Rain To Wash The Blood Away (Nagato x reader)

35. The Past

You'd been traveling by sea for such a long time that you'd lost track of how long had actually passed. The ocean was relatively calm on your journey, the main disturbances being Gai's sea sickness. But there was something you worried about and that was Machi's mark. Since you had no time alone on the boat, you had no opportunities to see how much it had progressed.

You could never feel it growing larger but always knew that as time passed it grew bigger. Since you had agreed to take this mark on, you didn't fear it. You completed your main objective to see Nagato again and were now only using the last of your time to do whatever you could for Naruto. You were greatful to see something large in the distance, allowing you distract yourself from the thought of your demise.

Watching the large shape in the distance, you noticed just how big it was as you approached it. By what the other shinobi were saying, this was the place you were going to hide out whilst the war went on. It was only when you were close enough that you all realised that it wasn't an island, but a humongous turtle. You stared up at it in awe, preparing to climb up with everyone else.

Getting up there was the hardest task of the day, it feeling refreshing since you had spent so much time sitting around on the boat. Sometimes you'd get off with Naruto and spend some time running around on the water but this occured rarely. Thinking back to it, you couldn't help but smile. The boat journey was long and tedious but Naruto made it a lot more enjoyable, the other shinobi eventually befriending you as well.

The idea of camping out on the turtle's back was strange to begin with, making more sense one everyone was up there. There were forests among the spines on its shell along with plains of grass. The shinobi wasted no time in beginning to set up the camp in some open space next to one of the smaller forest areas. You did whatever you could to help out, everyone finishing everything a lot sooner than expected.

"Thanks for the help," Iruka smiled, placing the final box into one of the tents. You returned the gesture, turning around to see Killer bee and Naruto walking off somewhere.

"What are we doing now?" you asked, not sure what they wanted you to do. Iruka emerged from the tent, looking around at what everyone else was doing. The boat ride had left everyone exhausted, the brunette turning to you with a nervous smile.

"Just rest for now, we'll discuss everything later," he assured before leaving to do something else. You lifted you head to look up at the sky, enjoying the warmth from the sun. Looking around, you spotted a comfortable spot beneath a tree and decided to lay down there. With your hands behind your head, you heaved a sigh of relief as you closed your eyes. Your exhaustion from the boat journey and drowsiness from the sun quickly aiding you into a peaceful slumber.

--------------------------

The older male held up the green heap of material, smiling widely as he showed the costume off to everyone.

"You guys should put these on," he enthused, looking excited at thought of all of us wearing his ridiculous looking frog costumes. Yahiko, Konan and Nagato remained silent, not knowing how to respond after being requested to do something so strange.

"Why do you want us to wear those? It's not for some perverted reason, right?" you asked, not wanting to partake in Jiraiya's "research". Hearing that, he gave you a look which showed just how offended he was.

"Of course not, we'll all be wearing one. Even me," he explained, revealing that he had five in total. The sage then handed each of you a costume, Yahiko not looking into the idea of putting it on. His eyes shifted to you, letting you know that whatever he was going to say next somehow revolved around what you would do.