01x09 - Dead Write

[bunniefuu]

Ling?

Tyar?

Anyone?

Ladies
and gentlemen, give it up

for the one, the only,
Nathaniel Williams I!

Go, Nathaniel!

We are so
thrilled to have you here.

Please, have a seat.

I'm a huge fan.

- You are?
- Absolutely.

You've been doing
great playing me.

The theatrics, the flair, the
comic timing, it's to die for!

- You like my jokes?
- Can't get enough of them, buddy.

- They're comedic gold!
- That's what I keep saying!

Boy, have you Midnighters
been busy lately,

ghouls, ogres, fish-men.

You even
turned into a vampire.

Sometimes I still
check for fangs.

Kidding. All good.

How about
the Hutan Lahir demon?

Have you found it yet?

Not yet. But we will.

Thank you. Thank you.
We've got this. Yes.

Do you really?

Well, we're still figuring...

The truth is,
you're not even close, are you?

I mean, anyone could
be the Hutan Lahir.

Even me.

I could be the big, bad demon

bringing bad dreams to
this precious little town.

In fact, would you
like to see me?

No! Please, I just...

Would
everyone like to see me?

Let us see!

Let us see! Let us see!

Let us see! Let us see!

Let us see! Let us see!

Let us see!

Tyar,

what you said last night,

how do you know
you saw my mother?

Is she a spirit?

It was the night when Zoe was
captured by the Jikininki.

Me and Nat, we were
running through the forest.

I saw a woman moving
through the cemetery.

There's something about
her, as if I knew her.

That's when I knew who she was.

Was she a ghost?

The things I see,

sometimes I can't tell if they're
real or from the spirit world.

- Tyar!
- I just don't know.

Good morning, I
thought I heard voices.

- Dad! Hey.
- Up early this morning I see.

Good to see!

You gonna introduce
me to your friends?

Sure. Sure, okay. This is Ling.

- Ling.
- Hi.

- And this is Tyar.
- Tyar.

Have we met?

Yeah, you came to our place.

My dad's Lufti Sanjaya.

Ah, yes. I do see
the resemblance.

Your father can be
difficult sometimes.

He cares for our town.

So do I.

Don't we all? It is
a beautiful place.

- It's like a big, juicy fruit.
- Ripe for the picking.

Isn't that what
you do with fruit?

Well, I've got to get to
work. Problems to solve.

Speaking of problems,

none of you were at the
cemetery last night, were you?

We were at Ling's,
um, watching movies.

A good movie about this,
um… This girl who, uh…

Who…

Sounds riveting.

I love those kind of movies.

Our community will
not agree to this.

It gives Jimmy free rein to
redevelop not only our town,

but the surrounding
countryside as well.

I don't agree with this.

I cannot approve these
permits, I'm sorry.

Yes, you can,
Lufti. And you will.

Jimmy doesn't care
about our town at all.

- He only cares about...
- Oh, Lufti.

Just sign the permits

or you're gonna find
yourself out of work.

Also, the approvals for the lovely
doctor's surgery where your wife works

will be investigated.

You know Jimmy made
that rumor up, right?

- Do I?
- Mr. Mayor, please.

Lufti,

just sign the permits.

I don't get it.

Why are all these strange
things suddenly happening?

Why now?

What are you not telling me?

Have you ever heard
of the Hutan Lahir?

The demon?

I used to hear stories
about the Forest Born.

You think a demon
is behind all this?

We think your dad may
be possessed by it?

No way! How could you even...

Okay, he may have done
a few shady things...

A few? He poisoned the
sea with toxic waste!

Tried to trash the heritage cinema,
was going to dig up a cemetery.

Fine! But that doesn't
make him a demon!

We think that the Hutan is trying to
cause fear in the town and confuse people

- and the things your dad is doing...
- This is crazy.

You're out of your mind.

Ben!

Don't tell Pa about
what you saw, okay?

Are you okay?

No, Tyar. I'm not okay.

Ah!

So good to see you both.

I thought I had some
teenagers living here.

Although last I checked, their
beds haven't been slept in.

Well, if you want to know,
we were at the cemetery

protecting our ancestors
from greedy developers.

What's wrong with her?

- It was a long night.
- So I heard.

Mr. Midnight certainly put
the pressure on Jimmy K.

And we released a pocong.

A pocong?
You have been busy.

Did it reveal any secrets
when you released it?

- What?
- That's what they do.

Releasing a pocong
also releases secrets.

No, no secrets.

Okay.

You know, Tyar, I've been
talking to your mother.

I think it's time you sort
things out with your parents.

Hmm?

Yeah.

Good. She'll meet you
tonight at the café.

Nat, I've been trying
to reach you all day.

Nat? Are you there?

Hello, Mr. Moon.

Nathaniel.

Yeah?

It's time to tell your story.

The world wants to
hear from Mr. Midnight.

Now, write!

Yes, Mr. Moon.

- Hello?
- Ben, come here.

I have something to show you.

What is it?

Come here.

Dad, where's Sylvia?

Oh, I sent her on an errand.

After all, that's
what she's good for.

Son, it's time for you
to learn the truth.

- Hi.
- Hi.

Uh…

Where's Ayah?

Um, he had to work late.

So, how's school?
Have you been eating?

Um…

Yeah. Lots of drunken noodles.

School's the same.

Uncle Tan said you have
something to tell me.

Tyar, I know you want answers,

but we're just trying
to protect you.

You have to trust us.

