Sonetto: The lock has been broken. Those are bite marks from small critters. They might have nested inside.
Horropedia: This damn place has power supply? Who'll pay for the bill?
Sonetto: Maybe it has underground cables, or it's powered by some generation sets left by Zeno. Wait, stop here.
Sonetto: To your right, by the corner of the stairway, there are three ... no, at least three of them.
Horropedia: They are getting closer. Blondie, take your friends away.
Critter Crowd: Coo ...!
COMBAT
Blonney: Strange ... I remember I left it here. Where's the camera?
Anne: Are you looking for something? Perhaps I can help.
Blonney: No one asks for your help. Go away.
Blonney extends her arm and stops the girl.
Blonney: If you have nothing better to do, go clean the house up. I need a place to rest.
Anne: Yes, sure, you must be tired. Don't worry. I'll take care of it.
Sonetto: Let me give you a hand, Anne.
Anne: That'd be great. The tools are in the closet. This won't take us long.
The cleaning is finally done. Anne and Sonetto walk around in the living area, handing out blankets they found in the cabinet.
Michael sniffs, turning his eyes speculatively.
Michael: So, you guys are really the investigators from the St. Pavlov Foundation?
Anne: What is St. Pavlov Foundation?
Michael: No way! You've never heard about St. Pavlov Foundation?
Sonetto: St. Pavlov Foundation is an official institution that takes in and organizes arcanists, Anne.
Sonetto: My friends and I work for them. We will try our best to keep everyone here safe.
Michael: I've never met a real one. What do you guys normally do? Taking humans for subject research? Roaming around to snoop on the political parties? Are those stories true?
Sonetto: Human subject ... research? Political parties? Pardon me. I don't follow you.
Sonetto: We will never do harm to any human. It's strictly stipulated.
Michael: Save your bureaucratic rhetoric, little girl!
Michael: I've read those books. I know you've done some dirty things. Tell me!
Blonney: Shut your face, Michael. I recruited you to play the Fool, not asking you to really be one!
Blonney: Don't bring disgrace on us for going to Vines State College with you.
Vertin: You are all students from Vines State College?
Blonney: Yes, Faculty of Filmmaking. This fool here is a chemistry student. The big guy over there is an art student on English literature and poetry.
Blonney: It's one of my assignments to make a movie during the semester break.
Blonney: So I hired every useless meathead available and traveled all the way to this sthole, just to shoot a stupid horror movie.
Horropedia: Stupid horror movie?
Horropedia: I thought you loved horror movies.
Blonney: Eww! Don't disgust me!
Blonney: Who would possibly have interest in the movies filled with characters in sweat and dust and presenting zero romance or any nice costumes?!
Horropedia: You mean you are not interested in horror movies but determined to film one here?
Blonney pauses for a second, wrapping herself tighter in the blanket.
Blonney: You tell me. They are cliched, meaningless, but easy to make.
Blonney: They are the easiest option for this assignment. That's it. I've never liked any of them.
Horropedia: Oh, I see.
Horropedia: That's why you selected this awful script, all these beautiful but useless props, and such an untrained cast.
Blonney: Ah! What did you say?! Awful script?!
Horropedia: Well, I've read your script. It is illogical and dull. The conflicts are not strong enough.
Horropedia: Or we can call it classic, but, in another word, it's stale.
Horropedia: I really wonder, how did you get admitted to the filmmaking faculty? The admission criteria for Vines State College should be quite difficult to meet, hmm.
Blonney: You! What do you know about filmmaking? You're no one but a spawn of the Foundation, like those bodyguards my daddy has.
Jason: Come on, relax, Blonney.
Jason lifts one arm and rests it on the girl's shoulder.
Jason: If your dad didn't sponsor the two library buildings, you would not be here studying filmmaking.
Jason: And you look exactly like an arcanist when you get mad. Don't ... It's not a good look.
Blonney: Fking say that again? Think you can take a punch from me?
Blonney: I'm not in a good mood today. I just lost a camera, so you can keep on pissing me off if life has been too good for you!
Jason: Wow, wow, wow! Normally, you wouldn't be so mad over a little joke like this. Are you making a fuss now because your arcanist "friends" got your back?
Anne: Jason! Jennifer is trying to finish a project. You shouldn't be mean to her!
Anne: And Jennifer, please don't get into a fight with him. Isn't he your friend?
Anne: I thought friends won't say hurtful words to each other. I don't understand. Is this the way people make friends in the outside world?
