The "Tourist"

by Monochrome-1

Chapter Ten: A Car Ride Chat

Here again, lost again, was the thought that Zephyr had as his mind resurfaced. Strange how quick I am getting used to that to be honest. Feels like I'm an actor in a play. Fade in, do some things, fade out, and move onto the next scene where you’ll read your lines, do your part, and everything will be alright at the end…hopefully, he thought to himself with a chuckle as he looked around. Well, at the very least I'm in a pretty good spot at the moment.

And he was because all around him were rolling green hills filled with volcanic soil that grew tree’s larger than any other that he’d seen before in Equestria, flocks of migratory birds making their way from east to west for coming season, the dirt worn road that he stood in that snakes it’s way across those previously mentioned hills, the evening sun in the sky, and peace and quiet. Both of which were only interrupted by the calls of fauna all around him and to which Zephyr cracked a worn smile at.

You know this reminds me of Equestria in a way before it all happened, Zephyr thought to himself as he slowly followed the road way towards one of the distant hills and through it where he suspected the southern ports were. Something to which was confirmed with a look at the compass that he found himself holding in his free arm that didn’t carry his suitcase. Everything was so peaceful back then. No smog, no soldiers, no recruitment posters, no beasts, nothing, nothing at all. Honestly, it just seems so far away from now like we were in a dream. A dream in which the problems of our world could be solved by magical gems, princesses, heroes, talking to one another, and who knows what.

He let out a bitter laugh to himself as the mere thought of it was preposterous, foolish even. A world like that felt something out of a fairy tale, or a childhood dream, and one that couldn't be further from reality than it could ever hope to be.

“Oh what I would do to get it all back,” he said out loud before letting out a sigh. “ A few years of my life? The cash that I had? Hmph, who knows, who knows. Sadly it’s not like anyone around me is giving that option,” he finished as he looked around and took note of how he was entirely alone, “a shame.”

And with that, Zephyr continued walking towards the Southern Ports . It was slow, uneventful work as one could expect it to be. Just him, the road, the things around him, and nothing else. Nobody bothered him, nobody asked him, and there was nothing to occupy him. It was boring, it was droll, and entirely uninspiring to say the least. Within minutes his mind wandered off back into the same thoughts patterns that he had before. The only thing that roused his attention from it was the sound of an engine from behind him and the clatter of tools and steel.

“Hmh?” Zephyr hummed out loud as he peered behind him as he saw a truck in the distance. One that was poorly built, maintained, and judging from the sounds of the engine pops was dying as well.

Well that’s an option to say the least to get to the port sooner, Zephyr thought to himself as he waved a hand while carrying his suitcase in the hopes that the truck would slow down. Maybe they’ll let me on, maybe they won’t, who knows, only one way to find out.

And it did, slowly but surely the truck slowed down, rolled down its window, and revealed its driver, a zebra. One who was tall, wide, strong, and featured several tattoos and piercing across their arms and face respectively. Both of which were separate due to the supernaturally inked black veins that all zebra’s had.

“Uh hi!” Zephyr said with a bit of uncertainty as he made his way over towards it. Craning his neck for a moment to spot her cargo of sealed crates and boxes. “I’m heading over to the southern ports and I was wondering if I could catch a ride there?

The Zebra merely stared back at him with a look of surprise.

“Uhhh, cat got your tongue?” Zephyr asked having gotten used to the habit of nearly everyone that he talked to so far speaking Equestrian. “Hello?”

She continued to stare, her body and her eyes still locked at him.

“Uhhh,” he continued to err with uncertainty, “did i say something wrong?” Hopefully I didn’t, it would be a shame if I had to walk the rest of the way there.

“I uhm,” the driver said hesitantly in what zephyr heard to be coarse tongue of Equestrian, “no, no, i’m fine, it’s just…I didn’t expect to see someone speaking my native language here, and especially from someone like,” she faltered for a moment before gesturing towards him, “you.”

