Fly Free

Chapter 8 | Zoe

Zoe pulled off the shoulder white blouse, blue skirt, and black flats that made up her uniform. She switched the loose blouse for a short, black spaghetti strap top. Pulling on some black leggings, she topped it off with a washed out blue denim jacket. She put her gold necklaces back on. The heart with the girl kissing a pegasus, the chain with the key to her house connected to it, and short the butterfly covered one. She braided her hair into a side braid, and then she hurried out of the house pulling on brown, suede boots as she ran. She started flapping her wings, and Zoe slowly began lifting up off the ground while she sprinted toward the gates.

She tapped the black diamond on her bracelet twice, and sent out a mass message to all her friends:

Meet me at the MoonLight Cafe around 6:30.

It occurred to her until later that one of the visions was coming true. Moonlight cafe with a bunch of her friends was the second vision she saw. What happened to the first one?

She used her photographic memory to look back and remember what exactly the vision looked like. Zoe guessed that they didn't exactly have to happen in order, but she just assumed so. Then she realized that vision had already happened. That one vision was from the past, and it was the first time she actually talked to Ryder (and yelled at him for being so annoying while in reality she was having the best time of her life). Ryder and Zoe's friendship was complicated in this way. Sometimes, Zoe would happily punch Ryder smack dab in the face. But other times if someone so much as started to think about hurting him... well let's just say they wouldn't live very long.

Their relationship was rocky though, plenty of times Zoe slipped up. After she did something wrong everything would come tumbling down, but Zoe cherished their friendship to much to make anymore mistakes. In fact, she would probably cry herself if she said something before he could even shed a tear.

Lost in thought, Zoe didn't realize that she had got to MoonLight Cafe already, but it was still 6:10. To pass time, she circled down, and bought a StarDrop Frappuccino. The drink itself was midnight blue, and had a ton of whipped cream on it that was sprinkled with edible golden glitter.

She walked outside, and whipped a map out from a little box that had a ton of them in there. Zoe looked over the map and created a 'rough draft' of her (and hopefully their) plan.

Finally, everyone started arriving. Her closer friends (Ryder, Bradon, and Lya) had worry written all over their faces. Zoe told them all what happened while they got coffee and donuts, and like her dad suspected all of them were begging to help. But one of them was skeptical.

"I love you, Zoe," Bradon said and Ryder gave muffled whimper, "you know that, but I can't... I'll be useless out there. I can help treat your mom, and send things that you need over to you guys... I could be like mission control,"

If anybody else told Zoe they loved her she would flee, but this was Bradon. They had also gone over how 'I love you' between them meant 'I would do almost anything for you, but we're friends'. However, Zoe did make clear that if they wanted to say LOVE love then they add 'to the moon and back'. But they always talked about small crushes with that phrase and never one and other.

Ryder asked suddenly, "Then what's he gonna do, Cruz." It came out slightly snappy, and Bradon looked at him confused. Then he looked like he realized something, and sent an apologetic look at Ryder. Was this about the 'love' thing? I wonder- no! Zoe! He probably just broke some dumb boy code or something.

"Ah. Actually, I've just figured that out. Temporinno manifetios. I will give each of you a communication device, and the spell was so that I could create them." She added before anyone could ask.

Zoe made a bunch of different colored watches, and laid them all carefully on the table organized in colors.

"Just to make sure, everyone who is actually coming raise their hand," Zoe said hesitantly.

Aleeza, Vyctor, Lya, Zara, Eli, and Ryder all raised their hands. "Cool, so, just in case we need to split up we will do a buddy system. Grab whatever colors you want whoever has the same colors will be partners," Zoe explained.

Zara and Eli grabbed yellow watches. Lya grabbed the grey watch and shoved the other forcefully into Vyctor's hands. Zoe conjured up another grey watch and placed it in Aleeza's hands.

"Wait..." Zoe said suddenly regretting making the extra watch, and stared at the blue set that was left on the table.

"Hey Rara, wanna switch?" Ryder said casually, but (almost) everyone had those stupid silly grins on their face.

"Don't call me, Rara. We're not friends. But s-" Zara started to say.

"I think we're all happy with our partners," Aleeza said before Zara could say anymore.

"I'M NOT!" Zoe countered.

"You sure?" Aleeza asked innocently.

"Harsh!" Ryder said at the same time.

"Just whatever take the stupid blue watch," Zoe huffed rolling her eyes.

"Don't hurt the watches' feelings," Ryder piped before he added, "also I'm not sure how I feel-"

"Ryder James Dare," she interrupted angrily, and the fire in her hair grew stronger and stronger the more angry she got, "By the gods just put the watch on! We might not even split up, so CHILL."

"Jeez where is this coming from?"

"My mother is practically on her deathbed, and we're wasting time here complaining about the fact that we have to spend time with each other. Alone..." Zoe was almost saying that last part to herself as if it would make it more bearable.

"I'm sorry," Ryder said, and he looked and sounded so genuinely sorry Zoe felt like kissing him. No no no no. Not so fast. Chill. He's annoying. Rude. You hate him. Hate him. Hate him. Hate him. She said this to herself so many times she almost believed it. Almost.

"We can all go over to my house, and then get some rest and sleep at my house. Whenever we all wake up- actually noon at the latest- we will set out. Succeed, and save my mom. Deal?" Zoe said with a note of finality, and it was hard to say no to Zoe once she had it all figured out.

"Deal," everyone echoed. Zoe let out an ear piercing whistle, and everyone looked expectantly at her. They all were slightly annoyed, but they also knew Zoe and knew not to question her. Furthermore, they weren't questioning whether or not she was sane, and were just waiting to understand her motives

A flaming pegasus appeared out of nowhere, circled down, and landed next to Zoe who was standing with defiance and determination. A pair of golden pegasi (that was legitimately made of gold) landed down next to Zara and Eli who were standing next to each other arguing about who knows what. Another pair made of storm clouds and lighting landed next to Lya and Vyctor. A pegasus identical to Lya and Vyctor's landed next to Aleeza. One scary looking, black Pegasus landed next to Bradon. Last but not least, a pegasus made of shimmering ice landed next to Ryder.

"For the ride home," she said happily after all the pegasi landed around them, "let's do this."