Authors's note:
Hey guys! Just wanna tell you that I can only update during Fridays and depends too! But no worries! I'll make sure it'll be more than one chapter since I started doing my stories in my tablet and I got the whole story planned out. Enjoy the chap!

Midori's POV

I woke up to the dim light emanating from the small lamp of my borrowed room. I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes and yawned sleepily. I tried to sit down and examine my surroundings. Nothing of interest. I thought lazily. I looked at the clock on the other end of the room squinting my eyes to try to see through the dark.

4:30 am. Too early yet, . With a sigh, I laid back down on my bed and entered the happy world of sleep.

I dreamt that I'm standing in the middle of a training ground. The sight of it alone makes me shiver with anticipation and makes me want to kick in and train and stretch my bones. Ah. It's been ages since I last trained properly. Lack of proper training can really make a shinobi rusty. Hmm. Training sounds good. Training. Training. Training.

Then my eyes snapped open as I remembered.
Today is the day that Konan said we're going to go training!.
I stood up immediately and threw my blanket aside.
What time is it again? I bonked my head with my palm trying to remember.
Ah! 7:30! I glanced up at the watch to look at the time. With shock and barely believing what I saw, I finally registered the numbers. 7:25. 7:25 7:25

7:25!
I looked at the watch in horror.
Crap! 5 minutes!

I rushed to the bathroom and I didn't even bother to turn on the shower or even remove my clothes, I just used a simple water jutsu to heavily drench me with water and a basic fire technique to dry my clothes and hair. I hurried back to my room and swung the closet door open to look for a brush. Crap crap crap crap! I thought panickedly.

I frantically searched for a brush, but, to no avail. I mentally groaned and wore my ninja shoes and grabbed my scratched Hitai-ate on the bedside table.

I tied my Hitai-ate at my waist and scrambled to the very super small dining area and opened the fridge, grabbed, and devoured a stale toast in record time.

After that, I continued my I spy: Comb!
Not too long after, I found a fork lying innocently on the table.
I sighed. Oh well, it can't be helped. I grabbed the fork and ran it through my frizzy hair. I smiled at my clever solution, I brushed my hair smoothly, I pulled the fork but it won't come off. I tugged again, it won't budge. I tried again, harder this time, but it still won't come off.

Unfortunately it got stuck. And what was worse is that I can already sense Konan's chakra outside my door.

"Midori, it's me. Open up." Konan said which is followed by a soft knock. I desperately tried to yank the fork out of my hair.
"Just a second!" I shrieked. I leaned on the wall and tugged the fork away from my hair.
I heard another knock."Is there something wrong?" Konan asked seemingly suspicious already.
"No! Nothing's wrong. I'm just," I gave another violent tug which, thankfully, managed to get the fork off. But because of my lack of luck, I yanked a whole lot of hair from my scalp as well.

"Oh dear kami! Ouch!" I shrieked in a very high pitched voice.
Konan called to me. "Midori? What's wrong? I'm coming in OK?"
"Konan , wait! It's alright, you don't-" but Konan already barged in.

"What is it?" Konan eyed me worriedly. But when she saw my hair, my expression, and the fork which still has tufts of my hair on it which I desperately tried to hide on my back, she just smiled at me and seemed to understood. But she still looked a bit curious.

"Heh. I see" She summoned a bit of paper and hardened it, which she molded in the form of a comb.

She smiled at me. "There. Ready to go?" I just nodded, feeling my face heat up in embarrassment.

"Thanks.." I muttered and quickly brushed my hair. Upon walking out I grabbed my black lotus flower clip which goes really well with my kimono and clipped it on my hair. Finally, I walked out of the room and she followed soon after and closed the door.

She smiled at me. "No problem."
She started to walk and mentioned me to go and follow her.
"Let's go Midori. We don't have all day." And with a smile on my face. I started to walk away.

.

.

.

