Ch 10: Challenge

after they were done eating, Ali and Ezio went out to spend time together and have fun because of Maria's request (force).

even though it seemed like a joke, Maria and Giovanni were truly concerned about Ezio. they were supportive parents, so they would still have Ezio's back if she liked girls rather than guys.

but the world... or society to be exact wasn't that merciful or forgiving. the life of this time and age was heavily on the men's shoulders.

so now that a guy has showed up which she actually showed interest in who was handsome with a nice body while being polite and strong, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that they got a little bit desperate.

so they wanted Ali and Ezio who has never romantically accepted a man to get together as fast as possible.

you know what they say, better to struck the iron while it's hot... or something like that. but there wasn't any need for that honestly.

the two kind of had the same vibe of being goofy at times but very serious when needed. so they were happy to hang out.

they both agreed that this is as friends, though. cause it would be awkward since they have only known each other for...

scratch that, they have just met each other just a few hours ago! so now, they were just walking around and hanging out like normal friends and people while looking around.

Ezio turned to Ali as she smiled at him :"by the way, you said that you have reached Florence just a week ago, right?"

how could Ali not smile back when he saw one of the people that he REALLY respected in the form of a female and waifu material smiling at him :"uh huh, I was traveling before that. why do you ask?"

Ezio's happy go lucky mood and smile didn't falter as she enjoyed the atmosphere and company :"then, you shouldn't have had the time to visit the city, right?

especially since you needed to gather money and your love for fighting got in the way. you also didn't have anyone to guide and show you around."

Ali nodded as he raised his eyebrow :"mhm, that's correct. why are you asking? are you perhaps... suggesting something?"

Ezio chuckled as she nodded back with an excited smile :"yup, that's right! since you haven't seen the city because you didn't have a guide, I will be your guide and show you a few of the famous location before it's time to go back home!"

Ali smiled as he shrugged :"alright then, we don't have anything to do, and I would be lying if I said that I wasn't dying of boredom this past few days even though there was fighting."

Ezio nodded with a sigh :"sigh, yeah, you're right. it can get really boring sometimes even though there are quite a few things to do. alright then, where do you want to see first?"

Ali tilted his head at the question as he rubbed his chin with a thoughtful expression :"hmm... uh... you know what? I will just leave that up to you. show me whichever you want to first."

Ezio raised her perfect eyebrow with an amused smile as she shrugged :"hmph, alright then. hmm... then, let's just go to the nearest sightseeing location of Florence, huh? what do you think about that?"

Ali raised his hands in an "I don't know motion" as he shrugged afterwards :"hey, you're the guide. I should be the one to be asking the questions, not you. but now that you've already asked, let's go with that idea of yours. seems like the best course of action."

Ezio shook her head in amusement as she turned around and started walking :"alright then, intelligentone (smartass), follow me."

he did with an amused chuckle and they started walking again. they past through several alleys and streets before they came upon a huge and beautiful building.

Ali's eyes were wide and his eyebrows had shot up from how impressed he was of the architecture :"wow, damn... that's just something else... {takes it to doctor Connors XD.}

Ezio smiled somewhat smugly as she looked at the building and back at Ali :"impressive, right? well, this magnificent architecture is the Santa Maria Del Fiore.

one of Italy's largest churches and the biggest landmark in Florence. Santa Maria Del Fiore is considered by many to be the first masterpiece of Renaissance architecture, you know.

sorry, but I don't know much about these kinds of things. but even though I don't know that much, I know that it was basically like this:

the church itself was designed several centuries ago, around the ending of the 13th and near the beginning of the 14th century, the dome itself was not started until the beginning of the 15th century.

but because of the person who had designed it being long dead, nobody had any idea of how they are supposed to build the huge thing.

but all was not lost. an orange text who has been defeated in an earlier bid to design the baptistery doors, won the competition to build the dome.

so basically, the same guy then invented a machine to hoist the bricks needed for the dome up to the workers and was able to construct the entire dome.

the entire thing was completed around 40 or so years ago. and now is here. what do you think? just the number of bricks to make this thing must have been crazy. imagine placing all of those."

Ali finally looked away from it and back at Ezio with a smile :"what do I think? well, I think that this is an amazing job for your first time being a guide."

Ezio chuckled as she lowered her head a little bit for a second and rose again :"well, thank you for the compliment, Ali. I'm happy to hear it.

I'm just showing them to you today. we can come and see the insides later on after you know all the interesting places. let's go somewhere else now."

he did as she asked and followed alongside her as they made their way to the next location. which was a little bit of a gloomy place with a literal hanging post in front of it.

Ezio wasn't as happy and excited as the previous building, but wasn't sad either since she didn't have any reason to and explained :"this right here, is the Palazzo Della Signoria.

Arnolfo di Cambio designed the Palazzo della Signoria (also known as the Palazzo Vecchio) in 1299, for the rulers of Florence, the Signoria.

