A white-skinned old man appeared with rabbit-like ears.
A calm, weathered face. And on his forehead was a third eye.
Garfield stared. "…Oh."
It was Ōtsutsuki Hagoromo. Garfield had a strange, uncomfortable realization.
I think I may have talked myself into a problem.
"PAPA!" Kurama, on the other hand, was overjoyed.
The Nine-Tails wagged all nine tails wildly, bounding forward like a massive, flaming dog that had just seen its owner after centuries.
Hagoromo smiled gently and patted Kurama's nose, exactly the way Garfield had done earlier.
"Easy now, Kurama." He said warmly. "Don't get so excited."
"Yes, Papa!" Kurama replied instantly. He was absolutely excited.
Hashirama stared between them, stunned. "…You're really the Sage of the Six Paths?"
Hagoromo turned toward him and nodded calmly.
"My son." He said kindly, "You don't need to call me that. Just call me Dad."
"…" Hashirama blinked rapidly. Then immediately took three steps back.
"NOPE," He said firmly. "Please don't joke like that. If you're my father, my actual father will cry himself to death."
Hagoromo sighed.
"It's… complicated," He admitted. "I'll explain later. For now, I have something more important to handle."
Hashirama obediently stepped aside… already imagining several generations of incomprehensible family drama.
Meanwhile.
Garfield was glowing. Blue on the left and green on the right.
The Space Stone and Time Stone were fully activated.
Every fiber of his being screamed RUN.
Hagoromo turned toward him and bowed politely.
"Father." He said. "Long time no see."
WHHAAATTT!!!
Garfield nearly choked on existence itself.
"Hold it!" He barely stabilized his energy and snapped back:
"Did you just wake up? Are you confused? You've mistaken the cat!"
Hagoromo shook his head calmly. "No. It's you."
"That's impossible. I don't know you."
"I've never seen you," Hagoromo continued evenly. "But Mother told us about you."
Garfield's ears twitched.
"She said you are an orange cat, glowing with blue, green, and red light… a great Cat God who governs space, time, and wishes."
"…I admit space and time." Garfield replied stiffly. "But wishes? Absolutely not."
He waved a paw hurriedly. "You've misunderstood the cat. Goodbye."
"Mother misses you very much."
"I don't know your mother!"
"Perhaps you don't," Hagoromo said serenely. "But you will."
Garfield's face contorted in pain.
CHOMP.
Inside his soul, Pandora bit down viciously.
OW
"Father," Hagoromo continued gently, "I know this is difficult for you. You are a god of time… you will eventually understand."
WHAT I'm feeling right now is pain because I'm being bitten, Garfield thought furiously.
This has NOTHING to do with Kaguya!
Enduring the agony, Garfield spoke earnestly. "Listen carefully. First, I don't know your mother, Ōtsutsuki Kaguya."
"Second even if I do know her, that's probably future-me's problem."
He forced a smile. "Today, we've just met. Let's be friends. Shake paws and go our separate ways."
Hagoromo shook his head. "That won't do."
Garfield's heart sank.
"You are the father Mother spoke of," Hagoromo said calmly. "Even though we sealed her, that fact doesn't change."
He gestured upward. "You will come with me to the moon."
"Mother misses you very much."
Inside Garfield's soul, Pandora latched on harder, snarling. 'YOU STILL WON'T ADMIT IT?!'
'You absolutely did something to that rabbit!'
'You say you hate her, then explain THIS!'
'The sons are already knocking on your door!'
Garfield stared at Hagoromo.
At Kurama, wagging his tail, at Hashirama quietly backing away from the blast radius.
"…This." Garfield muttered.
"Has officially gone very wrong."
꧁𓊈𒆜༺⚜༻𒆜𓊉꧂
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