A/N: Been a while since I last did this chapter… but I'm back! I hope you enjoy it!

Chapter 9: Sequence 3: Welcome to Villa Auditore + Glyph Hunting (4)

As the afternoon passed, the partners of RWBY both did their fair share of the day.

Ruby and Weiss did a few shopping as they collected and bought the required material for the team leader in her attempt to recreate the Hidden Blade from the game.

Yang and Blake decided to do some training, the Faunus trying to achieve stealth in the middle of public areas while Yang wanted to try something during her free time.

A couple of hours have passed, and Ruby and Weiss are the first to return to their dorm.

"Dorm sweet dorm." Ruby happily chirped as she entered their dorm room with Weiss while they carried a handful of shopping bags from their shopping spree.

"Yes… dorm sweet dorm." Weiss sighed as she puts down her share of the bags as she sat on her bed.

"Awe, don't be like that, Weiss. At least we got something good for all this stuff today." Ruby smiled towards her partner.

"I suppose so." The heiress returned the smile as well.

During their shopping, Weiss looked up her Scroll to search for the best shops around Vale to gather materials for Ruby's project. Upon arrival among those shops, Weiss granted the permission to her leader to not hesitate in what she needs, which Ruby quickly did so happily.

After collecting the required equipment, she needs, albeit it was a lot, which Ruby claims she will need for any trial-and-error, they reached to the counter to pay for it, the cashier, the owner of the shop, was shocked and perplexed at the number of items the two are willing to buy. The owner couldn't help but show an expression saying, 'can you afford this?'

That doubt was cast aside as soon as Weiss showed the amount Lien to the shopkeeper, which surprised him and hesitantly excepted it, but what surprised him, even more, is that she requested the purchased items to be delivered to Beacon which costed extra. The heiress simply smiled as the shopkeeper was happily doing his work as he claimed that it was the first time his shop has earned in one day.

After finishing with their shopping, Weiss insisted that they should buy some take out meal for the team, which Ruby happily agreed.

"Where are Yang and Blake?" Weiss asked.

"Yang texted me that they went out for training," Ruby answered. "They should be back soon." On cue, the dorm room's door opens, and Yang and Blake enter.

"Hi, Yang! Welc-." The young Huntress stopped herself the moment she took a good look at her older half-sister, basically on her treasured hair, which was covered in leaves. Even Weiss was struck speechless at sight with her eyes widen a bit.

"Not a word…" Yang said with a monotone voice as she walks to the bathroom leaving everyone the two in silence while Blake just had an amused smirk on her face.

"Aaaaaah, what happened?" Ruby innocently asked.

"Training." Blake shrugged, not removing her smirk.

"Training?" Weiss echoed with a raised brow?

"Training." The Faunus said, not changing her answer. 'I guess this what happens when you try to mimic a video game stunt without proper practice.' She inwardly chuckles. 'At least I got try out my thing.'

After when Yang came out of the showers, her little sister asked what happened but only to receive the same answer from Blake.

Knowing that she's too stubborn to say anything, they left it like that. After having lunch from the takeaway meal, they resumed back into the game.

"So Rubes any planes on making the Hidden Blade?" Yang asked as they wait for the game to load.

"I'll probably start tomorrow," Ruby answered. "Most of what we ordered is going to be delivered by then."

"How was your shopping, by the way?" Blake asked.

"It was splendid." Weiss answered.

Ruby giggled. "It sure was! I never saw a shop owner cried in joy like that."

"What do you mean?" Yang asked, being curious along with Blake. Weiss simply answers by handing the receipt to them. The moment they looked, their jaws dropped to the ground, and their eyes popped in disbelief.

"That's… a lot of zeros." Blake breathed out, not looking away at the receipt.

"You can say that again…" Yang said, reacting the same way with her partner.

"Oh! The game is starting." Ruby chirped, making the two snap back from their shock. "Can I play this time?"

"Sure, Ruby, it's your turn, after all." Yang said, making Ruby squeal as she held the controller as the game begins.

The Animus now begins to construct simulating new locations. A large mansion was first built, followed by a large courtyard.

"My, what a lovely mansion." Weiss praised, looking at the building. "Its design is so… traditional."

"You think that place will be important?" The team leader asks.

"Maybe."

Toscana

1477

The ping came from their Scrolls—a message from Tython.

'Toscana is another word for Tuscany. A region in Italy.'

"Interesting." Blake said.

The construction continues as numerous houses with a large stonewall with watchtowers came to be, circling it, showing the inside of a village. Next, the environment outside of was also created, showing a grass field with a few trees along with a road where Ezio and his remaining family are traveling on as they go to the Monteriggioni.

"There's Ezio and his family!" Ruby happily said.

"That must be their destination, Monteriggioni." Blake deduced.

"We should be close," Ezio said as he guides his Mother and Sister.

Claudia: "Grazie a Dio (Thank God)." Claudia tiredly says in relief, getting tired of walking, none stop from their trip.

A notification appears.

'ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE'

'Escort Maria and Claudia to the Villa Auditore in Monteriggioni.'

"Alright! Time to take them to safety." Ruby said as she controls Ezio.

Ezio and his family continued to Monteriggioni. Along the way, they were stopped by Vieri de' Pazzi, who was accompanied by several guards.

"Vieri?!" They all shouted in disbelief. "What's he doing here?!" Yang asked.

"It can't be…" Blake muttered, but everyone heard her. "Is he… is he involved in the deaths of Ezio's after and brothers!?"

The girls gasped at that thought. "That bastard," Yang growled as her eyes turned red.

"But why?" Ruby asked with a mixture of sadness and anger.

"I'm not sure, Ruby…" Weiss said, also feeling enraged at the thought. "We can only find out through the story."

"Buongiorno (Good day), Ezio!" Vieri greeted his rival with a wicked grin on his face as Ezio gestures his sister to take her mother a few steps back. "How could you leave Firenze without saying a proper goodbye?" He finishes with a fake hurt on his face as the guard gathers up behind him.

The girls growled at the Vieri's personality.

"Ezio!" Claudia shouts, making the brother look back to see that more guards are surrounding them.

"Their surrounded!" Ruby shouted.

"What do you want, Vieri?" Ezio questions him while he gestures his sister to come closer to him along with there mother.

"So many things," Vieri says as he lists the number of things with his finger. "A larger palazzo, two new steeds, a prettier bride... oh and yes... your life." He finishes as he draws out his sword and points it to Ezio.

"Creep." Yang growled, while Weiss narrowed her eyes in rage at the boy, he couldn't help but compare him to some of the wealthier boys in Atlas, always talking about what they have and always complaining in what they don't. It's entirely annoying to hear those useless talks.

At that signal, Vieri's guards attacked Ezio and his family. A notification appears.

'Defend your family.'

"You got this, Rubes?" Yang asker her little sister, she replied by giving a nod and a smirk.

