samaqi: Copied some parts from Chapter 6, 7 and 8 of "Succession of Witches".
Sunday 1200. Timber.
"Any luck? Everyone is pissed."
"Not yet… Ouchhhhh… my stomach!" A man wearing a blue jacket clutched his stomach and sat in a corner.
"That's why it's taking forever…"
The two men were by the train tracks, attempting to fix the locomotives while enduring the stares of angry stranded passengers.
"Why did the princess insist on opening all these railroads at once? Couldn't we have done it one by one?" one of them questioned.
"She said we need to take advantage of our newfound independence before Galbadia changes their mind. Once the trains are operational, more goods will flow in and out of Timber. Politicians won't say no to profits," the other explained.
"True... but she really should send more help here. We've been isolated for so long, and our technicians aren't as skilled as Balamb's SeeDs. Surely she can talk to the Commander and assign someone who's good with machines and loves trains, like Selphie, right?" the first man suggested.
"What are you thinking, Watt? They're too busy for this kind of manual labor. Now get back to the wiring. We need to fix it soon, or these passengers might just assassinate us!" the man with stomache retorted.
As the two men continued to struggle with the locomotive engines, a tall figure approached them.
"We're almost done. Please stay at your station," Watt instructed the passenger, who remained silent and observed their efforts.
"What's the problem?" the tall figure asked in a calm, cold voice.
"Uh... we're not sure yet," Watt responded.
"Ok… which parts work then?" the figure inquired.
Neither of the men provided an answer and kept checking random parts of the engines.
Letting out a deep sigh, the tall figure glanced at his watch, dropped his backpack to the ground, and retrieved some tools.
"You won't be able to access its core with just wrenches and screwdrivers," he remarked.
"Do you know how to fix it?" Watt asked, a glimmer of hope in his eyes as he watched the tall figure expertly unpack the locomotive.
"I'll try. These are too old. Galbadia only uses these engines for mining. Where are the maintenance personnel?" asked the figure.
"There's only one guy, and he's... on vacation in Balamb... and there's currently no way for him to return," Watt explained.
The tall figure sighed. "Of course…"
"Do you also need to go to Balamb?" Watt asked, noticing the young man's train ticket. "If you can fix it, we'll make it the first train to run and refund your tickets."
"Oh, I'm quite certain this laborious task will cost you more than that..." the young man smirked.
"Anything you want, man!" Watt exclaimed, casting nervous glances at the angry passengers. "Zone," Watt looked at his friend, "do you have any Gils there?"
The young man cast a look immediately at Zone as he heard his name.
"Ouchhh... my stomach..." Zone gasped and quickly retreated to his corner, but his action helped the young man connect some dots.
"By any chance... do you happen to have a GF card?" the young man asked, smiling.
Sunday 2100. Balamb Garden.
"Here they come," Raddie whispered, his eyes fixed on the approaching Balamb aircraft.
Shrewdya nodded in acknowledgment. Clad in their gear, the hopeful SeeD candidates boarded the aircraft that had just returned from Trabia. They swiftly settled into their seats, eager to begin their mission. This was to be a stealth operation, and they aimed to complete it under the cover of darkness, striving to be finished before midnight.
As Shrewdya peered out of the aircraft window, her heart skipped a beat at the sight of the tempestuous sea below. Balamb's sunny weather had always been her familiar backdrop, and the encounter with the wrathful waves stirred a sense of unease within her. She couldn't help but wonder what unknown creatures lurked beneath those angry depths, ready to challenge any mighty warriors unfortunate enough to fall in their claws.
Seeking to divert her thoughts from the unsettling imagery, Shrewdya meticulously inspected her gear. She securely fastened a small gunblade to her side, alongside a trusty gun and a concealed dagger—tools of both protection and offense. Though her primary role was that of a healer, she had specifically requested to take on a mid-position role for this mission, eager to showcase her versatility beyond her support role.
In that moment, Shrewdya's gaze shifted toward Timeth, whose unwavering support had emboldened her for this semi-new role. He met her gaze with a reassuring smile, silently reinforcing her resolve.
"How are you feeling?" Acma asked as she walked by Shrewdya.
"A little nervous, but I think I'm okay," Shrewdya replied.
"Don't worry. I don't want to sound arrogant, but this is just a P2 mission, nothing like what Zyma and I had to participate in last year," Acma reassured her. "We're facing a shortage of SeeDs, and with so many contracts coming in, I believe the committee will be generous in granting SeeD positions this time."
