My mind wandered again and came up with this. It had occurred to me that no one really knows that Gintoki is the Shiroyasha save a few (like Jirochou, Katsura, Takasugi & Sakamoto). So I was wondering what would happen if people found out~ Anyway, enjoy & treat this as a serious arc in Gintama please :D !

Setting: Edo, Kabuki District

Pairing: None.

Disclaimer: Gintama is NOT owned by me in any way, shape, or form.

The Problem With Secrets is That they Always Come out Eventually.

Chapter One:
Rain always brings about bad events and memories.

"Oi, Oi, rain again?" Gintoki sighed as he looked out the open window behind his desk this rainy afternoon. Kagura looked up at her boss from her laying position on the couch.

"Again? God must be really sad over a girl," She said as she chewed on a sukonbu and Sadaharu yawned. Shinpachi pushed up his glasses.

"It is the rainy season, after all." He explained.

"It might as well be God's drinking season," Gintoki picked his nose.

"Or sukonbu season," Kagura added.

"What does sukonbu have to do with rain?" Shinpachi questioned.

"Shut up, Megane. Everyone knows sukonbu is God's favorite food and it makes him so happy he cries." Kagura stated.

"Kagura-chan, I think you've been lied to. Who told you that? What kind of lies are people feeding to you?" Shinpachi looked to Gintoki. "Gin-San, you shouldn't lie to her."

"What Pattsuan? I'm not lying. The thing about God is everyone can believe different things. So if Kagura believes his favorite food is sukonbu, so be it," Gintoki flicked the findings off his nose and out the window.

"Gin-san, I don't think that's a good reason to make things up." Shinpachi was ignored. Gintoki just blankly stared with his dead fish eyes at the rain. God crying, huh? What would God have to cry about? He was the most powerful man and the creator of the world (to some people). He on the other hand had lots to cry about, the silver natural perm thought. He had lost many comrades in the Joi war. He witnessed death and murder when he was just a young boy. Until he met Shouyou-sensei. Then he met Zura, Sakamoto, and Takasu-

"Gin-chan," Kagura cut off his thoughts. "We have to leave for the next job now." Gintoki glanced over, seeing Kagura and Shinpachi waiting by the door for him. They had looks of confusion, since they had not often seen their boss space out completely. Gintoki stood, grabbing his wooden sword and placing it at his waist. He then followed the two out the door to their next job, each of them carrying an umbrella.

Hijikata Toshiro took a long drag of his cigarette, leaving it to hang in his mouth. He had a pile of papers to go through since Okita was slacking like the annoying worker he was. Hijikata picked up a second pile. Since Katsura fought in the Joi war, Hijikata figured that someone of his comrades now might be in the group he ran. Better than nothing, at the least. He picked up a paper. He skimmed through it. It didn't really give specific names, but things like 'an directionally lost idiot', 'a one-eyed leader', and a 'long-haired samurai.' However, one named stood out more than any of the others.

"Shiro...yasha?" He read the name to himself. According to the report, the Shiroyasha was a samurai who wore white which was constantly dyed in crimson. The report from the man who witnessed this time of the Joi war went as follows:

'This brave man...no...this samurai was probably a walking version of the bushido code. He cut down enemies at an incredible pace, helping out comrades. Yet, this samurai -the Shiroyasha- was different. How should I put it? He didn't look like he was fighting for this country or against the Amanto. He looked as if...he only wanted to protect his friends.'

Hijikata grabbed the paper and crumpled it, tossing it behind him. A samurai fighting to protect his friends? Ridiculous. A samurai fought for his country. This Shiroyasha could not have been a samurai. Just a lowly man who didn't want his friends to die. People die, Hijikata irritably thought, and that's life. Its useless to do that, especially in a war. People were bound to die.

"Hijikata-san." A voice caught Hijikata's attention. He looked behind him, seeing Okita picking up the crumpled paper. "It's your turn to patrol," The sadist captain told him, opening the paper and looking it over.

"Ah." was all Hijikata said as he stood and grabbed his weapon.

"Hijikata-san, what's this?"

"A record from the Joi war. Since Katsura fought in it, I thought I might learn something reading the records."

