A/N: Hello again~

Yes, this is another thing I've uploaded to celebrate Venti's Birthday~

Happy Birthday, Best Bard!

(Other than that, well, I wanted just a bit more Sprite Venti so... here. And, I felt bad for making Lumine suffer every time hahaha)

This is an extra for Ch4 Extra (Extra of an Extra!), and it takes place on the same day as Ch5 (just before the narrative for ch 5 starts).

But isn't it funny how after this, MiHoYo goes on and makes an event where we bully the Unusual Hilichurl?

Anyways, I thank my friend for doing an editing marathon with me, even after all that em tiring /em coursework.

I hope you enjoy my offering! \(︶*\))

It takes one last step for Lumine to reach the last landing leading to the rooftop balcony of Wangshu Inn. With a bowl of freshly made Almond Tofu in hand, she scans the area in hopes of catching the Adeptus also known as the Vigilant Yaksha before he has gone off to wherever he's off to today.

Verr Goldet said he was up here, the last time she checked.

The late afternoon sun does not directly show its full brilliance in this part of the Inn. The weather is fair, and the view of Dihua Marsh is just as impressive as usual. But, there is no figure standing guard over the sight before them.

And as expected, there are also no signs of Venti. She couldn't help sighing.

"Cheer up, Lumine! Paimon's confident that Tone-Deaf Bard will pop up sooner or later!" The fairy says cheerfully as she catches up with the Traveler. "Especially when he hears what we have for him."

Paimon's eyes turn half-lidded as a smug look crosses her face, her eyebrows wiggling in suggestion.

Lumine gives her a tight smile.

The travelling duo have been trying to get in contact with Venti for almost two weeks now. After realizing her mistake, Lumine headed straight to Dawn Winery to ask Connor if he could spare her some bottles of wine.

This earned her a raised eyebrow. She insisted that they weren't for her and for someone else—"for Venti," she let slip—and that she was willing to pay.

He mused over it, as it could earn him a scolding from the Wine Master. But, unable to truly refuse the Mondstadt's Honorary Knight when she looked like she desperately needed them, he gave in.

The latest experimental batch with tweaked amounts of Mist Corolla extracts and Dandelion Seeds from Brightcrown that the Traveler had gathered for him did turn out pretty well. Sparing a bottle or two should be no problem…

He did take a step back when she asked for three bottles of them.

Having acquired their apology gift, the travelling duo have tried calling out for the bard in places he might be—in Windrise, by the roots of Vanessa's tree; in Mondstadt City, atop the Barbatos Statue in the middle of the city center at night; and on Starsnatch Cliff amongst the clumps of Cecilias—multiple times, only to receive silence in return. When that didn't work, they asked around the city folk, the Knights, and even visited every tavern and bar the city has to offer in their search.

No matter who they ask, they all say the same thing: 'Now that you mention it, I haven't seen that green-clad bard around here these days.'

As expected of the one dubbed as the 'Absentee Archon'.

In Mondstadt's wilderness, they would search beyond their commission and bounty areas, hoping they'd meet him there by chance.

It is slightly frustrating to know that Venti was purposefully avoiding them by the small pranks he pulls from time to time. Having the wind current suddenly blow the opposite direction while gliding (which results to almost smacking against a mountain face or a cliff), and having a gust of wind give her a playful nudge over the edge of any body of water she finds herself near (which half of the time is enough to tip her over and end up soaking wet) is nothing short of inconvenient—if not annoying.

Paimon shouting at the air, ready to rip Venti a new one, tells Lumine that the giggle she hears after each incident is not her imagination.

Is this what they call divine retribution?

"You're right, but I feel bad about it. I just kinda forgot he griped about it before."

"Oh relax!" Paimon crosses her arms. "If anything, that useless bard should feel bad about all those pranks he's pulling on us!"

Paimon's words help in picking her mood up, enough to make her chuckle. She goes farther into the balcony and tries to call the other person she had inconvenienced in that little incident.

"Xiao! Are you still around?" Lumine calls out, as she turns her head left and right, waiting for him to drop down from the roof or something.

"You called?"

Lumine and Paimon flinch when they hear the voice, both turning their heads toward the curious rock display on their left.

"Here, you go!" She smiles, lifting the bowl of the dessert up for him to see before placing it down on the tea table. "I've brought today's serving of Almond Tofu!"

Xiao's eyes follow the path the bowl of his favourite treat has gone through before looking at Traveler and her floating friend once more.

"How many times do I have to tell you this isn't necessary?" Xiao crosses his arms. "I have forgiven you already. Now, you're just wasting your time."

