It was gorgeous evening in the port town of Hargeon. The sun was beginning to set, leaving strokes of red and orange behind. The gentle waves of the sea danced with the soft sand, leaving a kiss with every encounter. Resting atop the sand was the red-haired mage Shin. He wore blue denim jeans along with a white t-shirt. His feet were dipped in the body of water before him, often being caressed by the gentle sea. With his right hand, he grasped a half-full glass of bottled beer. Enjoying a drink fit for the kings while enjoying a view more beautiful than any women was what life was about.

Taking a sip of his beer, Shin placed the palm of his empty hand atop the sand. The beach lacked its usual life but this made for a pleasant change. "All this open land for a Pegasus huh," Shin thought to himself as he finished off the remainder of his bottle. Tossing it aside, he grabbed another bottle from the six-pack that rested beside him. Of the pack, only three bottles remained. Reaching forward, he grabbed a smooth stone with his left hand. Using the edge of the stone, he opened the bottle and took a long sip from it. Life as a phantom had become stale these past few years. Although a change of guilds was not necessary, Shin was hopeful something would reignite his love for the guild. At this point, the only thing driving him to remain was his loyalty.

What an evening for red eyes to view so pleasantly. Kenny’s visage gleamed as he looked up at the the powdery blue sky, brows relaxing as a sense of calm fell over him. His gaze would shift from the sky line to the shore line as he rested after wandering about town looking for his dear fiance and her big red pooch. His search of course came fruitless, not that he minded. Well, he did mind, but she was an adult and he couldn’t spend all of his time trying to stick to her hips, even if he desired to be closer to her to protect her and let all that came before them know she was his. In any case he had already done that, bite marks and scratches provided more than enough evidence of her belonging to him… Shit, he missed her way too much sometimes.

Kenny wore a pair black trousers paired with a black unbunttoned short-sleeve shirt. His eyes focused on the sea for a short moment before his attention was guide him to the site of another male sitting at the sea bed. The red head’s expression told that he was in deep thought, pondering the wonders of life perhaps? Hm, maybe his mind would be worth picking.

Without much hesitation Kenny sauntered next to the other male and sat beside him, “Pardon me, couldn’t help but notice you over here. Looks like your thinkin’ on somethin’, hope i’m not interrupting anything.” he spoke calmly with a sincere smile, “If I may asks are you pondering the view as well?” he gestured with a flick of his wrist to the ocean.

“Vast isn’t she?”

Entranced in his own thoughts, the shuffling of sand beneath feet pulled him back into reality. Before he could react accordingly, the source of the shuffling sat itself beside him. A man dressed in black trousers and an unbuttoned shirt began to speak. His calm tone and smile were a little strange, but the man gave off no strange vibes. Relaying his amber gaze back to the sea before him, he took a moment to take in the scenery once more before offering a reply. "One of the best views I've seen in my life. Part of the reason I got away from Oak."


Maybe it wasn't the best to leave in the last part. It had nothing to do with the conversation and could reveal a lot more than was necessary depending on perspective the man was. Taking a sip from his beer, Shin tried to not allow it to bother him. He was in Hargeon to enjoy himself. If he was going to allow little things like that to annoy him, he was better off back in Oak. Bringing the bottle away from his lips, he reached for a bottle from the six-pack. Grasping it by the neck, he offered it to the man beside him. Whether he was friend or foe was yet to be decided but for now, he was just someone else enjoying the view.

"Better to enjoy the view with a drink in hand."

Kenny’s eyes narrowed at the blurred horizon where the sea and sky met, he could never get over the beauty of Hargeon’s sea. It was like nothing he had ever seen before, so full and secretive, the fact that there was so much that humans had yet to discover about the briney deep sent chills up Kenny’s spine, mostly because he wanted to be the one to see what was out there. The stranger took a moment to reply, just a moment before giving the dark haired adventurer a reply. The other male spoke about Oak, getting away from it more specifically, if Kenny had to guess he must have been a resident of the hardened town. “Ah, you live up there?” he asked as he buried the soles of his feet in the sand. There was a soft and cool sensation under his toes, quite relaxing honestly.

“That is indeed true my friend.” he nodded to the other taking the beer with a thankful nod, “Thank you kindly, but hope you don’t mind me prying, but I was just up there not long ago looking for something…” he popped the top open with his teeth, the side maulers flipping open the cap with ease. He held the beer by it’s base turning it up allowing for a smidgen of the harsh yellow nectar to pass his lips.