It took as a good 30 minutes to reach the training ground. But it turned out to be just a huge empty room with a high roof. I sighed with disappointment. Aren't training grounds supposed to be big?! Well.. it IS big, but there's no real training stuff. Just a huge empty room.

Konan told me that this is just the basic training ground and told me to do warm-ups.

I nodded and did what she told me. After I did all the basic exercises, Konan mentioned me to go to her.
Konan turned to me seriously.
"We need to make the most of the training Midori. Pein only gives recruits 3 times to practice. And we need to do this really quick." Her eyes darted to the doors.

I looked at her questioningly and jumped to a conclusion. "Why? Is sparring not allowed?"

Konan smiled at me sheepishly. "Ah. Exactly."

Now, I'm really confused. I frowned. "Then, why are you-"

She cut me off. "Because I really like you and I want you to pass." She smiled at me. "Now let's do this before Pein caught us." Then she smirked at me. "Besides, being around boys all day is such a pain in the ass." I raised my eyebrows and chuckled humorously at her rhymes.

She went to the center of the room and took a fighting stance.
"Are you ready?" She smirked at me.
I went to the center of the room and nodded.

Konan rushed to me with a paper Kunai in hand. I swiftly ducked to the side. Then I infused chakra on my fist and punched her. But before my fist made contact with her, she scattered into tiny pieces of paper. Then suddenly, all the papers that were fluttering a while ago became shurikens and came after me. Fortunately, I succesfully managed to dodge all of them. When I turned, Konan materialized from behind me and returned to her previous position.

We did the exercise for a few more minutes. Then I dashed at her, fire chakra swelling in my hand while my other hand is holding an explosive paper tag. I Slapped the tag to the ground next to me. It was just a minor explosive. Nothing but a mere D-class bomb. Nothing serious. I was going to use the fireball to distract her and then-

But I was too lost in my trail of thoughts that I didn't see Konan use her Dance of the shikigami. I barely dodged her paper projectiles which she hurled at me and I lost my balance and I stumbled. Everything seemed to be in slow motion, I looked horror stricken when the tounges of flame of the fireball on my hand touched the bomb tag. I quickly did hand signs.

"Substitution jutsu!" I shouted before the explosion hurt me. After I transported near Konan , I heard the really loud explosion. The ground shook and my teeth chattered in my skull. The explosion made a medium sized crater on the ground.

Our breaths were caught in our throats while Konan glared at me lightly and I just smiled sheepishly at her. I rubbed the back of my neck.
"Oops. Wrong bomb, got the C-class instead.. He he.. sorry.."
She looked at me strangely. "That was a C-class?! Tell me, did Deidara made that or-"

But, what she was about to say was cut off because the doors swung open. And what was worse, is that, there , stood Pein himself. Yes, PEIN. Konan and I both gasped loudly at the same time.

Pein stared at us."What, do both of you think you're doing?" He asked in his ever so intimidating and deathly calm voice.

Konan tried to explain. "Pein! We were just training and I-

"I see. Just don't make too much noise." Konan and I were utterly shocked at his reply. Aren't he supposed to be angry and such?

But the most shocking thing is what happened next. Pein created a Path with his Rinnegan and turned to me. "Use this to train. It's alright if you ruin it. Be strong and pass the test. You'll be a strong asset." And with that, he turned his back and left. Leaving Konan and I both speechless, mouth hanging open. Finally, Konan cleared her throat.

"L-let us not be distracted. Go on. Attack the Path." Konan nodded to the Deva Path that Pein left me to practice upon. It was turning it's head on an impossible angle.

"H-hai" I dashed to the front of the Path and swung my leg at him. He caught it as planned. Then I swung a chakra infused kick to his stomach using my free leg. I wiggled out of his grip as he flew a few feet away. A huge cloud of smoke appeared but I traced a silhouette. Then it burst out of the smoke.

The Path came dashing towards me and I jumped out of the way. He turned to me and hundreds of needles came shooting out of his sleeves.

