Mage Academy (Recording Included) (4/?)

[Blah!?]

Hey everyone!

This one actually spawned from my Story Reading Request thread. I got an offer from a member who would like to remain anonymous, and she and I worked on a new story together. I wrote it, she recorded it, and now it's finally ready for the big leagues.

Here's the story, so I hope you all enjoy it!

-----

Araminta slipped into the chair behind her desk promptly at 8:30 in the morning. She was surrounded by talkative students, some of whom she would call her friends, but she decided not to add to the usual classroom bustle. Smiling to herself, Araminta wondered about what today's lesson would be. Some students were determined to never pay attention, but Araminta thought their professor always made things interesting.

As if on cue, Professor Miranda Hayes stepped into the classroom, quickly heading around behind her desk. Professor Hayes was a little intimidating, but she had a friendly personality to make up for it. Well, friendly unless she suspected you weren't trying your hardest. Araminta smiled as she briefly made eye contact with the teacher, and then she reached down to pull out her notebook.

"Good morning, class," Miranda greeted, giving a little bow.

"Good morning, Professor Hayes," the class responded, each student bowing in return. Miranda set her bag down on top of her desk and drew out a long, sharp feather. At first, Araminta thought it was a quill, but upon closer inspection, it appeared to be nothing more than a mundane feather.

"Today's lesson," Professor Hayes began, twirling the feather, "is about sneezing." A few students, including Araminta, giggled softly. Professor Hayes smiled and shook her head.

"You can laugh now, but this lesson is important, as silly as it sounds. A couple of you look a little embarrassed, and I can only imagine that means you know what I'm talking about. Correct?"

A few students nodded, blushing to themselves. Professor Hayes gave each of them a sympathetic smile.

"Perhaps one of the most important parts of this lesson is that what you experienced can and has happened to nearly every magic user in history. It's nothing to be ashamed of. Would any of you be willing to share what happened to you?"

A lone student in the front row raised her hand. Araminta recognized her, but they weren't terribly close. Professor Hayes nodded and extended a hand to the student, prompting her to stand and turn to face the class.

"About a week ago, I sneezed and..." The student paused to giggle, her cheeks turning red in embarrassment. "Bubbles came out of my nose..." She hid her blushing face behind her hands and fell back into her seat as a few other students laughed. Even Professor Hayes gave a little smile, and then she twirled her feather again.

"Bubbles? I can do that," Miranda said, reaching her feather up to her face. To the students' surprise, Professor Hayes began to stroke the underside of her own nose with the tip of the feather. Her eyes clenched shut and her nostrils flared, and then she took in a sharp, deep breath.

"Hhhhhh-! CHUUH!"

Professor Hayes sneezed powerfully, and as she did, a stream of colorful bubbles flowed out of her nostrils. Araminta's eyes widened as she watched the bubbles fly through the air, created from nothing by magic inside of her teacher's nose. Afterward, Professor Hayes quickly rubbed her index finger under her nostrils and smiled at the class, earning a bit of applause from a few students.

"Professor Hayes," Araminta spoke up, raising a hand. Miranda nodded to her, giving her permission to continue.

"You've sneezed plenty of times before, but it's never cast a spell like that," Araminta said, hoping her statement would also convey her question. Professor Hayes smiled, tapping the side of her nose with one finger.

"That's because I know what I'm about to teach you today," Miranda explained, setting her feather down on her desk. "Some of you know this already, but the rest of you are going to discover it soon. When a magic user sneezes, there's a chance that the sneeze will involuntarily cast a spell. The more skillful you become with your magic, the more likely it is that this can happen. But, with proper concentration, you can prevent this from happening at all."

Several students, especially those who had already experienced some magic sneezes of their own, sighed with relief. Araminta had heard about this problem in the past, and she counted herself lucky for not having experienced it yet. It sounded dangerous, or even worse, completely humiliating. The thought of what might happen the next time she sneezed was enough to make her feel embarrassed.

"No notebooks today," Professor Hayes said suddenly, startling a few students just as they were preparing to transcribe her lecture. Swiping one hand up from the ground, Professor Hayes conjured a freestanding curtain, a trick Araminta had seen her perform before when she had to speak with students one-on-one.

"I'm going to call each of you up here one at a time. Then we'll go behind the curtain together for a little bit of personalized work. The rest of you can feel free to socialize out here, but don't make too much noise!" Professor Hayes explained, flicking her fingers toward the feather on her desk. The feather rose into the air and floated into her hand, and then she gestured to the girl in the front row, the same one who had shared her sneezing experience. She and Professor Hayes stepped behind the curtain; once there, no one else could see or hear them, affording them total privacy.

The class once again descended into a mess of noise and playing students. Araminta kept to herself, still feeling a little embarrassed. She knew each student was going to have their own session, but she couldn't help but think that her own would be a disaster somehow. As the other students were called up one by one, Araminta lost track of time as she continued to fret about what might happen to her.

"Araminta?" Professor Hayes called out a while later. The timid student was still too busy worrying to notice. She glanced from side to side, watching a few of the others pack up their things and leave, and she wondered how many people hadn't been called up yet.

"Araminta!" Professor Hayes repeated, a little more loudly this time. Finally hearing her name, Araminta jumped in her seat, feeling embarrassed. She quickly stood and jogged over to her teacher, bowing her head in apology.

"Sorry, Professor Hayes!" Araminta squealed, still averting her eyes. "I'm just..."

"Nervous?" Miranda said, completing Araminta's thought. The student nodded, her face red with embarrassment. Placing a hand on Araminta's shoulder, Professor Hayes led her behind the curtain to begin their session. In typical magic fashion, the space behind the curtain was much larger than it appeared from the outside. A pair of luxurious armchairs faced each other on top of a soft carpet. Professor Hayes sat in the far chair and gestured for Araminta to take the other.

"Perhaps we should talk a bit first," Miranda said, sitting up properly in her chair. Araminta nodded silently and sat down across from her. She put her hands on her lap and fidgeted, not sure where to begin.

"You seem very high strung today," Professor Hayes said, breaking the ice. Araminta bobbed her head in agreement, but she remained silent. Leaning back in her chair, Professor Hayes thought for a moment.

"Is something bothering you? You've always been quiet, but this seems out of character for you," the teacher said in a comforting voice. Araminta took a deep breath and finally decided to respond.

"I'm just worried that something awful will happen," the student said, poking one foot into the floor. She fidgeted again and struggled to look up at Professor Hayes. "What if I blow up my house the next time I sneeze?"

Professor Hayes smiled, letting out a soft giggle. Sitting up in her chair again, she cleared her throat before continuing.

"Araminta, nobody's ever blown up their house by sneezing," Miranda said, still smiling. Araminta couldn't help at giggle at how ridiculous that sounded now that she heard someone else say it. Then, Professor Hayes's expression became slightly more serious.

"I'm not going to lie to you, sometimes mages can have dangerous sneezes, but nothing that bad has ever happened. That's part of what we're going to do today. Unless you're dreadfully opposed to it, I'd like to make you sneeze a few times just so you can experience what might happen. Is that okay?"

