Quite a Production

"What do you mean you are sold out? We already had tickets!" Fort practically screamed across the ticket counter. 

The teen behind the register squirmed under the Director's withering gaze. "We oversold that showing and all the seats are full. I can give you a refund..." 

"It is not about a refund. How could you give away reserved seats?!" Fort looked like he might have a blood vessel pop in his forehead.

"Sweetheart, it's alright." Noble sent a bit of calm to her husband only for him to thoroughly reject it. 

"It's not alright. This romantic comedy came out today, and I reserved the tickets the moment they went on sale. They can't just give the seats away. I am sure the movie hasn't even started yet. The previews last forever!" Fort glared at the ticket taker. "Now give me the tickets I reserved!" 

"Someone is already sitting in those seats," the boy looked like he might faint. 

"Well, they shouldn't be because I paid for them..." Fort gritted his teeth. 

Sweat poured down the teen's brow. "I-I..." 

"I'll take it from here," an older gentleman appeared behind the counter. "You take care of the rest of the line, Jimmy." 

"Yes, Sir! Right after I go to the bathroom, Sir!" Jimmy ran off at full speed.

'Poor kid.' Noble wished the boy well. 

"I'm Remy. I understand you were late to a movie, and now we cannot admit you," the manager said smoothly.

"You gave away our seats before the movie began," Fort fired back.

"Allow me to give you a refund and possibly seats to another showing in our fine establishment." Remy clicked on the register behind the counter. "Unfortunately that particular film is sold out until next week. Could I interest you in a showing of the Devil of Antarctica that begins in ten minutes? We can even throw in some complimentary popcorn for the inconvenience." 

Fort pushed his sleeves. "I don't want..." 

"That sounds wonderful. Thank you for your help! Can we get our refund, tickets, and popcorn here or do we need to wait somewhere?" Noble pushed calm more forcefully into the situation. 

After one look at his wife's pleading eyes, Fort had no choice but to accept defeat. 

Remy gave them a condescending smile. "I will do that for you right now. Popcorn!" 

A few clicks later, Noble had their tickets in hand. 

"I can't believe you let him get away with that!" Fort whispered as they walked away.

"It isn't a big deal. As long as I am with you, I am happy to see any movie." Noble placed her head on the man's shoulder. 

He sighed. "I wanted to take you to see a romantic comedy, not an action film." 

"It had the romance label along with the action label up on the kiosk, so it can't be all bad. Wait, haven't you already seen this?" 

The Director shook his head. "Mom took the kids one day while I was at work. It was a case of seeking forgiveness and not asking permission." 

"That sounds like, Mom," Noble laughed. "Well, good then we can see it for the first time together, romance and all." 

Fort's face softened. "You really know how to make the most out of everything, don't you?"

"I learned from the best, even if he is a little hotheaded from time to time." Noble stuck out her tongue. 

Fort wanted to respond that he was only ever hot-tempered when it came to things concerning her and the kids, but her teasing gaze told him she already knew.

"Fine," he shook his head in resignation. "Let's go meet this cold-blooded devil."

——-

The popcorn took a few more minutes to receive, so the couple finally made it to the theater when the lights were lowering.

Noble floated past the people at the end of the row, "Excuse me."

The theater was around half full with the seats nearer the center being the most bare.

Noble wasn't sure how long the movie had been out, but it seemed that at least the initial lure was waning.

'More room for us.'

Noble hovered over the chair and made herself comfortable.

Fort sat next to her, casually slipping his arm around her and pulling her close.

"Popcorn?" He whispered in her ear.

A few others filed in while the previews played: A remake of the Bloodwave Ascension film. A film about the early years of the Nightmare Spell and the early heroes. Yet another action adventure about rivals being forced to conquer a Nightmare together.

'Can't they think of anything original?'

From the feelings Fort was giving off, he felt the same.

Thankfully, the message to silence communicators and be mindful of other patrons flashed across the screen not a moment too soon.

Then the screen faded to black.

After an interminable silence, the darkness receded, giving way to a bleak, barren landscape.

Antarctica.

Already a battle was raging along the shore.

A contingent of mundane soldiers was holding a line to allow innocent people to make it into the fortified city a short distance off.

It was a losing battle, yet the soldiers did not give up. The camera focused in on a poor young man desperately trying to stem the tide against creatures much more powerful than him. As the MWP on either side of him was ripped in two, the young soldier found himself alone and cut off from the rest of his group. But the hoard of monsters would not rest until all human life was obliterated from the icy landscape.

He needed to retreat, but there was nowhere to go.

A strike against the nearly indestructible polymer of his helmet created a large crack in the MWP's armor.

Frigid air seeped into the suit, temporarily blinding the mundane soldier. He fell to the ground, and the knee of his suit jammed.

A creature with a head like a lion and tail like a serpent loomed over him ready to finish the soldier once and for all.

The young man raised his weapon, ready to defend himself until his dying breath.

But then, a shadow appeared and the dual-headed monster was suddenly sliced in two.

A figure with ominous black armor stepped forward, his face covered with an inscrutable mask.

Without missing a beat, the figure continued forward, slashing and cutting until the battleground was slick with the blood of countless Nightmare Creatures of all shapes and ranks. 

The figure moved in a blur of motion that only a series of quick-cut scenes of action could accurately convey.

At last, the enemy was vanquished. The young man was safe.

The figure in black helped the fallen soldier to his feet and then mysteriously whisked him to the safety of the city's walls.

"You saved my life," the young man bowed his head as he fell to one knee in his broken MWP.

The stranger looked to the horizon, prompting a question from the soldier at his feet.

"Who are you?"

In the silence, the camera zoomed in on the stranger's determined expression before fading to black.

Crimson letters looked like they floated up from the dark abyss.

"The Devil of Antarctica." 

In subscript, it added, "A Tohnee Production."