Chapter 6: The Bamboo Cutter

As a child, Kaguya enjoyed the story of The Bamboo Cutter. It was a beautiful tale that etched into her mind ever since her mother told her that Kaguya-hime was her namesake. Kaguya often asked her mother to share the story at the dining table, or when she went to bed, but now as thirteen-year-old Kaguya sat there, watching her mother silently eating without even glancing at her children, Kaguya could feel her throat dry.

Her mother has been acting strange lately. Ever since that day where her mother claimed she was dizzy, Kaguya knew something was wrong. Even dizziness wouldn't stop Ino from recognizing her children. Kaguya knew that much. Her mother was hiding something and the teenager was determined to find out what.

Naruto didn't pay attention during dinner. His mind was blank, his eyes focused on his plate of food. He aimlessly played around with his fork, while his children and wife remained just as silent as he did. It was awkward. Very awkward. The bubbly enjoyment the family used to share was gone.

"Are you working tomorrow, dad?" Kaguya finally broke the silence.

Naruto looked up at his daughter, "Yes, I'll probably be late."

"Oh," Kaguya muttered, disappointed. She was hoping she could train with him and perhaps beat out the information of her mother out of him. She wanted to know the truth. She was already old enough to know and handle the truth. "What about you, mom?"

Ino looked up, alarmed that she being spoken to, "Oh...um..."

Ino shot Naruto a pleading gaze. He cleared his throat and shifted in his seat, "Your mother will be busy tomorrow too."

Kaguya sighed and mumbled a 'too bad' under her breath. Minato started humming a playful tune while munching on his chicken. His blue eyes were sparkling. It made Ino smile as she watched him bob his head from side to side.

After dinner, Ino played a card game with the children while Naruto did the dishes. Ino did offer to do it, but the Hokage insisted on doing it by himself. Ino had no choice but to comply to his wishes. Minato then dragged her off to play.

"Mama," Minato grinned from ear-to-ear as he held up a card into Ino's face. She blinked and then smiled whens he realized he probably he had no idea how to play card games at all.

"Kaguya, will you play with your brother?" Ino asked. The teenager merely grunted, but took her brother's cards from his small hands and shuffled through them. She then nodded. While Ino scanned through her cards, she noticed the odd looks her daughter was giving her. It bothered her. She didn't want the children to discover that she wasn't well...the mother they knew. She was still their mother, but the younger version.

Naruto appeared in the doorway, he was drying his hands with a towel and watching the children curiously as they awaited their mother to make a move. Naruto glanced at the clock on the wall, and noticed that it was getting late.

"Minato," Naruto called, "time for your bath! Kaguya, take care of him, alright?"

Minato wailed since they didn't get to play, but one stern glance from his father and the boy was silenced. He allowed his sister to take his hand and lead him upstairs, leaving the two adults by themselves in the living room. Ino gathered the cards and packed them away, then she stood up and mustered a weak smile as she passed Naruto. She was stopped dead in her tracks when his hand grabbed her wrist.

"Where are you going, Ino?" Naruto asked darkly. Ino felt a shiver run down her spine.

"I was going to help with Minato's bath?" Ino hesitantly half-stated, half-asked. She glanced over her shoulder and noticed that Naruto was watching her. She gulped.

"Kaguya is a big girl," Naruto pointed out, "she'll be fine by herself."

Ino felt her cheeks burn, "I know, I just...is it wrong of me to want to spend time with my children?"

Naruto's eyes widened and he let go of her wrist. He stepped back and lowered his head, effectively hiding his eyes behind his blonde bangs. Ino noticed him trembling.

"Naruto?" Ino hesitantly reached out to him, but he slapped her hand away.

"I'm fine," he exclaimed, refusing to meet her eyes, "you're right, it's fine to spend time with them."

Ino quirked an eyebrow and was about to open her mouth to say something, but she was cut off when Naruto turned around and sat down on the couch. He grabbed a scroll and opened it. And just like that he ended the conversation. Ino felt her heart tighten in her chest as she stared at the back of his head. She slowly turned around and headed upstairs, her mind constantly flicking back to Naruto.