"Thanks! That's reassuring. I'll give it my best shot regardless," Shrewdya smiled and nodded.
"Of course. I have complete faith in you," Acma said, giving Shrewdya's shoulder a reassuring squeeze before walking away to encourage other young SeeD candidates.
Shrewdya took a deep breath, preparing herself as she heard Raddie's voice breaking through the cabin, signaling their descent.
"Prepare for landing!"
The distinct sound of seat belts being fastened by the Trabian SeeDs filled the cabin, serving as a reminder for Shrewdya to do the same.
She took another deep breath, steeling herself for the destiny that awaited her beyond the stormy night.
Sunday 2200. Balamb Garden's headmaster office.
"You're back?" Xu smiled as she sensed the movement in her office.
A tall, imposing figure emerged from the shadows, his smile revealing a hint of mischief.
"Good afternoon, Instructor. It's good to see that these endless piles of paperwork haven't dampened your senses one bit."
Xu chuckled, "Such flattery won't get you out of your long list of clients. I'll mark you off for the last mission. When do you think you'll be ready for the next?"
"Depends on the type of missions," he leaned on the edge of her desk. "Do you have the current mission list?"
Xu's smile widened as she reached for a sheet without looking up, handing it to him.
As he glanced over the list for a few seconds…
"Mission #11 - Campsite. She already left," Xu said.
"Oh…" The figure couldn't hide his mild surprise, both at the news and Xu's ability to anticipate his unspoken inquiry. She was his mentor, after all.
"I noticed how you looked at her during the dance last year. It doesn't take a headmaster to catch that," Xu remarked, a knowing smile playing on her lips. "Go rest. They will be back by tomorrow morning."
He nodded slightly and took it as his cue to leave her office.
"By the way, I can smell your new cards, Joker," she remarked, a playful edge to her words.
He turned, curving his lips. "Anytime, Queen."
Campsite Mission. Sunday 2200.
"Who lived here before?" Raddie asked Timeth, knowing he was knowledgeable about history.
"Based on the age of these items, they probably belonged to immigrants from small islands who fled from monsters during the first Sorceress War. This site was likely one of the concentration camps where the immigrants were initially gathered before being distributed to cities around the world," Timeth replied, his gaze fixed on one of the broken chests. They were orphans, just like him and many others. Being orphans themselves, they probably didn't feel the same emotional weight as others when saying that word aloud.
Raddie and Timeth sat down, their eyes fixed on the screens that transmitted live signals from Squad A, who just reached the underground facility.
"I'm not used to sitting in the back and watching through a camera like this." Raddie confessed, unconciously shaking his legs.
"I can tell. But it's good to give others a chance to lead once in a while. You might even learn something from them," Timeth added.
"Did you convince her to take my place?" Raddie asked.
Timeth chuckled. "I don't have that superpower. It was all her. Shrew isn't the type of person who does something just because others ask her to."
Shrew? Well, well. Things are moving quickly, Raddie thought.
"But why is she positioning herself so close to Devie? Garneet was far behind, too. Anyway..." Raddie remarked.
Inside the underground complex, Devie, a nimble and stealthy ninja from Trabia Garden, skillfully navigated the maze created by the water pipes, exploring the hidden depths.
As Shrewdya followed Devie's lead venturing deeper into the underground, the oppressive darkness seemed to close in around them.
This place... It's quite spooky. I'm starting to regret volunteering to take the higher position. Is this really a P2 mission? Shrewdya's nerves were shaken as she wasn't accustomed to darkness. There was nothing easy to assess since the only visual cue they had to rely on was thermal signals.
Suddenly, a low growl echoed through the damp air, followed by a swift movement. Before they could react, a creature lunged at them with lightning speed. Its claws, sharp and menacing, sliced through a member, eliciting a loud scream.
Time seemed to slow down as Raddie witnessed the gruesome attack through the camera feed.
"Shrew!" Timeth and Raddie both exclaimed.
Shrewdya let out a piercing scream, a mixture of pain and shock, as she stumbled backward, clutching her bleeding arm. Devie, his eyes widening in shock, quickly brandished his ninja blades in a defensive stance, standing low and close to shield Shrewdya who was laying on the ground.
"Shrewdya! Hang on! Garneet, help!" Devie called out, trying to remain calm despite the sight of Shrewdya's severed left arm, which still retained warmth and was bent in an L-shape.
As Garneet rushed to their side, she instructed the upper ground squad to assist.
"Squad B, requesting assistance! We've been ambushed!"
"Are we clear to proceed, Acma?" Raddie asked the mission leader, but Timeth already started to move.
