As his eyes snapped open he felt born again. There was a violent energy coursing through his entire system. It was a power like anything he had experienced before. Raw tainted power right at his very fingertips, making him feel as though he could conquer and destroy anything in his path. It seemed to exude from his very pores shaking the earth and twisting the air around him. It was intoxicating to Sasuke, who for so long had ached to possess a power such as this.

The dark chakra seemed to wind around him as he pulled himself to stand. He could vaguely hear voices surrounding him but the were indistinguishable and muffled to his ears. Except for one. Clear as a bell his head snapped towards the direction the familiar call had come from.

"Sasuke-kun!"

He recognized that voice. He figured he would always recognize that voice, as it had followed him around persistently and been annoying him for almost an entire year now. He normally regarded the owner of said voice with vague irritation and contempt for her pestering and antics. Yet upon looking at her now all he felt was insurmountable rage.

"Sakura." He called to her through clenched teeth as he took in her current state.

Little Sakura, with her stupid pink hair and tiny feeble looking figure had no business being a ninja. Weak, frail Sakura with her big shiny green eyes that had not been exposed to the cruel and harsh realities of the world. Her entire existence shone of near blinding innocence, an innocence that had no place in the world of Shinobi. Their's was a harsh and ugly world where danger lurked in the shadows and everything was tainted in blood.

It often irritated him immensely to see the small slip of the girl prancing around calling herself a ninja with hands unsullied by death and eyes that could not fathom true pain. She came from a happy home, sheltered by loving parents and given a proper childhood. A childhood was not something given to the other members of Team 7. Everyone in the Village knew well enough of Naruto's public rejection and abuse. He endured wickedness and isolation from the city that raised him, and while he endured it with a smile on his face if one looked into the deep blue of his eyes they would recognize them as eyes that had experienced pain. The same could be said for their Sensei Kakashi. His lackadaisical attitude and ridiculous tendencies of perpetual lateness could have him written off as a quirky Jonin with a penchant for erotic novels. But if you looked past the stupid book he shamelessly had his nose stuffed into, you could easily tell that this was a broken man. A man who would religiously visit the shrine engraved with the fallen comrades he had failed to protect. A man that was tortured by the ghosts of his past, carrying the crushing weight of loss and regret on his shoulders everyday. Yes, the males of Team 7 knew pain. They had felt and lived the melancholic brutalities of being a ninja from a young age. It had stomped all over their childhood, ripping up their innocence and spitting them back out into the men they are today.

But, not Sakura. She had yet to feel the stinging backhand of the worlds unforgiving realities. Miraculously, through what could only be considered as an act of God or sheer dumb luck, the bubbly pink haired kunoichi remained heartbreakingly pure. It had become an unspoken rule to the other members in Team 7 to keep it that way. Sasuke, would sooner die than admit it but she provided a sort of light in the lives of her team members. A sort of escape from their own darkness plaguing them constantly only to be snuffed out in her presence. Her frivolity and vanity were gratingly annoying, she would complain about trivial matters like how her hair refused to cooperate with her that day or how her parents scolded her for coming home later than usual. As irksome as her whining was it provided a glimpse into a world where these were the only problems and everything was perfect, pristine, pure.

This annoying little girl was a light in the darkness of their world, and it needed to be protected. Kakashi was lenient on her training, only lightly chiding her here and there. Never pushing her to hard and giving her the easiest of the tasks during their missions. Naruto openly sang her praises and happily bounced around her simply relishing in her presence, despite receiving the odd knuckle sandwich or two on occasion. He babied her to the fullest extent always ensuring she was out of harms way tucked safely between Sasuke and himself. Naruto would never hesitate to defend her honour or lash out on her behalf when Sasuke was inconsiderate of her feelings. If she was sad he would act like an imbecile until she either laughed or got annoyed and smacked him, forgetting her sadness in her anger at the Dobe's antics.

While not as exuberant and flamboyant as Naruto, Sasuke too protected Sakura in his own way. He did not coddle her and couldn't give a damn about her feelings, but he was always aware of her. On missions he would subconsciously keep tabs on her location should he need to intervene at any point. When fighting Sakura was always to be kept behind himself or Naruto, safely guarded on the outskirts of the battle. Never to engage in any real conflict or danger. He would claim it was because she was useless and would get in the way during a fight. But really it was instinctual for him. His gut twisted at the thought of someone harming Sakura, it just seemed wrong. Like watching a flower growing in the midsts of a desolate wasteland be thoughtlessly trampled over. It was wrong.

So when Sasuke awoke to find Sakura beaten to a pulp and looking as though she had just been dragged through the fires of hell, his entire system went haywire. She was not supposed to look like that. Her silky pink locks she was so proud of littered the floor of the forest leaving behind choppy uneven tresses in their wake. Her once unblemished porcelain skin was littered with a barrage of cuts and bruises. The face that was constantly looking his way, eagerly searching for his approval and always quick to offer a sweet smile, was now marred by pain and twisted by ugly swelling. Her meek little body was crumpled over from exhaustion and she looked ready to pass out any second. This was not what Sakura was supposed to look like. For the first time since he had known her, she looked like a true ninja. But sweet, innocent, weak, stupid little Sakura was not meant for the world of ninja. As she gazed at him with those familiar green eyes half swollen shut from the obvious beating she had taken, were no longer bright with happiness or sparkling with innocence. They were wide with fear, hardened through combat and said one thing to Sasuke. Pain.

