A/N's: Whoo boy this chapter took me awhile to write. This one brings in the main conflict of the story, but it's more so plot building than actual conflict. Hopefully it's not too confusing, but I like to slowly ease into conflict with stories, rather than introduce them out of the blue. That was another issue I had with my earlier version of this story. Hope y'all like it so far/like the revisions. Please let me know your thoughts! I value reviews sm!

Chapter 11: A New Name (Pt I)

"Thank you so much for agreeing to meet on such short notice, Tsuchikage-sama," a tired voice spoke to a large tv screen. "It really means a lot, you know?"

"Hokage-sama," the black-haired woman on the other side said. "Are you sure you're up for this meeting in the first place? You look like you could use some rest." She narrowed her eyes carefully at the exhausted Hokage.

The blonde rubbed the back of his head, a wide grin on his face. "Aw, don't worry about that! Things in the village are peaceful, and that's all that really matters, you know?" He ignored the snort from the other person in the room.

"In any case," Naruto began seriously. "I wanted to get down to business. I'm not sure if you've heard, but just last week, Konoha's Police Department apprehended a man of the name Hiroto Goya."

"Hiroto Goya?" Kurotsuchi asked, eyebrows pinched together.

"That's right," he said with a nod. "He threatened to bomb Konoha's central market area and even took a hostage. Thankfully no one got hurt in the end, but it's been tough trying to get a clear response out of the guy when we tried interrogating him. He's a little…"

"Out of his mind," Shikamaru answered, flipping through the notes on his clipboard. "His personal background entails him having a history of espionage and explosives, and we recently discovered that he was a former prisoner of Iwa's until his release just a few weeks ago."

The Tsuchikage's eyes widened. The Hokage and his advisor saw Kurotsuchi whisper to another man in the room before they left the room.

"Interestingly enough," the Nara continued. "He was able to divulge quite a bit of sensitive information to us, rather easily. Or at least, the information would have been sensitive. Seems like Goya's been out of it for quite some time."

Naruto stared at the screen, locking eyes with the woman on the other end. "Goya said he would give all the information he had in exchange for 'gold,' but through repeated attempts, we've found that he doesn't actually want money."

Before the Tsuchikage could respond with more questions, her advisor returned with a handful of documents.

"Hiroto Goya," Kurotsuchi echoed, eyes carefully perusing the pages. "You're correct; he's been out of commission for quite a while. He's been a prisoner of our system since the times of my grandfather."

"Old man Ohnoki?" Naruto questioned.

Kurotsuchi sighed. "It's not exactly something I know much of, but I can tell you now that the psychotic behavior you see in Goya is a result of a discontinued interrogation method that Iwa used to do on its prisoners."

Shikamaru paused, eyebrows furrowed. "...Interrogation method?"

"An interrogation method with no chance of failure," she nodded, deep in thought. "Any person subject to this treatment would reveal any source of valuable information they knew without hesitation, but… it would break their minds in the process. Grandfather chose to discontinue its use after the War due to ethical concerns with the resulting state of the prisoners."

"What sort of interrogation method could break someone's mind so badly?" Naruto asked with slight disbelief. "I mean, we had to put the guy in a straight jacket to keep him from hurting himself, you know!"

"And why was he released?" Shikamaru asked pointedly.

"From what we have documented," Kurotsuchi read off the page. "Psychiatrists in the prison ward thought Goya was ready to be slowly reintroduced back into society. We were hoping to keep an eye on him for the weeks after his release, but he was nowhere to be found."

"So the madman traveled all the way from Iwa to Konoha?"

"It looks like it," she said with a sigh. "We can take him from here, Hokage-sama. I should have a few of my men ready to pick up Goya by morning to get him situated back in one of our cells and looked at by one of our specialists."

Shikamaru stroked his beard in thought. "So what exactly is the substance that you used? The 'gold?'"

The Tsuchikage looked down, hesitance apparent on her hardened features.

"You don't know," the Nara eventually concluded. What a drag this situation was turning into.

"Grandpa took a lot of things to the grave with him," Kurotsuchi replied simply. "This is one of them. I'm going to do my best to look into the situation, Hokage-same. In the meantime, please bear with us as we investigate. I'll make sure to keep you updated."