"It's not a waste of time." Lumine places her hands on her hips, her cheeks puffing up. She is standing her ground. "And besides, I'm a person who keeps my promises, and I promised to make it up to you with a week's worth of Almond Tofu."

"Do as you please." The Yaksha does not argue anymore, and turns his back on them. The action is meant to dismiss them, but he knows there's still another thing on their minds.

He isn't deaf.

"Is that all?"

Lumine and Paimon share a look between them and nod.

"Well, you see..." Paimon starts off,swaying lazily from side to side in the air with her hands behind her back. "We've been looking for Venti for a while now."

"And we were wondering if you've seen him around here lately," Lumine continues. "Mr. Zhongli and Childe say they haven't."

"We have a feeling you might know," Paimon adds thoughtfully. "Since he comes to Wangshu Inn more than he visits them."

Xiao takes a moment to face them for his answer. He huffs and shakes his head.

"If you're looking for that good-for-nothing bard, you won't see him that easily."

"So you've seen him?!" Paimon excitedly asks, completely forgetting that she spotted something unnatural just now.

"He drops by occasionally."

"Would you happen to know when he'll come to visit next?" the Traveler asks, hopeful. She doesn't want to think what 'occasionally' means for an immortal, but hopes he meant it in a way that's closer to a human's time frame.

"No."

"Oh..." Lumine says, deflated. She couldn't blame him. Venti is finicky, always choosing the unexpected.

Other than wanting to make up with a friend, she is also in desperate need of a ton of Hilichurl masks. Having the former Anemo Archon help out in gathering them makes the job at least thrice as fast.

"Can't say we didn't try." Paimon shrugs, exaggeratedly. She gives Lumine a wink; they talked about this before coming to the Inn. "Paimon guesses the Tone-Deaf Bard doesn't want our apology gifts, right Traveler?"

The fairy nudges her companion on the shoulder when the Traveler doesn't follow up her lead-in immediately.

"Ri-right! I guess we'll just have to return the three bottles of Dandelion Wine we were supposed to offer the magnificent and powerful Anemo Archon."

Xiao squints at the goofballs before turning his head to the side and covering his mouth with a fist as he stifles a chuckle once he gets what they are up to.

Paimon sees the Adeptus' cowlick move despite the lack of wind or movement. It makes her squint, which in turn, catches Lumine's attention. She opens her mouth to point it out, but decides to just stick to the plan.

"Let's go, Lumine, we did what we came here for! Better not let Ellin wait for us!"

"Oh, is that it? Surely you could do better than that!"

"Tone-Deaf Bard?!" Paimon shrieks, putting her hand on her mouth as she casts glances everywhere. Unable to spot him anywhere, she stomps in place up in the air. "Ugh, Paimon's done playing games with you! Lumine, let's just go."

The Traveler nods in agreement and starts walking toward the stairs.

"See you later, Xiao!" The two of them turn to wave him farewell before going down the stairs—just halfway down the first flight.

They stay a few minutes before they tiptoe back up with practiced light and silent steps. They haven't forgotten what they have learned from that time they tried to smuggle the Holy Lyre der Himmel out of the Cathedral. They both take a tentative peek beyond the wall and they see Xiao just staring at the bowl of Almond Tofu at the table.

"Ah, there it is again!" Paimon whispers to the Traveler, her finger pointing at Xiao—or rather his head—excitedly. "Quick, use your Elemental Sight! Paimon has a good feeling about this!"

The Traveler tilts her head to the side with her brows furrowing a lightly. What would using Elemental Sight—oh...

"Hurry!"

"Okay, okay, I get it. Keep it down!" The Traveler whispers back before taking a deep breath. "Here goes nothing…"

The world before her becomes muted in color. Items are colored differently based on their compositions, but what catches her eye is the appearance of a familiar blue wisp. Her eyes follow where it leads, and there…

"Venti, is that you?!" Lumine springs out of her hiding place and dashes to the tea table and outstretches her hands to catch… something.

Paimon doesn't see whatever it is that Lumine has caught. She'll assume that it is Venti. She comes out of her hiding place and floats towards them.

"Uhm… Paimon's confused." She says quietly, scratching the top of her head.

"I told you this scheme isn't going to last long," Xiao mutters under his breath.

Lumine opens her hands and immediately brings the tiny creature to her cheek, rubbing it together with the dazed creature's own.

The Sprite feels like he's going to puke. The world was spinning. It was bright then dark and then bright again. And he's being jostled too much. And to think one moment, he was about to taste the Traveler's cooking and the next, he's thrown into this madness.

Is this Celestial retribution?

"You're so tiny and cute! Is this what you looked like before taking on a human form?" the Traveler gushes, prolonging her o's and the i's, in between squeals of delight.