Her words of mediation seem only inadequate and useless in front of Blonney's anger. The young girl jumps onto her classmate like a furious cat.
She pulls Jason's hair and ears, yelling in rage.
Blonney: I will knock off every tooth in your mouth and give them away to that crazy teeth collector.
Blonney: Only in this way can your empty head remember how much I hate being called an "arcanist"!
Angry scratches appear on the man's face, and he seems equally mad.
Jason: But you are always an arcanist. Although you've tried every means to be a human, it won't change your identity!
The Foundation's investigator does not plan to stand aside and watch.
Horropedia: However much you despise us, many brilliant playwrights are arcanists.
Anne: Mr. Horropedia, please stop making this worse.
Blonney: You jerk!
Tooth Fairy: Quiet.
As Tooth Fairy knocks on the table with her glass jar, the sparkling creatures inside are frightened and start to hit the jar.
Tooth Fairy: If you don't shut up now, I will shut you all up forever.
Blonney: …
Tooth Fairy: Ms. Anne has a point. This is not how friends get along.
Tooth Fairy: Ladies and gentlemen, we are not here to fight. We need to cooperate.
Tooth Fairy: I don't expect you to love each other, but no more fights. I don't care whether you are arcanist or human.
Tooth Fairy: Now, sit back on the sofa, everyone.
Horropedia: I'm sorry, Ms. Tooth Fairy.
Anne: I'm sorry too. I should have stopped them.
Jason: Humph!
The young people sit back on the couch. There is a strange, uncomfortable silence in the room.
Blonney: ...
Vertin: Blonney, is Anne also recruited as an actress? She is not as restless ... energetic as your classmates.
Blonney: No, she isn't. She is a local villager. We met by the edge of the woods.
Blonney: As well as Rod, the one that plays the Butcher. That's everyone in my crew. Now, if your curiosity has been well satisfied, leave. I need a break!
Freddie, who is hiding in the corner, suddenly talks to Blonney in a low voice.
Freddie: Sorry to interrupt you when you are not in a good mood. Actually, Rod didn't come here. He's hospitalized. Do you remember?
Blonney: He's not here? Then who played the Butcher?
Freddie: Isn't he another actor you hired? Together with Anne, in the town near the woods.
Blonney: No, I've never looked for any other actors!
Blonney: The only new actor I hired is Anne, because she looks almost like a twin to Anna, and Anna is absent because of her stomach flu.
Blonney: Oh, wait. Right, Anna is in hospital because of her stomach flu, which was a result of that toad bark stew she had with Rod. So Rod, Rod was not in the car with us when we left.
Freddie: Holy Mother of God.
Blonney: That ... that is, we've been with a "butcher" whose identity is unknown to all of us ...
Blonney: Ahhh!
Anne: Jennifer, don't worry. I will protect you!
Blonney: How is this possible! When did this place get so dark! What time is it now? Hey! Freddie, stop whining and take a look at the clock!
Freddie: Okay, okay. Afternoon, afternoon, 1 p.m.
Outside the window, there is midnight darkness. Nobody notices when the sun is gone.
Freddie looks up. His lips are shaking. His face turns pale and twists strangely.
Freddie: Is that Ro- ... nope, that butcher? He is going to slaughter us. He is truly a cold-blooded murderer!
Jason: Don't freak out, Freddie. A murderer is not someone you frequently meet. We are not shooting a horror movie.
Horropedia: Actually, you are.
Horropedia: A giant monster, a fake friend of yours, a sudden nightfall … Anything here not like a horror movie?
Jason: Damn it! Aren't you being paranoid enough? Do you want the situation to get messier?
Jason: You! Sit down! I will go check the electrical panel and fix it. It will bring back the light and restore your sanity.
Horropedia: Hmm. Negative from me.
Horropedia: Those who remain alone in a horror movie never end up safe and sound. If the butcher is really lingering outside the door, you will be his "first blood."
Horropedia: Although you are rude, impolite, and suspected to ancestry discrimination, I suggest you to take someone with you for the sake of your safety.
Jason: Back off, you troll!
Jason walks out of the cabin in anger. The wooden door is forcefully shut behind him.
The rest of them look at each other. Suddenly, Horropedia gasps and rubs his shoulder. It's aching due to the push just now.
Horropedia: He really didn't do that on purpose, did he?
Vertin: What on purpose?
Horropedia: He said and did all the things you shouldn't be doing.
Horropedia: We are in a horror movie. His actions are like taking some sleeping pills, putting the noose around his neck, and shooting himself in the head.