Aki's etiquette class.

"Alright, folks. Let's practice our dance moves in the ballroom, the whole song from beginning to end this time, please. Since we have more boys than girls... Ladies, please give multiple partners a chance to practice," Instructor Aki announced, leading the class to the basement where the ballroom practice room was located.

S20 and S21 were mixed this time to balance the fact that girls accounted for only a third of the student body. Acma felt relieved because the male partners in S20 were much taller than her, making it incredibly challenging to dance without feeling like she was floating on the floor.

To her surprise, Zyma was sitting in the ballroom as she walked in. She wondered if she should go and say hi first, accepting the fact that he might give her the cold shoulder, potentially marking the end of their mentor-mentee relationship. Or worse, if her suspicion that Zyma had feelings for her was true, it would make things even more awkward.

As she debated her options, he slowly approached her, and it felt like an eternity before he spoke the first words.

"Did you take enough of a break? When do you want to resume our training? The next mission is approaching, if I remember our schedule correctly," he bombarded her with information as usual.

"Yeah... I had a good rest. We can... meet after my lab today?" she suggested.

"Good," he nodded.

She nodded in agreement and asked, "Why are you here?"

"I can't skip this class. I've never passed it before," Zyma replied.

Acma giggled. "Didn't you tell me that martial arts is like dancing?"

"I said that for your own interpretation, girl. Telling that to a dude makes it more confusing," he responded.

Acma smiled and nodded. "Well, I'd love to be your dance partner, but... I don't think our heights quite match for that."

Zyma wasn't expecting her to decline even before he asked.

"You're probably the shortest in the entire class, Acma. Why don't you wear high heels like the other girls?" he asked.

"I can't handle them, I've tried. Besides, I don't want to injure my dance partner with that kind of weapon," Acma replied, covering her face.

"Fine, go find your boyfriend," Zyma smirked. "Oh no, he's dancing with a hot girl," he said, looking in Timeth's direction.

"That's Shrewdya, the manicure girl."

"Right..."

They both chuckled, thinking back to the tournament incident.

"I'll grab Raddie if you don't mind," Acma suggested.

"Be my guest."

"Alright. I'll see you this afternoon, Sensei," Acma said as she parted ways with Zyma, taking a deep breath. She couldn't face dancing with him because she was afraid she had become too attached. It was enough that he seemed neutral about their fight, and perhaps to him, it was just a normal disagreement among friends, nothing more, nothing less.

She greeted Raddie, who fortunately was looking for a dance partner. Raddie carefully adjusted his shoes and lowered his knees throughout the dance to minimize their height difference.

Meanwhile, Zyma approached Trepie #23, who was the assistant for the class herself.

"Trepie #23, are you open to an interesting discovery tonight?" he asked.


Zyma's room.

"What are we learning today?" Acma asked.

"GFs," Zyma replied.

Acma's eyes lit up. "I've heard you're an expert in that matter, but I've never seen you with one."

"You have to prove yourself worthy before seeing my collection, pupil. They're not like pets that you can just come and see. You have to learn how to communicate with them. Otherwise, it would be suicidal to enter their nests."

"Like the Fire Cavern? I heard it was easy, and almost every cadet can deal with Ifrit with support."

"The one in the Fire Cavern is just a replica, made from a fragment of the real GF's spirit. We call the original ones dark GFs."

"Why are they called 'dark' GFs?" Acma asked.

"What kind of question is that?"

"I mean, is there anything special about the 'dark' ones? I know there are fluffy GFs like Carbuncle and scary-looking ones like Diablos. Are they different in nature or personalities? What makes a GF a dark GF?"

"I see. It's just a terminology," Zyma said.

"But who came up with that term?"

"I don't know. GF is a concept that goes far back in history. Why ask these useless questions? It's like asking why a table is called a 'table'."

"I'm just curious. I wouldn't ask these if you didn't claim to be an expert," Acma replied.

"Bad pupil," Zyma shook his head, handing her his thick notebook. "Read it, and then ask me any questions afterward." He then lay down on the sofa, putting his headband over his eyes to relax.

"I thought you never sleep…"

Acma opened the notebook filled with Zyma's handwriting and drawings, gasping at the beauty of the GFs he had encountered.

"These are all from your hunts?" she asked.

"Uh-huh," Zyma confirmed.

"Where are they now? I haven't heard of more than half of these names," Acma said.

"I'll take that secret to my grave. Balamb Garden is one of the few places that allow the usage of GFs in human consciousness. We only need replicas to wield magic. Only a few dark GFs are willing to be permanently attached to a human and follow their commands, like you've seen our Legendary SeeDs do. The rest of the dark GFs prefer to hide in their places and not interfere with humans," Zyma explained.

"How do you know if a dark GF wants to join forces with humans?"

"That's why you need to learn how to communicate with them."

Acma nodded. She had used GF junction many times before, but she didn't really understand the mechanism behind it.

"Do you experience amnesia when using a GF?" Acma inquired.

"I don't junction, if that's what you're asking. It's a perk of being a damage dealer."

"Right..." Acma continued reading Zyma's detailed notes, realizing that it would take her a couple of days to fully absorb all the information. She appreciated his effort in compiling his knowledge in a visual way.

"When I become a SeeD, can I have a dark GF?" Acma asked.

"If you're good enough. Have you heard about our magic lamp tradition?"

"No," Acma replied.

"After the SeeD ceremony, the headmaster will hand over a magic lamp with a GF inside. The newly appointed SeeDs have to fight the GF, and the one who deals the last hit can equip the GF," Zyma explained.

"Like a real dark GF?" Acma asked.

"Yes, the real ones are more powerful than the replicas used for junctioning magic. You can use dark GFs in real battles, as tanks, magic dealers, and even combine their magic with yours to create a combo," Zyma said.

"Wait," Acma interrupted, "what do you mean by creating a combo with our magic?"

"If I remember correctly, you're a Holy caster, right?" Zyma asked.

"Yes, I am."

"Good. Not many people this young can handle it. Try mixing your magic with a dark GF's magic next time," Zyma suggested.

"Mix? How?"

"Tch... that's something you have to figure out. I'm not a magic caster, but I've observed some people doing it with GFs," Zyma replied.

"Okay..." Acma nodded. "But does that mean other types of magic, like Thundaga, can also be mixed with GFs to enhance their effects?"

"I'm not a magic expert, you are, babe. You'll have to learn these advanced techniques on your own. Textbooks only give you the basics, so don't rely on them or limit yourself by their suggestions," Zyma explained. He sat up from the sofa and added, "I guess it's time for you to meet up with your boyfriend?"