Ruby controls Ezio as he fights back the guards with his Hidden Blade. At first, Ruby slightly panicked that all of the guards would attack, but fortunately, only about two of them attacked. She made sure that Ezio kept a close distance with his mother and sister as he fights off the guards.

"My condolences for the loss of your father and brothers." Vieri mockingly says with a chuckle as one of the guards attacks Ezio, but his attack was blocked, then Ezio counters with his Hidden Blade and manages to kill him. "What will happen now that there's no one left to help you?" Another guard begins to attack Ezio's family. He quickly dashes to their side, fends off the guard, and kills him. "I have such wonderful things in store for your mother and sister."

"Does he ever shut up?" Yang growled, getting even angrier at the man. The girls also felt the same.

"I grow tired of this game. Finish him! And do not spare the women!" Vieri orders his men as they all raised their swords guards advanced on Ezio's family.

"Oh, sugar cookies!" Ruby squeaked, it's going to get even more difficult at this point.

However, they were suddenly killed from behind by throwing knives.

The girls gasped at the sudden change of the scene.

"What happened?!" The team leader shouts. "Are those knives?"

"Reinforcements?" Blake suggested.

"Whoever it is, they came at the right time." Yang said.

"What sorcery is this?!" Vieri shouts in panic as he looks around his surroundings.

An unknown voice laughed, it was deep and a masculine voice that came from beyond Vieri's sight. "Not sorcery, boy. Skill!"

"Show yourself!" Vieri shouts as he readies his blade towards the unknown newcomer.

"As you wish." The voice simply said as another throwing knife was thrown to Vieri's swords, forcing it out from his hand.

"What accurate aim!" Blake praises.

The mysterious man appeared along with other men appeared by Ezio's side, and tossed Ezio a sword. "Here. Use this!"

"Whoa, he's huge!" Ruby said. Blake blinked, looking at the newcomer she couldn't help but see the close resemblance towards the man and his father, Ghira Belladonna, except this one his human.

"Kill them! Kill them all!" Vieri shouts in rage. The mysterious man simply smirks as he draws his blade and charges in, now knowing that the tides have turned. Vieri fled while Ezio and the man, along with his allies, dealt with the guards.

"Coward." Weiss spatted, seeing how Vieri left his men to fight his battle.

'Defend your family.'

"Alright! Now I can fight even better with a sword!" Ruby cheered as she controls Ezio with his new weapon. "And with the help of these guys."

"Go, Ezio! You too, Ruby!" Yang cheered along with the others for both of them.

Now holding a different weapon, Ezio was able to properly defend his family along thanks to the assistance of the stranger. With his new sword, he blocks, counters, and strikes down the guards until there were no more left.

With the battle over, Ezio walks up to the stranger as he bows his head and hands the sword back to hi with both his hands. "You have my thanks."

"Keep the sword, Ezio." The stranger said with a smile as he gestured his hands to him to keep it. Upon a closer look, he is dressed in the flamboyant style of the Italian nobility of the Renaissance and sported long, dark hair that he slicked back neatly. He also possessed a scar across his left eye, which he was blind in.

"Wow, he looks a bit intimidating…" Ruby squeaked a bit a little afraid of the man's appearance.

'Wow… he does kinda remind me of dad…' Blake was mentally feeling sad as she reminisces the times she is with her father. But then she perked up at the last sentence he said. "Wait, did he just say Ezio's name."

"Mario Auditore?" Weiss suggested.

"Do I know you from somewhere?" Ezio asks.

"Don't you recognize me?" The stranger says with a smirk as he waves out his arms as he introduces himself to Ezio. "It's-a-me, Mario!"

"Oh! It is his uncle!" Ruby happily said.

"Weren't you just afraid of him just now?" Yang smirked at her sister.

"That's before, and this is now."

"Uncle Mario?" Ezio sincerely said with a surprising look on his face and was surprised to receive a big bearhug from his uncle that was crushing him.

"He seems… enthusiastic." The white-haired girl said.

"He seems nice." The brawler smirked, begging to like the uncle's personality.

"Wasn't expecting that…" Blake said as she begins to picture her father having that kind of personality unintentionally. And in that image, she quickly covers her mouth to hold the laughter she was about to let out.

"What's wrong, Blake?" Ruby asked.

"N-No, it's n-nothing." Blake said while he chuckled a bit, earning a few looks from her team.

"It's been too long, nipote! (nephew) Far too long!" The uncle happily said as he lets go of his nephew but gave a sympathetic look to the boy as he held his shoulder with his right hand. "I heard what happened in Firenze. Terrible. Come, let's get you all away from here."

The girls felt sad about what has happened to Ezio's family but are happy that he has reunited with another.

With that, Ezio and his family proceeded towards Monteriggioni with Mario, finally obtaining a sanctuary form Ezio's notoriety in Florence. A notification appears.

'ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE'

'SYNCHED'

"Mission complete." Ruby grinned.

"Now, to have a good look at Monteriggioni." Weiss added.

The scene now changes of Ezio standing before the gates Monteriggioni, inside his uncle and sister, and mother is waiting for him.

Monteriggioni

January 1478

A profile Database on Monteriggioni appears.

"Another profile database," Weiss said. "Let's have a look."

"Right!" Ruby chirped as she opened the profile.

'Build in the 13th Century by the overlords of Siena, Monteriggioni was actively involved in defense of Tuscany against Florentine attempts to gain more territory. At the front of this conflict was the Auditore family, who became the city's rulers and protectors. It was the Auditore who constructed Monteriggioni's famous walls, which can still be seen today.

Although standing in opposition to Florentine desires, the Auditore had cordial relations with the Medici family, mainly due to their collective Florentine roots.

Monteriggioni successfully withstood attacks from Florence, until in 1554, the city was betrayed. Giovannino Zeti, the keeper of the garrison and a Florentine exile, was allowed to return to Florence in exchange for the keys to the city.

Extraordinarily, the Auditore were allowed to continue their rule of Monteriggioni under Florentine leadership, showing that the Medici do not forget their friends.'

"That is quite an interesting history," Weiss commented. "The Auditores truly have achieved much during their time."

"It is, but its shame what will happen to it after less than a hundred years from its timeline." Blake mentioned.

"But even after everything that happened or will happen, the Auditores still have control of Monteriggioni," Yang said with a smirk. "I don't know how to describe that, but that's pretty incredible."

"Yeah! The Auditores are the best!" Ruby cheered at the never-ending achievement the family has done in the past. Then she starts controlling Ezio again.

As soon as Ezio approaches them, a notification appears.

'CASA DOLCE CASA'

'Explore the Villa Auditore with Mario.'

'Checkpoint reached.'

'Follow Mario.'

"Alright, a free tour of Monteriggioni." Yang grinned. She and the others interested in what's there to see.

"So, tell me everything!" Mario asks as he guides his nephew, niece, and sister-in-law in the streets of Villa.

The streets were somewhat empty, only a very few people walking about, and most of the buildings were boarded up, showing signs that it's empty although there are a few shops open to the people.

