I'll Catch You if You Fall

This extra chapter is dedicated to Amir_Bhutt. Thank you for the review.

------------------------------------

This is the 60th day of film shooting for Ashton's movie. The title was 'Fangs of Eros' a supernatural action movie reminiscent of Blade and Hellboy.

Since there's 'Eros' in the name, and Eros being the Greek god of Love, there's bound to be romance in it.

(This is where the Sybil Vane character comes into play, huh?) Zhe Chouhen chatted with Daoist Panda, pulling his cap down as someone passed through pushing props. (What's her name again? Sidney.....)

"Sidney Lane!" He heard the director call out using a megaphone. "Sidney Lane, we need you on set at 10!"

"Alright, boss!" A cheery girl's voice answered at the dressing room.

Zhe Chouhen rolled his eyes. (Dorian Gray was supposed to meet Sybil Vane AFTER the painting is made, but you jumbled things up so you the inspiration won't be obvious, huh? And yet, you still named this character something as obviously inspired as 'Sidney Lane'!)

[I ran out of ideas!]

(Of course, with such a small brain, it will quickly ran out of ideas.)

[Sasser.]

(Fatso.)

Zhe Chouhen turned off his phone and went to look for Ashton while being discreet. As 'Henry', he put on a disguise and even went to a store to buy cheap contact lenses so he wouldn't be recognized. He managed to blend in and convince everyone that he is a movie staff.

Following Painted Lies' events, he was supposed to steal the script and use it to his own advantage. What he finds in the script was left vague, probably because Daoist Panda got lazy and 'ran out of ideas' again, but whatever it was, he used it for his plan to sabotage Ashton.

He saw a woman bringing some biscuits and coffee to the irritable director and tapped her shoulder. "Hi, I can take it to him if you like?"

"T-Thank you." The woman bowed her head. She was beautiful, with nut brown skin and curly hair tied up in a neat ponytail. "I'm new here, so I'm kinda nervous with how Mr. Warder is acting. I might end up spilling the coffee on him with how much my hands are shaking."

(Mr. Warder must be the director.) Zhe Chouhen thought. (And this woman must be an intern.

He took the tray with a smile to reassure her. "I've got you covered."

"Thanks again." The woman bowed and went on her way.

Zhe Chouhen went on to bring the food and drinks over to the director's table. "Here you go, sir."

"Fucking finally!" The director said. "I've been needing coffee since my hangover is killing me!"

(Hangover? How irresponsible would that be, directing with a hangover.) Zhe Chouhen thought. (But then again, this is a D-grade production team. I should have expected.)

(What a big fish, small pond situation. The production itself is terrible, but two of their cast will be worldwide famous superstars in the future.)

After this movie becomes a disaster, Sidney Lane and Ashton will co-star again, and that is when she will truly be a real rival. For now, this is like a brief introduction for the things in store..... For her.

Because like Sybil Vane, she will be the most pitiful side character in Painted Lies.

(I wish I could avoid doing all that to her. She seems like a nice girl in the book.) Zhe Chouhen frowned.

But alas, fate is set in stone when you're playing a role. This isn't even a game-like transmigration story where you can pick certain actions for the many possibilities and to earn points.

This is a retelling transmigration story, where he is just put inside the body to retell the story again.

He wouldn't mind this anymore. The ending is what matters, the ending is what makes or breaks the retelling. For now, he should play 'Henry', then play 'Zhe Chouhen' when the numbers are in his favor.

First, Henry would find a way to get the script. Now how does Henry do that?

There. He spotted it on the table. Everyone on that team have a copy. He needs to take the one that will be least noticed....

"Where's the extra milk and sugar packets?" Mr. Warder suddenly said.

"Yes, sir?" 'Henry' went on his side again.

"I told the girl to give extra milk and sugar packets! Go get them for me!" Mr. Warder took the megaphone again. "Everyone on set right now for Scene 25! Let's end this quickly! I've known every line like the Star Spangled Banner so there better be no mess ups AND ad-libs! Absolutely no improvisation, stick to the script!"

Zhe Chouhen's eyes brightened at this. The director already knows the script like the national anthem itself, so that means.....

He won't be needing it anymore.

"Right away, sir. I'll bring the milk and sugar for you." 'Henry' took back the tray again with a polite bow.

And as he did so, he slipped a piece of paper underneath it.

Nobody noticed because they're now filming.

He found his way to the kitchen, which was just a trailer van, and read the script there. He closed the door so he would have some time to think too.

