I think I've almost done everybody there is to get Tetsu a present... So I'll reflect and then figure out how many chapters I have left to write! Yay! ... Not that you care oO;

Disclaimer: Don't own it. Don't want it... okay, that was a lie. But I don't own it.

Chapter Five
The little voices in our head

"This was nice of ya, Dragon Boy, to take me out with ya to the markets!" Ryoma stated, grinning, not noticing or completely ignoring the sour faced Tatsunosuke who was wondering unwillingly beside him.

"Well you wouldn't shut up so I figured the best way to get rid of you is to take you out, then bid my farewell later."

"Wow! You really don't hesitate in telling people your plans, do ya, Dragon Boy?" Ryoma laughed, cleaning his sun glasses on his shirt. "Now that I think about it, help me find a present for Iron Boy?"

"Huh? You don't mean that you're…"

"Right! I'm goin' to give Iron Boy a cool-o present! But I need to know what stuff he likes."

Tatsunosuke twitched. If he was getting him a present, he'd have to actually see him at one point, wouldn't he? Then he'd fill Tetsu's mind with things like idealism, revolution… god he was having a bad day.

"Dragon Boy?"

"… Huh?" Tatsu had been wrenched clear of his inner most thoughts, and for the moment, he'd completely forgotten that he'd been walking in the first place.

"You know, I was just thinkin'." Ryoma said thoughtfully, flicking his hat, "about how similar you are to your Dad. Iron Boy looks nothing like him. When I first met him, I could have passed him off for any ordinary boy – I was lucky that you came along when you did."

"I don't want to talk about that." Tatsu stated in a matter of fact tone, before turning to look at a random shop.

Ryoma on the other hand, thumped his fist on his hand and stated, "I have the perfect present! See ya, Dragon Boy!"

Tatsu turned briefly, sweat dropped, and was enveloped in bad thoughts. The only reason he'd gone out with Ryoma that day in the first place was to make sure he didn't get anything dangerous – like a gun – for Tetsunosuke.

"Damn it…"

Perhaps, Susumu Yamazaki thought, I should have accompanied the Vice Commander… he was sprouting some pretty weird things…

Yamazaki sighed, devouring his own thoughts with one swipe of his hand to his forehead. He hadn't followed the Vice Commander – there was nothing he could do now, and there was no sense sitting brooding, either. It would be more healthy and productive to think of what to get one of his only friends for his Birthday.

"But… what does he like?"

Susumu, who had lost all emotions by Tetsu's age, didn't know what the hell to get him – much like most of the characters in this story – and he was fresh out of, not that he had any, ideas.

"Perhaps I should ask Tatsunosuke…"

It was unfortunate that Susumu had noticed the brown haired man leave just minutes before hand with a strange man with dread locks. Completely lost for ideas, Susumu turned to the only thing he had. He'd just get Tetsu something that he'd like… and hope that it went well.

But… what would he himself like for a Birthday present?

Hitting himself with both hands on the side of his face, Yamazaki went into thinking mode. About the only thing he would appreciate would be a new weapon… but if he got Tetsu one of those, the Vice Commander would kill him in cold blood. Then again… what else was he going to get him?

Faced with a dilemma, Susumu decided to lighten the mood and to get some fresh air flowing through the room, so he opened the windows. Eyes turning out towards the one tree that occupied the space directly outside his room.

"… I didn't think that buying a present would be so hard."

­Who says you have to buy one?

"Are you crazy or just stupid? A presents no good unless it's brought."

You can always make one.

"…" Yamazaki stopped talking. He was doing it again – again! For some reason lately he'd been having in depth conversations with the little voice in his head, but for once the voice in his head – who he'd named Peter – was actually making a good point. Why did he have to buy one and waste his money on something that would be played with for five minutes then cast aside?

Make him a wig.

"With what?"

I don't know stupid, who do you think I am? Your brain?

"Well… actually I did."

Just shut up and go find some poor defenseless animal to slaughter and make Tetsunosuke a damn wig! (A/N: o.o! Peter's so mean!)

Yamazaki shrugged, and obeyed Peter, grabbing his knife, and proceeding out of the Shinsengumi headquarters.

"What would Tetsu like, anyway?" Suzu muttered to himself, picking up a random toy and looking at it. "He's really hard to shop for."

Sighing, Suzu put down the toy, and looked around. "Maybe a dream catcher…"

The really sad thing about Suzu was that he was Tetsu's age, and he still didn't know what to get him. It appeared that Tetsunosuke was just one of those people – and it was a miracle that Tatsunosuke was able to buy him so much.

Sighing, Suzu entered the first store he came too. Maybe he would just get Tetsu a new training outfit… yeah, that'd work. A new training outfit.

In fact, it didn't take Suzu to get one at all – meaning he grabbed the first one he saw – and he proceeded back to the Inn, to show Master Yoshida what he'd found.