Chen ducked as he left the house, bending slightly to avoid knocking his head on the doorway. The back entrance was noticeably smaller than the front one, he noted. The faint sound of water lapping against the stone canal reached his ears, and the rays of the morning sun danced on the shimmering water. He stepped down the stairs to the area right down by the canal, sparsely littered with light furniture and overhung by a well-built balcony. Living by the canals didn't seem like the worst place to be, apparently.

Down by the edge of the water, seated primly behind a large easel, was Gintama, a paintbrush in his hand and a wide brimmed hat shielding his face from direct sunlight. He was studying the greenish water intently as if trying to decipher its secrets, and he made no indication of recognition as Chen made his way nearer to him. The reflections of the water wove golden light over his familiar features. He looked so like his sister.
Chen stood a respectable distance behind the man –you never knew with these artistic types—and joined him in watching the water and the opposite shore. He waited until the man made a single brushstroke before speaking.
"Good morning."
There was a pause, and the hand holding the brush tensed. He relaxed soon after, however.

"To you as well," he replied, turning to blot the brush with a cloth at his side. His voice was not cold, but not particularly inviting, either. Chen decided not to continue the conversation presently and instead sat on the ground nearby, looking over the canal and the scene surrounding them.
The houses on the other end of the canal were built in a similar fashion –– a single story facing the street with a balcony built to overlook the water, all manner of small boats making up most of the space along the stone ways alongside it. He had known many soldiers that had grown up in these areas, joining the military was a good source of money for the middle to lower-class men of the Capitol.
"You woke up late," Gintama stated suddenly. There was no judgement in his tone, only fact.
"Yes. I had lost some sleep recently and decided to try and get it back."

There was another pause, and Gintama removed the wide-brimmed hat from his head. "That is good. You slept well?" The last statement was almost reluctant, as if filling the role of generous host was a task he was not looking forward to.
"Well enough. Better than the road, that is certain." Chen smiled, but his eyes didn't leave the light flickering on the water. Gintama paused, then made another brushstroke. "You are an artist?" Chen asked.
"Yes."
"A worthy hobby."
"It is no hobby, Master Chen."
Chen looked to the man in surprise."It is my career."

"You are a professional artist?" Chen stated, and Gintama nodded, a smile lifting one corner of his mouth.

"Is it that surprising? Yes, the lower ranks of the nobility have recognized my skill and buy my work, passing it off as their own. I do not mind, they pay well and leave me enough alone."

"That is… very impressive, Master Gintama."

"Thank you. It pays for our food and my daughter's education. It has only taken my entire life to reach this point." He stopped his painting, and met Chen's eyes. "You see why I keep my distance from my sister?"

Chen nodded slowly. "Yes… You protect your way of life."

Gintama looked down at his painting again and began again, his fingers sure with every stroke. "I love Saryu, dearly so. She cared for me, helped me survive those years without our mother." His eyes closed for a bare moment. "I will be ever grateful for her." They opened, cold and firm once again. "But she has taken a path that I will not let my daughter near. That is why Ayako knows nothing of Lady Eboshi."

Chen nodded again, shifting his weight. "Thank you for your clarification, Gintama."

"You are welcome. Please, sit. There are chairs for any who stay under my roof."

"Thank you." Chen stood and pulled the chair closer, sitting gingerly. It was quite small. They sat there together for a time.

"Where is Ayako?" Chen asked.

"Attending the festivities."

"The gyoretsu?"

"Yes."

Chen nodded, remembering what he knew. The gyoretsu were special processions prepared for the children to gather and learn of the Akaihana and their place in it. "She is a wonderful child."

"Of course she seems that way to a stranger." Despite the seeming harshness of the words, there was a smile on Gintama's face. "Her cleverness is insufferable, sometimes. And I've never seen a quicker tongue on a child."

Chen chuckled. "She sounds like Hitori."

Gintama's fingers froze midstroke. "The forest god?"

"Yes."

Gintama looked to Chen curiously. "She is named?"

"Of course."

"Did you give it to her?"

"Her mother did."

Gintama drew the brush from the painting to stroke his clean-shaven chin. "She is… close to you?"

