Five left, gang. Hang in there for me. You've only got five left. Is this for your benefit or mine, I wonder?

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters, places, or ideas of Final Fantasy VIII.

Chapter Forty-Five

Fascinating Finds

"Why must things be so darn complicated?" Irvine exclaimed.

"Just be thankful that we've got Leonhart with us or this would be even more difficult!" Seifer snapped. "Come on, man, hurry up!"

"Hyne, shut up, will you! I am working on it!" Squall exclaimed, annoyed as he searched the entrance for something, anything.

The guys had really done it this time. They didn't heed the mysterious figure's warning and waltzed right up the stone steps and into the Temple. But as soon as they stepped through the doors, disaster struck. Two huge nets that seemed to act on their own attacked Seifer and Irvine, and they grabbed Seifer and Irvine and pulled them, entwined and struggling, up to the high ceiling. And to top it off, as if things just couldn't get any worse, the nets were extremely sticky, like someone had soaked them in super glue. Not to mention, there were skeletons everywhere. The bones were even decomposing as they hung there.

Squall was the only one unaffected. He had stood there for several moments slightly, only slightly now, slightly confused before actually chuckling.

"Get me down now!" Seifer yelled. He wriggled and squirmed and only made things worse.

"And how do you suppose I do that?" Squall asked, placing a hand on his hip.

"I don't know! Just get me down! This is rather uncomfortable!" Seifer exclaimed getting louder with every word.

"You know, actually, I'm pretty comfortable." Irvine said, very laid back. He was lying in a relaxed position with his hands behind his head and feet crossed.

"Shut up! I'm not!" Seifer shrieked.

"Calm down! It's not the end of the world!" Squall yelled up at him.

This pushed Seifer over the edge, and he began yelling and screeching his head off. "CALM DOWN! YOU WANT ME TO CALM DOWN? YOU"RE NOT THE ONE WHO IS STUCK UP HERE, SO STUFF IT!" (Slight deja vu there.)

Squall laughed at this. He actually thought that Seifer's hysterics were somewhat amusing.

"This is not funny!" Seifer was all out hysterical. "Come on man! Get us down! You're the only one who can!"

"What do you want me to do? Yell at the top of my lungs? You're already doing that enough for the both of us!" Squall said mockingly. "Yell that 'I give you two permission to enter the Temple of the Lions'? Fat load of help that-"

But he stopped. The sticky nets that were clinging to Seifer and Irvine released their hold. The two guys fell and landed lightly on their feet like they had dropped only ten inches.

"Wow! What a trip!" Irvine exclaimed. "Nice going, Squall. Thanks."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Just don't scream like a banshee anymore, Seifer," Squall replied, chuckling slightly. "The girls don't need to know about this. Got it?" he spoke in a dangerously low tone.

"No way, man!" Irvine laughed. "This stuff is too good! Aw, man I can see it now! Selphie and Rinoa are going to die laughing!" He collapsed on the floor, laughing his head off while Seifer glared at him.

"Rinoa…" Squall whispered. He turned away from the other two. "Hyne, I hope she's safe."

Seifer walked over to Squall and put a hand on his shoulder. "Hey man, relax, I'm sure she's all right. Don't forget, she's pretty strong."

"I know. I just can't help worrying." Squall shook his head. Then he turned to face Seifer. "Why did you put her in the other group? You know I like having her around me."

"I did that because you need to see that she doesn't always need you there. She can hold her own. She's not a child. She's strong, very strong. You only add to her strength because you love her and she loves you. It's a bond that you guys have that make you both so strong," Seifer added solemnly.

"You really think so?" Squall asked.

"Yeah, I do. I really do. I also think that you two need a break from each other just for a little while. A few hours separated would so you two some good." He laughed and slapped Squall on the back.

"Maybe you're right."

"Dudes! We have a job to do! Let's go!" Irvine had recovered from his little giggle fit and was anxious to move on.

"Yeah, we do. But what exactly are we supposed to do?" Seifer asked.

"I don't know. Squall?" Irvine turned to him.

Squall just sort of glared at him. "What do I look like? The Bearer of All Knowledge?" he asked sarcastically.

"Yes, actually, you do," Seifer sneered. Squall glared at him.

Irvine, sensing trouble approaching, moved forward in the conversation. "Is there really something here? Is there really something here that we need to help defeat Rianna?"

Squall and Seifer both shrugged.

"Wait! Remember what that little dude said!" Seifer exclaimed.

"Little dude? What little dude?" Irvine asked, slightly confused.

"You know! The short figure-type person thing with the black cloak and deep voice! Come on, you know what I mean!" Seifer said almost excitedly. He used his hands with gestures to help the cowboy remember.

"We just saw him about ten maybe fifteen minutes ago. Don't tell me you suffer from short-term memory loss! That's pathetic! I'm not even that bad!" He let out a loud laugh.

Irvine's face turned a little red in anger.

