Higen has been training the guys to be more apt for combat, is been going better, Niko only threw up twice this time, as for me and Higen, our relationship hasn’t really changed much, we keep doing the same things like normal some times here and there we say more cute things to one another, or we hug or kiss more often, to night Higen asked me if I wanted to go for a walk it was a very romantic walk through the park or it would have been if the alarm hadn’t chime and we had to leave it for another day, this titan took the form of a marionet with multiple arms holding long pointie niddles, we managed to win bit one of the niddles jabed into my shoulder after it broke my barriers.

  “Ozwald, I need you to breathe and relax. I′m going to pull the needle out on three, okay?” I nodded my shoulder felt numb, I grunted as Higen took it out, “Is okay it's over, the labyrinth should crumble soon, now look at me how many fingers am I holding?” he had his index and middle finger up in my face “two just hand me my staff I′ll fix myself and maybe we can kee the date?” “I don’t know you got stabbed in the shoulder but… I guess we can take the long way rode home” he picked up my staff and handed it to me “Cure!” my shoulder was still a little bit sore but the puncture was closed, Higen put the needle inside of his gloves and as the labyrinth collapsed we handed the bright yellow core to Lulu as we told her nothing bad happened and we would return home by ourselves.

  We enjoyed the rest of the evening before going to sleep I tried to sleep the soreness of my shoulder I hope it gets better in the morning so I don’t have to suffer with it during school, the sound of the birds woke me up I opened my eyes and try to move, my body felt strangely soft and everything look bigger I try to move but I felt numb “what…what is going on?” I thought to myself after a few moments of trying to move I managed to roll over and looked at myself in the mirror and I realized the horror of my actual situation, my body was not sore or numb it was made of fabric, my legs were short stubs on my right hand a staff made of black cotton was sew to it, I started to scream hoping that Higen would hear it and come help me.

  “Ozwald I heard you screaming and I′m informing you that I will enter now!” he kicked open the door and rushed to my bed “Ozwald where are you? I swear I heard you scream” he looked around until he looked at my bed, his mouth dropped and he pointed at me “cute…” “not the time to be pointing, Higen help me!!!” I slowly moved my free hand to my felt neck. “Why is my voice so high-pitched?!? I sound like the mascot of a kids′ show!!!” Higen walked to me slowly, he picked me up carefully, and pulled me into a tight hug “I can't believe that you can be even cuter” he brushed my face against his cheek “Please stop!!! I need you to be serious right now, Higen!” I wanted to smack him with the staff, but I doubt I could do any damage in this form. He coughed and looked away. “Right, right, what happened? Did you get cursed by somebody? Or maybe you use the staff while sleep-talking?”

  “I don′t think so… I don’t sleep talk and this doesn’t feel like an Allure′s mischief, maybe it was the needle?” it was the only different thing that I could think of, Higen pulled his phone and dilead a number after a few tries he sighed and put it back into his pocket, “no good, I forgot that Miss Lulu has some important compromises today… Her mechanical message said that she would be available tomorrow morning or late in the evening. “Morning?!? Morning?!?! Does it look like I have that time?” I said between pants, Higen patted my yarn hair to try to calm me down. “Listen, I know it's scary right now, but we have to keep acting like normal. We′ll go to school, and during lunch… the guys and I will look for a solution or find a way to spend the time until Miss Lulu arrives.”

  He is really good at making me calm down. I wobbly nodded my head “… but I don’t want to go in your bag, it smells bad” he hugged his mouth open at the declaration “Excuse me, my bag is not… that bad… let me check something.” he turned me around and lifted my tiny shirt “Hey, hey! Hands above the waist, Mister!!!” “Oh, your body in this form is very detailed, it even has your back marks and ah-ha, what I was looking for.” I felt a tug on my shoulder blades and I also heard a metallic ringing “Is… is that a chain?” Higen nodded, “I have a chain attached to my back!!!” “You are a very dramatic toy, not even the doll named Chatty Catherine is this dramatic,” I started to be very angry at him “Do not compare me to a doll, Higen, I′m a real person!!!” I felt something falling from my button eyes Higen was smiling and blushing “Aww you are crying cotton I want to put you in my pocket and protect you forever” he walked out of my room and into his “All alright let me just change clothes, grab some breakfast and we′ll be set to go” he took off his pajamas and started to take off his undershirt “Hey…HEY!!! Not the kind of show I need right now!!!” he stopped before taking off his underwear “ah sorry I forgot let me just” he turned me around and continued changing.

