Passing out twice two days in a row?

Val was really beginning to hate this wizard and Magick lifestyle. Just like the last time his head hurt and his brain felt like mush.

The first thing he saw as he woke up was the night sky, he let out a sigh of relief on seeing not much time had passed, they could still make it home and he'd ask uncle Griff for some sort of help.

"You can get off my leg now." Came Symon's tired voice from above him, he quickly realized his head was on the other's lap. He sat up quickly.

"Sorry." He apologized.

"It's nothing." Symon sighed.

Val looked around and noticed they were in a narrow alley. "It looks like we're safe, what happened back there?"

"Someone opened a portal for us." Symon said simply, "I don't know where we are but we were in the middle of the road at first, that's enough to let me know whoever it was is a novice at Transpacing."

Val had zero idea what the hell Transpacing was, he wasn't going to ask, not now at least.

"Also you've been asleep for a whole day."

"What?!" He jumped to his feet much too quickly for his body to handle and almost instantly felt the aches. "Why does everything hurt?"

"Too much exertion of power, your body is still a virgin to Magick, you could have hurt yourself you moron." He raised his voice towards the end and smacked Val over the head. "What were you thinking? You could have died dammit."

Val rubbed the back of his head where he had been hit, those hands were a lot more painful than they looked, "I...I...was just trying..."

"Shut up, don't do something like that again. If people are after you run, you hear me Val? It is important the wrong people don't catch you."

"Who exactly are these 'wrong people's Symon?" Val nearly shouted, so much happened in such short time, a part of hoped this was all a stupid dream. He would wake up any moment now and decide to tell it to the white cat who would be at his side in bed, not the boy next to him, a cat. But then, there was another side of him that knew this was real, and he wasn't prepared for it, he knew nothing about it all because his parents never told him anything.

His parents.

He pulled out his phone. He had to talk talk to them, they had to explain why they had kept him in the dark so long. He saw a telltale crack on the screen and hoped beyond hope that was the only damage his poor phone suffered. It wasn't.

The device was not coming on. He let out a frustrated groan and looked to Symon who was looking way too calm about this. "Any suggestions?"

The white haired boy shrugged, "Not at the moment." He yawned and stretched.

It was then Val noticed the thin dark lines under his eyes, "Did you sleep?"

"Yeah I did so we could be easily mugged."

Val rolled his eyes, finding it very impressive that this guy's sarcasm could feel like a smack to the face. "Take a nap, I'll look out."

Symon didn't complain but instead relaxed against the wall.

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"You didn't tell me who those 'wrong people' are?" Val pointed out.

Symon turned his back to him, "Its not important...'reparifera' try that spell to fix your phone."

Val hated it when people changed topic but he said nothing, for now at least.

After trying the spell a few dozen times, Val grew exhausted. His phone was still pretty much in its useless state. He got up slowly, so as not to upset his muscles, and walked out of the alley just to get a good look at what part of town they were in. He didn't walk too far their spot when he saw a homeless bum staggering by with a sack of God knows what.

Val sucked up his pride and forced himself to approach the stranger, despite the awful smell. "Hello, good evening, may I have your assistance please?"

The bum turned to him with droopy easy and asked in a very rude tone, "Whaccha young'un like you doin' out this late? You wanna rob somewhere?"

"No, no that's not it...I-I'm just a bit lost. I just need to know how far we are from Northam."

The bum's eyes widened slightly, his hands scratching his unkempt hair. "You mean Northam in Southampton?"

Val was immediately worried when the man put it like that. They were already in Southampton, right?

"Quite a long ways mate. There should be trains heading there in the mornin'. Better hop to it." The bum turned top leave.

"Where is this by the way?" He called after the stranger.

"Bristol, you stupid wanker."

Val nearly collapsed again, just his luck to not be sent far away from home.

***

Lucky for him and Symon he had enough money on him for two train tickets. They spent half the day waiting for the train and several more hours on the road.

"Just fix it for me." Val pleaded, once more holding his phone out to Symon. He had been trying that stupid spell for ages and there was still no improvement.

Symon glared at him, "I told you I don't use magick."

"Why?" The teen whined.

"I gave it up, you'll get fed up with it too, eventually."

Val wasn't really sure of that, despite all the chaos that had been ensuing lately, he wanted to learn more about magick. He remembered how he had transformed that trash can lid, how many people in the world could do that? Why would someone give up that kind of power.

He stared long and hard at Symon.

"I'm not telling you anything Val. Save the questions for your parents. "

Val frowned crossing his arms and looking out the window the while ride.

Once they got off the train Val checked his pockets looked like he was about ready to cry.

"What's the problem? Don't tell me there's not enough cash to get home?" Symon said with a raised eyebrow.

Val pouted, "There is but...it's my book money, the new Rick Riordan-"

"You may not buy another book in your life if we don't get to the protection of your house." Symon snapped.

Val grumbled something inaudible as they set off in search of a cab.

Two hours later, by nightfall they had reached the house.

Val felt his fear lift on sighting it. If his body wasn't still in so much pain he would have ran to it. He pulled out his keys, unlocked the store door and let Symon in first.

"Make sure you lock it, I'll go check the other's." Symon said before disappearing to the back. Val found a seat at the counter in the dark room and plopped down on it. He wanted to rest but that nagging feeling was eating away at him again.

Now that had relaxed enough an could notice things properly. He could tell that no one had been home yet, the place wouldn't be this quiet if his parents had gotten back and didn't meet him home. Not to mention there was no noise from upstairs meaning uncle Griff was absent too.

He was about to call for Symon when the other called him first.

"Valerian you little shit, you didn't lock the back door!" Symon growled bursting into the room. He grabbed Val's hand, "We've got to get out of here now before they-"

He was cut off as a bright light coming through the large glass windows flooded the interior of the store.

The doors flew open and a woman with a short need Bob cut walked in. Her eyes were a piercing blue that studied the two teens in front of her. She pulled both hands out of her coats pockets, one holding a wierd looking badge and the other holding two hand cuffs.

"Valerian Cullen and friend, I am requesting your cooperation. The sooner you accept the sooner your parents and uncle will be set free." She said sounding extremely bored and irritated.

"I see the EMCC hasn't changed its hostage tactics." Symon sneered.

She didn't spare him a glance, here eyes more focused on Val. "Well?"

"Who are you guys?"

"EMCC, The England Magick Control Committee, and you Valerian, are under arrest for casting without a registration."

Val really wasn't sure what was happening but he could tell two thing; one, he was in so much trouble; and two, he was not going to like what was coming next.