You have to trust me, too.

The kris…

I don't think you know
how dangerous it is.

I know what it does.

You come from a family
of revered dukuns.

Our ancestors have helped the people
of Tanah Merah for generations.

Like kakek?

Not only your kakek.

Hey, Ling, there's one
thing about last night.

What's that?

When the pocong was near
you, it said something.

Yeah. She said in Bahasa.
"Dia mengerti kamu."

What does that mean?

That, "He knows you." Or "She."

Who knows you?

Haven't the foggiest.

Hello,
my little horror-philes!

- No freaking way.
- Pop quiz.

You better take a look
at this. Nat's been busy.

What is it that any
good wizard needs?

Do you know what
they need?

- The kris?
- A wand.

I know he's mad at all of us,
but he's putting us in serious danger.

What is he thinking?

Every ghostbuster needs a wand
to bust ghosts, right?

You know he hates
being called bodoh.

Then he should stop being one!

Midnight here
with a deadly serious message.

No more fooling around,
no more wisecracks.

It's time for the truth!

I don't understand why
you're so against it.

Being a dukun is a
part of me. It's my...

Our family's heritage.

I know, but communicating with
spirits will put you at risk.

- You become vulnerable.
- I can handle it, Ibu.

People could get hurt, Tyar.

You could get hurt.

Or worse.

You don't know what it's like.

You'll never understand.

I do.

More than you know.

Your dukun heritage does not come
from your father's side of the family.

It comes from mine.

I'm a dukun, too.

People are
scared of monsters and ghosts,

and things that go
bump in the night.

But even the smallest things can
be scary if you think about it.

Even the most absurd
things can make you scream.

Things like

going to the dentist.

Don't be a baby!
It's just a little retainer.

You'll get used
to it eventually.

We need to stop him. Who
knows what he's gonna do.

- Okay, but what about Tyar?
- We have no time.

Ling, we need Tyar's help.

Okay. You're right.

- The café!
- Let's go.

What if your spaghetti
didn't like being eaten?

Or perhaps your shoes
decided to run away?

Wouldn't it be scary if
mannequins came to life?

Ling, am I losing it or
are they waving at us?

That's creepy, but kinda sick?

And the dead never
stopped dancing?

Ling, I definitely think
we need to tell Tyar!

I think you're right! Let's go!

So you're a dukun?

Does that mean...

Yes. Like you, I have
the ability to heal.

It's a wonderful gift, but it leaves
us at the mercy of hostile spirits.

I didn't want that
for me or my family.

So I turned my back against
the ways of my ancestors.

Then I started to use my
abilities in a different way.

You became a doctor.

You know, my colleagues
have told me that

my test results from my
patients are almost miraculous.

If only they knew why.

Yeah.

That will be our
little secret. Hmm?

But what about your
other dukun abilities?

Why did you give those up?

Where is he?

- There he is!
- I...

- We have a problem. It's Nat.
- We need to go right now.

- Yeah.
- Hello?

- Hi, Auntie.
- Hi, Auntie.

Uh…

Okay, go.

I'll see you at home.

Go.

Whoa! Whoa! What's going on?

Nat has been making crazy
stuff happen somehow.

- He's got the kris!
- Wait, how?

He must have taken it when
he got mad with us yesterday.

- Come on!
- We've gotta stop him!

Yeah!

Yes, my
little horror-philes,

fear is a fascinating thing.

Feed it and it grows inside you,

little by little,
until it eats you up!

- Guys.
- Yeah?

I'm seeing spirits everywhere.
Like a lot of them.

- What?
- Really?

What are they doing?

Nothing. They're just staring.

There must be an open portal
to the spirit world nearby.

- Nat.
- Nat.

Hurry.

Yikes! Creepy feels.

They're inside, too.

Let's go.

- Nat?
- Nat? Let us in!

- Nat! Open up!
- Nat! Can you hear us?

Nat!

It's okay,
guys. I've got this.

Tyar.

Okay. Stand back, guys.

Nat, stop!

Weaklings!

Since when
have you gotten this strong?

Tyar, what do we do now?

- Take… Take his mask off!
- Okay, Zoe, get his legs!

I
can't take it off!

It's stuck!

Okay.

Nat, I'm
trying to help you!

Oh, crap.

Growing up, our
family was very poor.

But your grandparents were determined
to give me a good education.

A fighting chance to
make a name for myself.

They gave up everything for me.

I wish I had a
chance to know them.

They would have adored you.

Son… …poverty
is a vicious cycle.

You're very lucky not
to have experienced it.

Many others are
not so fortunate.

Tanah Merah is our home

and it's our duty to give our people a
fighting chance at a bright new future.

Now do you understand?

Yes, Dad.

It's why I'm so
hard on everyone.

What do you think I am?

Some kind of monster?

No.

I'm done.

I've never wanted
any part of this.

I just did it because
you're my friends.

I don't want to
be scared anymore.

I can't. It's too much.

- Nat.
- Please go.

Please.

Ben?

He said he has evidence that his
father isn't the Hutan Lahir.

He… He's not the one.

Here. That's
everything that Jimmy needs.

Thank you, sir.

Now I own him.

Just kidding.

Uncle, thanks for
letting me stay.

Not a problem.

But it's time to go home.

Good.

Who's… Who's Dimas?

Dimas was your
grandfather's name.

Does… Does that mean…

Yes, Tyar, the man you fought at
the cinema was your grandfather.

Oh, crap.

Well, well, well.