“What do you mean?” Zephyr asked her “I’m pretty sure there's more than a few people from Equestria here, or did the restrictions come down that hard?”

“Equestria?” the driver asked him now somewhat confused, “what do you mean Equestria? I’ve never been there.”

“Well your speaking Equestria after all, surely you're from there right?'' Zephyr replied with a bit of hesitation. “I mean I don't know any other languages. Never really studied them before college, during, or after, so I don’t speak about anything else.”

“Ah, eh, mhm, you know what, nevermind,” the driver said, breathing out a sigh , giving him a semi-exasperated look as she turned her attention back onto other matters. “Where did you say you were going?”

“The southern ports,” Zephyr answered, pointing in the direction, “I'm planning to go there to meet someone, can you take me there?”

“Not all of the way, I'm dropping off these,” she said pointing towards the back to the creates that her truck had, “for someone I,” she hesitated for a moment before eventually finishing with, “work for. I can drop you off there and you can make the walk there. Should only be about an hour or two.”

“That’s good enough,” Zephyr said with a shrug before tapping on the door, “do you mind?”

“Hehm, yeah sure,” she said after some hesitation opening the door to let him inside, “just… don’t touch anything.”

Zephyr looked inside and balked. The truck's cabin itself was a mess: tools, pamphlets, cans, and more lay littered around the floor and on the seats.

“I uhh, don’t think I'll be able to, but I'll try” he said as he got inside the truck’s cabin with his things and closed the door.

“Mhmh,” she merely grunted as she began to drive on.

Weird lady, but nice I suppose, don’t know what she meant about me speaking her language though, Zephyr thought to himself. And noting a strange feeling that came along he took a moment to massage his jaw muscles and to stretch his mouth as they had both suddenly felt sore and numb. It felt as if he had taken some cold medicine, talked for hours, and chewed a wad of thick and crude gum all the while.

Well no matter, he thought to himself with a shrug as he continued to massage his jaw as the feeling slowly faded away. I'll take someone that’s a bit odd compared to someone that doesn't help at all.

And hey, I'm making record time this way, he thought to himself with a contented nod as he looked out the window and watched a flock of exotic birds pass by. I’m pretty sure fluttershy would be jealous if she found out where I was. She probably never had the chance to see something like this before.

“Hehm, yeah, she would be jealous that’s for sure, “ he whispered to himself as his contented mood went away, “y-yeah.”

For the first hour the trip itself was uneventful. The truck drove up the hill, it went along its spiral path that wound around it, it reached the top, it went down again, and did so time and time again as it made its way through the naturistic scenery of The Isles. Something of which made Zephyr bored in time. The surroundings were nice to look at, at first, but see the first gigantic tree for the twentieth time and you see them all eventually. So looking for a way to pass the time he idly rooted around the cabin while the Zebra driver was busy guiding the car up the sloped and spiral path of The Isles.

There wasn’t much to really look at: tools, pamphlets in words that he couldn't read, discarded cans and bottles and more. But there was something in the mess around him that caught his eye, a small badge, and one whose features held the silhouette of a dragon soaring against a white circle backdrop, proudly showing off its wings all the while.

Hmh, wonder what this is for, Zephyr thought to himself as he idly shined the badge in the light, probably some sort of organization I guess.

“So uh do you mind if I ask what’s this for?” Zephyr said, shining the badge in the driver’s line of sight, “something important?”

And rather than presenting a calm and measured response, the driver’s eyes instead shot wide open, and the grip that she had on the steering wheel faltered, sending the car veering away from the road and potentially off the hill.

“Woah, eyes on the road!” Zephyr yelled out as he reached over for the steering wheel and righted the car to its rightful place back on the road.

“Phew,” he said letting out a breath of relief, “you gotta be careful you know? Is this your first time driving out?”

“N-no,” the driver said as she re-steadied her grip on the steering wheel, “I’ve done this before more than a few times. It’s just,” she said faltering for a minute, "I wasn't expecting that to happen.”

