Losing Antarra, Martine withdrew puppets and evaded Deep Sea Research Center, expecting Arya to turn her back to the party. However, she betrayed Martine. Zell and Arya used hoverboards to make escape of the whole crew to Edea's lighthouse, where they are backed by Esthar's force.

Raddie found Moomba grow even more excited, continuing to make noise as they ventured into the wood.

"What are you trying to say? I don't understand," Raddie remarked, unable to decipher the repeated word the creature was attempting to communicate. Unable to remain calm, Moomba signaled for Raddie to follow him. "Moomba, wait!"

Raddie chased after Moomba, but just as he spotted a wire in front of the creature, he shouted for it to stop, though it was too late. Moomba triggered a trap, and in the next instant, both Raddie and Moomba plummeted into a deep, giant hole in the middle of the forest floor.

"Hyne. Is this a trap set by a tribe?" Raddie wondered, observing that the hole appeared to be new and that there were fortunately no sharp objects at the bottom.

"Are you okay?" Raddie helped Moomba stand up, but the creature continued to yell the same word and tried to climb out of the hole. "Stay calm, Moomba. I'll cast Float on us, okay?"

"Radiante Smailes?" a voice called out from above the ground.

Raddie was taken aback by the use of his full name, a name he rarely used with friends. The mysterious young man who emerged wore a black, plastic-looking mail vest, with his entire face covered by black garments, leaving only his eyes visible. Raddie noticed a katana handle tucked behind his back.

"Who are you?" Raddie held his sword, but as he realized the man had no intention of answering his question, he screamed loudly to warn Acma in the distance. "Acma! Be careful!" Raddie regretted leaving her alone without any magical abilities. Acma wouldn't stand a chance against this stranger alone, let alone if he had brought along others.

"Relax, I don't want to harm you. I just want you to stay here for a few minutes while I have a chat with your friend, alright?" the young man calmly stated, now holding a device in his hand. With a few clicks, a blue shield emitted from the device, covering the top of the hole.

"Who are you? What do you want?" Raddie shouted back, gripping his sword tightly. He touched his sword to the blue shield and struck it forcefully, but it felt and sounded as if he had struck solid rock. Moomba's continued calls at the man seemed to provide no assistance.

"Raddie! Are you okay? I need some help over here!" Acma's voice sounded nearby.

"Acma... I'm okay, but I'm stuck. There's a guy here. I'm sorry I took away your magic... just hold on!" Raddie shouted back.

Great. Now this woman knew I had no magic. Acma thought to herself as she was approached by a blondie dressed in a black, flexible plastic costume. The girl carried a chain whip with a scythe blade at the end, giving off the impression of a skilled combat warrior. The problem was not only that Acma lacked high-level magic, but also that they both wielded the same type of weapon. Those proficient in the use of whips were well aware of the trajectory of such weapons. Attacking or restraining this girl, which was Acma's usual move, would likely result in kissing goodbye to her lasso.

"Get back here as quickly as you can, Raddie!" Acma hoped that the well-equipped SeeD would be able to handle the unknown assailant. Then she turned her attention to the mysterious girl, preparing to cast Thundaga—the only offensive spell she had in her stock, thanks to the Mesmerize hunt. "Who are you?"

"Sorry, I don't mean to be rude, but I can't tell you that," the girl replied, smiling at Acma's prepared stance. "No proper junction, huh? Maybe this will be enough." She detached the scythe blade from her whip—a move that puzzled Acma. "Want to give it a try?" She smirked, challenging Acma.

Acma disliked the girl's attitude and, without waiting for a proper signal, launched her only spell.

"Thundaga!"

The girl swiftly leaped and evaded Acma's lightning attack.

Shit. She's fast. Acma exclaimed inwardly, surprised that the girl had managed to dodge her almost instantaneous spell.

"Need any help?" a man dressed in black joined the blond girl.

"Of course not. Stay back," she signaled for him to stand next to a nearby tree.

Concerned about being outnumbered and Raddie's safety, Acma asked the man, "What have you done to Raddie?"

"He and Moomba are fine. Don't worry," he reassured her with a kind and thoughtful tone, which was quite unexpected from an enemy. "What now?" He turned to the blond girl.

"Let me have some fun with her first," she smiled confidently, looking at Acma as though she were prey. "Or would you like to try first?" She suggested, realizing that she might be taking away his enjoyment.

"No, no... go ahead. I don't strike women. Make it quick. I've disabled Radiante for 30 minutes," the man declined the offer.

Radiante? How does he know Raddie's real name? Acma wondered. It wasn't particularly important, but their contrasting behaviors left her confused as to which side they were on. Their attire didn't resemble any military units she could think of.