"Proceed with caution. Raddie, you go in first with Timeth backing you up. Permission granted to use light sources. Do not engage in termination until further notice," Acma instructed the group as she was leaving the aircraft, confirming their next move.
Receiving confirmation, Raddie hastily caught up with Timeth and they followed the path cleared by Squad A to descend. As they caught sight of Squad A, they found their friend drenched in blood.
"Watch out, there are a couple of them. They're very fast, only use physical attacks so far!" Garneet exclaimed with a fleeting sense of relief upon seeing the backup.
"Fire!" Raddie illuminated the area as permitted by Acma. This covert operation had now officially turned into an overt one, with unknown political consequences. "Oh my Hyne, Shrewdya..." He looked at Shrewdya with Garneet and Timeth besides her.
"I sealed her wound and sedated her. Otherwise, the pain would have sent her into shock. It was a clean cut. If we can safely return within an hour, we can reattach her arm," Garneet reassured, securing Shrewdya's severed left arm to her clothing. Having at least two medics was always a necessity for any mission.
Raddie felt a chill run down his spine as he looked at Shrewdya's bloody detached arm with protruding bones and muscles, reminding him that this was a real battle and not a simulation.
Shrew… Hang on…
"Acma, any idea what we're up against?" Raddie contacted Acma, seeking more information.
"Negative. None of the thermal images or battle specs collected from Squad A match anything in our database. Since there are multiple creatures, you have permission to kill. Try to leave one alive if you can," Acma responded.
"Roger," Raddie replied, feeling the sedation shot in his pocket. It was a long shot that he would have the chance to use it. Right now, the first priority was to eliminate the monsters.
"I don't see anyone here. Where were they last located?" Timeth scanned the underground facility, filled with pipes and devoid of any signs of life.
"They're all around us, coming from both the ground and the ceiling," Devie responded, his eyes fixed on the space in front of him. His sword was already stained with orange liquid from the creature, yet it continued to attack relentlessly without showing any signs of slowing down.
"Everyone, come back to O position. Timeth, get ready for a time freeze. Garneet, provide cover with ice magic. Based on the color of its blood, I can guess it possesses the Fire element," Raddie instructed.
The Squad followed Raddie's commands to back each other in a circle. A few more seconds passed, but nothing happened.
"Acma, do you want to get down here? I want to get Garneet and Shrewdya back up to the ground." Raddie was very concerned about Shrewdya.
"Don't get distracted. I'm almost there. She still has plenty of time to retach her arm." Acma reassured.
Just as Acma finished speaking through the radio, one of the creatures dropped from the ceiling with a shrieking voice. It targeted Timeth, who stood still, preparing his time freeze magic.
"Freeze!" Timeth reacted swiftly as the orange monster with massive jaws lunged towards his arms. It was mere inches away from breaking the skin. The creature's large, black nose sniffed at Timeth, causing him to feel a wave of disgust.
"Yaaaaa..." Raddie swung his sword at the monster from the side, attempting to push it away from Timeth.
The monster was knocked off course, sustaining a deep wound, yet it managed to slip into a crack on the ground and vanished.
"What the hell? Where did it go?" Garneet exclaimed. The ground was no longer safe. Her attention was divided between supporting Raddie and protecting the unconscious Shrewdya. Her machine gun could surely hit the target, but due to its size, they would need multiple shots to bring it down. If she became their next target, it would be game over.
"Protect!" A green, reassuring shell suddenly surrounded Garneet and Shrewdya. Acma had arrived. "Garneet, hold on to Shrewdya, return to our aircraft and treat her immediately. I have already contacted Garden. More backup is on the way."
Garneet swiftly grabbed Shrewdya. It was her first SeeD exam, and she couldn't stay until the end, but they had followed all the protocols and orders from the Balamb's SeeDs. She felt confident that she would earn a good mark to be counted towards the next exam.
"Float!" Acma raised her hand, lifting both girls off the ground. Her other hand remained fixed toward the boys, ready to release an icy blast if the creature attacked again.
Raddie felt a wave of relief wash over her as Acma arrived. Despite being only a year older and having obtained her SeeD title the previous year, Acma possessed magical abilities that rivaled those of the Legendary SeeDs at their age. However, her proficiency in melee combat was somewhat limited, even though she had received training from Zyma before Raddie became her partner.
Just as Acma managed to send the girls back up, the creature was ready to strike back.
"Acma, 3 o'clock!" Devie warned the redhead.
