Pandora sighed quietly. "Okay, I understand. Thank you." she said into the phone before hanging up. She sighed again, leaning over and running her hand over Griffin's head. "Well, guess I'm not working at the coffee shop. Maybe tomorrow I can try a few more places. I heard the grocery store might be hiring." she said, trying to sound hopeful.

Griffin rested his chin on her knees, looking up at her with big blue eyes. She smiled at him for a moment before deciding it was time for breakfast. She stood up from the chair by the pool she'd been sitting on. Griffin followed her inside and to the breakfast table.

It'd been a couple days since Pandora went out to apply at a few places. So far she'd only heard back from the coffee shop and none of the other places. She didn't really need a job, she could get ready to go to college, but she really didn't want to attend college in Olympus. She wanted to get out and see more of Auradon. But she couldn't see that happening unless she wanted to have a huge blow up fight with her mom.

She sat next to Hercules at breakfast, grinning slightly as him and Zeus once again got into some sports debate.

Meg approached the table from the stove with her plate of food, pausing to turn up the volume on the small TV on the kitchen counter. Pandora directed her attention to the morning news merely out of curiosity.

The headline flashed across the screen announcing that four new VKs had been chosen to come to Auradon from the Isle of the Lost.

Persephone, who had followed Meg to the table, sighed when she saw the news. "I really wish they'd stop opening that barrier." she admitted quietly.

"Come on, Persy," Hercules turned to her, "you can't honestly tell me you're against those kids getting a chance to come here. They're just kids. And two of those kids they chose this time are, like, eight years old."

"Of course I'm not against it." Persephone answered. "I agree, they're just kids. I just wish they'd quit opening and closing that barrier so much. If they're not careful someone is going to escape, like Uma did. They're just being far too casual about the whole thing. They should take more precautions."

Pandora turned away from the conversation, focusing back on the TV screen. King Ben and his girlfriend, Mal, appeared on the screen as they announced the chosen Villain kids. However, when Pandora's eyes landed on the purple-haired teenager, her memory sent a flash before her eyes.

A bright, colorful square with shapes resembling people. The purple and green blur came into focus, revealing the King's girlfriend. A few more images flashed before her eyes, though most of them seemed to still be in that bright, colorful square. One included the same purple-haired girl wearing a gown and holding a wand.

Blinking rapidly, Pandora's vision returned to normal and she glanced around anxiously. She refocused on the TV. It sounded like Mal and the other original VKs returned to the Isle a few days ago to pick the next group of kids. Pandora had her last weird dream that same night. They lined up. Were they connected? Well, they had to be. Her vision included Mal, and lined up with her and the others picking the next kids.

A strong desire for answers burned in Pandora's belly. Considering she usually forgot most of the details of her dreams, she'd taken to just ignoring them. But now that she actually had something resembling a clue, she felt like she couldn't just ignore it and go back to the way things were.

Before her thoughts could go much farther, Pandora was pulled back to the real world by her mother.

"Dora, I bought some more hair dye yesterday. Do you want me to help you touch up your roots later?"

Pandora sighed, though it sounded more like a groan. "Mom, I just did that a month ago."

"And you have to do it every month." Persephone reminded her, leaning over and running her hand through her daughter's hair and checking her scalp. "Your roots are starting to show."

Pandora grimaced, leaning away from her mom's searching hands to get them out of her hair, literally. "So? I hear that look is in these days. Lots of girls let their roots show."

"Well, we're not those girls." her mother countered patiently.

"Just leave the girl alone." Meg sighed, standing up to take her plate into the kitchen. "If she doesn't want to dye her hair every month, that's up to her. Now that she's actually old enough to make the decision." she added sarcastically.

Meg had never really hid her dislike over Pandora's mom making her dye her hair all the time. As much as Pandora fought with her mom over the issue over the years, Meg had voiced her dislike just as many times. It was really the only issue the two women had with each other. Otherwise, they got along rather well.

"I really don't need parenting advice from you, Meg." Persephone countered tensely. "Considering you sent your son off to a prep school halfway across Auradon as soon as he hit puberty."

"Now, let's all settle down." Zeus ordered calmly as Meg glared over her shoulder at Persephone. "You're both wonderful mothers to Herkie and Pandora. And we're all family, we need to support each other."

A silence fell over the room, most eyes fixed on Meg at the sink or Persephone, who was poking at her food. Hercules stood and approached his wife, his hands landing on her shoulders as he spoke quietly in her ear.

Pandora glanced awkwardly between her mom and the woman she saw as an aunt. She hated that they always fought because of her, but at the same time she knew it wasn't really her fault. And she appreciated Meg standing up for her probably more than the woman realized.

And she was still frustrated with her mother.

She ate her food silently for a few minutes, ideas and thoughts swirling around in her head. She still really wanted answers regarding her dreams. Which she supposed meant traveling to Auradon City to see Mal. The only problem was that was about a six to eight hour drive, and there was no way her mother would allow her to go. So, she would have to be sneaky.

Standing up, Pandora carried her plate to the sink, where Meg seemed to be using the scrubbers to take her frustration out on the plate. Hesitating a moment, Pandora set her plate on the counter by the sink and hugged Meg from the side. Sighing, Meg wrapped an arm around her and hugged her tightly for a moment.

"Thanks, Auntie Meg." Pandora whispered.

Meg kissed the top of her head, the bangs of her long, brown hair tickling the top of Pandora's head. "No problem, Dora."

Pandora returned to the table, still hesitating slightly. "I'm going to go out and apply to a few places." she announced quietly, more to her mother than the rest of the table. "And I might stop by the campus at OU." she added.

Persephone looked up hopefully. "You will? I'm sure you'll love it. It's a wonderful school." she added temptingly.

Pandora smiled slightly, nodding her head as she headed for the door. "Well,…have a good day." she added to everyone.

They all called out their own farewells and well wishes as she left the house. She made the short walk to her car in the driveway. When she opened the driver door, she glanced back toward the house.

Griffin was sitting just outside the front door, watching her calmly as she prepared to leave, just like he always did.

Pandora paused for a moment. She glanced from her dog, to the car, to the house, and back again. Smiling slightly, she opened the door and sort of waved her hand toward the open door.

Griffin jumped to his feet and bounded down the driveway toward her. He rounded the open door and leapt into the car, over the center console, and into the passenger seat. His long tail was waving so hard his whole body was wiggling around on the seat as he stared out every window in the car.

Pandora laughed quietly as she slid into the car, tossing her bag into the back seat. "Calm down or I won't be able to drive."

Griffin calmed down somewhat, or at least his whole body stopped wiggling around. Pandora started her car and backed out of the driveway. At the end, she turned her car and headed down the mountain toward the rest of Auradon, and hopefully her answers.

AN: And the journey begins!

Review and let me know what you think so far! Thank you for the reviews so far!

I had one review mentioning a PM. I did get the message and responded to it, and I responded to the review itself, but I'm not seeing any signs my messages were received. Does anyone know if Fanfiction's messaging is acting up or maybe it's just me?

When I get private messages I do usually respond to them, so if you sent me a message I'm not ignoring you, I swear!