"That's plenty of time. I wouldn't want to miss this opportunity," the girl assured her companion.

Acma hated being left in confusion. "Answer me! What do you want?" she interjected.

"Relax, Acma. Let's have a little fun before discussing business," the girl leaped towards Acma at great speed, gripping her long and sharp chain whip.

Acma quickly darted a few steps to evade the first lash, but she knew she wouldn't survive the second one without employing her secret move. As the second blow approached, the blond girl's whip was deflected from its intended path, pushed away from Acma's body. Meanwhile, Acma jumped backward, maintaining a safe distance from her opponent.

"Interesting. So you're using Telekinesis now. I'm delighted to be one of the first to experience it," the girl smiled.

Why wasn't she sounding surprised? Acma hadn't even named her move yet, and she had only confided in Raddie about this ability.

"No combo with Thundaga? Lucky you Radiante took away her magic stock." The young man remarked.

Combo?

"Hey, are you really on my side?" the blond girl turned to her friend and gestured for him to be quiet.

Acma had more questions than answers, and she couldn't figure out what game they were playing. But based on their conversation, it seemed they were aware of Acma's abilities. She hadn't dismissed the possibility that these mysterious individuals were also products of Martine's research, just like herself.

"First things first, Acma. Telekinesis, as they called it, allowed me to control objects almost instantly with my mind. Thundaga took 0.3 seconds to cast. Let me try casting them with a 0.3-second delay." She thought inwardly.

BOOM!

Acma unleashed both spells on the girl, rendering her immobile first and then shocking her with Thundaga.

"Shell!" the girl reacted swiftly, casting an instant protective spell. "Thanks a lot for giving her the idea, mate!" She shot a disappointed look at the young man, who chuckled at her reaction.

"Don't you hate boring battles? If it's getting too tough, you can ask for my help anytime, you know," the man teased her.

"No way. Don't you dare move, including your mouth," she warned him.

Meanwhile, Acma was once again surprised by the girl's almost instantaneous casting. She was also a magic caster. A good one.

Acma's timing was slightly off. She reminded herself to try a 0.2-second delay next time, allowing for more precise combinations and not wasting energy on maintaining the costly telekinesis channel. Furthermore, her telekinesis wasn't strong enough to move a person; she had only tried it with small objects, like the horn of the Mesmerize, as she had demonstrated to Raddie.

The horn in my pocket, belonging to a Thunder-element creature. Acma's mind sparked with an idea.

While the two continued their conversation, completely disregarding a weak prey like Acma, she swiftly moved into a new position, lining up all three of them. With a slight modification, she unleashed her combo again.

"Watch out!" the man warned as he noticed Acma's movement.

"Mighty Guard!" the blond girl was taken aback as a flying bolt approached, casting protection on herself and the man.

Blue magic? Acma found herself surprised once again by the girl's abilities. What kind of military camp had created such multipurpose warriors?

"Holy Hyne! What was that? If I hadn't moved, I'd be dead!" the young man exclaimed in shock, relieved that the Mighty Guard had blocked the flying bolt just in time. "Are you really a 17-year-old?" He shouted at Acma, further confirming her suspicions that they had her profile.

Acma retrieved her Mesmerize horn—a good conductor of thunder. Its small size would make it easy for her to maneuver its trajectory. At least now, she felt she had a chance against this cocky couple.

"A horn? Interesting. So much fun," the blond girl smiled with excitement.

"Acma, are you okay?" Raddie screamed from afar, his voice filled with concern as he heard the thunder.

"I'm okay. Get back here quickly!" she replied, her eyes fixed on her opponent the whole time. "Did Martine send you here?" Acma ventured her most probable guess.

"Can't tell you that, sorry," the blond girl replied, cautioning her friend once again. "Stay back and don't interfere in my fight. Dispel!" She removed her advantageous full protection, surprising Acma. "To be fair, I'll only use Thundaga."

Acma's self-esteem was wounded by the blond girl's belittling remarks. They fit the profile of top killers trained by Martine—indifferent to the consequences of their actions. To them, she was just another prey. Being with Acma was probably a precious moment of freedom for them since being on a mission meant escaping the confines of the lab. When this battle ended, regardless of the outcome, both sides would return as prisoners. "What game are you playing? Don't think your petty psychological attacks will work on me. I'm not your freaking toy!" Acma released her pent-up anger.

About 20 minutes until Raddie could escape. Acma told herself to hold on and buy as much time as possible.

"There, there. You may fight better with hate," the blond girl taunted, lashing her whip at Acma, making it difficult for her to stand still and cast spells.

