Standing on tiptoe, Yanister peered into the forest, noting that a considerable number of Pokémon had already gathered.
Given that humans rarely ventured into this area, and he was the most frequent visitor, these Pokémon were familiar with him. Recognizing his presence, their wariness diminished, replaced by curiosity.
"Fortunately, the apex Volcarona of this forest isn't around. Otherwise, I'd be quite unnerved about setting up this screening," Yanister muttered, feeling a bit apprehensive. Nevertheless, he proceeded to play Edward's short film, Lights Out.
Despite it being daytime, the peculiar technological advancements in the Pokémon world ensured that reflections didn't hinder the viewing experience.
Yanister even brought out two large speakers to enhance the audio, aiming to make Edward feel that his investment was worthwhile.
Soon, the image of a house shrouded in rain appeared on the screen, capturing the attention of the Pokémon. The forest buzzed with excitement. Wild Pokémon, usually preoccupied with survival, had never experienced something like a movie screening. The novelty intrigued them.
A few Nuzleaf approached the screen, drawn by curiosity. Their boldness encouraged more Pokémon to emerge from the forest. However, as the Jigglypuff in the film turned off the lights, revealing eerie shadows in the darkness, some Pokémon reacted with alarm.
"Nuz!" one cried out, moving closer to the screen but then retreating slightly, realizing it was too close for comfort.
Weedle and Caterpie inched forward, trying to get a better view. The sound of switches clicking echoed, and the Jigglypuff in the film continued to test the shadows in the dark. More Pokémon gathered, captivated by the unfolding scenes.
Yanister swallowed hard, anticipating what was to come. As expected, when the Jigglypuff turned off the lights again, a sudden ghostly figure appeared, startling the more timid Pokémon. They leaped into the air and fled into the forest. Some Nuzleaf were so frightened that they instinctively used Absorb, though it had no effect on the screen.
"Thankfully, the screen isn't damaged," Yanister sighed in relief, inspecting the projection cloth.
Meanwhile, the Jigglypuff in the film hid under the covers. The braver Pokémon continued watching, while those who had fled peeked back, curiosity battling with fear.
However, another sudden appearance of the ghostly figure sent them scrambling again, creating chaos in the forest. Various attacks were launched toward the screen, but Yanister's Mr. Mime shielded it effectively.
"Don't be afraid, everyone. It's just a short film, not real," Yanister tried to reassure them, though he knew they might not understand, given their limited interaction with humans.
At that moment, Yanister noticed the temperature rising. The previously panicked Pokémon seemed to find solace, quickly moving toward a specific spot. Yanister's expression grew serious as a massive Volcarona descended from the sky, its compound eyes fixed on him. It landed directly in front of Yanister.
The heat from Volcarona's wings made Yanister's mouth dry, but he explained the purpose of the screen. Though Volcarona couldn't speak, it understood.
The temperature dropped slightly as it turned its gaze to the screen, where the short film had started its second run. Intrigued, Volcarona decided to watch, curious about what had frightened its forest companions.
Yanister glanced at his Mr. Mime, who had given up resisting and chose to watch the film alongside Volcarona.
"This guy..." Yanister shook his head. If Volcarona got scared and attacked, he wouldn't be able to stop it.
As the first scare in the film occurred, accompanied by Jigglypuff's scream and the shattering of a light bulb, Volcarona shuddered, releasing a cloud of powder.
Yanister quickly stepped back, recognizing it as Rage Powder, which could incite hostility toward Volcarona. However, Volcarona promptly burned the powder away with a gust of heat.
At the second scare, Volcarona remained still, much to Yanister's relief.
Suddenly, a symbol formed in front of Yanister, composed of flames—a circle with a triangle inside.
"Would you like to watch it again?" Yanister asked tentatively. Volcarona's antennae twitched in response. Taking a deep breath, Yanister realized that the apex Pokémon seemed to enjoy the short film. Though surprised, he dutifully restarted Edward's film.
Days later...
"Mr. Yanister's efficiency is commendable," Edward remarked, observing the increasing view count of Lights Out with satisfaction.
Though the growth wasn't exponential, it met Edward's expectations. He needed the fear value generated to provide Q with Fear Candies, maintaining a daily intake of one.
Edward had considered giving Q multiple candies daily to quickly reach 200 awakening points. However, Q couldn't consume more than one per day, so Edward maintained the current dosage.
Producing more candies wasn't an option. The creation of Fear Candies attracted Giratina's attention. Even in the Reverse World, Giratina sought them out. Though Giratina was a powerful legendary Pokémon, Edward knew he wasn't capable of controlling such a being.
Unless Giratina became addicted to the candies, which seemed unlikely, as even Gengar didn't constantly pester Edward for them.
"Zoroark, how many days until Dead Silence ends its theatrical run?" Edward tapped the table, addressing the Zoroark beside him.
"Boss, the standard theatrical run is 25 to 35 days. Dead Silence has three days left before reaching the 25-day mark, and its screening frequency has decreased," Zoroark, disguised as a man in a suit, responded promptly.
"I see. Then it's time to start filming the next movie," Edward stretched, preparing for the next project.
(End of Chapter)