The Foundry Pt. 01

"H-how much money does a Blood Bath make?" Jun asked curiously.

"Before they shut it down two years ago," Takuya said, rubbing his chin as he thought, "I made fifty million in my final Bath."

Jun's jaw dropped at the thought of fifty million dollars. 'The things I could do with that ...'

"Anyways, I'm psyched to do this!" Takuya, grinning. He stretched his arms and legs. "My bones have been aching for some fighting and action!"

"B-but, Takuya!" Jun cried out, worried. "Aren't you scared of losing or even dying?"

The cell was quiet when everyone stopped and stared at Jun.

"His innocence and youth," Sogen said finally, holding back what almost seemed like a chuckle. "Oh how it keeps the room lighthearted."

Jun looked confused.

"Just watch his Blood Bath tomorrow and you'll find out," Mudora said, trying his best to not to laugh.

"Don't worry," Takuya said confidently, leaning down into Jun's face. "Trust me, ghostie," he added with a flirty wink.

The next day, after dinner, Jun and the rest of Cell C2 watched as white clad security came and escorted Takuya away. He parted with an excited grin on his face, eager to get going, rushing the escorts.

'He's excited about fighting,' Jun thought as the door closed. 'Takuya, please be careful!'

Mudora flipped on the TV and there was the secret underground Blood Bath arena. It was extremely large and circular, with a raised platform of land in the very center, big enough to have two combating Cursed. Dark water surrounded the platform, presumably for the water based Skills. Tall trees of various sizes grew on the edge of the arena, providing shade and numerous hiding spots for the participants.

Surrounding the outside of the arena were multiple levels of seats for eager spectators to watch and cheer. Sitting directly above the arena was the announcer's box, a chubby middle aged man wearing a black pinstripe suit. Everything looked hyped and ready to go, and the arena lights blacked out.

"Wh-what's going on?" Jun asked worriedly, pacing around. "Where's Takuya? Is he gonna be okay? Everything's black!"

"Calm down, Jun!" Mudora said, laughing at his overly cautiousness. "They're just ushering in the participants. Everything's fine."

Jun blushed sheepishly and sat back down on the sofa. "Oh. Sorry." He turned to the TV as a single spotlight beamed down on Takuya, earning loud cheers from the crowd.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I welcome you to the first Blood Bath of the tournament! We've had quite the hiatus since the last Blood Bath, but we're back bigger and better than ever!"

"Hiatus?" Jun asked Mudora.

Mudora nodded. "Yep. Every year, they hold the Blood Bath tournament, where every Cursed is pitted against one another, fighting until only one stands victorious. However, two years ago, there was an incident that pretty much shook the entire Foundry from its core."

"An incident?" Jun was curious. "What kind of incident? What happened?"

Mudora sighed. "That's the thing. No one knows what really happened. Everyone's got their own story and rumor about it, but all I know for certain is that it shook the entire Foundry for two weeks straight. Like a constant earthquake. I thought we were all going to die for sure."

"And I'm telling you children, it wasn't an earthquake," Sogen interrupted, sitting down on the other side of the sofa. He had brewed himself a cup of tea, sipping it slowly. "No earthquake rumbles for two weeks, then disappears. Something else made that shaking and booming."

Mudora threw his hands up, as if he were giving up a fight. "Hey, we all have our own theories. Point it, because of that incident, the Blood Baths were mysteriously shut down for two years. I only got to fight in it once before the hiatus. They've just started them back again this year, so congrats Jun! You can join in on the bloodshed."

Jun shuddered, turning back to the screen.

"This year! We're starting our first Blood Bath off with the devilishly hunky Reaper, notorious for being a brutal Cursed, facing off against the wacky wild Wraith! Man, he is one ugly Cursed!" Another spotlight beamed down across from Takuya, revealing his opponent.

"That's Wraith," Mudora explained. "His real name is Michyeo Jigen, and he's a total nutcase. I think out of all of us, he's the only one who's actually committed a serious crime."

Jun looked back at the screen. Michyeo was tall and skinny, his skin a sickly pale, and extreme dark circles beneath his beady brown eyes. His messy black hair stuck out everywhere, adding to his crazed and deranged appearance.

"I'm going to savor the flavor of your body!" Michyeo cackled, licking his lips. "I bet you taste great, huh Reaper?"

Jun looked away from the screen, hiding behind his pillow. "Ew. What's with that guy?"

Mudora chuckled. "He's a psychopathic cannibal. Bipolar. Insomniac. Unstable. You name it."

"That's dangerous!" Jun exclaimed worriedly. His heart started pounding at the thought of Takuya dying to some creep. "We have to help Takuya!"