Knowing the trajectory of her opponent's whip, Acma's only option, besides changing her position, was to dodge the whip using either her Mesmerize horn or her dagger. The versatile former seemed more effective due to its smaller size at the tip, making it easier to retrieve.

As she evaded the girl's multiple blows, Acma realized that her opponent seemed to intentionally avoid using the most efficient move. Given the blond girl's proficiency in this sport, she could have easily taken down Acma with a deadly spiral move instead of straight blasts. Was she afraid of actually hitting Acma? Acma realized that perhaps the mysterious couple's mission was to capture her alive, which made sense for experimental purposes.

I'm not your freaking toy.

Suddenly, Acma stood still without moving as another whip flew towards her face. The blond girl, expecting Acma to dodge, was taken aback when Acma didn't react. She hastily pulled back her whip and even dropped her weight to the ground to ensure the pointy tip wouldn't hit Acma. Acma had won this bet.

Great. My turn.

Acma unleashed her dormant lasso, which had been unused since the beginning, and wrapped it around the falling girl's arms and waist. She then sent her an old gift—the Mesmerize horn boosted with telekinesis and Thundaga.

"Luluna!" the young man called out as the girl took a real hit.

Blood.


"Luluna!" Moomba stopped digging and yelled as he heard a painful scream from afar.

"Acma? Are you okay?" Raddie was extremely worried, hoping that Acma wasn't the one who got hurt. He had never seen her fall, and he would never forgive himself. "Moomba, please stop yelling and keep digging, please!"

The two of them had been digging a tunnel, which Raddie hoped would bypass the disabling spell cast by the young man. At this rate, he would be able to join Acma soon if she could hold on a little longer with her dwindling magic. They could have escaped by now if it weren't for Raddie's large size, which required them to dig a wider tunnel. For the first time in his life, he hated his bulky figure.


"AHHH..." The blond girl moaned in pain, both hands gripping the Mesmerize horn whose tip had pierced through her chainmail.

Acma thanked Hyne for blessing her with such a remarkable weapon that worked perfectly with her innate ability. A dagger would have been too big to penetrate her arrogant opponent's chain vest, but the sharp tip of the horn acted like a needle at first. Once it went through, Acma used Telekinesis to twist it slightly, driving it deeper into the victim's stomach like a drill.

"Luluna? What a nice name!" Acma exerted pressure on the horn, testing her Telekinesis strength against Luluna's resistance. Acma could feel the joyous surge of her Hyne's mythical core, dancing with the rushing adrenaline of its first victory after being concealed for so long. "Too bad it was given to such an arrogant person. This is the price for treating me like a freaking toy." Acma raged.

"Cure!" Luluna groaned, casting a healing spell as the young man quickly came over and assisted her in removing the horn, which Acma promptly retrieved. "I'm okay. Don't come close to her; she's stronger than I expected," she whispered to the young man.

"Enough!" He drew his sword and leaped towards Acma, despite Luluna's words.

"Napen, no!" Luluna called out to her friend, unsure if she was worried for his safety or still insistent on having her own battle with Acma.

As the man swung his sword at Acma, she took over it with her innate ability, her wrists quickly changed the weapon's direction towards its owner.

Easy move. I'm no martial arts warrior, but Hyne, I can slice a piece of meat. Acma thought to herself. A battle where she was outnumbered was about to end in the most unexpectedly victorious way.

BOOM!

A body fell onto the snowy ground upon impact.

"There." Napen landed on the snow, retrieving his katana from Acma, who was immobilized by a mini-stun bomb thrown by Napen's left hand while Acma was preoccupied with attempting to slash his neck.

I'm not your toy. Acma wanted to scream, but her muscles refused to respond. She couldn't even close her eyelids. She couldn't breathe. Her heart was the only muscle that seemed to be functioning, though it was getting increasingly exhausted.

"Shit. You're killing her." Luluna rushed to Acma's side, turned her motionless body over, and performed chest compressions.

Thud. Thud. Thud. Luluna pressed her palms onto Acma's exposed chest and alternated between blowing air into her mouth and performing compressions.

Kill me. I'm not your damn toy. Kill me. Tears welled up in Acma's eyes which couldn't blink and conceal her vulnerable moment in front of her adversaries. Raddie, help.

"We're running out of time. Don't play games like this again. She's dangerous, even with her initial moves," Napen scolded Luluna for her reckless decisions that jeopardized their safety. "One day, your competitiveness will get us all killed."

"Okay, I'm sorry. It's my fault this time. But we could have disabled her instead of this. Look at her, you've frightened her!" Luluna continued to assist Acma's breathing and loosened her muscles until Acma finally coughed and gasped for precious air on her own. Her hands immediately began searching for anything that could be used as a weapon.