“Wasn’t expecting what?” Zephyr asked innocently with the badge still in his hands. “Did something bad happen?”

“No, no,” she said a bit unsure as she gently guided the truck around the hill, “it’s just I forgot that I had that and it was a bit of a surprise to see that I still had it around.”

“Well you probably forgot it in all of the junk that you have around in this place if i’m being honest,'' Zephyr answered as he looked around the truck's cabin. “But you have it here now, did it mean something to you?”

“Sort of?” she said with some hesitation as she shifted a gear on the truck,” but not so much anymore.”

“Why not?” Zephyr asked curiously with a tilt of his head.

“Things happened, I lost interest in the group, and life took me away from it,” she said terseley as she continued driving, “you know how it is.”

“Not really to be honest,” Zephyr said as he looked at the badge. He knew how people could get bored with things, but friends? He never really had one so he didn’t have a frame of reference. He thought it was just something someone got and once they had it they were set for life.

“Well it’s uhh,” the driver said, snapping with one of her fingers as she tried to jog her memory as she continued to drive, “think of it like this. You get together with a bunch of strangers, people who like you, respect you, and treat you well. Eventually you all form a group based on your likes, wants, and most importantly,” she said, pausing for a minute before saying what came next with a sigh, “frustrations.”

“What frustrations?” Zephyr asked her. “Stuff like rent and stuff?” ”

“Mhmmh, sort of?” the driver answered with a bit of hesitation, “but not really, it’s more political stuff in this case.”

“Because a lot of us didn't exactly come from a good place,” she said to Zephyr. Places where you were always alone, where you didn’t know who to trust, who to obey, and how long you had to live until you pissed off the wrong person that could get you killed on the spot.”

“I can imagine,” Zephyr said, recalling his own experience, “those kinds of places must suck.”

“Mhmh yeah it wasn’t pleasant to say the least,” she dryly remarked as she took a moment to flex one of her hands. “So when we came here the question on our minds was, how can we make sure this doesn't happen again?”

“The answer?” she said looking at Zephyr for a moment, “lay in helping each other one another in whatever way we can. Supporting each other, getting to know one another, and doing what we can to make sure it never happens again.”

“Like harmony?” Zephyr asked her”

“Sort of?” she answered awkwardly, “but not really. See with harmony you always tend to have some sort of leader in charge. The person who always says the rules on who should do what, when, and whatnot. For example, let's take Celestia. She rules Equestria, maintains her rule, and makes sure everyones gets along thanks to the centuries of rule she has over her. “

“But I’m pretty sure you can guess how that’s turning out by now if you’ve been paying attention to the news,” she said with a bitter laugh. “The first moment she could when the going gets rough and she wipes out every point of competition she can, sets up a state police, and puts herself as dictator in charge. Honestly, even before that it was not like anyone could stand up to her. I mean whose going to say no to a self proclaimed sun god?””

“N-not a lot of people to say the least,” Zephyr said in a hollow tone as he remembered the early days when The Monarch of The Sun re-established her rule. During which the jails were full, disappearances were high, the engine of war began to start, and a secret police he was sure existed formed to combat the changelings. “Nobody did.”

“Exactly,” the driver said with an ignorant smile to Zephyr’s sudden shift in demeanor, “can’t trust someone like her in charge, and honestly you can’t trust anyone unless they are an active part of your community. Because if they don’t, then they won’t know what’s going on in the ground floor, and they’ll just ignore you the first chance they get if your in the way. Better to make sure that doesn't happen at all.”

“And how would you do that?” Zephyr asked her as he took a breath to steady himself.

“Easy, you just build a society in which they don’t have a chance of getting in charge and where everyone is equal, “she said with a slight huff to herself. “No monarchs, no presidents, and no CEO’s.”

“But how would that work?” Zephyr asked her. "You have to have someone leading after all to get things done. Because if you don’t then who's going to say what to who?”

“I mean that’s what councils are for,” she said, her smile fading as the truck made its way up the hill. “Get some reps from your community, get those voices in, and have them work out a solution. Military in one section, industry in another, and so on and so forth and have them work it out.”

