A fiery-haired young man had just gotten a raise and he decided to use it on something posh for once.
    Reno stepped into the entryway of the high-class bar. The upper and lower plates were certainly as different as night and day, and the day on the upper plate was so bright that it must've been heaven. It highly contrasted to the slum's pubs. Instead of the usual smell of stale tabacco and whiskey, a light, floral and fruit scent danced on the airwaves. The usually dim light was replaced with a fluorescent brightness. And instead of drunks and whores, there were rich businessmen and women. Marble and leather everywhere. Reno could've died a happy man in that doorway.
    With Turk uniform neatly pressed, he scanned for a table. For a Saturday night, the place was practically empty.
A well-dressed waiter came over to Reno and offered to seat him, which was graciously accepted. Reno sat at a high marble table in the middle of the room, near the wall, and scanned the room briefly, not taking notice to anything or anyone. He muttered an order of gin to the waiter and sat in solitude.
    What an uncomfortable place, he thought. He almost prayed for the comforting sounds and smells of the under-plate bars. At least there he was relaxed, and not afraid of making a wrong move- not that he ever did.
    The gin arrived after ten, fifteen minutes; it didn't matter, time wasn't really a concept to him at that point. He lifted the shot glass to his face. It had a tangy-sweet smell. He downed it quickly, expecting the usual burning sensation to sting his cheeks. But surprisingly, the gin actually tasted *pleasant*, like a bittersweet lime instead of sour apples. He ordered another shot.
    After a couple more of those, he decided to scan the room again. Immediately upon looking up, he saw what he imagined was the most beautiful girl on earth. She wore a skirt shorter than any prostitute dared to show off, and a V-cut strapless top that conveniently showed off her perfect cleavage. Even her legs and curves emitted class. Her shiny straight black hair only added to the beauty. But Reno couldn't see her eyes because of her posture- one leg was crossed over the other, and her midsection was turned around. He continued to stare at her form until his breath had ceased. Reminding himself to breathe, he continued to fix his gaze on her.
    He jumped when she turned around. Her back had straightened, but she kept her eyes averted to the table. They were in clear view now- beautiful, deep sapphire eyes, sparkling like they had a light shining through them.
She looked up, and automatically he froze.
    Oh man, what a looker! Hell, what am I getting so worked up for? Damn she's gorgeous. I just gotta keep myself composed. Fuck, what's going on here…?
    She was staring right at him as he was doing to her. As quickly as it had started, he looked away. A warm shadow fell over him seconds later. Reno figured it was some power-hungry broad looking for a good time, so he dared not look up. And yet a feeling overpowered his senses and his head was involuntarily forced upward.
    There she was in all of her glory. His body froze under her gaze, and he was put into a painfully sweet trance.
    "Hi," she murmured, and he practically melted.
    Damn, she definitely has ways, his conscience told him. But it's so hard not to look her up and down and up and down and…oooooooooooooooooh yeah…
    She sat across from him. "Forgive my forwardness, but I couldn't help wanting to strike up a conversation with you." She leaned forward a little more.
   C'mon, Reno, pull it together! Don't let this temptress entrance you. You're more charming, so exert some of it. He straightened up and gave her an equally charming smile. It's hard being such a lady-killer. "I don't mind at all. I'm-"
    She put a finger to his lips, and he almost lost the ounce of composure he tried so hard to obtain. "I know who you are," she drawled. "Your uniform tells me more than I need to know." She leaned back again.
    He quickly glanced over his dark blue suit, the uniform and pride of the Turks. It was slightly disheveled, as the carefree man always wore it, but it looked good on him, it fit just like his personality.
    "I'm Miranda, but you can call me Mandy for short." She gently took his hand and clasped it. He smiled uncertainly at her and let go after a moment. She sensed his discomfort and gave way to a small laugh, light and yet rich. "You need to learn how to relax, Reno."
   A pleasurable shiver ran through his body when she said his name. But he just couldn't make his muscles to relax, her very presence intimidated him.
    She smiled as he seemed to ease back, knowing that her handiwork didn't go unrewarded.
    "Can I buy you a drink?" he offered. His voice was obviously shaky.
    Mandy decided that she needed to get him to relax somehow. "How 'bout we get out of here? This place is so stuffy it's making my head hurt."
    Reno looked around. The place was empty save the two executives that sat at the actual bar. "But there's nobody here…"
    She laughed again and he was completely devastated. His defenses were faltering at an alarmingly irregular rate, and he felt ready to bolt out the door and collapse somewhere far away from her tantalizing form. But something stopped him from actually doing that- perhaps his knowledge of his own striking looks and equally savvy personality.
    "She gave him a solid look into his eyes and smiled deviously. "Come on! I know a great place in Sector five where you can get gin shots for $2.50." She grabbed his hand and pulled him to his feet.
    Walking felt like flying outside. The air was warm and breezy. The sky could actually be seen from the top plate. The night was lit with numerous stars and a full moon, illuminating the otherwise dark streets in a pale wash. It was simply amazing against the cold metallic glare of the city.
    More laughs rang out from the pair as Mandy pulled her new love along the streets, running as best she could in heels. Reno strode alongside her, smiling slightly at her form moving with the silent melody of the night.
    He let go of her hand and stopped in his tracks. She did the same and turned to him. "What, why did you stop?"
    He smiled again and shrugged.
    She was taken away. He knew when her lips parted and she stood staring at him like he was the center of the universe. And honestly, he thrived off the attention, especially since it was coming from her. Her playful smile returned after a minute as she trotted back toward him. She grabbed his hand from his pocket and smiled once more before dragging him along.
Before long they had reached the upper-plate station and boarded a train that spiraled down the center pillar and to the bottom of Midgar.
 