He scanned the few pages, pi king up the important context before he goes directly to Scene 25.

"Check it out." Zhe Chouhen picked up his phone to talk to Daoist Panda since the silence inside the small cramped kitchen is getting a bit oppressive. "Fangs of Eros is actually pretty interesting. It's set in an alternate universe Prohibition Era, the 1920s America when alcohol is prohibited."

[Oh, I've done some research on that setting too. But Fangs of Eros is not mine.] Daoist Panda also showed interest. [Where's the supernatural element?]

"I'm getting there. Since it's an supernatural AU of the Roaring 20s, this one is about the world where creatures such as vampires and werewolves also exist. They're prohibited to eat or acquire human meat and blood on their own, and the government sent them all to a separate island of Xentropolis, just sending them rations."

"So, mafias were created, and Ashton's character, Byron, is the heir of the vampire clan. His nemesis is the heir of the werewolf clan, Fenris, who has a beautiful sister named Luna. But because there was suddenly a terrorist attack in the American Mainland and someone else was stealing and importing illegal human goods, they have to work together to solve it."

Zhe Chouhen pointed at the paper. "In Scene 25, Byron would have to do some stunts like jumping across roofs to chase after the shadows of the terrorists who dragged Luna. It's a very important part."

He folded the paper over. "And I now have an idea. But it's too risky. Why didn't you specify how Henry exactly spoiled the movie?"

[I just felt like it would give more mysterious vibes, leaving the reader guessing what it was.]

(Or maybe it would save you some time for using up brain cells.)

Daoist Panda scoffed. [So what's you're genius plan then? If I can't come up with a good one, I bet you can't either!]

"Hah, you'll see. I'll make you eat your own words, and once you lose the bet, I'm going to eat you!" He threatened like he was the Boogeyman. "Rarr!"

[..... Stop saying you'll eat me! I may look cute and small in this phone, but I'm not food! I'm a grown man!]

"A different kind of eat then." Zhe Chouhen couldn't stop his mischievous tongue from saying those words.

[W-What?]

"Oops, nevermind." He grinned evilly and poked Daoist Panda mercilessly. "Ah, I'm truly gonna eat you up from head to toe one of these days! I bet you'll taste delicious.... And juicy... Maybe a little milky....."

[Fucking pervert scum! Leave me alone and just do your job as an ML!]

-----------------------

The stunt double for Ashton is a guy named Ray. He's a real lout, smokes like chimney, and will do anything for a quick buck. No one likes to talk to him, or talk about him, unless they want to get themselves sprawled in the dumpster with less teeth.

The only reason why he agreed to be a stuntman in this silly movie is because he owes Mr. Warder a lot of money..... and even blood debt. Without his protection, who knows how many bozos and po-pos* would have gotten his head by now.

He suddenly felt a tap on his shoulder.

"Hello, sir. Have Ashton Florice already came on set?"

He raised an eyebrow on this weirdo. He looked like a real wimp, not the type you would imagine to just come up to a burly thug like him. He also have that irritating gentle manner of speaking like those aristocrats on TV.

Either he's suicidal, or an idiot.

"Who's askin'?" Ray narrowed his eyes at him, because unlike everyone else, he actually pays attention to the faces of the people involved in this production, and he have never seen this one before. If this is some paparazzi or crazed fanatic, it's also part of his job as one of Mr. Warder's boys to kick him out for him.

Zhe Chouhen sensed this hostility. "I'm his casting agent. I'm overseeing his work, and wanted to take a footage to add to his portfolio. You know, for future projects."

There's too many fancy words for someone like Ray who only finished 3rd grade, so he just assumed that this is that lead actor's boss or something.

"Ashton Florice ain't comin' on set any time soon. I'd go first, and then he would replicate the easy part for the choke-up shots and stuff."

"Close-up shots, sir." 'Henry' corrected with a smile.

Ray got annoyed, scratching his thigh. Zhe Chouhen doesn't want to talk to him for too long as well. He's getting uncanny valley vibes because Ray resembles the same height, body composition and hair color as Ashton... But his face is fuckin' piece of work to look at! It's more off-putting than the baby-faced Geryon from hell.

He got straight to the point. "Well, is it imperative for the stunts to be shot today? For example, if an emergency were to happen to you or Mr. Florice, can the director hold off shooting the scene to another day?"

