"I think at this point you can have standing hug permission," says Annie, hugging him back. "Hi, you must be Zevaia. I'm Annabelline, Annie's fine."

"Really? Thank you - uh. Let me know if I accidentally overstep bounds."

Zevaia waves. "Yup, Zevaia. Vai's fine for me. Hey! Nice to meet you, I am being very understanding about this entire situation. Ald, you continue to have zero excuse to not get me a kickass present when you inevitably are socially obligated to get me a thing."

Aldaras snorts. "Your priorities continue to shock and amaze me."

"Hey, I like having nice shit. You have methods to get nice shit. Therefore, you should get me nice shit."

"I will let you know," Annie assures Aldaras. "...Are you guys actually related, I don't think you could have possibly come across as less like Aldaras in the amount of time available without shooting at me or something."

"You would not believe how much we get that. It's really funny."

"We're actually related. Twins, remember?"

"You could have been using 'twins' in some - I don't know, metaphorical sense. Huh."

"We have fuck all idea of how it happened, too," shrugs Zevaia. "I blame Mom."

"I certainly couldn't tell you." Annie is done standing up; she unhugs and finds a chair and puts her bag down.

"Aw, but if you're Aldaras's perfect person according to a piece of jewelry, you should know all of everything! And also be a magic space princess."

"It's not my fault that you show zero interest in anyone. I thought you were like - a mushroom! Where you reproduce asexually and if I look away for long enough there are two of you and no one has any idea how it happened. Except scientists and shit, I guess."

"If there are two of you by fungal or other mechanisms, this is a good time to warn me," Annie says. "Anyway, I'm not a bit magic, have never visited space, and am not a princess."

"There are not two of me, not to worry. I sincerely doubt that there ever will be. Being magic, visiting space, or being a princess are not requirements for love," says Aldaras dryly. "Neither is knowing all of everything."

"Good, 'cause I don't know all of everything, either, much as I would like to."

"... Waaait. Wait. Do you want to go on a huge crusade to fix the world?"

"I don't have an angle yet, I'm more likely to end up in cancer research or something, but it would sure be nice if I had the wherewithal."

"Nevermind on the space princess or turnip thing. Carry on, you'll be fine."

"How exactly did I come to be likened to a turnip?"

"Oh, I was being flippant and joked about it, we're just sort of sticking on the same vein because it's funny."

"Okay then. I'm also not a turnip."

"You have no unwanted turnip-like qualities," defends Aldaras. "You might technically have some turnip-like qualities, because literally anything can be compared to anything else, but you are not a turnip, or anywhere close to being one."

"You don't think I'm looking a little leafy? Wouldn't I make nice soup?"