Kaori sneezed violently into her pink paws. She sniffled. How she hated this time of the year.

It was not that the Striped Acara hated spring. She loved spring. Spring was beautiful, with so many flowers blooming and decorating the fields and meadows all over Neopia. Shenkuu looked especially beautiful in spring, with soft pink cherry blossoms adorning the towns and landscapes. Kaori really truly loved everything about spring. Well, almost everything. She deeply despised her allergies.

The problem was that even though her calendar told her it was spring, the weather told her it was not.

A wintery chill ruffled Kaori’s soft and silky fur. She shivered.

Kaori did not usually mind the cold–she did quite like winter too. Winter meant playing in the snow, making snowmen, having snowball fights and skiing down the mountains.

Right now, it felt like it was neither spring nor winter, Kaori thought disgruntledly to herself. It was the in-between. A very ugly in-between. It was cold, but the slushy snow was now more a mixture of water and shards of ice than fluffy white powder. Flowers had not yet started to bloom, as the frozen earth was still thawing. Somehow her allergies were already acting up, and the frosty air made her sniffles worse.

Kaori gazed out into the distance. The steep peaks of Shenkuu looked absolutely dreary on this foggy and rainy day. They were still covered in patches of greying snow. Areas where the snow had melted away revealed the dead grass that had been hidden beneath layers of white during the winter.

With a huge sigh, Kaori trudged on. She had gone out despite the bad weather, in hopeful search of flower buds, or anything else that would give her a sign that spring had arrived. She had found none. She lived halfway up on one of Shenkuu’s many mountains, so spring would arrive later at these high altitudes, compared to the valley below.

Suddenly, Kaori felt the ground beneath her tremble ever so slightly. She stopped cold in her tracks. Had she imagined it?

There. She felt it again, stronger this time. Kaori pricked her ears and heard a strange rumbling.

What was happening?

Then, a terrified scream pierced the air…

The piercing scream echoed through Shenkuu’s mountain trail and without hesitation, she took off into the mist. The shout was filled with panic - Kaori was not considered to be brave by any means, but what she heard told her that time was not on her side. She bolted into the fog without thinking, her muddy paws slapping across the half-frozen slush down the trail.

As she rounded the corner, she squinted to see what appeared to be a terrified Blue Kougra scratching to hold onto the side of the rocky edge of the trail. She saw his legs kicking with fear as his blue fur was matted with sweat and dirt. He desperately clawed at whatever he could grasp as his legs dangled over the side of the cliff.

“One sec! Hold on!” Kaori shouted out, immediately dropping her body to the ground and reaching out to him.

“I-I don’t know what happened!” the Kougra sobbed out. “The ground just moved and I slipped!”

Adrenaline pumped through Kaori’s mind as she felt a tiny tremor under her own feet. Tiny pebbles skittered past her towards the slope. Forgetting about her allergies and how uncomfortable she felt, Kaori’s paws tightened around his, and she felt just how cold and trembling he was.

Counting to three, Kaori pulled with all her might. The Kougra kicked at the edge with his back paws. For a moment, she thought she could no longer continue but with a hard tug, they both tumbled back onto the trail, gasping for air.

Before the Kougra could thank her for her help, his eyes widened with fear as he looked past her.

“What is it?!” Kaori questioned…

“Move!” she shouted, grabbing his paw again. She spotted an opening—a small alcove in the side of the mountain, half-hidden behind a patch of jagged rocks. Without hesitation, she shoved him forward and dove after him.

The impact was thunderous. The ice and rock roared past the entrance, slamming into the trail where they had stood only moments before. When the dust settled, only a narrow sliver of light peeked through a hole in the collapsed rubble, clearly not big enough for a Neopet to fit through.

The Blue Kougra sat panting against the wall, eyes wide. Kaori coughed, brushing dirt from her fur, and gave him a sharp glance.

“What were you doing on the side of the mountain, anyway?” she muttered, nose twitching as another sneeze built.

The Kougra glanced at her. “I was looking for Spring.”

Her ears perked up, thinking of the little buds waiting to bloom out there. “Wait—you too?”

They stared at each other in confusion until he tilted his head and added, “Spring is my sister. She got lost on a hike. I thought she might have come this way.”

Kaori shifted uncomfortably. “I’m sorry about your sister. Is there any way I can help?” She glanced towards the ice-covered entrance. “I mean… if we can get out of here.”

The Kougra opened his mouth to reply, but there came a sound from deeper inside the shadowed alcove. He reached into a small backpack Kaori hadn’t noticed before and pulled out a flashlight.

