3F. Outside headmaster's office.

"Ice cream? Why?" Acma asked.

"It's a treat from Mommy Xu for passing your Defense training," Zyma shrugged, looking at her leg cast. She had removed the cast on her right arm, but it would take a while before she could hold a sword. "Choose anything you want within 1000 Gil."

"1000? Seriously?" Acma rolled her eyes. "That's really generous of her. I could buy some equipment with that."

"Right. Like a decent battle outfit," Zyma suggested, pointing at her worn cadet uniform.

"I kinda like mine," Acma bit her lips and murmured.

"That's your only outfit? Kind of unusual for a teenage girl," Zyma commented.

She shook her head. "I prefer spending on essentials," Acma said, tapping her chin. "Speaking of which, I notice you have some weapons in your inventory. Do you know a good junk shop?"

"You're talking to the right guy. What do you need?"

"I only have a lasso for restraining enemies. Now that my Str and Def have gotten better, I need an offensive chain whip. Miss Trepe gave me her Red Scorpion, but some rods were missing," Acma explained.

"Right. She broke it while fighting Omega Weapon. Then we got her Save the Queen."

"We?" Acma rolled her eyes.

"Yes, we. What's with the judgmental tone?" Zyma was surprised by her reaction.

"Wait a minute... Wasn't Omega Weapon in Ultimecia's castle in the future? Are you saying you were there with them?" Acma asked.

"Not in the castle, but nearby... Who do you think provided them with items during their trip?" Zyma responded.

"That's... not a normal trip. Are we talking about the same thing? The Time Compression trip to the future?"

Zyma felt annoyed by her questions, as if she thought he was lying. "It was a stupid reason why we ended up there. But I wasn't alone. Some other Garden staff, including Xu, were in the Ragnarok. We flew our Legendary SeeDs back home through the time portal after they defeated Ultimecia. Most of the details about this trip were kept secret because we're afraid bad actors could tamper with the future. That's why you won't find this information in textbooks, nerd."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to..." Acma apologized, her voice filled with guilt after hearing Zyma's lengthy explanation.

"Nah..." he dismissed, though still looking annoyed.

"I mean it. That was very cool, Sensei," she smiled and put both hands on her heart as if idolizing him.

"Oh, please... stop that ass-kissing voice. I was just loading items onto the ship," he brushed it off, though he couldn't help but blush a little. "So, you need to fix the whip?"

"Yes. Do you know how?"

Zyma led the way to the library.

"I don't remember off the top of my head what the Red Scorpion is made of. But we can find weapon ingredients in Weapons Monthly magazines," Zyma pointed to the magazine rack. "The Second Sorceress War happened four years ago... Let's see... here we go. June issue. I remember King's Slaying Tail got smashed that summer by a Hexadragon. Luckily, Red Scorpion was released just days before."

"King?" Acma looked more confused. "Why do you keep calling Miss Trepe 'king'?"

Zyma swallowed, thinking of a good lie to cover CC group's secrecy.

"Is it because she's bossy?" she guessed.

"Your words, kid," he smirked, then immediately got them back to business. "We need two Ochu Tentacles and two Dragon Skins. Very common items. Let's get them from my room and then we'll head to Balamb town."

"Wait... Can I get Ochu Tentacles from Ochu in the training center?"

"You sure can. But why would you want to do that?" Zyma pointed to her leg cast. "You're not going to fight in this condition, are you?"

"Because I'm poor, and you often charge me twice as much when buying items from your shop?" Acma narrowed her eyes.

"Is that what you think of your seisei? I feel insulted," Zyma frowned.

"You say as if my suspicion is unfounded," Acma wrinkled her face.

Zyma sighed. "Right. Lucky you, I'm extra nice to you today, as my apology for breaking your arm and leg. These items are on the house, happy?"

She smiled and nodded. "Thank you, Sensei. You're the best."

"There...," he pointed and blushed. "Your ass-kissing voice."

Acma winkled her nose. "Um... just so you know... I've broken my arm many times before. I have to say, you had a clean break. Quite professional."

"I know, that's why your arm healed quickly," Zyma furrowed his brows. "But what kind of training did you have in Trabia?"

"Please..." Acma walked out of the library with her crutches. "I prefer to keep my Trabia past a mystery."

He stared at her posture from behind, a big leg cast sandwiched between two crutches, and couldn't hold off a laugh. "Quite mysterious, pupil. You look like a walking giant hotdog."

She turned around and hit him with one of her crutches.

"Bad pupil," he smiled and ran toward the dormitory. "You go to the parking lot. I'll get what we need from my room and see you there."

"Oh... thanks." She felt happy at his nice gesture.

Ten minutes later. Transportation center's parking lot.

