Hey guys, A Red Penguin here with a super fast update. Holy crap twice in a row how is he doing it?

Only a short(er) chapter today focused around Sasuke during the time skip.

Hope you enjoy.

6 months since Naruko and Natsune left Konoha:

An intense rapping woke Sasuke from his sleep as he groaned wearily, forcing himself to stand. The knocking continued as he trudged through his house in the Uchiha estate towards the door.

"So early..." He grumbled as he partially pulled his door aside. "I don't want anything you're selling."

With that he shut his door and turned to walk back to his bed, only for the knocking to become a banging as an angry feminine voice rose up from the other side.

"What the hell Sasuke you fricking idiot open the damn door! How dare you shut it on me like that!"

The yelling snapped Sasuke out of his tiredness and he hastily reopened the door. "I-Ino! Why are you here so early!?"

An irate Ino glared back at his discombobulated gaze, her arms crossed as she huffed. "First you shut the door on me and now you just question me coming to see you? Not even a hello!"

"Yo."

"Too late."

"Ah."

Sasuke fumbled with his words as tried to not anger the blonde any further. "Not that you being here is a bad thing. Why so early though?"

"What do you mean?" Ino raised a questioning eyebrow. "Isn't your training with Kakashi-sensei in half an hour? Why are you still in your pyjamas?"

"Yeah but, it's Kakashi."

"...That's true..." Ino looked away. "Still though, that greeting was..."

In the silence that followed the Uchiha noticed Ino's change in attire. Whilst her top remained the same, the bandage wraps beneath were gone in lieu of bare skin. Black leggings now hid her legs, with her usual purple skirt.

"You changed your outfit a bit."

His comment snapped Ino out of her annoyed state as she became bashful, but struck a pose with confidence. "Yup, I changed it recently. I haven't seen you since we all celebrated your 14th birthday last month so this'll be the first time you've seen it. Do you like it?"

'Her mood changed completely.' Sasuke thought blankly, recovering to reply. "Yeah, it's nice."

"Nice?" Ino pouted, hoping for more than a simple compliment. "Nothing else?"

"Just let me wash and get dressed, I'll be out soon." Sasuke turned to reenter his house. "You're welcome to come in."

He disappeared through another door, leaving Ino standing with her mouth hung open in disbelief.

'Completely ignored...' She whined in her head before following, spending the next ten minutes sulking in an armchair in Sasuke's living room until he reappeared from his room.

"Okay I'm good." He gave Ino a smile as he walked to the door. "I probably have about another fourty minutes to spare knowing Kakashi-sensei. Breakfast?"

Ino returned the grin as they made their way out of the compound. "Sure! I'm fancying Dango."

"I thought you were on another of your diets?" Sasuke commented jokingly.

"I-It's a cheat day, alright?.." Ino blushed in embarrassment at being called out, avoiding his knowing stare. "Besides, it's rude to ask a girl about her eating habits."

"Yes yes, I'm sure."

"Sh-Shut up."

"How come you aren't training with your team by the way?"

"That foul-mouthed girl's still has to hang around Shikamaru so he's always busy at the moment. I swear, she even looks like she enjoys being around him."

The pair of genin continued to make idle conversation whilst they walked into the centre of the village. Eventually they came across the Dango shack, sitting on one of the wooden benches outside. The sole waitress soon came over, Sasuke ordering a savoury meal, Ino sweet one.

"Oho, Sasuke-kun is that you?" A sly voice spoke up from behind Sasuke's back.

A flash of pink appeared next him before either of them reacted as Sakura plonked down on the bench beside him.

"What are you two up to?" She pried, resting her chin in her palms. "A date perhaps?"

"Sakura-san?" Sasuke blinked at the suddenness of her appearance. "N-no not at all. Just breakfast before I go to train."

"I see..." Sakura trailed off, noticing the slight pout Ino wore at his words and smirking. "So you're on the market?"

"No he is-" Ino cut herself off as the waitress placed their dango in front of them before leaving again.

