Just to clarify, I do often switch between using "Yasha" and "Kagome." I will use Kagome when she is acting as her female self and the people around her know she is female. Yasha will be used around people that don't know he/she is female (yes, I'm bad at the pronouns – I'm very inconsistent.

Kagome's old friends aren't really a part of her. Their souls are within the jewel and Kagome has complete access to the jewel and therefore to her friends, but if the jewel disappears, so do they.

As to how much is going to be in the Bakumatsu era… I'm not really sure yet. There are a few major events that I want/need to happen that should happen in the Bakumatsu era. As far as I know, there will be AT LEAST two more chapters in the past, probably more.

Um… I'm not really into threesomes… call me prudish or whatever, but no, this will not be a threesome. And the issue of age between Kenshin and Kagome will resolve itself since she ages very slowly and he ages at a normal rate. The same with Sano, seeing as at the moment he is four years old…

Anyways, please enjoy another long chapter of Fighting the Good Fight…

~~~ Slaughterhouse (4) ~~~

It was the late afternoon of June fifth, in the founding year of Genji. Yasha sweated in the setting sun, hot from practicing all day. He lay under a sakura, the blooms already gone. He dozed, one hand wrapped around the pommel of his sword. Nearby, Masa was still sparring with another soldier.

Kagome was dreaming of her family – her little brother, mother, and grandfather. When she was thirteen and Sota was six, they had taken a trip to Kyoto to watch part of the Gion Festival. They were only there for the opening ceremonies, but it had always been one of her favorite trips with her family. She and Sota had gotten to dress up and play various games while the watched the festivities.

Kagome immediately awoke as she sensed someone near her. When she sensed who it was she smiled. Kanaye had his hand held to her. Yasha took it and was on her feet in an instant.

"You had the strangest expression on your face while you were sleeping. What were you dreaming of?" Kanaye asked.

"My family. When I was young, we went to the Gion Festival together."

"Ah." Kanaye paused as they began walking to their tent. "You never talk about them. How many people were there in your family?"

"It was my mother, my grandfather and my younger brother. My father died before my younger brother was born."

"Where is your family now? Do they know you're a soldier now?"

"There is no one from my family now. I haven't seen them since long before I decided to fight."

Kanaye must have heard something painful in his friend's voice because he didn't ask anymore about her family. "Well… tonight is the last night of the opening ceremonies for the festival. Masa, Yukio and I were planning on going. Do you want to join us? I think there're only a few people staying behind."

Kagome thought on it a moment as Kanaye held open the tent flap for her to go in. "I think I'll pass. I haven't been getting much sleep lately."

"I know. Well, if you change your mind, just come find us. We're leaving in about an hour."

Kagome nodded and went to lie down as Kanaye prepared to leave. She dozed off as Kanaye went in and out of the tent. At one point, she felt him standing over her.

"You know," he whispered and Kagome knew he wasn't talking to her, "You're a great friend. If I wasn't in love with Yukio and I liked girls, I'd have married you right away. Whoever let you run away was an idiot."

Kagome fell back asleep and didn't awake until Kanaye was already gone.

She sat up and yawned, rubbing her eyes. Then she noticed the note that had fluttered off her chest. She picked it up and read it.

Hey, we left for the festival. I wish you'd come with us, but I'm not going to wake you up to tell you that. If you wake up before the festival's over, come join us. Just listen for the drunken person (Masa).

~Kanaye

'Maybe I should go.' Kagome stood up. 'What could it hurt? It'll be fun.'

Kagome changed into clean clothes and stretched. 'I wonder if Kenshin-san will be there?' she shook her head at herself. 'I'm too old for him. Plus he is most definitely in love with Tomoe-san… who is also too old for him… whatever…'

Kagome grabbed her money pouch and paused by her sword. 'Should I take it or not? I probably won't need it and the Mimawarigumi are already suspicious, but Kanaye took his… I'll leave it here. It's unlikely that the Mimawarigumi would attack during the festival.'

So Kagome placed the sword on her bedroll and left the tent, making her way to town. Once there, Yasha looked around, noting the various stalls selling food and drink and little trinkets. The whole town was brightly lit. Here and there she sensed familiar auras and weak demons.

