Lightning flashed across the freezing sky, brightening the room out of its darkness for only a single moment. The rain pounded on, jolting the windows that thudded against each drop. A figure sat in a chair, one broken from the rest of the other tables and chairs in the decorated room. This room was smaller than the others, it was a simple one. A small wooden bookshelf filled to the brim was near the door, the walls were a navy color while the door was pitch black. In the corner of the room was a red and black bed that held a mound of covers. That mound sat two children, well teens by now. But to Jikan they would always be children. They were sound asleep, snoozing after having a somewhat active day of work and training with Jikan.

Soft pitter patters hit the glass as a book was held in Jikan's right hand. Not a creak or other sound could be heard, safe for Jikan flipping a page or two and the whispers of the rain.

The rain and wind continued from the outside, being loud but within the echo chambers of the guilds walls of Sleeping Calamity that were heavily fortified and dense, the storm outside felt more like a tranquil rain. One in which a person could perhaps sit out on a porch and enjoy the cool wet rain on their open skin, or open a window slight and enjoy the feel of the breeze. As the lightening continued to strike in its random rhythm of a pattern outside, Jikan's hand laid on her book, open to a page that held words for her entertainment.

If one was to get a description about Sleeping Calamity from outsides it would indeed be "Evil". With the founding of the guild and the large infamity of a few memebers, the popular opinion about them were aready determined by association. To much to one side Jikan supposed. Even if the others had no names, repupation, a mixed public opion on them, or even a solid good one like Jikan had in the past. The fact that they did not submit to the King and government's rules and control, influence, beck and call. Well, it made it easy for Sleeping Calamity to be seen and called another dark illegal guild. It was how it would be, besides for the people of Orchidia. They had seen and interacted with Sleeping Calamity for years now. They knew who they were and at most, they were a misfit group of individuals with different goals surround power, the extent of them being bad or good were up to them. But for the most part, it seemed they were...just people. They did good and bad, and preferred their independence. A fact that many of the citizens in Orchidia sympathized with and understood given their relationship with the Kingdom of Fiore.

Else where in the guild, unknown to Jikan there was a visitor. A man who seemed to glide along the floor. The smaller members of Sleeping Calamity were present. Eating, playing games such as cards, dice, even chess, or just relaxing. Eyes were on the fellow though. An unknown person could not just walk into a guild with no eyes on them after all. However, it seemed the members were not hositle, just cautious and aware.

Once the man asked for the Guild Master a fellow would stand and speak with a calm voice. Another one, a woman would get up by a back door and leave through it. "You wish to speak to the Guild Master? What is your name and what business you have?", he man would say this in a calm voice. One that demanded an answer though but one that did not hold malaice. That part would be deicded based on the man's actions and words.

As this transpired the woman came to the door Jikan was in a distance away from where the rest were in a secluded part of the guild through a secret path. A patterned knock came, one that Jikan told the lady personally. After Paradise dawn's raid Jikan decided to set up a few...precautions. This one was to show her that a person was here for her. Hostility: unknown or neutral.

Take a pen Jikan would put the book closed onto her table, walking over to the bed she would make sure her two adopted children were covered and warm before begining the walk to their quest.

Back amongst the rest of the guild, more eyes were on the man, for the guild memembers knew most if not all of the regular citizens in Orchidia, but he was not one of them. Theyw ere curious, who was this man adn what did he want to talk to Jikan about? Others continued as they did before, choosing to not pay more attention beyond their eyes until Jikan arrived.

Soon Jikan entered the room, from an entrance above above the man,she eyed him and felt...like something was off. It had been a long time since she was an active hunter of creatures of the night, but her memories were still sharp even though her senses weren't. This man was otherworldly... but in what way?

She waited to see how the man would speak to the fellow that spoke to him. Once that was done she would speak. "So, we have a guest?".

