ATLAS || N. SCAMANDER

{ten}

NEWT'S CASE
OUTSIDE

"Where would you say that a medium-sized creature that likes broad, open plains - trees - water holes - that kind of thing - where might she go?" Newt asks Jacob while rushing forward. "In New York City?" Jacob's face changes into one of confusion.

"Yes."

"Plains?"Jacob shrugs and tries to think. "Uh - Central Park?"

"And where is that exactly?" Newt pushes a branch to the side and Atlas ducks to avoid it. "Where is Central Park?" A beat goes by. "Well, look, I would come and show you, but don't you think it's kind of a double cross? The girls take us in - they make us hot cocoa," Jacob trails off. "You do realize that when they see you've stopped sweating, they'll obliviate you in a heartbeat," Newt points out the obvious and Atlas makes a noise of agreement. "What does 'bliviate' mean?" Jacob asks, now rushing slightly to keep up with the wizard and witch. "It'll be like you wake up and all memory of magic is gone," Atlas explains while stepping to the side to avoiding tripping on a rock. "I won't remember any of this?" Jacob asks, his mind running a mile a minute, he looks around at the amazing world that he's come to know.

"No."

"All right, yeah - okay - I'll help you," Jacob resigns, he didn't want to forget this world so soon. Newt picks up two buckets and passing one to Atlas who takes it without complaint, "Come on, then."

CENTRAL PARK

A large pond in the middle of Central Park is frozen over, children ice-skate over it. They don't have a care in the world. A boy falls and a girl skates over to help him up. When they stand, a light becomes visible under the ice. A deep rumble can be heard and the children stare at the light as it passes, their eyes following as it glides away.

DIAMOND DISTRICT

Newt, Atlas, and Jacob walk along a deserted street on their way to Central Part. Atlas has Newt's scarf wrapped around her neck, settling on her shoulders. All the shops around are full of expensive jewelry, diamonds, precious stones. Newt hurries along, case occasionally hitting his thigh. His eyes dart back and forth in the shadows for any small movements. "I was watching you at dinner," Newt randomly speaks up, the statement directed at Jacob. Atlas looks between the two men besides her. "Yeah," Jacob confirms. He had seen Newt's glances. "People like you, don't they, Mr. Kowalski," Newt deuces. Jacob looks startled, "Oh - well, I'm - I'm sure people like you too - huh?"

Newt seems absent when he answers Jacob, "No, not really. I annoy people." You don't annoy me, Atlas thinks. Jacob isn't sure on how to answer that so he just makes a noise of seeming to understand.

"Why did you decide to be a baker?" Newt changes the subject, seeming intrigued by Jacob. "Ah well. um - because I'm dying - in that canning factory," Jacob almost stops explaining, but he sees the look on Atlas' face and continues to explain. "Everyone there's dying. It just crushes the life outta you. Either of you like canned food?"

"No," Atlas and Newt say unanimously.

"Me neither," Jacob agrees. "That's why I want to make pastries, you know. It makes people happy." Jacob makes a right turn and directs them, "We're going this way." Atlas and Newt follow. "So did you get your loan?" Newt asks. "Er, no," Jacob answers dismissively. "I ain't got no collateral. Stayed in the army too long, apparently - I don't know."

"You served in the war?" Atlas asks, her interest spiking. She bites her lower lip, "My father fought in the war, Eastern Front." Jacob looks at her, "Of course I fought in the war, everyone fought in the war - Newt, you didn't fight in the war?"

"I worked mostly with dragons, Ukrainian Ironbellies - Eastern Front," he spares Atlas a glance, she looks like she's in deep thought.

Atlas' father hadn't been the type of father that was always around, mainly due to the war. He and her mother were very deeply in love, how she knew this? Whenever they were around each other they were always together. Two peas in a pod, her grandfather had said. Always together, never apart. It was a real love, unique in every way. Her mother had said, your father makes me feel like I'm the only one that mattered in the world. Find someone like that, she said. To find someone who treats you like the only person that matters, especially in this war-hardened world.

Atlas is shaken from her thoughts by glass shattering and she throws her arm up just in time to avoid the spray of glass shards that rained upon her. She watches as Newt jumps into the shop and chases after the Niffler. Newt looks quite comical, she thinks. The Niffler scurries over Newt's shoulders in an attempt to get higher and away from Newt's clutches. Newt jumps on a desk after him, but the Niffler is now on a chandelier. Newt reaches out and trips, both he and the Niffler hang from the chandelier, swinging wildly round and round. Jacob looks around nervously before his eyes settle on Atlas pulling out her wand from inside her coat.

The chandelier crashes to the floor, drawing Jacob's gaze back to the shop. From beside her, the catch on Newt's case flicks open and a roar comes from inside. Atlas swiftly clicks the case shut after seeing Jacob's fearful face. When Atlas looks back to the pair in the store, one of the cases falls against a window. Both the Niffler and Newt become still as they watch a crack appear on the window. "Jacob, get away from the window," Atlas warns, grabbing the case and moving backward with it. Jacob follows Atlas in moving from the window.

The window shatters and Newt and the Niffler come crashing to the ground. The Niffler is only stunned for a moment, but quickly recovers and scampers down the street. "Accio!" Atlas shouts, directing her wand to the get-away Niffler. The Niffler sails backward through the air toward Atlas. Jewelry falls out of his pouch and he reaches his arm out. It catches onto a light post and he flings himself in the opposite direction of Atlas. Newt quickly flicks his wand and the Niffler is caught in the window, which is now a jelly-like substance.

Newt approaches the Niffler and asks, "All right? Happy?"

Newt, now covered in jewelry, pulls the Niffler free from the window. Police sirens can be heard and Atlas huffs in annoyance. Could they not?

Newt shakes the Niffler and makes it drop all the diamonds. A police car pulls up and Jacob, also covered in jewels, holds up his hands. "They went that way, Officer-" He gets cut off when the officer yells, "Hands up!"

The Niffler, that was stuffed into Newt's pocket, pokes it's nose out and squeaks. Jacob looks to his left and his words struggle to leave his mouth, "Lion." The police turn their guns toward the other end of the street, trained on the approaching lion.

"You know," Newt says calmly. "New York is considerably more interesting than I'd expect."

Before the police turn back on them, Atlas shoves Newt's case into his arms, grabs the two men, and Disapparates.