“You enjoying Hargeon so far?” he looked back at the tourist, all of these questions were probably bothersome, but there were only so many ways to carry on a conversation with a stranger, and if Kenny had learned anything from his past few encounters with people around Fiore he needed to be careful or else he’d end up knocked out or dead…

There would soon be a light rumbling from behind them, there wasn’t a cloud in the sky at the moment, but given the persistent thumbling of the coming clouds a storm would be brewing in a few hours.

As the man took the offer, he mentioned something that caught Shin's interest. The man stated he had been in Oak for something; a vague response to say the least. A series of conclusions began to run through Shin's mind, some of which pointed to the man being a spy from another guild or a member of the Rune Knights. Of all the conclusions, none pinned the man as being innocent.

Shifting the conversation with a new topic starter, Shin decided to respond accordingly. "It's been far more welcoming then any of the other places I've been to." Taking a sip from his drink, he didn't take his eyes off from the sea before him. As the rumbling of thunder began to drown out the sound of silence, Shin shifted his amber gaze to the man beside him. "Say, what were you doing up in Oak? Compared to Hargeon, the town isn't much of a touristy place," Shin asked as the cold sea continued to caress the soles of his feet.

Until he knew more about the man before him, his mind would not allow him to relax. He needed to know more about this man. If this man was a threat to Phantom Lord, Shin would eliminate him here and now.

There seemed to be a sub conscious shift in mood between the two beach goers, things seemed bit quiet for far too long, though it was only a matter of fleeting seconds the long they kept quiet the more inevitable a conflict would be. Then again, Kenny’s mind was one that often wandered to ridiculous conclusions and assertions before he got to know another individual. Truly he did not think this stranger dangerous, not to say that he wasn’t, but there was a certain level of comfortability between the offer of beer and small talk that made the Omega comfortable.

With the conversation slowly rolling back on its way Kenny couldn’t help but nod about how welcoming Hargeon was. It was by far one of the most accommodating towns in South Fiore. The citizens of Hargeon had a certain south hospitality about them and the harbour bound town had a certain charm to it that made Kenny want to live there, which he did. Soon a question would arise from the other male, Kenny’s brow cocking upward in response before he would give a response, “Well, as silly as I may sound I was in search of a Guild.” he took another swig of his beer, “I went on a trip from region to region in search of the right place to call home, but it was a bit of a bust, I couldn’t find any guild halls and those I could find demanded me to be overtly righteous.” he chuckled.

“Sorry if I’m rambling, but just thinking about being back on that long road to nothing makes my mind tired.” he sighed, “I guess I had high hopes for Oak at the end of the road, given its one of the only towns without a big brother guild looming over it… At least I don’t think.”

Taking a sip of his beer, Shin listened to the man explain his reasons for being in Oak and of his travels. Interestingly, he was looking for a guild. Each guild was a sacred building, valuing certain things over others. Phantom Lord was no different, valuing magic and strength over all other aspects. That was what made the dark guild a perfect match for Shin. His interests aligned with that of the guild's and there was freedom to do as he pleased without worry of backlash from the guild master. He did not know how other guilds operated but for him, Phantom Lord was the wisest choice he had made in his life thus far.

Continuing to listen to this man speak, the grip Shin had on his bottle tightened as he was not aware of there being a guild in Oak Town. Phantom Lord was one of the most infamous dark guilds in all of Fiore. Anyone and everyone knew of the dark guild and their standing in the magical world. It was honestly quite annoying that this man did not. "You're an idiot if you don't think Oak has a guild," Shin began to speak as he looked at the man. Lifting up his white t-shirt with his left hand, Shin revealed a little more than his toned body and abs. Tattooed in purple on his right pectoral was the guild tattoo for Phantom Lord. Being in enemy territory, this was a dangerous act. However, if anyone wanted to confront him, this could kiss his ass.

"This right here is the tattoo for Phantom Lord, the infamous dark guild in Oak Town. Unlike the other righteous guilds you may have seen, Phantom Lord is far different. We Phantoms act according to our own interests," Shin explained as he brought his shirt down. Explaining Phantom Lord to someone who had know idea they existed was a bit blood boiling. Shin wanted to get his name out there to the world along with Phantom Lord's. Insulting one meant insulting the other, even it was done unintentionally.

