Chapter Text
As fun as playing pretend with those two was, the more time you spent the more questions you had, and Silver seemed to pick up on it. So, as soon as you finish your little break, he invites you to his office to discuss something about your “acting career” with him.
Arriving in Silver’s office, you’re met with a strange herbal scent that smells like burning flowers, or maybe incense perhaps? Was that a thing here? The room was dimly lit, red curtains blocking out the impression of light outside. All you see is an office room, but there’s a large covering half of the room that you assume leads to more…well, room. The beefed up screen man lets you in, ushering you to a seat in front of his desk. He takes a seat too.
“Now, I’m sure you’re curious about where we go from here, so I’ll just give it to ya, straight, doll.”
He pauses, you lean in, listening attentively.
“The cinema needs you. For YEARS me and my studio have been sittin’, rustin’ and just plain getting old! I don’t think it needs to be said, but have you SEEN the place?!”
Okay, so?
“Hollywood is in shambles right now, and if the cinema isn’t open, no one’s seeing movies and I don’t have a job! Nobody here does!”
He throws his arms up, making his points in exaggerated gestures. His tone sounds genuinely upset, he seems passionate about this subject. But what could you, a minimum wage retail worker do about it? Does he think you’re some sort of god that can fix everything?
“So here’s what I propose.”
He stands up, clearing his static throat. His facial features disappear and what looks like a power point presentation appears. His voice plays over still, sepia toned images of the cinema.
“If the cinema were to open up again, we could run our more advanced screenings, as well as the…”
He huffs in annoyance.
“Normal ones. The ones people expect. But I think if we advertised it right, the immersive screenings could potentially be a hit.”
Wait, so he actually wants to put people through that stuff again? Does he not realize that was the REASON this place shut down?
“Well, I’m not sure that’s…”
You try to begin, but he cuts you off.
“I’m sure you need time to think about this. Hell, Rome wasn’t built in a day. So I’ll give you some more time to let you ruminate.”
Something tells you he’s just waiting for you to say yes…
The way he paces back and forth and rambles is reminiscent of a 1920s black and white film couple arguing. Like he’s cutting himself off with his own words, going back and forth. It’s a little overwhelming to say the least. Is this what it’s like when he’s excited?
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Kevin returned to the lightworld, but kept the Nightmare on Elm street and Gentlemen Prefer Blondes tapes close to the display TV. He still didn’t know where you were, and he didn’t exactly trust the individual he now knew the truth about. But he didn’t wanna just go find you and play hero. Needless to say, he was a wreck during his entire shift.
Silver had let you return to the light world and when you did, you went straight home to decompress. When Kevin got off work he called you.
You were sitting at home, lounging on the couch trying to figure out what you would have for dinner when your phone rang. You pick up to an anxious sounding Kevin.
“Oh thank god you picked up. Where are you?! Are you okay?!?!”
You answer his question.
“At home. Why?”
“Well listen, after work tomorrow do you wanna come to my TTRPG club? It’ll be really chill and we’ll have snacks and stuff.”
The truth was he was worried about you and is trying to get you to socialize more. Which feels like a big ask of you after everything you and him have been through so far.
But somehow, you agree.
“Sure. Okay, where and what time?”
“At the library, 3 o’clock.”
“Super.”
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The next day, Kevin and you returned to work as normal once again. The day was slow, but chatting with your coworker seemed to keep things interesting. You could almost even be considered “friends” now. Getting kidnapped by a sentient TV seems to be the thing that bonds you two together.
You pull up to the library, parking your car. You head inside, catching up with your favorite librarian while you wait for Kevin. She brought up your job, asking how things were going. You were unsure how to answer, given how loaded that question was to you.
“Well… it’s nice being around movies all the time.”
You half-heartedly answer, smiling and laughing nervously. The librarian responds.
“Oh I bet! Since that old theatre closed, it’s the only place you can really get movies. The only theatre here’s an hour away! I swear that traffic on the way to the city is so bad, the other day…”
She goes on but your attention is elsewhere, thinking about her previous sentence. The movies really were missing in this town it seemed…It was kinda sad.
The librarian’s rambling is cut off by Kevin getting your attention, you bid her goodbye, joining Kevin down the hall. You follow him to a spare room in the library, currently set up with a large table filled with board game clutter and snacks. Your coworker introduces you, everyone in the room greets you with some sort of loud and exaggerated medieval nonsense.
The group begins their game, you’re only half engaged because of your distracted state. You can’t stop thinking about everything going on at the mall. Even though this was supposed to be a distraction from all that. You try your best to focus on the game taking place.
“You all are standing outside the entrance of the cave, inside you can see nothing but darkness. Wind blows outside of it ominously, as the breeze meets your faces, a whispery voice can be heard…”
The DM describes their situation to the attentive players; they’re all leaning in with much focus. The Dungeon Master speaks again in a cold, whispery voice.
“You all enter the cave and upon stepping foot in there, right before where you stand is this illustrious, monstrously terrifying, silver dragon, the giant heap of glowing white and gray scales that glisten in the moonlight.”
The roleplaying adventurers approach, taking slow cautious footsteps as the pile of gray and white scales hovers up in town as if it’s breathing. It's the silver dragon.
The party of role-play adventures gasp in shock, some of them are angry and ready to attack, but the dungeon master adds one more detail to the scene.