Bright blue eyes flashed with uncertainty before fixing themselves into a tired grin.

"Please let us know if you find anything," Naruto asked. "It would really mean a lot, you know?"

"How about now?"

"It's still a bit crooked."

The Aburame stood a small distance away from the honey shop, observing the woman hang up a freshly painted sign. He intended to make a brief stop after his work day ended, but ultimately stayed when the woman asked him to be a second pair of eyes for adjustments.

The Kamizuru groaned loudly. "Still?" She huffed, readjusting the sign once more. "Are you sure you're looking at it right?"

"I'm standing right here, Mitsubachi-sama," he said with a dry chuckle. "As I've been standing here for the past 30 minutes or so. Are you really set on calling your store 'Honey Shop'? It doesn't seem very unique..."

"I could do without the commentary, Shino," she chirped in a sing-song voice. Shino didn't miss the barb and smiled inwardly in amusement.

"Forget it," she finally groaned, hopping down from the high stool she was standing on. The Aburame was a bit surprised that she hadn't fallen considering the chair's instability.

The brunette marched herself next to where the man was standing, tilting her head.

"Oh no, you're right," Mitsubachi exclaimed unhappily. "It is still crooked. And now that I'm looking at it from over here, I don't think I like the way I painted the sign either; the second 'o' in 'Shop' looks so sad. And 'Honey Shop' isn't a bad name, right? I mean, I couldn't think of anything that I liked, and it gets the point across–"

The sign fell to the ground face-first with a loud 'thunk.'

The honey vendor hummed flatly. "Point taken."

The Aburame slowly walked over to pick up the sign and propped it gently against the counter.

"It's not a bad name, Mitsubachi," he said truthfully. "However, I don't think it quite suits you. It sounds like something I would name a honey store."

"...That's not a bad thing," she looked down, a thoughtful frown on her face.

The Aburame gave the woman his patented 'Academy teacher smile' to comfort her. "You'll think of something."

The two made their way to the chairs situated by the old counter and took a seat next to each other. A comfortable silence filled the air as they contented themselves to listen to the peaceful sounds of summer. Shino heard Mitsubachi hum in a satisfactory stretch next to him.

The Kamizuru woman peered at the man next to her from the corner of her eye. Almost bashfully, she asked, "Can I… may I see one of them?"

Shino looked at her, eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"One of your kikai, I mean? I guess I should have specified that, huh?" Mitsubachi laughed quietly to herself.

He paused in a bit of surprise at the woman's request. After a few moments, he summoned forth a single kikaichu, letting the tiny insect crawl upon his open palm.

He secretly watched the honey vendor lean forward, steel gray eyes focusing on the small life in the man's hand. He gave a pleased smile at the way she didn't recoil at its sight.

"You know," she said with interest. "They're much smaller than I thought."

"Their small size is helpful in battle," the Aburame explained. "It's easier to utilize their large numbers in a fight. Storing them is also easier due to surface area."

He watched the insect roam around his hand, wanting to rejoin its brothers and sisters underneath his skin. With a bit of hesitation, he held out his hand.

"Would you… like to hold it?"

The honey vendor looked up at him, mouth slightly agape. "Can I?"

Wordlessly, the man nodded, brushing their hands together so the insect could crawl onto hers. She cupped her hands together, delicately cradling the single kikai as a light smile crossed her face. It gave a few chirps before beginning to quickly move about the surface of her palm.

"I think they want off," she laughed, tilting her hand to have a better view of the insect.

The Aburame reached his hand forward, noting the way their hands brushed against each other again, to allow the insect back into its home underneath his skin. He watched the way Mitsubachi stared at him, and with a rare desire to show off, he summoned forth a larger amount of his insects.

Using his chakra, he ordered his kikai to move about in a small halo before morphing into an image the woman was sure to appreciate.

Mitsubachi leaned closer, admiring the realistic flower he formed. A chrysanthemum. He remembered she liked them. She clapped her hands in delight, and Shino felt his chest lighten.

"Oh wow," she said with a gasp. "I can't even tell they're your kikai anymore! Do it again!"

