Chapter 2: The Thirteenth Arcana pt.1

The double paned doors, reinforced by gray metal bars opened at the key-card she swiped through the electronic box. "Hello, Miss Rukia," greeted the usually stoic giant of a man seated behind the lobby's desk. She responded to this with one of her own, "pleasant morning, Mr. Sado." His brown mouth quirked slightly in amusement; as if three thirty am spoke of morning!

Rukia walked across the large room to the tiny alcove where the elevator doors parted smoothly open at the push of a round red button. She stepped inside, her thoughts muddled as she turned over the events of the last four days; her first unofficial hunt being of the witch Sayu Kudo and then meeting her new colleagues for the first time. Kurosaki…

The orange-haired man hadn't sent her nary a glance even when she and the others had joined him outside where a Suv and a fleet of men wearing peculiar rubber suits waited. She'd watched them work diligently and efficiently as they had secured Sayu from her icy prison and loaded her up, chained and bound by the corresponding Mercury seals. Kurosaki hadn't spoken one word to any of them during then and it was only when Rangiku had approached him with a worried expression and a question on her lips that he'd become human seeming again.

His cold brown eyes surveyed her and narrowed somewhat, "the one to replace Senna, I presume?" Rangiku was taken aback by the frigidity of his words. Momo who leaned against her car, a white Nissan the only one of theirs to be colored differently than the standard black or gray jumped to Rukia's defense, "sheesh, Ichigo! The girl saved our lives and all you can do is—" Renji tapped her lightly on the shoulder, hushing her up.

"But it's true isn't it?" Momo persisted, her eyes widening. A tiny cut went straight through her dark brown eyebrow, which she raised incredulously at Kurosaki's unmoving stance. "Craft user or not, she's a part of our team now! Even if you don't like it!" He flinched as though awaiting a blow, which would never come. The witch hunters waited, Momo fuming, pushed away Renji's stalling hand and went to Rukia's side.

Her gentle hazel met timid violet and she smiled reassuringly. Finally after what seemed like hours, Kurosaki raised his bowed head to meet Rukia's dead on. His expression somber, betraying nothing, "fine." He said simply, "but do not use your powers in my presence again."

~~~*~~~

If she wasn't to make use of her craft then how was she supposed to be of any help to them? She chewed her thumb nervously; the chief had let her have the four days off as a sort of getting to know their system type of thing. The way they hunted was a lot different than how HQ handled most cases.

For instance the instructors at HQ had drilled the basic coda of their laws into the respective minds of the students deemed worthy of becoming Witch hunters. Which happened to be one rule and one rule only.

All whom defile the human race as a whole aren't fit to exist and must be eradicated lest their corruption taint the pure.

Kaien-dono had simplified it for his class, "it means in plain English…that all witches must die." He'd shrugged and smiled sadly at his students, his gaze had lingered longer on Rukia, perhaps thinking of her abnormality. Her craft, her unwanted power…She balled up her fists now, how dare Kurosaki make judgment on her when he must be almost the same. His was just dormant.

Her head shot up when the reflective black of the elevator doors opened at the sixth floor. Cold brown eyes met hers for a moment then he swept in past her and she stepped out. Where was he going? She turned back and caught his frigid stare before the elevator closed and began its descent down.

"Hey Rukia," Momo greeted upon catching sight of her entering the main office. Untidy stacks of paperwork were piled on every available space, chief Hitsugaya's shock of unusually white hair was just visible behind one of these and his annoyed words reached Rukia's ears. "Late night…and do you think he even waits up for anybody else to arrive? Oh no just waltzes out the door say—"

" 'Shiro," Momo said warningly. She paused in shrugging on her hip length lamb leather blazer. Hitsugaya straightened up, a couple of bulging ledgers in his arms, "I told you not to…oh good morning, Rukia." His lack of enthusiasm and obvious round circles of dark beneath his turquoise green eyes betrayed the late night he'd just been speaking of. Rukia glanced around the office; besides Momo and Hitsugaya and the visible untidy mop of Hanataro at his usual computer station, nobody else had come in either.

"Well I'm on my way out…um Rukia are you coming with me?" Momo had her keys dangling from her hand and the other threaded through the strap of a macramé purse.

"Where?"

Surprise lit up the lighter golden flecks in the older girl's eyes, "he didn't tell you?" Hitsugaya who hadn't moved away with his ledgers snorted derisively, "and there he goes alienating another partner…just why we have to cover up for him I've no idea." He went off to his desk, sighing dramatically leaving Momo clutching her forehead and affecting an expression of sympathy but when he was out of earshot, she burst out giggling.

"He complains and snarls…but I know he doesn't mind it. You know, cleaning up our messes," she explained while Rukia looked blank. Comprehension dawned slowly on the new hunter and she nodded slightly, "I see. So where are we going again?"

