Rushing Meadow Hotel

[Nira]

ooc: Ryo deducted

---

"Oh, absolutely!" Kara's smile became completely genuine from surprise. Her instincts seemed to have the right of it.

After she accepted the money, she pulled up a record book—this one looked newer than the one the man was holding—and placed it on the desk. She scribble in the date, 323 in a column for the room number, 3 days in the box for the duration, and then turned the record book over to face The Handler.

"Please fill in your name, please," she asked, holding the pen out for him. "And this will be your room keys for suite 323."

Kara reached for a pair of gold-plated keys hanging in a glass cabinet behind her. The number 323 was engraved in both keys, and some sort of circular rune was also engraved just above the number. One might mistaken it for a logo of some sort, but The Handler had the observational ability to tell that every key behind Kara had a different symbol above every number. Kara double checked to make sure the keys were still in pristine condition, and then handed them over to The Handler.

<Suite 323 has been opened. Use the new thread if necessary.>

"You may use one of your keys as identification for the spa and weight room," she explained. "Do you have any luggage waiting outside you might want picked up? The top floor is accessible from the stairway, the elevator, or the chakra lift spire. Feel free to use the transportation you're most comfortable with. You'll be able to reach us with your room's phone, or the hallway phones that will be located near every floor's bathrooms."

The luxurious red carpet extended down every hallway, and even up the stairway. The elevator had black, glossy marble tiles for the walls and flooring, and a button for every floor from the ground to the thirty-second. A young woman waited at the bottom of the chakra lift spire. With a word, she could provide an extremely fast ten-meters-per-second express lift up to a request floor. She would simply summon a opaque, glowing white platform of force chakra to lift all guests up, and then unlock the sliding doorway to the floor with the silver key around her neck.

[The Doctor]

'She seems pleased, that's good,' the Handler thought to himself while answering her in a smile.

He watched as she worked, marking everything in the book. He knew this would happen and he did not mind this. They needed to keep records, and he needed people to know of his existence so a paper trail as this did not bother the Handler.

"Excellent," he responded as she asked him to fill his name. He reached up and took hold of the pen before writing down the name. He wrote "Jack Shaw" in the ledger. This was in fact the Handler's name. The name he introduced himself as. The Handler was what others called him, or how he would be introduced through another alias.

He made note of the keys, and how each one was differently engraved. He took the keys to his suite and listened to the women speak. He made notes of what she was saying as they were important information. Each key was a form of identification to use the services of the hotel such as the weight room and the spa.

He shook his head answering her question about luggage. "No, no luggage at this moment. It will come by later at another time. There was a delay at the lost claims," he said with a sign of disappointment. "You know how those go when traveling," he continued with a chuckle, brushing off the disappointment. "Excellent, if I have any questions I will give you a ring, or come down here on my own," he said with a smile. "I hope the room is as breath taking as this fine establishment."

If there was nothing else he would tip his hat and leave, heading to the upper room. He wanted to get a good look at the room first before anything else. It was his paranoia, and he wanted the front desk workers to know he was really staying for the time period and adjust to him.

-Exit to Room 323-

[The Doctor]

-Enter from Room 323-

The Handler took the same route to get to the lobby. He then walked over to the front desk and rang the bell for service. The Handler was wearing what he wore when he walked in, glasses covering his eyes again. His eyes wondered around as he began looking around the hotel once again. He turned his body while looking, making it seem like he was simply "taking it in." Observers would see him as a man of content.

[Nira]

The man that had been combing through the record books had run off at some point, but Kara was still there. She walked up to the front desk as soon as the bell rang. "Hello, Mister Shaw!" she said, having read the record book. "How may I be of service? Was the suite to your liking?"

There was a couple guests, two unrelated men and a family of two parents and one kid, scattered throughout the lobby. The family walked off, heading towards the garden, but the young daughter waved at the nice receptionist lady before being taken out of sight.

[The Doctor]

The Handler quickly turned as he heard her speak. He flashed a smile as he reached up, removing his sunglasses and placing them inside his pocket. "Oh the suite was just spectacular," he said giving a wave of his hand. "I can see so much detail was put into it." he continued, taking a step forward to the front desk. "I would love to get the arhitect's name if possible," he finished with a chuckle, obviously this was something he did not expect, but was simply making passing conversation.

He took a quick glance up, still marveling over the structure and looked around for a moment as he was thinking of what to say. "Help me out here," he began with a soft sigh. Voice was pitched higher, voice was soft as he spoke in curious tone. "About twenty years ago, this establishment housed Chunin examinees as livable quarters," he continued, taking a little moment of silence before continuing again. "How does one make a bid for such prestige," he asked, but quickly followed, "I mean, I have a friend down by the Country of Sea, has a lovely place, not as beautiful as yours of course who would kill for such an opportunity." he said, taking little breaks in his words and emphasizing on the word kill, giving a higher pitch.

