If You Should Forget the Entrance to Dreams

The Dough King is here! Oh, and someone new!

Hello. I'm Hyakujitsuhaku Shion. I'm a Yumekui-Baku like Kohaku here — or the Dough King, as most people know her. She told us about what happened.

Oh, Traveler and Paimon? I didn't know you'd be here too. I hope you've been well.

Shion! What a coincidence! We were gonna head to Aisa Bathhouse, but something came up and we had to change our plans.

Ah, well, you're welcome any time. Mizuki is away on business, so I'm in charge in the meantime. It's, uh... quite the task, but I'm trying my best.

Sounds like you're here for the same incident as us, then, hehe! Wow, small world!

So the Dough King is a Yumekui-Baku...

I read about them in "Little-Known Creatures of Teyvat: Inazuma Edition." Cute in appearance, with soft, dough-like bodies. Some can even take human form...

A friendly and approachable type of youkai, Yumekui-Baku help humans regulate their emotions by devouring nightmares.

That's all on page 136, if you were wondering.

That was quite the knowledgeable introduction. We appreciate all the help so far, little ones.

Little witches! We're the Little Hexenzirkel!

Oh, um... noted. Thank you, Little Hexenzirkel.

As for our friend Popcorn... We discussed the situation with the baku that patrol the wilderness last night, and well... The situation is a bit complicated...

Klee, why don't you and the other little witches go play with Popcorn for a bit?

Okay! Follow me, everyone!

Huh? Did you send them away on purpose?

Well, our baku friend here did make it sound kind of serious...

It's not good for kids to be exposed to the dark side of the world too early, so I thought it was better to be safe.

You could stand to take your own advice...

I heard that! You just have to blurt out whatever pops into your head...?

It's because you care about them, huh, Prune?

Ahem, well, they would've got impatient and run off to play sooner or later. I just... hurried things along.

Haha, I'm not sure it's quite as serious as that, but allow me to explain.

After Kohaku sent Popcorn off with the ki— Ahem... Or, um, the little witches, she found this in the area.

Okay, this is giving Paimon the creeps... What is it?

It's a nightmare fragment, formed from an accumulation of negative emotions.

You can think of it as... emotions materialized in physical form. Popcorn happens to bear an identical signature to this fragment.

We think he must have come into contact with it and undergone a similar process of materialization.

Wait, so that must be why we can see him in the real world!

Exactly. Imaginary friends are, at their essence, a harmless collection of positive emotions originating from the subconscious. But under the influence of the nightmare fragment, Popcorn is much less stable...

Yeah, he's definitely been pretty hot and cold, and his memories are all messed up!

Yeah! We tried to ask him about his human during the little witch's tea party. He said Homura is hurt and needs help!

Based on what we know so far, it's possible Homura had a nightmare, which in turn affected Popcorn, and... that's how things turned out like this.

The Yumekui-Baku have a way to fix this, though, right? You deal with dreams all the time!

We have to help Popcorn! His human must be worried sick!

Of course. In our experience, once a baku consumes these negative emotions, the affected parties should return to normal. That includes Popcorn and the human suffering from the nightmares.

We were going to do just that. But then we received word that there are three other locations with a similar signature. Here, take a look.

That means there are three more of these nightmare fragments?

Yes. The emotions contained within are highly volatile. Devouring this one right now could make the others even more unstable...

It would be safer to retrieve them and devour all of them at once.

That's not quite where our talents as baku lie though. With our round bodies, short legs, and stubby hands, we can't run fast or hold tools...

Just leave it to us!

Really? I can't thank you enough! Here, take this map with you.

Oh, be warned, though, the negative energy within the nightmare fragments might affect the surrounding environment.

So pay close attention, and if you notice anything unusual, a nightmare fragment could be close.

I'll gather a few other baku, and we'll be back tomorrow with empty stomachs and the materials needed to prep the nightmare for consumption.

Oh, you need to prep it? You can't just... dig in?

Uhh, it's nothing special, just a bit of... seasoning. Nightmares don't taste that great, so the seasoning helps them go down easier...

Ohhh. Yeah... That sounds rough.

It's what we do. Alright, I better get back to work. Kohaku will look after Popcorn in the meantime. See you tomorrow, and best of luck!

So, when are we doing this thing?

Whoa!? When did you get here? Paimon didn't hear a thing!

Hehe, I wouldn't be a very good ninja if I didn't know how to move around without making noise. How else would I sneak off to go take a nap?

