The Foundry Pt. 01

Jun felt heat rush up to his face at the closeness of Takuya's face. He managed to utter out a soft 'thank you' and hopped out of bed, into the showers. As the warm water covered his body, he let a few scared tears fall down. 'I don't want to be here ... I don't belong in this messed up place.'

A few hours later, at breakfast, Jun was joined by Mudora and Inari, both offering him moral support and advice over scrambled eggs.

"You'll do fine," Mudora said. "I mean, I don't expect you to be Takuya, but I think you have nothing to worry about."

Inari snuck Mudora a look of doubt, but it quickly turned into a smile. "Mudora's right, Jun! Go in confident, come out even more confident!"

Before anyone could say anything else, Hajiro approached Jun from behind out of nowhere, startling the Cursed when he placed his hand on Jun's shoulder. He looked down at him and smiled. "Mr. Kimura, we meet again."

Jun's usual youthful face turned into a mask of anger. "Don't touch me! What do you want, Gatekeeper?"

Hajiro's glasses shone brightly in the sun's reflection at Jun's patronizing tone. "Well, I see you've settled in comfortably here. Why don't you join me in my office for a quick chat?"

Jun angrily turned away, shrugging his hand off his shoulder. "No thanks. I'd rather not have any contact with a sneaky, lying, no good bastard."

Mudora and Inari, surprised and shocked by Jun's feistiness, sat wide eyed and open mouths while the Ghost continued to berate Hajiro.

Hajiro smirked and leaned down in Jun's ear. "Perhaps you misunderstood me, Mr. Kimura. Come to my office immediately, or else I'd have to rape that pretty little ass of yours in front of everyone. Your choice."

Jun gritted his teeth at the forceful and cunning Hajiro. He placed his fork down on the table, huffing. "Fine."

Smiling, Hajiro nodded to Inari and led Jun out of the cafeteria down the hallways. "I do hope you're enjoying your residence at the Foundry."

"Shut up, you lying, no good bastard," Jun retorted. "I hope you die."

Hajiro chuckled as they stepped into a large elevator. "Oh, Mr. Kimura, why so aggressive? Are you, perhaps, insatiable and unsatisfied? Are your shameless cellmates not taking care of you in bed?" He pushed the large red button at the top. The doors shut with a 'ding' and they began moving up.

Jun glared at him, his anger boiling inside. Hajiro enjoyed pushing him to his limit. "My cellmates are nothing like you!" he cried out furiously. "Don't ever talk about them again!"

Hajiro grinned at Jun. "Aha. Mr. Kimura, I like you. A lot. You're so cute and youthful yet so hot headed and feisty. That's a delectable combination, in any gender. Ah, you also have an uncanny resemblance to another Cursed so long ago. Oh, what was his name?"

"I don't care who I resemble," Jun replied coldly. "Keep your hands off me and don't ever touch me again." He glared at Hajiro with blue eyes that shone with anger. "Or else."

Hajiro shrugged. "If you insist. For now. One day, I'll have you all to myself, to do as I please. Until then, we talk about business." As if on cue, the elevator stopped with a 'ding' and the doors opened, revealing Hajiro's office.

It was at the top floor of the building, with wide windows on three of the four white walls of the room, leaving only the wall behind Hajiro's desk solid. Larger and more spacious than any cell in the prison, it was full of sleek white furniture, matching the white carpet, the white décor and Hajiro's white suit.

"Do come in," the Gatekeeper said, walking in ahead of Jun. He sat down at the desk directly across the elevator door, raising an eyebrow when he saw Jun still stood inside. "Have a seat, Mr. Kimura."

Suspicious and wary of Hajiro, Jun slowly walked inside and plopped down into a white sofa. "What do you want to talk about?" he asked demandingly.

Hajiro propped himself up on his desk with his hands. "Your Blood Bath, little Ghost."

Jun let out a small gasp. Too preoccupied being angry at the smiling man before him, he completely forgot about his Blood Bath. "What about it?"

"Oh, just some rules and the basics," Hajiro replied, nodding his head side to side. "I don't think your battle hungry cellmate Reaper bothered to tell you anything about it. Such a useless and difficult sack of potatoes."

Jun saw red flash before his eyes. "Don't ever talk bad about Takuya again! He's been nothing but helpful!" He shot to his feet, forming a spiky crystal in his hands and aimed it at Hajiro. His whole body was trembling in anger. "I'll kill you!"

Hajiro, shocked by Jun's outburst and control of his Skill, simply kept quiet. Then smiled. "I see you've gained some control over that monstrous Skill of yours. But don't think you're all that just because you've learned a few new tricks."

