The filming starts again, but... Arthur needs to punish some ghosts

(Arthur POV)

At last, after what felt like an eternity of searching, I've assembled the main cast for my movie.

Take Benny Cave, the dwarf actor playing Tuco. He's sixty, but you'd never guess it. Dwarves are known for their "old looks," and at sixty, Benny could pass for a teenager. The only giveaway is his intimidating demeanor, a far cry from the naivety of younger dwarves.

Benny's perfect for "the ugly," and not just because of his looks. He spent fifteen years in the Aztec Kingdom over in Empirica. Rubbed shoulders with old-timers who lived through the Wild West era. That firsthand knowledge of the Empirican Old West and Civil War times? It's gold.

Then there's Lei River, our elf playing Angel Eyes. Those kind eyes of his live up to the "Angel" part of his character's name. But he's playing "the bad," and I can already see the audience's surprise when they realize this angel-faced elf is the villain.

***

(3rd Person POV)

As the actors stepped into the VFX Studio, their eyes widened in amazement. The place was a maze of ruins and spell markers.

"So this is the famous VFX Studio where 'Lord of the Rings' was made," Clint muttered, awe in his voice.

Lei chimed in, "I heard this place is worth millions. We're literally walking on a fortune right now."

"Wow," Clint breathed, the other cast members nodding in agreement.

Benny, ever the skeptic, added, "Millions spent just for that 'Lord of the Rings' movie? The ex-prince sure had guts to risk that much cash."

"It paid off though," one of the side actors pointed out. "The film raked in so much, a few million in expenses seems like pocket change now."

Benny sneered, "That's 'cause it got lucky. What if it had flopped? Would've been millions down the drain."

The others fell silent, unable to argue with the dwarf's blunt logic.

As they walked through the corridor and into the main studio area, their jaws dropped. Without the illusions, the place looked surprisingly bare.

They spotted Arthur with the production crew, tending to some horses and unicorns. He nodded as they approached. "You're here. Good." He gestured to a nearby house shimmering with illusion magic. "Head over there. Makeup and wardrobe will get you ready for the scene."

The actors nodded, still taking in their surroundings. In one corner, crew members were pouring sand, prepping the set for the day's shoot.

***

The cast emerged from the house, only to find themselves in what appeared to be a dusty old town. While astonished, they weren't entirely shocked - they'd expected some impressive illusions.

Even old Benny was taken aback. He felt transported back to the towns of Aztec in the Empirican Continent.

Kicking at the ground, Benny watched sand swirl around his feet. "This studio ain't half bad," he admitted, grudgingly impressed. "You can film anywhere, all in one place."

"You got that right," Lei agreed, nodding.

Arthur's voice cut through their wonderment, amplified by a megaphone. "Alright, enough gawking. Let's get this show on the road!"

***

(Arthur POV)

Seeing them so awestruck, I had to snap them out of it. We had filming to do.

As we started shooting the opening sequence - Tuco's escape - I employed my {Heartstrings} skill. It helped Benny and the others act more authentically. One take, and we had the scene in the bag.

The combination of {Heartstrings} and {Cinematic Vision} was potent stuff. I'd use them all day if I could, but I've got to be careful. These skills have their limits.

If {Heartstrings} was unlimited, what would be the point of good actors? I could turn even the worst performer into a star. But that's not the reality. After using it for one scene, I've only got about four more uses today.

I used {Heartstrings} again for Tuco's scene. Benny didn't even realize his emotions were being manipulated. The dwarf's pride had him convinced it was all his own talent.

The other cast members, though... I could see it in their faces. They were starting to sense something was off. But I just had them brush it aside.

It's a fine line I'm walking here. These skills are incredible tools, but I've got to use them wisely. Don't want to rely on them too much, or I might forget what real acting looks like.

***

(3rd Person POV)

A few days into filming "The Good, The Bad and the Ugly," the cast started noticing something off about the VFX Studio. Sure, nailing tough scenes in one take was impressive, but the weird stuff happening on set? That was something else entirely.

Actors shivering from sudden cold spells after wrapping up evening shoots. Personal items vanishing into thin air. Doors swinging open by themselves. It was getting to be a regular haunted house around there.

Word spread quickly among the cast: ghosts were having a field day messing with them.

Most of the demon actors shrugged it off. Ghostly pranks were nothing new in their world. But for some, the random cold spots and other unexplained phenomena were starting to grate on their nerves.

Clint got the worst of it one day, finding himself locked in a room. "Help! I can't get out!" he yelled, panic edging into his voice.

Even Lei wasn't spared. Desperate for a bathroom break, he found himself pleading with an unseen prankster. "Open this door, you piece of crap! I need to pee!"

These incidents piled up, and the actors kept bringing them to Arthur. His response? "Ghosts? Don't sweat it. They're just having fun. You should've seen what they pulled during 'Lord of the Rings.' filming."

The cast reluctantly accepted this explanation, deciding to grin and bear it. What Arthur didn't tell them was that the ghosts had actually ramped up their antics since "Lord of the Rings."

During filming, the set would suddenly turn frigid for no apparent reason. Arthur found himself constantly using his {Atmosphere Control} skill to ward off the chill. The cold was messing with the scene's atmosphere, and the shivering actors were struggling to stay in character.

Klein approached Arthur, frustration evident in his voice. "Boss, these ghosts are getting out of hand. How are we supposed to deal with them?"

Arthur rubbed his temples, feeling a headache coming on. "We can't exactly call in Solarus priests for a cleansing. Not after 'The Demonfather' ruffled their feathers." He paused, considering their options. "Our best bet is to scare them off somehow. Make them think twice about messing with us."

Klein looked skeptical. "Scare them? Boss, we can't even touch ghosts. How are we supposed to intimidate something we can't harm?"

Arthur sighed, his eyes fixed on a transparent interface only he could see. "I might have a solution..."

[Phantom Touch: A skill that grants the user the extraordinary ability to interact with ghosts and spirits on a physical level. By extending a hand, the user can reach out to ethereal beings, allowing for both communication and manipulation of ghostly energies.]

Arthur winced internally at the price tag: 4 million entertainment points. It was a steep cost, but as he watched another actor shiver from a ghostly cold spot, he knew he had to do something. These spectral shenanigans were threatening to derail the entire production.

"Give me a few hours," he told Klein. "I think I can sort this out."

***

Just hours after acquiring the skill, Arthur put it to use. As the ghosts began their usual pranks, leaving the actors helpless, everyone was stunned to see Arthur reach out and grab a previously invisible specter.

"Aah!" The ghost's shriek echoed through the studio.

The production crew and cast watched in amazement as Arthur pulled the ghost into view, making it visible to all.

They could only assume Arthur was using some powerful spell that not only allowed him to touch ghosts but also made them visible to the naked eye.

But Arthur wasn't done. He began plucking more ghosts from thin air, and to everyone's disbelief, he started tying their ghostly tails together.

"Ahh!"

"He- he touched us!"

"This can't be possible!"

The ghosts' cries of fear and confusion filled the air as they gaped at Arthur in terror.

Arthur pointed at the tangled mass of spirits, his voice stern. "You guys deserve a spanking!"

The entire studio watched in awe as Arthur proceeded to discipline the troublesome spirits. It was a sight none of them ever expected to see - their director, literally taking ghosts to task.

As the spectral wails died down, one of the actors whispered, "Remind me never to get on the boss's bad side."