Catastrophe || n.s

iii. disturbance in the zoo

Safe and away from the cops, Penelope, Newt, and Jacob were now wandering through the dark fields of Central Park. Penelope had guessed that the Erumpent had moved on from the park, though it was their only lead and the best place to start looking for the enormous beast.

"You have been nothing but trouble since we arrived here, you little bugger," Newt scolded the small Niffler as he stuffed it into his mysterious suitcase. "This whole mess started because of you."

Penelope couldn't help but admire the way Newt handled the beasts he studied. He talked to them as if they were equals, as if they were his friends. Penelope tried to treat her pets like that, although she had a hard time doing so sometimes.

"So you said you heard the call of the Erumpent and saw an orange glow here, did you?" Newt asked as he latched his suitcase shut, stuffing a hand into the pocket of his trousers.

Penelope nodded, though she didn't get a chance to answer him, as a loud squawk interrupted her. She looked up as Jacob screamed, bumping into her as he leaped to the side. She saw a large ostrich sprinting past them, its wings fluffed out in alarm.

"First a lion and now an ostrich?" Penelope muttered towards Newt. "What has your beast gotten into?"

Her question was answered as the trio approached the gates of the Central Park Zoo- well, what was left of them, that is. One of the metal gates that blocked the entrance to the zoo was bent open, and the stone archway above it was smashed. Penelope knew there was only one thing that could do this- an Erumpent. The question was, however: what was in the zoo that made the beast want to get in so badly?

"Alright," Newt broke the silence that fell between the trio. He reached into his suitcase and pulled out two heavy-duty helmets. "Put these on."

Penelope didn't argue as she put the helmet on her head, as she knew the dangers of the Erumpent. Jacob Kawolski, however, looked at the helmet skeptically. "Why would I have to wear something like this?"

"Because your skull is susceptible to breakage under immense force," Newt explained nonchalantly, earning a look of complete surprise from Jacob. Newt looked at Penelope, and when he realized she had her helmet on, he took off running towards the entrance of the zoo. Penelope looked at Jacob, motioning towards the helmet in his hands before running after Newt.

As the trio stood in the broken entrance of the zoo, Newt set down his suitcase once more. Reaching into it, he pulled out two plates of chest armor. "Right," he murmured, his voice quiet as he tried not to disturb any threats inside the zoo. He handed one plate of armor to Jacob before stepping behind Penelope.

"Let's just pop this on..." He said as he wrapped the armor around her body. His hands grazed across her arms as he did so, and although she was wearing a thick trench coat to protect her against the cold, she could feel the heat of his touch through it. "Now there's absolutely nothing to worry about, my friends."

Jacob looked at Newt with wide eyes are he strapped his own armor around his body. "Tell me, does anyone ever believe you when you tell them not to worry?"

As Newt finished strapping the armor around Penelope, he looked over her shoulder at the man before him, a cheeky smile on his face. "Not really, no. But my philosophy is worrying means you suffer twice."

~

Deep within the dark, lifeless zoo, the trio finally caught sight of the Erumpent, standing just outside the hippopotamus enclosure.  It was a creature as large as an elephant, with thick gray hide and a hump on its back. It had a large horn that was several feet long on its nose, just behind it was a large bulbous mass glowing a bright orange color. A low bellow came from the beast as it stepped towards the smaller animal inside the cage.