With a heavy sigh, the fire elemental begins her path away from the boy who broke her trust.

Ice melts, grass rises behind her until she crosses the threshold of the Ice Kingdom into the forest.

She trudges onward, running through the past few days in her head.

How, why, did he in his wildest dreams, believe this could be a thing? Did... did he instigate that fight before too, with our picnic at the Ice Kingdom? Was that "tone of voice" thing a lie too? If so, what else could have been a lie?! If he could insult my candles, and my face, what else could he insult?

She blinks as a tangent strikes her.

Was this entire relationship a bad idea? He insults me to my face when we meet for the second time, even if that was partially Jake's fault the first time. He dances almost naked in front of my family, that was kind of pushing it even with his excuse. But today... This is the last straw. I just... RRRRRRR!

A frustrated yell brings forth enough flames to cover the surrounding section of forest and begin a rapid decent into ash.

Ha, just like my perceptions about himnotbeing a complete jerk.

"SORRY DOESN'T CUT IT!" Flame Princess shouts to the increasing patch of sky above her.

A violent hissing interspersed with coughs distracts her from another eruption.

"Umm, can you tone down the fire a bit? I'm kinda blinded and scorched here," a voice asks from the direction of the previous hissing.

Flame Princess lessens her flames cautiously.

A form floats down from a half-charred tree.

"So uh, you're Flame Princess, right?" the fanged form inclines.

"Yeah. And who are you?" Remaining anger flickers in her fire, but does not taint her voice.

"Marceline, the Vampire Queen. At your service, kinda," the vampire jeers. "So, any reason you're in my neck of the woods, or just blowing off steam? Er, no offense."

The fire elemental snorts in annoyance.

"Uh, sorry, figure of speech, y'know?"The flames intensify again.

"Don't tell me you're sorry when you don't mean it!" She snarls. Marceline lifts her hands.

"Truce, Truce, what's eating you?" Fireballs stop growing in Flame Princess's hands, but they remain.

"My... ex-boyfriend decided it was a good idea to play with my feelings."

The vampire tenses visibly before exclaiming, "He what?! Girl, I've literally been in that same situation. Maybe a few different details, but definitely jerkish dude who doesn't think. ButFinn? Seriously?!"

"Yes." The fireballs crackle.

"I'm not saying I don't believe you, I mean he's really really really immature, but I didn't think he'd have that level of jerk in him! Spit."

The fireballs dwindle away, as do some of the levels of fire on the trees.

"He didn't think, that it was a good idea to turn private things I told him against me. Over a fight with Ice King no less."

Marceline snorts. "Simon ain't the brightest crystal in the cave, but Finn should seriously know better." At downcast eyes, the vampire changed the subject."

"You don't have to tell me, but have any plans about what to do now?"

Amber rises to meet demon red. "Yeah, I got a plan."

Marceline grins at the determination before stretching. "Sounds good. As long as whatever detox you need doesn't mess up my homes, ok? Go for it."

A bat rises above charred branches before pausing and calling back to the fire elemental.

"Hey! I know it hurts, and it will for a while, but don't let it smack you down too hard. Pick yourself up, like a phoenix right?"

Before she could reply, the small form flaps off into the night.

"Like a phoenix," Flame Princess murmurs to herself. The pre-war bird that's reborn from its own ashes into an inferno. Yeah.

A white warmth flickers within her.

Even through further nights and days of searing emotions and howling memories, that warmth remains.

After a while, the young woman realizes what that small constant means.

Hope.