Herrscher of Dominance in Honkai, starting with the abduction of Kiana

In the cramped room, only suffocating darkness kept Pardo company. Like a kitten trapped in a discarded box, abandoned amidst a pile of refuse, she endured the stench and the gloom.

School, which other children so vehemently resisted, represented a freedom she could only dream of. Each morning, she listened to the sounds of the outside world, gazing longingly through the barred window, envying the freedom of others.

Her greatest joy was seeing the little brown cat, a symbol of the freedom she craved. Its presence always brightened her day.

But now, the cat was gone.

Pardo huddled in a corner, hugging her knees, staring at the stuffed cat in her hands.

The discarded toy, found in a trash can, was her only companion. It couldn't speak, but Paddo could talk to it, her solitary voice preferable to the hateful arguments that echoed through the thin walls.

Strange sounds came from the next room, accompanied by gasps and moans.

But Pardo blocked them out, her gaze fixed on the closed door.

I wish I could open that door.

After a while, the sounds finally stopped.

Pardo breathed a sigh of relief. Once she was certain the coast was clear, she crept to the door, opening it a crack.

The living room was empty. She spotted a bowl of leftovers from last night on the table. Like a stealthy kitten, she tiptoed towards it, her stomach growling with hunger.

She couldn't resist. Climbing onto a chair, she reached for the bowl.

But just as she was about to grab it, she lost her balance, tumbling to the floor with a loud thump.

Pardo's face paled. She tried to stand, but a sharp pain shot through her leg, and she couldn't get up.

The door clicked open, and a strange man looked out, his eyes filled with confusion.

He looked at Pardo, then turned back into the room. "Is this your kid?"

"Don't worry about her."

"But she seems to be hurt."

"Enough! Just take your money and leave. Stop asking so many questions!"

The man's face darkened, and he retreated into the room without another word.

Paddo, her leg throbbing, bit her lip and struggled to her feet.

At least he didn't hit me.

She considered herself lucky. At least when her mother brought men home, they usually stayed out of her room. But sometimes, there were scary men who, upon seeing her, would try to lure her out, their words suggestive and unsettling.

That door, while a barrier to freedom, also offered protection.

She didn't blame her mother for bringing strangers home. They were desperately poor; it was the only way they could afford to eat.

At least this way, her mother sometimes had money for food, though Pardo rarely got to share it.

Only if there were leftovers, like today, could she sneak some back to her room. If her mother caught her, she would be beaten.

The cold, hard leftovers weren't much, but it was better than starving. She was like a stray cat, scavenging for scraps, doing whatever it took to survive.

She looked at her bedroom door. Beyond that door lay the outside world.

Pardo envied the cat, its carefree existence, basking in the sun, without fear of being beaten or judged.

I wish I could open that door.

Unconsciously, she found herself standing before it. But as she reached for the handle, a loud banging echoed from the other side.

"Open the door!" A drunken voice slurred through the wood, tearing at Pardo's nerves.

Like a frightened animal, she scrambled back to her room, ignoring the bowl of food and the throbbing pain in her leg.

Her heart pounded in her chest as she pressed herself against the door, afraid to even peek out.

As expected, the sounds of a violent argument erupted, filling the small apartment. Pardo covered her ears, tears streaming down her face, clutching her stuffed cat as she retreated to her corner.

"You whore! Bringing men home again while I'm gone…"

"At least I bring home men who are better than a useless drunk like you…"

The vicious words, like sharp knives, sliced through Paddo's young heart.

Her mother's blatant infidelity, her father's drunken gambling binges—living in this broken home filled Pardo with despair.

"Just like your bastard child! I should have strangled you both at birth!"

"Kitty, take me away," Pardo whispered, her small body trembling, tears falling onto the stuffed toy.

The argument escalated, the stranger joining the fray, the two men grappling with each other.

The couple, trapped in this toxic relationship, harbored a mutual hatred, each wishing the other dead. Seeing her husband restrained, Paddo's mother grabbed a porcelain bowl and smashed it against his head.

The blood flowing down his face only fueled his rage. He pulled a switchblade from his pocket and plunged it into the stranger's chest.

Paddo, huddled in her room, trembled, the sounds of violence echoing through the thin walls. She didn't dare imagine the scene outside, curling up into a ball, hoping to disappear.

The shattering of glass, the thud of bodies hitting the floor, angry shouts, screams of pain. Finally, silence.

"Paddo, open the door."

It was her mother's voice.

But Paddo, terrified, couldn't move. Through the gap beneath the door, she saw her father's lifeless eyes staring up at the ceiling, blood dripping from the knife still embedded in his chest.

Flames, seemingly appearing out of nowhere, began to spread, thick black smoke filling the room.

Fire.

"It's over," her mother said, her voice a mixture of exhaustion and relief.

She stood at Paddo's door, a knife in her hand, a twisted, despairing smile on her face.

This life had been a mistake. It was time to take it all back to hell.

"Paddo, come with Mommy."

She set fire to the man's corpse, letting the flames spread.

But no matter how long she waited, Paddo didn't open the door.

As the heat intensified, the woman collapsed against the door, leaving Paddo trapped in the burning room, the smoke choking her, her consciousness fading.

"Someone, please help me…"

Paddo clutched her stuffed cat, praying desperately. The smoke thickened, and she coughed uncontrollably, her vision blurring.

Looking at the door, now being consumed by flames, she thought of the little cat, so free, a symbol of everything she longed for.

The door opened.

Just as Paddo lost consciousness, she saw the door swing open.

A brown tabby cat, its movements unhurried, strolled through the flames, stopping before her.

"Meow."