Pepper Campbell in Ponomania - Amaya/Biromantic Bison

Ignore the ending. 😭

This was for an assignment on WoO (World of Olympians).

"Who is brave enough to defeat the Katobleps? We offer a 1,000 obol reward for the removal of all Katobleps from this town!" said a man in a toga.

Little 13-year-old Pepper Campbell's eyes shined at the opportunity to please her little town of Ponomania. She felt a small stone hit the back of her, and she spotted her little sister, Ginger, peeking out from an alley.

"Psst!" Ginger whispered, her large oval eyes also shining with excitement.

As Pepper hurried toward the alley, she glanced to make sure no one followed. Pomomania might be the prettiest town around, but it also held dangerous people. People like thieves and murderers. Just like her.

She ran down the alley, the sunlight casting an orange glow on the bright concrete walls.

"Hurry!" her younger sister whispered again, her golden curls disappearing behind a turn in the alley.

Pepper knew where they were headed. Their hideout. When the girls' parents had died, Pepper vowed to take care of her younger sister for as long as she lived. Her pace slowed down to a brisk walk as the tall sycamore tree came into view. Its thick and sturdy branches held a large box made out of wood as well as a small deck. The makeshift elevator Pepper had installed a few years ago was hidden on the other side of the tree. A beautiful voice filled with joy came from inside the treehouse.

"Come on, Pepper!" Ginger yelled, her joyful yet dirt-streaked face peeking out from a window in the treehouse.

Pepper jumped into the cart that was the elevator and pushed the hidden button that sent her up. She hid a smile as Ginger's head collided with her chest. "Hey, Gingie." She ruffled the little girl's hair. "Now, what are you so excited about?"

"The reward!"

"You know I can't do that. Too dangerous, and what if I have to leave you?"

"But you won't! I know you'll come back! Plus, I know you want to go."

Pepper shook her head. Ginger was too intelligent for her age. "We'll be fine without the reward."

"But you won't," Ginger repeated herself. "You'll live your life knowing that you didn't take the chance to change your future."

She bent down. "Do you really want me to?"

Ginger nodded her head earnestly.

Pepper grinned, hugging her sister whom she would die to protect. "Okay, Gingie. Okay." When she heard a crunch from the tree, she whirled around, instantly shielding Ginger.

"Relax." A boy stood on one of the branches, his back resting against the trunk of the tree. His face was hidden in shadow, but Pepper could see startling blue eyes glinting in the darkness. "I'm not here to hurt you." He walked forward and jumped off the branch, landing on the wooden deck quietly.

Pepper backed away, pulling Ginger with her. "Who are you?"

"I'll leave my real name private for now, but you can call me... Rune." The boy grinned, and Pepper could now see him clearly. Untidy hair that was a color darker than black, a cruel and vicious smile, and sapphire eyes. He wore a simple t-shirt and jeans, but he dressed like he didn't care. The shirt was stained with red, and the jeans had dirt spots everywhere. One unusual feature (that was more unusual than everything else) was the sword that hung from his belt. "Maybe I'll tell you my name after we defeat the Katobleps and receive the reward."

"We?" Pepper glared at Rune. "We aren't doing anything. I'm going by myself." She lifted her head. No boy was going to help her. She was capable of doing it by herself.

Rune smirked. "Sure, like a girl can get anything done."

"Hey!" Ginger complained. "That's my sister, Pepper! And she is very smart!"

"I'm just saying. If you want to defeat the Katobleps, you want my help. I'm the one who knows how to defeat one. But suit yourself." Rune jumped from branch to branch before landing on the ground. Then he disappeared down the alley.

Pepper scoffed, shaking her head. "Cocky... I can do this myself." Pepper kissed Ginger's head, grabbed her bow and arrow, then headed down to find herself a Katobleps to slay.

According to the people, Katobleps were transported to Ponomania for an unknown reason a few decades back. Now, they were determind to stay due to the poisonous plants that grew here. Pepper would often see one or two roaming around, but she had heard about large herds of Katobleps forming and attacking civillians.

Late that night, Pepper staggered home, her vision blurry and green. She had already vomited multiple times, and she was still nauseous. "Ginger," she called weakly.

"Pepper?" Ginger hurried to the elevator, pulling her older sister up. "Are you okay? Let's get you inside."

Groaning, Pepper sat down on the old rug (that may or may not have represented the bi flag). "I'm fine, I'm fine."

Ginger frowned. "Obviously, you're not."

"You might as well be the oldest considering how you're treating me," Pepper teased though her face was set in a grimace.

A rustling came from the tree outside. "I told you so."

Pepper and Ginger turned toward the sound.

"Rune..." Pepper muttered. "I told you that I don't need your help."