I even learned a new ninjutsu to help! Hidden mujina no jutsu!

Tada!

...Tada.

So, um... we heard all of that! So what's the plan? When are we heading out?

Yeah, Popcorn is our friend. We want to do our part to help him.

C'mon, we can't be bringing this many kids along. There's just too much to worry about.

It's okay. I've got this.

I'm... not a kid!

(Whatever. You can learn a lot about someone by traveling together... Might be my chance to find out about the witches' weaknesses...)

Alright then... Let's gather our things and get a move on.

I'm gonna bring a whole bunch of bombs. If we run into meanies on the road, I'll blast 'em straight to space!

I have an umbrella in case it rains or gets too sunny. Oh, and I prepared some herbal insect repellent for everyone. Should come in handy!

Here, put this in your pocket, and you won't have to worry about bug bites out in the wild. I have some for Prune and Traveler too.

If you fall, don't cry. Come find Qiqi. Qiqi will help apply a cold compress...

Oh, and the roads in Inazuma are kinda complicated. Make sure to stick together, and don't go wandering off alone. If you do get lost, just stay where you are, and I'll come find you.

We should look out for Prune and Traveler too. The Little Hexenzirkel needs to keep them safe!

Yeah! Traveler's always the one protecting other people. It's about time we flipped the script!

Oh, and in case we need an energy boost when we're out in the wild, Paimon prepped a bunch of tasty snacks we can eat on the go without getting too messy. So, if anyone gets hungry, just let Paimon know!

Alright, I'm ready to head out whenever.

This little grove is the place marked on the map, right?

Yeah, I know this place. I've slept in every single tree here. It used to be number five on my list of best napping spots.

Used to be?

It dropped to seventh after one of the shrine maidens found me.

Alright, let's split up and look around. It'll be more efficient.

I'm a pretty good climber, so I can search one of the trees. Sayu can take another, and the rest—

C'mon, Prune, let's race! We'll start from here and see who can find the clues the fastest!

Wait, I wasn't done talki—

Come on, come on! It'll be good to stretch those muscles!

Count us down, okay, Traveler?

On your marks...

Stick close to me, Qiqi!

Paimon, carry me!

Uh... Paimon's not so sure about that...

Whew... I've got this. The Yoohoo Art mad dash technique has never failed me.

Who says I have to go along with this craziness...?

Get set... Go!

Charge!

That's it. I can't lose to some kid.

Huh? What are you still standing there for? We're falling behind! Here, grab onto me.

Gonna blow them aaaalll up!

Put on the brakes there, Klee. "Mondstadt be bombed, Klee be doomed," remember?

But, we're not in Mondstadt...

Which means it's even more important to follow the rules, right? If you wanna keep going on adventures, you need to show the Knights how well-behaved you are even when they're not around!

I can be well-behaved! I wanna go on aaalll the adventures with the little witches!

Then how about you search around the bottom of the tree, and Paimon will fly to the top and have a look.

Okay! Be careful, Paimon! I'll be careful, too!

All that running was pretty tiring, huh, Qiqi. We can take a little break if you want.

Qiqi isn't tired. You're sweating, Yaoyao. Here, Qiqi will wipe it off.

Dr. Baizhu says sweating makes it easy to catch a cold. Gotta get dry fast.

You remembered all that? Oh, make way for Bubu Pharmacy's little helper, people!

No, it was in my notes, right next to... "Find nitemair fragmints."

Oh, um, that spelling is a bit... You know what? We'll fix that later. Let's focus on the fragments. Gotta put our herb-picking and radish-harvesting skills to good use!

Ahh... This spot is as comfortable as ever. Makes me super... sleepy... No, wake up!

Right, I brought mint! That'll help me wake up. The sooner we find these fragments, the sooner I can sleep.

Man, this tree is kinda tough to climb. Good thing I got plenty of experience climbing roofs in Nod-Krai. Never thought that'd come in handy here...

The Baku said to look for things that seem off or out of place... Let's see...

Man, this tree is kinda tough to climb. Good thing I got plenty of experience climbing roofs in Nod-Krai. Never thought that'd come in handy here...

The Baku said to look for things that seem off or out of place... Let's see...

Huh?! A giant tail? That can't be right!

Meeoww!?

That hurt...

Kirara?

Traveler! Paimon! Huh, seeing you, I feel much more awake! Oh, and who are these kids? Friends of yours, I'm guessing? Nice to meet you!

