Copernicus Knuckle
The Underbelly was intensely packed with people and creatures. Carts and people pushing each other, all of them holding different items that Samantha knew on any other given day, would make amazing stories.
The Underbelly was a city essentially free of law. It was a city with winding roads and big high buildings. There were people shouting and stealing from each other. Women stood on corners, draped in very little and propositioning anyone who passed. Street rat children were stealing from carts and men were begging on corners.
The only difference between the Underbelly and a real city was that it was hundreds of miles beneath the Arizona desert. You wouldn't have known it, as there looked to be a sky, but it was constantly pouring rain.
"Not exactly a pleasant sight now is it?" Kai Jones observed as they walked through the streets.
As they walked, Duke flew off of Kai's shoulder onto Samantha's. He was a bit more at attention, as if protecting her.
She shook her head watching as small children ran past her. "Not exactly somewhere I plan to build a summer home."
"Just stick close to me. Copernicus' shop is just up the way." He said guiding her to what looked like a pawn shop.
"Do me a favor, keep quiet." He said before fixing his hat, "I know Copernicus, you don't."
Samantha rolled her eyes but went along with it.
It reminded her of Borgen and Burkes in Knockturn Alley, but this store had dead creatures stuffed and placed on the walls. She regretted never taking Care Of Magical Creatures just for that moment. She was so greatly disturbed by the stuffed house elf standing on the counter that she didn't notice the man standing behind the counter. He had one eye and one giant bulge where they should have been another. He had a humped back with scars much like Kai's going down his arms and legs. Samantha had once been hit by an aggressive stinging jinx that covered her whole body in boils, this man looked like he'd been permanently cursed with one.
"Jones!" The man called aggressively stepping from behind the counter to embrace Kai. "I should have known that was you."
Kai hugged him back, "Copernicus. It's been a long time my friend."
"And who might this beautiful creature be?" Copernicus asked, his one eye examining her as he took her hand. "I'm Copernicus Knuckle at your service mam."
"This is Rebel Jones, my wife, so hands off." Kai said.
Samantha wanted to laugh That was a ridiculous thought to her. She would rather be married to Duke the dragon.
Duke was off her shoulder now. He had moved down to her hand. He growling and hissing at Copernicus who was laughing.
"Can't control him still I see." Copernicus laughed at Duke who proceeded to sink his teeth into Copernicus.
Copernicus jumped back and Duke flew back to Samantha's shoulder.
"Oh well my congratulations to you Jones and Mrs. Jones." Copernicus nodded to them both while attending to his bitten hand. "I will say, normally Kai only seems interested in other dragon trainers and you do not bear the marks."
She turned around and lifted her hair to show him the scarred flesh on her back.
Copernicus laughed, "He truly does have a type. Now, I believe you two may wish to speak to me in private."
"Of course Copernicus." Kai crossed his arms.
They followed Copernicus behind a curtain at the back of his shop, to a small storage room where there were more stuffed creatures, packed like sardines. There was also a table and chairs.
Copernicus pulled out a chair for Samantha and she sat down, followed by Kai beside her.
"Now, what can I do for you Joneses?" Copernicus asked looking them over.
"Do you know where Freya is and where she sold my dragon eggs?"
"I should have known this was about Jade." Copernicus pointed at Jones. "I'd think you'd want to escape your past, seeing as you've obviously moved on."
Samantha raised an eyebrow at Kai. What did that mean? Was this about more than just dragon eggs.
"He didn't tell you?" Copernicus asked with a chuckle. "Kai's spent most of his life chasing after that woman."
"Drop it Copernicus!" Kai growled, "I wanted a fresh start. My wife didn't need to know about Freya and I's past. I need to know where she is though. She's got something important that belongs to me."
"Damned dragon eggs Jones. They aren't that important. I say let Jade go." Copernicus chuckled, giving no further information.
"You just don't want to be on her bad side." Kai leaned forward.
"She pays better than you do." Copernicus looked between them, "Unless you have something better to offer."
Samantha stood from the table and put her hand behind Copernicus' chair. Kai looked at her like she was insane, his mouth downturned. She played with the greasy hair on Copernicus' head. She slid her hand down his side to the pocket where he kept his wand.
