Training with the Devil

Who can I ask to help me? I don't suppose Naruto would be of much help since we both suck at the same thing…Shikamaru's too lazy, I've already had a very…gross run-in with the Uchiha, Chouji's either asleep or eating and Kiba's cheating so I don't want him to teach me the wrong way…darn who does that leave? Hinata's dad would get mad with me if I took her out this late…I really don't want to ask Ino or Sakura but I'm guessing they're my only hope…Sakura seems a tiny, weensy, mi-nute bit nicer than Ino so I guess I'll ask her…now if I remember right her house is around her somewhere… Maho ran around a corner and sure enough she came to a house with a plaque on the door saying 'Haruno residence'. Awesome first time lucky! Maybe this night won't be so bad after all… Swallowing down her pride, Maho lifted a fist to the door and knocked on it. After a few shouts about who was going to get the door, a women around her mid 30's answered the door; she had long red hair that fell down to her shoulders and bangs across her forehead. She had really pretty brown eyes that reminded her of delicious brownies [drool] and she was wearing a casual green dress with a tan apron on top of it, she had a smile plastered onto her face. "Hello dear, can I help you?"

"Hi, is Sakura in please? I need to ask her for a favor?"

"Oh, of course. Sakura, there's a girl here at the door for you!" She shouted as she turned her head back into the house. Maho stood there as the door was left open, Mrs. Haruno returning to her previous job, uncertainly shifting her weight from one foot to another. The moment that head of pink hair came into view, the look of surprise on Sakura's face as she saw Maho standing there looking slightly sheepish, made the red head smirk. Haruno then glared at her remembering the previous events.

"Yo, Sakura…" Maho greeted casually, swallowing her pride once again and managing a smile. Suck it up Maho, it's just for one night and then you can avoid her for the rest of your life if you want!

"Igashowa, why are you here? If you've come to prank me or brag about that kiss with Sasuke earlier, I'm not in the mood. I don't even know how you knew where I lived."

"I'm not here because of that. In fact, that kiss was insanely gross and it will never, ever, ever happen again! I feel like I need to burn out my tongue, pull all my teeth out one by one and then feed my head to wild mountain lions! Naw, I actually need you to help me train!" Maho said rather quickly, scratching at the back of her head and laughing nervously.

"Nani? I didn't hear you, Maho."

Maho's eye twitched in annoyance and muttered something under her breath before asking again. God, this is humiliating. "I need you to help me train! I just wasted time at the training grounds saving Uchiha's butt from you guys! None of my other friends can help me out this late and I thought you seemed a little nicer than Ino. So, how about it, Sakura? I hate the fact that I'm begging in front of my second worst enemy and I'll probably have to physically hit myself every day for doing it, but can you help me with the clone jutsu for the exam tomorrow? We won't have to become friends or anything because well…I'd hate that, but please just help." Maho pleaded, now almost on her knees and huffing and panting from her full two minute rant. Sakura smirked at the figure in front of her, her hands resting on her hips.

"Well, I don't see why I should. I mean…you're always so mean to me and shooting smart remarks at me…"

"Fine, if that's how you want to play it, I'll just leave you alone. Forget I said anything!" Maho shouted as she turned around and was ready to begin walking back down the path, which was when Sakura remembered earlier when she and Ino over-heard her with Iruka-sensei.

"Wait Maho, I never said I wouldn't help you! Although you have to help me…"

"Fine Pinkie, you play, dirty but I'll go along with it. What do you want me to do?"

"Well because you 'saved' Sasuke, he owes you right? Well tomorrow at the exam tell him that to pay you back he has to…kiss me!" Sakura got a pink blush on her face and her eyes were dazzling with stars in them. Maho could only snort as she tried to hold in her snort of laughter. With this, Sakura stopped her daydreaming and glared at Maho, hand gripping the edge of the door, about to shut it.

