sixthiterationlogs | You Should Have Known Better

WHO: Ezio Auditore
WHERE: Fountain, Around Lucy's House, The Inn & South Village
WHEN: Week of Jan. 18th - 25th
OPEN TO: Arrival Closed To Lucy; all other prompts are OTA!
WARNINGS: Descriptions Of Near Drowning - Will Update If Needed!

Arrival; Locked To Lucy

It was wonderous and terrifying just how quickly your life could change in an instant. In a single blink of an eye everything you thought you knew could be completely shattered and pieced back together.

Yet Ezio had felt absolutely no fear as he had lept from the tower, following his fellow assassins down, down, down in the final part of the initiation ritual he had just partaken in, after being trained and groomed for years to take his place in this secret society. How he had never suspected, had never known, had never realized that all this time, this was what his father had been doing. What his uncle had been preparing him for.

There should be an end to the falling, a pile of soft hay to break his landing, leaving him to pop out and continue on with his work. But there isn't. There is no end, only sinking, deeper and deeper, like a stone in a lake with no bottom as an inky blackness encloses around him.

When he wakes it's to the sensation of drowning, mouth opening to grasp for air only to find nothing but water rushing down his throat and into his lungs. For a moment, brief and heart-stopping, where he's certain that this is it, this is how he's going to die. It wouldn't be some templar sword that finally ended him, but an ocean of murky water with no way out.

But there's sun shining from above, and he shoves against something solid, forces his way to the top just before his lungs give out and he's left gasping and coughing up disgusting mouthfuls of water, clinging to the side of the fountain.

Inn; Open To All

After being literally ripped away from his world and dumped unceremoniously into a fountain - and then being hauled out of said fountain by a girl who was literally half his size - Ezio isn't exactly feeling his normal self. Especially considering the fact that everything had been taken from him. His father's robes, his dual hidden blades and all of the attachments that Leonardo had worked so tirelessly to replicate for him.

But he is clean and he is dry, which is a far better state than he had arrived in. He had been told that there was food to be had at the Inn, and so that's where he's currently headed. Once there, he'll indeed find his way into the kitchen and retrieve a bowl of whatever happens to be on the stove, before sitting rather unceremoniously into the nearest chair. He had been told there would be days like this, of course, but he was pretty certain this wasn't what his uncle had meant.

South Village; Open To All

In the days following his arrival, Ezio had spent most of his time either in the Inn, reading the complete history of the village, or in the library, attempting to do as much research as possible. Just because everyone said there wasn't a known and sure-fire way to leave didn't mean he wasn't going to attempt to find one.

Once night fell, however, he would set out on his own, running along the rooftops of the nearby houses, formulating paths in his mind of the best routes to take. To and from the inn, naturally. To and from the library. To and from the outer edges of the village, just in case. It was freezing and the roofs were often slippery, and more than once he lost his footing and slid far more than he would have liked. Especially considering he was unused to the boots and clothing that he had been given. Occasionally, he would stumble upon an abandoned house and poke around it in, with the hopes that he would find something more suitable. Leather gloves for a better grip, or shoes with more flexible soles.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Leonardo straightened up to reply, sighing deeply. "It is not a library, Ezio, and it's not ---" He snapped to it in that moment and his face completely transformed into the kind of joy that can't be expressed, only seen. He ran forward with no hesitation and hugged Ezio, feeling like something tight in his chest that had been tense this whole time unfurled all at once. Things would be fine now. Ezio was there. He would find a way to save them, he always did.

"Ezio!" Leonardo pulled back from the hug to look at him, and then his eyes brightened. "Altair is here. The real one. From the codex pages! I have not seen him, but his friend Malik told me. There are others of your Order here!" He was bursting with information and not certain where to start. "There are people from other planets here. One has horns, and another is fully blue with a tail." Seriously so much to say. He stepped back to wildly wave his hands. "In the future there are giant flying machines that hundreds of people can fly on between countries."

Yep. These were the first things on his mind to share.

Thankfully, Ezio had gotten used to the fact that hugging was Leonardo's default method of greeting someone. So when he ran forward, his arms opened easily, wrapping around his friend the moment their bodies collided.

Only to have Leonardo open his mouth and begin to babble a mile a minute the moment he pulled away. Ezio listened carefully, taking in the information and thankful that Leonardo was so observant and curious. It would serve them well here. As would his ability to craft things seemingly from nothing.

"It is good to see you too." There was a light tease to his voice when Leonardo finally paused for a breath. "Now, you have said that there are others from the order here. Who? Is it only Altair?"