    Once in the depths of the city, they found the cheap local aforementioned bar and found a table amidst a cloud of smoke and noise.
    "So what do you feel like?" he shouted to her.
    "What?"
    He leaned in closer, his face almost touching hers. "What can I get you?"
    "It's on me!"
    "No, I insist!"
    "Fine, I'll have a gin shot. Nice and cheap." She winked and leaned back. The noise had partially subsided and they could carry on a halfway normal conversation at that point.
    When the drinks had arrived, they fell into an awkward silence. It was strange the way he shifted unnaturally in her presence.
    "What's the matter, you allergic to alcohol?" she asked, observing his strange demeanor.
    "God no, then I'd have to kill myself!"
    They both laughed; his deep, rich tone, and her light, crystal one.
    "You wanna…go somewhere?" she proposed.
    He nodded. "Where should we go?"
    "My place, it's on a quiet piece of the upper plate."
    He swallowed hard and, without a word, they traveled back to the upper plate. 
 

    It was a classy place for a classy lady. Mandy's penthouse was posh and so tasteful. Despite it's rather small size, he felt at ease, except for the fact that he was in her room and she was getting changed as he sat on the bed, anticipating the near future's events.
    "So, what have you been up to lately?" she asked casually.
    His heart turned cold, realizing that, as a Turk, he could show no emotion and give nothing way about the elusive- and twisted- work he was involved in.
    But when she came out wearing a lacy black slipdress (quite revealing), he felt his stony exterior break and he melted under her touch. She gave a small laugh- not nervous or apprehensive, just…teasing- and sat down next to him.
    She leaned forward gently and kissed him. It was like fire shot through his veins and her soothing touch was needed further. He deepened the kiss, longing for more, wanting it like a flowery drug.
    "Reno…" she murmured, and the pleasurable shiver ran through his body once more.
    Low moans escaped his own throat, and after only minutes did he move and slip a strap enticingly off her shoulder.
    In turn, she tugged on his jacket as he sucked on her throat. Everything was a whirl of passion as it intensified, up until Reno's last breaking moment.
    The tension was released after countless hours inside of her as he slid once more under her embrace and fell into a dreamy deep sleep.
 

    When he awoke hours later, the river of sunlight was already gushing in. It was intense- sort of like a mirror to the night before. He was afraid to move, as if the image would shatter and he would drown in his own world of darkness. That sunlight was the only hope he had at that moment.
    Moving ever so slightly, he opened one eye and then other.
    Mandy was nowhere to be seen.
    Her clothes had been picked up from the night before, but his were still scattered around the floor, untouched.
    Aw man, wonder if she took my wallet. So much for the dream. He pulled his boxers back on and searched through his pockets. His wallet, watch, credit cards and cash were still there, untouched.
    Wow, that's a bit of luck for me.
    He went in search for her after sloppily pulling the rest of his clothes on. She wasn't in the shower, she wasn't in the kitchen. The apartment was too small for her to be any other logical place. Defeatedly, he sat back down on the bed and held his head in his hands.
    Gone…wonder where she went. My head doesn't hurt…didn't get drunk last night. Not on alcohol anyways.
    He looked at his reflection in the mirror. Oddly enough, the lazy grin was on his face and he seemed to glow like he hadn't in a long while.
    What has this girl done to me? Was it all just some heart-filled dream?
    That's when he noticed the small slip of paper. A note that had been spritzed with her sexy perfume.
 

    Aw man! His mind screamed. Figures she has to be devastatingly beautiful *and* break my heart.
    He stood and walked out of her apartment, thoughts running. Simple drifts of memory from the night before were enough to make him beam inside and out. Still, that was pretty hot. I don't think anything like *her* will ever come my way again. And now it's back to work in the black hell that is Shin'ra. He sighed as he walked back along the bitterly cold streets. The warm air from the night before had rapidly disappeared mysteriously. Only one thought remained in Reno's clouded-pink memory.