DSM 7

Feels Incoming. I guess.

Start

Play Moonlight Butterfly OST

Menma stepped, slowly, out onto the bridge, the slight clinking of his armour being the only sound besides this unequalled music that reverberated throughout the area, looking up and around he saw naught but the starry sky, glittering diamonds across the endless darkness of night.

That was until he saw possibly the biggest insect he'd ever laid eyes on.

It was a jade coloured butterfly its wings were tipped with an azure-purple colouration that faded to a deep green the closer it got to the body. It's lower half consisted of mostly streams of pale green, vines, adorned it much like a dress would a human, though it was torn and shredded to look like tendrils of some kind. It still remained mostly looking like a butterfly, its large wings beat softly, bending and flexing as it glided just above him. Affixed upon its back was a slowly turning circular gear of some kind, floating harmoniously parallel to its back, the gear looking like several concentric circles whilst a spiralled, spear-like, horn emerged from just above its 'head' Menma could not see where it directly emerged from but it did look quite sharp.

Slowly making his way towards the centre of the bridge he stared mutely up at the creature, it fluttered harmlessly around him, circling, as green shimmering lights fell from its wings, "My god…You're the most gorgeous creature I've ever laid eye on." Menma's voice was almost a whisper as he was awestruck by the sheer beauty of this creature before him.

A high-pitched trill emerged from the butterfly, it slowly glided down towards him, resting upon the bridge side, two of its longer tendrils reaching up to touch him, like feelers, it was quite the experience, Menma thought that everything in Lordran would aim to kill you at the drop of a hate, at the mere sight of one which was not alike itself.

But this creature was trying to get a sense for him, removing his left glove slowly the Uzumaki reached up and hesitantly touched the side of the creatures 'head'. A small vibration passed through its tendrils, almost like a hum of joy. Menma's smile lit up his face, one of the feelers ran along his cheek, running across the small wrinkles within his cheeks that were caused by the action.

His red eyes seemed to shine a little brighter as the moonlight bathed the creature and young man in its luminescent glow, "What are you doing here, I wonder…" Queried the Uzumaki, softly. This time the trill was much lower in pitch, almost sad; his smile fell slightly at the sound of slight distress in the creature, his hand attempting to soothe it.

"Hush…It's alright…" He reassured gently, the feelers wrapped around his torso as the creatures 'head' rested against the top of his, Menma chuckled softly, as it 'hugged' him. Its upper wings folded down and enshrouded them both, the lower wings keeping it aloft ever so slightly.

Failure…

So many attempts, the first live one…

Failure…

What is wrong with this thing…

Failure…

Be gone with you…

Failure…

I am sickened with myself to merely place my eyes upon thee…

Failure…

The Serpentine voice, rough with age, spat daggers within Menma's mind, his eyes opened the 'face' of the butterfly merely inches away from his own, his smile was sad and his voice a little more thick than usual, "Cast aside? Hmm…Yeah that happens, unfortunately." He sympathized, whilst he was never completely cast aside, his parents always wore kid-gloves when training him, they always tried to over-shelter him from everything, the people in the village thought he was sickly, his weakness to the Kyuubi Chakra did slow his growth quite a bit in his younger years, so he was alone for quite a lot of the time.

They always treated him like he would break, like glass. And yet always keeping him at a distance. He wouldn't say he had the harshest of childhoods; no he wasn't so vain to believe that. He was lonely though, his brother kept him company when not training, his parents did love him, but everyone was so…

Distant.

So in a small way he could relate to this creature, cast out for its apparent failure, of which its only 'failure' was its creator being unable to produce whatever effect was originally desired, surely a creature of such majesty was worth more than negligence?

Lightly petting the butterfly he spoke once more, "Well, it'll be ok…I'll look after you now…And you can look after me…" Said the Shinobi with a smile, unknowingly a small wetness gathered in his eyes, the rawness he felt because of this creature was a rare thing for him indeed, the low harmonics sounded once more as the creature nudged his head.

Menma cleared his throat and nodded to the creature, "I'm gonna put a seal on you, so I can summon you, get you out of this place some times. Okay?" The creature merely released another trilling harmonic sound, one closely to consent, standing back as the creatures wings opened up, Menma unsealed a small brush and pot of ink, "This may tickle a little." Said the smiling Uzumaki, the creatures feelers loosened a little but still clung to him, Menma dipped the brush into the ink and went to work.

Several Minutes Later…

After about half an hour of work Menma was able to replicate the Kuchiyose No Jutsu seal upon the butterfly, the seal glowed shortly before binding fully into the creature's body, a small test later and it popped from one side of the bridge to the other, so the summon at least worked.

"Alright…" Started Menma tunning his hand along the top of the creatures 'head' once more, "…I gotta be going now, keep safe. I'll send a clone every now and again to check up on you if I don't summon you, 'Kay?" A low garble of harmonics sounded, much like it was sad, "Now don't be down, I said I'd look after you, and you look after me. But I've gotta keep moving or I'll never get this finished, so don't worry. We'll keep each other sane." Menma gave a grin as the large being once more wrapped him in its feelers, nuzzling the side of his head, before finally allowing him to leave.

