A/N: this is a collaborative story by me, megan loves gaara and Gina94Starr. we are, as you expect, amateurs with different styles of writing. for future reference i write the POV of Ray, megan loves gaara writes the POV of Alina and Gina94Starr writes the POV of Cori. OOC AU story.

Disclaimer: WE DONT OWN IT.....we only WISH we did. :]

RAY

The swing set creaked lightly under Alina's slight weight as she hummed loudly to the screaming music coming from the stereo. We were at the local park and it had to be past midnight by now; we didn't care. We were free spirits and we loved life.

But I had a secret. I'm a bio weapon. Not by choice, of course. I just am. Death - as in the Grim Reaper - hired both of my parents as his weapons so I live with my aunt.

Alina shouts out the chorus of the song and I join in, smiling slightly. We scream when the singer screams. I jump onto the table and stomp my feet with the beat of the drums and bass. She laughs as she watches me; I never was a good dancer even though I have the grace of the worlds most cherished ballerina.

Alina doesn't know of my weapon status and I truly intend to keep it that way - the longer she is ignorant of my ability, the longer she is ignorant of hers. She thinks she's a normal human even though her speed and reflexes are unbelievable. But I want her to remain out of that dangerous world.

Of course I didn't remain out of it. When Alina wasn't with me, I was training, learning how to fight in hand to hand combat. As a rule I never used my weapon abilities for fear of letting myself be known.

The song ends and I jump off the table, my boots slamming onto the ground loudly and echoing to the dark sky above us.

"Alina!" I yell at her.

She mock glares at me. "What do you want Ray? I'm busy swinging!"

"Pretend your not!"

"But I am!"

I laugh and shake my head, the longer side of my hair brushing against my shoulder. I have it cut at an angle from one side of my head to the other, with one side below my ear and the other to my shoulder, bangs slanting across my face in the same direction. I am asymmetrical and I love it. I wouldn't change it.

What I would change is the vivid tingle that shoots from the top of my head to the bottom of my feet. The hair on the back of my neck stands straight up and I can feel eyes boring into my back. I turn slowly and see bright red eyes looking directly into my own deep jade green ones.

"Alina." I call out softly.

"I told you I'm swinging!" she sings over the music pulsing around us.

I shred my black trench coat jacket that hits just above my knees. The fabric pools around my leather boot clad feet and I take a step forward. "Alina." I say with more force in my voice.

I hear the swing creak to a stop as the red eyed figure steps out of the shadows. Alina gasps and I move to stand a foot away from the dangerous stranger.

"Alina go home." I whisper harshly, knowing she can hear me. Her own boots crunch on the gravel - I cant tell which direction she moves but I pray that she is listening to me for once.

I focus on the stranger before me. He looks scary and I never get scared. His red eyes glow beneath the shade of his hood. I suppress the shudder threatening to overtake my body. Instead I channel that fear into anger. And then I transform into a half weapon state.

I didn't know it would hurt as much as it did. It felt like my shoulder blades were being ripped from my body even thought they were merely being rearranged to make room for the platinum colored steel scythe shaped wings. There would be no blood shed in the process because my body was built to handle it, was built to be transformed like this on a daily basis. And since this was the first time, the pain was all I could think of.

As the pointed ends of the wings came to rest near my hips I reach my hand out in front of me and watch as my fingers turn into blades. In a sweeping motion I swing my arm around to scratch the stranger badly on the cheek. He make a brutal noise of pain but slaps me across the face. Hard.

The new pain in my face plus the pain from my blade fingers and the newly protruding wings take my whole being in a searing embrace.

I feel myself fall to the side and hit the ground.

My last thought before I let the dark overtake me is that I'm weak.

ALINA

This obsession I had with swings is crazy. Cause when I hang with Ray at the park past midnight the only thing I do, other than jam, is swing. Though Ray doesn't mind. We have this connection ya know? So I swing and sing even though it's bad. Ray joins in every once in a while.

We started screaming when the singer screamed. Predicting the words before they were sang was our thing. Ray jumps on the table with excitement running through her veins. Her boots squeaking as she was on beat with the music. Even if she didn't dance she could jam with beats. Beat slowly fading like a bird in the sky I stop singing and Ray jumps off the table without a care. Weren't we so care free?

"Alina!" Ray yells at me.