He leaned forward slightly, resting an elbow against the desk while looking off into the distance. "Now I know every exam is different," he said softly, squinting his eyes as if he was in a daze of confusion. "I also know that the most recent exams was in the island of Dröfn, but they didn't have a place like this," he said, somewhat trailing off. He spoke softly, almost not truly speaking to the woman. The way he spoke it seemed like he really did not want her to answer, but at the same time he did. It was a form of persuasive speech. He needed her help but he wanted her to feel like she should help. It is supposed to be her idea, and not his. Thus, the confused looks, and trailed speech.

(OOC: You think Persuasion would be applicable if possible? Or naw)

[Nira]

Kara chuckled back, “I’m afraid I wouldn’t know the architect. I’m too new here for them to give me decorating duties.”

“Oh yes, I remember those exams. I had only been a young girl, then, so I’m not sure what the hotel did. However, if you’d like, the steward might be available to discuss this with. He’s very close with the owner, as has worked here for as long as I remember.”

Kara leaned forward and pointed down a wall to the right. “His office is at the end of that corridor. He should be in.”

Kara brought a hand up to her cheek and sighed. “I haven’t gone to see an exam in a long time. I can’t go leaving my family, so I have to remain in this country, but when the exams finally returned here, they ended up having to set up for an emergency. I often hear that examiners scout out locations and try to set up deals with housing establishments for their facilities, but it takes a while to agree on costs, terms, and times.”

[The Doctor]

The Handler listened to the young woman. He tilted his head to the side slightly, showing his attention was on her. A smile was on his face, lips slightly parted.

He chuckled at her comment of being a young girl. "I was just a younger old man during that time myself," he responded to her. His eyes perked however when she commented a steward. "Oh?" he said curiously giving a nod.

When the woman pointed, the Handler turned to the direction she had pointed and gave a nod. "Ah that way," he responded to her. She continued to talk, bringing up how she cannot leave her family behind. He nodded some as she continued, and talked about the other exams, about how they were set up quickly. "Oh I bet. I've brokered a few deals in my life time and they can be truly intense," he said speaking to the young woman. "A young woman such as yourself should always take a vacation from time to time. Work it out with your family if possible. It's nice to take care of the family but the world is also a vast place. Try to remember that," he continued calmly before placing his sunglasses back on. "If you excuse me, I hate to cut this short but I would just love to pick your stewart's brain about what we discussed." he said calmly with a smile.

He would give a moment for a response. If all was clear, he would turn, head down towards where the steward was located at, and knock on the door.

[Nira]

Kara nodded. “Please let me know if you need assistance with anything else,” she said, waving.

As The Handler left, Kara seemed to mull over his words. A vacation, a real one, sounded incredibly appealing nowadays.

The door, which had the Steward Ivanov inscribed in a golden plaque, seemed worn where it would be knocked on. Despite having likely been cleaned often, the spot where a person of average height would knock was shiny from human oil and had the signs of worn paint. This steward got a lot of visitors, and it seemed that he didn’t discourage any of them. That, or people just really needed face time with the steward for a lot of things.

“Just a moment!” Steward Ivanov called after his door was knocked by The Handler.

There was some rustling sounds, plus the sound of something metal being placed on a hard surface, and then finally the turn of the doorknob. A bald man pulled open the door. He had a trimmed short grey beard around his mouth, and skin like weathered oak. There was a glistening in his eyes that one usually associated with tears, but the look of the man’s expression was one of joy.

“Ah, hello!” he said with a small two-fingered wave. “New guest, are you? I hope my hotel and staff haven’t been giving you any trouble!”

[The Doctor]

The Handler gave a wave in return. After he knocked he heard the voice of the steward. He saw the door, saw the gold plaque name. He said the name a few times to himself deep in his mind. 'Steward Ivanov, Steward Ivanov, Steward Ivanov,' in a calm rhythm. This was a man of stature, of purpose. This was probably a man who have met many people like the Doctor so the normal tactics may not work. Instead, the Doctor decided perhaps it would be best to be simply, straight forward.

He heard the rustling from the other side. The Doctor did not try to figure out what was there. Instead he just waited. He did make note though that this man was perhaps visited by a plethora of people. It was either by guests, or staff. Either way, the worn door was unmistakable.