He switched it on and the golden beam cut through the darkness before them…

Kaori gasped softly, reverently. Kazeriu were magical creatures, straight out of Shenkuu's most mysterious legends. And while it was no beautiful spring flower, its splash of colour was a welcome respite from the dark heart of the mountain.

"I didn't know Kazeriu lived in caves," the Kougra remarked.

"I'm not sure they do, myself," said Kaori. "But they're supposed to be magical, they appear to those who believe in them, and - "

The Striped Acara paused. The Faerie Kazeriu had moved, its fluttering wings suddenly the only sound in the cave as it flew.

"Maybe it knows a way out!" the Blue Kougra said eagerly, as he trained his flashlight on the Kazeriu.

With no other leads or ideas, he and Kaori pursued it. They dodged clutches of stalagmites, veered away from dead ends, even narrowly avoided bumping into another wall.

The Kazeriu did not stop until it hovered over...

The Kougra tilted the beam of the flashlight toward the ground, better illuminating the dark, muddy earth. Cascading from the side of the hole was a ladder made of tattered wood and rope.

“This must be the exit. Is that right?” Kaori asked the Kazeriu gleefully.

The whimsical Petpet did a graceful and slow flip in the air in affirmation before floating down into the darkness itself.

“Wait for us!” the Kougra chuckled, beginning his own descent.

Using the flashlight, he lit the way for Kaori and the Faerie Kazeriu who led them with nonchalant whimsy. It chortled and chirped in high, sweet tones, occasionally looking behind it to make sure the pair was still in pursuit.

The Petpet led them through a dank, dim tunnel that eventually opened up to a wider space. Stalagmites peppered the edges of the walkway like guides on the path. Kaori felt as if they hummed with energy, pushing her forward.

At the end of the passageway, when the trio turned their final corner, there was a light at what appeared to be a secondary opening to the cave.

“You were right, little sprite! There was another way out,” Kaori cheered, giving the Kazeriu a gentle pat on the head.

But when they got closer to the opening of the cave, the Kougra and Acara alike paused in surprise…

“ACHOO!” Kaori began sneezing. Her eyes began to itch and water and then her nose immediately filled up. 

“ACHOO! I’m sorry, allergies, I can’t ughh…”

The Kougra dug out a handkerchief from his pocket and handed it to Kaori.

“Allergies? I’m sorry. My sister tends to cause those.”

“No no, it’s fine, but more importantly, why is it spring here but not where we were?”

The Kougra sniffed at the flowers.

“These feel like they just bloomed. I wonder if my sister is nearby…”

“ACHOO!”

Kaori began sneezing uncontrollably and caused a pile of snow from further up the mountain to fall onto the bed of flowers. Fortunately, for them, that was all that fell from it.

“Oh no, we better get rid of the snow before…”

“That won’t be necessary, Winter,” said an imposing voice.

The Kougra’s ears perked up. The two of them turned to find a Woodland Xweetok behind them.

“Spring! I was looking all over for you!” the Kougra exclaimed.

“ACHOO! Ummm hi Spring,” Kaori greeted.

Spring winced and recoiled.

“What’s wrong?” the Kougra asked.

“Why did you come find me? I was hiding here because I heard everyone complain about me being the cause of their allergies. I’m tired of it all so I went into hiding. Instead, all you did was bring an allergy sufferer to me to make me feel bad.”

The Kougra’s expression grew exasperated. “Sister, that’s not what I intended…”

“What did you intend then, Winter? You don’t have to deal with this like I do.”

Kaori cleared her throat “Ahem! Let’s stop arguing because we have a problem.” She pointed at the mountain. Everyone looked up and noticed that…

“An avalanche,” Winter said in a whisper, as if voicing the reality aloud could spur it to occur.

“Exactly. We have to move qui… qui…“ Kaori began, her breath catching in small gasps as she felt a sneeze coming on.

“Don’t!” Spring shouted, running to cover the Acara’s mouth, but it was too late.

“AH-CHOOOOO!!!”

Kaori’s sneeze bellowed through the serene spring glade and surrounding mountains, shaking rocks loose and reverberating the fragile snow at their peaks. Snot and spit spewed from her Striped mouth, weighing all of the delicate and beautiful flowers down in a grotesque display.

“Take cover. I can handle this,” commanded Spring. The Woodland Xweetok stood her ground as she watched the descent of the avalanche before her.

“No, Spring! Come with us!” Kaori shouted, lunging for her paw.

“Trust her,” Winter said with a resolute nod, placing himself between his sister and their newfound companion.

