Bazooka - Inauguration

Orion blinked at the ceiling, the faint hum of his surroundings slowly becoming more distinct as he woke up once again. His body still felt heavy, like he'd been dragged through a storm. After initially waking up earlier, he'd fallen back into a light nap for the past four or five hours. Rin and Neil had left to grab some medicine for him and run errands for their college work, leaving him with Cas.

She had been beside him when he first opened his eyes , but now she was perched on the edge of his desk, flipping through something on her phone with a quiet, detached look. The silence between them wasn't uncomfortable—it felt like a calm before the storm of the evening ahead.

Orion stretched, his muscles sore from the long hours of unconsciousness, and winced slightly. Cas didn't look up from her phone, but her voice came through softly, laced with her usual bluntness.

"You better get some rest if you're planning on showing up to the festival tonight," she said, not looking up from her screen.

Orion sat up a little more, rubbing his eyes. "Yeah, yeah. I'm fine."

"Sure you are," Cas muttered, a wry smile curling at her lips. "Try not to collapse again."

Orion chuckled, though his body still protested every movement. "I'm not sure if I can do that."

Cas finally looked at him, her sharp eyes glinting with a knowing look. "You'll make it through. Besides, I promised I'd keep you alive long enough for the festival. We wouldn't want to ruin your social calendar for the semester."

He grinned, but that didn't stop the gnawing feeling in his chest. He couldn't shake the sense that something important was waiting for him tonight—something that wasn't just about the festival itself.

---

Rin and Neil returned shortly after, carrying a small bag of medicine and looking unusually cheerful, as though they'd just been on an adventure. Rin was the first to approach, her eyes flickering over him with a scrutinizing look before she nodded in approval.

"You should take this," she said, handing him the bottle of pills. "And don't skip the rest. You need it if you're planning on surviving the night."

Orion took the bottle and nodded. "I'll take it in a minute. Just... let me catch my breath."

Neil grinned. "Don't take too long, man. We're not letting you off the hook for this festival. We need our fearless leader to show up for the fun part."

Cas raised an eyebrow at Neil's words. "Leader? I thought you guys were supposed to be the ones taking the reins here."

Neil shrugged. "Eh, I like the idea of having someone to push around. Plus, Orion's good at keeping things interesting."

Rin rolled her eyes. "Please. If anyone's keeping things interesting, it's you, Neil."

"Exactly," he said, flashing a cheeky grin.

As Rin and Neil bantered, Orion glanced out the window. The sky was slowly fading into a golden-orange hue as the day drew closer to its end. The festival was only hours away, and though his body was exhausted, his mind felt alive with anticipation.

"Alright," Orion finally said, breaking his silence. "What's the plan for tonight?"

Rin smirked. "You're coming with us, obviously. It's the festival Bazuka, not some random weekend hangout."

Cas gave a small, amused shrug. "I don't know what they're all so excited about. It's just a bunch of students putting on a show."

Orion's lips quirked into a smile. "Yeah, but something tells me this year's different."

Rin's gaze softened for a moment. "You'll see."

They left the room after making sure Orion was comfortable.

He lay back again, thinking about the festival. It was the one event everyone had been talking about for weeks. The campus was alive with excitement, and he couldn't help but feel a pull towards it.

---

An hour later, Orion found himself stepping out of his dorm room, joined by his friends as the energy of the campus seemed to intensify around them. The usual chatter and foot traffic was now amplified, with students rushing to finalize setups and booths. The festival atmosphere was electric—the anticipation was palpable, as if everyone in the crowd could feel that something momentous was about to unfold.

"Ready?" Neil asked, a playful grin on his face.

"More ready than I've ever been," Orion said, trying to push his lingering doubts aside. Whatever happened, he knew that this evening would be a turning point. Whether he liked it or not, everything was about to change.

---

The central courtyard was filled with energy. Orion could hear the faint hum of music coming from the stage area, the vibrant colors of banners hanging from booths, and the smell of food wafting through the air. Students of all years were busy at work, decorating booths, setting up VR stations, and adjusting lighting. Everything was meticulously arranged, and yet it all seemed to be in a state of organized chaos.

Cas, Rin, Neil, and Orion made their way through the crowd, navigating the maze of booths and exhibits as they headed toward the main stage. The energy was contagious, and Orion felt his pulse quicken in response. He couldn't deny that the festival had always been one of the most exciting events at the academy, but this year? This year felt different. Bigger.

As they neared the stage, the crowd began to thin out. It was almost time for the inauguration, and people were beginning to take their places, their eyes trained on the elevated platform at the center.

---

At exactly 4 PM, the crowd fell into an expectant hush as members of the board of Lucid Nexus and Prime Tech stepped onto the stage for the inauguration ceremony. Both organizations were present to mark the importance of the event—though they had some differences, their shared goals and vision for the future united them.

The representatives were dressed in formal attire, their faces solemn but proud as they stepped up to the microphone.

The crowd cheered, and Orion felt the weight of the moment. This wasn't just a festival—it was a symbol of everything that had come to pass since the discovery of lucid dreaming. The possibilities, the risks, and the connections it had created for people like Orion were about to be celebrated on a grand scale.

As the ceremony began, one of the leaders of Lucid Nexus stepped forward to deliver the opening speech. "We stand at the threshold of a new era," she began, her voice steady and confident. "An era where knowledge, power, and dreams intertwine. Bazooka is not just a celebration—it is a testament to how far we have come, and a reminder of the work that still lies ahead."

Her words hung in the air, charged with meaning, as the crowd cheered again.

Orion watched, his mind racing with thoughts of the future, of the faction choices looming over him, and the potential for change that was waiting to be discovered. He had made it this far, but what would come next? He wasn't sure, but for now, he felt like he could enjoy the moment.

The festival had officially begun. And for the first time in days, he felt like he was part of something much bigger than himself.

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