"Huh? Why does the place look so… rundown?" Ruby asked while the others are also surprised at the state of the village.

"Yeah… that place looks like its seen better days." Yang commented.

"Could it be a financial issue?" Weiss guessed. "Or maybe the recent conflict mentioned in the database?"

"Let's just watch and listen," Blake said. "Mario might explain why."

"They executed father for treason. Federico and Petruccio too. Then they came for me." Ezio sadly said.

"Do you know why?"

"I have no answers, uncle... Only a list of names taken from a man who wished me dead." Ezio sadly continued as they continued their pace. "I still can't believe they are gone..."

The girls could only feel sad that they have to listen again to Ezio's tragedy.

"Don't worry. We will make sense of this." Mario said with a calm and caring voice towards his nephew.

"Mario really is a good man," Ruby said with a smile. "He's so positive."

"Yeah, makes you wonder what will happen if he meets with our uncle." Yang laughs while Ruby giggles at the idea.

"I wish I shared your optimism."

"Come on, keep pace! We're almost there. I think you will find much to like in Monteriggioni." Mario says, hoping to change the subject to his family.

"I thought Monteriggioni was an enemy of Firenze..." Ezio curiously asks.

"So, the finance issue was one of the problems, including the conflict." Weiss concluded.

"For now. Next year it will be its friend. The year after, its enemy again. And on and on. I cannot keep track. So I have stopped trying." Mario sighs tirelessly at the ongoing fuse as they continue the tour of the place.

"Huh? How does that work?" Ruby asks while the rest of her teammates are also confused by that conclusion.

A notification appears on Mario Auditore's Database.

"Yay! Now we get to know more about Ezio's uncle!"

'Date of Birth: 1434.

Profession: Condottiero, Noble

One of several condottieri patrolling the Tuscan countryside, Mario Auditore, played a significant role in the Battle of Anghiari, alerting Micheletto Attendolo to the appearance of several dust clouds over the road which signaled a surprise advance by Milanese troops. Thanks to Mario, the Milanese attack was foiled, and the Florentines won the battle.

Although Mario sided with Florence in Anghiari, for most of his career, he defended the interests of his hometown Monteriggioni, derailing Florentine attempts to seize Tuscan territory.

While Mario's younger brother, Giovanni, moved to Florence in 1454 to pursue a career in banking, Mario stayed at the family's villa in Monteriggioni, stating in a letter to Giovanni that he "preferred fighting like a man, to filling out balance sheets."'

A ring came from their scrolls.

'A condottieri is another word for captains, contracted to command mercenary companies.'

"I see… so not only is Mario the leader of Monteriggioni, but he's also the leader of a mercenary group." Weiss said.

"That would explain the group of men with him when they saved Ezio and his family." The Faunus said.

'Wow, they're kinda like dad and uncle Qrow.' Yang thought in her head as she compares her family with Ezio's. The fathers, Tai, and Giovanni, are somewhat retired yet active since there working on their secondary profession. While the uncles, Qrow and Mario, stayed active in their primary occupation. She looks at Ruby, and by the look at her face, she was probably thinking the same thing.

"These are honest, hardworking people. Our shops may only carry simple goods, but they're well made and dependable." Mario says as they reached towards the broad stairway that leads uphill to the mansion. Interestingly, in the middle of the stairwell, is a stone fountain was in the middle of it, covered in a few vines. On the wall shows the symbol of the Assassins.

"Look! That's the same symbol from the title screen." Ruby pointed out. "Do you think that's the symbol for the Assassins?"

"Probably." Yang chuckled. "I mean, look at it. It's the shape of a letter 'A,' definitely stands for Assassin."

"There is a chapel here too. The prete (priest) seems a nice enough fellow, but I've never been much of a believer." Mario continues as they climbed up the stairs.

"Chapel? Priest? Believer?" Weiss said, raising a brow. "What does he mean by that?" As the heiress asked the question, an alert came from their scrolls.

'It is one of the countless Religions on Earth, this one being Catholic.'

"Religion?" Ruby asks before she remembers the word. "Oh! Isn't that a belief of worshipping a god or something?"

"Your partiality right about that, Ruby." Weiss sighed but let the answer go. "So there is Religion on Earth."

"What is Catholic?" Blake curiously asks.

'I won't go into much detail, but Catholics are those who believe in God. Catholicism is the traditions and beliefs of the Catholic Churches. It refers to their theology, liturgy, morals, and spiritually.'

"Wow, that sounds deep…" Yang said. "Are you Catholic?"

'Nah, I'm Christian, it's a similar Religion to Catholic, but the only difference is that being Christian, we have a freedom to worship God, while Catholic is rather strict in their beliefs in God.'

"That sounds complicated," Ruby commented.

'Don't get me started about it.'

"I wonder what it would be like for us to have Religion back?" Yang wondered.

"We may never know." Blake shrugged. "After the Great War, all Religion has been wiped out to keep our kingdoms united. Most of them are pretty much forgotten."

"I wonder what kind of gods we used to worship?" Ruby wondered.

Meanwhile, on Earth…

"Pft! Please…" Tython scoffed at Ruby's innocent question. "You and all of Remnant should be glad that you stopped worshiping the Two Brothers. They may have been the ones to create humanity, but they did a shity job at it, pagan Gods if you ask me."

He chuckles at the irony at the comparison of Assassin's Creed and the RWBY universe. "You girls are the descendant of the Second Civilization, much like Desmond's, despite at what comes ahead you girls can handle it. After all, I wouldn't have introduced you to this game if not."

Back to RWBY…

"Oh, well! Back to the game!"

"Did you know the Villa Auditore is almost 200 years old? It was built by my great-grandfather, a strange man, who carried all kinds of secrets. Keep your eyes open, and you might discover a few of them yourself..." Mario says with a bit of mystery in his voice. As they continued up the stairs, there was a small stadium in the middle-level of the stairway, probably a place for training or sport.

"Looks like they have a place for training," Blake commented.

"With all the fighting that's been going on, this place has started to get a bit rough around the edges. I wish I could do something about it, but I just don't have the time or money to fix things up. Guess that's life, eh?" Mario sighs tiredly at the bitter truth, he said.

"Life is never easy…" Weiss mutters as she shakes her head, while Yang and Blake also agree with her.

Two notification appears at the same time.

'EYE ICON'

'The EYE ICON on Database pop-ups indicates that a GLYPH os on the landmark. Try to find it.'

The girls perked up at the first notification. A Glyph has appeared.

"Another Glyph? Alright, another puzzle!" As Ruby cheered, an alert came from their Scrolls.

'Just to let you know that there is only one Glyph in Monteriggioni.'

"Oh… well, at least we're one step closer in finishing the Truth."

'VILLA AUDITORE'

'ACCESS DATABASE'

"Villa Auditore… I'm guessing it the mansion we first saw in the game." The Faunus deduced. "Open it up, Ruby."

