Training is a short-story that follows Abstergo Employee and Recruit Karen Grey through an Animus training session. It is based on the multiplayer of both AC: Brotherhood and Revelations, with a few tweaks.
Vidic and the Animus[]
---Error, Animus Training Session Desynchronized--- ---Returning To Animus Menu---
The Animus reverts to the Menu screen, which soon fades as the Animus enters an Idle session. I start to blink, letting my eyes re-adjust, then notice someone standing over me. "Well done Mrs. Grey, your training is progressing well," He states. "Dr. Vidic, this is certainly rare, seeing you," I say, looking over at him. "To what do I owe this little visit?" I ask him. "I'm just overseeing a small Animus update, and figured we could have a nice little chat," He said, looking at me. "I see, well, allow me to start by asking how long I'll be here." I reply. "Oh, you'll be here until your training is complete Mrs. Grey, we've told your husband you're away on business, and have told him we will keep him updated as to when you'll be back" Vidic replied, watching the engineer work on the Animus. "I see, speaking of updates, how long should this take?" I ask. Vidic smiled, "Eager to get back to training, Mrs. Grey?" "I'm just wondering if I'll have time to eat something." Vidic chuckled, "It should only take another couple of seconds, then I'd like you to start a quick training session to test the update, once you're finished with that, then you can rest for a few hours." I sigh quietly, waiting for the engineer to update the Animus. "Alright Mrs. Grey, the Animus is updated," Vidic says, "I look forward to seeing your weekly progression report in a few days." Vidic motions to the engineer and both leave. "Finally," I say quietly to myself, returning to the Animus Menu screen.
I check the recent updates and notice there are two new maps, three new session types, and four new personas. I'll have to see what new maps and session types there are, I think to myself. I go to the session type menu and choose Free-for-all and see the new Assassinate session. Assassinate?, I think, I'll try that next. I then check the Team session types and see Escort and Chest Capture. Hmm, Escort sounds fun, but not today. I go back to the Free-for-all sessions, choosing Wanted, and the Animus starts to search for a training session. While the Animus searches for a session, I pull up the Persona Menu. I look through the personas, noting each of the new four. 'Training session found', the Animus states. I leave the persona menu and look at the persona selection screen. Hmm, I'll go with the Smuggler, I think to myself. I've always liked the Smuggler, there is something about her, something almost elegant, but simple about her. I select the Smuggler, the map gets chosen, and the session starts.
Noble Execution[]
The session loads and I get synchronized onto the map. Ah, Siena, such a beautiful map. The sound of the music, the fireworks, the acts of the performers, the starry night sky, the atmosphere is fun and colorful. I check my Targets, and start to search. My first target, the Nobleman. I pass a tent, searching for him, while attempting to avoid my pursuer. I come to the main performance area, taking a second to look around and move on. Then I see him, stalking an Executioner. I quickly walk towards them, watching my surroundings for my pursuer. I watch as the Nobleman slowly walks up on the Executioner, taking his claw and grabbing the back of the Executioner's neck, clipping and severing the spinal cord and the nerves in his neck, killing him. The Nobleman starts to walk away, but I slowly approach him. When I'm close I enough, I grab onto the Nobleman's right arm, and spin around him once to get in front of him and rest my right hand on the back his neck. I release the blade from the bracer on my left forearm and stab upwardly into his jaw, piercing his brain and killing him. I let his body drop to the ground and slowly walk away. As I'm walking away, a Barber approaches me and swiftly slashes across my neck twice, before bringing his razor back and cutting open my jugular. I grab at my neck, choking on my own blood as he swiftly hides his razor, and walks away leaving me to die...
