Chasing Grindelwald

3: Paper Planes

TINA
Tina touched her hairline the day after Queenie had cut it. Her chin-length tresses had been clipped into a shorter bob with bangs. She liked it a lot, but like Newt's coat, it would take some getting used to.
Walking up the steel stairwell, Tina finally emerged into the blinding sunlight of the deck, the smell of salt filling her nose. She gazed at the skyline, the ocean stretching out in every direction, waves churning like her thoughts. Her copy of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them sat open in her lap, but she was too deep in thought to read it. What if Credence was still alive? What if he really was on this ship? If he was, what if he bumped into her? Was it just wishful thinking? Tina sighed, trying to calm her mind, but she had abandoned these thoughts last night as she focused on the papers. She hadn't gotten the chance to actually think about Credence since Newt brought it up. He was right, of course; they couldn't go investigating and searching for Credence. Who knew what an Obscurial could do to a boat on the ocean? Oh, but she wanted to know he was okay! Lost in all her thoughts, Tina almost didn't notice the paper airplane that landed in her lap. A bit of writing curled around the edges of the paper, which she recognized immediately as Newt's. She unfolded the note, which read:
     Look to your left slowly. I'm staying over here so as not to draw attention to either of us and get us recognized. Don't panic.
First, Tina looked to where the note had come from. Newt leaned against the rail in his dark grey coat, his collar turned up against the wind, looking around at the water. He caught her eye for a moment, and mouthed your left before turning away again to gaze at the waves.
   Steeling herself, Tina looked to the left. Don't panic. She saw immediately why he put the words in the note: a young man sat on a bench, his hands folded in his lap as he stared at the ocean. He wore the unmistakable haircut and reserved expression of Credence Barebone.
    Tina clenched her jaw to suppress a scream. She gripped the paper with one hand, summonded a quill discreetly, and wrote I see him. I think I'll stay put and act casual. She guided the plane back to Newt with her wand. It bumped his shoulder; he unfolded it, glanced at it, then nodded  slightly in her direction. He returned to his staring at the ocean.
     Tina gritted her teeth and took a deep breath, clenching her fists to steady the shaking. Sure, she'd dealt with dangerous people before. It was literally her job to hunt down the most twisted murderers and thieves. But...Credence was a different kind of dangerous. Tina wanted so bad to help him, but if she approached him, he might lash out and sink the ship. She wanted him to know it would be okay; that Mary Lou was dead, and even though Graves had turned out to be Grindelwald, there were other people who cared about him.
    But she had to act like she didn't know him, hoping he didn't notice her or see her face past her new haircut.
   A pale woman with dark hair and tired, almond-shaped eyes walked up to Credence and sat next to him. Her face didn't match any of the pictures of Grindelwald's followers Tina had been studying. She looked young, but also frail and weak, like she had missed a few too many meals. Credence looked her over with concern. Tina could barely hear him when he spoke, but she could read his lips well enough.
"You look worse than you did yesterday," he commented, feeling her forehead. "Are you sure you don't want me to get you some food? At least some soup, or something light like that?"
"I'll be all right, Credence," the woman smiled. "You're very sweet to worry about me, but you're the priority, here."
"I don't feel like a priority," Credence said gently, slipping his jacket off and wrapping it around her shoulders, even though she wore a coat already. "I don't really want to be a priority, especially with you feeling so weak."
"I feel like this every time it happens, and it happens once a month," the woman said. At first, Tina thought she meant her period, since that happens once a month to every woman. But that idea was silly; you didn't look like that just from your monthly bleeding, no matter how bad your period was. What could have made her look so feeble? She must have been close to Credence's age, yet the weariness in her eyes made her seem so much older.
"Credence,"she began. "Do you...are you scared of me, when I change? Do I scare you when I'm like that?"
She's a werewolf! Tina's mind clicked.
"No, because I know you have control," Credence said. "You said werewolves were different, and that they can't control themselves when the full moon comes. You and I...we can learn to control our magic."
Okay, maybe she isn't a werewolf. Tina thought.
"You're right, sweetheart, but--" the woman glanced around warily. Tina averted her eyes to her book just in time.  "please, don't talk about that in such an open place. People like me are even rarer than werewolves, and you are rarer still. There are people who would want to take both of us, and not all of them want to hold us close and give us a hot meal."
"I'm sorry," Credence looked down like he was expecting a hit. The woman only caressed his face lightly and kissed his cheek.
"It's all right," she said gently. "I'm just glad you don't see me as a monster."
"I would never see you as a monster!" Credence looked abhorred by the idea. She smiled gratefully as he helped her to her feet. The two walked away and disappeared down the starwell, the mysterious woman leaning against Credence's sturdy frame, seeming like she would fall or even blow away if he weren't there to anchor her.
    Tina breathed for what seemed like the first time in minutes. Gripping her book tightly, she made her way over to Newt, who still stood facing the sea.
"What happened?" He asked, still staring at the white caps.
"I think," Tina said. "That that woman is sort of like a werewolf."
"Sort of?" Newt gave her a questioning sideways glance. "What do you mean by 'sort of'?"
"I mean that...she mentioned that she always felt bad and weak when she changed every month," Tina said. "But Credence mentioned werewolves separately, as if she were different than a werewolf. He said 'You said werewolves were different, and they can't control themselves when the full moon comes. You and I...we can learn to control our magic.' But, she had asked him if he was afraid of her when she changed...I don't understand!" Tina wracked her mind for any other kind of magical malady they might have been talking about, when Newt suddenly grabbed her arm.
"She's a Maledictus, she must be," he breathed. "Merlin's beard, that's even harder than being a werewolf."
"What's a Maledictus?" Tina asked, feeling stupid. "Was it in your book? I read the whole thing, and I didn't see--"
"No, it isn't," Newt said, his eyes full of worry as he stared at the direction Credence and the woman went. "It's...it's more of a disease than a beast. It's a blood curse that brings out the worst in a person."
"So...it's like your inner evil is reflected?" Tina asked.
"Not exactly,"Newt said slowly. "Every imperfection you have is reflected, not just evilness." He paused and considered for a moment, staring at the rails as he chewed his fingernails. "For example, if I were a Maledictus, my shyness or awkwardness might be reflected with a hideous turtle shell, or my quietness represented by no mouth."
"Those aren't bad qualities," Tina said gently, suddenly becoming aware he was still holding her wrist.
"Well...they're still imperfections," Newt said hesitantly. "The woman might not be very evil, but whatever her imperfections are, they're reflected by the Maledictus once every month, on the new moon rather than the full moon. Though shw can control herself, she may not be able to eat anything, because the beast has no mouth, or some other reason."
"We should stay away, then," Tina said.
"Oh, definitely," Newt shuddered. "Maledicti aren't dangerous in human form, much like werewolves, but the blood curse is contagious when they're transformed. It's spreadable by saliva, sweat, and blood. Best to steer clear, in this case, I think, especially since Credence is involved. If..." His voice trailed off, but Tina knew what he meant. If Credence became a Maledictus on top of being an Obscurial...who knows how bad that would be? It had probably never even been heard of. Tina shivered.
"You said that coat was getting thin," Newt said, dropping her wrist as a bitter wind blew their hair around. "We should get inside."
"I'll be fine," Tina said, but she followed him inside, her thoughts reeling, her wrist still warm where Newt had held it.