Shintaro was aware he was drawing looks as he strolled down the main street of Kelispell. Not only was he Japanese and to his knowledge the only Japanese ever seen in Montana but he was wearing both of his swords at his side. To dress as a samurai was a comfort he hadn't known he missed till now. It filled him with pride, not just because he was free to police this town as he had Kyoto back in his homeland but because being samurai was as much part of his identity as being Japanese was. To top it off he was wearing his Shinsengumi haori over his kimono, a uniform he had been so proud to wear back home. Now he wore it as part of his official on duty attire along with the deputy star clipped to his chest. He still wore his colt, tucked neatly in a shoulder holster where he could still easily draw it without his swords being in the way or vise versa. The cowboy hat he wore to keep the sun out of his eyes wasn't something he had ever worn in Japan but he didn't feel out of place wearing it.

He hadn't been a Deputy for long, barely a week at this point but Shintaro felt he had already been doing it for months. He still drew stares and had curious children following him around as he did his daily patrol, currently in the late afternoon and early evenings though eventually he knew he'll be on the night shift. Shintaro didn't mind the curious looks and easily ignored the odd insult here and there. Not that he would have ignored such comments if it had happened while on patrol in Kyoto. The laws there were quite different and the Samurai was a much higher class then most people and nobody would look twice if he cut down some loud mouth punk, especially from the lower class. Cutting down a fellow samurai could have consequences depending of respective ranks and whether it was in the line of duty or not. Not that things were the same anymore in Japan, the last word he had from the few friends he had who survived the fall of the Shogunate and the Meiji Restoration talked of so many changes, including the dismantling of the samurai and talk of no longer allowing them to carry the two swords. It would be a place alien to him now, of that Shintaro was certain. Still, he did miss home at times but he missed his wife far more.

Pausing he waited for a family wagon to pass before crossing the street to resume his patrol on the other side. So far he hadn't had anything note worthy occur during his shifts but there had been a few incidents which have happened that he missed. A part of him wanted action and every time he felt that side of him rear up he reminded himself firmly of his vow to his late wife. He wouldn't take a life unless there was no other way to avoid it. So many times during his time with the Shinsengumi his sword had drank deep of rebel blood and even the blood a deserter from the Shinsengumi. That had been a difficult task but he understood the necessity. They all knew the rules when they signed up, Hijikata-san had been quite clear about the rules. Unfortunately many ronin had joined in the early days then were discouraged when things became tough. Not him however, he seemed to thrive in the more intense battles, knowing he fought with honour and for the Shogunate. It all became confusing only near the end when the Emperor was tricked in some way to support the rebels then abolished the Shogunate leaving the Shinsengumi to fend for itself. Not a very good time and maybe he had lost his head somewhere during the middle of that situation.

Pulling his mind from the past, he focused on the here and now, where a samurai's mind should always be. Shintaro will have to rekindle the traditional routines he had neglected since he left San Francisco, or at least as much as he was able in America.

Quentin came out of the barber shop after getting his customary haircut and shave. he slipped his hat onto his head, then fished a cigarillo from its leather pouch and lit it with a lucifer struck off his Mare's leg grip checkering. He paused to puff the cigarillo to glowing life, then he shook the match out and tossed it into the street while he inhaled a deep lungful, then exhaled the blue smoke.

Movement coming down the sidewalk caught the corner of his vision and Cantrell turned to behold the sight of Shintaro approaching. Cantrell hid a grin as he beheld the samurai. He had heard about the man's outfit but this was the first time he had seen the man in the flesh. 

"Good afternoon, Deputy..." Cantrell had worn a Kalispell badge a few times when the local law had needed a hand with certain situations, but he did not have any interest in wearing one permanently. He respected the newcomer for accepting the responsibility of keeping the town safe.

@Shintaro

Shintaro paused in his stride when Quentin greated him, giving a slight bow in respect. "Good afternoon to you as well, Cantrell-san," he returned, falling into more traditional Japanese forms of address. Though he had met Quentin the day he had arrived in Kelispell, he didn't really know the man. In truth he didn't really know anybody all that well. In fact the Marshal was probably who he interacted with the most and even then, Shintaro wouldn't say he knew him. It wasn't his nature to ask questions outside of those necessary to perform his new duty to the town.

"Anything need my attention?" he asked, curious if the greeting was just being neighbourly or if it had other reasons. Not that he minded a bit of light conversation to get to know the townsfolk better. It wouldn't distract him from performing his duty if something should arise.

In front of the Kalispell Union office, in a rickety chair of dubious quality, Tully was huddled over, her knees drawn up, her feet tucked on the seat as she sketched in her notepad.  Her initial intention had been to work on more drawings of creatures that might be in the circus, but then, from beneath the wide brim of the felt hat shoved over her unruly curls, she had spotted the man.