"Hell no." Ray blew smoke out from his nostril. "They left the heavy action part for later already, and they can't get anymore delays. Mr. Warder said there's still edating and scthenical stuff after the filming, and if somethin' went wrong, he'll pull out all his hair."

"I see." 'Henry' nodded. "Well, then..... "

He spoke in a low, slow voice. "Would you like to have these egg sandwich?"

Ray blinked, once more suspicious of this individual. "What?"

"Eat it. You want to eat it, don't you?"

He blinked again, and his hand came to reach for the egg sandwich in this 'casting agent's' hand, but did not take it quiet yet.

(This guy's a bit tough to hypnotize, he's skeptical and not quite as susciptible as Ashton.) Zhe Chouhen thought, feeling the buzzing of Scum Meter notifications on his phone. (Let's try on more time.)

"Take this delicious egg sandwhich and go."

That did the trick, and he finally took it and took a slow bite. He finished it in a few seconds, and Zhe Chouhen wave goodbye to him. "Farewell, sir. Forget about me."

"Huh?" Ray just tilted his head to the side.

But he was now talking to thin air. He found himself holding a tin foil that wrapped the egg sandwich, and scratched his head.

Zhe Chouhen opened his phone. "I got a lot of Scum Meter up, but it's a success. Now let's wait for about 5 minutes."

[What did you put in the sandwich?]

"Laxatives. Cut three pills of them and sprinkled it everywhere."

[.... You're evil.]

"Eh. My character is." Zhe Chouhen just shrugged.

Minutes later...

"What do you mean he can't get out of the goddamn bathroom!? That boy owes me his and his mother's life!" Mr. Warder shouted to an assistant. "Tell him to open up the door or I'll have the police canine up his butt tomorrow!"

"B-But sir... It smells horrible there. He really must be telling the truth." Th asistant covered her nose.

Mr. Warder gripped his hair in frustration, revealing that he was actually wearing a wig!

"HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO FINISH THE MOVIE THEN??? Can you idiots do the stunts, huh!?" He yelled in his megaphone.

Ashton scratched his head, trying to keep calm under pressure. He doesn't like watching people having a hard time, so he suggested. "Uhh..... How about I do it, sir? Just prepare a fall mat for me, it's not that high of a jump and I can probably reach it."

The intern afraid to give the trays interjected. "But this is a breach on the proper procedures---"

"Alright, let Ashton do it! You know him, what can't this boy do?" Mr. Warder's mood improved with Ashton's valiant offer. "Prepare the fall mat!"

"But---"

The crew went to work immeidately, not hearing her out.

"It's too dangerous! He's inexperienced!"

"I agree."

She jolt as the kind guy with a cap appeared before her. "Oh, h-hi there. You surprised me."

"I'm a big fan of Ashton Florice, and I worry for safety too." 'Henry' pulled out his phone. "However, if he can pull this off, that will be an amazing thing for his career. Action producers love actors who can do their own stunts."

The girl looked unsure. "Still..... It's....."

"Can you take a video for me?" 'Henry' spoke with that hypnotic tone. "There's somewhere I need to go, and if things go right or wrong, a record would be nice, right?"

"Okay..." The girl absentmindedly took the phone and filmed.

Zhe Chouhen prepared to run as fast as he can once the word "Action" was shouted.

He stabbed that fall mat earlier with a knife, and now it's flat as hell. But he used hypnotic suggestions to the staff who brought it to make them not notice it and put it down anyway.

And before.....

"Hey, Mr. Ashton Florice?"

Ashton turned as someone called to him while he was getting his makeup done. "Yes?"

He heard a deep whisper. "Be careful. You don't have good aim when you jump, you might fall."

The stage is truly set, and it was not an action movie anymore. It was now Henry's puppet show of hypnotism.

------------------------------------------

~BRIBE ME, PLEASE~

Ok, I'm getting desperate and pathetic so now I'm willing to accept bribes. I get jealous easily of other books that have a huge following and get sad everytime, thinking what's the point of writing if I feel like no one's reading/appreciate it.

1 NEW 5 star review with genuine feedback (emojis and just saying compliments doesn't count) - 1 extra chapter

100 comments in a week (only those with TEXT count) - 1 extra chapter

5 NEW people voting for my other books- (so invite your friends haha) -1 extra chapter dedicated to them

100+ votes in a week in any of my books - 1 extra chapter for all of them

Magic Castle and up - Burst update

If you love my stories and would want to read more of them, please show your support through one of these bribes. Thank you!