June 10, Summer, year 20

Muffy is still teasing me about the picture. Family! Makes me glad it's the Tomato fest today, I can get away for a bit. I hope and pray to the Goddess that Skye doesn't show at this one. I don't think I'd be able to keep my tenuous composure.

I'd probably never live it down if I slugged him either… Argh.

Oh, and my pineapples have sprouted! Yay!

Claire had retrieved her rattiest clothing for the Tomato festival, which happened to be an old flannel shirt and a pair of jeans torn at the knees, which were already stained with tomato juice from previous festivals. Despite the prevailing heat, they were the oldest things she had, and were what she wore every year.

It was marginally cooler in the house than it was outside, thanks to the fans and open windows. The cats seemed to appreciate it, and she had to admit it made sleeping a little bit easier. She wasn't tossing on top of the blankets trying to cool down.

"Need a good storm to break the heat," she sighed as she went about her morning chores. "But then again I don't really like storms all that much."

Which was an understatement. It wasn't the thunder or lightening that made Claire curl up into a ball on her bed, it was the rush and howl of the wind, for reasons she'd never fully understood.

She pushed it from her mind after a minute, and grabbed her straw hat, which was also tomato-stained.

For a brief moment, she considered dragging Muffy with, but she knew her cousin wouldn't enjoy the festival. It had been different when they'd all been kids, but Muffy had moved when they were all five, and during her time in the city had become… girly.

But that was life after all, always changing. Claire stepped out into the sunshine, plunking her hat on her head, and went to saddle Honey.

The horse was worth all the money she'd paid Barley and beyond, and Claire loved the sweet animal, who tried so hard, even in the hot weather.

"We'll take you over to meet Cinnamon over on Pony's farm," she said cheerfully. "He'll be glad of the company while we go and get all tomato slimy."

Thanks to Honey, the trip took half the time it normally did, and Claire arrived in time to help Jill with her watering. The blonde had to admit that it was cooler in Mineral Town than it was in the Valley, which made her little sister laugh.

"Heat wave in the Valley?"

"You have no idea," Claire sighed. "I almost want to run around in my old swimsuit and a pair of shorts it's so hot. And when I say shorts, I mean like Muffy's little bits of freaking nothing short-shorts."

Jill pictured this, and laughed again.

"I think your silver-haired friend might like that," she teased.

To the brunette's surprise, Claire turned a brilliant shade of red, and ducked her head so quick she almost gave herself whiplash. To say that Jill wash shocked would have been an understatement. She'd never seen Claire acting this way.

It was almost enough to make Jill start teasing, but she wisely refrained. Claire, as Jill knew well, didn't take kindly to being mocked, and she wouldn't hesitate to throw the brunette into the river.

"Anyways sis, how's Honey working out for you?"

Despite being grateful for the conversation switch, Claire's responses took some time to come back from embarrassed mumbles to something resembling her normal tone. Jill shook her head and grinned, there was definitely a story to collect there.

But first, they would have to find someone to throw tomatoes with.

The Square wasn't exactly packed with people, but there were enough to make several teams, with some clever finagling. Claire and Jill ended up teammates with Barley's granddaughter May. Since May idolized them both, it worked out fine, even though they didn't quite make it past the third round.

In the end it was the team of Karen, Rick and Kai—who had come for the festival because it was a fun one—who took the top prize, though it was a close call. Karen had been forced to threaten Rick to make him behave with Kai on their team.

After the… structured tomato fight, it became a free-for-all when Kai pegged Rick in the back of the head. Everyone piled in, becoming covered in tomato guts, which resulted in a mad rush for the ocean to attempt to clean off before supper.

It was to Claire's relief that she actually made it back to her home without catching sight of the silver-haired thief. She was muggily damp thanks to the lingering day's heat, and it was less comfortable than being fully soaked, so the first order of business—after putting Honey in the corral again—was to change into something dry. Once that was accomplished, she turned once more to the journal that she had left on the table.

Phew, what a day! I love this festival, it's always so much fun. And throwing squishy tomatoes at people is a good way to relieve stress, I'll sleep good tonight.

Though I should probably go and water the pineapples again. Stupid heat wave…