The Signoria was made up of nine members (or Priori) selected by the city's guilds, two from each district, and a Gonfalonier of Justice.

you can say that it can also be a prison and people with high crimes will be hanged in public or executed."

Ali nodded as he looked at it and took it in. it was silent for a few seconds before someone approached them while waving :"aspettare, aspettare (wait, wait)! I have a word with you!"

the two glanced at each other and decided to wait for him with a shrug. when he finally reached them, he took a deep breath as he looked at Ezio :"I can outrun anyone in this district. I hear you're the best. prove it! I bet you can't beat my record!"

Ali looked at Ezio with confusion and amusement while raising his eyebrow and smiling :"what is this about? another, new form of chasing after a lady that I am just hearing about?"

Ezio rolled her eyes at his comment as she sighed :"no, it's not. you should know since you've done it in the form of a fighting.

he is challenging me to, as he said it himself, beat his record. or because of my reputation, he will get popular himself if I can't."

Ali had a look of realization as he nodded with an understanding look :"ah right, right. now I get it. I knew from the way you ran today that you weren't just an ordinary runner, but are you perhaps popular in it?"

Ezio smirked at him with a challenging look and raised eyebrows :"well, why don't you try and find out? how about a race, huh? we'll see who wins in running and climbing. you did win in fighting against me and I want to make up for it after all."

Ali smirked back and raised his hands :"alright then, bellissima (beautiful). let's dance and see who's the faster of us two."

'I wasn't an acrobatic in my past life nor did I do parkour, but c'mon, did you really think that I would get reincarnated into the Assassin's Creed world without the parkouring cheat?

who the hell would? that's just dumb and idiotic. but even though I have it, it's just like a leveling ability.

and even though I have been practicing since I got here, I still have a lot, LOT more to learn. with cheat or without the cheat which also includes infinite stamina as a bonus, I still need to train in it to be able to keep up with people who have been doing it for years and such.

but right now, I don't have the intention of winning against Ezio. cause truthfully, I seriously can't in normal logic.

I mean, have you seen this guy's parkour?! this bastard is so badass at climbing that he was nicknamed Italy's spiderman!

that's the guy who can STICK to walls, you know?! do you have any idea of the places that this guy has climbed?

yeah, I don't think I'm winning against him for a good while. at least not until I get used to my parkouring cheat.

but the real point here is that, I want to make an impact. to show off my cards, you could say. it may not have any effects now, but it will do wonders in the long run.

so yeah, I want her to know I can climb and have talent in it in fact. we can hang out even more then. cause we all know Ezio climbs a lot... I NEED to be able to keep up with my future lover, shouldn't I?'

the challenger looked at them as he smirked :"alright then, do you accept my challenge. you won't be able to win anyway."

Ezio smirked back cockily as she nodded upwards and rubbed her index finger and thumb in front of her :"beating your record will be easily. but how much are you betting. you didn't expect me to just accept your challenge free of charge now, did you? cause you would be as dumb as you look if you really thought that hahaha."

the thief looking challenger snorted arrogantly and with a bit of rage as he put his bet :"alright then, I bet 100 florins that you can't beat my record."

Ezio clapped her hands {bet that's not the only thing she can make clap 😏} the moment he put in his bet :"Bene, concordato (alright, agreed)! and Ali, how much will you be betting before you lose your money?"

Ali chuckled. not at her, but his own act of foolishness which is done solely based on his love and respect for his loved character who is now a real person :"100 florins from me too."

Ezio looked at him suddenly with a mischievous light in her eyes as she smirked evilly, making him feel endangered for some reason :"come on now, Ali.

you talk as if I haven't seen how rich you are. I have seen how much money you have with my own eyes.

so I think it would be kind of you to raise the bets a little, don't you think so? let's see, let's see... how about... 500 florins?"

she held up her own five fingers with an excited smile, completely opposite to Ali's twitching lips :'you had to beat the shit out of a ton of people or go treasure hunting back in Assassin's Creed 2 to get 500 florins!

and she told me to give it to her on a bet! a damn bet!! a fucking bet that I KNOW I will be fucking losing too!!'

"no way, that's too much. I have a lot of money, but it's not like I am made out of money. 200 florins, that's all."

Ezio's smirk didn't falter but her hand sign changed into a four instead :"450 florins."

Ali lip's twitched even more as his resolve faltered :"300 florins!"

Ezio's smirk grew into a smile :"400 florins! that's as low as I'll go! come on, Ali, please!"

Ali's face twitched as he gave up with a sigh :"fine, 400 florins. you win, damn it." 'fiucking hell, 400 florins on a losing bet...

but oh well, fuck it. male or female, Ezio is Ezio. and I would take a damn bullet for Ezio if I had to. so a bunch of florins isn't much at all'

he thought as Ezio cheered with a fist bump :"oh yeah! 500 florins in one day!"