The creature suddenly attacked Acma from her blind spot, swiping at her with its sharp claws this time.
"Acma!" Raddie threw his sword towards the shadow behind her.
"Freeze!" Timeth managed to slow down the creature's claw. The attack had already torn through Acma's SeeD uniform. In an instant, Raddie's sword pierced through the creature.
"Blizzaga!" Acma reflexively cast the spell. The creature froze in place and dropped to the ground, shattering into several ice fragments, leaving Raddie's sword behind.
"Damn, I panicked. We could have captured that one alive," Acma exclaimed.
"You were almost killed!" Raddie rushed towards Acma, examining her wound beneath the blue SeeD uniform.
"I'm fine... It's just a scratch... Stay focused, Raddie!" Acma brushed him off.
He quickly retrieved his sword and returned to a fighting stance. "What now? Are we going to continue the fight to capture the rest?"
Acma looked at the ice fragments on the ground.
"This might be barely enough for DNA analysis. Let's all retreat to the surface immediately."
"Um... Are you looking for a sample? My sword is covered in its sticky orange liquid," Devie offered, approaching Acma and showing her his sword.
"WATCH OUT!" Raddie screamed as he heard some movement.
Another creature dashed towards Devie's arm. Everyone unleashed their magic to defend against the attack, successfully eliminated the monster, but also depleted their resources.
"Time freeze down for 30 sec," Timeth warned, his magical power running low. He wouldn't be able to dodge any more surprise attacks soon.
Within a few seconds, they heard multiple noises approaching them.
"Uh oh…" Devie was really scared this time as he realized more monsters were marching towards them.
"Everyone, gather back to O position! Acma, shield us!" Raddie commanded.
"Are you sure, Raddie? That way I won't be able to cast offensive magics…" Acma disagreed.
"Let's keep everyone alive first!" Raddie insisted.
Acma reluctantly gave in, and covered the group with Shell and Protect, just in time before dozens of creatures threw themselves at them.
"Holy Hyne..." Devie gasped, repulsed by the disgusting creatures.
These creatures must have crawled up to the surface upon hearing the commotion. If they had been attacked by this many creatures earlier, they would have surely been devoured.
"Damn… Good call, Raddie." Acma said, swallowing hard.
Raddie didn't have time to celebrate. They couldn't attack the monsters while under the protection spell, which would eventually wear off as the creatures relentlessly pounded on it with their sharp claws and teeth.
"Has anyone noticed? They seem to intentionally target our left arms in most of their attacks," Devie shared his observation.
Raddie moved his left arm around, and everyone gasped as the creatures in his vicinity seemed to follow his motion.
"They have no eyes, that black thing is probably their nose." Acma suggested.
Raddie attempted to move his right arm, but it didn't produce the same effect on the monsters.
"Could it be related to the smell of our junction devices?" Raddie suggested. "Timeth, are you left-handed? Can you try moving your hands and see which one they follow?"
Timeth tried with his left arm first, but there was no reaction. Then, when he moved his right arm with junction, the monsters gravitated towards it, just as Raddie had expected.
"Why?" Devie exclaimed, unable to comprehend the implications. "Metal?"
"No time to figure that out now. My protection is weakening. Any ideas?" Acma urged, aware of the urgency.
"Gosh, are you guys okay?" Garneet shouted from above.
"Stay where you are, Garneet. They can smell our junction devices. Do we have more backup coming?" Raddie asked.
"They're on their way, ETA 15 mins. Hyne! There are like twenty of them surrounding all of you. I have my machine gun, I can handle a few," Garneet replied, not feeling confident that the squad could defend for another ten minutes.
"Aim for the nose…"
"What?" Garneet turned towards the source of the voice, feeling shocked to see her badly injured comrade sitting up and gripping the magically sealed wound. "Shrewdya? Are you alright?"
"Fire at their nose first, then switch to a 90-degree angle and target their head. Two shots," Shrewdya grunted, trying to look closer to the monsters.
"Okay... Take it easy. I'll give it a try," Garneet said, looking concerned at Shrewdya, who seemed to be in considerable pain. "Raddie! I'm going to take a few shots to buy you all some time!"
Garneet's shout caught the attention of a few monsters nearby. Their snouts twitched as if they could detect the healers, causing her to tremble slightly.
"Do it..." Shrewdya picked up her small gunblade, offering reassurance to Garneet. "I can still take down a few if they happen to fly."
BANG! BANG! BANG!
Garneet aimed at a monster in her line of sight. It fell motionless, seemingly dead after a few shots.
