Chapter Three
November 20, 2018, Cindy's thirteenth birthday had finally
arrived. Karri and Cindy sat on the front steps of their school making plans for the day.
Of course, they couldn't afford a party, but Martha had given them a few gil, and Karri had
saved a few dollars from her various after school jobs over the past two years. "We could go to
the Upper Plate. We have a hundred gil. We can get you some cloths," Karri suggested.
"Or we can blow it all on food like you know we will," Cindy replied. "Or you could both come
with me and I'll show you how to really party." Came an old familiar voice from their past...
Karri jumped up and whirled around, "Reno!" The Turk leapt down from his perch on the buildings
lower roof and flashed her a charming grin. 'Oh Planet, he's even more handsome than I
remember...' Karri found herself thinking. Of course, Cindy and Karri had discussed joining
the Turks, but that's all it had been at the time, a discussion. Cindy began shaking her head
frantically, backing away, "No, no, no, not now, not now." She trailed off as Karri tried
desperately to calm her down. "Girls, girls it's alright. You wont have to worry about a
decision... At least not until tomorrow... I'm sorry," Reno said, turning so he wouldn't have to
look them in the eyes. "Cindy, would it... would it be so bad, you think?" Karri whispered,
so Reno couldn't hear, "You know, I like him, you know..." How could she refuse, Cindy was like
her sister, but this man had been in the back of her mind for two years...
"No..." Cindy replied, calming down a bit, "But, but what about Mom?! She's been sick, I cant
run off now!" "She can be moved to the Upper Plate, a good doctor and a nice house. Shinra Inc.
will take care of it." Reno looked skyward, his back still to the girls, "Heh... Karri, you
know you've been stuck in my mind for two years strait..." Karri's eyes widened and she went
silent. A hopeful look crept into Cindy's eyes, "A really good doctor? And we wouldn't have
to pay for it?" Reno turned around and smiled at them, "The best, all covered." Cindy looked
at Karri, "Together?" Karri found herself looking into Reno's eyes, she shook her head and
looked at Cindy, "Forever," she replied, "Oh Reno..."
"Yeah?" Reno replied, raising an eyebrow hopefully. "We're still going to the Upper Plate for
Cin's birthday today, so dinners on you," Karri replied, poking him in the arm. Reno grinned
and saluted Karri, "Yes M'am! But only if you be my date, of course." Karri smiled and said
nothing. Cindy made a face at Reno's outfit, "...Maybe you should save your money in lessons
on how to dress." Reno scowled at her playfully, "What's wrong with the way I dress?"
"Nothing at all! Come on!" Karri interrupted, pushing Cindy down the last few steps and onto
the sidewalk...
"Ah! Hey watch it! I could have fallen!" Cindy exclaimed. Reno walked calmly down the steps
after them, grinning, "Forget the Upper Plate... Have you girls ever been to the Gold Saucer?"
"Wha! Really?" Karri and Cindy exclaimed at the same time, their eyes lighting up."
Reno pulled a PHS from his pocket, dialed a number, and turned away. When he turned back he
was grinning, "Go tell you mothers everything, then meet me at the Sector 3 gate...
November 20, 2018, Cindy's thirteenth birthday had finally
arrived. Karri and Cindy sat on the front steps of their school making plans for the day.
Of course, they couldn't afford a party, but Martha had given them a few gil, and Karri had
saved a few dollars from her various after school jobs over the past two years. "We could go to
the Upper Plate. We have a hundred gil. We can get you some cloths," Karri suggested.
"Or we can blow it all on food like you know we will," Cindy replied. "Or you could both come
with me and I'll show you how to really party." Came an old familiar voice from their past...
Karri jumped up and whirled around, "Reno!" The Turk leapt down from his perch on the buildings
lower roof and flashed her a charming grin. 'Oh Planet, he's even more handsome than I
remember...' Karri found herself thinking. Of course, Cindy and Karri had discussed joining
the Turks, but that's all it had been at the time, a discussion. Cindy began shaking her head
frantically, backing away, "No, no, no, not now, not now." She trailed off as Karri tried
desperately to calm her down. "Girls, girls it's alright. You wont have to worry about a
decision... At least not until tomorrow... I'm sorry," Reno said, turning so he wouldn't have to
look them in the eyes. "Cindy, would it... would it be so bad, you think?" Karri whispered,
so Reno couldn't hear, "You know, I like him, you know..." How could she refuse, Cindy was like
her sister, but this man had been in the back of her mind for two years...
"No..." Cindy replied, calming down a bit, "But, but what about Mom?! She's been sick, I cant
run off now!" "She can be moved to the Upper Plate, a good doctor and a nice house. Shinra Inc.
will take care of it." Reno looked skyward, his back still to the girls, "Heh... Karri, you
know you've been stuck in my mind for two years strait..." Karri's eyes widened and she went
silent. A hopeful look crept into Cindy's eyes, "A really good doctor? And we wouldn't have
to pay for it?" Reno turned around and smiled at them, "The best, all covered." Cindy looked
at Karri, "Together?" Karri found herself looking into Reno's eyes, she shook her head and
looked at Cindy, "Forever," she replied, "Oh Reno..."
"Yeah?" Reno replied, raising an eyebrow hopefully. "We're still going to the Upper Plate for
Cin's birthday today, so dinners on you," Karri replied, poking him in the arm. Reno grinned
and saluted Karri, "Yes M'am! But only if you be my date, of course." Karri smiled and said
nothing. Cindy made a face at Reno's outfit, "...Maybe you should save your money in lessons
on how to dress." Reno scowled at her playfully, "What's wrong with the way I dress?"
"Nothing at all! Come on!" Karri interrupted, pushing Cindy down the last few steps and onto
the sidewalk...
"Ah! Hey watch it! I could have fallen!" Cindy exclaimed. Reno walked calmly down the steps
after them, grinning, "Forget the Upper Plate... Have you girls ever been to the Gold Saucer?"
"Wha! Really?" Karri and Cindy exclaimed at the same time, their eyes lighting up."
Reno pulled a PHS from his pocket, dialed a number, and turned away. When he turned back he
was grinning, "Go tell you mothers everything, then meet me at the Sector 3 gate...