CHAPTER 399: WEEKS OF PREPARATION

Two weeks into pre-production, filming had yet to begin. Damien was taking his time, ensuring every element was perfect before cameras rolled.

The original timeline suggested months of preparation, but Lucas’s unexpected contributions were accelerating certain aspects.

Lucas had not only mastered the piano pieces but was proving invaluable in the music development.

Working alongside Justin Hurwitz and the music team, he helped shape songs like "City of Stars," "Another Day of Sun," and "The Fools Who Dream." His suggestions for "City of Stars" particularly impressed the team - what might have taken months of refinement came together with surprising speed.

Justin and Damien exchanged bewildered looks as Lucas casually offered perfectly fitting melodic solutions and arrangement ideas. They couldn’t quite figure out how one person could have such precise musical instincts, but they weren’t complaining about the progress.

Of course, Lucas knew exactly why he could help so efficiently - these were songs he remembered from his previous life. He simply had to guide the team toward what he knew would work, making it seem like organic collaboration rather than foreknowledge.

Despite the musical components coming together ahead of schedule, other aspects still required their full development time. The choreography, in particular, couldn’t be rushed.

Emma was starting from scratch with her dance training, working with Mandy Moore on basic steps and movements.

During their break, Lucas, Emma, and J.K. huddled together, discussing their characters. Lucas couldn’t help but grin at J.K. "You know, I’m starting to think Damien has it out for you. First Fletcher in ’Whiplash,’ now Bill as this jazz-hating restaurant owner. He keeps casting you as these antagonistic characters."

J.K. laughed warmly. "Hey, someone’s got to be the bad guy. Besides, I must be doing something right if he keeps calling me back."

"Or something very wrong," Emma quipped, making them all chuckle.

As their laughter subsided, Lucas’s attention drifted to where Damien stood, deep in conversation with the production team.

Something was different about him this time around. During "Whiplash," Damien had been more receptive to suggestions, often incorporating Lucas’s ideas into the film. But now, he carried himself with a new authority, fully embodying his role as director. Even when Lucas offered input, Damien would consider it carefully against his own vision rather than readily accepting it.

The change was subtle but significant. This wasn’t the same director who’d nervously pitched a movie about a brutal jazz instructor. This Damien knew exactly what he wanted and wasn’t afraid to fight for his vision. Lucas found himself respecting this evolution, watching as his former collaborator grew into a more confident filmmaker.

***

In the dance room, mirrors reflected the cast as they worked through their steps - spins, lifts, and waltz-like movements blending with more contemporary flows. Mandy Moore watched closely as Lucas and Emma practiced their duet sequences, their feet moving across the wooden floor in measured patterns.

Emma concentrated intensely on each step, counting under her breath as she worked to maintain the dreamy, floating quality the scene required. Lucas matched her pace deliberately, making small "mistakes" here and there to mask his true ability. He kept close to her skill level, just a touch more polished to make his progress seem natural.

During their water break, Emma wiped her brow with a towel. "I had no idea it would be this challenging," she admitted, stretching her shoulders. "It looks so effortless in old Hollywood musicals."

Lucas nodded, taking a sip of water. "Tell me about it. Those classic dancers made everything look easy."

***

Two weeks of dance rehearsals flew by. Lucas carefully maintained his facade of gradual improvement, making sure his "progress" stayed just ahead of Emma’s genuine development. He’d deliberately stumble on certain sequences, then "improve" at a believable pace.

Emma had mastered several key sequences, particularly the sunset dance and the planetarium scene. But the more complex numbers still needed work - her determination evident in every practice session as she pushed to perfect each movement.

During their break, Emma caught her breath, studying Lucas with curiosity. Something about his occasional stumbles during practice felt... deliberate.

"Hey," she ventured, taking a sip of water. "This might sound weird, but are you holding back during rehearsals?"

Lucas raised an eyebrow, looking genuinely surprised. "What? No way. I’m struggling just like everyone else with these steps."

Emma initially felt relieved. It was somehow comforting to know that Lucas Knight - who seemed to master everything effortlessly, from piano to complex dramatic scenes - could struggle with dance just like a normal person.

But two days later, she began noticing subtle things. The way his "mistakes" seemed too perfectly timed. How his "struggles" never quite matched his natural grace in other movements. To most observers, his gradual improvement looked natural, but Emma had spent enough time watching him to spot the careful calculation behind each "imperfect" step.

