A/N: Allright, more action and less talk this time! Here we go!

I do not own Naruto, nor any of these characters save Sashimoto Ayame. She's mine.

Title of this chapter inspired by one of the ending songs from the anime "Rurouni Kenshin," "It's Gonna Rain."

As a reminder, this is AU!


Chapter Two: Gonna Rain


March 28

Iruka got up when the sunbeam hit him squarely in the face. His bedroom window faced east, and he always got an early awakening. Iruka rolled out of bed and hit the floor on all fours. He yawned, stretched like a cat, and got to his feet. The floor was chilly, but it was still only March. He pattered into the bathroom and began his morning routine.

Iruka had ramen for breakfast. It was an easy breakfast, and it was warm. The tile floor of the kitchen was very chilly, so Iruka sat on the counter and ate. He could have sat at the kitchen table, but the stove was still warm from heating up the water. Iruka sat between the stove and the large glass jar that had a preserved squid in it. Iruka did not mind the squid. There were several jars with preserved creatures around the house, and having grown up with them, Iruka was quite used to them. Iruka's father had collected things in jars.

Iruka chunked the styrofoam cup and the brittle cheap chopsticks into the trash. He snagged an apple from the bowl on the counter and slid down to the floor. He was still wearing his pajama pants, but he had...Iruka checked the clock in the living room as he passed. He still had another hour before he needed to meet his Genin team and their new teacher. Iruka lived not too far away from the training grounds anyway, and it wouldn't take him long to get there.

Iruka got dressed and tidied up his bedroom. He trotted barefoot down the stairs and tidied up the kitchen. With that done, he went out onto the front porch and stared out into the yard. The yard was tiny, and unlike most yards out here was neither dirt nor garden. Iruka's mother had been stubborn, and insisted on having grass in her yard. So there was grass. Iruka hung his feet off the porch and scuffed them in the dewy grass. He waved at one of his neighbors--old widow Yamato--who was sweeping her yard. Iruka turned his face up to the sun and felt the sunlight warm him. His scar had been aching since last night, and the sunlight was stopping the throb in his face. The weather was going to change, probably today, Iruka thought.

Iruka sighed, and rubbed a thumb and forefinger along his scar. It helped the bone-deep ache go away. His scar was seven years old and healed, but it was still very sensitive to pressure changes in the air. Iruka rubbed harder, and traced the slight dents in the bone beneath the skin. He lifted his hand away with another sigh.

"Pressure's dropping fast, and moisture's picking up," he muttered. "Rain and thunder tonight, I'll bet. Maybe earlier if that drop keeps up." He stared up at the yet-cloudless sky. "Heh."

Iruka smiled, and scrambled to his feet. He trotted inside to gather up his shuriken and kunai. He had sharpened many of them last night, and as a result they were scattered across the living room floor. Iruka shuttled them together and stashed them in the appropriate holsters and pouches. He put them in place, and trotted out to the front door. He slid his sandals on, and headed out, locking the door behind him.

Iruka was at the training grounds first. He found training ground three, and wandered across it, examining the terrain. It had a small pond in it, and a few scattered trees, but it was mostly level ground. Iruka stared at the pond. He looked around, and gave into the itching temptation that made his toes curl. He walked out across the water.

Water-walking was slightly difficult, as Iruka was much denser than the water. However, the proper fluctuations of chakra kept the surface tension intact under his feet. Iruka could water-walk with the same amount of thought he gave to breathing--he had been manipulating chakra since he had been six. His mother had taught him to water-walk--with or without sandals, dry or soaking wet, carrying burdens or alone. He mother had been quite demanding. Iruka smiled, and ran across the water, skidding across the surface as though it were ice. It was trickier than just walking, but Iruka could do it.

Stepping back on land made him stumble. Solid earth did not move like water. There was no give. Iruka wobbled about five steps before he got used to it again. Then he charged off across the grassy field, turning cart-wheels and hand-springs just because he felt like it. He waited by the gate, but he was feeling too energetic to wait quietly. He was practising his Konoha taijutsu when Genma showed up. Iruka had been aware of his new teacher's approach, but kept going.

"Well, you're either trying to impress me or you're being rude again," Genma told him.

Iruka slid into a stance, and glanced at his teacher. Genma's eyes were surprisingly light-coloured, and they were fixed on him. Iruka swept into a short attack routine, and looked again at his teacher when he paused. "Can't sit still," he answered, shortly.

