Honkai Impact 3rd : This is My Revenge

As a seasoned expert who had spent years navigating the lawless underbelly of Twilight Street, Pardofelis had honed an instinctive ability to discern whether someone harbored ill intentions toward her. That was why she found the current situation so perplexing. The woman standing before her had clearly caught her red-handed in the act of theft—yet despite possessing skills far beyond ordinary, she radiated not a shred of malice. If anything, there was an inexplicable kindness in her demeanor, almost as if... She knows me. But that was the crux of the problem. "I don't know her!" Pardofelis thought, her mind racing. "Who is she, really?" The Pardofelis of this era was not yet the future fusion warrior infamous as the "scaredy-cat." Her thoughts were far from the high-level strategizing of a MANTIS—instead, they swirled in frantic, survival-driven circles. After a long, awkward silence... "Uh, boss..." Pardo raised her free hand (the other still caught in Raiden Mei's grip) and gestured between them. "Have we... met before?" Raiden Mei froze. The truth was, the bizarre circumstances that had thrust her into this era—more than fifty thousand years before her own time—had left her disoriented. The sheer impossibility of her situation made it difficult to fully adapt, and she often found herself lost in thought, struggling to reconcile past and present. Fortunately... "Boss, do you have some... unspeakable difficulties?" Pardofelis, ever perceptive—or perhaps simply well-practiced in avoiding sensitive topics—quickly picked up on Raiden Mei's hesitation. To her, this was just another survival tactic: steer clear of dangerous conversations. Of course, her natural curiosity ached to dig deeper. But Pardo had long since learned that curiosity, for someone like her, was a luxury she couldn't afford. So instead, she pivoted smoothly. "Boss, do you know Sister Aponia?" Then, with a sheepish wiggle of her trapped wrist: "And... isn't it a little awkward for us to be standing here like this?" Raiden Mei blinked, then released her grip. "Ah. My apologies." She exhaled slowly before answering. "Yes, I know Aponia. I came to Twilight Street specifically to seek her help." Pardo's eyes gleamed with sudden interest. "Oh?" Her mind whirred, already piecing together possibilities. "Can I ask... what kind of help you're looking for from Sister Aponia?" Raiden Mei hesitated again. The truth was, she was still adjusting. Moments ago, she'd carelessly addressed Pardo by name—a mistake that could have been disastrous. Now, fully aware of the stakes, she reminded herself: This isn't the Elysian Realm. These aren't data constructs. They're real people, living real lives—fifty millennia before my time. The MANTIS project might not even exist yet. The "future" she knew was nothing more than distant possibility here. That meant she had to tread carefully. Aponia, with her foresight, might warrant a different approach. But with Pardo... "I just need to ask her a few questions," Raiden Mei finally said, offering neither lie nor full truth. Pardo's ears perked up. "Ah! Just questions, got it, got it." She clapped her hands together. "Sister Aponia does help people with their problems." Then, with a sly tilt of her head: "Though... nobody who's asked her things ever goes back for seconds." That was new information—something not recorded in the Elysian Realm's archives. Raiden Mei filed it away silently. Meanwhile, Pardo let out a relieved sigh. "Phew! So you're just a 'guest.' Really had me worried for a sec—uh?" She didn't miss the way Raiden Mei flinched at the word guest—a reaction so sharp it bordered on reflexive. Like trauma. Or some kind of conditioned response. Pardo wasn't one for psychology jargon, but she knew when to change tactics. Her next move was simple: Might as well lead her there. After all... Everyone in Twilight Street knows where Sister Aponia's sanatorium is. And this boss? Definitely not someone to mess with. Being caught mid-theft by a stranger was proof enough of that. So... Whether I take her or not, she'll find it. Might as well tag along and see what's up. Still... Sister Aponia's all gentle smiles and soft words, but something about her creeps me out. Decision made: I'll just drop her at the door and duck out. Maybe peek from a corner... With that, Pardo slipped back into her street-smart persona. "Boss, you're in luck! You've got the best guide in Twilight Street right here." She launched into her usual routine—honed from years of scraping by: - Meeting someone new? Start with "brother" or "sister"—small titles, big potential returns. - Men? Compliment their looks. Women? Go for "kind-hearted beauty." And within minutes... "Y'know, Sister Mei, life's got its rough patches, but nothing you can't bounce back from! Look at me—no family, no nothing, still kicking around just fine!" She nudged Raiden Mei playfully. "Bet those fancy high-rollers with their banquets and dramas aren't half as free as we are, huh?" Somehow, she'd already weaseled out Raiden Mei's name *and* clocked her gloomy mood. Now, she was in full pep-talk mode. And oddly enough... it worked. Not fully, of course. Raiden Mei's burdens ran too deep for a few words to fix. But for the first time in what felt like ages, the weight on her shoulders lightened—just a fraction. "Thank you, Pardo." The thought came unbidden, followed by another, quieter one: If only I'd been this patient back then. If I'd tried—even once—to respond instead of shutting him out... Would that impossibly beautiful, "non-existent memory" have become real?