HOJO'S POV
My world, the world that I had grown so accustomed, it had all come crashing before my eyes and I held onto the only hope I had of getting it back in the palm of my hand. The jewel of four souls, the jewel that brought Kagome into my arms after all the years I had tried to win her affections on my own. Kagome. She was probably in the arms of that dog demon while I sat in Narraku's castle, it made me sick and I wanted to curse her name for it. She was in the bed that we shared together just days ago, and as if it meant nothing to her she just abandoned me and left to be with another man. How cruel could one woman be? Kagome never let me touch her the way a man should be able to touch his woman, we shared a kiss here and there but never did she give her body to me. I had always thought it was because we weren't married, but maybe all along it was because I wasn't him. "Hojo." I looked up to find Itsumi standing in the doorway of my castle entrance. Itsumi was loyal to me, that was one of the only things I was certain of. She was a strong woman much like her sister Kikyo. Itsumi was the love child of Kikyo's father, and she held a grudge against the priestess for keeping her father from Itsumi and her mother. Itsumi wasn't much of a talker but she confided in me the many times her mother had to steal to feed them, and how she would often watch Kikyo from the shadows being spoiled and doted upon by their father while he ignored her existence. I felt sorry for Itsumi but more than anything I understood her feelings of jealousy, and I wanted to help her the same way she wanted to help me. We made a deal that she would help me find my way to Kagome so long as I allowed her to use the jewel to get her revenge on Kikyo. "Yes Itsumi, are you doing well? Does your room not please you?" She closed the door behind her, a look of confusion and disappointment apparent on her face. "My room is fine Hojo. It is the betrayal I cannot seem to push away from my mind that is causing my sleep deprivation." I gave Itsumi an apologetic stare, I knew exactly what she was speaking of. My betrayal. I was supposed to use the Jewel to cross the well and win Kagome's heart, but the plan was always that i would win her heart and bring her back to the feudal era so that Itsumi could then use it to bring her sister back, and get the revenge on Kikyo she yearned for. "Itsumi it was never my intention to not come back, it happened that way and I am sorry, but you didn't need the jewel to bring your sister back. I needed it." Itsumi dryly laughed. "Hojo you didn't come back because you knew if you did kagome would do exactly what she has done, run into the arms of the demon Inuyasha. You were scared so you kept the jewel for yourself, you let your greed control you and in return you severed the trust I had for you." I looked into her eyes, she was the only woman who had ever trusted me who had ever put her faith in me and I let her down yet I was feeling angry at her in this moment, was it my demon half, was I beginning to lose control of myself? "Itsumi don't make me laugh." I boasted. "You have the power to bring back your sister, you practice dark magic. You just want to jewel because you know your not powerful enough to beat your sister without it. You were unwanted and thrown to the dogs, with not half the training or spiritual power that Kikyo possessed." I spat. As soon as the words left my mouth I felt regret, Itsumi had just stood by my side in front of kagome and Inuyasha even after I showed up after a year with no word. The hurt on her face went away quickly though, and she became stone cold. "You're probably right Hojo." My eyes widened in surprise. I was right? "Maybe I need the jewel to defeat her, maybe I don't. I won't take that risk though, the same way you won't risk giving it up and losing Kagome. You could never beat Inuyasha on your own, and you could never carry out the plan without the Jewel or myself. So let's begin what we should of done from the beginning, before your detour. Let's destroy Inuyasha and Kagome's relationship and use Kikyo to do it, there is no need for hesitation." I nodded my head in agreement, thankful she didn't ponder over my hurtful words. "If you so wish to go down this path Itsumi, here it is. The jewel of four souls." I held my hand out, and the jewel was dark, but in my hand it still held some light and for that I was grateful. I never wanted to lose my heart to the demons that I let consume me, I just wanted be strong enough to protect kagome, strong enough for her to love me. Once Itsumi picked the jewel up from my palm it went completely black in her hand. Was she that evil? "Hojo I will bring my sister back, I'll need the night to get it done but once she returns we shall show Kagome that no matter the time that passes Kikyo will always be Inuyasha's true love. Kagome will run straight into your arms, Hojo." I smiled wickedly unable to control my pleasure at the thought of Inuyasha throwing kagome away. Not just so that I could take her back, but because part of me wanted her to suffer the pain I felt. I knew It was crazy to harbor such thoughts, especially when I claimed to love kagome so deeply, I couldn't help it though. I wanted her to understand the hurt I felt. "Yes and then what will you do with your sister after I kill Inuyasha?" Itsumi tightened her fist around the Jewel. "I will use the jewel's magic and i will force her to watch me as I kill our younger sister Kaede. Only then can she understand the pain I felt watching my mother die poor and alone when the only man she ever loved couldn't even sit by her side while she passed on, because he was too cowered and afraid of his dark secret coming to light. Too afraid for the world to know about me." Itsumi stood stone face as usual, but she had tears flowing down her face. Almost on instinct I stood up to put my arms around her, "It's alright, she will feel the pain you felt Itsumi. Kikyo, Kaede, And Inuyasha will all die knowing the pain they've caused us."