  “This is so dumb Higen” I told him he attached me to his pants by the chain in my back I was dangled from side to side every time he took a step “Oh come on I made sure you were comfortable don’t be like that is going to be fine” he sat at his desk, a few people looked concerned at him, from their point of view he was talking to a doll, he let his bag hit the floor, popped open the ring in my chair and sat me on his desk “Higen hi… is that an Ozie doll?” Niko arrived shortly after and pointed at me “It is a long story but to make it short” he approached to his ear “That is Ozwald he was turned into a plaything by a Titan, and he is adorable in this form I need you to take pictures of him when he is not looking I will pay you well for them” I kicked his phone off the desk as retaliation for the demand “Niko if you know what's best for you, you won't hear him” “oh boy that is really him, does that happen often? Is there like a divine word I can say beforehand to not be turned into a doll?”

  The day went as normal as one would expect the teachers asked where I was, and Higen informed them I was sick and would not be attending classes today, since he and I do not have the same schedule there were some teachers I didn’t know most of them, I knew Higen was a good student but I want to expect this, he tends to be the one that answers questions but when the time came for his informatic class he was all nervous and coy “what′s wrong Higen?” I asked him from his hip, he realized the chain from his pants and lifted me to his face, “I… don’t like this course, Ozwald… let's talk in the bathroom.” he walked quickly to the nearest restroom and locked the door. “You know how I always try to be a good student and knight, right?” I wobbled my head, “Well… I′m not good with technology is something I don’t understand fully, I mean I know how to use a cellphone but that’s about it”

  He has never told me anything about this he was all sad and gloomy, his eyes were locked on the floor “It′s okay Higen you don’t have to be good at everything” he lifted his gaze but he looked disheartened “That is not an option Ozwald, if I fail at this, that implies I would fail at other things and if that happen people that look up to me would be disappointed” I frowned with my sew eyebrows “Higen that’s unhealthy for you, holding yourself to unrealistic standards for the sake of others cant be good for you” he tries to protest against my words “but nothing! Just go to class and if something doesn’t come out right we can work through it together” he finally smiled again and picked me up “I should have known that you can help me through anything” he pressed his lips against my felt rosy cheek if I had blood in my body it would have turned my face bright red.

  During lunch Higne showed me to the rest of the group Carter smiled and pointed at me before starting to laugh “What is this? The new merch of the pipsqueak line?” he laughed so hard that he fell from the bench and rolled on the ground for a moment “Marten, I will ask nicely to stop once, if I do it a second time I will use a light hammer to shut you up” he raised his hand and held his stomach “sorry, I just Ha-ha, wasn't expecting this I′ll calm down” Donna jabed him on the side “babe that’s not funny it could be us in the future I'm sure he must be scared right now” she stroke my hair to make me feel better “yeah is definitely freaky but Higen has helped me to…” Donna started to laugh like Carter, she realized what she was doing, and covered her mouth. “I'm so… Ha-ha-ha I oh man, you sound like a cartoon. I'm sorry I′m back to a supportive friend.” If my eye could twitch, I′m sure it would be twitching right now. “Is anyone else going to mock me? Or can we see if we can fix this?”

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  We all thought for a while, “What about Dr. Campbell? Isn’t he a powerful melodist?” Donna asked, but Higen shook his head, “No good, he went with Miss Lulu to the meetings the nurse has taken over his office, and she is not part of Tartaros.” Donna snapped her fingers. “Why not just wait for Lulu to come back? She should be back in like eight hours now” I looked at Niko “I don’t like the idea of waiting what if I suddenly stop moving or talking and stay like this forever?” we were not getting anywhere with this, “Okay so I have an idea” Niko started, “Why don’t we leave school if you have the needle maybe I can use my mirror to see if I can know something” “but… but… isn’t that against the rules of school?” Higen said hesitantly, “Well, I mean, we can ask Mr. Campbell for a note later, so there's not too much harm.” All the color of Higen′s face was drained for a moment. “Hey Banna, what's more important, a tardy mark or your boyfriend?”

