A small, golden shimmer appeared at her feet, and with a flash, there stood a tiny dragon, no bigger than a medium sized cat.
It looked up at her, bright eyes curious, a tiny growl escaping its throat.
Zoe blinked, her mouth curving into a surprised grin.
"Snacks," she said, the name popping into her mind. "Guess that fits."
The little dragon wagged its tail, letting out an excited squeak, and nudged her leg, much like a scaly cat would.
Zoe shook her head, chuckling. "Alright, Snacks. Let's get out of here. We've got snacks to find, and I've got a car to fix."
With Snacks following closely, Zoe turned back toward Dusty.
As they approached, Snacks let out a curious noise, spotting the twisted pieces scattered across the pavement.
He darted over, his tiny claws clamping around a loose piece of the side mirror.
He trotted back to Dusty, tilting his head as he tried to fit it back onto the car, his little claws struggling to find where it belonged.
Zoe paused, watching as Snacks gave a frustrated grunt, nudging the mirror against Dusty's side.
When it didn't fit, he looked up at Zoe, eyes wide, a sad, confused rumble escaping his throat.
Zoe couldn't help but laugh.
"Oh, Snacks, you're too much," she said, her voice softening. She knelt down, ruffling his scaly head and winding her fingers in the long tuft of hair. "We'll get it fixed, buddy. You tried."
Snacks wagged his tail again, the sadness in his eyes fading as he nuzzled against her hand.
Zoe stood, giving Dusty a determined look.
She ran her hand over Dusty's dented side, her throat sizing up, remembering her and Dad leaning over the engine to work on the carburetor that now laid off to the side, a crumpled piece of metal.
Zoe picked it up, hugging it close. "Took you three weeks to get to us from California and only three seconds to be destroyed."
Zoe clenched her jaw, her free hand tracing Dusty's battered side, feeling the rough scrapes beneath her fingertips.
She took a deep breath, her eyes narrowing, the memory of her dad's prideful smile flashing in her mind.
"You held up, Dusty. We're gonna get you back in shape," she whispered, her voice filled with a quiet but fierce promise.
She pulled out her phone, sighing as she scrolled through her contacts.
She selected Emerine's Towing and pressed call, listening to the ringing tone.
"Emerine's Towing, how can I help you?" came the familiar gruff voice on the other end.
"Hey, it's Zoe Shonce, over at Riverview Apartments," she said, her tone carrying an edge of exhaustion. "I need a pickup. Dusty's a mess—got caught up in a Shard incident. Can you get it to Lifetime Muffler over on Youngstown Road?"
There was a pause, followed by a sympathetic grunt. "Got it, Zoe. We'll be there in twenty. Just hang tight."
"Thanks, Emerine," she replied, ending the call with a flick of her thumb.
She heard a loud tummy growl and frowned, wondering where it came from.
A moment later, she realized it was Snacks, who was busy sniffing around the area.
The little dragon gazed up at her with wide, hungry eyes, his expression almost pitiful.
Zoe tipped her head and sighed, reaching into her bag and pulling out a hotdog from her Hotdog Shoppe order.
Snacks' eyes lit up, and he lunged for it, devouring the hotdog, bun and all, in one bite before looking back at her with an unmistakably happy expression.
Zoe shook her head, chuckling. "Alright, Snacks, let's get moving."
Snacks gave a sudden shake, his scales rattling slightly, and then he let out an unexpected belch—followed by a small plume of fire that shot out of his mouth.
Zoe blinked, eyebrows shooting up in surprise as the little dragon looked just as startled.
He stared at her, his expression a mix of confusion and awe.
A soft chime echoed in the air as the Loom lit up, shimmering in Zoe's peripheral vision.
[Notice: Companion Dragon's abilities enhanced by consumed food type. Spicy foods induce temporary fire-breathing.]
Zoe smirked, reading the message.
"Well, guess you got some kick out of that chili dog, huh, Snacks?" she said, giving the little dragon an amused look.
Snacks looked at her, tail wagging, clearly happy but still looking a bit bewildered by his newfound power.
"Alright, alright, let's not burn anything important," Zoe said, chuckling, she unequipped her gear. "Looks like we're gonna have to figure out which snacks do what for you."
Snacks let out a cheerful chirp, his eyes bright, and nuzzled against her leg.
Zoe shook her head, chuckling again. "Alright, Snacks, let's get moving."
Snacks seemed to be a funny mix—like a lazy cat and a happy puppy rolled into one.
