[:::] Gladiator! This is your PNW Regional Invitation! [:::]

[:::] Gladiator! This is your Rockies Regional Invitation! [:::]

[:::] Gladiator! This is your SEC Regional Invitation! [:::]

Pepper woke up to a list of emails chiming in on his holodex. He rolled over in bed and smiled when he saw their subject titles. He had not realized that he would receive an invitation to each of the American Regional Leagues. That was a minor detail that many of the upper gladiators had failed to mention or commonly talk about.

The week after the KBVS Championship was one filled with a mixture of emotions. KT insisted that Rocket Burger throw him a party. Rhino insisted they do a Golem League gladiator signing event. Which turned into them gathering in the store for a few minutes and then quickly transitioned into them running through the warehouse. All to help try to capture Captain Puddlesworth once he started stabbing everyone with his spear.

There were the local reporters who all wanted interviews. A few regional TV stations that wanted to come shove their camera in his face. But it was more the private messages Pepper started to receive on Golem Chat that really bugged him. He was getting everything from other club gladiators wanting tips and tricks to girls he had never even heard of before wanting to video chat with him.

His life was a mess of buzzing activity. All the noise started to get to him to the point where he now struggled to sleep at night. The Regional League sure was a huge step upwards and he wasn’t even officially accepted yet. He just had an invitation to compete, and that was already overwhelming, to say the least.

Pepper finally got out of bed. He put on a fresh set of clothes and staggered into the kitchen. He smiled and gave his dad a nod upon his entrance.

“Well, good morning, champ,” his dad said and took a sip of coffee.

Pepper stopped and looked at the clock and then back at his dad. “Are you not working today?”

“I switched shifts to help Cecilia out. She wanted to do some kind of marathon event tomorrow and needed extra rest tonight. It’s no big deal to me.”

“Gotcha,” Pepper said and went looking for a mug of his own.

“What’s on your agenda for the day?” his dad asked.

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“Ryan wants me to do a photoshoot or something about marketing for Big Duck Energy,” Pepper informed him while pouring himself some of the bean juice. “I dunno, some of Ryan’s ideas just leave me shaking my head. He messaged me last night and asked me what I thought about a flavor idea for banana. Said he wanted to name it Bulging Banana.”

Trent practically choked on his coffee. After he’d finished coughing, he finally recovered enough to ask, “What did you say?”

“I told Ryan that I would not be associated with anything that was banana flavored or any type of bulging in any capacity.” Pepper took a seat at the table across from his dad and started to sip away on the dark roast.

“How did he take that?”

Pepper arched an eyebrow and chuckled. “Uh, let’s just say he seemed a little deflat—”

His dad lifted his hand. “I get it, I get it.”

Pepper looked down into the black abyss of his mug. He tapped the side of the warm ceramic and then looked up at his dad. “You mind if I borrow the truck?”

His dad grinned. “Gonna go get away with Andrea?”

Pepper shook his head. “No, but… there is something I have to do. I won’t be gone long.”

His dad grinned and gave him a nod. “Go for it, bud. Just be back in time for me to get to work, and make sure you replace the gas you use.”

“Thanks, Dad.”

He finished his coffee and then snagged the keys off their hook. The small pickup truck rumbled to life and Pepper slowly cruised down the street. He rolled the windows down and let the sweet scent of pine trees greet him.

The drive only took a few minutes and he glided into the entrance and around the serpentine driveway. He navigated his way down the rows and worked to get his bearings. The small American flag cued him in, and he realized he had arrived.

Pepper closed the door of the truck and took a deep breath. The grass was damp and cool as he slowly walked through the field. He came to a stop but took a second to take a deep breath.

The dark lettering on the tombstones greeted him coldly. “Travis Walker. Beloved son. Guardian of humanity, taken too soon.” He shifted his eyes over to his sister’s. “Ava Walker. A beautiful soul on earth, a shining star in the heavens.”

“Hey, guys…” Pepper started but quickly stopped as he felt his throat tighten. His eyes began to water uncontrollably, and he looked up at the sky to try to compose himself.

“I’m sorry I haven’t visited in a while. Life has been… busy. But it should never be too busy for family, now that I think about it.” He lowered his head back down and slowly gazed at every notch in the lettering.

He chuckled but shed a tear at the same time. “Can you believe that I graduated high school? Ha! Mr. Dean signed off on my final assignment and everything. Travis, I remember you warning me not to ask him to be my evaluator, but… of course, I didn’t listen. But hey, passing is passing, right?”

Pepper turned aside and gazed out at the field filled with tombstones. A fresh round of tears flowed down his cheeks. He brushed them away and turned back. “I, uhh, I at least wanted to come and tell you guys. I made it. I freaking made it.”

He struggled to finish his thoughts but knew this was what he needed to do. He cleared his throat and took a deep breath. “Guys, I’m not going to give up on this dream. So I’m gonna be leaving for a while. I don’t know when I’ll be back, but what I do know is I’m going to give it everything I’ve got.”

Pepper nodded and started to turn and walk away. He took his first step but stopped and turned back around. “I love you guys.”