You've probably heard of hybrids, right? Lions mating with tigers, maybe a chimera or hippogriff crosses your mind. All of that is wonderful, I'm sure, but my life is nowhere near as fantastical as that. Settle in, folks; it's backstory time.

It all started when my mother, a lieutenant in the Taurean Forces, traveled with her troop through the Jungles of Calin during a vicious storm. Their usual route through the foliage was blocked, so they were forced to pass through Orc territory and stay the night. Each soldier in the group paid one of the townspeople for a room, with my mother staying at an apothecary's cabin. They were apprehensive at first, but once the apothecary gave her a few tips on using Wither-Root to clean her axe, they talked the night away.

After the storm passed and my mother left, they sent each other letters for months before she was finally released from duty and returned to the apothecary's village to have a proper dinner. I tune out whatever happens next when my parents tell the story, but I'm sure you get the point. It all sounds like a perfect story, right? Well, there's one problem: While my father's home village was more on the charitable side (Or greedy, depending on how you look at it) by trading room and board for Taurean gold, the Orc and Minotaur kingdoms as a whole are vicious rivals. When my parents' courtship grew serious, my father's village began to deny her entry, so he started making treks to her cabin in one of the Minotaur military towns in the mountains, sneaking in by night. One day, they decided to get married, so they found a Taurean priest just drunk enough to complete the ceremony and not reveal their secret. It all would've continued to work just fine, except for my father's horrible timekeeping; he did not wait until darkness had completely overtaken the town when he arrived on matrimony's eve. When they were discovered in her home during their attempt at a honeymoon, they were banished, with my mother's military achievements stripped. While she was most assuredly wrathful, her love for my father endured, and they left to build a new life together.

After a few months of traveling, they settled in a human city, with my father opening a new apothecary practice and my mother becoming a bodyguard for the city's elites. Another few months later, I, Matthew Strongholm, came to the world. Admittedly, both of them were a bit frightened when they first learned my mother was with child; an Orc-Minotaur hybrid had never existed before, so they had little idea of what to expect. They always tell me their worries dissipated the moment they saw me whenever they show me my baby photos, but I can't seem to believe it. A baby with both tusks and horns, a tail, and spotted green-and-brown skin, with thick fur already growing on his arms and feet did not seem like an easy job, especially in a place where everyone already saw you as a sideshow. Luckily, my parents' appearance never affected business; my dad Elbert's apothecary always had a line, my mom Kirina protected her clients with her life, and I was always well cared for... but still, I couldn't help but feel something was missing. Wrong, even. Whenever Orcs or Minotaurs visited the city for supplies, they always sought out my parents to exchange words. Some were simply chants of shame or calls for penance from "derogatory" ways, while others were more violent. I remember helping my father repair his shop three times before I was eight, and nursing a wound my mother sustained from her old Commander's mace last year when I was ten.

Somehow, all of that was easier to deal with than the isolation. At school, I was a freak, and finding solace at home was no better. I love my parents dearly, but I never had cousins to play with in the yard, or an aunt or uncle to tell me funny stories about my parents, or even a grandparent to slip me candy and toys when no one was around. It was just us. It was always us. I wasn't the only one who felt it either; my father would talk about learning medicine with his brother, then trail off mid-sentence as if he had died, then he wouldn't speak of it for weeks. Meanwhile my mother would always mutter names of old comrades from military school as she chopped wood. The pain of isolation crept through us like termites in a dilapidated house. Somehow, I secretly blamed myself. I was a living symbol of the sacrifice my parents made to be together. Every day, it was like small reminders of our burden popped up, whether it was a glare at the store, or my mother drinking bottles of ale during High Taurean holidays, it was everywhere. I couldn't bear it anymore.

One day, while my parents slept, I crept into my father's storage room. I had helped him organize the shelves and run the shop on numerous occasions, so I knew where everything was hidden. Even the Nightshade and Monocaine. Used correctly in separate mixtures, they can be powerful medicines, but used together in any form, especially pure extract... It was stupid, I know, but I felt maybe, just maybe, if I was gone, my parents wouldn't want to stay together. Maybe they could return to their homes and be with family again. Maybe my sacrifice would give them a better life. So, I left, walked straight into the woods surrounding the city, and waited until dawn so I could see one last sunrise. I opened the vials and mixed the contents together, the ooze reeking of pond scum as it turned a dark purple. I closed my eyes and held my nose so I could partake of the mixture without vomiting and undoing my work, but something disturbed my focus: A small blue glint in the distance. I can't explain it, but something about the twinkle was undeniably alluring. I felt the need to follow the twinkle, then found another deeper in the trees. Soon, I was on a trail of short bursts of sapphire-colored light, leading me to a river flowing quietly down the hills. Then the glints stopped. I looked around, waiting for my eyes to reveal the source; perhaps a new kind of mushroom, or a firefly? But nothing... just me, the vials, and the bubbling water. I turned to see my reflection in the stream as my foolishness washed over me. Now, I wouldn't even be able to see the sunrise. My foolishness seemed to increase still when I saw my reflection start to change into something quite different. Instead, I see the face of a girl about my age, with blue skin and red stripes. I think inhaling the mere odor of the nightshade-monocaine combination had already rendered me insane, until the face speaks.

