reverxiii

[reverxiii]

[SNAKE PETTING]

Senti’s been hogging the snakes for the past half-hour. Nobody can seem to tell why, but they take a liking to the way she pets them. Maybe it’s her lack of fear letting her rub them in all the right places or a genuinely good hand. Either way, she gets them all to herself, and it’s quite relaxing.

It’s so relaxing.

So relaxing she, “Oh.. Man…” can feel the texture of their scales fall over her eyes. It’s like they’re pulling her in, and she just, “Mmn… Nap…” can’t not, you know? So she shuts them, and her body goes on autopilot. Just let her arm trace that gentle stroking motion again, and again, and again. Even as she nods this way or that, even as her feet shuffle and things bump around…

And when she comes to, she isn’t petting a scaly head anymore. That’s hair she feels, and ears. Big pointy ones. Snakes don’t have ears, do they? 

No no, they must. How else would they hear stuff…? 

Maybe Sis Snake was onto something, after all.

Compared to everywhere else in this festival, the stall with the snakes is warm. With heated lamps and basking rocks soaking up the warmth, it's the perfect place to take a nap! It just so happens that all of the snakes are distracted by all of the people coming by to pet them, so surely no one will notice if she just lies down for a little bit and...

When Pardofelis awakens from her nap mid-purr, it is to the sensation of someone petting her head, running their hands along her second pair of ears. She'd let the kids who were wandering about the festival touch her ears, but they'd been a little rough with their hands, so the change of pace is welcome. She might even say it feels nice.

More importantly, though, it's not a snake crawling on her and it's not the owner of the stall come to toss her out.

Pardofelis blinks her sleep bleary eyes up at the person petting her, barely making out a familiar silhouette. A more awake Pardofelis would be more concerned, but to be fair, this is a really good napping spot and she is really comfortable right now.

"Oh, it's just you, Hua." Come to think of it, was Hua the kind of girl forward enough to pat her on the head like this? Maybe she got braver recently or something. "Huh? When'd you get highlights? You put your hair down, too."

Well, maybe even Hua's the kind of girl to dress down for the holiday. Good on her for finally letting herself have fun.

"It looks good on you!"

[reverxiii]

[RED ENVELOPES] - Customize your own envelope as a gift to those most cherished. Whether you slip in some mora or a confession of love, even the smallest of envelopes can be life-changing!

"Oh, Felis! What a darling surprise!" Eden's stroll through the festival momentarily miles away, she strides intently towards her once-comrade. Well, once-comrade, but a friend always; and as such, as a small token of the brightness she brings, Eden offers forward a red envelope. It's filled with as much money as could reasonably be stuffed, of course.

"This is just for you. Here's to a pleasant new year!"

"Eden!"

Pardofelis has her hands out and waiting even before Eden has the chance to offer the envelope. Generous as always, Eden always has some sort of gift for her. Usually it's some sparkly gems, but today it's a little red envelope packed to bursting with unfamiliar coins. Unlike in a bygone era, these coins are a glittering gold that catch the light whenever she lifts them up high to inspect them.

(She really is lucky to be able to see her again.)

"I-is this real gold?!" Eyes sparkling, her tail swishes back and forth in delight at her new haul. "Hehe~ As always, Eden, you're the best! I'm still restocking right now, but come by my shop later and I'll let you pick out something for free."

[reverxiii]

[DRAGON DANCE] - Uh-oh! It seems like the main crew that would lead the dragon dance are two members short, and need two sets of hands NOW! Grab someone and help keep this dance from falling through.

"Haaahh?" Fingers patted dumbly against his belt, seeking a satchel that wasn't there. It had been, presently, but no matter how Kalpas twisted himself this way and that, he couldn't find it.

What he could find, however, was the flick of a tail and the glint of something shining in the sun, and when the puzzle piece slotted itself into place, he tsked, shifted his weight in a way that he hoped (futile) was nonthreatening.

"Felis..."

