"Hi, welcome to New Day Springs hotel. How may I help you?" A woman asked behind the grand wooden reception desk in the hotel lobby.
After a day worth of travels, Shikamaru, Choji, and all of team eight had arrived at their destination. It was a relatively easy journey for seasoned shinobi, so they made it there before nightfall. Shikamaru smiled as he rested his arms against the counter and smiled.
"We'd like three rooms, please." He replied.
"Sure, but the dog will need to stay outside in one of our animal shelter houses." The woman said, looking at Akamaru specifically.
Kiba frowned but nodded, understanding the rules of the hotel. Hinata smiled, looking over at her boyfriend and then down at Akamaru and petting his head softly as Akumaru lowered his head and started to whine. Since dating Kiba, Hinata had gotten closer to Akamaru, so she kept a couple of dog treats on hand for him and would sneak them to Akamaru whenever Kiba wasn't looking. It was their shared secret that they enjoyed together. And Kiba didn't see her slip him a treat at that moment.
While the woman was preparing keys for the room, Choji dug through his ninja pouch, looking for chips. He froze when he realized he had nothing left and looked up at the woman behind the counter.
"Excuse me, ma'am, do you all have a convince store or a vending machine here?"
"Ah yes, we have a store around the corner further down in the lobby." She answered while still typing on the computer.
"I'll go with you, Choji," Shino said, and the pair went off together to look for the hotel store.
While she continued typing away, Shikamaru turned around to survey the hotel. It wasn't like most hotels one would find on the road. It was located in a reasonably large village and appeared to be for the more upper class of travelers. Marble flooring and walls covered the internal building with a designed, painted ceiling of golden spiral patterns. Security cameras were stationed almost around every corner watching as people came and went. Men and women entering and leaving the hotel lobby were dressed in the finest of clothing with their hired help following them, carrying umbrellas to open and protect them from the sun's powerful rays of light.
Shikamaru sighed in boredom before looking at Kiba and Hinata, who were talking quietly. He had his plan in motion, and as soon as the lady provided him with the keys, he'd let his team in what his plan was.
"Okay, sorry for the wait." The woman said, and he turned around to look at her. "For three rooms here, that will be ten thousand ryo a day per room. This includes access to our spa resort as well as aquatic pool areas. Dinner will be provided in your rooms when requested. If there is anything you need while you're here, we'll be more than happy to accommodate you. Will this be cash or credit?"
"Cash, we'll be staying for one day," Shikamaru said, pulled out the money, and paid her the amount.
"Very good. Here are your key cards. Please enjoy your day at New Day Springs hotel."
"Thank you,"
Shikamaru took the keys and turned around, handing one to Kiba and Hinata. It was decided that Kiba and Shino would share a room while Shikamaru and Choji shared another. Hinata, the only woman, would have a space to herself for her privacy."
Kiba smiled as he took the key card. "Alright, I like this mission so far. We could use a nice vacation, right babe?"
Hinata smiled. "It would be nice to have some time off. But I'm sure this won't be all relaxation, right Shikamaru?"
"You go it. I'll explain more in Choji and my room when the other two return. We're all on the third floor next to one another."
Kiba nodded. "Okay, lemme take Akamaru over to one of the animal areas and ensure he's fed. I'll meet you all up there in a moment."
Shikamaru and Hinata nodded as Kiba and Akamaru exited the building. It wasn't long before Choji and Shino returned, with Choji having two paper bags filled with chips and other snacks to eat. Once Kiba returned, they took the nearby elevator to the third floor and went to Shikamaru and Choji's room. They set their bags down and sat on the floor, turning their direction to Shikamaru.
"Alright, so what's this mission all about?" Kiba asked before scratching his ear.
"We're looking for clues on a boy who was here some months ago. He claimed to be the Prince of the Sun Kingdom, and his family, including the King and Queen, were murdered at this hotel."
Kiba raised an eyebrow in disbelief before frowning. "Ah, you want us to find clues on something that happened months ago? Shikamaru, we're good at tracking, but that's next to impossible."