"Hello! Are you lost?"

My only response was a scream before falling backwards, the vial breaking as I hit the ground. I simply stared at the puddle left in its wake as it burned the soil around it. I then turned back to the face in the river, now rising from the water to show her full form: A tall girl with a ponytail, butterfly wings. Of course! Fairies are known for taking morning baths in pure water... but wait, there was something else. Just below her wings flowed nine short tails with blue fur and the same red stripes, the blue glints I followed dripping off their tips. A fairy with kitsune tails? There was no way! Unless...

"I said are you lost? Or injured, maybe? Oh, no, I don't know how to use the dust to heal people yet, so please don't be injured."

"Uh- wait, what? No, I'm fine, I think."

I got up and dusted my shirt off before turning to leave. I'd just have to get back home before my parents wake and wait until my father gets a new shipment of ingredients. The fairy-kitsune thing, however, stopped me.

"You think? I can't lie, you don't look fine. What were you doing with that gunk anyway? It looks dangerous."

"It doesn't matter, just let me through."

I started to get irritated and tried to push her out the way. A horrible mistake. How could I have forgotten the range of abilities both fairies and kitsune possess: Kitsune can heal and track, while fairies with enough power can read minds with a single touch. As my hand pushed her shoulder, it's as if all the flashes of painful memories and acid-tongued thoughts wash over me, and her as well. She gasped and pulled away, then stared at me for a moment with pity in her eyes.

"I... I'm so sorry. I'm Ramona. Do you... do you want to talk? I might know something about what you're going through."

"I don't care what you saw; you don't know a thing about me! Just leave me alone."

"No. From what I just saw, I don't think more solitude is the answer."

I stepped back in shock from her comment, but I couldn't disagree. I sat on a nearby rock in defeat and Ramona floated over next to me.

"Sorry, that was probably a low blow. But really, I do get it. You saw my tails, right?"

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"Kitsune and Fairies aren't enemies, though. I'm sure your family is just fine."

"Oh, Gods, no! My Mother's father thought marrying a kitsune was beneath his perfect little girl, so he tried to have my dad arrested! Twice! My Father's parents retaliated by sending mice to attack their farm, and that whole thing went on for a while, until my parents finally gave them an ultimatum: Accept it or they'll leave for good. Now, I get two sets of really big presents every birthday out of generational guilt! Wait, maybe I shouldn't tell you that part; my mom likes her privacy."

"It's fine, I won't tell anyone. I'm glad it worked out, really, but my extended family took the second option. They don't care about my parents anymore, and don't even know I exist! Even trying to contact them will only end in more attacks."

"So you thought drinking that was going to fix years of feuding?"

"No! Maybe... I just want them to be happy. We shouldn't have to be isolated just because of who they love. I want a family... a bigger one, anyway."

I turned my head up to the sky for a while. I saw the sun streak by and felt a few beams dart through the branches and touch my face. Somehow, even though nothing changed, I felt a bit better. It felt nice to finally tell someone about this without judgment. I assumed Ramona already left so her family wouldn't worry, but instead I turned to see her writing furiously on a piece of dead bark. When I started to ask what she's doing, she finished up and thrust the bark into my arms.

"Take this and show it to your parents, and maybe tell them a little bit about how you're feeling too. It's not a total fix, but if you come here it might help."

Before I could say thank you, she darted back into the trees. I studied the bark and saw Ramona drew some sort of crude map. Not the best penmanship, given she was pressed for time, but it's legible. I turned for home and decided to take Ramona's words to heart; it wasn't like there was much that could go wrong from me telling them, right? I got back home just as my parents were waking up and preparing for the day, and am met with eyes of shock and fear as I walked through the door.

"Matthew! What are you doing out this early? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Mom, it's just... I've been thinking about something lately."

"Well, you know you can tell us anything. Clean yourself off and tell us what you needed to think about outside in the middle of the night."

I washed up quickly and came back downstairs. I explained everything: How I was feeling, the mixture, Ramona, the map. I could see the pain in their eyes when I laid out my night, and the ideations that preceded it. It started with anger, then sadness, and a bit of guilt for not discussing this sooner. Once I'm finished, my father walks over and pulls me in for a hug.

"I'm sorry, Matthew. We never wanted this for you; we dreamed of one day having family visit so you could see everyone, but they've never responded to our pleas. We want you to be happy, to have a community... now, I can't say I feel the best about taking the word of a random child in the woods, but if you feel safe following this map, I'll go with you. Kirina?"

