Disclaimer: I did not create Final Fantasy VII… I did not compose Easier to Run… Thanks for the many great minds who made this story o' mine possible… Easier to Run by Linkin' Park… Final Fantasy VII by Square… Either way… I own this story! Hehehe…

Author's Note: Here's next chapter… Warning: Sharp and crude language ahead… Read at your own risk. Hehehe…

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ETERNAL DAMNATION

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CHAPTER 2: EMPTY

Something has been taken from deep inside of me

The secret I've kept locked away no one can ever see…

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The old stone house stood a good few kilometers away from the other houses in the street. It was big and old, but it looked like it could withstand another ten good years. Painted in gray and white, the house looked dark and empty.

Reno cut off the engine in front of the house.

Sad… he thought as he gazed up at the lone structure.

He slammed his car door closed and began to walk.

His bright long red hair shimmered in the moonlight as he walked up to his door. He jammed his hand into his pocket and pulled out a single key on a skull key chain. He opened the door swiftly and got inside, leaving behind the cold air of the November night.

Dammit… he wrinkled his nose.

There was the stale smell of liquor hanging around. It made him irritable, really. He crossed the hallway quickly and clicked on the lights.

Stale smell of beer… and sweet, reeking perfume.

Perfume?

What the hell…?

He crossed the hall and got into his living room. His eyes landed on the toppled beer cans and littered ashtray.

Oh fuck… he thought.

He sank on his sofa sloppily and closed his eyes.

Oh god…

The sofa still had the smell of the woman he brought home last night. They had played around and now, the smell of the fucking bitch still hung around.

He cursed.

If there's one thing in his whole damn life he wouldn't do, that is to bring whores into his room.

God, if there is ever a man who considers his room sacred, it's him. He obviously didn't want anything horrible happening to his precious bed, did he? Well… Besides the smell and the sloshes of beer… He wasn't exactly sure how he does when he's drunk…

When he opened his eyes, it landed on the ashtray.

He shook his head.

Dammit… Bitch emptied a whole pack all by herself, he marveled. The woman smoked like she was a furnace.

As he stared at the mess, he can't help but to think about the woman. He remembered that she was a sexy one… Not too pretty, yeah, but passable. She had a front of a fire truck and an ass of hard rock. She was also a screamer; one he didn't like.

He snickered.

He preferred the quiet and sensational but apparently, he couldn't find any. He couldn't understand why screaming was even considered a turn-on.

He must've been too drunk that night.

He stood up, reached for the bottles and made for the trashcan. He wasn't up for a clean, but he didn't want the unclean either. He worked quickly, thinking heavily of rest. When he was almost done, he noticed that the smell improved a great deal.

Finally, he thought.

When he was finished, he turned off the lights in the living room and went for his bedroom. He went straight for the adjoining bathroom and got hid habitual night shower. He stayed there in the cold pelting water until his skin felt raw. His wild tangled hair splayed over his back.

He dressed quickly, wanting nothing more than the warmth and comfort of his bed. He sat on the edge of the bed and like every night, he stared at the pale cream-colored wall where his electromag rod hung. At the table placed near that wall, sat his silver gun.

Turk gun…

How… stupid.

The gun serves as their last option when they got jammed. He remembered using it only a number of times. Times when he really doesn't have an option… He hated the stupid gun. He had Turk training for goodness sake… So why do they have to resolve to using this silver barrel of death?

His head ached.

Later that night, he still couldn't get an answer.

And deciding at last that it would be best, he retreated to his covers… retreated to his cold, dark and lonely world.

"Miss!" she heard a voice break through her unconsciousness.

She moaned and kept her eyes close.

"Miss!"

What? She opened her eyes and squinted at the blurred image. Who is it anyway?

"Are you alright, miss?" she heard the unmistakable voice of a little boy. When her vision cleared, she looked up to see a little boy looking worriedly back at her. She then noticed that the boy had metal teeth.

Oh? Braces…

"Were you hurt?" asked the little boy.

This was the time she took to see her surroundings. She was at the shore of an unknown beach. Somewhere… she didn't know.

Where the hell was she?

"Where is this?" she voiced.

The boy blinked.

"Earth," he said.

She stared at the kid. Is he serious? She just came out of the unconscious state and she really didn't want to deal with this stuff at the moment. She stood up, shaking herself off from her reverie. It was then that she noticed the weird expression on the little boy's face.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

The little boy turned away and didn't answer.

She frowned at his back.

What's wrong with him? And… when did it become so cold…?

"Mideel," the boy said, his ears turning red.

"What?"

"Mideel," he repeated. "You're in Mideel, miss."

