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The Foundry Pt. 01

By: thatonekidd



CHAPTER ONE: Skill of Soul: Frost Monarch

3:23 a.m.

Jun sat upright in his bed, sweating and panting heavily, staring at the open palm of his hand. There, in the very center, was a small ice crystal forming. It was floating and twirling about in the darkness gracefully. Jun would've been delighted by its presence -- had it been anywhere other than on his body.

'How did this get here?' he thought to himself quietly, as if his thoughts could be heard aloud. 'What the hell is this?'

He exhaled, slowly reaching for his lamp switch, not trying to move too much all while keeping a close look on the ice crystal. As his finger neared the switch, he had a strong and sudden urge to sneeze -- and as he did, the ice crystal in his hand quickly expanded into a large blade and shot upwards, smashing a hole in his room's ceiling.

His blue eyes widening in fear, Jun panicked and dashed out of his bed, screaming and tripping over the sheets in the process. He swung his door open and flew out of his room, tumbling down the stairs in the darkness of the house. Landing in the middle of the living room floor, he scurried onto the long sofa and huddled into a shuddering ball.

He heard his parent's voices seconds later, and then the light clicked on. They were still groggy, having been woken up by Jun's frantic outburst.

"Jun? Sweetie, what's wrong?" his mother asked, rushing over to him. "Nightmare?"

Jun replied with a blank stare, his eyes struck with fear.

"Did you wet your bed?" his father asked jokingly. "That'd be a nightmare. Eighteen years old and still wetting the bed!"

His mother turned around and gave him a stern look -- one that silenced his snickering right away. "Toshio, go back to bed. Now."

Jun's father headed back upstairs, still chuckling at his joke. 

"Jun, listen to me," she said, stroking her son's tousled brown hair, "it's all okay. Whatever it was, I'm sure it was just a nightmare. If it makes you feel better, why don't you sleep in Kazuaki's room with him?"

Jun's spell of fear broke at the thought of sharing a room with his eleven year old brother because of a bad dream. "Never! He'd make fun of me for the rest of my life!"

His mother laughed. "Come on. Let's get you back to bed."

As she helped him up, fussing over his messy hair, his father called them from upstairs. From the worried tone he used, Jun knew it couldn't be good. He and his mother both rushed upstairs to find Toshio standing in front of Jun's open doorway.

"Jun?" he asked in a low voice, slowly pointing into his room. "What. Is. That?"

Jun fearfully peered into his room. His father was pointing to the large ice crystal blade that had smashed into his ceiling. It was stuck, reflecting the soft white moonlight through its crystallized body.

"My goodness!" his mother exclaimed. "Jun, did you do that? What is that? How did it get there? What is that?"

"I don't know," Jun answered, whispering, as if it would hear him. "I don't know anything about that ... thing. It just ... formed randomly and woke me up."

His father turned to him with a skeptical look on his face. He seemed to open his mouth to say something but opted not to. The crystal, or whatever it was, just seemed so unearthly that he had no possible explanation for it. "Is it snowing outside?"

"It's the middle of March!" his mother exclaimed. "There's no way a chunk of ice would fall and get stuck in our roof!"

All three of them were quiet as they continued to stare at whatever it was.

"Maybe you should sleep on the sofa downstairs," his mother said finally. "I have a bad feeling about that thing. We'll discuss this more tomorrow, okay? Toshio, shut that door!"

Without a word, his father shut the door and locked it, as if it would keep the crystal away from them.

Jun made his way back downstairs, pulled out the sofa bed and plopped down. He tried to shut his eyes and go back to sleep, but no matter how tired he was, he couldn't.

'That came from me! I did that,' he thought, tossing and turning around. 'I made that crystal. I made it shoot up. My god, what the hell is happening to me?' Hours later, Jun finally managed to doze off into a light sleep.

In his dream, he found himself running. Running away from something. Someone. A strange old man, ominously standing behind him with a crooked grin. His face was shadowed, though Jun could still feel the menacing, piercing gaze of his eyes. For some odd reason, it hurt him. Pain tingled through his body, as if it were real, instead of a nightmarish encounter.

He awoke in just a few hours later covered in sweat to loud, heavy pounding on his front door. Creaking his tired eyes open, he was blinded by the shining sunlight pouring through in the blinds.

"Police! Open up!"

Jun shot up from the couch, staggering. 'Police? Why?' 

He turned to run up the stairs to get his parents, before being stopped by the most horrific sight of his life. The ice crystal - whatever it was - had expanded even more, destroying the entire house and created crystal walls in its place. His house had now become a crystallized castle. His mouth hung open as he stared at his reflection on the walls in disbelief.

But, waking up to a crystallized house is not as shocking as waking up to a dead family. There, nailed high above to the crystal ceiling, was his two parents and younger brother, all dead. A red chain wrapped around their crucified posed bodies, tying them to each other and dangling loose on the ends. Jun was stunned. And scared. Deathly scared.

"Oh my fucking god!" he cried out, dashing up the stairs, ignoring the pounding policemen and flashing sirens outside. "Mom! Dad! Kazu!" Their blood splattered out of their bodies on the ceiling, as if someone had tried to paint eerie blood red wings. 

'This can't be real!' Jun thought as he frantically tried to reach up to his family's cold, lifeless bodies. 'It can't be! I'm dreaming. This is a nightmare. I'm so fucking dreaming! God, this can't be real!' The more he continued to fuss over it, the more the reality began to sink in.

If you have ever lost someone dear to you, then you know the unbearable pain and despair that you gain in place of them. And for those who haven't, you can't even begin to imagine it. Jun slid to his knees, staring with an open mouth, at the horrific sight before him. His voice was stuck in his dry throat, coming out in squeaks and other incomprehensible noises.

He tuned everything out, every bit of his surroundings. He didn't care about the shouting angry policemen outside his door. He didn't care when they broke down the door with a battering ram. He didn't care when they rushed upstairs, loudly interrogating him about what happened. He was silent when they picked him up and carried him outside.

By now, Jun had come back to reality a bit, getting a glimpse of what was going on. News cameras everywhere, as well as photographers and reporters with their cameras flashing taking pictures of the house, of him, and of the large crystal that jutted out from the roof. Along with them were multiple police cars and cops, ambulances, fire trucks and nosy bystanders - all chattering loudly. The police sat Jun down on the back of an ambulance.

"What happened kid?" they asked in a loud booming voice. "What is that? Where did it come from? Did you do it? Why is your family dead? What the hell is going on in there?"

Jun merely replied with a blank stare, still in shock. 'This is reality. This hell is now reality. This is real life.'

"Answer us kid!" the policeman demanded. His patience was wearing thin. He turned to his partners and shook his head. "Forget it. Kid's not talking. We'll have to go to the eyewitnesses. Don't let him out of your sight!"

Jun looked around at the busy scene before him, reporters and policemen scurrying back and forth the street. Blinding and flashing lights filled the sky as well as deafening sirens and blares of horns. Jun felt his head spin, and it wasn't long before he fainted, falling back into the ambulance.

He awoke hours later in a white hospital bed. His head was wrapped in a tight bandage and a needle was stuck to his finger. He groggily got up, his head still in pain and throbbing, and tried to look around.

A nearby nurse noticed him and quickly sent word to the doctors. Within seconds, his empty room was filled with white clad doctors and nurses fussing over him, with hoards of reporters and cameras piling outside his door.

"Where am I?" he asked. It came out stifled and scratchy. His throat was dry and hoarse, almost painful to talk.

"The hospital," a nurse answered with a friendly smile. "You passed out after the murder, so they took you here."

Jun looked down. "Oh." Then it hit him. "Wait! Murder?!"

His sudden outburst of energy surprised the doctor. "Y-yes," the doctor said, removing the needle stuck in his finger. "Your family, looks like they were killed and then crucified to the ceiling. Looks like the work of some psychopathic murderer."

'Who did it?' Jun thought, 'And why did they spare me? Why did they do it? Why us? Why me? And the red chain ... what the hell is going on?!'

The doctor smiled warmly and made sure all wires were disconnected from the injured Jun. "Yep. They're charging you with the murder," he said calmly as he snapped a thick pair of metal handcuffs around Jun's slender wrists.

Jun's heart dropped. Silence rang in his ears. He stared back at the doctor, as if he had grown two heads instead of telling him horrible news, then down at the cold pair of cuffs on his wrists. "Wha ..."

No sooner had the doctor delivered his horrifying news that a tall and skinny man entered the room. He looked about thirty, in his white pinstripe suit and slicked back hair. Behind his glasses, his grey eyes were shiny and had a sneaky glint to them, constantly darting around the room. He approached the dumbfounded Jun, pushing the nurses and doctor aside.

"Hello there, young man," he said in a bright peppy voice. "Jun Kimura? Hello, hello! Do you know who I am?"

