londoncallingrpg

Newt sat on a bench in the park across from the building that housed the small flat that the Ministry had provided for him. He held his suitcase on his lap, still wary about having it out of his sight for even a moment. This was a step for him, being out in the world at all. Since he had arrived here a few weeks ago from 1927, everything was simply too much. Too much noise, too much crowd, too much that was unrecognizable, unexplainable...

Sometimes he'd felt as if the world was not all that welcoming to him at the best of times, and now he felt like even more of an outsider. He was an alien here. And not only this, but the shock of going to the Ministry for help and discovering that everyone knew who he was. There was a portrait of him there. A first edition of his book under glass.

He watched a squirrel scurry up a tree. Once safely on a branch, it paused and looked over at him. He offered a little wave.

The latch on his suitcase popped open.

"Quiet down, Dougal," he said gently as he closed the clasp again. "I am not letting you out, not here. If you thought New York was a different world, you've no idea what you might encounter in this place."

The latch popped open again, almost violently this time, and Newt practically flattened himself against the case to make sure it stayed closed, then glanced up and around him frantically, as if afraid he might be caught doing something bad.

[OOC: for the deets on brand new newt, here!">

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

pippa_flynn

"That must be very disconcerting. So much has changed since 1927," she said thoughtfully. "How long have you been here? Not long, I'd wager."

From:

fantasticnewt

"A week," said Newt, and then nodded. "Yes, a week, I think. But I haven't gotten out much. I find... I find everything very disquieting. Loud, and bright, and alien."

From:

pippa_flynn

"Of course. I don't think I'd do well if I found myself back in 1927, and I can hardly imagine what you're feeling here," she said, offering just a bit of sympathy. "Do you have any friends here? Anyone who can help?"

From:

fantasticnewt

"Oh, no, but it's quite all right, I suppose. I rarely have people as friends anyway. Most people tend to find me annoying." His creatures, however, they were still with him, at least. He would be despondent if his case had stayed back in 1927.

From:

pippa_flynn

"Are you? Annoying?" she asked. "A great deal of people annoy me, but you're not very off-putting. Yet."

From:

fantasticnewt

"Oh," said Newt. "Well I suppose that's good."

Though, perhaps in an unconscious attempt to counter that assessment, he blurted, "I would very much like to observe you. Perhaps in your natural habitat."

From:

pippa_flynn

Her sculpted brow arched sharply at that.

"You mean Harrods? Starbucks? Mr. Scamander, you must have some mistaken notion of how the world works. London is my 'habitat'."

From:

fantasticnewt

"Oh, I know what Harrods is," Newt said brightly. "It's a Muggle store. I found my niffler in there once, filching jewelry." He paused, and then added helpfully, "I don't mean to offend. I've written a book, you see, about magical creatures. Spent years researching. But I've never been able to properly observe fairies."

From:

pippa_flynn

"I'm sure I'm not the faerie you want to observe, then. I've spent all my life in London. And a few other places. Abroad, around," she said. "If you want a proper faerie, I'm not it."

From:

fantasticnewt

"Oh," said Newt, hoping he didn't sound too disappointed. "Still, you're the closest I've gotten, and I'm afraid the entry in my book for fairies may include some generalizations. Though I do have a footnote that fairies have received the best Muggle press of all magical creatures. You're very popular."

From:

pippa_flynn

"Much of what I've found is lore, as well," she said. "I came to the crown by way of my Grandfather. I'm still playing catch up on what all of it means," Pippa confessed.

From:

fantasticnewt

"Oh," said Newt.

Then after a beat - "Well, perhaps you could tell me about fairies." He pulled out his notebook again, the one he'd been using to jot down things he learned about the modern world. "Please, leave out no detail."

From:

pippa_flynn

"I hardly think the park is the best place for this, Mr. Scamander. Why don't you come back to mine? We'll have a cuppa and talk properly. Without others around," she said. She didn't hesitate for a moment on her invite. Wizard or not, she was certain she could dispatch him if he proved dangerous, though she felt in her heart it wouldn't come to that.

From:

fantasticnewt

Newt thought of how Tina had had to sneak him and Jacob into her and Queenie's flat, that they weren't allowed to have men there. Or even if allowed, he understood that such things were quite scandalous.

"Is this a thing that modern women do?" he asked, genuinely curious. "Invite strange men into their homes?"

From:

pippa_flynn

"Modern faeries," she corrected. "I'm not afraid of you, Newt. If anything, you should be wary of me. But my invitation is genuine. Come have tea," she said, rising to her feet.

From:

fantasticnewt

Newt frowned, looking confused. "Fairies are only labeled threat level two X by the Ministry." Pause. "Harmless."

From:

pippa_flynn

"Ohhh, puppy. You have a lot to learn," she laughed softly, then rose. "I'm going home. If you want to know more, come with me."

She may have used just a bit of charm to entice him to join her.

From:

fantasticnewt

... puppy?

Newt got to his feet a bit awkwardly, holding the case stiffly by his side. "All right," he said.

He had followed magical beasts into much more perilous places than a woman's flat.

From:

pippa_flynn

Pippa lead him to the tube and it wasn't a very long ride to her flat. She made light conversation, chatting along and not giving him too much room to answer.

Her flat was...interesting. Much of it was shabby chic, but it was obvious that she had chosen pieces with great care and the quality was fine. In one corner of her flat was a large glass tank where her iguana, Ichabod, was warming himself on a bit of branch.

"Hello, my love," she said, dropping her handbag to go over and reach in to pet him. She looked back at Newt. "My last boyfriend," she said with a wicked little grin. She wondered just what this wide eyed boy would believe.

From:

fantasticnewt

Newt was clearly nervous on the tube, though he managed to not say anything directly. But he sat with his back stiff and his eyes darting around anxiously. He seemed relieved when it was over.

When she spoke about the iguana, he blinked in surprise. "Human animal transmutation is illegal," he said.

From:

pippa_flynn

"Illegal for who? Wizards? I'm not a wizard," she pointed out. She left Ichabod and went to the kitchen to put the kettle on.

From:

fantasticnewt

Newt sometimes had trouble telling when other people were joking. "Were... you joking?" he finally asked her. "About the iguana?"

From:

pippa_flynn

Pippa pulled down two cups and looked at him across the countertop.

"Of course I was joking, Mr. Scamander," she replied with a bright smile. "Had you going for a minute, didn't I? No, Ichabod is as much an iguana now as he was when I bought him as a babe. He is, however, my true love. So much less trouble than a man."

From:

fantasticnewt

"Is... that a joke, too?" Newt asked, and walked over to the iguana.

"Hello there," he said to it, tilting his head thoughtfully.

From:

pippa_flynn

"No, not at all He really is less trouble than any man I've met," she said. "You can pet him if you like. Just reach in the top. But be careful, he might bite."