This is very similar to a shorter challenge that Nintendo Power issued for the game back in 1995. It was fewest steps to getting Mog in your party (must show party menu screen with Mog and others in it). I wrote an article on my own mission to win the challenge here:
1995: The Year Nintendo Power Screwed Me
Long short: My attempt in 1995 ended up being 5,826 steps. Last week, I revisited the challenge and shaved my step count down to 5,748 steps. It's possible to get EXTREMELY lucky on talking to Edgar in the Returners hideout and save a couple steps there for a perfect run of 5,746 steps as far as I can tell. The rules are simple: No hacking, exploiting glitches, or any other form of defeating the game's intent. Grinding on the Lete River is allowed as is using the hidden shortcut in Locke's scenario. Using the pass-through glitch is not allowed.
Anyway, just from browsing the guide posted in this thread, it doesn't look like I missed anything, so I'm glad I don't have to go back and do it again!
Edit: AAACK!! There was one thing I missed! I didn't know you could skip the security path in Narshe cave. Cripes... Now I've got to add that into my run...And I missed the catwalk shortcut in the Opera House too. Ugh!
