Chapter Fourteen:
The group made it back out to the set. Properly beaten up, the six actors in the scene split up to get into their respective cars. The Camaro sat on the side of the road, bumper dented, hood popped up out of place, but largely undamaged while the Ford was in the grass, pressed up against the tree it had crashed into. The entire front of it had been smashed in, leaving the windshield a web-work of cracks and holes, the hood crumpled like an accordion, and its own front bumper quite concave. The right front tire had started to go flat. It was not drivable.
"The four of you-" Erica indicated Yugi, Joey, Nadia, and Sota, "-get in the Camaro and hang out. Ishio, Rin, you guys get in the Ford. You'll see lots of little Xs made of tape on the ground. You'll be seeing lots of these. They're the markers of where your characters are supposed to stop while you exchange lines. Each of you has your own color." She rattled them off. "Remember them. The Camaro group will get out when you're told, walk across the road and down the slope while Ford pair get out. All of you stop on your X. Say your lines. Then all of you get back to the Camaro and get in. Then Joey will drive to that marked tree-" She pointed to a tree with a huge red circle on it. "-and then turn around and come back. You should be able to say all your lines in time. All right, get into positions."
Joey and Yugi got into the front of the Camaro while Sota and Nadia got in the back. Yugi picked up the map that was on the floor and put it over his shoes so that it looked like it had slid out of his hands and off his lap when they crashed. Sota put his headphones back on and they waited for their cue.
Ishio and Rin walked down the short slope to the Ford and got in. Erica, standing behind a pair of TV monitors on which the feeds ran, raised her bullhorn.
"Okay, we're going to start with Rin and Ishio again. There's three cameras now, so try not to look directly at any of them. Those in the Camaro, hang out. Your microphones are off, so feel free to talk, but make sure you pay attention for your cues."
In addition to the huge camera on the track, now there were two men holding shoulder-mounted cameras, Vince and someone they hadn't been introduced to. Vince went all the way down the slope and stood next to the tree the Ford had crashed into. He would get front-facing shots of what could be seen through the destroyed windshield. The unknown man stood to the right and up the slope a bit. From where he stood, Vince would be hidden from view by the car itself.
"Okay, so, we're supposed to look like we just got into an accident," Sota said from the backseat. "But the script only says Group recovers from accident and looks around. How are we supposed to pose?"
"I don't know," Joey said. "Me and Yugi look like we hit the dashboard and the steering wheel. How were you supposed to get that busted lip?"
"My character's not wearing a seat belt. Bet I smashed into Yugi's headrest."
It turned out he was right and also that they were being directed exactly. Another woman who Yugi hadn't seen before rapped smartly on his window, making him jump. He rolled down the window and she peered in. In English, speaking in short sentences, she directed them to all move forward in slow motion until their faces were against the respective areas their characters struck, then push themselves upright without making any noises, while trying to look like they were dazed. The footage would then be sped up later to look more real, but this would show them striking without actually hurting themselves. The unnamed shoulder-mounted cameraman had come over and now the Monster was aligned with their car. They did the slow-motion take several times until Erica gave the all-clear from back up the hill. Then they did several takes of making grunts and gasps for the audio to be added to the video. Yugi felt supremely stupid sitting still in his seat while he tried to sound like he'd just whacked his forehead on the dashboard.
They eventually passed, and then it was on to the next scene. The four of them asked each other if they were okay before Nadia pointed out the Ford and the group got out to check on the other two. Almost all of them missed their Xs and had to start over. It was hard to stop at the right place without looking down, but finally they managed. Once they had, they started on their lines again. Ishio's character loudly, and foully, yelled at Joey's character for causing the crash.
Yugi didn't think Ishio had to reach too far into make-believe to come out sounding that hateful. He also didn't think Joey had to dig very deep to find the desire to try and get into a fight with Ishio. The rest of the group got them to back off and cool down.
"There's a gas station about six miles back that way," Rin said, pointing up the road from the direction the Ford had come from. "Take us up there and we'll call someone to come tow us."