Up ahead there was another member of the Ishin Shishi standing on the corner and smoking. Yasha knew he was actually a scout for the Ikeda-ya, since there was a meeting there that evening. Yasha gave the man a quick glance which he returned. Neither acknowledged the other's presence more than that.

Yasha continued searching the festival for the next hour. As she walked along, she stopped and ate from the stalls and had a bit of sake. Then she felt a flair-up of power. She stopped and turned, trying to analyze where it came from. A jolt of alarm shot through her as she realized it came from the direction of the Ikeda-ya, from its approximate location. Yasha slipped into an alley and began to run towards the disturbance, avoiding main roads. She stopped at the end of an alley across from the Ikeda-ya and hid in the shadows.

There were several guards outside of the Ikeda-ya in the uniform of the Shinsengumi Mibu wolves. The man Yasha had greeted earlier was dead, his sword drawn. Yasha could hear the sounds of fighting and death from inside the building. He reached for his katana before remembering it was on his bedroll, back at the tent.

"Dammit," Yasha cursed to himself quietly.

The guards' fellow soldiers came out of the building. All were covered in blood. There were far more of them than the number of Ishin Shishi that had been in that building, Yasha knew.

A man with a black ponytail and honey-colored eyes stepped from the building and Yasha stumbled back, eyes wide with shock.

"That was too easy," one man said. "I would have thought it would be harder to defeat the Ishin Shishi."

"The Battousai wasn't even there," another complained. "Or their damned leader."

"We've still got the inn to look through."

"According to the informant, there's a camp outside of town with another hitokiri in it."

Yasha's blood ran cold when he heard that. 'They're talking about me.' She noticed that the man with honey eyes was still staring at her. She took another step back, trying to move further into the shadows.

The man took a step in her direction, before calling to the apparent leader. "Okita-kun, there is someone there."

A man who looked no older than Kenshin also looked. "Capture him."

Yasha turned and fled, knowing he had no chance while he was unarmed. He then scoffed at himself. 'Not that I would win in a fight against a wolf demon without my miko-ki anyways.'

Half the Mibu were chasing her. Among them was the wolf with golden eyes. He led the chase, but knew better than to become separated too much from the group.

Yasha dodged into another alley and the wolf followed. The pack of humans followed. 'How do I get out of this? Where can I go?'

Yasha kept running through the alleys. 'I can't lead them to the inn or the camp. I can't let Kenshin be taken unawares and there are too many civilians. The men that stayed at camp are probably asleep… I need to hide!'

Yasha changed direction and started towards the main roads. She turned sharply into the crowd and took her hair from its ponytail as she began to walk. 'Don't see me, don't see me!' Yasha fought to control his breathing. He felt the Mibu pause at the fork in the alley. He knew they would not expect him to go into the crowd where he'd be trapped.

Yasha kept tabs on their energies as he made his way through town. Eventually they stopped searching and met up with the other Mibu. Yasha bumped into someone and felt as if his heart might have stopped when he saw golden eyes. When he saw red hair, he felt his heart beat again.

"Kenshin-sensei, the Mibu--"

"I know," Kenshin stated. His eyes were directed at towards the street and shadowed by a cake pan-like hat. Yasha followed his gaze and saw the Mibu walking by even bloodier than before. The wolf demon looked right at the two of them and smirked.

"What's the matter Saito-san?" the young man Yasha knew to be Okita asked.

Saito's gaze moved off of the two Ishin Shishi and Yasha breathed deeply. "It's… nothing, Okita-kun," Saito told the leader with his eyes closed.

Yasha and Kenshin watched the Shinsengumi leave, then Kenshin took Yasha's arm and began to lead him away.

"We need to leave. There are more men on the way from the Shogunate."

Yasha pulled away. "I need to go back to camp first. Where should we meet?"

Kenshin paused. "Meet me outside the gates. We will need to find other survivors."

Yasha nodded and they parted.

Kagome ran all the way to camp. Before she got there, she could smell smoke and blood. In the light of flames, she could see smoke rising from the camp.

Kagome paused at the edge of camp. Men lay in pools of their own blood, scattered in and around scorched or burning tents. A few horses were also dead, but most were simply gone.

Kagome felt her chest clench with fear and worry. She did not know whether or not her friends had returned before the Mibu had attacked.

Kagome then sensed someone and grabbed a sword from the body of one of her former peers before she hid in the shadow of a tree. The person started to walk by and Kagome leapt out and took the man down, holding the sword to his neck.

