Disclaimer: Peacemaker doesn't belong to me. But I do own that oddball, Takeshi.

A/N: Thanks to all my wonderful readers! I'm happy you're enjoying the idea of a chibi-Hijikata as much as I am. (grin)

Chapter Seven: Little Toshi, the Inner Child

Souji stared as Hijikata's face turned an alarming shade of purple. His mouth was clamped shut, he looked like he was trying so desperately not to speak, that he was forgetting to breathe. Passerbys wrinkled their foreheads in concern as they glanced at the child.

The Captain freaked.

"Toshi!" he exclaimed, shaking him by the shoulders. "Stop that, you'll pass out! And then what am I supposed to do!"

"Why I never," murmured one lady to her friend as they moved past. "Such a violent father."

''I am not!" Souji shot back childishly. "I'm his brother!"

The woman just tsk tsked in response. "Men these days, they just can't accept responsibility for anything," she said to her friend, who in turn, gave Okita a scorching glare.

He sighed.

"WANNAGOPLAYBALLWIVEM!"

Souji jumped. He turned back to Hijikata, who in trying so hard to keep himself from speaking, had his words explode out of him like lava from a volcano.

Holy Kami, I can't even control my own mouth! the Vice Commander thought in horror.

"Um...what was that, Toshi?"

Hijikata looked up at him with desperate eyes. "I wanna go play ball wiv 'em," he whimpered.

It's not true! Look at me, Souji! I'm a prisoner in my own body! I can't even control myself! You have to take me to the candy shop! Don't stop here...dammit...don't...

But unfortunately, while he was a genius in swordsmanship, Souji Okita was not telepathic. He took the look in Hijikata's eyes to mean that he really wanted to go play. Consequently, he grinned. "Wow, Hijikata-san, you really are making the most of this! Of course you can play ball with the kids. I will too!"

No! Hijikata screamed, but only in his head --- his mouth was refusing to comply.

"You there!" Souji cheerfully waved at one of the children, a boy with scruffy brown hair, who was chasing the ball towards them. "What's your name?"

The boy stopped curiously. "Genta," he answered, wondering if he'd done something wrong.

"And how old are you Genta?"

The boy grinned, and said proudly, "Six!"

Souji beamed. "Wow, you're a big boy!"

He bent over and picked up the ball, that had now reached his feet. He held it out for the child.

"Thanks!" Genta peered curiously at the boy hiding behind the nice man's yukata. He had a long ponytail, in fact Genta had never seen a child with such long hair before. He kind of looked like a mini samurai. Genta thought that was cool.

Souji noticed the boy's expression, and gently pushed Hijikata forward. "Genta-chan, I want you to meet my little brother, Toshi-chan. He wants to join your game. Is that okay?"

Genta nodded. He smiled at Hijikata, who desperately wanted to growl at the little brat, but found himself smiling back instead.

o-o-o-o

Takeshi chuckled to himself as Tetsu tried to catch his breath after his very long rant. The old man carried some of the glass containers into the back room, and came back with a cup of water. Tetsu gulped it down. "Thanks!" He wiped his mouth and eagerly looked at Takeshi.

"So can I?"

"You know, young man, your enthusiasm is very infectious. I would even ask you if you would like to work for me."

Tetsu's mouth opened and closed like a fish. The idea of working in a candy shop seemed unbelievable, and very tempting. But still...it was not tempting enough to let go of his Shinsengumi dream...He had yet to avenge the death of his parents. And no amount of candy could ever take that goal away from him.

"But unfortunately... I don't approve of my candy being used for personal vengeance. So you couldn't be on my staff." Takeshi looked apologetic.

Tetsu's face fell.

"But you gave it to Oki-Soujiro, and he wanted it for vengeance!" he blurted out desperately.

"Ah," said Takeshi, eyes twinkling. "But that was not for vengeance, my young friend, that was for enlightenment."

Tetsu was really confused. Is this guy loony? he thought, becoming a little wary. Maybe the Vice Commander is in more trouble than Okita-san thinks...

"You're looking at me like I'm crazy, boy," said Takeshi yet he still sounded cheerful. "If you don't understand, then I'll explain it to you."

"Um, okay," said Tetsu, looking back at the door and wondering if he'd be able to reach it in time. He swallowed. What was that story Shinpachi told him? About the shopkeeper who chopped up little children and sold them as food? He didn't know if the Captain had been telling the truth or not, but still...

"You see, your friend Soujiro's elder brother doesn't like candy. And everyone knows, children love candy. Adults should too, but most of them are too caught up with being 'adult', that they lose all capacity for enjoyment. They suppress their inner child. And the ones who suppress them the most, are the ones who hate children the most. And everything to do with children. That would explain why Soujiro's elder brother calls candy 'brat food.' I've seen it before you know. I happen to deal with it on a regular basis."

