As Messimah made his way towards a makeshift podium in the park, built next to the fountain, he continued to monitor the drones that were patrolling the sky above the park.
Yeah, the more the better.
A small smile appeared on Messimah's face as he focused on the path ahead.
With such a festival, of course, the authorities and the police force were keeping an eye out on everything, one can't count the number of times certain groups had attempted to achieve their objective on this day.
Be it rebellion or an attack on a well-to-do citizen.
It was a day of celebration, for the law-abiding citizen, and also a day of stealing for those who were capable.
Scattered around the park at strategic points, law enforcement officers stood on guard, armed and alert.
There should be a few snipers positioned on some of these buildings, Messimah mused, glancing upward. Trumm can handle them.
The park was surrounded by towering skyscrapers, their shadows stretching over the scene. Identifying hidden snipers amidst the high vantage points would be nearly impossible without specialized equipment or an even better position.
However, for someone like Trumm, Messimah trusted that it wouldn't be much of an issue.
Messimah began feeling nervous the closer he got to the podium.
As he walked through the crowd, Messimah was deaf to the calls of personnel from the vendors around calling out to him.
He was also deaf to the laughter around.
In a few minutes, he was next to the fountain.
"Trumm, am I good to go?"
"Yeah, just tranquilized the officers on the roofs."
"Gola?"
"Already in their servers, it's mine to run now. Ready whenever you're ready, Simah."
Taking a deep breath with his eyes closed and holding this position for a few seconds, Messimah finally exhaled.
Here goes nothing…
Stepping onto the podium, Messimah drew the attention of many people, however, most of the crowd ignored him.
This wasn't a scene that they were new to.
Many of them were certain the guards around would soon come to take Messimah off the stage. However, a few seconds went by and no one came.
"Gola, do your thing," Messimah whispered.
Almost immediately, the drones that were in the middle of simulating a storm in the sky went dark for a few seconds, dragging the attention of the crowd in the park and others in other parts of the city.
"Good evening, people of Jejity!" Messimah uttered and his voice reverberated across the entire park and to other parts of the city.
This startled everyone. Right at that moment, the drones projected Messimah's image into the sky, making it easy for everyone around to see him.
"May the winds guide you, and the rains renew us!" Messimah declared with a smile, his voice carrying over the murmurs of the crowd as he scanned their faces.
From their anxious expressions, it was clear fear was spreading, and chaos threatened to erupt.
"Please, do not panic," he continued quickly, raising his hands in a calming gesture. "I am not a terrorist, nor am I here to incite rebellion. I am a peace-loving, law-abiding citizen."
He spoke with urgency, knowing that if panic broke out and the crowd scattered, his efforts would be wasted.
Messimah needed their attention, not their fear.
"I am simply someone who wants to make life better for everyone," Messimah explained, his tone softening. "I've been working toward this moment for years, and I couldn't think of a more fitting time to share my invention with the world. Just as the storm brings us drinkable water, I've created a solution to our water problem."
While his words reached many in the crowd, others still moved toward the park's exits, skeptical of his intentions and unconvinced by his reassurances.
Some were actually curious and they remained where they were as it wouldn't hurt to listen. And for the fact that Messimah hadn't been shot or taken off the stage, filled some people with some level of reassurance.
They thought he was a part of the government of the city.
Reaching into his bag, Messimah slowly retrieved the Aqua Filtration Kit, not wanting to scare them away by rushing things.
By the time he brought this out, the entire park was silent.
"This, my friends, is a prototype called the Aqua Filtration Kit-"
"It filters water?" A voice from the crowd pivoted.
"You catch on quickly, sir." Messimah smiled.
Isn't that obvious from its name, dumb fuck. If you can think of that, so can everyone here.
Messimah's facial expression didn't do justice in portraying what was in his mind.
"As you all can tell from its name, this is a device that can filter the radioactive waters we have, and turn into pure water that can be consumed. The water it filters and purifies doesn't have any side effects, tested and trusted!" Messimah said.
"Would you guys like to see it in action?" Messimah asked as he noticed that a lot of people were genuinely interested in this. In fact, this was what he was hoping for, just telling them about the device wasn't enough, he needed to show and prove it to them.
At this point, almost everyone that was paying attention to this became curious, they wanted to see what the Aqua Filtration Kit could do.
