Balamb Garden's basement.
"Do you think we can make use of these?" Acma held up some notebooks still covered in dirty plastic wraps. "They haven't been touched in a while. We can use them as lab notebooks."
"That's a possible use, but I think we should respect the former owners. Many of these items belonged to SeeDs who didn't make it or were lost during the previous Garden attack," Quistis replied.
"Oh, oh..." Acma rolled her eyes in shock, quickly putting the notebooks back where they were. "I'm so sorry."
"Let's just box them all up. We only need half of this room to store our rarely used equipments for now. We can clean up more when we need to expand," Quistis suggested.
"What's that?" Acma pointed to a big box sitting on the top shelf. There seemed to be something protruding from the top, resembling a huge box that could store a weapon. It took up quite a bit of space.
"Oh... I haven't had a chance to sort through that. It all belongs to Seifer Almasy - the sorceress knight," Quistis explained.
"Him? Is all of this his? Wow, we could make a fortune out of his belongings... Did you bring this stuff down here yourself?" Acma asked.
"Yeah, I couldn't help but think how mad he'd be if he saw his belongings thrown away," Quistis replied.
"Are you going to give them back to him then? I highly doubt he'll ever come back to Garden, after what he's done..." Acma pondered.
"I don't know. Whenever I have the chance. I haven't seen him since the trial. I don't know where he is," Quistis said with a somber tone.
"What a sad life to live." Acma looked curiously at the box.
Acma organized the lab space. She settled into her freshly cleaned desk, knowing it would soon be cluttered with notes and samples, just like her desk in Trabia.
"What can I assist you with, Miss Trepe?" Acma asked.
"From what I recall, you have training in cell biology, correct?" Quistis inquired.
"Yes, I underwent training and completed a thesis on Mesmerize cell analysis, specifically focusing on accelerating Thundaga formation and extraction," Acma replied.
"Good. Some of the skills you've acquired will be relevant, and we'll collaborate as we explore procedures that may be new to you, alright?"
"Yes, Miss Trepe."
"I want you to study and replicate this research paper from Esthar on bio-mechanic cells. I'm still catching up on Esthar's advanced research in treating soldiers and enhancing their shields. The main issue with Garden's mercenaries is that we have limited means of defense besides Shell and Protect. The defensive stance is mostly suited for highly skilled martial artists, not for magic casters like you and me. Heavy armor is impractical in battle. If we can find a way to temporarily enhance our cell membranes with magic to evade physical attacks without altering our genetics… Well, that could significantly reduce mortality rates."
"Wow, that's... brilliant," Acma marveled at Quistis' vision.
"This research paper is a decade old, can you believe it?" Quistis smiled. "Esthar's weapon research is top-notch, which is why they shifted focus away from defensive mechanisms. But I believe their past findings could be advantageous for our purposes."
"Absolutely, Miss Trepe. I'll study the paper and begin drafting experimental plans."
"That's a great start! Thank you, Acma."
Acma couldn't contain her excitement. Sitting alongside a brilliant and legendary SeeD like Quistis, who was not only beautiful but also kind and confident, was a dream come true. Quistis was the epitome of a remarkable woman, and it was no surprise she had a fan club.
Curious about the fate of the ex-knight after the war, Acma borrowed various materials about Sorceress-Knight pairs in history.
"Is that... Seifer's old photograph?" Quistis pointed to a picture stuck in Acma's notebook, among other photographs, notes, and arrows, resembling a criminal case.
"Yes, I'm doing some research, just for fun. It's related to our bio-mechanic cell studies, I swear," Acma explained.
"I'd believe you if you hadn't adorned the notes with so many heart shapes," Quistis giggled.
"Miss Trepe!" Acma blushed, quickly closing her notebook.
"I'm just kidding. But please, continue. What has piqued your interest in researching my former student?"
"How could you not be curious? He's a living Sorceress Knight! So many unanswered questions about the connection between a sorceress and her knight," Acma rambled on. "I'd love to capture him and run experiments, find out how he managed to survive so many battles. The guy fell from an abyss without a mark! And he dodged Gilgamesh's Excalibur! What kind of reflex is that? And have you heard about the rumored cursed Knight Aura when they officially become knights?"
Quistis shook her head. "These are all just folklores at best. Every knight is different. Look at Squall and Cid. No crowning ceremony ever as fat as I can tell. I don't think there's a set pattern with the known Sorceress-Knight pairs. Adel didn't have a knight, and yet she still ruled the entire continent for a long time."
"What if Adel used to be a knight herself? I mean, look at her masculine physique," Acma began to speculate with more head canon theories. "What if there was nothing stopping a woman from being a knight and a man from being a sorceress? I think they are all individuals with specific abilities, learned or innate, and as long as they tap into sources of magic, like GFs, they can become whoever they are. Maybe the bond between a sorceress and her knight involves some magical inheritance, or it could simply be love, friendship, or any driving force that the legendary SeeDs had to help them return home during the Time Compression."
Quistis smiled at her mentee's hypotheses. The way Acma spoke made it sound as if those ideas were facts.
"Am I..." Acma suddenly became aware of usual Quistis' knowing smiles, "Haha, how could I bring up these theories with you, who have experienced it all?"
"No, no, keep going," Quistis waved her hand dismissively. "I honestly have no explanation for this matter. I was more of a second-hand observer, at best. It's not like we can have someone with a scientific mind become a sorceress or a knight just to answer these questions for us. It doesn't hurt to discuss ideas and hypotheses. Just…," Quistis looked dearly into her enthusiastic mentee, "don't ever dissect me to verify your theories. I really hate being cut."
"You can be absolutely certain about that. You've seen how I handle guinea pigs when putting them to sleep." Acma burst into laughter. "But… have you visited him since the trial? I read in one of the books that Zabac clan has a characteristics of having growth spurts until they are 25. If he lives in prison, I wonder if he receives enough nutrition."
Quistis was struck by Acma's observation. The bravado guy was always boasted of his origin signified by his last name. She had indeed made the effort to visit Seifer a week after his admission into D-District Prison. However, he never accepted visitors outside of his posse. Perhaps she should try again.
"I'll try, but I don't think he'd be open to meet anyone soon." Quistis replied.
"What a sad life to live." Acma repeated.