If Director Mason had a weakness, it wasn't overeating, overspending, or overthinking.
It was improvisation.
He loathed improvisation.
He feared it.
He had nightmares about actors who "felt inspired" and ruined his carefully crafted scenes.
And today, Aria Lane—
the innocent-faced menace—
was about to deal the final blow to his sanity.
The Setup
The scene was simple:
Aria and Julian walk into a warehouse.
A shady dealer blocks their way.
Julian delivers a threatening line.
Aria stays behind him, acting scared.
Emphasis on: acting.
Not actually scared.
Not actually threatening back.
Just acting.
Mason repeated this twenty-seven times.
"Aria, remember:
You're fragile.
Timid.
NOT dangerous.
NOT confident.
NOT kicky."
Aria nodded obediently.
"I understand."
Julian leaned toward Daniel and whispered,
"She doesn't understand."
Daniel whispered back,
"She NEVER understands."
Take One
Dealer actor stepped forward.
"Where do you think you're going?"
Julian stepped protectively in front of Aria.
Aria peered from behind him.
Perfect.
Then—
The dealer actor moved closer than expected.
Not in a dangerous way.
Just… actor instinct.
Aria reacted instinctively.
She grabbed Julian's collar—
dragged him backward—
slid in front of him—
and shoved the dealer actor against the wall with one arm.
Hard.
The sound echoed across the warehouse.
Everyone screamed.
Julian blinked, stunned.
The actor groaned.
Aria stood there like a polite hurricane.
Director Mason collapsed into his chair.
"CUT! CUTCUTCUTCUT—
MISS LANE.
WHAT WAS THAT?!"
Aria blinked.
"He was too close."
"That—
THAT WAS THE POINT!"
"Oh."
Daniel covered his face.
The Dealer Actor Is Impressed (And Terrified)
The actor slowly stood up, rubbing his shoulder.
"Uh… that wasn't in the script."
Aria tilted her head.
"He startled me."
Julian spoke softly from behind her.
"You tossed him like he weighed nothing."
Aria blinked.
"He didn't."
The actor backed up quickly.
Daniel whispered to Mason,
"She doesn't know her own strength."
Mason whispered back,
"She doesn't know OUR weakness."
Take Two
Mason attempted to calm himself.
"Okay. Okay. One more time.
Aria, please, PLEASE… stay behind Julian."
Aria nodded.
"Yes."
Dealer actor stepped forward again.
"Where do you think you're—"
Aria didn't even attack this time.
She simply stepped sideways and positioned herself so Julian's line of sight was clear.
Perfectly correct blocking.
Except…
She used the exact footwork of a trained operative—
silent, swift, impossible to ignore.
Julian looked over at her.
Mason screamed:
"CUT! MISS LANE! THAT WAS NOT IN THE SCRIPT EITHER!"
Aria blinked.
"I just moved."
"You moved like a spy, not an actress!"
Julian quietly coughed to hide a smile.
Aria shrugged.
"…Habit?"
Mason clutched his chest again.
Take Three
Dealer actor: "Where do you—"
Aria: "Julian, step left."
Everyone froze.
Mason's soul left his body.
"CUT!! WHY ARE YOU GIVING HIM DIRECTIONS?!"
Aria pointed to the rafters calmly.
"Because the light above was about to fall."
Everyone looked up.
The loose light swayed once…
then broke completely…
and crashed exactly where Julian had been standing.
Silence.
The stunt coordinator whispered,
"…She just saved his life."
Julian stared at the broken light.
"Aria… how did you know?"
Aria looked away.
"I heard it."
Mason grabbed his hair.
"WHY DOES SHE HEAR THE FABRIC OF REALITY TEARING APART?!"
Crew Reactions (Panic Edition)
Lighting Guy:
"That light was barely loose…"
Sound Tech:
"She predicted it…"
Makeup Artist:
"She saved Julian?! That's romantic!"
Daniel:
"STOP SHIPPING THEM, SHE SAVED HIM LIKE A BODYGUARD!"
Stunt Team:
"She is a bodyguard."
Mason screamed at the heavens:
"SHE IS SUPPOSED TO BE A TIMID GIRL—NOT A SECRET AGENT SENT BY GOD!"
Aria blinked.
"I'm not an agent."
Julian's eyes flickered with suspicion.
"…Aren't you?"
Aria looked him dead in the eyes.
"No."
Julian didn't believe her.
Neither did anyone else.
Mason's Final Collapse
Mason stood there shaking, hands gripping the sides of his head.
He breathed in…
breathed out…
and whispered hoarsely:
"Miss Lane… please stop solving the scene."
Aria blinked, confused.
"I thought solving the scene was good."
"NOT WHEN THE SCENE WASN'T BROKEN!"
Aria tilted her head.
"It was, though."
Mason screamed into a clipboard.
Julian bit his lip to stop from laughing.
Daniel covered his ears.
The dealer actor requested hazard pay.
Aria's Closing Line
After a long silence, Aria said quietly:
"…I can try to be less helpful."
Mason stared at her.
"NO.
NO YOU WON'T.
BUT THANK YOU FOR SAYING THAT."
Julian softly murmured,
"It's charming, though."
Daniel:
"STOP FINDING HER CHARMING!"
Aria blinked at them.
"…Should we try again?"
Everyone:
"NO!"