"He is?" Sakura grinned teasingly, speaking before Ino could continue.

"No! I didn't get to finish!" Ino began to grow red in the face at Sakura's antagonising. "Y-you barely know Sasuke!"

The boy in question sagely opted to remain out of the exchange, instead focusing on innocently eating his meal. That was until a tap on the shoulder from Sakura forced him to rejoin the exchange.

"Oh yeah, you turned fourteen last month. Where was my invite?" She pulled a mock sad face. "So mean."

"Hey I wanted to, you were still in recovery and all of a sudden on a mission. You weren't available." Sasuke defended himself.

"Excuses, excuses." The rosette crossed her arms in feigned disappointment. "I hope you make it up to me someway. How about a d-"

"Okaaay. Sasuke I believe you have training with Kakashi-sensei to attend." Ino interrupted Sakura, having already stood from the bench and grabbed Sasuke by his collar. "Time to go."

"Wha-? Ino, you finished your food?" Sasuke questioned, staggering to retain his footing as he was dragged away.

"I'm taking out."

"Er... okay." Sasuke gave the grinning Sakura a brief wave before he was pulled round the corner. "See you around."

Sasuke fell to his hands and knees, heaving. His eyes watered and drool leaked over his lips. He balled his hands together and grunted with frustration.

"Sasuke!" Ino ran to him from her spot at the edge of the training ground, placing a caring hand on his back. "Are you okay? You don't look well."

"I concur, Sasuke." Kakashi spoke up a few metres away from the two, his headband raised to show his Sharingan. "I'm concerned with how much this idea of yours will effect you. I'm uncomfortable doing this to a comrade as it is, nevermind my own student."

The young Uchiha shook his head, grunting again as he grasped Ino's arm to pull himself to his feet, albeit unsteadily. "Please, one more time."

Kakashi frowned at his student while Ino tried to dissuade him, unsure of the boy's judgement.

"Please, Kakashi-sensei." He pleaded, staring back at his mentor with unwavering determination. "One last time."

The spiky-haired Jounin sighed. "If this time doesn't work we are stopping. No arguments."

Sasuke nodded, indicating to Ino to move away. She did so, gently patting his shoulder as she left.

Watching the Uchiha's eye follow Ino as she moved away, Kakashi nodded in understanding. "I have an idea, Sasuke. Something different than what we've been trying. I'm going to start."

"Oka-"

"Oh one second!" Ino intervened as she jogged back up to Sasuke, a handkerchief in her hand. "Your face is a mess, it's ridiculous."

Sasuke blanked as Ino began to rub his face vigorously.

"S-seriously!?" He winced as the cloth practically mauled his face, catching Ino pull an evil grin as it moved from his sight. "Hey what's with-"

A glimmer of metal caught the corner of his eye and he reflexively leapt back from kunai jab from Ino's other hand. If he hadn't dodged it would have hit him dead centre.

"H-hey! What are you doing!?"

Ino forewent replying to instead lunge forward and knocked the unprepared Sasuke to the ground, winding him. Barely giving him any time to process what was happening she swung the kunai down for a killing blow, Sasuke only just managing to grab her wrist as the blade stopped millimetres from his forehead.

"Why are you doing this!? Ino!"

The Yamanaka sneered. "Finishing what your brother started."

Sasuke's eyes shot open in shock. "What? What are you saying Ino? Let go of the kunai!"

Ignoring him, she placed her free hand on top of the hilt of the kunai and pushing down. With one hand pinned to his side Sasuke felt himself being overpowered. He felt panic begin to rise as the point of the kunai gradually closed in on his face.

"Kakashi-sensei! Help m-" He stopped when he looked around, seeing no sign of the Jounin. "W-what?"

His confusion was put on pause as he was pressured even more by Ino.

"Ino... Let go..."

When it was clear she wasn't faltering he struggled underneath her, managing to wrench his arm free and grab her side. Letting out a panicked yell he put all his strength into his arm, throwing her off of him to the side. Not wasting a moment he shot to his feet and entered a defensive stance as he moved to face Ino, but froze. The blonde lay there unmoving, her kunai lodged in her neck, her eyes half lidded.

