AN: Enjoy.


Machiavelli had somehow gotten him to teach the recruits. Citing he had other business to attend to after he found him in the hideout. Ezio wished he was anywhere else because he had been trying to explain everything that came so naturally to him after so many years to them for the last few hours. One point above all others was proving the most difficult though.

"It isn't about simply looking with your eyes from somewhere high up." Again Ezio tried to explain how he took in parts of the city before the recruits. "If that was true than everyone could do it. I wouldn't be teaching you it either. It is so much more than simply looking. This technique is about taking in everything around you. Using all of your senses to see what awaits you on your mission. It seems like simply looking but it is so much more."

"How do we do it Mentor?" one questioned at the back, Ezio couldn't remember his name.

"You've been taught to use the sixth sense, destra?" Ezio questioned those assembled, already knowing the answer. Several confirmations rose from the crowd as others nodded. "Bene. That's the first step." He walked between the dozen or so recruits. "The next is much harder. You need to give yourself over to it." their questions were silenced before they even started as Ezio continued. "You're wondering how. It's not as simple as using the sight. That is easy compared to it." some looked nervous at those words. He remembered Machiavelli telling him how some had struggled to use Eagle Vision. Machiavelli had assured him that they were able to use it before sending them up to him. "This is something else. This gift we have isn't something we abuse. You all must first respect it. Trying to force it won't yield any results, it might even hurt you."

"It's that dangerous mentor?" a black haired female recruit in the back questioned.

"Yes. What we use is a gift. We can't abuse it and expect nothing to happen. We must respect it and see it as an equal. Doing otherwise will lead to, bad things." Ezio hesitated at the end not sure how exactly to explain any potential blow back.

He remembered the terrible pain in his skull from when he was younger. He had almost fallen from the rooftop when it had struck. He had been told he had spent several days in a delirious state but had no memory of it. He couldn't even remember if he had a dream as he did when he had a terrible fever.

"'Bad things?'" one with a scar over an eye, blinding it, questioned.

"I can't explain it." Ezio cursed his words for failing him but this was the first time he had tried to teach anyone, yet alone a group of people, something that he and Federicco had found one day. Thinking of his murdered brother brought the usual pain over his heart and he quickly hid it from the recruits.

"Then how are we to learn it Mentor?" the dark haired female questioned again.

"Follow me." Ezio spoke, hearing their footfalls as he began walking away.

Explaining it simply wouldn't do. He didn't know how to put it into words and he felt that he would fail even if he thought he found the right words. He needed them to somehow get a taste of the experience. Let them know what to look for and what they needed to do to achieve it. What was now so natural to him that he sometimes found himself fighting it off as he rested on the rooftops was something completely foreign to those he was instructing. It wasn't like learning to use a blade or your fists in a fight. This was tapping into some force so old that its name had been lost to time. The words to describe it and the words to explain it suffering the same fate at some point.

"This can only be taught by experiencing it." Ezio spoke to the recruits behind him, hearing a shuffle of feet as some tried to get closer and he raised his voice the next time he spoke. "I'm afraid that there is no other way."

"Forgive me but I am confused mentor." A recruit voiced from the back if Ezio heard him correctly. "How can we experience something you haven't taught us?"

"Don't worry, I shall show you." Ezio replied cryptically.

The recruits followed him as he took the familiar path to the roof. Many had found the spot as relaxing as he did, not that many had noticed his presence when he was there as well. Some of the recruits whispered to others of what they thought they would be doing and Ezio smiled at some of their theories.

Some of them were even similar to his own when he was younger. The days of his youth were over though, however regrettable that was, and he was now a teacher to the new generation of Assassins.

Quickly he led the way up to the rooftops and the sounds of the city below greeted them.

"Good day Mentor." the recruit keeping watch on the streets below spoke.

"How are things?" Ezio asked.

"Nothing to report Mentor."

"Ah some good news."

The recruits had paused at the doorway and he found himself beckoning them forward as he stepped towards the edge. He stood before where they would learn to use the sight in new ways and turned to face them.