"Got it." Ruby chirped.

'REBECCAC84: One of those strange glyphs Shaun mentioned is on this landmark. You should go find it!

Constructed in 1290, the Villa Auditore is an important medieval predecessor to early Renaissance architecture. The Villa's wonderful symmetry and ordered geometry were a revelation for its time.

Not only concerned with aesthetics, Domenico Auditore, Ezio Auditore's great-grandfather, designed his home to double as a fortress and training ground, looking out both the city that it protects and the Tuscan plains.

After a Florentine attack in 1320 left the façade damaged, the present façade was erected, and a painting gallery was added to the interior.

Domenico was more than just an architect and warrior; he was also a skilled engineer. Recently discovered hidden compartments and rooms with mechanisms blocking entry are several unique features of the building that make it a technological marvel as well as an architectural one.'

"Wow, Ezio's great-grandfather did so much in building the Villa for his family and to those that they trust," Ruby said with awe at Ezio's ancestor's achievement.

"Indeed. The Auditores never cease to amaze me." Weiss added feeling the same way with Ruby but also can't help but feel a bit jealous in comparing her family to the young Assassin.

"Here we are, Casa dolce casa! (Home sweet home.)" The elderly Auditroe says as they reached the Villa. "So? What do you think?"

"It's most impressive, uncle." Ezio answers completing the place, although, with a closer look at the mansion, the whole building was covered with wild vines while most the windows are boarded up like the building in streets.

Weiss sighs. "At the distance, it looked wonderful but up close…"

"As I said, this place has seen better days," Yang repeated herself.

"She's seen better days, I suppose," Mario answers, probably sensing what Ezio as on the back of his mind. "Believe me, I'd have her shining again... if only I had the time." They stop outside of the entrance of the Villa, signaling the end of the tour.

"And I'm sure Ezio will be there to help." Ruby smiled.

"Now that you have had the tour, nipote (nephew), you should go and outfit yourself. My men in the market are expecting you. Return here when you are finished, and we'll begin." Mario says to his nephew.

"Begin?" Ezio answers, confused in what his uncle meant by. "Begin what?"

The girls had a confused look at what Ezio said.

"I thought you'd come here to train?" The elderly Auditore entirely turns to his nephew with a hint of confusion himself.

"Train?" Ruby echoed, then turned to her teammates. "Did Ezio mention anything about training?"

"No, no, I don't think he did." Weiss shaled her head along with the others.

"No, uncle. I came here to escape Firenze – and intend to take my family further still."

"But what about your father? He'd want you to finish his work."

"What work? My father was a banker." The young Auditore says, growing more confused.

"Wait... He did not tell you?"

"Oh, I see what's going on here," Blake said, realizing the misunderstanding.

"It looks like Mario doesn't know that Ezio knows anything," Yang said.

"This is confusing…" Ruby sighs.

"I have no idea what you're talking about..."

"Ma che mi combini, Giovanni?! (What were you thinking, Giovanni?!) Where to even begin..." Mario growls in his breath, learning of the lack of information that Ezio received. "Go and fetch the gear in the market. It will give me time to think."

"But–"

"But that's that. We'll talk more later." Mario cuts Ezio off before he could even start. "Some spending money, should you need it. And if you find yourself in need of rest, I've prepared a room for you on the top floor of the Villa."

After hearing what Ezio needs to hear, the Animus skips the scene showing that everyone except Ezio is now gone while obtaining 1995 Florins (total of 13672).

'Checkpoint reached.'

'Visit the blacksmith.'

"Well, tours over, time to get to work," Yang said as she stretches her arms.

"Hang on, let's have a find that glyph first." The heiress suggested.

"Okay!" The team leader said as she controls Ezio to have a good look around the Villa.

Before Ezio could go to the blacksmith, he takes a good look at the Villa Auditore. He spots another one of the glyphs on the upper left side of the mansion.

"Found it!"

"Good job, Ruby." Blake smiled, while Ruby returned in kind as she takes Ezio to glyph.

Ezio rushes up to the wall and climbs up to the symbol he uses his Eagle Vision to scan it, leading Desmond into another puzzle.

"All right, puzzle time!" Ruby smirked. "You don't mind if I try this one?"

"Not at all."

"Good luck, Ruby."

"You got this, Sis."

"Thank you!" Ruby chirped, as she and the others watch the puzzle begins.

"It's getting easier and easier to hack into Abstergo's mainframe." Sixteen static voice says. "It's like I know what data I'm looking for. Like I've already lived it."

"It sounds like Abstergo's Animus is beginning to affect him, both positively and negatively," Weiss concluded, feeling sad for Sixteen.

"More on negatively if you ask me." Yang rebuked.

'Infinite Knowledge'

As the girls watched, they now see a picture a hut being burned down somewhere in the wilderness of Vietnam while a soldier walking by was holding grenade launcher on his back. With the riddle above it:

'It's open Mouth delivers the kiss of death.'

"Okay… how does this work…" Ruby mutters to herself as she studies the picture after she reads the sentence above it. 'Hmm… 'Mouth' is printed red, and I can move a small box like a camera.'

Weiss and the others didn't say a word as they watch their team leader, curious about how she will solve this puzzle.

Ruby narrows her eyes at the sentence, then looks again at the picture. She gasps with a smile. "I got it!" She moves the camera with her controller, then she directs it to the mouth of the grenade launcher of the soldier's back. Immediately the screen changes indicated that Ruby was correct.

"Way to go, Rubes!" The blondie cheered.

"Good job." The Faunus smiled.

"I'm impressed you managed to find the answer out." The heiress said, impressed with her partner, which made Ruby blush and giggle.

The next picture now shows a group of young soldiers in Brest, France 1944, hiding behind a building as they point their guns to their enemies. With the riddle on it:

'Leading the Young to their end.'

"Are those Child Soldiers?" Blake narrowed her eyes at the picture.

"Looks like Earth doesn't have pleasant histories in wars," Yang said.

"Best that we don't question it," Weiss said.

"Right, now let's see…" Ruby said as she focuses on the screen. "The 'Young' is labeled red… but who is it referring to?" She carefully studies the soldiers and noticed something before smiling, suggesting that she found an answer. "I got it!" She moves the camera to a young soldier's head who is kneeling as he faces his enemies. The screen changes again, showing another one.

"How did you know it was that soldier, Ruby?" Yang asked.

"The riddle mentioned about 'Leading the Young,' I noticed that most of the soldiers were hiding while this one was out in the opening, so I thought he might be the leader." Ruby answers while the rest of her teammates impressed.

"Your getting better at noticing these small details, Ruby." Weiss complimented her.

"Thanks!"

The next picture was a troop in formation, Beaufort, South Carolina, 1862, soldiers holding muskets all lined up as drummers kept their drums while their leaders were in front of them. The riddle saying:

'The flames from its throat Poke out their eyes.'