"Messimah, the cops are starting to move. They are trying to fight my malware off their servers, you have at most 10 more minutes till they reach here.
If I can convince them of the Aqua Filtration Kit, I wouldn't have to worry about those dogs. The people would be on my side and escaping this place wouldn't be a problem.
"Show us, if you are truthful!" Someone from the crowd shouted.
"As you wish." Messimah smiled.
He stepped off the podium and started walking towards the water fountain. His pace was steady, as though he wasn't aware that the law enforcement officers were closing in on this place.
"Now, we all know how deadly this water here is, or would any one of you want to have a taste of the water from the fountain before I make use of it?" Messimah asked he and was replied with an obvious answer.
"Hell no!"
"Fuck you!"
"Get on with it boy!"
Well, different versions of the obvious answer he was expecting to hear.
With a chuckle, Messimah knelt by the fountain, his movements deliberate to keep the crowd's focus on him and clear enough for the drones in the sky to capture his movements.
He held the Aqua Filtration Kit up for all to see.
"This," Messimah announced, "is what will make the undrinkable drinkable. Watch closely."
Messimah carefully positioned the kit near the edge of the fountain, securing the intake nozzle into the radioactive water. The crowd murmured among themselves, a mix of doubt and anticipation swirling in their voices.
The device hummed softly to life as Messimah pressed a button on its side.
A faint glow pulsed along the edges of the kit, signaling its internal systems were active. Slowly, the water began to flow into the device, disappearing into its thin, cylindrical body.
The Aqua Filtration Kit worked quietly but efficiently, its internal components a mystery to the crowd but undeniably effective.
A small, clear outlet on the opposite side began to trickle water into a container Messimah had prepared. The water was visibly pristine—crystal-clear and shimmering under the lights.
A gasp rippled through the crowd as they watched the transformation happen in real-time. The container filled steadily, and Messimah held it up triumphantly once it was full.
"This," he said, his voice steady and resolute, "is pure water, free of toxins, radiation, and everything that's been plaguing us for years. Anyone brave enough to taste it?"
There was a beat of silence before Messimah spoke again.
"Of course, I'll be the first to taste it." Messimah turned a nozzle and let the water within trickle into his mouth.
Watching this, everyone who had reservations immediately threw those reservations in the wind. A lot of them here had never tasted real water.
An older man stepped forward, his face lined with both skepticism and the cautious hope of someone who had seen too many empty promises.
"Let me try it too, young friend." The man said.
With a wide smile on his face, Messimah handed him the container, and all eyes followed as the man took a sip.
His expression shifted from suspicion to amazement as he swallowed, looking at the crowd and then back at Messimah.
"It's... it's clean," The man declared, his voice filled with wonder. "It tastes water… true water. No bitterness, no metal, nothing!"
A wave of astonished chatter broke out among the crowd. Some clapped, others cheered, and more than a few surged forward to get a closer look at the Aqua Filtration Kit.
Messimah smiled, his confidence swelling as he glanced toward the looming skyscrapers. The clock was ticking, but the crowd was on his side now. That was all he needed.
Around 7 minutes left.
"Hey, Mr. Inventor, please, can I also have a taste?" A woman from the crowd pleaded.
"Hey, I want to have a taste of it too!" Another person said, sparking an argument amongst the crowd.
My oh my, yes, fight over this. I need you to want this even more-
"How much for the prototype, I want to buy it!" An offer immediately came from the crowd.
Ah, ain't no words better than those particular words. Argh, I should have made another prototype.
It wasn't as if people in the crowd couldn't understand what this invention meant to them. Many of them understood that if they had this Aqua Filtration Kit, they wouldn't ever have to spend money to buy water again.
Hence their sudden desire to buy the prototype from Messimah.
Some others immediately saw the business possibilities that this device could bring to them and they wanted to take advantage of it so they made their bid too, wanting Messimah to call out a price.
Messimah reprimanded himself, it was as though he was being carried away by the imagination of immediate gain rather than the future gains.
"There's still a little bit of water left in the container, and unfortunately, this prototype isn't for sale… yet. However, in the near future, it will be!"
In response to this, the crowd began cheering, clapping so hard that it sounded as if a thousand horses were galloping around the city.
Their cheers reached the sky as some people began shedding tears of joy…