Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of its characters.

A/N: If you missed Miroku and the rest of the gang that's the chapter for you; I sure did.

Chapter Fifty-Five: Solutions

It was the second day after Kagome and Inuyasha had left the village and their children under Shippo and Kaede's surveillance.

As Inuyasha had instructed him, the fox teenager had brought the kids to Miroku's the following morning… as soon as he had managed to stop their temper tantrums. They hadn't taken very well the fact that their parents had left deep in the night without a word and, while Muteki had been quite easy to calm down – always the quieter of the two –, Toga was still restless. He had cried himself to sleep more than once and refused to be touched by everyone else than Sango, who at the same time was busy with a newborn and the pregnancy's discomforts.

By now, Miroku was ready to run away before he became deaf. Toga's cries had provoked his children, and the only ones that seemed imperturbable were Muteki and Kaede. Shippo had given up after he had brought the children to him and now was spending his time away in the forest. The monk had sent his girls to call him back because he necessitated help.

"I really must have done something unforgivable in a past life to deserve something like this," he muttered under his breath, but Kaede, who was currently supervising Muteki's work, heard him anyway.

"Indeed you did, houshi-sama," she said without even raising her eyes from the seven-year-old boy.

He shook his head; he figured karma was a bitch a long time ago. Now he was stuck babysitting his two friends' children, who had an endless resource of energy, although being only demons for a quarter. Most of all, it seemed like they never lost their voice.

At that very moment, the twins entered the hut with Shippo in tow. "Were you looking for me, Miroku?" he asked the monk.

"Shippo! Thank God you're here! I thought I was going crazy; I can't stand the cries anymore," he said while waving towards his three other children and Toga. Sango seemed exhausted, as well, but was still trying to comfort the pup, who didn't want to leave her lap. Hisui and Mariko just seemed jealous of him stealing their mother's attention, and thus, they thought it was their right to cry too.

"Why do you think I left?" the fox retorted nonchalantly. "This hut is too crowded anyway. I told you, you should have moved to ours for the time being."

"You have to help us, Shippo! They left the children in your care too!"

"Me? I am just a kid myself." He smirked in a very Inuyasha-like way. "I can't take care of so many crying babies at once."

Oh, he's learnt well how to play, Miroku thought while narrowing his eyes at him. "You're a kid just when you want to," he hissed. "Look… just please, please, will you try to transform into the spitting image of Kagome? Maybe this way Toga will shut up and my children wouldn't follow his lead!"

Shippo was about to retort that it wouldn't work anyway, but Muteki beat him to the punch. "It'd be useless," he said while still carefully writing on his book.

He laid prone on the floor, swinging his legs, and his clothes slightly stained with the same ink he was using for his exercises. Nothing around him seemed to affect him, and he wasn't at all bothered by his parents' absence. Sure, he had panicked a bit when he woke up and didn't find them, but he had calmed down shortly after Shippo and Kaed told him that they had to leave suddenly because of Rin. He knew there had to be a reason if they had left them there, unlike his brother.

"And why is that?" Miroku asked the boy who had just nipped his dreams in the bud.

"Shippo may even steal mom's appearance, but he won't fool his nose," he replied. He interrupted his writing for a moment to slightly tap on his nose with a clawed finger.

Miroku groaned. "I can't believe this! I run out of solutions. Can't we turn him off somehow? How can he still cry after two days?"

Shippo snorted, crossing his arms and trying to shoot him the best dark glare he could. "That kid is the worst. To think that I had even complained about Muteki when he was born, but he is an angel compared to Toga."

"Maybe I can help," Muteki interjected again.

"You can?" the monk asked again, eyes shining with newfound hope.

The pup nodded and promptly stood up, reaching the two of them. "Yeah, but you have to promise you won't tell mom anything or dad will be in trouble."

Miroku hastily gave him his consent, not heeding the fox demon who was shaking his head no because he had already figured out what the child was referring to. Miroku didn't care at the moment; he just wanted to get back his peace of mind and possibly even his hearing.

Muteki approached his little brother a second later, and Toga stopped sniffling at hearing his voice. "W-what?"

"Do you wanna go out with me? I'll show you some new tricks Dad was teaching me!" He extended his hand towards his brother, and Toga promptly climbed down Sango's lap to grab it. "Don't tell mom, though," he added, mimicking someone who zips his lips; Toga nodded eagerly, glad his brother was sharing a big secret with him.