Undead Burg

Menma had trekked all the way back through the Darkroot Garden, past Andre and up through the bridged area, currently he was traveling down an elevator shaft as it slowly fell towards Firelink Shrine. Menma had his arms crossed and his eyes closed as he thought about his next move, he needed to go below, and from what he remember of his short time there, a staircase leading down past the Crestfallen Warrior.

The elevator suddenly halted, opening his eyes Menma left the elevator and walking down a stone staircase he passed through another rotting archway, his eyes drifted to the right for a moment to spot a small group of people, 'I've seen those uniforms…Clerics from the Way of White…Hmm.' The only one who really stood out was a young lady donned in white robes, kneeling and praying.

He'd encountered a few of these assholes when on the run, damned Sign and its chakra eating ways. Now that he could feed it humanity he was fine but before he looked like a tall piece of tanned leather with very little power. Those guys were veracious when it came to tracking him down.

"What are you lot doing here?" Asked the Uzumaki, one hand on his hip and his eyebrow cocked, the man with the blonde bowl cut and the pig-like face almost turned his nose up at the sight of Menma before gauging just how much stronger the young Shinobi was compared to him, just from a purely obvious standpoint.

"We are a group from the Way of White. If you would, I would prefer to keep a distance." Informed the man.

Menma snorted, "Someone's a little fuckin' up themselves." He sniped, rolling his eyes. Strolling up towards the two younger members, clearly the warriors of the group, "What about you two? What'cha up to?" Asked the Uzumaki, the younger blonde man shifted uneasily, as Menma towered over him.

"A mission for the Church, we shall not say more." Menma's ran a hand through his hair.

"Whatever." Honestly some people just had a way of being like that, he'd almost offered to help them, but if they were goin' to be dicks about it. Fine. He had more important shit to do.

With a careless wave over his shoulder the Uzumaki returned to the bonfire of Firelink. "Ahh, the hardy adventurer returns. Quite the stark change from the 'fresh-faced' almost-hollow that was here before." Chortled the Warrior, Menma paused his retort and looked closer at the man, he looked like shit. Much worse than before that's for sure.

"And yet you look closer to hollowing each time I see you. Cowardice is an amazing thing." Scoffed the Uzumaki, the Warrior shrugged carelessly. Menma merely rolled his eyes once more, "What's the quickest way to Blighttown?" Asked Menma, his arms once more crossing.

The Warrior jerked his head to his right, gesturing to the stairs, "Down there…Go through until you find a metal gate. Take the elevator down to the Ruins of New Londo, not far from where you exit there will be another tower, go up the stairs and out the other gate…You can find your own way from there." Menma sighed softly but nodded in thanks, most would not give even that much, so he wasn't spiteful enough towards one whom had helped him, to show discontent.

Looking upon his reserves of Estus 10 full vials rested in his pouch. Setting the flap down once more he went down the stairs, the first sight he was greeted to was a man clad in brass-gold armour, Menma's eyes narrowed sharply , 'Now who's this..?'.

"Haven't seen you in Firelink before…" Commented Menma the man's gaze seemed to be fixated on whatever was in front of him, Menma's eyebrow rose as he walked out from the steps and followed his line of sight, only for both of his brows to rise in shock, "…Why is this woman in a cage..?" Asked the Uzumaki lowly, the man merely chuckled and shrugged, not providing a verbal answer.

Menma approached the hole in the wall, rickety metal bars running from the top to the bottom, Menma squatted in front of the cage, sitting on his haunches with his toes being the only things on the ground, leaning into the cage he jostled the woman's shoulder, "Are you alright, miss..?" She lifted her eyes, dull stormy grey eyes locked with his dark red. She looked completely apathetic, dead to the core, but still alive.

"I'm going to get you out of this cage. Ok?" Menma kept looking in her eyes, she merely returned to staring at the ground.

"You won't get any response out of that one." Said the golden-brass clad knight, Menma turned and glanced at the sitting man over his shoulder, "No tongue. It was cut out no doubt. Poor thing…Heh, heh heh…" There it was again, that sinister chuckle. This man oozed ill intent.

Menma stood back up, cracked his knuckles and proceeded to tear the metal bars apart one by one, when they were finally all shattered and the metal bars lay sprawled across the ground, Menma bent in and picked the woman up, her head falling against his shoulder, as though she was boneless.

Menma carried her all the way back up to the bonfire, before setting her down, she wobbled for a moment before finding her balance, crossing her hands once more into her lap. Starring into the flames of the bonfire, still having the gaze of a dead fish.

"Oh? Found her did you? She's a fire-keeper that one, keeps the fire lit and strong." Informed the Warrior. Menma made a single hand-sign and created a clone, it sat next to the woman at the bonfire and nodded to its creator, Menma felt a slight more at ease, the hunger in the golden armoured man's voice was…concerning. He needed to keep an eye out.

Though if the clone disappeared… "Stay alive genius." Said Menma, getting an eye roll from his clone.

End