths! (Shinobu and Anzu)

"I hope you like them!" Sonia beamed, placing the pink foil-covered box into Anzu Tachibana's hands. Inside the large tote bag were an array of red and pink round boxes, nearly all filled with identical heart-shaped chocolates. She'd caught up with Anzu just as she was exiting the Main Course building to give her the one tagged with her name. Each of the heart-shaped chocolates came in one of two varieties: milk chocolate with strawberry cream filling, or white chocolate with matcha and yuzu ganache filling. Sonia had thought it appropriate for her Japanese friends: three of each kind, with both seasonal and familiar flavors. "Happy Valentine's Day, Anzu-san. I remember you mentioning wanting to try real Novoselic chocolate! These are made by chocolatiers at home that have been bestowed with the Royal Seal, so it's almost like being in my homeland."

Sonia neglected to say that all of her tomo-choco hadn't been made for public sale, either. The giri-choco she'd handed out had been part of that year's official Valentine's Day collection that had been launched in Japan by several Novoselic chocolate companies, but the tomo she'd sampled and selected herself. For her friends, nothing produced to sell in shops was suitable.

"Do you know if-" She'd begun. What Sonia had intended to ask was if she knew where Shinobu was. Her tote bag had gotten mercifully lighter since that morning, and once she was able to dispense all of her chocolate, she'd be free to spend the rest of her day at leisure. It was different, to be sure, from the holiday back home: where luxurious presents, large floral bouquets of Novosonian roses, and elegant dinners were the norm. In Japan, it just seemed like everyone gave or exchanged chocolates and then went about their days. No matter: the Ultimate Princess had decided to take herself out, for shopping and a dinner that would put the ones at home to shame. She'd already brightened up her room with appropriate flowers and rose-scented candles the day before: it was a challenge not to get into the mood for a day of love. Even if, at present, the recipient of her affections was the Princess of Novoselic herself.

But she hadn't been given the chance. Not when a loud bang!, crash!, and splash! interrupted them, followed by screaming and shouting outside. "Shit, son of a bitch!" Sonia swore, thankfully in English. Several heads turned to look anyway, well aware of the words. She shook her head, reverting back to Japanese. "Do you think it's some sort of attack? Terrorists or something?" She asked Anzu, torn between fear and excitement. Japan didn't have nearly the same track record as other parts of the world, including Europe, but that didn't mean it wasn't possible. They'd have to find out on their own, Sonia taking the lead and pushing open one of the double doors.

Only to find a sea of black pleated skirts and blazers, with quite a few brown ones mixed in as well as colors and patterns from other schools. In the midst of all the wool and polyester, Sonia could make out a familiar red head of hair and, to Sonia at least, a terribly unamused expression. Shinobu wouldn't be the only one: several boys from both the main and reserve courses at Hope's Peak looked on, mostly annoyed or shocked and filming the entire ordeal on mobile phones. The girls had, seemingly, worked themselves up into a frenzy of who could give Shinobu Yaguchi their honmei-choco first. The sounds they'd heard had been from wastebaskets, benches, and statues overturning and shattering. Several girls now pushed and shoved each other, a few of which having ended up in the frigid fountain in the center of the courtyard.

To put it politely, it either looked like the aftermath of an idol concert or a war zone.

Sonia gulped. There were dozens, if not a hundred, and they all seemed to play by no particular rules: grabbed hair and arms, manicured nails eager to damage the competition all while flashing Shinobu the most saccharine of smiles or crocodile tears for their troubles. Mr. Sakakura, it seemed, would have his hands full to the point the school would likely need to call in backup.

"Maybe I will wait," She said slowly, setting the circular box covered in red foil back into the bag, the one that had been carefully tagged with Shinobu's name. It looked like all the other boxes, but that was where any similarities ended. It weighed far more, and for good reason: inside were a dozen dark chocolate skulls filled with espresso mascarpone cream with a hint of vanilla, arranged in a circle with a much larger chocolate in the center. Made of one of the darkest cacao blends she could request, inside the head of the chocolate eight-point stag was a mix of ancho chillies and ceylon cinnamon, blended into a red syrup that looked like fresh blood and tasted like liquid fire. The sweetness of the chocolate balanced out the spice of the filling, each working in perfect harmony, neither overpowering the other.

But she hadn't expected to have to fight her way to Shinobu Yaguchi's attention. It wasn't that she couldn't, but Sonia's feet remained planted on the pavement in front of the building. "I don't want to break a limb or end up in the fountain, especially this time of year. And I'm not even sure if Yaguchi-san likes sweets, I've never seen her eat them."