All my mother can do without crying is nodding and walking over to hug me. The next morning, my mother woke us up early and hands me and my father two large packs full of supplies and clothes. My father can't help but chuckle.

"Always overprepared, eh?"

"Of course. No fairy or kitsune is going to take our child without a fight!"

After a light breakfast, we set off, following the directions Ramona had given me. At first, the trip was easy; a few rolling hills, cutting through some dense trees, and we were halfway there. However, once the terrain turned to rough, cragged rocks and a steep incline up a mountain, I silently wished I had my mother's hooves to scale the stone instead of my father's large, flat feet. My mother did not let us fall behind, though, and whenever we began to slow down she would grab our collars and pull us a few feet forward past some of the larger rocks. I was embarrassed, but my father seemed happy enough for reasons I dare not try to discover. After another hour, we found ourselves at the precipice, stretching out into a large valley surrounded by large trees with buildings of all kinds carved into their trunks and built into the high branches. A stream bubbled through the square as a group of children played in the water. The children, and the town as a whole, however, were not fairies nor kitsune. Every child me and my parents spotted was a mixture of parts; a boy with the tail of a monkey and the scales of a snake flung from the trees, while a girl with birdlike wings and devilish red skin ate a small pastry, and further still, an Ent and Siren walked down the street with a set of twins, with shimmering purple scales and kelp and vines growing from the back and legs. My parents and I stood and gawked at the sights of the town, drawing a few eyes our way... but instead of looking at us with suspicion, we were met with gazes of welcome and warmth.

Our stupor was finally disrupted when I heard a familiar flitting coming our way, followed by a taller kitsune and fairy: Ramona and her parents, with Ramona pointing excitedly in our direction.

"See! Those are the ones I told you about! From the forest!"

Ramona's parents waved at mine and shook their hands. Ramona's father smiled with slight embarrassment and gestured for us to walk with them.

"Hello, my name is Eret, and this is my wife Udonna. Ramona told us a lot about you. We're sorry our daughter gave you such a scare, but it's somewhat of a town policy to spread the word when we find others."

"Other what, exactly," my father asked with curiosity and a hint of concern.

"Hybrid couples. There is so much disdain between so many kingdoms, that years ago it was decided that this place be built away from prying eyes. Whether people live, work, or simply enjoy themselves here, it is a safe haven. A place of-"

"Community," my mother said with a wide smile. Udonna nodded and returned my mother's smile but turned to Ramona when a loud bell rung throughout the town.

"Oh, Ramona, you're going to be late for group! Say, if it's alright with Matthew and his parents, what if you take him with you while we give Kirina and Elbert a tour?"

Ramona was practically exploding with excitement, nodding rapidly in agreement. I turned to my parents to see if it's alright, and they gave me the okay.

"As long as they're safe, it's fine with us. Now, where can we get one of those pastries I saw someone eating earlier?"

Eret laughed and began to lead my parents toward a shop with a flume of delicious smelling steam flowing out of the window, while Ramona led me to a small cabin in the corner of the town square. She knocked on the door rapidly and turned to me with a grin.

"You're going to love it, trust me!"

The door opened and revealed an elderly centaur... with the face of a panther instead of a man. He turned to me and clapped his hands.

"Ah, I see you found a friend, Ramona! Welcome; it's always nice to have new visitors."

He walked us in, and even though I'm a bit unnerved given no one has explained what this "group" is for, the smell of cookies immediately disarmed me until it is followed by a thick cloud of smoke. We turned the corner and saw a group of children (Some of the ones I saw earlier included among them) in the kitchen, attempting to salvage a batch of smore's. The centaur teacher let out a "tsk" and walked over to help.

"You two may take a seat if you like. We'll begin group in a moment."

"S-sir, what is this group for, exactly?"

"Ramona didn't tell you? Here, the children of town can discuss what it means to just 'be', and how they connect their two somewhat conflicting identities. Sure, discussing this with your parents is fine, but sometimes it's nice to find others who know the experience firsthand, yes?"

I'm stunned. All this time, even if there weren't other Orc-Minotaurs out there... there were people who understood. I had considered my uniqueness a burden for so long, so isolating, but it seemed there were places my uniqueness was a strength after all. I turned to Ramona, who whispers "Do you still want to be alone?", then turned to the teacher with a smile.

"Yes, that sounds... nice. Actually, do you need some help with the cookies? Maybe we can talk while we bake and clean."

"Excellent idea! Grab a cloth and some sugar, and we'll get to work."

I grabbed the supplies and brought them over. I turned to the other students, began to learn everyone's names, even shared a few laughs, and let it all wash over me; I could finally be seen for all of me, not just one half or the other. I was finding my place. I was finding the things we all need in one way or another: Peace, connections, and Community.