How far can you run? I can run over ten maybe fifteen miles. Without stopping? Of course. Am I a maniac? No, I'm just not human. But her? She ran far. She ran really far. It took us up to three years to trace her. Kagome Higurashi, or in my mind, Kikyou Deshore. It made me think. It made me honestly think 'how long can Kagome Higurashi run?'. And I got my answer.

Not that long.

Not that far.

She had a duty to take care of.

And besides, her heart belonged to me.

There was no where she could run without memories of me following.

--Inuyasha

Chapter 3: 1095 Semi Days

Three Years Ago, Tokyo, Japan

"Okay… I am smart, witty, young and youthful. I am also, sixteen years old, so I guess that's not a stretch, and I'm pretty smart. Pretty good looking... I guess... and God, my hair looks hideous!" Kagome snarled, tugging at her black hair, "It looks like a dead horse. A dead horse!"

Likewise, every Friday around the same time, she was someplace that she never heard of. Whether it was in the back of a tavern or at some nameless hotel, sitting in front of a overweight Japanese with a larger-than-life ego. Some people never learn. Kagome stared grimly out of the window. Everything about this street was familiar. The tall white fences and the same tan looking houses with the children playing in front of the yard. It was so familiar.

Kagome turned her head away, giving her gun one final pat. This was the first 'assignment' she had like this. Broad daylight, nice suburban neighbors greeting each other with pie filled with love. She had to do this right and not let her emotions get in the way of this. She had to kill… Kagome's shoulders eased as they passed the last of the suburban houses.

So she wasn't going to kill a suburban wife. Good. She wasn't in the mood to beat down a housewife. Women were always the most pathetic ones to kill. Always squealing and squirming and declaring their love for their children. She wasn't a cold heartless murderer or anything like that, but when somebody declares something utterly stupid, like, oh, their love for god, she usually gave them an extra kick in their mouth. It pissed her off to great extremes to hear declarations like that.

Umm… Kagome unfolded the notebook paper in her hands, running her finger across the name.

Kikyou Deshore.

It was the first time she saw his name considering the fact that Sesshomaru had this strict policy that the only time you can read the name is when you're about twenty miles away from the headquarters. She was sure she surpassed twenty miles, especially since they were somewhere near a suburban area.

She sighed cocking her gun as the car slowed down. Kagome closed her eyes, crumbling the paper and throwing it to the backseat. God…. Kagome thought as she opened her door and began walking towards Kikyou's house. What have you done, Kikyou? Kagome let the tears drizzle down her face as she came closer to the door. She had to kill Kikyou. She had to. There was no way out unless she wanted to be dead also. And death was not one of those things that were no her to do list. Definitely not.

Kagome pushed back a strand of black hair that was sticking unto the side of her face as sweat piled to her forehead. She was an assassin; she was used to murdering her own. But not Kikyou. Kikyou was like a mother to her. She babied her and taught her to become a strong woman. Kagome couldn't assassinate the very one who brought her up in the Succession.

But all that aside, this was her job and the Succession was her home. One of them wasn't coming back and it wasn't going to be her. She was going to come back. She was going to go to her safe home. She was. Not Kikyou. Oh God….

"Kagome, is that you?"

Kagome glanced around; realizing she had finally entered the Deshore residence: a small, posh house that was out in the middle of nowhere. Kagome held her gun up, watching Kikyou walk towards her. She closed her eyes as she pulled the gun, hearing Kikyou stumble backwards.

"I'm sorry, Kikyou, but I have to…" Kagome smiled sadistically, "You understand."

Kikyou smiled also. "You used to be such a sweet girl, Kagome, what happened to you? Have you become the murderer you always dreaded you'd become?"

"What?" Kagome's eyes widened, as her gun wavered a bit, "I'm not a murderer."

"Yes, you are. If you kill me. You are."

"I'm not a murderer, Kikyou. I'm just doing my job."

"Really?" Kikyou shook her head, "Is this the job you want? Is this how you see yourself in the next twenty years, firing off all your closest friends and family? Huh, Kagome?"

"No." Kagome whispered before raising her voice, "But shut up! You're the job and I'm not returning until the job is done. Which means, you'll have to die."

"It doesn't have to be that way." Kikyou said, "We can run."

"We can?"

"Far. Far away and three years for now, they'll completely forget that they've ever known a Kikyou Deshore and a Kagome Higurashi."

Kagome stared out of a window, in the bland, leaky hotel. Yeah right. If this was them forgetting they ever knew her, she would hate to see if they actually remembered. Kagome sighed as the rain slide down her window. She hated storms. What most she hated was memories. Especially the whole 'no, no, don't kill me, believe me, three years later, they'll forget we have ever existed.' Yeah right. Exactly three years later, they definitely didn't forget.

I kind of wish I killed her now, Kagome thought ferociously; even though, she knew she didn't have it in her heart to kill Kikyou.

"Hungry?"

Kagome glared as Inuyasha untied the wrap from her lips. The nerve of those bastards. But it did serve her right. She did run and they did have to run after - well, drive after her and find her. Big whoop. It wasn't like she went that far. God knows she wasn't a runner.

