Demon School was open everyday and all young Demons were expected to attend. No excuses.

The day started as bleak as the previous one as Mike woke up much too early. He decided to take a walk, trying to find some food before arriving late to school.

Kim, surprisingly, was snoring in her tiny little tent when he left the cavern. He had slept on the ground beside his beloved vase, lulled by the soft light emanating from the tent at the other side of his home. How can a thing so tiny make so much noise, and occupy so much space?

He would have to learn how to feed and tend to his new companion, but doubted he would get any answer at school…

Mike will find out eventually that the tiny flame feeds on colors. She needs to absorb as much color as she can in order to grow, not in size but in light and heat. Preferably shades of purple, pink, and blue.

If she doesn’t feed for too long, she will slowly fade and end up disappearing, remaining transparent until fed again.

She will need to exit Hell soon, she has only about 10 days left at the time our story takes place.

In the meantime Mike had found a few more flowers, black buttercups this time. He went back home and scratched on the tent flap to wake Kim up.

“Hey, uh, I could use some help?”

He proceeded to explain what he wanted. The flame jumped around with laughter and glee.

“So you want me to burn some dirt and hope it will make a vase for your buttercups? I'm never going to be bored with you around, am I? Sure, I'll help!”

And so she did. Once the vase was done and filled with flowers, Mike took his pen and headed to school.

He had decided not to bring paper, hoping it would make him look more like a proper Demon. Kim followed, she wanted to learn more about her new friend, and to see what school was like, and… Well let’s be honest here, she had nothing better to do.

The teacher shot them an amused look as they entered the classroom, only 15 minutes late and still the first to arrive.

“Nice try Mikey, but still not enough! You’ve found a girlfriend I see?” he laughed, as poor Mike turned a deep blue and Kim’s eyes started shooting metaphorical lightning bolts.

He sat down and put his head on his arms, looking out the window to the eerie darkness of Hell. Flames of misfortune and screams of torment echoed in the distance. He felt out of place here, depressed and gloomy.

Kim hovered over his middle horn, very careful not to touch his hair. She didn't want to risk setting him on fire, but she was curious to know what he was thinking.

“Little flame, you have chosen a weird companion in me. I’m not a good Demon, even when I try. I don’t know what Virgin’s Blood is, and I don’t know what to feed you. I don’t even know where my name comes from and why everybody finds it funny!”

She rolled her eyes. This was nonsense, and she would have none of it. She needed a solution. Fast.