"What do you want Ray? I'm busy swinging?" I glare at her mockingly. Not to be mean or anything but the swing symbolized my desires and fantasies. I didn't like people interrupting me.

"Pretend your not!" She orders me.

"But I am!" I start pouting at her for being so 'cruel'.

She laughed at me. Her lovely brown locks bounced with delight. I loved her to death. She was so cute even if she didn't agree. My best friend knew me too well.

"Gah!" I gasp lightly and soft. My honey brown hair had gotten into my mouth. I used to have the habit of biting on it but I quick that habit fast. I started to slow down as I tried to tie my hair in a ponytail. I hated my wavy hair but I was lazy this morning and didn't straighten it. After this I started beating my legs to get as high up as I was.

I glanced Ray's way to see her disturbed by something. I was about to ask her something when she interrupted me.

"Alina!" She calls out to me softly.

I felt like running to her side. "I told you I was swinging." I replied to see if she was pulling my leg.

Ray turned to the bushes she was standing near and said my name but more force in it, "Alina."

I jump off the swing when it was low enough for me to jump. I land with a slight tingle in my ankles. My gut wanted to puke something really didn't feel right. Reverting my souls to see what might have spooked Ray out. I looked up to see glowing souls as Ray's trench coat sung. If I wasn't freaked out I would say it was beautiful.

"Alina go home." She says hoarsely and bitterly to get me to move. My brown 'Zelda' boots hissed as I moved to the nearest bush. I dashed into it trembling with fright. The twigs stabbed me in protest of me being there. It didn't matter Ray did though.

I could tell that Ray was scared but was converting it into angry to protect me. I didn't know why, but I knew it was to protect me. Even if it was only 1%, it was there. The stranger's eyes brightened like Christmas red lights to see her trying to fight back.

My souls grew.

Ray's back had blades coming out. They seemed like butterfly wings but sharp and shiny and…. Dangerous? What was my best friend? Before I could blink the man was bleeding on his check. Ray had fingers of steel blades with crimson liquid on it. My eyes grew more with fear, if it was possible.

Her victory didn't last long. For he had the same speed to slap her to the other side of the park. He had an evil laugh going on as he walked closer and closer to her body. Mine shouted to run away. Than it shouted to run to Ray's aid.

What could I do? Drops of salt water went down my face. I felt so useless. I had to do something! If not for me than for Ray. With that said, I got out of the screaming leaved covered block and ran. "Ray!" My body ached. From what? I didn't do anything to cause this. As I ran I could feel the ache get worse and worse. My site began to blur and I tripped on a hole.

"He he. 'Ello lil puppet. Prepare for your death." Venom of a snake dripped in his voice – so deep and dry.

I knew I lost before he said a word. Tears ran down my face. "Ray…"

He smirked at me. Ray's wrist had been gripped by him and she turned into a scythe. A double sided scythe as she would put it. I was frozen. My eyes closed waiting for the blow.

It didn't come. I opened my eyes to see a young man in front of me. His black hair swayed with the mild wind I didn't notice earlier.

"You're my partner. Just grab my hand and turn me into swords." He demanded with a milk and honey voice that was deep at the right stop.

I did as he said and grab his hand. Before my eyes he transformed into two swords connected by wire and chain. What a punk – ran through my head.

"Stay focused! Defend yourself!" He ordered as he reflected on the right blade.

I put the swords into an 'x' form as the hooded man with Ray as a scythe ran at me. He slashed the air in above my head. That is until I defend with my boy and his swords. I pushed him off and ran at him with angry in my dark chocolate eyes. I lifted both swords in the air and pushed them down where his head was. He blocked my attack with the scythe.

I was pushed back – about to attack the boy transformed back into his human form. He picked me up bridal style and jumped into the largest tree he could find. A dark light came from where we were just standing to show that half the park was blown away. I was amazed by it but started to cry.

"Stop crying. We have to go to the Death Weapon Meister Academy. This is your only option to protect yourself while defeating that man. If you want to save your friend."

"I …… I ….. I do! My……My name is Alina." I said through sobs.

"I'm Lucas, but I liked to be called Luke. Now find a mirror or something and fog it up – 42-42-564 and say 'the number to call to knock on death's door. You write the numbers down."

I grab my powder mirror and put down the numbers after asking a million times what they were. "The number to call to knock on death's door."

Next thing I know we are being pulled by some supernatural void into to some room filled with clouds.