I resynchronize on the map, taking a second to see who my current Target is. The Executioner. I head toward the main performance square, trying to forget the feeling of blood filling my throat. I enter a blend group and look around, searching for both my target and pursuer. I start to hear whispers and notice the Nobleman walk around a corner. I leave my blend group carefully, to avoid being noticed, and slowly walk up to him. Once I get close enough, I look at him and stun him by punching him in the face. I turn around and start to walk away, walking past a blend group. I turn a corner and see my target, the Executioner. I start to slowly walk up to him, as he walks toward me, unaware that I'm his pursuer. As soon as he is close enough to me, I grab his shoulder and hold him still, releasing my blade from the bracer. I crouch down slightly, and stab upwardly into his neck and pierce his brain, killing him instantly. I withdraw my blade, retracting it back into it's sheathe on my bracer, watching the Executioner's body collapse onto the ground. I start to walk away and notice a Barber walking towards me. I get ready to drop a smoke bomb, before noticing a Hellequin running towards the Barber. She vaults over the Barber, quickly stabbing him between his neck and shoulder-blades with her two barbed daggers. She lands behind him and gently nudges him with her bottom, letting gravity pull his limp body to the floor and then dusts her skirt off with her hands. She looks back at me and nods silently before walking away...
The Dama Rossa & The Officer[]
I walk into the nearest tent and blend in with a group. I check my current contract, noting that I have a pursuer, to see that my next Target is the Dama Rossa. I leave the group and exit the tent, starting to search for the Dama Rossa. I walk around the outside of the map, going through each tent, making sure I'm not seen by my target or pursuer. I start to hear whispers and see an Officer running toward the middle of the map. New Recruit, I think as I carefully walk out of the tent, he must be my pursuer. I walk past a bale of hay and jump into it, before seeing a Dama Rossa walk around a corner. I activate my Templar Vision ability. I focus on the Dama Rossa, and seeing that she is glowing blue, I wait for her to get closer. As she walks past, I get out, grab onto her, drag her into the bale of hay, and snap her neck, leaving her dead body there. As I get out of the haystack, I see the Officer again. I throw a throwing knife at him and run up to him, stunning him by hitting the pressure points on each side of his neck with the edge of my hands, and kick him to the ground. I quickly turn around to see a Barber run up to me. When did I get a second pursuer? I ask, shocked. I try to run but before I can, he drops a smoke bomb, sending up a cloud of smoke. As I'm coughing in the smoke, he stuns me, leaving me to fall to the ground, confused. He must have been my next target, I think. Just then I start to hear more whispers, and as the smoke clears, I start to get up. All of a sudden I feel a tap on my shoulder, and quickly turn around to see who it was, not realizing the Hellequin had twirled around me. As I'm distracted, she stabs me from behind, just under my ribcage, piercing one of my lungs. She twirls around to the front of me and looks at me, showing a quick smile before she turns away and walks off, leaving me to die as blood fills my lungs...
I resynchronize on the map and walk into the nearest tent, looking around before heading in. I hide in a haystack when I'm safely inside and check my contracts. My next target is the Officer. Guess now I can teach that recruit about stealth, I think, slowly getting out of the haystack and leaving the tent. I walk toward the middle of the map, seeing the Officer in a blend group. I walk into a blend group close by and lock onto him. Now, let's see if he takes the bait, I think, activating my Decoy ability as he walks out of his group. A Smuggler from my group leaves and runs toward him. A second after the decoy leaves the group, I slowly start to walk toward him, activating my disguise, turning into a Dama Rosa. He tries to stun her, but she disappears, being desynchronized. In his moment of confusion, I put my left hand on his shoulder, holding him still. I remove the Hairpin from my hair and crouch slightly, before sending the hairpin upwards, jamming it into his jaw and piercing his brain. I quickly remove the hairpin and let his body drop to the ground, putting the hairpin back in my hair, turning back into the Smuggler afterwards. I turn around and start to walk away. All of a sudden there is a bright white flash all around me and I hear Firecrackers going off. I try to look around but I'm blinded, defenseless. As the light starts to fade, I feel hands hit each side of my neck, then a foot pushing me to the ground, leaving me stunned. I watch as the Hellequin walks past. I slowly start to get up, plotting some friendly revenge against her. Hearing whispers, I slowly start to walk away, heading toward the outside of the map. As I'm leaving, I feel a hand on my shoulder, forcing me onto my knees, holding my shoulder firmly. I turn my head to see an Executioner raise his axe above his head with his right hand. I gasp silently, seeing death in his eyes...
