With Elise, we went to our tent, while I took a quick shower and dressed, she told me everything that happened, letting me know how we would proceed. We went outside and saw Tina making dinner, but we couldn't find Newt, possibly inside his shop.
We went to help with dinner like we usually would, trying not to show any abnormality, and apparently, Tina was doing the same, trying to be nice like she normally would. No one said much and the food was ready pretty quickly so we all went to the usual place, in front of the central fire.
Newt showed up and all the residents of the camp were gathered, eating, acting as if nothing had happened until Elise's nervousness about the situation made me want to end it all.
"Okay, let's stop acting as if nothing happened, Elise told me you know. Let's get this fast and set the record straight. If you have any questions ask them now" I said as I set my plate aside.
"Okay..." Newt was getting up as if he had been waiting for this moment for a long time, but his wife's arm stopped him quickly, making him sit up again.
"Is what Elise said true?" Tina asked, interrupting her husband.
"Yeah...if that's what I think we're talking about"(Red)
"You... Are you a couple...? Like me and my husband...?" She asked, but there was a clear doubt or perhaps the desire that things are not what she thought.
"Yes"(Red)
"Since when?" Newt finally had his moment to speak.
"Several years... I don't quite remember when specifically, it was something that developed naturally without us realizing or being able to tell that there was a specific moment where it happened"(Red)
"But aren't they making a mistake? Maybe you're misinterpreting things..." Tina kept hoping that things wouldn't take that courses.
"No, we know what it is, it's love"(Red)
"But you are…!"(Tina)
"Wait Tina, leave it to me... How did it happen?"(Newt)
"I can't tell you the whole story, but... I would say that what brought us together was being locked in a cave in the territory of the acromantulas. We were injured and had to hide from being eaten, we went hungry, and many other sorrows, even wishing for death... just being the other to comfort us and keep us alive..."
I have told them about our history since we started this campaign, being crude and leaving no details out of the story except for certain dates. It was so specific and serious in many aspects that they did not doubt it was a lie.
You could tell from the faces of the old couple that the story they were hearing was something unexpected and terrifying. Tina couldn't help coming to hug me halfway through and didn't let go even when I was done telling everything…even reaching out her hand to hold Elise and pull her closer to us, while Newt also reached out to clap his hands in reassurance.
In a way it was unnecessary, we didn't feel so bad about it. Our time to cry and drown in emotions had already passed and although those memories could make us feel bad, we just tried to think of something else.
They both noticed our insensitivity about it, but that didn't make them calm down. Tina, as a mother and grandmother, was very affected by our words realizing that I was a very small child when it passed and she did not want to let us go, Newt was better, but he also felt sorry.
"Why didn't seek help?! You were locked up for 3 years without being able to eat properly or have a warm home where you can feel safe, how old were you? You should have sought help! Why did you stay in the forest?!" Tina was angry.
"First, if it was warm, Elise was a great bed. And on the other hand, what else could I do? I had no one to trust, no family or friends, but Elise, she was everything to me. If I was looking for other humans would take me away from her and I didn't expect a better fate. This forest was Elise's home and I believed it could be mine too"(Red)
"But you could have a loving family, a safe place to call home, not fear for your safety. You're a child, you shouldn't live like this!"(Tina)
"I have a family, I have a home, and danger is unavoidable," I said, pointing at Elise and the camp.
"I understand that you love Elise, but you should…"(Tina)
"Tina, enough, this won't go well if you continue like this" her husband stopped her now, feeling like Elise was getting angry "The past is over and I see that they have developed well"
"But..."(Tina)
"That topic can be left for later, I think there are more important things" (Newt)
"Right… your relationship can't…"(Tina)
"Shut up shut up shut up!" Elise couldn't bear staying silent anymore "You're going to say the same as everyone! My pack, my mother, the centaurs, Merril... they all doubt our relationship and no one who really knows has agreed from the beginning and always we must convince them. I'm tired of this! Get out!" She got up furiously, pointed her horn at the Scamander couple, and kicked the floor furiously, preparing to charge.
"Wait, Elise!" I told her as hugged her neck to stop her, our connection let me know that she wasn't acting, she was really going to attack them.
"But I'm tired! It's always the same! I already accepted it, why not the others?" She said sadly sobbing, "I liked her, I thought it would be nice her to be here, but she also thinks we shouldn't..."
"It's just that it's not well, dear, I don't want to make you feel bad, but you two are from different species and…" (Tina)
"So what?!"(Lys)
"Elise, calm down, we knew there would be those who disagree, but we continue with this anyway" (Red)
"But she…"(Lys)
"She's only worried about us, like Marril was at the time" (Red)
"Elise, Red is right, Tina didn't want to upset you"(Newt)
"But no one agrees with us!"(Lys)
"I do..." (Newt)
"Newt!" (Tina)
"Tina, there are things we can't change. Their relationship is stronger than many people we've met, you've seen how they bathe together" (Newt)
"Technically, I'm the one bathing Elise, she scratches my back with her horn at most... I enjoy it" I corrected, but what was on my mind now was Newt's approval of my relationship with Elise, though I'm not surprised he has some weird perspectives on the world.
"I understand, you love each other more than anything, but you have made a mistake in the way you love. You need to find a girl to fall in love with, and you, a unicorn that can give you what you need"(Tina)
"He already has several girls, and I don't need a male of my species or any other, I already have him" (Lys)
"Is it true about multiple girls? Besides Elise?" Tina was growing more and more distraught.
