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Ω – end of story, or is it?
Here we go again, Tungpang thinks. Jessie is lovable by nature, but on a mission, she inherits her father’s fierceness. Like father, like daughter?
Hades, remains seated on his throne with Persephone seating right next to his side. Tungpang rarely sees her mother because of Hades. Only in the months when Persephone allows to be with Demeter that they can be reunited. The underworld is a place that Tungpang avoids visiting because she never likes to see her mother in her soulless form.
“Your father and I have no quarrel? Why?”
“You have something my girlfriend wants.”
Blood all over Jessie body, Tungpang couldn’t really figure out that is hers or Cerberus.
Jessie remains standing, head held high even though there are many visible wounds on her body. She is not in her element after all. The underworld is lack of water, something she needs for her power.
It was just a stupid conversation, but somehow Jessie has taken it into her heart. Now she is fighting against the world, alone against the god of the underworld just to keep her promise.
But the world has an equilibrium and not even the strongest demigod can break it.
Ϟ – somewhere in the middle
Jessie emerged slowly, like a goddess of the deep, her skin glistening under the moonlight while droplets fell from her shoulders like liquid silver.
Tungpang wondered, would she ever get tired at the sight of Jessie coming out of the sea?
Probably not.
Jessie made her way slowly to the training ground, her eyes fixed on Tungpang and Pim as they trained. She knew her effect on her girlfriend. Are they girlfriend? Jessie thought. Anyway, her friend/ girlfriend. This had to be a priority in Jessie's to-do list: to clear up their status.
Tungpang’s eyes had not left Jessie at all until Pim hit her hard with her hammer, a blunt blow to the head.
“Ouch!” Dropping her sword, Tungpang reached up to soothe the sting where Pim hit her.
“Tungpang, focus!” Being a daughter of Athena, Pim approached her training with intense discipline, which was exactly what Tungpang loved about their training sessions—right up until Jessie caused her focus to slip.
“What!?” Tungpang answered half-heartedly while keeping her focus on Jessie.
“I thought you want to brush up your combat skill. Sigh… never mind…go find your girlfriend.”
“She is not my girlfriend.”
“Whatever.” Pim threw her hand and walked away.
Tungpang picked up her sword again and put it back into her sheath. Hand cradling her wound, she drifted toward Jessie through the training mist.
“Are you okay?” Jessie moved Tungpang’s hand aside and began examining the wound.
“Yeah, yeah. Don’t worry.” Tungpang gave Jessie a shy smile.
People often mistook Tungpang for a daughter of Hephaestus or Ares because of her combat skills, but Jessie knew that was just Tungpang being Tungpang—working really hard to perfect her skills so she wouldn’t be a burden to anyone during missions.
“So how was home?” Tungpang quickly changed the topic to keep Jessie from worrying. Besides, their faces were dangerously close now.
“Not bad but I had enough of deep-sea politics. I need some fresh air. No pun intended.”
“Haha.” Tungpang let out a polite, breathy laugh.
"Let’s take a walk. I... I really miss being around the camp."
“Only the camp?” A mindless question from Tungpang.
“You too, clearly.” Jessie walked a bit faster, leaving Tungpang to catch up.
The salt air at camp always felt thicker when Jessie was around.
Tungpang missed going on missions with Jessie. Pim was a great partner but as a daughter of Athena, everything had to be executed precisely with her. Jessie, on the other hand, carried the power of the storms in her touch. She could be a hurricane or a calm sea depending on her mood. Missions with her were always unpredictable and fun.
“You have to be more careful.” Jessie said.
“Really? You were the one charging on Ophiotaurus with one-tenth of a plan and nine-tenths of a prayer.”
“We were surrounded by the sea. I will always be stronger around water. You on the other hand need to be more careful.”
“Why? I am a demigod as well. I can protect myself.” Okay, the mission was fun until the storm is directed to Tungpang herself.
“Yeah, but not like this. Not by putting yourself between me and danger.” Jessie pressed her hand to the gash on Tungpang’s face, her palm cool and damp like the sea. Tungpang grasped in pain and comfort at the same time.
“See.” Jessie whispered, leaning in until their foreheads touched.
Tungpang gave in eventually.
“I’m sorry, I will be careful next time.” She pulled away for a second to apologize to Jessie.
Before Jessie could offer a word of comfort, Tungpang turned. Her fingers tangling into Jessie’s sea-cooled hair as she pulled her down. Tungpang initiated the kiss with a desperate hunger, as if she were trying to breathe in the vastness of the ocean like plants required water to survive.
Jessie didn’t pull away. Instead, she softened into the embrace, her breath hitching for a heartbeat before she mirrored the closeness.
Her hands came up to cradle Tungpang’s face as if she were holding a fragile flower. The kiss shifted from a desperate plea into a quiet promise. It was slow and lingering, a soft grounding force that told Tungpang she was no longer alone.
“Will you be my girlfriend?” Jessie asked Tungpang as they were walking along the shore.
“I—” Tungpang started, then stopped, her fingers tightening around Jessie’s as their hands remained locked together. She pulled Jessie closer with her heart pounding like a drum against the silence of the shore. Tungpang remained quiet for a moment not so sure what to say.
“So, what the answer, you idiot?” Jessie broke the silent, simply because the weight of it was unbearable.
“Yes,” Tungpang finally whispered, the word blooming like the very last flower of summer. “I’m sorry… I just couldn’t believe you would ask before I did.”
“You really are an idiot,” Jessie smiled, giving Tungpang a quick peck on the cheek.
The autumn wind blew as summer turned away.
Tungpang was sitting on the training ground, her mind drifting away. Jessie saw her and felt a bit worried. She walked over and asked, “It’s your birthday, so why do you look so sad?”
“Sorry, I’m just missing my mum.”
“Right, she just went back to the underworld?”
“Yeah.”
Every September marked the end of Persephone’s time on Earth. This meant that Tungpang never once had the chance to celebrate her birthday with her mother. Worse still, she carried the heavy secret that Hades was treating her mother cruelly in the shadows of the Underworld.
“I promise you that I will free her from the underworld. Maybe this will be my birthday present for you?”
“What are you talking about? Hades is the God of Death.”
“And I am the daughter of Poseidon.” Jessie gave Tungpang the brightest smile and walked away.
μ – the calm before the storm is always the most beautiful moment
Tungpang was resting under a massive oak tree in the Grove of Dodona, enjoying the rare moment of peace on camp. The oak tree was planted by Persephone, a living protection spell for her daughter. Tungpang always returned to this exact same spot after every mission. It might have been mere superstition, but she believed this ritual was what kept death at bay.
Tungpang could easily drift into sleep here, the wind whispering around her. But then, a sudden wave of water crashed over her, drenching her in icy water.
“Hey!” she gasped, wiping the water from her eyes as she bolted upright. Through the misty spray, she saw the most beautiful girl she had ever laid eyes upon.
“Sorry, I still have trouble controlling my power. My name is Jessie, daughter of Poseidon.”
“No worry.” Tungpang smiled “Oh, and I am Tungpang, daughter of Persephone.”
Jessie made a promise but so did Tungpang. She promised herself that she would protect Jessie at all costs. No matter how deep the ocean or how dark the Underworld, Tungpang would never let her face the world alone.