There came a snort from his teacher.

Iruka kept an eye on the teenager. He seemed a nice enough sort of guy--certainly nicer than Hiko-sensei had ever been. But Iruka had only met Genma yesterday, and Iruka still did not trust the teenager. Therefore, none of the stance and routines Iruka went through left his back facing Genma. He kept a close eye on the teenager, quite aware when Genma sighed and sat on the ground under the tree, setting his crutches aside. Iruka stuttered through a more advanced routine, and hesitated.

"You've got your feet wrong."

The rich tenor was indeed Genma. Iruka whirled to face him. Genma had a senbon between his teeth again, and it waggled as he spoke. "Third strike, turn that left foot out, not in. And fifth stance, you've got your left foot forward instead of your right. Your timing's off, too. Slow it up a little."

"Oh. Thanks." Iruka tried it again, found the routine flowed much more smoothly, and wound up standing not a foot from Genma. To his credit, the older ninja did not react to Iruka's advance, other than to give the boy a lazy-lidded stare. "Hey, that was better."

"Which is why I'm the teacher," Genma drawled, "and you're the student."

Iruka shrugged and dropped into a crouch. He reached out and prodded Genma's unhurt foot. "So how did you get broken?"

Genma gave him a flat look. "Mission troubles. What, are you playing footise with me?"

"No. Could if you wanted, though." Iruka beamed, and leaned back on one palm to free a foot to nudge his teacher's. "Just can't sit still."

Genma smirked a little. Iruka almost withdrew his foot. That was a dangerous smile, and those heavy lids did not quite hide the spark in Genma's pale, honey-coloured eyes. Then the edge dropped away, and Genma looked merely amused. "I suppose you can't. The weather's changing."

"How did you know?" Iruka shifted, and scooted closer. Idly, he started picking grass and shredding it.

"Broken bones. Good barometer," Genma replied.

Iruka looked up. He felt...yes, there was Hayate, quietly walking up, wearing jeans with the knees out and a dark T-shirt. Hayate smiled his little smile and waved. Iruka waved vigorously back, beaming. "Hayate! Ohayo! Hey, cool, you brought your sword!"

Hayate reached up almost self-consciously and touched the hilt nestled above his left shoulder. "I'm not at the Academy anymore." He smiled at Iruka, then turned to Genma. "Ohayo gozaimasu, Genma-sensei."

"Ohayo. A katana, eh?"

Hayate nodded. He had his hitai-ate tied over his head like a bandanna, covering his unruly curls. "Hai."

Iruka cackled, and jumped to his feet. "So cool!"

He bounced over to Hayate and ruffled what curls he could.

Hayate promptly grabbed his wrist, twisted, and locked his elbow. Iruka yelped and reached around with his other hand to dig his fingertips into the nerves in Hayate's wrist. Hayate bared his teeth in a grimace but did not let go. Instead he shifted his feet, pulled on Iruka's trapped arm, and flipped Iruka to the ground.

Iruka snagged Hayate's T-shirt as he went and pulled hard, using the momentum and shift of balance and hands and feet to flip Hayate over him and onto the ground as well. Iruka rolled over his shoulder and bounced back to his feet, but Hayate had rolled as well, and was beyond his reach. Iruka laughed at him. Hayate shook his head and smiled back.

Genma chuckled, and they both turned to look at him.

"Let him warm up, and then you two can spar." Genma nodded to Hayate as he spoke. "I want to see what you can do. Don't go far, though, or I won't be able to watch you."

"Okay." Iruka bounced on his toes. "C'mon, Hayate. You heard the teacher."

"It's not often I get told to fight with you." Hayate interlaced his fingers and stretched, arms out in front of him. "I suppose I had better enjoy this while I can."

"Yeah! You'd better make it worth my time!" Iruka mock-sneered, lacing his tone with playful contempt.

Hayate raised an eyebrow, and continued stretching. Iruka laughed at him. While Hayate stretched and got warmed up, Iruka practised walking on his hands. He was getting better at it, though he doubted he could walk on water on his hands. He was still having a little trouble with the balance. Iruka flipped himself back onto his feet. He watched Hayate finish a stretch and settle into position. Iruka waited until Hayate nodded. Then he pounced.

