Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot and Kudozaki Lucine. The rest belongs to Masashi Kishimoto.

| Kudozaki Lucine |

The harsh kick in my stomach made me violently cough up blood before I collapsed on my knees.

I looked up at my three opponents, which were all smirking smugly. I had kept the fight going for a while, but I had known it for a while. In fact, I had known it since their arrival. I'm clearly losing this fight. The fight with that snake bastard had already taken too much from me. And in the end it was for nothing anyway, as all my teammates are unconscious.

Glancing at the unconscious body of Sakura on the ground made me frown in frustration, disappointed at my failure at even keeping her safe.

I tried getting up on my feet again, holding up a hand to the bleeding injury on my abdomen that was already gushing out an alarming amount of blood, and Kin's punch had not helped. If I don't do anything quick, we will all die like this. Stealing a quick glance at my other two unconscious teammates, I looked back at the girl with the long hair that had just kicked me in the stomach, and had even made Sakura chop off her hair. Kin was her name, I believed.

I'm in deep shit. I closed my eyes in irritation as I tried of thinking of ways to save us.

"Are you giving up, little girl?" The guy with the wild, spiky hair mocked me. I think they called him Zaku some moments ago. I only gave him the same blank look that always seemed to annoy him since he got here, which made him glare at me. Even if I died here, I would never let myself be weak in front of these people.

All I can do now is fight them with taijutsu till my last breath, I decided, knowing it was the worst plan I've ever made but also the only one I had. With a low hiss in pain, I got into position, ignoring the stabbing pain throughout my entire body as I waited for either of them to make a move.

"Still fighting I see, stubborn brat." Zaku scoffed, and suddenly, he just disappeared from his spot. I tightened my fist, preparing myself to whatever he was going to do. In less than a second, he was in front of me, about to kick me in the face, but I ducked just in time, kicking his legs under him so that he tripped. He didn't seem to expect me to do that, so he almost fell face first into the ground. I took that opportunity to land another kick, but before I could even lift my leg, I sensed Dosu from behind me, trying to land a punch on me, I quickly did a cartwheel, dodging him in the process.

But as soon as my feet hit the ground, an intense pain in my ear made let out a low gasp and collapse to the ground. I had to bite my lip to hold back a groan. But how? I definitely dodged him. I looked up at the Dosu-guy, who was standing some meters away from me, while Zaku stood next to him glaring furiously at me.

"You may be able to dodge my blows, but you can't get away from it." I heard Dosu explain, holding up his hand to show me that metal object he had attached to his arm. I tried to get up, but every move I made only made the pain in my ear intensify. Shit. I cursed mentally, biting my lips so hard I could taste blood in order to prevent myself from screaming. It hurts so much I can't even move, and I could feel my vision getting fuzzy. I knew I had lost way too much blood, but if I don't get up now then... Sasuke... and also Naruto and Sakura...

With a cry, I tried to use my arms to push myself into a standing position, every movement feeling like needles under my skin. Tears welled up in my eyes out of reflex as I tried to bear through the pain.

"You just won't give up, will you?" I heard Zaku say from above me. I didn't get any time to fully stand before I received a hard kick in the head, and then it all went black and I was swallowed by an oasis of darkness. You're on your own, Sasuke.

| Uchiha Sasuke |

Pain.

It felt like I've been living in an eternity of pain and that I've never felt anything else throughout my life. The pain was unbearable. Every inch of my body felt like it was on fire, but I felt like it was mostly concentrated in my neck.

"S-Sasuke..." a low, soft voice called out my name.

Wait, that sounds like...

"Sasuke!" There it went again. I widened my eyes as I recognized the feminine voice.

Lucine!

Ignoring the pain the best I could I tried to stand up, "Lu-Lucine where are you?" I croaked, even talking felt like I was being split in half.

"Sasuke, save me!" she yelped, her voice cracking at he end as if she was crying.

Lucine is in danger! That was enough to make me completely get up on my feet, the excruciating agony completely ignored as I sprinted towards the direction her voice was coming from. "H-Hold on Lucine, I-I'm coming!" my legs shook as I ran, I had to grit my teeth together so that I wouldn't scream out.

When I at last found her, I saw her held up in the air by her throat, by none other than... Itachi. "Let her go, bastard!" I growled dangerously, holding my neck while trying my best to ignore the burn.

Itachi looked at my pathetic form with disgust, "Foolish little brother, why don't you come save her yourself."

As if that line triggered something inside of me, the strain doubled its amount and this time I was unable to even stand. I let out an deafening ear-splitting scream, not able to hold it back anymore. Tears welled up in my eyes as due to pain and the hopelessness I felt at the situation.

C-come... on... move... I need to save Lucine... she needs me...

"Help." Lucine whimpered, gasping for breath when Itachi's hold on her neck tightened.

"Lucine." I breathed, reaching out my hand to her, trying to reach her but to no avail. She gave me a betrayed look, as if she was disappointed by my own weakness, which made her close her eyes in resignation, accepting her fate. My heart felt like it stopped beating at the look on her face, like she had lost all faith in me. Soon her struggling had ceased, and she now hung limply in Itachi's grip. "No..."

"Pitiful." Itachi shook his head, "You're so weak, you don't have the power to stop me."

I'm weak... I'm not strong enough... I closed my eyes, the despair felt even more crippling than the excruciating sting from my neck. Lucine has always been bound to die because I have never possessed the power to keep her safe.

I can give you power, Sasuke-kun.

My eyes widened at the sly voice coming from my head. Whose voice was that? I looked up, and when I did, Itachi and Lucine where nowhere in sight. Instead, a pair of yellow eyes were staring down at me. Those eyes look familiar... It's the eyes of that snake-woman-man from the forest. Orochimaru.

I can give you all the power you need.

His voice was sly and had a slight hiss as he spoke, almost like a snake. I frowned in confusion, "How?"

If you come to me, I'll give you all the power you need to protect your Lucine-kun ...And defeat your brother.

I looked at the ground beneath my palms, truly thinking about his words. If what he said is true, Lucine will never be in danger and I will finally get revenge for Itachi slaughtering my clan. It could solve everything, Lucine would be safe.

With newfound strength, I used the rest of my strength to push myself upwards, the pain no longer there. "Power." I repeated. "Give it to me. Give me the power."

A mouth formed under the eyes, and it was shaped into a large, smug smirk, and now he definitely resembled a snake.

The first thing I felt as soon as I opened my eyes was the thrum of energy simmering under my skin. Power. I could feel it, and it felt incredible. I slowly stood up, grinning widely. It feels like I'm capable of anything, that I could defeat anyone in my way, I was invincible. I let out a laugh. It sounded sick and maniacal, filled with unadulterated glee. "So much... power..." I breathed deeply. There was a dark purple chakra spiraling around me as a testament of my new change. If only Lucine could see me now, she would be so proud. Never again would she be hurt.

Now remembering the reason to why wanting this power in the fist place, I looked around, searching for my love. It was only now I noticed how I was still in the Forest of Death. There were also three unfamiliar faces staring at me in surprise, but that was all meaningless information as I caught sight of something that made my heart completely stop in my chest.

Behind the three strangers laid a small figure. A small very familiar figure that laid in a puddle of her own blood. And she was not moving.