Disclaimer: Adventure Time belongs to Pendleton Ward/Cartoon Network.

A/N: Thanks to Rinney and Anna for proof-reading. Also, in regard to the 'don't make this a pb x marceline fic' review, too late. Before I even started this fic I knew the pairings would be Finn/Flame Princess and Princess Bubblegum/Marceline. (and Lady Rainicorn/Jake, but that goes without saying) It's not a major part of the story, which is more about Flame Princess, but it's gonna happen. If it bothers you that much, stop reading as soon as Marceline shows up.


"Okay Feuer, are you ready?" Bubblegum asked, standing a short distance away from Flame Princess in the castle gardens. Lady Rainicorn was circling in the air above them, keeping a close eye on the little elemental.

Flame Princess looked doubtful, but seemed to be comforted by Lady's presence in addition to Bubblegum, she'd ridden on the rainicorn's back with the candy princess several times. "Don't wanna fall," she said worriedly. "Catch me?"

"Of course sweetheart," Bubblegum told her reassuringly. "Either me or Lady will catch you, I promise." She wasn't entirely sure that getting Flame Princess to practice her newfound flying skills was a good idea, but if she couldn't control them then the fire girl would be in more danger than anyone else.

Screwing her eyes shut, Flame Princess pointed both arms towards the ground. For a few seconds nothing happened, then she began to rise jerkily into the air. Cautiously cracking one eye open, she saw that she was barely a foot off the ground, and relaxed. This wasn't nearly as scary as she'd thought.

"That's very good, Feuer," Bubblegum's voice was warm and praising. "Can you come back down?" It would definitely be for the best if she encouraged the little elemental to stay low for now.

Flame Princess didn't reply, concentrating on her heat levels. She was still only a toddler, but she did understand that she could change her temperature; she'd learned that from playing with the toys Bubblegum had given her. Not enough heat didn't melt sugar, too much made it black and crispy and no good for painting or modelling.

Gradually sinking back down to the paved square, Flame Princess giggled, less nervous now that she knew she could get down. She rose again, faster this time, but stopped herself once she was shoulder-level with Bubblegum. "Flying!"

"Yes, yes you are," Bubblegum said with a smile. "Now… can you make yourself move towards me?"

There was a pause as Flame Princess frowned. "Don't know." She concentrated for a moment, then shot about twenty feet higher into the air with a squeal of shock. Lady Rainicorn launched herself after the little elemental, grabbing the back of her dress between her teeth as Flame Princess started to drop. Not realising that Lady had caught her and thinking that she was falling, the fire girl panicked and immediately launched herself even higher.

Watching from below, Bubblegum felt her insides clench with fear, it had been a terrible idea to do this outside, inside the worst that could have happened was that Flame Princess would hit the ceiling. Even though Lady Rainicorn was with the little elemental, what if she lost her grip? What if Flame Princess fell?

…tumbling through empty space with a cry of fear to disappear into the toxic green sludge below with a sickening hiss as chemicals met flesh…

Shaking the memory away violently, Bubblegum reminded herself that the toxic river was no longer a danger… though water could be just as deadly to Flame Princess as the sludge had been to Shoko. However, Lady Rainicorn was still holding tight to the fire girl as she hurtled upwards, trailing Lady's long, multi-coloured body behind her as easily as a gauze scarf. Lady's weight didn't seem to be slowing her at all.

There was a good reason for this; Lady was purposely using the sunlight's energy to support herself in the air. As far as Flame Princess was aware, she weighed nothing at all. Unlike the princess below, the rainicorn wasn't worried in the slightest, first flights were always haphazard and at least Flame Princess couldn't accidentally phase herself halfway through a tree then get stuck.

With a quick, whiplike motion Lady flicked herself upwards, releasing the little elemental's dress and taking a firm hold of her with her forelegs. [Slow down,] she said firmly. She had always spoken her own language around Flame Princess, who had picked it up just as quickly as English. [Don't be scared.]

Flame Princess had been too frightened to even realise the rainicorn was with her, but started to calm as she heard her voice, her speed slowing as she cooled. Then she looked down. The little elemental was at least two hundred feet up now; she could see the gardens spread out below her like a brightly-patterned tablecloth. If Lady Rainicorn hadn't been holding her she would have most likely have shot upwards again in terror, but she had been this high with her before, only last time she'd been riding on her back. "Don't let go!"

Shifting around Flame Princess to hover in front of her, but still keeping hold of her, Lady laughed gently. [You're keeping me up all by yourself. You're not going to fall.]

"You promise?" The little elemental looked unsure, but she trusted the rainicorn just as much as she trusted Princess Bubblegum.

[I promise,] Lady replied. Then, very slowly, she let Flame Princess go. The little elemental continued to hover in the air unsupported and laughed nervously. [See? You got up here all by yourself. Look, you can see all of the Candy Kingdom from here.] The rainicorn kept talking to the fire girl as she slowly began to descend, her combustion levels dropping as she realised she wasn't in danger. [There's the Gumball Guardians, there's the Cotton Candy Forest. You can even see the Grass Lands from here, look.]

Looking in the direction Lady was pointing, Flame Princess saw rolling green hills and the silhouette of a gigantic tree against the sky. "Big tree." It slowly disappeared behind the walls of the Candy Kingdom as the little elemental sank back to earth, feeling tired and hungry now. She landed a few moments later, falling to the ground with a bump, but was immediately snatched up by Bubblegum, who hugged her tightly.

"Oh thank Grod you're all right!" The candy princess' relieved laughter was slightly hysterical. "I've had some really bad ideas in my time, but I think this one wins the prize, you could have been killed!"

Flame Princess looked up at her with some bemusement, not understanding why her mother was so upset. "I saw the Grass Lands," she announced proudly. "I was really high!"

[And she was never in danger,] Lady Rainicorn added as she landed gracefully beside them. [I was with her the whole time, you worry too much.]

"But what if she'd gotten away from you?" Bubblegum demanded. "I never realised she was so fast, her flight doesn't work on the same principles as yours, it's obviously based on Newton's laws of motion, not physical constants..."

[And does that mean she's faster than light?] Lady's question was rhetorical, she was perfectly aware of how her own flying ability worked and so was the princess, Bubblegum was just too panicked to realise that.

"Oh. Right," the candy princess said awkwardly. "Of course, I was forgetting. Sorry, Lady."

[Not a problem,] the rainicorn replied. [But I wouldn't let her practice outside unless I'm here, I don't think Morrow could keep up.]

"I won't, don't worry about that." Looking down at Flame Princess, Bubblegum saw that the fire girl was drowsing in her arms, her head leaning on Bubblegum's shoulder. "I think it takes a lot out of her as well, it must use a lot of energy."

[Same time tomorrow then?] Lady queried. [The more she practices, the quicker she'll get the hang of it. Flying is just like walking, once she learns she'll never forget. It just starts out a bit clumsy and awkward.]

The two of them turned and headed back towards the castle, Bubblegum still carrying Flame Princess. "How old were you when you learned to fly?" Bubblegum asked curiously.

[About two and a half hours,] Lady replied. [But it's different for rainicorns...]