"Careful, you're going to make him sick." Xiao warns, in response to the white, begging eyes that turn dizzily in his direction.

"Oh, sorry," Lumine stops her furious cheek-rubbing and brings her hands up to eye level. "Hm, now that I think about it, he looks like those floating things—that aren't seelies!—around Mondstadt."

Venti totters in a small circle as the world continues to dance before him.

"He's an Anemo Elemental Spirit," Xiao explains in Venti's stead. "And to answer your question, yes, he's the same as those you find in abundance over Mondstadt's skies."

"Paimon knew it! Elemental Sight did work!" the fairy chimes in, evidently smug. It goes down a notch when she remembers she couldn't exactly appreciate it that much since she couldn't see Venti or these Elementals they are talking about.

Lumine hums in understanding as she begins to glide a finger across the Sprite's head. The gesture helps Venti get his head on straight.

"Oh geez, Traveler, I never knew you could be this intense!" Venti exclaims and then giggles as he nuzzles the underside of Lumine's finger.

The Sprite then lifts itself up and floats towards Xiao.

Lumine swivels around, following Venti the Sprite's every move. She sees him drift up, with every intention to sit on the Yaksha's head. But, Xiao's glare deters him, making him change course and settle on the Adeptus' shoulder instead.

She had to keep her lips firmly pressed together to prevent cooing from coming out. Sprite Venti is just precious. She feels that any mischief and selfishness he would cause her in that form will be forgiven immediately.

She nods sagely, impressed by how the Yaksha is keeping his ground.

Paimon wanted to complain about not being in the loop when Venti spoke up. At least they're getting somewhere in this invisible (for her, at least) charade...

"Well, I guess, this means the gig is up!" Venti says rather cheerfully for someone who's plan to keep hiding has been ruined. "Now that you found me, I believe you've got a little something for me?"

Ah, that explains his mood.

"They don't owe you anything, idiot." Xiao flicks the Sprite's forehead.

If Venti had a visible mouth, he would've shown his displeasure with a pout.

"Hey, Venti… Sorry about dragging Xiao out to Mondstadt and then leaving him there." The Traveler scratches the back of her head. "I ended up getting stuck in a domain and well… Oh, how it happened doesn't matter! But, I want you to know I'm really, really sorry about it!"

She bows in an almost 45-degree angle. "I humbly seek your forgiveness."

"Hmmmm, let me consider it."

"What's there to consider?!" Paimon's outburst coincides with Xiao's scolding: "I thought you stopped sulking about it."

Lumine lifts her head to glance at the two.

"Well whatever, we got the apology out of the way now, and Tone-Deaf Bard's being difficult." Paimon rolls her eyes. "We'll settle this next time, but really need to get going or it'll be dark when we get there!" Paimon yells as she tugs on the scarf-like part of Lumine's outfit.

The insistent tugging is close to choking the Traveler, so she has no choice but to follow the fairy off the rooftop balcony.

"If you're going now, don't forget to set down those offerings!" Venti calls out from Xiao's shoulder before they have reached the first few steps down.

"Oh, right." Lumine opens up her travel bag and unloads three bottles of Dandelion Wine onto the tea table. Paimon sighs in exasperation, while Xiao pinches the bridge of his nose. "These aren't out in the market yet. They're from a successful batch of experimental wine Connor had concocted. I hear it'll be out as a limited edition, so I hope you accept this little offering to appease your anger."

"You happy now, Tone-Deaf Bard!" Paimon crowds him with her scowling face, her arms akimbo.

"Hm, hm, hm, hmmm, much obliged! And you're all forgiven!"

"Oh, finally." Lumine places a hand on her chest and sighs in relief. She can say goodbye to random cliff face encounters and unexpected lake drops. And she can drop that formal crap earlier (you can't be sure when he'll use the 'Archon card', so better to err on the side of caution). This whole mess sure took some time to resolve itself, but this is good. "Expect me to call on you for some mask-collecting soon!"

"Who said I'm willing to do you favors so quickly after being forgiven?" Venti feigns shock and disbelief at the Traveler's audacity.

"You still got a bit of debt left, right?" Lumine reminds him sweetly.

"Liyuen roofs cost a pretty penny, you know," Paimon sneers.

"Oh drat, there's still that." The Sprite clicks his tongue.

"See you soon, Venti! Glad we worked that out!" Lumine and Paimon flash out of existence, most likely having used the Traveler's teleportation ability.

"Those two sure got me!" Venti jumps off his place on Xiao's shoulder and transforms into his human form.

"Let me repeat what I said earlier: I told you this game of tag isn't going to last long." Xiao huffs, rolling his eyes.

"No need to rub it in!"