She nudged his arm excitedly, and the man easily obliged. He ordered the insects to shift into the image of a butterfly, even mimicking its irregular flight pattern.

Putting on a small show for the enthralled honey vendor, the insects dispersed from their packed shape like fireworks, fluttering about in a little dance before making their way back underneath the man's skin.

"That's amazing," Mitsubachi commented almost breathlessly. "You have such control over your insects."

The honey vendor bowed. In a feigned haughty voice, she continued, "Truly the marks of an adept and skilled insect handler, Aburame-sama. A most excellent display."

"Why thank you," Shino replied in a similar manner. "Your praise truly means quite a bit, Kamizuru-sama."

He smiled at the way she nudged at his shoulder again before giggling to herself.

"Seriously speaking," she continued with a raised brow, "Do people actually talk to you like that?"

Shino gave a half-shrug. "A few, yes. Although I'm not the biggest fan of the exceedingly formal address."

"What, you don't like the royal treatment? You're of nobility, no?" She tilted her head with a smile, urging the man to speak a bit more about himself.

"I don't typically feel the urge to flaunt my status or abilities," Shino finally revealed. "My clan as a whole strives for an image of quiet modesty. From the way we dress, to the way we express our emotions. Emotional outbursts tend to… impact our kikai. They become riled up if we are too loose with our emotions."

Mitsubachi craned her head, quietly taking in the information. The Aburame's words caused an old memory to bubble to the surface.

...

"That cursed family! Foreboding nuisances, the lot of them! Off-putting mutes," one of her clan's elder women would say.

Whenever the topic of the Aburame arose in conversation, it was never with words of pleasantry. The older woman grumbled to herself about how their clan's situation would have been vastly different had they won that first battle all those years ago. She used experienced old hands to quickly wrap a ribbon around the stems of a new floral bouquet.

The little girl nodded along to the words she's heard all of her life, but was more keen on observing the beautiful flowers.

"Never trust the quiet ones, my dear. Especially from that clan," the other elder woman would chip in as she arranged jars of mead onto a storage shelf.

"They'll… snatch you away! Like silent monsters." The old woman smiled pleasantly at the small child, stroking a finger against her little freckled nose before poking at her sides to tickle her.

Little Mitsubachi giggled as she dodged about to evade the onslaught of sensitive brushes. She gasped when a small flower crown was unexpectedly placed upon her head.

"Now," the kindly elder began, handing her a small basket, "Go and give this to your mother, would you? Little honey bee?"

"Yes, ma'am," she would say, completely at ease with the venomous words and assumptions the two women had made.

...

The Kamizuru's thoughts were broken by the sound of Shino sighing next to her as he reveled in the peaceful quiet.

She could see now that the Aburame were most likely just naturally quiet. Of course she knew of the loss her own clan experienced against the Aburame, but more and more, she struggled to see how her family could paint Shino's in such a bad manner up until now.

A wave of guilt coursed through her.

"Do you summon any insects?" Shino asked, breaking her thoughts. "Mitsubachi?"

"Uh…" she blinked, caught off guard by the question. "... I do! I do, actually."

The Aburame's eyebrows raised in a show of interest.

The woman looked around. With a light exhale, she summoned forth a single honeybee. The small insect flew about her in a quick halo before settling down upon her palm.

Wordlessly, she ordered the tiny insect to fly over to the man next to her. Shino leaned in as it quickly settled onto the tip of his finger.

"It's fast," Shino noted with a bit of surprise.

The insect was small, but much more agile than any species of bee or wasp he had ever encountered. It may have even been faster than his own kikai.

"Are you able to summon more?" he asked.

A few moments later, a small number of the fuzzy pollinators made their way to Shino, buzzing as they actively made loops around his arm.

"Very fast," he commented, watching the insect's flight patterns. Controlled and synchronous.

"The majority of my clan, when there were still more of us left," Mitsubachi explained, "weren't able to summon insects from their bodies, and typically used seals or regular honey bees during battle. Only higher-ranking members and those believed to be prodigies from a younger age were given the right to house these ones."

"Truth be told," she continued with a dry laugh. "I probably wouldn't have them if I wasn't born into the main branch of my family."