Jun slowly shook his head, his brown eyes still empty, torn, and confused.

The mysterious man smiled and reached into his jacket, pulling out a small white card. He handed it to Jun. "As you can see by the card, my name is Hajiro Kusani, lawyer and owner of Kusani Law Firm."

Jun looked at the card blankly. 

"And I," Hajiro continued, "took it upon myself to appoint me as your lawyer. I'm so very sorry for your loss. I heard it and rushed over as quickly as I could to help you. And don't you worry your cute little head off, I'm doing this free of charge and out of the goodness in my heart."

Jun looked back up at the strange man before him. "Th-thank you," he uttered out. "Will you help me?"

"Don't you worry about a thing, Mr. Kimura," Hajiro reassured firmly. "I'll do everything I can, and I assure you we'll get through this without a hitch."

Jun looked back down at the cuffs. "Mr. Hajiro, how do you know?"

"Because I'm a lawyer," Hajiro said with a warm smile. "Always trust the lawyer. I've got more than enough experience dealing with the justice system. Relax, and soon I'll be helping you find who really killed your family."

Jun sighed with relief. "I want to find who did it. I have to know!" He tugged at the thick metal handcuffs angrily. 

Hajiro smiled. "That's the attitude. Now let's go. It's trial time."

The doctor and nurses helped Jun get up and stand on his own. He was a little wobbly and woozy, but he managed to follow Hajiro out the room. Outside, the herd of photographers and reporters all jumped in his face, bombarding Jun with questions.

"How did you do it, Jun Kimura?"

"Jun Kimura, do you feel any remorse at all?"

"The crystal, Jun Kimura. How did you make the crystal?"

"No, the red chains. Why red chains, Jun Kimura?"

"Why, Jun Kimura? Why?"

Jun balled his cuffed fists in anger. He stopped and faced the crowd of reporters. "I didn't do it! I didn't kill my family, because I had no reason to! I didn't do it, I didn't make any crystal, and I didn't kill anybody so leave me the hell alone!"

That didn't phase the reporters one bit. Cameras kept flashing and the questions persisted, until Hajiro stepped in front of Jun.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we have a trial to attend," he said calmly. "Until we can prove this young man guilty, he is innocent as ever. Please hold all questions until after the trial."

Down in the courtroom, everything was all a fast moving blur to him; Hajiro talked, then the judges talked, although Jun wasn't paying any attention to the words. His mind was still a jumbled mess. He had never stepped foot inside a court before, let alone be a convicted criminal. The reporters and news had followed him, flashing cameras as they called Jun to the stand.

"We find Jun Kimura," the judge said, raising his gavel, "guilty of all charges and sentenced to life in the Foundry." He slammed it down on the block; his decree was now official and absolute.

CHAPTER TWO: Solitary Confinement - Iron Gondola to Hell

Jun's eyes widened in shock as the echoing of the gavel rang in his ears. 'Guilty?' he repeated in his head. 'For life?' He stood there, still and wide mouthed, overcome with many emotions. 'That can't be ...'

"No!" Jun shouted, slamming his cuffs down on the stand. "No! No! No! You've got it wrong! I didn't do it! I couldn't have! That was my own family, damn it!"

Security marched into the room, ready to escort the raging Jun away. Behind them was Hajiro, light reflecting off his glasses. 

"Hajiro!" Jun cried out angrily. "What the hell happened? You said--"

"Mr. Kimura." He stood over Jun with a frown of fake remorse. "Oh. You're guilty. So sorry, Mr. Kimura. I'll see you in the Foundry." He gave a slight nod to the security and watched as they picked up Jun and carried him away.

The Foundry is a mysterious, private maximum security prison located on an island far away from the mainland, tucked safely within raging whirlpools. It made sense, since it is rumored to be home to the most notorious criminals that smaller, local prisons could not hold. The only way in the Foundry, and out of it, would be through an extremely large, highly secure gondola ferrying back and forth. The gondola itself is a taste of the prison - crafted completely out of iron, barred windows, and small rooms where each inmate is placed alone. Both it and the prison are extremely low key and private, only making headlines and catching the public's attention for its brutality and secretiveness.

Despite almost everyone knowing about its existence, not many knew much about it. The prisoners that get sent there are either death row inmates or vicious criminals who committed heinous crimes. No one has ever been released from the Foundry and it boasts a blank escape record. Many have tried to escape the wrath of the Foundry, but they have never made it out alive.

The criminal justice system tries its best to sentence the guilty into smaller, local prisons instead of opting for the privatized Foundry, but somehow, a select few always manages to make their way into the iron gondola, ready to seal their lives into the Foundry forever.

Among those 'select few' was Jun Kimura -- a small eighteen year old high school senior convicted of murdering his family. How he did it, officials don't know, but he was the only one alive when the police broke down the door to his home. According to reports, he was found standing there as his family hung from the ceiling. 

Jun was shocked. Confused. Lost. Angry. He didn't do it. He couldn't have. Although he randomly discovered his shocking supernatural ability to create ice, there was no way he could have killed his own family. Someone else did it. And now here he was, sitting in a white prison jumpsuit, staring at the walls of the small room.

The officials didn't care, however. He was the only one alive, they said. Therefore, he did it. He committed the crime.

'Fucking bastards!' Jun thought, slamming an angry fist down on the iron walls of his room in the gondola as it waded through the murky waters. It was headed straight for the Foundry. 'I didn't fucking do it!'

Jun looked around the small room he was placed in for solitary confinement. "I didn't do it!" he yelled, pounding on the door with his fists. "Let me out of this damn thing! I have to find who really did it!"

Frustrated tears streamed down his youthful face as he slammed his fist down one last time. He was scared. He'd heard rumors of the Foundry from the kids at school. They would all talk about how awful it must be to go there, and luck have it, he was headed there now. All seemed hopeless, until an idea popped in his head.

'Wait a minute! I have that weird power!' he thought excitedly. 'I can probably bust my way out of here! No one will stop me!'

He paused, debating with himself if he should use the very same thing that caused his life to turn upside down. 'Damn it! This is no time to be bitter and spiteful! I have to use everything and anything I can to bust the hell out of here!'

He quickly stared at his hand and concentrated on trying to form it again. 'Come on! When I need you, you don't want to show up? Come on! Help me! Appear! Create! Form! Materialize!'

After a few minutes of strained silence, a small shard of ice began to form in his palm, spinning around like it did so familiarly the night he first encountered it.

'Okay! Okay! Now we're getting somewhere!'

He aimed the small shard towards the door. 

'Alright, now ... enlarge! Grow! Get spiky and shoot forth!'

Nothing. 

Jun sighed angrily. "God damn this fucking thing! When you want to get all dangerous and kill my family, I didn't expect it! Now when I need you to, you don't want to do anything?"

Then, almost as if on cue, the ice shard quickly expanded into a blade, like it did the first time, and flew toward the iron door with a loud bang, bursting into a cloud of smoke. The recoil sent Jun stumbling back down on his feet.

Ecstatic, Jun waited for the smoke to clear down before heading out on his own. A satisfied smirk swept across his youthful face as he wiped his tears away. 'Hell yeah! Take that, criminal justice system! Nothing can hold me back now!'

But as soon as his smirk came, it vanished. When the smoke faded, Jun could see, clear as day, that the iron door still stood fast, scratch-less. Not even a single dent was made.

'What the hell?! It should've came crashing down! Just what is this place?' He stared at the door angry and confused. On his door was his information plate, one that reminded him again and again that he was arrested and on his way to hell on earth.

"Jun Kimura, 'Ghost'. Eighteen. Height: five foot five. Weight: one hundred ten pounds. Eyes: blue. Hair: brown. Conviction: murder. SoS: undetermined."

He sighed, leaning down in his cot, staring at the blank gray walls of his room. A while later, he heard the lock of his door click open. He jumped to his feet, anticipating what would happen next. The creaking of the heavy door filled the room as it swung slowly open. Two security officers, dressed in white lab coats marched in without a word.

One of them reached into their pocket and pulled out a thin, sleek metal bracelet, snapping it around Jun's wrist.

"Hey! What the hell is this thing?" he demanded angrily, waving the bracelet in their faces.

The two white clad officers stared at him silently with blank faces, ignoring his question then left without a word, shutting and locking the door behind them. Jun was, again, left in solitary confinement.

CHAPTER THREE: Enter the Cruel Beauty -- Chief Warden Aburagi

"The Foundry is highly privatized prison, so secretive and secluded to the rest of the world, some say we don't exist. That we're merely a legend created to instill fear and good behavior into the citizens of the world. While I'm flattered that our humble name is being used to create do-good citizens, I'm afraid I'm going to have to burst their naïve bubble. We are very much real. And we are very much glad to be here."


