Chapter 3: A New Adventure

The red light printed on the Gullwings' faces as they stared down at the flashing screen behind Shinra. A small golden spot had appeared on the map and seemed to be the cause for the consistent droning beep. It was on an island that was a stormy grey, almost completely black. It seemed to be made up of scorched rock and larger mountainous stones rose from the ground, leaving it looking devilish and evil. Some areas were bright red or orange and looked as though they were lakes of fire. This only added to the caution that it demanded at a single glance.

Yuna shivered at the sight. "Shinra," she started as she turned to him. "Where exactly is this?"

The small boy hopped up onto the desk beside the screen, being careful not to disturb any of the buttons, and flicked a small red switch. Instantly the alert siren silenced and he could speak. "It seems to be some sort of uncharted island," he explained on closer inspection. "The upgrade I just installed seems to be able to scan a larger area as well as find golden spheres, so my guess is that this island has been here for a long time, but it hasn't been found by many people if they haven't mentioned its sighting."

"So you mean we could be the first people to find it?" Rikku asked eagerly as she pawed at the air like a puppy begging for food.

Shinra shrugged. "Well, if we decide to, we'll be the first to report it. But who knows how many people had trodden there before us. Maybe there still there even as we speak."

Paine tensed, the excitement seeming unable to make an affect on her. "Why would someone keep it quiet?"

"Maybe it's dangerous," Buddy suggested as he held a thumb to his chin in thought. "I mean, look at it."

Brother jumped up in his face and growled at him. "Mood killer!" he shouted.

"Now everyone, we all need to calm down!" Yuna instructed fiercely. All eyes were turned to her, shocked at her sudden act as leader, and now they were all waiting for her next determined words. Unfortunately her burst of passion had abandoned her and she let her gaze fall to her feet shamefully. She never was much of a leader figure like her dear Tidus.

"I guess it's up to out our YRP to figure this one out," Buddy put forward with an encouraging grin at the three girls.

"Right!" They chorused as they banded together to discuss the plan of action.

Naturally, Rikku was the first to speak. "What do you say girls? Do we go?" she asked as she laid a hand on Paine's and Yuna's backs and huddled closer to block out their voices from the boys who waited keenly on the outside.

Yuna smiled up at them. "Well that Golden Sphere is sounding pretty good, don't you think?"

Negatives flooded Paine's mind and she brought them into the conversation, blocking out Rikku's excited squeals. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves. This place reeks of danger. No one has said anything about it, we know virtually nothing about it, and look where it is! We don't know what sort of fiends could be lurking there!"

"Now look at who the Mood Killer is," Rikku muttered with a pout. A sharp glare from Paine set her straight again.

Yuna sighed. "Paine's right, but if this place really is safe and we pass up the opportunity, think of what we could be missing out on!"

"Yeah!" Rikku added in a high voice as she punched the air, then straightened up and resumed her position quickly as the boys stared at her in confusion.

Again Paine felt uneasy about the mission that she could already see forming in the other girls' minds. "I don't feel right about this, but I guess if we take extra caution and make sure we are completely prepared if things go wrong, we can do it." She finally gave in.

The news was too much for Rikku. She threw herself from her two friends and started dancing around on the spot. "Yeah! New mission!" she screamed out, ending the suffering of Buddy, Brother and Shinra.

"Yahoooo!" Brother yelled equally as loud. He clapped his hands together and began dancing with his sister. "Think of the money!"

"Think of the footage!" Rikku added.

"Think of the fiends," Paine reminded grimly.

Yuna laughed as she turned to her fellow companion clad in black. "Don't worry Paine. We'll be fine. We beat Vegnagun, didn't we?"

Paine released a heavy sigh, which slouched her shoulders even more as she crossed her arms across her chest. "I guess," she finally replied.

As though that was all he needed to confirm the plan, Brother shouted out, "Then it is decided!" He pointed straight at Buddy. "Head to that island!"

Buddy scowled back at him. "Take it easy," he grumbled, but he obeyed and started to steer the ship towards their new destination.

"Ohhh, I can't wait! Finally, a sphere worth while!" Rikku chimed.

"It had better be," Paine snarled. "Looks like were risking having asses burnt to charcoal for this thing."

Yuna stared at her in surprise. She only usually swore when she was nervous, and of course, as soon as the tough, seeming unbreakable warrior was afraid, there was definitely something to fear for all of them.

Sensing the fear in Yuna, Rikku glowered at Paine. "We'll be fine," she said before rushing to the warrior's side as Yuna turned her back. "It will be a good distraction for her. Please don't scare her away now," she whispered.

"Fine," Paine muttered back, before adding quietly, "You're right."

Lately Yuna had been dwelling more on the loss of Tidus, and tension was always thick when they were around her. Her behaviour had changed too. Sometimes she would act like someone completely different, then deflate again like she had moments ago.

After always being so together, the others knew that something was definitely wrong with her.

As though to take the attention away from them to play it safe, Rikku launched herself back into the middle of the room and resumed her giddy dancing.

She was always like this when her energy levels grew too high. Excitement was like a drug to her, and this was only one of the many side effects it had on her. Paine and Yuna enjoyed listing the others as a past time. Some included excessive talking (More than usual), laughing fits, changing into the berserker dressphere to release this energy store, and many more that left the list metres long.

Clouds and shades of blue whipped past as the ship tore across the sky at breakneck speed. The new island awaited, and soon it was a little smudge in the distance.

The three Gullwing girl's had stocked up on potions, phoenix downs, antidotes, echo screens, and any other status aliment healer they saw fit to carry. Soon the bags at their waists were bulging and they had to use a basic gem that Shinra always carried to reduce the size and weight. It was an old Albhed instrument that gained them more respect once it was discovered, and even as he handed it over, Shinra seemed to burst with pride.

"Okay, are we ready?" Yuna asked her friends as they double-checked their sphere grids.

"Do you really think we'll need the songstress dressphere Yuni?" Rikku asked her cousin politely as she glanced down at the grid in the gunner's hands.

"It could come in handy," Yuna pointed out as she smiled up at Paine. "And I assume your taking the warrior, berserker, dark knight…"

Paine shrugged as Yuna recited her sphere grid that indeed consisted of the stronger, more demonic dressphere. "Someone needs to get brutal in there," was her only defence.

Brother stared at them, his hands on his hips as he waited impatiently. Clearly he wanted the value from the sphere and didn't seem to realise how harmful this island could be.

"Ready?" he asked, not being able to hold back the rude tone.

Rikku shook her head wildly to clear the daze and realised how long they had taken. The ship was already only metres from the island and the very sight caused her to jump in surprise.

Yuna laughed and nodded her head decisively. "Come on girls! We have a new adventure on our hands!"