A single sneeze was all it took, and just like that, I was a little white rabbit.
What the...? I wanted to say, but all I could do was twitch my little pink nose.
"Oh, do not be so surprised!" My long ears, one lopsided and one standing straight, picked up the deep, gravelly voice I was used to. It sounded much louder and sort of twisted. I probably wouldn't recognise it if I hadn't heard it for thousands of time throughout the course of my lessons.
I looked up. The wrinkled grey-skinned feet of the man standing beside me seemed huge, compared to the white-bearded head that seemed tiny due to the distance from my eyes.
The fuck! I couldn't help the curse. How could I? His tiny yellow eyes looking down at me from far above were too scary for my fast rabbit heart.
"This is the first spell you are going to learn," Bernfeild continued. "transformation of self. For now, you can only change into tiny, herbivorous creatures. Gaining control over time, you will learn the forms of other, more powerful creatures." He sighed, swishing his blue cloak behind him as he turned away, much to my relief. "The legends of old could even transform into the mighty, mythical beings. Dragons! Krakens! Unicorns..." he trailed off, looking at the blue sky above.
I tried listening to his words, but only vaguely registered them. Damn grasses! They were always taking away my attention. My nose twitched again and again, taking in their fresh, energizing smell. My tiny stomach rumbled. Maybe a little nibble--
Snap!
The familiar sound of Bernfield's finger-snapping struck my brain like a thousand volts electrocute spell, and just like that, I was back to my real body once more.
Bernfield brought his hand down like a hammer on my head. The force clamped my teeth down on my tongue.
"OW!" I screamed, covering my mouth with both hands as the afterspell grogginess flew right out of my brain. "Ow! Ow! Ow! Son of a...! What the hell was that for, master?"
"Language, young lady! Remember your status. You are not a street urchin anymore." Bernfield squinted down, glaring at me over his spectacles. "Have I not told you not to give in to the instincts of the animal? Have I not warned you about the dangers of such behaviour?"
"But it was my first time! I couldn't control--"
"Oh! the first time excuse! Those who make excuses are the first to give in to temptations. And such people often end up trapped into the animal."
I looked down, digging into the ground with my toes. "Sorry! I'll be careful next time..."
"Damn right, you will. Or I will not teach you any further."
"Hmph!" I pouted, a bit annoyed now. "Not like I care that much. I mean,
sneezing? Really?" I ran a hand over my nose. "Why isn't my activation sign something cooler? Like your finger snapping or something?"
"Oh, get over it!" Benfield's thick, white moustache twitched with a smile. "You have it a lot better. My grandfather used to be one of the most powerful signmages. Do you know what his sign was?"
I tilted my head, staring at Bernfield wiggling his eyebrows at me. I read about his grandfather Marinford in the history books. He was one of the few signmages closest to being a legend. But the books always glossed over his activation sign. Couldn't say I wasn't curious. "What was it?" I asked.
"It was farting."
(sorry for the ending. i don't do fart jokes, but couldn't think of anything more clever off the top of my head...)