Assassin's Creed: Chronos (Ezio x OC)

23 - The Middle

April 8, 1476

Monteriggioni, Italy

Catherine flexed her right wrist, and her Hidden Blade popped out instantly. She knew the feel of it after having tinkered with it while she recovered over the last few days. Her body had taken longer than she'd liked, but the pain had been more than physical. Her mind had been a mess despite everyone's kindness and support, and it was only about a day or two ago that she felt more like herself. The Hidden Blade had helped. Mario had instructed her on how to use and wear it, and she'd used the new focus to become accustomed to the weapon. Ezio gave his advice, too, although, truthfully, he didn't know how to use it as much a Mario did although their commander hadn't touched it in years. Ezio told her it was odd feeling it go into a body; there would be a brief weight as it entered, and then you retracted, kept moving, and it was done. Quick. Deadly. The perfect blade for killing discretely.

It was easy enough to figure it out from there. The mechanism was ingenious. A flick of the wrist was all it took to cause the blade to shoot out. She didn't boast to fully know how it worked so well, although she knew a spring was involved, but she did wonder how such an era could have made it. She was curious as to how it had existed for so long, but in the end she let it be. She focused instead on walking and flexing unnoticeably. It wasn't terribly easy, but she got it enough to where she thought someone wouldn't see unless they looked properly at it. She could only assume by then it was too late. She hoped so, anyways.

The redhead sighed softly as she sat on the steps of the Villa's main room, waiting on Mario. Since she was going to start up Assassin training, her schedule and routine had changed. Now she no longer spent the morning training with the men. Rather, she and Ezio were to head into the Villa's growing gardens where they worked on Assassin skills. It followed some of the same principles, but in this they worked on stealth and close combat using only the Hidden Blade. It was supposed to inure them to the ways an Assassin battle could go and learning to master the blade in battle. While it wasn't necessarily a real sword one should rely on heavily, in close range it had saved many Assassin lives.

Personally, she was a little excited, but she was also a little nervous. Uneasy. Unsure. Mario told her the training was mostly to make her a better fighter, but he had mentioned she might join the Assassins if she wished. Really join, that is. Before she had been more-so just "in the loop" thanks to her Clock, but with Mario's guidance she could potentially become a proper Assassin. She honestly wasn't sure how she felt about that. She wasn't sure being an Assassin was for her. Oh, she had fantasies of course, but that was just it—they were fantasies. This was reality. Even Ezio didn't necessarily want to be one despite his heritage and learning more about it, and, although his circumstances were different, the fact remained. Besides, could she even make it as one? She doubted it, but she needed this, anyways. Mario said it would make her stronger, and right now she had to be that—stronger.

"Ae you ready, Catherine?" a voice spoke up behind her, and she twisted so she could watch Ezio coming down to where she was. He plopped down beside her, arms resting on his knees. He had his Hidden Blade on as well, and she couldn't help grinning a little. They matched, kind of. He was still using his mercenary clothes for this training—they would be sparring after, anyways—so it stood out a little against his less intricate clothes. Hers somehow managed to fit in just fine, but it helped she had a bracer on both arms already. She would have to apply metal to the other one to match, though.

"I guess," she smiled back, forcing it a little.

Was she ready? She wasn't sure, but she supposed as long as it helped it would be okay. She'd push through it like the rest and maybe one of these days she'd feel more like herself. She was getting there, but not quite.