Just then, a man on a bicycle rides up to us, screeching to a halt. "Its a little late for ice cream, kids, but Andre will make it just for you, on the house! After all, Andre is the sweet heart's ice cream maker!"

I thought for a moment that Toxinelle's eyes may bulge out of her head as I try to correct the man. "No, no! You have it all right! She's not my lover, she's my partner!" Andre isn't listening though. "You look like you'd like raspberry, while your Kitty is a pischato!" Toxinelle snorts with laughter. "My favorite flavor is strawberry, but I'll give it a try." Andre hands me the cone, loaded down with creamy yummy diary. "Enjoy, kids!"

We find a small bench and sit down, taking a small tentative bite. "Mm, that's good! Where I live, all the sugary things are for our customers!" "Ice cream is evil in my house," I tell her, scooping up another bite. Toxinelle nearly chokes on her ice cream. "Evil?" "In my day job, I model. And to tell you the truth, I hate it. But Father has no time for me, so here I am." "Claw, you should be able to talk to him if it makes you miserable. What do you want to do?" I shrug. "I don't know. I just want a good friend to talk to. There's one special girl, but we're just getting to know each other." Toxinelle shifts in her seat and stands up. "Right, shall we try out the butterfly tracker?" "Wouldn't a net be more sufficient?" I grin, and she groans. "Claw, the butterfly will lead us to the Miraculous! This isn't playtime."

"Which is what you to do have been doing ever since your ice cream," a serious voice comes from the bushes. Toxinelle immediately grabs the yo-yo at her hip, whirling it. "Who's there? Show yourself!"

The Supreme appears as if from nowhere, grabbing Toxinelle's arm, pinning it to her side. "Did you forget, foolish ladybug? I don't answer to you, you only answer to the Supreme. Now, let's go."

"Go?" I ask. "I thought we we're on patrol." "That's before you decided to have chat time with your partner. I'll teach you to use your powers in a real training session." We nod, following him back to an unmarked van. "Get in the back and I'll let you know when we get to our destination," he growls.

The back is hard and cold, with no comfy seats or windows, but I don't think we have much of a choice. The door slams shut, and I can feel my heart beating in my ears. The engine growls to life, and it doesn't take long for my palms to start to sweat, my beginning to race. I hate being trapped in enclosed spaces.

We hit a bump, and I can hear Toxinelle whimper. I have night-vision, so the blackness doesn't bother me, but she must be terrified.

"Here, take my hand," I reach out to my partner, and she fumbles a bit, eventually grasping my fingers. I pull her close, putting my arm around her. At first she resists, but then snuggles into my side. With my super-hearing I can hear her heartbeat slowing back to a normal rhythm and I feel calmer too.

We ride the rest of the way in silence, the van finally coming to a stop. We wait a minute, two. It feels like an eternity before we are let out, and I help Toxinelle out, murmuring to her. "You sure your okay?"

The Supreme pushes between us. "Was it possible I picked a weak and scared ladybug?" Something snaps deep within me. "Don't. Push. Her," I growl. "Just give her a moment to calm down." The Supreme backs off, eyebrows raised. "Now, here's a fighter in Claw Noir." But I'm not paying attention to him. Toxinelle is the only one that matters. She looks up at me. "I'll be fine. Thank you," she whispers. Her face is still a hard mask, but she gives me a wink.

Five huge boulders sit out in the middle of a huge field, glowing in the moonlight. We follow the Supreme, stopping about half-way. "All right, Claw. Make a Cataclysm then toss it towards the first boulder." "Cataclysm?" Before anyone can say anything else, a dark swirling matter appears in my left palm, reminding me of a black hole. "Claw, didn't your Kwami tell you anything?" "He's more into cheese, but don't worry, I'm a quick learner." I measure the distance, then toss the swirling black ball, the boulder not standing a chance, splintering into thousands of shards and pieces. "Again."

Again and again I use my Cataclysm, alternating with Toxinelle as she learns to use her yo-yo. Apparently, it has more uses then swinging out of trees or buildings. After awhile, we long for a break, but the Supreme pushes us.

We stop when the sun starts to rise, and he turns to us. "Nice work, I was impressed. But don't fail in your mission, you wouldn't like the results." "So, where do we find this Hesperia?" Toxinelle asks. The Supreme face hardens. "Coward that he is, has a hideout somewhere in the sewers, and sources tell me he likes being alone. Come, I'll bring you back before anything finds out you were missing."

There's enough time to have a bowl of granola before school, and I'm pouring the milk when Father comes in. "Adrien, you didn't come home last night. I was so worried."

"If you were so worried about me, why don't you spend time with me?" I ask, and grab my backpack and run, not waiting for answer.

When I get to school, I slump down by the school wall, tuck my face in my knees and cry. I might have powers beyond my wildest dreams, but they don't hold a candle for what I really want. I feel a gentle shake on my shoulder, and I look up into the beautiful face Marinette.