He felt it building in his body like someone had poured gasoline on a fire, rage. Pure, violent and uncontrollable rage! Someone had hurt her. Someone had showed her the pain in being a ninja. Someone had removed the blindfold of safety and security Team 7 had fought to instil. This feeble innocent little girl had been used as a punching bag and made to hurt the way ninja were built to be hurt. And Sakura was not a ninja. There was only one question on his mind from that point on.

"Who did this to you?" He asked her. Although his tone was deceptively calm only an idiot would be unable to sense the malice dripping from his words and hostility leaking from his presence.

"I did!" He heard someone to his right cockily exclaim. The tone suggested that this man was almost proud of what he had done to the little pink haired girl trembling at Sasuke's feet.

"Ah," He thought "an idiot." His sharingan snapped towards the fool who had so eagerly signed his death warrant. The fucker was smiling. Sasuke felt the rage within him spike before bleeding into a source of sustenance for this new found power he was itching to unleash. It seemed the fates had provided him with a perfect target. He vaguely registered the presence and clamouring of others but he paid them no attention. Everything else was blurred out through his haze of anger the only thing in focus being the smirking ninja who had desecrated upon the unspoken rule in Team 7. This putrid scum thought he could besmirch the light in those green eyes, leave marks on that delicate white skin, shred the well-groomed locks of pink and then brag about it to Sasuke's face. How very, very foolish.

He felt a burning, itching sensation crawl across his skin as the black markings creeped their way across his body. Almost as if they were reacting to the building vicious thoughts towards the man in front of him and with it came more power. The power encouraged his violent fantasies, hissing with glee at his rage and seductively crooning from him to hand himself over to it. To embrace the hatred festering within him, like Itachi had always wanted. To relinquish control of his logical mind and simply destroy those that crossed him with the abandon and ferocity of a wild beast. To get REVENGE. The euphoric high of possessing such strength allowed him to experience a moment of clarity in which everything seemed to fall into place. He was granted an epiphany of his true purpose in life. To become an avenger, hunting those who had wronged him like prey before slaughtering them in cold blood to right the wrongs they had wrought upon him. He was an avenger, and he would avenge Sakura.

He watched as the man raised his arms in some form of attack, bragging to his nervous looking comrade he would end this fight in a single blow. Sasuke twisted his features into a smirk as the bandaged man did not seem to share his partners confidence.

He had always been fast even during the Academy days, but this agility Sasuke felt seemingly gliding towards his destination, this was speed. Under normal circumstances the Sound ninja's attack was a force to be reckoned with. It boomed a mighty blast and was fast as the sound it projected, but Sasuke was lightening. Before the ninja could finish announcing the name given to his jutsu Sasuke had vanished. It all happened in less than a second but to Sasuke everything seemed to be in slow motion. He whipped towards the Dobe grabbing him by the collar of his signature obnoxious jumpsuit and tossed him out of harms way in an instant, before turning to the female member of his team. He watched as her eyes widened in fear of the oncoming danger and she began to curl into herself in hopes that her twig like would protect her. Silly Sakura he was here to protect her now. He was powerful enough to protect them all. Before she could register what was happening Sakura was scooped up into his arms before being gently deposited safely beside Naruto.

Sasuke watched with a sick sense of glee as the fool was arrogant to come to the conclusion he had blasted them all away.

"Not quite." He uttered appearing by his opponents side before striking a fist out that sent the Sound user tumbling across the floor. Turning to face his fallen foe Sasuke proceeded to demonstrate exactly why it was unwise to harm the people under his protection. Zaku didn't stand a chance. Within seconds the once arrogant ninja who revelled in his abuse of Sasuke's teammate had become a simpering heap in the dirt. His arms wrenched at a punishing angle held in an ironclad grip by the avenger digging a foot painfully into the base of his spine. The battle was over but Sasuke was far from done. As he held the wriggling rat's arms in his grip a wickedly twisted idea began to form in his head. These were the arms that had harmed Sakura. That had punched and bruised and beat the little pink headed girl that he had so painstakingly looked out for all these years. These were the arms that had forced her to be a ninja and bled fear into her arms. Well Sasuke was going to show everyone exactly what happened to arms that did ugly things to innocent little girls. A sick deranged smile wound its way across his features.

"You seem very proud of these arms." He hissed, and a look of horror came over the mans features as he realized exactly what the marked boy intended to do. Looking up at the man restraining him he knew he would find no mercy in those cruel eyes the colour of the very blood they called for.

There was a nauseating sharp crack followed by a screech of pain almost inhuman, more resemblant of a dying animals cry that sang of a torturous agony. To Sasuke it sounded musical, like the sweetest symphony reaching a breath taking crescendo. There were collective gasps mixed with shock and horror at the brutality of his actions but it mattered not to him. He had addressed the urgent matter at hand, dishing out the most well earned punishment swiftly and savagely. Oh but he was far from finished. The strange bandaged man shrinking away from him in fear and the unconscious Kunoichi at his feet had played some part in Sakura's injuries, and he would make them suffer a hundred times over for each one they had bestowed on her.

