So I'm not really going to describe people that are already established characters from Naruto, mostly just to save everyone time. Though if the character does look notably different I will tell you so, otherwise, assume cannon.
Also this may end up being a slightly longer epilogue than I thought, then again I'm sure no one minds that :D.
As to my lovelies asking after the Gwyn twins (that dank ryhm scheme brought to you by Hybrid Genesis) they will be a nebulous part of the epilogue because Menma has no way of knowing where the Knights and the Princesses could have ended up.
Start!
Home.
Waves of nostalgia came unto him as he looked to the forest around him, the density of TG44 was somewhat otherworldly. Then again the varied sizes of his little ensemble army was a sight in itself, a white and orange snake appeared wrapped around his finger, "Dama-chan, please inform Anko that I am here, tell her to bring the crowd." The tiny corn snake nodded quietly before popping off.
Menma looked around and took it all in, "My word, your homeland has quiet the dense forestry, it reminds me of the Darkroot Garden." Commented Solaire conversationally, Menma thought for a moment before nodding.
"I suppose, though the lack of sentient bushes is welcome." Solaire smile widely under his helmet.
"I know, truly they are the worst! Here we fine adventurers are walking along a quiet path and then all of a sudden we are onset by shrubbery." Solaire clicked his tongue and shook his head in amusement. Menma chuckled softly and nodded, Sif nudging at his back with her nose, he cast an arm behind him and rubbed the underside of her chin.
"Solaire. You don't have to attempt small talk to ask me a question. We're friends, speak openly." The Dark Lord offered, Solaire deflated slightly at this but nodded, he took a moment to gather himself and looked Menma directly in the eye, blue meeting gold.
"I do have concern on the matter of these Darkwraiths. Rumours aside I've encountered them in my travels before, these are not the kind of people you wish to return home with." In a hushed tone the Sunlight Warrior confessed this concern, Menma nodded for a moment.
"I understand your hesitance, Solaire. Though I remind you that as the Dark Lord, I can pull on their Humanity to bring them into line, I can do this with any human of Lordran but it has a much greater effect on those whom have swathed themselves within the Dark." Menma's small lecture made the hairs on Solaire's neck stand tall.
"Any human of Lordran..?" He ventured cautiously.
"I can sway someone to be more endeared to me. But that is about the extent for the average person, for someone like yourself, whom is already a dear friend before my 'acension' it wouldn't really work. For those like the Darkwraiths, and Kirk I suppose, I can actually control them like marionettes. So your fear is reasonable, but unnecessary, even if I could harm your mind in a way, doing so would jeopardize the stout spirit that I'm so fond of." Menma placed a hand on the bright man's shoulder and pat it a few times to attempt to quell any anxiety.
"I'm acutely aware with how I look it's not exactly comforting to hear, but I do count you as a dear friend Solaire. I have precious few of those." Solaire centred himself and nodded, of course it was a rediculous moment, he was still getting used to the idea that his tall friend was in fact a Lord on equal footing to the venerable Lord Gwyn.
Something did stick out as strange in his mind though, was there not a Dark Lord but a thousand years before? Or was it centuries? Time in Lordran was far too convoluted to allow proper historical lining, which in itself was a burden.
Priscilla sidled up to the great wolf and by proxy, her Master. Menma took note of the crossbreed and smiled brightly at her, although the smile seemed to lack the same vigor it held before he departed.
She was about to question him when the sounds of many feet treading over grass reached the small armies collective ears. Tsuki chimed quietly, the crow cawed ominously as though warning the approaches that it would tolerate no shit.
Menma straightened his stance and rested an arm on his sheathed blade. Looking as regal as ever, several figures, the most familiar ones being his parents, his father looking worse for wear what with the whole missing arm thing. Menma tilted his head slightly downward, the curious thought of what he might have done to stop such an event crossing his mind, that was dashed quite quickly as he would have been no match for Orochimaru at the time. One arm for the power to crush any foe in his path was a price he'd silently pay.
He swalloed a knot he wasn't aware had caught in his throat.
