(The Next Day)<br/><br/>Val shouldered his bag as Thomas gave him one last hug.<span class="fixed-color" style="color:rgb(128, 128, 128)">"Bye dad, I'll miss you."</span><br/><span class="fixed-color" style="color:rgb(32, 178, 170)">"Be good, son. We'll handle things here."</span><br/>Valentine ran to the meet-up spot, seeing a woman that Val had to guess was Mystera and Annie. It wasn't too far from his house, so he skidded to a halt in the snow.<br/><span class="fixed-color" style="color:rgb(128, 128, 128)">"I'm here! Don't leave without me!"</span>Val yelped. He straightened his posture, looking at Professor Ianice and Dayyan with a smile as he hefted his bag onto his shoulder from where he had slipped.<br/>Val frowned as he noticed a soldier approaching Mystera, asking her what she was doing. She looked nervous, anxiously glancing at Professor Ianice and Dayyan.<br/><span class="fixed-color" style="color:rgb(128, 128, 128)">"She's going to White Castle, same as I am. Leave her alone,"</span>Val cut in between the soldier and Mystera.<span class="fixed-color" style="color:rgb(128, 128, 128)">"She hasn't done anything to you."</span><br/>Val gave Mystera a small grin. He didn't know her very well, but the soldier didn't need to speak to her that way. Not when she hadn't done anything to deserve it. He was prepared to face the consequences, if it meant protecting a friend.