Zoe went through her linked apartments to where Scoot-Scoot stood with a slightly tattered, off-white sheet over it to protect it from dust.
Snacks, who followed her, watched with keen interest, his tail flicking as she pulled the sheet back to reveal the little scooter in all its purple electric glory.
She kept it plugged in.
It was small, fit her quite well with room to spare, and had a top speed of 45mph, perfect for going around town in a pinch. It also had a front basket.
Zoe went to push it out the nearest door then paused. She summoned her snack vault instead and pictured it moving over to swallow her scooter, and it did.
"Huh, vehicle safety." She glanced down at Snacks. "Kind of wish I did the same to Dusty but then you wouldn't be here."
Snacks tipped his head and gave her a chirp.
"I think we're going to see if Charby is working my Charby's today." Zoe picked up a nearby backpack and clicked her fingers over it once she set it down.
Snacks got the hint and curled up inside, sticking his head out. She slung the backpack on her back.
She left and rode the elevator down.
Once outside, she pulled out her scooter.
In the distance she heard a faint hum, like a fluorescent bulb buzzing before it goes out, just loud enough to be annoying.
Deep in her bones, she knew it was the shard. Her magic buzzed under her skin, a tingling warmth that spread through her limbs in response.
Even Snacks reacted by craning his neck toward the north, where the shard was.
Zoe gritted her teeth, sat on Scoot-Scoot and headed west, up Buckeye, and down Parkman where Charby's was.
She saw a weird car that resembled a pirate ship. "Oh good, he's here."
Zoe parked Scoot-Scoot near the entrance of Charby's and pulled out her pirate hat, adjusting it with a smirk. Wearing it always made her feel like part of some secret, quirky club.
As soon as she stepped through the door, the staff and regulars gave her a knowing nod—she was part of the pirate club, after all.
"Arrr, if it isn't the dread pirate Zoe!" Charby called from behind the bar, his grin wide, bright red eyes lighting up.
He was wearing his signature blue striped shirt, large foam sickle hooks slung on either side of his belt, and his oversized belt buckle gleaming in the dim light. His hair stuck up at odd angles, carfully sculpted into points.
He also wore a pair of swashbucklers—those classic pirate boots that completed his look, making him seem like he had just stepped off a pirate ship.
His whole appearance radiated that perfect mix of playful and menacing, fitting his pirate persona to a tee.
He always made sure that his look wasn't just for show—it was a reflection of the pirate at heart, one who dreamed big and brought it all to life.
"Arrr, Cap'n Charby!" Zoe responded, her voice somewhere between pirate and a laugh.
Snacks, his head sticking out of the backpack, let out a muffled little chirp.
Charby looked at her, then raised an eyebrow, his eyes glinting mischievously. "Somethin' different about ye today, lass." He narrowed his eyes, leaning over the bar a bit. "Ye been out adventurin' again?"
Zoe smirked. "You could say that." She glanced around, then added, "Actually, you got a minute? I need to talk to you—somewhere quiet."
Charby's demeanor shifted, his pirate persona slipping just a bit as his voice lowered. "Aye, lass, follow me." He stood up, calling over his shoulder to the kitchen, "Get the lady her usual! And something for the dragon, too—he needs his strength if he's gonna be a proper member of the crew!"
He gestured to the back, to his favorite corner with mismatched chairs, where serious talks often happened.
Zoe followed, admiring the restaurant's quirky pirate-themed decor as she walked.
One accent wall even had real ship planks, giving the place an authentic feel, while wooden barrels, nautical ropes, and antique-looking cannons were positioned around the restaurant.
She couldn't help but smile; it always felt like stepping into a theme park ride.
Once they sat down, Zoe took a deep breath, pulling Snacks out of the backpack.
Charby's eyes widened slightly, but he didn't comment.
As they settled in, Snacks grew curious about his surroundings, leaning forward and sniffing at the edge of the table.
His gaze darted around the table, catching sight of a small, decorative skull candle.
With a chirp, he nudged it with his nose, then peered at Zoe as if asking for permission to investigate further.
Zoe chuckled softly and gave him a quick nod, watching as he tapped at the candle and then the coiled rope centerpiece nearby, fully immersed in exploring his pirate-themed surroundings.
Charby gave Zoe a long, searching look, as if waiting for her to say more.
"This is Snacks," she began. "And he's not just any dragon. He's... well, let's just say I didn't pick him up at ValueMart."
Snacks rustled his wings and looked up at Charby with a tipped head.
He walked across the table, nostrils flaring as though asking to sniff.
Charby slowly reached towards him.
The little dragon sniffed his hand, then turned his head with a purr, requesting an ear scratch. A smile spread across Charby's face as he did so.
Charby's gaze flickered between Zoe and Snacks, a hint of curiosity sparking. "Alright, lass, spill it. What's goin' on here?"
Zoe leaned back, her gaze flicking to the window where the glow of a distant Shard reflected off the glass.
