"She's waking up! She waking up!" A voice called from the darkness. My eyes were closed behind my eyelids. It felt safer than opening them. I stirred.

"Oh? She's finally awaken?" A comical, bouncy voice came out.

I'm not dead?

I slowly opened my eyes. I blinked a few times before everything became clear. My blindfold was gone. I was in an office.

A nurse's office?

Huh?

I sat up, but winced in pain. My back felt like needles stabbed it over and over. A hand grabbed my shoulder and put me back down on the bed.

"Easy… easy…" A boy voice. He sounded like he was fifteen. I turned my head. A boy with soft golden eyes looked into mine. He wore a suit with a white undershirt and a skull tie. He had black hair, with three white lines coming out halfway from the left side of his head. I gawked.

"Where am I?" I was about to ask, but suddenly my throat wouldn't work. I place a hand on it. It was dry. My first reaction was to grab the boy's collar and demand him where I was, but I was immobilized.

"You have pretty eyes." The boy said, in a daze. "Too bad they're not symmetrical…"

I felt my face go red.

"Yes…" the bouncy voice came back. "It's rare to have miscolored eyes." Huh? Both my eyes were purple. I turned my head farther. A table sat behind the boy. On it was a mirror, water in a plastic cup, and other tools. I reached at the mirror. My hand couldn't pick it up, no matter how hard I tried. It weighed a ton.

"You want to see your reflection? Okay…" the boy turned and picked up the mirror with my hand still around it. His palm felt warm against my cold skin. He put it in front of my face. I gawked at what I saw.

Usually I was dirtied and bloodied, but my face had been scrubbed clean. My hair was down, out of the ponytail. Another thing… My left eye was purple, as it always was, but my right eye was…

Blue?

My eyes were always one color…

Right?

Memories of the katana flying into my right eye made me suspicious. I shook the thought away.

"Do you remember who you are?" The bouncy voice asked. I looked around for the voice. I saw it near the doorway. Again my eyes widened.

The bouncy voice belonged to a very tall man wearing a long, spiky coat (I hoped it was a coat) that covered his body. He wore a comical skull mask. He had large, white gloved, foamed fingers for hands.

I let go of the mirror, the boy setting it down on my lap, and looked at my hands. They too were clean. Memories of that night flooded back into my head. I looked at the ceiling.

Aki…

I cleared my throat, and spoke slowly. The two men perked up and listened very intently.

I swallowed. "I'm…" I thought aloud. "Himari…" I didn't want to be called "Mari" anymore. My full name would be fine.

"Do you have a last name?" The lined-headed boy asked. I shook my head. No one needs to know…

"I think fate brought you here." The masked man said. I looked at him and cocked my head. "Do you know what you are?"

I gave him a confused look. What was he talking about? Rude…

"She probably doesn't know anything about it, Father. Himari must've led a 'normal' life before." The kid said. Father? They're… related? I choked back giggles.

Well, from what I've been through, how does this not surprise me?

"Normal?" The father said. "How is her life normal when she came up the stairs in a dirty kimono with no shoes, broken handcuffs on her wrists, and a blindfold on? Plus, she was bleeding really bad."

"You're right… and by the lines on her mouth she must've been gagged as well. Maybe she was kidnapped?" The boy reached and touched my face. I flinched, and despite the pain, I crept to the corner of the bed.

"What do you mean… what am I?" I said quietly.

"No need to be scared. We won't hurt you." The tall one chirruped.

"Hmm, by the sounds of it you must really not know. You're a meister. A strong one at that." The boy said calmly.

"Meister…?" I said the word slowly on my tongue. "As in the old stories of meisters and weapons?" The old child story of a weapon, someone who can transform themselves into any sort of weapon, and a meister, a person who controls these beings, and are partners with them. It is also hinted the best meisters can see people's soul, and what type of person they are.

"Indeed, only it's not a story, it's real. And you're one of the strongest meisters I've ever seen." The masked man said happily.

I closed my eyes. I know I asked for a new beginning and all, but this is like a crazy dream.

"Wake up, Himari. You're probably hallucinating from the car crash… wake up… wake me up…" I sat up onto my knees, despite the ever-going pain. I covered my face with my hands.

"Car crash?" the boy said. His eyes widened. "So you're the girl that child kept calling for in the car crash…" he said, shocked.

I tried to act confused. "Huh?"

The man piped in. "A car crash happened right about the time we found you. A mother was found dead from the crash, and she was drugged with meth. The child had also been drugged with a sleeping syndrome. The child looked like it flew from out of the car, because she was in the middle of the road, asleep, not a scratch on her. As if someone moved her before the impact.