“You catch a glimpse at the dragon's face. It doesn’t notice you, but you notice that his eyes are watery, teardrops are falling from his eyes, landing onto his scaly arms its oversized maw sniffles, and ever so quietly, you can hear the dragon is weeping.”
The party all exchange confused glances to each other. You even look a little confused yourself. This out of the blue detail is what finally pulls you out of your distracted state. One member of the party asks in a sympathetic tone.
“Why is he crying?”
The dungeon master continues describing the scene.
“The silver Dragon sits atop his pile of trinkets and treasures, but no matter how much he fills his hoard with none of it, satisfies the hole in his heart. The dragon turns to the party and picks up one of you with his giant claw hands, but not aggressively so. His touch is gentle. The scales of his palms dig ever so gently into the fabric of your clothes, the dragon wraps his tail around another one of you very gently, but with the force of a hug from a loving friend soon enough, he’s picked up everyone in a warm, loving, caring, but slightly desperate embrace.”
The club of friends all look to each other in awe and half-heartedly, silly melancholy. Some of them are cracking up at how their characters all react to the dragon's actions. You reflect for a moment thinking that’s not what dragons do in stories and games like this. Don’t they attack people? Aren’t they supposed to be ferocious and evil? They’re something that a band of adventures like this is supposed to defeat and save a town of innocent people but in this story, they’re befriending it. How interesting.
The Dungeonmaster speaks again. Asking if anyone would like to attack the dragon, the whole party shakes their heads aggressively. But for a moment you look a little skeptical, thinking that this is all a trick. From the other table you’re sitting at near the party, the party hears you exclaim,
“But he stole the town‘s precious treasures! He’s a thief, you all should punish him, right?!”
They all turn to you, Kevin included. They don’t look offended, some of them even start to agree with you for a moment, you feel a little guilty speaking out of turn, because you aren’t part of the campaign, but they made it clear you were welcome to add commentary. As if to answer your question, the dungeon master describes what the dragon does next.
“The silver dragon uses his head to guiltily push the pile of treasure towards where light from the outside meets the inside of the cave. As if to say he wants to trade your friendship for all that he’s stolen.”
The party continues their campaign, but that information seems to stick with you…
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The bulky screen man paces a brightly colored patterned carpet anxiously, his colleague projector sits in a red seat in front of him. He stares him down in annoyed silence.
“Look I want an audience again just as badly as you do-”
“Oh REALLY?! Do you know how hard it’s been these past years?! Being stuck in this cold, empty, desolate wasteland of a theatre without anyone to hear you?! You think that was easy?! You were lucky enough to be asleep. But I was forced to find a way out myself!! And you’d do the same thing I did to get here!!”
The screen yells in emotional rage.
“I understand you’re- [wait don’t go!] what did you do exactly?”
“What I had to. It’s none of your business.”
Silver attempts to snake away, but Mike follows him, invading his space a little to assert himself. He’s learned over the years, when you’re trying to get through to him and with Silver’s size being so massive, you have to invade his space or else he’ll look over you.
“Oh, like how you [I’m sorry I lied] to the lightner about who you were?”
“It doesn’t matter, Mike.”
The concealed rage in his tone elevates.
“You do realize that they’re not going to be [forget your troubles c’mon get happy!] when they find out, right? You’re a [Master of Manipulation!”
This sets the screen off.
“That’s my JOB! I am THE MOVIES. MY ENTIRE PURPOSE IS TO TELL PEOPLE THINGS THAT DIDN’T ACTUALLY HAPPEN AS IF THEY DID. If I made them care about me, that isn’t manipulation. It’s called good writing. Honestly, Mike as a projector you should know that by now.”
“God, maybe being [Sleeping Beauty] all these years wasn’t such a bad thing, all you do is [Weeping, weeping, a waste of water!]
“Fine then! I don’t need you anyway!! I woke this place back up by myself and I’ll bring it back to the public the same way!! I’ll get us an audience again.”
Silver stomps away, Mike struggles to keep up with him but fails as a door is slammed in his face before he can enter.
“One way. Or another.”
Is all Mike hears before Silver locks himself back into his office.
Oh no.
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You and Kevin have an early shift the following morning. For once, the mall is packed with people.You've never seen it like this before. For the first time, since you've been working here, you actually have a line at the register. You can see outside the windows the people that are walking around, most of them are dressed in business or formal attire. Rumor has it that there's some sort of convention in town. So a lot of the event attendees are visiting to check out the mall. Presumably to get acquainted with other businesses in town.
While stocking the romance section, Kevin caught glimpses of some people lingering around the entrance to the abandoned cinema. At one point someone tried to enter it, if they came back out, Kevin didn’t see them do so. You make conversation with someone at the counter who purchases a film you recognize and are a fan of.
“I’ve always loved this one, I remember seeing it in theatres.”
The customer comments. You set down the barcode scanner and tell her her total. As you ring her up she speaks again.
“Yeah! It’s great. Are you in town for the convention too?”
“Oh, yes me and my wife are! She works in networking for this company and I’m just here for emotional support.”
She laughs a little unsure of herself, then she continues.
“We came here to see if the owner of that old theatre was really here. There’s apparently this big hubbub that it’s opening back up again!”
She says excitedly.
“...what?”
Fear paints your face. A pit forms instantly in your stomach.
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