The Foundry Pt. 01



"According to the ancient documents and scriptures, The Foundry was established back in the waning days of society, back from the times of the Byzantine Empire. The Mesopotamian days. It has seen the Fall of Rome. The devastation of the Black Plague. And despite that, we are still standing. We are proud to boast, in addition to our record of zero escapees since creation, that we are the oldest, most historical prison in existence."

Jun looked up at the shocking facts he had just heard. 'Seriously? This place is that old?'

He had been lined up with four other inmates after the gondola had docked on the rocky shores of the Foundry. The five of them were escorted up the steep stairs into the tall, intimidating iron walls of the Foundry. It was massively large, unlike anything Jun expected it to be. Like its namesake, it looked just like a metal factory -- complete with barred windows and thick, tall iron walls that seemed to shoot straight into the sky. Its walls seemed to go on for miles, fading into the dark foggy distance. Inescapable.

Jun and the others had been taken into a small dim room, lined up against one side of the walls, while directly across from them, was an intimidating young woman standing fiercely in her black and white uniform. Her golden shoulder pads seemed to signify a higher status than the commonly seen white lab coat officers Jun had noticed on his way here. Her long dark brown hair cascaded down from her tilted cap, and oddly, for a prison staff member, she was very beautiful - although Jun had no interest.

"My name is Sakina Aburagi," the intimidating woman said sharply. "I am the Chief Warden here at the beloved place we call 'the Foundry'. For those of you too stupid to figure it out, 'Chief Warden' means I'm in charge of you rats."

Sakina's iron high heels clicked menacingly on the floor, echoing throughout the silent room. She eyed each of the prisoners with a stunning glare of her brown eyes. The light reflected off her polished badges on her uniform, shining all over as she paced back and forth. Behind her, standing firm and motionless, was a short young woman in black glasses and a gruff middle aged man with a large scar running down his left cheek, both also dressed in a guard uniform.

"I assure you, behave as you're told, and we'll get along famously." She stopped and stared Jun down as a wicked smile crept across her face. "Okay?"

A few weak mumbles of compliance emerged from the line of prisoners. Jun stayed quiet. He looked down, to avoid the cold heartless gaze from Sakina.

Seemingly satisfied, the Chief Warden continued on, pacing back and forth like a predator eyeing its prey. She gazed at a tall lanky prisoner in the middle of the line, trembling and sweating. "You. You look like you have a question. Speak."

Blushing, the man stammered over his words. "Y-you're very b-beautiful. Really! H-how do you protect yourselves from all the men?"

Sakina smirked cruelly and quickly pulled out a shiny black pistol concealed within her uniform. "Like this." Before anyone else could utter a word, Sakina shot him dead-center in his forehead. The ringing of the gunshot echoed ominously throughout the room.

The man's lifeless body fell back against the wall with a slight 'thump', sliding down to the floor as a pool of blood formed around his body.

Jun and the other inmates stood completely still. His blue eyes widened with shock and fear as he looked at the horrendous scene before him. 'Th-this woman is insane!' Chilling shivers went down his spine. 'This is real! This actually just happened!'

Her young assistant behind her rushed forward and inspected the body, flustered and nervous, while the other inmates in line mumbled in shock amongst themselves.

She pressed a small button on her earpiece. "I need the medics into Entry Room 5A! Repeat, medics into Entry Room 5A!" 

She turned towards the calm Chief Warden. "M-Miss Sakina! Don't you think that was a bit too harsh?" the assistant said, panicking and adjusting her glasses.

The Chief Warden shrugged. "Maybe."

She looked back and motioned for the middle aged man to step forward, pushing a rolling table full of burlap sacks as he did. The Chief Warden continued her speech, putting her gun away calmly as if nothing had happened.

"In addition to the standard prison garbs you've already been given and wearing, you'll also receive an inmate bag," she said as her other assistant calmly handed out a sack to each prisoner, seemingly unaffected by the gruesome scene. "Inside, you rats will see they contain the basic necessities for surviving here in the Foundry. Toothbrushes. Toothpaste. A comb."

Jun reached in and pulled out a single white round tablet. It was small and looked like a regular medicine pill.

"And that," Sakina said, eyeing Jun's confused expression, "is what we call a Refresher Pill. It nullifies the poison injected into your body every seven days by the bracelet you're wearing. So be sure to take it every week. Or else."

Jun eyed the metal bracelet wrapped ominously around his wrist, reflecting the light mockingly. After inspecting it closer, he noticed a small blinking light built into it. He was curious for answers, but decided not to ask, not wanting to risk getting shot by the vicious warden.

Almost as if she read his mind, Sakina explained in detail about the bracelet. "It's called a Limiter Ring. Technology to the highest level, it adjusts itself according to the sizes of your wrist. You'll notice it feels oddly snug on you. It's a GPS, inmate identification system, inmate tracking system, and most importantly, a poison dispenser. Your Refresher Pill, I suggest you eat them now. Your first dose of poison was administered just seconds ago."

Jun panicked. His bracelet just shot poison into him without him knowing; it could kill him at anytime. He looked nervously at the other inmates, who seemed a bit hesitant to consume the pill as well. After one did, another one did, and then Jun followed suit. It was dry and a little uncomfortable to swallow, but it didn't have a horrifying taste like other pills.

"The Foundry is divided into two parts, the A-Block and the B-Block. A-Block is for males and B-Block is for females." Sakina smiled. "Unfortunately, for you rats, I oversee both sections. So you'll be stuck with yours truly from now on. Follow me."

Without another word, Sakina and her two assistants led them out of the room and down a hallway. Everything was quiet save for Sakina's heels clicking on the floor and the crackling of the intercom faraway along with the faint sound of heavy doors slamming shut. Jun noticed the Foundry lacked the many barred cells most prisons opted for. Instead, the hallway was long and dark, with large metal doors on each side. Each door had a big red letter painted on it.

Jun's heart was pounding as he followed the brutal woman. She was leading him to his new home - a home he never wanted, nor wanted to be in. Prison - especially one like the Foundry - was not a place Jun was meant to be in.

'Calm down, calm down,' Jun thought to himself as he followed her. 'I don't need to panic. I've got that weird power to make crystals. I'll just practice it secretly and bust my way out of here. No one here can hold me back!'

Sakina made several stops along the way, dropping off each prisoner one by one into their designated cell. Unlike traditional prisons, four inmates are roomed together in a large cell. Each cell contains two beds on opposite sides of the room. Inmates are free to decorate the cell as they see fit, provided their bunkmates find it acceptable.

Due to Sakina's infamous ruthless brutality, many inmates refrain from doing anything that would cause them to cross her path. In turn, the Foundry has less riots, fights and other prison disruptions than others.

Soon, it had come down to just Jun left to escort. Sakina turned to her young female assistant. "Minami, what cell does this one go in?"

Minami quickly looked in her hand held computer, nervously stumbling through the data. "Cell C2, ma'am."

Sakina gazed at Jun, narrowing her eyes at him, as if she couldn't believe he was going to be sent into that cell. "Well then, let's go, you last rat." She motioned for Jun to follow her deeper down the corridor. "Minami, Gohi, you're free to go back to headquarters."

Gohi and Minami, her two assistants, both nodded and saluted, visibly confused by the warden's decision. "Yes ma'am!" They split, leaving Jun alone with the fearsome warden.

After a long, uncomfortable silent trip down numerous turns in the hallways, Sakina stopped in front of a large steel door at the end of a lone hallway. In the very center of the door was a giant 'C2'.

Sakina stepped to the side at a numbered keypad and quickly typed in a code. As the pad blinked and beeped, she turned aside and pushed Jun in front of her. The large door began to slide open, and Jun got the first glimpse of his new home.

CHAPTER FOUR: Friend or Foe?

The room behind the door was large, fit to perfectly house four inmates. Wide barred windows lay on the gray metal walls of the cell, providing a view of the vast ocean that laid on the other side. Freedom. Sakina nudged him in, then slammed the door shut behind him.

Jun's heart pounded harder than ever as everyone in the room stared him down, silently judging him. His own eyes scanned the room, studying everyone - there was three other people already in the room. In the middle of the room was a large round table with playing cards on it, and in the far back corner was a shelf of weights and a bench press machine along with a punching bag. In the back, with the weights, was a tall muscular young man with glaring eyes; in a nearby chair was one elderly man reading quietly by himself, and a boy who looked as young and youthful as Jun himself playing video games.

After a while, the tall muscular young man walked up to Jun, staring him down with a fierce glare. He wasn't a bodybuilder; just someone who like to stay fit. The white tank top he wore hugged his muscular body tightly as he folded his arms. His black hair, shaved on the sides, and spiked up on top added to his menacing appearance as he studied the nervous youngster up close. Jun thought he was incredibly handsome for someone who was in prison, but didn't make a sound.