Chen chuckled, "You could say that. She is like a little sister."

"How curious," he said softly. Chen smirked. He could see just how curious Gintama was, but he was not letting himself ask the questions. There was a lull, and Gintama resumed his painting. "Will she be making an appearance today?" he asked, and Chen thought it over for a moment.

"Well, depends on what mood she's in. If she's hungry, and lazy, she'll come sooner rather than later, however if she's energetic then we might not see her until tonight, after she's done scaring the collective wits out of the city mongrels."

"Sounds like you know her… well."

Chen huffed a chuckle. "Yes. I've known her since she was yea tall." He gestured barely half a foot above the ground, and Gintama looked to him.

"Saryu noted that this was a recent development. How old is she?"

"Oh, about two months, give or take a week."

Gintama's eyes widened. "And she's already bigger than most dogs?"

Chen chuckled, remembering San's words to him almost a month ago. "You should see them when they're full grown. I've only glimpsed her cousins, but they're larger than cart horses. The ancient ones are apparently twice that size."

Gintama let out a breath, looking back at his painting as if it had sprouted wings. "That is… incredible."

Chen smiled, looking back over the water. "Indeed." Then he waited. He didn't have to wait long.

"How did you… come into contact with a god of the Forest?"

"Ah, careful Master Gintama. A question like that could get you sucked into a plot."

"I am confident I can avoid such a situation," Gintama stated coolly. His tone was indeed confident, but the curiosity was definitely still there.

Chen smiled to himself, leaning back in the small chair, wary of the multitude of creaks in the old wood. "All right then, if you insist. I was a samurai of the Empire, until a major promotion occurred, upon which I was brought into contact with certain… foul elements. The pay would have been good, but not enough to sacrifice what principles I clung to. I rescued Hitori and escaped to Irontown."

Gintama looked to Chen, eyes calculating. "That is… quite a summation."

"Yes." The artist's eyes narrowed slightly, an expression Chen recognized. Chen smiled and waited again.

"You're quite the… deliberate fellow."

"That is a good word for it, thank you. I was afraid you would say slow."

"Not in the slightest." Gintama immediately replied, "I can see why my sister favors you. If you wield your blades with anywhere near the amount of care you take with your words, you are a skilled warrior indeed."

Chen laughed at that, and Gintama reluctantly let his own smile emerge. When he had finished, Chen spoke again. "Ah, if only that were true, only sometimes my tongue does what I want it to. And that favor you mentioned, it was no small effort, mind you, I am quite proud of it."

"I can believe that much easier than whatever plot my sister has concocted," Gintama agreed. "You are in a relationship with her?"

Chen rubbed his forehead. "I think so? She has not given an explanation of her thoughts on the matter, at least not yet…" Gintama cocked an eyebrow, and Chen relented. "She has told me of her life, and I have seen her tears. I will let her be the judge of our… status."

Gintama nodded. "Not much counts with Saryu, but it seems you have something. I know she is not easily impressed by men, but I am looking forward to seeing how the two of you interact."

A spike of nervousness shot through Chen, but he shoved it away. It was not like he was meeting her parents. "Oh, yes, she is coming tonight... in disguise, correct?"

"Yes, I insisted that my family not be associated with Lady Eboshi, and she agreed."

Something clicked in Chen's mind, and he looked slowly at the boat drifting gently in its moorings. "This canal runs all the way to the central island, correct?"

"Yes…"

"I saw a samisen hanging on the wall, I assume you can play?"

Gintama narrowed his eyes. "Yes."

"Would you say you have a good relationship with your sister?"

"You have something on your mind, Master Chen. What is it?"

A smile drifted up Chen's face. "How do you feel about friendly sibling pranks?"

Gintama replied slowly, but a similar smile began to grow on his face as well, and he turned slightly to face Chen. "I have no plans today. What do you have in mind?" Chen's grin widened but before he could begin the other man held up a slim finger. "And please. Do call me Iroyuza. Gintama is the man my patrons know. My sister knows Iroyuza, and I believe you should as well."
Chen paused, then nodded. "Thank you, Iroyuza."
"Go on, you've got me curious. That doesn't happen often."