Araminta blushed at the idea of Professor Hayes making her sneeze, but eventually she agreed. She was still terrified of the possibility of disaster, but she trusted Professor Hayes. Whatever happened, her teacher would make sure everything was alright. Twiddling her fingers, Miranda held up the long, sharp feather from before, showing it to Araminta.

"I'm just going to use this. Is that alright?" Professor Hayes asked.

"Okay," Araminta agreed. Her teacher gave a brief smile, and then she leaned in close with the feather. Professor Hayes began to gently swipe the feather back and forth under Araminta's nose, and after just a few seconds she knew she was going to sneeze. She had never been made to sneeze before, so it was quite an odd sensation, though not entirely unpleasant.

"Just let it out whenever you can," Professor Hayes said, continuing to stroke the underside of Araminta's nose with the feather. Taking her teacher's words as permission to sneeze, the student reared back and took a shrill breath.

"Hihh! Ah-CHHHH!"

Araminta bent forward with a soft sneeze. Despite how quiet it was, she began to panic, assuming the worst. She immediately sat up and stared at Professor Hayes, the teacher's unfazed expression bringing her no comfort.

"Professor Hayes! Are you alright? I'm so sorry!"

"Of course I'm alright," Miranda said with a laugh. "You just sneezed, nothing happened."

"Oh," Araminta responded, sounding almost disappointed. "What does that mean? You said something's more likely to happen the more skilled I am, right? Does this mean I'm behind the rest of the class?"

"What? No, of course not! It's still a random effect, and whether it happens or not doesn't necessarily have anything to do with your skills," Professor Hayes explained, calming Araminta slightly. The student sighed, hanging her head.

"I'm sorry for making a fuss. I'm just worried, that's all."

"I know you are. You've always been a bit of a worrier," Professor Hayes said with a smile. Araminta blushed and looked away. "That's nothing to be ashamed of. I usually have to teach most of my students to be more cautious. In your case, I think I just have to teach you to loosen up. Now, how about one more sneeze?"

Araminta nodded, and Professor Hayes reached the feather forward again. She began to gently trace the edges of Araminta's nostrils, making her nose twitch and wrinkle. Before long, the student's breath began to shudder, and Professor Hayes could tell she was ready to let out another sneeze.

"Go ahead, Araminta," the teacher instructed. Just as before, Araminta threw back her head, took in a shrill breath, and then she sneezed.

"Hihhhh! Ah-CHHHHH!"

This time, Araminta felt different. The rush of air through her nostrils was much stronger than she was used to, and before she even opened her eyes she could tell something had happened. Araminta worriedly looked up at her teacher and she immediately saw what she had done. Professor Hayes's face was scrunched up tightly, and her usually perfect hair had been blasted back.

"Bless you," Miranda said through gritted teeth before relaxing her face. Araminta blushed and gently rubbed a finger under her nose, still feeling a little tickle inside.

"Sorry," Araminta apologized quietly. Professor Hayes began to laugh, trying to smooth down her hair. Despite the teacher's efforts, her hair was still a little messy in the aftermath of Araminta's sneeze, and eventually she gave up on trying to tame it completely.

"There, that wasn't so bad, was it?" Miranda said, running her fingers along the feather to clean it. Araminta shook her head, giving her teacher a shy smile. "I was going to talk about techniques for controlling this reflex tomorrow, but you still seem worried. Is there anything you want to ask me?"

"Well, I have allergies..." Araminta began, starting to fidget again. Professor Hayes leaned back in her chair and listened intently. "I'm just worried that I'll be sneezing a lot, whether I know how to control my magic or not."

"I see. What are you allergic to?" the teacher asked.

"Flowers," Araminta admitted, sounding ashamed. Professor Hayes smiled sympathetically and leaned toward her student.

"That's a pity, but I don't think you have it too bad. If you're really that worried, I can teach you a simple, quick technique to avoid casting any bad spells when you sneeze. Do you know the myth that saying grapefruit stops you from sneezing?"

"Yes," Araminta nodded, raising an eyebrow. "But isn't that all it is, a myth?"

"Well, yes, but the idea behind it can help here. If you feel a sneeze coming on, forcing yourself to concentrate on anything that isn't a spell can stop you from casting one by accident. The worst thing that can happen is you'll conjure a grapefruit, and then you can have a snack," Professor Hayes explained with a laugh. Araminta giggled as well, rubbing a finger under her nose again.

"Would you like to try it?" Miranda asked, holding up her feather again. Araminta agreed, and with that, Professor Hayes reached the feather forward. Araminta's nose twitched as the tip of the feather stroked her nostrils. Her breath shuddered and hitched, and she realized she had been holding herself back.

"Sometimes it helps to say the word out loud," Professor Hayes instructed.

"Gr-grapefruit..." Araminta breathed, about to be overwhelmed by her building sneeze. She reared back her head, her nostrils flaring, and she tried as hard as she could to keep her mind away from all the spells she had learned.

"Gr-grah... Hihhhh! Grapefruit! HA-CHHHHH!"

Araminta's head tipped forward gently with the force of her sneeze. This one felt normal again, with no extra rush of air through her nostrils. Araminta let out a sigh of relief, but then she gave a yelp as she felt something fall into her lap. She opened her eyes to see a grapefruit sitting on top of her legs. Raising an eyebrow, Araminta picked it up as Professor Hayes began to laugh.

"See? That's the worst that could happen, and it's totally harmless," the teacher said, standing up from her chair. "Any other questions?"

"Yes, just one," Araminta said, glancing up at Professor Hayes. "Did this come out of my nose?"

-----

And since you've all waited so patiently, here's the file for you to download and listen. I think our reader did a great job, and I'm very thankful I was able to work with someone so awesome. I may actually write another story with these characters, but as always, no promises.

Stereo File (119mb):

http://www.mediafire...116swtmc6u40ytv

Mono File (6bm):

http://www.mediafire...8w2g8ils44bprq8

Once again, the reader would like to remain anonymous, so please don't even ask.

[Anonymouse]

"Today's lesson," Professor Hayes began, twirling the feather, "is about sneezing."

If one of my teachers started class with that IRL I'd drop dead... but in a story that's one of the best things to hear.

That first strong sneeze from Miranda... hellooooooo nurse teacher.

I literally laughed out loud at the ending, when she asks her professor if the grapefruit came out of her nose. Classic Blah humor.

I enjoyed this a lot! I'll have to listen to the recording at some point too.

[Via]

Cute story, liked it a lot. Quick question, though. Is there a reason the .wav file is so giant(120mb)? Is it really long, or uncompressed, or what?

[Blah!?]

The recording is 11:51 long, and I really wanted to avoid quality loss so it's mostly uncompressed. Thank you for pointing this out, though. I'll try to upload it somewhere else so listeners can stream without having to download a big file if they don't want to.

Upon examination, the original file is also stereo. I've marked it down to mono, and my file browser assures me it's only 6mb now. I'll add a link to the main post.

[NoV]

Something very hot about the idea of being taught how to sneeze by a teacher...!

Nice story Blah-San - will have to go and download the audio...

[TheCakeIsAlive]

Such a cute story and very nicely read, too.

You write the sweetest and funniest things. xD

[Paul]

Nice recording, is the reader also the one inducing?

[count tiszula]

Top concept, excellent story and a brilliant reading by your mysterious collaborator! Fine sneezes, too...........