'He looks like a god,' Jun thought, feeling a slight blush creep up to his face. 'He's really good looking. What's he doing in prison? I wonder if he's ... like me?' 

"Well, well, well, look what the waves washed ashore today," he said mockingly. His voice was low yet powerful, full of strength. "A piece of trash."

Jun gritted his teeth angrily, his blush fading away instantly. He didn't want to start trouble, especially being the newbie and not against someone twice his size, but insults never sat well with someone as hot headed as him.

"I'm not a mirror," Jun retorted firmly, shocking everyone - including himself. "You shouldn't talk about yourself like that, though."

The man looked down at Jun silently. Angrily. His cold golden eyes seemed to pierce right through Jun's soul. Jun was nervous but decided not to show fear or back down. Everyone in the room stopped what they were doing and watched anticipating.

Then, surprisingly, the bigger man's anger faded and a look of joy and lightness replaced it. He laughed joyously and rubbed Jun's head, ruffling his spiky brown hair. "Well aren't you a feisty little fireball? What's your name, kid?"

Jun blushed, surprised by his drastic change of moods. "Kimura. Jun Kimura." 

"What a lovely name," the elderly men said from the barracks. He smiled slightly, which seemed hard to do with his weary face.

"Eh, it's alright," the muscular man chimed in. "I'm gonna call you ghostie. Your skin's really pale, like a ... ghost."

"It really is. But don't tease him, Reaper!" the boy Jun's age said. He had youthful green eyes and blonde hair that stuck up all over the place. "Look! He's practically got a crush on you already!"

Jun's blush grew even redder at the comment he made. "I do not!"

Everyone laughed joyously. Jun, though he was in prison, felt it wasn't as bad as he thought. 'Everyone seems nice so far. A lot better than what I expected.'

The muscular man turned back to Jun and extended a large hand out. "My name's Takuya. Round these parts, though, they call me Reaper. Nice to meet ya, ghostie."

The young boy hopped off his bed and walked up to Jun with a friendly smile. "I'm Mudora. My codename is Apparition." He shook Jun's slim hand then hugged him.

"Sogen," the elderly man introduced from his side of the room, putting the book down. "Codename Spectre."

"Codename?" Jun repeated, confused. 'What is this? Some kind of government spy center?' he thought. "What's with the codenames?"

"They're to protect our identities," Mudora answered. "When we get called to do a Blood Bath."

"A Blood Bath?" Jun repeated, again confused. "What's that?"

Everyone grew silent. The atmosphere of the room grew dark and heavy and Jun immediately regretted asking questions.

"Our worst nightmare," Takuya answered quietly. "This goddamn place the most fucked up thing on earth!"

"Language, child," Sogen reprimanded sternly. "A foul mouth will bring that handsome face of yours down. You'll never find a wife then."

Takuya scoffed. "Whatever."

Mudora smiled, trying to lighten the mood. "Enough about that! Let's talk about something more fitting." He turned to Jun and asked, "so what's your Skill?"

Jun stared at him silently for a few seconds. "I can tie a cherry stem with my tongue," he answered after a while. "And not get it stuck on my tongue piercing. Is that good enough?"

Mudora laughed. "Yes, I suppose. But that's not what I meant."

"He's an idiot, Apparition," Takuya said, eyeing the look of confusion on Jun's face. "He doesn't know what you're talking about." He went back to lifting the weights in corner of the room.

"There was a time when you didn't either, Reaper," Sogen said calmly. "Before you call someone hurtful words, look at yourself first."

"Sogen!" Takuya exclaimed angrily. "Whose side are you on?"

"Ignore them," Mudora said softly. "When I said 'Skill', I meant your Skill of Soul. You know, your special ability that got you in trouble?"

Suddenly it all made sense to Jun. Skill of Soul. His mysterious and sudden power of crystal manifestation. 'So that's what it's called,' Jun thought. "You must know a lot about me if you knew about my powers," he said, suspicious of Mudora.

Mudora smiled shyly. "Not really. In order to be arrested in the Foundry, you have to have a Skill of Soul. Like me, Takuya, Sogen, and everyone else here does."

"Wait, wait, wait. You mean everyone here has some weird power?" Jun asked incredulously. He was hoping he was the only one with it - to break out with no one to resist him or fight back.

Mudora nodded. "Yep. So if you're here, that means they must've discovered your Skill of Soul, right?"

Jun looked away. "Well, I'm not sure if they know I have this ... skill you're talking about. I'm here because I was falsely charged. They think I killed my family."

Mudora's cheery face faded. "Oh. I'm sorry." His voice was gentle and soft as he patted Jun's shoulder. A look of sympathy filled his green eyes. "I think that's what they did to us all. They thought I stole candy from a corner store using my Skill of Soul. And sent me here. I've been here three years."

Jun looked devastated. "Three years? For that? We'll never get out!" He felt his heart sank at the sign of hopelessness, tugging at his spiky brown hair in sadness.

"That's the point, young child," Sogen said, climbing out of his bed. Jun was able to get a better look at him - and he wasn't as helpless and frail as other people his age. He could walk on his own without a limp or stagger, and he still radiated an aura of strength and vitality. "We are to never escape the reality of the Foundry. That is our fate as the Cursed." 

"The Cursed," Mudora quickly explained, seeing Jun's confused expression, "is the collective name they call us. We're not humans anymore. We're 'Cursed' due to our possession of a Skill of Soul. Or so they say so."

"Who is 'they'?" Jun asked, a bit annoyed. Being called anything but a human irked him. He was definitely a human, special powers or not, and he was definitely not 'cursed.'

"The higher up," Sogen answered. "The one who is in charge of this place. The Gatekeeper. He has total control of the Foundry, even more so than Sakina. He runs the entire prison."

"That sneaky little bastard," Takuya said, punching the sandbag furiously. "Wait till I get my hands on that goddamn motherfucker! I'll wring his tiny little neck!"

Jun opened his mouth to say something but a loud beep cut him off, startling him. It reminded him of the bells at school, when one class was over. 

"Ah! That's the dinner signal," Mudora explained, as everyone else in the room headed out. "Follow me, Jun. I'll show you around."

The empty hallways he was in escorted by Sakina was now filled with a variety of prisoners. Jun looked around in awe. The Foundry, despite being on an island, was as large as some cities, so it was only natural that many hundreds of people were imprisoned here, much more than Jun expected.

Mudora led him into the cafeteria, which was surprisingly almost the size of two football fields together. Despite being a prison cafe, it was very well decorated and clean, rivaling the most luxurious restaurants in the world . In the middle of the ceiling hung a large extravagant crystal chandelier, much fancier than any Jun ever saw. Rows and rows of marble white tables filled the room, occupied by white clad prisoners, chatting amongst each other as they ate.

"There's a lot of people here," Jun said, following Mudora closely. There was numerous inmates around them and he didn't want to get lost on his first day. "More than I've ever seen."

Mudora laughed as he picked up a tray and silverware, getting into line. "Me too. I come from a small town, so this is definitely more than what I was used to." He handed Jun a tray and motioned to follow him.

Dinner served at the Foundry far surpassed what Jun was used to at his old home. The aroma wafting from the mountain of freshly baked sweet bread rolls assaulted Jun's nose along with marinated steak. Lasagna sat on a tray as large as a ballroom floor next to it, surprising the new inmate.

"Is that all for us?" Jun asked Mudora incredulously. "Isn't prison food supposed to be slop?"

"Not in the Foundry," Mudora answered, grinning and picking up a slice of lasagna. "The food is what I like to call 'five star cuisine'. It's one of the good things about this place."

Jun picked up a plate of steak and hurriedly followed Mudora to an empty corner of a table. It was by the large window looking out into the ocean. The sunset had dyed the sky a mesmerizing blend of oranges, reds, and purples.

"It doesn't feel like a prison here," Jun commented, looking out the window with a longing gaze. 

Mudora laughed. "Doesn't it? If you asked me, this is something I'd expect out of a five star hotel! Nice food, comfy beds, you name it."

Jun nodded and glumly poked his steak with his fork, pushing it around his plate. He licked the fork, and while he had to admit it was amazing, he just wasn't in the mood for food.

"Hi there!"

Jun looked up at the cheery, soft voice. It belonged to a young girl about his age wearing a pink frilly dress. Her brown hair had been braided into a long braid, resting over her shoulder and her warm green eyes looked at him kindly. 

"You're a new face," she said cheerfully, smiling. "What's your name?"

"J-Jun," he answered, stuttering. He definitely was not expecting someone so kind and bubbly in a ruthless prison. 




The Foundry Pt. 01



Mudora gestured for her to sit down. "Jun, this is Sayuri, also known as the Revenant. She's our age and a fellow Cursed too."

Sayuri nodded. "Unfortunately. But it's okay! I like having a Skill of Soul. I think it adds to a person's uniqueness, don't you think?"

