AD-ST-3 A Word to the Audience

Molly, you've lost so much weight!

I did spend two whole months in bed.

I went looking for you once the plate stopped. When I saw medics carrying you out all covered in blood, and you weren't moving, I thought you were dead...

His singing voice is... terrifying.

But he only wanted to stop me. He didn't want to kill me.

It definitely wasn't a coincidence that he bumped into Greta at the auction, like she said. He had another motive to join the film crew.

And what was that?

He was looking for something that exists, something that's always with us, even though we know nothing about it.

Okay... I knew he was a mysterious dude, but now I'm even more confused.

But forget about him!

I'm sorry for taking so long to come see you. Mostly because they make it a real pain to file a visitation application for this place.

I know, Tippi.

But I used you and caused others to misunderstand you...

Lucian was right. I was ignoring the truth in my hands. In my final moments of madness, I didn't even... think of you...

Listen to me, Molly.

No matter what you went through, no matter what your goal, you hurt the people who were by our side practically twenty-four seven. You're a criminal, and I won't ever forgive you for that!

...But that doesn't mean I can't also miss the times we would crash on the sofa to watch horror flicks, just the two of us.

Wasn't that fun? Wasn't that, like, real?

...Yeah.

When I was stuck in bed, my wounds hurt so bad I couldn't sleep. I kept recalling everything that happened...

A whole night would pass, but only my pain was real.

Honestly, it doesn't matter how absurd a story gets, or if we're all puppets of fate or whatever. It's not like I never had a choice.

If only I'd focused more on the movies we were watching, instead of thinking about the truth I thought was real—hatred, madness, blood, and puppets.

I'm sorry, Tippi.

If I'd met you earlier, maybe you wouldn't have even needed 'Laura'.

The final day of your trial's in two days, right? I talked to a few lawyers, and it seems like...

......

......

Don't let my ending bother you.

The warden's nice here. He let me stay in the prison's logistics department during these last few days, to make stuff the prisoners can use.

I'm not living like I was before, merely waiting in vain for the finale.

Good, good.

Haha, you're almost out of visiting time, so let's talk about happier stuff.

What happened to the movie we all shot together?

Wow, everyone's here already! Sorry I'm late!

......

Nervous, Steven?

A bit.

Relax.

We shot that ridiculous finale, and then it went to editing, color grading, and music production... Everyone did their best to complete production in only two months.

I'm glad we agreed on the title change, Steven.

I should be thanking you again for your final performance inside the Catastrophe. Otherwise, deleting those three words would've been nothing but pretentious navel-gazing.

Lady Dupont is by no means as attention-grabbing as The Death of Lady Dupont, but let Greta worry about the marketing... There is no doubt in my mind that our new title suits the story best.

Right, I'll handle it.

I'll get Lady Dupont into theaters...

then visit a police station to do what I have to do.

Pinch me. I'm not seeing things, am I?

Pinch you? Just snap your shutter already! This is guaranteed to go on the front page tomorrow!

How did the niche AGFF attract such a distinguished guest? How much did the organizers spend?

How many years has it been since Marianne Blake showed up in Wrankwood?

......

Grandma Jara!

It's been a while, Tip.

Judging by your outfit... let me guess what your role in this was. Script supervisor? Prop master? Stuntwoman? Or some kind of 'Furniture City Warrior'?

Background painter, of course!

I've been in this crew for half a year, and was even selected to join the Wrankwood studio plate restoration project last week!

The plate our crew rented got totally wrecked by the Catastrophe, so the boss put me in charge of the design work once it's rebuilt, and I've been, like, soooo busy...

Haha, I see you've finally figured out what you want to do.

I told you before, didn't I? I love movies, every last part of them!

And now, I finally found out what my favorite part is!

So, you don't plan on going back?

Hehe, think you could keep shielding me from the old man?

Tip, your grandfather may be an old friend of mine who used to be my finest partner in the industry, but that doesn't mean he'll let me tell him how to raise his grandkids.

Just tell him this the next time you have tea with him:

Ahem—

'We're all retired, aren't we, old chap? Why waste our time worrying about the little things?'

'I know Tip didn't use any of your contacts, nor did she follow your plan to become a historical film director, but isn't she living it up in Wrankwood?'

'Who knows, half the backdrops in town might be spray-painted by your granddaughter one day!'

Alright, I recorded all that. I'll play it for him the next time we meet.

...Aw, Grandma Jara!

Fine, fine. But I might not have the time to see your grandpa the next time I'm in Columbia.

Oh yeah, didn't you go all the way to Rim Billiton for some fresh air? Did you come back for Rhine Lab stuff?

That's too many questions, Tip.

