Disclaimer: Movie dialogue modified from Saints Row IV.

Beacon Academy was never particularly lauded for its extracurricular activities, in that there were few of them. But, ever the overachiever, and refusing to be shown up by Shade Academy's drama program, Doctor Bartholomew Oobleck intended to change that. And so it was that he founded the Beacon Academy Filmmaking Society. This intrepid band of students (and some faculty) were usually found after classes, creating pieces of independent cinema. They were in the middle of filming on location in the Emerald Forest for their first production: A page-to-screen adaptation of the much-acclaimed novel, Violet's Garden. Unfortunately, things didn't seem to be going as planned.

"Cut, cut, cut!" Doctor Oobleck interjected as he rose from the director's chair in a flurry. "Alright… what is going on with you?"

"Professor Oobleck, please, I'm giving this scene all I can!" Ruby Rose stammered in frustration.

"Firstly, for the two-hundred-and-sixty-fourth time, it is Doctor Oobleck! And secondly, you're doing just fine, Miss Rose." He gestured to her scene partner. "It's you I take umbrage with!"

Nickol Melanzane flinched in confusion. "Me? What am I doing?"

"The real question here is: What aren't you doing? And there is a very good answer!" He picked up a spare script, flipping through it to the scene they were filming. "This is the great, dramatic reunion of these two lovers who have been apart for so long, now in each other's arms at last." He slammed the script down on a folding table, and picked up his thermos of coffee. "So with that in mind… where is the passion? The ecstasy? The relief? The torrent of emotions to reflect the storm passing into the horizon? You're absolutely wooden today!"

Nickol was losing his patience as well. "If that's the case, then why don't I just leave?"

Bartholomew placed his thermos back on the table after a quick sip. "Because I'm not mad at you or your acting! That's the point. I just want you to understand what I need from you. In fact," he said as he walked into the staging area, "why don't I show you?"

"Show me?" Nickol parroted, confused.

"Yes, precisely. Nickol, go over to Camera One, and stay there for this take." He did. "Miss Rose, start getting into character." She took an eyedropper out of her back pocket, and applied a few fake tears. "Right, places, everybody! We are taking this from, 'I really thought I lost you.'" Places were taken. "And… action."

"I really thought I lost you." Ruby said, reciting her lines as Violet Everbloom, the fake tears glimmering in the lights.

Oobleck had stepped into character as the noble Rowan Quartz. "Violet, look… I'm sorry you had to go through that, but I'm here now. Alive." He stepped closer, putting a hand on her shoulder. "That counts for something, right?"

"Yes…" "Violet" said as she turned her head from his gaze. "But I just can't go through that again."

"Violet, don't worry," "Rowan" said, using his other hand to cup her cheek. "You won't have to. I promise."

"...Thank you, Rowan," she said, and kissed him. It was… perfect.

"Cut!" Dr. Oobleck said at last, breaking away, and turning his attention to Nickol. "You give us even seventy percent of that… and we have ourselves a movie." He quickly made his way back to the director's chair. "Alright, let's give this one more take. From the top!"

Nickol returned to his starting position, but not before exchanging a glance with Ruby.

"Seventy percent?"

"Yeah," she said, momentarily rubbing at her lips. "Seventy percent."

"And… ACTION!"

Author's Note: Special thanks to user FireDusk for his OC guest star, Nickol Melanzane. Congrats on the win.

Let's see, how many left… Only two? Really? Wow. How far we've come indeed.