Everyone froze at hearing what Muteki had come up with to stop his little brother from crying; they remained speechless while the two quarter-demons flew out of the hut.

Kaede was the first to break the silence. "Shippo, please, follow them and make sure they do not injure themselves." She sighed and then addressed Sango, "I hope ye know, dear, that your children will be soon fatherless."

"Me?! What have I done? I'm not the one teaching my kids how to fight when they're still babies!" Miroku defended.

"Aye, but ye will be the one Inuyasha will kill as soon as Kagome stops sitting him."

Even if his children were now quiet and he finally had his time to meditate, Miroku should have guessed that the peace wouldn't last very long.

A sudden loud yelp was heard from outside, and he snapped his eyes open. He imagined the worst pains Inuyasha would make him suffer before he killed him outright if he found even a scratch on his children.

He rushed outside, followed by his wife and Kaede that had been equally startled by the cry, only to find Shippo holding his tail in pain, eyes full of tears. Muteki was staring at his little brother with wide eyes, and Toga had his hand still raised.

"What's happened?" the monk asked, his eyes searching the boys' bodies frenetically, fearing they had injured themselves. Instead, he found out the one to cry had been Shippo.

"He tried to kill me!" the fox demon shouted, pointing with a finger at Toga. Everyone raised their eyebrows.

Toga had tried to kill Shippo? A five-year-old pup had tried to kill what he considered his big brother?

"Shippo…" Miroku tried to say but was interrupted by another fit of cries.

"Liar!" Toga shouted back at Shippo. "I didn't do anything wrong! I was just doing what Muteki showed me!" Tears were starting to well up again in his eyes, and Sango immediately rushed to pull him in an embrace. Miroku would have liked to tell her that by cuddling the pup she didn't help his mama-boy attitude.

"Yes, you did it! If I hadn't dodged your attack in time, I would have been purified! Look, Miroku, look at my tail!" he gave everyone the back and showed his singed tail; the burnt seemed to be quite painful.

Miroku and Kaede stared at him agape, then the former turned to Muteki, who hadn't uttered a word yet. "Your brother did that?" he asked, pointing at Shippo's tail.

"Use your damn sense, Miroku! Can't you feel the traces of reiki?" the fox demon asked without waiting for the pup's answer. It was obvious that Shippo was deeply annoyed by the situation – and by the fact that a five-year-old had burned his tail –, because in no way had he ever spoken that rudely to Toga. He was also cursing at Miroku.

The monk did as the demon said, and approaching him, he noticed that indeed, albeit very faint, there was still a trace of reiki. One he recognized as Toga's from the few times he had used it accidentally – just like now, he figured.

"Ok, let's go inside, and you'll explain everything to us. Stop complaining, Shippo; it's nothing bad. You'll be fine in an hour. Don't make the situation worse, please," he said, shifting his gaze towards the pups and giving him a pointed look.

Meanwhile, West to the not so much peaceful village, the council had somehow already found out about the new Lady's miscarriage, much to the Lord's dismay who had hoped to have more time to prepare a counterattack.

Apparently, Inuyasha and Kagome's sudden appearance at the castle without their children had generated doubts and questions. While no one had even come near the truth, Goro could be very invasive and had found out about it. Shortly after, while their mates were still in the bed chambers, the brothers had headed towards the council room for an urgent meeting called by none other than the cat.

Needless to say, it hadn't gone well.

Everyone had tried to use some tact given the delicate situation, but Goro was not of that opinion. Without any qualms he had started accusing, stating that after not even a month at the castle Sesshomaru's mate had already proved herself incapable of fulfilling her role. Therefore, the dai-youkai needed to act as a ruler and try to do some damage control, siring an heir on someone else. "It's high time you give us a real heir"!" he had shouted.

It had been damn hard for Inuyasha to control his brother's rage, but luckily the meeting had ended soon when the others realized that the only reason Goro had called a meeting was to start all over again with his bullshit.

This day just keeps getting better and better, Inuyasha thought as soon as they were both out. "What do you say?" he asked his brother with a single thought in mind.