"Do it now, please, before she gives you another dent in your stomach." Napen commanded Luluna, who now complied without any resistance. She removed her belt, wrapped it around Acma's waist, pressed a few buttons, and turned back to Napen with a thumbs-up and an apologetic smile. Napen sighed and chose to ignore her indirect apology.

"Okay, we're sorry, Acma. Now, onto the main business..." Luluna turned to Acma, who felt utterly powerless as her Hyne's core was mysteriously suppressed by the strange belt.


"Hurry, Moomba! We're almost there!" Raddie urged Moomba as they neared completion of the tunnel. The sounds of battle had subsided, and Raddie's calls for Acma went unanswered, causing him to grow increasingly anxious for her safety.

But if they had harmed her despite their assurances, they would have returned to finish him off by now. That didn't seem to be the case, Raddie thought.

As they finally reached the surface, Raddie sprinted back to the site of the fire, calling out for Acma once more. Again, there was no response. Fallen trees and signs of thunder spells indicated the recent conflict. The fire had long since died out, leaving only an eerie silence.

"Luluna!" Moomba shouted, pointing to a nearly erased bloody stain on the ground, now covered by a thin layer of falling snow.

"Moomba, can you find Acma?" Raddie scanned the area but couldn't find her anywhere. It could either be a positive sign that she wasn't dead or a negative sign that she had been kidnapped.

"Luluna!" Moomba continued to call out, nodding in response to Raddie's request, and began searching the battlefield.

Raddie had no choice but to follow the creature who finally led Raddie to a nearby tree where they found Acma lying motionless. Raddie rushed nervously to her side and checked on her. She was still breathing.

"Thank Hyne! Acma, wake up!" Raddie called out to her, examining her for any potential injuries, but it seemed there were none.

Gradually, Acma opened her eyes in response to both Raddie and Moomba's calls.

"Thank Hyne, Acma, you're alive! I'm so sorry I arrived so late!" Raddie had never felt such relief in his life.

"Raddie... what happened?" Acma attempted to sit up with Raddie's assistance, her face filled with confusion as she tried to understand the pain coursing through her body.

"We were attacked. I was trapped in the forest with Moomba by a man wearing a black suit, while someone else attacked you. How many people did you fight?" Raddie updated Acma, suspecting she had taken a blow to the head, which would take some time to fully regain consciousness.

"Uhm... My head hurts... I don't remember anything. We were talking by the fire about your parents... What happened after that?" Acma touched her head and shook it, as if trying to shake off the headache.

"That's okay, don't worry. Just rest, and maybe your memories will come back. The most important thing is that you're alright now," Raddie reassured her, though he had many more questions.

"Uhm... Do I have something on my neck?" She tilted her head and pointed for Raddie to check her neck.

"Yes... damn it, two small puncture wounds. They're bleeding fast. Let me stop the bleeding." Raddie asked as he retrieved a first aid kit from his jacket, something he had learned from Acma to always be prepared for minor injuries.

"I see. It seems that they have used a memory eraser device. They sent a shock to the hypothalamus area to erase working memories that haven't yet been permanently stored. Anyway, it seems like they don't want me to remember this encounter. Let's gather what we can from the traces they left and move on," Acma explained.

Depending on the significance of the memories, they can be as accurate as minutes. However, they're not perfect. If the affected person encounters something similar later on, the unconnected memory in their permanent memory can make the connections and bring back the lost memories.

"Hmm… what is it?" Acma felt something tucked in her jacket wrapped around by a piece of paper. She opened it up, revealing a necklace with a ring in the shape of a rooster with a python tail. The piece of paper has her own handwriting:

"Bring the ring to Mount Evalescent. Do not show or tell anyone about it (maybe it's ok if Raddie knows?). Hunt another baby Mesmerize. Telekeneis horns + Thundaga = thunder combo. Forget about this encounter and move on.

Acma"

"Alright, I'm done. Let's go to Shumi Village," Acma said, tucking the newly won baby Mesmerize horn into her pocket as instructed by her note. This time, she had spared the baby Mesmerize's life. "Your horn will grow back in no time," she whispered to creature before allowing it to return to its mother.

"You're not curious about who these people are?" Raddie asked. "I'm desperate for answers. Their uniforms are unlike anything we've seen before, and they possess highly advanced technology and magic." Raddie recalled the magic seal that had effectively imprisoned him.

Acma agreed with Raddie about the advanced technology. Successfully performing memory erasure was a complex technique, requiring precise targeting of specific brain regions. Acma was grateful that her brain function hadn't been affected after the procedure. Even Galbadia labs, one of the world's most advanced facilities had only considered memory erasers as a beta project.