The bard hums happily as he skips over to the tea table and inspects the offerings he received. He sighs dreamily as he picks up one of them and rubs his cheek onto its smooth, polished surface.

"You aren't opening them now nor are you to empty them out in one sitting." Xiao comes up to him and grabs the bottle he has been showering with his affections on.

"Eh, but Al—"

Venti's eyes travel from the bottle in Xiao's hands to the face of its owner. He sees an eyebrow quirk up at the abrupt pause. He withdraws his grubby hands and straightens himself.

"On second thought, alcohol needs to be chilled to the right temperature. It'd taste better that way, I'm sure." Venti's hand cups his chin in deep thought before raising his index finger at an ingenious idea. "So take them to Smiley downstairs while I kill some time. I don't mind sharing with you especially since the treat's on the Traveler's dime."

"I wasn't asking for a sip, and take them downstairs yourself." Xiao rolls his eyes.

"How sure are you that I wouldn't have drunk them all by the time I would have landed on the kitchen floor?" Venti shrugs with closed eyes, only to crack one open to spy on the Yaksha's reaction. He even outstretches his arms for Xiao to load them on.

"That's— Why you—" Xiao cuts himself off, clutching the bottle in his hands closer to his chest and using his body to shield the other two bottles on the table from the drunkard's view, in favor of a sigh. "So, what do you intend to do in the meantime?"

"I intend to go on a date," Venti declares brightly as he withdraws his hands and turns his back on the other with a flourish—his cape swishing dramatically.

The Yaksha doesn't sputter, but almost drops the bottle in his hands.

"A play date, isn't that right, missy, whose head is peeking out of the wall over there?"

Xiao places the bottle on the tea table for safety.

"Do you mean Dusky Ming?" A low voice comes out from the wall, and a hand joins the head in being out in the open. The hand gestures to its owner.

"Oh, so that's the little missy's name, huh? As for me, I'm Venti, a humble travelling bard from Mondstadt. Glad to make your acquaintance." Venti giggles as he approaches the ghost who starts emerging out of the wall. When he gets close enough, he bows and then tries to shake her hand. "So, Dusky Ming, might I interest you with a game of hide and seek?"

"Okay! Dusky Ming loves hide and seek!" She starts jumping up and down in excitement. When she stopped she giggled with her hands in front of her mouth, her eyes shining with smugness. "Be prepared to lose, Mister…"

"Oho, aren't we getting ahead of ourselves, Dusky Ming?"

"You'll see," she says before giggling again. "Come follow me to my favourite play area!"

"Well then, see you later." Venti quickly sprints over to Xiao and gives him a peck on the cheek. "Come pick us up when it's time."

When aqua meets golden eyes, they lock in place for a few seconds worth of eternity. A blink severs the connection.

And with that, the bard follows a little energetic ghost down the stairs with the promise of an afternoon of fun and games.

Xiao turns his attention to the table where three bottles of 'limited edition' Dandelion, and a forgotten bowl of Almond Tofu sat. He picks up the bowl and brings a spoonful to his mouth.

The taste of dreams flood his mouth, albeit losing its ideal temperature.

It doesn't matter. May it be food or offerings, none must go to waste. And so, he shall partake gratefully.

Almond Tofu had always been a source of momentary comfort—a reward after an arduous string of battles where he emerges victorious.

It is not meant to be eaten on a daily basis; just as how dreams are not meant to be eaten.

He brings another spoonful to his mouth as his eyes trail after a speck of green and the faint speck of blue that the green speck is chasing after.

If dreams are not to be eaten, then is he allowed to live in one?

As impudent as it sounds, he feels as though he is in a very lengthy one right now.

•• ••

Lumine later asks Miss Lisa if she could make a contraption that will allow her to photograph under the lens of Elemental Sight.

Anemo Sprite Venti must be preserved in a photograph.

With enough time and favors (collecting overdue books and helping with sorting and shelving books), her request becomes reality. The first thing she does upon receiving this new lens is to stalk coincidentally find the duo patrolling around Guili Plains, and snap as many pictures of them in battle and while roaming the area.

— —

Fun fact: The chase scene in chapter 4 was supposed to be longer. As in, they would be going around Dawn Winery. And because people cannot process Xiao's presence and that Sprite Venti cannot be seen by normal means, for a day, the workers there thought there was a ghost causing havoc on the plantation grounds.

Actually, it was a choice between them talking it out immediately or a very long chase scene. And as you have seen, I went with 'both' options, where the chase scene doesn't take too long and that they do talk it out while walking, hehe.

A/N: I hope that was cute and an enjoyable read~ Thanks for reading!

If you could, please share with me your thoughts? Pretty please?