"Where's my family?" Val asked sternly. He would have asked the woman's name but his mind was more preoccupied with thoughts of whether his family was fine or not.

"They're outside, Cullen, safe and under a sleeping spell. You're not in too much trouble but if you cooperate, we'll let you off easy." She said simply.

Val knew he shouldn't trust her, but her aura was threatening. That and she carried an air of authority he could feel even standing so far away.

"We can't trust these guys." Symon muttered eyeing the female officer up with disgust.

"Symon, they're holding my family hostage, besides there's nowhere we can run."

Symon knew that, but he'd dealt with the EMCC before and they hardly ever held their end of the bargain. In fact all Committees always found a way to manipulate the rules get their gains. All in the name of justice. Humans he was so sick of them. He was sick of everything.

But one human had been so nice to him, so tolerant. He turned to Val, "What do you want to do?"

Val gave him a small smile then faced the officer, "We're surrendering, but no hand cuffs we won't try anything. I promise. "

"What about him?" She gestured to Symon.

"I won't try anything bitch, don't get your panties in a bunch." He sneered.

It was then that she smiled, "Sure boys. Our vehicles are waiting outside."

They followed her out of the store. Val was stopped in his tracks to gawk at what the lady referred to as their vehicles.

The contraptions were shaped like elevators and had head lights which produced the light which shone into the store. There were also several men and women dressed in dark clothing. They all looked alert and ready to attack. How were his neighbors not noticing this?

His assessment of those around him was cut off as he heard the female officer yell, "Secure and subdue the criminal!"

Val out of reflex prepared himself to be tackled the way criminals were when apprehended in movies, but to his surprise he wasn't the one they apprehended. It was Symon.

The other officers had conjured ropes which flew out and wrapped themselves around the white haired boy's body. He saw blue sparks crawl along the bindings and shock Symon who was screaming in pain.

Val was running before he noticed he was. "SYMON!" He yelled as he was grabbed by unfamiliar arms and began thrashing violently. "Let me go! You lied! You said you wouldn't hurt us!" He screamed eyes searching for the lady officer, "Stop hurting Symon."

She rubbed the bridge of her nose frustrated, and met his eyes. "You'll soon understand all that is going on. I'm surprised your parents hid everything so well. Like you were always a normal family." She moved closer to him and surprisingly he saw her eyes turn a deep shade of violet. "I'm sorry for you Cullen, everyone around you has been telling you lies."

He suddenly felt very drowsy, he guessed it was because of her eyes. He quickly turned away but the effects were already setting in.

"Sleep." She muttered and almost immediately Val felt his mind shut down on command.

When he woke up, he found himself seated on a chair. His arms were strapped to the armrests and he was still feeling drowsy. He did his best to focus his mind on his surroundings. He seemed to under some kind of spotlight. Not far from his left Symon on knees tied up and staring straight ahead in horror.

Stolen story; please report.

Val followed his gaze to see three figures walking in, each dressed in eye catching robes and carrying an aura of power. The one in the middle was a woman probably in her mid forties, her brown hair was pulled back into a Chinese bun and her strict slender eyes took looked him over in one swift movement.

"Valerian I assume?" She asked courteously.

Val could only nod, why was he suddenly so very scared?

The other woman on her left had bright orange hair which was done in swirls such that the lowered half almost looked like clouds, "You don't have to worry too much, what you're here for is quite common and often a fault of the parents." She said gently.

"Your friend, or shall I say cat, on the other hand, is a wanted criminal." The stern lady said with a disgusted look as she crossed to Symon.

The man in blue robes went ahead of her and squatted down so he was on Symon's level. "Reiner, you look so different from the last time we met." He said jovial.

Symon scoffed, "No shit Sherlock, you really shouldn't judge since you gained a couple pounds yourself, Raymond."

To Val, this Raymond guy looked like the fittest man to ever live. Quite handsome that Val would actually consider him if their ages weren't so glaringly far apart.

"You're still fun to talk to, I doubt Proxy will like it." The older man smiled getting up.

"Proxianna." The brown haired lady corrected. She turned to Val, "Proxianna Castle, but it would be in your best interest to refer to me as Lady Castle. My companions are Lord Avior and Lady Stellar."

Val nodded.

"Cissy release him the body is harmless." Lord Avior said to Lady Stellar, Val noticed he seemed to have a nickname for everyone.