"Of course, I'm curious. But I'm relieved they didn't kill me when they had the chance. I'm more interested in this ring and why they want me to deliver it to Mount Evalescent instead of doing it themselves," Acma explained.

"Do you think that's the mountain Senior Seifer mentioned in his dream?" Raddie asked.

"It's highly likely. Our attackers seem to know we're heading there. It's strange, right? Even Senior Seifer couldn't name the mountain. They seem to belong to an organization with superior knowledge compared to ours. I haven't ruled out Galbadia, but it seems unlikely. Had Martine known about the mountain's location, he would have sent an army there himself," Acma speculated.

"And you told Antarra to meet us there too? How does she know the exact location?" Raddie inquired.

"I don't know the exact location, but Senior Seifer gave me an estimate before they left Trabia. I asked Antarra to track their trail. She has a Ragnarok, so if she managed to fly it, she should be able to follow them quickly," Acma replied.

Raddie acknowledged Acma's updates but had more questions. "But… let's say we all end up in Mount Evalescent. What's our plan there?"

"To be honest, I don't have a clear plan at this point. There's very little information available about this sacred place. It's known for being the spot where Hyne granted humans his magic half millions of years ago. So, I suspect there might be mythical treasures there that can manipulate Hyne's mythical core. I came across some ancient transcripts mentioning sorceresses going there for more power or to transform themselves. That's why I thought of releasing our powers there to prevent them from exploding," Acma explained.

"Who do you mean by 'us' exactly?" Raddie asked, seeking clarification.

"Ah, very good question. Sorry I forget to cover this very important detail. By 'us,' I mean Antarra, myself, and also Instructor Trepe. Although she may not be aware, after defeating Sorceress Ultimecia, I'm certain that all the female legendary SeeDs, including Sorceress Rinoa, Instructor Trepe, and Operation Chief Selphie, inherited Ultimecia's Hyne core. Their powers are growing, but I don't think they've noticed it unless they face high-level monsters," Acma clarified.

"That makes sense. So if this mission succeeds, we'll need to bring Operation Chief Selphie and Sorceress Edea to Mount Evalescent to release their powers?" Raddie asked, seeking confirmation.

"Uhm... Operation Chief Selphie should be safe for now. Antarra had her Hyne core transferred when Martine captured her. Remember when they were going to the campsite, Miss Xu, Selphie, and a few other SeeDs? That's when Martine made his move. Everyone is fine, though. Antarra released them all before we escaped," Acma reassured him.

"Does this transfer affect their magical abilities?" Raddie expressed concern for Selphie's well-being.

"Maybe to a small extent, but I'm confident it's not significant. Hyne's mythical core is like a massive crater that can absorb and hold a vast amount of magic. With humans' para-magic capabilities, we haven't even come close to tapping into a fraction of our Hyne core's potential. The one who might be affected the most is Sorceress Rinoa, given her immense power. However, I believe she would gladly give up her core if it meant avoiding an internal explosion," Acma explained.

Raddie paused for a moment, scolding Moomba as it got distracted by a bird, urging it to catch up with him and Acma.

"I see you're turning into a busy pet owner," Acma watched Raddie carry Moomba out of frustration due to its tendency to wander off track.

"I love having a pet... My parents never allowed one though, because my brother and I spent most of our time at the garden, and my parents weren't sure if they could handle a pet safely at the gas station. They did try keeping fish, but Balamb City Council would be horrified to know how many of them failed to survive," Raddie laughed. "Anyway, Acma, back to the previous topic... I hope you never end up on the other side, you know, the whole sorceress thing. Some people might think it's cool to become a powerful sorceress, but I can't imagine fighting against you. You're too smart, and I'm sure you could think of thousands of way to kill me." Raddie made a funny yet worried expression.

"Really? Do you think I'm that ambitious? In fact, I've even planned a hermit-like life for Antarra and me. I'm so done with this military, double spy roles. Good luck with your ultimate SeeD mission of fighting sorceresses and monsters. I'm ready to retire from my military career," Acma reassured Raddie.

Raddie's funny face turned serious.

"Can I visit you sometimes? Even if you aren't lonely, I'm concerned about leaving two magicless ladies in a rural mountainous area. It would be good to have someone check on you both occassionally," he said.

Acma smiled at Raddie's suggestion, sugar coating his crush towards her with a safety reason.

"Of course, you're welcome to visit us. Just remember to bring some Balamb fish. I'll serve you homemade tea and rice grown in our staircase paddy field," Acma replied.

"Sounds like a great plan, Acma Peasant," Raddie smiled. He wanted to ensure that this trip wouldn't mark the end of their relationship.

