Bizarre Honkai, a Wife-Chasing Crematorium

Yes, eating.

Even Elysia's anomaly-weakening room couldn't erase the instincts burned into Pardofelis's very being. Thankfully, the tuna can was Pardofelis's creation. As long as she remained unharmed, it would slowly regenerate.

Moonlight spilled through the window, illuminating four shadows. Pardofelis sat in the darkness, her mismatched eyes observing Li Mo and Mei.

The two sat facing each other, an almost intimate atmosphere between them. Mei, her violet eyes gleaming with an unreadable light, offered a subtle, teasing smile.

"Oh?" she purred, her long purple hair shimmering like silk. A gentle breeze stirred, soft and alluring.

The world held its breath, as if afraid to disturb the delicate scene. The faint scent of flowers drifted on the night air, mingling with the pale moonlight. It was a tableau of quiet beauty.

"So," Mei continued, rising and leaning closer to Li Mo, her voice a soft whisper, "what exactly did this… me do to you?" Her words, sharp as a knife, pierced the silence.

They were close enough to see themselves reflected in each other's eyes. A breeze rustled Mei's hair, framing her face like a delicate veil. She closed her eyes, savoring the sensation.

Outside, flowers swayed in the night breeze, a silent dance beneath the moon. Moonlight filtered through the leaves, dappling the ground with light and shadow.

"You're usually so meticulous about anomalies. Why so hesitant now? Is it… difficult to talk about? Something you're… embarrassed about?" Mei's long eyelashes fluttered, a hint of anticipation in her gaze. She was waiting for him to react, to break his composure, to perhaps even set aside the anomaly discussion, even for a moment…

"..." Li Mo's lips twitched. Mei clearly knew what had happened, waiting for him to confess so she could tease him mercilessly.

"Aw, come on, Mo-bro, Boss! don't be shy! You weren't so timid when you were beating me up!" Pardofelis chimed in, ever the instigator.

Li Mo sighed. "It took your form," he said, his tone carefully neutral. "Tried to… arouse me."

"I tested the killing condition. It seems to be emotional response. It can sense desires and fears, and create illusions to trigger them."

"I was in a special state at the time. No emotional response. So it couldn't attack me."

"It might have left, but probably not far. I suggest keeping an eye on the area around Chiba Academy." He looked at Mei, who seemed strangely displeased, a flicker of disappointment in her eyes.

"Mei, you look upset."

"Worried about the students at Chiba? Yes, an anomaly that preys on emotions is dangerous, especially for teenagers."

"But that's the worst-case scenario. It probably can't attack on a large scale. We'd have noticed otherwise. Schicksal's intelligence isn't that incompetent." His attempt at reassurance missed the mark.

"One more thing. I buried the Head Ghost near the cave. I'll retrieve it when I'm recovered, so you can study it."

"Don't worry if you can't figure it out. A single Head Ghost is manageable. In a pinch, destroying it forces a reset, which can be useful." A single, intact Head Ghost posed little threat to him. He could always reseal it if necessary.

"By the way, where's Elysia? Still traveling?"

"Need something from her? She said she'd be back soon, maybe in a few days."

"Never mind Elysia. Pardofelis, I need more coins. They're lifesavers."

"Huh? But Mo-bro, I'm all out!"

Li Mo looked at Mei, who nodded. "Fu Hua took one as well. Normal coins need to stay with Pardofelis for at least six months to transform, and she can only do one at a time. So we're out."

Mei glanced at the calendar on the wall, marked with numerous red X's. "Five more days until the next coin is ready."

"It's late. I'm going to bed. Goodnight." She walked towards the door.

"Wait. Didn't you want me to come to your room?"

Li Mo was confused. His body and emotions were recovering, but women remained an enigma.

Mei turned, a playful smile on her face. "I told you about Fu Hua. We'll discuss the details when you're ready to leave."

"Unless… you want to talk about something… more personal? I wouldn't object, but are you… capable at the moment?" With that parting shot, she left, leaving Li Mo flustered and speechless.

Damn it… He really had no recourse against Mei's teasing.