[Demosthenes]

I can't seem to download the audio. It keeps saying, "The resource you are trying access belongs to an account that has not yet been validated." Great story though!

[Blah!?]

Completely forgot about that. Not sure why it switched off after a while. When I made the account, it never actually told me it needed to validate, at least not as far as I remember. though I've made enough accounts on various websites that I should have known better. It should be working now.

Thanks for the comments, everyone! I will be a bit of a tease and say there's some more planned for later on...

[Animeeze]

Awesome story dude, I gotta listen to the file! As always wonderful sneezes and great characters and plot! This is a great idea for a story too haha!

[Pilgrim]

This was super adorable, you guys did a great job! Thanks a bunch, you awesome peeps ^o^

[Blah!?]

Hey everyone! Look what we got here! It's an elusive Part Two!

This chapter's a little short, so I won't say too much and I'll let you get right into it. This time around, however, I'm going to leave the recording up top...

HQ File (38mb):

http://www.mediafire.com/download/j0tnupcxa6su978/magacademy2_HQ.wav

Smaller File: (4mb):

http://www.mediafire.com/download/tbaxc7bqxajl33i/magacademy2_L.wav

-----

"Ha-CHHHH!"

Araminta sneezed once as she waited outside of Professor Miranda Hayes's office. She was been feeling too timid to even knock, but luckily the professor heard her student sneeze and welcomed her in.

"Please come in, Araminta," Professor Hayes said, opening her door with a flick of her fingers. Araminta rubbed her nose gently and peered around the door to see the teacher sitting at her desk, and then she headed inside.

"Good morning, Professor Hayes," Araminta greeted quietly, giving a quick bow. Miranda nodded back, and Araminta noticed she wasn't looking so well.

"Sorry to bother you," the student continued, sitting down in the chair next to her teacher's desk. "I just really... Really... HA-CHHH! Really wanted to talk to you..."

"Bless you, Araminta," Professor Hayes said, rubbing a finger under her own nose. "What's the matter?"

"Well..." Araminta tried to begin before being interrupted by yet another sneeze. "Ah-CHH! Part of it is the sneezing..." Professor Hayes smiled and shook her head.

"Araminta, if your allergies are acting up, you should visit the doctor, not me."

"But you're my adviser!" Araminta pleaded desperately. "And it's not my allergies."

"Oh, well what seems to be the problem then?" Professor Hayes inquired, leaning across her desk.

"I'm having some trouble with my housemates," Araminta explained, rubbing her nose. "They're quite nice most of the time, but they can get a little rowdy."

"Sounds like normal school girls to me," Professor Hayes responded wryly.

"Professor!" Araminta stammered, furiously rubbing her nose as she did. Miranda held up her hands apologetically and shook her head.

"Sorry, sorry. Go on, please."

"Well, last night they were playing a prank on some students from another house. It was all harmless fun, but one of them hit me with a spell. It was an accident, but it's driving me crazy!"

Professor Hayes raised an eyebrow and tapped her fingers together. She sat up at her desk and thought for a moment. Each of the student boarding houses had a protective ward that prevented the use of any dangerous spells, but even still, this could be a serious violation of school code. Miranda eyed Araminta for a moment, looking her over quickly to make sure she was okay. The quiet student sat at attention, but her composure broke as she sneezed again.

"Ah-CHHH!"

"Bless you," Professor Hayes said, rubbing her own nose briefly. "I'd ask you what spell it was, but I think I already know. It was a sneezing curse, wasn't it?"

"Yes, it... It... HA-CHHH! It was," Araminta said, giving a nod. Professor Hayes tried to think, but her own nose was starting to bother her too. She rubbed a finger slowly under her nostrils, but it did little to make her feel any better.

"Hehh... Hhhhh-! CHUUUHH!"

Miranda sneezed powerfully, bending over in her chair. Araminta sat upright, a little surprised at the loud outburst. She watched as her professor rubbed her nose, looking even more under the weather than before.

"Bless you, Professor Hayes. Are you feeling alright?"

"Yes, I'm..." Miranda pressed a finger to the underside of her nose and sniffed deeply. "I'm fine. Just a little side effect of my trip."

Part of the reason Araminta had been so desperate to meet with her teacher was because Professor Hayes had been away from the school for a week. Every so often, professors from one school were called upon to inspect another, to make sure everyone was upholding the universal code of magic. Last week, Professor Hayes was summoned to inspect a faraway academy specializing in alchemy.

"Oh, that's a shame. How was your trip, by the way?" Araminta asked, forgetting her own problems for a moment. Professor Hayes sniffed again, but she smiled as she rubbed her nose.

"It was quite nice, actually. Wonderful facilities, very welcoming faculty. The students were a bit wild, but that's to be expected. It's still a school, after all."

"I'm glad you had a good time," Araminta said with a little nod. Professor Hayes smiled and shook her head, rubbing her nose again.

"It was good until I had to inspect their stockroom. Somehow I managed to spill an entire bottle of powdered root of asphodel."

"Is that what's making you sneeze?" Araminta asked, sounding concerned.

"You would not believe how allergic I am to asphodel," Professor Hayes laughed. She vigorously rubbed her nose, sniffing again. "Until this morning, I was having hourly sneeze attacks. I only just started feeling better today... Hehhh... CHHUUHHH!"

"Bless you," Araminta said quietly, feeling a strange sensation of comfort since her teacher was sneezing too. Miranda held her finger to her nostrils for a second and sniffed deeply, and then she shook her head, cleared her throat and returned her attention to her student.

"But that's all in the past now. I'm going to see the doctor for some aromatherapy later today. That should clear my head. Anyway, how about I take a look at that curse for you?" Professor Hayes offered, extending a hand to Araminta.

"Oh , that would be... Would be... Ah-CHHH! That would be wonderful," Araminta responded with a grateful smile. She stood up from her chair and approached the desk. Professor Hayes stood as well, leaning in close to her student.

"Hold still," Professor Hayes instructed, reaching a hand toward Araminta's face. The student nodded subtly, not wanting to move too much. Professor Hayes touched a finger to the tip of Araminta's nose and then pushed it up gently, revealing her small nostrils. Then, Miranda peered into her student's nose, her trained eyes searching for traces of magic. Araminta started to feel embarrassed as her teacher looked up her nose, so she averted her gaze and instead began to glance around the office, taking note of a few portraits and diplomas hanging from the walls.

"Yeah, that's in there pretty good. Nasty sneezing spell," Professor Hayes mumbled to herself. The words weren't exactly comforting to Araminta, but she trusted her teacher. A moment later, Professor Hayes released Araminta's nose and then began to swirl one finger in a slow circle.

"Just a second, this should get it out of your system," Professor Hayes said, glowing magical energy beginning to collect on the tip of her finger. Araminta watched as her teacher swirled her finger one last time.

"Don't move..." Professor Hayes instructed, reaching toward Araminta's face. The student remained perfectly still, and then her teacher touched the tip of her finger to the gap between her nostrils. Araminta scrunched up her nose, and then Professor Hayes gave it a firm, upward flick. The tip of Araminta's nose wobbled up and down for a second as magic energy coursed through her, and then her face went slack.

"There, feeling better?" Professor Hayes asked, swiping her finger in the air to dispel any leftover magic.