The burst of speed from him then scattered a flock of bystanders, the crash and clangor of steel woks and crates of oranges, and although he had the raw power, Pardofelis had agility in leaps and bounds, leaping and indeed bounding to evade him at every turn through the streets of this foreign country. Staggering through stands and stalls, swiping at the gauzy cloth that stuck to the sharp corners of his mask, he eventually chased her to the open area where it seemed a group of spectators had gathered to watch a demonstration, over a pit of poles.

"Give it back, Felis!"

And he lunged, hopping easily onto the first pole in chase, heedless of the gasps and scattered applause the movement drew.

She hadn't meant to filch the satchel, honest. Well, no, she definitely did intend to steal it, but she would have been a lot more careful about not getting caught if she'd realized it belonged to Kalpas of all people. Gathering treasures from Kalpas always ran its own risks and she knew that, but...

Call it habit, would you? She'd seen shiny treasure just ripe for the taking and wanted to add it to her shop.

It would be a little nostalgic, the Sundown Alley Thief herself getting chased down the streets, were she not focused on trying to avoid getting incinerated to a crisp or torn apart into Pardo and Felis. Cats might have nine lives, but do you know what she also is? That's right, extremely flammable and rip apart-able. They didn't call her the weakest Flame-Chaser for nothing!

...Ah, she should probably also try to keep normal people out of the way, too. She might be able to walk like a cat, but all of these normal people probably don't know to stay out of Kalpas' way when he's mad. She can practically envision the carnage left behind in their wake from the sound of stalls falling into disarray alone.

To anyone else, a pit of poles spell the end of their chase. To Pardofelis, however, it's just another day.

"Ha—Haha... Kalpas~ So good to see you!" The shaking of her eyes looking for an escape route says otherwise. "If you're interested in purchasing some of my wares, I'm afraid now really isn't a good time... Eeeek!"

Pardofelis bounds across several poles at once, swaying tail keeping her upright, drawing more claps from the crowd.

"Is that a new mask there, Kalpas?" She asks of the streamers that very much look like they are not meant to be there. "It looks good on you, so I'll even give you a special discount on this little thing, just for you!"

[reverxiii]

✰ LANTERN RITE 2025 ! – reblog & send to earn Peace Talismans.

[XINYUE KIOSK] - Back again, Xinyue Kiosk’s keeping up the competition, offering sweet treats, savory dishes, and even refreshing veggies for all those looking to share a snack.

[TEA TASTING] - Third-Round Knockout is once again bringing the new year on with plenty of new tea options for all those caffeinated connoisseurs that want to branch out. Including, for the first time in quite a while, specialty imports all the way from Natlan!

[DRAGON DANCE] - Uh-oh! It seems like the main crew that would lead the dragon dance are two members short, and need two sets of hands NOW! Grab someone and help keep this dance from falling through.

[KAMERA BOOTH] - Liyue is as scenic as it is busy. Several Kamera’s are set up on the docks, surrounding mountains, and some of the best balconies in the area. Make a memory with someone important to you, or keep the lens' attention for yourself!

[LANTERNS] - Like a sea, lanterns float up and flood the night sky. Meaning often dictated by color, they contain our hopes for the new year. Gather with those most cherished and wish for blessings.

[FIREWORK SHOW] - While noisy, fireworks are an incredible display of beauty and color. Make your mark on the new year with a bang!

[JADE HEARTS] - A popular shape for a popular stone in the land of Geo, these Jade Talismans sold quite well. Now, they’re made as a profession of love and desire to ring the New Year in with the company of another.

[BURNING INCENSE] - Even with all the raucous celebration, it is always important to find a quiet moment and remember those who now belong among the stars.

[TOUR GUIDE] - With as many sights to see as Liyue has, join up with a group of strangers to garner the best sights across the city and countryside!

[GIANT JENGA] - While not necessarily a Liyue classic, a recent uptick amongst the younger generation has brought this classic game to the port, and with blocks bigger than ever! Will you best your friend, or will all the pieces come crumbling down? 

[RED ENVELOPES] - Customize your own envelope as a gift to those most cherished. Whether you slip in some mora or a confession of love, even the smallest of envelopes can be life-changing!

