Monday 1200. Trabia inn.
"Seifer! Seifer! Wake up!"
Seifer slowly opened his eyes, hearing a woman's voice beside him.
"It's almost noon," Quistis informed him. "I didn't want to wake you up, but it's time to go if we want to take advantage of the sun. I've already checked out the room and packed enough food for three days."
Seifer sat up, observing Quistis bustling around, efficiently securing all the zippers on her backpack with military precision. He was taken aback, realizing that he hadn't experienced the mountain nightmare that had tormented him every single night for the past two months.
"Did you get your own motorcycle?" he asked, assuming that Quistis wouldn't want to sit behind him again.
"No, this is a personal trip. I can't take one from the gardens. We'll take turns driving."
"No freaking way I'm letting you ride mine," he protested, even though he knew it was futile to deny Quistis what she wanted. "You wouldn't be able to handle my weight." There, a good excuse.
Quistis shot him a challenge-accepted look.
"You can't be so sure until I try, right?" she retorted, hurling a backpack at him. "Your gear. Get ready and meet me in the parking lot in 10." She commanded as if she were the leader of this expedition. Seifer smirked as Quistis left the room, closing the door with a mechanical thud. The infatuated girl from the previous night had completely vanished, and Seifer oddly felt relieved to see this familiar side of her once again.
He unzipped his backpack, curious to see what Quistis had packed to make it so damn heavy. Food, an emergency light signal, a first aid kit, and a bunch of extra Curaga pods… Seifer did not bother moving these items to look deeper, thinking it would be a pain to put them back in, which required a level of patience only a freak like Quistis would possess. He glanced around the room once more, savoring the juniper scent that seemed to emanate from the wooden walls. There was something about this room from last night that had kept his nightmares at bay.
Seifer retrieved his note from his trench coat, boldly labeled "Field Note" on the front. He had prepared it for the day when, perhaps, his glorious ass was finally kicked by some powerful enemies, someone stumbled upon it and wouldn't mistake it shamefully for a girly diary, just like that annoying little redhead had. Damn, how he despised that nosy bitch, blabbering about his private thoughts from his younger days to Quistis, despite flying his ass to Galbadia just as she had ordered. The next time they crossed paths, he would make sure to settle that debt.
Seifer quickly jotted down a few notes about the events of the previous night, and his intended path for the day. He maintained this writing habit, just in case, among the thousand odd possibilities, he ever had to junction himself and lost his memory once again. Most of the memories were painful, or so he thought, but as he kept notes and reread them once in a while, they didn't seem as terrible as he had initially believed.
10 mins was up. Seifer tucked his notebook back into his coat and made his way downstairs to join Quistis, who appeared engrossed in a phone call.
"That's quite unexpected. I'm glad you all came back safely. What about Shrewdya?"
"Uhm… I'm not too sure, I'll check up on her later, Raddie and Timeth are with her. Don't worry," came the reply from the other end of the call.
"She'll get it next time. Healers are always in high demand. Please say hi to her for me. Did you take the gift I bought for her?"
"Yeah… I forgot to tell you. I remember you bought it at the shop for Shrew, so I took it with me. I'll give it to her today."
"Thank you, Acma... Instructor Acma. Is there anything else you need from me?"
"Yes, can you give me the level 1 access to the lab? I'm tasked by Miss Xu to analyze a sample. I don't know if I'd need the access, but just in case I can't reach you once you head North," Acma requested.
"Certainly. You should have all the access you need now that we are all equal. The code is..." Quistis moved a bit away from Seifer as she saw him approaching, and whispered the code to Acma, "… you got it?"
"Yes, I'm in! Thanks, Instructor Trepe!"
"Sure thing. Your knight is here. Wanna say something to him?"
"No, not really… I just…"
Not waiting for Acma to finish or for Quistis to react, Seifer took the com device from Quistis' hand and walked away from her, lowering his voice.
"You freaking liar. You told her about my notes already?
"What notes?" Acma sounded confused.
"Stop pretending you don't know what I'm talking about. You threatened me about disclosing my notes, remember?"
"Oh… the notes about your major crush with Miss Trepe? No, I haven't told her anything. I'm pretty sure she never touched your notes… I meant, she did collect your belongings by herself after you left with Edea, but she told me not to read your notes out of respect for your privacy... so I thought she never read them. Do you think she might have read them? I swear it's not me!" Acma explained.
"You better not be lying…"
"So... she knew about your feelings toward her? What did she say?"