Shikamaru nodded. "I know that what I'm asking is next to impossible. But, I feel there is more to this story than we originally thought."
"How so?" Shino asked.
Shikamaru sighed before cracking his knuckles on his hands. "Right now, Naruto is leading a team consisting of Sakura, Sai, and Ino. They are taking the Prince back to the Sun Kingdom after the village was attacked a couple of days ago at the hospital. It's a drag since this event proceeded with Sakura's apartment being set on fire before that. The prince was placed into the orphanage after he traveled here with the other sole survivor of this massacre. And lived in the orphanage till the other day and attended the Children's mental health clinic."
Hinata gasped, covering her mouth with both hands as her eyes widened. "So you think this boy has some relation to Sakura? Wouldn't she be in danger out there?"
Shikamaru nodded with a frown growing on his face. "I'm hoping I'm overthinking this situation and that the boy is who he is. But if he isn't…." He trailed off.
Choji nodded. "If you got a bad feeling about this Shikamaru, then I feel we gotta give it a shot. Ino and the others could be in grave danger if this is a trap."
"Exactly; I told Ino to reach out to me if they run into trouble using her telepathic jutsu. So far, she hasn't reached out, so I'm guessing they are doing well. But if we can warn them before they get to the Sun Kingdom, that'd be great. We'll need to do this covertly, so we don't disturb guests here in the hotel. Everyone brought their radio equipment as requested, right?" Everyone nodded in agreement. "Good, let's break into teams and keep in contact with one another."
Shino returned to the hotel's ground level and began looking for the security office. Since he was alone, he could move freely without worrying about anyone else. He saw a man in uniform heading to a restricted area, saying staff only. Shino followed the man quietly and quickly released some bugs from his sleeves as the man badged into the automated lock door. It was a good amount to cover the nearby camera for him to sneak past and enough to hold the door open after the man walked through.
After he made it in, the bugs returned to him and continued following the guard silently. Sounds of people fussing and metal objects banging caught his attention, and the aroma of something delicious danced under his nostrils. He figured he must've been close enough to the kitchen and hid behind a couple of wooden crate boxes as more people began traveling up and down the stone-colored hallways. He was losing sight of his target and placed a tracing beetle on him while he stayed hidden as more of the kitchen staff passed him unknowingly.
He quickly hurried around the crates and continued to the location he needed to get to. After rounding a corner, he saw the security guy badging into another door with a sign that said security. The man opened the door, and Shino quickly approached him and chopped the man on the side of his neck, knocking him out. Shino dragged the man's unconscious body into the nearby closet of the room and placed him in it. It was filled with cleaning products and other items such as a mop, bucket, and porcelain sink.
"Kyo, is that you?" Another man's voice called.
Shino quickly jumped into the air as he willed chakra to his hands and feet and stuck to the closet's ceiling. The closet door opened, and another security man walked in.
Shino dropped out from his hiding place and knocked this guard out. He exited the closet and pulled out a chair, placing it in front of a door handle to keep them inside. After he finished doing what he needed to do in the room, he would go ahead and let them out after he snuck away. He approached the security station with multiple monitors sitting above a desk showing every location in the hotel. Shino sat at the desk and turned to the lone computer on the side of the desk with a keyboard and mouse. Luckily, the computer was unlocked, and he immediately opened the files on the desktop screen labeled past security files. The radio he was wearing chirped.
"This is Shino." He answered first.
"Shino," Shikamaru's voice came from the radio. "Did you get into the security office, okay?"
"I did," Shino replied. "I have two guards knocked out in the closet and some bugs outside the door keeping an eye out for me. I'll review the footage I can find in the security folders. And see if I can notice anything in particular around the time you gave us earlier."
"Good work, lemme know if you find anything," Shikamaru said.
The radio went dead, and Shino began scrolling through various files on the desktop, looking for a date from a few months back.