The Door opened and out came the man Steward Ivanov. As the door opened the Doctor quickly glanced at the man from down to up. He looked at the man's shoes. If there was dirt there he would use his geography forte to determine if this man took to the outdoors. He also wanted to see the type of shoes he wore. Were they intended for the outdoors or was this a man who enjoyed the finer inside life. Then he scanned up along the pant legs up. He looked for animal hairs. He tried to determine if the man had any pets. Then he looked at the man's torso. As a Doctor he could see if the man ate well. He looked at the coloration of his hands, saw the fingernails. Were they groomed properly, were they trimmed? Was he a man of combat? Did they have scars along his hands. The more information he gathered, the better he can deal with the situation.

Then he saw the glistening in the man's eyes, perhaps it was an expression of joy. The man greeted him with a two-fingered wave.

The Handler chuckled, reached up and removed his sunglasses with his right hand, and his fedora with his left, showing he was a bald man with minimal hair to the sides and top. "Oh hello Sir Steward Ivanov," he said giving smile back in his greeting. "I am indeed a new guest, and I have to say this hotel of yours is wonderful. The Penthouse has one of the best views I've ever seen. And Staff?" he stopped momentarily giving a chuckle. "Well Kara has been so hospitable I for one vouch that woman deserves a raise of sorts. She took the time to listen to an old man like myself, and answered all my ridiculous questions," he said giving a more of a larger smile. He stopped for a moment before continuing. "I know you're a busy man, and I deeply apologize for interrupting you, but Kara believed you could answer an off hand question of mine that I've been mulling over for a few hours now." He stopped, waited for the man's response. It was not exactly straight forward as one would think, but straight enough while giving a flowery response.

[Nira]

Ivanov’s shoes were, by all accounts, uncontaminated. Despite the man’s healthy—but not muscular—build, it seemed that he didn’t go outside very much. Either that or these simply weren’t shoes that ever saw sunshine. They were loafers of some pale brown leather with some scratches by the toe regions.

There were no animal hairs on his pants. His hands were indeed very well trimmed, but there were calluses visible among his fingers.

Ivanov chucked as he listened to The Handler’s greeting. “Oh yes, I’ve known Kara since she was a teenager. She once worked at a restaurant not too far from here—The Bronze Capital—and has always been a bright memory for a person’s day. I’m glad she’s getting along well here.”

He didn’t address the part about giving her a raise, but he did seem genuinely delighted when talking about her.

Steward Ivanov stepped out of his room, revealing for just a moment a room filled with piles of books, paints on canvas, and the scent of fresh paint. “Now then, yes, what question do you have for me? Kara has lived on this island for all of her life, so I’m guessing it isn’t a question of geography or culture. She’s a dancer for the local theatre, and is well versed in the city’s nightlife, so it wouldn’t be a question of entertainment, either. Nor is it food, given her work history. Am I right to think it’s a matter of business, literature, or artistry?”

[The Doctor]

The Handler's assumptions of the man was pretty spot on. This man was not a man to try and be coy with. Instead it was best to interact straight forward. He made note of a few things though, like the young Kara used to work at a restaurant. A place he may go for fun at a later time.

"Shaw, Jack Shaw," the Handler introduced hismelf with a smile. "You are indeed right. The questions I have pertain to business." he said calmly, stopping for a brief moment. "My profession is a mediator," he began. "As a mediator my clientele has grown, and I represent people of common folk, to high lords and dukes of the land," he continued, speaking in a low voice, just enough for the man in front of him to hear.

"20 years ago, your hotel housed some of the greatest Ninja throughout the world in order to take their Chunin Exams with no hickups." He tilted his head slightly. "6 months ago, another set of exams was conducted but on the island of Dúfa. However there were no boarding given to the Ninja. I need to speak to the representatives of these exams, and I was wondering if you had some knowledge that could point me to the right direction."

Question was straight forward, but he did want to give some context. The Handler said who he was, and what he did. He still left plenty of room on what his job was, but one thing was known, he needed to get a hold of the Examiners. Hopefully this man had some information. If not it didn't matter, for the Handler's next stop was obviously going to be Dúfa regardless.

[Nira]

“Ah, yes,” Ivanov stroked his beard and closed his eyes as he searched his memories. “It has indeed been a while, but I certainly wouldn’t forget it. It was a sound decision—there was a clear improvement in the hotel’s popularity after the exams. Please, follow me.”

Steward Ivanov walked towards the front desk. He greeted Kara with a kind wave, and patted the girl’s shoulder as he walked past her. “Good work today, Kara. I’m very pleased.”

“Now then, Sir Jack Shaw, I hope you understand that I can’t give you any detailed, personal information. I would keep your stay here as much a private matter as the stay of any other patron.”