"I say the time has come for Goro to retire," Sesshomaru answered with a devilish smirk on his lips. He looked down at Jaken, who shivered, and said, "Jaken, tell the First Commander I am expecting him in my office as soon as possible."

"Yes, my Lord. Of course, my Lord." The imp hastily bowed and fled away to avoid being shot with another glacial glare or worse. Since the day the half-demon had become his Lord's heir, Jaken found that those scary expressions had become more common. He always tried to disappear any time it happened; he didn't want to become his victim.

"Come, little brother," Sesshomaru said to the half-demon who was enjoying the sight of Jaken running away in fear – he still had to find entertainment somehow, especially with days like those. Maybe he could plan some nasty tricks with the help of his sons. "We will discuss Goro's replacement in my office."

They hadn't been there for more than ten minutes when they heard a slight knock on the door and then Jaken's screeching voice announcing the First Commander. The little demon had managed to be quite persuasive, or Katsuro had recognized the urgency in his tone since he had rushed there.

Once the dog demon entered, he took a seat next to Inuyasha as Sesshomaru rattled off a long list of orders for his vassal.

"We will stay here probably until lunchtime; bring us something to eat. Also, remember to check on both Rin and the miko. I do not want their guards to move for even a second from their post; it will be your job to make sure they aren't missing anything." He shot the imp another icily glare to let him know what ominous fate awaited him if there was even a single complaint.

Jaken started his bowing dance and his favourite song made of "Yes, my Lord" and "Of course, my Lord" again then, he disappeared to carry out his tasks, closing the door behind him.

"Has something happened? A sudden development? Jaken was very adamant that I came immediately. I tried not to ruse any suspect, but I had to interrupt the training anyway to come here as soon as possible." Katsuro looked for an answer with his eyes too, but Sesshomaru's imperturbable mask and the scowl Inuyasha wore every other time he was not with his mate or children didn't say him much.

The half-demon snorted as soon as Katsuro stopped talking. "Keh! I'd have bet on Jaken attracting too much attention. He is always too loud and flashy."

"He reminds me of someone else, little brother," Sesshomaru taunted him. Inuyasha ignored him, and the dai-youkai addressed the Commander, "We need your help to find someone to fill a soon-to-be-vacant seat on the council. You will only have to suggest us a worthy substitute, and we will do the rest."

"A vacant seat on the council?" Katsuro asked, stunned. "I thought it only happened when an elder dies. Something different has never happened from what I remember."

"Just because it has never happened, it does not mean that cannot occur, Katsuro," Sesshomaru replied, irritated. "What I want to know is if you're up to the task. My brother and I thought that including a commander in the council would be a good move. His duties as an elder wouldn't interfere with his role in the army. We could be sure that, should anything like the last unfortunate events happen again, he would take part in the battle without never backing down. Not to mention that a commander old enough to be part of our council is likely to have a good and firm ethic, something we are looking for." He stopped for a moment, stood up and headed towards the window. Hands linked behind his back and gaze lost, he spoke again, "We are not naïve, Katsuro, aren't we?" he turned to the First Commander and gave him a pointed look. "We know very well that a completely loyal and morally honest army would be impossible. Thus, we request your assistance. You have proven more than once that you know your men well, prove it to us once again."

Katsuro observed the demon giving him the back, and then his eyes shifted to the youngest brother quietly seated in front of the desk. Inuyasha's calm posture seemed to imply he had nothing to worry about in the world. None of them showed their inner turmoil at first sight, but their aura wasn't as stable as they wanted. At least they didn't seem for someone who had spent so much time with them and had learnt to recognize the tell-tale signs.

He knew that Inuyasha and Kagome had rushed West all of the sudden, leaving their children behind and that considerably increased the half-demon's instability. The couple was always restless every time they had to leave the pups alone, especially if one considered the attempts on their lives. The fact that they had rushed to the castle anyway was saying a lot. Something worrying must have happened, and he wondered why they were still leaving him in the dark; he thought he had proven to be a good ally and friend over the years. Everything seemed to tell Katsuro that they did not feel safe enough.

Moreover, they had asked him to find a substitute for a soon-to-be-vacant seat in the elder's council; it was even more strange. Sesshomaru seemed quite stiff and angered as he instructed him, although he was trying to mask it.