"For Hyne's sake, it was written more than ten years ago. None of us remembers anything from that long ago... Just keep your mouth shut, okay?"
"Roger. I'm a busy instructor, you know? I've delivered her to you to Trabia, my job is done there."
"Mind your own business, kid." Seifer walked back to Quistis and handed her the com device.
"Ahem… Don't worry, Acma. I'll watch out for him. Anything else I can do for you, fan girl?" Quistis teased.
Acma laughed and perhaps blushed, but quickly bouncing back. "If I want a kiss delivered to his cheek, could you do it for me?"
"Nah, I'd be more than happy to deliver a punch. Goodbye, Acma. It's time for us to go."
"Oh wait, I can't believe I forgot to ask this. Where exactly are you heading? Just in case Miss Xu asks, also, there's no signal up there, and I want to be sure we know where to find you, you know, just in case…"
"Sure, hang on…" Quistis turned to Seifer. "Destination coordinates?"
"Unknown, but somewhere northeast of Trabia Central island," Seifer replied.
"You copied that? Northeast of Trabia Central. Somewhat close to Shumi Village, I think."
"Oh, you two should drop by and stock up more Ultima while you're there, just in case," Acma suggested.
"Good idea, I think we'll need to stop by and restock everything anyway. Well, we should go now. Thanks for handling the lab and my classes!" Quistis said.
"You're welcome! Have fun! Love you both!"
"Bye bye, Acma!"
They hung up, and Seifer wanted to throw up. It was not the first time he had witnessed Quistis interacting with her friends in such a girly manner. Back at Edea's house, she would act like a caring big sister, taking care of everyone while also engaging in tea parties and hair braiding with Selphie and Ellone. But under no circumstance she let her guard down with Seifer, ready to throw her punch at him the moment he barely touched Squall, despite just moments ago polishing her nails.
"Well well, the SeeD results are in. Your rival has become a SeeD. If you consider going back to Garden and become a SeeD to step up your game…"
"Become a SeeD to step up my game? What does that even mean?"
"Well…" Quistis hesitated, trying to find the right words.
"Tch… Quistis, you think you've got me figured out? Stop playing along as if you got me. I don't give a damn about you to go back to that place and take that stupid exam. Again? For what? Do you think I'm some horny teenager who needs to compete with a kid for a girl? Freaking Trepe!"
Quistis was taken aback by Seifer's furious response. She realized she had pushed the wrong button.
"I'm sorry… I thought because we are on this topic with Acma… I thought, because we were on this topic with Acma... I'm sorry. Please forget what I just said." Quistis stammered.
What had Rinoa and Selphie done to you? I want the old Quistis back.
Seifer remained silent, his anger simmering beneath the surface, as he turned and started walking toward his motorcycle.
"Look, Trepe. If you want to chitchat about love and cheesy novels, go back to your home. I'm off to find Hyne and finally get answers about what happened during my lost years with Edea. This is real business. I won't return unless I find the answer."
"Understood. From now on, I'll just talk about business. Again, I'm sorry." Quistis muttered.
"I'll drive," Seifer declared, his tone curt and icy.
Quistis didn't protest, quickly walking towards Seifer, afraid he'd leave her behind. She struggled to hook her backpack onto the front hook, her hands trembling with nervousness and distraction.
Impatiently, Seifer snatched Quistis' backpack from her hands and placed it in place. Quistis nodded in silent gratitude, hopped on, and reassured herself that she had purchased enough motion sickness pills for the entire trip.
Monday 1200. Balamb research lab.
As Acma ended the call with Quistis, she heard a series of beeping sounds at the door.
"Wow, it works! My first time stepping in the lab as a SeeD." One of the newest SeeDs of Balamb Garden walked in.
"Congratulations, Raddie!"
"Thank you. Congrats to you, too, Instructor Acma!"
"Thank Hyne you can't jinx it anymore."
"So… this is your shrine." Raddie marveled at the array of equipment that had kept Acma up late and away from all the cadet outings. "Where is Instructor Trepe?"
"She's skiing in Trabia, taking the full winter break. Why? You need her for something?"
"No, I was just wondering. It's not like her to take a break, is it? I've been in her classes forever, and she's always either in class or in the lab," Raddie pondered. "So, do you want to join us for a small party today to celebrate our promotion? It'll be just me, Timeth, and Garneet having lunch at the cafeteria."
Raddie's thoughtfulness touched Acma. Passing the SeeD exam meant a lot to him, as he had dreamed of becoming a SeeD for a long time. However, she knew he wouldn't want to upset his best friend, Shrewdya.