"Ehh, that's smart considering it's you."

"What's that supposed to mean?" The vice commander was ignored.

"Shiroyasha?" Okita read the paper again. "I heard he has a natural perm...Danna has a natural perm."

"Don't be ridiculous, Sougo. That no good silver haired bastard would never fight in a war. He'd run." Hijikata adjusted his jacket, heading for the door and leaving. Okita looked back at the paper and then the door. Perhaps Hijikata knew-

"Ahh...I forgot to kill him." Okita unenthusiastically spoke to himself, dropping the paper and heading out the door...

Hijikata took another drag of his cigarette as he headed down the soggy street in the pouring rain. At least it was starting to let up a little. The thought of a no-good natural perm fighting in the war against Amanto made him want to smash the guy's face in the next time he saw him. Well, perhaps his wish could come true, because the demon vice commander noticed the Yorozuya working on a roof a few houses ahead of him. From the looks of it, the roof was missing some shingles and such and currently had tarp over the holes. The three members of the Odd Jobs were wearing rain coats (probably not even theirs) and were hammering shingles into the roof. As Hijikata approached ever closer to the house as he was going to pass by, he could hear their conversation.

"Really," Gintoki complained, "I know our job policy is to do anything as long as we're paid, but fixing a roof in the rain? Gin-san is going to catch a cold."

"It can't be helped. The man's roof is in tatters and broke because Kagura-chan was running on it when playing Kick the Can with the other kids the other day," Shinpachi reminded.

"I didn't break the roof, I simply used it as a stepping stool to run away," Kagura said as she oh-so-casually broke through some shingles with a hammer.

"Kagura, this is all your fault. You're not going to get paid now," Gintoki said.

"Umm...Gin-san, you don't pay us to begin with." Shinpachi spoke.

"Well now you're going to get paid less than that. In fact, you should pay me instead for your troublesome acts." Gintoki hammered in more shingles.

"That wouldn't be a job then! Who would work for someone and pay them to do that?" Shinpachi shouted.

"You do. Starting now, you must pay me 800 yen (approximately 10 US Dollars) per hour plus a flat rate fee of 2000 yen (approximately 25 US Dollars)."

"I'm not going to pay you!"

"Gin-chan, can I pay you in sukonbu?" Kagura intervened.

"Why are you paying him at all!" Shinpachi yelled.

"Sure, sure. Pay me the fees in the worth of sukonbu." Gintoki agreed.

"Why are you letting her pay you in sukonbu!" Shinpachi questioned, before deciding to give up. He went to hammer another nail, when he glanced over and spotted Hijikata. "Ah, Hijikata-san. Good Morning."

"Oogushi-kun?" Gintoki turned his head at the sound of the mayo freak's name. He looked down to see the mayo freak just standing there, looking as irritable as usual. "What's wrong, Oogushi-kun? Did you get dumped by a girl and have to walk around in the rain to hide your tears?"

"Shut up Yorozuya!" Hijikata growled. "I'm patrolling because I have a real job!"

"Hah? What job is that? The one where you ruin food by putting mayonnaise all over it or the one where you pretend-play as coppers and run around with swords?"

"At least I'm not sitting in the rain fixing a roof." Hijikata rolled his eyes and began on his way again.

"Ah, Hijikata-san, you shouldn't walk around without an umbrella or you'll catch a cold." Shinpachi nagged.

"Don't worry about him, Shinpachi-kun. Someone like him won't catch a cold even if he tries." Gintoki snorted and went back to hammering. Hijikata snapped his cigarette but decided to ignore it and go forward. Stopping to watch the Yorozuya was not a good idea after all. If anything, his thoughts were confirmed. That silver perm bastard was definitely not the Shiroyasha. They were nothing alike. Sure they both had natural perms...and sure they both had excellent sword skills...and sure they both protect people...and yea, they both have a connection to Katsura in some way...Okay, who was he kidding? The Shiroyasha and Sakata Gintoki had a lot in common. But similarities were just a coincidence, right? Of course he was right. He was Hijikata Toshiro. He could never be wrong...but oh how wrong he really was without even knowing it.

