"You have nothing to worry about. Mother will happy to meet you. I'm sure my siblings will like you too," Said Josko. He paused. "Unfortunately, you won't get to meet my father. He, ugh... he perished in a war when I was only 8. I never really knew him..."
He lead her through the airport, looking for somewhere to eat.
"I know you prefer to eat healthy Nui-tan food, but seeing as you're back in Radiatia, how about some of our... offerings?" He said, leading them towards "
Greasy Joe's Extra Greasy Grease Burgers", a fast food outlet*.
"Please order, comrade." Said the cashier, a young Red Radiatian who greeted them in that cold Radiatian way that Kiana would had no doubt become accustomed to by now.
"Yes, let's see I'd like to order a 'Heart Attack Burger', and I imagine Kiana will probably have the 'Dead Animal In A Bun With Processed Cheese And Green Stuff That Looks Like But Isn't Necessarily Lettuce.' " Said Josko.
"Would you like Health Insurance with that, comrade?" Said the cashier.
"No thanks, we're covered."
"Okay so that's one Heart Attack Burger and one Dead Animal In A Bun With Processed Cheese And Green Stuff That Looks Like But Isn't Necessarily Lettuce?"
"Affirmative." Said Josko.
"That'll be 12 Tsenyens all up."
Josko handed the cashier his Citizen ID card, which the cashier scanned, before allowing Josko to enter his PIN number.
Shortly afterwards, the cashier handed them a tray with two burgers and some fries.
"Welcome back to Radiatia," Said Josko, as he bit into a burger that was nearly the size of his own head. "I hope you aren't
too attached to eating proper food. We're, ugh, not as strict about food safety here, so to speak..."
---
After their meals, Josko lead them out into the carpark, where he had a parked car waiting.
"It's been a while since I've driven, so I apologise in advance." He said, turning the ignition. "I would show you around New Aliyas, but we have a very long drive ahead of us. Yuesses, the city I grew up in, is roughly north of here."
Soon they were off, with Josko looking for the Interstate. There were hints of suburbs, whisps of desert and steppe, and the occasional tree as they drove further and further away from Radiatia's 5th largest city.
"A lot of people around here will tell you that civilisation ends north of Alayenia. Now as a New Vashuran who grew up looking enviously over the border at Alayenia, I'm not sure how I feel about... oh who am I kidding? It's true!"
The drive north continued for hours, with occasional bathroom stops along the way. The more rugged Alayenian scenery flattened out into dull steppes as they came closer and closer to New Vashura.
Approximately 7 hours into the journey, they reached the State Border, where there was a check point.
Josko woke Kiana, who had fallen asleep, as two guards approached them.
"You think you wouldn't have to deal with this when travelling in your own country, but here we are..." Josko muttered as the guard tapped in the windscreen.
"Citizen IDs, please." Said the guard.
Josko handed his over. The guard scanned it and gave it back with a grunt. He looked over at Kiana.
"Has the foreigner got permission to leave Alayenia?"
Josko cocked an eyebrow. "Yes she does. Do you not know who I am?"
The guard glanced at Josko's Citizens ID. "Your name is Josko Ivers, comrade."
"Yes, and what is significant about that?"
The guard was checking Kiana's passport. "I'm sure you're a very special individual."
"Have you never read a newspaper? I'm the Federal Minister of Foreign Affairs!"
The guard shrugged. "I'm sure your mother must be very proud of you."
"I'm the 10th most powerful person in the country. A Member of the Federal Parliament. In Xerconia."
The guard shrugged again. "Good for you, comrade. I don't care for the politics. Never voted before, never plan to. Have an efficient day!" He said as he raised the barrier.
---
*[
OOC: Greasy Joe's Extra Greasy Grease Burgers is TOTALLY gonna be my next GE&T storefront
.]