"Now, what does that mean?" Yang asked, confused by the riddle.

"Now this one's a bit confusing," Blake admitted as she looked around the picture for clues.

"'Poke' is labeled red, but what is referencing it to?" Weiss said as she scanned around the picture.

"Oh, that's easy!" Ruby simply said, surprising everyone when she moved the camera to the muskets. The screen changes again; having her answer is correct.

"Oh! The musket! That weapon can poke someone's eye or throat out." The white-haired stated the fact.

"Of course, Ruby would figure out something involved with weapons." The blondie smirked, earning the Reaper a blush.

Finally, the next picture was a painting of a budda mediating while humans and demons were by the side of him.

'This Monster did not come from man.'

"Well, that's no brainer," Yang said. "That brown monster on the right looks like it."

"What's that it's holding?" Weiss asked.

"It looks like a fireball," Blake answered.

"Here, let's have a closer look at it," Ruby said as she moves the camera to fireball, but to their surprise, the fireball reveals itself that the fireball is another Piece of Eden, dubbing it Piece of Eden 4 – Apple.

"It's another Piece of Eden!" Ruby points out.

"Wasn't expecting that," Weiss commented.

After that, the girls got the code to unlock another video clip.

"Okay, now that's over with time to head back to the main story." The Faunus suggested.

"Yup! That puzzle was enjoyable." Ruby smiled as she went back to controlling Ezio.

Ezio climbs down from the Villa and heads to the blacksmith, recalling that he saw an open shop when they reached the stairway. The moment he arrived at the shop, a notification appears.

'Buy a pair of greaves and a dagger.'

"Okay, Mr. Blacksmith, what do you got for us," Ruby said as she begins buying the required stuff for Ezio.

The young Auditore interacts with the shop and looks through the items. The Leather Greaves cost 1140 Florins while the Dagger is 475 Florins. Ezio purchased the pieces while the shopkeeper thanks him. With the additional armor, his health bar increases, and the extra weapon gives him a variety of fighting styles to choose from.

'Weapons unlocked in the Villa Auditore.'

"Looks like we can purchase weapons now," Blake mentioned.

"Sweet, now Ezio up and ready to go!" Yang cheered.

'Checkpoint reached.'

'Visit the doctor.'

"Next is the doctor?" Weiss said confusingly.

"Probably to get medicine," Blake suggested.

After finishing his business to the blacksmith, Ezio walks further down the street to meet up with the doctor's shop. As soon as he reaches it, a notification appears.

'Buy medicine.'

The medicine only cost 75 Florin. With the small medicine pouch that Ezio has, he is only limited to carrying five at a time. He did not hesitate to fill the bag.

"So we have a small pouch to carry an amount of five medicine." Ruby pointed out.

"Well, at least we don't have to worry about Ezio being fatigued when he gets injured." Her partner added.

'Checkpoint reached.'

'CASA DOLCE CASA'

'SYNCHED'

"Another section complete." The heiress said with a smile.

"Yup! Better head back to Villa now." Ruby said, earning a nod from her teammates.

After finishing with both his task, he then returns to the Villa. He steps inside the entrance to see both his mother and Claudia.

"There's Maria and Claudia." Blake pointed out.

He walks up to them to speak to them."Don't worry, we're only staying here for a little while."

"I don't like it here," Claudia said. "I want to go home."

"But there's nothing to go back to." Yang bluntly says.

"Yang!" The younger sister snapped to her older.

"What? Even if their home is back in Firenze, its not safe for them anymore."

"I know." After speaking with them, they both retired back inside the Villa, leaving Ezio by himself.

"Let's go find Mario." Weiss sighed, can't help feeling sorry for their pain along with the others.

He takes this time to look for his uncle for answers. He looks around the Villa while he did enjoy the designs of the inside he was able to find a room that had a desk in the middle of it and two shelves that contained lots of books. This was probably Mario Auditore's study room, and the said man was inside.

"This must be Mario's study." The heiress says, impressed by its appearance and design. "His study room far more impressive than my father's."

"How so?" Blake asks curiously.

"For starters, Mario's study holds more… the classic and traditional view, which gives it a sense of historical value to it. And secondly… it's much more bright and colorful than ours." Weiss went silent after saying that last part, which made the others a bit worried for her.

She slightly stiffed when she felt an embrace from her side. She looked to find that it was her partner, hugging her while giving her a warm smile. Weiss smiled in return, not before gently pushing her away. "Just keep playing, you dolt." The team leader just giggled while the other chuckled.

"Salute (Hello), uncle. I did as you asked." Ezio greeted him.

"And quickly too. Ben fatto! (Well done!)" Mario complimented him. "Now let's teach you how to fight."

"No. As I said, we are leaving." The young Auditore states clearly not changing his mind.

"Hm, didn't take Ezio to be this stubborn," Weiss noted.

"He just wants his family safe." Yang shrugged; she would have done the same as well. "I don't see anything wrong with that."

"Ezio! You barely held your own against Vieri. You won't survive a week on the road. If you want to leave – so be it. But at least do so armed with the skills and knowledge necessary to defend yourself." Mario said, urging his nephew. "If not for me, for your mother and sister."

"He's got a good point there," Blake commented.

"Fine." Ezio reluctantly agreed.

"Ottimo! (Very good!)" Mario said pleased with the answer.

A notification appears.

'PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT'

'Learn how to fight from Mario.'

"Alright, training time!" Ruby cheered.

"Can't wait to see what kind of training they would do," Yang smirked eager to watch.

"Oh! I just remembered Desmond's is going to use this chance to use the Bleeding Effect of Animus to start his training." Blake reminded everyone.

"Yes, I nearly forgot about that." Weiss perked up at that fact. "A shame we don't have that kind of training."

"Even if we do have the Animus, we already did our fair share of training, so I guess its already too late for us?" Yang shrugged.

The scene now cuts to Ezio standing inside a stadium ring with another man, possibly one of Mario's men.

'Checkpoint reached.'

Ezio began his training and respected Mario's request and performed sessions every day guided by his uncle. While training, Mario educated Ezio about the Templar and the Assassin Orders and their continued war against one another.

"You can swing a sword, to be sure. But offense alone will not carry a battle. You must survive long enough to strike. I will teach you how to dodge." Mario lectures his nephew as he stands outside of the ring.

"That's true." Weiss nodded in approval. "You can't win a battle if you mostly keep using offense."

"You should learn something from this, Yang," Blake said to her partner.

"What's that suppose to mean?!" The blond shouted.

"No offense Sis, but you always do have a streak of attacking head first, Semblance or not," Ruby said, earning a mock betrayed look from Yang, which later she later pouts and watches the screen. Inwardly she knows that there right. Maybe watching this might give her some ideas.

'LOCK ON'

'Press (Button) to LOCK ON to a TARGET.'

"You said my father was more than just a banker?" Ezio asks his uncle.

