It was all happening now, they'd found the pod. All that was left was to meet everyone move back to Izroulia. Aries would go back to their foster mothers cottage, Zagreus was moving in with Styxx, Icarus' family were re-united and had plans to move back to Izroulia as well.

And what was she to do? Her parents had no idea Izroulia she even existed, the only one she shared mermaid genes with was dead.

When Pandora went to her grandmothers funeral a few years back, she felt like she had the closure she needed. Even though she didn't understand the box that was left to her yet, she felt like she'd said goodbye and left her on loving terms. But now she was faced with one hell of a predicament.

"It's just... like I know they're my parents and they love me. They don't hate me for being a lesbian, they supported me taking some time off before going to uni, they've been there for every event and every life challenge. But this is so much different, so bigger. I mean I'm not even fully human, they had no idea you were a mermaid, and they might not believe me when I say it comes from you..." Pandora rambled.

She hadn't been to visit her grandmothers grave in a while, mainly because she felt she had all the closure she needed. But now she was lost, and it was the only place she could think to go to. Even if she couldn't respond, at least her grandmother who she got the mermaid gene from in the first place could listen.

"What do I do if they think I'm some kind of sea monster and and disown me or something? I know I can always run off to Izroulia and stay there, but then I'd have to deal with loosing both parents and never being able to come back to point break to visit" Pandora sighed.

She didn't get any response from the headstone, but venting to her grandmother felt right. She picked at the grass, watching in blow in the wind. The cemetery was empty, it was just her and the occasional worker walking by. No one would hear her talk about mermaid stuff, so she could ramble all she wanted.

"And then there's Willow... I know it's a joke us lesbians fall hard and fast, but fuck... I don't know if I could leave her" she muttered.

She was genuinely surprised how quickly she and Willow got close. Each time they took the boat out, or ran into each other on the boardwalk, they'd end up talking and messing around for hours.

"Ugh, what do I even do? Tell them? Stay in hiding in the human realm? Leave for Izroulia with everyone else? Damnit grandma you could have told me about my tail earlier..." Pandora sighed.

She lay back in the grass by the grave, looking up at the clouds. The sky seemed so much brighter recently, maybe it was the effects of the Nyx boon, making her more sensitive to bright lights like the sunny sky.

"Pandora?"

She jolted up, hearing her name and tuned ti face the source.

"Willow?" She questioned.

Sure enough, it was the redhead. Holding a bag in one hand and her damp towel in the other. Clearly she'd just gotten off work, she was damp from swimming and her hair was messed up from the salty water.

"What are you doing here?" Pandora asked.

"Could ask you the same thing, strange place to run into you" Willow replied, walking over.

Pandora gestured to the headstone with her grandmothers name on it. Some of the flowers that had been left there a while ago were still sitting on it slightly wilted.

"Grandma" she simply stated.

"That's right, you got the mermaid gene from her right?" Willow replied.

"Yep, that's why I'm here. Trying to figure mermaid stuff out... what are you here for though?"

"The pet section"

Now she was closer, she could see the bag she held contained a dog bone. And it was now she realised that the bone shaped charm on her necklace Pandora always thought was adjust a regular charm was probably the dogs tag.

"When I was a kid I had really bad seizures, so I needed a service animal. It's been years but I still miss him, he was the goodest boy. Nowadays I've had a surgery to fix some stuff, and I'm in the right medication. I haven't had a seizure in a few years, sure the risk is still there but it's not at the point I need a service dog anymore. So I never replaced him when he died, he's always gonna be my good boy" Willow replied.

Loosing a childhood pet always hurts, but when it's a service animal and you had that extra special, really deep bond, it hurts even more. Pandora didn't blame her for still missing the pet all these years later.

"What was his name?" Pandora asked.

"Ok don't judge me I was a kid, but it's Mr snoots" willow admitted.

"Oh my god that's literally the best name for a dog"

Mr snoots was the friendliest golden retriever you'd ever meet, but was always serious about work. He didn't budge until he was told to and was on the job the second any sign of distress popped up. He'd saved Willows life countless times, and was known to get in the bed next to her and watch her until she fell asleep so he knew she was safe.

"Whatever afterlife exists I hope he's getting all the head pats" Willow said.

"He's probably playing chase with Cerberus in Elysium" Pandora replied.

"I'd love to see that. Anyway, mermaid stuff. What's up?"

Pandora sighed, all the confusion and conflicting feelings coming back to her.

"It's just... everyone is moving back to Izroulia, and I'd like to as well since you know, mermaid. But that means I'd have to tell my parents that my grandmother was a mermaid and so am I. Explain everything that happened, the fact magic exists... and if they react badly like I'm a freak of nature and kick me out or try and hand me over to science then I'm fucked. I'd have to leave to Izroulia and I'd never be able to come back here to visit. And if they do accept me, they might not want me to go and try and keep me on the human realm. There's three outcome options and only one of them is good" Pandora rambled.

While Willow wasn't a mermaid, she was super gay. So she did like the fear of telling your parents a massive secret you'd kept about yourself. But that wasn't quite the same as telling them you're not even fully human

"I mean... would Izroulia allow humans in?" Willow asked.

"Some of them, the ones that are trusted. Like Icarus' mum. But I don't think my parents would want to move to a mysterious magic land even if they did accept me. They have a whole business here, family is here, friends are here. And of course I'd still come visit everyone. But I doubt they'd want to follow me into Izroulia" Pandora explained.

So Izroulia would let a select few humans in? That gave Willow the urge to go there herself and see what it was like. Hoping she was trusted enough by the people that was. But she'd ask about that later, right now it was Pandora's predicament.

"I mean I doubt they'd disown you or anything. Be a bit shocked sure, but they accepted you coming out right? And taking a gap year? They've been supporting so far. If they can do that then surely they'd be understanding. Especially if you explain it came from your grandmother" Willow said.

"Yeah, I know. I guess it's just fear of what could happen if that went wrong" Pandora replied.

"I mean... I can be there for moral support if you want. But I think it's best to tell them, that way you don't have to hide where you want to move to, and a whole part of yourself. And on the off chance things go wrong, you have an escape route"

The lifeguard was right. She did need to tell them, it would make things so much easier. And perhaps give them some understanding about her grandmothers secrets they knew she had but never found out.

"Yeah... I really should tell them. I guess I'll do it once we've sorted the pod moving in" Pandora sighed.

The talk of Pandora moving was saddening to Willow. Of course she wanted Pandora to be happy in the place she was always meant to be, and she did say she'd visit pointbreak. But she didn't want to loose what they had, weather it be because of long distance or something else.

"Hey... you think I'd be allowed to come see Izroulia?" She asked.

"I can ask, why? You wanna see all the magic?" Pandora replied.

"Yes, that and I'd want to visit you when you move there. I don't want you to just... vanish into another realm and we never speak again"

"As if I'd ditch you like that. You can visit whenever and if you can't make it, I'll come visit you"

Willow didn't know why she felt so worried she'd never see Pandora again after the move. It was very clear she'd be going back and fourth between Izroulia and the human realm for her family and friends. It just sounded so permanent, like she'd not be hanging around the docks and boardwalk to run into each other anymore.

"Promise we'll still see each other right?" Willow said.

Pandora held out her pinky finger, to pinky promise like they were in primary school again.

"Promise" she replied.

Linking fingers, they shook on it.

Pandora felt at ease after taking to her grandmother and Willow. Like she knew what she had to do. She'd tell her parents everything, and alternate time between the human realm and Izroulia. And maybe... maybe Willow could be one of the few humans living in Izroulia. Pandora didn't mind sharing a house...