The locals of Lordran idly noticed just how much taller the Dark Lord was compared to the humans here, in fact most of them were taller, it would seem the hypothesis of larger, more powerful souls making one greater not only in power but size, held at least a kernel of truth.
"Mother, Father. Faggot." Greeted Menma with a dip of his head, one of the newer ANBU in the trees barely held in a snort at the abrupt insult to the effeminate son of the Hokage, Naruto Uzumaki looked more womanly that most actual women in the village. If that little barb had any truth to it, it confirmed a great deal of rumours about the Hokage's youngest.
Long, straight blonde hair that fell to his lower back tied away into a ponytail, long sleeved shirt with one shoulder exposed, skin tight leather pants and dark blue sandals, Naruto ignored the insult and nearly leapt to hug the elder Uzumaki brother only for the giant wolf behind him to snarl menacingly.
"Oh my..." Came the muttered voice a Darkwraith, Menma turned to the man and immediately shook his head.
"It's a man. Just... don't. He's more trouble than he's worth." The Darkwraith backed into the crowd of his peers only for a few to snicker at his unfortunate mistake.
"Sochi." Whispered Kushina, stepping forward, Minato following but a step behind, Menma's body shifted and warped for a moment until he was only a head taller than the two of them. Opening his arms the redheaded woman rushed in and hugged him tightly.
The Dark Lord smiled and idly pat his mother's head as she got over her moment, before exchanging a similar embrace with his father, now with the head pat to be patronizing. Minato rolled his eyes, Naruto squealed in delight only to cop a palm to the face, holding him at arms length.
"I'm not risking another hug from you, you potential brother-rapist." Denied Menma.
He'd rather not talk about it.
"It was one time!" Defended the blonde.
"One too many!"
Later, Ex-Uchiha District
With the massive amount of free space due to the one-man purge of the Uchiha Clan, Menma comandeered said space, Sasuke Uchiha, the last one to remain in Konoha, still got his family's house but he was no longer in an empty part of town.
Which in itself was good, as it meant Sasuke would, hopefully, being so damned antisocial, even by Menma's standards the boy was just pitiful. He was idly surprised he remembered most of that, but reminded himself he was gone for about a decades time, all together, in Lordran, and what seemed to be about a month in Elemental Nations time.
Nevertheless, this district was now under his use, and by proxy, those he brought with him from Lordran. Solaire was enamored with his usual sun-gazing, though Menma suggested sunglasses and now, the bucket helmeted man had a pair of sunglasses haphazardly taped to his helmet, Siegmeyer and Sieglinde spent a good portion of the day bonding, or reconciling.
Menma spent it with Priscilla and Sif. Just bearing the lonely albino to his chest whilst the both of them lay against the giant, sleeping hound. The Witches went about the village, stickybeaking with a copy of his. The Silver Knights set up a perimeter and began gaining familiarity with their new stronghold, the Darkwraiths acted as night guards and manhunters, if someone broke into the district with any ill intent, the various visages of death would set upon them.
The four Knight-Kings each patrolled the district in a specific pattern, that would occasionally change at what appeared to be random. Tsuki and the crow set up theirs little nests respectively. Tsuki's being more of a collection of various items that could harmonize with her natural musical chiming noises.
Quela managed to materialize somewhat, not much more than her previous attempt but she was able to sit with her dearest and his... attachments for a while, enjoying the sensation of the fresh, untainted air on her soul.
Crestfallen took to having a quiet fish out on the jetty, the solitary exercise in patience did him well when the looming threat of immediate death wasn't hanging over him. Anastasia was putting most of her efforts into learning about the land around her, the history, the politics, whose toes to avoid stepping on and such, for this she had another copy with her, guiding her about the town.
All in all everything was coming along rather normally, Sasuke still hadn't come out of his house for the most part, only leaving to train and work with his team, Menma wasn't bothered if all else failed he could drop in and see how he was doing at some point during the week.
The simple prospect of popping in for a chat with a sane, completely free of the curse human being had an unnatural novelty to it.