The Aburame focused all of his attention on the woman as the bees made their way back to her. One, however, remained delicately cradled in her hand.

"What do you mean? Mitsubachi-san?"

"Like the Aburame's kikaichu, these specialized honey bees use chakra as their main food source," she explained, watching the insect fly circles around her wrist. "But because of their less efficient surface area, they need to devour more to be used effectively."

"You need to have fine chakra control to wield them in combat," Shino said with a nod of understanding. "I see."

Mitsubachi sucked her cheeks in and giggled nervously. "Yeah, my chakra control is… not great," she gestured with her hand. "Well no, it's not bad, relatively speaking; it's just… not ideal for the clan heiress? That's what I want to say, at least."

She continued with a sigh. "Because these little guys eat more chakra, I can only use so many in battle. But since I don't typically fight or train outside of my mother's daily regiments, I get a bit… 'work-shy' with chakra control practice."

Shino's expression was neutral, but he held an inward smirk. "You mean lazy?"

"I prefer 'work-shy,' but I suppose..." she paused to laugh. Shino noticed how the woman's eyes took on a sad expression. "In layman's terms, I'm not great at utilizing my chakra. Or fighting, really. And she's never said it before, but I think it disappoints my mom."

The Aburame looked at the woman sympathetically. "Why would you say that?"

"My mother... well in all honesty, my clan would have fallen apart completely if it wasn't for her," Mitsubachi answered with a forlorn shrug. "That's the sad truth of the matter. She's always been such a strong woman and leader, and sometimes I feel like... like I won't be good enough to take her place once I'm the head of my clan. Like my clan could do so much better with another heiress. Does that make sense?"

Shino paused, taking a moment to ponder her words. After a long moment, he finally spoke.

"... I understand," he said with a bit of difficulty.

"Really?"

Shino didn't miss the disbelief in her voice. A light sigh escaped him as he nodded. "I do."

Mitsubachi shook her head. "But you're so accomplished, Shino! I couldn't think of someone more fitting to be the next head of the Aburame than you."

"I think you may be overestimating me, my lady," he replied, voice self-contained.

Shino crossed his arms, trying to organize his body in a way to prevent himself from feeling awkward. He felt out of place coming to grips with his insecurities, especially in the presence of another person.

As much as he tried to hide it, Shino understood how Mitsubachi was feeling all too well. Ever since he was young, Shino understood.

Shibi was an amazing leader, the renowned "Pride of the Aburame." And while Shino's pride in his father and of his lineage grew with that title, the feeling of being unprepared and being an underwhelming leader grew with it. In all honesty, Shino was unnerved by the notion that he would have to fill in Shibi's shoes when the time came.

Shibi grew into his position once he was declared clan head in his early twenties after the death of Shino's grandfather, leading out of the harsh necessities of the times. His father became an elite and accomplished Jounin and even had time to make a family and life outside of work-related matters.

And here Shino was, 33 and struggling to make it to a second date.

"I think you may be underestimating yourself, my lord," Mitsubachi countered with a sympathetic look. Shino turned to face her.

"I know I can't magically make your insecurities disappear," she said with a hum. Steel-gray eyes gazed at him earnestly, "But for all it's worth, I really do think you'd make an amazing clan leader, Shino. You're an intelligent man, a respected Shinobi, and a good teacher and leader. Plus an amazing friend..."

"... If I was an Aburame," she continued, smiling brightly at the man. "I would consider myself very lucky to have you as my leader!"

Shino stared at her for a long moment before the corners of his lips slightly raised.

"... Thank you, Mitsubachi Kamizuru."

"You're ever-so-welcome, Shino Aburame."

A sweet air filled the atmosphere as the two stared off into the distance. Though the road ahead would be a difficult one to cross, it was nice knowing someone else could empathize with the uncertainty, the gnawing feelings of inadequacy.

Shino smiled, still looking forward. "I'd like to share something with you. A small secret, if you will."

Mitsubachi turned her full attention to the man, and he continued quietly. "You might think that the Aburame's title of nobility is something to be seen as praiseworthy, but the honest truth is that members of my clan tend to be… forgotten. Looked past, and disregarded as 'creepy.'

