LooMella led Pepper over further into the room and just around the corner was a hair salon area. She flicked a light switch which completely bathed the area in blinding white light. It was then that Pepper was taken back as he truly took in the giant woman standing beside him.

  He easily guessed that she was 7 to 8 feet tall. Not only that, but she was also built like a body builder with muscles bulging everywhere. All while her body was being contained with the skintight latex suit. The woman’s pitch-black hair was just as shiny as the latex and Pepper couldn’t help but chuckle as he noticed that even her heal boot laces shined in the light.

  She motioned for him to take a seat, and he paused. “Wait… you’re.” He paused and sighed and cringed at the mental image in his head. “You’re not going to make my hair look like Avway’s are you?”

  She huffed, but closed her eyes and shook her head, no.

  Pepper looked around and saw a small table where he could set the clothes down on and finally took a seat in the salon chair. He took a deep breath and then felt two colossal hands bear upon his scalp. To his surprise though, it wasn’t overbearing, but rather, enjoyable as LooMella’s hands began to gently massage his head.

  It must have been a minute later that he heard running water in the background. His chair eventually tilted back and downwards in slow motion. LooMella gently guided his head into the warm, all the while she continued to massage his head.

  “We’re ready for you Pepper.” The soft voice said off to his side.

  Pepper blinked and realized he had fallen asleep in the salon chair. He immediately sprang up and looked at the small mirror in front of him. His heart eased as he noticed that LooMella had not colored his hair as she had promised. Thank god. He thought.

  A quick glance over and he saw Francis calmly standing off to the side with the holopad clutched in his hands. “I’m guessing I can just change in here?”

  A soft grin arrived on Francis’s face. “Yes, actually. There is a small changing room just beyond this door here.” Francis guided an open palm over to the wall, but Pepper didn’t see anything, at first.

  He stood up and walked over to notice that the door had been designed into the rooms décor to make it blend right in. The room was nothing fancy, but simply had a few clothing hooks and a small bench for him to sit on with a tall personal mirror on one end. It was more like a nicely converted broom closet rather than an actual room itself.

  Pepper finished changing and was about to leave when he took a second to look in the mirror. The black tshirt he wore had a low hanging neckline. Almost as if someone had grabbed hold of it and pulled downward and partially ripped the garment. He couldn’t help but notice the fabric was some of the softest he had ever felt.

  The leather jacket was over top of that and then came the black denim jeans. The pants made Pepper think they were more designed for dirt biking, or for riding a motorcycle. There was a futuristic design and modification at the knees, calf, and quad and thigh area. The whole custom design made him imagine the modifications were more armor and protective padding rather than design. He felt as if he was a movie star about to be in some futuristic sci-fi thriller rather than a golem league match.

  He smiled and then glanced up at his hair. It was naturally lifted and looked vibrant. His finger ran through it and could actually feel a difference with how light and soft it was. He walked out and was greeted by Francis who had a smile on his face. The man motioned with his hand towards the door and Pepper walked towards it. His eyes caught LooMella quietly sitting in the darkened corner she was when he first entered the room.

  “Thanks for the makeover.” Pepper was just able to see that she nodded, still sitting in her silence. The two walked back out and into the hallway. “Does she ever speak?”

  Francis adjusted his glasses on his head. “No… I don’t think I’ve ever heard her say a word. Avway does all the talking for the couple.”

  “Couple? You mean...”

  “Oh, they’re married. Avway and LooMella.”

  Pepper didn’t know what to say. That information left him just as confused as the moment that Avway had entered the room. None of this made sense but he simply went along as the day unfolded. Just when he mentally wanted to question why in the world he was doing this, his bank account with the 6,000+ FLEX re-motivated him.

  They arrived back into the studio and the first thing Pepper noticed was Avway over on the lounge couch leaning closely towards Marcus. The eclectic photographers head snapped around and his eyes widened while a giant smiled beamed. “Ahh! Look at you! Just look at you.”

  Avway stood up and started to walk across the room. His loud high platform boots clicking against the hard concrete floor as he went. Pepper went to place his hands in his pockets but he quickly discovered he wasn’t able to as Avway grabbed hold of his hands and began to adjust him around as if he was a mannequin. “Yes! Yes! Slay thy gladiator. You feel the power in this, yeah?” Avway moaned and smiled in an animated fashion. “We are going to make greatness, Pepper. Come!”

  Avway led Pepper over to the large white canvas area and began to position him like a statue. “Feet here. Yeah, hips this way. Shoulders no! Do not do this, back, up, straight, power, dominance, yes?” Avway moved his hands all over and Pepper couldn’t help but feel like he had no such thing as personal space. Avway finally stopped adjusting Pepper’s stance and then stepped back. “Mm… this… we might be able to… FRANCIS!”

