xxx λ thinking

[assemblatore]

[There's that familiar-yet-unfamiliar Italian accent, deeper than usual:]

My time here has been short, and yet in that time I have seen things unfathomable to the people of my time... things that I find relieving, and things that I find deeply troubling. Men are not made to weather such changes in such a brief time, but I have enjoyed it for what it is, and will continue to do so.

Interesting, too, to get a better understanding of history, and the legacies that have been left by the most influential people of my time. Strange that some I thought would would be spoken of for centuries barely register with the people of the future, and others have risen out of nowhere.

[sigh]

I wonder what those men would have done differently, had they only possessed the gift of foresight. But at the same time, who can say history might have happened any differently, given man's inherent weakness, his proclivity towards selfishness and opportunity, even at the cost of another's? I should like to think it is different in the future, where good will towards men is readily taught, but in my time, who can blame a man for stepping on others to avoid starvation if none have taught him a greater morality and code of ethics? Even if he had received instruction, could a virtuous constitution prevent a man from becoming tyrants? I do not feel it is possible.

I would also like to believe that suffering is always worth someth––

[A pause to having a considerable coughing fit, though one muffled by his sleeve.]

Ah... What was I saying? It matters little. I am sure I have worn this topic thin over the years, and I am weary of it.

[A pause.]

It is unfortunate that my memories of this place are clouded by age. I would have liked to better remember what it was like to be a young man in this place.

Comments

[secondchances]

He's your descendant. He seemed to be from closer to my time. But he's an Assassin, too.

So... the Apple is like a communication device? [The hell.]

[assemblatore]

[Huh. Ezio reflects on that for a moment.]

It has many uses... that one was just a surprise to me.

[secondchances]

So...

[A pause.]

How dangerous is it?

[assemblatore]

Very. I have hidden every Apple I have found, knowing what it could do in any man's hands... whether he was well-intentioned or not.

[secondchances]

There's more than one? [She rubs the side of her head.]

Well, at least I think you hid the one that's here... in your room or something. Who would ever think of digging around in there?

[assemblatore]

[That's unsettling.]

There is one here?

[secondchances]

[She nods.]

Yeah. I don't think you understood what it was or what it did, but I guess you had it on you when you showed up here.

[assemblatore]

When we go inside, we are going to retrieve it and bury it somewhere.

[secondchances]

You think it's safer buried somewhere than hidden in a room?

[assemblatore]

People are less likely to be digging in random places than they are to look through my things.

[secondchances]

[She won't argue with that. And this Ezio knows his stuff...]

You got it, boss. I know where you've got some hidey-holes in your room in the tower. [Weirdo, with weapons under the floorboards. But maybe that's where he stashed the Apple.] We'll find some spot in the woods.

[Maybe a cool looking tree.]

[assemblatore]

No, not in the woods. Woods are milled for lumber.

[secondchances]

[She doesn't think there's much of a lumber industry here...]

Where, then? There's a pond, more woods...

[And like hell she's going to the Dead Zone.]

[heloise]

[ Lucrezia is strolling with the hood over her head, all bundled up in a fur coat still too thick for the time of the year. Not that she minds.

She hears their voices before she sees them, about milling woods and ponds and such, and prepares a smile in advance. The conversation will likely die as soon as they see her and it would be a fitting compensation. ]

A walk out in the cold, Stephanie?

[assemblatore]

[The conversation does die, mostly because Ezio recognizes who it is in that fur coat. The Apple is the last topic of conversation he wants to have around a Borgia.]

Lucrezia.

[secondchances]

[Stephanie figures, slipping right into a big smile. They definitely weren't having a serious conversation.]

Hey, Lucrezia. Just enjoying it while it lasts.

[She glances between them--ohdeargodwhydoesthishappentoher--before holding out a hand. Come join the train, pretend everything is normal.]

Wanna join us?

[heloise]

Ezio.

[ She grins and takes Steph's hand, if only to spite the old man, a little, and only out of mischief! ]

You were not telling him to try swimming in the pond, are you?

[assemblatore]

[He just smiles, politely.]

Of course not.

[secondchances]

[One arm for Ezio, the other for Lucrezia. AWWWW YEAH Fitting...]

Nah. He's gotten a little smarter, so I don't think he'd do it.

[heloise]

Will age do the same for us, Ezio?

[assemblatore]

Prompt you to grow wiser? Of course. Wisdom only comes with age.

[secondchances]

Let's not rush it, though. You're only young once. [Usually.] I don't mind waiting around for wisdom.

[And wrinkles and gray hair and whatnot. :( ]

[heloise]

And you have many years ahead of you still.

[ She peers at Ezio. ]

Has she told you of how long the people in the future could live? And how many years they take to grow out of childhood?

[assemblatore]

She has. I would sooner have more years of adulthood, rather than childhood.

[secondchances]

Sometimes I wonder if it's not the length of childhood that's important, but the chance to enjoy it fully. Something like that. [A thoughtful hum at that. She's not sure she wants to start talking about childhood and adulthood and age, because that could lead into mortality, and, well...

Better to avoid that, she thinks.]

Us future people are very strange, with our clothing, medicine, and shiny things to keep us entertained.