As if a spark was ignited, the nameless fellow seemed irritated by Kenny’s lack of knowledge on… Phantom Lord? He hadn’t heard of them before, though given that they were dark guild it was no wonder Kenny hadn’t picked up on them. He was looking for guilds that were middle of the road the entire time. When the chap raised his shirt the often well spoken Omega, only looked as his eyes traced the guild tattoo. It was true, this guy was 100% bonafide Phantom Lord. Well this was an interesting turn of events…

Kenny nodded when the man spoke on, there was a lot of pride in his words. Did he love this Phantom Lord that much? So much so that he would openly admit to being apart of it? Wasn’t there some sort of risk with such careless behavior? If Kenny was a Rune Knight, or member of any other self righteous guild he may have challenged this stranger to a duel right here and now so he could book him and take him down town. But no, the long haired warrior was not that sort of person, he believed that everyone had their own flow, and if this ‘dark guild’ had let their members live by their own well… Kenny’s next statement would surely be welcomed to the Phantom before him.

“In that case, if you all are infamous it must mean you have quite a bit of strength…” his words trailed off as he would take another sip of his beer, could he really go through with this? It was as good a time as any to take a chance, the only issue was that Kenny was not an evil man, he did not follow darkness, but he did not mind doing bad things. He wasn’t a good guy, he wasn’t a bad guy, he was just a guy who wanted the best for his friends and family. “If you all are the best guild out of Oak…” he couldn’t delay any longer. He cleared his throat obviously pondering his decision over.

“I want to join you and become a member of Phantom Lord!” he said it! He actually said it, now it was a game of rather or not this gentlemen would take what Kenny was selling and allow him entry.

As a thunderous roar rang through the sky, Shin raised an eyebrow as the man expressed his interest to join Phantom Lord. Was the man this desperate to join a guild? He had never heard of Phantom Lord and yet here he was, making a bold statement of joining the guild. The more the merrier for sure but not just anyone could join the guild. He had met a few members of the guild and believed himself to be the strongest as his arrogance would have him believe. Strength was key in joining Phantom Lord and this man needed to display his strength. This would be the trial given to him by Shin.

"I'm not about to let some random dude join the guild," Shin began to speak as he chugged down the remaining bit of his beer. Resting the bottle on the sand, he raised himself off the ground, allowing the sand to kiss his feet. Rubbing the back of his neck, he gave his shoulders a little roll. If he was to induct this man into the guild, he would need to know the basics about him. "The name's Shin, a mage of Phantom Lord. Now tell me, what could you possibly bring to the guild?" Shin asked looking down at the man.

If the man was to become a Phantom, he would be held responsible in case the man brought shame to the guild. For this reason, he wanted to test him a little. Although this did not necessarily mean  a test of combat, he would need to show his strength some how. Everybody in the guild needed to know how to take care of them self.

Thunder signaled the beginning of two things Kenny’s trial and what would no doubt be a sort of right of passage for the Omega to enter Phantom Lord’s walls unscathed. The waters began t shift in their color once crystalline blue colors shifting to a much harsher color as the waves began to become more aggressive against the coast. All of the other beach goers began to scatter away from the each to their homes or into buildings and stands to get away from the water only leaving the two men to their own devices.

Kenny stood as well facing the man his arms crossed in front of him, ocean air blowing his long locks behind him. “That’s understandable, you have to be cautious about who you give entry to your guild, your family, and your loyalties.” he finished his beer as well, doing the same to show the bottle some care, he planted it in the ground. When the question was raised Kenny didn’t think twice about his reply blurting out, “Kenny’s my name, I’m a rouge I guess you could say. As far as what I could bring to your guild, I can bring my loyalty, my strength, and my ambition to your guild.”

They were cliche selling points, but something that most recruiters rather it was for the army, navy, or a guild most wanted to hear those three things when a recruit was asked about why they wanted to join. Obviously Shin wasn’t an idiot, thus before Kenny’s flat answer could be scrutinized Kenny opened his mouth to speak again, “Though I did not know much of your Phantom Lord, from what you said I understand that you all get to follow your own paths as long as your guild isn’t put under any unnecessary pressure or scrutiny”

He didn’t have much to bring if he was honest, any potential he had was still latent in his form as he needed to figure out what he wanted to do with himself. That and the potion Jeeroy had given him was still having its effect so that could very well mean he would get some sort of magic, but that wasn’t anything that should be brought up until Kenny had a way to prove he had magic. “I’m aware that you’re being cautious, but I wouldn’t be asking to join you if I wasn’t 100% willing to fight for you all as much as I fight for my family and I know that joining you all can make me even stronger for them.”

Darkness began to descend over Hargeon. Dark clouds took to the sky with a loud rumble, letting everyone know of their presence. Rainfall would soon follow but for the time being, the air was still dry. In the background, the ocean waves crashed against the shore while seagulls shrieked above. The change in scenery was a quick one, replacing the calmness that was present earlier. Perhaps, this was a sign for what was about to unfold.

