2nd Exploit: Three Years

Will have to change it back to teen. I don't mind censorship but this story is very important to me and I'd appreciate it if people were actually able to read it.

2nd Exploit: Three Years

There is no entrance to the Eastvine woods, save for the recently man made one. Wild howls can be heard within the heavy brush and bramble between these trees. The trees age, the bramble grows and brush grows in place of the two unattended destroyed trees as a year passes, and another. A loud scream, a shriek, a howl, crunching, more screams. Human screams. Antonios screams. Six months pass. The trees are bigger, the bramble spread out and the once man made entrance all but non-existent. Many voices are heard in the wilderness, save for Antonios. His choice of isolation had claimed lives before. Lives hes known and lives hes never known. 

The third year has passed, but there is no sign of life within the forest. One day passes. Two days. Four days. Seven days. Finally on the eleventh day of Antonios three year personal training and isolation several trees tumble forward and out steps a naked muscular bearded young man with wild long emerald hair. He stands covered in debris, wounds, scar tissue and blood. His own blood. The blood of the territorial beasts that roam the Eastvine forest. A particularly large scar rests on his forehead and marks down to his left eye. This is Antonio Dragone after three years in what could be considered hell.

---

Antonio makes his way out of the outskirts of 'Inizioville and into the center. His destination is obvious; his brothers dojo. By this time of year Luke was most likely in the midst of schooling several new students in the Rio style. This was the last thing on Tonys mind, he cared for two things only right now. A bath and some clothing. As he came closer to the dojo an officer approaches him from the side. Tony pays him no mind, until he grabs his shoulder.

Tony doesn't turn, he simply stops. "What?"

"Sir you're under arrest for indecent exposure-" Tony reaches a hand to his shoulder where the officers hand lay, and gently squeezes. The cop yelps in pain.

"Buddy, you'll let me go if you like your health."

The cop looks at the back of Tonys head with concern. "You want assault on your charge too-" Tony lets the officers hand loose and turns his head slightly. He looks the cop in the eye while he practically bleeds ki. The cop falls to his knee at the air of power and danger around Tony. The officer recognized Tony as a fellow student. Tony doesn't recognize the failure. "A-A-A-Antonio?! Everyone thought you were dead!"

"Dead?" Tony smirks as he turns and begins to walk away. "That's one hell of a lie Luke."

---

Luke has aged somewhat. His hair is a pinch grayer and hes developed some crows feet by his eyes but otherwise hes the same stern man, and in the midst of teaching a class of students. There are twenty five in all, and apparently not a bully like Zaine among them this time. Luke begins to speak as the door suddenly juts open. Everybody turns to the door, Luke doesn't lift his eyes off the guide as he begins to speak.

"Now isn't the best time-" As Luke looks up he stops. His eyes begin to tear up as he recognized his brother instantly. His class, on the other hand, can't help but recognize Antonios lack of clothing. "You're still alive!"

Tony smiles for a second but otherwise acknowledges nobody. He walks straight past the class and his brother, uttering only a few words. "Talk later, bath first." Tony opens the sliding door behind Luke and slams it behind him, leaving a dead silence in his naked wake. Luke wipes his eyes and clears his throat before turning to the class and speaking.

"Alright, I'll allow about a ten or so minute recess. In the meantime you all should stretch and meditate on what we've learned thus far today until I return." His class give him a loud 'Roi' as he turns and enters the room his brother had only a moment ago. 

Tony has already made himself comfortable in the bath. The bathing area is large and decorated as if its an outdoors sanctuary.  Luke sits next to the bathing pond, on one of the rocks and sighs in relief. "I don't really know what to say. I hate to admit it but I honestly figured you to be dead after the second year." 

Tony smirks. "Oh did you? Well at least you kept your promise."

Luke laughs. "Likewise little man, likewise. So, I can tell your self-training was pretty successful."

Tony is quiet for a moment. He sighs and speaks solemnly. "Well in a way. I'm a lot stronger mentally and physically but..." Tony forces a smile and leans his head back, staring up at the open roof. "...but I couldn't quite conquer my personal demons." Tony plants his palm into his face and laughs. "Meeting 'em face to face on my own's only made me more hateful, and I suspect I'll carry that resentment until the day one of us dies." Tony removes his hand from his face and smiles gently, Luke remains silent. "At the very least, I kinda know what I want to do now."

Luke raises his head and speaks questioningly. "It doesn't involve murder I would hope."

Antonio breaks out in laughter before answering. "'Course not! What do I look that unhinged?! No I'm gonna go ahead go on a little excursion." Tony makes a circular motion with his finger in the air. "Ya know, travel 'round Norot? See where my feet take me right? Three years in the woods has me aching to see more." Tony shrugs. "Just maybe I'll find somethin' to call my own right? Hell I don't think Ive ever been further then one of the other villages around here anyways, might as well experience life."