"I do not suffer from short-term memory loss. It's just that you referred to him as 'that little dude.' How was I supposed to know what stupid dwarf you're talking about?" Irvine exclaimed in irritated anguish.

Seifer was taken back. He didn't mean to anger Irvine. He really didn't. He was just joking around.

"Hey, Irvine, relax. I was just playing with you. I know you don't have short-term memory loss. I was just playing around. I'm sorry if I made you mad. I didn't mean to, honestly." Seifer crossed his arms over his chest. He pretty much felt like a fool in many ways.

Irvine just shrugged. He didn't say anything and didn't want to say anything.

Squall rolled his eyes. "I do believe we have a job to do. Unless you two want to continue to waste time and let Rianna win, then I suggest we get to work." He was no longer in the mood to play or mess around.

The other two nodded and silence filled the area. Squall looked around and peered through the dimness. They were in some sort of chamber or hall. It was high and dark. Only a few torches lit the area. The floor was made of a gray stone that must have been laid thousands of years ago. The walls consisted of a shiny marble. The torchlight was reflected off the white marble and the carvings that were inscribed presented faded shadows on the floor. At the end of the great hall was something that looked like a door. Squall could barely see because of the lack of lighting.

"Is there something down there?" Irvine asked quietly.

"There seems to be a door. I'm not sure exactly, but that's what it seems," Squall replied.

"Should we go check it out?" Seifer had appeared at Squall's side. He, too, was trying to peer down the hall.

"This doesn't feel right. I'm sorry, but I don't think we should be here," Irvine muttered. "I wish the girls were here. At least they'd know what to do."

Squall turned around to face his comrade. He studied his face for a few seconds. Irvine was clearly worried. He wasn't the only one who needed to have the girls around.

"Hey," Squall whispered, placing a hand on Irvine's shoulder, "I want them here, too. It worries me when I can't have Rinoa there all the time, but we have to be strong. That is, unless you want them to call us possessive freaks? Rinoa's on the verge of it. I think she wants some space." Squall looked away, tensing up. "It's hard though. I'm…I'm afraid. I never thought I'd end up like this. I never thought I'd be a victim of the one thing I tried to hard to avoid." He let out a harsh laugh. "I had always thought that I'd be able to take care of myself, to never have to depend on anyone. I'm beginning to believe that I need to depend on Rinoa. She's the only one…" He stopped and turned his back to Seifer and Irvine.

"I never knew you felt like that. Rinoa really changed you, didn't she?" Irvine asked quietly. "But it feels good to know that someone in this world really loves you and cares for you, doesn't it?"

Squall nodded. Of course it felt good. Without someone to hold onto in this world or depend on, life would just be so hard. You can't do everything alone. You can try, but you'll see that is doesn't happen. It won't work. Life without that one special person is no life. Every person's heart yearns for warmth, love, and comfort. And that cannot be achieved alone.

Squall turned back around to face the two men he now called friends. Even Seifer. True, mistakes have been made, but it's unhealthy to dwell in the past. Forgive and forget."Come on. Let's give Rianna and anyone else a reason to why we live." With that, he headed down the great hall.

Seifer and Irvine followed his lead. Their heavy footsteps echoed against the stone. Their weapons were within reach, just in case.

Squall stopped in front of the door. It was wooden with a black handle. Printed on the door, about eyelevel was a crest. The Leonhart Family crest. The crest contained a powerful black lion with dark wings thrust out magnificently and red ruby eyes with a glare. Upon the lion's breastplate was a white "L" inside crimson "H." An angel laid at the feet of the powerful creature, drenched in a maleficent white. The body was clearly a woman. Her gold wings rested over her like a blanket. She was a dark haired beauty.

He gently brushed two gloved fingers against the crest. He traced the lion. It held in its outstretched arms, two blood-clenched blades. The crest fascinated him. He suddenly felt powerful as he stared at the angel. Her long, dark hair hid her face, and her gown split at her slender legs, revealing their flawless beauty. Compared to the powerful lion, she looked so delicate.

"Have you ever seen that before?" Seifer asked barely above a whisper.

"Only the lion. I've never seen the angel before," he answered in a rasp.

"Is it locked?" Irvine asked, his voice wavering.

It wasn't. Squall slowly pushed open the door. Light flooded the hall. Their eyes burned after being adjusted to the darkness.

"Ah, that's bright!" Irvine moaned. He shaded his eyes with his brown cowboy hat.

"Geez! Now I'm blind! Thanks, people!" Seifer exclaimed.

It didn't take long for their eyes to actually to become adjusted. It was just a painful process.

The room inside was, in fact, not a room at all. It was a field, a flower field.

"Well, this looks familiar." Irvine stated.

"Indeed it does, and it should," A soft voice spoke from behind them.

The three guys whirled around to find that the door was gone, along with the Temple, and that they were face to face with a woman. She was a beautiful woman. She had long, red hair with a gold tint that hung freely past her lower back. She was dressed in a white robe that was tied with a golden sash. Her skin was fair and flawless. She was beautiful.

