Disclaimer: I don't, and most likely will never, own Final Fantasy VIII. Only Sophia, Philip, the rest OC and the idea for this fic. Thank you.

Timeline for this chapter: two years later (Seifer-20/Sophia-almost 18/Squall-19)

Chapter Five: Reunion

"Galbadia isn't a bounty hunter, as you probably already know. Although Martine did some terrible choices in the past, it won't happen again. Therefore, we want to know why you would think that we were going to accept the offer."

Sophia's eyes, after greeting Squall, had never left Cid's. She was cold, firm and deadly serious. Squall had only known someone like her in the past: himself. She could even be worse than Quistis when she got angry. Her posture, seating on the couch, said everything. She was intimidating, every cell on her body telling the people around her to "back off". Squall was sure that he had seen those golden eyes before, but the hair and the body didn't mean anything to him.

"You see my dear, the person we are looking is…"

"Seifer."

Squall stopped his inward musing and stiffened. He had never heard news from, or about is arch-enemy. And suddenly, there's this girl, that isn't very much younger than him, talking about Seifer, like she knew him all along.

Cid leaned back on the couch, his age not allowing him to stay right very long. The headmaster eyed the girl for a moment, studying, and Squall had the feeling they knew each other already. Even before that meeting. On the other side, Sophia didn't move. Even the name, Sophia, made Squall's head hurt, due to him trying desperately to remember where he had heard it. Made his head, and his heart. Although why de last happened, he didn't understood.

"And yet…"

"Yet, Galbadia isn't interested in the offer. Seifer did a lot of damage to our Garden, indeed, in all thinkable levels. We just want to forget the past and start anew."

There was silence in the room. The two teens on each side of Sophia remained quiet. If they were really part of the said Council that Squall had heard about, why weren't they talking? Sure thing, Sophia was the elected Head, but why weren't they speaking?

Squall knew that the headmaster was expecting for him to talk, but Squall didn't know how to convince the girl to accept the offer. She didn't look like she was going to give up on her decision. He still couldn't understand why they needed hers, or Galbadia Garden's, help. He was more than sure that he could take care of Seifer's capture.

And yet, Cid wanted her, saying that "Galbadia has all the right to participate in this capture. They suffered as well. And they suffered worst." He still couldn't believe that he had heard the headmaster.

He ended up sighing and Sophia turned her eyes slightly to him. And then, they returned to the Headmaster, just in a second.

"Galbadia is indispensable to this mission. Their ability to track down people is formidable, and, even though it's hard for me to admit it, we need that ability."

Sophia's eyes went to Squall when he spoke and they never left the brunet while she reasoned. Sophia didn't say anything, just looking at him. She had all her thoughts, all her feelings, hidden behind those golden walls that were her eyes. The silence fell again, and this time Squall knew that no one was expecting him to talk. Cid was happy for his intervention, and he realized that Sophia was thinking. Her two partners were expecting her reaction or decision.

Slowly, Sophia looked to the boy on her left and then to the girl on her right. Then, she got up, looked directly into Squall's eyes.

"The Council will decide, privately, about this. Expect an answer from us soon." She looked to Cid and Squall. "Headmaster, Commander, it was a pleasure. We'll continue this conversation another time."

She didn't salute them or shook hands. Her companions nodded and bowed, leaving after her. Squall and Cid were left alone on office, each one of them lost in their thoughts.

"So…." Cid started. "What do you think of her?"

A cold, hostile and heartless girl. Thought Squall, but since it he wasn't allowed to say such things about a person Cid liked, he opted for the formality.

"She seems capable of this."

Cid nodded, his eyes looking outside, watching the clouds passing by.

"Yes, indeed. It was one of the reasons why I choose her." Cid looked back at Squall, expecting the reaction that he knew would come.

"One of the reasons?" Squall asked, confused.

"Yes one. The other was the emotional part. They suffered in first hand during the War, and they have the right to participate."

Squall couldn't argument that and so, he remained silent.

Galbadia's Garden Auditorium was filled with cadets, SeeDs and instructors. It was even necessary to put some additional chairs for the rest of the academy's body. Sophia had called a Council's meeting that morning; class were suspended, allowing everyone to be there. The topic of discussion was the hunting mission that had been proposed to the Garden.

There was no one missing. Sophia made sure of that, even making someone that had been off to missions to be back for the meeting. And right then, the students were discussing the reasons to accept, or not, the mission.

"I say no!" a boy shouted, in a response to the argument of another. "Why should he be under Balamb's control?"

"They're SeeDs, just like us."

"So? Did you saw them help you when the sorceress took over G. Garden? Did you?"

"That's not the point! The point is that the mission is to hunt someone that participate in the War!"

"So what? I think we were clear when we said we wanted to forget the wounds of the past and go on with our living! They can kiss my…"

"Not any other word, Stefan!" shouted one of the instructors.

The discussion carried on. Sophia watched them, silent. She could feel Philip's eyes on her, expecting a reaction. She was at the podium; the rest of the main body of the Council were on either side of her. In front of them, was Galbadia Garden in full force, with the instructors and SeeDs in the sides, and cadets and students in the middle. She watched every single one of them, registered each of their opinions and thoughts. Some were whispering to each other, timid to say what they thought out loud; others were saying it to the whole world to hear; but none were rude and all awaited for their turn to speak, discussing with order. None spoke over the other person that was talking first.

One of the very signs of Galbadia's discipline.

"I already told you: we shouldn't bow to Balamb's!"

"And I'm telling you to accept the order! It came from Esthar, not Balamb!"