"I want to drive," Acma said, casting an uncertain look at Zyma when he parked his old school manual car in front of her.

"What do you mean?"

"I just got my driver's license. I can operate one of the modern cars here," she pointed to the automatic cars with touch screens.

"With a broken leg?"

"My right leg is fine."

"What's wrong with me driving us in my car?" Zyma questioned.

"Well... there were some weird stuff with an unpleasant smell in your glovebox that we discovered by accident, you know, during your Triple Triad Tournament..."

"Those are just Ifrit's..." Zyma started to explain.

"No, no, no... I don't want to hear it," Acma said, tilting her head to her shoulder as if to cover her ears, since her hands had to hold the crutches. The first time they met in Nida's class, he threw Ifrit's briefs at her. "Please, let me drive. It's part of our training, remember? Please."

Twenty minutes and a lot of screaming later...

Zip!

Acma finally managed to park the car, taking up two spots.

"Ugh..." Zyma pushed open the door and threw up on the ground. "Who's the immortal that supervised your road test? Are you sure it's a driver's license and not a license for a killing spree? This is way worse than Selphie with the Ragnarok!"

"I'm sorry," Acma clumsily searched for the car key to turn off the ignition. "Practice makes perfect. I'll get better on the way back."

"Reckless! I'll walk back to Garden myself," he yelled, holding his stomach. "There goes my breakfast."

Acma grinned awkwardly. "It's almost lunchtime, Sensei. Egg coffee?"

Ten minutes later, at a street food stand...

"Z! The usual? Oh... you brought your girlfriend?" the store owner greeted them with a friendly smile.

"Acma... Stan... Stan... Acma," Zyma introduced the two, gesturing between them.

"Nice to meet you, Stan. I'm not his girlfriend, though," Acma smiled awkwardly.

"I see. First date, huh?" Stan teased, raising an eyebrow.

"Stan! No one in their right mind would bring a date here," Zyma rolled his eyes then told Acma, "Don't mind him."

"What does the lady want?" Stan asked.

"Um... it's my first time here. What do you suggest?"

"She's new to Balamb," Zyma chimed in. "From the snowy mountains of Trabia."

"I see. A transfer student, huh? Just the Level One, fried?" Stan nodded with a knowing smile.

"Sounds perfect for a first-timer," Zyma agreed, earning a reluctant nod from Acma.

"You got it. Here, for you, Z," Stan handed Zyma a bowl of something that seemed to be moving. "And for the lady, please wait a few minutes."

"To-go box for her, please," Zyma requested.

He then grabbed a pair of chopsticks and started digging into the bowl. Acma watched as he pulled out a piece that appeared to be a moving tentacle.

"I can see that judgy look. Spit it out," Zyma could sense her stare from the corner of his eyes. "I'm in a good mood to answer questions today."

"Sorry... but what's that?"

"For more accurate answers, you should ask Shrewdya. Intestines of Fastitocalon-F and baby Ultros' tentacles, I think," Zyma replied.

"Do you and Shrewdya come here often?" Acma asked, surprised at the idea of her high-class friend dining at the humble street food stand.

"She's been here with us once. Me, Sean, and Raddie come here frequently. She's not into raw seafood, not a surprise. Ma Smailes and Ma Dincht are very close. Sean helped Ma Dincht set up her fish supply side business, and Stan is one of her customers. It's a small town. Everyone knows each other one way or another," Zyma explained.

"I see... Just like in Trabia, we know everyone in town. Well, can I try?" Acma asked.

Zyma looked up, a tentacle halfway into his mouth. "This?" he asked for confirmation.

"Yes. I'd love to try. Just a small bite, if you don't mind," Acma replied.

"Be my guest… Wait," Zyma exclaimed, unable to hide his surprise at her request. He quickly grabbed a lemon wedge and squeezed some juice onto the dish. "It may taste better with this."

"Thank you," Acma said gratefully. She grabbed another pair of chopsticks and took a bite. "Um... this is not bad at all," she said, smiling as she looked at her mentor's anticipating look. "It's very sweet of you to maintain your clan traditions."

He didn't say anything in response, but she could tell he was smiling as he chewed the food.

As Stan handed Acma a to-go box of her fried seafood, Zyma had already finished his dish.

"Let's go. It's a long walk to the junk shop," he said but suddenly realized she would have trouble holding the food and walking with her crutches. "My bad. Do you want me to feed you while you walk?" he suggested.

"Um… That's okay. I can eat later. I'm not hungry."

"It doesn't taste as good when it's cold. Sorry, but the junk shop stops accepting new orders pretty early. How about this?" Zyma lowered his legs. "I'll carry you there. You can eat on my back."

"That won't be necessary," Acma rolled her eyes at his gesture. It was unusual for him to offer help, as he typically let her struggle with heavy gear on her own.

