Gintoki and I were traveling companions because he had traveled with my grandfather once, a long time ago.

[Time for some booze. Transmutating some of that for himself now.

That was another thing Kaien had taught him. Making decent sake on the fly.]

Hikaru was his first friend. He had been a Pandoran who had grown strong because of his grief and his rage. The Blade King had defeated him, and convinced him that there was another way of living. ...I never did find out how old he was.