Pandora walks into an otherwise empty sociology class. Hermes is there writing on the chalkboard.

"I think I really screwed up." declares Pandora without Hermes even notice.

Hermes turns to Pandora at her words, setting down his chalk, "You opened The Box didn't you?"

"I... How did you know?" asks a somewhat surprised Pandora.

"It was obvious after a student tried to throw something at me in the hallway for trying to get their attention. Things have just gotten worse from there. Half the afternoon class didn't bother to show up and the ones that did couldn't help challenging me on every minor thing. More than any reasonable person should. The class just degenerated from there." explains Hermes.

"I was at a party, I wasn't really paying... attention and... it just, you know, happened. But it's worse than that." Pandora tries to get out but can't really explain it properly.

"Who was possessed? Or should I say manifesting the spirit they were possessed by?" asks Hermes with obvious interest.

Pandora shifts uncomfortably, "My friend... her name is Jemma."

Hermes notices the uncertainty, "You care about her."

"Like I said, she's... my friend." says Pandora, which makes Hermes grin although he quickly hides it.

"What happened?"

"She got a hold of The Box, and it..." Pandora starts but is interrupted by Hermes.

"You had a transference."

"That's what my mom called it. She says I let my guard down, and now she's talking about 'drastic measures' against Jemma." explains a concerned Pandora.

"And you don't want that."

"Of course I don't want that." insists Pandora, "She didn't exactly say what 'drastic measures' means but it can't be good."

"It's not," confirms Hermes, "it usually involves killing the host."

"What?" asks a suddenly more worried Pandora, "Isn't there something else? Like an exorcism or something?"

"That's what The Box is for, to exorcise people of these spirits. If you can't do it..."

"But... I can do it. I just need a little more time."

"You may not have time." says Hermes before adding, "Unless..."

"Unless what?" asks an insistent Pandora, hopeful of another way.

"Do you have it?"

Pandora takes her back pack off her shoulder, "I have it right here, do you want to see it?"

"Yes."

She opens up her bag and pulls out The Box, handing it to Hermes. None of the safeguards are activated when it's placed in Hermes hands, which makes him smile. As he takes it more firmly, it begins the glow a black light. Pandora notices the glow.

"Wait, what's that?" a confused Pandora asks.

"Victory." Hermes says with a smile.

Hermes grips The Box tightly with both hands, putting intense focus on it and performing some kind of magic on it. The black light gets brighter in the same way that it got brighter when Uni used it on Pandora. Unlike when her mother did it though, Hermes doesn't attempt to move in on the clearly stunned Pandora. It isn't long before The Box stops glowing and the smile on Hermes face gets bigger.

"What did you do?" wonders Pandora, increasingly concerned about what Hermes has done.

"I won." responds Hermes as he lobs The Box at Pandora.

She catches The Box on instinct and shortly after it's in her hands, The Box glows black for a second before Pandora's eyes glow black. She quickly shakes it off.

"What do you mean? I thought we were working together."

"I know... that's what I wanted you to think."

"But, my parents..."

"Your parents aren't as smart as they like to think. They've gotten old and don't see what's right in front of them. I just walked right in and got to their daughter."

"What did you do?"

"I gave you a little upgrade, courtesy of a former resident."

"You're possessed... by a black spirit?"

"You catch on quick." says a rather pleased with himself Hermes.

"But... how? All the black spirits were captured. It was glowing before I even opened it. How could you have escaped?" asks Pandora.

The question puts an even bigger smile on Hermes face, "That's for me to know and you to endlessly wonder about until you go insane. Which shouldn't take that long actually." teases Hermes.

"What do you mean?"

"That little upgrade? It's my revenge."

"You did something to it, and that did something to me, like with Jemma. But... I don't feel any different."

Again Hermes can't help but enjoy the moment, "The thing about corruption is that people like to think that it comes about because someone's greedy, or angry, or in it for themselves. But that isn't how corruption works. People go corrupt because they have the best of intentions. They keep trying to make little changes to other people thinking they're doing the right thing. And when that doesn't work, they try to force the issue. That's real corruption."

He takes a moment to enjoy himself even more.

"You're a good person Dora. That's why you were given The Box in the first place. You actually want to help people. Which is why it'll be your downfall. Every time you use that thing to help someone? Your 'friend' Jemma let's say? That box will take a little bit of the goodness you used to help them with the spirit. Locking it away until there's nothing left but a selfish, angry person in its place. And the best part? You'll know it. You'll know it and you'll do it anyway. Because you were literally born to do it that way."

"I'll... I'll tell my parents."

"Go ahead, tell them how massively you failed them on your very first attempt. They couldn't help you even if they wanted to. They have no idea what it is that they're facing. They wouldn't even know where to start." says Hermes before adding, "And if you don't help people? Jemma's impact is already spreading, imagine what it will be like when the others start manifesting?"

Pandora is speechless as Hermes heads for the door.

"See you soon Pandora, I look forward to meeting the new you."

Hermes leaves.

* * *

Jemma walks along the street, clearly still upset about what happened between her and Pandora. She's clearly not looking where she's going.

"What a bitch, I can't believe she did that to me. She acted like she wanted it and then just totally left me wanting. How could she...?" she says as she runs into someone.

"Hey, watch out!" says Jemma with an annoyed tone.

"Watch out yourself you..." The student says as they see who they bumped into, adding, "Oh, it's you."

Jemma looks at the student who she got into a fight with to help Pandora, making her scoff.

"Yeah, I'm me..." confirms Jemma, "And you... were right..."

"What?"

"I said you were right." says Jemma.

"About what?"

"What do you think I'm talking about? You were right about her, she is a bitch."

"What made you come around?"

"I thought she was someone she wasn't. Wanna help me get back at her?"

That makes the student smile at her, "What did you have in mind?"