Tetsu looked very confused. "But then why would you turn him into a child?"

Takeshi clucked his tongue. "Come on boy, you've got to be brighter than that. That man needs to rediscover the joys of youth! Amd until he does...he will never change back." The man grinned. "That part is particularly satisfying."

"But he HATES everything to do with children, just like you said! He's not enjoying himself at all!" said Tetsu, looking indignant.

"Oh no," said Takeshi, a wicked look in his eyes. "You weren't listening to me. Remember what I said about adults suppressing their inner child? It's easy for them to do that, because they're no longer in a child's body. But now Soujiro's brother is."

His grin grew wider.

"And his inner child has been starved and deprived for so long. Now that it's going to be let loose, what do you think will happen?"

Tetsu turned pale. Let loose?

o-o-o-o

"Um Toshi..." Souji panted as he leaned against a tree. "I think...that's enough...playing...now..." He wheezed, and sucked in as much air as he could, his chest felt like it would burst. Over most of the last hour, he'd been forced to go chasing after the ball because Hijikata had found it very amusing to make Souji chase after it, instead of actually play ball. And he'd managed to convince Genta and all the other boys as well.

"No!" replied little Toshi as he stomped on the ground. "Wanna play more!"

You stupid brat! Hijikata yelled at himself. Look at Souji, he's tired! His inner child didn't answer. Hijikata continued raging, but it wasn't doing any good at all. It wasn't like he could influence his inner child. The thing had taken control.

Hijikata yelled at himself. His inner child didn't answer. Hijikata continued raging, but it wasn't doing any good at all. It wasn't like he could influence his inner child. The thing had taken control.

"Yeah!" chorused Genta and the boys. "Toshi's cool, we wanna play more of this game!"

"But Toshi-chan, we have to---" Souji didn't have time to finish his sentence, as a coughing fit overtook him. The boys watched curiously as the hacking sounds coming from Soujiro didn't seem to stop. Genta thought it sounded like a monster was trying to come out of him.

Hijikata was worried. He tried to ask Souji if hewas okay, but little Toshi was too caught up to care.

"Still playing!" he said defiantly, picking up the ball and holding it out for Genta to take, who was older than he was, and thus a better thrower. "It's Genta's turn now!"

But Genta was tugging on Souji's yukata. "Are you okay?" he asked, concerned.

The Captain inhaled deeply, than smiled down at the child. "I'm okay now," he said, patting him on the head. "I just got a little out of breath that's all." He turned to Hijikata, but the boy had his nose wrinkled up. "Throw the ball!" he yelled at Genta, looking mad.

Genta frowned at him. "Your brother's tired!" he said. "We can play later."

"Noo!" Little Toshi's face turned red. "I wanna play more!"

Souji massaged his temples. "Toshi-kun..." he began gently. "We'll play some more later...but for now we have to go to the candy shop...remember?"

Hijikata was relieved to see he was okay. He tried to make his mouth form the words, "Alright," but he couldn't. He was completely lost to his inner child.

"Candy shop?" repeated little Toshi, dropping the ball and eyeing Souji eagerly. "We going to have candy?"

"Yes," said Souji, looking relieved. Although he was a little worried that Hijikata-san had disappeared...he didn't see it as an immediate problem. He was good with kids, of course he and Toshi would make it to the candy shop alive...I mean alright, Okita quickly corrected himself.

"Okay," said Toshi simply, grabbing Souji's hand. "Let's go now."

The kids watched as they left. "What a snob," said one little boy.

Genta shrugged, and picked up the ball. "I feel sorry for Toshi," he said to the other kids. They blinked at him in surprise.

"Whatcha feel sorry for him for?" said one indignant six year old. "I feel sorry for Soujiro!"

"Maybe Toshi doesn't get to play all the time," pointed out Genta. "Maybe... his family's too poor to get him a ball!"

The other kids sobered up at this. They definitely felt sorry for him now. Imagine not having a ball to play with! No wonder he was trying to control their game.

o-o-o-o

"That's very interesting," remarked Takeshi, stroking his beard as he listened to Tetsu try once more to convince him. "I am beginning to see that it isn't personal vengeance at all..."

"Exactly!" lied Tetsu. "It's all about enlightenment!"

'So someone else's inner child has been suppressed,' said Takeshi slowly. "I wonder why I didn't sense it..."

"Because he's a real freak," explained Tetsu eagerly. "That's why he needs to be puni--- I mean, enlightened and everything."

Takeshi studied him carefully. The redhead gave him the brightest most innocent smile he could muster.

o-o-o-o

"I not have candy."