The glare on his glasses shone brightly. "There are many, many things you don't know about me, you little cutie. So I suggest you sit down and let me finish."

Lowering his hand down, the crystal shattered into disappearance. Jun sat back down, looking away from the smiling Gatekeeper.

"There is a secret doorway hidden behind the bookshelves. It's an elevator that goes straight down into the underground arena the Baths are held in," Hajiro explained. "When the time comes, I will send escorts to come fetch for you. Once they bring you here, I'll send you on your merry way down, down, down into the arena, where your match awaits."

Jun glanced over at the tall bookshelf in the office, trying to guess which book was the secret lever.

"The prize," Hajiro continued, "for winning is four month's worth of Refresher Pills, either for your own consumption, or sharing amongst your cellmates. Up to you. Oh, and you have the opportunity to rise in rank throughout the Blood Bath tournament."

Jun nodded, already knowing.

"If you should happen to emerge victorious in the finals," Hajiro said, grinning, "you will receive a variety of prizes, including, perhaps, the possibility of freedom."

Jun's eyes widened as he stared at the despicable man before him. Freedom. That's what he needed to find who was responsible for killing his family. That's what they all needed, every Cursed here. He'd have to fight all of them for his freedom.

"So fight, little Ghost," Hajiro said. "Fight and fight, until you can't anymore."

Jun glared Hajiro down. "You can be damn sure I'm going to fight!" He pointed a finger at the Gatekeeper. "I don't intend to stay in this messed up place my whole life, so just watch me!" With that, he whirled around and marched into the elevator, leaving Hajiro speechless.

Although he had just bravely announced that he was going to fight to his fullest, Jun still felt uneasy about it all. Using supernatural powers for the entertainment of others? It made him sick to his stomach. 'We're nothing more than just real life toys! Hajiro must be twisted to use real people for entertainment.'

Lunch came, much quicker than he expected, and much quicker than he wanted. Each minute that passed was one less minute he had between him and his Blood Bath. He didn't want to do it. He couldn't. He was nowhere near Takuya's level nor did he possess Takuya's eagerness or reputation.

Finally, after waiting for hours with a suffocating pit in his stomach, it was time for the Blood Bath. Two white clad escorts came for him after dinner, taking him away from the safe haven of his cell down into Bath arena.

"Be a good boy and enjoy yourself out there!" Hajiro cheered, as the elevator descended below the prison. "We've got a full house tonight, so try not to let that cute face of yours get too roughed up, okay?"

Jun was unable to fire a snappy or sharp remark back; his mind and body was a mess. He was trembling, leaning against the cold metal of the elevator, as it finally stopped and the doors opened with a 'ding'. Nothing but black darkness stood in front of him, then, in the distance, a single spotlight beaming down, waiting for him.

"That's your cue, my cute little Ghost," Hajiro said, giving him a shove into the arena. "Remember, I'll be watching your every move." He chuckled as the elevator doors closed, taking him back up.

Jun slowly entered the arena, his chest pounding from his beating heart and the loud roars and cheers from the crowd. Yesterday, he was simply watching the match. Now, he was in it, and felt sick to his stomach. He slowly stepped into the spotlight, and the crowd's cheering escalated, drowning out his anxious thoughts. His heart was pounding hard, thumping against his small chest.

"Ladies and gentlemen!" the announcer said happily. "Day two of the Blood Baths and we've got quite a showdown tonight! From A-Block, we've got a newcomer making his debut, Ghost! His opponent? The deadly, the lovely, and the gorgeous Revenant! Ready? Fight!"

Bright lights instantly flooded the arena as the horn sounded, causing Jun to shield his eyes. After adjusting them, he looked around himself. Everything felt surreal; the trees, the water, the circular ring they were standing in. Jun looked across from him and saw Sayuri, her hands drawn together before her chest, just as nervous and scared as he was.

"Oh, Jun!" Sayuri cried out from her side of the arena. "This is awful!"

Jun gulped nervously. There was no way he could do this, even if he had the chance for freedom. "I can't do this!" he cried out, looking towards the announcer's box. "I-I forfeit!"

Cries of disappointment and boos rang out. The crowd was clearly unsatisfied with Jun's decision. Up on the betting screen, everyone could see the amount of money bet on Ghost quickly decreasing, while the Revenant's increased.

"Well well!" the announcer said, "looks like the Ghost wants to forfeit the match! Only problem is that it goes against everything the Blood Bath stands for! No taking the cheap way out! Who wants to see this rookie get thrashed around?"