“That sounds...messy to say the least,” Zephyr said with a wince at the idea of a bunch of people arguing with one another. “You sure that’s the best idea?”

“It’s…a little messy to be honest, " she admitted as she led the truck down the hill, “but it is better than the alternative that’s for sure. Because at least then the factory workers or those in the fields can have a say on how things should be done, they’ll have a voice who not only came from the place that they are speaking from, that voice was elected to the position by their fellows, and they can be replaced just like any other person if they aren’t fit for the job.”

“Because let’s be honest here,” she said looking at Zephyr for a minute as she slowed the car down, “who's better at telling someone on how things should go in a place. The manager who knows the numbers, the employee’s, and used to work there firsthand? Or a man or a woman in a business suit who bought the place a few months ago and just wants to make as much cash as they can before the next quarter?”

“The manager I guess?” Zephyr haltingly answered.

“Good answer,” she said, loosening the brakes and continuing to drive, “and the right one. Because they’ll be the one that can give the best answer that they can. They know the most, they were trained for it, so they should be the one giving those answers. Not the ones with the most cash.”

“Right I guess, “ Zephyr said with some hesitation. “That’s why they are paid the big bucks right?”

“In the world we live in, yes, but it shouldn't be that way,” she said as she moved the car around a chunk of debris in the middle of the road, “instead they should be paid just as equally as everyone else. Because if you don’t then inequalities start to emerge, forced leadership happens, and before you know it, you’ve got an oligarchy.”

“Mmhmh,” Zephyr merely hummed in reply. “So you're saying everyone should be treated equally?”

“Yes,” she confirmed with a nod, “but not like what others might say it should be.”

“Like what?” Zephyr said as his lack of worldly knowledge showed once again.

“Well like Stalliongrad I suppose,” she answered with the most apparent example that came to her mind. “For them everyone is treated as equal, but in a way that’s unequal and inhuman. Everyone is given the same thing, the same chores and the same job, but without any care or knowledge for who they are or what job might be. Because for them it doesn't matter if you can only do four hours of work or you need special accommodations to do so, you need to do eight hours without any more than what’s given to the rest, and if you don’t you're out. And if you're out, your treated as scum, fined, imprisoned, and from there spend the rest of your life working in a penal camp until you die from starvation and dehydration.”

“It’s just…it’s just if you're gonna do equality, you should at least do it right,” she said with a sigh. “Treat people as people, not as expendable machines you know?”

“I suppose so,” Zephyr said with a nod agreeing with her in neutrality. “If your in charge of someone from head to toe, you should treat them as people and not as machines.”

“Right,” the driver agreed with am appreciative nod. “You should care about the people that are assigned to you, know what they are capable of, and what they aren’t. Nobody should be forced to do something that they don’t want to do, and especially if they are unable to do it. The only way to avoid that is by not just making sure everyone is treated equally, but also making sure they are heard, listened, and taken care of. Because without that the system just becomes a machine that treats people as replaceable tools and parts rather than a system that hopes for equality.”

“I see,” Zephyr said hesitantly as he drummed his fingers on the window. “So that's why you all came together? To prevent what had happened to you in the past from happening again?”

“More or less,” she answered as she continued driving. “For some of us it was to prevent what had happened to us in the past, for others it was another chance to try when they had failed, and for her,” she emphasized, “it was to put right to what was wrong.”

“Her?” Zephyr asked the driver, “who do you mean by her and by putting right to what was wrong.

“The current organizer for my former group,” she replied as she still guided the car around the hill, “Lady Ruby, a hybrid.”

“What’s a hybrid, like a half dragon half pony?” Zephyr asked the driver.

“It can be, but it isn’t limited to it. Anyone and everyone can be a hybrid as long as your parents bumped uglies in the past, “the driver responded. “And as for the one question you said earlier, well as it turns out a lot of dragons hold resentment for one another in their community. Because even with the monarch being a harmonist, she’s still a monarch, one who isn’t equal, and in turn might make the same mistakes as everyone else.”