"Yasha?"

Kagome shifted so light shone on the man's face. It was Masa. Kagome took the sword away from his neck. "Where are Yukio and Kanaye?" she asked as she helped Masa to his feet.

"I don't know. They left town before me. I was hoping they'd met up with you and you guys were safe."

The friends stared into the flames together. "I'd like to know at least," Kagome mumbled. "I can't just wonder. Let's go to our tents. That's where they'd be, most likely."

Masa nodded. They made their way to Masa's tent first. He shared it with five others, as it was a larger tent. Among the bodies in and around it, they did not find Yukio or Kanaye. They left the tent, leaving the bodies within for the moment.

As they passed the officers' tent, Kagome heard something within. "There's someone alive in there," she told Masa. He nodded and they approached the tent cautiously. Masa held the flap and Kagome entered with the sword in front of her.

Lying on the ground, bleeding profusely, was Captain Ryuichi. Kagome dropped the sward and rushed to the captain.

"Yasha," the man muttered.

"Yes, captain, it's me." Kagome pulled the rags of clothing away from his body. "Don't worry, I can fix this," she told him.

He had been stabbed through the gut and Kagome could see various pink organs, including the captain's intestine. Blood was flowing out of the gash. Kagome held the rags firmly against the wound. "Masa, get me--"

"No," the captain whispered. "I failed to protect them. I should have been prepared."

Kagome took another look at the scene and saw the dagger gleaming with false innocence by the captain's hand. It was not murder. It was seppuku. Kagome gritted her teeth.

"I can heal you, I can save you."

Masa placed a hand on Kagome's shoulder. "A man's honor is worth more than that to him."

The captain's expression seemed to beg Yasha to understand. After a moment he nodded. "Alright. But you do not deserve to suffer." He stood with the sword. "Masa, get him on his knees."

"Thank you," the captain whispered.

Yasha bowed his head. "In light of your death, I will save who I can." Yasha tried to offer Masa the sword, but the older man shook his head.

"I'm not strong enough."

Yasha nodded, grimacing. "Sayonara, Ryuichi-sama." Yasha beheaded Ryuichi and looked away as the body slumped to the ground.

"We'll bury him later. For now, let's find Yukio and Kanaye," Masa said.

Yasha dropped the sword and followed Masa out of the tent. He made it a few steps before he fell to his knees and vomited. Afterwards, Kagome wiped her mouth and stood. "Let's find them."

Masa nodded and they continued on their way. Soon, they reached Kanaye and Yasha's shared tent. It was only slightly scorched on one side. Masa once again held the tent flap open.

Kagome stopped a step inside the tent. Kanaye was slumped, half-naked, over his bedroll. His mouth was surrounded by blood, from where he appeared to have bitten someone. His and Yasha's swords lay a few feet away, both unsheathed and bloody. There was a pool of blood near them and some drag marks leading out of the tent. Various bodily fluids surrounded Kanaye, but the most predominant was blood. It dripped slowly from different gashes – one on his side, other on his thigh and back. But Kanaye had not bled out. That had merely been torture. The sword through his heart, pinning him to the ground had killed him.

Kagome stepped closer and saw a bit of flesh had been spat on the ground beside him, along with what seemed to be the majority of his teeth. Kagome looked away from that, feeling sick at the evidence of what was essentially rape.

She kneeled amidst the blood and closed her eyes, trying to feel for anything left to save. Kanaye's traumatized soul remained, but Kagome knew there was nothing she could do for the body. Her eyes opened and she stared at the top of Kanaye's head as she spoke to Masa.

"Don't touch me unless there's danger. I may be very still for a while."

"Hai," Masa answered. Kagome closed her eyes again.

She opened herself spiritually and reached out for Kanaye. His soul, recognizing her and seeking comfort, came immediately. In a second, Kanaye was in her mind, looking as healthy and strong as he ever had.

"Ka-Kagome? Wha-what happened? The last I remember, the Mibu were there and they … they …"

"I know," Kagome told him. "They also killed you. You're just a spirit now."

"Then… how can you talk to me?"

Kagome stepped closer to Kanaye. "I'm a miko. I could have saved you, if I'd been there… I'm sorry, Kanaye."

"It's not your fault. But what are you doing?" Kanaye reached out to her and Kagome embraced him.

