Frozen Past (A Naruto FanFic/Gaara Love Story)

And Then There Were Five... Wait... What?

"Orochimaru?" Gaara growls, pushing me behind him, holding out his arm protectively. "What does that bastard want with Akari?"

Kabuto chuckles, continuing to move towards us. Despite my better judgement, I cower behind Gaara. Orochimaru...The man who killed the Third Hokage, who attacked the Leaf. And, apparently, the man who wants Sasuke Uchiha for some unknown reason. Why the hell does he want me?

"You know," Kabuto says in a casual manner. He's not worried at all! His eyes shine with delight at the fearful look on my face, as I peek at him over Gaara's shoulder. "It's quite cute, really. How you think you stand a chance of keeping her away from Lord Orochimaru. My Lord always gets what he most desires. And at the moment-" Here he pauses, I'm assuming, for dramatic effect "-he wants you, little Akari."

"You'll have to kill me before I allow that snake to have her," Gaara snarls, his voice low and menacing. Even with the situation at hand, I can't stop myself from blinking at him, in confusion and curiosity. Maybe it is me that he's worried about after all.

"Killing the jinchuriki of the One Tail, Shukaku," Kabuto says, tapping his chin as though he's pondering the best way to end Gaara's life. "Difficult," he says at last. Then, he flashes a smug, sinister grin. "But not impossible."

Kabuto reaches into his weapons pouch, drawing out a scalpal. Blue chakra envelopes the blade, looking as deadly as any kunai. He looks ready to throw the weapon at his target, but pauses, smiling to himself. "I wonder," he says, eyeing Gaara thoughtfully. "Why are you so willing to put your life on the line for this girl? Aren't you meant to be a cold, heartless monster?"

"Shut up!" I shout, quite involuntarily. "The only monster is that guy you so lovingly call Lord!" Kabuto stares at me for a moment, before his eyes light up again. He takes another step, then another, and another, until he's a mere three yards away.

"Oh I see," he murmurs, twirling the scalpal around his white fingers. "So it's not just the beast who wants to protect someone, hm? But are you willing to go quite as far for him?" And with that, he rockets the scalpal towards Gaara, whose sand shoots up immediately to block the blow.

Kabuto had to know that wasn't going to work, so he must've been going for another angle. But what--?

"Ah crap!" I hiss, seeing him finishing a series of hand signs as the sand drops slightly. It's a jutsu I recognize right away. I don't have time to counter it, so I do the only thing I can think of. As Kabuto finishes, shouting out, "Water Style: Giant Vortex Jutsu!" and I feel the water below us shoot upwards at an alarming rate, I kick Gaara hard in the back, sending him shooting forwards, hopefully out of reach of the jutsu.

The water, not giving me a moment to pause, cascades down, thrashing me like a waterfall, knocking me to the ground in an instant, battering me from all sides. The water, feeling as hard as tons of rock, is so strong, I feel like I'm going to pass out from the pain. And I've done enough of that in the past few months. So, with great difficulty, I force back the tidal wave of unconsciousness, as the water finally stops its assault.

Around me, there's a massive crater, which I'm currently at the center of. The ground is muddy, churned up so that it's unrecognizeable from its previous form. Plant matter and the bones of long-dead small animals are scattered throughout the overturned dirt, along with a fair amount of my blood. Man, that water can cut like needles!

There's a heavy gash on my forehead, and another on my thigh, and I'm more than certain my shoulder in nearly dislocated form trying to stand up to the tsunami-like wave. But I'm still standing. Well, I'm actually on my side in the dirt, groaning and mumbling curses beneath my breath. But I'm awake! That's something, right?