We get to know the family dynamic between Kubo and his Mother very quickly in the movie, and honestly, I love it. Kubo, despite his worries for his mother, always seems to keep a smile on his face while helping his Mother with her daily tasks. And I love how the movie handled her illness. They didn't make her look "weak", if you get what I mean. Yes, she struggles with memory loss, nightmares and many other things. Yet, they do it in a way that is graceful and doesn't make her look like a weak soul. She's so strong and I love it.

This next fic touches on something involving her memory loss. I really do hope I wrote this well... I tried my best to do research before writing. If something doesn't seem right, please feel free to let me know so I may rewrite this. Thank you!

P.S. I'm sorry its so short! ; - ;

The sound of the nighttime bell could be heard over Kubo's story, signaling his time to head home. Kubo moved quickly, collecting his things and making his way through the groaning crowd of people.

"Sorry guys, I've gotta go. But feel free to come back again tomorrow!" Kubo yelled out as he rushed quickly to the bridge out of the village.

As he ran, he worried about the state his mother could be in. More often than not, he can find her in the same place he left her earlier in the morning, but there have been times that he found her collapsed onto her side. These nights always seemed to be the worse, the nights that things were more foggy than usual for her. Those were the nights where he felt totally useless, like he couldn't do anything for her. The nights that he so desperately wished his father was still alive, to ask him for guidance. It almost always drove him to tears.

He continued his way up the hill towards his sea-side cave home, taking a sharp turn towards the entrance. When he took the turn he was expecting to find his Mother sitting there by the entrance, just like he left her. But when he saw her, he noticed she was standing and staring around with rapidly moving and anxious eyes.

"Hello, Mo-" Kubo started, but his mother was quick to cut him off

"Have you seen my son?" She asked him as she rushed over toward him.

"Your what?" Kubo asked, hoping he had just heard her wrong.

"My son... he was supposed to be back by now!" She said, her voice rushed with worry.

"Mother, I'm right here..." He said, carefully taking one of her hands in his.

"Huh?" Kubo's mother started, really focusing on Kubo's appearance now. She began to look him over, stopping on his eyes.

"But my son... he... he has both of his eyes..." She said. Kubo felt his heart sink into his stomach. She... She can't recognize him at all. He was at a complete loss of words, honestly. The only thing he could think to do right now was to play along with her...

"I-I think there might have been a boy coming up this hill from behind me, I can wait for him with you if you'd like..." Kubo asked, staring into his mothers distant eyes. She didn't respond and Kubo carefully guided her back into their cave home, sitting her down right by their firepit. He began prepping some rice to eat for dinner, igniting the flame below the pot and bringing some water to a boil.

Kubo watched his mother intently as she continued to stare out the cave opening, waiting for something that will never come.

There were plenty of nights where his mother has forgotten his name, forgotten pieces of her stories and so on. there was even a time where she forgot who she was and how she got there. But Kubo was able to quickly jog her memories. This, though... This was new.

Kubo continued to think on and prep dinner, pulling a few bowls out and placing them by their usual eating spot. As he was grabbing some chopsticks and cups for tea, he could hear the final nighttime bell from the village go off in the distance. Suddenly, his mother gasped. She was up on her feet shortly after, quickly scrambling towards the cave entrance while muttering something under her breath.

"Wait!" Kubo yelled, quickly standing up and following after his mother.

"I've got to find him... Kubo!" Mother yelled out.

"Mother! I'm right here! Please!" Kubo yelled out while he grabbed his mothers wrist to hold her back.

"No I've gotta go..." Mother fought against Kubo's grasp on her wrist. Kubo could feel her growing weaker, though.

"Mother..." Kubo said, voice low.

His mother continued to get weaker.

"Mother, please... I'm right here..." Kubo said quietly as his mother stopped fighting against his hold on her wrist. He stepped around her to stand in front of her. She looked down at him, confused.

Silence fell over the two of them as his mother analyzed him up and down.

"Kubo?" She asked, head tilting slightly to the side.

"Yes, Mother. I'm here..." He said, smiling up at her while he held her hand gingerly in his own.

"Oh... Kubo..." She fell to her knees and Kubo was quick and ready to help steady her. Though any attempts to steady her were cut short as she threw her arms around him. He was shocked for second, but quickly snaked his arms around her and leaned into the hug.

"Kubo... please... p-please don't do that again." She said, her body shaking lightly. Kubo smiled sadly and hugged his mother a little tighter.

"I-I won't mother... I'm sorry..." He whispered.

He continued to hug his mother for a few more moments before he released her. She sat up a bit, looking towards him. Kubo's eyes scanned over her face and his smile lowered into a frown. Her face was streaked with small tear trails, and her eyes were wet and glassy. He looked up at her worriedly, and reached a hand up to wipe the tears off of her face.

"I'm s-sorry... I just..." She said, reaching her hand up to wipe at her own eyes.

Kubo chuckled quietly and a small smile spread on his face. He stood her up and the two moved to sit down by the fire, finishing up dinner preparations and settling in for a warm night and some family time.