No one intended to shoot an action sequence that day.
The plan was simple:
Julian delivers a monologue.
Aria stands beside him looking tense and fragile.
A stunt actor enters from the left, pretending to threaten them.
They all hold position for a dramatic zoom-in.
In other words:
ZERO fighting.
ZERO movement.
ZERO broken props.
Director Mason repeated this five times before yelling:
"NO ONE—and I mean NO ONE—throws a punch today!
AR! IA! I'M LOOKING AT YOU!"
Aria nodded solemnly.
"I will not fight."
Daniel leaned to Julian and whispered,
"She absolutely will fight."
Julian smiled.
"She'll be fine."
Daniel groaned.
Take One: The Calm Before the Explosion
The cameras rolled.
Julian stepped forward, voice rich and steady.
"Our enemies are closing in. We have no time left—"
He felt it then:
Aria shifting beside him.
Just slightly.
Barely noticeable.
Except Julian had learned something crucial:
When Aria shifts, something is coming.
Before he could glance at her, the stunt actor entered frame, shouting his scripted threat.
Aria blinked.
Her body responded before her brain did.
A subtle shift of weight.
A step forward.
Shoulders loose.
Eyes sharp.
Julian sighed internally.
Oh no.
The Improvised Attack
The stunt actor raised his rubber knife.
Script says:
He stops three feet away.
Reality says:
Aria moved.
Fast.
Precise.
Effortless.
She caught his wrist—lightly, gracefully—
pivoted just enough to redirect his momentum,
and swept his leg out from under him.
The stunt actor spun three times in the air like laundry in a dryer.
WHUMP.
He hit the mat so perfectly he didn't even know he'd been thrown.
Rick the cameraman screamed.
"WHAT—WHAT WAS THAT—ARE WE SHOOTING A FIGHT SCENE?!"
Mason choked on his coffee.
"That WAS NOT IN THE SCRIPT!!"
Julian Joins the Scene (Because of Course He Does)
The stunt actor scrambled to his feet, dazed but impressed.
Aria blinked at him.
"…Reflex."
Julian, consummate professional, seamlessly stepped back into character.
"Well," he said smoothly,
"It seems they underestimated us."
The stunt actor stared at him.
"Are we… continuing?"
Julian nodded subtly.
Aria blinked.
Daniel facepalmed.
Mason screamed:
"NO, WE ARE NOT CONTINUING—"
But it was too late.
The Accidental Fight Scene Continues
The stunt actor charged again—partially to get back into character, partially because adrenaline is contagious.
Aria sidestepped him like water weaving around stone.
She flicked his knife hand away.
Tapped his elbow.
Swept him again.
He spun.
He fell.
He stayed down.
Julian winced sympathetically.
Then delivered a PERFECT action hero line:
"Stay down. You won't get a third chance."
The entire crew gasped.
Someone whispered:
"Why do they look like a power duo?"
Another replied:
"They're not acting. They're doing a Marvel movie by accident."
Director Mason Has a Breakdown
Mason slammed his headset onto the ground.
"CUTCUTCUTCUTCUT!! WE ARE NOT SHOOTING JOHN WICK 5!"
He stormed toward them.
"MISS LANE! WHAT PART OF 'NO FIGHTING' DID YOU NOT UNDERSTAND?!"
Aria blinked.
"He attacked."
"He was ACTING!"
"Oh."
Julian coughed politely.
"To be fair, she handled it very safely. Look—no injuries."
The stunt actor, still on the floor, raised a thumbs-up.
"Honestly, Director…
that was the softest throw I've ever experienced."
Mason shrieked at the sky:
"STOP PRAISING HER! IT MAKES HER STRONGER!"
Rick the Cameraman's Commentary
Rick trudged over, clutching his camera.
His voice trembled.
"She… she moved faster than the autofocus. Again."
Daniel whispered,
"She's unfilmable."
Rick nodded miserably.
"And un-trackable."
Aria looked faintly apologetic.
"I didn't mean to."
Julian smiled.
"You were great."
Everyone groaned.
The Stunt Actor's Reaction
He stood up, brushing himself off.
"That was incredible. Where did you train?"
Aria paused.
"…Outside."
The stunt actor blinked.
"Outside where?"
Aria thought.
"…Ground."
Daniel buried his face in his hands.
"She's doing it again… deliberately vague answers…"
The stunt actor nodded in awe.
"Cool. I want to train there."
Daniel whisper-screamed:
"No you don't."
Mason's Final Line
Mason inhaled deeply.
Exhaled shakily.
Pointed at Aria.
"From now on… when I say NO FIGHTING… you freeze.
No reflexes.
No instincts.
No martial arts.
No protecting the crew.
Just.
Freeze."
Aria nodded.
"I will try."
Julian smiled knowingly.
Daniel muttered:
"She will absolutely NOT try."
Rick cried quietly.