Shikamaru sighed as he let the radio piece go and pulled it down to the towel he had next to his seat. He and Choji sat poolside in recliners after they'd changed into their swimsuits, a pair of green trunks for, Shikamaru and a red wet suit for Choji. It was an indoor pool, and the smell of chlorine from the water wafted in the air. It was a large aqua area with several jacuzzi pools and a water slide for the children to have fun. Children were busy playing in the pool, splashing water with one another, and their parents could not care less about what was happening. The sole lifeguard lady was in her high chair, overseeing them while leaning on the armrest.
Choji was busy lying back in the recliner with a smile on his face while twiddling his fingers. "Whew, Shikamaru, we should take a vacation when this mission is done! I feel at ease right now."
Shikamaru sighed, shaking his head. "Choji, we're on assignment."
"Yeah, and the three people who are specialized in tracking and collecting data are on the case. Besides, you said we needed to look like real guests here. So I'm going to do my part by doing what you do best taking a nap!" Choji said before she snuggled in the recliner with a towel behind his head.
Shikamaru frowned, but that is what he advised them to do. He was more so jealous that Choji was doing precisely what he would like to do. But as the team leader of this situation, he needed to keep an eye and an ear out. It was easy because they didn't have to deal with an enemy ninja. But he didn't want any staff members getting any ideas of them being suspicious.
'Let's just hope I'm wrong on this one.' He thought while looking around the pool area.
"Would you like a fruit drink or water?" A woman's voice asked suddenly.
He looked up to see a waitress holding a tray of drinks. "A bottle of water, please." He said and exchanged the amount of ryo for the water.
He opened the bottle and drank some before leaning back into the chair. He pulled the radio receiver and earbud up to his ear and put his towel over his face. For now, he would pretend to relax while waiting to hear from the others. And suddenly, the sound of Choji snoring beside him made him groan in slight annoyance.
Kiba and Hinata were together in a room with ping pong tables and people playing the game. They were currently playing a round of the game while looking around their surroundings. Several tables were more lively than their game, including a pair of women who were presently destroying their boyfriends who'd challenged them to a game. Like everyone else, they were dressed in the provided blue or pink yukata kimonos and sandals.
"I hope Shino finds something; it's kinda hard for me to go looking around sniffing without looking like a freak to normal people," Kiba said.
Hinata hit the ball aiming for the end of the table. Kiba wasn't standing. He tried to shuffle over to get the ball quickly but missed. Kiba went to get the ball and hurried back to the table.
Hinata giggled as she smiled before leaning in closer and beginning to whisper. "As soon as he gives us the go, we'll start looking in the last area where he said he saw the Prince. But first, let's have another go at this game!"
Kiba grinned and served the ball. They went at it for five minutes, and to Kiba's surprise, he didn't score a single point against Hinata. And like the other men, he lost this round with a score of zero to three.
"This is Shino." The radio sounded silent only for less than a second before Shikamaru responded.
"Shino, what's up?"
"The last location I could see of the Prince was toward the kitchens. After that, the footage is gone."
Hinata scored another point, much to Kiba's disappointment, and he went to grab the ball again. He picked it up, brought it back to the table, and listened as Hinata started talking.
"We'll check near the kitchen area Shino. If you see anything else, please let us know, okay."
"I will, over and out," Shino replied.
The radio went silent again, and Hinata and Kiba locked eyes. They nodded, knowing what needed to be done, and snuck out of the room as the other people celebrated. Hinata activated her Byakugan to spot if anyone was coming by them. Together they traversed the halls and through the kitchen while the staff worked. Hinata spotted an exit, and they were in a lone hallway with three doors.
"Three doors, one is to the refrigerator and freezer for the kitchen. The next leads to a staircase that travels below what appear to be the laundry and utility rooms. And last leads outside the hotel."
The radio began to sound again, and they both quieted down to hear who would speak.
"You two should take the door to the left. Kiba will be a good time to take that sample of hair Shikamaru got from the orphanage." Shino explained.
