Ayato and Wriothsley kept studying each other between tea sips. They'd been sitting at the table a while studying one another in silence, feeling an uncanny sense of déjà vu. Ayato scratched his chin.

"So," he said, "your weapon of choice is the gauntlet."

Wriothsley nodded.

"Odd. For some reason, I feel like you'd be more comfortable with a bow."

"Is that so?" said the Duke. "Seems to me you'd be better off with a polearm."

Silence.

"Did we ever go to school together?" asked Ayato.

"Sure feels like it," said Wriothsley. "I feel like we've been on opposite sides of a war."

Ayaka entered the room with Beidou, Yelan, and Fischl. Upon seeing Ayato, Fischl blurted out, "Hello, your majesty." She frowned. "Wait, why did I say that?"

Oz said, "Mein Fraulein, mind your phrasing."

"Ahem, for reasons unknown, I feel as though you and I were once childhood friends. Mine aspirations were to become thy loyal knight."

Ayaka shuddered. "Ugh, why did I just imagine Fischl breaking down my door and dragging me to class? So scary."

Ayato eyed Beidou, his eyes narrowing. "Were you ever an opera singer? Or perhaps, a mercenary?"

"Not in this life," she said. "But it sounds familiar."

"Especially the merc bit," murmured Yelan. "Why can I imagine us fighting side by side?"

Tartaglia entered the room, humming to himself. Upon seeing Beidou, he offered a respectful bow.

"Weird," he said. "It almost feels like…"

"You were once my apprentice?" she finished. "I feel like you should be…shorter. And more annoying."

"Celestia forbid he becomes more annoying," said Yae Miko as she passed through the chamber. Suddenly, she stopped and gave Wriothsley a curious glance. "Say, odd question but, how do you feel about 'deer?'"

The Duke put his hands to his head positioning them like antlers. "You will fear the dear." He blinked. "I have no idea why I said that."

Beidou snorted. "Next you'll be banning polygons."

Yae Miko pursed her lips. "I feel as though you'd be more comfortable with a bow, Wriothsley."

"You too?" said a new voice. Turning around, they spotted Baizhu examining a medical textbook. The voice speaking wasn't his, but his little snake companion Changshen. The white serpent eyed Miko and Wriothsley.

"Oh um… sorry for suddenly speaking," she said with unusual shyness. "Um…it's just, you both seem so familiar. You too, Ayato."

"How so?"

"Well, Wriothsley and Miko feel like old classmates. I feel like Miko would never shut up about someone's dad. Ayato feels like someone who knows…exactly how I feel."

Razor and Cyno came down from upstairs. Everyone regarded them. Razor grew uncomfortable. If he had the words to articulate it, he would've told them that he had a feeling of once being an assassin who got killed the second that he made his debut appearance. Cyno just shrugged.

"I'm going to hang out in the basement," he said, "Maybe for a long, long time, start a secret organization—that sort of thing. Come get me when DLC drops. Later."

The Mahamatra departed for the basement, wondering what he meant by "DLC." Razor nervously inched his way out of the mansion and returned to Mondstadt. On his way out, he passed Kazuha. The roaming samurai stepped inside and studied everyone present.

"Strange. I'm possessed by an inexplicable urge to adopt everyone present."

"How's your daughter?" asked Wriothsley.

"I don't have one."

"Really? I feel like you should."

Everyone else nodded.

"Hey, Kaz?" said Beidou, "Did you ever get stuck in a McDonalds play place?

Before he could answer, Aether and Kujo Sara entered the room deep in conversation. The traveler and the tengu warrior fell silent. They stared at the others clustering around the tea table, overcome by a sudden sense of nostalgia.

"Wow," said Aether, "it almost feels like…"

"We taught everyone here once," said Sara. "And, and…"

"Fought a seven-year war," finished Aether. "And changed our hair to, to…"

"Green and awakened holy powers," said Sara, "And then, we, we…"

"Married me?" said everyone else in the room. They all stared at one another. "Wait, you too?" Everyone scowled. "Stop repeating everything I say."

This led to a gag where they continued echoing everything they said until Aether and Sara slammed rulers on the desk and called for silence. Everyone obeyed. Aether and Sara blinked.

"Wait a second," they said, "where'd I get this ruler?"

As they tried to find some rational explanation, the door creaked open and Mualani entered.

"Sothis," Ayato coughed. "Ah, excuse me. So, this is Mualani. Hello."

She waved from the doorframe. Sunlight framed her features, endowing her with an ethereal glow. All at once, every person fell to their knees in humble prayer.

"Goddess," they uttered. "Wait, I thought you'd be shorter."

Mualani abruptly closed the door and left.

Silence.

"Well then," said Ayato, "How's the garden, Aether? You know, sometimes you can find edible plants among the weeds."

"Ayato, please don't eat the weeds."

"I am just saying."