Chapter 3

Without thinking I charged the sinspawn with anger in my eyes, and the only thing compelling me forward was my need for survival. I had to get home to Besaid, that was my only concern, nothing else mattered. I brought back my claws ready to strike, but before I could the beast swung its massive tail and the blow connected with my chest. I felt the pain as I landed hard on the metal floor of the ship and skipped across it, until the rail stopped me.

I forced myself to my feet and watched as both Tidus and Rikku fought the beast, barely dodging its attacks. I charged forward again, but this time stopped beside Tidus just as he leapt backwards to dodge another attack.

"You're not doing half bad, for a newbie," I teased.

"How do you know I'm a newbie," asked Tidus, "I could be an expert at fighting."

I smiled at him, "The way you move, an experience fighter's movements are precise and graceful. Not that your bad for a newbie."

Before we could continue another screech came and we both looked up at the sinspawn. A pair of large red eyes shot open and stared down at us. Four more pair of wings sprung from its back, and two pair of massive arms tore from its body. Spikes stabbed through its tail and two large legs tore from its body as well. It landed on the ship and roared loudly.

"…That's a bunch of bull," was the only thing that I could say."

"Rikku," exclaimed Tidus, "how much longer now?"

"Five more minutes," she answered. "We're halfway there!"

"I don't think we can last another five minutes," said Tidus as he gazed upon the beast once again."

I turned to face the beast once again. If we didn't fight this thing off then that meant we were dead. I had to get home. At any cost. I slowly closed my eyes and sighed. I had to do it. No matter what dad always said about it. It was my last chance. I would do anything if it meant it would get me home.

My body began to shake violently as my power began to rise. The familiar image of my body morphing came to mind. My long black braids becoming snow white, my dark skin becoming darker in contrast with my hair. My golden eyes becoming darker with hints of red forming in the color. My claws ripping through my fingers and my muscles expanding slightly. I could feel the effects of the Overdrive coming. I only had thirty seconds at most until my body couldn't take it anymore.

I sprinted forward faster than ever towards the monster. Rage burning in my eyes and my claws craving for the sensations of tearing flesh. My claws cleaved the sinspawn in half and its remains squirmed on the deck of the ship. I picked up both halves of the agonizing beast with one arm each, and yelled loudly as I launched them out into the ocean as far as I could.

My mind became foggy and clouded as I could feel the Overdrive wearing off, I had pushed my body to its limit once again, and I was paying for it. I fell back and landed hard on the ship's deck. I could see the silhouette of Riku and Tidus hovering over me, and I could feel the ship finally beginning to move away from the area. Then there was nothing, but darkness, as I lost consciousness.

When I reopened my eyes I was alone on the ship's deck and the ship had stopped moving. I held my head and groaned as pain enveloped me. My consequence for using the Overdrive.

"Cu ouin vehymmo yfyga. Kuut fa fana pakehhehk du drehg oui fana tayt."

I looked up to see a boy a little older than me staring down at me, I recognized his voice. He was the person Rikku was talking to behind the door. "Where's Tidus and Rikku?" I didn't feel like speaking Al Bhed at the moment. Too much of a pain.

He must've understood some English because he then pointed to the ocean and moved his arms like he was swimming. I nodded my head and he reentered the ship without saying another word. I rose to my feet and began to stretch my limbs. I had to hastily grabbed a nearby rail to stop myself from collapsing, my body was still recovering. I smiled and stared out into the waters.

"Dad would be pissed if he found out I used Overdrive so carelessly like that." The image of the big beastly man filled my mind and my smile grew. He will definitely be happy to see me return, after all, I haven't been home in over two years. They were probably worried sick about me. I reached inside my pocket and pulled out a necklace with the fang of a sinspawn dangling as a pendent. Dad had gotten it for me when I was very young, and when he first took me in as his own. I never knew my mother or father.

"…Kimahri…"

Before I could do anymore thinking I heard two loud splashes come from behind me, and I quickly pocketed my necklace.

"Shi'ari," exclaimed Tidus as he sprinted forward towards me with a wide smile. "Glad your ok, they thought you weren't gonna make it."

I smiled and nodded my head. "Thanks for the concern." I then looked at Rikku as she stood away from us ringing out her clothes. "Where did you two go?"

She then shot me a smile and winked. "To take care of business."

"You should have been there, man. It was humongous and fantastic. Then this huge monster, er I think I mean Fiend, right?" I nodded my head in approval and Tidus went on. "This huge Fiend came and attacked us." He then gave me a thumbs up. "But we took it out with no problem."

"Shi'ari," said Rikku as she finally joined us and she took my hand and began to pull me to the side. "I want to talk to you alone, ok?"