"Hang on, Ruby looks like we're going to get some answers," Blake said, making Ruby stop controlling Ezio for a moment.

Mario sighs. "No use dancing around it, I suppose. Your father was an Assassin, Ezio."

"We pretty much figured that out," Ruby said.

"I told you before: my father was a paper pusher." Ezio nearly shouted, denying that his father is a murderer.

"He looks a bit angry…"

"Probably because he does not want to accept that his father is no stranger to killing people," Weiss stated, understanding what Ezio's going through since she once denied the harsh rumors of what's happening inside her family.

Even Blake understood as she clenched her hands into a fist at how she remembers the White Fang has changed over the years.

"No." Mario shakes his head. "He was born and bred to kill."

"I find this difficult to believe." The young survivor says, still not believing in all this nonsense.

"I bet anyone would," Ruby commented.

"What of the list you carry?" Mario pointed out. "Do you think it's merely a catalog of debts? It holds the name of those responsible for your father's murder."

The girls waited to hear more. But they noticed that the conversation has now ended.

"Aw, what?! It was starting to get good! Why did it stop there?" Yang wondered, while a bit disappointed.

"As disappointing as it is, I suppose that it shows that we should progress the game we want to know more," Weiss sighed, understanding her fellow teammate.

Hearing enough, Ezio begins his training.

'QUICKSTEP'

'When LOCKED ON TO an enemy, PRESS (Button) to QUICKSTEP, USE (Button) to influence the direction.'

'Quicksteps performed: 0/3'

"Quickstep…" Ruby hummed at the word then looked at Blake. "Isn't that same with your Semblance?"

"I suppose it is, but my Semblance: Shadow just gives me a sudden boost of speed when my clone takes my place, so it's not a physical skill in a sense," Blake explains, earning a nod of understanding from the red huntress.

Ezio readies himself without his weapons as his sparring partner charges at him with his sword. The moment he was about to attack, Ezio quickly steps away and keeps his distance.

'Quicksteps performed: 1/3'

"Yes!" Ruby cheered. "And on the first try too!"

"It's not fancy, but I can see how you can use it to follow-up a counter." Yang admittingly said.

"Admitting it's a good idea to learn this?" Blake teasingly grinned.

"Yup!" The blond smirked, making her partner pout not getting a reaction out of it.

He learned how to quick step after some time.

'Quicksteps performed: 3/3'

'QUICKSTEP SKILL LEARNED'

"Okay! Now Ezio knows how to protect himself." Ruby happily said.

Time has passed, and Ezio is once again back on the ring for another round of training.

"Bene (Good), I've taught you how to avoid your enemy's attacks. Now you'll learn how to turn them to your advantage!" Mario proudly said to his nephew.

"All this talk of Assassins and Templars. It reeks of fantasy." Ezio says.

"What? They skipped the part of the list of names?" Yang raised a brow.

"The Animus most of skipped that part and primarily focused on the training instead." Weiss deduced.

"At least their talking more about the Assassins and Templars at this point," Ruby added.

"Like something from an old parchment covered in arcane writing, perhaps?" Mario said, mentioning the parchment that Ezio obtained to repair his father's Hidden Blade.

The girls gasped. "That's right! I nearly forgot the parchment that Ezio used to restore Ezio's Hidden Blade."

"Leonardo restored it." Weiss corrected her.

"Right, Leonardo."

"So, the parchment holds a deeper meaning then…" Blake says, interested in it now.

"How did you know...?"

"You have your father's blade." Mario simply answers. "I figured you'd have the Codex page he was holding as well."

"Codex?" The girls echoed.

"Codex?" Ezio confusingly asked.

"Sì. A guide to the inner workings of our order - its origin, purpose and techniques. Our creed, if you will." Mario explains as he tells him more about both the Codex and the creed. "Your father believed the Codex contained a powerful secret. Something that would change the world. Perhaps it's why they came for him..."

"Whoa… so it's like an instruction manual for the Assassins." Yang said in awe.

"I wonder what this secret this codex has?" Blake wondered.

"Assassins, Templars, Codex pages..." The young Audiotre shouts in frustration before sighing. "This is a lot to take in."

"You need to open your mind, Ezio. Always remember: Nothing is true, Everything is permitted."

The girls raised a brow at that sentence. "Nothing is true… Everything is permitted?" Yang echoed, wondering the meaning of those words.

"That sounds rather… cynical." Weiss says, trying to find the right words for it.

"After listing to Mario, I doubt he would say something like that," Blake commented. "I'm sure it has a deeper meaning to it."

An alert came to from their Scrolls.

'Nothing is true; everything is permitted. It is the Maxim of the Creed. The phrase was created during the 11th century by Hassan-i Sabbāh, the first recorded leader of the Assassin Order.'

"What does Maxim mean?" Ruby asks as she tilted her head.

"It means expressing a general truth."

"Oh."

'A bit of spoiler, but it's better if you understand its meaning. To say that nothing is true, is to realize that the foundations of society are fragile, and that we must be the shepherds of our own civilization. To say that everything is permitted, is to understand that we are the architects of our actions. And that we must live with their consequences, whether glorious or tragic.'

The girls are awed by how deep the meaning of the words held for the Assassins during Ezio's time, probably even more in Desmond's.

"Wow… I knew the Assassin are the good guys even though they're killing the bad guys, but I never thought they would have such a deep belief." Ruby said in awe as her eyes sparkled.

"For a group of killers, they really do take their ideal to heart." Yang compliments the Creed.

"The Maxim can be described differently," Weiss commented, but like the others, she can hold respect to the Creeds belief. "Though, we now have a better understanding of their goal."

Blake stayed quiet after learning more about the Assassins and how she is comparing it to White Fang. True, the current WF is no stranger in killing people since now they are considered a terrorist group. Yet, the Assassins are nothing like that. They are responsible for their actions, and they are no terrorist group. They only target those who bring misfortune to all those around them. They're probably even shouldering the blame for the lives they have taken. The Faunus could only frown in sadness as she thought about all this. "Why can't the Fang be like them?"

After Ezio finished talking to his uncle, he begins his training.

'COUNTER KILL'

'HOLD (Button) and PRESS (Button) when your enemy attacks to COUNTER KILL.'

'Counter kills performed: 0/3'

"Now it's counter-attacking now, huh? Okay, let's do it!" Ruby said as she controls Ezio.

Ezio readies himself with his swords as he lowers himself in a defensive stance as his sparring partner holding a knife comes up at him.

The moment his foe attacks, Ezio blocks it with his sword, then he kicks between the legs, staggering him in pain, then Ezio follows up with an attack, but the man mages to block it.

Yang laughs at the scene. "Ouch! Now that's gotta hurt!" She said while the others winced at the pain.

"Who would do something like that in a fight?" Weiss skeptically said.

"I think Coco did the same thing to a Beowolf during the Breach," Ruby said, earning a surprised look from both Weiss and Blake while Yang just laughed even harder.