"Calm down, young child," Sogen said calmly, sipping his tea. "This is the Reaper we're talking about. If anything, save your worrying for Wraith. He's the one who's going to need it."

Mudora shyly motioned back to the TV screen. "Look at the bottom. See those numbers? That's the amount of monetary bets placed on the participants."

Jun's jaw nearly dropped at the sight. There, underneath the Reaper's name, was a shocking thirty two million dollars worth of bets. "And none for Wraith," he muttered quietly.

"We've seen Takuya fight before," Mudora said. "Trust me, Jun. We have nothing to worry about." They both watched the screen as the timer ticked down to 'zero'.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the moment you've been waiting for! Blood Bath, round one! Ready? Fight!" A loud horn sounded, echoing throughout the arena as bright lights flooded in.

Michyeo, who had begun drooling profusely at this point, started shedding his clothes, standing only in his Foundry issued underwear. "Skill of Soul: Dos!"

He roared as a clone of himself emerged from his body, also unclothed and similarly rabid like. "Two against one! Let's see how you fare against the mighty power of doubles, you wretched weakling!"

Takuya smirked. "I wanted to make this match last a bit longer than my last ones, but since you asked for it, I have no choice but to make you regret that last comment. Skill of Soul: Demon Forger!"

Takuya's arms began growing white bumps, forming together and growing bigger until a long white blade had formed, extending straight from his forearms. It was sharp, gleaming in the bright lights that shone through the treetops.

Jun was amazed. His eyes were glued to Takuya's amazing skill and control of his technique. "That looks like--"

"Bone," Mudora said. "Taku's Skill of Soul lets him form a variety of things created from bone. Weapons, armor, anything. It's the perfect defense and offense. It's the reason he was able to make it to the final round in the last Blood Bath tournament."

"Really?" Jun asked, full of excitement and awe. He clutched his pillow and stared at Mudora with intrigued eyes. "He made it to the final round? Did he win?"

Mudora grew quiet and slowly shook his head. "No."

Jun's excitement disappeared. "No? What happened? Who did he fight?"

"A nightmare," Mudora answered.

"That's silly talk," Sogen interrupted. "Takuya fought a normal Cursed. However, that Cursed's strength was monstrous, devastatingly powerful. I don't think anyone except Takuya could match up to him."

"Kasumo Nir. Codename Spirit," Mudora said, shuddering in fear. "Most deadly and ruthless Cursed this place has ever seen. Rumor has it he's won every single one of his Blood Baths since his imprisonment when he was just twelve years old."

Jun was shocked. And scared. "He won every single one? Is he that strong?"

"Seems so," Sogen said solemnly. "Undefeated. But fear not, young child. Spirit has been missing in action for about two years now. Ever since he won his last Blood Bath tournament, no one's seen him since."

"I think he finally managed to escape," Mudora said. "Think about it. Who's strong enough to stand up against him?"

"Crazy talk," Sogen said. "I'm sure he's still around. Maybe he lost his powers?"

Jun turned back to the TV, tuning the two of them out. 'Takuya's amazing,' he thought, as the Reaper effortlessly fought Wraith. 'His movements are really fluid, his Skill is really cool, and on top of it all, he's really handsome. I wonder if he has someone special in his life?'

Jun gasped when he felt his face grow hot with his blush. 'Stupid me! What am I talking about? Takuya's nothing but a blockhead! I'm not interested in him!'

"Pretty cool, huh?" Mudora asked, snapping Jun out of his thoughts. "Now that Spirit is gone, I think it's safe to say Taku is the strongest Cursed there is."

"Yeah," Jun agreed, smiling mindlessly at the screen. Takuya had easily pinned both the Michyeo's to the ground with his blades of bone and it was obvious Reaper had won. Jun's eyes were glued to him, sparkling with admiration. "He's pretty amazing."

Mudora beamed widely. "See? Sounds like someone's got a crush on him!"

Jun blushed, which was very evident against his pale skin. He quickly turned away from Mudora and Sogen. "Who would have a crush on that dummy?" he asked fiercely, hoping they wouldn't press the issue further. "My tastes are complicated."

"Takuya's complicated," Mudora teased, smiling. "I smell love!"

Jun playfully hit him with his pillow, then looked back at the screen.

"And that does it ladies and gentlemen! A flawless victory for Reaper! He's starting this Blood Bath off with a bang! Can he be this Blood Bath's tournament victor? Be sure to tune in every night to find out! Next, who will be tomorrow night's competitors? Stay tuned for the name drawing after the break!"

Mudora turned to Jun with a satisfied smile. "Well? You saw your very first Blood Bath. What do you think? Excited?"

Jun shrugged. He was pumped up by the hype and action, but it was still dangerous. "Kinda mixed I guess."