Okay. I thought. Enough Taijutsu practice.

I quickly did handsigns. "Earth style: Mud wall!" A huge wall of earth shot out to defend me. With a soft thump, I landed on the ground safely.
Then I realized something. I can inflict as much pain as possible with that Path without hurting Pein as well. I grinned wickedly.
Hmm. A good opportunity to practice Raiton as well I guess.

"Midori! What are you doing?!" I can hear Konan shout from the other side of the room. "Fight!"

When my jutsu retracted to the ground, I smirked at the Path. "Enough playing around I guess."
I sighed and did various hand signs. "Lightning release: Blue eagle!" An eagle made of lightning made it's way to the Path. Then I threw explosive kunais at the Path's left and right just in case he tried to swerve to the side. Unfortunately, he jumped up then disappeared. I looked around with calculating eyes. Then before I knew it, he's behind me.

I did another round of hand signs "Wind release: Swift Blade!"

A fast blade of air sliced it's way to the Path before it reached me, the Path tried to avoid, but the blade of air was faster. It hit him straight in the chest. I followed it with another jutsu.
"Wind release: Twin hurricane!" Two hurricanes made it's way to the Path. He managed to avoid the first one, but the second hit him and sent him flying. Before he flew away too far, I released another technique.

"Water release: Water prison!" A huge bubble of water imprisoned the Path. Then I threw shurikens at the huge bubble of water where it floated aimlessly.
I did quick hand signs.
"Lightning release: Electric arrow!" It quickly made it's way to the bubble of water and electrocuted the Path. The shurikens I threw just widened the damage.

I dashed to get nearer to the Path. When the bubble disappeared, I forced chakra to my lungs and compressed it, turning it into water.
"Water release: Water pistol!" Water made it's way out of my mouth with so much pressure and sent the Path flying.

I was already getting tired and decided to deliver the final blow. I put chakra in my lungs and did hand signs.
"Fire release: Dragon's roar!" Hot, crackling fire came out of my mouth and hit the Path. A fog of smoke blocked my view. I smirked in triumph. Then, I sensed something moving. It's still alive. My eyes twitched. Doesn't that guy knows how to die?!

I sighed and did more hand signs, and this time, I'm sure the fight will be over.
" Fire release: Dragon's jaw!" A huge dragon made of fire came out beneath my feet and swallowed the Path whole. When the dragon disappeared, the Path is no longer in sight.

I sighed tiredly. This got more tiring than I expected.

I looked at Konan who looked at me in slight awe. "I have a feeling that you're still holding back there. Aren't you?"
I smirked at her. "Exactly."
She raised her eyebrows at me. "Impressive."

I chuckled and started to walked forward and swayed to the side but caught myself before I fell. This didn't went unnoticed to Konan . She put my hand on her shoulder and smiled at me. "Chakra exhaustion?"

I sighed and nodded. "Yes. I guess so."
We started to walk back to my room slowly to let me keep up. Surprisingly though, it didn't took as long as earlier. It took a whole lot longer.

After a long while, we finally reached my room. I removed my hand from Konan's neck and took a step forward.
I smiled at Konan . "I can take it from here." I opened my door slowly and entered my dim room.
She nodded at me and returned the smile. "I got a feeling we'll be good friends."
I nodded. "I think so too." I was about to close the door when Konan called out.
"Wait!" I opened the door a bit wider to hear her out. "Here". She handed me a small brush and left. I just smiled absently and shut the door.

Oh well..I guess Akatsuki ain't that bad after all.

Author's note:
I'm sorry if the fight scene ain't that good. I'll probably do better on the next chapter. Besides, I can't think properly since I'm in a supermarket while doing this. So, thank you for all those who continues to read my story and thanks for all the positive feedback! You made me keep going and reading your reviews just made my day! :3 By the way, sorry if the jutsus are English! Please review!