You are my Star

Chapter 27 - A New Hokage

"Hoshiko! Naruto! Kakashi-sensei!" 

Team 7 whirled around.

"Kiba?" Hoshiko asked, shocked. "What's going on?"

"Listen, you guys. I just found out Lady Tsunade has been relieved of her position. Some guy named Danzo has taken over."

"...what? Danzo? No, it can't be. Why has Lady Tsunade-"

"She's in a coma."

"No..."

"Yeah, and this Danzo guy has taken advantage of that and usurped the position. I don't know who he is, but he isn't good news. He just declared Sasuke a rogue ninja and approved people to kill him."

"What?" Naruto exclaimed. "I'm going right back to the village and telling that bastard-"

"No." Hoshiko grabbed Naruto's wrist before he could move.

"What do you mean, no? Hoshiko, Sasuke-"

"If we're going to help Sasuke, it's not by getting yourself thrown in jail. If you go over there and demand that he change his orders, you'll get yourself in a shitload of trouble. That's exactly what Danzo wants. Look, Naruto, I'm as worried about Sasuke as you are, but we cannot rush into things."

"Hoshiko's right," Kakashi-sensei said, crossing his arms. "We're going to help Sasuke, but not like this."

"Fine," Naruto said. "But we can't do nothing!"

"I agree," Hoshiko said. "Which is why we're going to find Sai."

                                                                                * * *

"Sai!" Hoshiko called. "We've been looking for you!" 

Sai turned and blinked. "Oh, hello Hoshiko. Hello, Naruto."

Naruto grabbed Sai by the shoulders. "Sai. We need you to tell us everything you know about Danzo. You're in the Foundation, aren't you?"

"I...I can't."

"What? Why, are you defending that bastard?"

"No, I want to help, but I can't. You see, every time I try, I become paralyzed."

"What? Why?"

Sai opened his mouth and stuck out his tongue. "Because of this." 

"What the hell? Is that a curse mark?"

"Yes. I cannot speak of Lord Danzo because of it."

"Damnit!" Naruto turned around and paced, but turned back around when he heard a sword being unsheathed. 

"Tell us what you know about Sasuke Uchiha." A dark-skinned woman with pink hair said, a blade pointed at Hoshiko's throat.

Hoshiko glared. "You really chose the wrong person to threaten, dear." The air around her shimmered slightly, then she grabbed the sword with her bare hands. But she wasn't cut.

"Barrier armor," she smirked and grabbed the sword from her attacker. She pointed it at her throat instead, and said, "Tell us why you want to know about Sasuke."

Seconds later, another sword was pointed at her, this time, her chest. "It's the same thing," she said to a brown man with white hair. Snatching the sword away, she pointed both weapons at them. "Now answer me." 

The two shinobi scowled and kicked Hoshiko's legs out from under her. She caught herself, but Naruto had to join the fight. He grabbed Sai's sword and blocked a slash meant for Hoshiko.