Everybody knows the story of Pandora's Box. A girl was given a box and she was told not to open it. The Box spoke to her, tempting her to... well you know the rest... or do you? Because the thing that no one ever asks is... what happened next?

This is that story.

It begins with someone running. The thing about seeing someone run is that you always have to ask whether they're running to something or from something. The answer is always both. In this case, the person running is a short but athletic man, Hermes, messenger of the gods, dressed in plain clothes is running down a dark street. A Shadowed Figure is chasing him. Hermes is heading for Pandora's house.

"You can't escape me. It will be mine." says the Shadowed Figure.

Hermes is carrying Pandora's Box with him as the Shadowed Figure gets closer.

"It doesn't belong to you. It belongs to The Keeper." Hermes responded.

"Not anymore." insisted the Shadowed Figure.

Hermes reaches a particular house just as he's tripped up by the Shadowed Figure and The Box falls out of Hermes' hands. The Shadowed Figure menaces over Hermes. He picks up The Box. The Shadowed Figure opens the box slightly and a spirit escapes before Hermes kicks him in the knee. The Shadowed Figure drops The Box.

"It will never be yours." Hermes says.

Hermes grabs The Box, closes it quickly, gets up and uses magic to push The Box into the mail box, shifting it into another dimension.

"It's with The Keeper now." says Hermes.

"No!" yells the Shadowed Figure in anger at what Hermes has done.

The Shadowed Figure grabs Hermes and takes him away.

* * *

The next day, Pandora, a young high school student, is going through the aisles of a local clothing store. She is looking at various outfits to try find a distinct look for her first day of a new school. Uni, her mother, walks up to her.

"Have you found something yet? We've been here a while and your father and I are not going to wait around forever." asks her mother.

"Just trying to look my best." responds Pandora while still trying to decide between two tops she's comparing in her hands.

"You do that by waking up in the morning sweetie." says Uni, trying to encourage her daughter to choose something.

"Thanks for the ego boost Mom but I'll be fine." Pandora says as picks out one of them from the racks and holds it against herself.

"Well I'm hoping that the ego boost will keep you from trying to boost anything else." her mother joked.

"Mom!" says with a tone that's obvious they both know it's a joke.

Pandora looks at herself in a nearby mirror, turning her attention away from her mother.

"You look great honey, you should go with that."

"Mhmm." Pandora acknowledges without really paying any attention.

Uni watches Pandora try to decide on her current outfit for a few moments.

"Just pick something honey. We're leaving in 20 minutes whether you've found something or not." her mother insists.

"Okay." Pandora says again, turning in the mirror to try and see it from different angles, not really paying attention.

Uni walks away. A few moments later, Hermes walks up to Pandora.

"Did you get it?" says a worried Hermes.

His words actually catch Pandora's attention and she looks at him.

"Sorry?"

Again he asks, "Did you get it?"

Not really sure what he's talking about, she asks confused, "Do I know you?"

"Tell me you got it." he insists on asking with a bit of desperation.

"This is a pretty weird sales pitch. You might want to work on that."

Pandora tries to go back to looking for clothes. Hermes grabs her wrist forcefully to keep her attention.

"Pandora. Tell me that you got it." Hermes asks, gripping her wrist more tightly.

Pandora tries to pull her arm away from Hermes. He holds firm.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

Hermes pushes things even further, seeming to get angry the less she tries to answer the question, "Didn't they tell you?"

"Let me go."

"Not until you tell me." insists Hermes.

"I said, let me go." Pandora says a little more loudly this time.

"Hey!"

Jove, Pandora's father, grabs Hermes to help his daughter. Hermes quickly lets go of Pandora.

"That's my daughter. Are you all right?"

"He just came out of nowhere Dad."

"But you're okay?"

"I guess."

"Okay, I'll handle this."

Jove moves Hermes away from Pandora. As he does, his words can barely be heard by Pandora.

"What the hell is wrong with you? What are you doing here?"

Uni comes over to help her daughter, having heard the commotion.

"Are you all right?"

"I'm okay, it was just... weird."

"Does Dad know that guy?"

"I don't think so sweetie."

Pandora watches Jove and Hermes talking, Jove clearly still angry.

"They certainly seem to know each other."

"I'm sure he's just making sure he knows what he did was wrong. Don't worry about it Dora. Come on."

Uni leads her daughter away from the scene. Pandora looks back for a moment, and shortly after her mother does too with a suspicious look.

* * *

Jove parks the car in front of the school in his new parking spot. Pandora checks her make up in the mirror.

"Sweetie you look fine, you don't need to keep checking."

Pandora continues to check her make up before putting up the passenger side mirror.

"Thanks Dad."

"I'll be a little late leaving tonight but I should be able to drive you home."

"Assuming I'm not hanging out with my new friends? Sure." says the young soon to be high school student.

"Remember that ego thing we talked about at breakfast?"

"I know Dad, I'm just nervous, new school and all."

Jove and Pandora get out of the car and lock it, going inside. Pandora and Jove walk down the hallway of the high school.

"Are you sure you're going to be all right?" asks a genuinely concerned father.

"I guess. Dad?"

"Yes honey?"

"Who was that guy the other day?"

"Which guy?"

Pandora stops and so does her father.

"Which guy do you think?" asks Pandora, giving her father space to answer.

"I don't know honey. It's like I told you, I just wanted to tell him to stay away from you."

"That's all?"

"Of course that's all Dora. What else would it be?"

"I don't know, but... he knew my name."

"We talked about this honey. He probably overheard your mother and I talking to you before he approached you. It's nothing to worry about."

"You're sure?" asks Pandora, unconvinced.

Her father tries to reassure her, "Absolutely. Trust me sweetie. Just focus on your new school and making friends."

"Okay, I mean, you said the school has a welcoming committee right?"

"They should be in my office waiting for both of us."

Jemma, another student who is dressed conservatively by comparison, walks up to Pandora and Jove.

"Principal Jupiter?"

"Yes."

They shake hands.

"Hi, I'm Jemma."

"Ah yes, my executive assistant said you're the welcoming committee."

"That's me." she says before turning to Pandora. "You must be Pandora."

"Yeah."

They shake hands.

"I'll leave you two to get acquainted."

Jove walks away, leaving Jemma and Pandora in the hallway.

"So, daughter of the new principal eh?"

"Yeah, and you're the brown noser of the vice principal?"

"I suppose."

"So, tell me what I need to know."

Pandora and Jemma walk down the hall together.