Hello, Miss Cat Lady! We're little witches!

What brings you here, Kirara?

Oh, it was a pretty light day delivery-wise, so I came here to sharpen my claws. Must have dozed off at some point, and then someone yanked my tail...

S—Sorry about that. It kinda seemed like something we were searching for...

You're a nekomata, right? That was in the Little-Known Creatures of Inazuma too. On page, um...

Whoa, you remember the page number for this one too?

(Shoot, I forgot. Ah, don't look at me like that...)

Ahem, anyway... I could give you a ball of yarn to make it up to you?

Ooh, yarn? Ahem, uh... No need! You just startled me, that's all. It's not a big deal.

But you sure know a lot, huh, kid?

I'm not a— *sigh* Never mind.

Have you noticed anything strange around here, Kirara?

Huh, well... I usually like to nap under that tree over there. But for some reason, it felt off today, so I decided to sleep in this tree instead.

Alright. You guys can keep chatting. I'll go check it out!

Miss Nekomata, can you recommend some other good napping spots?

Umm, well... a cardboard box is always good, or a grandmother's lap...

Miss Cat Lady, I know another cat person, but she only has one tail. Is she gonna get another when she grows up?

Um, I doubt it... unless she's also a youkai from the nekomata clan.

What's the difference between a youkai and a yaoxie?

Uh... What's a yaoxie?

Oh, it's a kind of evil monster. Y'know, Qiqi, I bet it's like the difference between a good youkai and a bad youkai. Just like how there are good people and bad people.

That's right! Kirara's a super nice youkai, just like the Dough King.

Yep, looks like there is a nightmare fragment here!

Let's store it for now. We should press on to the next location.

We should press on to the next location.

Alright. After last time, we're all clear on what we need to do, right?

Let's split up and investigate the area. If you find something, just give a shout, okay? All clear?

Yes, ma'am!

...Yes, ma'am!

I—I didn't mean to make it sound like I was bossing you around, Traveler... Ahem, well, dismissed!

Honorary Knight, Paimon, Prune! Over here!

Find something?

Yeah, something huge! A bunch of bugs in a line! I've never seen something like this before!

Me neither. Wow...

Oh, these are Onikabuto. They're all over Inazuma.

In Master's garden, I saw ants do something like this before. But, if they're moving to a new home, why aren't they carrying anything?

Strange. Onikabuto are typically nocturnal creatures. During the day, they usually hide in cool, shady places like bushes or between rocks to avoid predators.

You sure know a lot, Prune!

Ahem. Their diet consists of tree sap and wild fruit. Given that they're nocturnal, you have a higher chance of encountering them at night.

You learn something new every day, huh!

You can say that again!

Bull-chucker? What are you doing here?

We meet again, Lavender Melon! Hey, I'm out here lookin' for an Onikabuto upgrade. Bigger, stronger... You know the deal. Never stop the grind, am I right? What about you?

Whoa, whoa, whoa, wait a second. We've got ourselves a whole patch of little Lavender Melons here. Ah, I know!

You must be out here playing make-believe, huh? Hahaha! Well, I happen to be free as a bird. Want me to join?

Yeah! You can play a mean, old Demon King with great, big horns!

Old, huh... You sure about that?

Quick, everyone, hide! Cover your heads! If he gives you a noogie, you'll never get taller!

You guys run! Paimon'll hold him off. Listen here, bull-chucker. You wanna get to them, you'll have to go through Paimon first!

Hahahaha, Flying Lavender Melon's got a feisty side, huh. Well, guess you'll just have to be the first victim! Uh-oh, noogie incoming!

Hmph! Then, little witch Paimon curses you to lose 10,000 Mora every time you give a noogie!

Hahahahaha! Good thing I'm sittin' pretty with nothing but a cool 500 Mora in my pocket!

Shoot, wrong strategy. Run!

Whoa, slow down there, little Lavender Melons, or you're gonna trip. You know what? 'Cause I'm cool like that, I'll give you a ten-second head start...

One... two... three four five six seven eight nine ten! Hahaha!

...?

Wait, I know!

The weird behavior of the Onikabuto is a clue! They would never venture out during the day... unless something happened to their original habitat.

In other words, we just need to follow their migration back to the source...

Yep, it's here! C'mon, let's pick it up.

That just leaves one more. We're so close!

All thanks to you once again, Prune.

