Chapter 36: Mission Complete

Chapter 36: Mission Complete (Mochi POV) It's been a mere four days since "The Demonfather" shattered records, raking in an astounding 14.3 million dollars. This isn't just a triumph for demon cinema; it's a milestone for the entire world of film. Never before has any movie, regardless of origin, amassed 14.3 million dollars domestically in just four days. Not even the most celebrated works from humans or elves have achieved such a feat. Take "The Moon's Lullaby," that acclaimed elven masterpiece. It broke records by earning 8 million dollars in a week in the Moon Kingdom. But "The Demonfather"? It's not just surpassed that benchmark; it's obliterated it. The film's momentum shows no signs of slowing. Its continuing hype throughout the Morningstar Kingdom borders on miraculous. I can only imagine the global box office figures once it starts screening worldwide. Yet, amidst this unprecedented success, I find myself overwhelmed with regret. Why? Because I'm one of those who abandoned Hellfire Studios when news broke of Prince Arthur's exile by his father. I wasn't alone in my hasty decision - many of my colleagues jumped ship too. Now, watching "The Demonfather" break record after record, become a global phenomenon... the weight of our mistake is crushing. We can only imagine what might have been had we stayed, had we believed in Arthur's vision. Every headline trumpeting the film's success is a bitter reminder of our short-sightedness. We let fear and uncertainty cloud our judgment, and now we're left on the sidelines, watching others bask in the glory of what could have been our triumph too. Today, we found ourselves in front of Hellfire Studios, the weight of our past decisions heavy on our shoulders. As we approached, I overheard my friends' nervous chatter. "You really think they'll take us back after we bailed on them?" Zeke muttered, his tail twitching anxiously. Nara, always the optimist, chirped, "Hey, you never know until you try, right? What's the worst that could happen?" "Oh, I don't know," Krix groaned, running a clawed hand down his face. "Maybe they'll laugh us right out of the building? Ugh, I was such an idiot for leaving." I was about to respond when a familiar face approached us. "Well, well, what brings you lot here?" Lilith, one of the studio staff, eyed us suspiciously. "Lilith!" I blurted out, surprised. "I, uh... didn't expect to see you here." Recognition flickered in her eyes. "Mochi? Is that really you? What in the nine hells are you doing here?" I swallowed hard, gathering my courage. "We were hoping... is Prince Arthur around?" I couldn't help but chuckle. Of course they did. Now that we'd hit it big, they wanted a piece of the pie. "Let me guess," I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm, "they've had a sudden change of heart?" Lilith nodded, awaiting my decision. I took a moment to consider, then made up my mind. "No need to see them personally. Tell them this," I leaned in, my voice low but firm. "Coming back won't be a cakewalk. If they want to return, they'll have to prove themselves. Our standards have... shall we say, increased dramatically since they left." A mischievous glint appeared in my eye. "In fact, tell them their first task is to create a short film that captures the essence of loyalty and perseverance in the face of adversity. They have one week, minimal budget, and they can't use any professional actors. Let's see how creative they can get when the odds are stacked against them." Lilith's eyes widened slightly, but she nodded, a small smirk playing on her lips. "Understood, boss. I'll relay the message." As she left, I turned back to the celebration, raising my glass once more. "To loyalty, my friends! And to those who stick around when the going gets tough!" The room erupted in cheers, the energy palpable. We'd climbed to the top together, and I was determined to keep this team - this family - intact as we reached for even greater heights. We partied hard into the night, eventually collapsing in heaps across the cramped warehouse floor. The sound of collective snoring filled the air as we slept off our excesses. Come morning, I stirred awake, my head pounding from the night before. As I contemplated the merits of investing in some demonic hangover cure, a sudden chime echoed in my mind, cutting through the fog of my headache: [Congratulations! Mission "Successful Blockbuster" completed. Reward unlocked: Computer Technologies] The system's notification instantly cleared the cobwebs from my mind. A grin spread across my face as the implications sank in. "Oh, this is going to be fun," I muttered, my eyes gleaming with anticipation. I glanced over at George, still passed out and snoring loudly. My grin widened as I imagined his reaction to this new development. "Wake up, you drunken dwarf!" I called out, kicking his foot lightly. "We've got some experimenting to do!" George groaned, burying his head deeper into his makeshift pillow. "Five more minutes, ye demon spawn..." I chuckled, already formulating plans in my mind. Computer technology in a world of magic? The possibilities were endless. As I started to rouse the rest of the crew, my hangover all but forgotten, I couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement. We'd already revolutionized cinema with "The Demonfather". Now, with this new knowledge at my fingertips, who knew what we could achieve next?