"The shop will close by the time you crawl there..."

"Um..."

"Leave the crutches here. Hey Stan, can you keep these for us?"

"Sure thing. Have fun," Stan replied, taking the pair of crutches as Acma leaned on the wall.

"Come on," Zyma lowered his knees again to invite her to get on his back.

"Are you sure you can carry me that long?" she hesitated.

"Squall carried Rinoa from FH to Esthar for three days non-stop when they were your age. I'm not an old man yet, and you're tiny."

"Are you comparing us to the most romantic and powerful couple in the world?" Acma laughed. "People always say, it was the power of love that fueled him. Although, I analyzed his stats at the time. He junctioned 100 Triples to his Str stats and had Str Bonus from Ifrit. A Str stats of 200 - that's what fueled him."

"Nerd. Mine is 40, but I'm confident I can carry you to the shop and back. Quick, before it closes."

She obliged and tasted the fried seafood while on his back.

"Good?" he asked, listening to her chewing in contentment.

"Uh-huh... So much better than cafeteria food."

"Don't you cook with Trepie #23?"

"We do... Well, she cook, I help, obviously," she clarified. "But her food is too healthy to be tasty."

"Right. I miss her salad. Somehow she always remembers what everyone likes and dislikes," Zyma said, and Acma would die for everything to see his face right now.

"Um... How do you manage to eat your way while on missions?" Somehow Acma didn't want to talk about Trepie #23 with Zyma.

"Kind of easy for me. I just find any game in the woods and edible leaves. By the way, Trabia's Mesmerize is the best."

"Really? I've captured hundreds of them for my magic extraction research, but I never eat them."

"The younger ones taste better. Oh well, I hope you'll never have to eat them to survive."

"I already know how to kill them fast. Who knows if that piece of knowledge comes in handy one day."

"That's new, I didn't know you're kind of a hunter yourself."

"So much you don't know about your pupil, sensei."

Zyma chuckled. "I've been to Trabia Garden a couple of times, even before the attack. I didn't know there was a research lab there."

"It's a new one, built in collaboration with Esthar, along with the simulation room. It's easier to construct new buildings in Trabia since most of them had gone anyway. For Balamb Garden, we had to remodel quite a lot to make space for the simulation room."

"Makes sense. And your boyfriend was the one building Trabia's simulation room?"

"Miss Tilmitt was the one in charge at first, but then she got distracted..."

"Let me guess... Garden Festival."

"Garden Festival!"

Both answered in synchronization and chuckled.

"Anyway, Timeth took over the plan. We had a team of ten students in Trabia. Every two weeks, a group of technicians from Esthar and FH came over to supervise the progress. They are very skilled and helpful, unlike some of our Garden staff who only care about results... Oops, don't tell Miss Xu I said that."

"Nah... Do I look like I'd side with Garden Committee? Go on. Your boyfriend is here for the simulation room, that's clear. But what does your research lab have to do with you being transferred to Balamb?"

"I don't know, I guess I was lucky. Timeth and I are inseparable, maybe they considered that. I know people say I'm a prodigy, but he's actually the smarter one. I just… work hard. Anyway, my research back in Trabia was about magic extraction. I thought they wanted to replicate that here, but no one seems to care. Right now I'm helping Miss Trepe with producing bio-mechanic cells. We believe they would improve defense for melee damage dealers like you."

"That sounds useful. What's the deal with the magic extraction research? In plain English, please?"

"Um... let me see how I can explain it. Well, I'm sure you're familiar with Centra points. I've noticed you always hit them perfectly."

"Of course."

"Well, we usually use the junction device to draw magic from a distance. But that method isn't very effective, especially for individuals with low Mag stats," Acma explained. "When drawing, we noticed that magic also emanates from Centra points. So we built a prototype that could attach directly to a Mesmerize's Centra point, hoping to extract a large amount of magic that way."

"That makes sense."

"Except that it didn't work," Acma sighed. "We spent countless hours analyzing the scans to find an explanation. It's silly, but the main challenge was actually to get the full-body scans. Our scanning machine wasn't big enough to encompass the entire Mesmerize. Hence, we had to construct a larger scanning machine. We also tried to capture young Mesmerizes that were mature enough to possess magic but small enough to fit inside the machine. It's a long story how we finally got there, but in the end, we got pretty good scans of the whole extraction process."

"We realized that while Centra points have the highest concentration of magic, they also hold onto magic like a magnet. That's why the extraction was so inefficient. So we tried placing the extraction devices a few inches away from a Centra point. In monsters with multiple Centra points, we positioned the devices equidistant from each point. Fortunately, this indeed maximized the efficiency of the extraction process. We can draw 100 Thundaga spells from a mature Mesmerize within ten minutes consistently. That's quite impressive, given that the traditional drawing method would take two hours on average."