"I-Ino!" Sasuke rushed to kneel beside her, bile rising in his throat at the realisation at what he'd done. "No no no..."

A sense of dizziness overcame him as he seemed to fall back. The sensation of his tailbone impacting the dirt shook him as he scrambled backwards away from Ino's body, only for it not to be there.

"Sasuke!" He heard the voices of Kakashi and Ino shout his name as they appeared next to him.

Ino moved to help him sit up straight, but paused upon seeing his eyes. "Sasuke, you..."

"Looks like it worked." Kakashi observed stoically.

Sasuke looked up at Ino with his now active Sharingan. The usual three tomoe were gone however, instead three red intersecting ellipses on a black iris. He reached to grab the arm she'd extended to support him, squeezing it tightly. He closed his eyes and gritted his teeth as he tried to shake the image that Kakashi's genjutsu had made him see.

"Kakashi..." His voice was solemn, Kakashi blinking at the lack of honourific. "That was your idea..."

Ino raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

Sighing, Kakashi prepared to explain as Sasuke raised his other hand to stop him.

"It doesn't matter, it worked." He closed his eyes as he brought his hand up to massage the growing soreness away through his lids. "I unlocked the Mangekyo Sharingan. Thanks, Kakashi-sensei."

"Don't expect me to do something like that again." Kakashi frowned once more as he reached down and pulled Sasuke to his feet. "I feel I don't need to warn you of the risks of using those eyes."

"Of course. I won't be making it a habit, believe me." Sasuke said between heavy breaths as he recovered, unknowingly not relinquishing his grip on Ino's arm. "I really appre-"

"KAKASHI!"

A pair of loud voices cut the tired Uchiha off as two figures leaped between him and Kakashi. It took both Sasuke and Ino a moment to take in the new arrivals before noticing it was Gai and the newly made Jounin of Konoha, Zabuza.

"I once again challenge you, my eternal rival!" Gai proudly stated, pointing towards his adversary.

"Prepare to eat dirt, Spiky!" Zabuza yelled at an unnecessarily high volume, cracking his knuckles.

"Oh god..." Kakashi muttered, obviously less than joyous at the new development.

"Wait. I knew Gai always challenged him, but Zabuza?" Sasuke questioned with much confusion.

Ino next to him had no inkling as to what was occurring.

"It appears Zabuza-sama has taken umbrage to being defeated so soundly by Kakashi-san last year." Haku answered simply as he appeared beside the two genin without so much as a sound, prompting cries of surprise from them both. "Hello Sasuke-kun, it's been a while."

"Come on Kakashi you hip youth, you!" Gai continued. "We have challenged you, so it's fair you choose the means of our bout!"

"Okay, fine." Kakashi resigned himself to the event. "How about Rock, Paper, Scissors?"

"What?.." Zabuza blanked. "What kind of a-"

"A~bsolutely my dearest rival! How shall we go about this duel of wits?" Gai seemed up for the challenge, promptly giving his nice guy pose.

"Let's do a best of one, all three of us at once."

"Alright!" Gai slapped Zabuza hard on the back. "Come, my accomplice! With two versus one, one of us is bound to be victorious! Let us band together to defeat this mighty foe."

Might Gai's words seemed to incite vigour within Zabuza, who quickly perked back up.

"You're right! Okay Kakashi, prepare to-"

"I'll be using paper."

Kakashi's statement threw both of his challengers off.

"W-what?" Gai stuttered.

"I always use paper." Kakashi admitted cooly.

"I-I see..."

The two huddled together for a second as they contemplated a strategy for combatting this development, their mumblings only coming through in snippets.

"So if... and you go scis..."

"Yeah then... should win..."

There was a pause as they looked over their shoulders to glare unsurely at their opponent, who simply waved back.

"Okay!" Gai faced Kakashi again, pointing at him with confidence. "Let's do this!"

