ENTROPY [Naruto]

Act I • Chapter 13

The young Uzumaki stood at the center of the living room. He took a deep breath, arms and fingers in a specific position, eyes close as he chanted:

"Kage bunshin no jutsu!"

There was a 'poof' sound by his side, he took a moment in opening his eyes to see wether it was another fail. But when it was a perfect clone of him, and 20 for that, he jumped and punch his hand in the air.

"Yosha! Naruto! You finally did it dattebayo!!" He spoke to the clone with joy laced in his voice.

"I know right! You're the best dattebayo!" The clones responded with the same tone. "Hurry up and tell Ami 'bout it!"

Without wasting a second, Naruto went to their bedroom. But his giddiness faded when Naomi quietly stood from the bed and passed by him without a word.

Oh... I momentarily forgot Ami's sleepwalking habit...

As usual, Naruto, though now with his successfully made clones, followed Naomi as she slowly strutted to the kitchen. The girl's figure stood by the cabinet where kitchen utensils and plates were placed. Naruto sat on the dining chair as he kept a close eye on her movements. He could not let his guard down whenever she does this.

"Hey, why won't you talk to Ami about this?" One of his clone whispered to him. Naruto turned to his clone and lowered his eyes. "I can't... Ami would freak out and I don't want to worry her too much."

His other clone frowned and raised a brow. "You know, nothing would change if you don't communicate with her."

Naruto looked up and opened his mouth when a clanking was heard. Immediately, he went beside Naomi and with wide eyes, held her wrist tight.

She was holding a knife.

And it was pointed to her heart.

Naruto struggled to keep her arms from advancing. He already knew that she was strong but he didn't expect that even in her sleep, she was effortlessly resisting him.

"A-ami, Wake up.." His sweat rolled down and he raised his voice a little. "Naruto! Lend me a hand!"

His clones helped him hold Naomi's wrist as they tried to pry off the knife from her hand. After some more struggles, she was finally safe from the object.

He stood beside her patiently, with shaky breaths from the previous actions. He only took his eyes off of her for a moment then the next she was already about to take her own life.

It was silence for a bit and Naomi finally moved from her spot and back to the bedroom.

Naruto let out a sigh of relief.

"Damn dude, do you do this every night? You seem to know her pattern." The clone whistled.

Naruto weakly nodded. His eyes drooped tiredly, exhaustion finally kicking in from the long day he had. He had been practicing the shadow clone technique the whole night and in the day, he was restless thinking continuously about what Naomi's job could possibly be.

Unconsciously, he dispersed the clones into thin air as he went to their bedroom. Though he did not lay on his bed, he went beside the sleeping Naomi and snuggled into her arms.

This was one of the only comfort he could have with his sister. She would sometimes lull him to sleep with her enchanting voice, or even cook him her special ramen recipe when he couldn't sleep.

He was afraid that Naomi would disappear at any moment. She seemed to give off the vibe that she wouldn't stick long. As if she would be gone the moment he look away for even a second.