[SNAKE PETTING] - As the mascot animal of the year, an exhibit has been set up with several non-venomous and super friendly snakes, if you’re not afraid of these scaly babies.

[JADE MYSTERY] - Shitou is running a special promotion! Guess the correct Noctilucous Jades to find out what it is, just don't gamble all of your mora away...

[reverxiii]

It wasn't as though he were unused to the feeling that something was at his back. The greater the man, the greater the target, and while Kevin did not presume himself to be a great man, even after everything, he knew that there were those that did, and there remained in him that instinct to address and eliminate before a threat could bloom.

He had not necessarily expected the feeling to carry forward into this life – had not expected anything from this new life, had hope that the end was the end – but there was, of late, the strange niggling feeling that there was something there. It wasn't threatening, just enough to prick at his awareness, and more than that it was...

Familiar.

The flick of the tail, the trace of it through the air in the shadows cast by the high hot sun, was what caught his attention, and when he turned it felt for a moment as though this were another lifetime entirely as Kevin's footsteps stuttered to a halt, gaze falling heavily on the rounded cheeks of someone who he had last seen where no other human ought be.

"…Felis…"

There were many things weighted in the name, not merely shock, such as it was for him, not merely recognition or remembrance or confusion, the pieces coming together in sharp relief that this was a world that made even less sense than all the others that came before it.

But above all, there was what might have been the gentlest tinge of relief, for a friend and comrade who had thought they'd lost everything.

Good things come to those who wait are inordinately lucky.

There is very little reason, if any, for Pardofelis to believe she will meet any of her friends again. Even among those who had ostensibly survived into the next Era, had lived longer than even her artificial memories could imagine, there is no guarantee they would meet one another. Perhaps they would exist in the same place, but whether their paths would cross would be entirely in the hands of fate.

It just so happens that fate tends to bless a certain cat-eared girl a little more than most others.

Sunny days like this bring to mind the title thrust upon her: Flame-Chaser. These days, though, the only flames she chases are the sunny spots that shift with the sun's rays. She's still in the process of mapping out where all of the best spots are nowadays, which involves a lot of slinking around. Even if cats will no longer approach her, that doesn't mean she can't let them lead her to all of the good spots.

Today, however, the cats are all lounging in the sun and Pardofelis is the one searching for something. The reason? The sound of familiar footsteps, permanently burned into her mind, crunching on the ground. There's no way she could ever forget that particular footfall after the way it had come for her every time she tried to sleep through a MOTH meeting if Elysia didn't get there first.

Indeed, the cool blue eyes that stare her down couldn't belong to anyone else. He usually looks way more annoyed at her, though.

There's no meeting today. There's no Herrscher come to bring them tragedy, either.

Just a bright, sunny day.

"Big Boss Kevin?!" Pardofelis throws out her hands in a frantic 'stop' gesture. "W-wait, wait, wait! Stop there! Right there!"

She does not run from him nor does she run toward him. Instead, she plunks herself down on the ground and... curls up as if to sleep, tail wrapping around her legs to circle up toward her head. Behind the spotted fur of her tail, a contented smile forms on sleepy lips as she settles in to the sunny spot.

Perhaps others might find his chill unbearable, but to Pardofelis, there's nothing more comfortable than sitting by Kevin's side on a warm day like this.

[reverxiii]

Mortal's Memory 11 — Nine Lives

The 13th Flame-Chaser awakens on a hospital bed just as she had the first day she woke up as a MANTIS. The beeping of monitors echoes in… actually, Pardofelis has never been entirely sure which ears she actually hears from. A small cat, furry body at odds with the otherwise sterile environment of the hospital room, is curled up on her chest as if protecting her from the rest of the world.

Oh, it’s just Can, her sleep-bleary mind provides. 

Two mismatched eyes sweep the room, trying to get a sense of where she is and how she got here. Last thing she remembers, she was on the moon and…

A sharp pain flashes through her head as she tries to recall. Several different scenes overlap in her mind, forming a blurry and haphazard image that refuses to become clearer no matter how hard she concentrates. It’s almost like there’s double vision in her mind’s eye; memories that are too incongruous to be the same, but too similar to be entirely different, either.