"It worked! How do you know?" Garneet exclaimed.
"Blobra's mutants. Its only centra point is at the brain. Keep shooting; it takes two to three bullets to break through," Shrewdya explained.
"Good job, Garneet!" Raddie shouted.
"It was Shrewdya's idea!" Garneet shouted back.
"Shrew? Thank goodness you're okay," Raddie said with relief.
"Raddie… my shield… we need to do something. Do you want to try unjunctioning yourself first?" Acma suggested
Raddie quickly removed his junction and waved his arms again, and the monsters no longer followed his motion.
"It's working. Devie and Timeth, remove your junctions too. Acma, we'll support you."
"On second thought.. I don't think it's a good idea. Without junction, you guys won't be able to finish them in a single blast." Acma shook her head.
"Oh no!" Garneet screamed. "More of them are coming…"
"What?" Raddie panicked, a wave of fear rushing through him.
"How about using GF?" Devie suggested, looking towards Acma.
"It can't tank if the monsters only target junction holders," Timeth disagreed.
"Right…" Devie murmured.
"Time's up, Raddie. I'm taking over," Acma declared, pulling out a siphon. "I'm going to use my Limit Break. If anyone has a better idea, speak up now."
Raddie hesitated as he watched Acma begin drawing blood from her vein using the siphon, but he was out of ideas. Acma was the only one who could deal large area damage. As if to push for this idea, a monster managed to pierce through their protection with the tip of its claw, putting even more pressure on the team.
"You won't have a clear shot from here," Timeth quickly added. "I'll cast Float on you. Raddie and I will propel you upwards. Devie, please help clear any monsters in her path. Use a 5k Pa force to push, Acma. With your weight of 110 pounds and Float reducing it by 8 times , you should reach the ceiling in 2.5 seconds. Lasso to latch onto the ceiling. Time your Limit Break during your flight."
Raddie's head was spinning as usual. Timeth and Acma had always been the ones to handle the technical aspects of their missions. Math, physics—they understood each other's stats and moves seamlessly for having teamed up on critical missions since their time in Trabia.
"… That makes sense. Thanks, Timeth." Acma nodded as Timeth cast Float on her. "Garneet, be ready to protect the guys when my shield wears off in 10 seconds."
"Acma... good luck!" Raddie found himself at a loss for words, his gaze fixed on Acma's pale face as her HP quickly dropped.
"Thank you," Acma removed the siphon, "I think this is enough. Let's do this."
"Be careful." Raddie said his last words before Acma's daring move.
Acma nodded, placing her foot on the interwoven hands of Raddie and Timeth. As they lifted her, Devie swiftly cleared the majority of the monsters from her path. A claw managed to graze her torso, causing a long open wound but nothing life-threatening.
"Garneet, now!" Acma signaled Garneet, who promptly cast a protective barrier around the boys, shielding them from the monsters' claws and teeth. "Quezacotl!"
With a magnificent twist, a thunderbird-like GF manifested, spreading his majestic wings. He flew to his master, allowing her to sit on his shoulder, and waited for her command.
"Duo: Thunder's Judgment." His master commanded.
Quetzacolt tilted its head back slightly before unleashing a barrage of blinding thunderbolts. Acma combined her Holy magic at the right timing with her GF's thunder spell, casting an advanced and devastating spell on the orange creatures below.
"God damn…" Devie, who was a few years younger than Acma, gasped in awe as he witnessed her Limit Break for the first time.
After a while, the blinding light subsided, granting everyone a moment to recover their eyesight.
Is it over? Acma wondered. Quezacotl returned to her consciousness, and she descended to the ground, slowly reattaching the siphon to restore her lost HP as she couldn't see very well due to blood loss and her Limit Break. She prepared herself for the worst-case scenario, in case any lingering monsters remained.
Unfortunately, that worst-case scenario unfolded before her. Just a few feet away, a handful of creatures crawled towards her. They appeared weak, but with her diminished HP, she wouldn't be able to withstand multiple attacks. She attempted to stand up, but the low blood stream made her dizzy and felt back to the ground.
The creatures were clearly somewhat resistant to Thunder.
"Help!" Acma screamed, desperately calling out to her comrades.
"Acma!" Raddie, Timeth, and Devie rushed forward, eliminating piles of monsters hungrily moving towards the smell of blood and junction device. Garneet's machine gun also fired relentlessly from the top.
As Acma's vision continued to fade, she could sense the presence of two monsters slowly crawling towards her. Her MP was still in cooldown, preventing her from casting a spell anytime soon. Reaching for her dagger, Acma was ready for a brutal fight against their sharp claws.
