Chapter Thirteen: Detective Rangiku and Doctor Rukia, on the Case (Part 2)

"Alright...we're here." Matsumoto sighed as she parked her car in front of Momo's home. She smiled at the tiny building, its neat, well-kept but simple exterior screamed Momo. "Do you have the keys?"

"Got them!" Rukia smiled as the two girls quickly made their way up the porch and to the front door. A professional cleaning company had already cleaned the entrance way as well as the rest of the home from all the blood, leaving only a strong smell of chemicals to tell the tale of what happened there.

"We'll search the house from top to bottom! Top first because everyone knows all the good stuff is on the top floor." Rangiku smirked as she rubbed her hands together in evil thought. "I wonder what sort of things she's got in here."

"I wouldn't get my hopes up if I were you." Rukia snorted as she opened the door and let the snickering blonde inside before walking in herself and closing the door behind them. "I don't see Momo being the dark secret type."

"Except for her being the 'Copper Ninja', right?" Rangiku smirked again as she watched Rukia's eyes widen before she just huffed. "I still find it all hard to believe but...all the crimes took place when Momo was in the area and stopped when she was in the hospital or moved on to a different town or city."

"I find it hard to believe because she's so damn clumsy some of the time. Seeing her as a ninja just doesn't feel right." Rukia sighed. "But...you saw that video of her, right? I mean...she is total ninja."

"There's a video?! And they still didn't catch her?!" Rangiku leaned over the smaller girl as she watched her type something into her phone and a video popped up.

"Yeah, it's the only evidence they have against her and even though the video is top quality stuff, you can't see her face or anything! Once we confront her about all this, I'm so asking for lessons." Rukia chuckled as she hit the play button.

~ Copper Ninja~~~

The camera stayed focused on the guard that walked back and forth in front of the newly purchased building. It used to be a warehouse, but the new owner had plans on making it into some club and bar type of joint. The footage rolled on that this for a few minutes before a small figure walked into view of the digital watcher, but not the pacing man. The figure was cloaked in a large, but colorful old time kimono that was decorated with flower petals. The garment hide her shape and the overly large straw hat hide her face and shoulders. It seemed as though it would be something one would see out of some old samurai movie really, however this was no movie film, but a crime in progress.

The figure watched the man for several minutes before quickly making her way to another object large enough to hide her form. The guard yawned before he decided to sit down on an old crate and relax a bit. This was what the thief was waiting for apparently, an opening. She kept closer to the man before stopping right behind him and with a swift chop to the neck, the guard was out cold.

The video cut to a different camera, showing the thief jump from box top to box top before landing without so much a sound in front of some wires. They watched how quickly she went to work. There wasn't a moment of hesitation in her small, covered hands, only a small flinch as she quickly pulled her fingers away from the exposed wires. It had seemed to cut herself, this theory was proven correct as the figure began to clean the spilled blood and take yard after yard of copper wiring and left.

~Video End~~~~

"Damn...Did you see her make all those crazy jumps and stuff?!" Rangiku gawked as she turned to see a huffing Rukia. "What?"

"We just got done watching the same video...of course I saw her making all those jumps!" Rukia snapped at the giggling woman. "Let's get to work. I want to go shopping for Momo before all the cool shops become over crowded."

The two friends slowly walked up the stairs and into their friends bedroom. Rangiku rushed over to the small closet, clicking her tongue at the dull clothes and taking mental notes of all the sizes so she could replace them with things far cuter. Rukia tried getting into her laptop, but found that every password she tried just wouldn't work, so she made her way into the adjoined bathroom and began to rummage through her cabinets.

When both friends were done, they merely shrugged at each other before the pair made their way down stairs. They searched that house from top to bottom; every cabinet opened, every drawer explored. They sighed as they sat down on the couch in the living room, tried from their righteous searching.

"This couch sucks. There's a huge lump in it." Rangiku groaned as she tried to get comfortable, but growled when she couldn't.

"The only room left unexplored is that one down the hallway." Rukia groaned as she rubbed her eyes. "This wouldn't have been so bad if Momo had something worth looking at. Were did all that money from the copper go?"

"...I think I found it..."Rangiku slowly pulled a large, sealed envelope from under the couch cushion and gawked at it and Rukia, who wore a similar expression. "Should we open it?"

"Are you serious!? She'd know if we did!" Rukia hissed as she glanced at the packet and then at Rangiku. "Why do you think she's got it sealed like that? Emergency maybe?"

