"What does it say, Kitten?" I bounce up on tiptoe, trying to read over Cat's shoulder.

"Welcome to Free-fall,

Where you create your world.

When you ready to move on,

The world will crumble and fall.

Call up what your heart desires

using your Lucky Charm."

"It doesn't seem much help to us. I mean, it doesn't even say how to get back to the castle." "Maybe its one part of a giant puzzle, love. Let's see what happens when you call up that Charm of yours."

Create your world, I think. All I picture is cherry blossoms and the soft light the lampposts give at the park. "Lucky Charm!" I toss my yo-yo high into the air.

A pink light shoots out of it, but instead of a single object dropping into my hand, the darkness has been transformed.

Now I really can smell the cherry blossoms, their loving scent wafting over to us. "What did you just create, M'lady?" Cat asks, baton in hand as he looks around. "I don't know," I whisper. "Let's take a look around."

We head over to one of the trees, and I pull a branch down, rubbing my fingers across the lovely petals. "Kitty, it feels so real!" Cat touches it too. "I didn't know we had powers like this." "Come on, we'll get our bearings in the tree."

Once seated, the park spreads out before us, just as I imagined in my mind's eyes. And then, I hear the squeaking sound of wheels….

"Andre!" I cry, vaulting us out of the tree, accidentally showering Kitty with petals. "Oops, sorry, Kitty," I giggle, as I begin plucking petals from his blonde hair. Cat's eyes twinkle with mirth as he cups one of his black ears. "What's that, M'lady? Must have gotten a petal stuck in my ear," he grins, producing a petal.

I get a bad case of the giggles just as Andre stops by us. "I've heard of Lover's Ice Cream, Ladybug, but not Giggler's." Andre gives us a kind smile. "That's a very special girl you have there, Cat." I nod as I lick my cone. My cone may be sweet, but it doesn't hold a candle to M'lady's love.

The taste of honey and strawberries awakens my taste buds and it reminds me of summer days playing in Mother's garden, hiding among the vines. When I tell Ladybug, she smiles. "Then let's go there next."

The park crumbles away until she again throws her Lucky Charm. When I sit up, I hear birds chirping among the trees, and sunshine warms my face. All thoughts of that though are forgotten as Ladybug groans besides me.

"Bugaboo?" "I need nectar, Kitty. Its like my powers are weakening. I think I have a vial in my compact." "O-okay," sit up, and take off her belt, holding her yo-yo. Drawing a small vial out, I stand up. "Just rest, I'll be back before you can say meow." "Meow," she giggles, eyes still closed. I blow her a kiss, then go off in search of nectar.

A huge bush dripping with purple flowers is the perfect candidate, and carefully I extract the nectar for M'lady. As I stand, I hear a familiar humming sound. If it isn't bees, what is making that sound?

Slowly and carefully, I part the bushes, blinking furiously, thinking I'm seeing a mirage. Mother kneels in the dirt of her flower bed, in a white dress and sunhat.

I hear another giggle as Mother turns, smiling at the direction of the bushes. "Come on, Little Kitty, as much as you enjoy napping in the sun, to much isn't good for you." "I'm not little, I'm Cat Noir!"

I smile as a younger version of me tumbles out of the bushes and skips up to Mother taking her hand. It takes every inch of my being not to follow them.

A flock of bluebirds has surrounded Ladybug, but they scatter when I approach. "Cat," she groans. "Hey, their birds, you do the math. Your nectar, M'lady." "Thanks."

As she drinks, I can see the color returning to face, but she still seems tired. "I'm ready for the beach. Lucky Charm!"

"Ladybug, don't you think-" "Race you to the water!" she springs up, dashing down to the waves. I chase after her, grabbing her around the waist, swinging her in a circle as she squeals in surprise.

"Adrien, put me down!" she laughs, as I easily hoist her over my shoulder, heading for deeper water. "Agreste, I'm warning you-" "As you wish," I plop down her into the water with the splash.

"Arrgh, how do I live with you?" she giggles, as I support her in the water. "Easy, you love my smile and puns!" Her eyes soften. "And this," she whispers, finding my lips.

"Ladybug, we should be getting back," I whisper as I pull back. I carry her to shore. "How are we going to get back, Cat?"

And then it hits me. "Of course, that's been Scorpius's plan all along!" I pound a fist on the sand. "He knew if we entered some version of paradise, we wouldn't want to come back. The deeper we go in Free-fall, the harder it is to return."

"Unless…." Ladybug tosses her Lucky Charm. Its the hallway of Scorpius's castle and a shimmering portal spins clockwise at the end of it. "That's my clever Bugaboo." "No time! The portal won't last forever!" she grabs my hand, and already the ground is rumbling and breaking, ready to sallow us again.

We reach the end, just as darkness takes over. "Jump, now!"

We stumble in a heap on top of each other in an empty room, trying to catch our breath. "We-we, made it back, Kitty. Thanks to you. Pound it?" she holds up a fist, and we bump, giggling to ourselves. "Its because we're the Cat and Bug Team, Bugaboo!" "Bug and Cat team, you mean!"

But our laughter is cut short as the ceiling rumbles and a crack shivers up the wall. "We don't have much time left to defeat Scorpius, Kitty. The palace is unraveling, and I suspect so is he."