  Avway held his left hand out as if it were a platform. “Camera Franics!”

  Pepper watched as the assistant dashed over to a moveable cart. He grabbed hold of the camera and gently placed it on Avway’s hand. The photographer immediately formed an overly dramatic face and snapped his head down towards the camera. “What is this?”

  Avway quickly shifted his gaze over towards Franics. The assistant had a perplexed expression and looked lost at what answer the photographer was seeking. “What is this Francis?” It was clear the failure to answer did not go over well with Avway. He lifted the camera up towards his face, his free hand wrapped around the camera lens and he began to manipulate the camera attachment.

  His hand rotating back and forth and Pepper watched as the lens extended and detracted its size significantly. Avway let out a little squeal. “Oh my, we have a grower and a shower I see, yeah?” Avway giggled and then sighed as he finished the jest. “Why would you put a telephoto lens on this and not a prime? Francis what are you thinking? We are doing a portrait shoot, yeah?

  This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

  “Prime lens then?” Francis stated but the uptick in his statement and the nervous demeanor made it sound more like a question of validation.

  “Yes of course Prime lens! You, shmoots.” Avway said.

  Francis frantically reached up and took hold of the camera. Avway reached his hand up and gently tapped his forehead. A quick turn and he apologized to Pepper. “Avway is not normally like this. I’m sorry you must see Avway and Francis in such a manner.”

  Pepper could feel the clear confusion written on his face. “It’s okay. Doesn’t bother me one bit.”

  He watched as Francis finally attached a different lens on the camera and rehanded it to Avway. The photographer had an arched eyebrow as he received the camera and began to go through the motions of turning it on and adjusting the devices settings. Avways’s head snapped around as if he was analyzing the lighting in the room. A few hums and moans and then he turned and narrowed his gaze on Pepper.

  “Is Pepper… ready? Yeah?” There was a dark and devious smile on Avway’s face.

  Pepper couldn’t help but feel a nervous tingle rush down the back of his neck. “Uhh, sure?”

  “Let’s do this…” Avway said in a low and eerie tone.

  Before Pepper was ready the photographer dashed forward, then back. He was then leaning to his left, then right, closer, then further away. The camera clicked and snapped away, with every tick of the shutter the giant spot lights scattered around the area flashed with even more intense light. The strobing effect was blinding and he was now beginning to be disoriented to what was going on.

  The entire time all he heard was Avways voice saying random words that didn’t even seem to make sense. “More! Imbue the strength of the gods! Soft, brush my lens with soul! Now flare! More flare, more flare Pepper!”

  No matter what Avway told him to do, Pepper just stood there frozen stiff. Not only did he have no idea what in the world he meant, Pepper simply didn’t know what exactly to do. He could hear the irritation rise within Avways voice, but he simply felt lost and in a strange world.

  “Come now Pepper, attack the camera! Take control of it with your eyes! The lens wants you! THE LENS WANTS YOU!”

  The lens wants me? He mentally thought while trying his best to fight through the flashing of lights. His spirit finally sank, and he couldn’t help but feel defeated. This isn’t me… This isn’t what I am about. The more he thought about it, the further his heart fell to a low point.

  But he wasn’t the only one who felt this way. In a flash Avway stood up and yelled for his assistant. “Francis! Grab the camera.” The assistant had just barely grabbed hold of the piece of equipment before Avway strode forward. His two hands reached up and grabbed hold of Pepper’s shoulders. “The lens does not want you Pepper.”

  “You think?” He asked and chuckled to himself.

  Avway was about to continue but to Pepper’s surprise, Marcus came to the rescue. “Hey man… How about I take it for a hot minute?”

  Avway arched his eyebrow and took notice of Marcus standing off to the side. “Well, well. Perhaps its best we lounge, yeah? Francis! Tea, shmow!”

  The assistant seemed scattered and tried to keep up. “Of course, great idea Avway.”

  “Of course it is great idea! That is all Avway has.”

  “The Turmeric & Ginger?”

  Avway slouched as soon as Francis made his suggestion. Avway let out a disgruntled sigh and then snapped his head towards his assistant. “Joint support and digestion? Francis, we are shooting, we don’t need an after meal sippy sippy, we need throat and coat.”

  Francis sighed and started to slowly nod, as if the answer was obvious. “Of course. How could I, the Lemon and Echinacea.”

  “Of course the Lemon and Echinacea.” Avway then turned and started to power walk away from the set. “Ten! Yeah, everybody take ten! Except you Francis, you are minus ten, smoov!”