"I dunno...but I want to see what's behind that door now!" Rangiku smirked as she stuffed the money back beneath the seat and pulled Rukia to her feet and down the hall. Her hand reached out for the knob in dramatic fashion and slowly turned it...only to find it locked. "Damn. Locked."

"Stand aside!" Rukia shouted as she puffed out her chest. Rangiku quickly moved away and watched as the small friend kick down the door. It fell slowly to the ground, revealing a world unknown to all except for its creator and a business man.

The two girls gasped as they slowly walked into the room of art and colors. The walls were covered with pieces of work ranging from the surreal to the most realistic of scenes. There were still lives of flowers and random people, there were impressionisms of fields of barely and lavender, and there were pieces that were so fantastical that it drew them into another realm.

Rangiku and Rukia stared at piece after piece, they even went through the ones that were leaning against the walls. Words seemed like an unknown thing here, lost within a realm of lines and colors. It seemed like no matter what word they tried to think of to describe the things they were seeing or the emotions they were feelings it just wasn't enough, no where near enough.

"...Wow..." Rangiku breathed as she shook her head to try and clear her thoughts. She threw a glance to Rukia before she again examined one of the paintings. There, in the bottom right hand corner, was a name: Tobiume. "Rukia...Rukia! Momo is...Momo's Tobiume!" Rangiku turned around quickly to gather her friend's attention, but when she saw her facing the opposite wall, shoulders slump and head down, she became quite worried. Taking a few soft steps and placing a hand on her shoulder, she gave it a gently squeeze. "Rukia?"

"...Look." The raven haired beauty whispered as she land a hand on a glass display case one would use for showing old and important books or documents. "She...she still..."

Rangiku inspected the case more carefully, her attention thrown from Rukia to the case and then back onto the girl when she realized what made her so emotional. There, inside that case of glass and mahogany wood, was Momo Hinamori's most treasured possession; the sketch book her mother had bought her.

The thing was old and a bit worn, the pages turning yellow from age and turning up slightly in the corners. It seemed as though Momo still glanced through it from time to time, this was apparent from the worn down lock and the fingerprints on the underside of the glass. It was currently on a silly little doodle of what looked to be four stick figures in a yard by a house each a name above them: Mom, Me, Rukia, and Byakuya.

"I...I can't believe it." Rukia smiled as she glanced up at the smiling friend leaning over her. "I can't believe she was able to keep this for so long."

"That's Momo for you." Rangiku drew the smaller one into a hug before she clapped her hands together. "Looks like Momo has been keeping a lot of secrets from us, huh? Rough past, Copper Ninja, and now come to find out she's Tobiume, too? She's going to be wearing dresses for the rest of the damn year to make this up to us!"

"Stuff like this only ever happens in movies and anime! I'm in shock about all of this! We need to go blow some money so I know this is all real." Rukia smirked as she played along with her friend. "Do you think we should tell Toshiro now though?"

"Let's search around this room some more, maybe we'll find something else she's been hiding from us." Rangiku smirked as she watched Rukia salute her before rushing over to a small, messy desk in the corner of the room. Matsumoto made her way to more paintings, turning them over to see if there was anything written on the back before putting it back and moving on to another. This action was repeated several times, slowly making her way across the wall, before she heard Rukia clear her throat.

"Oh how I loved that tree

For what it gave to me.

Fruit from which to eat,

Though they may not be sweet enough for me,

And shelter in which to hide,

From water, wind, and shine.

I felt as if I was flying,

Sitting on your tallest branches,

And had no fear of falling,

A bed of petals make a pillowed floor.

I smiled up at you warmly,

Never wanting to leave your side,

But Winter is fast approaching,

Carrying a heavy sigh.

Your petals dance and sway

In a breeze I can not feel

I know this is your way of pointing to a trail.

As I walk away from you,

Tears streaming down my cheeks,

I whisper a gentle 'Thank You'.

In my heart I shall keep

All the love you have given me

And the time that we shared.

To return the favor to you friend,

I shall call myself Tobiume

And hope we'll meet again."

"...I see now where she had gotten her name from." Rukia spoke softly as she placed the poem back down on the desk. "That also explains the picture in the front of her sketch book, as well. She was marking it as her own without using her name."

"I think we've found all that we can in here." Rangiku sighed as she pulled out her cell phone and began to text Toshiro their findings. Little did they know, he was face to face with her