Best Man
Best Man was a virtual representation of one of Ezio Auditore's repressed genetic memories, relived by Desmond Miles in 2012 through the Animus.
Description
Ezio Auditore returned to Florence two years after his departure, in 1478, and met with Cristina, only to be told that she had thought he would never return, and that she was already engaged. Upon discovering that Cristina's fiance, Manfredo Soderini, was being attacked by men whom he owed a gambling debt to, Ezio went to aid.
After rescuing him, Ezio dangled the man over a bridge and demanded to know if he truly loved Cristina. Manfredo sincerely replied that he did, and if he died now, he would die still loving her. Thus Ezio made him promise to be a faithful husband to Cristina, and to stop gambling, otherwise he would hunt him down and kill him.
Ezio then returned to Cristina, telling her that he had made sure Manfredo would be a good husband to her. He then took one last, long kiss from Cristina before abruptly leaving, much to Cristina's confusion.
Dialogue
Cristina was fixing her hair until Ezio came by her room.
- Cristina: Ezio! What are you doing here?
- Ezio: I only just came back to Firenze... Look at you! As beautiful as ever.
- Cristina: But... Oh, Ezio... I... It's been two years!
- Ezio: And I've thought of nothing but you.
- Cristina: Oh, but, Ezio...
- Ezio: What is it?
- Cristina: I'm engaged to be married!
- Cristina: My father kept asking me to choose... I thought I would never see you again!
Suddenly, a couple came by Cristina's house.
- Woman: It's Manfredo! He's going to kill him!
- Cristina: What!?
- Man: Un tale (Some guy) he lost money to! He's dragged him out to the end of the new bridge!
- Ezio: Who the hell is Manfredo?
- Cristina: My fiancé...
Departing for the new bridge to find Manfredo, Ezio saw him and his attackers. Ezio heard their conversation.
- Manfredo: I'll pay you back, I swear!
- Guard: It's too late for that now.
- Manfredo: It wasn't my fault. I was going to have the money for you today... But a payment came in late!
- Guard: I do not care about you troubles. Only my money.
- Manfredo: But I can pay you!
- Guard: Now?
- Manfredo: Tomorrow!
- Guard: You'll be dead tomorrow.
- Manfredo: Wait. Please. I'm about to be married tomorrow.
- Guard: You should've thought of that before you started gambling.
Ezio came to Manfredo's aid and defeated the guards.
- Manfredo: Grazie, Messere! You don't know how close--
Ezio pushed Manfredo towards the edge of the bridge, grabbing onto his collar.
- Manfredo: Whoa! Hey! Aspetta! (Wait!) What are you doing!?
- Ezio: Do you love her?
- Manfredo: What!?
- Ezio: DO YOU LOVE HER? Cristina! The woman you're about to marry!
- Manfredo: Yes, I do! I swear, I do. Kill me here and I will die still loving her.
- Ezio: You are never going to gamble again.
- Manfredo: Never, Messere.
- Ezio: You will be a good husband to her. Or I will hunt you down and kill you myself.
Ezio threw Manfredo to a wall of the bridge, then left him. Cristina was looking for the two, but Ezio grabbed her and kissed her intimately on the side of a building.
- Ezio: He's fine. He'll make a good husband. I made sure of it.
- Cristina: What-- What!?
Then Ezio left her, confused of what he just said.
Outcome
Ezio found out that Cristina was to be wed to Manfredo Soderini. After ensuring that he would make a good husband, Ezio left Cristina to be with Manfredo.
Trivia
- Ezio rescue Manfredo in under a minute.
- In this memory, almost all of Ezio's equipment could not have possibly been obtained this early in the timeline. This included the Sword of Altaïr, Medici Cape, Notched Cinquedea, and the metal armor.
- On the main picture for this memory Ezio had a beard but in the mission he didn't
- Sometimes, the memory would randomly take away Ezio's sword. Interestingly enough, if Ezio took a medium weapon from a guard in battle and didn't drop it, he will keep it for the rest of the memory if Ezio didn't have a sword before.