"Hey, hey, hey wait! I'll tell him tomorrow, okay? After all 3 of us have done our tests and we wait to be put into teams. That's if I pass…which I will do with your help. Think about it; if I don't pass, I'll never be able to tell him!" Maho said slyly as she rolled her eyes slowly, hands behind her back, lips pursed in an innocent smile.

"Maho, that's mean! You turned my own bribe back onto me!"

"Did not."

"Did too"

"Did not."

"Did too."

"Did not."

"Did not."

Maho smirked, folding my arms across my chest when Sakura tried to trick me. HA! Like I'd fall for that! "Why thank you for agreeing with me! Now will you help me before it gets any later?" She asked.

"Fine, I can't believe I fell for that. Dad, tell Mom that I'm going out!" She shouted into her house before slipping on her sandals and walking out the door with Maho following closely behind.

"I can't feel my legs, arms, head, hands, butt, or anything for that matter! That Sakura fights dirty, making me do the same damn thing over, over, over, over, over, over and over aga-oh gomen I didn't see you!" Maho walked along the road, rubbing her arms, and stopped and she felt a figure brush past her hand. She smiled as she noticed Shikamaru standing there with his hands in his pockets; he smiled back when he saw it was her.

"No problem, you always were pretty un-coordinated, lazy, and air-headed." The Nara boy teased with a soft smile.

The sore and tired girl simply just glared at her friend, continuing to hold her hurting arm as the two stood there. "You're so lucky I'm tired and beat up because if I wasn't, right now you'd be a bloody pulp on that floor!"

"Maho, we all know that's impossible because no matter how beat up, injured, or dead you are, you still manage to destroy people with your words; you're just troublesome like that! But why are you beat up, anyways?"

"Two words: Haruno Sakura." Maho grumbled, turning her head to the side and glaring out at nothing in particular.

"You two got into a fight? Bet it was over that Sasuke!"

"We didn't get into a fight and even if it was over the Uchiha, I'd be the one to walk away victorious while she could do nothing but helplessly fall to the ground, depressed and alone with nothing but the cold, violent rain pouring onto her head, knowing he's a selfish, arrogant, annoying, self-obsessed jerk with nothing better to do than break young girls hearts! Right, uh…what was I saying?" The passionate rant quickly ended, only to have the orange haired girl look over at Shikamaru with a sheepish grin, scratching at the back of her head.

"Why you're beat up? Man…I'll be sure to ask you for help if I ever write the most depressing novel in the world!" The Nara heir sighed, shaking his head. Seriously, that girl never changed.

"Oh! I was really desperate and got into some 'trouble' with Sasuke and co. at the training grounds so I didn't actually learn anything…So I just had to ask Sakura for help…and man does she fight dirty. Maybe it was because I'm so clever and she was annoyed because I turned her own bribe back on her! Ah ha! Teaches her right!"

"Okay…you lost me at 'didn't actually learn anything'. You're so troublesome at trying to explain simple things." Just as Maho was about to make a retort, her head throbbed in pain as her headache grew; all thanks to Sakura who had been shouting orders into her ear. It was all the Haruno's fault that Maho was feeling so horrible now! Now, generally Maho wouldn't have bothered to heed her mother's advice and get someone to walk her home; she was strong enough to take care of herself, something she prided herself in and her friends had always respected her strength. Though, with the way she was feeling…

With a sigh, Maho reluctantly turned to Shikamaru, giving him a sour look, "Shikamaru, you know how much my mother worries about me right? She said I had to get a 'boy' or 'teacher' to walk me home because it's late. I'm not feeling up to going alone, so would you mind? You don't have too, I know you'd just think it was-,"

"Troublesome? Yeah, but I don't mind if it's for a friend, right? Besides your mom's cool, might as well talk to her a bit. I'm only out because my mom was annoying me…I hate how tough my dad acts, then as soon as she asks him something, he'll do it straight away! I'm never going to marry a woman like that!" Shikamaru explained as he turned around to face the same way that Maho was. The both of them began to walk forward and Maho just smiled at his kindness and followed. He acts like he doesn't care, but he really does sometimes! Haha, what a softie~

"Oh and how do you know there's a girl out there who would be able to put up with you?" Maho laughed and lightly hit Shikamaru in the arm. She prayed he wouldn't do it back; she might faint if he did, she was seriously that tired and bruised. Honestly, how did training for the Clone Jutsu get so rough?