Kenny, as the man revealed his name, began to list his points as to why he would be an asset to Phantom Lord. Strength, loyalty, and ambition were all intriguing yet basic points. Of the three, the only ones of interest to Shin were loyalty and strength. Remain loyal to the guild while increasing your strength along with the guild's. Furthermore, it appeared Kenny was a family man, fighting to protect them. Admirable as it was, Shin could not care for his reasons. At the end of the day, strength was required to obtain every and anything. "All that is good and all but you understand Phantom Lord is a dark guild right? We do things that the public does not appreciate. Things that attract attention from the Rune Knights and other guilds alike. You may have to turn on someone or take someone's life. Is that something you can even handle?" Shin asked he crossed his arms across his chest. It was stereotypical that a dark guild member was constantly involved in killings and other illicit activities. However, this was only partially due. Killing was dependent on the situation and being involved in illicit activities depended on both the person and the situation, similar to killing. One had to be able to adapt to any situation, throwing whatever morals they had out the window. This was the view Shin had developed in his time as a dark mage. Having people live in fear of you and not appreciate your work was a punishing life. The question now was, could Kenny accept this kind of life?

What was once a bright, beautiful day had now descended into a bitter dusky evening. The rumble of thunder provided ambiance for the conversation, gulls were shrieking, not too far out boats were coming to dock. They didn’t have much time before rain began to fall and the beach would be pummeled by a barrage of water at shore and at sea. Maybe this was an omen, perhaps Kenny wasn’t meant to join Phantom Lord and this was the maker’s way of trying to halt this union. Then again, what maker would have him be in his current state of mind anyway?

Kenny was asked another question, if he would be able to handle being in a dark guild. It was the best of any question that could be asked. In no way shape or form was Kenny evil, he wasn’t dark, he didn’t have any edge to him and there was barely any trace of a mean bone in his body. Despite possibly not being a fit, he did enjoy doing what he wanted, he did enjoy chaos, and if he had to he would kill when asked as he had done so before. “I can handle it, no matter the tasks or how much blood has to be drawn if I can use the work you all give me to better myself and get stronger I’ll do it.” he sounded confident in himself, the words were true. He would do whatever it took to get stronger, to fight for those he wanted to protect. Sure, with such a cause he was better off joining the Rune Knights of Fairy Tail, but those guilds didn’t have what Kenny wanted. They would DEMAND he’d be their lap dog, like all guilds, apparently from the assumptions he was making Phantom Lord at least allowed him some self reliance.

“If it means protecting the Guild, my people, and myself I will do whatever it takes.”

With the words that escaped Kenny's lips, a gentle rainfall began. The droplets of rain were hugged by the sand while creating ripples in the ocean. It was if the gods above began to shed their tears. Whether the tears were of joy or pain, only time would tell.

Thus far, Kenny had answered each question at a respectable level. Each answer aligned with an aspect of Phantom Lord which meant Kenny was on the right track. However, actions were louder than words. He could speak all the correct things yet fail to display what he meant. This was not the right setting to see if he meant what he spoke but alas, that could stand as a test for a different day. For now, he was a phantom of the sea.

"Well Kenny, as a member of the guild, I welcome you as a Phantom. The rest is up to the master," Shin began to speak as he extended his right hand forward for a handshake. "But, I'm going to tell you something. Cross Phantom Lord or bring shame to the guild, I'll hunt you down and kill you myself." These words weren't meant as a threat but as a warning. Shin believed Kenny could be a solid addition to the Phantom Lord roster so long as he knew his place. As of this moment, Shin accepted Kenny as a temporary Phantom Lord member until he were to receive his tattoo.

It was official, the rain came beating down on the two. First a few stray droplets fell, gently patting on the beach before the thunderous applause of the heavens lead way to a barrage of droplets. This was a cleansing, Kenny closed his eyes and awaited Shin’s answer. Just asking to join a dark guild was a big step for him if he got in, however, was something to be seen.

“I understand and considering that we’re guild mates I welcome that sentiment. Because the guild is now my first priority. This was it, he had done it, now was a matter of gaining a tattoo and having his name on their roster. Kenny didn’t know what to expect from being in a guild now, but this was going to be one hell of a ride. He nodded as he looked out to sea one last time, the sea line was misshapen and blurry, hm, interesting how a tide could turn so quickly and how man could shift from neutral to darkness, but unlike the sea Kenny’s transformation was of his own accord and not the elements around him forcing his change.