"Ahh..." Araminta breathed, her eyes fluttering.

"Are you alright, Araminta?"

"Aahhhh..."

Miranda's eyes widened when she remembered the best way to cure a sneezing curse was to blow it all out at once. She tried to take cover behind her chair, but she was too slow.

"AHH-CHHHHHH!!!"

Araminta bent forward with a powerful sneeze, much stronger than she was used to. However, she recognized the powerful rush of air through her nostrils. Nervously opening her eyes, Araminta looked up at Professor Hayes to see a familiar expression of distress.

"Bless you..." Professor Hayes groaned, her face scrunched up and her hair blasted back. Araminta blushed, rubbed her nose, and looked down at the floor in shame.

"Sorry," she said, sinking back into her chair.

"Your sneezes are really quite fond of that whirlwind spell, aren't they?" Professor Hayes mused, gathering up her messy hair. Araminta blushed and nodded.

"Air magic is my favorite," Araminta explained timidly. "Does that have anything to do with it?"

Her teacher didn't respond. Looking back up, Araminta saw Professor Hayes frozen in place, her face contorted.

"Professor Hayes?"

"HEH-CHUUUHH!"

Miranda sneezed loudly and she fell back into her chair. She and Araminta both laughed at how ridiculous this whole situation was, but once their giggling died down, they were ready to be serious again.

"Well, now your sneezing curse is gone," Professor Hayes said with a comforting smile.

"Thank you, I feel much better now," Araminta said gratefully, taking a deep breath through her nose. Professor Hayes nodded, and then she asked the hard question, wondering how her student would take it.

"But that's hardly the real problem, is it?"

"I think I just need to talk to my housemates," Araminta said, taking the words out of Professor Hayes's mouth. "They're not unreasonable, just a little too energetic sometimes."

"See? What do you even need me for?" Professor Hayes said with a laugh. She rubbed her nose again and gave Araminta a smile. The student returned the expression and nodded back.

"I need you in case they don't listen. Then I need to consult a faculty member to see if any rules are being broken."

"No, really. What do you need me for?"

-----

And there you have it! Thanks so much for reading, and as always, be sure yo leave a nice thank you note for our lovely narrator!

Join us again next week...

[PortlandLove]

THIS. How am I only finding this now?? Can't wait for the next update.

[Sneeze999]

Wonderful story, INCREDIBLE narration!!! Love it!!! Would happily listen to more!!

[SneezeloveronGirls]

The Professor is lucky that Araminta didn't sneeze in her face when she looked up her nostrils.

[Blah!?]

Hey everyone!

I've been away for a few days, but now it's time for part 3! I think you guys are really going to like this chapter. It's the longest yet by far, and it has a lot more to offer than the previous two. Both the narrator and I think this one is going to be our best yet. Now, let's get started!

Here are your download links:

High Quality:

http://www.mediafire.com/download/cz5u37u3cd2wfbn/mageacademy3_HQ.wav (100 MB)

Small File:

http://www.mediafire.com/download/m51g98837ure129/mageacademy3_L.wav (10 MB)

-----

Professor Miranda Hayes wove her fingers together behind her back and stared seriously at the three students before her. Today was to be their first hands-on examination at the academy, and Professor Hayes hoped they would all be ready for it. As adviser to each of them, Miranda knew deep down they could all handle the test, but she wasn't quite sure if they could handle each other yet.

"Good afternoon," Professor Hayes greeted, bowing her head. The students bowed back, keeping quiet. "As this is your first practical examination, I'll go over the basics with you. This test is commonly known as The Dungeon Crawl, and that alone probably says plenty about it."

Two of the students seemed mostly unfazed, but one of them was starting to worry. Professor Hayes gave Araminta a wink, trying to keep her calm. The test hadn't even started yet and already Araminta was getting fidgety, but that wasn't anything out of the ordinary.

"There are only a few rules," Miranda continued, raising a hand to shield her eyes from the bright sun. "One, somewhere inside the dungeon is a magical artifact. Your primary goal is to recover that artifact and return here. Two, you are free to use any spell you know, whether you learned it in class or on your own. The only prohibited spells are those outlawed by the universal code of magic, and I shouldn't have to explain that to you. And three, the test only ends once all three of you return here with the artifact. No one left behind. Any questions?"

All three of the students remained silent. None of them wanted to ask anything for fear of appearing ignorant. Professor Hayes simply couldn't believe they didn't have any questions, so she turned to them one at a time.

"Adriel?" Professor Hayes said, addressing the one boy in the group.

"Yes, ma'am?" Adriel responded, raising an eyebrow.

"No questions?"

"Well, maybe one," Adriel said, scratching his chin. "What sort of creatures will we be facing?"

"That's for me to know and you to find out," Professor Hayes said with a wink. "I can tell you this much though. They're not going to be interested in hearing the latest social buzz."

Adriel nodded, giving the professor a knowing smile. Miranda grinned and then turned to the middle student.

"Helena?"

"Can we head inside already? All this dried grass is irritating my sinuses," the tall girl complained, giving her nose an upward flick with the side of her finger. Professor Hayes shook her head, smiling to herself.

"Helena, grass is hardly going to be your biggest problem today."

"Ehh... Hehh... HEH-HMP!!!"

As if on cue, Helena sneezed. She pressed her middle and index fingers under her nostrils, stifling powerfully, and then she let out a strained breath. Professor Hayes couldn't help but laugh.

"And don't stifle your sneezes, Helena. It'll make your head explode."

"Ugh," Helena groaned, rubbing her nose and looking away in frustration. Professor Hayes shook her head and then turned to the third and final student.

"Araminta?"

"Um," the timid student fidgeted. "Will we get partial credit?"

"Don't worry about it," Professor Hayes said with a chuckle. Araminta kicked at the dirt for a second, but she nodded in acknowledgement. Then, Miranda reached into her pocket and drew out a handful of glittering dust.

"If there are no more questions," Professor Hayes said, letting a bit of dust slip through her fingers. "You three are on your own." The teacher hurled the handful of dust down at the ground, and in a flash of golden smoke, she disappeared. Araminta coughed as she breathed in some of the fumes, but she quickly recovered. Then, she glanced over at the others just in time to see Helena stifle another sneeze.

"Heh-Heh! HEH-HMMP!!! Ugh... Teleportation dust makes me sneeze," Helena groaned, rubbing her nose slowly but firmly. Adriel put a hand on his chin and stared off into space pensively.

"I wonder what would happen if you sneezed while trying to use it," he said to himself, raising an eyebrow. Araminta waved a hand at the two of them, trying to get their attention.

"Hey, um, we should probably get started."

No one raised an objection, so the three students headed inside. As soon as they passed through the dungeon gate, a massive metal door slammed shut behind them, blocking out any trace of sunlight. Luckily, a few torches hung on the walls, providing enough light to see by. Araminta was worried, as usual, but she took comfort in the fact that her partners weren't.

"Well, there's only one way to go," Adriel pointed out, grabbing a torch from the wall. He was about to head down the first corridor, but Araminta held up a hand to stop him.

"Wait!" she called out quietly. The other two students stared at her, making her feel self-conscious, but she explained herself anyway.

