The buzz around Dead Silence hadn't died down. As soon as the premiere ended, the internet was flooded with professional reviews from film critics.
"A genre-defining horror film—this movie has redefined the niche genre of horror." — Kanto Entertainment
"From its dark colors to the chilling sound design, what details did you miss in Dead Silence?" — Unova Daily
"Kalos Champion Diantha career transformation, her broadened range makes her future worth watching." — Kalos Daily Review
"Dead Silence? A horror film on the surface, but a deep dive into family ethics underneath!" — The Sun
"How come I—director and scriptwriter of this movie—didn't realize I was exploring family ethics?" Edward put down his phone. He couldn't keep reading. If he kept going, he'd probably place second on Dead Silence Knowledge Challenge—and he made the film!
Even though he was both the director and screenwriter, he was beginning to think these online critics understood more about the movie than he did.
One review particularly stood out:
"What do the two jawless wives symbolize? Clearly, this is where the director and writer aimed to highlight the protagonist's inner turmoil when facing family issues. The wife and the family have placed him in a painful dilemma on the ladder of life. If only he had the latest Smartlink A2z smartphone, he could've consulted the smart assistant for help. Ultimately, the protagonist, who initially tried to escape, is forced to confront the bloody reality of life."
Edward glanced at the media outlet's name — Gold Expert Takes You to the Movies.
"Experts indeed," he mused. "Their comprehension skills are beyond ordinary, and they even slipped in a product plug. Old pros."
Just then, Edward's phone vibrated. A message came through — it was a congratulatory text from Diantha. He replied politely, but immediately, she sent another one:
"Director Edward, I was wondering if I might be considered for roles in your future projects?"
Edward scratched his head. What was up with Diantha? Was she planning on becoming the Queen of Horror? That seemed unlikely. He'd looked into her filmography before — she'd done a wide variety of genres, most of which were critically acclaimed. Her only black mark was an early-career romance film that flopped with a score of just 3.1 out of 10.
Still, it was clear she was trying to diversify her roles, to avoid being typecast — a trait shared by truly ambitious actors.
"I'll definitely invite you to audition if I have a suitable script."
Edward replied politely. He already had a rough idea for his next film, though he hadn't decided whether to cast Diantha yet.
Originally, he'd planned to shoot a classic horror adaptation — The Grudge. But earlier, while browsing for info on his own film, he noticed something interesting.
He searched again on his phone and pulled up a new product announcement from Smartlink Corporation — their newly launched smartphone: Smartlink A2z. It's a smart device equipped with the "Dream Chip" and a Porygon-based OS. The rest of the page was full of marketing lingo, which Edward ignored.
He was familiar with Smartlink. In the Pokémon world, they were a major phone manufacturer — not quite on the level of DreamPhone, the industry leader, but still a solid brand.
Ironically, the release of the new A2z phone coincided with the peak buzz around Dead Silence, costing the phone its shot at #1 on trending charts. Still, it ranked near the top.
"Phones, huh…" Edward scratched his head.
Tech in the Pokémon world had advanced rapidly. According to butler Robert, back when his father Joseph was young, people still used flip phones and giant "brick" phones. But once Steven and Edward were born, technology exploded into the smart era.
Edward could kind of understand. After all, from the time Ash left Pallet Town to becoming a Pokémon Master, it didn't seem like much time had passed either.
Looking at the new phone, Edward was reminded of a horror classic — one with a haunting ringtone and signature jump scares that made it a massive hit in its time.
One Missed Call.
But there was no rush to start that project. Edward wanted time to refine the plot and maybe localize the concept a bit. Besides, Dead Silence was still in theaters. Audiences had a limit on how much terror they could handle—launching another horror movie too soon might not be a smart move.
"Edward!" A cheerful voice called out from outside the door. Edward paused just before the door burst open and Steven walked in, beaming, and slapped him on the shoulder.
Edward winced. That hurt — Steven was strong.
His older brother was obsessed with digging for rare stones and training Steel-type Pokémon. That kind of lifestyle gave him ridiculous strength. Edward had once seen Steven move a Metang aside to grab a stone—a Metang! That thing weighs nearly 100 kilograms!
And that was just the standard weight. Steven's Metang was especially well-fed, making it even heavier. Which only made Steven's feat more absurd.
"You're supposed to be busy with League duties!" Edward rubbed his sore shoulder. Why couldn't he have Ash's freakish protagonist stamina?
"You're my little brother." Steven laughed freely, a side of him rarely seen at the League. But Edward knew — this was the real Steven.
Seeing his brother so happy, Edward smiled too. Then Steven dragged him off to the best restaurant in Rustboro City. Their father, Joseph, even joined them. It felt like a family reunion dinner.
"Edward, do you know what your movie's box office is right now?" his father asked, smiling across the table.
Edward shook his head. He knew the film had become a hit, but hadn't looked at the numbers yet. He'd planned to check tomorrow.
"It's still climbing rapidly, but the first-day box office already broke 100 million."
Edward froze. That would mean... nearly three million people had gone to see it?
That was... a pretty impressive number.
(End of chapter)