Kaito smiled fondly as he looked at Braze.
"Hello there. You must be Braze," Kaito began, offering a white-gloved hand to the youth.
"I'm Kaito, your uncle."
Braze stared at the stranger as if trying to remember him from distant memories, but he did not approach nor did he offer to take his hand. He was wary of anyone new, especially someone claiming to be a relative.
They did bear a striking resemblance to each other, however. Most Echani looked uncannily similar by palettes alone, but Kaito seemed to share several visual traits with Braze, albeit more mature.
"Okay..." Braze stated simply, showing little interest in engaging further.
Kaito shook his head briefly and withdrew his hand, shifting his pale blue gaze to Jasper briefly.
"If you think now is a good time for him to have everything, far be it from me to stand in the way. You are his current guardian, after all, and I do not intend to contest you." he said plainly.
He moved to take off a bag from his back and shifted awkwardly trying to retrieve something from it before producing a box and offering it to Braze. It was a simple dark brown package, resembling a typical shipping box.
Braze eyed it warily before looking at Jasper, seemingly uncertain if he should accept anything from someone who was essentially a stranger to him.
"What is it?" Braze asked.
Kaito offered the youth a curious glance and cocked his head slightly to the side.
"I'm not entirely certain. I think it could be a puzzle of sorts... It was your father's, and he left it in my care for you when he placed you with the Jedi," Kaito explained gently.
"He had asked that I give it to you when you were older. But things have changed since then," he tried to express to Braze, acknowledging the complexities of the legal system, yet wanting to convey it in an easy to understand manner for a child. It seemed that until recently, Kaito actually held some legal binding to Braze, one that he didn't mind turning over to Jasper.
Braze hesitantly took the box from him.
This prompted Kaito to fetch a few more items from the bag. Next, he produced a smaller box slightly larger than an envelope, vibrant red in color, secured with blackened twine. Underneath the twine, a dark blood-red envelope was tied, sealed with a wax stamp directly on the twine itself. Lastly, he produced a fob and offered it to Braze.
Slowly but surely, Braze accepted each item, carefully balancing them in his hands.
Kaito seemed to study Braze intently, searching for something. Not finding it, he asked curiously,
"What have you done with your little crystal, Braze?"
Braze looked surprised to be asked such a question by Kaito.
"What crystal?" he replied, feigning ignorance.
"The one your father gave you when you were just a little sprite," Kaito said.
"I don't think that's any of your concern," Braze retorted, his tone defensive.
Kaito stifled a chuckle and shook his head.
"My... You certainly share your father's fiery spirit, don't you?" Braze chose not to respond.
Kaito turned to Jasper.
"I'd wager he's quite the handful for you," he added, taking a small breath and sighing.
"But you mentioned a clone?" Kaito asked, his curiosity piqued, perhaps wanting to learn more about that.
"As for Lady Kyoteru's legal aid... well, they haven't left Eshan yet," he noted slowly, his icy blue eyes settling on Jasper's.
