Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or locations portrayed in this story. They all belong to Squaresoft. It'd be nice to own Squall, though. ^.~

Lion in the Flower Field

Silken tresses of raven descended to shoulder-length, mahogany-colored highlights strewn about. Bang strands of the same hue dripped over eyes of dark brown peering out from dark lashes, myriad emotions expressed within them. Soft tiers curved into a smile as she looked at the special ring upon the silver necklace tied around her neck. Thinking of the memory of how she received it, she giggled.

A black tube top wrapped around her chest; a long, cerulean blue sleeveless vest buttoned over it below her breasts. It connected to the navy blue buttoned-down mini skirt that was underneath, opened, revealing a glimpse of her shorts of sable beneath the mini skirt. Black combat shoes adorned her feet. This was her attire for her date with the one she loved; the date she longed for since she first met him.

Rinoa Heartilly finally finished preparing for her date with Squall Leonhart, who, after the final battle with Sorceress Ultimecia leading to world peace, consented to go on a date with her. She couldn't be anymore happier than she was when he agreed to it. She inquired copious questions to him, one being what to wear. He just told her his famous one-word answer so she wore her normal attire. She was always the halcyon type of person, but now being in love made her even happier. Her life couldn't be better.

The beauteous sorceress thought about the first time the two had met. She influenced the handsome seventeen-year-old SeeD to dance with her, or more so, imposed him to. He did a horrid job at first, but soon got the hang of it. Rinoa knew he liked her at first, patently too timid to tell her or express any feeling of liking her. Then she thought of the last time she saw him. Squall and her were out on the balcony, the same balcony that was adjacent to the dance floor in which the two met. Rinoa pointed to a shooting star and smiled to Squall. And he returned her smile; something he never did. He candidly had changed. Rinoa liked the idea that she took part in that altering as well.

She finally had forsaken those thoughts for now, walking by the beaches of Balamb where Balamb Garden was presently landed. Rinoa took slow steps as she walked so by the time she got to Squall, twilight would adorn the earth with its beauty, making it a lovely night. She just could not wait to get to Squall. But then she stopped walking; her body freezing as innumerable thoughts circled through her mind. The foremost thought out of those myriad others was the fact that she could not remember where to meet Squall Leonhart; just like in that dream she had that she told him about.

"How could I be so stupid?" Rinoa queried herself, covering her face with her hands as those tears brimmed her eyes. She sighed and looked up to the setting sun as its incandescent rays shone brightly over her, enough that she had to shelter her eyes from it so they wouldn't water more. She began to panic inwardly as she ran and ran, beginning the incessant search for her love…

Rinoa ran through the mountains, the desert, and the plains. She ran through Balamb, Timber and Galbadia. It was very early morning now; while the entire world slept serenely, she ran and ran endlessly searching for Squall. And when she realized she could not run anymore, she fell to her knees and called out his name, inquiring where he was. And evidently, she didn't receive a response. Nothing except the sounds of nature could be heard for miles.

Rinoa Heartilly gave up anticipation as the despair enveloped her heart. A tear brimmed her eye, but she hastily brushed it away and closed her eyes, willing those eyes of brown to cast no more tears. She could feel them building up under her eyelashes and she sighed. She kept reiterating to herself that she would not cry; but it was too late, the tears were once again cascading down her face. She hugged her arms forcefully around herself.

She sobbed frenziedly for a long period of time for numerous reasons. It was because of her stupidity that she could not enjoy the date she longed for with the one she loved. Because of her idiocy, she wouldn't be able to tell the one she loved that sincerely, she loved him. And it was because of her inanity that she was fatigued, crying, and at the moment, lost on some remote continent of the world. All the angel longed to do was to see shooting stars with her lion.

Rinoa felt soft fur rub against her arm, which was a bit soothing. She looked up to see what it was, and it was her faithful dog and companion, Angelo. After all her running, her companion followed her. The dog whined a bit, wanting attention. Or maybe he had been whining, wondering why Rinoa was in tears. She truly loved that animal; he must have followed her by picking up her scent. She managed to smile submissively to him and inattentively patted him on his head. Inwardly she giggled a bit, wishing that somehow Squall were like the dog and could find her just by scent. She managed to laugh at such a thought and stood up. Rinoa sighed and walked on, this time with Angelo following closely behind her.

Subsequent to some more walking, Rinoa saw a small building in the distance. If the moon's luminous rays were not shining upon the building, she wouldn't have even seen it. It seemed that her location, judging by her surroundings, was somewhere on the Centra continent. She decided that maybe she should go in that building and rest. Squall wouldn't be waiting for her still. Maybe if she slept, she would wake up revitalized and remember where she was supposed to meet Squall. But glancing at the building, it made Rinoa vaguely remember where she was positioned and she didn't feel as lost on the secluded continent any longer.

She walked into the shadowy, seeming-to-be-deserted building and stared at its structure. She indistinctly remembered it now from her traveling with Squall and her other comrades. It was the orphanage, Edea's orphanage, and the orphanage where all her friends, except Rinoa, grew up. She studied it some more and proceeded to walk through it. And as she did so, she noticed on the left there was an opening that led to a flower field. She walked out to the edge of the orphanage and stood above the cliff that rose high above the adjoining flower field. Just standing there, she felt a warm feeling go through her body following by some affectionate reminiscences. It all seemed so proverbial but she could not piece it all together.