Raddie's thoughtfulness touched Acma. Passing the SeeD exam meant a lot to him, and she could see the excitement in his eyes. However, she knew he wouldn't want to upset his best friend, Shrewdya, and chose to celebrate this event casually.
"Sure, I'll go see Shrew and then join you all for lunch," Acma nodded. She paused, noticing that Raddie seemed reluctant to leave the lab. "Is there anything else?"
"Do you have any plan for tonight?" Raddie scratched his head nervously.
"Yes. I'll hang out with Zyma…"
"Oh!"
"… and Trepie #23. We'll play Triple Triad."
"Oh… I see."
"Sorry he didn't want to invite any others. You know him…" Acma explained.
"Are you two… how to say this… well, anyway, I just realized that ever since you transferred from Trabia, we haven't had coffee together, you know, just two of us. So, would you like to go to Balamb and have a coffee?" Raddie asked, a mix of nervousness and hope in his voice.
She understood the underlying meaning behind his request.
"Raddie... that's very sweet of you. But I don't think it's appropriate for instructors and students to meet outside of school in that way. It's looked down upon."
"I know. But if we go before the SeeD ceremony at 1000 tomorrow, which is also when your instructor status will take effect, we can go out as just two comrades. I'm sure that couldn't possibly violate any rules set by Instructor Aki. What do you say?"
Acma found herself in a difficult situation. "I'm busy tomorrow morning..."
Acma felt guilty as she saw Raddie's crestfallen expression.
"Um ok... I'll see you at lunch then," Raddie said, starting to turn away.
Oh no, Raddie. How can I do this to you?
"Wait." Acma stopped him. "How about Wednesday morning? I know it's after the ceremony, but... whatever. I'm just a research instructor anyway. Who cares?"
Raddie's face lit up with delight at Acma's acceptance. "Yes! I know a great place. I'll pick you up from your suite."
"Sounds like a plan."
A plan that would never happen. G-day.
"Great! See you at lunch!" Raddie kept smiling as he left the room, and Acma could see him bouncing with excitement through the lab's glass door.
As Raddie's footsteps faded away, Acma was overcome by a wave of sadness. She was left alone in the lab, surrounded by dim lighting and the faint, lingering scent of formaldehyde that clung to the preserved samples.
Tick. Tick. Tack.
Suddenly, a sound shattered the eerie silence of the cold lab. She looked around, trying to locate the source of the noise. Her gaze settled on a flickering lamp.
Not all problems need fixing. She turned off the lamp and left the lab.
As Acma walked along the infirmary's aisle, she rehearsed a few words in her mind, trying to find the right ones to console Shrewdya and express her gratitude for saving her life, even at the cost of damaging her own arm. Acma couldn't help but worry about how Shrewdya, an A-student with a high ego, would handle the harsh reality of real battles outside the safety of simulations. Whenever something didn't go according to plan, like a bug in the simulation room that caused her spells to misfire, the usually gracious Shrewdya would become a nuisance, demanding a rematch and potentially wasting everyone's time. Field battles, however, didn't adhere to any rules, and it would take students like Shrewdya, who were trained in peacetime, longer to accept that fact.
Acma also feared that Shrewdya might blame her. But for what? It was Shrewdya's idea to take on the higher position. Shrewdya made the choice to sacrifice her arm to save Acma. If their roles were reversed, would Acma blame Shrewdya?
Would I throw my arm out there to save Shrewdya?
Pull yourself together. You have loose ends that need to be tied up for G, and they're more important than agonizing over an arm that can be reattached. Zyma's voice echoed in her mind.
"Instructor Mirin! Visiting your student?" a voice called out to Acma from a distance.
"Hi, Miss Xu! Yes, how is she doing?" Acma replied.
"I didn't go in, just synced up with Dr. Kadowaki — we just got some good drugs from Esthar for her. Please cheer her up. It's rare for someone to get amputated in their first battle."
"I will. It's part of my responsibility as well," Acma said.
"She was out of position, a fatal mistake. I don't blame you. If we leaders were held responsible for every rookie mistake our overconfident students make, there wouldn't be anyone left to keep this place running," Xu reassured Acma.
Although, as the headmaster, Xu should have treated everyone equally, Acma could sense the difficulty Xu had in suppressing her criticism towards those who acted out of order during critical moments.
"Thank you. It's a lesson for all of us," Acma replied. "On that note, what are we going to do with the campsite?"