"Wow... I understand all of that. You're definitely better at explaining complicate stuff than Quistis."

"Thank you. I would love to become a research instructor someday, just like her."

"If your research showed such promise, why did they stop funding it?"

"My guess is that our prototype only worked effectively with Mesmerize. We tested it on other mammal monsters, and it worked adequately. But the success rate dropped further when we tested it on mechanical monsters. It's a shame. I'm disappointed that we couldn't continue the research. I'm sure we would have found a way to overcome those limitations."

They walked across the town, taking in the sights.

"Do you see that hotel? Dinoc Gap. That's where our Legendary SeeDs fought Fujin and Raijin, and Pandemona was taken there," Zyma pointed out. "Pandemona gave Fujin her Wind magic. What most people don't know is how she obtained the dark GF in the first place. It was probably passed down in her family."

Acma pondered. "How can a GF be transferred to another master?"

"I didn't cover that in my GF book?"

"No. I read it cover to cover. You mostly talk about how to defeat dark GFs."

"Right," Zyma explained. "It's quite simple. Usually masters and the GF can agree on the transfer of ownership, like parents pass on GFs to their children. In some other cases, dark GFs can choose their new master if they sense that the old master's path no longer aligns with theirs."

"Really? I didn't know GFs could make their own choice like that."

"Not all of them though. Some were humans in the past. But as time goes by, most of them will lose touch with humanity and become more like monsters," Zyma said with a sad voice.

"That's sad… Anyway, did the hotel get damaged during the battle, considering all the Wind magic that was being used?" Acma asked.

"Not from the outside. I'm not sure about the interior. I've never stepped inside that fancy hotel. It costs an arm and a leg for just one night," Zyma replied.

"All hotels are! Whenever possible, Timeth and I shared a room to save Gils." Acma exclaimed.

When she didn't hear back a mocking comment from Zyma, she continued. "I read a Timber Maniacs article by Sir Laguna when he visited Dinoc Gap - it was just a small motel back then. It became a popular tourist spot after the article, which probably explains the further expansion and inflated price," Acma added.

"Quite a hero, Sir Laguna himself. No wonder his son also becomes a legend," Zyma remarked.

"Were you in the same class with most of the Legendary SeeDs?"

"I was. Even in the same SeeD exam with them. But then I shifted more to the support role as the war progressed. Someone has to run the shop for their expensive trips," Zyma explained.

"Every role is important. That's what I told Trepie #23..." Acma paused, realizing she had mentioned her close friend again, whom she still questioned whether was also Zyma's girlfriend. "Um… I feel like she felt insecure sometimes that she only takes care of kids in Garden instead of going out on the field."

"She's the best for that role. I wouldn't feel reassured on a mission without knowing she's taking good care of our home," Zyma reassured.

Home? Acma's mind briefly pondered the word "home" but she brushed it off.

"See that restaurant next to Dinoc Gap? Ivarice. Quite high class. Be sure to tell your boyfriend to bring you there for a real date," Zyma teased.

"Oh, please..." Acma scoffed. "By your loose definition of 'boyfriend' and 'girlfriend', have you and Trepie #23 been there?"

"No, I'm not an idiot. Believe me, Stan's food is way better and not a rip-off. Ivarice may be different with a pianist playing 'Eyes on Me' nonstop."

"Yeah... so totally not a place for two poor Trabia students. Oh look, they're hiring a waitress! 30 Gil an hour!" Acma pointed at Ivarice's job posting, triggering a chuckle from Zyma.

They continued walking, passing the dock where the ship usually set sail for missions in Dollet. Zyma recounted the epic finale of their SeeD exam where Quistis used a heavy machine gun to destroy X-ATM092. It turned out that Seifer Almasy had been out of position because he was assisting a boy who had fallen off a cliff. Seifer had kept this information hidden, leading everyone to blame him for purely disobeying orders. Zyma only discovered the truth a year later when playing cards with the boy who happened to be Queen of Cards' son.

"Why didn't he tell everyone that?" Acma asked.

"Don't know. But it's absolutely not like him to explain anything."

"What a sad life to live. Silly question probably, but who's Queen of Cards?"

"You don't know one of the most famous Card Masters in the world? She surely has traveled to Trabia a couple of times, no? Brunette hair and blue eyes, white dress with a loose red bolero shirt."

"Oh… the lady who wears exactly like the sorceress actress in Sir Laguna's old movie?"

"That's her! She is the actress in that movie. You watched it? It was already an old movie when I was young."

"We watched it as part of our magic history assignment."

"That's new. So, you know Seifer copied Sir Laguna's stance in that movie?"

"What?" Acma was taken aback.