“...cter, are you sure these numbers are correct? Her vitals seem too low.”

A furry ear flicks on the top of Pardofelis’s head, picking up a hushed conversation beyond the curtain next to her bed. Two people are huddled together, poring over a clipboard. They’re so absorbed in whatever they’re reading that they fail to notice their charge sitting up in her bed and peering at them with wide eyes.

“I know you’re new to the project, but since I doubt anyone told you… well, just try not to get your hopes too high that she'll wake up. We weren’t able to grab her before the radiation set in.” The doctor scratches the back of her neck, clearly agitated. “And even if she does… there’s no guarantee the body won’t reject the memories we implanted. We had to rebuild the simulation data from the ground up, so…”

“Oh,” the assistant responds rather awkwardly. What’s there to say when your superior admits to your face that you’re stuck on a deadend project? She clears her throat and changes the topic. “Um, I don’t have the clearance to access her files, but you said she was a MANTIS? So she was really strong, then?”

“...Well,” the scratching continues. “Not… particularly. She wasn’t really much of a fighter.”

Pardofelis nods her head approvingly behind their backs. This doctor lady really knows her well! Yep, yep, Pardofelis isn’t strong in the slightest! She’s not a force of nature like Big Boss Kevin or Ellie, nor is she a fighter like Sakura or Kalpas. She could get her paws on anything and anyone she wanted, but fighting? Out of the question. She’s just a normal person: nothing more than a mortal walking among gods.

She’s always just been a little lucky, that’s all.

The unspoken question of “why oh why couldn’t we have found one of the more useful Flame-Chasers?” hangs heavily in the silence of the room. The two women in lab coats press their lips into thin lines, unaware of the girl listening in on their conversation, tail flicking with interest to hear what else they might have to say about her.

The doctor shrugs half-heartedly after a bit, “It’s for the best. If a piece of Corruption happened to hitch a ride on the data we cobbled together, we would have to kill her anyway.”

“MEOW?!”

Two heads snap to look back at the hospital bed and the doctor throws back the curtain. Pardofelis lies still as death, eyes tightly shut. The cat curled up on her chest stretches out a single fluffy paw languidly. She looks up at the two women looking down at her, yawns, and plunks her head back down on Pardofelis’s chest with a quiet huff.

It’s the assistant’s turn to scratch her neck, “...Sorry, Doctor. I thought that maybe if she had Can with her, it would subconsciously soothe her enough to wake up. Especially if she wakes up and realizes that she’s…”

“...I see. So it was just Can.”

The two women shuffle out of the room to continue their conversation elsewhere. When they return later to check on their patient, they find the room completely empty, IVs and sensors dangling uselessly. Both girl and cat are nowhere to be found, gone with the wind.

After all, a patient-proof room is not a Pardofelis-proof room.

If she were a real cat, how many lives would she have left now? How many more times would Lady Luck decide to bless her until her luck finally ran out for good? How many times will she make that same choice, knowing what awaits her?

Before that searing heat claims her once again, there’s something she needs to see for herself.

She knows the path like the back of her hand, even if some of the landmarks look different now. She walks as quietly as a cat, one foot in front of the other, to the place she had grown up in. Most people thought of it as a rough place, but she didn’t think it was all that bad. Rough around the edges, sure, but she’d turned out perfectly fine growing up there!

—Pardofelis comes to a dead stop.

This is where she’d buried all of her treasures to dig up after she returned from her final mission, but there is nothing here but pavement. Her memories, her favorite things, the only pictures of her childhood were buried here, deep beneath the earth. And in this new era they’ve been paved over to lay the foundations for things still yet to come.

Like the Flame-Chasers. Like her. 

The better future they’d all strived for didn’t include them at all.

Sinking to the ground, the girl’s hands tremble uncontrollably. She’d been able to push it out of her mind when she’d first woken up and on the way here, but faced with the future, she can no longer pretend the fear clawing at the back of her mind didn’t exist.