"Because I think technically, there's someone out there for everyone; even if they've never met that person or completely hate that person, they could always date or marry other people, but they'd never be truly happy or would always wonder 'was there somebody better out there for me?' or 'do I really, truly love this person'? That person could even be living right under their nose and they'll never realize it until something major happens, like they move away and they realize that they miss them more than anyone else does or if they die and the person could've been a happy, cheerful person before, but after that they're destroyed or always feel empty. You following me?" Maho's mouth slightly turned up at the end as she carefully watched the shapes Shikamaru's mouth made, his facial expressions and the movements he made with his hands, she watched admiringly with sparkling eyes.

"Yeah, most of it…" And she did get it. Basically, you just never know who makes you the happiest person alive until it might be too late. How sad would that be if you didn't realized you loved someone until they were gone?

"Well, to sum it up, here's an example: I bet every single one of Sasuke's fan-girls would still act the same if he died. Sure they'd be upset for a few weeks, but they would always return to their normal state; if he moved away they'd get over it eventually." Shikamaru paused slightly and looked at Maho, smirking and laughing a little as he could see the distant look in her eyes, smirk and hands tapping against each other evilly.

"Ugh…I lost you after 'I bet every single one of Sasuke's fan-girls would still act the same if he died' didn't I? And just then you were imagining several scenarios of his death, accidental and purposely?" Shika asked with a raised eyebrow. Maho turned to him, shocked with wide-eyes and an open mouth, though she still managed to hold a hint of that smirk.

"Wow Shikamaru, I didn't know you were so smart that you could read minds!"

"Haha very funny! So what was your favorite version of his death? Wait, am I really having this conversation with somebody?" Shikamaru replied; mostly too himself, head in hands.

"Well Sasuke was walking along a long, grassy field, when all of a sudden a giant great-white shark appeared and bit off both his hands, he then carried on walking and I appeared out of no-where with a comb trying to comb his stupid duck-butt hair, he screamed in agony as I shoved a mirror in his face and he sees his hair is all nice and neat and the back of his hair was shaved off because, well, no one can tame that hair of his! Then he'd be running away from me like a squealing little girl and he doesn't notice at the end of a field is a cliff. He then falls off and is caught by a ton of fan-girls, thanking them; but they take him to their 'cave' and smother him with their fangirlness, eventually forcing him to gauge his eyes out with a spork so he doesn't have to look at them. Then he runs out the cave and lands in a pool of piranhas, me laughing mechanically over him as he sinks to the bottom." Maho finished with a huge breath and looked at Shikamaru with a look of excitement, who was staring at the red-head in horror. Maho burst into laughter at the expression Shikamaru was still holding, but when he didn't react, or even tell her she was messed up like he usually did when she told him of her fantasies of killing someone she hated, she wondered why and turned her head away from her friend and in front of her. There in front of the pair was Uchiha Sasuke, causally sitting on a fence post, arms crossed and a straight expression.

"Awkward…" Shikamaru murmured as Maho glared at the boy duck-ass.

"Okay, seriously dude one word. I'll say it slowly so you can comprehend it: stalk-er." The small girl huffed up at the boy, glaring her brilliant green eyes.

"Hn, that's a bit of a big word for you, isn't it Igashowa?" Sasuke replied as stuck his nose up in the air like the little snob that he is and returning the glare full force.

"Wow, Uchiha don't hurt yourself! That's nearly two whole sentences in less than twenty-four hours! Oh wait, sorry, I forgot you only understand the language of 'fangirl', so let me try again. Ahem! Wow Sasuke-kuuuuuuun, you're so awesome, seriously! How did you come up with such a great insult; must've taken a lot of brains, which I'm sure you have judging by the size of your huge ego! Oh my genin, you know my name too? If you know my name, you MUST be in love with me!" Maho finished, immediately going back to her normal self. Obviously feeling like this was just a waste of time –not to mention he had no good comeback- he sighed in annoyance.

