A/N: OMG... THE TERROR OF WRITER'S BLOCK. And so because of that, instead of drying my brain juices to finish my ongoing Gintama fic (pls do support TRC vs Gintama), I decided to do a one shot for Shinpachi. I was really impressed with him ever since the Yagyuu arc. Seems that he has really grown up a lot in these three Gintama years. Enjoy reading!

Credits: Quotes (italic form) from manga (I've managed to dig out Shinpachi's lines online) and anime (that would be the result of my superb hearing of Japanese).

Disclaimer: I do not own Gintama! Why? WHY?!

For the boy born in August, but first appeared five months earlier instead in Gintama's 2008 desk calendar

Shimura Shinpachi. A normal teenager who could have been named Jimmy (A/N: Jimmi in Japanese means normal, boring) until the day Sakata Gintoki named Yamazaki Sagaru officially as Jimmy.

When he was younger, the boys at the school would tease him for his spectacles and his unassertive behavior. Goldfish dung, they would say, always sticking to Shimura Tae. That was of course when his sister was not around, safe from the potential massacre the bullying would cost them. If not, their parents would have to dig them out of the mud in the rain.

Shinpachi didn't really understand what strength meant. He didn't possess monster strength like his sister and until he started working in a desserts shop, he only managed to attempt a strike at his sister during practice and end up being close to death each time.

Love was another thing that Shinpachi couldn't exactly get hold of. He knew that there were different kinds of love. The love for his sister, the love for the Yorozuya, the love for Otsuu-chan, the love for his fan-club and the love for that twisted cat-ear thief that he had beaten up in the end.

Shinpachi also knew that love brought about pain. The pain he felt when he realized that the cat-ears thief, Eromes aka Cat's Ear had tricked him, then the painful throb in the heart when he saw how cute Otsuu-chan was with the fake cat ears. It had hurt a lot him when Gintoki had lost his memory and left the Yorozuya, leaving him and Kagura behind. It had hurt Shinpachi when Sadaharu played with (bit) him. It had hurt when he realized that Kagura might probably leave Edo for good. It had hurt him when he regrets the time he had abandoned his best friend in a (poop) crisis. It stung when Gintoki had advised him to start cooking sekihan (A/N: red bean rice prepared for happy occassions such as marraige) when he complained about Tae's late return home. His heart ached as he fret over Gintoki after the battle with Nizo who was equipped with Benizakura. It had hurt him the most when Tae said 'Sayonara', tears welling up in her eyes.

"You can laugh and say that I have a sister complex, but it's true. I really like my sister. I don't want us to have to part. I want to be with her always, but if she truly loves someone, whether it'd be a ridiculously broke childish man, or a gorilla looking stalker, a mayora, a sadist, even an unstoppable moron, if he makes my sister happy, I won't say anything. I'll send her off. I'll make the sekihan while crying. But to send my sister, who looks like she's about to cry, I'll whole-heartedly refuse that. I want her to always smile."

That was probably the day when Shinpachi had proved his strength to protect. Just like how his sister had crazily bashed up the idiots who bullied him, how Gintoki had sliced the engine of the ship of that evil creditor who took his sister away from him, how he and Kagura had decidedly to stick with Gintoki even though he might not recover his memory, how the Yorozuya had worked together to stop the Inugami that had gone wild, how he had raced against the Yakuza for his best friend, how he had actually unwittingly snuck into the enemy's ship in an attempt to search for Katsura and Kagura, how he had cut down Nizo's arm in a bid to help Gintoki and how he decided to crush down the Yagyuu residence to save his beloved sister.

"Yosh! Even if they got you, you'd still be alright!" Kondo said after he attached the small plate onto Shinpachi.
"I wouldn't be alright! I'd be K.O after one hit! Wait, I'm the Leader?" Shipachi complained.
"Of course. You're the dojo's Leader, we are the students," Hijikata pointed out.
"But the Leader should be someone strong!" Shinpachi protested.

Shinpachi was aware of the times when he had become a burden instead because of his weakness. He was demoralized when Sadaharu pointed out that he was ranked eighth in the popularity poll in comparison to Yamazaki whose name wasn't even in the top three of the cast list in every episode of the anime. He was disappointed when Otsuu-chan kept on getting his name wrong. He felt so helpless when he couldn't help Kagura when they first encountered the Harusame. He was always so paranoid and nervous in pinches as opposed to Kagura who remained unnervingly calm. He would have broke down if not for Kagura's determination to wait for Gintoki's return during his amnesia. His weakness ended up dragging Gintoki and everyone else into the trouble he was in. If Gintoki or Kagura were not with him, he would have ran away or dug a hole to bury his head in.

"But Shinpachi, keep in mind. We aren't here for your sister, or even justice. We are here for you," Gintoki had said before they entered the Yagyuu's residence.

Yes, because of this man. This madao who was forever out of cash and even so, always out to drink, gamble at the pachinko, waste the spare cash he has on parfaits and Jump, who'd preach within three mintues from part B of the anime. This man who drew his sword to protect. This man who was with him through (certain) think and thin. This man who'd give in if he and Kagura wanted it badly enough. This man who gave him courage and showed him the strength he was capable of.

Shinpachi grabbed onto the wooden sword that Gintoki had snatched for him before he was defeated by Yagyuu Binbokusai.
"Go… Shinpachi," Gintoki urged as he fell onto the ground.
Without hesitation, adrenaline pumping through his body, he put his soul into the sword and with a roar, striked at the old man through the gap in the stone lamp. The plate tied onto the forehead of Yagyuu's Leader shattered into pieces. There was a momentary silence as everyone witnessed the unbelievable scene.
"Oops... I guess I lost," the old man said simply.
"WE… WE WON!!" Shinpachi heard Kondo cheer excitedly and adjusted his spectacles proudly.

They had won. He had won. He had retrieved back what was precious to him with his own strength. Strength that had been nurtured and born from the moment his world had expanded infinitely ever since the day he left the desserts shop.

Thank you for reading this! I'm really interested by the idea of writing one-shots for the other characters as well. Review! And let me know through the reviews, if you want more of these!