"Zoom, zoom, zoom, eekkkk…" Inuyasha whirled the spoon around, making her dizzy from actually following the spoon, "Making a pit stop. In her mouth!"

"God, stop it—"

There goes another one. Another one of those stupid spoons with that atrocious soup going into her mouth. She wanted to gag.

"Where is Miroku?" Inuyasha asked absentmindedly as he tied the cloth around her mouth again.

Yeah. Where was Miroku? Just as she was going to get her answer, beep, beep, beep, his damn pager goes off. He probably had to kill somebody. If she'd gotten her hands on a weapon, he'd better believe she was going to use it.

Unfortunately for her, the only weapon in sight was a spoon, and more spoons. How original.

"You can untie her now." Miroku demanded.

There he was! Kagome snarled and glared as Inuyasha stared quizzically at Miroku.

"Are you sure?" Inuyasha asked, glancing back at her, "She looks like she's foaming at the mouth."

"JUST UNTIE HER!"

"Gosh." Inuyasha swore, "Always hurting my feelings. Always."

"Don't be satirical over there."

"Fuck you."

"Yeah. Yeah. Whatever. Jesus, didn't I just say UNTIE HER?"

"Some religious leader you turned out to be." Inuyasha mumbled before speaking up, "Sesshomaru told me that you were my spiritual guidance counselor. He's a fucking liar."

"Really, you just found that one out. You're a genius." Miroku replied sarcastically as Inuyasha mumbled something that suspiciously sounded like 'anal bastard' before he began untying Kagome's mouth.

"Why did you betray me?" Kagome shouted as Inuyasha rolled his eyes.

"Not that I don't enjoy a few soap operas on my downtime, but for real, it's not the time for this."

"He's right. We need to get to Orleans, and quick." Miroku walked over toward a map, running his finger across the line, "Which will take us two hours to get there but unfortunate…"

"Yeah, yeah, there's this huge storm that we cannot prevent. Anyway, Miroku, didn't you just tell me that you had a run in with Sango a little while ago?"

Miroku glanced up, obviously annoyed, "Do I look like a mind reader? How am I supposed to know that Sesshomaru wanted us to take out Sango?"

"I don't know. Use your spiritual powers." Inuyasha mocked, "They should be good for something."

"I'm honestly tired of those spiritual jokes, Inuyasha." Miroku said.

"Really?" Inuyasha asked, with mock sympathy, "Because until I care, I'm not going to stop."

"SHUT UP!" Kagome yelled, "This was entertaining for a while, but then it turned completely stupid. Can we go?"

"No." Inuyasha smiled, "Because we have to tell you that either you help us take out Sango or else… hey, Miroku what's the other part of the threat?"

"Weren't you listening?"

Inuyasha squinted, "Do I even have to answer that?"

"Unless we kill your family."

Kagome chuckled healthfully as Inuyasha stared blankly at her, "My family is dead."

"Oh really?" Inuyasha replied as he held up a picture of a sweet looking family, "Because even though you told Sesshomaru that in order to join the team, we all know the truth. Your family exists. And we know where they are. Are you going to cooperate now?"

Kagome stared firmly at the ground as Miroku smiled, "Of course she is. Let's go."

"Who's carrying her?" Inuyasha asked taking the map off the wall.

"Do I even have to answer that?" Miroku countered before walking out.

Inuyasha glared at her, "You better not be heavy, bitch, because if you are, I swear, you won't eat for another three days."

"Save yourself the trouble and untie me."

"Now what fun would that be?" Inuyasha asked as he slung her over his shoulder, "Wow, you're pretty light."

"Go to hell."

"I've gotten better offers than that." Inuyasha smiled cheekily as they made their way towards the car.

"Damn bitch!" Kikyou swore, slamming her fist into her desk, "I mean, seriously, how hard is it to find a stupid, nineteen year old girl? How hard is it? Answer me, Koga!"

Koga shrugged, staring at Kagome's picture, "I don't know. I guess she blends in. I'll find her though."

"Of course, you will. I'm paying you an arm and a goddamn leg! Because if you don't find her then I'll have to find her or deal with Naraku and you know I don't want to do any of those."

Koga nodded, taking an eye full of Kikyou's office. What a nice view. Bastard. So, she was the one who took the lake view. Bitch. He was glad he wasn't seriously working for Naraku or else he would actually be jealous.

Koga sniffed the air, choking on Kikyou's sweet perfume.

God. What was the bitch trying to do? Kill him?

"Nice perfume. Is it new?" Koga asked as Kikyou immediately smiled.

"It's not perfume." Kikyou said as she walked out of the room.

"What?" As Koga sniffed again, "UGH! Slimy whore!"

Koga said as he swiftly walked out of the office room.

Italics is memories. The Succession is the assassin team that Sesshomaru runs that Miroku, Inuyasha and Koga are apart of and the assassin team that Kikyou and Kagome was part of. Umm… the whole "what's that smell, not perfume' will be explained next chapter. Pretty much it's exactly what you're thinking when Koga goes "slimy whore" when you think of a whore, you think of sex. Anyway, peace.