The woman looked at him sadly, fighting the urge to give the man a long and comforting hug. It was hard having others be afraid of your appearance and abilities, and she understood that too well. Back home, she always had to hide the fact that she housed insects underneath her skin to outsiders. More often than not, she would feign happiness and force accommodating mannerisms so others wouldn't be uncomfortable.

"A long time ago, I used to frequent an old tea shop when I was a Genin, just outside of Konoha's borders," Shino continued. "As an Aburame, I've experienced my fair share of unpleasantries by restaurants and servers alike, but the old shop owner always remembered me. That meant more to me than I realized. That tea shop, in a way, became a small home away from home for me."

"Unfortunately," he said with a sigh. "They went out of business a few years ago, but it never really dawns on one how much something means to you until it's gone. This was a rather lengthy way to tell you that… that I've always found shop owners admirable. Having the patience and capability to run a business and follow one's passion is truly something to commend. And being a kind and accepting person is a skill all on its own that even I've yet to fully master."

Mitsubachi's eyes widened as the man spoke. Shino didn't speak as much as the average person by far, but the Aburame had this commanding approach in his words that made her believe in him and want to listen.

Shino smiled down at the Kamizuru woman beside him. "... That's why I think you shouldn't downplay your own accomplishments, Mitsubachi. I appreciate your praise for what I've done, but I think you should evaluate what you yourself have been able to accomplish so far away from your family. From what I've seen of your character and how much you've progressed in the short amount of time since I've met you, I believe you would be more than enough to fill the shoes of your mother."

"You…" Her eyes glistened as she found the strength to speak. "... Do you really mean that?"

Shino nodded. "Of course. It may not be easy for the two of us," he said with a tired sigh. "But I believe we would make exemplary clan heads when the time comes."

"Yeah," she answered, looking down with a smile on her face. "Yeah, I like the sound of that. Very much."

A comfortable silence filled the air once more as the two respective clan members contented themselves in the light atmosphere.

"You know," Mitsubachi suddenly spoke up. "Even if we feel unsure about our capabilities now, don't you think we'd make a big splash if we somehow managed to create peace between our clans? Ushering in a new era of peace and correspondences between the Aburame and the Kamizuru…"

She reached over and squeezed Shino's hand. "Imagine it!"

The Aburame swallowed, unused to the sudden close contact. "Yes, our tentative peace agreement," he answered with a nod. "It won't be easy, but I believe the more we learn about each other and our clan's histories and traditions, all the better to formulate a bond of friendship, so to say. For us and for our clans."

"Right! Right..." She said, her voice slightly dropping. "A bond of friendship."

Shino didn't miss her sigh. He felt a strange wave of disappointment run through him as she phrased those words, and even more disappointment after she let go of his hand. It suddenly dawned on the man that his words the other night held more weight than he thought.

What they were planning, what they were hoping to accomplish, was completely unprecedented.

It was unlike Shino to go against the foundations and leadership of his clan by being friends with Mitsubachi in the first place. The man valued tradition and felt that the younger generations should never disregard the experiences of those before them.

Hatred and bigotry towards another clan, however, was something Shino didn't want to be passed along any further. For a long time, the Aburame thought that peace between his clan and the Kamizuru would simply remain a passing dream, never to be vocalized or acted upon.

After all, there was no way the clan elders would take back their negative thoughts and ideologies towards a clan that no longer existed.

But they did exist. The woman sitting next to him, talking with Shino so comfortably and congenially, was living proof that there was still hope for change. The peace he and Mitsubachi wanted was fragile and tentative; any wrong moves on either of their ends could shatter any notion of good will between their clans forever.

He saw Mitsubachi glance his way, the corners of her lips raising before she looked away. Shino found himself quietly admiring the way her freckles decorated her cheeks, complimenting the liveliness of her lopsided smile. Cheerful and animated, if somewhat dramatic.

Shino liked her smile quite a bit. He even liked her high-spirited excitement and bubbly nature, despite it being the exact opposite of his own. A growing concern rose in the man's chest that he might simply like her.

It was simply the most logical decision, however, for both parties to remain friends. Partnering with the fact that Mitsubachi only had about a year in Konoha before she had to return home really didn't give them that much time together.

