The hotel staff at the desk was a tall female Imeni.
"Welcome dear customers, how many rooms would you like?"
It was Null who took a step forward and asked, "We're new to the city. What are the rates like for a place like this?"
"Since we do not have a set currency in Meidiora, we accept any methods of bartering."
Seeing as this was the way of the city, they all turned to the pauper.
Noticing their stares, he sighed and produced a bar of solid gold with his advanced gold manipulation.
The face of the counter girl immediately flushed with astonishment, "An advanced manipulator! You should have just told me so."
The group then turned back to the clerk with confused looks.
"All advanced manipulators are allowed to stay in the finest rooms we have to offer, no charge necessary. You are more than welcome to stay."
The pauper shrugged and still left her with the solid gold bar on the desk, "For your troubles. We only require your largest room."
She was taken aback at such a large payment but nodded in thanks before swiftly taking it behind the counter and passing him a card, "Your room card for the Meidiora Suite."
He took the card and led the rest up the stairs of the building.
"We'll only be staying here for a little while. The main reason why we're here is to find a reputable source to uncover the secrets behind the mofei and elevate our manipulation."
Null wanted to quickly find a suitable teacher as much as Theef did, but for the sake of Klein's father he was willing to stay as long as was necessary.
The pauper was the first to say his piece, "I'll hunker down in the room while you guys are busy. I've no need for a teacher."
"He's right. You guys are the only ones that are looking to do something in this stuffy place. I'm only here for the sake of overseeing your progress." Theef spoke in his parental figure mode, unwilling to leave Null alone for no reason.
"Alright, let me ask the lady where we can find a place while you guys chill out in the room. Once that's done, we can move out before it gets late." Null offered.
He left them and soon they found the room assigned to the card and went in.
The room was spacious enough with a large couch and rug and two side rooms with twin beds inside.
A large window covered the wall of the living room, letting in the outside view and sunlight. It was getting late.
The pauper took a seat— a kneel rather— on the rug and entered a state of meditation, the coin on his head being outlined.
"Okay kid, show me what you got when it comes to manipulation," Theef told Klein.
'I remember him seeming to be a master at manipulation. He must want to evaluate me before we head out.'
He raised his hand and let out his quadruple fire, water, air, and earth manipulation forming a miniature flaming storm in his palm.
"Not bad, but where's the rest." Theef was unaware of the limits most Imeni had when it came to manipulation. He had not considered his place was above most others in comparison.
"I'm still considered to be a normal three-year-old to the Imeni people you know. Being able to manipulate at this age is unprecedented!" Klein shot back.
"Have you even met that freak downstairs?! The shit he does is unprecedented to the unprecedented. I'm haulin' ass just to keep up."
"Okay you freak. Just you wait. I'll become more adept at all things mofei when I reach your age you won't even know how to cope with."
"Oh, yeah? Try me. First day of my life on this planet and I've surpassed anyone around me, even the other kid. Once I've gotten my senses down ain't nobody gonna be able to reach me."
He harrumphed and sat down on the couch, feeling for the ambient mofei in the atmosphere.
Klein would not be outdone as he too found a spot to attempt manipulating the advanced mofei from scratch.
In his vision, he could see the changes happening with the mofei as they crossed paths in his hands turning deeper in color and more vigorous in energy.
What Theef had done at the campsite, Klein was now attempting to repeat from memory.
It was too unfair to compare yourself to a Theif however; they knew how to apply every aspect of themselves in whatever ordeal they challenged themselves with.
---
"Alright, thank you ma'am." Null thanked the lady from before as he headed back up to the room.
He knocked on the door to which the pauper opened up, "Found something?"
"There's a place that doesn't discriminate on its teachings not too far from her. The desk clerk said that if you join us, we can basically join for free wherever we go as advance manipulators are a dime a dozen in this city."
"Then we should be off."
"Agreed." Theef got up from the couch and walked up.
"Let's get this done quickly." Klein stood up as well.
They then checked out of the hotel and reached a large building that had many people going in and out of it at a time.
"This is the place. Let's go in," Null led the way as they arrived at the place called The Manipulator's Institution.
The walked through the well-made wooden door to the building and found themselves with at another desk.
"Welcome to our institute. Which lesson are you here to listen to," she asked not knowing they were new to the experience.
"We've actually come to learn from someone in private," Null said.
"I'm sorry, but in order for you to have a private lesson, you will need to book in advance."
The pauper then showed off his advanced gold manipulation.
"Forgive me! I was unaware that there was an esteemed manipulator amongst your group."
Seeing as there were younger children seeking guidance of an advanced manipulator, the woman manning the desk thought them to be prodigies of sorts.
"You're just in luck. One of the most renowned manipulators of our city has just travelled in to begin teaching lessons. I'll let him know that you're here to see if he is willing to do a private lesson.
She then left the desk abruptly and quickly walked to a part of the area behind the desk.
With a slight usage of mind mofei, the desk clerk sent a message through a complex medium that would send it to its given destination. Its design was much like a landline phone, only there was no phone attached to it.
'What an interesting device able to send messages through mofei,' Null thought.
Just as quickly as the message was sent, an audible chime told the clerk that a message was ready to be received on her end.
"Looks like you're in luck. Mr. Yanni will personally teach you as he is free at the moment. His space will be right up the stairs and the third to the left."
They thanked her and made their way to the room. It was open for them to come in and there, a man stood gazing at the wall of the room unmoving.
"Greetings to you, fellow manipulator," the man known as Mr. Yanni said to no one in particular while still looking at the barren wall.
The pauper took this chance to return the greeting, "To you as well, Mr. Yanni."
The man then turned to look at the group, his gaze landing on the two children of the group, "I do not teach those who have not even developed their mei veins. If you yourself have any queries as to the nature of the mofei, then you may speak now."
Without even a response, both Null and Klein looked to each other and began manipulating multiple elements in their hands.
Mr. Yanni's saggy eyes jumped open at the sight and his breathing was shaken, "Manipulators at such a young age. And multiple at once no less!"
He sharply moved towards the two and checked their palms up close.
Null's manipulation lacked order and was all over the place in terms of which element he was manipulating.
Klein's on the other hand were smoothly shifting together albeit with a weaker force driving them.
"Two child prodigies under your care! It's no wonder you sought out a teacher such as me. You must not be versed in many elements. Am I correct in my judgment?"
The pauper simply manipulated more of his gold to form a scepter in his hand that looked to be masterfully crafted, "Correct."
There was more surprise in the Imeni man's face as he saw such quick and elegant manipulation, 'I myself can manipulate three elements, but to do what he just did is not possible!'
While the scepter may seem a bit extravagant in creation, the more astonishing aspect was the smooth operation of the craft with such an advanced level of manipulation.
In order of earth manipulation, there would be around four stages to the average manipulator: earth, stone, metal, and crystal.
"You possess the advanced manipulation of gold! Such a feat is impressive in these parts," Mr. Yunni spoke.
"No need to tell me. I'm just here to allow these two here to learn more about the aspects of the manipulation from an expert."
"Well, you came at the right time. I was just setting up for a lecture when I received the message. Just let me know what in particular you are ready to learn, and I will do my part."
Thus, a lesson on the advanced prospects of manipulation was given and Null's crew worked to advance their manipulation step by step under the guidance of a master.