During their next break, she observed him chatting casually with other cast members, maintaining the appearance of someone who’d just struggled through a challenging rehearsal.

The performance was so convincing that Emma found herself questioning her own observations. But she couldn’t shake the feeling that she was witnessing yet another layer of Lucas Knight’s remarkable abilities - not just his talent, but his skill at concealing it.

***

A full month had passed since rehearsals began, with the cast dedicating endless hours to dance practice, vocal training, and acting workshops. For Lucas, this represented an unusually lengthy commitment to a single project’s preparation phase.

Throughout his career, only a handful of films had demanded such extensive pre-production time - "127 Hours," "Joker," "Hunger Games," and several other major productions. Most of his movies wrapped within a month of starting. Yet here they were, six weeks into "La La Land," and they hadn’t even begun filming.

While such lengthy preparation periods were standard practice in Hollywood, Lucas typically accelerated his projects using his "Mind Workshop" abilities and subtle influence over production. This time was different. Damien maintained complete creative control, and Lucas found himself willingly taking a step back from his usual approach.

He had no desire to rush this particular project. Besides, Damien’s dedication to his vision was admirable - the director had consistently turned down potential investors who wanted to compromise the story by turning Sebastian into a rockstar or eliminating the bittersweet ending. If Lucas hadn’t provided financial backing himself, the film might still be trapped in development, waiting for investors who wouldn’t demand creative sacrifices.

Lucas watched Emma and the others still struggling with their dance moves. Learning choreography alone would be tough enough, but they were juggling everything at once - dance practice, script readings, singing lessons, character work. It was exhausting jumping from one thing to another each day, though seeing their improvement made it worth it.

During today’s practice, Lucas and Emma danced together - starting with a soft, intimate waltz that broke into playful spins under the afternoon light. Their feet traced patterns across the floor as they moved from structured steps to more natural movements, their bodies finding rhythm together in the space between classic dance and modern flow.

Mandy Moore and the dance team watched them finish, clearly pleased. "Emma," Mandy said warmly, "you’ve come such a long way. Your movement has so much more confidence now."

"Thank you," Emma smiled through heavy breaths. She dropped onto a nearby chair for their break, tired but satisfied.

Lucas offered Emma genuine praise for her progress, but noticed her expression shift, like she wanted to say something but kept holding back.

"Everything okay?" he asked, catching her hesitation.

Emma was quiet for a moment, then finally spoke. "Lucas... you’ve already mastered all the dance sequences, haven’t you?"

The question caught him off guard. He thought he’d been careful with his act. "What? No, I’m still learning everything just like everyone else."

Emma let out a knowing laugh. "It’s okay to admit it. I’ve figured you out."

Seeing Lucas’s silence, she continued, "You might think you’re being subtle, but as an actor, I can tell when someone’s performing. You’ve been deliberately downplaying your dancing skills." She shook her head, amazed at yet another hidden talent of his.

Lucas exhaled, knowing he’d been caught. "Alright, you got me. Yes, I mastered the dance sequences."

Before Emma could respond, he quickly added, "But it’s only because I’m not completely new to dancing. I already knew some basics. That’s why I picked it up faster. Unlike you and the others who are starting from scratch."

Emma visibly relaxed. "That’s a relief. I was starting to think you weren’t human if you’d learned all this from scratch."

Lucas chuckled, and Emma playfully nudged his shoulder. "But why even pretend? Afraid we’d make you teach the class?"

"I just didn’t want to rush anyone," Lucas explained. "If you all saw me picking it up quickly, it might add unnecessary pressure."

"That’s... actually really thoughtful," Emma said warmly. "Thanks for considering our feelings."

Her expression turned mischievous. "But just wait until my interviews. I’m definitely telling everyone how Lucas Knight is actually a perfect lizard person who’s good at everything. It’s the only explanation."

Lucas laughed softly. "Please don’t. There are enough conspiracy theories about me already."

"Too late," Emma grinned. "I’m going to tell everyone how you probably hatched from an egg and learned piano before you could walk."

"Fine," Lucas shot back with a smile. "Then I’ll tell the press how Emma Stone is actually a dance prodigy pretending to struggle just to make the rest of us feel better."

"Oh please," Emma rolled her eyes. "After they’ve seen my first week of rehearsals? Nobody’s buying that story."

Their laughter echoed through the studio, a moment of genuine friendship emerging from shared exhaustion and honesty.