  Pepper brought his hands up and started to rub his face. “What the literal hell… did Ryan get me into?” He said out loud.

  He watched as Marcus arrive with two barstools. They sat down beside one another and Marcus couldn’t help but laugh. “Man this is awesome.”

  “Awesome? Really? That is how you would describe this!?”

  Marcus looked like he was savoring every minute of the event. “Heck yeah man! This is hilarious and making for great content on Golem Chat!”

  Pepper felt his stomach immediately knot up at what Marcus has said. “Wait you haven’t been…”

  Marcus laughed and continued. “Of course I have been live streaming this.” He lifted his hand up and slapped his shoulder. “And don’t worry, I made sure to tag your account so everyone knew it was you.”

  Pepper felt his jaw clench and his teeth grind together. He now regretted bringing Marcus along with him. He was already embarrassed to be doing the photoshoot, but now seeing how eccentric the entire shoot was, only amplified the feeling.

  “I kinda wish you had not have done that.”

  “What? Why not. Man the fans are loving it! We already have something like 10,000 positive vibes. I mean, its not great but that is pretty good. Especially for a behind the scenes at a photoshoot.”

  Pepper sighed and shook his head. “And how many negative vibes are waiting for me in my personal message box, or whatever the heck that stuff is?”

  “Who cares Pepper? We’re doing something tons of people could only wish of doing. Did you ever stop and think about that? Do you realize how many gladiators would steal an opportunity to be right here, right now?”

  His mind flashed back to the moment he was arrested by Deputy Kaber. As a matter of fact I would never steal for this specific moment. He thought. Pepper glanced over to the side of the room and quickly twisted his head and popped his neck. “You have a point. But… clearly I’m not made out for this. I’m not like you.”

  “Like me? Well of course not, I’d hate to be a ginger.” Marcus laughed and then waved him off. “Look man, who gotta love life and love being in the moment. There are tons of times when I am nothing but a nervous wreck on the inside.”

  His roommate’s statement took him by surprise. “Really? You always seem just, cool. In the moment, like nothing bothers you and everything that happens was all apart of the plan.”

  Marcus took in a deep breath and then seemed to completely change. To Pepper, it looked like for a brief moment, Marcus was lowering down a giant defensive wall. “You gotta fake it till you make it man. A lot of what you see, isn’t what is going on inside. It’s acting.” Marcus then motioned with his hand all around the room. “All of this. All of that.” He motioned with his head towards the direction Avway had departed in. “That is acting, just as much as I act like some laid back dude who is just surfing his way through life.”

  Marcus then paused and ran his fingers through his hair. “Pepper, I have no idea what I am doing. I don’t know anything about building Golem’s. I don’t really know anything about certain fighting styles, or what would work good compared to something else. I am basically winging it and just acting like I have all the answers. The reality is, I’m just lucky to be where I am right now.”

  Pepper appreciated the honesty in that moment and his heart started to be at peace while the two shared with one another. He was able to glance deep into Marcus’s eyes and saw this childlike innocence deep within them. “Well you do a good job at acting then.”

  Marcus chuckled. “I’d hope so, I have had a lot of practice at it. All of this, the things that Avway says. Ignore it.”

  “Ignore it?” He questioned and felt surprised at the advice.

  Marcus laughed and shook his head with a playful expression. “Yeah, seriously. This dude is crazy. Don’t get me wrong, he’s funny and I think he means well. But seriously, don’t worry or listen to what he is saying.”

  “So, then what should I do?”

  “Act… like I said. Pretend you are the movie star and the building behind you just exploded. Imagine you’re the super hero and you just wrapped the girl of your dreams into your arms, you say something cool and then go in for the big screen kiss. Imagine all your haters standing there before you, as you stand up on the platform and be crowned the Golem Master.”

  There was a pause between the too, but Pepper smiled. He started to envision each event that Marcus had suggested and now felt more confident in understanding what he needed to do. “Okay, I think I got it.”

  “Yeah you do man… yeah you do.”

  It was in perfect timing that Avway’s voice re-entered the room. “Okay, let’s make art, yeah?”

  “Let’s do this.” Pepper said with a smile. He stood up from the barstool and this time didn’t wait for Avway to give him direction. He reached up and popped the color on the leather jacket and looked towards the camera lens as if he had just finished punching a demon in the face.

  He couldn’t help but see Avway shutter with excitement. The photographers eyes opening wide with excitement and looked as if he could hardly stand still. “Yes! Yes Pepper! Oh… don’t stop, give it to me! Give it to me hard, more, more, more!” The strobe lights rapidly flashed as the camera struggled to keep up with the passionate photographer. “The lens loves you! THE LENS LOVES YOU!”