Back in her room, Mei didn't go to bed. She opened her laptop, analyzing anomaly data, and adding to a particular file:

Li Mo Observation Log

She expanded on anomalous Kiana's profile, adding it to a collection of equally bizarre files, including one on a bloodthirsty Pardofelis. These endless anomalies defied all known scientific principles. Their existence was illogical, a fundamental challenge to human understanding of reality. A contaminating force, its origin unknown…

"All anomalies dream…" Mei murmured, staring at the incomplete conclusion she'd reached two years ago. She couldn't prove it, just a hunch based on limited data. A simple sentence, yet it had haunted her, defying all attempts at decipherment.

Two hours later, Li Mo left Elysia's room and returned to his own. His eyes had returned to their normal brown, but his hair remained white. As the anomaly's influence receded, an overwhelming fatigue washed over him. He craved sleep. Four days in the funeral world, plus two months of consciousness within the black coffin, had taken their toll.

He collapsed onto his bed, instantly falling asleep.

The window was open. A cold breeze stirred the white curtains. Pale moonlight spilled into the room, illuminating the door.

Two shadows stood silently in the doorway, watching.

Li Mo's blood began to churn. The blood bead anomalous Kiana had placed in his mouth sent its signal to his brain, pulling him into her dream.

Anomalies dream. Sometimes absurd, sometimes real.

Dream, or Reality.

~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~

"Heehee, look what I got you! Ta-da! Your favorite game console! I saved up for ages…" Kiana chirped.

"Only you, dumbass Kiana, would do something like that. Why not buy yourself some decent food?"

"Hmph! I do what I want!"

"Then no more allowance for you."

"You… how could you?! Fine! I'll earn my own money!"

"But you can barely earn enough to feed yourself."

"You… you're slandering me! Just you wait! Next month, I'll make even more deliveries and earn tons of money!"

"..."

In a small, simply furnished apartment, Li Mo and Kiana bickered. The new game console on the table was a luxury for their time. The only decorations were the countless photos on the wall, all of Kiana and Li Mo. Kiana's expression evolved from blank indifference to genuine, radiant joy, hinting at a warm, healing story.

The day Siegfried abandoned Kiana, leaving her alone in the freezing snow.

The biting wind showed no mercy to the shivering girl. Snow fell relentlessly, dusting her reddened nose.

"Ugh… so cold…" Her limbs grew numb. She struggled to keep her eyes open, searching for shelter, but her vision blurred, fading to black.

The snowflakes felt like icy snakes, biting into her fragile skin. Her consciousness slipped away, her body unresponsive. The snow piled up, burying her, only her heavy backpack visible above the surface.

She was dying. At least, that's what she believed. In her last moments of consciousness, she whispered a weak plea.

"Dad… Dad…"

"Don't go…"

"..." She didn't understand why he'd left her there, alone in the frozen wasteland. Even her tears froze on her cheeks.

When she awoke, she saw an unfamiliar ceiling. A warm fire flickered nearby, illuminating a small, rustic cabin. She tried to sit up, to thank her rescuer, but her limbs wouldn't obey.

"You're awake. Have some porridge. It's all I have."

She turned to see a boy around her age, with black hair and brown eyes. Not a Siberian native.

Li Mo sat beside her, spooning warm porridge into her mouth. Kiana, starving for two days, didn't refuse.

"Aren't you going to eat?" she asked between bites.

"I already ate."

"Oh…" She obediently accepted the food.

After finishing the porridge, she tried again to move, but failed. A terrifying possibility entered her mind: she was paralyzed.

"I'm sorry…" she whispered.

"What for?"

"I can't… move…"

"Is that so…" Li Mo mused, stroking his chin.

Kiana forced a bitter smile. She expected him to abandon her, just like her father… Out here, in the desolate wilderness, survival was a struggle, even without a burden. She was paralyzed, useless. Alone, she would die, either from hunger or the cold.

He, on the other hand, could easily escape if he traveled light.

She wouldn't blame him for leaving. She had nothing to offer.

"It's okay. You'll get better. Stay here for now. One more person won't make much difference."

His words surprised her. Why would he take her in? The meager portion of porridge suggested he wasn't exactly living in luxury.

"I'm sorry…" she mumbled again.

"Why do you keep apologizing? Let's talk about something else. What's your name? Why are you out here alone? No one lives within miles of here. It's too harsh. You're so young. How did you even get here?"

Kiana's tears flowed freely as his questions touched a raw nerve.