The mother was alive when help arrived, but she only repeated a few words. 'Is she okay?' She died shortly after. We figured she was talking about the child."

The witch died, eh? Good for you, you finally get to burn. I thought.

"When the child awoke she started to ask where her older sister was, over and over. She hadn't stopped crying about it until she fell back asleep. They don't know who she is or who the older sister is. Kid and I figures the older sister saved the younger girl before they crashed and then fled."

"Oh…" I said softly. Thank God… Aki's safe. "Are you accusing me of being the person who fled?"

"No." The man replied.

"I guess we haven't introduced us to you, yet, Himari." The boy said. He stood and bowed. "I'm Death the Kid, Kid for short." He smiled at me. I blushed at his formality.

"I'm Shinigami!" The man said happily, like a child. "I'm the headmaster at this school, DWMA. Death Weapon Meister Academy. I hope you will join this school, Himari?"

"Uh…" I was all I could reply. Join a school? Did he just invite me to a school?

"Well, you don't have to live the life of a meister…" Shinigami said sadly.

"I didn't say I didn't want to be a meister, Shinigami!" I said, putting fake joy in my voice. This is good, I thought. This new beginning is turning in my favor…

"Good, good! First thing, would you like to change your name? All weapons and meisters are given the choice."

"Hmm…" I thought about it. I loved my name, Himari. Aki said angels would fly whenever that name was said, it was so lovely. Whenever she said that, I cried with joy. Even though she was seven, she still was a wise sweetheart. Another name popped into my head. It reminded me of madness, which is an emotion that takes over people's hearts. I also loved that name. I dunno why.

"Alice." I said. "I'm Alice." I smirked.

"No last name?" Kid asked.

"I don't remember my previous last name, so no." I flat out lied into their faces. If they found out my name, Amuza, I'll die. Amuza is the name for the family of famous sword fighters. We don't teach the practice anymore, but the legend still holds true. My father came from that line, but his generation hid from the rumors. He dishonored us.

"Alright, Alice, come with me, if you're up to it." Shinigami said. I slowly swung my legs over the bunk, and stood up. I still had no shoes on. My legs were sore from walking so far. My back still burned. I winced.

"How long was I out?" I asked as I struggled my way toward Shinigami.

"About eight hours, absolutely symmetrical!" Kid said happily, and slapped me on the back, playfully. My back gave me more pain than I ever felt in a long time. The air was whooshed out of me. I dropped to my knees.

"Hey… you alright?" Shinigami bent over me. He looked menacing, besides the mask.

I shook my head. I felt like curling up and dying, the way my back burned. Why? I remembered why. I turned my back for Aki, and I landed on the asphalt.

"Let me take a look at it." Kid helped me up and back onto the bed. "Take off the top-half of your kimono."

"What?" I yelled. Sure, I was wearing a bra, but I wasn't gonna let some guy I just met look at me half naked.

Kid laughed. "I won't look, I just want to check your back."

I sighed. I flipped my hair away, and untied the ribbon that held my kimono together. I slipped the sleeves down to my elbows. I felt cold. I crossed my arms around my chest.

"So… so… so…" Kid stuttered. "So unsymmetrical!" He yelled. He covered his eyes. I glared at him.

"I'm so sorry I'm ugly, you damn brat." I began to pull my sleeves back up when suddenly Kid's hand landed on my shoulder. I winced in pain.

"You can't see it, but you've got scratches all over you. Burns, bruises, and cuts, too." Damn! I forgot about the marks my father made all my life. I had a scar on my thigh from when he cut me very deeply once. Thankfully they couldn't see it.

"So?" I asked. Suddenly Kid's hand dropped from my shoulder down onto the middle of my back. His warm hand suddenly pressed harder onto my skin. It suddenly felt like he was pouring warm liquids into my body. My body became very, very sore. Then…

Nothing.

I touched my thigh. I blinked. I felt no large scar. It felt like I tripped and cut myself there. My back felt like it was being washed with warm water. My eyelids became dull. I sat there, enjoying the warmth Kid's hand magically gave off.

I tried with all my might not to fall asleep. I slumped forward.

He lifted his hand away. I felt sad without that healing sensation. I turned to see that Kid's eyes were closed. He was panting.

"Alice…" Kid began. "That was Soul Sensation. A spell meisters can use to heal the wounds of others. When they do, they sense the wounds on their body to heal. Alice, there was wounds all over your body." He opened his eyes. They were filled with concern. "Is there something you're not telling us?"

I looked at him. Then at Shinigami. The at my hands. Then back at Kid.

"I don't know what you're talking about." I said coolly. "Please… don't talk about it! Please… Kid…" I pleaded with my eyes.

"I believe you know exactly what I'm talking about." Kid said.