~~~*~~~

"To Matsuyama hotel up in the mountains. Early last night there was an incident reported and the body of a missing woman appeared…well just her head anyway in one of the tourist suites." Momo glanced over at her passenger, an apologetic smile lifting her mouth, "Kurosaki headed over there directly as soon as we got the call from the police. 'Shiro tried to make him wait for at least you and Matsumoto but he refused. So typical of him," she gave a sigh and then brightened, "have you met Grimmjow yet?"

Rukia propped her arm on the window and unsuccessfully tried to stifle a yawn, "who's Grimmjow? Another member of the team?"

"Not really. He's more of a Yakuza poser that talks tough but is actually really nice. He works with the Tokyo police department and assists us in gathering info. Like now I'm sure Kurosaki called him down to help…cooperative police presence is a must in situations out of bounds for us. Though did I mention he loathes our de facto leader?" she whispered the last part and giggled a little at the end.

That seemed to be a running joke among the hunters; as Rukia soon found, there were a lot of people who despised Ichigo Kurosaki. The white car continued its steep descent up the mountainous road as the sun began peeking out with its rosy mantle; they passed a road sign declaring Matsuyama hotel only a quarter of a mile away.

Full dawn broke when Momo guided the car to a stop in the neat gravel parking lot of the turn of the century hotel. Plastered white and in the style of a yamashiro of ancient Japan with many sprawling wings and visible around toward the back, lush gardens with atypical red Torii gate nearing the foot of the higher cliff. Momo whistled low, "nice. I bet it costs the earth to stay the night here."

A black BMW parked a few spaces away; indicated Kurosaki's ever so prompt presence. Momo got off the car and nodded that Rukia should do the same. "He's going to have a conniption that Renji and Rangiku aren't here." Rukia closed the door from her side and nervously ran a few fingers through her black hair, seeing Momo's bag she instantly recalled setting hers on the kitchen counter back at the apartment.

"Hmm? Something wrong?" Momo had already started walking across the parking lot; she half turned questioningly when Rukia didn't follow. "My purse. I just remembered I'd left it at home." Momo cocked her head, "oh. That's okay, I'm sure we won't stay here long anyway. By the way has Inoue returned from her trip yet?"

They started talking of banal things; her roommate that she had yet to meet, the cases that had begun piling up ever since Senna's death…a costumed porter greeted them cordially at the entrance and conducted them inside to the pleasant blue color schemed lounge where they found Kurosaki silently fuming over a stack of crime scene photos and hovering over his shoulder, annoying him obviously, was a taller broad-chested man whom Momo introduced as Grimmjow Jeagerjaques.

The blue-haired man grinned widely and enveloped Rukia's hand in his own meaty fist. His T-shirt, black, strained tightly over his bulging muscles. "Nice to finally meet, sour face here's partner, Senorita Rukia," he boomed loudly much to her chagrin and lightly swept her hand up to his lips. Kurosaki's facial muscles tightened and in a carefully controlled voice he said quietly, "we are supposed to be working here, Hinamori, Kuchiki."

"Okay boss," Momo muttered; she flashed an impish wink at Rukia and then bent over gathering half of the stack of photos including one from his hand. His brown eyes narrowed as she took a seat in the opposite armchair; "you won't find anything of interest there. I've already gone through them twice."

Momo shuffled the snapshots; Rukia stepped away from Grimmjow and lifted the topmost one, a view of a dark stain on a purple comforter. "Any theories?" she asked, flipping it over, Murasaki room read the tiny back scrawl.

"Huh?"

"About if our culprit is a witch?"

Kurosaki scratched his stubbly cheek, "good one. Of course now we were operating on that assumption. But take a look at this," he held up a see-through plastic bag the kind which police used to gather evidence. Momo being closer took it from him; "a Tarot card?" was her disbelieving reply.

"From the Major Arcana, the third in fact. The Empress." Kurosaki said knowledgably. Rukia studied the card in minute detail; it depicted a woman in flowing robes and a crown of stars on her flowing golden hair. In one hand she held a staff of high office, at her bare feet a heart with the symbol of Venus reposed. "Where was this?" Rukia asked; a shadow crossed Kurosaki's face.

