Work Text:
The museum never has many changes, besides Larry being the new night guard and another adventure here and there, the museum relatively stays the same. Until the people in charge want to bring something new, both Larry and Dr. McPhee are unaware if the two boxes big enough to fit a person inside and the smaller boxes strewn about a small, unoccupied part of the museum was a permanent change or just because of some request or whatnot, but when night comes along the night guard couldnt stand hearing the confused banging on the boxes, they didnt need much help however. Just a slight peel of the tape was enough for the woman to break out of the cardboard box. She glared at Larry with a vengeance “who are you?! Where am i?! W-what” she stared down at her hand and the rest of her like she didnt know what to do with herself
“Hey, uh, Im Larry, Larry Daley, you are at a museum” it didnt seem to clear anything up, actually, it seemed to confuse her more “mu-se-um?” she asked “yeah you uh- how do i put this lightly, uhm you are really important, so important that people wanted to remember you! After you uh….passed” The woman put a hand on the side of her stomach, dazed “the year is 2018, In New York City, America” She lifted herself out of the box “America….I heard things about this place, few and far between”
The woman turned to face Larry directly and bowed “Nakano Takeko” she introduced herself. “Uh yeah, Larry, How about you introduce yourself to the others? They are through those doors, just be careful of Rexy, he likes to play” Takeko smiled and walked “er, Larry?” she questioned, the night guard looked back “yeah?” he asked “if my naginata is in one of those boxes, would you return it to me?” Larry had no clue what this woman just said but he just nodded nervously “uh yeah! You got it!”
For some reason, the second box felt like exhuming a body, which he guess it technically was? He didnt wanna think about it, once the tape was peeled back and the flaps pushed aside, a second woman grabbed Larry’s shirt, putting a dagger to his throat “ Nǐ shì shuí ?!” She demanded, the night guard didnt know the language she spoke, he didnt even know if she could understand him. “ Gàosù wǒ!”
“I-Im Larry Daley! I mean you no harm! You are only in a museum!” in some sort of miracle (or perhaps the tablet) she understood, lowering the dagger and dropping his shirt enough for him to scoot away “You are safe, please dont threaten any others, if you could” She glared at him, almost like Takeko did, but much much more hostile….
….
…The next few days consisted of managing the museum and working on putting the two new exhibits together, they apparently are staying for the foreseeable future, despite the director saying it would only be for the month. Larry shrugged it off but what he couldnt shrug off was the second exhibit, she didnt talk to anyone, didnt move from her spot even though she was told she could, didnt even write, apart from a slip of paper hastily written and shoved into Larry’s hands, he tried for days to figure out what it said, to no avail.
Eventually the night guard had sighed enough times for Ahkmenrah to ask what was wrong. Larry pulled the paper out of his desk, laying it on the top for all of them to see, Ahkmenrah to his right and Atillia to his left, the pair of miniature leaders standing in front. “The new exhibit doesnt speak English, no one can understand them -not that they speak to anyone anyway- ive been trying to translate this for days!” Larry sighed, Ahkmenrah had suggested some things to help the translating process, to which the night guard had said he tried already.
Jedediah squinted at the paper, just to read the handwriting, it was actually neater than any in the west he’s seen, too neat that it kinda all blended together for a few moments, enough time had passed for him to make the connection in his brain. “It says ‘leave me alone’” he says with a smile, only for everyone to look at him with a dumbfounded expression “what? What’d i say?” Jed asked, confused
“I just- never really expected you to know, whatever this language is…” Larry started “what? You think just ‘cause im a cowboy i dont know a thing or two? Im insulted Gigantor” Jedediah said, crossing his arms over his chest “and fer the record, its Chinese, y’know, the language like half my folk speak, it’d be rude not to at least try ‘n learn some”
Octavius just stared at him, a little bit annoyed, a little bit attracted, he was more annoyed though “you can learn how to read Chinese but you cant learn Latin?” he asked, Jed flushed a bit, not wanted to explain his reasoning for saying he couldnt and avoiding the topic of learning altogether “s-shut up” Larry, however, sighed “Jed, i think your gonna have to talk to them”
“What?! Why me?!” Jedediah complained, the night guard rolled his eyes “because you’re the only one who can understand them, plus you’re small enough that i dont think they’ll see you as a threat” Jed huffed, offended “you know what i meant!” Larry added, Jed thought about it until Larry started to bribe him, he couldnt say no to getting away with pranking, who would?
He only agreed under the condition that Octavius went with him, which the night guard obliged with, setting them down near the side of the platform the two exhibits were designed to be on as close as he could without being seen and held at dagger-point again. The pair walked up, the exhibit staring off elsewhere before spotting them “Wǒ bùshì shuōguò yào ràng wǒ yīgèrén jìng yī jìng ma?”
Jedediah took a breath before responding “Nǐ zuò dàole, dàn zhè bùshì wǒmen zài zhèlǐ gōngzuò de fāngshì” they looked at him, suspicious “Nǐ wèi shuí gōngzuò?” the miniature shrugged, sticking his hands in his pockets “Chúle wǒ zìjǐ zhī wài méiyǒu rén” the exhibit looked down, fiddling with their dagger “Nǐ jiào shénme míngzì?” they looked away, not speaking “Wǒ de shì jié dí dài yà shǐmìsī, zhè shì ào kè tài wéi sī” he introduced, gesturing to himself and Octavius respectively.
“....Qiu Jin” She muttered “Zhè shì yīgè měilì de míngzì” She scoffed, staring at the mini cowboy “Nǐ bùyòng fèngchéng wǒ, wǒ yīgèrén jiù hǎole” She spat, looking at her dagger once again, however she looked up when she heard the sound of another voice, Takeko rushed down the hall with a smile, followed by Rexy. She looked at the woman with longing in her eyes, it was clear as day to the cowboy why she felt the need to push everyone away, he did the same thing when he figured out his feelings “Huíbì tā bù huì yǒu rènhé hǎochù”
She buried her face in her sleeves partly “Nǐ zhīdào shénme?” She questioned “Bǐ rénmen yùqí de yāo duō dé duō” Jed responded, she looked at him again and laughed softly, shortly after, the same sadness returned to her eyes “`Ài'cónglái méiyǒu dài lái rènhé hǎochù” the cowpoke had heard that exact thing before, many of the women in his diorama were scared to love, right along with him, but for different reasons, that all ended in the same result, getting hurt
“Hàipà méiguānxì” he reassured, bringing another wave of sadness in her eyes “Bù, bùshì, wǒ bùnéng, wǒ shì zhànshì” Jed scoffed a bit “Nǐ shì rénlèi, zhè cái shì zuì zhòngyào de” it brought a small part of understanding, she nodded “Yěxǔ, wǒ yīdìng huì gēn nǐ hé nǐ xiānshēng duō liáo liáo, xiǎo niúzǎi”
Jedediah instantly flushed red “Shén-shénme?!” he asked, blushing furiously “Tā bùshì wǒ lǎogōng!” the cowboy yelled, causing her to look over again at the duo “Bù? Nà tā wèishéme yào cí'ài de kànzhe nǐ ne?” Jed looked over at Octavius, where he stood, staring at him, starstruck, before they locked eyes and the general looked another way “Nǐ yīnggāi tīngqǔ zìjǐ de jiànyì” she laughed, getting up to talk with a certain samurai.