He was curious, but not in any sort of urgent way, preferring to explore when he felt like it.
As Zoe waited for Emerine's Towing, she idly pulled out her phone, her fingers tapping across the screen.
She browsed through various forums and articles, typing in 'threadweaver pets' to see if she could find anything resembling her new dragon companion.
There wasn't much—threadweavers were too new, their powers and abilities still largely a mystery.
But she did find a few scattered mentions of fantastical creatures bonded to threadweavers, hinting at abilities that evolved based on their bond.
One post even speculated that these creatures could transform in significant ways if given the right stimuli.
Zoe glanced at Snacks, who was busy sniffing around the base of Dusty. "Figures," she muttered, a wry smile on her lips. "Looks like you're as much a mystery as everything else in my life."
Snacks, oblivious to her musings, looked up at her with those wide eyes before continuing his lazy inspection of the area, his tail swishing in contentment.
Zoe walked over to the green area, calling Snacks along as she made her way to one of the benches under the gazebo.
She plopped down, her body feeling heavy as the adrenaline from the battle slowly ebbed away.
Snacks trotted after her, his tail swishing lazily as he sniffed at the grass and eyed the few trees scattered around.
Zoe watched him for a moment, a faint smile touching her lips, before she pulled out her phone to pass the time while they waited.
Soon enough, the rumble of Emerine's truck echoed through the parking lot, and Zoe stood, stretching her sore legs. The driver climbed out, giving her a nod before getting to work on Dusty.
Zoe watched, her heart tightening as the chains clanged, and Dusty was slowly wrenched free from where it had been crumpled against the tree.
She stepped closer, wincing as she finally got a good look at the damage. Dusty's frame was bent, but thankfully only a little—still fixable.
Despite the hood rolling off during the impact, the engine seemed mostly intact, save for a few minor pieces that had broken off.
Zoe let out a sigh, rubbing her forehead.
All the custom work, the rare parts—fixing Dusty was going to cost her at least ten grand.
That was about a month of deliveries, if she was lucky.
"Guess we'll be eating a lot of ramen, huh, Snacks?" she muttered, glancing down at the little dragon, who had now taken to chasing a stray leaf fluttering in the breeze.
Snacks paused, looking up at her with bright eyes, his tail wagging.
Zoe smiled despite herself. "Yeah, we'll figure it out."
Zoe pulled out her phone and checked her bank account.
She had enough to cover the cost—barely.
She sighed, relieved but already feeling the weight of what she'd be giving up for the next few weeks.
She then dialed Lifetime Muffler and left a message for Hazel and Rick, knowing it was after five and she wouldn't get anyone live.
"Hey, it's Zoe Shonce. Dusty's coming your way. She got messed up by a Shard monster, so expect a project. Just... take good care of her, okay? I'll be in touch. Thanks."
She ended the call, stuffing her phone back into her pocket.
As she turned to head back to her apartment, she heard the screech of Mr. Dunstan's voice.
"What the hell happened to my car?!"
Zoe winced, turning her head slightly to see Mr. Dunstan storming out of the building, his face flushed, eyes wide as he took in the crushed heap that used to be his car.
His beady gaze snapped to her, suspicion and anger all over his expression.
"What happened?!" he barked, jabbing a finger toward the wreckage.
Zoe didn't skip a beat.
She jerked her thumb back at Dusty, getting securely tied down by the driver. "Same as mine, Dunstan. A Shard monster took it out."
Before he could say anything more, Zoe scooped up Snacks, who had been nosing around the base of a tree, and beat a hasty retreat, her slippers slapping against the pavement as she headed for the stairs.
She didn't have the energy to deal with him, not now.
"Come on, Snacks, we're done here," she muttered, holding the little dragon close as he squirmed briefly before settling, his eyes blinking up at her with a lazy sort of curiosity.
Zoe stood at the base of the stairs, staring up at the nine flights with a tired grimace.
She snorted.
There was no way she was climbing all that after the day she'd had.
"Yeah, not happening," she muttered, dragging herself toward the elevator.
The doors slid open with a soft ding, and she stepped inside, slumping against the wall.
Snacks, curled up comfortably in her arms, let out a contented little snore, completely unaware of the world.
Zoe sighed, feeling the weight of the day settle in. "At least one of us is relaxed," she murmured as the elevator began its slow ascent.
Zoe rode the elevator back to her apartment, her thoughts already shifting to what needed to be done next.
Repairs, snacks, and a bit of peace—if she was lucky.