(For all her posturing about not wanting to die, she hadn’t wanted to be the last one, either.)

“...Meow?”

A tiny paw taps against Pardofelis’s leg. Can looks up at her with pleading eyes and pokes her again, more insistently this time.

“S-sorry, you’re hungry, aren’t you?” As if on command, Pardofelis’s stomach rumbles. “I guess I am, too. I didn’t think to take any cans with me when I was leaving…”

Drawing the cat into her arms, Pardofelis stands up and dusts herself off, tail swaying behind her. Survival is a powerful motivator and she’s always been a simple girl with simple desires. Once her belly is full and she has a nap, that’s when she’ll focus on what to do next. Big decisions that you make on an empty stomach don’t count at all, see. The same applies to big feelings.

“Alright! Come on, Can, Felis’s Shop isn’t gonna restock itself!”

“Meow!” 

“And we have to find all of the new sunny spots for napping!”

“Meow!”

“And we’ll find a whole bunch of new shinies, too! Hehe~”

“Meow~”

An era that no longer needed Flame-Chasers still needed shopkeepers, didn’t it? Everything else would come to her in time if she just waited. She’d always rolled with the punches and ended up just fine. One coin, one memory, one can of tuna at a time, she’ll rebuild her collection of treasures back up again and sleep in the warm sunlight surrounded by all of her friends. 

Because the Thirteenth Flame-Chaser had always been lucky, hadn’t she?

[reverxiii]

i haven't/don't want to play hi3 who the hell is this catgirl

welcome to my sparknotes version (hi3 spoilers, obviously.)

So who is this?

Pardofelis (codename: Reverie) is the 13th Flame-Chaser and the self-proclaimed weakest one. An orphan turned righteous thief, she snuck into Fire Moth's base looking for supplies and was mistaken for a volunteer for the MANTIS program. Pardo fell asleep on the operating table as a normal human and woke up a genetically modified super soldier with cat ears and everything.

She's not much of a fighter, though. She's better suited for covert ops... and running her little shop.

But honestly... she's kind of a slacker. She's a chronic meeting skipper with sticky fingers and even her fellow Flame-Chasers tend to find her to be a bit of a handful.

What's a MANTIS?

They messed with her genes and gave her Honkai Beast DNA. We don't know what Honkai Beast she got genes from, but the cat ears and tail are a result of the surgery.

So she's dead?

Oh yeah dude super dead.

How'd that happen?

She went on a suicide mission to the moon to fight the Herrscher of the End. The extremely paraphrased version is: she took a blast of what's more or less nuclear energy directly to the face holding open a backdoor to allow Prometheus to hack her way into the Cocoon of Finality. This happened in the Previous Era, which was a long long long time ago. She's been dead for a while.

How is she alive in GH?

Don't worry about it.

Who's the cat with her?

That's Can. :) Pardo's bestie. Cats don't like Pardo anymore after her surgery, so Can is the fulfillment of her wishes within the Elysian Realm. honest to god i don't know how to justify pardo in combat if she doesnt have can. so she gets can.

What's the Elysian Realm?

Have you ever played the sims,

Is she actually the weakest Flame-Chaser?

Mei's reaction to seeing sim!Pardo fight implies that yes, she is being /srs /gen about not being a particularly strong fighter. On the other hand, this is also like calling her the smallest giant because....she's still a genetically modified super solider.

[reverxiii]

closed pardofelis from honkai impact 3rd. affiliated with gnostic hymns. written by limit (they/them).

mobile links: dossier / talents / guidelines / pardo sparknotes

notes below the cut

Pardo has been unceremoniously yanked from a Bubble Universe (somehow) moments before perishing (somehow) and had Sim!Pardo's memories artificially implanted in her mind (somehow). We are operating on serious "just trust me here bro" vibes. The tl;dr here is that yes, she remembers Mei et al and also dying horribly

Pardo has a habit of, er, collecting (shiny) things and then selling them back to their original owners. She will never steal anything truly important to your muse without your express ooc permission.