"Many of you have been up here before, you know it provides an excellent view of the area." he nodded to the watchman. "It is also now where you will train to use what I am about to teach you. But first I need a volunteer, someone who has a well grasp of the sixth sense."

No one stepped forward an Ezio was content to wait for however long it took for one of them to have the courage or arrogance to come forward.

"We can not continue without one." Ezio added after several moments had passed.

Finally a recruit stepped forward, coming from the back and making the recruits part as they stepped forward. Ezio recognized him from Machiavelli's description. He said he was someone to watch. Someone who could turn into an important member of the order later. Ezio gestured for him to come closer.

"What is your name?" Ezio asked, figuring it would be better to have something to call him by instead of recruit.

"Francesco Vecellio Mentor." Francesco spoke proudly, something Ezio noted. He didn't seem to be nervous in front of him.

"Well Francesco is you would stand on the ledge. Make sure you crouch, it's easier to keep your balance that way."

Francesco stepped forward with confidence and seamlessly transitioned from standing to a crouch as he stepped on the wooden ledge.

"What next Mentor?" Francesco asked.

"The sight. Use it."

Francesco closed his eyes and it was seconds later that he opened them, the telltale signs of Eagle Vision being in them. Ezio saw his eyes dart around as if that was enough and allowed him to continue for several moments. He was curious if he would ask for advice or would his pride make him continue. He would need to see that such an action was discouraged if he did. Pride was not something worth losing your life over.

"I don't know what to do next Mentor." Francesco spoke, turning his head towards Ezio.

"Give yourself over to the sight Francesco. I know it sounds strange but it is the best way to explain it."

Ezio watched for several minutes as Francesco seemed to struggle with it. He cursed several times and Ezio debated telling him to come back and allowing someone else to try. Then suddenly Ezio knew he had it. Francesco opened his eyes and they widened as he took in everything around him. He noticed the mercenaries gambling near the hideout, the pickpockets in the crowds, who was and who wasn't armed, where people had chosen to hide things, and so much more. Ezio quickly moved forward and caught the recruit by his training clothes. He wasn't a moment too soon as Francesco was tipping over. The overload of information being far more than he could handle. He brought him back onto the roof even as other recruits came forward to help.

Francesco was still conscious, that was a good thing.

"Merde." a hand came up to his head and Ezio laughed a little at it.

"The headache will pass, I promise you." his voice brought recognition as Francesco's eyes widened.

"Mentor I saw so much. I learned so much."

"Yes."

"How can we go without seeing so much?"

"That is a good question Francesco. Can you stand?"

"Yes." the recruit quickly got to his feet and Ezio readied himself to catch him in case he stumbled as they walked back to the other recruits.

"Now the others." Ezio spoke as Francesco returned to the other recruits.

One by one they all came forward and got their first real look of the city and everything it held. He found himself catching many of them and debated sending someone down to get a rope he could tie to something instead. Each recruit was nursing different levels of headaches at the end and he allowed them to sit as he spoke next.

"Each of you will practice this in your free time. But a warning, don't do it alone. You never know when it might be too much for you." they all nodded at his words, many still holding their heads. "Now go and rest. There'll be no more training today."

"Yes Mentor." they all spoke, glad to be able to go and rest inside where it wasn't so bright.

Ezio saw them go back inside and after speaking a few words to the watchman to ensure he and everyone else knew to not allow anyone else to practice what he had taught today, stood on the edge of the roof.

Maybe he would teach more lessons to the recruits but now he had to get back to ridding the city of Templars. A Leap of Faith into the river below and he was back in the city. He would be teaching that next.


AN: So this was my attempt at explaining how viewpoints work. Instead of just looking from someplace high up it could be using Eagle Vision to see more. Explains how it reveals hidden locations and such. Hopefully it made sense and you enjoyed it. Maybe more of Ezio teaching his recruits?

Any feedback is welcomed whether in review form or a pm.

Destra means right according to google translate.