Steward Ivanov pulled a key out from his pocket and unlocked one of the large, side cabinets at the back of the front desk. Books and boxes filled with folders were lined together neatly. Each one had a label with a combination of symbols on them—the same kind The Handler noticed on the hotel keys.

Ivanov picked out one folder box in particular and pulled it out of the cabinet. “However, I do have information you might want. Though it’s not common knowledge, the information is available to anyone after a fair share of searching. When the alter island incident occurred, there was a call for the use of land near the coast. The Chūnin Examination Commission arrived and set up a temporary headquarters at the land they procured temporary rights for, but they do not operate out of that location. Chūnin exams happen all across the world, after all, and what I have is the location of a CEC building that houses records from the examinations we provided housing space for. Since it was an examination here in Nami no Kuni, I’m sure there’s more than a reasonable chance for records of Dúfa examinations to be there, too.”

The steward tapped the top of the folder box he held. “These files include a set of documents that the CEC provides to all institutions that assist them. It includes the location of one of their archives, and perhaps some other information you might find useful. We can’t part with it, but you’re free to rent the documents so that you may make your own notes and copies. Let’s say 10,000 ryo to take the documents, and we’ll refund 5,000 ryo after you’ve returned them.”

[The Doctor]

The Handler listened to the man speak, eyes on the stroking of the beard and he followed the man behind, but keeping enough distance to make it "awkward". He walked all the way to the front desk but did not move behind it. He moved in front of the front desk and listened to the man. It was interesting hearing what he was saying. Seemed like a lot of information came through here.

He watched as the man pulled out a folder from a cabinet and heard that he could gain some kind of information. A Location of a CEC building, this perked the Handler's interests. Then came the rub, renting it, which the Handler understood. He nodded some and gave a smile. He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a small wallet. "10,000 Ryo sounds more than reasonable," he said calmly. He pulled out 10,000 Ryo and placed them on the front desk next to the folder box. "You have been exquisitely helpful." he continued.

He would reach for the box but stopped just for a moment. He looked up at the man and decided to ask. "Is there, anything I should be careful with, anything that needs the absolute, discrete attention?" he asked. He honestly did not know how much the man was risking, or how readily this information was. The Doctor has had a run in with the examinees before in the past, but they were always an awkward and secretive bunch. "I'll need some paper and pen, can you deliver some paper up to my suite please," he asked curiously.

If there was nothing else the Handler would say his thanks, take a hold of the folder box and head back up to his room.

(OOC: So what's the processes of making copies if I may ask. I don't have paper on me, but the Doctor is a master forger so I'll have to go buy paper, and what not to make copies. I want to do this properly too so that's why I'm asking).

[Nira]

ooc: Transaction complete>

---

Once the money was given, the folder box was handed over to The Handler to do with as he pleased.

Steward Ivanov shook his head no. "In most cases, the exams I've seen are entertainment for everyone except the participants. You'll often come across entertainment recordings in all sorts of places, but there's no clearer source than CEC archives. However, some exams aren't open to the public in any way, and obviously footage of death is scarcely ever found. Along with that, there are also many cases where the exam has several stages, and the public only ever hears about one stage. My one warning would be to be careful if you pry—there's bound to be countless secrets hidden beyond audience events. Ninjas, and those they associate with, tend to be a paranoid lot."

He nodded absentmindedly to himself, and then gestured towards Kara. “Kara, order some paper and have one of the attendants bring it to the room.”

Kara nodded and picked up the phone.

“If you need me again, you know where to find me,” Ivanov said before he stepped out of the front desk and headed towards his hall.

---

Paper products may be purchased upon returning to the suite. Room service may arrive either at the same time as the guest, or after the guest has inspected the documents.
Parchment, Sheet—242 Ryo each
Paper, Sheet—26 Ryo each
Paper, Cards—22 Ryo for a stack of ten cards
Book: Picture Book (Empty)—1350 Ryo each
Pen with Hotel Logo—Free

There is 1 folder box
There are 5 folders in the box
There will be a total of 2 parchment sheets filled with info
There will be a total of 26 sheets of paper filled with info
There will be a total of 3 cards filled with info
There will be a total of 2 maps with marked locations

If exact copies are to be made, forgery will be required. Notes and other summaries will take no skill other than a having at least a single language one could write with. Exact forgeries will take up the same amount of paper as the original documents.

[The Doctor]

The Handler took the words at heart, though this wasn't the first time he's done this before. Sadly the other time he did it as the Doctor, and before he decided it would be best to go on as aliases and live his life mostly as a hermit, or at least as a rich man who minds his own business.

"I understand, thank you," he said giving a slight nod with his head. He turned to Kara and did the same before turning and leaving up stairs. He headed to his suite.

-Exit to Room 323-