Souji looked surprised, and turned to Toshi, who was swinging his hand, but had been quiet most of the way.

"Well, you don't have candy right now, but I'll buy you some!"

"No." Little Toshi shook his head, his bangs bouncing about the front of his face. "I not allowed candy!"

Souji's brow furrowed. "Who says so?"

"Tou-san," said the boy, looking at his feet as he walked. "He says I grow up."

"You grow up?" repeated poor Okita, confused by the five year old's speech.

"Yeah. I be grow up. I watch Tou-san make medicees. I not want candy."

"I see..." said Souji slowly, as he began to understand.

"You should be grown up, is that? Watch your father make medicines and learn from him? You shouldn't want candy?"

The boy didn't answer.

Souji gently steered him away from the path of a group of ronin, and then stopped. Toshi stared up at him curiously. Souji bent down in front of him, so they were eye to eye.

"I want to ask you something Toshi-chan." He stared deep into the boy's big brown orbs, and wondered if Hijikata was in there somewhere, and could hear him. "Do you think you should be grown up?"

"Yeah," he answered. His eyes gleamed a little. "Then I be big and strong, and Tou-san not tell me what to do! Tou-san's a meanie. He hates me."

"No way! Of course your Tou-san loves you!"

"But he doesn't let me have candy."

"That's only because Tou-sans don't know everything." Souji said firmly. "He doesn't know that candy is good for you! So don't worry about it. You can eat candy. You can eat it when you're grown up too!"

The boy nodded slowly. "I can eat much as I want!" he said defiantly. Okita laughed.

"I have something else to ask you. Do you want to make medicines when you grow up?"

"No," Toshi said at once. "I hate medicees! I not wanna make them! I wanna play!" His eyes were beginning to tear up.

"But medicines help people who are sick. They make them feel better. That's nice, isn't it?"

Souji thought back to the week before, when he had chanced upon Hijikata making medicine in his room.

The Vice Commander had seemed almost embarrassed about it, he hated people to know about his past profession...but he had still made it then, and though he didn't say anything, Souji knew it was because he was worried about his cough. He had been grateful. Hijikata hated it, but still...he had employed it that night for Souji's health. The man had a good heart...despite what most others in the Shinsengumi thought of him.

Toshi looked at him for a moment, and Okita couldn't read his expression. Then the boy looked down. "I'm sowwy," he whispered.

"For what, Toshi-chan?"

You was tired, and I not listen."

"Don't worry about that!" Souji patted the boy's head fondly. "I'm happy you care about me though." He grinned.

Toshi smiled shyly, Souji's encouraging words still sounding in his head. He had never met such a friendly and cheerful grown up before.

He wondered briefly if he could be like that when he grew up. Make medicines to help people get better, like Soujiro's coughing, and eat candy and still have fun! His Tou-san certainly didn't eat candy and joke around like this man, but if Soujiro could, then that meant it was possible. In a way Toshi kind of felt sorry for his father, something he'd never felt before. And he wasn't so sure he hated him anymore. He couldn't blame his Tou-san for not knowing everything.

He studied Souji. "You not weally my brother," he said finally.

"Not really," said the Captain. "But we're still friends right?"

Toshi looked happy. "Right! You buy me candy!"

Souji laughed, a bright comforting sound to Toshi. "As much as you want. But you have to promise to eat it all!"

The boy nodded eagerly.

"But you know what..." said Souji, looking thoughtful as he observed the kid in front of him. "If you don't mind, first I'd like to do a few other things..."

He giggled, eyes sparkling with mischief as he reached for the boy's hand again, and led him towards a shop across the road.

In the back of little Toshi's mind, where Hijikata had been listening quietly---once more, the commotion started.

o-o-o-o

Kondou tapped his foot nervously as he stood in front of the entrance to Shinsengumi headquarters, watching his surroundings like a hawk.

"What's taking them so long," he said to himself, feeling anxious. "It's been past an hour already..."

He hoped they had not run into any trouble...Yet a larger part of him hoped that the First Unit Captain had not become sidetracked. Souji was already very attached to the Vice Commander as it was, even when Hijikata was his normal irritable self, and now that he was in child form, Souji might forget what they had set off to do...

He sweatdropped. What if the young man enjoyed playing with little Hijikata so much that he didn't want him to change back...?

"This is becoming a very stressful day," Kondou thought miserably as he massaged his temples. He would have liked to go into town himself, and find them, but he couldn't do that...Then suddenly, it came to him. The perfect idea. He wondered why he hadn't thought of it before.

Smiling with relief, he went back into the compound to seek out Susumu. It was the perfect job for him...it would be less suspicious for an ordinary woman to be looking around for a child, then the Commander of the Shinsengumi...and Susumu Yamazaki, well he made a very fine woman indeed.