How well are exhibits Holding up without Larry? Teddy also plans to address some rumors going around the Museum.
It was another night, another guard that unfortunately departed. Ever since Lawrence left to launch his own business, new night guards were hired to replace him. Thankfully he still visited every mouth but those became less frequent, until eventually... he stopped coming altogether. It had been several months since he last visited the Museum at all even during the day.
The Museum director was a skeptic in the supernatural, he tends to fire those on the spot for being "crazies" who claimed the Museum comes to life at night. Thus the Museum more often than not had to fend and take of itself. Some of the most brilliant minds in the Museum came up with a daily routine that everyone followed that allowed for order and stability.
At the forefront of all this responsibility was Theodore Roosevelt, 26th President of these here United States. Of course, like any great leader he didn't manage the Museum alone he had help from those he calls friends in this very Museum.
The Pharaoh Ahkmenrah the 4th king of the 4th king, used his Tablet(which brought all of us to life) to keep the animals in the Museum at bay. However, they did allow them to wander so long as the Lions don't hurt or destroy anything.
Jedediah Smith a miniature cowboy and his partner-in-crime Octavius a miniature Roman general drove around in a toy Jeep to keep the live Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton know as Rexy occupied.
His companion Sacagawea was like a mother taking care of her sick children. Always watching out for everyone and making sure everything was in order.
"Are the reptiles and insects locked up?" Asked Teddy doing their nightly checkup. Walking past the Hall of civilizations, making their way to the main lobby.
"Ah yes. It was the Pilgrims turn tonight to lock them up." Sacagawea answered looking at a clipboard checking off things one by one.
"Are there Huns patrolling the Planetarium?" His question was then shortly answered as he saw them playing football in the main lobby. Atilla the leader after failing to score chopped the football in frustration. Shouting in his native tongue that only he and Ahkmenrah understood. Not just with his men but also a bronze statue of the great explorer Christopher Columbus, a terracotta soldier, Lewis and Clark, and some Neanderthals.
"What is he saying?" Sacagawea asked with curiosity.
"It's best I do not repeat what he said word for word. Anyway what of the-"
"The B-Wing is already taken care of. The African tribesmen just locked it up." She interrupted already knowing what he was about to ask.
"Alright looks like everything is in order," Teddy proclaimed. All in a good night's work he thought. It brought him great joy that mostly everyone in the Museum could roam freely as they liked.
"Not quite," Sacagawea corrected. "We still haven't checked if the Union soldiers locked up all the doors."
"Well speak of the devil," Teddy exclaimed as he saw Ulysses S. Grant and William T. Sherman(albeit wax replicas) were passing by. "Good to meet you general," Even though Teddy is fully aware he would eventually become the 18th president of the United States. However, his outfit and likeness were based on him during the American civil war.
"Nice to met you, fellow president," Grant responded shaking Teddy's gloved hand. That remarked showed that even if a character was based on a particular point in their life they retained full knowledge of everything. One of the many gifts the Tablet has given. "Don't worry me and my men made sure all doors and windows were locked and secured," Grant assured Teddy with a smile on his face.
"Currently all the men are stationed at every entrance," Sherman added "Nothing gets in or out." He said with enthusiasm in his voice.
"Bully!" Teddy exclaimed. "And what of the Confederates?" Teddy asked forgetting what task they were assigned tonight.
"Right here," Emerged Robert E. Lee Commander of the Confederate States Army during the American civil war. With Nathaniel Black, a rather obscure figure in history most well known for being the only sole survivor as a founding member of the Terry Texas Rangers also known as the 8th Cavalry. "We were assigned in patrolling the Planetarium in the event those... men got distracted." Indicating the Huns without explicitly saying them.
"Very well," Teddy lamented trying not to think of Larry but the thought aches him in his wax heart. "It is such a shame you never met Lawrence. He was an exceptional leader and I would proudly go into battle with him." Teddy proudly said with a bit of sadness in his voice.
It was just the day after Larry's last visit all those months ago did these new exhibits come into the loading dock. They were all part of a cross-country tour showing off important figures in the American civil war. Largely military-related featuring great men from both the Confederacy and Union like Joseph Hooker, Ambrose Everett Burnside, Stonewall Jackson, George Meade, George B. McClellan, Jubal Early, Nathaniel Black, Robert E. Lee, Ulysses S. Grant, and William T. Sherman and countless others. Unfortunately, only four of them made it here. The rest were damaged or have worn down, so they were returned to the Smithsonian Institution.