“I see,” Zephyr said with a nod recognizing the fear. ‘Do you hate her?”

“The Dragon Lord?” the driver asked Zephyr with a raised eyebrow, “no I don’t hate her. She’s in a stressful position, she’s doing what she can earnestly and that's better than what I can say for the place I left back home.”

“But…just because she’s doing what’s right, doesn't mean that it’s for the best,” she said to Zephyr. “Like I said before, things are still unequal in her rule in one way or another. The rich and strong rule, the weak are ignored, and dragon society is still unchanged. Just because your boss cares about you doesn't mean they can’t take it away at any time if you step out of line unless you're as equal to them as they are to you from the start.”

“I guess,” Zephyr agreed hesitantly, “like you said the only way to ensure that they can’t do that against you is if you can remove them at any time you want, and if you chose them to be there.”

“Right,” she said, agreeing with Zephyr. “Otherwise if you don't, you can easily with end up in a oligarchy or likewise. A system in which the richest or those with the most power rule over the rest."

“Mhmh,” Zephyr merely hummed in response, “so what about your leader, ruby?

“Her?” the driver asked Zephyr as she shifted the truck's gears to get it to slow as they reached the road’s end for the hill. “Well she was the one who started it all. We all had the idea in our minds, but she was the one that started the conversations, got us together, helped us get a meeting hall, and grew the group from probably just another neighborhood group into an actual community. One that actually had a chance to changing things”

“So what happened then?” Zephyr asked the driver. “Sounds like you still hold the ideals of your old group and the like. What made you leave?”

There was a clear and distinct pause to the driver when she heard that message. Choosing to think on her for a minute or two while guiding the car down the hill. Zephyr for his part patiently waited until they hit the flat road again.

“Fear…it was fear I guess,” she said to Zephyr while she shook her head in dismay and she started driving the car along the straight road. “Fear that it would happen again.”

“Of what?” Zephyr asked here. “Fear that you would get hurt?”

“Not just me,” she answered, “everyone. The people that were a part of us, the people that were around us, and the people who we wanted to help. I uhhhh,” she hesitated before giving a sigh, “I could see the old marks that I saw in my past happen again in that group.”

“Old marks?” Zephyr asked her. “Like bad apples or signs and feelings?”

“Exactly,” she said with a nod. “A lot of us I think just wanted to do things right and proper, send out letters, make a few speeches, and slowly but surely win over everyone, but there were a small number of us, the loudest, that wanted to do things by fire and by sword. They wanted to storm buildings, to thrash the capital, and to establish order,” she said with a growl before looking at Zephyr, “and do you know what happens to those people?”

“What happens to them?” Zephyr asked curiously.

“They either become terrorists, die, or if they somehow succeed then they become dictators,” she spat out. “I’ve seen it too many times to count back home before I got here. Ordinarily I would ignore them, but…but,” she gave a sigh as her face softened. "Honestly, I'm afraid of what will happen if they grow in power and lead the group as a whole. Because if they do, then who knows what might happen next.”

“I see,” Zephyr said, “but that doesn't mean that they will.”

“No, no it doesn't,” she agreed, “but that doesn't mean anything either at the end of the day. Because those kinds of people have a way of influencing those around them. Give them enough time to talk and before you know it your seeing a bunch of people trying to stage a violent protest against dragons…dragons,” she scoffed bitterly. “You know, the kind of people that can tear apart the average person with their claws, breathe fire to incinerate flesh, and who couldn't care less about the people around them, those kinds of dragons. They’re right here on this island, you know?”

“Worse still, it might not even be needed,” she said, slumping a bit in her seat as she continued to drive the truck along the straight road. “Who knows, maybe The Scaled Princess would be willing to hear us out. Maybe even give up her crown if she sees that what we’re doing is good for everyone.”

