"That's nice dear, but you're a guest."

"Well, Gabe and I invited him to live here."

"Oh, does he want to become an apprentice too?" She says brightly, turning to go inside. "I don't think I've run into my limit of how many of those I can have."

"I don't know if I can become a full-time apprentice, per se, unless my uncle moves to this universe with me. But I'm learning some magic from Henry already, and it's very interesting."

"And the three of us are going to go meet his uncle to tell him that Ari is alive."

"Oh, this is all of sudden," the woman says surprised, "but I hope you boys have fun."

"I'm sure we will! My uncle knowing I'm alive is pretty important."

"I am sure it will be at least a formative adventure," She says optimistically. "Okay. I will clean up the upper floors and work my way down to help you boys."

"Alright. We are going to move around the boxes in the living room to make it more presentable."

"And I'll help!"

They set about their tasks. Figuring out where to find space for most boxes. Then doing some clean up.

Gabe and the triplets eventually show up. They can go about cleaning much faster at this rate.

Then break for lunch. No one is feeling like putting much effort. So they prepare sandwiches.

Ari has never encountered the concept of a sandwich, or for that matter pre-sliced bread! He is quietly delighted by the ingenuity of this universe.

Then Gabe will make him more sandwiches. They are actually making sandwiches for the incoming guests anyway, but Ari will get the ones made with love.

Love is delicious!

"I still need to try cream ice," he muses. "And chocolate. Your world has a lot of good things."

"Ice cream," Gabe corrects booping Ari's nose. "And I hope I will have time to show you porn. We keep getting distracted from that."

Ari gives Gabe a kiss. Because he's cute.

Kiss! "Oh, and ice cream sandwiches! Though they are made of cookies," he says thoughtfully.

Interrupting those thoughts and also the last minute clean up by the front door opening. They can hear quite a lot of people coming inside.

"Okay, better present ourselves to the powdered wigs."

Ari does his best to make himself presentable, which is to say, he does nothing in particular. Onwards!

Annabeth is wearing a vest. It smells like mothballs and it's a deep green that matches some of the uniforms marching in.

“Don’t look like soldiers standing on file,” Says one of the first people, with a smirk, “it looks suspicious. Annabeth Williams, right?

“Yes. Sir…?”

“Louis Howard,” the man says sounding genuinely surprised that she wouldn’t know.

Sensing the awkward the woman next to him to steps in. “Dawn Bright, I know, my parents are weird,” she says offering her a hand which Annabeth shakes, she proceeds to do the same with the others. “And I believe these are your grand-nephews, Henrique and Gabriel. And the Vaesteri triplets...”

“Oh, the infamous Vaesteri triplets?” Louis asks with a good-natured smirk. It’s not really a question.

“And of course, Ari Cain,” she offers her hand.

Behind her the green-coded contingent finishes walking in, four people not counting Dawn and Louis. They are followed by people wearing a different kind of clothes. Layered robes in the same style, but in different colors, three deep crimson, one crimson-gold, one black and one black-gold. All with very varied skin-tones. The one wearing crimson-gold is tall. Taller than Katur and much older-looking. His skin looks like the darkest possible shade for a human being and contrasts strongly with his white beard and hair. He is the only white-haired person in the room.

He strides forward and accidentally bumps into one of the green-uniforms who reacts with extreme embarrassment. But the tall man reassures her quickly. Despite the presence he stands at the edge of the group and waits.

Behind all this, Ari might spot a young man that’s not dressed like he has any particular affiliation to the two groups. He tries to get inside the room-

A crimson robe politely stops him from getting in.

Ari will shake any hands offered to him.

He looks curiously at the robes, and wonders what's going on with the outsider. The situation feels very reminiscent of Vizjerei politics, so far.

Louis, with a smile that might be a tad forced, is the one to include the tall man. "And of course the Vaesteri already know him, but this Dal-Mirdone Terosteri, representing the Daliath Council of Parjen."

There is no particular trace of recognition from any of the triplets.

"Just call me, Dal-Mirdone." He glances at the triplets with a look of disappointment. But turns his gaze to Ari. "I think this is enough formalities. I know what you want to know, Louis. Yes, this young man is indeed immortal."

He doesn't extend a hand for Ari to shake, instead he puts a hand on Ari's shoulder, it comes off as far friendlier and politer. But also more controlling. "Now, what should we do with you?"

Definitely Vizjerei politics.

Ari claps a hand to Dal-Mirdone's shoulder in turn, and squeezes just enough to give the impression that it is due to his great personal restraint that the bone remains intact, and laughs genially. "You have such an interesting way of speaking. Now, my knowledge of your language is magical, so perhaps I'm missing some connotation. But where I'm from, no one decides what to do with a man but himself." 

He locks eyes with Dal-Mirdone, and despite the smile, there's no humor in his face anymore. "If that's different here, do let me know."