Iruka liked sparring against Hayate. Hayate was fast, so it was a challenge to stay ahead of him. Iruka spent a few moments just blocking, before he could catch the pace and match it. He flung himself headlong into the fight. It was the only way to get any strikes in. He was a little reckless, leaving openings in his guard, but he just was not as fast as Hayate. However, he was heavier and huskier. Hayate was twig-thin. Iruka was not. Iruka knew if he could actually grab Hayate, he could easily overpower him and pin him. The problem was grabbing Hayate in the first place.

They kept the textbook stances of the Academy style only for the first flurry of blows. Then they used the tiny alterations that adapted the universal schooled moves to their own styles. Hayate rarely used the official dodges, and Iruka disliked the footwork. Iruka had been taught two separate styles of hand-to-hand combat. Though he could--if he concentrated--use each separately, in a fight like this it was easier to base his blocks and footwork on the Kiriga style, though he used the Konoha attack patterns and dodges. It was easier to keep his feet and gain advantages over his opponent.

Iruka blocked Hayate's high kick with an angled fore-arm, letting the force of the attack misdirect and slide away. Iruka lunged forward as Hayate pulled back, striking for Hayate's chest with his other hand. Hayate performed a boneless-looking dodge, and Iruka mentally winced. Not many people could bend at the waist at that angle. Hayate snapped back upright with a punch that grazed Iruka's ear as Iruka kicked back out of range. Iruka slid into a crouch and lunged forward, under Hayate's next strike. Hayate just barely blocked the blow aimed for his abdomen. He snapped his knee up into Iruka's ribs. Iruka grunted, twisted, and cheated. He dropped his curled fingers into the side of Hayate's knee, a nerve strike that made Hayate's leg go out from under him and nearly dropped him. Iruka pressed his advantage.

He grabbed Hayate's upper arm and pulled, ducking low to put his shoulder into Hayate's gut. Hayate grunted, but kicked off with his good leg and flipped over Iruka's shoulder and back, pulling his arm from Iruka's grasp as he went. Iruka twisted around, but he was a fraction too slow and Hayate's left hook caught him square in the chin. Iruka staggered and went down abruptly. He shook his head to clear it, and rubbed his jaw.

Hayate was bouncing on his toes, eyeing Iruka carefully and with a little shame. Iruka stuck his tongue out. "Ouch. Good hit, Hayate."

"Very nice," Genma called. "That's enough."

Iruka scrambled to his feet, and dusted off the seat of his pants. He examined his right wrist--he had misjudged one of Hayate's kicks. It was going to bruise, but only a little. Iruka bounced over to Hayate. "That was fun! I like it when you dodge like that. Makes it a challenge."

"You changed your blocks." Hayate shrugged a little. "I wasn't expecting that."

"Come here, you two." Genma was eying them both.

Iruka skipped over, followed more sedately by Hayate. Iruka knew Hayate would be slow, now, and careful of his breathing. Iruka plopped down to sit in front of Genma, and wiggled his toes at his teacher. "Yes, oh-mighty-teacher?"

Hayate cleared his throat hoarsely. "Iruka, be nice." He sat down beside Iruka.

Iruka grinned and shrugged at him.

Genma shook his head at them both. "Er...Hayate. Were you using chakra when you fought?"

"No," Iruka interjected. "He never does."

The comment earned him a mild glare from Genma. Iruka did not mind. Hayate needed to catch his breath back before he talked too much. Iruka knew that fact well enough that he did not think Hayate would mind Iruka answering for him. Hayate gave him a mildly exasperated look, and elbowed him in the ribs. Iruka took it with a grin.

"Iruka's right. I don't push chakra when I spar." Hayate nodded a little.

"Hmm." Genma rolled the senbon from one corner of his mouth to the other. "Can I see what it looks like when you do? Just a set of kata would do, say, routine seventeen?"

Hayate nodded, and got back to his feet. Iruka twisted around to watch his friend. He knew what was going to happen, and he knew their new teacher was going to be quite surprised. Iruka grinned, and watched as Hayate set his feet, closed his eyes to concentrate, pushed chakra into his legs and feet and...vanished. Iruka grinned widely at Genma's startled oath, and kept his eyes on the way the grass was disturbed. Tracking that, he wound up looking in the correct direction when Hayate re-appeared. He cheered and clapped his hands, though he knew Hayate disliked it.

"Impressive as always!"