"I figure you'd say that," Sogen said. "It's all fun and games, until you're the one called into the arena."

Jun nodded. "If it was less life threatening, I think it'd be better."

"Of course," Mudora agreed. "I've actually known quite a few people who I became friends with die in a Blood Bath. It's saddening, but then again, the Foundry is always a messed up, twisted place."

Just then, the metal door to their cell swung open, and there was Takuya, followed by two security officers. He had a smug look on his face, and in his arms were a clear bag of Refresher Pills, a large gold trophy and a bouquet of roses.

"Got this from a lady fan," he said, grinning, waving the roses around. He tossed them over to Jun. "There ya go, ghostie. Pretty flowers for a pretty boy."

Jun blushed and looked away.

"Not that we doubted you, Reaper, but congrats on your win," Mudora said, taking a Refresher Pill out and swallowing it.

"Another flawless victory added to your record," Sogen commented. "Perhaps you could win this Blood Bath tournament."

Takuya laughed and headed straight towards the showers. "I know I will. I'm curious to see what the grand prize is, too."

"Jun?" Mudora asked, nudging the quiet boy in the ribs. He gestured to the boastful Takuya. "Anything you want to say?"

Blushing, he carefully put down the bouquet and walked over to the Reaper. "C-congratulations on your win, Takuya," Jun complimented shyly.

Takuya looked surprised by Jun's act of gratitude, expecting his usual feisty behavior and snappy remarks. "Thanks ghostie. But that's nothing. Wait until later in the challenges when it gets tougher." He began taking off his clothes.

"Whoa!" Flustered and blushing profusely, Jun shielded his eyes with his arms. "Hey! What are you doing here?!"

Takuya stopped. "Getting ready to take a shower. Why? No need to be shy, ghostie. We're all guys here, right?"

Jun paused. "Uh, right. Sorry." He turned away, taking his eyes off Takuya's body. "Just not used to it," he added in a softer voice.

Takuya stared at him with suspicious eyes, then shed the rest of his clothes, wrapping a towel around his waist. "Care to join me?"

Jun felt his whole face turn red. "N-no thank you."

The older Cursed shrugged. "Suit yourself," he said before disappearing into the showers.

Jun sighed. There was no way he would be able to handle being with a naked Takuya. He clutched his pounding chest. 'Why am I like this? I don't like Takuya ... do I?' He looked towards the showers with confusion. 'Maybe Mudora's right. I think I do like him.'

"Jun!" Mudora called from the sofa, snapping him out of his thoughts. His face was no longer smiling.

There, on the flickering TV screen, the names of the two Cursed battling in tomorrow night's Blood Bath:

'Ghost vs. Revenant.'

CHAPTER EIGHT: Liar Liar, Don't Tell Me More Lies

"Th-that's me, isn't it?" Jun asked in a distant trembling voice. "G-Ghost?"

Mudora nodded with a worried look on his face. "You're the Ghost. And you've already met your opponent. Sayuri."

Jun's mind flashed back to dinner on his first day at the Foundry. The cheerful, bright, and caring young girl was going to be his very first opponent in the Blood Bath. He stumbled back, tripping over his feet, and fell back to the floor.

"The Revenant," Sogen said, shaking his head disapprovingly. "Not a good choice to be the opponent of a first timer."

"I c-can't fight Sayuri," Jun protested in a shaky voice. "She's been nothing but kind and caring!"

"What's going on out here?" Takuya asked, drying his hair off. He looked at Jun, laying on the floor and shaking.

Mudora silently gestured to the TV screen. "That."

Takuya glanced at the screen and paused, his eyes darting back to Jun. 'Damn it! Why did they have to pick him now?' He sighed at the inconvenient turn of events. "I'll take care of it." He quickly got dressed.

Everyone turned and looked at him. "What do you mean, Reaper?" Sogen asked. "This is the Ghost's Blood Bath, not yours."

"I'll take care of all of it," Takuya said. His voice was stern, but no one knew if he was angry or not. "I'll make sure Jun is as ready as can be when it comes to this. Come on, Jun. Follow me."

"Wh-where are we going?" Jun asked meekly. He got up and followed Takuya, who simply walked out of the cell without a word. "Takuya! Wait for me!"

The Reaper quickly paced down the hallways. 'That damn weasel of a Gatekeeper knows exactly what he's doing! Well it's not gonna work. No cellmate of the Reaper is gonna be a pathetic loser!' He glanced back at Jun. "Hurry up, ghostie!"

When Jun caught up to him, he found himself outside in the prison courtyard, chilled by the darkening night air. There was no one else around, not even the guards or jailors.