"In the mouth of the dead woman."

~~~*~~~

"Tomoe Suzuki, age 27. Wife of Hidetada Suzuki, Executive of Subaru group…blah blah-blah hmm, it says here he fired his Secretary of three years, Yoko Sumeragi for eavesdropping on important Company meetings," Momo read off a file comprised by Hanataro and faxed to the Hotel's computer. A cool breeze gusted orange leaves in a dance beneath the large Maples; Rukia stared boredly ahead.

Her mind kept going back over Kurosaki's words, "in the mouth of the dead woman. The maid found it this morning when preparing for overnight guests to arrive. Her screams brought attention and then someone called the police who in turn called us in via Grimmjow."

The head hadn't been in a very decomposed state neither had the card shown any particular stains above that of green rot on the edges. A dead vine combined with rose thorns had formed a mock crown that upon later contemplation Rukia thought it to imitate the crown of the Empress.

"Mother. Fertility," intoned Momo solemnly. She tapped the bottom of the papers together, her lips pursed. "Why though…? Why a Tarot card? I mean there's other ways of getting their point across," she puzzled. She turned to Rukia, "what do you think?"

"What? Oh…well," Rukia hesitated, seeing the bright burning look in the brunette's eyes. "It's symbolic of something. Perhaps Tomoe was pregnant. We won't know until the rest of her body is found." Momo glanced down, the strange look gone from her eyes; "you probably think I'm weird, right? Getting so worked up over—"

A car honked; Momo cut off and instead said excitedly, "It's Rangiku and Renji!" Sure enough the familiar gray Sedan rolled to a stop beside them. The window slid down and Renji stuck his head out, "Hiya, girls." From the seat next to him, obviously they'd worked out their problems came Rangiku's smooth voice, "good morning, Hinamori, Kuchiki."

Momo smiled, "it's okay…Kurosaki's inside." A throaty chuckle burst forth and then the car door opened and Rangiku stepped out, her pink pantsuit slightly rumpled from the hours drive, her honey blond hair teased to perfection clung to her shoulders. Renji wore as usual, torn at the knees washed out denim jeans, a v-necked white shirt and black windbreaker that successfully hid his customary revolver.

"So fill us in, Momo. What are we dealing with?" Rangiku asked as the now four hunters made their way inside. Momo handed over the compiled info and began explaining in as few words as possible their presence and as they neared the lounge basically commandeered by their leader…the suspected reasons for Kurosaki's current foul mood.

"Geez when you said foul, you weren't kidding!" Rangiku peered in from the open door at his bowed back and black glare focused on the rug before him. Grimmjow had left an hour earlier, promising a permit to examine the head, which was in police custody. Rather than express his relief at having one annoying obstacle removed from his sight it had only seemed to plunge him into a blacker mood.

"Hey, Ichigo," Rangiku risked calling to him softly. Her heels she willed not to click so loudly as she approached him, "me and Renji just got here so what do you want us to do?" He turned his head at the sound of Momo closing the creaking door so as to afford everyone privacy. "Sorry," she mouthed repentantly.

His eyes seemed to harden as they passed over Rukia standing inconspicuously by the window. His forehead furrowed and he straightened up in his seat, "if you will, Matsumoto. Go up to the crime scene and see if you can pick up anything. Abarai go with her. You," he glanced toward Rukia again, " and Hinamori search around the Gardens for anything at all suspicious. I will stay here in case Jeagerjaques comes back. Though he said it might not be until evening when the permit is granted."

No one had questioned his orders though a frown had crossed Rangiku's face at her particular set. "See if I pick up anything? Kurosaki, if you may recall I am a clairvoyant. Not an Empath like Senna." He stiffened at the mention of his dead partner's name. "I'll thank you for reminding me of that fact, Rangiku," he said, meeting her gaze with an eerie half smile, "but then what do you propose?"

Silence descended as he waited for any of them to come up with something better. Momo studied her frosty red nails, not fond of conflict. Renji wouldn't go up against him any day rookie that he was. Rangiku knew him right but just didn't want to admit defeat and the other…Rukia. Her expression bland and unmoved, her personality was the most mysterious seeing as she rarely spoke. He had yet to determine her true attitude and motives.

"Fine. I'll go see what I can pick up," Rangiku finally said, her head lowered as she left the room, Renji silent at her heels. Momo perked up, "and I'll take Rukia with me to scout around outside. If we find anything we'll call you." She linked arms with the reluctant girl and dragged her away.

~~~*~~~

"I still don't understand what he wanted us to look for," Rangiku grumbled. The pink stilettos clicked on the sturdy worn boards of the Sunoko running along the outside of the block 4A of the suites. A key hanging from a wood block hung from her loosely curled fingers. Renji sighed, running a hand through his fire engine red hair he said, "you know how he gets. We've seen it before, this…despot tyrant like mindset. Though he's usually right about things…"

Rangiku stopped before a solid paper frame door, a circular lock was set chest high. She inserted the key and twisted till she heard a satisfying click, "I know that it's just his way. But the looks he gives little Rukia," she shivered; "I'm not sure most of the time whether he wants to kill her or…eat her."

Renji gave a short bark of laughter, "with him probably the former."

"Yeah," his busty blond partner sighed. She slid the door back with a snap and stepped in, her hand immediately reaching for the wall switch. Light flooded the rectangular room. The walls were of a soft violet color that reminded them both of the previously mentioned girl's eyes. A bed of western styling faced the north; yellow crime scene tape was stretched around a small darkish stain on the purple coverlet. Rangiku approached this cautiously while Renji hung back poking through the drawers of the dresser against the wall.