Hayate glared at him, then ducked his head to cough. Iruka winced. He really disliked Hayate's chronic cough. It was centered deep in the boy's chest. It sounded awful, but that was usually all. It sounded ten times worse in the spring and summer, however, and it was March. Hayate coughed, deep and nastily wet, then turned his head and spat. He straightened up and walked slowly back, breathing carefully.

"If you could just hack up that other lung, you'd be fine," Iruka drawled, leaning back on an arm.

Hayate mimed kicking him in the face. Iruka grinned and pretended to duck. He loved teasing Hayate. Hayate took it so much better than their other classmates had. And Hayate teased back, when he was in the right mood. That was tons of fun.

"What's up with that cough?" Genma asked, sounding strangely alert. Iruka glanced at him--the teenager was leaning forward, watching Hayate carefully. "You sick or something?"

Hayate shook his head. "No, not really. I...It's the trees. The leaves make me cough."

"The trees, eh?" Genma raised both eyebrows, and leaned back against his tree. "Hmm. Well, your chakra control is a little sloppy, but your speed is impressive. Okay, Iruka. Your turn. Same routine, using chakra."

Iruka bounced to his feet. As he did, he caught sight of their last team-mate arriving. "Ayame! You're late!" he called, scolding and laughing. "What took you so long?"

Ayame ran into the training grounds and skidded to a halt in front of Genma. She ignored Iruka completely. "Sumanisen, Genma-sensei! My alarm didn't go off and I overslept!" Her red hair was in curly disarray, but her hitai-ate was tied neatly, and her baby-doll T-shirt was tucked carefully into her jean skort. Her weapon pouches were also neatly in place.

Iruka frowned at her. He disliked being ignored. "More like you slept through it," he jeered.

"I'm not lazy like you, goof-off," Ayame shot back.

Iruka beamed at her. "No? But you kept falling asleep in class."

"You...you!" Ayame fumed. She stamped her feet and glared. Iruka cackled outright. He won.

"You're here, that's what matters," Genma said, a little testily. "Brat, what did I tell you to do?"

"Routine seventeen, with chakra!" Iruka repeated.

"Then why aren't you doing it?" That was definitely a growl. Iruka grinned his best, cockiest grin, and trotted off to do as he was told. Apparently even his new teacher had a temper. Iruka determined to find out exactly how to provoke that temper. It was always good information to know, after all.

"Because I'm being contrary!" he shot over his shoulder, before he began the routine.

Iruka set his feet, and shut his eyes. He did not, like Hayate, "push" chakra. He instead coaxed the flow to be thicker, faster where he wanted it. It made his legs and feet tingle and feel crawly. Iruka launched through the attack routine. The world blurred as he flowed through the attacks, the chakra giving him a boost of speed and power. It was a carefully regulated boost, however. Iruka only used enough chakra to alter his speed noticeably.

Iruka finished, and turned to grin at his teacher. He noticed Ayame was doing stretches and warming up. Iruka trotted over to sit by Hayate again.

Genma was wiggling the senbon up and down. Iruka betted that much metal contact was bad for the teenager's teeth. "Your chakra control is excellent, brat. You didn't learn those techniques in the Academy, now did you?"

"No. My mother taught me." Iruka beamed. And so she had. He had never learned any techniques for chakra at the Academy. It had driven the instructors insane, but Iruka was quite stubborn. That, and it made so much more sense to work with the natural flow of his chakra, rather than force it along. Iruka was sensible...in his own unique ways.

Genma had a very interesting expression on, under those heavy lids and languid lips. Iruka could not quite decipher that look. "I see. Well, since Ayame's warmed up, and you seem to have so much energy, you go spar with her. Remember, stay close."

Iruka laughed and whirled to do so, even though the throb in his skull spiked painfully.

It was going to rain today.


A/N: Yay, fights! Up next: the rain comes and Iruka visits Hayate.

Please go read Samurai101's Burning Deadfall, it's so much better than this!

A big thank you for my reviwers: Bobboky, Esoteric Memories, Ice Dragon3, umino-gaara, and of course Samurai101!

Also, who-ever put my story in a C2, could you please step forward? I don't mind, but I would liked to be asked first and would love to know who you are. Drop a review, PM, or Email to me. Thanks!

Ohayo gozaimasu Good Morning (Hayate used the very polite form, while Iruka and Genma used the more casual version, just ohayo)