The mysterious boy was leaning against the doorframe, an apple in his hands. "Looking at your current condition, you obviously do." He tossed the apple toward Pepper who let it fall to the ground. "Rude."

Pepper rolled her eyes.

"May I enter your... humble... home?" Rune asked as he mocked a bow.

Ginger, always the nice one, allowed Rune in.

"If you want me to give you advice on helping to defeat the Katobleps, then I want half of the reward," Rune said.

Pepper sighed. "Ginger, leave us." She waited until Ginger had gone to sleep in a sectioned-off part of the treehouse before speaking. "Half of 1,000 obols for giving me advice?"

"Yes."

"What about advice as well as helping me defeat them for the same reward?"

Rune laughed, his voice cold. "You said that you could defeat the Katobleps by yourself. I was only obeying your wishes."

"How about... advice on how to defeat the Katobleps for 1/3 of the reward." Pepper knew she was ruining her chances of getting the reward, but she wanted the negotiation to be on her terms. Not Rune's.

"Fine. Advice for a third of the reward."

Pepper hid a smile.

"You better listen up," Rune said, getting comfortable. "Katobleps are dangerous, as I'm sure you experienced a few hours ago. These creatures are also called Down-Lookers. Katobleps eat poisonous roots, roots that grow here in Ponomania. The Katobleps originated in Africa, moved to Venice, and now they live here. Their gaze and breath are highly poisonous. And as you learned earlier, their farts are also poisonous." He smirked.

Pepper's face went red. "You- you were stalking me!?"

"Calm down, Peps." He grinned at Pepper's reaction to the nickname.

"Don't ever call me that again."

"Fine, and I wasn't stalking you. I was merely... in the same direction that you were headed. Anyways, avoid their breath and eyes. You will be stunned and probably die! Muertos!" Rune said cheerfully.

Pepper didn't need to understand Spanish to know he meant 'dead,'

"I see you have a bow and a few arrows. Try getting all of the herd together, have them chase you, then get up somewhere high and take them down."

Pepper shook her head. "That's suicide!"

"So is going out there unprepared. At least you'll have a plan this time."

She glared at Rune. "You give the worst advice."

Rune laughed viciously, his tone sharp. "I know you like me."

Pepper's face turned red with fury and a hint of a blush. "How dare you-!"

"I'm funny, charming, and devilishly handsome."

"No, you're not."

Rune just laughed again. "See you later, Peps." Then he jumped out of the tree, disappearing in the night.

Pepper panted. She had most of the herd on her, about a hundred Katobleps. But her senses told her there were a few missing. That's when she heard it. The scream. Her sister's scream. "Ginger!" Racing toward the sound of her sister, Pepper forgot about the Katobleps chasing after her.

"Ginger!" Pepper yelled again.

"Pepper!" Ginger screamed. Her face was a sickly shade of green, and she looked so... so horrible. Unlively. Unlike her old self. Three of the root-loving monsters surrounded the girl, breathing into her face.

She shot down one Katoblep, and it collapsed to the pavement. As she turned around to shoot the second Katoblep, it breathed into her face. The arrow released, hitting the beast and wounding it.

Lungs struggling with the poison, Pepper fell. Ginger's screams ringed in her ears, and she could only think of her failure.

A figure jumped in front of Pepper, and she could vaguely see it attacking the Katobleps ferociously with a sword.

The last two monsters surrounding Ginger were cut down, and Pepper managed to give a raspy sigh of relief.

"Get back!" the figure shouted, the voice familiar, but she couldn't quite place it.

Pepper's mind was foggy, and she couldn't concentrate over the sounds of battle.

Suddenly, she was hauled up.

"Come on, Peps! We have to get out of here!"

Then it came to her. Peps. Only one person called her that...

"Rune?" she asked, trying to blink out the blurry vision.

"Yeah, now get ready to run. Ginger, hold her arm and lead her. Get her to my apartment!" Rune yelled, swinging his sword at the Katobleps.

Ginger held Pepper's arm, guiding her through the chaos.

"But- Rune!" Pepper complained. Even though he was a jerk to her, she still didn't want him to die. Nor did she want to accept his sacrifice.

"He'll be fine," Ginger said, but her voice betrayed her. "He has some tricks up his sleeves."

As the two siblings made their way across Ponomania, everything was deserted. No festivities and no chatter. Unusual.

"Inside." Ginger pushed her older sibling inside a building before locking the door.

Pepper could now see a little bit better, but everything was still quite blurry. "G-Ginger? What's happening? Why do you know where Rune lives?" Pepper knew she had to be the parent for her sister, but right now, she needed answers.

"Rune will explain everything when he gets back."