"That's where I'm heading to discuss with the Garden Committee. Would you like to join as a substitute for Quistis?" Xu asked.
"I'd love to! But after visiting Shrewdya, I promised Raddie and the other new SeeDs that I would celebrate with them at the cafeteria. Can I come after that if the meeting is still in progress?"
"Sure, come whenever you can. We'll be spending the first hour discussing finances anyway," Xu replied. She took a few steps away before turning back slightly. "And thanks for the lab results. Take the rest of today off."
"Thank you, Miss Xu!"
Acma softly knocked on the door of Shrewdya's infirmary room and whispered, "Timeth, are you there?"
"Here, come in." Timeth whispered back.
"Is she sleeping?"
"Yes. She ate a little while ago and drifted back to sleep. Do you mind watching over her for a bit?"
"That's why I came here. Go grab your SeeD gear and join us at the cafeteria for lunch."
"Ok, thanks." Timeth half-yawned, looked back to make sure Shrewdya was sleeping and approached Acma.
[whisper]
"How did your talk with Z go?" Timeth whispered.
"We're busted, T. He and I are going to settle tomorrow night in Fire Cavern at 1900. He asked you to pick us up at 2000. Here's the car key."
"Don't you want me to accompany you from the beginning?"
"No, one thing I know about Zyma is that he doesn't say more than necessary. Just be there on time as he said. He probably wanted you to come in case we get too tired and end up getting poked by Red Bats. That would be the most embarrassing way to die."
Acma chuckled internally at her own words, remembering it was actually Zyma's joke that he had shared with her before she entered her first field exam. "Cause of death: Red Bat. That's the most embarrassing way to die. Don't bring shame to your mentor."
"I'm not concerned about the battle part. But he did kind of assault you this morning right next to the Garden Committee office."
"He's… I don't think he'll ever harm me. He's just…"
"Rough?"
"Timeth... Thank you for your concern, really. But I think I can handle this kind of situation. I'm a SeeD, and I consider being uncomfortable as part of the mission."
"Okay."
"Hey… I'm sorry for throwing a tantrum to you this morning. It's sweet that you spent quality time with Shrew."
"No need to apologize; it's mostly my fault." Timeth nodded, placed his hand on Acma's shoulder, and whispered in her ear before truly leaving the room. "Well, good luck to you and Z."
[end of whisper]
"Acma!" Shrewdya exclaimed, making Acma's heart almost jumped out. "Thank Hyne you're here! I need to pee!"
"Oh… of course!"
Was she not sleeping? Did she listen to us?
Acma swiftly wrapped her friend's uninjured arm around her neck. They navigated their way to the restroom, relieved that Shrewdya no longer had to endure the discomfort of holding it in front of the boys since last night. Despite the challenge posed by the bulky material securing her other arm, they managed to make their way in the bathroom.
"You could have called Dr. Kadowaki, Shrew."
"To let Timeth know I needed to pee? No way!" Shrewdya retorted stubbornly.
Acma reflected on her rough encounter with Zyma and felt uncertain about how to process Shrewdya's shyness around Timeth. As a mercenary, Acma had long abandoned notions of traditional modesty, considering things like changing, sharing beds and bathrooms with the boys as normal. But for a dedicated girl like Shrewdya, it was different.
"Thanks for saving my bladder," Shrewdya said gratefully as she was settled back into bed.
"Shrew... Thank you for saving my life today," Acma began, her voice filled with sincerity as she struggled to maintain eye contact. "I don't know how to express my gratitude. I felt so terrible seeing you in pain. Shrew... if there's anything I can do to make you feel better, just let me know."
"Acma... you just helped me pee. Besides, I would do anything to save your life. I'd rather lose my arm than lose my friend."
Acma's eyes welled up with tears, surprising both herself and Shrewdya with her display of emotion.
"Shrew… You don't blame me at all?"
"No, Acma. You did everything you could. You were like a goddess down there. I'm proud to be the one who saved the goddess," Shrewdya reassured her.
"Shrew... it's all about teamwork. I'm nothing without you guys. Anyway..." Acma handed Shrewdya a carefully wrapped gift box. "This is from Instructor Trepe, for you. She got it when we were at Trabia."
"Thanks! That's very nice of her..." Shrewdya's eyes widened with surprise, holding the classy black gift box with a delicate purple ribbon. One could tell this was one of the few great news she had heard in the last 24 hours. "Can you help..."
"Oh, sorry... sure..." Acma was shocked at her own lack of mindfulness and quickly untied the ribbon knots.