He strides towards them as a lion would towards a gazelle with a wounded leg. Fully intent on making what he had done to the limbs of their teammate look like child's play. They had broken the rule, they had crushed the flower beneath their grimy boots and laughed as if he would do nothing about it. He may not have been able to protect her today but he sure as hell could make sure they would never even think of coming anywhere near her and her light again. Even from a distance he could tell Sakura was shaking, he could hear the faint chattering of her teeth and feel the agitated nature of the little chakra she had left. She was afraid. These people had made her afraid had threatened the bubble she had placed herself in that was reinforced with the logic her team mates would always protect her. But they didn't. They weren't able to protect her so the logical next step for Sasuke was to eliminate the source of her fear. He smiled as he registered the fear in the eyes of his prey. He hoped it was the same fear they had put in Sakura's. The dark energy hummed with approval and surged as he prepared to attack.

"STOP!"

He halted in his tracks as tiny trembling pale arms gripped him from behind, a shivering form pressed to his back. His shinobi instincts kicked into effect and the dark chakra spiked at this intrusion on his being. In his blood thirsty haze he looked over his shoulder poised and ready to attack the person daring to cling to him, only to find familiar green eyes hemorrhaging tears and dilated in sheer terror. His body relaxed as he looked down in recognition upon a familiar pink mop of hair. She was not a threat, never her.

He was a guarded person naturally and being a ninja he had honed his body to associate contact with danger. Sakura did not share this trait and was a very openly physical person she hung off his arm at any opportunity, scooted as close as she possibly could next to him without earning a scathing glare signalling that she was pushing it. On the very rare occasion he would tolerate her incessant need to be close to him, her touch proved to sometimes be soothing and reminiscent of a Mother's. He had never however thought that the occasional allowance for her ministrations would interfere with his actual instincts. He had been extremely perturbed to awaken one morning during a mission to find her comfortable nestled into his chest with his arm lounging lazily over her figure. The cramped quarters of the tent the genin trio shared made it nearly impossible for personal space especially when Naruto was sprawled out seemingly determined to occupy as much space as possible while snoring like a banshee. Truthfully Sasuke didn't blame the poor girl for subconsciously escaping the restless idiot in favour of Sasuke who slept like a log. What didn't sit well with Sasuke was how she had not even registered on his internal radar. He was a light sleeper awoken by the slightest provocation, let alone touch of another person. But, Sakura had been subconsciously inadmissible of being a threat. As he quickly twisted himself out her grasp trying not wake the sleeping girl, he supposed this subconscious neglect to be cautious of Sakura's presence was understandable. She was not an imposing figure to say the least, resembling a nymph of spring rather than a ninja. His psyche had written her off as a weak girl that could not pose any physical damage.

He had nearly scoffed at the idea of Sakura ever trying to hurt him. She practically worshiped the ground he walked on and no matter how many times he was cold or rude to her she would come right back with a vengeance to get his attention. She followed him around like puppy with eyes full of adoration. Eyes that were now absent of her signature affection and instead plagued by something else. It was not a look Sasuke was used to seeing directed at him and it made his gut twist when he recognized it. Fear. She was scared of him. He felt her quivering against his back and took in the clammy texture of the hands gripping the front of his shirt. She was terrified of him. He had seen Sakura look at him with many emotions dancing across her eyes for him to read like an open book. Affection, relief, awe, disappointment, admiration, sadness, longing he had seen them all, but never had Sakura looked at him with fear.

"Please stop." She whimpered choking over her words as she sought to reason with this bloodthirsty monstrosity that had possessed the stoic but kind boy she adored so much.

He instantly felt an overwhelming wave of nauseating guilt overcome him. He had forgotten, Sakura was innocent, too sweet and pure for violence even against those who wronged her. She was too bright to bare witness to the twisted darkness birthed from this power. It frightened the little pink haired girl he had always felt obligated to protect. This power could not exist in her world filled with warmth and happiness. This power was meant for an avenger and so Sasuke learned avengers did not protect, they destroyed.

She let out a soft whimper as his Sharingan bore into her own green eyes still softly spilling tears. The sound felt like a punch to his stomach and the fire of his rage that had seemed unstoppable and all consuming fizzled out to nothing with her tears. Like a match extinguishing under a rainstorm, only a trail of smoke lazily creeping along until it too was taken by the wind. Sasuke, had sworn to eliminate her fears and right now that was him. Slowly the angry black marks that had crawled across his skin, fuelling the desire for destruction, receded into the mark at the base of his neck. His eyes losing their angry red and fading to their usual black.

To those watching that day there was a heavy silence in the normally lively woods, as though the forest itself had frozen in fear of disrupting this one moment. Little Sakura, with her stupid pink hair and tiny feeble arms wrapped around the previously volatile boy. Weak, frail Sakura with her big shiny green eyes had stopped the monstrous rampage of the boy who had always protected her.