"At least I'm not the one that looks like I got dragged through a hedge backwards!" The Uchiha couldn't allow the small girl to have the last comeback, so he shot back another retort.

Maho, however, threw her arms up into the air over dramatically. "Oh snap, there he goes again; the come-back queen! I'll have you know I look like this because I've been training for the exam tomorrow! I didn't get a chance earlier today because I was too busy playing around with you and your little 'crew'."

"Like I care if you pass or not." He scoffed.

"Yeah, whatever, just go jump off a cliff. I'm sure the fangirls are already waiting for you!" Maho said, her voice and smile appearing all too sweet.

"Come on Maho, your mom's probably worried." Shikamaru sighed, tired of listening to the two classmates egg each other on.

"Ugh…Sometimes she actually acts like how my real mother probably should!" Maho groaned, letting her head fall backwards to look up at the sky, ignoring the chicken-ass.

"She technically is your real mother, Maho; she was there for you when your real mother left you, and she's looked after you when your real mother and father are probably off around the world, making a new family; forgetting about you when your adoptive mother can only think about you!" Shikamaru pointed out, scowling at his childish friend.

"True…I suppose I love her more than my real mother and father. Selfish idiots, shouldn't even be able to live near kids…" Maho and Shikamaru continued their conversation as they walked down the road, forgetting Sasuke was even there and left him to think. He watched the two friends retreat, a pang of jealousy rising up in his chest. NO why does she do that? We clearly hate each other! Stupid girls, I've had enough of them; their just a destraction. He said to himself as he ignored the tiny voice right at the back of his head telling him different. You'll never get enough of that girl; you know why she has that effect on you. He hit the back of his head with his hand and watched as she turned a corner with Shikamaru; hands in pockets. Jealous~

"Hn." Sasuke scoffed, jumping off the fence and walking in the opposite direction.

"I'm home and I brought a tramp with me, happy now?" Maho shouted as she entered her front door earning a hit on the back of her head from Shikamaru.

"Yup, but honey what've I told you about bringing Shikamaru home with you after finding him on the street?" Her mother entered with a smirk and then smiled at Shikamaru.

The Nara boy pouted and let out an annoyed groan, his hands digging into his pockets. "It's not even funny how you two have exactly the same personality!"

"We do not! We're totally different!" Maho and Kiohe chorused, looking at each other with shocked faces and laughed. It was then that Maho's mother noticed the bruises and mud on her daughter. "What the heck happened? You train in a swamp?"

"Unfortunately I had to have Haruno Sakura train me…" Maho said with a frown, glaring at the ground.

"Isn't that a good thing? She's always getting high-grades."

"Oh hell no; it was terrible! She's an animal when it comes to concentrating! It didn't help that she hates me even more now! See, she kind of bribed me, but me-being-me, I turned it around so now I'm bribing her. That's the only thing that made it just bearable!" Maho said with a smirk. Her mother 'tutted' her and folded her arms. Rolling her eyes and shaking her head, the red-head turned her eyes to her friend, "Oh Shikamaru, your house has probably calmed down a little now. I should probably get to bed; I'm kinda tired. I'll see you tomorrow, ne?"

"Sure." Shikamaru nodded in understanding, turning to open the door, but stopped halfway when Kiohe called out to him.

"Oh Shikamaru, how's your mother? I bumped into her yesterday, but I couldn't chat for long."

"She's fine, I only came for a walk because she was ordering dad around again and I hate how he does whatever she says!"

"Oh I see. Your mother can be quite the authoritive figure, eh? I remember when we were in school, people always asked her for help to sort things out and people always wanted to be friends with her!" Kiohe sighed in bliss as she reminisced in the olden days.

"That's so true it's not even funny. Bye Maho, good luck tomorrow. Hope we can be on the same team!"