"I can purify your soul and send you on. Or you can stay with me."

"How?"

Kagome hugged him tighter. "There's a jewel inside me that houses souls. My friends are there until I can get rid of it. If you want, you can join them. Or I can send you on so you can be reincarnated."

Kanaye was quiet and the white place they were in was completely silent, devoid of even breathing. "I want to go on. It's better to move on." Kagome felt wetness on her shoulder. "Can you make me forget, Kagome? I don't want to remember what they did. I don't want to know that."

Kagome stroked his hair and felt tears in her own eyes. "I can make the bad memories disappear."

Kanaye nodded. "Will you tell Yukio and Masa that I loved them and that they were they best friends I could have had? Can… can you tell Yukio that I loved him more than anything else, but I want him to be happy with Michiko?"

Kagome nodded and whispered, "Yes," to him.

"And Kagome… I love you too you know. You're so strong and good. I wish instead of this war, you were at home with a loving husband that is strong enough to take care of you. I wish you didn't have to see things like this."

"Thank you, Kanaye. I love you as well."

Kanaye released Kagome and wiped his eyes. "Okay. I'm ready."

Kagome nodded and took Kanaye's hands in hers. She concentrated on her powers and felt them flow from her to Kanaye, cleansing him. When she opened her eyes, Kanaye's eyes were closed. They slowly opened as he began to fade and he gained a confused look.

"Who are you?" he asked, and faded out completely.

Kagome opened her eyes into the real world and turned to look at Masa, who was staring at her as if he had just figured something out.

"He's gone, huh?" the grizzled soldier asked.

"Yes. I sent him on."

"You're a miko. I thought you might be."

Kagome nodded. "The most powerful in existence," she told him wryly.

"I thought so. I had a bit of training as a kid. I thought I sensed it in you. The jewel." Kagome's gaze was sharp and Masa shrugged. "I know all the old legends. Never really believed that one, though, until now."

Kagome sighed. "It's better not to believe. It was bad enough when it happened. No need to bring up a past that can't – and probably shouldn't -- be changed."

Masa nodded and strode forward to pull the katana from Kanaye's body. It slumped further towards the ground. "I can't stand to see him like that," the man muttered gruffly. "He was a good man, and honest. Wore his so-called sins proudly. He didn't deserve something like this."

Kagome stood. "He told me to tell you he loved you and Yukio and that he couldn't have had better friends."

"We'll get the bastards who did this."

Kagome nodded. "We have to leave him for now. We might still be able to save Yukio."

Masa led the way from the tent. "Do you think you could use your ki to find him?"

"Maybe. I haven't tried that before." Kagome tried to find a familiar aura. "It's weak, but it's there. Give me a minute and I can find the location." There was absolute silence. "The forest. He's dying."

Kagome began to run with Masa following closely behind. Kagome dodged through the trees and slowed after a minute or so. "He's close. Look for him."

There was a tiny amount of rustling and Kagome saw the glint of a sword.

"Yukio, it's Masa and Yasha."

The sword fell back to the ground and the two soldiers stepped closer. They were then able to see Yukio on the ground, holding a wound in his side tightly. Masa and Kagome could see the shadow that indicated blood seeping through the fabric of Yukio's clothes.

"Hey … guys," Yukio rasped, attempting a smile.

Kagome dropped to her knees beside Yukio. "Let me see."

"I'd rather a lady not see something like this. It's mortal. Is … where is Kanaye?"

"He's dead."

Yukio let his head fall back and he stared at the stars through the smoke above them. "He won't be alone for long. I'll be there soon too." He turned his head towards Masa. "Masa, tell Michiko I love her."

"No," Kagome said firmly. "Kanaye told me to tell you he loved you, but he wishes you and Michiko the best of luck. You can tell her yourself."

"I hate to break this to you, but I'm not going to make it." Yukio smiled and Kagome could see his blood coating his teeth.

"I can save you."

"A miracle could save me, nothing else." Yukio lifted his hand briefly and Kagome caught a glimpse of blood, muscle and organs before the injured man covered the wound again.

"I can save you," she repeated resolutely. "I can heal you."

"Even if you could… I've lost too much blood."

Kagome sat silently for a moment. "If I could, would you let me? Do you want to live?"

