I have absolutey no idea if there if SquareSoft released info in Reno's past; if so, I had no idea. Either way, this is what I think his past was like. So please don't bite me if I'm wrong in some places ;; Okay? And I'll tell you now that I will definately get some places screwed up, so... er... yeah. Don't yell ;;

"Thought I might find you here." A hand suddenly took Reno's shoulder and shifted a seat beside him. Reno didn't even bother to look at Tseng.

"Oh, none for me, thank you." He dismissed the cocktail waitress, who just snorted and walked away in high hopes broken, perhaps wanting something from him. Tseng then looked at Reno, who still had his eyes glued to his drink, reluctant to draw his eyes onto his friend.

Tseng was trying to think of a way to start a convernsation with him, at that point a dozen idea's gradually seeped into his mind.

"So," he began, "what have you been doing lately?"

Reno didn't answer, but threw a rude, sharp glance with his eyes and took another sip of his drink, than at an instant ordered another to pretend he was distracted. It was though he was telling an indirect threat for him to back off, but Tseng knew Reno. It must be one of those days.

"Reno." Tseng said, a little more into the business-related tone of voice. "Could you explain to me why you have been absent for the past three days, with leaving a phone call or anything?"

Reno didn't answer. He leaned forward and burried his head into his arms, looking like he was a weeping child. "Why." Came his muffled, tired voice. "Why should you care."

"What kind of question is that?" Tseng asked softly, beginning to get a little worried about his friend. "You should know how to answer that."

He wasn't sure why he laughed and sat up. He looked at Tseng, than took another drink and said nothing. Tseng stood up, narrowing his eyes.

"How many drinks have you ordered?"

Reno rolled his eyes, then looked at his hands and started counting his fingers. When he ran out of fingers, he started counting his toes. "Lost count." He said after awhile with a smuggish smirk. Tseng placed his hand on his shoulder.

"I think you've had enough, Reno."

"I think you better fuck off, Tseng." Reno growled.

Its just the alcohol talking, not Reno. Tseng kept on reminding himself, though really he felt a stab in his back. Reno wasn't fully there.

"Reno, I don't want to force you, but if I have to take drastic measures, than I will have no choice." Tseng said severely. "You've had enough. As your boss, I order you to stop."

"I'll say when I've had enough when I fucking say so, no one orders me around! So fuck off!"

"Reno, don't--"

"I SAID FUCK OFF, ALEX!" Reno hollererd angrily and stood up straight, glaring at Tseng. There was a queer silence that lurked the bar for the past ten seconds. Everyone, staring, most likely intrigued if there was going to be a bar fight, but even so, the silence seemed so unatural for such a lively place. Tseng stood there, then drew his eyes to the bar entrance where Elena and Rude stood with alarmed expressions. They must of heard Reno yell from outside.

The silence soon dispersed, and the bar life returned. The gambling, the coughing, the slurping, the smoking, the toilet flushing, the dancing and the banging noises and vibrations from the next door room with moans of pleasure.

Reno looked down at his feet, placing his hand onto his forehead, swaying for a second and turned away.

"I'm sorry..." He said slowly, then collapsed abruptly. Luckily Tseng had swift reflexes, and caught him. Reno still didn't have the heart to look at Tseng in the eye when he wrapped his arm around his waist and aided him out the door, where Rude than helped Tseng by wrapping his arm around Reno's free side.

"What happened?" Came Elena's soft, worried whisper.

"He's had too much to drink again. Don't worry -- he'll be fine." Tseng and Rude settled Reno(who was now unconcious) against the wall. "Well." Tseng said. "Let's take him home."

"What was that about?" Elena asked asked again, peering at Tseng's silhoutte silver outlined figure under the moonlight.

"Nothing out of the ordinary."

"No, I mean Alex."

"Who?"

"Alex. He called you Alex."

"...Thats right." He finally realized, recalling that name. "Never heard of him." He looked at Rude, "have you?"

Rude didn't answer. He stood there silent as usual, arms crossed with his bulky figure.

"Either way..." Tseng changed the subject knowing Rude disliked open opinions and speaking publicly, even sometimes in front of his friends.

"Lets just get him back home and get him out of this cold."

"Ugh... look at this dump!" Elena plugged her nose and jumped backwards when she opened the apartment door. "He actually lives in a place like this!"

"Hey, we're not here to judge for the 'cleanest room in Midgar' contest." Tseng exclaimined bluntly, but he had to admit that the sour smell of what seemed rotten milk that has been sitting god knows where for weeks. The carpet was stained with mud and dirt. Dishes towered the sink with traces of mold. The tiled kitchen floors, unswepted. The furnature blanketed with dust.