Luke nods his head and smiles. There is a bit of weariness in his eyes as he speaks. "Sounds like you've changed a lot in three years, and I'm glad you've decided on a course of action but try not to do something that would shame the Dragone name." Tony gets a somewhat irritated somewhat confused look on his face. Luke brings his hands together and begins to speak seriously. "I don't presume to assume that you would do something sinister but then again I never expected Maxine to try and kill the king either-"

"Wait, what?!"

Luke brings his head closer to his hands. His eyes focused. "I was shocked as well when I found out. According to the news he tried to assassinate King Morte about four months ago. Hes a wanted felon not only in Norot but around the surrounding nations as well." Luke turns his head to Tony, who still has a shocked look, and gives a small smile. "I know you don't have it in you to do something so insane but I feel it necessary to bring up."

Antonio is silent for a handful of seconds. After mentally digesting the news he rolls his eyes and splashes his brother defiantly. "Come on Luke ya know I'm not gonna try to kill anyone, let alone some old a*s politician. I like my freedom."

"Yeah but you're a bit of a trouble magnet, and people are ruthless out there in the world." Tony gives Luke an unimpressed look as he strokes his wild beard. Luke sighs and chuckles. "None the less your journey has my blessing."

One of Lukes students suddenly shouts out. "Man if I have to stretch for any longer I'll become spaghetti!!!" Tony bursts out in laughter. Luke leers at his brother as he stands up.

"Well don't keep your kids waitin' old man." Luke grumbles. As he turns to leave Tony smiles and rests his hand on his cheek. "Thanks for giving me the time to myself, it was absolutely necessary."

Luke smiles. "Thanks for coming back alive." Luke walks out of the bathing area and back to his class. Tony resumes to cleanse himself, splashing his face.

---

Several hours pass, its now evening. The dojo door opens and Lukes students practically limp out of the building whining and groaning in pain. One of the students looks back at the dojo with frightened eyes.

"Oh dear god I hope he never teaches again! I'll never complain about sensais regiment after that!"

One of the female students readily nods. "Yeah that other guy is ten million times worse!" After the students have left the front of the dojo door Tony comes out and dusts his hands off as if he feels accomplished. His beard is no more then a memory now, save for two stubs at the ends of his jaw line. His choice of cloth seems to be a sleeveless teal shirt with white trim and white jeans. His shirt does nothing to hide his improved physique. Luke exits behind him, giving the back of Tonys head a look of concern.

"Its a job well done if I says so myself." Tony says with a smile. "I can see why you like to discipline, its pretty fun to have that kinda authority. By the way thanks for letting me have the last hour bro."

Luke crosses his arms. "Yeah well you almost killed my students! You can't train them like that, it might ruin their muscle development!"

Antonio laughs off Lukes criticism. "Oh hell what doesn't kill 'em'll be good for 'em in the long run. Worked for me."

Luke shakes his head disapprovingly. "I'm not letting you sub in again Tony. Your almost as bad as-" Luke stops himself before he compares Tony to Paul, knowing how bad an idea that might end up being. He plays it off as if he isn't able to remember a name. Tony looks back over his shoulder and gives a bemusing look at Luke.

"D'ja lose your train of thought?"

"Yeah." Luke lies. "Anyways, its good to have you back. Everyone but Jace has left to do their own thing so its gotten a bit lonely." Tony nods his head and crosses his arms. "Well Jace and you-know-who, but he only comes back once in a blue moon so-"

"Enough, I don't give a saint damn s*** about I-know-EXACTLY-who." Tony sighs angrily. "I would like to see Jace before I leave though." Tony lightly laughs as he uncrosses his arms and puts his hands to his hips. "Kid did never pay up." Tony begins to walk off. he holds a hand up as a bye gesture. "See ya later bro."

---

Sitting out near the western outskirts of 'Inizioville is a relatively dilapidated house facing a small set of woods. Sitting on the porch is Jace Terrace. A lonely young friendless teen going on sixteen and quite a bit smaller then he should be at his age, as a matter of fact he hasn't grown an inch in three years. Hes wearing replica samurai armor and still dons his bandanna and necklace. Hes tracing lines in the dirt with his finger, remaining sad and quiet to himself until a shadow looms over him and his tracings.

"Long time no see kiddo." Jaces eyes widen. He looks up to see Tony smiling down at him and immediately begins to weep. He springs up and hugs him as hard as he can. Tony pats him on the head. "I missed you too Jace." 

Jace begins to hammer his fist into Tonys iron-like gut, yelling angrily at him. "WHY!?! WHY WHY WHY!?! I THOUGHT YOU WERE DEAD YOU A*****E!!!"

Tony closes his eyes and nods. "I know, and I'm sorry. I had to go and do something privately but I'm back now."