Jun nodded slowly, looking down at his lap. "I guess so." Unlike Sayuri's peppy outlook, Jun hated his Skill of Soul. It ruined everything ever since he discovered it. It was responsible for destroying his bedroom. And now, it was responsible for destroying his life - sending him to prison. "I don't like it."

Sayuri frowned. She reached over and placed her hand on Jun's shoulder. "Don't say that. It's a part of you now. If you deny its existence and say you don't like it, isn't that the same as denying a part of your own existence?"

Jun looked up at her with wide eyes. She was right.

"I mean, of course all our lives were changed because of it, but that doesn't mean it's over," she continued. She picked up her fork and knife and began cutting her steak into pieces. "I don't know about you, but I think everything happens for a reason. If I didn't have my Skill of Soul, I would've never met you guys."

Mudora nodded in unspoken agreement. "She's right, Jun. I hated it at first too. But hating it isn't going to make it go away."

Jun nodded. As much as he wanted to deny it, they were right. 'She's right,' he thought. 'I can sit here and complain about it, but I'm still stuck in this prison.' 

"What can we do then?" he asked. 

"What do you mean?" Mudora said with a mouthful of lasagna. "Do what?"

"The Skill of Soul," Jun clarified, staring at his own plate of food. "What do we do with it?"

"Embrace it," Sayuri answered, patting her mouth gently with her napkin. "Hone it."

"To fight?" Jun asked, disturbed. "I don't want to fight! Anyone!"

"No one does," Sayuri said softly. "But we all want things. Popularity. Money. Power. And most of all, to get out of here. But this is reality, and it has no place for our wants here in the Foundry. It's either fight or die."

"Are you not hungry, Jun?" Mudora asked. "You haven't touched a thing on your plate."

Jun shook his head sadly. "I don't really have much of an appetite." And it was true. The recent turn of drastic life changing events had taken a toll on the frail Jun. His family had died mysteriously. Getting sentenced to life in prison. Witnessing first hand a brutal gunning of a person. It was too much for him.

"Sakina," he uttered, "scares me. I don't like her."

Sayuri chuckled. "She scares all of us, I think. She's intimidating, no doubt, but she sure does get the job done. Not to mention she's absolutely gorgeous. I want to look like her when I'm twenty five too."

"You look fine right now," Mudora said. "Come on, Jun. If you're done, we can show you around some more."

The trio left the cafeteria and made their way to the large courtyard just outside. It was filled with a variety of shapes and colors of flowers, making it look more like an upscale garden instead of prison courtyard. The walkways were made from fancy white rocks arranged into intricate designs. Definitely more upscale than necessary for a prison.

They took a seat on a bench to relax and soak in the evening air. Being situated on an island, the Foundry's seaside atmosphere often quelled the inmates unruly behavior. 

"This would be a nice place if it wasn't a prison," Jun said softly. 

Sayuri laughed. "I think so too! It's full of gorgeous flowers and the scenery is exhilarating! You know, if you remove the bland gray metal walls of the place."

They all laughed, and Jun felt at ease. 'It's not as bad as I thought here,' he said to himself. 'Although I still have to get out of here!'

The three of them sat in silence, enjoying the sounds of the waves crashing against the rocky shore. Jun closed his eyes and tried to picture himself sitting peacefully on the beach when Mudora tapped his shoulder and pointed towards the balcony across from them.

"That's the Gatekeeper," Mudora whispered to Jun. "Hajiro."

Jun looked up to where Mudora pointed at and gasped. A tall skinny man. Slicked back hair. White pinstripe suit. And sneaky eyes behind glasses. Hajiro Kusani. He was standing between two pillars, observing the inmates of his prison with a sharp, cold glare.

"That guy!" Jun exclaimed to Mudora, pointing at Hajiro. Anger quickly rushed into his body at the sight of the traitorous man. "He was the one who said--"

"He'd be your lawyer for whatever crime you were accused for, right?" Mudora finished. "And afterwards, he'd help you do this and that, right?"

Jun looked surprised. "Yeah ... how did you know?"

"I think that's how he baited us all," Sayuri said, a little less cheery than usual. "Honestly, I think he's a little creepy to be trusted. Especially in a place like this, you have to be careful of who you trust."

Jun turned away from Hajiro, clenching his fists, trembling in anger. "I see what Takuya meant. I hate him!"

Mudora chuckled. "I think we all do. Do you want to explore other places? I'm sure it'll get our minds off Hajiro."

Jun shrugged softly. "I guess so. I'm not sure what else there is to see, though, considering we're in a prison."

"The Foundry's different," Sayuri said. "What other prison do you know serves five star cuisine in an elegant cafeteria?"

Jun chuckled. "I've never been in any other prison, so I wouldn't know."

The trio laughed, and for the first time since the discovery of his Skill of Soul, Jun enjoyed being alive. He met two people who were kind and easy to be around, the scenery was beautifully nice and for once since his family's death, he forgot all about the strange power of crystal residing within him. He felt like a regular high school kid, enjoying the company of friends.

"About the codenames," Jun brought up as they walked down the courtyard path, "do I get one?"

Mudora nodded. "You already have one, apparently." He pointed to Jun's Limiter Ring. "That bracelet has all your identification built into it. Come on, we'll head over back to the cell and scan it."

After bidding goodbye to Sayuri, the two headed back to Cell C2. With everyone gone, Jun was able to get a better feel of his new home. For a prison cell, it was comfortably spacious - much more so than his old home. There were doors at the very back - leading into the bathroom and showers, as explained by Mudora. In a corner by the barred windows was a large rug and a long sofa, along with a TV fitted on the wall.

Mudora led him to the TV and plugged in a small jack into Jun's Limiter Ring. The screen of the TV began blinking and soon a message popped up, listing all of Jun's personal data.

"You're the Ghost," Mudora said, smiling. 

CHAPTER FIVE: Welcome to the Foundry

That night, Jun slept on his bed, next to Mudora's. It was admittedly very soft, warm, and comfortable, but Jun couldn't fall asleep. How could he? He was in a highly secure prison for notorious criminals. His family was now dead. And worst of all, he had a strange, unworldly power that seemed to be the root of all his problems.

He turned and glanced over at Mudora, sleeping soundly, clutching a pillow as if he was completely serene. He turned back and looked across from him at Takuya, watching his well muscled chest move up and down with each breath. He sighed and flopped on his back, staring at the dark ceiling above him and trying to accept the new reality.

The next morning, Jun awoke to the sounds of a punching bag taking brutal blows and Mudora's voice yelling at the TV. He groggily sat up in his bed, rubbing his eyes. The sunlight poured in through the barred windows.

He could see that he was the only one still sleeping in bed; Takuya was busy working out, Sogen busy sitting in his chair reading, and Mudora playing a video game on the TV. He slowly got out of bed, wondering why no one had bothered to wake him up.

'They must hate me already,' he thought to himself as he made his bed. 'Crap.'

"Well well, look who's finally awake," Takuya said, patting his sweat away. "Took you long enough. Since you woke up last, and because you're already doing it, why don't you make our beds, ghostie?"

Not wanting to cause trouble on his second day, especially not with Takuya, he nodded and agreed. He started with Mudora's bed, then Sogen's, saving Takuya's for last.

"Morning, Jun!" Mudora greeted, his fingers furiously fumbling over the game controller. 

Jun nodded. "M-morning to you too." He made his way to Takuya's extremely messy bed. The pillows had been kicked to the floor and the sheets had come undone, tangling into each other. As Jun peeled the sheets off the bed and folded them, a small square photograph fell out, landing on the floor. 

"Be careful!" Takuya cried out. He rushed over and picked up the fallen photograph, dusting it off. "What's wrong with you, ghostie? This is my most prized possession!"

"I-I'm sorry!" Jun apologized frantically, bowing deeply. "I didn't know and it was a complete accident, I swear!"

"Jun, don't apologize," Mudora said, not even looking away from the TV screen. "His 'most prized possession' is nothing important."

"You're just jealous," Takuya defended. He looked at the mysterious picture in his hands, grinning mischievously. "You wanna see ghostie?" Before Jun could reply, Takuya pulled him in close and showed him the picture: Chief Warden Sakina in a revealing and suggestive bathing suit.

"It's super rare," Takuya said proudly. "Got it from some weak guy in Cell F5."

Jun shook his head. Having no interest in females, the picture didn't phase him much. "I apologized for that? You had me thinking it was some picture of your family or something."

Offended, Takuya snatched the picture back. "Don't be ridiculous! Sakina is one scary woman, but damn! That's a jewel right there! The things I'd do to her if I weren't in prison." He safely tucked the photo in between the folds of his mattress, glaring at Jun.