"Thanks… there, I can open it." Shrewdya removed the cover, petrified as she lifted up the knitted pieces of clothing inside.
Arm sleeves.
Acma frightened at the sight of the arm sleeves, realizing that she forgot about Miss Trepe lingering around the winter accessories section, and the fact that Shrewdya had commented on Miss Trepe's styling fighting clothes multiple times.
"Oh, Hyne... I'm so sorry, Shrew. I had no idea... Miss Trepe doesn't know about your condition yet. She's on vacation..." Acma stumbled over her words, feeling a pang of guilt.
Shrewdya studied the arm sleeves for a few more seconds, her expression softening into a smile. She carefully placed one sleeve back into the box.
"That's fine. The other one can wait. Do you mind helping me put on this one? It looks really nice. She indeed has good taste," Shrewdya requested.
"Sure..." Acma hesitated, noticing the IV tubes inserted in Shrewdya's only uninjured arm. "Are you sure you want to try it on now and reconnect the tubes?"
"Those are just glucose and pain medication, which my body has plenty of," Shrewdya hovered her arm over Acma, signaling her to disconnect the tubes. "Let's have lunch and plug them in later." Shrewdya stepped out of bed.
"Are you sure you want to go out? I can bring some food for you here," Acma offered.
Shrewdya shook her head. "Don't bother. The cafeteria is just a few steps away. I don't want to stay here any longer."
Acma nodded, understanding the need for a change of scenery. Usually, Shrewdya was the one who based at the infirmary to take care of other classmates, confidence boosted as she became as knowledgeable as Dr. Kadowaki in first aid response. It must be frustrating for her to now find herself in the vulnerable position of a patient.
"Okay, I'll text Timeth to take your order now," Acma said, using the excuse to reach for her com device. Fingers tapping quickly, she wanted to inform the new SeeDs about Shrewdya's presence in the cafeteria, preventing them from showing any festive signs that could upset her.
As Acma wheeled Shrewdya's wheelchair closer to the cafeteria, she noticed Timeth, Raddie, and Garneet approaching them.
"You all got your..." Acma almost slipped and mentioned their "SeeD gears" but quickly caught herself. "Ready for lunch?" she asked, changing the subject.
Garneet, wearing her SeeD uniform for the first time, shifted uncomfortably as she glanced at Shrewdya's covered arm. "How are you doing?"
"Better than dead," Shrewdya forced a smile. "Thank you for your help back there."
"Anyone would do the same. I hope you have a speedy recovery," Garneet politely responded.
"Let's go. I heard they recently restocked more Fastitocalon-F. Believe it or not, it's the secret ingredient for their famous hotdogs," Acma interrupted, breaking the awkward conversation between the two healers with contrasting SeeD results. "Garneet, I remember both times you were here, we ran out of hotdogs."
"That's right, although Senior Zell told me they always run out whenever he's here, for some reason," Garneet turned to Acma, relieved to be rescued by her old Trabia friend.
"Rumor has it that his mom, Ma Dincht, is responsible for the fish shortage in Balamb," Raddie added.
"That's too ridiculous to be true. How can one household deplete all the fish offshore?" Garneet laughed.
"Oh, there's so much you don't know until you see it yourself. There's supposedly a basement in her house. I swear, my house is only two blocks away from hers," Raddie supported his claim.
"Well, if we're not in a hurry, we might not even get any bread to eat," Timeth casually interjected, speaking his first words to the group before walking towards the cafeteria doors, followed by everyone else.
The cafeteria was filled with the rich scent of freshly brewed coffee and baked pastries. The symphony of clinking cutlery and animated conversations abruptly fell into a silence within seconds. All eyes turned towards the newly arrived group.
Clap. Clap. Clap.
In the stillness that followed, a slow, rhythmic applause broke out, growing in intensity as the students rose to their feet. Cheers and congratulations echoed through the air, accompanied by bursts of confetti that students had eagerly prepared. A few enthusiastic individuals hurried towards the group, eager to capture the moment in photographs.
"Congrats, Raddie, Timeth! We always knew you guys would make it!"
"Here's your gift, you dog!" Keannu playfully threw a fist at Raddie, eliciting a pained yet joyful smile on the new SeeD's face.
"Thank… you… Keannu…" Raddie winced, bending his back in pain, not expecting more of his buddies rushed towards him, congratulating him with a shower of playful punches and slaps on the back.