"Yea. I'm not ready to die yet." Yukio coughed and red spittle landed on his half-lifted hand.

Kagome nodded. "Good. Masa, hold him down."

Yukio's eyes went wide. "What the Hell?"

Masa held Yukio's arms to the ground and Kagome placed her glowing hands on Yukio. "What are you doing?" the dying man asked

"Saving you. Don't talk."

Kagome reached toward her power and pushed it out. She felt Yukio's flesh knit together and felt blood flow out of his lungs and abdominal cavity back and back where it belonged. The muscles and fat pushed together and prevented any more blood from escaping. Yukio's lungs cleared of all fluid, the skin over his gash repaired itself. A few cracked and broken bones popped back into place and Kagome heard Yukio cry out at the pain.

The bones took the longest. A few fragments had to find their places again and meld together to repair the bones, but after only half an hour, Yukio was healed and out of danger.

Kagome fell back onto her butt and sat cross-legged, a sheen of sweat on her face. A matching amount of sweat was also on Yukio's face and he panted heavily. Masa finally let go, cautiously. He had needed to crawl over Yukio to pin down his legs and torso as he thrashed about.

A few minutes passed before Yukio's breathing slowed. "What are you?"

"A miko," Kagome answered, "and a soldier." She glanced upward. "I need to go. I told Kenshin-san I would meet him outside the gates. See who has survived and gather them outside the gates as well."

Kagome stood and then looked back at her two remaining friends. "I… I want to bury Kanaye before I go."

Masa pulled Yukio to his feet and the three went back to the razed camp. Other survivors had started to gather, but Masa, Yukio and Yasha ignored them for the moment and went straight to the tent where Kanaye's body lay.

Yukio saw him and cursed. "They… they fucking…"

"Yea, they did."

"They'll pay. I swear on my father's honor, on my mother's honor and on moon in the sky they'll pay. This wasn't war; this was… fuck." Yukio knelt beside Kanaye and pulled the cold body into his arms. "You didn't deserve this… damn it, if I'd known what they were going to do I wouldn't have run…"

"It's what he would have wanted," Masa told him. "Now let's get him out of here. He's stayed long enough."

Kagome left to dig a grave while the two men tried to restore some of Kanaye's dignity by reassembling his clothing. The grave was shallow at the end – only a few feet deep – but Masa and Yukio placed Kanaye in it and covered him with dirt. They found some stones and covered the fresh mound with them to keep the animals out of the grave.

Kagome stood between the two men when it was down and bowed her head. "May our memories of you not be tainted by revenge or wrath. Instead, may we think of kind words and vitality. May your death not be allowed to taint our hearts. Instead, let your life give us strength to continue pursuing what is right. In the next life, may you be born in a happier place and time with people to care for and love you, no matter what."

There was absolute silence. Some of their other comrades had also come and none spoke. After a minute, Yasha turned and left, grabbing his sword on his way. Despite the bloody occurrences, he felt no need for vengeance. Instead, every soul he passed he cleansed until the camp was no longer haunted by the dead.

Kenshin hid in a tree, waiting for his fellow hitokiri, Yasha. A slight pang of worry ate at him. The man was taking far too long and Tomoe was left without protection. Just when the red head was about to give up, Yasha appeared beneath the tree.

"There was a mole within the Ishin Shishi. They knew where the camp was and that there was supposed to be a hitokiri there."

Kenshin dropped down beside him. "I know. The other Choshu will be here soon, along with the Shogunate army. Will you stay?"

"What has happened to Katsura-sensei?"

"He has escaped. I expect him to contact us within the week, but the battle may begin before that."

Yasha's gaze was firmly on the ground. "What do you intend to do, Kenshin-san?"

"Many of my friends were killed. I will stay and fight. Tomoe-san also intends to stay. She needs protection."

Yasha nodded. "I will not abandon my mentor. I will fight also. I told the survivors of my company to meet us. I may need to lead them. Should I tell them they can leave if they wish, or force them to stay?"

Kenshin's golden eyes closed. "If you give them the choice, most will stay. They have also lost their friends."

Yasha made a grunt of agreement. "Then it is decided. We will endure this battle."

"Indeed. We shall try."

Poor Kagome. I'll try to get the next chapter up by… mid to late May, but I'll have exams and State and stuff, so it may not happen that quickly.