I pulled my kimono up and tied it back together with the ribbon. I closed my eyes.

"I don't. Now stop talking about it." I said. "The rabbit said to me once, that curiosity slaughtered the cat." I whispered coldly. I opened my eyes and turned. I looked into Kid's. I couldn't tell what he was thinking through those golden eyes of his.

"Very well." Kid said slowly. "Let's go find a suitable weapon for you."

We were in the 'picking room' as Shinigami put it. There were several weapons on multiple rows of tables. There were over 5 rows. I felt as light as a feather. No pain came from moving, something that I never received the comfort of at home.

"Pick a few, then we'll go outside and try it out." Kid said. He was different from the nurse's office. He was more relaxed. Good… we don't need him asking questions.

"How about this?" Shingami picked up a shiny pistol.

I shrugged.

"This?" Kid picked up a long rod. It was pretty. I shrugged.

I turned my head to look at the long black scythe. It was a long-handled scythe. People said it was heavy, but I picked it up and spun it around with ease. It felt familiar…

"How about… this?" Shinigami picked up a long bow with an arrow in either hand. I shrugged.

Kid came up with a chain sickles. It's an assassin's double-edged knife connected by a chain. It looked complicated. I shrugged. I was still carrying the black scythe. Something glimmered in the corner of my eye. I turned.

A sheath.

I laid the scythe down and picked up the sheath.

"That's a ninja assassin's weapon, a katana." Kid said matter-of-factly.

"I know." I said, without realizing what I said before Kid chuckled.

I took the blade out of it's shield. It felt odd in my hand. Odd… I thought. Our family held the katana like this and swung it with ease, but this just feels weird. I flipped it to where I held it upside-down. I swung it like it was a toy. I turned my wrist, and the blade skimmed across Kid's pants, ripping it.

I laughed. Kid started freaking out how it wasn't symmetrical and demanded I fixed it. I turned my entire body and stretched my arm out. It dug into his other pant leg, making it symmetrical.

"You seemed skilled with it." Shinigami stated. He was behind me now. "Yoink!" He took the blade before I broke anything else. "Let's try out these weapons, then."

We were outside, the plaza of the school. Each of us had two weapons for me to try out. I had my scythe and katana. Kid had the chain knife and rod. Shinigami had the pistol and bow.

I practiced the chain sickles first. I easily threw it, and it wrapped around Kid's wrist. I pulled, and he came flying in. I turned the chain to where I held the sickles, and Kid was on the floor, all tied up. I held the sickle to his neck.

I smirked at his distraught face.

I took aim with the bow and arrows next. I fired it. My aim was Shinigami's large hand. I missed by a mile.

Next I tried the pistol. I held it sideways, and I got the aim pretty close, but I didn't like it very much.

Next was the rod. Kid used his own fighting techniques. I used my own self-defense moves, since that's what the rod was used for mostly.

"Where did you learn these moves?" I said quickly, dodging his fists and kicks.

Up, down, up, left, left, spin, under, quick, at my foot!, turn, right, right. Done.

We stood there panting. I twirled the rod like a baton. "Haha, beat, huh Kid?" Suddenly I was on the floor. The rod hit me in the head.

Kid laughed.

Next was the scythe. I loved using it. It was like it was an extended part of my arm. I didn't tell them though.

Slash, up, down, slash, turn, jump…

We were both panting hard from the fight.

Lastly was the katana. I held it upside-down. Slash, down, down…

Suddenly I did something I never thought I'd ever do.

I jumped backwards, giving a gap between me and Kid. Kid lashed forward. I landed on my feet, my back towards the running Kid. I placed my right foot out, and twisted my back and hips to give me an opening to the side. Kid ran straight into the butt of my sword.

"Oof!" Kid landed on his back. The air was swept out of him. But I didn't stop. I turned my left foot around the right to where I was directly above Kid. I placed my sword down on his chest.

"You seem skilled with it." Shinigami said aloud. He was standing to the side, watching. My eyes widened, and I dropped the sword. Kid caught it.

We were sitting Shinigami's office, drinking herbal tea. We came down to two weapons, the katana and the scythe.

Shinigami said katana, Kid said scythe. I got tired of their bickering, I liked either one, and closed my eyes. I grabbed a tea leaf and put it behind my back. I put it in my right.

I opened my eyes to see a confused Shinigami and Kid.

"Pick a hand. If you get the leaf, scythe, if you get none, katana." The two of them whispered and Kid pointed. I held out my hand.

No leaf.

"Congratulations, Alice, the newest katana meister of DWMA!" Shinigami smiled.

"Eh?"

Next Chapter!

"So... this is home?" I asked Kid.

"There's some people I want you to meet."

"Who?"