For the next hour, Ginger and Pepper waited for Rune to return. While Ginger tended to her wounds, Pepper tried not to think about anything. Her parents. The reason for their deaths. Rune. Ginger. Anything and everything, Pepper tried to forget. Although her injuries from the Katobleps had healed, Pepper still shuddered in the memory.

A light knock came from the door, and Pepper leaped up, rushing toward the door before Ginger. When she opened it, Rune collapsed to the ground. "Ginger!" she called, still weak but able to haul Rune inside.

Pepper checked for a pulse, relieved when she found one, but it wasn't strong. His body was covered in deep scratches, and his veins stuck out as a strong shade of green.

As Ginger rushed toward Rune with healing supplies, she ripped open his shirt. "Come on, help me apply this salve." When Pepper hesitated, Ginger said, "Hurry!"

She grabbed the salve from Ginger and stuck her fingers in it. It was warm, and it smelled like honey. She took a deep breath before rubbing it on Rune's chest and stomach. Old scars webbed across him, and his muscles- Pepper paused. What in the world am I doing? She moved on to Rune's arms. It was definitely an easier task than his chest.

Slowly, Rune's body started to heal. His wounds closed, and his pulse grew stronger.

Pepper slowly reached out to grab his hand, praying for the mysterious boy who had sacrificed himself to protect her. She closed her eyes, letting a tear fall to the ground.

"I see I was right, Peps. You do like me."

Pepper's eyes flew open at the sound of Rune's voice. His cruel voice was still the same, but it sounded a little lighter than before. "You're alive!" She released his hand, wiping at her eyes.

"Do I really mean that much to you that you cried over me?"

"N-no," Pepper denied, but her eyes said something very different.

Rune laughed. "I guess I should explain."

"Yeah, you definitely should."

Rune stood up, wincing. "I met Ginger a couple of months ago. She had written a letter to me, asking if I could help her out."

Pepper glanced at Ginger. "I was never told of this."

Rune smirked, seemingly back to his normal self. "She wanted to help you. She had known that the situation about Katobleps would get of hand soon, and Ginger knew that it was an opportunity for you to be happy."

"Yeah, well, it wasn't exactly the experience I was hoping for," Pepper said bitterly.

"But it worked. I was supposed to help you achieve your success. I saw your face light up with joy when you thought about the opportunity before I met you."

Ginger frowned. "You weren't supposed to be stalking us!"

"That's just how I work."

Pepper laughed. A true laugh. "So let me get this straight: Ginger hired you to help me find joy, and you ended up following me?"

Rune shrugged. "When you put it that way, yes. When you put it in my way... also yes!" He grinned. "But don't think you're special. I do that to all of my clients."

Ginger rolled her eyes. "I bet you've never even been hired before Pepper."

"Exactly," Rune said.

"Listen, Pepper. Things didn't turn out the way I wanted to, but that's not how life works. You of all people should know that by now. I wanted you to find joy in your life, and I think you did, but in someone else."

"Yeah, you."

Ginger grinned mischievously. "No, not me. Although, I am pretty awesome. The point is that you have found your joy, and now you have to pursue it, even if that joy isn't what you expected. Because life is unexpected. And if we don't take action, then our lives will have no meaning."

Pepper smiled, hugging her sister. "You've always been the best out of us. You're the light of my life."

Ginger looked up at her older sister. "No, you are. You gave me hope after Mom and Dad died. You took care of me, and now it's time to take care of yourself." She pulled away from the hug. "Now, I'm going to bed. Do you have a bed?"

Rune rolled his eyes. "Upstairs."

After Ginger went to bed, Rune and Pepper sat in silence.

"Well that was really sappy," Rune said after a while.

"Not as sappy as you trying to sacrifice yourself."

"Oh please, it was my job. Your sister would've killed me if I let you die."

"Yeah, she would." Pepper stroked the couch with her finger. "So you were watching me the whole time as I fought the Katobleps, weren't you?"

"Maybe, maybe not."

"Well, thank you for saving Ginger. I really appreciate it."

Rune raised an eyebrow. "Anything else?"

"Don't push your luck."

He grinned, his white teeth flashing. "Maybe I will." He sauntered over to Pepper, and her heart leaped in her chest.

"Maybe you should," Pepper said, her heart racing. "I would always like to know more about you."

"Like my name?" Rune whispered.

Pepper nodded, grinning.

Rune tilted his head forward, his blue eyes reflecting the moonlight. Pepper found herself leaning forward, too.

About to touch lips, Rune turned his lips toward her ear. "I promised you would get my name after I receive the reward." Then he pulled back, as fast as a snake, before leaving the apartment and Pepper behind.