"I wish! Iruka-sensei hates me so much I'll probably end up with Ino or Sakura!" She laughed slightly as she walked over to the door behind Shikamaru.

"Mm, ja ne."

"Ja ne." After he'd walked out, she finally shut it and lent against it for a few seconds, sliding down and sitting on the floor.

Kiohe looked down at her adoptive daughter, her warm, brown eyes softening at the sight of her exhausted daughter. "Awww, is my poor baby all tired out? Got enough energy left to show me the jutsu you perfected?" Her mother asked expectantly as she helped her up.

"Fine, I guess. Let me warn you though, it's not the best. I'm tired and it's late."

"Yeah, yeah whatever, just show me! Nobody's perfect. I'm proud of you no matter what happens and all that!" She spoke nonchalantly, waving her hand in an uncaring fashion.

Maho deadpanned at her mother's uncaringness. Then clearing her throat, she talked in a show host's kind of voice, "And the award for most caring mother of the year goes to Kiohe Igashowa! Congratulations, any words for your adoring fans?" Maho said sarcastically and grouchily as she stood and performed Ram, Boar, Ox, Dog, Snake and Tiger hand seals.

"Clone Jutsu!" She closed her eyes and went over everything Sakura had taught her in her head. Concentrate really hard; you're the only person in the room. Imagine yourself in your head and then imagine two, gather your strength and chakra; make it level around your body as best you can… Releasing her chakra, she slowly brought her hands down and peeked around her with one eye. When she thought it looked alright, she opened the other eye to make sure.

"Yay, my clever little girl; I'm so proud to have such a cute, smart girl! And she's going to be a ninja, awesome!" Her mother ran up to Maho and hugged and smothered her in kisses –somewhat strangling her- while Maho tried to examine the clone as she was attacked. The clone stood next to Maho, one hand on her hip picking the dirt out of her nails, and once the original began choking and gasping for air, flailing her arms at her clone to try and get some help, the clone only did one thing: she threw her head back and began to laugh. Maho's mouth fell open in shock, not having expected her clone to be so…so… so EVIL!

The other Maho smirked at the original's condition, hands resting on her hips, "I thought you were stronger than that. Seriously, if a civilian can strangle and defeat you, you're no better than Sakura or Ino."

Maho blinked at her solid reflection, her mother finally having let her go so she could breath. Recollecting her breath, she stood to her feet, eyes unwavering from her clone. "Wow…I hate me so much…How do my friends put up with me?"

"Don't worry honey, you act nothing like that. Sorta…kinda…Well, maybe a little bit. Okay, yeah, she's exactly like you."

Maho deadpanned, "Of course she's just like me; they're called clones for a reason, you know." Rolling her eyes as her clone began picking dirt from under her nails again, she punched the clone and it disappeared. Then with a sigh, she fell to the floor.

"So. Tired. Can't…move. Mommy halp meeee!" Maho moaned as her mother bent down and put one of Maho's arms around her shoulder and supported her up the stairs.

"You know, this really isn't the kind of thing a pregnant women should be doing!" Her mother complained, but just smiled and laughed slightly as she heard snoring coming from her daughter. She gently put her on her bed and placed the covers over her, sighing as she saw the clock displayed 11.30pm. "She won't fancy getting up extra early for her exam tomorrow…Maybe I can make her a nice breakfast!" Her mother smiled as she shut her bedroom door and walked away; Maho snoring away happily.

X~X~X

"Crap, crap, crap, late, late, really late!" Maho ran around her room in a complete and un-organized panic. She quickly found her hair tie and put her hair into a thick ponytail on the back of her head, her two blue clips holding back the same two stray bangs that tried to blind her left eye while she let loose strands of her hair fall around her face, not held back. Kicking off her underwear, she pulled on a new pair and then tugged on her mesh leggings, her black skort sliding on over top. Couldn't have her bits showing during training or battle now could she. She wasn't like…Okay, that's a tad bit too harsh, even for her. Tugging on her mesh, three-quarter sleeve shirt, Maho zipped up her black, sweatshirt-like vest and tugged a black, fingerless glove onto her left hand. Then running into her bathroom, she washed her face and brushed her teeth and ran down the stairs, almost tripping over her own feet.