"Okay, I think that's it. Welcome to Shumi Village!" Acma pointed to the village's gate in the distance. "Moomba, would you like to go ahead and give a heads up to your people that we are coming?"

Moomba responded with excitement, jumping off Raddie's shoulder and heading towards the village.

"Eh... Acma, do you think we can keep Moomba with us on our journey to Mount Evalescent?" Raddie suggested.

"Um… what's for?" Acma inquired his intention. Acma inquired about his intention. The thin, skinny Moomba hadn't been particularly helpful as a companion. It was loud and even clumsier than Raddie. Having such a creature was the last thing on Acma's wishlist for a stealth mission.

"I kind of like having a pet tagging along. You know, like in many adventures on TV. What if we need an extra hand? Like before, he helped me dig the tunnel..."

"But wasn't it the reason you got trapped in the first place? And if you two hadn't returned, I could have been left out in the cold." Acma narrowed her eyes, challenging Raddie's excuses.

"Come on, give him another chance!" Raddie insisted. "I'll teach him more tricks."

"Sorry no can do. This is a serious business, don't waste time babysitting a Moomba." Acma rejected Raddie's appeal one more time, making him confused if Acma was still his prisoner or more like his leader. It no longer mattered to him, though, as he realized that his actions of taking away her magic had nearly cost her life, saved only by the mercy of the mysterious couple.

"Greetings, kind warriors!" Three Shumi villagers greeted the couple at the gate.

"It's an honor to meet you. I am Acma, and this is my student, Raddie. We are on our way to find our friends, Instructor Trepe and Seifer Almasy. Along the way, we came across the unfortunate situation of Moomba being trapped in a Chocobo forest. We rescued the highness as soon as we could," Acma explained, bowing her head. Raddie laughed internally at her formality, amused by her referring to Moomba as "highness" instead of a pet.

"Very well! Moomba has informed us of your kindness, and we cannot express enough gratitude. We would be delighted to have you stay here as long as you wish, but if you want to catch up with your friends, you should hurry as they departed not long ago," the Shumi villager in the middle responded.

"Thank you very much! Could you kindly tell me which direction they headed?" Acma's eyes lit up. They were not far from their instructor and the former knight.

"Unfortunately, we don't know. However, perhaps Moomba can help by sensing their scent," he suggested.

Acma could sense Raddie's joy as the villager mentioned the possibility of Moomba's continuing companionship.

"That would be more than awesome. I just wonder if Moomba knows their scent, considering they might have left already," Acma inquired.

As she finished speaking, Moomba appeared with a much larger, more muscular creature of a similar shape, but more advanced and formidable in appearance.

"Don't worry, Great Moomba spent a great deal of time with your friends. Great Moomba is also qualified as what you would call a Guardian Force and will be more than happy to help," the villager explained, pointing to Great Moomba. Great Moomba nodded at Moomba and waved his hand before running towards Acma and Raddie.

Raddie stepped forward just to observe his friend's reaction. Acma would never turn down free help.

"I don't know what to say to express my gratitude. Thank you very much, kind Shumi elders! Well, we won't disturb you any longer. Once we're done with our journey, we'll make sure to escort Great Moomba back home," Acma replied, unable to hide her happiness.

They left Shumi Village and followed Great Moomba as he led the way to Instructor Trepe and Seifer. Raddie didn't miss the chance to tease Acma about her initial disagreement and subsequent change of heart. Acma was too joyful with the extra GF to snap back at him. She helped him junction Great Moomba with their shared magic stock, feeling satisfied that they now appeared more like a unified team.


"You're not going to apologize to me?" Quistis hurried to catch up with Seifer, but his long strides showed no sign of slowing down.

"Apologize? For what? What are you hallucinating about this time?" He smirked, annoyed that Quistis wouldn't let any matter go.

"For calling me uptight? If we had stolen any more Ultimas, they wouldn't have given us any gifts."

"An invisible gift? How precious!" Seifer mocked. "I don't see how you justify seeing a fat man's hand over having 80 more Ultimas."

"The Elder must have placed some mythical item within us, activated when needed. Squall was given the Phoenix Pinion, which revived us all when we faced Ultimecia in her castle," Quistis insisted.

"And you think he would have given you something like that this time for your foolish honesty in not taking 80 more Ultimas?" Seifer mocked her, finding it hard to believe such a naive comment coming from the usually practical Quistis. She sounded more like Rinoa.

"You're just being defensive. Anyway, since you won't verbally admit you were wrong, I'll assume that we have reached an understanding, and that I did the right thing and was rewarded for it," Quistis waved her hand, eager to drop the subject.