Cheers roared out loudly. The crowd began chanting something inaudible, but either way, Jun wasn't getting out of the Blood Bath.

Sayuri smile distantly, as if Jun were a stranger. "Well then, Jun. It looks like the public has decided." She slowly untied her braid, running her fingers through her long brown hair. "Skill of Soul: Noir Jour!"

Before Jun could do anything, thin invisible threads from every direction quickly tore into his body, slashing every part of him. He fell to the floor, covered in cuts, crying out in agonizing pain.

"And there you have it folks!" the peppy announcer said through the microphone over the roar of the on looking crowd. "First strike goes to the Revenant! As usual, her black threads move so fast, they're practically invisible! Can the Ghost survive his first Blood Bath?"

"For a Cursed, you're not very good," Sayuri taunted, her kind and gentle smile fading into a wicked smirk. "Stupid you! I was hoping for a fun bath together!" She flipped her hair back, looking down at Jun. "You dumbass!"

Jun looked up, staring at the girl before him. 'What? Is this the same girl from before?'

Sayuri cackled at Jun's confusion. "Oh, you're confused, right? You're wondering who I am, right? You dumbass! You really thought I was actually some helpless bimbo?"

She laughed cruelly while her black threads viciously whipped Jun again, reducing him into a bleeding, curling ball of flesh on the arena floor. "Sorry ass scumbags like you should stay down in the shit holes, where you belong!"

A thin black thread quickly wrapped around Jun's ankle, tossing him effortlessly up into the air, where Sayuri unleashed another brutal barrage of rapid whippings. The final thread whipped him back down, sending him crashing into the arena floor.

"How one sided this fight is!" the announcer said as Sayuri grinned and chuckled to herself. "The Revenant is showing absolutely no mercy for this newcomer rookie!"

"You tricked me," Jun muttered angrily, finally comprehending. Sayuri wasn't the kind and innocent girl he thought she was. The smiles, the laughs, the advice and support, it all faded away in his mind. He struggled to stand up, covered in numerous cuts and bruises. "Everything was all a lie!"

Sayuri laughed mockingly and cruelly at his discovery. "Well no shit, dumbass! This is the Foundry, where people die everyday without a second thought! Do you honestly fucking think there's such a thing as kindness and trust here? You have got to be the dumbest Cursed ever!" Her black threads brutally whipped him again.

He bit his lip to keep from crying out in pain. Clearing his mind, and surprising himself along with everyone else, Jun's ice crystals began forming, growing faster as his rage did, enclosing his entire body in an icy armor. "Skill of Soul: Frost Monarch!"

Sayuri seemed impressed and taken aback. She didn't expect Jun to have such control over his Skill, especially after being beaten down. "Interesting," she uttered. "The brat's better than I thought."

In the cells, Takuya folded his arms and smiled as he watched the match, rather proud of himself and Jun. "The kid's got a natural talent. Most Cursed can't use their Skill of Soul on such a scale this early."

"Whatever that extended practice was last night," Mudora said, smiling too, "must've worked. Good work, Reaper. I knew it was a good idea having you baby-sit him. And look! Now he'll be able to put up a fight."

Sogen laughed in agreement. "Perhaps everyone has judged the young child a little too early? Ghost could make quite the comeback."

Back in the arena, the announcer expressed his own immense shock. "Whoa! Ladies and gentlemen, hold the phone! Looks like the Ghost managed to pull off a fancy trick of his own! Can it counter the Revenant's ferocious threads? Can he actually win this Blood Bath? Who will bet on this rookie?"

The betting board began beeping as the amount of money bet on the Ghost increased again. Jun, perhaps the most surprised of all, looked at himself in awe. Armor. Crystal armor covering his body - the very thing he failed to do last night. 'What is this? Me? Did I do this?'

"Flashy, I'll give you that," Sayuri said angrily, "but your pretty little suit isn't going to protect you forever!" Her black threads quickly wrapped around Jun's limbs, tying his ankles and wrists together. "Boy, when I'm done with you, you're going to wish you had forfeited!"

Jun fell back to the floor, struggling to break free. With his armor, her threads couldn't harm him, although she was right. Jun's Skill wasn't nearly as experienced as Sayuri's; he had no idea how long it would last. 'I have to break these threads,' he thought as he tried to pull his hands apart. 'What are they anyways?'

"It's useless," Sayuri warned, walking towards him with an evil grin. "Those threads are unbreakable. I suppose I should enlighten you about myself now. My Skill of Soul is Noir Jour, the power to twist shadows. Those marvelous threads binding you like a shitty pig are made from the shadows!"

