"Why aren't there any kids here?"
After searching around Mondstadt for a while, Wendy took off the monocle and frowned. She hadn't seen a single child. She'd wanted to see what "non-human" imaginary friends looked like, but not even one little kid showed up — which made her rather unhappy.
"Um… Miss Wendy, didn't you find what you were looking for?"
Paimon and Lumine edged closer, careful and cautious. They'd agreed earlier that Wendy mustn't wander Mondstadt alone — she was a dangerous unknown — so they'd been following her. If she asked to be left alone, they'd respect it, but until then they'd stay nearby.
"Why are you two following me?" Wendy asked, though she already knew.
"...Venti asked us to watch out for you. He's got something to do… Oh! You seem unfamiliar with Mondstadt. Want some help?" Lumine had thought hard and came up with a harmless excuse so Wendy wouldn't get suspicious.
"Do you know where the children are?" Wendy asked.
"You've asked the right person. I know Mondstadt very well — even blindfolded I could—" Paimon started proudly.
"Where are the children?" Wendy cut her off; she didn't want chatter.
"Miss Wendy, follow me. I know where the kids are." Lumine said. She led Wendy to the flower-seller at the city gate.
Paimon shivered. At the moment Lumine's words were interrupted she'd sensed a frightening aura from Wendy — something she wanted to keep at a distance. But she couldn't abandon Lumine, so she followed along, nervously.
"What's this? A balloon?" Wendy peered through the monocle at the flower girl, Flora. Through the lens, Flora's imaginary friend appeared as a strange plant that looked like a cluster of balloons — three of them.
"That's not a balloon, it's Poppop! He's my friend," Flora corrected Wendy.
"Poppop? Poppop-fruit? Do people have imaginary friends? Weird." Paimon blinked. She knew what "imaginary friend" meant now, but she hadn't expected some to be plants.
"Why not? I want a flying plant as a friend," Flora said simply.
"A flying plant friend? Why?" Paimon asked.
"When the wind comes, you and your friend fly up to the sky and go far away. It's amazing." Flora's voice filled with longing; she'd always wanted to fly.
"Then I'll make you fly. Come on, I'll take you up." Without warning, Wendy scooped Flora up and lifted her into the air. Flora shrieked in surprise at first, then goggled in delight as the world fell away beneath her while Wendy held her safely.
"So this is how flying feels…" Flora laughed.
"Lumine, what do we do?" Paimon was stunned — Wendy's actions had attracted a crowd. Lumine shouted as loud as she could. "Wendy — come down! It's dangerous!"
People in the plaza gasped and whispered. "Is that the Wind God?" "She looks just like the statue." "Why is she carrying little Flora?"
Because the plaza had been eerily empty during the fake Wind God incident, most ordinary people hadn't seen Wendy before. Now that someone was flying overhead, everyone pointed and whispered.
Venti, watching from the plaza, suddenly blanched at the sight. He'd been wondering whether Lumine could keep an eye on Wendy — and now he had an answer. He had no idea what Wendy would do next, and he had to get over there fast.
By the time Venti launched himself upward, Wendy had already set Flora down.
"You're amazing, sis! I wish I could fly like you," Flora gushed.
"It's easy. If I stir up the wind, you'll all fly. Just let me kick up a gust and you'll be airborne." Wendy said casually.
She wasn't kidding. If Wendy really raised a gale across Mondstadt, people and buildings would lift — and fragile things would break apart in the turbulence. The only problem: humans and structures are far too delicate.
Venti, Lumine, Paimon — all silent, mouths agape.
"Really? I want to fly again! I'll take everyone with me!" Flora begged.
"Hold on — hold on! She's got other things to do next," Venti said, rushing up.
"Alright, next time then. Oh, and you should meet Stanley the Adventurer — he's very strong." Flora accepted the postponement with grace; flower-selling kept her busy.
"Next time. I have other things to do," Wendy said, and Venti breathed a shaky sigh of relief. He'd been planning to keep the monocle exercise harmless; he hadn't expected Wendy to actually lift people. If he'd been any later, Mondstadt might have been swept in a real storm.
"She really saved Mondstadt again, huh?" Paimon mused.
"Probably many times today," Lumine said, less amused.
"I don't want to flee to Liyue. I don't want to get blown away in my sleep," Paimon fretted.
"Heroes can't desert the field," Lumine replied sternly. "As a knight of Mondstadt, we can't run away."
Wendy cocked her head, looking at Venti suspiciously. "Why are you always appearing and disappearing?"
"Well, if I didn't show up, you might blow the place apart." Venti muttered internally. Wendy still didn't seem to grasp how dangerous casual use of her power could be.
"Wendy — remember? Don't do things that harm the townsfolk," Venti tried again.
"She wanted to fly. I gave her a turn. What's wrong with that?" Wendy replied, baffled. Helping someone so they could experience joy sounded harmless to her.
"It's not that, but it's risky for that little girl, Flora. Humans are fragile. Also — were you planning to send everyone in Mondstadt flying?" Venti asked, half-exasperated, half-panicked.
"I only said it. I wouldn't actually. I know people would fall apart like leaves." Wendy shrugged.
Venti couldn't help but feel both relieved and more worried than before — Wendy's casual attitude about enormous power terrified him.
"Oh — there's a child on the stone bridge. I want to see his imaginary friend," Wendy suddenly said, spotting a boy nearby.
"Uh—" Venti followed.
"You two go back. I've got it from here," Venti told Lumine and Paimon.
"I'm fine, really." Lumine hesitated, but Venti insisted.
Through the monocle, Wendy saw the boy's imaginary friend: an ugly-looking robot. She mused aloud, "What if I wind-summoned a little friend for him…"
"Stop! You can't do that — you'd ruin a child's dream!" Venti snapped, panicked.
Wendy shrugged and wandered off to see other imaginary friends.
A while later, she approached Jean (who also had an imaginary friend visible to Wendy). Wendy took off the monocle and looked puzzled.
"You — Jean? You have an imaginary friend, too. Why don't you go be friends with them directly?" Wendy asked.
Jean asked a small favor. "Would you pass a note to Jack for me? I practiced too long and I'm a bit worn out." She explained Jack was off exploring the South Wind Lion temple with Stanley — a famed adventurer who'd once reached the Ashen Sea.
"No problem. I haven't been there in a while." Lumine accepted quickly.
"Adventuring? Sounds fun. I want to go," Wendy declared.
"You know humans are fragile. I trust you'll be careful," Venti said, resigned.
Wendy, already familiar with Venti's warnings, waved them off. He braced himself — if they went to the temple, he'd have to be ready to stop any wild use of power.
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