  “Of course, Ozwald is the most important thing!” he grabbed me in a protective manner “Fine you win I′m going with you guys” “Okay cool, let's go to your home and we can start there” Donna suggested, Higen moved robotically towards the exit door with the rest of the group, Carter slowed down “hey Banna you okay?” “I have never… ever ditched school is a little hard” Carter frowned “Look if it makes you feel at ease… here” he took out a pink note “What is this Marten?” he sighed “I had to go to the dentist today anyways, that is a permission slip and it says I could ask someone to take me there” Carter scratched the back of his head “so… if we get caught we are not breaking rules?” he shushed him “not so loud dude!” “Aw, Carter has a soft side how cute,” I said in my high-pitched voice “I also have a lighter for your flammable body if you tell anyone pipsqueak” Using his free hand, Higen took Carter′s hand “You really are a nice person Carter” “piss off man, this is why I didn’t want to tell you!” Carter stormed to the front of the group and slammed the door open.

  After we arrived home, I set Ozwald on the dining table and took the needle out of my gloves. “All right now, let me see.” Niko summoned his mirror and put it on the table. He took a deep breath, and some water started to gather near him. Bright cerulina sparkles popped in and out of existence. “I see…” Niko opened his eyes; they were shining in the same color. The needle danced on the mirror′s water for a moment. “There's a second Titan, I sense it around downtown Cuff Cuff.” Niko started to cough up water. “Hey, Nik,o stop!” Donna ordered him “Just a bit more I almost have cuff the location” Carter didn’t hesitate and slapped him to break his concentration “Sorry Niky dude but look at your hair” his mirror dismissed itself as Niko passed his hand through his fluffy hair “Did… did it turn to…” part of his hair turned to stone “I′m sorry Higen I couldn’t pinpoint the titan's location” “Niko, no don’t balme yourself what happened?” I asked him, “Well, if any of us overuse the shackles, we could be consumed by the Titans.” My eyes opened up, I thought for a moment, “Okay, new rule: if you use too much power, you retreat no buts no ifs!” Everyone nodded, then I realized something was off.

  “Ozwald? Hey, did you hear me?” I asked him, but I realized he hadn’t talked in a long while. “Hey, come on, Ozwald… Ozie?” I shook him, he moved weakly, “I… I can′t move my legs anymore… and my hands feel numb too.” Oh no… no, no, no! “Nik,o any idea of where in Downtown we can find the titan?” “I saw a graffiti tag,” he quickly scribbled the mark “Like this one” Carter chimed in “Oh I know where it is” I grabbed him by his shoulder.s “Please, please take me there, you can explain how you know it on the way” Carter spun his car keys on his finger “aye aye captain!” Donna shook our shoulders. “What about Niko guys?” he sat on the sofa with Ozwald. “Go, I'm pretty much out of juice. I′ll call you guys if anything happens with Ozie.” “Higen…” Ozwald said, “I… I like it when you call me Ozie.” We can′t lose, I can't lose, Carter, Donna, and I ran to Carter′s car, and soon we will be arriving at the destination.

  “So you guys remember I have a part-time job in downtown?” Carter said as he accelerated with his car, “When we receive shipments at the restaurant, the graffiti Niko drew is painted on one of the walls in the back alley.” Donna shifted in the back seat. “But babe, what if there are more of the same graffiti in the downtown area?” “If it's not the right one, we!!!” Carter turned the wheel aggressively as a car honked at us “Learn to drive ass!!!” he also did a weird finger gesture at the other car ” As I was saying if it turns out to not be it, we search for more graffitied walls” Carter stepped on the pedal for a few more blocks until we finial stopped at the entrance of the back alleys.

  “Over here!” as we ran, led by Carter, he pointed to the graffiti Niko made, “hum… well… now whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!?!” Carter said as he placed his hand on the mark, a burst of light sucked him into the Titan′s labyrinth. “Cool, does that happen often?” Donna asked me with shining eyes, “More often than I would like to admit!” I ran straight into the graffiti and landed on the entrance. “Hey, boys, miss me?” Donne appeared next to me. “Guys, barriers up shekels out! And remember, if you use too much power, you retreat.” They nodded and summoned their weapons and barriers. “I love this part, so without Niko, how do we find the Titan?” “They normally are found at the epicenter of the labyrinth. If we follow this path, we should find it soon,” Carter thought for a second. “Is this labyrinth similar to the one you and Ozie fought yesterday?” “It is similar, but we haven’t seen any Titan that worked in teams.” Donna coughsed “Okay, we can make a full report later, but right now, let's get going!” We broke into a jog in a moment. We started to hear creepy organ music, and after a little more, a profane thing met my eyes.