"Yes, indeed. We should hunt this person they…"

"Seifer Alamasy."

Her voice was loud enough for everyone in the auditorium to hear. She didn't lose composure , and remained calm when she said his name. The room went silence upon hearing Sophia's voice and the name she had pronounced. Some were expecting more information.

"Esthar is hunting Seifer Almasy. I don't need to tell you who he is. We all remember." She let the past flow into the present for a second, before pushing it back again. "Esthar, as you know, wants to put him on a trial."

"Just like Edea." A boy said.

"But Edea was proved to be under control of the sorceress!" a girl exclaimed, rising to her feet. "You heard the rumours before the invasion: the sorceress had the power to brainwash people's!"

"And what if Seifer was indeed brainwashed? What would the trial decide?"

"That's why we should accept! To have more power in the destiny of his fate!"

"Indeed." Sophia said, allowing herself to relax a little. At least, they weren't trying to kill him right then. "He can be proven guilty or that he had been brainwashed."

"Even though Seifer had the rumour to be a troublesome kid, it doesn't mean he…"

"Troublesome doesn't mean he's bound to attack and kill everything on sight! I know the harm he has done to us in the past, but he's still a person with weakness."

Seifer would kick your ass if he heard you say that. Thought Sophia with a small smile.

"Squall Leonhart was considered troublesome as well, and see where he is now!"

"I say we track Seifer down and get him on trial! We should be the ones with more power to decide on his fate!"

"And we should do it independently! We never needed Balamb, and we don't need it now!"

"Commander?"

Sophia just watched every single one of them, seeing the future in their hands. And what a promising future it would be!

"This is the Council of Galbadia Garden! This is where bigger things are decided! Where everyone voice is heard and taken into consideration! That's why I ask you, what do you think would be best for us?"

"We should find Seifer, and put him under our custody!"

"YES!" all the persons in the auditorium screamed.

"Just sent a team to find him, Commander, and go speak with the President of Esthar about the mission."

"Speaking of him, heard he was Squall's father!"

"Ah! So leadership runs in the family!"

"I think that was the only reason why Balamb was involved in this!"

Philip approached Sophia, and whispered into her hear. "I think we should decide right now Commander."

Ignoring the title, Sophia nodded.

"Instructor Mar."

The silence, once again, fell. Said instructor, raised to her feet and saluted Sophia.

"Yes?"

"Form a team with the best trackers you have; cadets and SeeD alike. Sent them right away to track Seifer down. Depart in the max of two days. Just inform of who was chosen." Sophia looked to her audience and to the excited faces. "I want the cadets to reunite tomorrow morning and elect two cadets to represent them. In the afternoon, the SeeDs and the Instructors will also reunite and decide two SeeDs and one Instructor to represent them. Two persons of the main body of the Council will be chosen as well. This party will go to speak with Esthar's President."

"Will you go too, Commander?" one of the cadets asked. Sophia looked at Philip, not really knowing what to say and he stepped forward.

"The Commander will obviously go with the party to Esthar. One of us will stay to fill her occupation until she gets back."

Sophia saw the agreement in the cadets, SeeDs and instructors face and almost smiled.

"Very well then. The Council is dismissed."

Squall watched the white clouds above him pass slowly, lost in thoughts. It was a warm day of Spring in Balamb and almost the entire Garden was outside enjoying the sun and the weekend.

Almost three days had passed since the reunion with the Commander of G. Garden. He was still pretty sure that he knew those eyes from somewhere, but he couldn't really know where.

"Squall! Enjoying the sun?"

He lowered his head a little to see Rinoa approach him, with one of her usual smiles on her face. She greeted him with a short kiss and seated next to him.

"Nah, just thinking."

"About what?" she asked, tilting her head to the side. "Oh I know! About the mission to find Seifer right!"

It was more precisely about who I had to go on mission with.

"Oh, don't worry Squall." Continued Rinoa, oblivious to Squall's thoughts. "I'm sure it will go well! You'll find him in no time!"

Yet, he's been missing for two years now… and no one has been able to find him yet.

"And you'll have Galbadia's help, right? I heard they're pretty good in finding persons!"

Squall thought a moment about Galbadia, and the party that had been there to talk with him and Cid. The three persons that, so coldly, had been seated in front of him and had gone straight to business, showing no emotions.

Was it true what they said? That they weren't concerned about finding Seifer due to the lack of emotion? That they couldn't feel the pain that the War had brought?

Sure they felt something…

"What about we visit your father Squall?"

"No." was Squall's fast answer. He had discovered that he had a father after all, and who is mother was (the kind Raine). Yet, he couldn't bring himself together to call that moron 'father'.

"Why?"

"Because I don't want to.

"Why?"

Squall hated when Rinoa started with hers "why's". Why couldn't she just understand what a no was?

"Because no."

Seeing that he wasn't going to say anything, Rinoa just pouted and remained silent. The two got up and started walking in the Cafeteria's direction, heading to lunch. It was a red hair that brought Rinoa back to attention.

"Hey, isn't that the girl from Galbadia?"

Squall's head turned immediately to where Rinoa was pointing. It was indeed Galbadia Garden's Commander, but this time, her committee was different; there was another boy and another girl, instead the ones that had come the last time.

Squall sighed, knowing that lunch was most probably lost.

"What is it?"

"I'm, most likely, skipping lunch."

Ten minutes later, the PA system called Squall to the Headmaster's Office.

*\-/*

AN. So, Sophia finally returned to Balamb, and re-met Squall. What will happen after? O.O only one way to find out. Stay tuned! And don't forget people…. REVIEW IN THE END! OR FEEDBACK!