The Queen of Pandora Returns

Exactly how long has she been gone. Days, weeks, months, not years, she knew not years. She had completely forgotten as she was having to much fun with her new found power, as she flew through the air until she could finally see the coast of Ash. It has been to long, and unlike before, she could feel the amount of souls coming from her lands. Almost in reaction to her presence, the clouds would begin to swirl inwards, similar to a wormhole above Jigokugakure. And from the hole created Carmen would descend upon the world, her body being consumed by flames in the shape of a phoenix. Heading straight down she would land in a volcano, causing it to erupt from the raw amount of power she was releasing.

From the now active volcano, Carmen would walk out the lava, her body healing from the damage caused. Around her, shocked that something actually fell from the sky, were a couple of Knights, relieved that Carmen has returned but also holding some grave news. My Lady. Rebellions have started across the lands. The rebels are trying to take their lands back from us. The Knight said giving Carmen a brief explanation of what was occurring while Carmen was away. They couldn't even wait until I returned. How mean. Well send the word out, it is time to stop these rebels. Send the word out to all Knights that it is time to quell this rebellion, if any of the rebels are immortal, capture them and we will send them to Torment for experimentation or torture, probably both.

[Rebellion Plot begins]

Zero had been wandering around Jigokugakure, wondering over the ability he had finally gained. He wasn't a failure as a Ronin after all. The young boy actually had a power and he was so happy to have finally figured it out. However, his happiness shattered at the explosion of a nearby volcano. He about tripped over himself as it occurred. Zero wasn't quite sure what was happening but rushed in the direction he had spotted some of the higher ranking Knights headed. Ever since gaining his new ability a little of his courage had grown, but only enough to inspire curiosity.

What the young boy found at the source of this commotion was shocking. While hiding in the darkness of two buildings he saw someone walking out of the lava, approaching the village. When she arrived the Knights had met her and spoke to her as if royalty. From just the wording he overheard he realized who he was staring at. It was the leader of Pandora: Carmen. Zero tried to swallow the saliva that accumulated within his throat, but to no avail. It was stuck with fear as he watched, unable to move. He wished to run, afraid that if she spotted him then she would strike him down for just being in her presence. That was how things worked right? She was the equivalent of royalty and one could never lay their eyes on royalty without proper authority to do so. At least that's what he thought, making him wish he could run away however fear held him still.

Carmen must have been to wrapped up in the fact that she had just returned and the joyous news of a rebellion started, to cloud her judgment. This was actually a quite big thing to her, why if there was a rebellion going on, were these Knights still in Jigokugakure. Was there a rebellion going on here, taking a look around it didn't seem like the rebellion reached these parts yet, the rebels probably saving this area for last. So again why the hell where they here and not fighting? Carmen knew that they weren't high enough ranks to give orders to all the lower Knights, she might not know all the Knights under her command but she knows the high ranked ones for a fact.

You few consider yourselves lucky that I am in a good mood. Next time you are not doing your job, I will kill you. Now go finish these rebels off.

The Knights around her scattered, both out of fear that Carmen was one of the people in the world who was capable actually killing an immortal, and due to the order to protect their lands. Carmen did provide good incentive to her higher ranked Knights to make them fight, people really didn't enjoy having their own land taking from them and that was Carmen's whole basis. As her Knights departed the only one left would be a boy, if he wasn't fast enough to depart with the others. Noticing him, this would probably the first time Carmen has shown such an emotion, awwh he was cute and small. She burst at B-rank speeds towards the boy, stopping in front of him with a smile on her face. It was a devious smile filled with joy and mischief, surprisingly Carmen liked kids, I know weird, however let us find out why as Carmen spoke in a soft pleasant tone.

Awwh what is your name little one?

Zero watched as the men disperssed and was preparing to slowly and quietly sneak away when the eyes of Carmen fell upon him, causing the boy to freeze in place. Then suddenly she was in front of him, causing him to jump and trip back over himself. Thoughts of him dieing ran through his mind multiple times over till her words reached his ears. The tone soft and welcoming causing him to raise his eyes to look at her. However, he stopped himself ans averted them, moving quickly into a groveling bow. "I-i-i am... Z-z-z-z-zero I-i-i-i-Ibwa...." his voice shook with fear and awe. His body trembled violently from fright, looking almost as if he was having a seizure.

