April 19th, Spring, year 20

It's Pony's birthday today! My little sister is now officially nineteen years old. Almost old enough to drink, but not quite. I called her earlier to see if she wanted me to drop by, but she said that she and Gray had plans.

Oh well, I can give her the book and the dress when I go over for the Flower Festival in a couple of days. I'm really proud of the alterations on the dress. Add a few ribbons and some trim and the whole thing brightens up immensely.

I should dig out my other dress for this festival. The 'Goddess Robe' is just too delicate for me to want to wear more than once a year… I bet it's in one of the boxes under my bed.

Oh, right, that thief hasn't made another appearance since his robbery of the Blue Bar. Smart one, I guess, all things considered. I still want to black his eye. Though I guess I won't tell Harris… At this point, Skye's probably gotten rid of the stuff he stole. Griffin said he found the cash box—empty—outside the Bar yesterday, so…

It still makes me mad though! I find myself hoping I won't run into him at the Flower Festival, so that I don't have to play nice…

A knock? If it's Rock again telling me to come with him for a moonlight swim, I'll deck him!

A tired and annoyed Claire stalked to the door, intent on snarling at whoever was on the other side.

Nothing was there however, and on instinct, the young woman looked down at her doorstep. A small bouquet of multi-colored roses was sitting innocently on her doorstep.

She huffed out an annoyed sigh, and scooped them up, looking for a card as she kicked the door shut again, with enough vehement force to make the things on the shelf rattle.

Skye, hidden against the far wall winced a little. Clearly, she was more upset than he'd first assumed she would be. He'd never had a girl react quite so… volatility to being paralyzed before. He found himself wondering if maybe she'd throw the flowers out when she saw his card.

He waited for a long moment, wondering. There was a muffled exclamation from within—Claire had found the card then—but there was no sound of shattering pottery that would have been the vase, and no flowers were dumped out the front door.

He dared to glance in the window and saw that Claire was looking from the card to the flowers with a bemused, annoyed expression. Success then. Keep her off-balance and maybe he could get some free information, and maybe… try a kiss or two.

The Phantom thief shook his head lightly, wondering where exactly that thought had come from, and made his way off the farm.

Claire sat on one of her chairs and studied the flowers, then looked back to the card.

Though they cannot convey the true dismay of my transgression

Flowers make the world a little bit brighter, no?

Phantom Skye

She shook her head again, lightly touching the flower petals with one finger. He had likely done it deliberately to match the inked roses on her shoulders, but even so… It was kind of sweet. And sort of an apology.

Claire muttered sourly under her breath. He'd apologized, even though it was in a weirdly round-about way. That meant she didn't have the right to be angry with him any more.

And just when I think I can safely be prissy and annoyed, he goes and gives me roses.

Damn. He's good.

Oh well… I have a dress to find, and another festival to start prepping for. Time to make a foray under my bed for that other dress.