The Kougra and the Acara dove to safety, back into the mouth of the cave, and watched on in awe as…

Kaori gasped as the floral shield collided with the snow in a loud crash. For a moment, everything grew eerily silent. No one whispered a word as they watched to see if Spring’s shield would hold. Just as she began to exhale in relief, Kaori heard a low grumble and saw the shield begin to crack. Small, hairline fractures were spreading across the flowers and vines, like Spyder webs woven in an abandoned corner.

Spring cried out, her paws trembling from exertion. The Xweetok stumbled back a step, her green eyes wide with panic. 

Kaori watched from the entrance of the cave. For a moment, it looked like Spring was about to give up. Then, she quickly planted her feet in the ground and yelled a battle cry louder than a Tyrannian warrior. A gold light burning with the force of the sun shot out of Spring’s paws, joining the flowers and vines to form an impenetrable shield.

Winter and Kaori slowly stepped back into the meadow. The Acara gasped as she looked up, watching the snow slowly melt from the heat and power of Spring’s shield. 

“I can’t believe you did it, Spring,” Kaori whispered.

Spring smiled faintly, but there was exhaustion in her eyes. “Neither can I.”

Winter looked to the meadow, then to his sister. “But now what? You can’t stay hidden anymore. Neopia needs you.”

Spring looked at her paws, still faintly glowing, and then at the others before she replied…

Kaori felt the sting of guilt pass through her. She tried to sound and look less miserable as she approached Spring and put a paw on her shoulder.

“I’m sorry! I don’t hate you or the spring season at all. Of course my allergies make it hard, but I still love the beautiful flowers and the exciting feeling the new season brings. Hmmm maybe…”

Spring was looking at her expectantly, along with her brother who was now standing by her side.

Kaori still needed to get her thoughts in order, but she felt like she had a good idea.

“Maybe there is a way to help everyone with spring allergies! I think a possible solution is…”

How will this story end?

Spring looked sheepishly to her brother, "I will follow your lead."

The Kougra nodded approvingly and gave his sister a hug. "We can't make things better if we hide away. What is your plan Kaori?"

"We ask the best specialist around," the Acara smirked, then sneezed again, "Ahn-Ahn-shu!"

"Bless you?" Questioned Spring.

"Thank you", the Acara said wiping her nose, "But also he's a legendary herbalist here in Shenkuu. Let us hurry down!"

Kaori lead the siblings down the mountain to the 'Remarkable Restoratives' shop bridge. The Acara waved a paw, "After- AH-AH-CH- you."

Not wanting to rock the bridge for the two, Kaori waited for them to cross before sprinting to the shop door herself. No sneeze marred the journey across and she smiled as she opened the door, a small bell dinged to announce their entry into the shop. The fragrant aroma soothing the scratchy feeling in the back of the Acara's throat nearly immediately.

A wise-looking Ruki rose from his meditative seat on the far side of the shop, "Welcome weary travelers, how may I assist you this glorious spring day?"

Spring spoke up first, "Mr. Anshu, I'm afraid every year I bring with me sneezing, itchy eyes, and weariness to all those at the end of winter. I'm hoping you make have a solution so that Neopians won't disdain me... Or at least spring allergies... As much."

The old Ruki contemplated this for a moment before looking over his inventory. Anshu murmured to himself, "yes, yes.. oh but what if we bundled that with..." Opening a tin of tea, the Ruki again looked over the trio, "I have the three things you need right here."

He laid before them first, a tin of black cherry tea, "This should help with those pesky headaches associated with the change in air pressure, from winter cold to spring warmth."

Winter tilted his head in consternation as he looked at the unassuming tin.

"Next, we'll need some dried orange peels." He handed a satchel to Spring with a kind smile, "this will help with those watery eyes."

The Xweetok took it sheepishly, "but that doesn't help Kaori's..."

AHCHOOO

"...sneezes," Spring shook her head sadly.

Anshu gently placed his tarsus over the Xweetok's paw. "M'dear, I have saved the best for last." Before turning back to the shelf and grabbing, Cobrall Root.

"Cobrall Root is the best remedy for sore eyes and sneezing," the shopkeeper looked delighted with himself. "My recommendation to you three is to head back on over to Bonju at Culinary Creations and mix the best Spring Allergen tea around!"

The trio each grabbed an ingredient with many thanks to the wise old Ruki, and headed on their way. Bonju, the Orange Blumaroo chef, scowled at group when they entered, but became enamoured with the idea of a new creation.

The ingredients blended together perfectly into a sweet tea.

With the first sip, Kaori could already feel her allergies lessening. She smiled at Winter and Spring.

"Cheers!" Holding her tea out to the siblings, "To a new remedy and the start to a fabulous season!"

The End.