“Heh, maybe, maybe,” Zephyr echoed her thoughts with a nod. “Who knows what can happen if you just talk it out.”

“Yeah, who knows,” she said, letting out a weary breath. “The problem is that now we’ll never get that chance from what I heard of her listening to them before I left.”

“So that’s why you left?” Zephyr asked her. “You left because you're afraid that what you saw could happen in the future?”

She merely gave a dull nod as she continued driving, and only paused as she straightened herself, shifted gears, and kept the car going.

“I’m uh…sorry that you think that way,” Zephyr said emphatically, patting her on the shoulder. “So what have you been doing now?”

“Odd jobs mostly,” she said, “move this there, do this small thing here, build this for someone, stand guard outside for a day, and stuff like that. It isn’t exactly honest work, but it pays the bills, and that’s what matters at the end of the day.”

“I guess so,” Zephyr said as he took a quick look in the back. “So what are you doing now?”

“Oh just a uh…delivery job,” she said, trailing off a bit awkwardly. “It’s just for my newest client who's been making me work a few delivery jobs. Go here, grab this, and drop it off there. Rinse and repeat until I earn my pay.”

“Hmm, well hopefully this one goes smooth,” Zephyr said to the driver as he began to look out the window as the last of his questions were fulfilled.

“Hopefully it does,” she replied back as she began focusing on the road, “hopefully it does.”

From there the drive from there as the truck quickly fell into silence as it moved through The Isles dirt roads. Eventually in time and by nightfall the two reached the destination of the driver’s location, a castle. But not just not any castle, one that seemed to be hosting a party at the moment as the entire place was swarmed by empty carts, cars, banners, and more. Something that was only kept at bay thanks to a heavy fence with open gates that allowed anyone to leave or exit as they pleased. But whose contents inside featured an array of guests as they partied inside the grounds.

Zephyr could only boggle and stand amazed by it all as he witnessed it firsthand. The places that he saw before were gigantic, yes, but those were mansions, keeps, or townhouses. He’d seen them more than a few of those back in Canterlot, but this…this was something else. As even with the decoration that was on display, it was shockingly utilitarian. No white painted walls, no gilded decorations, no ornaments, and nothing that he didn’t see already which he could attribute to be party favors. The castle was truly a castle in all ways and manners.

Nonetheless the truck simply weaved through the chaos that was the outside loft and in turn made its way to a back entrance. Where a uniformed servant dressed in fine cotton clothes directed them inside. Something to which the driver obeyed with practiced movements and without a thought in response. Within moments the driver drove her truck into an underground parking lot that was nearly empty before getting out.

“Phew, we’re here,” said the driver with a breath of relief as she stopped the truck and climbed outside. “Honestly, that was about as smooth as it can get for that trip so good thing for that. Was worried I would find someone waiting for me on the way here.

“Well, anyway,” she said, taking a moment to stretch, “feel free to enjoy the party while you're here if you have time. If not, then just get out of here. To do so if your wondering, spot the dim lights that you see in the southwest outside from the castle and follow it. You should reach the southern ports in about three hours.”

“Right, right,” Zephyr said as he tried to get his bearings, grabbed his suitcase, and made a motion to recover himself, “thank you again for the help.”

“Don’t mention it,” she said with a contended shrug, “honestly I enjoyed the talk. It passed the time and I got to reminisce on the old past. Sure beats playing I spy for most of the day.”

“Well good for you then,” Zephyr said as he got his bearings before he approached her again as a question hit his mind , “but is it okay if I ask you something before we split?”

“Go ahead,” she said with a nod, “I've got a few minutes to kill while I wait for the workers to arrive to move my cargo.”

“Well um, I wanted to ask,” Zephyr started before he held out the badge that he still had in his pocket to her, “would you go back?”

“Go back where?” she asked with a hint of confusion.

“Go back to your group if you have the chance,” Zephyr clarified. “If the problem that you had with them was gone, would you go back?”

“I uhm,” she faltered, “I’m not sure to be honest.”