Death and a Barber[]
He brings down the axe, digging it into my back, close to my right shoulder blade. The pain is instant and tremendous. He frees his axe by kicking my body forward with his foot, and starts to walk away as I lay face down on the ground, slowly dying from blood loss. I resynchronize on the map and walk into a blend group. I check my targets, trying to forget the feeling of the axe digging into my back. So, the Barber is my next Target, huh? Perfect, I think, walking out of the blend group. I walk through a tent, heading toward the fountain at the back of the map. I activate my Disguise ability, turning into the Barber. I turn a corner and see him in a blend group, with an open spot next to him. Heh, perfect, he wont even know what happened. I slowly walk into the blend group, making sure to not stand out. I wait a second then quickly brush my hand on him, poisoning him. After a couple seconds he leaves the blend group, raising his hands to his throat, the poison taking effect. He drops to his knees, still holding his throat, then falls to the ground, dead. Just as my Disguise begins to fade, I start to hear whispers. I look around, looking for my pursuer. Out of the corner of my eye I spot a Dama Rossa slinking toward me, her paces quickening the closer she gets. I watch her, waiting for her to get closer. Once she is close enough, I throw a smoke bomb to the ground, sending up a cloud of smoke, catching the Dama Rossa in it. As she is coughing, I punch her in the face, stunning her. As the smoke clears, I start to walk away, leaving the Dama Rossa lying in the ground. An Officer runs past, bumping into me. I turn to look and see him kick her in the head, finishing her off. I shake my head and turn around, walking away silently...
The Final Hunt[]
I walk into a blend group, taking a second to check my next target. No target yet, but one pursuer, I think, looking around. I look back toward the fountain area and see the Officer run into view. Him again? I can't use another Smoke Bomb just yet...I'm gonna have to run. The Officer runs closer, starting a chase as I bolt from the blend group, running through the nearest tent. He follows, intent on killing me. I run out of the tent and into another, passing through a chase breaker, closing it behind me. I run through another tent and dive into a hay-bale inside, waiting for the chase to end. After about 6 seconds the chase ends, and I've escaped. I hop out of the hay-bale and walk out of the tent. I start walking towards the performance area, entering a blend group, my Blender perk turning a Dama Rossa into another Smuggler. I activate my Disguise, turning into a Barber. I start to hear whispers as an Executioner walks toward the group. Did he see me activate my Disguise? He walks toward the Smuggler and grabs her by the hip, before lifting her into the air and smashing her into the ground, head-first. As she hits the ground she desynchronizes, leaving him to walk away, confused. I check my targets, knowing the session will end soon. The Hellequin, perfect. I walk away from the group as my Disguise drops. I start to head toward the performance square, searching for the Hellequin. I enter a group on one side of the square, scanning the area for her. I leave the group and head toward the other side of the square, entering another group. I scan the area, and notice two Hellequins sitting on a bench. One of them must be her, I think, I'm just gonna have to guess. I leave the group, slowly walking toward the bench. When I'm close enough, I casually walk up to one of them, before forcefully pulling her up off of the bench by her shoulders. I hold her steady with one arm and stab her in her lung with my hidden blade. I remove my hand from her shoulder, letting her stand on her own, though she staggers backwards slightly before collapsing to the ground, suffering from blood loss from her injury. I stand over her, watching as she slowly looks up before desynchronizing...
I slowly walk away heading, toward the back fountain, entering the nearest blend group. 'Training session complete,' the Animus states. I leave the session, the Animus returning to the Menu screen. The Animus enters an Idle session, the menu fading. The view screen slides into the Animus, allowing me to sit up. "Well done Recruit 28," A man says. I look over and see an Abstergo employee standing next to the Animus. "You must be one of Vidic's assistants, monitoring my latest session?" I ask. "Oh Yes, you did well." He says. "Thank you, now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go rest up." I walk away, passing a few more trainees. "Good session 28," a female trainee says as I pass her. "Thanks 23, you too" I say, stopping by her. "Hey, how did you know which Hellequin was me?" She asks. "I didn't," I reply, "I just guessed, hoping I had picked the right one." She laughs. "I'm gonna go rest up 23, good luck with your next sessions." "You too 28." She says as I walk away. I head toward the elevators, getting in one before it closes. I head toward the dormitory block. I exit the elevator and head toward my room. I put in my personal passcode and enter my room, the door closing behind me. I yawn and change clothes, throwing my other clothes in a pile. "Finally some rest." I lay down on my bed, quickly falling asleep...