Leonardo was so happy to see his friend that he thought he might explode with it. He always appreciated that Ezio listened when he babbled, at least to the point where he started talking in circles, which he hadn't hit yet. He was fairly sure everything in this place was so interesting that he'd never have a circle, only more things to be amazed by.

"It is so good to see you. Although I probably should not have wished you here." Leonardo briefly looked concerned. "I hope that I didn't inadvertently make it happen." After all, things would be better with his friend there, but he didn't want to wish him trapped.

"I only got the names of Malik and Altair, but Malik said there were several others. I did not want to out them by asking who was in the Order publicly." He knew that privacy was of the utmost importance, even here. Until instructed otherwise, Leonardo would keep his secrets. "I told Malik I would get to work immediately on the Order's blades. I know how to off the top of my head, of course, but it will take longer to get the materials." He wanted to make certain they were armed in case of trouble.

"I do not think even you are capable of that." Although even he had to admit that it was slightly strange that both he and Leonardo had both been brought here at relatively the same time. What could that mean? What could whoever had brought them here desire from the two?

"You did well not to." If there was one person that Ezio had always been certain he could trust with anything implicitly, it was Leonardo. After all, the artist was as much a part of his family or of the order as anyone else. "We will find them for you. It can not be that hard." It probably would be.

"You will make mine first, si?"

"Ah, of course, you are correct, I am no wizard." Leonardo laughed. "I'm here in this strange future world a short time and already imagining myself full of magic." He thought he had opinions on what was real or not real before he came here, but now he was not so certain. There were other planets and species at work, and time travel. Who was he to question such a thing?

"Mmm, it might be, but I will put together a list of parts and perhaps you can meet your unknown brothers can come up with it together. I suspect you'll find a way to make friends of them, as you do everyone." Leonardo made several friends himself so far, which was strange but also wonderful. They were so interesting.

He made a face at his friend and clasped Ezio on the shoulder. "Of course, you will always be my first customer in whatever I do, you know that." Leonardo liked Ezio's family before tragedy struck them.

"It would be helpful if you were." Then again, sometimes he honestly thought Leonardo was capable of magic with the way he could make seemingly impossible things somehow possible. He had made a man fly.

"Whatever you need, Leonardo. Simply say the word and I will find it for you." That was how it worked, wasn't it? He found the materials and kept Leonardo save in return for having the actual genius himself design and make all of his toys.

"I do, my friend." There's one of those easy smiles on his face. "I am glad to have found you here."

"They say we do have magic here. Abilities. I do not know what mine is. They say many things, it is difficult to know what is true. But it is said to be related to the colors on our devices." Leonardo points at the watch in question. He is completely enamored with it, but uncertain how to use it properly so far. He plans on trying to figure it out and then use it however he can to his advantage.

He shines his brightest smile at Ezio, feeling less guilty about the relief washing over him. His friend gives him comfort and makes him less afraid. "I am glad as well. I found a house if you would like a place to sleep. I am also taking over an empty forge to start building as soon as I can." As if he would spend an idle minute! He's always moving, always working on something.

After a beat he rubs a hand across his jaw. "Ezio, I'm ---" He feels like it's bragging too much! "It appears I am famous in the future."

"Nothing is true." Leonardo wasn't, officially, a member of the order, but in Ezio's eyes, he was close enough. He might as well carry the last name of Auditore as well, for how much Ezio considered him a brother. Those words would go no further than the two of them, he was certain it. No one else could be trusted the way Leonardo could. "Everything is permitted. Remember those words, fratello."

"Thank you, but I am staying with Lucy at the moment." Someone had to leave badly chopped firewood in her living room, and he guessed that it was him.

Those last words make him smile brightly, his hand going to Leonardo's shoulder as he speaks. "Of course you are, Leonardo. You are far too talented not to be."

"I will, of course. And it may very well be the reality of this place." That nothing is true and everything is permitted. There were no laws, no rules, no society to speak of. There were no answers either, no facts that people could state were absolutely correct when this ground kept shifting beneath them.

Leonardo laughs. "You are here a short time and already found a no doubt beautiful woman to stay with. I am not at all surprised." Some things never change, and for that he is grateful. There are strange things here. He likes knowing Ezio at least is himself. "There is an empty bed there regardless if you have need of one."

He is pleased, yes, and humbled, and shyly proud too, smiling. "I am honored, truly. What I am happiest with is that I am not known simply for my paintings, Ezio, but for my inventions. How odd! But delightful." Painting is a dear love, yes, and he did it as a career, but his true passion was in his hobbies.

You Should Have Known Better

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