A/N: Hello! This is an AU, written with my darling sister, Samurai101. She and I have thrown this idea around for a while now. This is a partial backstory to her popular fic, "Burning Deadfall."

This can be read (and some of it will make so much more sense) after reading my earlier Naruto story, "Bitter Ash."

Prologue: You Got the Bonus

March 17

Shiranui Genma was in a hospital bed one fine March morning. The reason: a mission with a particularly rough tangle with Iwa-nin. Genma was alive, and that was what counted. However, his shinobicareer had been set back by some months due to his injuries. He had gotten his right hip dislocated, the femur fractured, and his knee badly strained. His ribs on that side were quite tender, cracked and bruised. Genma was bemoaning his fate to the I.V pole when a visitor arrived.

"Good to see you're up to complaining," the Hokage announced as he walked in.

"Er, Hokage-sama. Um...konnichiwa." Genma blinked. He was quite drugged and a little slow on the uptake.

The Sandaime smiled. "I understand you are to be released this week, yes? While normally you would be allowed a recovery period, I'm afraid we're too short on Jounin to allow that. I have to assign you another mission, starting in a week's time. Don't worry. I have taken your injuries into account. Here is your debriefing folder. If you accept, report to the mission desks next Thursday, at two." The Hokage smiled a bit more widely at Genma's bewilderment. "Good day."

Genma stared after the Hokage, unable to muster even a "goodbye." Then he stared at the folder set on his good toes like the paper might suddenly bite him. After several moments that proved the folder's relative harmlessness, Genma carefully sat up and retrieved it. He read through the papers contained therein twice, stared at the empty doorway the Hokage had left by, and the read the papers again.

His rather loud, disbelieving shout of "WHAT THE HECK?!" brought the attending nurses running.

A/N: The plot begins! What was in that folder?

This will be a very long adventure, so please be patient. I have, at this point, not finished this story, thus breaking my long-held policy of never posting a story I haven't finished. Laughs Please forgive me!

Also, I chose to italicize the Japanese words and phrases in this story, because I am American and Japanese is a foreign language to me. If you see any errors in my fangirl use, please feel free to correct me! I ask for criticism in general as well. Please. I need it to improve. Thank you!

Updates on Fridays or Thursdays, every week when I can manage. The first chapter will go up on Friday, tomorrow.

Iwa-nin Rock ninja

-sama An honorific indicating respect

Konnichiwa Good morning or good day, a general greeting.