A sudden knock at the door interrupts the one sided conversation, and Kuzco lifts his head to stare impassively at the direction it came from. When he doesn’t move to answer the door after a few moments, despite being much closer to it than she currently was, Chicha rolls her eyes and sets the pot she was washing down so she can answer it herself.
“It’s cruel and unusual punishment– and for what! I was the world’s nicest guy, you know! Before Yzma ruined everything and tried to kill me. . ."
“Kuzco, it's school. Not the military. You’ll be fine.”
Before he can answer her with another complaint, the door is wrenched open and Kuzco strains to see the visitor from around Chicha’s frame. “Hey Chicha! My mom and I were baking for the local market, and we had a ton of leftover cookies so I thought you and the kids might want some!”
It’s a female’s voice, and she sounds about his age. Idly, he tries to place her voice amongst the people he’s met around the village since building his summer home, and he realizes he can’t. Either she hasn’t been around, or he hasn’t had an opportunity to talk to her yet.
“Aw, that’s so nice of you Malina, thank you. Chaca and Tipo will just love these.” Chicha leans in to take something from her and gives her a friendly hug in the same movement and Kuzco – feeling left out– pushes himself up from the table to get a closer look at her. It’s in that moment that he finally catches sight of what is undoubtedly the hottest girl he’s ever seen in his life.
The hordes of brides Imatcha and the Royal Council provided him could never compare to her, and they were all princesses in their own right, or born of noble blood. This girl– Malina– had a type of natural beauty that made her flawless. He even liked her hair!
She smiles as she returns Chicha’s hug, before straightening up once more– all without noticing him whatsoever. Kuzco is powerless to do anything other than stare, his jaw practically on the floor as he searches for flaws, or anything that might make this peasant girl less appealing. There’s none.
How is it fair? How can he find the most perfect, beautiful girl in the world– with perfect hair, a cute little button nose, big expressive brown eyes and the cutest little smile. . . and she’s a peasant! No noble blood, nothing that he can benefit from. The Royal Council would never go for it.
And yet–
“So are the kids all ready for school to start back up?”
His inner monologue is broken at her mention of school, and Kuzco visibly shakes himself out of his stupor. ”They are– well. Most of them. You’ll walk home with them after school like always?”
School? She goes to the same school he’s being forced to go to?! It’s almost too good to be true. She’ll be noble then! A scholar. The council would be okay with it– and he’d have an Empress!
“Of course! Well, I’ll see you later, Chicha! Tell Pacha I said hi!”
Chicha waves her off with a smile and closes the door behind her, turning to face Kuzco and stopping in her tracks when she notices how close he’s standing now. He’s still staring in the direction she left in– which happens to be the door– with a goofy smile, completely smitten and lost to the world at large.
Amused, Chicha waves a hand in front of his face and chuckles when it doesn’t make a difference, before walking around him to head back towards the kitchen. “So, school– “
“Might not be such a bad idea after all!” Kuzco chirps, snapping out of his trance and speeding out of the front entryway with a renewed vigor. He’s off up the stairs to sort out his things for school before she can even turn the water on.