Duke was on her shoulder, again hissing in Copernicus' direction.
"Oh, what you going to offer baby?" He looked up at her with a raised eyebrow before turning to Kai, "Didn't take you for the sharing kind. You really want those eggs back."
Samantha chuckled before pulling out his wand and grabbing his hair. She slammed Copernicus' head forward onto the table. She pulled his shocked head back up and put both their wands to his neck.
His nose was bleeding and crooked, he was hyperventilating. "They are just eggs."
"You are going to tell us where they are." Kai sat back and crossed his arms. Now smirking at her, "I wouldn't test her, if you didn't like getting your nose broken, you should see what she can do with magic."
"You have kids?" Samantha asked holding the wands closer to his neck and smirking.
He shook his head and she turned her wand towards another more sensitive spot.
"You want them someday?" She laughed maniacally.
He was really breathing heavily now. "You really have a thing for Psychotic Bitches Jones."
Samantha slammed his head back down again, a little harder this time. When he came back up, the notch where his eye should be was bleeding.
"Where's Jade?" Kai asked raising an eyebrow.
"Her and her crew are staying in some big building a few blocks over. The Scales INN." He was crying now. His words were nasally from the lack of a breathing nose. "Now call her off."
Kai nodded a little at her and she let go of him. She kept his wand in her hand and walked behind Kai.
She snapped his wand in half.
Samantha then waved her wand and chains held him to his chair, "In case we find out you are lying. That'll hold for a few hours."
They left his little backroom and stepped into the dark street again. It was thundering now.
"I didn't know you had it in you Fyre." Kai joked at her as they began striding up the street looking for this INN.
Samantha began thinking of a plan, she had her old disguise cloak in her bag. It couldn't make her fully invisible, but it would disguise her from the occasional onlooker. She could totally sneak in and find her brother while Kai stayed back.
"No come on Fyre." Kai grabbed her arm as they rounded a corner. There at the end was a dilapidated dark building with a little wooden sign swaying in the wind.
"I know this place, you don't." He said aggressively.
"They know your face Jones, if you go in there, they will suspect something is up and run." She shook her head. "You just don't want me going in there and not getting your precious eggs back." She made a frown faced.
He looked at her in silence without a rebuttal.
"Unless it's really Jade you are after?" She smiled fully. "This has never been about the dragon eggs has it?"
"It's still a stupid plan." He gruffly admitted back to her.
"Yeah, but I don't know your plan. You only know mine." She stepped on his foot, causing him to groan and let go of her hand.
Before he could say anything she was running and Apparating into the building.
She thought the second floor would be a decent place to start. The place smelled like pine and everything was made of darkened wood. She pulled her cloak over her head and began her way looking around. She wasn't sure if he'd have changed physically or if he'd look the same. She knew she had to find him.
Crash!
She heard glass shatter down the 4th floor hallway and she pulled herself against a wall.
Two very large men were walking together to a door and a vase was shattered against the floor.
"Damn it." One of the men swore before waving his wand and the vase fixed itself. "Wouldn't want to piss off Jade."
The other man's laugh was recognizable. She'd have known it anywhere. Her brother was at the end of the hallway with this other man.
His dark hair was now down his back but his eyes were the same dark shade of brown. Instead of death eater robes, he wore a Weird Sisters shirt and a pair of long black pants. He had a chain on his belt loop and spiked bracelets.
"Yeah, like when you cracked that egg today." It was her brother's voice, his deep voice. He waved to the other man, "I'm going to rest a bit today, hopefully we aren't stealing anything too breakable tonight."
"I think Freya said we have the night off." The bigger man commented.
"That'll be the day." Her brother chuckled.
Samantha stepped lightly and came closer as he went to turn a key to a room. The big man walked past her and she stayed still, hopefully he didn't hear her breathe.
He was too busy looking to the floor to notice her.
She snuck behind her brother as he entered his room. He didn't notice her quite yet, just went and leaned against a small window by a small patched up looking bed. She took another step and a creak sounded from the floor board.
He turned around and she pulled off her cloak.