"You didn't know?" Zyma seemed surprised. "Watch the battle footage against Seifer. You'll see what I'm talking about. He was obsessed with becoming a knight ever since he was young because of that movie."

"What on earth? Are you saying that Seifer Almasy gained inspiration to become a sorceress knight from an actor whose son became his rival? And both of them eventually became sorceress knights themselves? And part of Seifer's deviation from his path to becoming an evil knight was because he saved the actress' son?" Acma tried to process the information.

"Wow, I never summarized it like that, but from my perspective, it all sounds right."

"Are you sure you're not making this up? Because this could be a thesis on its own, explaining the existence of a dark knight," Acma responded, still skeptical.

"Right. I'm just making up stuff for no particular reason, except for my pupil to repeatedly call me a liar," Zyma chuckled.

"I'm sorry…"

"Bad pupil. If you want to verify some facts, we can stop by the train station to see the Queen of Cards on our way back. If she's still there. Nowadays, she usually takes the last train to Dollet and spends her evenings with her son and father," Zyma suggested.

"I'd love to! But are we close to the junk shop?" she asked.

"Almost."

"That's what you said half an hour ago. I've never been to this part of town before," Acma remarked as she looked around, noticing fewer and fewer houses along their path.

"It's in the woods just outside of Balamb town. The one in town doesn't fix weapons. And even if you're looking to buy something new, you're too short, you won't find what you're looking for there."

"Why do you always emphasize my height? That's… body-shaming," she narrowed her eyes.

"Tch... What else could I say?"

"I don't know... just..."

"I think short girls are cute. If that makes you feel better," he said, causing her to blush. But then he proceeded to mock her again.

"I can't see your face, but surely your reaction changes with my new delivery, yeah? Why does my opinion matter to you? You should be proud of every single inch of yourself, regardless of the world's standards, whether it's beauty or morals. Whatever makes you happy, don't care too much about what others say, okay? That's what my mom always said," he remarked.

Mom? Acma stopped chewing her food, her curiosity piqued but couldn't open her mouth for the fear of touching a sensitive topic.

Noticing her silence, Zyma caught on and responded with an amused voice, "She's alive."

"Great!" Acma exclaimed happily, feeling relieved that she wouldn't have to hear another sad orphan's story. "Did you come to Garden solely for military training like Sean and Raddie?"

"Not exactly. I owe Garden tuition and upbringing fees just like you do. My mom lives far away and has been self-sufficient on her own since I was young."

"I see. Do you keep in touch with her?"

"Yes, I see her at least once every month."

"I'm glad to hear that. Is she a Selkie too?"

"You bet. One of the strongest, and she has a great appetite too. I try to bring her new kinds of meat to taste when I visit her."

"That's very sweet of you... I'm very jealous," Acma admitted despite his unusual way of showing affection to his mom.

"Yeah, I'm a lucky one compared to most of us," Zyma replied with a hint of sadness in his voice.

At the junk shop.

Zyma stopped in front of a bamboo house in one of the forests near Balamb.

"Gimie, are you home?" he called out.

"Z? Long time no see. Well, well, who's this?" A young girl with purple hair emerged from the dark. "Your new girlfriend?"

"Um..." Acma was about to explain but Zyma interrupted her.

"Yes, my new girlfriend, Acma. Acma, Gimie. Please take good care of her. She has quite a treasure, but it may need to have the length adjusted a bit."

Zyma handed Gimie the pieces of Red Scorpion and the required ingredients. Sensing Acma's bubbling protest with her title, Zyma whispered to her quietly, "Discount."

"Stand up, please," Ginnie asked Acma, who leaned against a pillar for balance. "What happened to you, pretty?" she asked while stretching a measuring tape.

"Nothing serious. I broke my leg from some martial arts training," Acma replied, sensing an intriguing vibe from the shop owner.

"Do you use a dagger?" Gimie asked, jotting down some notes while noticing Acma's dagger case tugged to her belt.

"Yes, a small one for close combat and mostly to cut off my restraining lasso."

"Very well, pretty standard," Gimie nodded. "I'll take out one rod from the standard whip and make a dagger out of it. What do you think?"

"That sounds wonderful. Thank you!" Acma replied.

"Stay here. I'll take care of the bill," Zyma said.

He and Gimie then went into the house for a good ten minutes.

Acma knew for sure that Zyma was involved in some shady business behind her back. He couldn't possibly be this nice to her without expecting something in return. But then she held off her thoughts. As long as she had her upgraded weapons, she was happy.

"I love doing business with you, Gimie," she heard Zyma say out loud as the two of them emerged again.

"We'll deliver to your dorm in one week," Gimie said, offering a walking cane. "Well, it's a long way here. Do you want see a tour inside our humble shop?"

