Every film set has cliques.
Makeup vs. Hair.
Lighting vs. Camera.
Editing vs. Reality.
But ever since Aria Lane joined the production, the studio staff split into two powerful, warring groups:
Faction A: The Aria Loyalists
(a.k.a. "She Is Our Queen") These people adored Aria with religious fervor.
Faction B: The Aria Trauma Survivors
(a.k.a. "Please Make Her Stop") These people had seen things.
Dangerous things.
Fast things.
And today… tensions reached a peak.
Factions Form in the Wild
Aria walked onto set holding a bag of chips.
crinkle
The Loyalists sighed dreamily.
"She's so cute…"
The Survivors flinched like she'd drawn a sword.
"Oh no. Oh no. What triggered her??"
Julian smiled at her as usual.
Daniel looked like he needed a therapist.
Faction A: Worship Mode Activated
Theo from the stunt team clasped his hands.
"Look at her stride. Perfect balance. Natural warrior."
A lighting tech added,
"She saved a child yesterday. She's basically a superhero."
A makeup artist chimed in,
"And her skin looks amazing even at Mach speed."
Even Marcus, the stunt coordinator, had converted:
"She outran my entire team. She belongs on a battlefield."
A camera operator whispered reverently:
"She's the first actress who makes my job exciting."
Daniel groaned.
"You're all insane. Every last one of you."
Faction B: PTSD Mode Activated
The props department huddled behind a table.
"Hide the fake food! HIDE EVERYTHING!"
The head prop artist whispered shakily,
"She found the Candy Vault…
She smelled it through a WALL…"
Tessa's replacement stunt double muttered:
"She does her own stunts. I'm not even sure why I'm here."
The rookie security guard whimpered from behind a potted plant:
"She said I was slow…"
A boom operator clutched his microphone.
"She moves without making sound. Do you understand how WRONG that is?!"
Daniel dramatically threw his arms into the air.
"THANK YOU! YOU ALL GET IT! I AM NOT CRAZY!"
Aria Accidentally Sparks a Riot
She opens her chips.
crunch
Loyalist Faction melts:
"She's so precious!"
Survivor Faction screams:
"DIRECTOR, SHE'S CONSUMING CALORIES—PREPARE FOR SPEED MODE!"
Mason ran into the room flailing.
"WHAT IS HAPPENING NOW?!"
Both factions pointed at each other.
Faction A:
"They're insulting Aria!"
Faction B:
"They're enabling Aria!"
Mason stared at them all.
"…I am surrounded by idiots."
Julian Attempts Diplomacy
Julian stepped forward, hands calm.
"Can everyone relax? Aria isn't dangerous."
Survivor Faction erupted:
"YES SHE IS!"
Loyalist Faction erupted too:
"YES SHE IS—BUT IN A GOOD WAY!"
Julian blinked.
"That's… not helping."
Daniel muttered,
"She has a cult now. This is my nightmare."
The Two Sides Clash
The Loyalists started chanting softly:
"Queen Aria… Queen Aria…"
The Survivors countered:
"Contain Aria… Contain Aria…"
Someone in lighting yelled:
"THAT WOMAN KICKED A DUFFEL BAG UPWARD. UPWARD!!"
A Loyalist replied:
"That's called talent."
A Survivor snapped back:
"That's called witchcraft!"
Aria blinked at them, eating another chip.
"…Why are they yelling?"
Julian murmured, amused,
"They're excited."
Daniel shouted,
"NO WE'RE NOT, JULIAN. STOP LYING TO THE GIRL!"
Aria Accidentally Ends the War
Without warning, Aria turned her head slightly.
"Someone dropped their phone."
Everyone froze.
Then—
A phone clattered to the floor on the opposite side of the set.
Every crew member stared at her.
Silence.
One makeup artist whispered:
"…She hears the future."
Aria blinked.
"I heard it before it fell."
Loyalist Faction:
"This is why she is our queen."
Survivor Faction:
"This is why she terrifies us."
Daniel shouted,
"THIS IS WHY I CAN'T SLEEP!"
The Factions Unite (Finally)
Director Mason had enough.
He climbed onto a crate and screamed:
"EVERYBODY SHUT UP!"
Silence instantly.
Mason pointed at Aria.
"She is ONE person!
ONE!
You cannot form CULTS around her!"
The Loyalists nodded slowly.
The Survivors nodded fearfully.
Mason sighed in relief.
Then Aria opened another snack.
crunch
Both factions screamed.
Mason fainted.