i think your talking about the bit with that crytsal in the middle of the room? the trick to that is to not walk while the crystal is glowing!
No, he wasn't, apparently when Ultima Weapon is still alive the encounters in the deep sea reasearch centre are a set number of steps apart. (though I have heard that enc-none increases the number of steps between each encounter)
and level up your GF's on the islands closest to heaven and hell (with enc-none equiped)
Were you joking here, because you wouldn't have any encounters. (you probably were joking)

The malboro attacks you while watching you all slashing each other. You can tell yourself to unplug the controller and make yourself a sandwich as you would not have any control over anyone unless you're damn lucky and did not get yourself into any status or some of the status wore off by itself...b4 u were dead though.
It's easy (to escape anyways) either if you are not immune to sleep (because you will get attacked by the malboro and sleep and confuse will come off) or if you are immune to sleep and confuse. Personally, I find the Ruby dragon breath to be much nastier, (unless vitality is maxed so it does 250 damage to each person ) but Malboro's always do bad breath at the beginning of the battle.