"Unbelievable..." Seifer wanted to retort, but suddenly he felt like they were being followed.

"Hey, just…"

"Shhh..." Seifer signaled Quistis to be quiet. "We're being watched. Keep walking," he said, scanning their surroundings with his eyes without turning his head.

Quistis followed his instruction, trusting his instincts from their previous encounter, until minutes passed, and there was no sign of anyone else.

"… r…"

A hissing sound carried faintly on the wind. Seifer stopped in his tracks and turned to face Quistis, who looked confused.

"You hear that?" She asked.

Seifer furrowed his brow and continued scanning their surroundings, which were now covered in heavier snow and buffeted by strong winds.

"… r… e…"

The voice persisted.

"Seifer, I'm scared. Where is that coming from? Is it a ghost?" Quistis inquired.

Seifer suddenly realized something.

"… r… s…"

Seifer frowned and let out a sigh before turning back to Quistis, who had her hands wrapped around her waist, laughing uncontrollably.

"Seriously? You think that's funny?" Seifer scolded Quistis. She was well-known for her ventriloquism skills back when they were at the orphanage. One stormy night at the lighthouse, Seifer had been scared of the thunderstorm but had to go to the toilet. He was greeted by Quistis pretending to be a ghost and had ended up wetting his pants. To this day, he was still angry with her, but deep down, he was grateful that despite all the cruel pranks he had played on her, she had never revealed his embarrassing incident to the rest of their gang.

"Come on, you're being paranoid this time. This is a restricted area, and no tribal people should be here unless there's a real battle or a festival. It's an agreement among the tribes. I'm certain we won't encounter anyone here."

"Really? Instead of telling me that, you had to impersonate a ghost? Fine, if this is what you want..." Seifer snapped, then approached Quistis.

"What do you want?" Quistis wasn't sure how to react as Seifer moved closer and closer, until they were just inches apart. Reacting instinctively, she pushed his chest away.

"Apologize... for this!" Seifer smirked, finding amusement in Quistis' reaction, which was so unlike the brave Quistis he knew.

Snap!

"Ouch!"

Seifer took her hairclip and threw it into a nearby bush.

"What are you? Six?" Quistis exclaimed, remembering how many times she had to retrieve her hairclip back then. Young Seifer only used his fists with the boys and never laid a hand on Ellone or Selphie, but he always found ways to mess up Quistis' hair. She ran towards the bush to look for her hairclip and noticed Seifer continuing to walk away without waiting for her. "Wait!" she called out, but he kept walking.

Then she noticed something close to her dropped hair clip.

"Seifer, come back! I found some fresh blood." This finally caught his attention.

Seifer walked back next to Quistis.

"It leads into the forest, but it ends here. Someone must have climbed this tree and observed us from a distance," Quistis deduced.

"So much for the tribal agreement..." Seifer nagged, and then suddenly turned his back and swiftly hurled his Hyperion with remarkable speed.

CLASH!

"Luluna!" A creature screamed at the flying sword.

"Great Moomba?" Quistis was surprised to see the creature again, puzzled as to why he had left Shumi Village. "Seifer, you almost killed him."

"I didn't aim for it." Seifer pointed to a different angle, redirecting Quistis' gaze to a figure dropping to the ground. Next to the fallen figure was another frightened person, standing in a sword posing position but without a sword. Two inches away from the fallen figure's head was Seifer's Hyperion, deeply embedded in a tree.

"Acma? Raddie?" Quistis couldn't believe her eyes as she recognized her students. "What are you doing here?"

Acma tried to speak but couldn't find her voice. She had narrowly escaped being struck by Seifer's sword, thanks to Raddie's quick reaction. Raddie, beside her, was equally shaken, realizing he had just saved her life. His hands stung from the impact of his katana against Hyperion, which had deflected his blade flying feet away, while the Hyperion landed only a few inches off its target.

"Shoot, you almost killed Acma. Next time, make sure you see your target before you smash their head, ok? Good Hyne!" Quistis reprimanded Seifer, rushing to the traumatized Acma and Raddie. "Are you both alright?"

Acma took a moment to recover from the shock. Just when she had been feeling proud of her telekinesis abilities, Seifer's throw had reminded her not to get overconfident. There was no coincidence that, according to Garden Golden Rules, in a team of two SeeDs, there must always be at least one physical damage dealer with good reaction time.

"I'm okay… Let me lay down a bit…" Acma whispered, creating a makeshift pillow out of snow and lying down. It had been a long day of intense action, and she began to realize that she might not have been as prepared as she had thought.

Raddie retrieved his sword and approached Seifer, contemplating whether to issue a threat, a warning, or some advice to not hurt his love interest. Seifer stared back at the boy, who struggled to find his words, before turning his attention to Quistis.