Mudora put down his controller and walked over to Jun. "Alright! Second day of Foundry life, so you'll still be a bit shaky and confused here. I'll give you a more in depth lecture about this place." He checked the time on a wall clock. "It's morning, so the breakfast signal should be soon. In the meantime, why don't you go shower and freshen up?"

He pointed to the doors in the back. Jun nodded and slowly headed into the room. The bathroom was large, with multiple stand showers in one large area and toilets and sinks on the opposite wall. It was surprisingly clean with its white tiled walls and floors.

Jun shed his white jumpsuit and folded it on a nearby shelf. He was always shy about his body, his insecurity stemming from being shorter and smaller than most. He refused to use public showers or go to beaches, or any other thing that would allow others to see his slender body. He twisted the knob, and soothing warm water cascaded down on him.

'This is real life', he thought, staring at the wall. 'I'm here. It's not a dream. I'm really in prison. I don't care how nice the food is or how soft the beds are! I have to get out of here!'

He quickly washed his body and hair, drying off and dressed, ready for breakfast. As soon as he exited the showers, he heard the loud ringing again.

"Great timing, Jun," Mudora said as they walked the halls. "We decided to let you sleep as much as you could and get used to here. Tomorrow, Takuya will be waking you up from now on." He grinned.

Jun groaned inside. 'Takuya? The perverted guy in the tank top who hates my guts already?' He nodded and forced a smile on his weary face, as if he was ecstatic to have him as his alarm clock. 'He's really handsome though, so I guess it's not all bad.'

Breakfast was a heaping helping of scrambled eggs and sausages with a bowl of warm grits - much to Jun's surprise. 'Was prison food always this good?' he thought as he picked up a plate of eggs.

He joined Mudora in his usual spot - by the window overlooking the ocean.

Mudora looked up and smiled at his new companion. "Alright, so here's basically how the Foundry works. We have breakfast in the morning at ten. Then lunch comes at one in the afternoon, then dinner at seven."

Jun nodded. "Okay. Got it."

Mudora smiled. "Not yet. The Foundry is different from other prisons, if you haven't noticed by now. Dress code. If you've got something else, you're allowed to wear it. Otherwise it's the white jumpsuit. And this is probably the biggest kicker of them all: we're allowed free roam within the prison, meaning we can venture off out of our rooms whenever we wanted, so long as it's within curfew."

Jun's blue eyes widened. "R-really? But isn't that dangerous? What if fights or riots start?"

Mudora shook his head. "Sakina. She and the jailors keep the inmates in check. As long as we behave and act accordingly, we have some freedom here. There's a gym, library, greenhouse, some stores, and a whole bunch of other cool stuff here. Of course, me, Takuya, and Sogen don't need to go out often. We have all of that in our own room."

Jun nodded silently. 'I ... don't believe this. Is this even a prison?'

Mudora, eyeing Jun's doubtful expression, laughed. "Yes, you can trust I'm telling the truth. Yesterday, you came at night, so we didn't have much time to explain and explore. So today, I'll give you a full tour of the place. Oh, and one more thing. Only the cafeteria serves food here. If you ever get hungry in between meals, there's a bunch of vending machines hanging around."

Jun nodded and quickly wolfed down his eggs and sausages. "I-I'm ready for whatever you have planned to show."

Mudora laughed and motioned him to follow. "So, yesterday at dinner we took you to the courtyard, so let's show you some facilities. Like right here, this is the game room." He pointed to a large clear door on their right.

Jun peered inside and saw a variety of the latest game consoles and video games. It was full of crazy, colorful and comfy furniture, fit for a gaming atmosphere.

"And down there is the gym," Mudora continued, pointing at the end of the hall, at two metal doors. "Takuya spent most of his time here, before we got some equipment into our own room. Crazy guy."

Jun spent his morning following Mudora around as he walked him all over the place, giving in depth descriptions of each room they stopped by. He explained that the Foundry is composed of three buildings - the A-Block, for males, and B-Block, for females. Each block is off limits to residents of the opposite block. The third area, C-Ground, is the universal area where all inmates of both genders are allowed free.

By the time Mudora had finished the tour, the lunch bell sounded. The sun was high in the sky, beaming down on the prison. Not a cloud was in sight of the vast blue skies.

Lunch was just as hectic as yesterday, with crowds of chattering inmates drowning out everything. Jun stuck close to Mudora as they grabbed their fresh salads and bowls of brown rice, heading towards their usual seat.

"And that just about concludes the tour," Mudora said. "Feel free to ask me anything else if you need to."

Jun stared down at his plate, stabbing his salad with his fork. "Is ... Takuya mean?" he asked in a soft, shy voice.

"Hm? Taku?" Mudora said. "Eh, he's mean if you push him that way. But then again, isn't everyone like that? He's a nice guy. Real dependable. I think you'll like him."

Jun blushed. 

"N-no! I didn't mean in a romantic way!" Mudora said, trying to clarify himself. "I meant like you'd get along with him, that's all!"

"What are you two goofballs talking about?" 

Jun turned and saw a tall young man standing over them with Sayuri tagging behind him. The mysterious man was completely bald with a large scar running over his right eye, leaving only his left open. Shiny piercings inhabited both his ears.

"Hi guys!" Sayuri said cheerfully, taking a seat next to Mudora. Her pink dress looked even brighter underneath the sunlight. "I brought Inari, Mudora. He's finally not sick anymore."

Mudora nodded and motioned for the new companion to join them. "Jun, this is Inari, the Phantom. He's a longtime friend of ours, although he couldn't meet you yesterday because of a cold. Don't be fooled though. He looks mean, but he's a nice guy. Isn't that right, Inari?"

Inari nodded, sitting next to Jun. "Yeppers. I heard about a new Cursed around, but I was too sick to even move, let alone meet a newbie. So what's this about romance?"

"Oh nothing like that. He just wanted to know Takuya's temper," Mudora explained, waving his hand dismissively. "He's a nice person, right guys?"

"The Reaper? He's as nice as Sakina," Inari said, chuckling. "Just kidding! He's alright. Just don't push his buttons. I wish I looked like him, though. I could get any girl I want!" He and Mudora laughed.

"He's so hunky and dreamy," Sayuri replied, sighing like a schoolgirl in love as she thought of him. "Gah! He's handsome! I think it'd be super duper cute if Junnie and him got together."

Mudora and Inari both snickered at Jun's blushing face. Flustered, Jun shyly dismissed himself from the table, clumsily getting up and walking out, leaving the three of them alone to gossip.

Walking down the quiet hallways alone gave him time to calm down and collect himself. 'End up together?' Jun thought. 'With him? Takuya? Not a chance! Even if he was the last guy on earth, I wouldn't give my heart to him! He's nothing but a mean, insensitive pervert!'

He opened the door to their cell and immediately regretted it. There was Takuya, lifting weights in the back. He looked up at the sound of the cell door opening and flashed Jun a quick flirty white smile.

"Sup, ghostie?" he greeted. "Surprised you made it back by yourself."

Jun nodded and mumbled something in agreement. He shuffled over to his bed and flopped down on it. While he didn't want to be alone with Takuya, opening the door then turning around seemed even more awkward.

"So what brings you back so early?" Takuya asked, trying to kill the uncomfortable silence between them.

"Um, no reason," Jun mumbled in response. He was nervous; this was the man who hated him and was going to wake him up. "I just ... wanted to see the room again."

Takuya raised a confused eyebrow at the unenthusiastic response. "Well alright then. Hey, Mudora told you that I'm going to wake you up now, right?"

Jun nodded.

"Good." Takuya smiled mischievously. "Just making sure."

The next morning, Jun was suddenly woken up by the blaring of a shrilly whistle. He quickly opened his eyes to find Takuya standing next to him, with a shiny whistle in his mouth and an angry tint in his fierce golden eyes.

Jun panicked, his heart pounding loudly. 'Wh-what did I do wrong? Is he going to punch me? His eyes scare me!'

Takuya smirked at Jun's scared expression. "Good, you're awake. Now get up, ghostie. We've got things to do." 

As Jun sat up, rubbed his eyes, and slipped out of bed, he finally noticed that it was still dark. Squinting, he looked at the clock. 4:31 a.m. He followed Takuya into the weight section, running his fingers through his messy brown hair.

"I expect you up and awake at four thirty sharp tomorrow morning!" Takuya said sternly. "No more of this 'I can't wake up on time' crap! Understood?"

Jun nodded shyly. "Y-yes sir."

Smirking, Takuya flexed his arm at him. "Feel the bicep, ghostie."

Jun blushed, staring at him. He was thankful that it was still dark, hiding the flustered look on his face. His hand wrapped around Takuya's arm. Not surprisingly, it was hard and very impressive.

"That's what I'm going to make you into!" he snapped, pushing Jun away. "You're a skinny little camper. Even if we have to go all day, I'm going to beef you up, ghostie! Starting now! Drop and give me fifty!"