"Ah, thank you so much for fixing my roof," An elderly man thanked for the umpteenth time since the Yorozuya trio finished their work about thirty minutes ago.

"It was no problem really." Gintoki scratched the back of his head as he opened his umbrella at the door. The three had only stayed to dry off, but now they were and the money was in Gintoki's kimono, so it was time to leave. "Call us again if you need a job done," He said before heading out the door with Shinpachi and Kagura. The three walked in the rain in a usual comfortable silence. It seemed to have picked up again along with a slight wind. Gintoki closed his eyes as he walked, listening to the pitter patter sounds of the rain hitting the different surfaces of his surroundings. The rain reminded him the the day he decided to stop fighting in the Joi war, when the rain poured on the dead- both the enemies and allies. The stench of the corpses and the crimson liquid filled his nose, and the cries of pain still rung in his ears.

"Gin-chan," Kagura caused him to open his dead-fish eyes so he could gaze at her. "You seem out of it today."

"I'm hoping the next issue of Jump will have the manga I want to read, so I'm praying throughout the day in my head." Gintoki lied with ease, noting that Kagura seemed to think about it.

"I wanna pray too!" She declared, closing her eyes and beginning to walk on. He did the same and followed, with Shinpachi trailing behind.

"You two are going to hurt yourselves," He told them, but no one was listening. Thirty seconds later, both Kagura and Gintoki tripped in the mud. The trio arrived at the Yorozuya a few minutes later, and Gintoki claimed the bath first before Kagura could say anything. He leaned back against a wall of the rub, letting himself soak in the water. He already had washed the mud off, so he could of gotten out for Kagura, but decided not to. Besides, he was lost in thought again. Dreams of the Joi war and Shouyo-sensei were haunting him as of late. He hoped it was nothing, but could not shake the feeling that something was wrong. He thought of the facts. Takasugi was keeping low somewhere...but he's been doing that a while now. Katsura hadn't been doing anything as of late...but he remembered Zura was changing his ways somewhat and was probably doing something stupid with that weird duck thing Elizabeth. He hadn't been paying rent...but that was normal too. He still had a natural perm. Could there really be nothing wrong?

"Gin-chan! Hurry up in there before the mud in my hair dries!" Kagura shouted outside the bathroom door. Gintoki sighed to himself and then lazily replied,

"It'll look better that way." He heard her mumble something incoherent and Shinpachi scolding like a mother, before deciding to get out. Dressing in his sleeping clothes, he left the bathroom and walked passed an annoyed Kagura. He plopped himself on the empty couch (as the other one was currently occupied by Shinpachi), picked up an old Jump on the coffee table, and then began to reread it. If nothing was wrong, then he wouldn't push it. He'd just live life like he normally would and ignore the dreams...

One Takasugi Shinsuke chuckled as he gazed at the ocean in Edo. He took a single drag of his pipe and glanced over to one unconscious Katsura Kotaro, whom of which was tied up and chained to a wall of the abandoned building they were in at an abandoned port that also harbored their hidden ship. Zura's pet duck was there too, but Takasugi could not figure out if it was conscious or not with those weird eyes staring at him. He looked back over to the ocean with a smirk as one Yato named Kamui joined him with his usual smile.

"What's got you smiling, Takasugi?" Kamui asked, joining in on the gaze of the water.

"The image of Gintoki's face when he realizes that he cannot protect everyone." Takasugi spoke, bringing the pipe back to his mouth. Kamui 'hmm'-ed and looked over to Katsura.

"How're you gonna get him to know we have his old comrade?" Takasugi only kept smirking. It was silent a few more moments before, "Ne, wouldn't be interesting to see everyone hate him if they learned he was the Shiroyasha?"

"Hmm...that would be interesting. I leave it to you." And with that, Takasugi took his leave. Kamui's smile grew wider, thinking of ways to expose the demon within the samurai known as Sakata Gintoki. It would be wonderful to see people no longer trust him after learning the truth. The samurai would be left with nothing and Kamui would have fun killing him like that. Turning on his heels, Kamui started off in the opposite direction,

"Shiroyasha...I will expose you to all of Edo."

Well, that's the first chapter. I hope you enjoyed it, and please please PLEASE review for me!