Manners and looks matter in first impressions. How people saw you for the first time established the base point from how they would see and interact with you at a latter point. From their perspective. He was the outsider coming into their home. And whether he knew it or not the guild had recently gone through some reconstruction and decoration due to some unexpected visitors while no one were present. Many were mad about it, no more than Jikan. However, it showed about why there were a little less welcoming than one would expect. But, they were still better than a 'normal' dark guild. They were still civilize and weren't itching to fight just to fight now because they could not in the past.

The man that greeted Atsuma reached out and accepted his hand shake. Giving it a tight firm squeeze and shake. "My name is Shin, Tsu. So, you just want in on getting jobs huh? What skills do you have? Our Master values use the most. Power is the top thing of course but they also value none combat abilities if she sees value and potential in them". Shin held no expression or shock at the man's dead emotion. Jikan was their leader after all. They were use to this type of person by now.

Jikan looked down at him the light shining even more to give her a clear view of the man. His skin was so pale....she had only seen that level of paleness among...vampires. A vampire wanted to join Sleeping Calamity? Either way a vampire or not she had things to take care of and be ready for. Power was a creed among the guild, developing it and growing it in mind, body, and soul The reason for it could be left up to the person themselves. A slight addition had been added in Jikan's term so far. Function. Power physically and magic was good, but connections and none physical power were at times just as powerful...if not more powerful than a spell or blade.

And Jikan wanted to make sure she had all the power she needed to be free.

No one spoke of the man's request to join. They all had done the same, some in like this, walking in and requesting. Some recently a week or two, some even a few days before. They knew that the decision to get the brand of Sleeping Calamity was up to the Guild Master. And such, waited for her to respond.

This man was a vampire in Jikan's assumption. But no identity from what she could recognize from his name or look. It was one thing to have no memory from any exposure in Fiore, but as a member of a hunters, no knowledge of a vampire before her? Granted....it could be a young new one, but that would make it even more curious as to why she had no idea on this man. New, fresh vampires, were not so great on controlling their powers and urges from her memory. If he was new, he should have caused a ruckus being in the North,and she would had definitely heard about that.

"I shall ask you the same thing I asked the ones before you. Why should I give my mark to you? What do you give me, this town, or this guild? What use do you have, abilities, and why do you desire to be here among us?".

The random Sleeping Calamity members within the room stayed silent. They all had gotten some sort of interview or talk from one of the higher up members before they join over the last two years. Most of whom, went through the very same process that Atsuma was currently going through. They had had this type of conversation with Jikan, all in some sort of way and difference between then.

Jikan watched the man as the seconds went on for him to respond. It was one of the reasons why she liked doing this. People came to join, some wanted to freedom in some type of way in chaos, and it was limited but there were freedom here within how the guild work. Others just wanted a place to work and be, and given the location went with Sleeping Calamity. Either way, most of the time they only came thinking of how they could fight and handle missions through confrontation. It was a quality of Sleeping Calamity, the ability to fight yes. But what one could do out of that was also important for the stability of the guild. Just a bunch of meat heads were no use to Jikan, and if anything a nuisance, because, there would always be someone with an ego far weaker than her that wanted power and influence. At least if she thinned them out a little with making them think and have something else, it made it worth it having them within her walls.

"A detective you say? What, is this place you are from?". Jikan eyes stayed on him and maintained their calm distant look. However, internally she was thinking. This person claimed he was a detective. In short an information gather and puzzle solver. This could be a truth or a lie, but either way, if he had the skills to do something like this, then it could be useful. If he would work for them. With the unknown factor of this person, he could very well be a spy for the other dark guilds Jikan and Sleeping Calamity kicked out over the last few years.

This could potentially be beneficial to have a vampire to walk among the people with their speed and stealth. But, it could also end up to bite her in the neck. Either way...Jikan would just have to use the man while being away and balancing herself being used possibly. Just like how she handled everyone else in the guild.