The Foundry Pt. 01



Jun shuddered. He had never done a single push up or chin up or anything in all his eighteen years of life. He plopped to the ground and tried to do one, struggling badly.

Takuya groaned. "What the hell, man? Are you that weak, ghostie?"

Jun flopped on the ground, nodding.

"Aish. Guess it can't be helped," Takuya said in a gentler tone, scratching his head. He leaned down and picked up Jun by his collar, lifting him in the air effortlessly. "We'll start with something lighter. Like weights."

He picked up a thirty pound dumbbell and handed it to Jun. He let out a small squeak at the unexpected heaviness of the weight. Takuya stood behind him, showing him how to properly hold and lift it.

Jun blushed when he felt the close warmness of Takuya's body, his breath gently on his neck. He tried to follow Takuya's instructions, though it was difficult with him unnervingly close.

"You're already training him, Reaper?" Mudora asked, waking up. He yawned and stretched, hopping out of bed. "Well, if that's the case, then I'm going to go ahead and take a shower." 

"I'll be after you," Sogen said, still lying down in his bed. "It's quite painful to watch what Takuya's doing to that young child. Abusive."

"Shut it, you old geezer!" Takuya retorted. "I'm doing this kid a favor! He's not going to get any girls looking like a stick!"

Jun glumly looked down at the floor. 'I don't care about girls. I don't care about anything except getting out of here ...'

"Why'd you stop, ghostie?" Takuya asked. "I didn't tell you to stop! Do five more curls--"

"I can't," Jun interrupted in a soft voice. "I'm sorry, Takuya." He put down the dumbbell and walked back to his side of the room, sitting on the edge of his bed. 'What's wrong with me? Suddenly getting all depressed just because he mentioned girls.'

"Don't think you're getting out of training this easy," Takuya said. "I'll let you be mopey for now since it's your first time. But tomorrow, you can be sure it'll be different."

And it was. Everyday was a routine for Jun - wake up with Takuya, do a little physical training, take a shower, then breakfast with Mudora. Afterwards it was free time to do whatever, either games with Mudora or more training with Takuya. Lunch followed, then more free time with Mudora, Inari and Sayuri. They usually hung around the courtyard, talking. 

And then it was dinner - the most extravagant meal of all. After dinner, Mudora and Jun usually parted ways with Sayuri and Inari, heading back to their respective cells. There, they would relax and talk or play games until eleven, when the lights went out.

Jun's life in the Foundry consisted of doing just that. He was grateful to have helpful and nice companions like Mudora and Sogen, but as he laid in bed each night, staring at the ceiling, he couldn't help but wish to return to his old life. He longed for his family back, for his innocence back, and most of all to not have the horrific Skill of Soul that brought nothing but tragedy to him.

'It's cool, but it's not worth it,' Jun thought as he tried to fall asleep. 'I want my life back. I don't want to be here.' He turned to his side, snuggling into the soft pillows and covers, readying himself for another morning with Takuya.

CHAPTER SIX: Skills of Soul

"Alright, ghostie. Show us your Skill," Takuya said. It had been a week and a half since Jun's imprisonment at the Foundry, and while he hated it, he had to admit that it definitely wasn't anything like he expected. When he stepped foot inside, he anticipated brutal beatings, name calling, torture, and possibly even rape.

But everything that happened to him so far was far from it. Although the heartless Chief Warden Sakina managed to strike fear into him in a bad first impression, his prison cellmates helped make his residence in the Foundry a little less grim.

He met Takuya, a tall, handsome young man four years older than himself, who turned out to be a perverted, yet strong companion. He met Mudora, a nineteen year old boy who acted as his guide and proved to be a reliable friend. He met Sayuri, a girl his age who, despite the darkness of the Foundry, managed to stay cheery and bright. He met Sogen, a wise, elderly man full of knowledge and kindness. And now, after ten days of adjustment, they were ready to help Jun with his Skill of Soul.

In the Foundry, he discovered and learned a lot about the mysterious powers he and everyone else here possessed. The Skills of Soul, which Mudora and Sogen had taken time to explain to Jun in depth, were ancient powers that only a select few individuals in the world had. No one knew how to obtain one; it almost seemed as if the Skills chose their vessel itself. Those who possess a Skill are called 'Cursed'.

Legend stated that in the beginning of the world, the very first Cursed was a wise monk who resided in the mountainous temples. It was said that he possessed all the Skills of Soul, and with them, he carved the world into the way it is now. He raised mountains, sank lands, moved oceans, and created vast forests all on his own. He also instilled values and morals amongst humanity using the mystical arts of his Skills. As time passed and the monk died a natural death, his countless Skills transcended from his body, residing in other, new hosts. The new Cursed used their Skills to carry out the monk's legacy, and when they died, the Skill would find a new host, thus keeping the cycle strong.

There were two types of Skills of Soul: tangible and intangible. Certain people possessed tangible Skills, or ones that embodied an element of nature, such as fire or water. Intangible Skills represented the unseen, though existent, forces of the world. Each Skill balanced another, creating an equal scale of strength, although a few very rare Skills managed to outclass the others.

The inmates of Cell C2 decided it was time for Jun to embrace his Skill of Soul. During breakfast, they had him slip outside to try and use it for them. Jun concentrated intently on his open palm as the rising sun glowed in the sky. Within seconds, a small crystal shard began forming - much faster than the previous times.

"Ice crystals," Sogen muttered. "There's no mistaking it. That's the Frost Monarch."

"Frost ... Monarch?" Jun repeated slowly. "These Skills have names?"

Mudora nodded. "Each Skill is different. So it only makes sense to name them. Your Frost Monarch, like the name suggests, is the Skill to create ice crystals. It's up to you how to control it."

"Is that all you can do?" Takuya asked, pointing to Jun's miniscule crystal.

Jun nodded softly. "So far, yes."

Mudora smiled. "It's okay. We're not expecting you to be an expert right away. It takes time to learn how to use your Skill. Don't push yourself too hard."

'But I have to get better!' Jun looked at his hands, determined to improve. 'If I can master this Skill of Soul, maybe it'll come in handy in finding who killed my family and sent me here. I have to get better!'

He looked up at his three cellmates with desperate eyes. "Is there anyway I can get better faster?"

Sogen and Mudora both turned to Takuya.

"Hell no. No way," Takuya said, shaking his head. "The kid can't even do a single push up. No way in hell I'm taking him on as an apprentice!"

"Come on, Taku," Mudora pleaded. "You're the best out of all of us. If anyone can make Jun control it better, it's you!"

"I'm not taking care of some weak little brat!" Takuya snapped back. "He'll get better on his own!" He turned around and began walking back to the cell.

"If you turn your back on him now," Sogen said, "how will you know? Watchful eyes are the most wise. You won't know a thing about him if you walk away."

Takuya stopped in his tracks, mumbling to himself. Sogen's wisdom always managed to strike him where it mattered. He turned around only to find Jun standing right behind him with a begging look in his blue eyes.

'Fuck my life,' Takuya thought. He closed his eyes and sighed, then said, "Jun, was it? I'll teach you, okay?"

A smile slowly crept up on Jun's youthful face. He hugged Takuya excitedly, thanking him profusely as Mudora and Sogen laughed.

"I won't disappoint you this time!" he said, squeezing his head into Takuya's warm and hard chest. 

Takuya found himself chuckling softly at Jun's adorable behavior. "This kid," he mumbled, ruffling his own black hair.

That evening, during dinner, Takuya took Jun out to the open courtyard. He stood about five feet away, facing the younger Cursed. There weren't that many people around, ideal for a one on one training session.

"Alright, ghostie. The key to controlling your Skill is to not focus and concentrate too much," Takuya said. "It's not a math test, so you don't need to worry too much. Relax and let the energy inside you flow on its own. Try to feel it move too, so you get the hang of it. You have a tangible Skill of Soul, so it should be easier to form."

Jun nodded and stared at his hand.

"Don't stare at it!" Takuya yelled. "Do you stare at the ground where you walk? No, it happens naturally. Just look at me."

Jun lifted his gentle blue eyes to meet Takuya's tough golden ones. 'God, he's really hot. But he's so scary! I wonder what kind of person Takuya was outside of here?' His thoughts were cut short by Takuya's fingers snapping in front of him. 

"Pay attention, ghostie!" he said sharply. "The hell were you staring me down for anyways?"

Jun blushed brightly and quickly turned away. 'Oh god! He caught me! Now he probably thinks I have a crush on him or something! No!'

"I said look at your hand, ghostie!" Takuya repeated, his voice growing impatient. "Damn, what the hell is wrong with this kid?" he muttered to himself.

Jun eyed his hand and found a large, spiky crystal ball hovering in his palm. 'Whoa! Wh-when did this get here?'