"Ah, wait." Zabuza tapped Gai on his shoulder. "Which of us is sci-"

"Rock, Paper, Scissors!" The other two announced, forcing Zabuza to hurriedly do the same, the result causing both him and Gai to develop a sour taste in their mouths.

"He..."

"He went rock..."

The two begrudgingly stared at their own hands, both of which were showing scissors.

"God damn you Kakashi with your sneaky, hip ways!" Gai cried in anguish, turning to retreat in dismay. "One day I'll overcome you!"

"You've not seen the last of me Kakashi!" Zabuza growled, which have been threatening if not for the sniffle he made afterwards before following Gai. "Come on Haku!"

"Of course, Zabuza-sama." Haku bowed to an unresponsive Sasuke and Ino. "Sorry to leave so soon. I'm sure the opportunity to catchup shall soon arise."

With that the new arrivals has left as suddenly as they had arrived, taking with them any tension that had previously existed.

"Did they?.. What did I?.." Ino struggled to form a cohesive sentence as they watched them leave.

"It's... best you don't ask." Kakashi advised her, Sasuke nodding in agreement.

After the antics that ended the session of the training field Sasuke had wisely decided to spend the day resting and headed for his home, Ino once again tagging along. He'd remained fairly silent during the walk back to the compound, his mind elsewhere.

"Are you sure you're okay?" She pressed again.

"Yeah. My eyes are just aching more than I expected they would."

Ino frowned. She could tell something other than his eyes was bothering him.

"Sasuke." Her voice took a more serious tone. "What was it Kakashi made you see?"

The question caused Sasuke to stop walking, avoiding Ino's eyes as she did the same.

"Do you know how an Uchiha gains the Mangekyo Sharingan?" Seeing her shake her head he continued. "Conventionally it's believed that you must kill your own friend to unlock it. In actuality it's not so simple. It's unlocked when the owner of the eyes experiences extreme emotions of pain and loss."

"So... What did Kakashi-sensei show you.?"

"He..." Sasuke hesitated. "He caught me off guard. Made it seem like you attacked me, and that in my defence I wounded you, fatally. The onset of the genjutsu was so smooth that, unlike the first two attempts where my team was involved, I had no idea he'd actually placed it on me yet."

Ino listened to him with morbid rapture, though she couldn't help but give a soft smile at the knowledge that it was her that had caused such strong emotions in the Uchiha. She chastised herself inwardly for fluttering sensation that rose in her chest despite the grim recollection he had described. She knew the likely reason for those emotions.

"So, what do you think that means?" She asked, gripping his left sleeve.

"That I should have told him to do it when I least expected it so I don't know there's going to be a genjutsu placed on me." Sasuke stated matter-of-factly, causing Ino to blank and punch him hard on his arm where she had just been holding him. "O-ow! Hey, what the hell!?"

She glared at him, placing her hands on her hips. "Sasuke Uchiha you wouldn't know a pitfall trap even if you fell in it!"

"W-what?"

Gasping in disbelief at his cluelessness, Ino threw her hands up in the air as she turned to continue walking towards his house. Sasuke shouted for her to wait, still confused, as he ran to catch up. The walked the rest of the way to his house in silence until they reached his door.

"Thanks for joining me today." Sasuke shot her a grin as he entered his house. "I enjoyed the company."

He didn't see Ino's pout as she watched him start to close the door.

"H-hey..."

Sasuke paused and looked to Ino, who had a faint blush dusting her cheeks as she looked away.

"Let's go for a meal sometime, yeah?"

"Sure, sounds fun. I'll see you around!" With that he shut the door, leaving Ino stood there with a look of disbelief yet again spread across her face.

"He was the smartest guy in our class?" She began to walk away, tensing as a yell brewed within her. "I mean really!?"

As I said, shorter chapter.

Just a quick thing to add. I'll be forgoing my initial idea of following the girls on their training trip. It will just take far to long for me to write and I have ideas in my head for their return as it is. OCs that were submitted may still show up in the post-skip arcs instead so dunnae fret.

With that all said...

This is A Red Penguin signing off~