Acma nodded eagerly, following Gimie through the entrance. The moment they stepped inside, the sweet aroma of freshly cut wood enveloped them, creating a sense of warmth and earthiness.

"We do all the woodworking inside the house, as you can see," Gimie explained, gesturing to the various tools and workstations. "We also specialize in engraving, which used to be a lengthy process. Students often requested uniquely complicate patterns they get from Hyne-knows-where magazines. But now we use 3D printing and laser cutting, we can craft custom swordhead patterns or engravings in just a matter of minutes."

Acma's eyes were drawn to a familiar pattern displayed on the wall. "Griever? It's beautiful!" she exclaimed.

"It's actually our most requested pattern," Gimie affirmed with a nod. "Our Commander asked my father to create the design based on his ring when he was a cadet."

"It truly is a stunning design," Acma remarked, admiring the craftsmanship.

"It took my father quite some time to perfect the design and meet the high standards of our demanding Commander. But thanks to his efforts, our shop owns the pattern, which has become incredibly popular. We can't complain about that," Gimie explained. "Alright, let's head to the backyard. That's where most of the smithing work takes place."

Outside, the air was filled with the smell of hot metal and the rhythmic sounds of hammers striking anvils.

To their left, a skilled smith painstakingly forged a blade, unveiling the intricate and elegant design of the critical component of a gunblade.

"Each gunblade is unique," Gimie explained. "Since the blade is a single giant piece, we have to calibrate them individually to account for different magic density in the materials. The calibration process can take months, which is why gunblades are expensive."

Acma asked, "Was the Lionheart made here?"

Gimie burst into laughter. "You think highly of our shop. The Lionheart was made in Esthar. They have better calibration technology there. We could make a Lionheart here. Getting the shape right is simple. But it would take us years without the proper equipment to measure the vibration rate. However, my pop created the Hyperion carried by Seifer Almasy. It was truly one of a kind, and we couldn't replicate another one."

In another corner, skilled craftsmen crafted arrows with precision, carefully selecting top-quality materials for optimal accuracy. They meticulously attached feathers and expertly sharpened the tips.

"I didn't know Balamb still had arrow users," Acma remarked, curious about the ancient weapon that had likely been replaced by machine guns in the military.

"There are more old-school warriors than you might think. Some tribe members prefer arrows over guns, for the obvious reason that it's hard to reuse bullets," Gimie explained.

"I know. Archery is popular among Trabia tribes. But Balamb's armory is more technically advanced. Can arrows pierce through modern armors?" Acma asked.

"If the warrior is skilled enough, anything is possible. Hmm… Haven't you seen your boyfriend kill with a card?" Gimie asked, raising an eyebrow.

"A card?" Acma was surprised.

"She's more of a magic caster and into research. She doesn't care much about weapons," Zyma interjected, coming to Acma's rescue.

"I see, a nerdy girl. Opposites attract," Gimie remarked with a smile. "So you're from Trabia? I kinda guessed it based on your accent."

Acma smiled awkwardly. "Is it that obvious? My new classmates often tease me about it. It takes me some time to get used to the Balamb accent."

"No worries. You'll sound like a Balambian in no time. Not that it matters," Gimie reassured her with a smile. "By the way, do you know Master Manezzu?"

"Of course! He's one of the few wood craftsmen in Trabia. He made my best friend's collapsible staff. And let me tell you, my friend is really picky when it comes to weapons," Acma replied cheerfully, delighted to hear a familiar name from Trabia.

"He's a remarkable man. Our shop still can't replicate the 255 Hit rate on a nunchaku like he did with Selphie's Strange Vision. Please give him my regards when you see him," Gimie said.

As Gimie moved ahead, Zyma whispered to Acma, "Best friend?"

"Timeth," Acma replied.

"I thought he was a support," he asked, surprised.

"He hits hard when he needs to. And what's with your judgmental tone?" Acma snapped.

"Wow, quite protective of your boyfriend who has it all, brains and brawn," Zyma teased.

"Oh, please!" Acma scoffed.

Zyma continued to piggyback Acma on their way back.

"Is she one of your 'women'?" Acma asked.

"Who?" Zyma replied.

"Gimie."

"What? What makes you think that?"

"You two talked for a while, and she looked... how to say... extremely happy after your 'discussion'?"

Zyma scoffed. "Jealous?" he asked.

"No! I mean..." Acma denied immediately. "I was asking for Trepie #23."

"Well, one, I told Gimie you're my girlfriend to get you an extra discount. Who makes out with a guy while his girlfriend stands in the yard?"

"Well… Okay, fine," Acma said, not entirely convinced. "What's the second reason?"

"You should observe more, pupil. Don't you see, if we didn't tell her you were my girlfriend, she'd hit on you."

"Oh..." Acma came to a realization.