Please... The little witches were the ones who noticed the Onikabuto. They deserve the credit.

Only kids are obsessed with bugs like that. I doubt I would've even spotted them...

So, looking at the world from a child's perspective...

Th—That's not the point! We have a job to finish. Let's call everyone back. We should head to the next location.

You've gotten used to working with them, huh.

Well, we can't just leave them here with that oni. He doesn't exactly strike me as a responsible adult.

Alright, I'll call them back, and then we'll head out!

Let's see... Our last stop is the beach north of Konda Village. Time to go!

Man, I can't find them anywhere. Who would've thought these little Lavender Melons would be tougher to spot than an Onikabuto!

You can't see me. You can't see me.

If that mean Demon King with horns finds us, I'm gonna blow him up!

Let's not get ahead of ourselves... He's not that bad.

Qiqi doesn't care about getting taller. Yaoyao can stand behind me. Qiqi will protect.

Nuh uh! We're both gonna get taller! That's a promise!

After watching them for a while, honestly, that oni guy seems like the biggest kid of them all. All that height's just for show, huh...

Seriously, all he has to do to find them is get some high ground... Ahem, not that I'm invested in this game. Just find me when we're ready to go. In the meantime, I'm gonna do some reading.

Alright, this is the last location. Where should we start looking...

Huh? A group of monsters? Well, that seems a bit obvious...

It's just a few Slimes. I'll deal with them.

C'mon, little witches! Let's give Prune a hand!

Good luck! Paimon'll cheer you on from the sidelines!

And don't think that's Paimon being unhelpful! We've been through tons of tough battles, and cheering people on is always super important!

You could even say it's the key to victory! Right, Traveler?

Wow, your teamwork was amazing! You came in like "whoosh," and then went all "bam bam" and then "kerpow"! The monsters didn't stand a chance!

Hehe... You weren't bad either, Paimon. Your voice was nice and... loud. Impressive fighting, everyone.

Hehe, little witches are just awesome like that!

That tuckered me out...

Hm, hungry.

Auntie Cloud Retainer said it's not good to wander around in the wild after dark. This is the last fragment, right? Let's pick it up and head back.

Popcorn, Dough King, we're back!

Whoa... Look at all this food! Did you guys do this for us?

!

Popcorn, we spoke to the Dough King, and we're gonna get you back to normal tomorrow!

Yeah, and once Homura's nightmare gets eaten, she'll get better too!

~

Then we'll help Popcorn find Homura, and we can all play together!

Wish all our imaginary friends could come out and play too.

Oooh, Mom's magic can do that!

Have you learned that one yet, Klee?

Um, no... All I know is the introduction magic for the little witches...

Huh, I bet Master, Auntie Cloud Retainer, and Uncle Mountain Shaper could do it! They all have those super impressive adepti abilities.

My sensei definitely could too! A great ninja can do anything!

Oh! Um... What about you, Traveler? Could you do something like that?

Not a chance!

Yeah. Guess Paimon has a lot to learn from the other little witches, huh!

Hehe, all the imaginary friends hanging out together... Just thinking about it is interesting!

Uh... Does Paimon have one too?

Nope, but Paimon already has someone to keep her company, someone she can talk to no matter what... Traveler!

What about you, Prune? Do you have an imaginary friend?

Of course! He's my best friend. His name is Descartes. He's a puppy, and he's super adorable.

Just like you!

Um, I guess if you think I'm cute, then... sure.

Ahem, well, we're just about done here, right? We should all get some rest. I'll walk you back.

You should stay with us, Prune. The shrine maiden lady got us a huge room. We've been staying there together these past few days, and there's more than enough space.

Yeah! We even had a pillow fight last night!

Um, well, I already have my own accommodations, so...

C'mon, Prune! Play with us! Pretty please!

...Fine. Let's go.

I think we're ready to set out!

Let's see... Our last stop is the beach north of Konda Village. Time to go!

Might as well let them play a bit longer.

Yeah, let's go.

Alright. The next location is to the east of Konda Village... I've got it memorized, so let's move!

Better to take our time. Let's rest for a bit before we go.

Yeah, let's go.

Alright. The next location is to the east of Konda Village... I've got it memorized, so let's move!

Better to take our time. Let's rest for a bit before we go.

I'm good to go.

Based on the map our baku friend gave us, the closest fragment should be... Chinju Forest! Let's go!

I just need a sec.