**Chapter 1: Sniffling into Love**

The warm sunshine of Third Earth cast a golden glow over the bustling construction site, where Courtney Chetwynde was hard at work, overseeing the rebuilding efforts. As the former Hound of the Pendragon, she had thrown herself into this project, determined to help restore the planet to its former glory. But as she inspected the latest batch of freshly laid bricks, she felt a tickle in the back of her throat. Ah, no, not now, she thought, trying to shake off the sensation. Courtney's best friend and fellow Hound, Mark Diamond, strolled up to her, a mischievous glint in his eye. "Hey, Chetwynde, what's with the red nose?" he teased, nodding towards her slightly pinkened face. Courtney forced a smile, trying to play it cool. "Just a little dust, that's all," she lied, attempting to brush off the concern. Mark raised an eyebrow. "Dust? You're not exactly known for your allergies, Court." Courtney's eyes narrowed, warning Mark to drop it. But he just chuckled and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her into a friendly hug. "Come on, I'm just trying to help. You look a little...under the weather." As they hugged, Courtney felt the tickle in her throat escalate into a massive, unstoppable... ACHO! The sound echoed through the air, loud and clear: A-C-H-O! Mark laughed and pulled back, holding her at arm's length. "Ah, I think it's more than just dust, Court!" he exclaimed, his eyes sparkling with amusement. Courtney's face turned bright red as she frantically tried to play it off. "It's just... uh... a side effect of the new planetary alignment. Yeah, that's it." Mark chuckled and handed her a tissue from his pocket. "Sure it is, Court. Well, just in case, I'll make sure to keep a stash of tissues on hand." As the day went on, Courtney struggled to keep her brave face, but Mark was relentless, occasionally tossing her a tissue or making snide remarks about her " allergy" to Third Earth's atmosphere. Courtney couldn't help but laugh