"I've been hiding something, Charby. For a while now. You know how everyone's talking about those Shard incidents? Well... I've been involved." She paused, glancing at Snacks, who nibbled at his claw innocently. "I'm a threadweaver. The Loom chose me."
Charby didn't say anything at first, just sat there, his fingers tapping rhythmically against his belt buckle. Finally, he let out a low whistle. "A threadweaver, aye? Well, that explains why ye've been so dodgy lately."
Charby scratched his chin thoughtfully, his eyes flicking between Zoe and Snacks again. He paused, letting out a sigh. "Didn't think I'd be sittin' here talkin' to someone picked by the Loom itself. That's... well, it's a lot, lass."
"Yeah, it's not exactly something I wanted to shout from the rooftops." Zoe sighed. "Honestly, I just want my normal life back. But now I've got shards, monsters, and... well, Snacks." She gestured to the little dragon, who was looking around curiously.
Charby studied her, his gaze softening a bit. "Zoe, I always knew ye had somethin' special about ye. But this?" He grinned, shaking his head. "It's like ya've stepped straight out of one o' them Pirates of the Caribbean movies, lass. A wild adventure, full o' magic and danger."
"Except I'm not exactly thrilled about it," she muttered, rubbing her forehead.
Charby reached over, giving her shoulder a light, reassuring squeeze. "Listen, lass. Sometimes we don't get to pick the tides we sail. But ya got what it takes. Ye've got a crew—startin' with this wee beastie here." He nodded toward Snacks, who tilted his head, letting out an inquisitive chirp. "And I reckon ye'll pick up a few more on the way."
Zoe took a deep breath and nodded. "Actually, I've already started on that. I asked Gavin—Methencarbonol—to scout out someone else to join us. Preferably someone with ranged abilities. He's got a friend who might fit the bill."
Charby raised an eyebrow, leaning back slightly. "Gavin, eh? From that game ye're always rattlin' on about? Creature Craze, aye?"
"Yeah, CCO. You know, the one I keep telling you about." Zoe couldn't help but grin. "He's a solid ally, even if it took me a while to get him on board."
Charby chuckled, shaking his head. "Never got much into them online games. But I know enough from hearin' ya talk about it—you're one of the best there, aye?"
Zoe shrugged modestly. "I do okay."
Charby gave her a knowing look. "Aye, lass. More than okay, I'd say. Seems like yer games have given ya more of a crew than ye realize."
Snacks, seemingly picking up on Charby's approval, gave a happy little squawk and swiped a paw at the decorative skull candle, batting it playfully.
Zoe let out a breath, a small smile tugging at her lips. "You think so?"
"Aye, I do. And remember—Jack always found his way out of tight spots, aye? Ye've got that same spark. Ye just gotta decide to use it."
Zoe nodded, feeling some of the tension in her shoulders easing.
Charby always had a way of putting things in perspective, even if his advice was wrapped up in pirate talk.
"Thanks, Charby. You're not bad for a pirate."
Charby grinned, his pirate persona snapping right back into place. "Arrr, I'll take that as a high compliment! Now, how about some grub for ya and yer dragon friend? A pirate's gotta eat, after all."
Zoe laughed, adjusting her pirate hat as she stood. "You've got it, Cap'n. Let's eat."
A few minutes later, they were digging into plates piled high with food.
Snacks sat on the table beside Zoe, happily gnawing on a piece of grilled chicken Charby had given him, occasionally getting distracted by a shiny spoon or flicking his tail at the dangling coiled rope.
Zoe glanced around, her eyes settling on the familiar decorations. She sighed contentedly. "You know, Charby, I'm really glad you did this. The whole pirate restaurant thing."
Charby leaned back, smiling. "Aye, lass. Took a lot to get it goin', but it was always the dream, ye know that." He paused, then chuckled. "I remember when ye were just a kid, always tellin' me to go for it. 'Open a pirate restaurant,' ye said. Didn't think I'd actually do it, did ya?"
Zoe grinned. "I knew you would. You've always been stubborn like that."
Charby nodded, his eyes softening. "Ye were there from the start, lass. Encouragin' me. And Bitcoin didn't hurt either." He winked. "Ye remember? Told ya to invest, and next thing we knew, we had ourselves a little fortune."
"Yeah, and I'm still grateful for that tip." Zoe smiled, taking a sip of her drink. "Honestly, I don't think I'd be where I am now if you hadn't given me that push."
Charby waved it off, his grin widening. "Bah, we've both helped each other. And look at ya now—ridin' into adventure, threadweaver and all."
Zoe shook her head, her eyes on Snacks, who was now trying to balance a piece of chicken on his nose. "Yeah, well, I guess we'll see how this adventure turns out. But hey, at least I've got a good crew."
"Aye," Charby agreed, raising his glass. "To the crew."
Zoe clinked her glass against his, a smile tugging at her lips. "To the crew."