  “OZWALD!” a similar puppet like the one we fought was holding and dragging the body of Ozwald as if it was a rag doll, due to my yell the Titan noticed us, it made some sounds similar to laughter and like a professional dancer it made a smooth movement and sat Ozwald down in a throne, I ignored Carter and Donna and launched straight into fighting the Titan “How… DEAR YOU!!!” like if I was fighting on of those creatures that dwell in the black mirror on a Saturday morning it bent its body and dodged my attacks, no matter what I did I couldn’t touch it “Im…Impact!” Ozwald′s voice and the force punch I took caught me by surprise. “Ozwa-” “Burst!”

  I closed my eyes and waited for the fire explosion to take place. “Come on, Banna!” Carter punched the fire ember before it could explode. “Take this cartoon wanna be!” Dona managed to land a blow on the Titan, “Cure!” Ozwald took care of the damage immediately. “That is not fair!” Donna and the Titan traded blows while Carter held me in place. “Let me go, Marten, we need to kill it!” Slap

  In a swift motion, Carter slapped me across the face with the hand that didn’t have his gauntlet. “Banna, look at me!” I was enraged by his actions, by my actions of letting Ozwald not see a doctor before “What!?!” “Do you seriously think you can save the pipsqueak in your current state?” I was perplexed, of course, I can I… I have to, then why? Why don’t I just brush him off? I… I need… I couldn′t breathe, and I started to pant heavily. “Okay, now breathe in.” I did as I was told, “Now out!” I realized all the air I had taken. “Okay again.” Through Carter′s orders, I managed to calm down. He was right, if I let my emotions control me, I would never get Ozwald back. “Better?” I nodded, “Good, I′ll go and give my girl a hand. Can you take care of Ozie? His Divine words are messing us up. “I know just the thing to do so and Carter… thank you. I really misjudged you for a while I” he lifted his gountelet-clad hand and wiggled his finger. “You can thank me later when we save him,” he cracked his knuckles and punched the Titan in the face

  “HeaMFGHFGHFGH?!?” I rushed Ozwald and covered his Mouth with my hand, “No more casting, Ozwald!” I hit his wrist to make him drop the staff, then I hugged him to prevent him from picking it up again. “I′m sorry… I know how you keep saying I should take it easy.” Danna and Carter combo the Titan “Ready, honn?” “Any day lovely!” after another barrage of kicks and punches their weapons shined in orange and red with a kick Donna parted the wind and sent out a shock wave to the Titan′s location sending it into the air in its hopeless sated the Titan fell right into the burning punch of Carter in an explosion of fire and wind the Titan′s core landed near them, Ozwalds doble despaired when the labyrinth collapsed my phone rang, “Guys, come back now something happened but… Ozie isn’t opening his eyes!”

  “What happened?” Niko′s hair had returned mostly to normal, “after a while of not saying anything he suddenly turned back into a person but” Niko grasped at his t-shirt “I kept trying to wake him up but nothing worked” Okay think Higen thought this had happened before and you always find a way to fix things “there's something I can try” I got a crazy idea they let me walk to his body I sat him straight “Ozie, please come back” I closed my eyes and locked my lips onto his in folklore this is a way of breaking curses and I hoped for this to work here “It′s working, his cheeks have color!” Donna said, “Keep moving that tongue, Banna.” I glared at him for the comment, but I felt Ozwald′s hands holding mine, and when I looked at him, he was smiling back at me. “Wow, that’s one hell of a kiss, Big Guy.” “You are back!!!” I hugged him tightly against my chest fearing that if I let go he would disappear like his double, the sound of someone made a noise, and it made me look at Niko “Care to shear Ozie” I hissed at them and they backed away slowly “so… sorry it was one of those things that makes you laugh” they laughed and hugged Ozwald too.