Thud.
Something dropped between Acma and the approaching monsters, and they quickly surrounded on the object.
"Freeze! Freeze! No!"
Confused and disoriented, Acma instinctively swung her dagger forward, trying to make sense of the situation while Timeth's frantic screams filled the air. She took a deep breath, unable to understand why she hadn't felt any cuts from the monsters.
"Yaaa…"
Her friends finally arrived, clearing out the monsters.
"Acma… are you okay? Oh Hyne, Shrew…" Raddie grabbed Acma's arm to help her up, while Timeth knelt down to collect something.
When the siphon finally pumped back enough HP to Acma, her eyesight slowly returned, allowing her to understand what had saved her.
Shrewdya's left arm lay scattered in pieces.
Balamb Garden. 3F. Garden Committee Office.
"This is my fault... I shouldn't have let her switch positions at the last minute," Acma murmured, her head hanging low, as if seeking forgiveness from everyone in the room.
"Pointing fingers is not the purpose of this retrospective meeting. Let's focus on how we can improve for next time," Commander Leonhart stated in a stoic, almost robotic tone.
"The mission was correctly classified as a P2, although the danger level should have been a D0, considering the initial report of the monster's junction-targeting ability," Nida chimed in. "What about the elemental weaknesses?"
Lost in her sadness, Acma remained silent, so Raddie took on the task of answering the question.
"They were weak against ice and somewhat resistant to Thunder. Unfortunately, Acma's Limit Break didn't completely wipe them out," Raddie replied, immediately regretting his lengthy explanation. Acma was likely blaming herself for not draining more HP to increase the damage of her Limit Break. "But I don't think it would have made much of a difference even if Acma's Limit Break had dealt a few more percentage points of damage. It would have put her life at risk. So..."
"Raddie, I'm okay," Acma interjected, understanding Raddie's intentions and sparing him from unnecessary details.
"Understood. Considering the monsters' level and the fact that you are all new SeeD candidates, we're just happy that everyone is back in one piece…" Squall commented, suddenly realizing his insensitivity. "I'm sorry... I mean, everyone returned safely. We'll make sure Shrewdya receives the best care."
"I'll let her know. Also..." Raddie hesitated before reluctantly asking, "Considering Shrewdya's contribution to the battle even after being severely injured, could that make up for her positional mistake?"
"We have a fair evaluation system that takes various factors into account. You will all receive the results of the SeeD exam today," Nida responded.
"Acma, would you like someone else to handle the monster DNA analysis? If you need to rest, we can assign it to someone else," Squall offered.
"No, I can do it. Thank you, Commander," Acma finally lifted her head slightly, still unable to meet anyone's gaze directly.
"Please leave and get some rest," Squall dismissed Acma and Raddie.
They exited the Garden Committee office, stepping out into the long hallway.
"Don't be upset, Acma. It's really not your fault. If it weren't for you, we would all be dead. Don't blame yourself. Shrewdya will be fine," Raddie reassured her. "Timeth collected whatever pieces he could find. It will take some time to reassemble everything, but Esthar has offered to assist us. Seriously, Acma, don't worry. I visited Shrewdya earlier, and she seemed to be doing okay."
"Raddie…" Acma interjected, cutting him off. "I'm fine. Can you please tell her... that I'm injured too and that I have this DNA analysis task? I can't visit her right now. I'm not ready to face her yet. Can you help buy me some time to come to terms with it?"
Raddie nodded, realizing that Acma was in a vulnerable state he hadn't seen before.
"What's wrong? I heard you guys were ambushed," a tall figure approached Raddie and Acma.
Raddie glanced at Acma, sensing her unease at encountering her former partner during one of her lowest moments.
"Senior Zyma!" Raddie greeted with a nod. "It's good to see you back from your missions. How long will you be staying?"
"TBD - depending on a few factors." Zyma's eyes fixed on Acma. "Nice to see you growing up so fast. Good luck with the pending SeeD results."
"Thanks..." Raddie glanced at Acma, who was staring off into space, showing no signs of happiness about Zyma's return.
"Can I talk to my former partner for a sec?" Zyma gently asked Raddie to leave.
"Uh, sure... Acma?" Raddie looked at her, and she nodded lightly. "Okay... I'll go check on Shrewdya. Text me if you need anything."
Raddie left, leaving Zyma and Acma in the hallway.
Acma held her breath, her gaze fixed on the ground as Zyma approached her with silent steps.
"Men's room," he whispered.