"There might be traps. We should be careful," Araminta advised. She wasn't quite sure what they'd actually do about said traps, but she knew they had to keep them in mind. Luckily, Helena stepped forward, appearing to have a plan. The tall student cupped a hand over her mouth and closed her eyes.

Helena whispered into her hand, but Araminta couldn't hear what she said. Then, Helena's palm began to glow, and she shone the light on the ground. Araminta watched in amazement as the others headed down the corridor, and then she jogged after them to catch up.

"That's an interesting spell," Araminta commented, glancing up at Helena. "I haven't learned that one yet. What does it do?"

"The light reveals hidden objects. It's advanced," Helena said quickly, keeping her eyes on the ground. "I'm not surprised you haven't learned it."

"Oh," Araminta whispered, backing off. She followed Helen and Adriel quietly, keeping to herself. However, after just a few seconds, Helena stopped in her tracks.

"Are you alright, Helena?" Araminta asked, approaching her stalled partner.

"Heh... Heh-Heh!" Helena's breath shuddered, her head tipping back. Araminta and Adriel backed away, knowing what was about to happen.

"HEH-HMP!!!"

Pressing her middle and index fingers under her nostrils at the last second, Helena stifled another sneeze. She bent forward at the waist, her glasses slipping down the bridge of her nose.

"Bless you," Araminta said, but Helena ignored her. Instead, the tall student turned her attention to her hand, frowning at her fizzled spell. The light from her palm flickered for a second, and then it went out in a pop of white sparks.

"Dammit!" Helena groaned as she shook out her hand to dispel the wasted magic. She tried to cast the spell again, but when she whispered into her palm, nothing happened. Shaking out her hand once more, Helena tried again to no avail.

"Why isn't this working?" Helena angrily muttered to herself. Araminta tried to speak up, but Adriel and Helena began to talk over her.

"Maybe that sneeze disrupted your energy flow," Adriel said, raising an eyebrow. Helena frowned and waved a hand at him.

"Impossible. Do I look like a novice to you?" Helena scolded, rubbing her nose with her free hand. "I'll have you know I'm at the top of my class!"

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry," Adriel said, holding up his hands apologetically. "What else could it be though?"

"Excuse me," Araminta said, raising her hand. Once again, the others stared at her, making her shrink a little. However, after a second she cleared her throat and spoke up.

"Look over there," Araminta said, pointing to the far wall. Just up ahead, the corridor opened up into a large, seemingly empty chamber. A glowing symbol was painted on the wall at the far side of the chamber, and once Adriel and Helena saw it, they appeared to understand.

"There's a ward on the wall there," Araminta explained. "No spells." Adriel and Helena nodded, and then they proceeded cautiously into the chamber. Four pillars rose from the corners of the room, a lantern hanging from each one. They provided enough light to see by, but the chamber was still quite dim. A pair of corridors led away from the chamber to the left and right, but the far wall with the ward was solid.

Adriel led the way with his torch and Araminta followed closely behind Helena. First they tried the right-hand corridor, but it was barred by a large gate only a few feet in. The group turned around, leaving Araminta in front. She swallowed nervously, but she nodded and began to walk toward the other corridor. However, halfway through the chamber, Araminta felt a floor tile sink under her foot as she stepped on it.

"Oh no..." Araminta sighed to herself, hanging her head. Adriel and Helena didn't even have time to ask what was wrong before they heard the gate behind them open menacingly. The three students turned around in silence to see a massive white tiger creeping down the corridor. Araminta's first impulse was to run, but Adriel grabbed her shoulder and held her in place.

"No sudden movements!" he whispered, glancing to Helena to make sure she'd heard him as well. "That's a Snowblind Tiger. It'll hear you if you run."

"Is it really blind?" Araminta asked, staring at Adriel nervously. He nodded, placing a finger to his lips for emphasis.

"Totally blind, but excellent hearing. I could take care of it, but-"

Just then, the tiger's head snapped to the group of students. It could hear them even as they whispered, and it started to approach threateningly. Adriel hefted his torch and hurled it at the far corner of the room. As the metal torch clattered against the wall and floor, the tiger roared and lunged at the source of the sound, buying the students a few seconds to plan.

"I know a spell that will knock it out," Adriel explained, turning to face Araminta. "But I can't cast it with that ward on the wall."

"What do we do?" Araminta asked, trying to control her panic. Adriel glanced at the other corridor, hoping it was clear.

"If we can lure it down that way, I can cast the spell."

Araminta nodded in agreement. It was a risky plan, but she didn't feel like they had much of a choice. Unfortunately, she and Adriel were too wrapped up in their plotting to notice Helena rubbing her nose.

"Heh-Heh-HEH! HEH-HMPFF!!!"

Helena sneezed loudly enough to attract the tiger even though she stifled. Araminta and Adriel froze in fear for a second, but then they realized that was exactly what they needed. They sprinted to the corridor, dragging Helena along with them. As they ran down the narrow hall, the students felt an invisible weight lift off their shoulders, a sign they were far enough from the ward to cast spells again.

Adriel immediately spun on his heel to face the tiger. He bent over, lightly touching his fingers together, and he began to mutter a spell. Araminta couldn't understand it, but she trusted that he knew what he was doing. Just as the tiger was about to reach him, Adriel stood, held up his hand, and then he thrust his palms toward the charging beast. A beam of green light shot from both of Adriel's hands, and once they both struck the tiger, the massive animal immediately fell to the ground, unconscious.

"Whoa..." Araminta breathed, not realizing she was still holding Helena's wrist. The tall student shook herself free and began to furiously rub her nose. Adriel dragged himself back over to the ladies, suddenly looking very tired.

"What was that?" he breathed, gesturing at Helena.

"Cats make me sneeze!" Helena complained, flicking a finger under her nose. "And last I checked, tigers are cats! Heh-Heh! HEH-HMMP!"

She and Adriel looked like they were about to start a brawl, so Araminta quickly stepped in to stop them. The timid student held up her hands, and to her pleasant surprise, Adriel and Helena appeared to calm slightly.

"Wait just a minute!" Araminta said, speaking forcefully but trying not to sound confrontational. "I think we just need to coordinate some more. Clearly we all have our strengths and weaknesses. Let's start with our masteries. Mine is elementalist. Adriel?"

"Beastmaster," Adriel replied, leaning against the wall to catch his breath. Araminta nodded and turned to Helena.

"Illusionist," Helena sighed, running her index finger across the underside of her nose one last time. Taking a deep breath, Adriel pushed himself off of the wall, took a step toward Helena, and then extended a hand to her.

"See? We're getting to know each other better already," Adriel said, helping Helena to her feet. She looked away from the others in frustration for a moment, but then she turned back to Adriel and gave a slight smile.

"Okay, are we ready to get going again?" Araminta asked, putting her hands together. She tried to smile, but she still felt nervous. To her relief, Adriel and Helena nodded and without another word, they continued on.

The narrow corridor seemed to stretch on for miles. All three students felt tired and worn out by the time they finally saw the hall open up into another chamber. This time, the corridor gave way to what appeared to be a cave rather than another room. The floor was mostly dirt and rock with a few patches of plant life, and unlike the earlier areas of the dungeon, the room was well lit via a hole in the ceiling.

"Ha-CHHH!"