"As if I have a choice." We walked around the corner of the ship out of sight and she leaned against the wall and folded her arms across her chest. "Ok, now talk."

"About what," I asked her.

"Don't play dumb with me, what the hell was that back there with the sinspawn. Your hair went all white, and you grew this claws." She then pointed to my waste. "And that twitched."

I looked down at the furry object that she was pointing at. It was wrapped tightly around my waste. "Its called an Overdrive, an adrenaline rush. I'm sure you've heard of it before, so don't act so puzzled by it."

"You may be able to fool Tidus but you can't fool me. I know that thing around your waste is a tail, and I know what I saw. I know what you are. You're a half-breed aren't you."

I slammed my fist into the wall next to her head and managed to cave it in. Anger flooded my body and my breathing elevated. "Don't ever call me that!"

She looked into my eyes and I looked into hers. She wasn't afraid, she wasn't even startled. She slowly reach up and touched the side of my face. She slowly inched it upwards until she was at my forehead. She removed a couple of my braids and dragged her thumb across it. "And this scar, Shi'ari. I have a feeling where you got that from. You're a hornless, aren't you?"

"Can we please just drop it, I seriously don't want to talk about it." I pulled away from her touch and turned my back to her.

I felt her hand on my shoulder and she gave it a reassuring squeeze. "Of course, but I can relate to you, Shi'ari. I know how it feels to be hated. I am an Al Bhed afterall. Come on, lets get back to Tidus before he starts getting ideas." We both turned the corner once again and found Tidus talking to the boy who was talking to me earlier.

"Food," said Tidus, "Can I please have some food?"

"Ced tufh, yht crid ib.," said the boy with hints of anger.

Tidus glanced back at me and waved for me to come closer. "Hey, do you know what he's saying? I can't understand a thing he's saying."

"He said to sit down and shut up," I answered.

"Brother," exclaimed Rikku. "Yd maycd dno du pa hela du dras. Drao tet ramb ic."

Brother then looked at us both and pulled Rikku to the side. They stood there conversing amongst themselves for a few minutes and she would occasionally glance up and look at me, and then returned to her brother with a smile on her face. By the end of the conversation Brother looked at me finally and shot me a vicious look.

"The hell you looking at," I said sharply.

"Bahh," he said annoyed as he walked away back into the ship.

Rikku joined us once again and smiled. "We're giving you your ride to Besaid."

"That's great," exclaimed Tidus. "Let's go."

Tidus began walking forward but was stopped by Rikku before he could go far. "Look about that, thanks for helping us out and all, but Brother is still the captain of this ship, he calls the shots. I managed to convince him to stay true to his word, but you guys will be staying up here until we get to Besaid."

I walked away from them both and say back on the floor and leaned against the rail. "Why am I not surprised?"

Tidus and I both sat on the deck of the ship as it dragged across the ocean lazily. The dark sky was becoming colder, and a sense of anxiety seized control over me. There was something wrong. Something wasn't right. Things were just too quiet, for the first time in the past few hours.

"Hey Shi'ari I got another question."

I rolled my eyes. "What a surprise. What is it this time?"

"What was that back there? When your hair changed color, and you cut that thing in half that was amazing."

"It's called an Overdrive. Think of it like an adrenaline rush on Speed."

"So if I get one, will I be able to do all that? I mean that'd be pretty cool."

"Depends on how strong you are, and you just don't get one. You have to use it, but be careful. Its dangerous, it exhausts your body, so you can't just use it all the time. And another thing is-"

Before I could finish my sentence the ship was once again rammed by something large and Tidus and I both rolled forward as the ship leaned to one side. Tidus flew over the rail, but I managed to grab him hand before he plummeted into the waters. I held on tightly to the rail for our lives as my heart raced wildly.

"Shi'ari," exclaimed Tidus, "Is it another sinspawn?"

I glanced down into the waters and my eyes widened as I saw the attacker. For the first time that whole night, fear had truly seized my body. "SIN!"

I could feel my hand slowly losing its grip on the rail as the violent waters surged and crashed against the ship. I had to find some way to get back on the ship, but with my body still recovering from the Overdrive, there was nothing I could do. I looked down at Tidus. "Brace yourself, and don't let go! If we get separated then we're both doomed!"

Tidus nodded his head and that was when I lost my grip on the rail. We both plummeted into the water, with the massive waves from Sin beating against our bodies. Something was happening, as I could the water begin to spin in a clockwise motion. I lost my grip on Tidus as well as I could feel myself becoming weaker and as the familiar fog of exhaustion blur my mind. The last thing I remember seeing was Tidus hastily swimming towards me with his arm reached out. What was he doing? This was his time to escape, why didn't he try to get away? I didn't have any more time to think about it. I blacked out.