"Looks like everything is done and done," Teddy signed with relief, but they're just one last thing he had to do.
He walked over to the main desk where normally someone would greet visitors. Picked up the phone and went directly on the intercom.
"Attention all exhibits: Come down to the main lobby we have a special announcement to make," Teddy put the phone down going up the stairs atop the balcony in a similar position to what Larry did all those years ago to assemble the Museum to stop the former night guards from stealing the Tablet.
Within a few short minutes, everyone assembled: the Miniatures, Union and Confederate soldiers, Neanderthals, African tribespeople, Native Americans, Pilgrims, Eskimos, Huns, Vikings, Suits of armor, Christopher Columbus, Lewis and Clark, Ahkmenrah, and various other mixtures of cultures including wildlife such as Ming the Jade lion, Lilly the Mammoth, Dexter the capuchin, and of course Rexy. Sacagawea was right beside him, holding each other's arms.
"I would like to say the rumors of us getting replaced-" Teddy announced but to no avail are there was too much commotion going.
"QUIIIIIIEEEEEEEETTTTTTT!" The Easter Island shouted from its hall its' voice booming across the room causing everyone to settle down.
"Thank you," Teddy said gratefully as he then proceeded "As I was saying there are rumors of us being replaces by holograms." Teddy addressed wanted to clear some misconceptions. Everyone responded with lots of side conversations discussing the very topic, some hearing about this for the first time, others genuine sadness at the thought of being replaced.
"Those are completely baseless and are false. This is the Museum of Natural History for Pete's sake." Teddy said attempting to reassure the exhibits, giving some hope. "However a crew from the Smithsonian is indeed coming but only for our Civil war commanders as the director feels they and I quote 'long overstayed their welcome' his words, not mine. Thankfully they won't arrive until the morning when the week ends."
Everyone including the civil war soldiers looked at Grant, Sherman, Lee, and Nathaniel. "Well since this will be your last week with us, how about we celebrate it was a goodbye party?" Jedediah sharply suggested.
"I say we give them a celebration to remember," Octavius nodding in agreement.
"Very well we shall have a final goodbye part by the of the week," Teddy eagerly said. "Also one last thing: We should be expecting a new night guard so there's even more reason to celebrate," Teddy added. All the exhibits cheered at the thought of a new guard even if the last ones didn't quite pan out.
"That is all for tonight, everyone back your positions, dawn is creeping up on us," Teddy exclaimed and so everyone went their ways back to their respective halls.
"How do you think I did?" Teddy asked Sacagawea his face red from excitement, as he claimed atop his horse Texas.
"I think you did excellent dear," Sacagawea complemented as she walked back to her hall. As she so she aired kissed Teddy as she turned around. Teddy pulled out his sword as he saw Rexy getting back in its usual spot. The beams of the sun landed on him and just like that he was wax once more.
Okay, so some quick things to point out: So first and foremost Nathaniel Black is a completely made-up character for this story(give you one guess as to who he's related to) however everything else is true. And I tried to give a justification as to why we don't see them in the films.
Also, did you know there is this obscure sequel book that takes place between the second and third films? It's called Night of the dragons and it follows nick, it's an enjoyable read especially if your a fan of the films just google search "Night of the dragons night of the Museum". It's where I got a lot of cool information like the names of Ming and Lilly and also the existence of the B-wing. Also, there's an even more obscure sequel novel to that book called the night of the giants (although it's Ebook only).
Also, I finished reading the novelization for the first film and just don't read it. It either simplified a lot of scenes or outright cuts them. Any scene original to the book doesn't make up for it, and the characterization feels off(especially for Larry). Also for some reason dialogue doesn't match the film and the book calls Teddy's horse lucky instead of Texas which makes me wonder if Leslie Goldman even WATCHED THE MOVIE WAS NOVELIZING. Sincerely, how do you mess up that bad? It feels like she read a plot synopses off IMDB and she decided to fill in the blanks herself. I honestly wouldn't recommend it to anyone especially if you love the first film. I've read the novelization of the second or third films there longer and all are written by the same guy that wrote the night of the dragons and giants Michael Anthony Steele(who's a fan of the films and wishes to expand the lore). Overall only read the novelization of the first film if your bored, I recommend outright skip it and read everything else(especially when the first book was written by a different person and had a different publisher). The most I got out of it was timeline clues on which days the film took(you can ask me details if you want).
Rant aside hope you enjoyed my chapter and next time I'll reveal Kano's "master" plan to steal the Tablet. Stay safe gamers.