The six of them crammed into the Camaro. Rin practically sat in Yugi's lap and, in character, kept gazing at him with interest. Yugi, both in reality and in character, was a little embarrassed by her silent appraisal. Joey drove the damaged Camaro up the road.
In the back, Sota's and Ishio's characters got into another argument that Joey's joined. Ishio was insisting the group would pay for any damages and the tow, while Sota said it was an accident and that was what insurance was for. When Ishio said he didn't have any insurance, Joey chimed in that that was his problem. In the end, Yugi told Ishio that of course the policy on the Camaro would cover the Ford as it was Joey's fault, earning him a lot of silent anger from Joey. Rin told Yugi that he was very nice, in a manner a bit more warm than was warranted, embarrassing Yugi's character again.
Finished with the scene, Joey turned around and they brought the Camaro back to the starting point, then started all over again. The second time, Rin ended up accidentally ruining the take by calling Ishio by his name. Then Sota messed one up by forgetting his line.
"You just said it twice," Ishio said in clear disgust.
"Excuse me," Sota snapped, clearly humiliated. "Accidents happen." It was the line and he said it sneeringly.
"Do you always have to be such a jerk?" Nadia asked Ishio.
"That's enough!" Erica suddenly barked over the bullhorn, making most of them jump. "Park the car, Joey."
Joey did so and they all watched as Erica came stalking down the hill.
"Uh-oh," Sota said.
Yugi rolled down his window again as it was on his side that Erica was coming. Erica stopped right outside the car and folded her arms.
"Enough fighting. You are all adults here. Mistakes are going to happen and we are going to be filming scenes again and again and again. Most if not every one of them. You are all human and you will forget your lines, you will misspeak, you will look into the camera, you will overact or fall flat. Ishio, you will, too, so cut the others a break. All of you quit snarking at each other and learn to work together. I do not want to, but if I have to, I will fire you. Is that clear?"
They all nodded, Yugi avoiding Erica's gaze. He was aware that neither he nor Rin had actually been a part of any of the fighting, but they were included in the chastising as a warning, so he didn't dare point that out.
"Good. Joey, put the car back at the starting point. Let's start again."
She walked off. The group was silent as Joey drove the car back and turned around. They started off again and this time nailed the scene perfectly. Erica brought them back and had them get out and this time, she was smiling.
"See? A little telling off and you straighten right up. There really is a gas station we're heading to, but it's fifteen miles away, not six. All of you get onto the bus and we'll head out there. We're towing the Camaro. It's probably safe to drive that far, but I'd rather not risk it. Yugi, Joey, your friends are welcome to get on the bus. It'll be crowded, but you'll fit. Or they can follow in their car."
Yami, Tristan, and Tea had been watching with Daisy and Mark a short distance from the monitors where the footage played. The three of them opted to join the rest on the bus. Tea exclaimed over the bus and Tristan griped about missing out again.
It was a bit more crowded to have ten people instead of seven surrounding the table, but no one seemed to want to sit with Ishio, who had plunked himself down on the loveseat again. He hadn't said an unscripted word since the dressing down and now seemed to be ignoring everyone.
Once they'd been seated, Yugi between Yami and Joey, Sota suddenly started asking Yami more questions about who he was.
"You two look like you could be brothers, except you're, well, um, tanner," he said to Yami. "Are you Japanese?"
"I am Yugi's cousin," Yami said, lying calmly. "I am from Egypt."
Rin was instantly interested. "Oh, I love Egypt. Ancient Egypt. I've visited twice. The Pyramids at Giza are so beautiful. I wish I could have seen them back when they were first built! Imagine how they must have looked."
Yami actually predated the Pyramids. His great-grandfather had been Menes, the unifier of Upper and Lower Egypt. Yami had died over four hundred years before the first pyramid had even been started. Yugi wondered what Rin would think if she knew that.
"Did you get that necklace there?" she asked, pointing at the Puzzle around Yami's neck.
The separation of their souls hadn't copied another Puzzle, and Yugi had insisted Yami take possession. It had been forged in Egypt, made for Yami's father, and Yugi already had a taste of what it was like not having it anymore, after the Ceremonial Duel. Kaiba chasing Yami into the Afterlife after the fiasco with Diva had been what had sparked their relationship turning slowly from rivalry to romance, and he'd given the Puzzle over to Yami upon his awakening a year later.