Araminta sneezed softly as she and the others stepped into the cave. The sweet scent of pollen hung heavy in the air, giving the timid student an itchy nose. Araminta gently rubbed a finger under her nostrils and sighed.

"Flowers make me sneeze," Araminta said, glancing at Helena. The tall student returned her gaze and gave a sympathetic smile, bringing Araminta some small comfort. Just then, Helena's foot snagged on a root and she tripped.

Letting out a yelp, Helena threw up her arms to cushion her fall. She was uninjured, but her glasses fell from her face as she hit the ground. Instead of pushing herself up, Helena squinted and felt around in the dirt, searching for her spectacles.

"Ugh, dammit," Helena muttered to herself. "I dropped my glasses."

Araminta and Adriel walked toward Helena to help her search for her glasses. However, as they approached, they saw the root their partner had tripped on starting to sink into the ground. Araminta and Adriel backed away, preparing themselves for whatever the dungeon would throw at them next. The ground began to shake just as Helena found her glasses. She slipped them back onto her face and sat up just as a large, colorful flower shot out of the ground in front of her.

"Oh!" Helena gasped, the flower almost hitting her in the face. She stared at it for a few seconds, mesmerized by its beauty, and then a trio of pollen stalks reached out of the bell-ended flower. Even as the stalks touched her face, Helena found herself unable to move. One of the pollen stalks discovered Helena's left nostril and slipped inside. The tall student's face went slack, and then she sneezed.

"HEH-HHMP!!!"

The pollen stalks immediately drew back, the flower clearly offended by Helena's outburst. The plant disappeared into the ground, startling a yelp out of all three students. Helena pushed herself back up to her feet, but just as she did, the ground shook again. This time, a massive, house-sized flower exploded out of the ground, showering the students with dirt and rocks.

Helena swiped a hand in front of the group, conjuring a blurry shield in the air. The falling rocks were deflected away from the students, appearing in random other locations around the cave. Once the air was clear of debris, Helena dispelled the shield and slumped over, feeling exhausted.

"What is that?" Araminta squealed, watching as the giant plant found is bearings. Adriel shook his head and waved a hand in the air.

"How should I know? I'm a beastmaster, not a botanist!"

"Who cares!?" Helena shouted, looking up at Adriel. Then she turned her gaze to Araminta and nodded toward the plant. "A plant is a plant. Burn it!"

Araminta raised her hands, preparing to cast a fireball. Just before her magic began to manifest, one of the giant plant's vines lashed out and wrapped around her, lifting the elementalist into the air. Araminta struggled to free herself, but with her arms pinned to her sides, there was nothing she could do.

"Araminta!" Adriel shouted, reaching a hand after his partner. However, the plant lifted Araminta high into the air before he could reach her. Helena appeared to have regained some of her strength, and Adriel rushed over to her.

"I hate to admit it, but I'm not much use against plants. Is there anything you can do?"

"I can try," Helena replied, closing her eyes. She swiped a hand upward from her waist, conjuring a transparent sword. Snatching the sword out of the air, Helena propelled herself toward the giant flower, her skirt billowing behind her. She slashed through one of its smaller vines, testing her strength against it. The vine fell away, but it grew back almost immediately, knocking Helena's sword out of her hand and wrapping around her legs.

As the plant lifted Helena into the air, Adriel wracked his mind for any sort of solution. His own magic was useless here, but he saw that by some miracle, Helena's illusionary sword hadn't been dispelled. Adriel sprinted toward the weapon, but just as he was about to reach it, yet another vine shot from the giant flower and ensnared him. He struggled against the plant as it lifted him up, holding him alongside the other students.

"Ugh! I hate vines!" Helena shouted, thrashing against the plant's grip. Adriel took a deep breath and sighed.

"Well, it's been nice knowing you. Araminta?"

"Ha-CHHHH!"

Araminta sneezed as the giant flower belched a cloud of pollen into the air. She wrinkled her nose and shook her head, but no matter what she did she just couldn't escape the yellow powder. Even with her senses impaired by her allergies, she could already tell the pollen was poisonous. After breathing in enough of it, she'd be unconscious or worse.

"Ah-CHHHH!"

Sneezing again, Araminta stopped trying to struggle. Instead, she cleared her mind and tried to think of a plan. Suddenly, she recalled one of Professor Hayes's classes. It had been a few weeks, but Araminta remembered the lesson like it was yesterday. She inhaled deeply through her nose, breathing in as much pollen as she could, and then she concentrated on her fireball spell.

"Ahhh..."

Adriel glanced over at Araminta, surprised to see her intentionally breathing in the poisonous pollen. He was already starting to feel lightheaded, and he was sure the poison would only have a stronger affect on his partner. Araminta sniffed again, inhaling even more pollen, and then she threw back her head with a desperate gasp.

"HAAA-CHHHHHHHHHH!!!"

As Araminta thrust forward with another sneeze, flames began to pour from her nostrils. After just a few seconds, the timid student was breathing a jet of fire at the giant flower. Even after her sneeze had ended, Araminta held out for as long as she could, and eventually the giant flower began to burn to the ground. Its vines released Helena and Adriel, and they stood cautiously under Araminta to catch her when she finally fell.

Once the plant had been almost completely destroyed, the flames finally receded back into Araminta's nose. She slumped over against the vine that held her and it disintegrated, dropping her into Adriel's arms. He fell to one knee as he caught her, and he started to panic when he realized she was unconscious.

"Araminta!" he called out, shaking his partner gently. "Araminta, are you alright?"

Araminta remained motionless in Adriel's arms for a moment, but then her face contorted and she began to cough. Adriel laughed in relief as Araminta wheezed, expelling black smoke through her mouth and nose. Even Helena gave a smile, kneeling down next to her fellow students.

"Ah-CHHH!"

Araminta sneezed once more, blowing a smoke ring out of each nostril, and she finally appeared to have recovered. She gazed up at Adriel and Helena, a goofy smile spreading across her face.

"Never thought that would come in handy," Araminta mumbled, out of breath. Adriel gently laid her on the ground and allowed her to rest, but after a minute or so, Araminta was back on her feet.

"Looks like there's one last chamber," Adriel said as the students walked through a small tunnel. Just as he suspected, the tunnel led into a small, round chamber. A large black orb sat on a pedestal in the center of the room, and the students could tell this was the artifact they needed.

"I guess there weren't any traps after all," Araminta said, gleefully strolling up to the orb. She placed a hand on either side of the object and lifted it from the pedestal. However, as she did, the pedestal shattered like glass, the pieces clattering to the floor. Araminta cringed as the pedestal collapsed, and then she put on an embarrassed smile.

"Oops," she mumbled, glancing back at her partners. Adriel bit his lip and Helena slapped a palm to her forehead. Araminta nervously wobbled away from the broken pedestal, but she didn't get far before the whole cave began to tremble. The students glanced around nervously, but they all knew what was about to happen.

Suddenly, the ceiling cracked loudly. It dumped a cloud of dust on top of the students, threatening to collapse at any moment. Helena coughed and began to firmly rub her nose.

"Ugh! Dust! Heh-Heh! HEH-HMPH! Dust makes me sneeze!"

"Falling ceiling makes us dead!" Adriel shouted, grabbing Helena's arm. "Let's go!"

