Pepper

I think maybe I shouldn’t have listened to Jane.

All week, everywhere I go, Petra keeps tracking me down and asking me to duel her. During meals, between classes, studying in the library—I can’t even go to the bathroom in peace! Why won’t she just apologize to Lucas?!

I sigh.

Well, at least she never finds me when I lock myself in other people’s summon stables to research their monsters.

I look at the Red Ogre sitting in front of me, legs crossed. He looks a bit like a human, but taller, more muscular, and with red skin—which is why I decided to call him Pepper. He’s wearing a brown loincloth and has pointy ears, white horns and eyes, and several tusk-like teeth protruding from his bottom jaw. He’s got the intelligence of a little kid and acts pretty dopey, but personally I find it endearing.

“Groo?” Pepper tilts his head, a crown of flowers now resting on top of it. Nestled in the middle is Pudding, who’s already become fast friends with him.

“Aw, I can’t stay annoyed with two cuties like you in the room!”

We giggle.

He’s oddly comfortable around people, and when I first entered the stable, he was waiting for his summoner so eagerly. I can tell they get along exceptionally well, maybe even almost in the way me and Pudding do. I wonder if—

“Nora!”

I hear Petra marching into the stables.

“I know you’re in here somewhere—there you are!”

Dang it! I forgot to close the door to Pepper’s stable.

I turn around with a sigh.

“I challenge you to a—

…What the hell is on his head?”

“Oh, the flowers? I was just making him pretty!”

“He’s a warrior!” She storms up to us and tears the crown off his head.

Pepper looks briefly disappointed… until Petra holds the flowers out in front of him.

He eats them, and his mood perks right back up.

“Warriors don’t wear flowers!”

“He’s yours?!” I ask.

“Yeah? What of it?”

I grab her hands, and her cheeks turn pink.

“What are you—”

“Your summon’s so amazing! You two must have been through so much together as warriors!”

Petra’s expression quickly shifts to a proud smirk.

“He is, isn’t he? You’ve got pretty good instincts… for a mage.”

“Please! You gotta tell me how you met!”

“...Will you duel me if I do?”

“I’ll be more likely to.”

…

“Fine.” Petra sits down next to Pepper.

“A few years ago, when I was training out in the wilderness, I stumbled on a goblin camp. They didn’t pose much of a challenge, but after I finished slaying them, he popped out of one of their dens. I’m pretty sure he was their leader or something. He didn’t seem all that angry about what I had done though. He just held out his club toward me instead. Now, I don’t speak monster, but it was pretty clear he was issuing me a challenge.

“It was a pretty glorious battle—the most exhilarating I’d ever had up until then. But before a victor could be decided, we both ended up collapsing from exhaustion. By the time I got back up, he was gone.

“But I just couldn’t let things end like that. So, I came back the next day and, funny enough, he was waiting for me. The match ended in another draw, but I didn’t even care. He gave me this look, and I could just tell he’d be back the next day.

“Things continued on like that for months, until eventually, around a hundred matches in…

“…I finally won. I knocked him down. We took a second to acknowledge each other’s efforts, then as soon as I gave him a hand to help him back up—bam! A contract formed.

“And that’s pretty much it. We’ve been training alongside each other ever since. Though, we usually battle others now rather than each other.

“…So, are you gonna—”

I grab Petra’s hands again, teary-eyed. “That’s so beautiful, Petra! I never realized how amazing you are! You totally understand the potential that monsters have! Just like me and Lucas!

Petra blushes as she pulls back. “That’s not—he’s a warrior! That’s completely different! It doesn’t matter what you are if you’ve got a warrior’s spirit!”

I wipe my eyes. “I don't think your contract formed because you beat Pepper in battle, Petra. I think it formed out of the respect you gained for one another.”

“That’s—

“Wait a minute... Pepper? You named my summon after a vegetable?”

“Fitting right?”

Petra stands up. “He is not going to be called Pepper.”

“Oh yeah? Pepper, come here.”

I command him to perform several tricks.

“Good boy, Pepper. You’re so smart!”

He blushes.

“See? He’s Pepper—”

“Argh! I’ve had it!” Petra shouts.

“DUEL ME!”

“I want to, but, are you gonna apologize?”

“NO!”

“Why not?!”

“Because it’s bullcrap! I would never ask the guys to do something like that! It’s not my fault!”

“I… I understand it wasn’t your intention, Petra, but you’re part of the reason it happened. You have to learn to take responsibility. I can’t budge on this. Jane made me swear I wouldn’t.”

“Last time I’m asking nicely. Duel me.”

“Not. Until. You apologize.”

She stares me down before de-summoning Pepper and stomping off.

Phew.

That could’ve gone way worse. I thought for sure she was gonna overreact.

***

She overreacted.

As I open the letter Petra sent, a lock of Jane’s hair falls out. The poor unkempt Maigipie that delivered it—dyed red by Petra—flies off.

…

This handwriting is atrocious.

***

Lucas and I find Petra at the secluded spot outside where she asked me to meet her. She’s wearing a sleek black outfit with a light steel plating. A tattered red cloth, apparently something all Redgraves don, hangs from her waist. Petra’s holding a large spiked metal club over her right shoulder. Pepper stands next to her wielding a similar club, only even larger.

In her left arm is Jane, gagged with her hands bound behind her back. I draw my wand, and Pudding gets ready for a skirmish.

“So, Nora, ready for that duel?” Petra grins.

She frees Jane from her restraints but keeps a tight grip on her.

“I’m not dueling you until you apologize! I promised Jane—”

“WHO CARES WHAT YOU PROMISED ME JUST WIN AND GET ME THE F—”

“Squee?”

“—OUT OF HERE!”

Lucas sighs. “Nora, just accept the duel.”

“Ugh!” I stomp my foot. “You’re such a cheater, Petra! You’re never getting any presents from Santo Klaus!”

“Wha—I get tons of presents from him!”

“I don’t believe you!”

“Wanna bet?!”

Lucas shakes his head. “What even is this conversation?”

“Just agree already!” Petra shouts.

“Argh, fine! I agree! Lucas, you’re our witness!”

Petra lets go of Jane, who scurries to safety.

I feed Pudding an herb, and his composition starts to change.

Lucas moves a safe distance away from us. “In accordance with the Summoner Code of Honor, I hereby witness—regrettably—this duel between Nora Littleroot and Petra Redgrave. Let the match…”

We both take battle stances alongside our summons.

“Begin!"