"You wanted to pair me up with that pathetic redhead cut-throat and make this equally pathetic chicken-wuss my rival?" Seifer scoffed. "Trepe... Shame on you. I'm insulted by your imagination."

"… Seifer," Quistis' eyes widened, unable to comprehend if he truly understood the gravity of his actions, "when you almost kill someone by accident, you apologize. You don't mock them!"

Seifer let out a dismissive sigh, signaling that he didn't care at all, and walked away to sit under a nearby tree.

"I'm so sorry. We thought we were being followed, and he made that move..." Quistis sat down beside Acma. "But why are you two here? Were you the ones following us from the beginning? I'm confused."

Acma was still trembling from the near-death experience, so Raddie filled Quistis in on the details. Despite usually being quick to absorb information, Quistis was taken aback by the surprises in Acma and Raddie's stories, which had unfolded over the past few days.

"Acma, you're... what? A spy? And now you're saying there are more sorceresses, including me?" Quistis stammered. "Is this some kind of joke?"

As Raddie recounted their experiences, the word "sorceress" came up several times, catching the attention of Seifer, who had remained close to Quistis throughout the conversation.

"Yes, we believe Mount Evalescent is the place Senior Seifer has been dreaming about. It's where ancient sorceresses go to return Hyne's mythical core, or else they face an internal explosion," Raddie explained.

"An internal explosion?" Quistis questioned.

"Instructor Trepe, have you used any magic in the past few days? I know you haven't junctioned in a long time... maybe you've noticed something different when you cast now?" Acma chimed in, recovered from her shock.

Quistis nodded, recalling how her simple Missile Blue Magic had almost wiped out a mountain when facing the Innoouit tribe.

"You mentioned there was a relic for sorceresses to return or extract power from? Is it a round, black sphere?" Seifer suddenly joined the conversation, remembering something from his time spent with Ultimecia.

"I don't know. All the information I have comes from ancient scripts that have been lost over generations. Are you remembering something from your dreams?" Acma inquired.

Seifer gave a slight nod. "And Ultimecia used to time travel a few times. I believe I was with her on some occasions. My memories are hazy now, though." Seifer surprisingly sounded cooperative.

"You were under her mind control spell. But it's highly likely that once you see these objects again, your memories will resurface," Quistis added.

"That's right." Acma agreed, thinking about her own memory being erased by the mysterious couple and hoping that one day her lost memories would return. "Regardless, I think we'll gain better insights when we reach Mount Evalescent. Have you seen any sign of my twin sister, Antarra? She should be piloting a Ragnarok to track you."

"We've had the feeling of being followed all along, but then we encountered the Innooit tribe, and now you two. And, oh, there's a bloodstain over there, just before the gentleman here, Seifer, almost killed you," Quistis explained. "If it doesn't belong to you two, then yes, I believe there was someone else following us."

"Say... how would we know if your sister doesn't just steal Quistis' core as she did with Selphie and Rinoa... and even you?" Seifer pointed his sword at Acma. "You were the one who made me go to Galbadia and conveniently invited Quistis to the same bar in Trabia that I happened to be at, luring her to come with me. Then Galbadia conveniently attacked Balamb and took down one sorceress after another. Only a fool would believe that you and your sister just want to return Hyne's core to its place." Seifer moved his sword forward, but ceased as Quistis demanded him to stop.

"Please trust me... I have no intention of possessing more of this dark magic. Everything comes at a price, and you should know that best, considering what happened to Ultimecia and other dark sorceresses..." Acma tilted her head back slightly.

Raddie stepped up and pushed Seifer's Hyperion away. "Let her talk. There's no need to use force, Senior Seifer. She could have left the Balamb staff imprisoned, but instead, she betrayed Martine to free them herself. If Hyne's core was the only thing she was after, she wouldn't have gone to such lengths to minimize losses in Balamb."

"Thanks, Raddie. But... I have to be honest, Balamb's safety is still not guaranteed. Martine has way more advanced technology to flip the battle, even if Antarra is not on his side to recharge the magic puppets. My mission of convincing Senior Seifer to work at Galbadia was also part of their research, to analyze the Sorceress-Knight bond. I'm sure they have figured out something from your blood samples and battle techniques... I'm sorry..." Acma confessed.

Seifer wasn't entirely surprised by the news. In his mind, his job had been too easy to obtain in the first place, and nothing came for free when it came to Galbadia's expenditures. He recalled students and research staff taking extensive notes whenever he was on duty fighting monsters. Health checks were mandatory for a soldier, despite Seifer's dislike of having his blood drawn.