"Yes, that's real, although the girls you know I visit aren't necessarily some of them... but they can be" I didn't hide it, didn't make sense.
"This is too much, there is so much to correct..." Tina was dejected, she thought my views had been distorted due to life in the wild.
"Tina, okay, different species have different mating habits" (Newt)
"But a child shouldn't live like this, thinking about having a partner at this age, and of another species!"(Tina)
"There are many oddities in this world and different races. Some have their sexual maturation at an earlier age than humans"(Newt)
"What are you talking about, Newt? Stop talking like he's not a human being, you only dehumanize him more" she complained, considering that words like that were more damaging to my views.
"Love, he's not human" (Newt)
"What?"(Tina)
"What? I'm human, even with my appearance"(Red)
"You are not" (Lys)
"What? Love, yes, I am human"(Red)
"You're not" (Lys)
"Yes I am"(Red)
"Not so" (Newt)
"Why do you say that?"(Red)
"You really don't know you're not human? You may be a demi-human, I haven't determined your nature yet, but it's clear to me that you're not human, at least not completely"(Newt)
"That's not true. Even though I've lived in the forest for years, I know who my parents are and they're both humans, wizards... and even though I have some differences with them, it couldn't be so much that I'm not considered human. I'm just a blood wizard. "(Grid)
"You are not human, I know it, I have felt it for a long time"(Lys)
"Can you give me your hand?" Newt asked.
Hesitantly, I spread it out before me. He stretched out my fingers and pressed with some force on a certain part of the last phalanx. I could feel some discomfort from being pushed like that, but I was as surprised as Tina when my fingernail seemed to grow longer and even start to bend something at the end in such a way that it was more pointy and curved.
"This would be a retractable claw, it extends or hides depending on the function it fulfills at that moment. The creatures mainly use it to hunt, defend themselves or climb, among other things" He explained letting me go.
Looking down at my hand in surprise, I saw how my fingernail returned to its original position after being released from Newt's pressure. I didn't know I could do that, or since when. I was in a little shock, even trying to press my finger myself.
"There's also your teeth, can I...?" He said, pointing to my face.
I nodded unconsciously and he reached out his hands, almost forcing my mouth open, pulled his wand out, and with a «Lumos» created enough light to illuminate the inside of it. Both Elise and Tina moved to Newt's sides so they could see the inside of my mouth, waiting for the magizoologist's explanation. I myself took out a mirror from my inventory in order to have a view of the inside of my mouth regardless of the questions about my abilities.
"Your teeth would be those of omnivores like humans, but it has certain differences. First, you have all human teeth fully developed at this age" (Newt)
Looking at the mirror, I certainly noticed it, I thought it was because of my abilities, so I didn't pay too much attention. The good thing is that it is perfectly formed, without the slightest damage.
"But if you look closely, the teeth between the two tusks don't develop in the same way... they're almost identical to each other, not sticking out much. Also, your molars have a certain pattern and a more pointed and sharp structure than they would otherwise be normal...for a human. If you allow me..." He said before pressing specific points inside my mouth.
"AAAGgghh" I yelled a bit as I clamped my mouth shut, luckily Newt had quickly removed his hand.
I had covered my mouth with my hands and when I removed them I saw that they were stained with blood. I felt like there was something in my mouth, and I spit it out onto my hands, where we all could see that they were pieces of teeth. Somewhat concerned, I opened my mouth to see what was happening and we were all amazed at the change I underwent.
Part of my teeth had come loose, leaving two lines of perfect and pointed teeth, even the molars had changed, the arrangement was also somewhat different, but the change in shape was enough to alarm us. The curious thing is that looking closely you could see how little by little my teeth were returning to normal, even regenerating the broken parts.
"These are weaker calcifications than your normal teeth, easy to break and dislodge to make room for the real teeth" he said as he picked up one of the tooth fragments from the ground "These false teeth are those of an omnivore, but when it comes off it reveals the teeth of a carnivore" (Newt)
"I... I can't believe it..."(Red)
"There's also your darkened corneas, which I've assumed are due to an extra protective membrane. So too is your hair and its strange existence. Your mature-for-human-age bone development, in structure, not size. That your genitals can hide to a greater extent than normal humans in stressful situations..."(Newt)
"... I think you've been looking more than I'd like..." I complained as I involuntarily covered myself and watched how Tina hit her husband with her elbow.
"I have these and several other observations recorded in my notes, if you want I can give them to you for your viewing. It didn't occur to me that you might not know about your…being… that's why I didn't take your relationship with Elise and other women so badly. There are species that are known to have several sexual partners, and others that are related to other species. It did not seem impossible to me that you could have both characteristics, but based on my experience, the normal thing would be that even if you look for partners of other species, they are closer physically to you, that they are more humanoid. No offense Elise, it's just an observation, this is also my first case with these characteristics" (Newt)
"I guess... I know I said you could ask any questions you wanted, but I don't feel well right now... we can talk tomorrow, it's getting late, excuse me..." (Red)
Saying this, I turned around, completely ignoring them, and walked towards my store to reflect. Elise also followed me, she wouldn't know what to do alone and through our connection, she felt that should keep me company right now.