“What do you mean?’ Zephyr asked, confused. “The problem is fixed, you can go back. You clearly support what they want so what’s the problem?”

“It's just,” she tried to say before giving a sigh, “it’s just not that simple. Sure those guys can be gone, but what about others, what about the future? Who knows if what we want can really work you know?”

She held up a finger as Zephyr began to speak.

“Yes, yes, I know, what if the problem is solved forever,” she repeated with a roll of her eyes. “But that’s fantasy, I mean, would you go back to where you came from if you had the chance?”

“Me?” Zephyr said somewhat surprised, “how do you know I came from outside The Isles?”

“Well the suitcase is a good start,” she answered unamused, pointing to the one that Zephyr had, “also the ragged look you have isn’t doing you any favors as well.”

“Right, uhh, sorry about that,” Zephyr replied with a half chuckle before it died away as he gave it some thought. Would he? He didn’t know. The idea of going back now just brought back unpleasant memories and with it hesitation, but if things were fixed then maybe he would go back. But only maybe, he wasn’t sure any more than that. Maybe in the future, maybe if things were right, but not right now.

But what if they were right? What if things were perfect, what if the war ended tomorrow and he could go home? Well that would be great, fantastic even, but why did the idea or the thought of still going back feel like a weight was in his gut?

“I uhm, I don’t know, maybe? I don’t know really,” he said, echoing the driver's answer unwittingly.

“Exactly,” she said with a tired nod, “maybe. Maybe if circumstances permit it, maybe if someone asked us with a purpose we like, maybe if we suddenly decided and had the courage to go along with it, but as of right now it’s clear that we’ve made our choices for now, and that’s not going to change anytime soon.”

“I guess,” Zephyr replied a bit despondent at the idea of still running away even if things were alright before he was patted on the back by the driver.

“Hey, cheer up,” she said with a smile, “the choice is yours at least so take pride in it. Better that than having nothing at all and hey,” she said, spreading out her arms wide towards the garage exit, “you managed to make it here by yourself. That has to be worth something right?”

“Heh, yeah I guess,” Zephyr said, having a half smile as he held out the badge he had to her again. “Any idea what I should do with this?”

“Keep it to be honest,” she said, turning it down. “Honestly at this point it only brings back bad memories.”

“Well alright then,” Zephyr said as he pinned it to his chest with the others. Something that caused a chuckle out of the driver as she watched.

“Well hmph, you look like a piece of work or for sure,” she happily said. “Some big government man you are, one who I presume has a friend from Griffonstone along with someone in the government. Where did you get them anyway?”

“Oh just around,” Zephyr said with a shrug as he took a moment to polish them with his ringed hand. “You would be surprised at what people would be willing to give you if you listen to them.”

“I suppose so,” she said with a contemplative look before she made her way to the back of her truck to start opening the crates. ”Anyway, you should be going now. I have some people coming here in a minute or two and I don't want them to see you.”

“Alright then, see you around” Zephyr said, leaving the place and exiting the garage . But before he left he caught a sight as one of the workers opened the crates for an inspection revealing its contents: oranges, lemons, and the corpses of exotic birds and animals all bottled in alcoholic spirits.

I wonder what that’s for, he thought to himself as he made his way to the front of the castle and to the nearby road. You know what? Honestly, it's not my problem anyway. What is my problem however is what should I do now?

Author's Note:

Hello! Thank you for reading this chapter and I'm sorry for any cringe that you may have had during it.
The reason of why is that this chapter talks about communism or more specifically communist anarchism, something of which I really don't know that much about I will admit. I've done some research on it, I tried to portray it in a positive manner, but my lack of experience or depth with the subject most likely shows as in the above reading. Hopefully it was still enjoyable though in the end, but if it angered, annoyed or irked anyone then I understand and I apologize for doing so. I'll try to do what I can to improve my quality of work on any instances when I write about this subject in the future.
That's all I have to say for now. Once more, I'm sorry If I have caused any offence with this chapter. May you have good day.