Jace takes a few steps back, sniffing and sniveling. "You could have said something right?! Luke told me you just randomly left!"

Antonio shrugs. "Well, I kinda did. I didn't think you'd be left on your own like this though." Tony gives Jace an apologetic look and frowns. "I thought at least James would be around until now."

"Yeah he stayed a year after you vanished, but that's not why I'm so mad at you! At least he said goodbye when he went, same with Sarah!" Tony has no answer or response, save for an awkward gesture of placing his hand on the back of his head and sighing. "I'm more happy to see you again then I am mad, so I'll forgive you this time. Just please don't leave me in the dark again!"

"Its a promise little man." Tony looks up at the sky. "If you want we could catch up over a steak or somethin' tomorrow. I'd say now but its getting dark."

Jace wipes his eyes and nods his head. "Yeah, and I promised Mr. Garren I'd help him with weeding his vegetable garden tomorrow morning." Jace smiles wearily at Tony, who is muttering 'that old goats still alive?' under his breath. "We'll catch up over lunch."

Antonio gives Jaces a thumbs up. "Sounds good to me." Before they can begin their goodbyes a loud, tuneless, cringe-worthy whistling cuts the air. 

Antonio and Jace look toward the west and notice a girl lugging a bagful of lumber over her shoulder. She appears to be nineteen. Her choice of attire is rather unusual; her shirt is a dark grey with light brown trim and a painted red slash mark over the center. Her light brown pants go down to her relatively muscular calves and she has a brown scarf wrapped around her neck. Her hair is a short but wide bowl split where her forehead shows. She has modest amount of posters wrapped up and sticking out of her back pocket. Tied to her side is a beautiful three foot sheath bearing a blade within' it. This is Clarice Jalehan.

Clarice looks up at Tony and raises her eyebrows as if she recognized him. "Have I seen you before?"

"Nope. 'Fraid we've never met." Clarice stares at Tony for a couple of seconds before shrugging and going on her way. Antonio turns back to Jace and begins to speak when a loud 'thump' is heard behind him. He quickly turns around and shrouds his right arm in concentrated ki as a precaution. Clarices blade stops short of his palm. Tony glares at the girl, whose own eyes are cold and unblinking.

"You're him. You look just like him. The guy who tried to eliminate king Fiamma Morte a few months ago." A smirk sneaks onto Clarices face. "Your head fetches quite a price, Maxine Dragone."

Antonio smirks back at her. "My heads priceless doll, you're thinking of my nitwit brother."

"Your lies won't save you. Those ridiculous salad-spikes on your cranium look just like his." Clarice raises a brow. "That is, unless you're just a copy cat-"

"Hey lady this hairs genetic! Every Dragone is born like this!"

"I'm not buying into your fallacy-"

"Just look at my face for a f***in' SECOND you dope! I know I have a lot of scars but does it look like I have one on my cheek?! He does, I don't." Clarice furls her brows at Tony. She grabs the handful of posters in her back pocket and flips to the one of Maxine. She eyes it, then Tony, then it again. A dead give away that the two aren't one in the same is the tint of Maxines hair, while still obviously green, is noticeably grayer then Tonys, even Lukes for that matter. She holsters her blade and pockets the posters. "Betcha thought you had easy money didn't you?"

"D****t." Clarice turns to walk away. Antonio gets an irritated look on his face and lightly grabs her shoulder.

"Hey now wait a second there missy. You go about accusing me of some heinous act and you don't even have the decency of offering some kind of apology? I think I might just be offended." 

Clarice shrugs Tonys hand off and brushes her fingers onto the edge of her blades hilt. "Apologies are best saved for the humble and modest. You're rude demeanor makes it hard for me to feel sorry about my mistake." Clarices cold eyes flash at Tony. "If you enjoy having an arm it is highly suggested that you keep your hand to yourself."

"Or what, you'll lop it off with your steel plaything? I'd like to see you try." Antonio tilts his head arrogantly back, as if anticipating Clarice to make an action. She removes her hand from her blade and turns her head back toward the village. "Guess not eh?"

"You should be thankful I'm merciful and haven't the time for your childishness." Clarice kneels down and grabs the bag of lumber. She effortlessly flings it over her shoulder. "I won't be so merciful next time." 

Clarice walks away from Tony and Jace. She begins to whistle that toneless noise once again, much to the agony of Tony. Not too far from this location hides a silhouette of someone hiding in a bush. Hes been watching the two bicker from the start, having trailed and snuck around Clarice. He smirks before ducking back into the bush. Tony shakes his head and mumbles angrily under his breath. Jace, still confused about what has transpired, looks up at Tony curiously.

"So, wait, is that why you were gone for so long?" Tony turns his head to Jace. "You tried to kill the king?"

"D****t Jace I was training!"