Chapter 290 - Homesick Is Real

"You fool! Why did you do that—?!'

Nathalie wanted to retch while rolling her eyes up from the sudden onset of vertigo that befell her.

Perhaps he forgot that she was still a patient, still on the road of recovery, and he did that regardless for his entertainment.

She became too livid that she ended up smacking him but he was rather unharmed and laughed for all he cared.

Inwardly, Nathalie wanted to scream bloody murder for hovering in broad daylight, but her gums shown so much while gritting her teeth at such insane speed. 

She had to embrace him so tight that she was rather unwilling to let go of him.

A flock of birds flew past their way, almost passing like streaks of light; if not with their rowdy squawks, then she might've busted her face right then and there. 

'This foolish worm.'

Meanwhile, she pinched his cheek and he let out a hiss.

"Stop—! Cease what you're— Ah! What are you doing?!"

'Slow the hell down.'

"This other side of yours shows so much crass. How childish of you—! Stop it!"

'I won't repeat myself.'

"If I do, then we'll get discovered!"

Nathalie got somehow taken aback and gave it a thought from what he uttered not too long ago. 

'Does everyone know that you're in Western Territory?'

On his other hand, he rubbed his jawlines from the thought. "No, only three of them despite Arnold saying I should return to the Northern Territory— perhaps to scare enemies of the North…"

Nathalie rolled her eyes and then facepalmed. 'Let's just take another route; you're not doing any help at all.'

"You want to detour? You love to venture far and wide I guess—"

'Just keep it low.' Nathalie pressed her cheeks while groaning as she screamed internal confusion.

"So be it."

The flight became smooth and subtle, coursing through the air, and her eyes went wide open as she admired the beautiful scenery.

A fuzziness in her heart came.

The lush greens and the mountain ranges around them were beautiful, even the long river channel and dazzling waterfalls found in different directions. 

Everywhere brimmed with such life.

"Do you feel better now?"

'Of course!' She then gestured a thumbs up. 'I'm thankful to have you here with me.'

Ashtra looked at her, blinking a couple of times before looking away.

However, Nathalie lost her focus when her vision got smothered with a couple of rustles and slaps of the icy locks of his hair, flailing it away. 'My goodness— Mmmh— Ahh. Your—!'

"My bad." 

With his hair unbridled, she couldn't stop spitting and smacking her lips from it. 'Do you think I'm such a livestock?!'

"No; not at all."

'Should've gotten your hair to a ponytail like mine…'

Her grumpy looks earned a hearty chuckle from him.

Although, she didn't receive it so well. 'What are you laughing for?'

"Well, I'll take you up on that offer."

"Oh no, we'll do it when we get down." 

After which, she went back to admire the view that she ended up losing her thoughts on it. The journey went silent, aside from the buzzing air to her ear, which Ashtra piqued his interest.

"You've been in a trance more often than not. A penny for your thoughts?"

Nathalie scrunched her face as though he couldn't look at her thoughts since. 'Weird for you to ask now after all the times you've done.'

"Have you seen yourself? Serious as it may seem."

She hummed for a while; at least trying to reorganize her thoughts. 'I just miss them…'

"Your family? I'm sure you do." 

For as far as she remembered, Mystique only wanted to curse her, only to know later that Jonathan got caught from her shenanigans and worsened the turmoil.

While it was a relief she wasn't alone, a pang of guilt struck her chest, knowing that Jonathan wanted none of what happened— especially when he already gave up the possibility of going back.

"I suppose it wasn't the worst part," Ashtra chimed in, which she then nodded.

If she hadn't known about the state of Mystique, then she would have remained oblivious while finding more answers as a solution to the problem.

"Did you feel bad?"

'Certainly. I'd appreciate it if she would've only blamed me for what happened— that's as far as she'd go. Hurting those important to me is another issue!'

Never did she think that after her disappearance with his supposed bodyguard, the villainess went after her family.

Daisy and her fellow agents' assault retrieved them for a couple of months until Mystique came back to abduct them.

The villainess didn't stop once…

For she aimed at her family, and abduction as she pleased.

Not even thrice…

She went as far as she could.

Although that also left her severely wounded, her objectives were accomplished after Daisy's side suffered some loss, in which it was hard to disclose the information. 

Mystique was a national threat; confidential information must be acted accordingly. 

Though this notoriety of hers died down when she successfully took them away from Daisy's care.

Although Daisy was able to locate the hideout; she couldn't get near, even receiving a warning of Mystique.

While Nathalie understood that if she went on with it, then nothing good would've happened. Most especially how she threatened her best friend about such false hope of them returning.

Daisy was still monitored, and nothing changed

Although the Quinn family weren't tortured; but encased in a cocoon of ice like what she did at the lowest caverns of the Desertpeak Town was nowhere better.

'I miss them...'

In distraught, Nathalie had yet to meet her family.

William Pierre Quinn, her father…

Julia Nicole Quinn, her mother…

The two siblings of hers…

"I'm curious about this dream of yours… Have you still had it since you came here?"

'If you mean that I'd seem to sleep and watched several scenes flash to me like it was some sort of a theatrical episode— No; not at all. Which was insane!'

"So this time you dream differently?"

'Right.'

"When was the last time you had one?"

'There was one thing I dreamed about Keith… Who had... Uhh, that nasty...'

"Go on…"

'But I never knew about it until I got here and peered at his memories, seeing Mystique there...' Nathalie trailed off her voice.

Ashtra then changed his course to the left. "I suppose you did mention you have fragments of memories, several chunks; you didn't lie at all."

'Why would I?" Nathalie rolled her eyes, scoffing, "Please, I have so much burden already…'

"Who knows you might be intimidated."

'You wish…'

She then looked around for they have been away for some time now. "Where do we even go?"

"See that pillar of smoke there?"

'Uh-huh…'

"It seemed like a festival."