Adriel led the others over to the one remaining tunnel. This one was angled up toward the surface, and a point of light shone at the end. The dirt slope was steep, but Adriel was able to climb it with some difficulty. However, as she was still holding the orb, Araminta could barely take a few steps up before sliding back to the bottom. Eventually, Adriel noticed he was the only one climbing and he rejoined the others in the collapsing chamber.

"So, how are we going to get out of here?" he asked, a bemused grin on his face. Araminta shook her head nervously, all out of ideas. Suddenly, Helena grinned, placing a hand on her partners' shoulders. She closed her eyes, breathed a word Araminta didn't recognize, and then all three students disappeared.

Araminta felt like she had been turned upside down, but the sensation passed as soon as it hit her. Before she knew it, she and the others were standing outside the dungeon entrance, right where Professor Hayes had left them. Araminta felt dizzy so she kept her eyes closed, but she still felt Helena's hand on her shoulder, bringing her a little comfort.

"Very clever," Professor Hayes said, startling Araminta a little. She finally opened her eyes, but she was still too dizzy. Araminta's head spun, and after just a few seconds, she simply fell over. The others laughed lightly, making the timid student blush.

"Never blinked before, I see," Professor Hayes said, kneeling down next to Araminta.

"No, I... What?" Araminta stammered, adding confusion to her dizziness.

"Blink. It's a more advanced illusion spell," Professor Hayes explained, giving Araminta a backrub to help with her disorientation. "It allows the user to instantly return to a previously visited location. I don't imagine Helena learned that from her classes yet, so you're very lucky she taught it to herself. That was a pretty careless move at the end there."

"Sorry," Araminta sighed, her senses finally starting to normalize. She sat up, still clutching the orb to her chest. Professor Hayes patted her on the head and then turned to address the group as a whole.

"Well, here you are, with the artifact in tow," Miranda said, putting her hands on her hips. "Though I have to say once again that the retrieval could have gone better."

"Do we still get partial credit?" Araminta asked, staring hopefully up at her professor. Miranda smiled and shook her head.

"Well, I was going to give you all As, but if you want partial credit..."

"Professor!" all three students stammered, frowning in frustration. Professor Hayes laughed and waved a hand at each of them.

"Calm down! You all passed! That's an A for each of your records, but I don't think the grades were the most important things you earned today."

Araminta nodded in agreement, and then she glanced over at her new friends. Adriel gave her a warm smile, and Helena did too for a second, but then she turned away and folded her arms.

"Ugh!" Helena grunted, trying to resume her usual aloof personality. Araminta didn't buy it for one second, and without warning she gave the tall student a hug. Helena blushed, looking away in embarrassment.

"Friends don't make you sneeze, do they, Helena?" Professor Hayes teased. Helena squirmed, but she quickly gave up and sighed quietly, starting to smile. Helena gave a nod, and then both Adriel and Professor Hayes stepped forward to join the hug. They all held each other for a moment, but then Helena sniffed loudly.

"Professor Hayes, are you wearing Allure?" Helena asked, sniffing her teacher.

"I am. It's my favorite fragrance. Why do you ask?" Miranda replied, raising an eyebrow. Helena sniffed Professor Hayes again, and this time she visibly recoiled.

"Ugh! Allure makes me sneeze! HEH-HMP!!!"

-----

And that's all for now! The Mage Academy gang will be back, and hopefully we'll be able to deliver weekly updates. That said, don't hold us to any hard deadlines! As much as we both love working on this, we do sometimes have other things to do. See you again soon!

[TheCakeIsAlive]

"Falling ceiling makes us dead!" Adriel shouted, grabbing Helena's arm. "Let's go!"

Priceless. Awesome chapter.

[Introvertedme]

Woah this was excellent!!!!

[blurr001]

This was amazing and those recordings to read along to were just gold.

[metalknight2099]

Can we have a chapter with a whole bunch of Professor Hayes sneezing?

[a red nine]

Hey, this story is really fun! I really like the last chapter, because you managed to intermingle sneezing and character development. As usual, everyone is very unique and also very likable. I do like Adriel, but in a twist of events I think Professor Hayes is probably my favorite. I like the way she's written, it's kinda anime, but she still acts teacherly enough that I believe she could exist. I also liked hearing about the different ways they used their magic. Maybe because I don't play enough magic-based games, but I thought it seemed pretty well-presented. Lookin forward to more!

[Blah!?]

Hey everyone, it's that time again! I won't beat around the bush this time, so let's get right into it.

Here are your download links:

High Quality (40.4mb):

http://www.mediafire.com/download/85s344acxajrm3z/mageacademy4_HQ.wav

Small File (4.1mb):

http://www.mediafire.com/download/4p2222amounfs1c/mageacademy4_L.wav

And here's the story for you to follow along with.

-----

Araminta stood quietly on the academy train platform, waiting for Helena to arrive. The train had only pulled into the station a minute ago, so technically Helena wasn't late yet, but Araminta was already starting to worry. Students were climbing aboard in droves, and Araminta was concerned that there might not be enough room for herself and her friend. Luckily, Helena finally arrived a few minutes later.

"Happy Solstice, Araminta," Helena said with a wave. "Sorry I'm late."

"That's alright. Happy Solstice to you, too," Araminta replied, turning to face her friend. Helena's choice of clothes made Araminta feel self-conscious for a moment. Her tall friend was wearing a dark gray suit with a pencil skirt, making her look more like a businesswoman than a student. Meanwhile, the only change to Araminta's outfit was a little hat to keep the sun out of her eyes.

"You know, you probably didn't have to dress up like that," Araminta said, gesturing to Helena's clothes. Helena raised an eyebrow.

"Dress up like what?" she asked, pushing her glasses up the bridge of her nose. Araminta smirked and let out half a giggle.

"We should probably get on board," Araminta suggested, taking a step toward the train. To her surprise, Helena held up a hand.

"No need," Helena said, shaking her head with a smile. Araminta felt puzzled for a second, but then a conductor stuck his head out of an open door on the train, smiling when he caught sight of Helena.

"Helena Hildrich?" the conductor asked, stepping down onto the platform. Helena nodded and held out her ticket. The conductor took the slip of paper and turned to Araminta.

"Is this your guest?" he asked. Helena nodded, and the conductor took Araminta's ticket as well.

"Thank you. Your cabin is right this way," the conductor said, gesturing back at the train. Helena nodded and followed him on board, Araminta jogging to catch up with them. The conductor led the students into a luxurious train car, and Araminta was surprised to see the corridor was mostly empty. Finally, they stopped in front of an empty cabin and the conductor slid the door open.

"Here you are, ladies. Have a pleasant trip."

"Thank you," Helena said, giving the conductor a nod. Araminta bowed her head and then followed Helena into the cabin. She took a moment to marvel at how comfortable everything looked, and then she lowered herself onto one of the soft bench seats.

"Helena Hildrich..." Araminta recited quietly to herself. Helena gave her friend a confused glance as she sat down on the other bench seat.

"Helena Hildrich..." Araminta said again. Pursing her lips for a moment, Helena tilted her head to the side.

"Yes? Can I help you?"

"Oh! Sorry," Araminta responded, blushing lightly. "I'd just never heard your full name before. I think it has a nice ring to it."