'Counter kills performed: 1/3'

The foe attacks again, but Ezio blocks still and counters with a hook punch on the face, then he followed up with a sword strike. His partner blocked the attack, though.

"That's a nice counter," Yang commented after she calms down from her laughing. "If you manage to hit a solid blow on the jaw, you can temporally stun them."

He repeats the counter, thus finishing his training.

'Counter kills performed: 3/3'

'COUNTER KILL SKILL LEARNED'

The Animus fast-forwards again, showing Ezio back in the ring for another round.

"Another skip," Blake said as they wit for another talk from Mario but got nothing.

"Looks like there's nothing on this one." Ruby sighs, hoping to learn more about the Creed.

'TAUNT'

'When LOCKED ON TO an enemy, press (button) to TAUNT them.'

'Taunts performed: 0/3'

"Taunting? Now that's just silly?" Weiss shook her head at the thought.

"But it does have its effects if you know how to use it." Blake comments.

Ezio guarded himself as his foe approaches him, then he begins to taunt him.

"I hate these awkward moments." "Should you come to me, or should I come to you?" "Let's finish this." Ezio kept taunting his foe as he gestures his hands to him, gaining enough attention for his sparring partner to focus mainly on him. In the end, he finishes his training.

The girls couldn't help but giggle at the taunts, granted some of them would agitate their enemies.

'Taunts performed: 3/3'

'TAUNT SKILL LEARNED'

Another time skip happens, and once again, Ezio is inside the ring.

"You're making fine progress, Ezio! Today I'm going to teach you how to position yourself in battle. Where you stand and how you move, make all the difference." Mario says as the Animus temporarily makes a skip.

"Ha! He sounds like dad." Yang chuckles.

"Yeah, even Uncle Qrow taught me all that." Ruby giggled at the memories of their training.

"Don't think I haven't seen you picking apart my library. I trust you believe me now?"

"Hm… so the Animus skipped passed the point when Ezio investigates his family and Creed," Weiss says.

"Yes." Ezio said as he excepted the truth. "My father was an Assassin. But why the need for such secrecy?"

"Obviously, to protect his friends and family." Blake answers.

"Are you familiar with the Templars? One of several Knightly orders formed during the Crusades." Mario asks his nephew. "History teaches they were disbanded nearly 200 years ago in France. Only they weren't. Merely pushed underground where they continued their nefarious work."

"Interesting… so the Templars were once known throughout the world, but at some point, they disbanded, yet that was all just a rouse so that they quietly grow in the shadows." Weiss deduced.

"Two hundred years…" Yang echoed. "These Templars are just as dedicated as the Assassins."

"No surprise there… I mean, they did change their name to Absertgo in Desmond's time." Blake added.

"What work?"

"The Templars seek dominion over man. And we, the Assassins, are sworn to stand against them."

"An endless battle through the ages," Ruby noted, feeling a bit sad that the fight has not stopped up to the Modern Times.

"Was Uberto one of them?"

"Yes."

"And the other names on my father's list?"

"Templars as well."

"That means Vieri..." The young Auditore growled upon realization.

"Just like his father, Francesco. Likely the entire Pazzi family."

"That would explain the rivalry they have against each other," Weiss commented.

"Talk about a family feud, huh guys?" Yang punned, earning a groan from her fellow teammates.

"It would explain many things..." Ezio snorts at the irony of it all.

As soon as the girls noticed that there is nothing left to talk, Ruby controls Ezio again.

After finishing his talk with his uncle, Ezio begins his training again.

'ESCAPE'

'When LOCKED, HOLD (button) and HOLD (button) while moving away from your enemy to quickly EXIT a fight.'

'Escapes performed: 0/3'

"Running away from a fight?" The brawler raised a brow.

"I don't actually see anything wrong with that," Weiss said, seeing the logic in it. "There are some battles even we can't win against, better to escape, and survive to live another day."

As Ezio readied himself in his battle stance as soon as his opponent came up to him and he prepared himself for Ezio to attack, but only for the young Auditore to use this opportunity and escape by dashing away, stunning his foe from the action.

"Oh! That's actually pretty smart." Blake comments. "You pretend that you're serious about fighting against your foe, only you escape from your enemies, leaving them flabbergasted."

Yang laughed at that thought. "Okay… I can accept that strategy. The only regret is not being able to see the looks on their faces."

He repeated this action more than three times, which completed his training.

'Escape performed: 3/3'

'ESCAPE SKILL LEARNED'

The Animus time skipped again, leaving Ezio on the ring once more, only this time Mario was now his sparring partner.

"Another time skip," Ruby said. "What's next?" The moment she said that, her eyes widen along with her team. With good reason

'Defeat Mario.'

"Oh-ho! Now that's a challenge." Yang smirked, interested in the fight.

"Time for Ezio to put everything he learned to the test," Blake says as she too is interested.

"You got this, Ruby?" Weiss asked her partner.

"Do I?" Ruby says, smirking at her partner. Weiss blinked at that response only to remember that same question back in the initiation.

Weiss smirked back at her. "Do you?"

"Yes, I do!" She answered back with a grin, then begins to control Ezio.

Ezio readies himself as Mario charges in after him. Ezio attacks with his sword while his uncle blocks his attack.

Mario then retaliates, but Ezio blocks the sword away then continues his attack. He was successfully inflicting damage on him.

Mario stands his ground and strikes Ezio but manages to parry the attack. He strikes again, but this time Ezio counters by blocking the sword, then kicking Mario in the crotch, stunning him as Ezio stikes, but Mario manages to prevent it with his sword.

"Mario's tough," Yang said while she watches the fight.

"But thanks to all the training Ezio's done, he's definitely got a chance," Blake commented.

Ezio continues his barrage of sword strikes not giving his uncle the time to breathe, until finally, the Animus skips again, signaling Ezio's victory in the swordfight.

"I did it!" Ruby breathes out.

"Good job Ruby!" Her partner congratulates her.

"You showed him, Rubes." Yang cheered for her little sister while Blake claps for her.

"Well done nipote (nephew)!" Mario happily says to Ezio, taking a few breaths after finishing his nephew's match. "You've really come into your own."

"Thank you, uncle, for all you have given me." Ezio smiles as he places his hand on his uncle's shoulder.

"You're family! Such is my duty and my desire!"

"Yeah! There's nothing more important than family." Ruby says with a smile, while Yang gives her a big hug.

Weiss thought back at her family, though she shows no love for her father, she still holds love for her older sister and mother, as for her younger brother… she knows that she hasn't paid many interactions, but she could tell that there are a few hints that he was slowly turning like their father. A thought she should look upon later.

Blake could only frown in sadness again, in all her time working in the White Fang led by Sienna Khan and working with Adam Taurus, she has not once interacted or contacted her family. She could only imagine how worried they might be for her.

"I'm glad you had me stay."

"Good! You've reconsidered leaving!"

Ezio, however, responds by looking away then turning back to Mario. "We sail for Spain in three days..."