“Thank you for the welcome though, I suspect that we’ll be continuing an era of domination over Fiore.” he nodded, “So, should I head to Oak for the tattooing?”

Kenny wasted no time grasping onto the fact that he was now a guild member. However, he was not yet an official member. He would need to receive the official tattoo that would brand him as friend or foe with those he would meet. As such, he had asked whether he would need to head to Oak to receive the tattoo. This would make the most sense, as that was where the guild was along with the guild master. "Yeah, you'll most likely have to speak to the guild master to make it official. Just let him know I am your recruiter," Shin replied as he bent down and grasped the remaining two bottles of beer. Whether or not the master knew of Shin was up for question but he liked to believe that he was a prominent member of the guild despite only having met the master for a few brief moments.

Offering Kenny one of the remaining bottles of beer, Shin used his teeth to pry the cap off. Having recruited a member to further strengthen Phantom Lord gave him a good feeling. He was helping the guild out away from home. "You're now a phantom I suppose," Shin spoke as he raised the bottle forward, signalling a toast of sorts. It was not the best of moments as the rain was beginning to come down faster but it was necessary. There was now another phantom in this world.

There was a calm smile on Kenny’s face, he looked down at the ground as the rain washed over him. There was work to do, he would have to endure the brand of the Guild mark on his body one day, it would be painful no doubt, but it would also be worth it. There were a few questions to asks before they got too comfortable, mostly what their current state was like and if they were to be working on anything. Kenny wanted to get to work immediately, no ifs, ands, or buts about it he was ready to work for the Phantom lords, especially since he wanted to prove himself as the newest member.

“I’ll get to him asap,” Kenny accepted the beer and toasted Shin, “I do have one question, what are things looking like for us? Other than being tailed by the likes of Rune Knights, I suspect that there must be something for us to get doing.” he wasted no time in asking the first question he was ready to get going. He took a sip of his beer, holding it by the neck as he looked out to the roaring tides. They were getting wet, yet it didn’t seem to matter for either of them. It wasn’t like they’d get sick out here.

Kenny wasted little to no time in moving the conversation along. He pushed to know what there was he could do for Phantom Lord. His determination was admirable but alas, he was technically not a Phantom as of yet despite Shin saying he was. "Slow your role. That's information you'll get once you've received the guild mark. Until then, your just a temporary member. Can't relay any information to," Shin replied as he took a sip of his beer.

He looked off into the distant sea, his wet white t-shirt clinging to his skin. The guild mark was somewhat visible from underneath his shirt but he could care less. The world should know about Phantom Lord and in due time they would. "The faster you get your guild tattoo, the faster you can get started on helping the guild," Shin added as he returned his gaze to Kenny. He was curious to see what this man was capable of. He was hopeful that in the near future, the two could engage in a little spar. It was during combat where respect was truly earned. For now, he would focus on getting to know Kenny a little more. "Say, what kind of magic do you use?"

Kenny cracked his back and stretched his arms, it was about time to get heading out for the day, “Looks like the party it cut short.” he laughed as the rain beat down on the two, he would have to get his tattoo one way or the other thus he would either have to go to Oak of look for someone with the clearance to give him a tatt. It could have been too hard just go to Oak look for someone or stay here and look for more Pl easy peasy lemon squeezy and man squeezies were good at this time of day. He was craving one right now in fact.

“Alright, i’m gonna go get ready to get my tatt and all of that.” he nodded to him and turned his back with a wave. He jogged off of the beach and towards his hotel, seemed he had much to do before he was an official phantom. The most important right now was to go find someone to give him a tattoo and everything in between. He probably had a bunch of paperwork to do too, ugh so much work and so little time to get it done because paperwork was really really boring.


-exit-

It appeared the conversation between the two men had comet to an end. Kenny avoided answering Shin's question and instead stated he would go receive his guild tattoo. At least he was serious about joining this guild. The sooner he received his guild tattoo, the better it would be. It would allow him to understand what Phantom Lord was about and learn the ins and outs of being in a guild.

Dropping his empty bottle of beer, he stretched his arms and back. He turned away from Kenny, heading in the opposite direction. The rain began to come down at a faster pace indicating it was a good they ended their talk now. If they had remained any longer, the possibility of catching a cold increased and being on vacation, that was the last thing Shin wanted.

With the conversation and recruitment with Kenny complete, it was time to think of what to do next. He could seek out more requests to do to pass the time or train, something he had not done for a while now. Training would also allow him to see Gastly in proper combat, something he had yet to see from his companion. One thing was for certain though, whatever he chose to do, he would remain busy.