"Looks like he hasn't been here for some time." Tseng said under his breath, a bit disgusted of such an environment. He just had to laugh, though, for a second, recalling a time when Reno claimed he had the most cleanest apartment of all of Midgar. Now look. Look at this mess. Tseng slightly wished Reno was awake, so he could jest him. But at that moment, the timing did not seem right so he kept his opinions to himself.

"His room is in here." Rude said, wincing when he stepped on something squishy. Apparently, it was a two-month-old bannana.

Reno's room, surprisingly, wasn't as bad as his living room compartments. If was a small room with only one single bed, a desk with some books and CD's and a lamp and a closet. The desk seemed to have small prescription bottles. Tseng took a hold of one, realizing they were painkillers.

"Oh, Reno..." He sighed softly, finding it pointless to argue about this now.

Elena opened the window, breathing in the fresh winter air and sighed with relief she was still alive. Tseng and Rude placed Reno onto his bed and flashed the covers onto his numb body. Reno opened his left eyes slightly.

"Wha..." He whispered weakly. "Where the hell am--"

"You're at home. It's okay, just sleep." Tseng spoke gently. Reno closed his eyes and groaned in pain, placing his hand on his head.

"Damn... such a headache."

"That's what you get for drinking way too much, Reno." Came Elena's cocky voice from the other room. Reno wrapped his body with his blankets, swearing under his breath.

"Ah shuddup... 'Tis worth every damn penny I earn..." He grunted grumpily.

Tseng couldn't help but smile. He was happy to hear the real Reno he knew come back. Strange, he wondered, strange that he somehow missed him. "You up to it for tomorrow?"

"Eh...? Up for what...?"

"ShinRa."

Reno stuck out his head, blankly looking at him like a clueless child. "Shin... wha...?"

"The place we work in."

"...Er…"

"You know, President Shinra...?"

"...Um…"

"...The turks?"

"...What about Turkeys?"

Tseng sighed, then jumped when Rude spoke, forgetting he was standing behind him.

"Maybe you should give him a few days. He'll be back on his feet."

"I suppose...ah... lets call it a day for now. Elena, lets go--"

"--Heya... Tseng..." Reno said finally. Tseng turned around.

"Yes?"

"...What's my name?"

Tseng shook his head, and walked out. "Seems you also lost part of your brain."

"I heard that, jackass."

"Night, Reno."

Rude was cautiously stepping over the floor, worried he might step on something else squishy while Tseng and Elena paced behind.

"Guess the meetings going to be schedualed another time?" Rude said, shortly then stepping on something squishy yet again.

"Don't worry about it. I'll fix it with Rufus."

Rude sighed with relief when he reached passed the door, feeling guilty when he wiped his shoes on the door ledge and headed downstiars. Tseng paused, then looked over his shoulder.

"Elena?" He whispered, turning around. "Elena, where--"

"Tseng." Came her quiet, yet seemingly terrified voice. Tseng blinked.

"Elena, what are you--"

"Tseng... just come here... quick..."

Tseng felt his heart pounding when he followed her muffled voice. "Elena, this is no time for games."

"Tseng... just please... come here... you have to look at this..."

"What are you-" He froze when he reached the door to the basement, his heart beating heavily when he saw Elena. He was about to speak; scold her for violating Reno's privacy. But then, he saw her eyes, and soon gazed to where she was looking.

There, on a desk, was a withered leather-brown covered book. What first caught his attention, was the violent slashes on the cover and though something had been stabbing or clawing against it. Good god. Tseng spoke in his mind. That can't be... blood. Blood stained pages...

He paced slowly down the stairs, then walked over to the book to take a better look. The the pages were black-stained, and smelled strongly of smoke. Smoke... perhaps it has been in a fire? Tseng wondered, eyeing the slightly charcoaled edges. He extended his arm, and reached for it daringly, and opened it.

He was right, it was blood - blood that has stained these pages many years ago. Elena crept behind him, peering over his shoulder curiously. He noticed that the first thirty or so pages were missing, but that did not end his curiousity.

Soon, he began to read the journal.

Soon, he would know.

Aaaaauuugh! I hate beginnings! (cries) Grrrrr...I can't do beginnings, they just piss me off! ...Anywho, I'll just let you know that the next chapter and on is in Reno's POV. Yeah, just to tell you that before you flame me for confusing you... Well, there you have it. My pathetic first chapter... (pulls out hair and screams because SlayersBlade's readers hate her)

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