The cabin was dustier than they had imagined. A step would leave a fine print of it on the floor. A wiggle and one would be surprised on how much dust they had just collect and they were just a few steps from the door. The slightest of vibration would unearth the hidden dust bunnies between the floor starting a series of coughs. No wonder the two left in a hurry. It was a pain even to think of cleaning the room let alone picking up a broom.
Luckily the room was segmented. Though not large, the cabin was divided into two roughly equal halves but equally dirty. Boxes lamps and futons for the body. These were the significant things the room held, the others just trash. Trash they had to clean out to even dare to think of sleeping there.
'Guess this is what he meant by don't die.' Lozo thought.
"Kento, you're with me. We'll take this side." Karin said yanking Kento to the side.
"Huh?" Cilia cried. "Where will I sleep?"
Karin turned packed with an answer. "On this side with him."
"But, but,"
"No buts. We'll each clean our respective sides." Karin commanded before tossing Kento a broom.
And with that the four split, Karin and Kento on one side and Cilia and Lozo on the other.
"Are you going to help?" Lozo asked Cilia.
She didn't answer. She stomped her way through the door and sat by the stairs.
Lozo sighed. He gazed into Karin's and Kento's side. Their chore seemed easy to compared to his which had managed to sprout another one. Babysitting.
"Looks like I'm doing this on my own."
Lozo turned to their side of things regret already forming as to why he had decided to join this family.
***
Hours later and the place could pass for a home. That compliment though only applied to Karin and Kento's side. Lozo's could use some work. Especially everywhere.
Lozo's strategy in cleaning the room was quite simple. If you can't see the dirt then the room wasn't dirty. Out of sight out of mind. So instead of spending time scrubbing every inch, he used every inch as a possible hiding place for anything a person could consider dirty. And it worked with him completing the chore in record time though not to Karin's liking.
But room inspection would have to wait. Something more urgent was waiting. And it came with a knock on the door.
"Hello? Is anybody home?" A girly voice called by the door.
She knocked again and no answer came. The people inside were busy handling their rooms.
A final knock, this time harder, shook the door by its hinges and finally got the residents recognition.
"Hey there. I've been sent by granny Metti." She greeted Lozo at the door. In her hands was piece of paper. It had writing on it which Lozo assumed to be the message.
The others hassled to the door with Cilia coming in last.
"Uh…" the girl stammered on seeing the dust on their clothes. "Why are you…?" she asked pointing to the rags in their hands.
"Oh, I see. She must have told you that this is where you'll be staying. "The girl said with a chuckle. "Please forgive her. Your accommodation has already been arranged to suit your purpose here."
The four looked confused.
"What I'm saying is that you didn't have to clean the cabin. It's not in use or ever been for the time I have been here. "
The girl standing at the door was slightly older than Lozo. A guess but probably accurate based on the dark circles around her eyes and her dressing, which was slightly different from the two guards from earlier.
But that wasn't as important right now. What mattered was how much more Karin's fuse could take.
From been told that she had just spend the past few hours cleaning a ghost cabin to the audible chuckles from Cilia, who had lazed around the entire time, it wasn't looking so good for any of them.
"I'm sorry for the confusion." The girl said. She fluttered the paper in her hand and handed it to Lozo.
"This are the activities that have been assigned to you before the festival. The festival is in less than a week and there has been some delays…"
"The smoke?" Lozo asked. The dark clouds in the sky had dissipated exposing the sun and the bright blue.
The girl was surprised at first but followed in with her explanation. "Yes. But no need to worry about that. It's already been taken care of. But on the paper are the activities your group is needed to perform before the festival."
On the paper a long prose stretched on both sides. But in all that detail only two things stood out.
"You'll each be required to help in the harvest. The village has two primary harvest zones. The apple patch and the pumpkin patch. Your group will handle the pumpkin patches which are the located at the far ends of the village."
As for the second detail it was a warning. Same as the one earlier from the Granny Metti.
"At the edge of the orchards a deep forest grows and at its bounders a large fence is erected there. No one is to cross that boundary. It is prohibited for anyone to enter the forest. And that's all. Once the preparations are over you are all welcomed to enjoy the Brown Skies festival."
"One final thing. There have been attacks from purger domains and purger beasts recently. We'd hope that you are able to help keep them at bay during your stay here."
The girl concluded before leaving. She left the paper with them and for them to decide on how they'd handle the pending issue of who will work with who.
***
Actually, the issue's answer was rather simple.
"You lied."
The apple orchard was a long stretch of nothing but green with little red and sometimes orange shades popping up here and there. They were segmented into what Lozo could count as twenty-five columns each not shying away from showing off the sheer number of apple trees they could hold. There were brown paths in between each of these columns, in some people merrily picking apples and placing them into baskets.
"About what?"
Lozo and Cilia were at the apex of the farm. A slightly raised terrace just in front of the orchard. From where they stood, they could see the entire village, Normal and Harmatia sect, and where each were relative to the farm. They been here for a while, taking in the fresh air the winds blew from the orchards.
"Back then… you said Karin and Kento weren't mad but they are." Cilia said taking a sit on the green grass just by the farm.
Earlier right after the girl left and the issue was at full spar; Karin made a rather quick decision. Not that Lozo and Kento hadn't seen it coming but it was still a big surprise when she chose Kento twice in one day. Cilia though didn't take it too well. She rushed out of the cabin, disappearing into the different paths that split into the Normal sect and orchard.
Lozo sighed. He joined her for a sit on the itchy grass.
"I don't… how about this then. Until she comes around, you and I form a team. They've already decided on theirs."
"How's that sound?"
Cilia was about to answer when a tantalizing smell teased their nostrils. Cilia's nose twitched as she sniffed the air in search of the source.
"Hmm, fine but for us to be a team you'll have to buy me a cake." Cilia said pointing towards the village just ahead.