"Not necessarily a bad thing, no offense if you and your boyfriend are open to that. But knowing her, it would probably take longer to get your weapons. I just wanted to save you the troubles, that's all," Zyma explained, and Acma swore she could hear a smirk in his voice.

"Well... thanks for your wild imagination and consideration," Acma said, narrowing her eyes and sounding sarcastic. "Anyway, how much was it? Do I owe you?"

"Nah, don't mention it."

"Please, I insist. I don't like owing anyone."

"Including the one who you always complained about ripping you off?"

"Definitely, because you being nice today just becomes another reason for you to rip me off harder tomorrow," Acma retorted.

"Skepticism seems to run in your blood. You'd make a great spy," Zyma teased.

Acma remained silent for a moment.

"But seriously, I'm just being nice with you today as part of the reward. Don't be whiny once we resume our serious training, okay?" he said.

"I'm never whiny. Why do you..." Acma started to protest.

"Uh-oh, uh-oh. That. That's what I'm talking about," Zyma interjected.

"Fine..." Acma sighed.

When they returned to downtown Balamb, it was getting dark.

"There's no way we'll make it back alive if you drive in the dark. And I can't drive this car," Zyma said.

"I'll be careful this time. If you're scared, you can walk back. I'll drive," Acma insisted.

"No way. You'll bring shame to your sensei if you die in a car crash. Wait here," Zyma commanded, then walked to a house, knocked, and went inside. He came back with a long blue board.

"Piggyback." He said and lowered his knees again.

"What is this?" Acma asked.

"A T-board. We'll fly back to Garden," Zyma explained.

Acma rolled her eyes. "And you think this is safer than my driving?"

"At least we won't cause a homicide if we crash," he reasoned.

Acma remained unconvinced, carefully examining the T-board.

"It looks... handmade. Are you certain it meets Garden's safety requirements?"

"It was crafted by one of our Legendary SeeDs. Have a little faith, pupil."

"Wait... so the house we just entered... It belongs to Ma Dincht? The Legendary SeeD Zell Dincht made this T-board?"

"Indeed."

Despite Zyma's assurance, Acma still had doubts.

"The tip of the deck appears damaged..."

"Just a minor scratch," Zyma dismissed nonchalantly. "But it had seen a lot of good stuff from that famous incident."

He wiggled his eyebrows mischievously. Acma recognized that look all too well. She was certain nothing appropriate was on his mind at that moment.

"Zell was riding this T-board in the hallways of Garden. He made a sharp turn and went straight in to the woman's restroom…" Zyma recalled.

"Urgh..." Acma cringed in disgust.

"Xu and Quistis were there. Damn. The T-board didn't have a camera back then. I would have..."

"Enough! Fine, I'll go, I'll go. Okay? And turn off the camera, please!"

Acma shouted, cutting him off, and reluctantly climbed onto his back.

"Please be careful... AHHHH…" Acma started to say, but her warning was cut off short by Zyma immediately starting the T-board.

Within minutes, they were floating near Acma's room window.

"Quick, before Garden Council sees us," Zyma urged Acma to let go of his collars and leap onto her room.

"There goes my lunch," Acma cried. "You must do this intentionally."

Zyma grinned. "It's dinner time. Salad?"

They found Trepie #23 in the kitchen, who looked nonchalant seeing them walk out of Acma's room.

"Um... we just got back from Balamb. We were in Balamb the whole day, training," Acma stammered, unsure if it was necessary since Trepie #23 denied being Zyma's girlfriend and Zyma had been vague about their relationship.

"You guys haven't had dinner? Let me whip something up. I'll prepare a quick salad for you, Zyma," Trepie #23 offered.

Trepie #23 washed the veggies, and Zyma chopped his veggies with his ninjato as usual. Acma felt like a third wheel, seeing the pair work in the kitchen with such synergy, as if they had cooked together millions of times in their lives.

"Remember when Garden had an influx of refugees a couple of years ago after the Timber invasion? We had to cook from day till night," Trepie #23 asked Zyma.

"I can't forget those times. I gained so much muscle from chopping, and I think at some point... was it you who caught me sleepwalking into the kitchen and peeling carrots?" Zyma asked.

"Jack discovered you first. Then he asked us to check on you. You were holding two giant chef's knives. No one dared to get near you," Trepie #23 recalled.

They exchanged more old stories as if they were an elderly couple reliving their youthful past. Trepie #23 finally asked Acma about her tour around Balamb.

"Oh yes, Gimie. We always asked her to fix stuff in bulk. She's much cheaper than the standard shops, who sometimes couldn't even do a simple engrain printing right," Trepie #23 said, then looked at the clock. "Well, I have to go to bed for an early dispatch tomorrow. Could you two help with the dishes?"