"Yes, I did," Yami said.
"It's beautiful."
"Thank you."
"At least that tells me why I haven't seen you before," Sota said. "Are you any good at Duel Monsters? Like Yugi is?"
"I have played a little," Yami said, keeping a completely straight face.
Somehow, the other four in the loop managed to do the same.
At the gas station, the group offloaded the bus. The Camaro had been pulled by a pick up and stood at one of the pumps. The gas station was connected to a diner, and Yugi felt his stomach suddenly do a somersault. The diner was where Rin's character was supposed to really make it obvious to Yugi's that she was interested in him.
/Aibou?/ Undoubtedly, his sudden emotional change had been picked up on by Yami. /Is something wrong?/
/Um…/ Yugi hastily told Yami about the upcoming scene.
/Oh. I see. You could simply pretend you are talking to Joey./
Yugi looked over at Rin, who was chatting with Daisy, Nadia, and Tea. Dressed more modestly, she still gave Mai Valentine a run for her money. /I don't know if my imagination is that good./
Yami's mouth quirked.
"Okay, boys and girls," Erica said. She had climbed out of one of the caravan of vehicles that had preceded the bus. "It's getting pretty late. By the time we get set up, all we're going to be able to do now is film all of you getting out of the vehicle and splitting up. Remember the scene?"
They did. While Yami, Tea, and Tristan joined Daisy and Mark off to the side, the other six piled back into the Camaro. Yugi watched with interest at how quickly the movie folks set up for the scene. A great deal of equipment had already been there before they ever arrived, such as stage lights and props, but the monitors, mikes, and cameras were assembled at a rapid pace. Still, it was clear that it was getting late and a glance at the clock on the dashboard of the Camaro showed it was almost three in the afternoon. Erica had told them they'd finish the days around four, before the sun started heading down towards setting. In October, it was light until six, but still the light would probably be different enough to mess up the timing of the scenes.
After the cameras and mikes were ready to go, the six of them started their scene. They climbed out of the Camaro, then assessed their situation. The gas station and diner were tiny and fairly ill-kept. There were four gas pumps and two were out of order. One of the lights in the canopy and two of the letters of the neon sign of the diner, which was uncreatively called "Diner," were flickering. The asphalt was cracked and there were weeds growing in most of the cracks.
"There's still no cell service," Nadia said as they got out, looking at her phone.
"There has to be a pay phone," Sota said.
"It's probably out of order," Ishio said sourly, his gaze on the out of order pump that was next to the one that the Camaro was pulled up to.
"Won't know until we ask," Rin said. "But I'm getting washed up."
"Me too," Nadia agreed.
The girls headed toward the diner. Joey started pulling the pump hose out of its rack. "I'll get some gas."
Ishio walked off towards the diner himself. Sota, whose character was a heavy smoker, started heading back down the cracked asphalt drive towards the street.
"Hey, you're still bleeding," Yugi called to him.
Sota pulled out his prop cigarettes, shaking one out. He grinned at Yugi. Yugi supposed that they might have to film this part over again as the fake wound did not bleed more as a real one would have if he had grinned like that with a genuine split lip. "Oh, no, it might kill me." He stuck his cigarette in his mouth.
Yugi rolled his eyes and then turned to Joey, who was pretending to pump gas into the Camaro. "I'm going to get cleaned up, too."
Joey nodded while Yugi started towards the diner. As he walked, he felt his heart start to race. How could he do this scene with Rin? He sometimes got flustered when Joey flirted with him, and they were lovers.
/Aibou, stay calm,/ Yami said in his head. /I'm sure Rin is also nervous. It is all fake./
That did not make it better. It was going to be on camera. They probably would have to do it several times over, just like Erica had said they would. They were doing it in front of his friends. People in the theaters would see it.
"Cut!" Erica's amplified voice echoed against the pumps, the canopy, and the diner. "Great job, guys! This movie is going to be one of the easiest I've ever made, you guys are great. Come on back."
