"Isn't this wonderful?" Leonardo asked holding up the mannequin. They had just arrived in Venezia and Leonardo already wanted to shop.
" Er…yes." Ezio replied, fully aware of where this was headed.
"Could you buy me this?" Leonardo asked scratching his head.
Ezio crossed his arms and gave him a knowing smile. Just then, a few thieves rushed past him and he scowled at the girl who had just pushed him. "Hey!" he called out.
"Well?" Leonardo asked eagerly.
Ezio checked for his money pouch and was relieved to find it still there. "Quanto?" he asked, walking up to the vendor.
"Hundred Florins." The vendor told him quickly.
"That's too much." Ezio answered and turned to look at Leonardo who was looking at him pleadingly. "Bene." He sighed and paid the man who smiled widely at him.
Leonardo took the Mannequin and gazed happily at it. " Grazie, amico."
Ezio started to walk with the guide again, unaware of how big a mistake he had made.
Months later, Ezio knocked on Leonardo's door.
" Ezio! Come in." Leonardo said.
"I need a favor."
"Si. Is it this whole new business with the Doge?"
Ezio nodded and handed him over the Codex pages.
"It's been so long." Leonardo said. "I have so much to show you."
"I'm in a little bit of hurry."
Leonardo grabbed Ezio's arm and led him further inside the studio. "The wooden mannequin you bought me when we first came to Venezia? Do you remember it?" Ezio nodded. "It's so wonderful. I've been painting it, using it to test my inventions and oh, look at this." Leonardo picked up the mannequin and showed it to him. "I made him a little dress."
Ezio looked at the deep red robe draped on the Mannequin and widened his eyes. "Are those supposed to be…"
"Si, I dressed him up like you!" Leonardo said excitedly. "Look at these drawings I made."
Ezio stood before a large canvas and saw sketches of the Mannequin in various poses- from sitting to sleeping to eating to jumping from rooftops. "Through this, I could find out how much damage your armor really takes and repair the codex weapons accordingly."
"Oh, that's nice." Ezio replied half-heartedly.
"But that's not all." Leonardo said thrusting the mannequin on his face. "This delightful piece of art has helped me with my paintings."
He dragged Ezio to another canvas where an enlarged version of the Mannequin was painted. "It's so mystical, no? I'm calling it Senza Espressioni."
"That's nice." Ezio lied and waved the codex pages in front of Leonardo. "Perhaps you could help me with these?"
"But I haven't shown you the clay models I've made of the Mannequin." Leonardo pouted. "I've even built a small flying machine for him."
"And a mask? So that I could remain incognito throughout the Carnivale."
"Ah! Brillante!" Leonardo said snapping his fingers. "I could make a tiny mask for the Mannequin and showcase it for my next exhibition."
"The Codex pages." Ezio reminded him. "I'm in a hurry so if you could just…"
Leonardo opened up the pages with a frown. " Ah! These are new designs for your wrist. A firearm, but as tiny as a Mannequin's hand."
"Uh-huh." Ezio said taking a seat on one of the chairs.
Leonardo put down the Mannequin on the table in front of him and went inside with his vambraces. While he was gone, Ezio stared at the wooden mannequin lying on the table and then around the room. The walls were covered with sketches of the mannequin and pages on the desk were scribbled with ideas for the next 'Mannequin experiment' as was written.
"I'm such an idiot for buying him this…" he held up the mannequin then, an idea forming in his brain.
An hour later when Leonardo returned, Ezio got up and smiled at him. "Grazie." He said taking the Vambraces from him.
"You could practice with the dummies out back." Leonardo said distractedly while scribbling on a page. "I'll look for the mask in the meantime."
Ezio watched as Leonardo penned down something and then picked up the mannequin quietly. Once outside he walked over to the dock and stared at the dummy across from him. Leaping onto the other dock, he took out the Mannequin and a piece of cord.
"How sad that it has come to this. But it must be done." Ezio placed the Mannequin in front of the dummy and tied it to hold it in place. He leapt back to his position and raised his arm.
"Requiescat in Pace." He said and aimed at the dummy. BLAM! The Mannequin broke into a hundred pieces and Ezio grinned to himself.