Arctic Dogs: Metamorphosis

Chapter 13 - Running with Lions

The Third Week of October 2017

Saturday, 9th Week of SwiftyTV's Senior Year

Grandpa Walter's Mansion

Two weeks had passed since they finalised the crew list, and it was time for the first day of rehearsals. The SwiftyTV crew agreed to, with Swifty's grandpa's permission, to use the mansion as the rehearsal place. The crew had to juggle between their studies, their clubs and their time working on both their YouTube channel and the film. They got Jade's ex-boyfriend Dusty to get his team to design and build ski-based mail sleds, a Beidongshan-based company specialising in building movie sets to design and build the lair for Professor Otto (who played as the main villain) and got the backing from Duke's father, the Mayor of Beidongshan, with permission from the university.

All paws were on deck. They had to contact and negotiate these deals with many contractors while revising for the mid-year examinations. It was so tiring that they had less time to sleep, but this was an important film project. For Swifty, Leopold and Bertha, who are the three film students, this film project is 50% of their entire final year.

However, once they settled on the groundwork during the 8th week of the semester, the group met up to agree on a few things. To maximise their time on the project, they agree to set their YouTube channel aside. This means fewer YouTube videos to work on which reduced the workload on everyone, an absolute relief for the entire group who experienced sleep deprivation by then.

The project brought the entire team together with their specialisations. Leopold and Bertha both worked on the cinematography and editing, Lemmy planned on the musical score and soundtrack for the movie, PB was in charge of the business side of things and the animal resource management of the team, Jade improved and write further re-edits of the script she and her boyfriend Swifty first drafted on. Swifty, the team leader, of course took the initiative as director and co-producer, making sure his team gets the job done while taking their welfare into their account.

And now, two weeks later, on a Saturday morning, they arrived at the mansion belonging to former filmmaker Walter Tan, also known as Grandpa Walter. He got some rooms ready for the rehearsal and in time for the 10am start. "And I'm planning to watch you guys do your magic," he told everyone while unloading the baggage the crew brought in. "After all, my two grandsons are here!"

"Please," Swifty took a deep breath. "You're not supposed to help us, ok? Let us take charge of the movie."

"Right. Helping you is against the rules, anyway," Grandpa Walter cleared his throat. "Otto assured me watching you rehearse isn't."

The crew heard the knock on the front door. "I'll go get it," Grandpa Walter navigate to the door with his walking stick and opened to find...

"Surprise!"

It was the supporting cast. Duke, Dusty, Professor Otto and to Swifty's surprise, his counsellor Magda had arrived. Immediately, Grandpa Walter started hugging Otto, his former student.

"Oh, just like old times," Otto's thick London accent felt warm, his flippers wrapping around the old arctic fox. Grandpa Walter chuckled over his student.

"Where's your sister?" Swifty asked Duke.

"She's on her way. Her train's delayed," his childhood friend. "Anyway, how's everyone going?"

They looked back to find Jade with Dusty. They were both having a heart-to-heart talk and even hugged briefly. Swifty smiled at Jade with her ex. It had been four years since she broke up with Dusty to becoming Swifty's girlfriend.