Ishio, Rin, and Nadia came out of the diner they'd gone into. Yugi turned, feeling relieved. Sota came back up the drive and Joey hung up the gas hose. The six of them joined Erica at the monitors.
"Sota, Marie's going to give you a little prop capsule of the fake blood. This is going to get tricky. I need you to put the capsule in your mouth and bite it while you smile on your line. It'll burst and send some fake blood down your chin. It's nontoxic, so swallow if you have to, but try to let as much as possible out."
Sota nodded, looking a little unenthusiastic. Marie held out a capsule. It was about the size of any liquid gel capsule for medicines and filled with the fake red blood.
The rest of the group stood back while Yugi and Sota moved back to their marks. Yugi stood on his small yellow X while Sota started from one white X to another several yards down the walk.
"Hey, you're still bleeding!"
Sota grinned, and he popped the capsule with his teeth as he did. The fake blood spilled over his bottom lip. Then he inhaled to say his line and promptly sucked the gelatin skin of the capsule down his windpipe.
He bent double, choking and coughing. Yugi hurried forward, joined by Erica, Marie, and most of everyone else. Before anyone but Yugi had even had a chance to reach him, he had hacked the capsule back up and spit it out, but it was clear the back of his throat had been irritated. He was red in the face, tears running down his cheeks, coughing harshly as his gag reflex worked over time.
Marie had a bottle of water. In between coughing and gagging fits, Sota managed to swallow a couple sips of water and soothe his throat. Still red-faced and now with a running nose and eyes, he accepted the towel handed to him by Vince and cleaned up, nodding his head continuously to everyone's questions if he was okay.
"I'm good," he said, his voice hoarse. It made him cough again for a second, but he took another swallow of water and settled.
While Erica apologized and drew Sota over to the chairs she and other personnel sat in while the cameras were rolling, Yugi spotted Ishio smirking in amusement from next to the pick up.
"Okay, we're done for today," Erica said. She had her hand on Sota's should from where she had been rubbing it consoling as she checked yet again that he was okay. "Sota, if you're sure you're good, you can head back with the rest of them in the bus."
"I'm fine," Sota said. His voice was still hoarse, but now he seemed embarrassed by the fervent concern of the group. "Really. Who hasn't choked before?"
"All right. I'll see everyone back here Sunday at nine. Candy's wagon will be here and you'll get breakfast and then we'll start over. Kevin and I will rewrite the scene so you-"
"You don't have to do that," Sota said, now even more mortified. "I can do it."
She gazed at him. "We'll talk it over. Like I said, accidents happen, so don't beat yourself up. At the least, we have a good outtake."
Sota was cheered and laughed. Erica told them to keep their dirtied-up clothes, as they were now officially their costumes, and told them arrangements were being made to reimburse them. They were to show up to set wearing the same clothes each day, until they reached any point a costume change would appear. The group broke up, the movie personnel moving to start taking in the equipment that couldn't be left overnight and shut off the lights and the rest heading for the bus.
Erica caught up with them. "Yami, Tristan, Tea, it was nice meeting you three. However, I really don't know if I can have you still watching."
Tristan's face fell. "But, aren't there always onlookers at movie sets?"
She studied him, seeing how disappointed he was. Her lips pursed thoughtfully.
Tea chimed in. "You don't have to keep feeding us and driving us. We take care of that. But, please, can't we keep watching for Yugi and Joey? Moral support?"
Erica's expression grew more intense. She was clearly thinking it over. Finally, she nodded. "All right. I guess if any of the rest of you have some friends or family members who want to come watch, you can bring them along." As Tristan whooped, she raised a warning finger. "But you are all going to keep quiet. Both on the set and about the movie. No spoilers. I am not joking at all when I say that if I find out anyone has leaked anything, I will kick you off set and I may even sue. I am serious. Is that understood?"
Everyone nodded.
"And, when we get to any of the death scenes, I may bar any outsiders anyway." She smiled. "I really can't afford to have any spoilers or mess ups there. It's really expensive to film and I also don't need anyone getting upset watching their loved one get torn to bits."
tbc...