Katsura Kotaro and Sakamoto Tatsuma Join the Battle.

Rick was at a loss for how to proceed. He needed to upgrade his portal gun if he wanted to reach the people on this planet, where the diverse mix of races resulted in a wide range of energy signatures.

He had tried a variety of rather idiotic methods to draw the group to him. These included causing a ruckus on television, putting up wanted posters, and shouting in the streets.

"These are stupid methods," he yelled at the group of men tied to a pillar. "But it'll work with enough time, so it's not that stupid! Shut up!"

The men looked at each other, wondering if he was crazy.

Now he just had to wait for the families of these workers to call emergency services and for more and more people to show up.

With Gintoki's strength, he should be invited.

Hijikata Toshiro was also among the captives.

The police always come first...

I think this guy had a good relationship with Gintoki, right?

Then he shouldn't have to wait too long.

-------------------------------------------

At afternoon, Kagura and Shinpachi returned home after another day of good deeds.

A lazy yawn escaped Gintoki's lips as he stretched on his worn-out futon. Sunlight filtered through the cracks in the wooden blinds, painting golden stripes on the tatami mat floor.

He jumped up, ignoring the creaking of his old joints, and headed to the kitchen, his snow-white hair a mess. A smell of stale coffee and burnt toast filled the air, courtesy of Kagura, the orange-haired alien.

"Good afternoon, Gin-san," Kagura greeted with her hoarse voice as she placed a steaming plate of food in front of him. "I hope you like today's lunch. I added a little of my special hot sauce!"

Gintoki eyed the plate with suspicion, where a mountain of rice was adorned with a generous amount of a bright red substance. A shiver ran down his spine as he recalled the last time he had tried Kagura's hot sauce.

"Thanks, Kagura," he said with a forced smile. "I'm sure it's delicious."

Without wasting time, he dove into the food, determined to finish before Kagura offered him more of her "special hot sauce."

"How was the morning?" Gintoki asked, trying to shake the sleep from his eyes as he began to taste the food. Kagura, with her usual energy, was preparing another impromptu lunch.

"It was crazy, Gin-chan!" Kagura exclaimed with a grin. "First, we had to rescue a cat that had climbed onto the roof of a noodle shop."

"Yes," Shinpachi added while cleaning his wooden sword, "the owner was desperate. He thought the cat was going to fall and was screaming like crazy."

Gintoki imagined the scene with a smile. "Ah, yes. Isn't that the cat that ended up rescuing us when the roof broke and we almost fell?"

Kagura nodded vigorously. "Exactly! It was like a scene from an action anime. How did you find out? Anyway, after that, we went to help Mrs. Yamada move some furniture."

Shinpachi rubbed his shoulder, remembering the effort. "I never thought a table could be so heavy. What the hell does that lady keep in her furniture?"

"Probably ghosts," Gintoki joked, tapping his sore shoulder. "And then, just when we thought the day couldn't get any worse, we got that call from the market merchant."

"Ah, the market merchant," Kagura murmured while chopping onions. "His store was invaded by a group of mischievous kids who were stealing candy. We had to chase them all over the market."

"Yes," Shinpachi said with a laugh, "and we ended up buying them candy to make them go away. In the end, we spent more money than we got back."

Gintoki sighed. "That's life in Yorozuya. Always chaos, always unexpected. But at least we end up helping everyone."

"And here we are," Kagura concluded, placing another plate of food on the table, "ready for the next adventure."

At that moment, Shinpachi looked up from the newspaper he was reading, his face serious.

"Gin-san," Shinpachi said, holding up the newspaper. "Something terrible has happened. Hijikata-san and a group of Shinsengumi workers have been kidnapped."

Gintoki stopped mid-bite, his eyes fixed on Shinpachi. Hijikata Toshiro, the vice-commander of the Shinsengumi, was an old acquaintance, despite their constant rivalry. Gintoki couldn't let this go.

"Where are they now?" Gintoki asked in a grave voice, his lips swollen from the hot sauce.

"They're being held captive in an abandoned warehouse on the outskirts of town," Shinpachi replied. "The culprit is said to be a mysterious man who calls himself Rick."

Gintoki stood up abruptly, knocking over his chair. The laziness and indifference that had characterized him moments before vanished, replaced by a fierce determination.

The change was swift, but understandable. Hijikata Toshiro was no pushover, and the fact that he had been kidnapped without a fight in front of the police group meant that the opponent had skills.

"Gather everyone," he ordered Shinpachi. "We're going to rescue Hijikata and the others."

Kagura, who had been watching the conversation silently, jumped to her feet and joined the cause with enthusiasm.

"Count on me, Gin-san!" she exclaimed with a wild grin. "It's time to kick some alien butt!"

Kagura and Shinpachi Split Up to find

Katsura Kotaro and Sakamoto Tatsuma.

Katsura Kotaro, the leader of the Joui, a rebel group fighting against the government. Katsura is a skilled swordsman and a brilliant strategist, as well as a close friend of Gintoki.

Sakamoto Tatsuma, a wandering swordsman known for his strength and his flamboyant personality.