Speaking of humans-Oh sweet Dark.
"I forgot Andre." Menma said suddenly, eyes wide and slamming his palm into his hand. "Fuck."
Something else to add to his growing list of fuckups.
Some time during the week after his return Menma was summoned to the Hokage's office.
"I'll say this, I'm surprised there hasn't been a mutiny, what with you allowing crotchety old fucks like Danzo Shimura to live." Menma began, Minato deadpanned at the ham-fisted beginning to the conversation.
"Eloquent as always." Muttered the man, Menma sat down across from him, his giant form shimmering once more to a more manageable height. "Though I'm sure you're aware as to why I called you here."
"Your reasonably stepping down and since I have more power in my fingertips than most of the Shinobi in this village have in their whole bodies, offering me the position." Surmised Menma, smiling.
"Close but no, I'm asking you to track down that old bitty Tsunade with Jiraiya, and then learn under her so you can take up the mantle after her." Minato said, Menma's brow knitted in confusion.
"You are aware I ruled an entire kingdom for about a decade with great success, yes? I know how to be in charge." Menma informed Minato nodded and idly signed a few more documents, a copy sorting them.
"I know that, and given the sheer amount of evidence I'm inclined to believe you, but just trust me on this, if I as your father give you, someone who disappeared at random only to return with a large ensemble of large humans in armour, a giant wolf, a giant woman and an actual giant, the hat there'd be calls of nepotism at best and corruption at worst. This way, it smoothes over a transition period. And gives you a chance to acclimatize back into our way of life. With me so far?" Minato looked up from his work and arched a brow, Menma rolled his eyes and nodded.
"Of course I'm 'with you' on it. I'm no simpleton, father." Menma smirked to himself, "Anything else?"
"Yes, while Tsunade is in power, you'll be coming home at least once a week for dinner, and the two of us are going to go over what you may have learnt from her, if within four weeks you've learnt nothing useful I'll be handling your 'grooming' for the position." Minato said sternly.
"I can handle that... how about we make it every other week, we do first week at your place and second week at mine? Give you guys a chance to know all my... friends." Menma paused for a moment not really sure how to refer to those serving under him, or those whom he'd brought with him, they were more akin to an odd family than just friends.
The Hokage nodded with a smile, Minato's eyes brightened at the prospect of spending more time with his eldest, after he'd gotten over his sickness he spent so much time training that it was almost impossible to pin the boy down for a proper conversation.
"Off topic, how right was I about him?" Minato shivered for a moment.
"I'd rather not recall walking in on my youngest son getting piledrived by the Inuzuka heir."
"With KIBA!?" Shouted Menma in surprise, slamming his hands on the desk, wide eyes and an even wider grin, completely scandalized by the idea.
"Ugh, yes." Grumbled the blonde Hokage.
"Sweet Abyss that's amazing." Menma broke into a fit of chuckles as the ethereal body of Quela formed from the chaotic power in the sword at his hip, "Qu-Quela you'll never believe it." He managed out, the robed woman looking curious, having heard the laughter from within the mindscape and got curious, "Father walked in on my younger brother being fucked by a dog-boy."
"Oh my." She said, covering her mouth with a hand, "Fur and all?"
"Not that kind of dog boy, Izalith-san." Minato rebuked hastily, "Thankfully." An afterthought really before shaking his head, as though trying to banished that accursed image, "Look, this isn't why you're here, when you can track down Jiraiya and tell him you're ready to go." Minato instructed, the Lord nodded Quela looking curious as ever but figured it'd be explained later, she returned to the sword as Menma stood.
"Hot springs?" He asked knowingly as he opened the door.
"Of course."
Later
"Oi, old man." Called out a familiar voice to Jiraiya the Toad Sage, the old white haired man turned to see the towering figure of his eldest godson. Jiraiya grinned widely and threw his arms out.
"Menma, look how big you got!" He joked the Lord rolled his eyes but accepted the hug, "I heard you got back, where'd you end up kiddo?"
