The Chicken Leg Incident should have ended with Aria finishing the stolen drumstick.
It did not.
Because the props department, unaware of the disaster unfolding on set, wheeled out a tray of fake roasted chicken legs for the next scene.
Extremely realistic.
Oily glaze.
Golden skin.
Designed to look delicious on camera.
Aria saw them.
Aria walked toward them.
Daniel's soul left his body.
The Warning Signs
Julian saw her first—
the way her gaze locked on the props like a hawk spotting prey.
"Aria," Julian said gently,
"That's… not real food."
Aria blinked slowly.
"It looks real."
"It's foam," he stressed.
"Painted foam."
She tilted her head.
"Foam can look tasty."
Julian choked.
Daniel screamed.
Marcus, from across the soundstage, yelled:
"GUARD THE TABLE!"
Director Mason Arrives Too Late
Mason burst from behind the monitors, sweat already beading on his forehead.
"NO.
NO NO NO NO—
MISS LANE, STEP AWAY FROM THE TABLE!"
Aria paused.
She pointed at the tray.
"This chicken is for the scene."
Mason nearly fainted.
"Yes! Yes, it is! Exactly! For the scene. Not for your mouth!"
Aria considered this deeply.
"Can I hold one?"
"NO!"
"Why?"
"BECAUSE YOU DON'T HOLD THEM—YOU EAT EVERYTHING YOU TOUCH!"
Aria blinked innocently.
"That is not true."
Theo shouted from the stunt area,
"Yes it is!"
Daniel raised both hands.
"Aria, please don't—"
But she was already reaching.
The Great Chicken Standoff
Aria stood at the table.
Mason froze ten steps away.
Daniel trembled.
Julian held his breath.
The stunt team gathered behind her like spectators at a gladiator fight.
Aria reached her hand toward a prop drumstick—
Mason lunged.
"PUT DOWN THE DRUMSTICK!"
Aria touched the prop.
Mason shrieked.
Aria picked up the drumstick.
Mason collapsed into a chair.
"WHY?! WHY ARE YOU LIKE THIS?!"
Aria inspected the drumstick calmly.
"…It looks very convincing."
"BECAUSE IT'S SUPPOSED TO!
FOR CINEMATIC IMMERSION!
NOT FOR YOU TO TRY AND EAT!"
Aria sniffed it lightly.
Julian rushed forward.
"Aria—please don't put that in your mouth."
She blinked.
"I wasn't going to."
Everyone sighed with relief.
Aria added:
"Not yet."
Everyone screamed again.
Props Department Reaches Acceptance
The head of props walked over slowly.
Like a man approaching a wild tiger.
"Miss Lane," he said softly,
"That's foam.
Realistic foam.
Hand-painted by artists.
Please give it back."
Aria handed it over politely.
"I won't eat it."
The props master looked at her with tired wisdom.
"You were thinking about it."
Aria… did not deny it.
Julian Tries Reasoning
Julian stepped beside her, voice calm.
"Aria, real chicken earlier was fine. But this—this is dangerous."
Aria blinked.
"Why? It's only foam."
"That's exactly why it's dangerous."
She tilted her head.
"…You care a lot about my eating."
Julian looked away, flustered.
"It's not that—I just—foam is bad for you."
Theo whispered loudly from the background,
"HE CARES ABOUT HER EATING."
Daniel nearly fell over.
Aria Attempts Logic (Fails)
Aria folded her hands neatly.
"I was only testing the texture."
Mason shot to his feet.
"THERE SHOULD BE NO TEXTURE TESTING!"
"But—"
"NO BUTS!"
Aria lowered her hand slowly.
Mason pinched his nose.
"No touching.
No sniffing.
No examining.
No licking—"
Aria: "I wasn't going to lick it."
Daniel, Mason, Julian, Props Department, three lighting techs, and a background extra all shouted:
"YES YOU WERE!"
Aria sighed, defeated.
"…Maybe."
Crisis Resolution? (Not Really)
Mason rubbed his temples so hard he might've sanded his own forehead down.
"Aria.
For the love of cinema.
Please.
Just stand there.
Say the lines.
And don't attack the chicken."
Aria nodded.
"Okay."
Daniel whispered to Mason,
"That's the same 'okay' she said before climbing the ceiling beam."
Mason burst into tears on the inside.
But Then…
A crew member walked past holding a real chicken leg.
Aria's head snapped around.
Julian grabbed her arm immediately.
"Don't."
Aria blinked at him.
"…He looked hungry."
Julian finally laughed.
"You're unbelievable."
Mason screamed from across the room:
"WHY ARE YOU TWO SMILING?! THIS IS NOT A ROMANCE! THIS IS A CRISIS!"