"I guess," Helena said flatly, pushing her glasses up the bridge of her nose. Araminta smiled and returned to examining the cabin. As she looked around, her nose scrunched up and she clapped a hand over it in preparation for a sneeze.

"Ha-CHHH!"

"Gesundheit. You okay?" Helena asked, leaning toward her friend. Araminta nodded, rubbing her nose with a smile.

"I'm fine. My allergies act up when I travel," Araminta explained. Helena pursed her lips again and turned to the window.

"But the train hasn't even left yet."

"Oh," Araminta giggled. "I guess it was just a sneeze then."

Helena smiled, but she jumped a little in her seat as the train jolted suddenly. After the initial jostle, the train started to roll forward smoothly. Even still, Helena huffed and folded her arms.

"At least we're moving now," Araminta said, noticing her friend's frustration. Helena shrugged, managing to smile slightly. She took off her glasses to clean them as Araminta marveled at the cabin once more.

"It's so nice you were able to reserve a cabin," Araminta said, leaning back in her bench seat. The cushion was far more comfortable than the regular chairs, and Araminta almost felt like she could fall asleep. Helena wiped the lenses of her glasses and squinted up at her friend.

"I always get a reservation," Helena replied, slipping her glasses back on. "Though it was a little lonely the first time. I came to the academy all by myself. Thank you for coming along with me."

"I'm happy to," Araminta said with a cheerful smile. "I was just going to stay at school for the Solstice anyway. My parents aren't home."

"Aw, that's a shame," Helena said sympathetically. "My parents won't be at my house when we get there, but my mom's coming home the next day."

"That's nice. I can't wait to meet her!" Araminta said, starting to rub her nose. Helena smiled softly as she watched Araminta scrunch up her face. Giggling softly, she turned to look out the window for a moment. A few academy buildings were visible in the distance, but the train was quickly leaving the school behind. When Helena turned back to Araminta, she was surprised to see her friend still rubbing her nose.

"Uh, Araminta?" Helena said, unable to stop herself from smiling. Araminta was rubbing her little nose so hard it was squishing back and forth across her face, and for some reason Helena just thought it was cute.

"Are you okay?" Helena asked again when her friend didn't respond. Araminta rubbed her nose even harder for a second, and then she sneezed.

"AH-CHHHH!"

Helena smirked, raising her eyebrows. Even after she sneezed, Araminta immediately returned to furiously rubbing her nose, earning a laugh from her friend.

"Itchy nose!" Araminta whined, mashing her nostrils upward with the palm of her hand. Helena giggled quietly as Araminta sneezed again.

"Ha-CHHH!"

"Gesundheit! Your travel allergies must get pretty bad, huh?"

"Yeah," Araminta replied, pressing her index finger to her nostrils. She scrunched up her face and gave her nose one last hard rub from side to side. Finally, her allergies appeared to have calmed down, at least for the moment.

"Couldn't you get a potion from the doctor or something?" Helena asked, giving her friend a sympathetic smile. Araminta shrugged.

"I guess I could have, but I don't like allergy potions. They make me sleepy, and I'd rather be sneezy than sleepy."

"Ugh, yeah," Helena agreed, wrinkling her nose with displeasure. "I hate being sleepy."

"Don't you hate being sneezy too, though?" Araminta asked with a giggle.

"Well, yeah, of course! I hate being allergic to so many things," Helena replied, rolling her eyes. Araminta began to laugh, but she suddenly stopped as she felt another sneeze coming on.

"Ahh... Aahhh... AH-CHHHH!"

"Gesundheit," Helena said, glancing back at the window. Araminta nodded in thanks and rubbed her nose. She squeezed one eye shut, feeling a tear about to drip from it, and then she wiped it away with a sniffle.

"At least your allergies aren't acting up now," Araminta said, her voice sounding a little strained. Helena rolled her eyes, letting out a quiet grunt.

"Ugh. You just wait. Something will come along."

Araminta couldn't help but laugh. She always thought it was funny when Helena complained about everything. It wasn't the most constructive behavior, but Araminta figured it was just how Helena dealt with the world. Helena ignored Araminta's laughter and turned back to the window.

"Hey, look at that," Helena said, gesturing to the window. Araminta looked outside, and after a second of searching around she caught sight of a huge mountain in the distance. Rings of clouds circled around the peak, and it was covered with snow almost all the way down.

"Wow!" Araminta exclaimed, staring out the window with her nose pressed up against the glass. "What mountain is that? It's so pretty."

"It's actually artificial," Helena said, adjusting her glasses. "It's part of an advanced graduate course at the academy. After you finish all the classes in your masteries, you go there and survive for a few months on your own."

"Really?"Araminta asked, peeling herself off of the window. "That sounds scary."

"I'm sure it is," Helena said, staring at the mountain longingly. "But I want to try it when I'm a grad."

"I thought you hated being cold," Araminta said with a laugh. Helena smiled at her, leaning back in her seat.

"I do, but look at all that snow. I love snow. There's just something so mystical and fun about it," Helena explained, her smile widening. Araminta smiled back, but her eyes became hazy as she felt another sneeze coming on. She held up a hand, and then her head tipped forward, burying her nose in her palm.

"Ha-CHHHH!"

"Gesundheit."

"Thanks," Araminta breathed, pulling her backpack up onto her seat. She unzipped it and began to dig around inside. Helena watched with a smile as Araminta shuffled around in her bag.

"Tissues?" she asked, but Araminta shook her head.

"Nope, even better," Araminta said, pulling a box of candy out of her bag. She plucked a round piece of chocolate out of the box, and after staring at the wrapper for a second, she unpackaged it and popped it into her mouth.

"Want one?" Araminta offered, shaking the box toward Helena. Helena smiled and nodded, pushing her glasses up her nose and sitting up in her seat. Araminta reached into the box and pulled out another chocolate ball, handing it to Helena.

"Thank you," Helena said, accepting the candy. She unwrapped it and stared at it suspiciously for a moment. It looked like normal chocolate, but something seemed different. Raising an eyebrow, Helena held the chocolate under her nostrils and sniffed it.

"It's chocolate, Helena," Araminta laughed. "It goes in your mouth, not up your nose."

Helena frowned at her friend, blushing slightly. Finally, she sniffed the chocolate once more, shrugged, and then popped it into her mouth. Helena chewed for a second, and then she turned to Araminta and smiled.

"I take it you're very particular about your chocolate," Araminta said with a laugh. Helena shrugged again, but then she frowned down at her hand.

"Ugh. It melted on my fingers..."

-----

That's all for now! But we'll be back in a week, same Mage Academy time, same Mage Academy channel!

[a red nine]

The dialogue here is really enjoyable - Helena and Araminta are a great example of friends who are totally different, but I can easily see why they get along together. As usual, Araminta is pretty big cutie patootie, and the ending was a nice, lightly humorous slice-of-life. Those mountains pique (peak? haha goodnight everybody) my interest though, and somehow I feel like that finale may center around that location. It makes you realize how much we're going to see your characters grow in whatever time span you're going to allot to this story. Looking forward to more!

[TheCakeIsAlive]

So cute. I love how the setting in each chapter is so different, including the secondary characters, keeps it fresh.