"Who are you?" Seifer asked, sick and tired of surprises. "And where are we?"

The beautiful woman smiled with a light sigh. "I am known by many names. Some call me the Guardian of the GFs; others refer to me as the First Witch. Such powerful words in my opinion. But one elite group goes so far as to call me Mater, the Mother of the Lion." The woman laughed. Her voice was sweet and flowing.

"The Mother of the Lion?" Seifer stared at her as if she was crazy. "What Lion?"

The woman chuckled gently and gracefully walked past them. She walked about ten feet away from them before kneeling to the blossoms. They followed her silently, watching her every move, fascinated. They watched as her delicate fingers reached out and plucked a white lily from the gentle earth. The flower seemed out of place among the yellows and blues of the others.

"Look at this flower. It's one of a kind because it's different from the others. Its smell is distinctive, it's made different, and it's stronger. But different is not always a bad thing. This little flower could make a difference in the field." She paused long enough to know that they were soaking in every word. "But if you look carefully at every flower, you will see that each and every one could make a change."

"Kind of like people of the world? Like everyone is different?" Irvine asked, kneeling down beside her.

"Exactly!" she exclaimed brightly.

Squall pondered carefully who this stunning woman was. Then it struck him like a bolt of lightening.

"Who are the people who call you the Mother of the Lion?" he asked carefully.

She didn't face him but continued to stare at the flower lying limply in her hands. "Well, you should know… Squall."

"I should? How should I know? I've never really seen you before," Squall replied quietly, almost embarrassed.

"No, but you know who I am, do you not?" She replied.

Squall stared at her for a moment before slowly nodding. "Yes, I do."

She smiled. "That is good because I have been watching you. I have known about you for a long, long time."

Seifer looked from Squall to the mysterious woman and back again. "Am I the only one who's confused? Who are you? And what to you mean that you've known about him for a long, long time? Have you met before?" Seifer could only ask questions. He didn't know what to think. How did Squall know this mysterious woman?

"Seifer, I'm pretty confused too, so don't worry about that," Irvine whispered very quietly.

Squall frowned. "Guys, I don't know how to explain any of this. I really don't. I haven't met this woman before, but I know who she is." He turned back to face her. "You're Hyne, are you not?"

She bowed low. "Yes, I am. What tipped you off?" She gave a small smile.

"Well, when you said that some call you the Mother of the Lion. The only thing I could think of was Griever. He's the only lion I know of," Squall answered.

"You're Hyne? The Great Almighty Hyne?" Seifer exclaimed. "Oh, man! Oh man, oh man!"

"Oh, don't fret, Seifer. I don't bite. Well, I don't if you don't anyway." She smiled again and Seifer somewhat relaxed. "I am very glad that you came to see me. Though, I must admit, I was hoping she would have been with you."

"Who?" Irvine asked.

"The sorceress, of course. I would have liked to meet the one who has inherited my daughter's powers and captured the heart of Griever's descendent." Hyne's face had gone serious, and she almost had a glare in her eyes. No, it wasn't really a glare. It was more like grief.

Squall looked away with sad eyes. Rinoa, he thought. It hurts so much to not have you here with me. I want to have you with me. It's a need. I have to depend on you now.

"Tell me, where is she?" Hyne asked. She sensed his pain, his sadness, something she was very familiar to.

"She's with the other group. She's with Selphie, Quistis, and Zell," Squall replied. He struggled to get those words out.

Hyne frowned at this. "And why is she not with her knight?" Her soft, kind face momentarily became hardened. "The Code of the Knight states that the knight must always stay by the side of his sorceress unless otherwise stated by the sorceress. Was this separation her choice?"

They hesitated before answering.

"It was someone else's decision," Squall whispered.

"Who's?" Her voice held its bitterness.

"Mine." Seifer raised his hand. "There was an argument between Squall and Quistis. Rinoa was pulled into it. It was my decision to separate Squall and Quistis. I also thought it would be all right to keep Squall and Rinoa apart for a little while, too. I'm sorry. I didn't know there was a code."

A sigh escaped from the first sorceress. "It's all right. The code is unknown to most knights. I just had so many hopes. I have been watching you Squall. I've been with you since you were very small."

"You've been watching me? What do you mean?" Squall asked.

"It's my duty to watch over those who have Leonhart blood, and you are very special. It's a promise I made to myself to honor my daughter. I've always watched over the Leonhart's. You are my family, respectively. A great line of grandsons to be technical. I watched over your mother as well. She paid a great price to keep you alive." Hyne turned her back to them and walked away again.

They followed her silently with Squall in the lead. The mention of his mother tore at his heart.

A/N: Hiya! I decided to bring Hyne into this a long, long time ago. She will appear only in my Time books, but she will be mentioned in some of my others. She is really, really important and you will see why soon enough. These last chapters will be a little hard to understand at first but everything will come together at the end of this book or at the very end of it all. Remember, there's going to be three! R&R! Thanx and Later Days!