AN: Here you go, 4th chapter of the week. I planned to upload only 3, but since we're in the top 16, it's only fair to everyone who gave the powerstones.đ«Ą Oh, I'm gonna need some more for this one lol.
---
Morning light filtered through the massive studio panels at Titan's New York lot, bouncing off metallic structures that looked nothing like a typical film set. Krypton stood there in full scale, cold, alien, and beautiful in a way that felt expensive even before a single frame had been shot.Â
The centerpiece sat right in the middle of it all. A fully built escape pod, metallic, engraved with Kryptonian patterns, surrounded by glowing panels and structural arches that pulsed faintly with artificial light. It looked real enough that stepping inside it almost felt like stepping into another world.
Alex stood a few feet away from the setup, hands in his pockets as his eyes moved across the set slowly, taking everything in without rushing. He had spent a ridiculous amount of money building this, and he planned to destroy most of it by the end of production. But right now, it looked perfect.
Nearby, the cast had already gathered for rehearsal.
Alexis, playing Supergirl, stood inside the open pod, script in hand, quietly going over her lines again. This was her first film, but it didn't show in the way she carried herself. Months of training and on-set time had done their job. Her posture was steady, her breathing controlled, and when she spoke, her voice held weight even during rehearsal.
Carla Gugino played Alura In-Ze and stood across from her. She spoke calmly, like a mother trying to stay strong while everything fell apart. Next to her, Daniel Craig played Zor-El. His presence was strong and serious, giving the scene a quiet weight without needing to raise his voice.
A few feet behind them, Richard Castle leaned against a railing with Martha Rodgers beside him. They weren't part of the scene, just watching, but Castle had that thoughtful look on his face like he was already analyzing the emotional beats of the moment, while Martha looked far more entertained by the scale of everything.
Martha tilted her head slightly, her lips curving into a soft smile. "Look at her," she said quietly, almost to herself. "She's not even nervous. Or if she is, she's hiding it better than most seasoned actors I've worked with."
Castle let out a slow breath, eyes fixed on Alexis as she delivered another line with surprising confidence. "I still can't believe it," he said, shaking his head slightly with a faint smile. "My little angel⊠she's grown up this fast."
Martha glanced at him, amused. "Children tend to do that. One moment, they are crying over a chocolate bar, the next, they are all grown up and chasing their dreams."
Castle didn't take his eyes off the set. "Feels like yesterday she was stressing over college applications and now she's standing in a full Kryptonian set about to lead a blockbuster," he said, a quiet pride settling into his voice. "This is her first film, and she's already holding her own against people like Carla Gugino and Daniel Craig."
Martha folded her arms lightly, her expression softening. "She's got presence. That's not something you teach easily."
Castle nodded once. "Yeah⊠she does," he said, then added under his breath with a small smirk, "Still not ready for this whole 'watching her become a star' phase, though."
Martha laughed quietly. "Oh please, you're loving every second of it."
Castle finally looked at her, caught, then shrugged slightly. "Maybe a little," he admitted.
Meanwhile, Alex watched Alexis for a second longer as she delivered a line, her voice steady even when the emotion underneath started to rise. He nodded to himself, satisfied with her effort.
He turned away from them and shifted his focus to the technical side without breaking stride. The camera rigs were already in position, multiple angles locked in. He walked toward the main camera, crouching slightly as he adjusted the lens himself, checking the framing with a quick glance through the monitor.
"Focus is slightly off on the left track," he said calmly, not raising his voice.
One of the crew members stepped in immediately, adjusting the setup while Alex watched closely for a second before moving on.
He checked the lighting next, walking through the set as if he had built it with his own hands, which in a way he had. The glow from the Kryptonian structures had to feel alive, not artificial, and he made small adjustments until the reflections hit the actors exactly the way he wanted.
"Lower the intensity by five percent here," he said, pointing toward one of the panels. "I want the light to feel like it's fading, not dying instantly."
The crew followed without question.
Outside the stage, security remained tight to prevent leaks. Alex didn't take chances, especially with something this big.
Alex walked back toward the center, stopping just at the edge of the pod again. He watched Alexis one more time as she ran through the final lines, her voice steady, her expression controlled even as the emotion built underneath.
For a brief second, he smiled.
Then he clapped once, sharp and clear, pulling everyone's attention toward him.
