Naruto jumps down

Naruto had heard enough. He was pissed at them, whatever they were about to do, he wouldn't let them get their way with her. So, without thinking of a strategy beforehand, Naruto jumped down into the alleyway. "Get your hands off of her, you...!", he yelled as he flung himself at the masked Sound-nin, who had seemed like the strongest to him.

He clenched his fist for a punch, but his jump at the boy was halted as the ninja, in a flash, turned around and rammed a fist that had been hidden in his long sleeves right into his stomach. "Ugh-ahh!?", Naruto gasped. The punch was far stronger than anything he ever had to take.

Grabbing Naruto by the sleeve of his jacket as he was impaled on his fist, the ninja flung him to the ground like he was just an annoying fly. "Get lost, you idiot!", he said threateningly as Naruto rolled on the ground.

The blonde saw stars for a moment as he collided with the ground. But he shook his dizziness off and got on his two feets, but not without struggling. "No, I won't!", Naruto refused stubbornly. He would not back down, no matter how hopeless this seemed.

Despite his courage, the shinobi only grinned at him. "Whatever...", one said and shrugged his shoulder before they attacked.

Two against one, even without their superior strength, this was not a battle Naruto could win. Their punches were merciless, and soon, Naruto collapsed against the wall of the alley. Only then did the Sound-nin leave him be. "Tsk, little punk!", the one with the wild hair said and spat at Naruto, before they both turned back to their teammate, who had been too terrified to move during Narutos beatdown.

Naruto was barely conscious, but he heard the voice still clear enough to make out exactly what they said. He was totally being ignored by them. "So, where were we? Oh yeah, right.", the guy with the wild mane laughed as he turned to his frightened teammate.

Only then did the girl responded to her surroundings again. "No! Leave me, I don't want to die!", Kin yelled hysterically.

The boy sighed. "Come on now, Kin-chan. What are your options anyway? It's not like Konoha would treat you kindly even if you told them anything you knew...", he mocked the girls fear.

"What? But I...", the girl looked at his teammate with teary eyes. The words had shocked her.

"You'd rather rot in a cell? Go right ahead then.", the mummy head growled lowly.

Naruto knew, they were playing on her fears. "I just wonder what else they'd do to you. Even if they're as merciful as everyone says, the best thing you can count on is a quick execution. So yeah, your call, Kin-chan.", the boy said.

Naruto groaned. He wanted to yell, to scream that it was a lie, but his ribs still hurt so much that just breathing was painful to him. He couldn't do anything.

The girl was surprised. Would they really let her choose? Sure, she didn't want to die, but... if she considered their words, it really wasn't such a good idea either to run away now. Aside from the punishment that awaited her if her teammates ever got their hands on her again, she doubted that she wouldn't be interrogated, tortured and maybe even killed if she spilled the whole truth to Konoha. "I suppose... I suppose you're right.", she finally admitted. Her shoulders slumped.

The boy laughed. "'Course I am! Now, stand up and come with us. And no more acting up like this, else we won't be picky about our methods to get you back, got it?", he asked Kin sharply, not even bothering to hide the threat in his words with a **** voice. He turned to leave the alleyway first, leaving his teammate to see if Kin would comply.

"Well?", the masked man asked, tapping his feet impatiently.

Naruto could see the struggle in the girls face, but ultimately, she gave up. "Y-Yes...", Kin responded finally and followed her teammates slowly. As she passed Naruto, he thought she had looked at him for just a moment, a sorrowful expression on her face.

But Naruto wasn't beaten, not just yet. "You...", Naruto growled as he grabbed the leaving sound-nins leg as he passed by. The bandaged man looked down at Naruto, spite evident in his one visible eye.

Then, he took a swing with his other leg and kicked Naruto in the ribs. Naruto yelped in pain and coughed as the kick had knocked the wind out of him. "You're lucky we still have a mission to do here, so it would be bad if they find a dead body. But just so you know, you better pray we don't come across you tomorrow.", he told him in a gravely voice before leaving Naruto in the alleyway, still writhing in pain.

A few minutes passed before Naruto got to his feet again. He know that, by now, they were gone already and there had been nothing he could do to help the girl. Naruto cursed his weakness as he hadn't been able to do anything but watch through tears as the girl was accompanied by her two teammates. "Crap... they're strong...", he groaned to himself as he clutched his rips.

It was nothing. Sure, it hurt, but he knew he could count on the demon fox to have his wounds healed by tomorrow... still, now his anxiety was back. Could his team win against them? Stood they even a chance? Naruto was hoping that they stood a better chance next time when the three of them were together. But if not...

Dark thoughts like that came to Narutos mind as pushed himself up and made his way back to his apartment, where he slowly drifted to an unsteady sleep which was filled with nightmares of what could happen tomorrow.