After the man answer Jikan's first questions she would continue. She doubt the man would say anything to cause he to be annoyed. "Very well I shall. Power is what you wish and you shall grow, and grow in your own pace. Whether that will be here under my mark or not will be seen in time. But for now you will be given a test", she snapped her fingers. From the shadows a woman stepped out with a scroll hidden within it information. "Show me your skills a few times and then I shall make my decision. If needed you may say you are working for me if it comes up among people. Do do well to not use my name or my guild name in vain though. That sin will not be forgiven easily".

The silence of the members would’ve chilled Atsuma’s spine, stricken by the frigid embrace of undeath. However, it wasn’t quite possible. None spoke out of turn or imposed their opinions about his arrival. The power the guild master exerted over her guild members was terrifying. It spoke volumes about her power and influence.

Atsuma came up with a rouse beforehand to keep himself surrounded by a safe bubble of anonymity. It would eventually burst, but for the moment, its usefulness outweighed the eventual ‘pop’. “I come from the tribes of Enca if you believe me, Master.” He gauged the general reaction of all to this. His story had to seem exotic enough but also not blatant fiction. “My parents, Gods Bless their souls, died in an unfortunate expedition to convert the pagans that view those islands as their sacred home.” The story would hopefully hide even further suspicions of his race. Being a vampire felt wrong. Every second in his skin felt like an eternity of despair. Atsuma assumed people viewed vampires the same. The cold, tundra terrain would hopefully fill in the lagoon in the minds of creative observers. The teeth would arouse suspicion from the truly skeptical and his eyes would redden in moments of strong emotional outburst. “Now, how I left the life of a savage and became the man you see today is a much longer story.” In his mind, he begged any who heard to accept the story. He was no vampire, just an exotic man/woman with an exotic profession like most mages. Hopefully, she wouldn’t test his Encan. “I hope to be around long enough to have a drink and tell anyone who’s curious.”

Finally, a chance entry to Sleeping Calamity. They will show you the path. The demon’s voice rang in his mind. A constant prodding that would seemingly drive him mad. His eyes darted towards the guild member lurking in the shadows. An urge to profile all the players present was creeping on him. The vampire had awakened, but the hunter slept. Bits and pieces of his self reforming. An invisible consciousness reshaping itself after centuries of imprisonment. “I am eternally in your debt, Master Jikan. I will humbly accept your test.” Atsuma gracefully bowed toward his new master.

If Jikan believed the words that Astuma said or if she had scrutiny about it her face did not show it. It was information. Unchecked, un-backed up information. In such a word, useless to her. But, it was useful to the ones around her who heard what the pale man said. If the man was true his actions and words and repetition of such things would be consistent. If not, someone would notice. Jikan would notice. The cracks in a liar always did  show when it came to numerous people involved, checking, even passively, if it was legítimament. Either way, her eyes rang a blank emotional gaze.

"Enca you say? That's so far away. The lost of your parents is a tragedy I am sure. Tell us. Exactly when did this happen, how old were you?".

Perhaps Jikan was wrong in her guess of him being a venture of the night. Perhaps not. From her memory she could not recall ever being in Enca or meeting a native. However, she also had doubt still of this man. In her years growing up as a hunter and her time period as one before switching primarily in magic and adventure jobs, she never had an existence of knowledge of a race of people or ethnicity that could look this pale and not be a vampire  either way, if the man was or not had no meaning to her, and unless he was hiding it for nefarious reasons she did not care about him hiding this fact if it was true. She knew full well the people's view of such beings, even ones associated with the dark and illegal guilds of the world and underworld.

No one would act that way towards them in her guild as long as she was guild master. At least hostility. After all, Jikan's adopted children were a vampire and werewolf. Most of the guild did not want to face the chance of her wrath if they were harmed in some way. That had seen what she could do in the past two years defending the guild from other dark mages and mercenaries.

She raised a hand and pointed to a seat. One filled with a few members of Sleeping Calamity but still had a large amount of room for others to join. "Very well, stay and drink. Eat. If you are going to work for me you will be well fed and energized. Less it will impact the quality of your work. The details of your task will be in the scroll. Read it when you are ready and come to me for further information if wanted".