"Alright," he said, his tone calm but carrying across the entire set. "That's enough rehearsal. Let's lock it in. Makeup, wrap up the final touches."
The room shifted instantly. Crew moved faster, actors took their marks, and makeup artists did their last touches before walking away.
Alex stepped behind the main monitor, eyes fixed on the frame as everything aligned.
"Positions," he called out.
The pod sealed halfway, lights dimmed just enough, and the world of Krypton came alive around them.
Alex leaned forward slightly, his voice steady.
"Camera."
A beat.
"Rolling."
Another beat as the red light flicked on.
Alex didn't look away from the screen.
"Scene 1A. Take 1. Action."
...
Daniel Craig stepped forward first, his presence grounding the entire moment before a single word was spoken. He placed a firm hand on the edge of the pod, looking directly at Alexis. "Kara..." he said, his voice low but steady, carrying the weight of a father who already knew how this would end. "You must live. We can't let you bear the consequences of our choices."
Alexis lifted her gaze toward him, fully in character now, her grip tightening slightly against the metallic frame.
Daniel continued, his tone sharpening just enough. "Your cousin⊠Kal-El⊠he will need you. You are stronger and older than he is. You will guide him... keep him safe."
A small pause settled in, just long enough for the weight of that responsibility to land.
"You are the last daughter of Krypton," he added quietly. "And you carry everything we were."
Then Carla Gugino stepped closer, her hand rising to gently cup Alexis's face, her expression soft but holding back something deeper.
"Kara Zor-El," she said, her voice almost a whisper now. "You will be a light where there is darkness. A symbol where there is fear."
Alexis swallowed slightly, her eyes glistening just enough without breaking.
Carla brushed her thumb lightly along her cheek. "No matter where you go⊠no matter how far⊠you remember this."
She leaned in just a fraction closer.
"El may," she said softly.
Alexis closed her eyes for half a second, then opened them again, holding onto that line like it mattered.
"Make them see the best of us," Daniel said, quieter now. "And know this, we love you, Kara."
Alexis finally spoke, her voice controlled but carrying that underlying crack of emotion.
"I love you too. I promise I won't let you down," she said.
Carla shook her head gently, a faint smile breaking through the sadness.
"You never could."
There was a brief silence.
Then Daniel stepped back slowly, his hand lingering on the pod's edge for just a second longer before letting go.
"Goodbye, my daughter," he said.
Carla followed, her voice softer, but somehow heavier.
"Always be happy."
...
Alex didn't move for a second after the line landed. His eyes stayed locked on the monitor, watching Alexis hold that emotion just a fraction longer. Then he raised his hand.
"Cut."
The word echoed across the set, and the tension broke just enough for everyone to breathe again. Alexis exhaled softly inside the pod, her shoulders dropping a little as Carla stepped back and Daniel relaxed his stance.
Alex stepped out from behind the monitor and walked toward them, focused, already replaying the scene in his head. He stopped right at the edge of the pod, looking directly at Alexis.
"That was good," he said, calm and honest. "But I need more from you on the goodbye."
Alexis nodded, listening carefully.
"You're not just leaving your parents," he continued, his tone steady but more pointed now. "You're losing everything. Your home, your people, your entire world. This is the last time you'll ever see them. Let that hit you."
She swallowed slightly, her grip tightening again on the edge of the pod.
"I want it to feel like you're trying to stay strong," Alex added, softer now. "But it's slipping. Just a little. Let the crack show."
Alexis nodded again, this time slower. "Got it."
He stepped back, giving them space. "Let's reset from the goodbye."
The crew moved quickly. Lights adjusted. The pod reset halfway open. Silence settled again as everyone took their positions.
Alex's voice cut through it once more. "Camera."
"Rolling."
"Scene 1A. Take 2."
"Action."
Daniel stepped in again, his voice carrying that same weight, but this time Alexis reacted sooner. Her eyes filled faster, her breathing less controlled as Carla cupped her face again, speaking softly.
"El may."
This time, Alexis broke just enough.
Her voice trembled when she answered, and she delivered her lines perfectly.
Carla smiled through the emotion, brushing her cheek gently.
"You never could."
Daniel stepped back, slower this time, like it cost him more.
"Goodbye, my daughter."
Carla followed, her voice soft but breaking at the edges.
"Always be happy."