He would gladly know more about the current situation, but he realized they had already told him everything they wanted to. During the last pair of months, things have been hectic, and everyone was always on his toes. People kept to themselves and avoided getting too friendly with someone they didn't know too well or wasn't part of the family. The previous attack, followed by the impossibility to catch a culprit, had everyone restless and finding out that a suspect was even the old Lady of the West's brother hadn't helped. It had only confirmed it was no longer safe there, and therefore, it was better to keep some secrets.

Katsuro almost wanted to scoff loudly, but he refrained. Yet, he had another question before he accepted the task. "May I ask whose the soon-to-be-vacant in the council is?"

Both the brothers turned to him, two identical smirks on their lips – they had never appeared so similar to him –, and Inuyasha burst out laughing, despite the grave situation.

"Oh, Katsuro, do you need to ask? You know well who has gone far beyond the pale." That smug smirk didn't leave his lips for even a second, and Katsuro read in it more than just satisfaction. It seemed like something Inuyasha had waited his whole life for was finally about to be fulfilled.

He had a brainwave, and suddenly it all clicked – well, at least everything concerning the elder about to be substituted. There must have been another council meeting if the brothers had finally decided to get rid of him, and it must not have gone well. Partially, this explained the reason behind their enraged auras.

"I see. Goro again?"

"Hn," Sesshomaru nodded. "As much as I would have liked to have a little more fun, recent events have shown me that the elderly cat demon is no longer fit for his position. It is better to remove him before he does further damage."

Katsuro tilted his head. "Should I presume that as soon as I introduced to you a worthy substitute, you'll proceed with the removal?"

Sesshomaru made a hand gesture to dismiss the matter. "We have everything under control, Katsuro. You just have to worry about choosing well. I know some commanders are quite old and still good."

"Of course, Sesshomaru-sama. There are a few candidates I could choose from. I'll just need a couple of days to give it more thought, and I'll report back to you personally."

Sesshomaru immediately interrupted him. "No, you don't have days. By tomorrow morning, I want to meet you again to discuss this person you consider reliable. There is no time to waste. You are dismissed. You can go and start thinking about it; every task you still have to complete can wait. Let your Vice take care of the training."

By tomorrow? Where was all this rush coming from? Not to mention the hurry wouldn't allow Katsuro to choose a suitable Commander. He risked proposing someone who wasn't up to the task; he imagined that Sesshomaru wouldn't appreciate a mistake. Evidently, his doubts were evident on his face because Inuyasha hastened to reassure him. "Don't worry, Katsuro; despite the short time, you won't make a mistake."

"We will take care of the rest," Sesshomaru added. His brother looked at him with a raised eyebrow but said nothing; he would reveal to Inuyasha what he had in mind once Katsuro left the office.

"Very well, I shall take my leave then," the First Commander said; he bowed one last time and left the room.

Inuyasha and Sesshomaru remained in silence; for a while, the only noise that could be heard was that of the half-demon's fangs demolishing the food Jaken had brought. Sesshomaru shot him the umpteenth disapproving glance, but Inuyasha ignored him – they were alone, why should he care about 'good' manners? – and swallowed another sip of tea to get the last bite down. He was about to clean his mouth with his sleeve, but the dai-youkai threw a napkin at him to avoid another abhorrent scene. Finally, he spoke up.

"We will take care of the rest, won't we? Why don't you explain to me what you meant with that?" He crossed his arms and looked at his older brother with expectancy.

"It's easy, little brother," was Sesshomaru's response. "Your oldest will supply just fine; with his help, we can check easily on everyone who enters the council. This time, it will be someone worthy of our trust and, most of all, someone who is not against a half-demon ruling these lands."

"Wait a moment!" Inuyasha immediately snapped. "Who told you I intend to involve my son? Don't you think he already dealt with a lot? I certainly won't put him at your disposal as some freak now." He narrowed his eyes and refused to proceed with what his brother was suggesting.

"How foolish of you, Inuyasha. You have two sons who are lucky enough to have both our powerful father's blood – albeit diluted – and their mother's worthy spiritual power. You should take advantage of that; it's high time your pup uses his peculiar abilities." Growing up, Muteki would be an infallible resource; he was sure of that.