Zyma washed the dishes while Acma dried them in silence.

"Spit it out. I can sense a thousand questions held back in your mouth," he said, looking at her while handing over a dish.

"What? I don't have any questions. Why would you think that?" she replied defensively.

He smirked. "Don't be captured by the enemy ever, pupil. Your face tells it all."

"Fine... it's just... I feel weird spending the whole day with you. And you claim my suite mate to be your girlfriend. Don't you feel like you owe her an explanation?"

"You're not letting go of our Secret Area bet, are you? She's a girl, and she's my friend. Girlfriend! And what we choose to disclose is none of your business."

Acma sighed. "I don't care whether you two are together. I just want to make sure you don't accidentally sabotage our sisterhood in any way, okay?"

Acma wanted to get to the end, but a text arrived. She quickly texted back.

"Who's that?" Zyma asked.

"Just Timeth. He's dropping by."

"At this hour? Haven't you two stopped patrolling the Secret Area already?" Zyma furrowed his eyebrows.

There was a knock on the suite's door.

"Oh, he's here already. Do you mind getting the door?" Acma asked, then retreated to her room. "Tell him I'll be right back."

Zyma was confused but opened the door regardless to greet the silver-haired boy who seemed surprised to see him.

"Hey, kid."

"Hi, Senior Zyma. Did you and Acma have late training again?"

"No. We were going to Balamb town for some fun. She's in her room. Do you want to go in?"

"That won't be necessary. I'll go right away."

The two stood there in silence. It was awkward for Zyma, but Timeth didn't show any emotion as usual.

"Here... Sorry, I just washed him and he got stuck inside Trepie #23's bed sheet in the dryer. Do you want a bag?" Acma asked, holding a pale pink teddy bear with the size of a basketball that Timeth quickly received and tucked under his hoodie, leaving Zyma astonished.

"No, thank you. This is fine. Good night, Acma. Good night, Senior Zyma," Timeth said politely as he walked away.

"Good night, Timeth," Acma waved at him.

Zyma looked at Acma with a knowing smile, clearly seeking an explanation. "Did I see it correctly? Your boyfriend was holding a teddy bear?"

"Um... That's Mr. Bear—our shared lovey. Miss Tilmitt gave him to us on the first day we went to Trabia. We thought we lost him after the missile attack, but luckily we found him in the ruins. He slept between us until we were twelve and became cadets. We had our own rooms and took turns to have him every week," she explained.

"You shared a bed with that boy until you were twelve years old?" Zyma asked, surprised.

"We... we're very close. And we're from the same orphanage. I ran a genetic test on us, and it turns out he and I are sort of... cousins. But that's not really important. I trust him with..." Acma suddenly halted, realizing that she was unintentionally defending herself as if she had been caught cheating. "Anyway, it's none of your business what we do. Who are you to judge us?" she retorted, her tone firm.

Zyma's face relaxed. He nodded, tilting his head down, his chin touching his chest. He then took out some bills from his pocket.

"What's that?" Acma asked, surprised when Zyma handed her 1000 Gil.

"Our Secret Area bet. I'm convinced now that he's not your boyfriend. And... I'm not with Trepie #23. It would be dishonest of me to pretend otherwise," Zyma explained.

"But didn't you say... What if you have a girlfriend by the end of the SeeD exam?" Acma questioned.

"Until then," Zyma replied with a confident smile. "I'm sure you'll be the first one to know if I have a girlfriend."

She blushed, trying not to dwell too much on the implications of his words, and reluctantly accepted the money.

"Okay. Just let me know. Well, likewise, if my cousin and I happen to engage in any romantic activities..." she chuckled.

He smiled dearly. "Sure. I know you always keep your word. Just based on my experiences, if two childhood friends spend too much time together and understand each other deeply, it almost never works out," Zyma said, and his eyes briefly glanced at Trepie #23's door.

They stood there in silence, avoiding each other's eyes.

"2155. I should go before Aki patrols the girls' dorm," Zyma said, breaking the silence. "Remember, no more nice guy tomorrow, only business."

Acma accompanied him to the suite's door.

"Goodnight," he said.

"Goodnight… Zyma," she called out before he turned away. "Today... Is it a..." She hesitated, reluctantly moving her index finger back and forth between him and herself.

He smiled, trying to conceal his grin.

"I didn't plan any of this. But I've never spent that much time with anyone outside of missions. I had fun. Did you?"

"I did," she nodded and whispered, trying to avoid his gaze.

"Then it is what it is. No need to put a label on everything, right?" he said, putting his hands in his pockets and rocking back on his heels slightly.

She smiled at his cute gesture. "Yeah, I agree. Well, good night."

"Night," he smiled and looked into her eyes for the last time of the night as she closed the door.