Rinoa Heartilly fell to her knees and began to cry again, the tears escaping hastily. She sobbed uncontrollably and pounded her fist on the ground as hard as she could with antagonism in her heart, anger at herself for not being able to remember what was so extraordinary about this place. As she cried, a small white feather glided leisurely through the light breeze and made its way down towards Rinoa. She sniffled and looked up as the breeze tickled her nose and felt so relaxing, it blowing her hair so free. If only it could blow her troubles away as well. She then took notice to the feather and she held out her hand, catching it. A warm feeling went through her body again and she closed her eyes tightly to remember a tender memory that had taken place not too long ago in this very location.

"Can I tell you a story?" Rinoa questioned eagerly. I had a dream. It was a scary dream. We make a promise. We promise to go see shooting stars together. I get dressed up and put on your ring. But the thing is, I can't remember where I'm supposed to meet you. I start to panic. I really want to see you, Squall, but I don't know where to go. I start running through the mountains, the desert, and the plains… Through Timber, Balamb, and Galbadia… When I realize I can't run any longer… I…I just want to see you so badly. So I scream, Squall, where are you!? Then I woke up. I was crying. I'm sorry. You don't have to say anything. I just felt like I had to tell you," she finished explaining.

"It was just a dream…" Squall reassured. "It doesn't mean anything. Don't worry about it."

"I guess you're right," she acquiesced.

"How about this… I'll be here…" Squall began.

"…Why?" she inquired.

"The reason why you couldn't find me was because we haven't promised yet," Squall elucidated.

"Promised…?" Rinoa wondered.

"I'll be waiting for you. If you come here, you'll find me. I promise."

"I'll be here, too. It's a promise! Thanks, Squall! Next time, we'll meet for sure!" Rinoa optimistically knew.

The flashback then faded away from her mind. Rinoa stood up and threw the feather in the air letting the zephyr take it. She smiled hopefully as the warmness of the morning ridded the before chill of the night. Rinoa jumped off of the cliff she presently stood upon as the wind wildly blew her tresses. She landed in the flower field and looked up to the sable-colored sky. Adorning its blackness were countless twinkling stars. She then spun around, wondering in which direction she should begin to run to find Squall. Nothing but obscurity delimited her, so she called out his name as loud as she could and began to run north, following a twinkling star that stood out more than the rest.

Rinoa Heartilly ran and ran through the flower field just like how she ran and ran throughout the world looking for Squall; only this time, more sanguine about finding him. That didn't last long, though; a grimace replaced her smile when she could not find him. Her running slowed down to a sheer walk as she looked around intriguingly at the beautiful place where she was sure Squall would be. The young sorceress looked forward, tilting her head to the side and squinting. She smiled blissfully when she saw what she saw.

In front of her very eyes was Squall Leonhart. He stood with one arm on his side and the other on his hip, staring alone at the shooting stars that Rinoa was supposed to see with him. Rinoa couldn't deem he stayed waiting for her for such a long time. He had abiding hope that his angel would show up, but that hope started to turn into despair. Even though Rinoa couldn't see his heart, she knew it was filled with isolation for his whole life after Ellone left him, and she promised this date with him to show him he wasn't alone. Now he must have felt absolutely alone since she didn't show up.

Rinoa, of course, could not take it and ran as fast as she could to him, calling out his name. He turned around slowly as he saw her running at him. He opened his arms up as he saw she was about to jump in them and embrace him, just like she did when he freed her from the Sorceress Memorial in Esthar. And she did just that just as Squall had predicted, only this time, Rinoa jumped towards him with such energy that when he caught her he spun around and almost lost his balance. He put her down and gave a meek smile. She winked at him and gave him a light punch in the shoulder.

"Am I late?" she mordantly asked, her eyes shimmering from the moon's intense light. Before he could respond, though, Rinoa smiled lovingly at him and instantaneously hugged him as tight as her arms would allow her to. "Squall, the worst thing happened to me on the way here."

"What?" he queried, caressing her hair reluctantly. "Tell me about it… It'll make you feel better."

"Remember when I told you about my scary dream?" she asked, separating herself from him. "It came true. I couldn't find you. I ran throughout the world but I just could not remember where to meet you. I feel so idiotic." Rinoa closed her eyes firmly and folded her arms, looking at the ground to avoid eye contact.

"Rinoa," Squall said almost inaudibly. She didn't look up. Squall tentatively put his hand under her chin, causing her to glance up, yet still evading the eye contact. He leisurely put his arms around Rinoa's waist as she put hers around his neck. Smiling lightly, he pulled her close and held her.

Finally, after all the trouble she went through, she did what she longed to do for an interminable time; she reached up and kissed him softly on his lips. All the past pain she felt left her body as they kissed; and of course, this all took place under the shooting stars. The angel Rinoa Heartilly at last found her lion, Squall Leonhart—the lion in the flower field.