To note again, he was so small, Carmen wasn't tall herself, but he was still a kid and small and adorable, at least to Carmen. And the name of this kid was like a joy to her ears. An Ibwa, one of the followers of Jashin, some of the originators of immortality and by far Carmen's most loyal Knights. Carmen actually should consider learning from them, it seemed worship has blessed them greatly, so why couldn't it do the same for Carmen, at least later in life, the long life of an immortal. Back to the kid, wait he had a name, back to Zero. Ibwa huh? Hm you might to to young but have you met Xander Ibwa? It was more on a question of paths, if Carmen remembered correctly, Xander was undead not immortal, so she wondered if this little one would take the normal immortal path with the Ibwa or go for something more random.

Question!! How do you feel about experimentation? Now we were getting to the root of Carmen's love as she crouched down in front of Zero. The reason Carmen loved kids was because she loved experimentation, on all things, but kids especially because they had time to grow into whatever Carmen has done with them. And speaking of which, she wondered if Genso was under attack. That was where she centered a majority of her experimentation due to it being extremely difficult to enter, and being heavily guarded it only made sense. If it was, Carmen would have to make her presence known and go take it back herself, if it wasn't then she might ship this kid there and see what exactly made him tick.

As Carmen spoke Zero attempted to take deep breaths in order to calm himself. Soon enough his shaking and dropped from a seizure to a mild chill. "Y-yes I have. But umm... I am not a full ibwa yet... My parents disowned me because I had no power, being born a Ronin and have been unable to make any sacrifices to Jashin..." He gulped thinking what he just said might have made him seem useless again and in a hurried tone said, "b-b-but thanks to Xan Ibwa I have discovered an ability that allows me to become the actual elements when hit by them. The full extent is yet unknown..." He would say, closing his eyes tight as he focused on the life release that was now part of his dna. Suddenly his body morphed, skin and muscle melting away till he was but a shaking skeleton.

"Experimentation?" He asked quizzically though his skull showed no sign of emotion. "If it is Lady Carmens wish then I will be happy to undergo experimentation of any kind," of course he was truly terrified of this as he said it but no emotion could be seen. But he also saw hope. The Carmen was asking him something which meant he could possibly be useful to her. If he could then maybe he would have a place in Pandora after all.

Carmen listened and what the boy spoke sounded strange, not a full Ibwa, was that possible? At the same time Carmen wasn't really familiar with worshipping so maybe it was possible to not become a full member of a clan yet. Now all those thoughts were cast from her mind the second the boy said he was a Ronin. It was like a sparkle appeared in Carmen's eyes, she found one of the pieces to a puzzle. Being a "scientist" Carmen had questions about a couple of things, one of those questions is why the ronin gained abilities but the others of the human race did not. It wasn't that she didn't have ronin DNA, but there is only so much one can do with a dead body, living cells would probably answer all of Carmen's questions.

That is wonderful.

While Carmen said this after Zero spoke about Xander, she was speaking in context to the Ronin element of this boy. She actually did not hear anything this boy said after the word "ronin" was spoken. Then Carmen just got gitty, the boy said he would help, so what did that mean? It was time to go to Torment. Speaking on that, Carmen almost forgot she had a Frankenstein experiment which she was working on. Hopefully her scientists have made some kind of breakthrough on that front or else somebody is being fed to her kraken. Focusing back on this boy, Carmen could only smile as she stood up.

Okay I need to stop at my place to handle some business about this rebellion, but meet me at the port in about an hour and we will go to my favorite place.

It finally occurring to her, this boy had an adaptive ability. From what she noticed it was by chakra natures. A wonderful ability, however it was probably still limited, when Carmen gets her hands on his DNA she can probably set it free with no restraints to see just how far his ability can go. She was happy she started messing with people's DNA, it allowed her to have fun when it came to things like this. However she needed to go handle a few things, her smile not even leaving her face she walked off into the village to handle the business of being the Queen of Pandora.

[Carmen Exits]