Kiba reached into his sleeve and pulled out a glass vile containing a few strands of silvery white hair. He breathed in the scent, and only after he had a good sense of the smell, he closed the vile back and put it back into his sleeve. Together Kiba and Hinata went down the stairs and entered the door at the bottom. Inside was another having two more doors. Suddenly Kiba covered his nose, and dry heaved violently.
Hinata looked over at him, noticing that he was sitting on his haunches, still covering his nose and now his eyes. She crouched down next to him and put her hand on his shoulder. Her eyebrows drew together as she quickly looked over him, as his skin began to pale a little.
"Kiba, what's wrong?"
"Something down here reeks! I can't keep the kid's smell straight for whatever that is."
Hinata understood, knowing that Kiba and his clan members had almost as good of a sense of smell as their dog or wolf companions. She reactivated her Byakugan and looked around. The door to the right was the maintenance room with the boiler and other items, such as the electric boxes for the hotel. She checked the other room, and it was the laundry room. But there was something in there that didn't seem right to her.
"The laundry room, will you be able to handle the smell? Or do you want me to go ahead?" She asked him, concerned.
He shook his head, frowning. "No, I'm not leaving you to do this alone. I'll breathe through my mouth for now. Did you see anything in the room?"
"Yes, I think it's close to the sewer ducks for the hotel. That might be what you are smelling."
Kiba nodded. "That will do it; alright, let's give it a look."
They went to the laundry room, not needing to sneak since it appeared empty for the time being. Hinata found the sewage drain in the middle of the floor, which was very large. Together both stood on opposite sides of the gutter and pulled as hard as they could until it began to move. The radio started to chirp again, and it was Shino.
"Did you two find anything?" He asked calmly.
Kiba held the button on his radio to speak. "Yeah, a sewage drain. The scent is so strong it overpowered the kids' scent that Shikamaru gave me."
"Really?" Shikamaru asked then. "Do you two want Choji and me to come and meet you down there?"
"No, Hinata and I will be fine. We're going to hop down now."
"Keep us posted," Shino said before the line went dead again.
Hinata looked down the sewage line with her eyes still active. "It's clear at the bottom and not too far down for us to jump. Follow behind me, okay." She said, standing up and pulling her Kimono closer around her body before jumping in.
Kiba listened carefully, and it wasn't too long before he heard her softly land on her feet. Suddenly the sound of approaching voices not too far from the laundry room alarmed him, so he quickly followed behind her and jumped through the drain. He landed on his feet, and he looked around himself. It was very dark in the sewers, and he regretted not bringing a flashlight or a glow stick to illuminate the path. Suddenly he felt something soft grab his hand. He felt Hinata's fingers curling around his own.
"I'll lead the way." She whispered, and they began walking again.
Despite being careful, the wooden sandals they were given clicked and clocked against the cement tunnels as they traveled. Given the situation, if they weren't trying to sneak around while doing this, Hinata was sure Kiba would've tried to make a joke out of the sound. She led him through the sewers, her vision still as good as she could easily see many kilometers in almost all directions.
It wasn't too long before she stopped and looked to see a cutout section of the metal wall. She stepped into the opening and helped Kiba, who couldn't see this. They were on a dirt-beaten path that appeared to be dug out recently. Together they followed the path and found an opening that led upwards. It was covered with fake grass, and Hinata moved it out of the way as the sunlight began to shine through the opening. Kiba climbed out of the hole first and helped Hinata out. They weren't too far from the hotel as it was in plain sight that Kiba could see perfectly fine.
But Hinata, who still had her Byakugan, noticed something in the dirt and gasped and covered her mouth. Kiba looked at her and then breathed in his nose unconsciously. He got a whiff of something rotting, and he covered his nose and looked ahead of them.
"Hello?" Shikamaru asked. "Kiba and Hinata, can you hear us?"
Kiba pressed the button on the receiver. "Yeah, now we can. I think we found something behind the hotel…."
"We're on our way," Shikamaru answered, and the line on the radio went silent.