Lady Stellar snapped her fingers and instantly his bonds came off. Despite the shakiness of his legs he carried himself towards Symon. "Symon what's going on?"

"The thing is..." lady Stellar began.

"No!" Val exclaimed. The confusion and hurt of the last several hours were finally catching up to him. He wanted to hear something useful, especially from someone he trusted. "I want to hear it from him first."

"Why you insolent little-"

"Shut it Proxy, he has the right to not want to listen. Your police squad betrayed their word, so why should he trust you." Symon said his tone harsh, sure he was walking right into their trap, they wanted him to be rude and violent and he would be if he had to but it was for Val. The only honest person he had met in a long while.

Lady Castle glared daggers at him.

"I see no problem with his request as long as we talk after, we'll clear this mess up once and for all." Raymond said with a serious expression.

"Val..." Symon called softly, not taking his eyes off the three people with them, "Listen, whatever they say, they won't lie."

Val opened his mouth to say something, but there was really nothing to say was there?

"We can't exactly start from the beginning, I'm sure Reiner-"

"Symon, call me Symon."

Raymond looked amused but picked up from where he stopped, "Symon wouldn't want the whole story told. His real name is Reiner Discourse. As you might know he was a cat before you transformed him. He belongs under the group of Magick Animalia grade two meaning he has the capacity to become a Familiar, a spirit creature. As he has chosen not to tap into this power, he is still a grade two meaning he cannot perform spells without an order form his master."

"For animals performing spells without order, is a grievous crime." Lady Stellar said calmly.

"Why?" Val questioned.

"Because things would be utter chaos, since your parents failed to educate you on anything the responsibility falls on us." Lady Castle huffed, Val didn't quite understand but he said nothing. "Animalia have nature Magick, which is a very powerful form of Magick. Long ago they were free and they use their abilities to cause mischief. The humans had to band together to do something or the Animalia would take over so we convinced the most powerful of them to cooperate.

"They accepted our laws and helped carry them out, that way the world could be safe once more." She paused looking right at Symon. "We never planned to make life hard for animals but your ancestors gave us no choice."

"You cast two very deadly spells without an order Symon, that can't be overlooked." Raymond said sadly.

"Your punishment will be imprisonment with labor for life." Lady Castle said without mincing words.

"No!" Val exclaimed. "You can't, Symon I'm sure you have a reason. Say something." He shook Symon's shoulders.

Symon kept his gaze on the floor, "Val, stop...they're right. I've been running for too long."

Val shoved him harshly, "Shut up, you're not getting out of this that easily. Go to Magick jail and avoid telling me the whole story? Like bloody hell you are."

Symon scowled, how could this guy see right through him?

"Enough." Lady Castle said stiffly. She waved her hand and a strong gust of wind blew the two boys apart. She faced Symon, "You on the other hand will get registered immediately. You have the abilities of a Reformer, we need those with your ability on the job at the moment."

Val stared at her in disbelief. She just sentenced his friend and she expected him to work for this wack-job organization just like that?

"Proxianna, maybe you should give him sometime, alot has happened to him over the last three days." Lady Stellar said.

"I don't need time to think, I'm not working for you until Symon is released."

"You're really in no place to bargain Valerian." Raymond smirked.

"I don't care."

"You are a part of the Magick society Valerian, serving the Committee on call is your duty, you will work for us and Reiner is going to serve his sentence." She said in a hiss.

"Now now Proxy, let's think about this." A cheerful calming voice said. It came from the center of the room where a pillar of purple dust had begun to form.

"Great one." The three grown-ups cried all bowing to the pillar.

Val noticed the immediate scowl on Symon's face. He turned back to the pillar to see it had taken the form of a very gorgeous being. He couldn't tell if whoever it was was a male or a female but they were beautifully dressed and definitely not human.

The being turned their sparkly purple eyes to Symon, "Trouble finds you again I see but I'm not here for you though." It then turned to Val, hovering closer, "Valerian Cullen, it's nice meeting you, I know things are a little bit rough now but get used to it. You're a Magick caster and you're working with the committee. So welcome to your new life."

Val growled gradually getting fed up of bring ordered around. "I'm not working for anyone because I didn't agreed to anything." He snapped.

All eyes immediately locked on him as everyone let out a gasp.

Symon groaned. "Tell me you didn't just yell at the earth's fifth most powerful being."

Val's heart sunk, the what now?