Shino felt a pressure in his chest at the thought that after a year, he may never see her again. He would be a fool to pursue something more than friendship.

In any case, the Aburame enjoyed these moments between them. He enjoyed being in the Kamizuru woman's company, grading while she gardened. Enjoyed the polite conversation about their lives and interests. The ability to share common feelings and experiences as insect handlers.

A content smile formed on the man's face. They could still do all of those things as friends. Shino could be glad for that.

He felt her slowly remove her hand from his, and—despite the way he missed the warm contact— the Aburame contented himself with the space between them.

"Tsuchikage-sama," a guard said, bowing reverently. It wasn't often their leader made an appearance at Iwa's local incarceration facility.

The black-haired woman raised a hand. "Do you know of the former prisoner Hiroto Goya?"

"Goya?" The man's eyebrows raised. "Yes, he was ordered to be released a few weeks ago under careful government surveillance."

Kurotsuchi sighed, jostling the folder under her arm slightly. "Unfortunately, Goya went missing and wounded up in Konoha, threatening to destroy their local market."

"He went all the way to Konoha," the guard gasped.

"That's right. I want to see if something in Goya's old cell could give us a clue on what happened to him. What he wants, and what could have broken a man's mind so badly."

The guard exhaled through gritted teeth. "You really want to see Prison Block D?"

Kurotsuchi paused, unaware they even had a Prison Block D. "It's imperative that I see it," she answered with a nod.

As the two walked past the regular prison cells, Kurotsuchi fought the urge to show the prisoners that made whistling noises at her a thing or two about manners. Eventually, she and the guard made their way to a closed-off underground corridor blocked by heavy steel doors.

The guard punched in an intricate code, opening the doors, and the two walked through the dark path. As they moved closer, the Tsuchikage's eyes widened in horror at the ghastly moans she heard echoing through the hall. This corridor was here the whole time?

"You might wanna prepare yourself," the guard said. "Block D is a bit… loud."

The cries grew closer as the two approached. As the second set of steel doors opened with a different code this time, Kurotsuchi was almost appalled at the sight.

Rows of filled cells, at least 50, littered about the isolated prison block. The men imprisoned inside cried loudly in desperation, moans echoing and bouncing off of the walls. The guard that accompanied the Tsuchikage nudged at the other guard on duty, who was currently sporting a large pair of bulky, noise-cancelling headphones as he read a copy of Icha Icha Paradise.

After noticing the two—Kurotsuchi in particular—the guard quickly rose from his indolent position and bowed to his Tsuchikage.

The woman raised her hand, more focused on observing the cells around her. Older men in their 50's or later. From the looks of most of them, they had been imprisoned for quite a long time. As she walked past, the prisoners desperately reached their hands out of the bars, grabbing at her.

As she drew closer to one of the walls, one prisoner managed to grab onto the end of her robe. She turned to yell at the man but paused in horror as she observed the crazed look in his bloodshot red eyes.

"Gold, please," he pleaded. "I need… gold! I'll tell you anything you want! Please just give me gold. Please, please, please... I can't..."

The man began to cry and Kurotsuchi's heart ached with sympathy at his condition. This man's mind was completely broken.

"Sad, isn't it?" A voice called out.

The black-haired woman turned around to find an older gentleman in a pristine white lab coat moving towards her. Next to him stood a behemoth of a man, arms crossed to emphasize his hulking biceps in an intimidating stance.

"Hello, Tsuchikage-sama," the smaller man greeted. "It's a nice surprise to see you today."

"Hello," Kurotsuchi replied cautiously. "Pardon me, but who are you supposed to be?"

The man shook his head. "Ah, my manners! I am Dr. Kei Tamura," he said with a bow. "The man next to me is Taichi Ueno, and my personal bodyguard. I'm the lead psychiatrist and analyst of Cell Block D's prisoners. I understand you're here about Hiroto Goya?"

"That's correct," Kurotsuchi nodded.

The man frowned sadly. "I worked closely with Goya for quite some time. Since he first arrived in Cell Block D during the earlier years of Lord Third, in fact. I truly... I truly believed he was ready to be released back into society," Tamura said with a sigh. "To think he made it all the way to Konoha of all places."