Sleep refused to come. Ino lay awake in the large bed in the main bedroom, her mind reeling. She could hear Minato mumble in his sleep from across the hallway, she could hear the tap drip in the bathroom, she could hear Naruto's soft snore coming from the guest bedroom. She was aware of every noise.

Naruto. The name stuck in her mind like glue. His behavior earlier frightened her, but at the same time she understood. It was strange, but she understood. It was painful for him. She was his wife, but yet she wasn't. Of course it was hurting him. Ino silently wondered what Naruto wanted from her earlier.

He looked so hurt. Like he was in pain.

Ino clenched her fists. She hated seeing him like that. So confused, so lost and filled with so much pain. She wanted to see him happy, wearing that large goofy grin of his. She missed it. She couldn't believe she missed it.

With a sigh, Ino got out of bed and approached the window. She pulled open the curtains, allowing the moon's light to cascade on her skin. She silently stared at Konohagakure. Somehow, over the years the village has become more beautiful at night. Ino stared at her home village in awe. It wasn't the same anymore. She could remember the Konoha from her days as a teenager clearly, but this new Konoha was so different. She wanted to explore it. She wanted to find the secret alleys and underground pathways, yet she couldn't, for now she was an 'adult'. She had the responsibility as a wife and a mother.

Ino clutched onto the curtain fabric. She felt like such a child, stuck in the body of a fully-matured woman.

Kaguya couldn't sleep. She tossed and turned, but sleep never came. It was unusual for the blonde teenager to be sleep deprived. Sleep was like second-nature to her. She slept like the dead. She inherited that trait from her father. So why couldn't she sleep today? Why was her eyes refusing to close? With a disapproved snort, the teenager got out of bed and stretched her arms above her head. She pulled her blonde hair into a messy bun and quickly left her room.

It felt like she was suffocating. Kaguya slipped past her brother's room and headed for the stairs, only to come to a halt beside the guest bedroom. Her eyes widened, her blood ran cold in her veins. Kaguya stared in shock, her lips trembling.

For there, in the bed of the guest room lay her father, fast asleep and snoring. He was alone. He was all alone and curled up into a ball. Kaguya knew that pose. He was lonely. Her father was suffering. Whenever it was his birthday, or when her mother was on a mission he often unconsciously curled up like that.

To say she was shocked was an understatement. Why was her father sleeping alone? Why wasn't he in his own bedroom? The questions all had to somehow have an answer. Kaguya turned around and headed for the main bedroom.

Her mother was awake. Kaguya stopped in the doorway when she spotted her mother. Ino was standing by the window, her short blonde hair clung to her face, the moon's light danced on her skin. Kaguya couldn't help but notice her mother's beauty.

Why was her mother alone? Why was her father alone?

They weren't fighting...were they? No, they couldn't be fighting. They haven't been acting angered towards each other, so that couldn't possibly be the reason.

"Mother?" Kaguya called. Ino spun around, her blue eyes wide.

"Oh," Ino breathed, "Kaguya, it's you."

"Why are you alone, Mama?" Kaguya asked. Ino looked panicked. She shifted her gaze away from her mother, she bit her bottom lip. Kaguya could see her mother trembling. Kaguya could see that this pained her mother, that this confused her.

So she changed the subject, "Will you tell me the story of The Bamboo Cutter, Mama?"

Ino was surprised, but soon her surprise melted away into a warm smile.

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A/N: Some mother-daughter love for you! For those who don't know, 'The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter' in Japanese folklore is the story of Kaguya-hime from the Moon who was found by a bamboo cutter in a shoot of bamboo. She was said to be exceptionally beauitful and many men wanted her for marriage. She tested them, by requesting items they could not bring her, which led to their rejection. She also interested the Emperor. Eventually her heart started to yearn for the moon and she returned, leaving her human parents saddened.