"Dad mentioned you want to be a director and wrote a horror script with a very innovative idea?" Steven sat on the sofa, then took out a small box from his pocket and handed it to Vincent.
Vincent naturally accepted it. Although it wasn't his birthday yet, he knew his older brother's personality, when he gave a gift, you just took it without question.
Though it was most likely some oddly shaped rocks, as those were Steven's favorite gifts to give.
"Yes, I plan to shoot a horror film called Dead Silence." Vincent took out the slightly revised script and handed it to Steven.
Zinnia hadn't returned yet, which was the burden of being the chairman of a large corporation. There were always people he couldn't refuse inviting him to dinner. Vincent had long grown accustomed to his father spending more time at the company than at home.
"Dead Silence? That's an interesting name." Steven became somewhat intrigued.
He had always known his younger brother loved horror movies. When other kids were playing with plush toys as children, Vincent's favorite thing to do was watch movies, especially horror films.
Steven, who felt he needed to be a good older brother and take care of his sibling, was forced to watch every horror movie released in the League during that period. As a result, Steven himself had summarized a complete set of horror movie tropes.
For example, when the scene shifted here, a ghost would suddenly appear. The next second, the protagonist would turn around, and a Ghost-type Pokémon would jump right into their face. He could even guess which Trainer would eventually capture the villainous Ghost-type Pokémon.
After all, the most popular horror movie trope in the Pokémon world was Ghost-type Pokémon causing trouble, with a Trainer among the protagonists who would defeat the Ghost-type Pokémon and ultimately capture it—a classic story.
However, as he read the script in his hands, Steven, who had initially approached it with a relaxed attitude, gradually sat up straighter.
This script seemed quite interesting.
Then Steven came across this particular scene.
[... As the male lead prepared to search for clues about Mary Shaw, he accidentally saw his wife's figure on the staircase at home. He instinctively called out to her, but she didn't turn around.]
[The male lead remembered that his wife had already died a tragic death. His body began to tremble. Under the dim moonlight, his wife slowly turned her head. Her body remained facing forward, but her head rotated 180 degrees, staring straight at the male lead.]
[The male lead saw his wife's jaw torn off, blood continuously pouring from her mouth and dripping onto the floor.]
"Whew..." Steven swallowed hard. Just reading this part of the script gave him a vivid mental image, as if the woman with her jaw torn off was standing right in front of him.
Vincent glanced at the script. Steven had reached the newly added jump-scare scene he had written at the company. In truth, this scene was inspired by The Grudge, specifically the part where the girl with her jaw torn off stands on the staircase. It was a very classic scare moment.
The slow turn of the figure, combined with the protagonist's knowledge that the other person was already dead yet having nowhere to escape, heightened the terror of this scene.
While such a scene might not be considered groundbreaking in his previous life, in this world, it could very well be revolutionary.
"So, big bro, what do you think?" By the time Steven finished reading, about twenty minutes had passed. Steven's reading speed was actually quite fast, considering this version of the script had even more scare moments added compared to the morning draft.
"The ending feels a bit frustrating." Steven exhaled deeply and put down the script. He was already somewhat looking forward to the final film.
If the script alone was this terrifying, once it was fully produced with visuals and sound effects, wouldn't it scare countless people into sweating buckets?
"Well, it is a horror movie." Vincent shrugged with a smile. He understood what his brother meant.
After all, in Pokémon world horror movies, the evil Ghost-type Pokémon would always be captured or sealed away by the end. Even if they weren't caught in one installment, they would be in the next. So, if an evil Ghost-type Pokémon escaped unscathed, it meant the movie would definitely get a sequel.
In fact, in the Pokémon world's most famous horror franchise, Friday the 13th on Elm Street, the main antagonist—a particularly vicious Banette—kept getting released due to various reasons as sequels were greenlit, wreaking havoc in different places.
This was quite similar to some famous movies from his previous life, like the unkillable Jason or Freddy, who kept getting resurrected.
"If this movie gets made, I might need to put in a word with the relevant authorities." Steven handed the Dead Silence script back to Vincent. The scare factor of this film was practically maxed out.
"Just follow the League's rating system and classify it accordingly. It shouldn't be a big problem. Plus, I plan to donate one dollar from each ticket sale to the Stray Pokémon Foundation, without raising the ticket price." Vincent wasn't too worried.
In his opinion, the biggest advantage of this world was its movie rating system. His film could be released in multiple versions—a censored, family-friendly cut for children and seniors, and an uncut version for adults or teenagers—ensuring the best possible viewing experience for fans.
On top of that, he was donating a portion of the profits to charity. Under these circumstances, Vincent didn't think his debut film would face censorship issues.
"Donating one dollar per ticket? That's a good thing." Steven nodded approvingly. He had just become the League Champion, but he was well aware of the many problems plaguing this vast organization.
Abandoned Pokémon was an issue that received relatively little public attention, but it was one the League took very seriously. If Vincent was willing to contribute to the cause, the film's release wouldn't face any obstacles. In fact, the League might even actively promote it.
It seemed his little brother had really grown up quite a bit.
"Big bro, how does it feel to be the League Champion?" Vincent asked curiously.
Although he had climbed to the Champion's seat across different game generations, in the games, the title was just that—a name. There wasn't much tangible difference.
"Hmm, feels pretty good. In the end, I'm still the strongest." Steven smiled faintly.
Becoming Champion meant fame and fortune. It was the title of the strongest Trainer in an entire region, and the benefits provided by the League alone were enough to elevate someone to great heights.
(End of chapter)