"That's actually what I would like to speak to you about, Tamura-san," the Tsuchikage explained. "I want to know exactly what these prisoners were given to alter their minds in such a way."

"That might be a bit hard to answer," the doctor said truthfully. He walked slowly across the hall, the Tsuchikage and his bodyguard following dutifully behind him. He observed as the prisoners reached out to him and his fellow company through the bars of their cells.

"Gold, gold," one prisoner cried out desperately. "Please! I'll die without it!"

"I'll tell you anything! Please, I just need gold!"

"Tamura-san, what is this gold?" Kurotsuchi asked with a sense of urgency.

Tamura exhaled sadly. "I'm sure you're smart enough to know that these men don't actually want literal gold, Tsuchikage-sama. In fact, what these men desire, to the point where they would harm themselves from desperation were we not to keep a close eye on them, isn't related to any form of monetary currency."

"During the times of Lord Third," he continued. "In order to gain the information Iwa needed to protect itself, these men were fed a certain liquid that would cause them to reveal anything and everything that they knew. Imagine that! Betraying one's village in the blink of an eye because of one potent food item."

"Potent?"

"Addictive," Tamura nodded. "Ten times more addictive than heroin, in fact. My research has led me to believe that ingesting even the tiniest drop of this liquid creates a euphoric effect on the mind of whomever took it. For a small moment, the user experiences a massive flood of the neurotransmitter dopamine throughout their system. They become immediately addicted, desperate to do or say anything to feel that rush once more when the high dies down. The aftermath, however... is not a pretty one."

The old man gestured all around them, emphasizing the moans and cries of the men around them. Men who lost their lives completely because of one drug.

"Has… has this drug been used anywhere else? In any other village?"

"From what I've been able to examine, no," the doctor replied. "It seems this drug was a dirty little secret of Iwa's. And with Lord Third gone, no one else knows the exact origin of this drug, where to find it, or how to reproduce it."

"Is there any more?" Kurotsuchi asked with alarm. There was no way such a drug like this should be allowed to exist. The prisoner's of Prison Block D…

It was inhumane, the condition they were in.

The Tsuchikage felt a wave of grief flood through her, that her grandfather would go so far as to do something like this.

Tamura shook his head. "No more that I'm aware of. It's been rather difficult to study the drug or manufacture a cure without actual samples of it. However, notes from the past, and the container that once held the liquid reveale interesting tidbits of its origin. This drug, which the prisoners keep referring to as 'Gold', actually came from an animal."

The Tsuchikage fought the urge to shake her head in disbelief. "An animal? What sort of animal could produce something like this? Is this 'gold' some type of milk?"

The doctor chuckled dryly. "Think smaller, my lady. No, this drug was manufactured by a specialized insect."

"Insect?"

A prisoner reached out to the doctor, a pitiful display of the worst of humanity. Tamura shook his head.

"Yes. An insect, my Lady," he replied, the wailing around them unending. "Gold' is actually honey."

A/N's: I know y'all probably want some romance about now, and I wanna write romance too believe me, but I'm really trying to build up the drama in this story. My intention in older versions of this story was to make the relationship between Shino and Mitsubachi normal and casual, but I love drama LMFAO. And I did promise a Romeo and Juliet style romance, and I want to make sure I deliver. Please make sure to review/fav/follow! I love y'all, and hopefully I'll see you guys next week!

To last chapter's reviewers (AKA people I would give my second kidney to),

RyleeWyatt. Thank you so much for your words of encouragement! I'm pretty proud of how far this story's come, and even more proud that I had the motivation to write a re-do LMAO.

Nolwe. Contrary to popular belief, I like miscommunication in stories to add drama if it's done well and doesn't drag! And I really appreciated that you thought their interactions are sweet/down-to-earth. I wanted to give the dialogue between Shino and Mitsubachi a natural feel to them, so attraction doesn't seem too forced, or their conversations seem choppy. Dialogue really makes or breaks fanfics for me tbh.

And finally, thanks to those that recently fav/followed! My blood type is A positive if you ever need it ;)