"Long story, I'll tell you on the road. Father told me you wanna find big-tits McGee to be the new hat bearer while I shadow her to take it up after she's done with it." Surmised the young man, Jiraiya guffawed and shook his head.
"Good to see that attitude of yours hasn't changed much." Commented the Sannin. Menma shrugged but didn't comment, Jiraiya was about to leave but noticed Menma's prodigious height and the fact that his line of sight was above the wooden fence around the hot springs. Grinning widely he nudged at the boy with his elbow, "Getting an eyeful, eh kiddo?" He'd have to ask about how he got so big later, for now, poon.
Menma glanced into the hot springs, the assembled mass of women all caught his eyes and covered themselves, the only one to show any spirit was his mutual contact holder Anko, "Hey kiddo, like what ya see!?" She hollered, hefting her heavy breasts without shame.
"I've seen bigger, once you fuck a goddess it's kinda hard to be aroused by normal chicks, no offence Anko, you're a hot mess but not really my type." Menma said whilst turning away, tugging at Jiraiya's arm.
"I'll show you, ya bastard!" She vowed.
Jiraiya looked like he'd just converted to Darkism, as he looked at Menma with reverence, "How are you still standing?"
"Well, old man it's this magical thing called walking away when you get caught. That and I'm more than powerful enough to subdue them all with a wave of my hand, so are you for that matter. Why do you let yourself get brutalized?" Questioned the Lord with a risen black brow. Size shimmering to a more normal state to make it easier for this conversation to continue.
"I figured I owe 'em for givin' me a show and handing out cash sends the wrong message."
"Because taking beatings like a masochist is the right message to send. Right." Drawled the Lord sarcastically, Jiraiya chuckled and the two fell into a comfortable silence as they walked through the village to the Dark District.
Many people paused what they were doing to look at the black haired son of the Hokage draped in an exotic looking robe walking with the Toad Sage, the reception he'd received upon returning was one predominantly of relief, no one really had any bad blood to him in his youth, as he'd said before, but no one really knew him that well outside of his immediate family, due to his illness.
Aside from his sensei, Might Gai. But that was only because they spent almost every day training together.
As they came upon the Dark District the sound of large paws hitting the dirt road drew their ears, Sif had come to meet them, tail wagging and whining for attention, the Lord once more shimmered and his size grew even larger than the wolf itself, pulling the beast to his arms he rubbed the underside of her chin affectionately.
Within twenty minutes Menma had retrieved a few base supplies for his travels and sealed them into his palms, Sif had pleaded and begged to come along and Menma had agreed, it paid to have the giant beast with him, as the crushing guilt of his failings still hung on his mind heavily. Tsuki was content to remain, as she was happy to be around people, and he was happy that she was happy.
Priscilla bit her tongue, she was still too nervous to leave the district for fear of the populace, Solaire almost leapt from his armour and ran after them to join in on the journey, Sieglinde and Siegmeyer were out of the district at the time so he couldn't ask them. The Witches were content to remain, he'd asked Quelana to look after Anastasia, Crestfallen continued his fishing, content, and at peace.
The Giant Smith was hammering away at something marvelous, or so one of his Darkwraiths had said, so he left the man where he was, the Silver Knights simply said they would await his return and guard his home, Sasuke actually, very 'subtley' asked to tag along.
"I'd be more than happy to have you along, kiddo." Said Menma with a grin, at the question, Solaire nodding enthusiastically, Sasuke rapidly packed a bag and ran after them before they could leave the district.
And so the foursome put foot to road and set off towards the last known sighting of the last Senju, a meager adventure for the likes of Solaire and Menma, a new mission for Jiraiya with old wounds, and a new chance for strength for the young Uchiha.
End
Like it? Lemme know. Didn't like it? Also lemme know. Wanna rub your face in Kushina's tits, we all do, you're not weird.
But yes, I retract my previous statements that it would be closing soon, this epilogue needs to cover a lot of a ground and I feel it'd do a disservice to you all and my own integrity (HA!) as a writer to not flesh it out properly.
Sooooo more chapters! Fuck yeah? Fuck yeah.
Raxychaz!