Alexis didn't look away this time. Her eyes stayed locked on them as the pod began to close, her breathing uneven, her hand lifting slightly like she wanted to reach out but stopped herself.
The doors sealed.
Silence.
"Cut."
Alex didn't wait long this time. He nodded once, satisfied. "That's the one."
The crew shifted immediately, preparing for the next setup.
"Next scene in ten," Alex called.
The set transformed quickly. With everything ready beforehand, all it took was ten minutes to readjust everything.
Daniel and Carla were now positioned on the raised platform, standing side by side. Inside the pod, a small camera had been mounted, capturing Kara's perspective as the platform beneath it prepared to move.
Alex watched the framing carefully on the screen.
"Camera."
"Rolling."
"Scene 1B. Take 1."
"Action."
The platform beneath the pod began to slide back slowly, creating distance as if the pod was launching away into space. On the monitor, Daniel and Carla grew smaller, their figures still, watching.
Daniel stood tall, but his hand tightened slightly at his side. Carla leaned forward just a fraction, her eyes following the pod like she refused to lose sight of it.
They said nothing this time.
They just watched.
And the distance kept growing.
Alex leaned in slightly, eyes fixed on the screen.
"Cut."
...
The shoot continued...
Scene after scene rolled smoothly, the Krypton set shifting under Alex's direction with sharp efficiency. Lighting changed, platforms moved, and camera rigs adjusted with almost mechanical precision. By evening, all the scenes related to Krypton had been shot and what remained was scale.
The destruction.
Safety teams double-checked rigging, barriers, and blast zones. Sections of the set had already been wired carefully, charges hidden within structural seams where the explosions would break the world apart piece by piece.
Alex stood near the monitor again, going through the final setup while occasionally glancing up at the physical structure. It still looked whole, still looked perfect, and in a few hours, none of it would exist in the same form again.
Daniel Craig walked over. He stopped beside Alex and looked past him at the massive set, then back at him with a raised brow.
"You're actually going through with it?" he asked, half amused, half serious. "Blowing all of this up?"
Alex didn't look away from the set. His eyes stayed on the structure like he was already imagining the blast in motion. "Yeah," he replied simply.
Daniel let out a quiet breath, shaking his head slightly. "You know you could reuse this, right? Sequels, flashbacks, anything. This kind of set costs a fortune. Most studios would stretch it for years."
Alex finally looked at him, a small smile forming like he had already heard that argument a dozen times. "I know," he said, then looked back at Krypton. "But I don't want it to feel reused. I want it to feel gone."
Daniel crossed his arms loosely, still studying the structure. "That's an expensive way to make a point."
Alex gave a short, quiet chuckle. "Money isn't the problem," he said. "Getting this approved was."
Daniel tilted his head slightly. "Approved?"
Alex nodded once. "Real explosives. Permits, safety boards, insurance, and inspections. Weeks of paperwork just to make sure we're allowed to do this legally without shutting down half the city."
Daniel let out a low whistle, clearly impressed. "And after all that, you're still willing to blow it up."
Alex's eyes narrowed slightly, not in doubt, but in focus. "I didn't go through all that just to fake it," he said. "If Krypton dies, it has to look like it actually dies. Not some clean digital collapse that feels safe."
Daniel studied him for a second, then glanced back at the set again. "So this is about realism."
Alex shook his head slightly. "It's about impact," he corrected. "If it looks even slightly off, people feel it. They might not say it out loud, but they know. And once that illusion breaks, the whole moment loses weight."
Daniel nodded slowly, understanding that more than he expected. "And you're confident it's going to work?"
Alex thought for a moment before replying, "I'm only thinking about one thing," he said. "I don't care about the costs or how long it will take to rebuild. I just want to know if the explosion looks good or ruins the scene completely."
Daniel smirked faintly. "So after all this, your biggest concern is whether it looks cool or not."
Alex met his gaze, completely serious. "Exactly."
For a second, Daniel just stared at him, then let out a quiet laugh. "You're insane," he said, though there was respect behind it.Â
Alex shrugged lightly. "Probably," he said, then looked back at the set one last time. "But if it works, nobody's going to forget it."
--
Support link: www.patr eon.com/UnknownMaster
[4 advance chs] [All chs available for all tiers]
+ [Reborn in Castle: 26 chs] + [Modern Family: 6 chs]