What in the world? She thought. What's his problem? She rubbed her arms to somehow warm herself. It was then that she realized that her arms were bare and she felt no clothing on it.

A horrific thought came across her mind.

Slowly, she lowered her eyes and saw, to her horror, her immaculate body clad in nothing but skin.

She screamed.

Amidst her earth-shattering scream, the boy desperately tried to say something.

"The blanket---" he said. "On the ground, miss!"

She grabbed the article of clothing hastily, although it was not, and wrapped herself with it. She looked around, trying to see if there are any unmannered spectators.

Thankfully, there was none.

Thank goodness…

The boy glanced back with one eye closed.

"Alright now, miss?"

She nodded, also sporting red twin marks in the face.

The boy faced her again. "Should have warned you before. Hehe… Sorry about that…"

She shook her head, as if warding off the embarrassment.

"Where did you say I was again?" she asked.

The boy smiled.

"Mideel… Kind of a beach and fishing paradise… But that was back then."

She nodded.

The boy observed her once again as she took an uncertain glance around.

"You look like you've got no place to stay around here. You foreign?" he asked.

"I'm not… really sure," she answered.

"You know anyone around here?"

She shook her head.

"I see," he scratched his head and kicked at the sand. "How would you like to stay with me and my brother Elyon? I could let you borrow clothes…"

She shook her head again.

"I am sorry," she said. "I haven't any money to pay you…"

"You look like a nice lady," he chirped. "There's no problem. Besides, my brother won't mind…"

Her face flushed.

"Come on!" he said and grabbed her hand.

"So you're saying you don't know your name?" the boy's brother asked as he looked carefully at the girl in front of him.

Her hands made little nervous moves to pick at the plate of food in front of her. He noted the clean fingernails and the smooth slender fingers.

So clean for a stray… he mused.

"Go on, miss," the boy with the braces coaxed her to eat.

"Drake," the older one said. "Found clothes?"

The braces boy grinned and held out some clothes.

"Found one, El," he said. "It was yours."

He nodded. He looked back at her. Her bright green eyes surprised him when he saw that she was looking back at him.

"Uh…" he grinned goofily and held out his hand. "My name's Elyon and this little rascal here in Drake."

He received a swat on his arm as Drake stuck a tongue out at him. She smiled at him and nodded. She shook his hand.

"So," he said. "You have this kind of---"

"Amnesia," Drake said.

She looked back at them blankly.

"And since you have no where---"

"You can stay here."

"Right," Elyon said. "We'll concede until you're well---"

"And then we'll think about what to do."

"You can stay---"

"In my room."

"Drake," Elyon said, raising his voice a little. "Will you please let me finish?"

"Sorry…" Drake grinned at him sheepishly.

Elyon sighed. He ran a hand through his thick brown hair.

"Well," he said. "We'll have to do something about your clothes, eh?"

She looked at the clothes on the table.

"Those are alright," she said meekly.

Elyon followed her gaze and his heart sank. Sure, his clothes are alright, but they're worn out and old. Will it really be okay?

She stood, gathered the clothes on the table and glanced around the small wooden house.

"Can you please tell me where I can change?" she asked.

"Uh, right there," Elyon pointed to the nearest door on the right. "That is Drake's room, right there."

She nodded gratefully, said her thanks and went inside.

As soon as she was gone, Drake bounded up to Elyon.

"What do you think, El?" Drake asked excitedly.

"About?" the older brother leaned against the table.

"Her?"

"What about her?"

Drake glanced at the closed door.

"She's pretty, eh?" Drake voiced.

"Sure," Elyon answered. "But she doesn't remember anything."

Drake sighed.

"You said you found her where?" Elyon asked.

"At the beach."

"Who was she with?"

"No one, bro…"

"Hmm…" Elyon rubbed hid temples. "Well, we're gonna have to bring her with us to Midgar city next week. No use leaving a drained person around the house anyway."

"El," Drake said uncertainly. "We're gonna have to buy her some clothes. It's not proper for her to walk around in men's clothes."

"Sure," Elyon straightened up and walked to the door leading outside. "I'll get us food, Drake. Watch her. Let her rest. I'll be home before the sun sets," the he headed out.

Behind him, the younger brother nodded and silently waited for her to come out. He still had to show her around the house.

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Author's notes: Well… That's it for this chapter… Really sorry if it's so short… Don't worry though. The next ones will be quite longer. Hehehe… Oh, and by the way… Elyon and his brother are my own characters. And for your question, Rihsa… Yes… Tseng is still alive. I just have something else planned for him. Hehehe… He'll appear soon, I promise. Anyway… That's that. Thank you all for reading! Till then!