Lemonade

"What a curious day," Bree commented, sitting back against the tree she rested on, legs dangling over the branches.

"Whatever do you mean?" asked her sister, who was lounging in a similar fashion a little higher up.

Bree blinked and replied, "Oh, nothing Cix. It's just that the sun rose in the west today."

Cix frowned, fanning herself with her hand. "Oh that," she said. "That happened yesterday too. I wouldn't worry about it. I hear the Council are in discussion and are working to fix it."

"But why did it rise in the west?" Bree asked.

"Don't ask me," Cix shrugged. "I don't know and I don't really care. It's hot, and I'm getting down." Bree moved aside as the elder girl leaped from her perch, landing gracefully on the red ground.

"Are you heading back?" Bree asked. "Would you make me some lemonade?"

"Well okay. I was going to make some anyway."

"No lemons in mine, please." Cix shrugged again and turned to head back to the house. Bree stayed where she was, her gaze fixed firmly on the strange sight of the sun shining on her. That was how she first noticed the anomaly. The sun didn't usually shine in on her spot in the tree in the morning. But it was now. And last Bree checked, the sky was still in its morning green haze. It wouldn't turn red for at least another hour.

"I wonder how the Council is going to fix this," Bree mused, standing up on her branch and jumping down. She landed as perfectly as Cix had, save for the way her ankle twisted. "Oh dear. Not again." Turning towards the small, two story home at the top of the hill, she called out, "Cix!"

Her sister appeared at the door, two glasses in hand. She came out, frowning when she saw the way Bree favored her right foot. "Did you sprain your ankle again?" she asked with a sigh, handing her one of the glasses. "We're nearly out of healer's dust, and you know the market won't have it restocked until Monday."

"Sorry," Bree said, cheeks blooming at her sister's scolding. "But today is Pre-Monday. We could get some more dust tomorrow."

"Well, that's the problem," Cix said with a shake of her head. "I just saw on the news that the sun rising in the west means the world is going to end tomorrow."

"That does make it difficult to get more healer's dust," Bree agreed. Frowning, she tip a sip of her drink, before promptly spitting it out. "Cix! I said no lemons in mine!"

"Oh, my bad. I forgot." Cix took the glass from her and said, "You wait here. I'll get the dust and pour you another cup with no lemons in it."

"Alright then." Bree sighed and sat down, leaning against the trunk of the tree while Cix went back inside. She frowned at the bruise forming on her ankle. "What a horrible way to start the say," she said to herself. "Though I suppose tomorrow isn't going to be much better. I wonder what the end of the world is going to be like? Last time that happened, Mother was just a little girl."

Cix reappeared then, and Bree was pulled from her thoughts. Her sister had a new glass in her hand, and this time the icy juice was clear. In her other hand was a small, wooden box.

"Here," Cix said, pushing the glass of lemonade with no lemons into Bree's hands. "Now stay still. We don't want to heal it wrong, like we did last time."

Bree let Cix straighten her leg out as she took a sip of her drink. She frowned at the taste. "Cix," she said.

"Hm?"

"This isn't lemonade."

Cix looked up from her sister's ankle and said, "Oh, I must have grabbed the sugar water. So easy to do, when there's no lemons in the lemonade. Stay here, I'll go get it." Cix took her glass of sugar water and stood to go, leaving the wooden box behind.

Bree sighed as her sister walked off again, crossing her arms. "I hope tomorrow's not boring," she mused, tapping her chin. "It would be dreadfully boring if it were. And there won't be time to go to the market to grab some un-boring dust, I'm sure." She looked up when Cix returned.

"Here, no lemons lemonade," she said, handing her the new glass. "Now let's fix that ankle of yours." Cix knelt beside the younger girl, carefully inspecting her injury.

"What do you think tomorrow's gonna be like?" Bree asked as Cix opened the wooden box, revealing a sparkling blue powder.

"Mother said there was a lot of chaos last time," Cix answered, gently sprinkling some of the blue dust over Bree's bruised ankle. "Apparently, everyone took it way too seriously, and if it hadn't been the end of the world, then the kingdom would've fallen to anarchy."

Bree gave a relieved sigh as the healer's dust began to work, straightening out her ankle properly. "I hope that doesn't happen again," she commented. "It'd be very chaotic if there was chaos."

"Indeed." Cix stood and said, "Stand now. We need to make sure it's fully healed."

Bree obeyed, taking care to not spill her drink as she rose. She tested her ankle and smiled when she felt no pain. "All's good," she said. "Thanks Cix." She brought her glass to her lips.

"Of course."

"Just one problem."

"What is it?" Cix asked.

Bree raised her glass and said, "This is water."