"Hmm a Christian Bible, some spare sheets a complimentary lilac sachet…nothing personal," he muttered sounding disappointed. "Well of course there wouldn't be anything personal in here." Rangiku said, bending low near the bedside, "remember the guests were to arrive today so the maid was freshening up the room." Her eyes traced the outline and creases extending away from the stain. It really wasn't blood; it was too dark for that. Decomposition fluids most likely from the condition of the victim's head, she grimaced but touched the tip of her gloved finger to the outermost spread.

Images flashed through her mind; blurred shapes running. A girl screaming, red…the red of a gate…a Torii gate! And the girl…her face swam into focus. It was Rukia!

Rangiku jerked back suddenly, her heart thudded loudly. Renji knelt down concernedly beside her, "see anything?" She unconsciously passed her hand over her eyes, "yeah. We need to—" A scream echoed from faraway. Panic flitted across Rangiku's face, "Rukia!" Renji jumped up to his feet, "are you sure?" His blond partner trembled, "yes we have to hurry!"

~~~*~~~

Rukia placed one foot on the stone steps carved into the cliff; her gaze traveled upward to the second much larger Torii gate at the entrance to the shrine. Momo was bending over muttering to herself in the Camellias; soon she emerged and looked too up at the distant holy place. "Well we looked everywhere here and found nothing. I'm starved by the way…that damn tea and green tea cakes served to us here didn't fill me up for nothing," she grumbled. Rukia said nothing, her violet eyes were distant and her mind elsewhere.

Momo wiped the sweat trickling from her forehead away, "we may as well go on up. Otherwise he'll tell us to do it later." Rukia lifted her eyes up again counting the steps mentally, "that's a long way…sure you're fine?" Momo glanced down sheepishly at her tall black riding boots, "my only concession to style and they have to be my down fall," she grinned, "don't worry, dear. I'll make it."

Rukia grasped the rickety handrail in one hand and in the other held up one side of her voluminous dress, Momo followed at a slower pace so that it was Rukia who came first upon the comforting sight of an old man. Bald as the priests usually were, wearing the loose violet robes and yellow sash of his vocation calmly sweeping the topmost steps with a straw broom. He stepped aside to let them pass; another man in a business suit exited the shrine in a decidedly hurried manner.

Rudely pushing past Momo, her only impression of him was a cap of sleek black hair and small-averted eyes as he went down the steps quickly. "Huh? What's he all in a rush for?" she muttered, one hand balanced forward on the stone. Rukia turned, "hey you alright?" The brunette hunter smiled faintly, "yeah. He just brushed past me is all." Together they crossed beneath the Torii gate, while Momo bowed respectfully to the priest, Rukia wandered toward the simple wooden shrine. Her senses tingled and her head swiveled slowly to the ancient stone trough.

A woman, her black hair straight and long knelt before it dipping her hands in the clear water. Rukia started to move toward her; then as if an illusion…she vanished. A golden maple leaf twirled lazily in circles, caught in a mini dust devil before it landed in the water. Momo walked up just then, "he says we're welcome to look around the temple. Hmm…did something happen?" she noticed Rukia's fixed stare on the floating leaf.

"No. It must've been just my imagination."

"Well whatever you say," Momo muttered, her brown eyes scanning the few trees as her sense of being watched increased. Twenty minutes later as they emerged sweaty and dusty from one of the smaller store rooms and Rukia sneezed. "Heh. Someone's talking about you," Momo commented dryly. Rukia raised an eyebrow, "really?"

"Eh it's just an old wives tale. You know like when—"

She froze, staring straight ahead. Rukia automatically followed the brunette's line of sight…a man hung from his foot by a rope attached to the top of the Torii gate. Her eye was drawn down to the two brightly colored cards directly below him. The Hanged man and…The Hierophant.

Turning now back to the small shrine, her body pivoted in a graceful circle. Rukia's eyes widened and she screamed for it was the kindly old priest sitting on the wooden steps, in one gnarled hand he held a plain staff. Around his neck was an embroidered scarf of tiny crosses. A tiny stream of blood oozed from his slack-jawed mouth.

~~~To be continued~~~

A/N: gruesome wasn't it? Anyhow this is a parody of WHR but this chapter was completely made up by me not a copy of the episodes. Tee hee…the cards described come from the Rider-Waite Tarot deck of which I don't own but we have a book about the Tarot and their meanings using that set. Coincidentally I can read the Tarot and have my own little deck :D heh. The runes from chapter one were: Thurisaz and Isa. Isa being the rune of ice and Thurisaz being the runic hammer or something…I don't have my book open in front of me currently. Note: I can read the runes also. Heh, reviews are loved!