"Alright, ghostie. I'll admit you got a little better with your Skill, but you still need a lot of work," Takuya said. The sun had almost completely set, dyeing the sky a beautiful and mesmerizing deep shade of orange and red.

"Demon Forger!" Within seconds, the Reaper's body had become coated in a spiky, bone armor. Like his codename suggested, the bone armor exuded nothing but a creepy, dark and ominous vibe, almost as if Takuya had become the Grim Reaper himself. "Do that. Make your crystal armor you up like I did."

Jun stared at Takuya's armor, then his own hands. Focusing, he tried to make an armor of crystals, but only managed to cover his fingers. "I can't, Takuya!"

"Keep trying, ghostie!" Takuya said. With a snap of his fingers, his bone armor crumbled away into dust, fading away with the slightest breeze. "The curfew is in a few hours. Do what you can, as fast as you can."

Determined, Jun tried again, but no luck. His Skill refused to cooperate with him. He tried again. And again. And again. Nothing. Frustrated and agitated, and with so little time left, Jun slumped to the ground, trying his best not to let Takuya see or hear him cry.

"Hey, kiddo." Takuya knelt down and ruffled Jun's hair. "Come on, ghostie. Don't cry. You're doing fine, you're doing fine. We just have to keep at it."

"I'm just a kid," Jun said, his voice breaking. "I'm just a kid. I can't do this. I can't. I'm not like you." He felt crushed and devastated, knowing his life could be in danger and the only way he could protect himself wasn't working. Frustration filled every cell in his body.

"Don't say that, ghostie," Takuya said in a soft voice. The sun had completely set by now, leaving them both in the dark courtyard. "I got your back, you can count on that." He pulled Jun in for a tight hug, patting his back. "Don't cry. Please? You'll make me cry too."

Sniffling, Jun looked up and wiped his eyes with the sleeves of his jumpsuit. "I ... I'm sorry, Takuya," he said softly. "I shouldn't be crying."

"Shh." Takuya smiled and held a finger to his mouth. "It's nighttime now, so we've got to be quiet. It's almost curfew time too, so we've gotta be extra quiet and careful, okay?"

Jun nodded, suddenly regaining his confidence and vigor. He dusted himself off and wiped the rest of his tears away, leaving only streaks of dirt and debris on his smooth baby face.

"Let's try that again," Takuya whispered softly into Jun's ear, hugging him from behind. Chills shuddered down the Ghost's spine as a blush crept up to his face. "Relax, let your energy flow and make what you can." He let go of Jun, stepping back.

Jun took in a deep breath and cleared his mind of Takuya's unintentional seduction, forming crystals over his arms. He tried again and again, with Takuya watching closely, as the full moon shone brightly in the night sky. Hours later, after intense practicing, Takuya came back in cell later that night, hours past curfew, carrying a sleeping Jun in his arms.

The sound of the door opening woke Mudora up from his worried sleep. "There you guys are!" he exclaimed with a sigh of relief. "Where have you been, Reaper? It's way past curfew! What if someone saw you guys?"

Takuya looked down at Jun's serene sleeping face. "Extended practice," he answered softly, doing his best not to wake Jun. He walked over and gently laid him down in his bed, tucking the covers over him. "I had to get in as much practice with him as I could."

"Is he okay? Will his Skill work?" Mudora asked worriedly, eyeing the sleeping Jun. "He looks awfully tired."

"You out of all of us know Jun's physical limitations the most, Takuya," Sogen said. "You shouldn't have pushed him to this such extreme."

"He'll be alright!" Takuya snapped. "I know him just fine. He's tired, that's all. We did a lot of practicing. I don't know if he's ready for his Blood Bath with the Revenant, but I'm gonna be damn proud of him either way."

The Reaper looked down at the Ghost and brushed a lock of hair out of his eyes. "Because he's going to do his best. I know it." He looked up at the rest of his cellmates with tired eyes. "Come on, go back to sleep, you two. I'm sorry to wake you."

The next morning, Jun awoke earlier than usual, full of anxiousness at his Blood Bath later tonight. His hands trembled as he sat up in his bed, staring out in the quiet darkness of his room. The only sounds came from the gentle snoring of Mudora.

"You're awake, Jun?" Takuya asked, startling him.

Jun turned and found Takuya coming out of the showers, drying his hair with a towel. He nodded glumly. "Y-yes."

Takuya walked over and ruffled his hair. "You'll do fine, ghostie. I promise, okay? Whether you win or lose, I'll still be proud of you."

Jun looked down at his trembling hands. "But I'm still scared! I-I don't want to do this!"

"You're not alone, ghostie," Takuya said in a low voice. He brought Jun's forehead against his. "You have me, Mudora, and Sogen, okay? We all believe in you."