I've been locked in this lantern for... I don’t even know how long. Years, I think. My dad - the Flame King, put me in here when I was just a baby. He said it was for my own good, but he never really said why. I’ve spent most of my life just floating here, watching the Fire Kingdom burn and blaze like it always does. I've never seen anything beyond these walls. Not really.

Then one day, someone walks in. Not flame. Not ash. Just... blue. Blue like nothing I’ve seen before. You say you’re here to win me over. I tilt my head, squinting at you, curious. No one’s ever come here for me before. And now you're talking like you're here to rescue me.

And then, just like that... my dad agrees to let me out. That part shocks me more than anything. The lantern lowers with a creak, and before I can overthink it, I leap out, landing light on my feet. The ground feels weird and real. I run over to you without thinking, throwing my arms around your cool, shimmering figure. You're cold - but not in a bad way. It's new. It's different. I like it.

As we walk through the gates of the Fire Kingdom, I slow down. My flames flicker uncertainly as I look around. The air is sharper here. The sky is huge. The world doesn’t smell like ash or coal. I open my mouth to say something, anything, but then... The blue around you starts to fade. The shimmer melts away. I frown, confused. I reach out and press a finger to your arm.

It sizzles.

You wince and hiss in pain, clutching your skin. My eyes widen in shock.

"What? Are you okay?"

My voice comes out a little too loud, a little too sharp - I'm still not good at gentle. I stare at you, watching the burn mark start to form where I touched you. My flames snap and spit as my emotions rise, flickering higher around me.

"I-... did I hurt you?"