This surprised the girls. Ezio is still planning to leave?

"He is still planning to leave?" Ruby said skeptically.

"He must really value his family that much," Weiss commented.

"But, nipote (nephew), I have given you these skills that you might be better prepared to strike against our enemies..."

"And if they find me, I will."

"You want to leave, Ezio? To throw away everything your father fought and died for? To deny your heritage?" Mario says as he begins to get angry towards Ezio. "Fine! Come vuoi. Arrivederci e buona fortuna. (So be it. Goodbye and good luck.)" Stubbornly, Mario stormed out of the training ring and into the villa.

The girls could only watch taken back at how Mario snapped like that and left.

"Why is he so angry?" Ruby asked, confused at how Mario would act like this.

"I thought he said he would respect his choice after he trained him," Yang said, remembering in what Mario told Ezio before his training.

"Something must've happened during the time skip while Ezio was training," Blake suggested.

Ezio tried to call him back. "Uncle, wait!" Ezio then talked to a mercenary beside him. "Why is he so upset?"

"How can he not be? Vieri has been harassing us since you first arrived. To be expected, I suppose. Given his heritage..." A mercenary said who was watching the scene.

"Vieri has been causing trouble ever since Ezio came?" Weiss narrowed her eyes at the name.

"How long has this been going?" Yang wondered. Then an alarm came from their Scrolls.

'It has been 15 months since Ezio and his family have arrived in the Villa Auditore.'

"Fifteen months?!" Blakes shouts in shock. Even the others have were shocked by that revelation. "Ezio has been training for more than a year while Vieri was harassing them."

"I underestimated the Animus," Weiss commented. "I knew it would take years of training in a matter of minutes, but I didn't think it would be like this."

"Yeah… but I can understand why Mario was angry… but he didn't need to snap at his nephew like that." Ruby mutters, not remembering when her uncle ever snapped at her like that.

'Checkpoint reached.'

'Go to Mario.'

Yang sighs. "Better find Mario Rubes."

"Right."

Ezio walked into the villa to find his uncle, but could only find one of his mercenaries, Orazio.

"Hey, it's the same guy," Blake said. Then the alarm ringed again.

'That's Orazio, one of Mario's mercenary men.'

"Oh, Cool." Yang simply said.

"Uncle!" Ezio called out but no response. He then walks up to the mercenary. "Where is everyone?"

"They ride for San Gimignano to slay that snake, Vieri." Orazio said.

"Another Assassination mission?" Ruby asks.

A notification on Vieri de' Pazzi's Database appeared.

"Looks like we are going to have another update like Uberto," Blake said.

"Let's see what kind of reason we should let Ezio kill him," Yang said.

"I'm not going to like this, am I?" Ruby commented.

"I doubt anyone will," Weiss reassured her partner, as she opens the database.

"Vieri de' Pazzi," Shaun announced from outside the Animus. "The youngest member of the 2nd most notorious Florentine banking family, this kid knew how to burn right through his father's money."

"Outside of spending scores involving weaponry, exotic animals, and clothes, he was fiercely competitive. Vieri hosted races of all kinds, boating, horseback riding, running. All of 'em rigged, of course. And get this: if, through some amazing stroke of luck he ever lost, he'd invite the winner's entire family over for a victory dinner."

"And serve them a meal to die for."

The girls could gasp in horror at the end. They all know that Vieri was a snot-nosed spoiled rich kid who would do anything to get what he wants. But this… this was far crueler of anything they can think of.

"How… how can there be anyone like him act this way?" Ruby said as she trembles in both sadness and anger.

"At least Uberto had a reason to kill…" Yang growled as her eyes turned red.

"That spoiled brat is going to get what's coming to him." Blake hissed.

Weiss didn't say anything. She only glared at the screen while she kept her thoughts to herself. She couldn't help compare a frightening view between Vieri and her younger brother Whitley since his close connection with Jacque. She decided to have a proper talk to Winter regarding this, to make sure there would never be another Jacque in Remnant.

"I wish to join them." Ezio says.

"You'll find what you need at the stables." The mercenary said.

'PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT'

'SYNCHED'

'Before leaving, go check on Maria.'

"That's a good idea, can't leave without saying goodbye," Yang said as she calmed down.

"Yeah, let's do that," Ruby said as she controls Ezio again.

Before departing to Tuscany, Ezio entered back in the villa and went up the second floor where his uncle had given them their rooms. He began one of them and paid a visit to his mother and sister. His mother was next to a large bed on her knees and praying while his sister can only look at their mother in worry.

"There they are," Blake said ut looked confused at what Maria is doing. "What is Maria doing." An alarm came from their Scrolls.

'Maria is Catholic. This is the way we pray to God.'

"That's curiously interesting," Weiss commented.

"Ezio, look at her. I still can't get her to talk! She spends all day and night in front of those feathers Petruccio used to collect. She can't let him go. I don't know what to do."

"Don't worry. She'll come back to us, I know it." Ezio says to her sister with a caring voice.

The girls could only watch in pity at what has become to Maria. But Weiss was hit even harder at this. Again she couldn't help compare one of her family members in this game. When she has the time to talk to Winter, she and her should find a way to reconnect with their mother.

"Poor Maria… she's been traumatized." Yang watched, looking sad at her.

"At least Ezio is positive in helping her," Ruby said with a sad smile.

'FEATHERS'

'Place collected FEATHERS into the CHEST in Maria's room.'

"The feathers?" Blake tilted her head. "Come to think about it; we have been collecting them around."

Ezio walks up to a chest by the wall of the room. He opens it and places all of the feathers he could gather.

'FEATHER CHEST'

'18 of 100 feathers collected.'

Ruby gasp. "Do you think this is how Ezio will help her recover?"

"Definitely!" Yang said with a smile. "We may not know what Petruccio was planning with those feathers, but the least we can do is honor it in the end."

"I agree." Blake nodded, smiling. "Let's find them all."

Weiss smiled as she agreed with her friends while at the same time, she couldn't help but feel slightly jealous of the Auditores. Their families are both similar in a way, both being successful, but the real difference was that the Auditores are truly loved while her's was fragile. Oh, how she would wish her father was someone else like Giovani rather than Jacques.

After finishing his greeting, Ezio left the villa and rushed to stables just out of the walls of Monteriggioni. He then walked up to one of the horses.

'HORSE'

'PRESS (button) or (button) when next to a horse to RIDE it.'

'HORSEBACK RIDING'

'USE (button) to STEER your horse.'

"Nice! We can catch up to Mario now." Yang grinned.

Ezio mounted on his horse then charged straight to where his uncle has gone to. Now fully ready to embrace his legacy as an Assassin.

"Okay! Let's kick some butt!" Ruby shouted while her fellow teammates cheered.

To be continued…

A/N: Halfway done with the sequence.

Next update: Railgun Girls watches STAR WARS The Force Eternal (Chapter x3)