"Gomen, I don't have time for breakfast; I'm really late, ja ne!" Maho looked confused as she saw her mother standing in front of the door with her arms crossed and a smile on her face.

"You're not late Maho; you've got a whole hour until you get to school. I set your alarm an hour early, didn't you realize?"

The small red-head deadpanned, cursing her mother in the most horrible of ways. She woke her up a whole hour before she actually needed to be awake? What was this blasphemy? Grumbling, Maho glared lightly –being too tired to put her whole heart into it- at her mother. "Shit, this better be a good breakfast!" Crossing her arms and pouting, Maho furrowed her eyebrows and walked into her kitchen. She poked her bruises slightly as she waited in her chair and adjusted the now apparent bandage that was on her knee. Haruno Sakura equals dead meat!

30 minutes later…

"Phew, I'm full; I didn't think that bowl would ever end!" Maho chirped happily, leaning back on only two legs of the chair and rubbing her stomach contently. Kiohe smiled and laughed at her adoptive daughter's antics, and when the doorbell rang, she got up and went to the door to answer it. Though the moment they heard barking and a gruff voice respond back, both Maho and her mother both knew who it was.

"Maho, Kiba and Akamaru are here to walk to school with you!"

"Tell Kiba and Akamaru I don't want to walk to school with a bunch of cheaters!" Maho yelled back as she got up from her seat and made her way from her kitchen to her front porch, where she put on her knee-high, black sandals and hugged her mother. "See you later; I hope to come back with a band on my forehead!" She then smiled and walked out with Kiba, waving to her mother.

As usual, Kiba was wearing his oddly colored hoodie, Akamaru perched lazily on top of his head. The red-head had to admit, she was extremely jealous of the puppy; he just got to lay around and rest all day long while Kiba did all the work, walking and all that exhausting stuff. However, Kiba was giving his small friend a weird look, "Maho, what exactly did you mean when you said 'cheaters'?"

"You know exactly what I mean!" She snapped as she stood on her tippy-toes to get try and get eye level with Akamaru.

Not bothered by the closeness of his best friend simply because he was used to it, Kiba realized what she was talking about, "Oh that! We're not cheating!"

Rolling her eyes, Maho back up as she had reached and petted the puppy, pulling away so they could continue walking. "Yeah, sure, I believe you Kiba. Anyways, man I'm so nervous! I so suck at this! And I found out I hate myself. Seriously, how do you guys put up with me? I'm so fucking annoying and evil!"

Kiba laughed, chorused with periodic barks from Akamaru, and whipped at his eyes, "You're just realizing you're like the devil incarnate? Jeeze, way to be slow on the times, Maho."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever! At least I do have you guys; it seems like there's never a dull moment with you!" Maho smiled, waving her hand nonchalantly.

"That's because you're with us." The Inuzuka said, deadpanning.

"You better fucking believe that's the reason!"

Shaking his head, Kiba decided to change the subject; no need to try and inflate the small girl's ego. That was the last thing she needed. "Why you covered in bruises?"

Maho's cheerful and hyper attitude immediately deflated at the question, her eyes looking up at the school with a harsh glare. "The exact same reason that I hate myself. Let's not talk about it, ne?"

"Uh…sure," Kiba gave Maho a confused glance as they entered the school gates and into the building, but let the subject drop.

Oh hot damn, I'm on a roll. All of a sudden I got this gigantic urge to write in this story! So I've almost finished editing the rest of the pre-written chapters. Even more good news is that, once I finish chapter 5, 6 and 7 will be posted simultaneously! Woot woot! Hopefully the more chapters I get going, the more readers will want to read this story. I'm just uber excited for this story! I've already started planning out Shippuden, even though THAT is very very very very far away xD Anyways! Tootaloos!

Kago of the Funk