Takuya laughed. "Shocked? See, let your Skill form naturally and don't force it out. Now that you've grasped that concept, we'll be working on perfecting it. No need to rush. Let's call it a day, alright?"

Jun nodded as Takuya headed back to the cells. He stood there, not believing what just happened. 'I did it. I made the crystal form so easily! I'm one step closer!'

"Let's go, ghostie!" Takuya called out, walking ahead of him towards the cafeteria. He held his hand up and motioned for Jun to follow. "We've still got some dinner time left!"

Smiling and proud of himself, Jun happily tagged behind him. Although he didn't want his Skill of Soul, like Sayuri said, he already had it, so he needed to make use of it.

"We still got about ten minutes of dinner left," Takuya said, judging the time from the sun. "Come on, we haven't even eaten yet!"

Jun laughed and stuck close to Takuya, although there wasn't much people left in the cafeteria to get lost in. Fortunately, for the two of them, the Reaper was right, and there was still time to squeeze in a quick meal - steamed vegetables with rice.

"Now don't get too cocky," Takuya warned with a mouthful of food. "Just because you can make spiky ice don't mean shit. Keep practicing, and keep going."

Jun nodded as he gulped down his dinner. He was happy. Although it wasn't anything major or groundbreaking, just being able to effortlessly use his Skill was good enough. 'I'll break out of here once I fully control this thing! No one's gonna stop me!'

The next few days, Jun saw his routine really change. Instead of focusing on physical training, Takuya spent every waking moment with Jun practicing his Skill of Soul - which surprised the younger man since Takuya didn't seem to eager to do so at first.

In order to attract less attention, in between meals, Takuya began teaching Jun in the prison gym, away from wandering eyes. Due to his status and reputation, the Reaper was able to clear out the gym of everyone, becoming an unspoken rule that no one was allowed in the gym save for the Reaper and Ghost. It was rude and inconsiderate, bullying the other Cursed, but in the Foundry, no one cared. After all, no one dared to challenge or defy the Reaper.

Days turned to weeks as Jun and Takuya spent hours practicing. The Ghost wasn't necessarily good and often fumbled around clumsily, but he pushed himself more and more - something that seemed to spark an interest in Takuya.

Takuya taught Jun all types of ways to use the Frost Monarch, although Jun's skill with the Skill of Soul paled far in comparison to the Reaper's. Jun didn't mind, though - in fact, he enjoyed being with Takuya. He learned more about the Foundry, the Skills, and even Takuya himself as he spent his days training. They bonded quickly, becoming inseparable. 

One stormy day, weeks after Jun's imprisonment, the power was failing the entire A-Block and C-Ground. Inmates were advised to stay inside their cells at all times, save for meals. Unable to head outside or to the gym, Takuya and Jun decided to stay with their cellmates and enjoy a relaxing, normal day. It was after dinner, and the pouring rain still didn't let up as they decided on how to spend their night.

"This is a new game!" Mudora said gleefully, holding up a game with zombies on the cover. "Just got it yesterday from the prison mailers!"

"But that's only a single player," Takuya pointed out, his interest and happiness quickly fading. "Super not fun."

"Fine then," Mudora said, putting his game down and picking up a zombie movie. "We'll watch a movie instead. This is my favorite. It's called 'White Plague'. It's about a group of young adults fighting in a zombie apocalypse. The zombies are all white and stuff because of a radioactive disease from a bomb. In the end, a mad scientist was responsible for making the zombie disease."

"But you just basically told us what the movie's plot and ending was," Takuya pointed out again. "Thanks for the spoiler, fun sucker!"

"We could watch 'Titanic'," Jun offered, his eyes sparkling. "It's a gorgeous movie about two lovers who go on a fancy cruise ship. Of course, it's tragic because the ship sank and almost everyone died."

"Too soft," Takuya said, slumping down into the sofa. "Not into lovey dovey cheesy romance tragedies. How 'bout some porn?"

"They don't carry porn in prison, Reaper," Mudora said, chuckling. "Use your imagination for that. And since we can't seem to decide and agree on anything, how about you two just fill me and Sogen in on Jun's progress?"

Takuya sat up in the sofa. "Well, ghostie, why don't you show them instead? It'll save me some words." He nodded and smiled at Jun.

"Don't expect anything flashy," Jun said nervously. "I'm still learning a lot, but I'm getting better, I think." He held his hands out, facing them towards each other. With a deep breath, he closed his eyes and almost instantly a spiky crystal formed in the space between.

"You definitely are getting better, young child," Sogen said from his chair. He had been quietly reading the whole time, only stopping to observe Jun's progress. "That seemed almost effortless."

Mudora flashed him a thumbs up. "Great job, Junno! Just a few more weeks and you'll be making crystal sculptures in no time!"

Jun laughed, playing with the crystal. He shrank the spikes and turned it into an angular crystal sphere, then crushed it, blowing the dust out of his hands. 

Takuya ruffled Jun's spiky hair, chuckling to himself. "I gotta admit, ghostie, you did get heaps better. I like you more than I thought I would."

Jun blushed as Takuya's warm hand rested on his head. It felt good; comforting, actually. His heart pounded faster, and he clutched it, confused. 'Why is it beating so hard?'

Mudora laughed at Jun's flustered reaction and got up to start his new video game, when a loud knock on the metal door interrupted them.

"Now who could that be?" Sogen wondered aloud, putting his book down. "It's late already."

Takuya walked over and opened it, towering over a scrawny young man carrying a messenger bag. He was shaking, scared by the intimidating and aggressive Takuya. In his trembling hand was a dark red envelope.

"M-mail f-for Takuya K-Kougi," he uttered out. 

Takuya tried to smile kindly, although it came off more as a vicious smirk. He took the envelope from the messenger's hand. With a quick nod/bow of his head, the messenger quickly bolted from the cell, slamming the metal door shut behind him.

"Dumbass," Takuya muttered under his breath, looking at the door, as if he could see through it to the fleeing messenger. He shook his head then opened the envelope. His golden eyes scanned it quickly, then a smile spread across his handsome face. "Fuck yeah!"

"What, Taku? What is it?" Mudora asked excitedly. "Something good?"

Takuya beamed, tossing the envelope down on the table so his cellmates could see. There, on the fancy deep red envelope, Jun could see a simple message:

"Takuya, 'Reaper', we of the Foundry have selected you to be one of two participants in the first Blood Bath tomorrow night. Participation is not optional."

CHAPTER SEVEN: The Blood Baths

Anyone who's ever had to make a nerve wracking presentation in front of people would know the uncomfortable pit of anxiousness in your stomach just moments before. And anyone who's ever had to fight for their survival would know the desperation you feel when the going gets tough. Such is the case with the announcement of a Blood Bath - the anxious anticipation of the names of the participants is beyond nerve wracking.

In the Foundry, the most infamous and profitable yet secretive and controversial method of income is the Blood Bath - a vicious duel with two randomly picked Cursed placed in a large secret underground arena to fight for victory. Participants are able to use whatever means necessary to win - be it brute strength, deceit and trickery, or their Skill of Soul. 

It is publicized in the dark, seedy districts of the outside world, with wealthy spectators betting large sums of money on the Cursed of their choice. On lookers are also able to travel to the Foundry in a secret submarine and observe in person through an obscured entrance kept hidden out of sight of the Chief Warden and her subordinates.

The amount of money the Foundry receives from Blood Baths is enough to fund all of its services and keep it running - which is why it refuses any governmental or outside assistance. The Blood Baths are kept secret from mainstream society, and only those who know their way around the dark streets are able to look on the vicious fighting and place bets. The brutal ruthlessness of the Blood Baths are widely known to all the prisoners - for they were all eligible to partake in one, just as Takuya was.

"The ... Blood Bath?" Jun read off the letter. He was still confused about the whole thing. 

Mudora nodded. "Yep. I kinda told you about it before, but I never got more in depth. Two Cursed from either A-Block or B-Block are chosen at random," he said, holding up two fingers. "If you're picked, then you have to go. If you put up a fuss and refuse to do it, it's the End Penalty for you."

Jun cocked his head. 'End Penalty? This place has a lot of rules and names for things.'

"The End Penalty," Takuya explained, folding his arms, "is just the Foundry's way of death, except in a far more twisted and gruesome way, like the rest of this prison is. You get it by doing extreme things, not just by refusing to partake in a Blood Bath."

Jun gulped nervously. "R-really?" He looked all around him, paranoid that a hidden camera would suddenly catch him doing something worthy of the End Penalty.

Mudora placed his hand on Jun's shoulder. "Relax, Jun. You're safe here." He cleared his throat. "As I was saying, Blood Baths are a form of entertainment. It's a dog eat dog fight, with the winner advancing to the next round and the loser getting eliminated from the tournament altogether - if they survive. It's important too, because the money goes to pay for all the nice things about this place."




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."