Once the screening's done, I have to head over to Max D.C. to see the vice president…

So at least let me have a chat with an old friend, will you?

Long time no see, Marianne.

Just call me Jara.

After so many years away from the silver screen, 'Marianne' sounds like a stranger's name to me.

Either way, I have to thank you... Jara.

I'm sure you know that given my current reputation, I don't have much of an influence in the industry anymore.

So without your help, the AGFF would never have allowed Lady Dupont as a late submission.

It was my pleasure.

Though, I must say, I had no idea that Tippi was actually—

I would have helped you with or without her.

I just watched the part with the Catastrophe, and felt it'd be such a pity for the audience to miss out on the actress's performance. So I thought I'd do an old friend a favor.

......

But even if Lady Dupont gets free marketing at AGFF, that doesn't always translate into box office numbers.

Melanie, you know better than I that if Wrankwood were a person, he would be the most forgetful and least-tolerant person there is.

...It's no guarantee that he'd accept a lover running back into his arms.

Besides, you did destroy an entire plate. Even if the film's a smash hit, you might not make enough to pay for the damages.

At least I did it. And I have no regrets.

But rather than mulling over all that, I'd like to... ask you a question.

Go ahead.

When you encountered a Catastrophe while shooting The Eternally Shining Star, the camera caught you as the storm nearly missed you...

Was it just an accident, like you said at the press conference, or...

Did you also move toward it of your own will?

......

Is the answer to that still important to you, even now?

......

Hahahaha. No.

*sigh* It sure is hard to say if I really did beat you in the end!

Let's head in.

...It's over?

Yup.

Thoughts on the film?

I heard about what happened behind the scenes—the murders, the Catastrophe, even the project management was a mess.

So before I sat down to watch it, I thought the film couldn't possibly live up to all that. But...

An absurd noble's marriage breakdown ending with a Catastrophe—the plot twists made sense, but so many of the characters were just bizarre...

It's hard to say if it's good or bad, but it's a lot to chew on.

Same, to be honest.

Story aside, even the production was pretty controversial. Like, the cinematography is inconsistent at times...

The first part was shot meticulously like a serious historical drama, but it becomes rougher and rougher towards the end, especially the Catastrophe scenes, where it's totally filmed like a documentary!

It's definitely going to be polarizing. The fans will rate it highly, while the haters are going to hate it.

But that's what makes it interesting, isn't it?

Wrankwood's been getting more and more boring over the years, and that goes for AGFF films too...

But this one? I'd buy a ticket to Lady Dupont.

Let's see what the director and cast have to say during the post-screening round table.

Oh yeah, I heard that unlucky-looking gal in the front worked on it too...

Hoo boy... My luck is awful.

After a month of applications, I finally landed a spot as their last stagehand, but then all of that happened the moment I arrived on set. I lost so much sleep after running into those corpses...

And if it weren't for the insomnia, I wouldn't have kicked the wall with my mind all messed up, and broken my leg when I was trying to follow everyone down to safety when the Catastrophe came near...

And if I didn't break my leg, I wouldn't have missed my bus and missed the first half of the screening...

'Stage Department: Hautin'...

It's over. Aren't you taking part in the post-screening round table?

I'm not with them. Besides... the two of you are here.

Hah, true enough.

Yes, it was wonderful... Be it the film itself or otherwise.

Lucian...

Hm?

Is he dead for good this time?

Or is he still alive somehow?

I'd have to think about that.

But all you need to know, Shalem, is that you won't have to worry about shadows from the past invading your dreams—even when you're on Rhodes Island—ever again.

And Playwright, you may write your scripts as you wish. About any topic, in any style.

The Crimson Troupe is no more. You two are free.

......

......

And you?

You just said you'd have to think about his ending—which means you're stuck on that path, correct?

'Drama never dies'... So is the one sitting beside me right now no longer 'Blood Diamond', but 'Tragodia'?

It sounds like you've paid a heavy price, Lucian.

I wouldn't say so.

If our previous attempts at escape or revenge were just scripts for us to follow, then now, we can finally step into the future.

I will travel again, sing and perform again, until I am certain that what I create manages to match my joy and pain.

It could be a new troupe or a new proposition, new adventures and new stories. Or, a more dazzling tomorrow, a more tragic truth...

......

......

Hey, Shalem. We're all buddies here... would you like to lend him a hand?

Lucian, a-are you sure about this?

Of course.

Those who've lost themselves in their haste. The ascetics who've closed off their senses and their selves. The laypeople who trudge through both highs and lows. And the creatures who chew on their pain.

This land has never lacked for actors.

...So I welcome you both to join the 'troupe'.