Jun stopped struggling and looked at her with wide eyes. 'The shadows? She controls the shadows?' He looked at the thin black threads that bound him, then glared up at her as he tried to break free.

Sayuri chuckled, mocking his despair. "Ha! Is glaring at me angrily a strategy to win? This Blood Bath is as good as over. Look at you, all pathetically tied up. You have some fancy armor, but that's about it. Nothing much. You're just another dumbass who thought he could waltz in here and win!"

Jun gritted his teeth. He might not have had as much experience as she did when it came to Blood Baths, but no matter how scared or hopeless he felt, insults never sat well with him.

"You bitch!" he cried out furiously, taking her and everyone by surprise with his sudden hostility. He focused his energy into expanding the crystals on his wrists, stretching against Sayuri's threads until they snapped. "Frost Monarch: Expand!"

Sayuri's eyes widened in shock at Jun's sudden expertise with his Skill. 'No way! He managed to break my Noir Jour! That's impossible! Only Takuya can!'

Jun, instilled with confidence at his newfound control of his Skill, left no chance or opening for the Revenant. Taking advantage of her momentary shock, he quickly punched her away with a mighty swing of his enlarged, crystallized fist.

The Revenant flew back, smashing into a tree. Her threads that bound Jun's ankles together faded away, leaving him free as before. Dazed and injured but determined to win, she tried to stand back up, but after a few staggering steps, she fell to the floor, defeated.

"D-Down!" the announcer cheered, absolutely incredulous. "Revenant is down and out of order! Unbelievable folks! Simply unbelievable! Super rookie Ghost managed to break the Revenant's fearsome threads and overpower her with a super power packed punch! Ouch! We have our winner for tonight's Blood Bath! Ghost!"

The crowd's deafening roar and applause combined with his injuries and fatigue was enough to make Jun pass out just seconds after being declared the winner. The escorts and security piled into the arena, scooping up the two pint sized Cursed.

"Ladies and gentlemen! There you have it! After what seemed to be a one sided match quickly turned around with the Ghost snatching the win with a surprising comeback! This concludes the second night of the Blood Baths! Be sure to tune in later for the names of tomorrow night's! Foundry reports - out!"

Jun awoke later in his bed, in the safety of Cell C2, surrounded by the familiar faces of Mudora and Sogen. Mudora smiled proudly as he helped Jun prop himself up in bed.

"You were amazing out there!" Mudora cried out, hugging him tightly. "Sorry if this sounds harsh, but I never expected you to win. Boy oh boy, you sure proved all of us wrong!"

"Revenant is quite a formidable Cursed. It's difficult to defeat her and her Noir Jour," Sogen said, sipping his tea. "Jun, young child, perhaps you're not as weak and helpless as you think?"

Jun shrugged, at a loss for words from the sudden attention and glory. "I dunno. Maybe I just got lucky?"

"That wasn't luck," Mudora said excitedly. "Luck is when Sayuri falls into a mysterious hole. That was pure skill, Jun! You broke her threads with your own Skill! You beat her with your own Skill! You're amazing!"

Jun smiled and looked on the nightstand next to him. There was a clear bag of Refresher Pills and congratulatory card on behalf of the Foundry. "Thanks for believing in me guys," he said, slowly getting up. "I should probably take a shower now, though."

Sogen nodded. "Clean your wounds. They're deeper than they look. I've fought the Revenant before and the cuts I got afterwards were no laughing matter."

The Ghost nodded and, with the help of Mudora and Sogen, he managed to stand up and walk to the showers, although slowly and limping. The ankle that Sayuri grabbed with her thread was throbbing whenever he put pressure on it. Jun knew it was probably bruised or sprained.

In the showers, he unzipped his jumpsuit and turned on the water, adjusting the temperature just right. He closed his weary blue eyes and sighed. 'My first Blood Bath and I won. It feels so surreal. I can't ... believe it. I wonder if Sayuri's okay? She really had me fooled.'

He slipped out of his sleeves and pulled his jumpsuit off. The warm water stung the many wounds on his body a bit, but he didn't mind. The tingling made him know it was real and he really won. 'Takuya ... where are you? I won! Did you see?'

"Congrats on your win, ghostie."

Jun whirled around at the familiar deep voice he found irresistible and saw Takuya leaning against the doorway of the showers, arms crossed and a smile on his face.

"Can't say you pulled off that fight gracefully, but you sure did a number out there," Takuya said. "Revenant's gonna be in some major pain after that Blood Bath." He stepped in the room, shutting the door behind him. "I'll help you with your shower."