A wind chime ringing gaily wakes me the next morning. Marinette is still sleeping, and I gently untangle my arm from her waist. Its good if she sleeps in this morning after her emotional day yesterday. I write a quick note after I dress, and try to locate a Guardian.

Luckily, I spot Sumac over by the fountain and trot over to her. "Your up early," she greets me. "Where's Marinette?" "Actually I wanted to talk to you about her. I want to go into the town or village without her knowing, so I can buy a ring for her." "You mean your going to propose?" Sumac shrieks, and a flock of birds startles into the air. "Yes, but its a secret. Do you think you could keep her occupied until this evening?" "Buy me a cone in Paris, and you've got yourself a deal, Cat." We shake on it, and Sumac beckons for me to follow her.

"Each week a group goes down into the village, but we'll have to hurry if we want to catch them." Luckily, our path is mostly downhill, though I skid to a stop nearly bumping into Sumac when I see the mode of transportation we'll be taking. "What, you've never seen a Sedan chair?" Sumac asks. "Only in history books," I answer back. Before she can respond, a stern looking Guardian with a graying beard steps forward.

"Good morning. For those of you that are new, there are a few safety rules with the Sedan chair. Don't move or rock the chair, and keep your legs and hands in at all times. Ahem, or tails." I blush as I'm the only one wearing a tail.

When they pull back the curtain of the chair however, it takes all my strength to not meow with pleasure. There's a purple cushion, just the right size for a cat! Once everyone is seated, we head off down the mountain. At first, I grip the sides of the chair, fearing I will fall out as the chair sways to and fro. But eventually I get used to it, and notice that one of the carriers is wearing a cool hat. I must ask about it when we get to town.

I yawn, tired from waking up early, and my cat instincts take over and I start kneading at the purple cushion and carefully maneuvering myself I curl up on it, and fall asleep.

"Erahem!" I open one sleepy eye, thinking I'm with Bugaboo. "M'lady, is there a frog in…." Oh, no. We've reached the village but the Guardians have found me snoozing in a ball. Can the ground sallow me now? "We are here, Cat Noir." "Great, thanks for the lift. By the way, we're do get those awesome hats?" The man sniffs. "Only Sedan Chair men get these hats."

I sigh with relief when we head off in different directions, but now I'm getting stares from the villagers. "Cat Noir! Cat Noir!" I look down to see two young girls running towards me, big smiles on their faces. "Whoa, whoa! Slow down!" I laugh. "We're a huge fan of you and Ladybug!" The first girl says. "And when we heard you might come to the village we had to be here when you got here. And here you are. I'm Lavender, by the way, and that's Lilac." "Pleased to meet you, I'm meow," I give them a grin and a wink, and that sets them off into giggles. "But where's Ladybug?" Lilac asks. "Ah, Bugaboo had a busy day yesterday and she loves her morning coffee. Besides," I lower my voice. "I'm here on a secret mission." "Secret mission! Can we help?" "Of course, but first let's get some coffee."

I like this little village where the dusty streets are teeming with people, but everyone is taking turns at either the crossroads or at any of the stalls. "Come this way, and meet Blackberry!" Lavender exclaims, tugging on my hand. "She makes the best coffee and doughnuts in the whole village!"

When we get close, my mouth begins to water at the smell of fried dough and the strong smell of coffee beans. A medium-sized crowd is gathered around her stall, and the girls hold both of my hands as we wait our turn. Judging by their size, I would guess the girls are ten or perhaps a bit younger.

Blackberry looks up and sees the girls and smiles. I'm guessing she's slightly older then me, and has black hair she wears in a long braid down to the middle of her back. "You two are up early! And causing mischief already, I see!" The girls giggle. "Not with Cat Noir to watch us!" Blackberry pretends to rub her eyes, as if I'm an illusion. "So, it is. Now, what can I do for you?" "One coffee and one of your delicious doughnuts, please. And perhaps, a bit of information?" "So polite! What can I do for you, dear?" "I'm looking for the jewelers, and perhaps a secret spot to propose to Ladybug." Blackberry's eyes grow warm and soft and she claps her hands together. "Ah, young love. There's a jeweler's shop at the top of the hill, but I'm warning you, its a bit of a climb. As for a secret spot for a date, we'll have to step outside."

She points into the hazy hills up by the temple. "There's an abandoned pagoda in the hills with no eavesdropping ears." "Thank you for your kindness," I tell her, dropping a small bag of coins into her palm. "Bless you, child. Whoever you are behind that mask, you have a pure heart."

It is a bit of a climb to the jewelers, but this trip was worth it already. "Can I help you?" a girl asks behind the desk. Lavender and Lilac had to leave after we left Blackberry's, so I'm once again on my own. "I need to buy a ring." The girl smiles at me. "Well, you've come to the right place. We have a selection of rings, or you could have one custom made."

I describe the ring to her, and I feel a thrill as I think of what Marinette's face will look like tonight. I had back to the temple, grinning like I've consumed the most delicious canary on earth.

I drop of the ring in my quarters and head back over to Marinette's. Sumac is with her, and when Marinette sees me, her face lights up with joy. "Cat!" She leaps into my arms, and hugs me tight. "My, this is a nice welcome," I tell her, kissing her. "Sumac did tell me you were on a secret mission, but that doesn't mean I didn't miss you." I lean forward, whispering in her ear. "How about you and I go on an overnight secret date, just you and me?" "Okay," she says, shyly.

Sumac comes over. "Marinette's been teaching me to sew. She's a great teacher." "She's very patient and gentle," I agree. "I'll be back in awhile, Bugaboo."

I find the spiraling staircase and head up to the top floor. My heart starts to accelerate as I enter a dark room, for this is where their keeping Mother. The room smells like antiseptic and medicine, two smells I disliked strongly when I was younger. Mother may have never been to the hospital, but I can remember those smells clearly. "How is she today?" I ask. "She's on the mend, but she's still in the coma." I sigh. I sit by her for awhile, watching people scurry around like ants.

Finally, I have to get out of this gloomy place, and I'm glad when I can hide the ring in my pocket and grab the things for tonight.

"You ready?" I ask, when she answers the door. "Yes. Why do I get the feeling that something might change tonight?" "Not all change is bad."

We sneak away into the forest, and just as the sun is setting we reach the pagoda that Blackberry talked about. "Its all ours for the night, love." "Its beautiful," she stares in awe at the impressive structure.

With Marinette's help, we cook a fish over the fire, just as the moon is peeking above the trees. "Did you have a good day today?" I ask, as she sits in my lap. "It was better then yesterday. I mostly spent the day with Sumac. She's a sweet girl, and eager to learn."

Suddenly, Marinette squeezes my hands hard, as if she's having a spasm. "What's wrong?" I ask. "Oh, I've just been having a back ache today. Don't worry, no big deal. Can we head for bed?" Keeping her cuddled against my chest, I lift her into my arms.