Not like any man she had seen around Kalispell before, he dressed strangely, carried himself differently, had those swords...two of them...He was not of this place, yet he was, and she found that intriguing.  Flipping the page in her book, she started outlining his form, as much as she could with him moving around and being a ways away, but this would give her the beginnings for when he was close enough to sketch in more detail.

When Mr. Cantrell stopped to talk to the stranger, it assured Tully that he must be all right, she knew from Mr. Phin and Miss Katherine that he was a good man, so it stood to reason that someone he was chatting with so casually must be good, too.  Maybe if they got closer, she could make out more of the elaborate detail on the man's exotic clothing.

Shintaro had heard of a few incidents since he came to Kalispell but he hadn't been on duty or in the area when those particular incidents had occurred. Now that he was patrolling and soon to be on the night shift he wondered if he would lose his edge due to lack of anything happening. Not that his time with the Shinsengumi had always been eventful. Rogue elements were all over the city but they weren't so stupid to bring attention to themselves. Still, back then he could detain any suspicious individual without any real evidence of their wrong doing. American law was much different than Japanese laws, where a samurai outranked any peasant, merchant or other non-samurai. There was no such class system in America, but there were still law breakers and unruly sorts who would need to be dealt with.

"None worth mentioning so far," Shintaro responded. "I did help a local boy find his lost pet. It had gotten its leash tangled up in some brush just out of town so couldn't return home on its own. No harm to the dog and both are safely home the last I heard."

As he talked, he noticed the woman across the street, curled up in a chair focused on something in her lap. He couldn't quite make what she was doing but he was certain she had glanced his way briefly before returning her attention to whatever she was doing on her lap. He wasn't sure but he suspected she was writing something but what it could be he had no idea nor was it really his business. He knew his Kimono and swords drew just as much attention if not more than being a foreigner here but he didn't let it bother him. He stared often enough at foreigners to his own land back in the early days when the Shogunate opened Japan's ports to foreign trade over twenty years ago.

"I shall certainly be ready for any trouble however, should some arise while I'm on duty," Shintaro added.

"None worth mentioning so far," Shintaro responded. "I did help a local boy find his lost pet. It had gotten its leash tangled up in some brush just out of town so couldn't return home on its own. No harm to the dog and both are safely home the last I heard."

Quentin nodded. "The little victories count just as much as the big ones to the ones you help..."

"I shall certainly be ready for any trouble however, should some arise while I'm on duty," Shintaro added.

Quentin followed Shin's gaze and realized Tully was hard at work. He turned so he could talk without being obvious about the subject. "That's Tully. She's probably drawing your picture. She's pretty good so you should probably get a look when she's finished. I really liked mine."

Noticing that she'd been noticed, Tully hunched her shoulders down and drew her knees up tighter, trying to make herself smaller, if she could.  She hadn't intended to draw attention, and there was no subtle way to flee.  It hadn't been long since she had gotten so slightly comfortable being out where she might be spotted in the first place, and most folks were accustomed to her quiet presence and left her alone.

Still, it took all of her gumption just to stay where she was and not hyperventilate!

Shintaro had never sought recognition from others when it came to duty. Knowing he did his duty well was far greater reward than being praised for it. Not that he would serve for free, respect went both ways when it came to serving one's lord or superior. He may work indirectly for the town and thus all its citizens but he knew he answered to those of higher rank within the police force. He didn't know who that would be once the current Marshal left but he assumed that would be made clear when the time came. He did care about others enough to want to ensure they were safe from criminals and other dangers, one reason he was pleased to serve as a deputy.

When he learned the woman on the porch was likely drawing his portrait, Shintaro was surprised. He never considered himself worthy to be the subject of art, regardless of what form it took. Glancing back towards Tully he saw her shrink into herself and realized she didn't like to be the object of scrutiny so he looked away. One thing he didn't want to do was to make things uncomfortable for her or worse, hamper her creativity.

"Perhaps I'll inquire about her art at another time, right now she doesn't seem to want to be disturbed." he responded. He had no reason to interrupt her drawing or disturb her other than curiosity. He would rather not make her uncomfortable just to solve his own curiosity, at least not at this time. "There is also the possibility I'm not the subject of her drawing and I wouldn't want to make things awkward for her. After all perhaps you are her subject given you mentioned she has drawn you before."

Cantrell listened to Takahashi try to explain that Tully may have been drawing him instead of the samurai. 

"I'm all kinds of flattered, Shintaro, but I'm also a realist. Between you and I, you are most definitely the more interesting subject. And yes, now may not be the best time to confront her, but you should ask to see the picture at some point. You won't be disappointed."