The other newly promoted SeeDs stood awkwardly amidst the crowd's celebration, unsure of how to react. They couldn't help but feel a twinge of guilt, realizing that their own dream come true had come at the expense of their teammate's injury. As more students encircled them, Acma felt the wheelchair being pushed more forcefully through the crowd.
"Shrewdya… you're going back to the infirmary? I can help you," Acma offered, her voice laced with concern.
"I can walk. I lost my arm, not my legs," Shrewdya replied, swiftly darting away from the crowd without looking at Acma.
"Shrew!" Timeth managed to break free from the crowd and chased after Shrewdya.
Acma wanted to run after them, but got pulled back into the photograph party.
Acma's gaze met Raddie's, and in their eyes, a shared sense of guilt weighed heavy for Shrewdya. The team had experienced countless moments of victory and defeat together, but none had been as bitter and unpleasant as this one.
Wednesday. G-day.
The alarm clock's shrill cry shattered the room's tranquility at 5 o'clock in the morning. Raddie's heart raced with anticipation. Today marked his first date with Acma, the partner and instructor he admired deeply. He had set the alarm early to ensure he had enough time to prepare.
While styling his dark brown hair, Raddie couldn't help but imagine Acma's appearance for today. He envisioned her petite stature in a loose dark blue dress, delicate lace adorning her arms. Her humble red hair held in place by a small hair clip. Her neck covered with a small red triangle scarf.
Everything she wore was practical, which held true even for her casual outfit. Her hair clip doubled as a lock-picking device, her belt transformed into a lasso capable of restraining a Red Giant, and her scarf was crafted from a versatile fiber that could filter out poisonous gas. Raddie found her resourcefulness and preparedness endearing, but he was also aware that many found her paranoid.
Opening his closet, Raddie chose a nice loose black shirt that he hoped could make him look more mature. He even attempted to grow a beard, despite Instructor Aki's scrutinizing looks on students' hygiene. Raddie believed that his larger physique and a touch of facial hair would help bridge the age gap and make him appear more mature in Acma's eyes, making up for the fact that Raddie was a year and a half younger.
For their date, Raddie had chosen Rendezvous, a romantic coffee shop in Balamb. The place held special significance for Raddie, as it was where his parents had their first date two decades earlier.
Growing up in Balamb, Raddie felt a profound connection to the town and its people. His parents owned the only gas station in Balamb, which primarily served SeeDs heading out for nearby missions.
Raddie contemplated introducing Acma to his parents. Despite the fact that Raddie's older brother, Sean, and Acma were once active members of the Trepies at Balamb Garden, Acma had never visited their family. Raddie's initial encounter with Acma occurred through Sean when she persistently asked him to sell his collectibles related to the Legendary SeeDs. While most people coveted items associated with Commander Leonhart and Sorceress Rinoa, Acma seemed particularly interested in those connected to Quistis and Seifer. In order to persuade Sean to trade his replica of Seifer's necklace, Acma approached Raddie, promising him something of supposedly little value that she claimed Commander Leonhart had touched—which he knew was BS. Raddie pretended to be intrigued and assisted her in obtaining the necklace replica, primarily because he was attracted to her at that very moment.
When Sean departed Balamb to protect Winhill, he left most of his collection at home, cautioning Raddie to ensure that no one, especially Acma, came near his belongings. Following the defeat of Sorceress Ultimecia by the Legendary SeeDs three years ago, Raddie's older brother decided to settle in Fisherman's Horizon and establish an antique shop specializing in books and collectibles related to the Sorceress Wars. Sean possessed a keen interest in magical history and was knowledgeable in identifying valuable, enchanted items. Raddie contemplated wearing his new SeeD uniform during his upcoming visit to his brother in a few days, both to show off his affiliation and to share his excitement about Acma with Sean.
As he gazed at himself in the mirror, all dressed up, Raddie envisioned himself and Acma engaged in blush-inducing, official get-to-know-you conversations over coffee. If all went well, Raddie even considered taking her to Fisherman's Horizon to visit his brother's shop, offering her the opportunity to acquire some collectibles that would undoubtedly make their dates more memorable, particularly for the nerdy girl she was.
But as Raddie walked out of his room, planning to walk to Acma's, he heard the familiar voice of his headmaster on air.
"Attention, all students. We are changing course to Isawa Island. Please remain in your rooms until further notice. Do not go to the third floor."
Puzzled, Raddie quickly retreated back to his room, reaching for his com device to text Acma and ask if she would still be able to make it to their first date as planned.
She never replied his texts.