"Maybe I've not been clear enough, brother. I have no intentions to put my seven-year-old son at your service, nor do I want to put his life at risk again. You can be sure that Kagome will agree with me; she won't be pleased with your suggestion. You will have to find another solution to ascertain yourself of the elder's reliability." Inuyasha seemed irremovable, and Sesshomaru mentally rolled his eyes.

"Inuyasha…"

"No, I will not compromise on that, Sesshomaru; I've already put my children in danger far too many times to come to your aid. How could you even suggest such a thing? Are you out of your mind? I won't risk Muteki's safety because of your scheming!" He stood up and made to leave, the conversation was more than finished for him, but a clawed hand on his wrist stopped him. yet, he didn't turn to look at his brother. "Sesshomaru... let me go. Immediately," he hissed.

"Not before you listen to me," the other demon answered.

"There's nothing to listen to!"

"Do you believe I would put your son's life at risk? Do you think so low of me?" Sesshomaru looked at him defiantly. Inuyasha burst out laughing in response.

"Well, it doesn't take much for me to believe it, given our past." He returned his glare.

The older of the two narrowed his eyes. "I thought I had been enough clear during our last conversation. I am not that person anymore, am I? The very fact that my mate is human is proof of that. I would never endanger your son, Inuyasha," he squeezed his wrist lightly. "Believe me."

Inuyasha weaselled out of his grip with a jerk, then tugged at his hair out of pure frustration. "Do you even have a vague idea of what you're asking me? What do you want to do? You want to bring a pup to assist in a private meeting and say: oh, look at that, my nephew wants to be a part of it. I hope you won't mind?

"Something like that," he smirked; Inuyasha shot him a death glare. "Listen to me, I know it's not common practice to bring children to this meeting. However, we could just say that your son is still restless because of the last developments and he didn't want to leave you. An affectionate father wouldn't refuse his son, would he?"

"You're unbelievable! Do you think about this crap before or after you've fucked Rin?"

Sesshomaru growled a warning. "No one will doubt the pup's presence; no one will think badly of it. Meanwhile, Muteki would have his chance to meet the Commander's eyes."

"Yeah, no one will doubt it apart from Katsuro that knows well how my son isn't like you want him to appear. Doubts will raise within him, and what then? I thought I had been clear years ago when I told you that no one – no one – should ever know of his peculiar ability. Do you even know the meaning of the word secret? Lately, you have made more than one mistake. Should I also fear you accidentally blurt out mine, besides my son and mate's?" Inuyasha knew he was making a bigger deal out of it than he should; he knew Sesshomaru would never reveal his human night yet, the mere thought of using his son for such a purpose-made his blood boil. Just now that his nerves were on edge, and his being away from his family was making him more and more restless.

"Again, little brother, do not think so low of me; my integrity is flawless," he warned him with another growl.

Inuyasha snorted in response and crossed his arms again, without looking at him in the eyes. "I have my doubts about it."

"Enough!" Sesshomaru snapped, annoyed by his immature behaviour. "What else do you suggest then? An elder who will support our decisions is fundamental. Do you want to substitute Goro with another like him? There are more than a couple of elders of the same ideas, nor does our army lack them. Making sure someone is unbiased and open to your own family is crucial, Inuyasha. I'm not asking you to put your son's safety at risk; I don't want that, but just a little moment of his time. You know better than I how little it takes and how unnoticed the little one's work goes; even Katsuro won't notice. Considering that you had to leave your children in the village, it's plausible that afterwards, they might be a little more reluctant to leave you." He raised his brow and looked at Inuyasha defiantly as if he was daring him to contradict what he had just said. The latter wasn't looking at him but could feel Sesshomaru's piercing eyes on the back of his head.

"I won't make any promises," Inuyasha gave in. "I don't like this plan of yours; not now, not ever. Yet, I'll talk about it with Kagome, and then, if Muteki agrees to it, we will think about it. But if he doesn't accept, I won't force him to do something he doesn't want to."

"Very good," Sesshomaru replied as another smirk made its way on his lips; he knew the pup wouldn't say no. "Maybe it's time to go pick up your sons in the village. The distance is not doing you or the priestess any good, certainly not to your children."

Inuyasha nodded and left the room without uttering another word. The whole situation was really putting a strain on him.

A couple of hours later, it had been decided that Inuyasha would go back to the village alone while Kagome stayed next to Rin, who appeared in better shape than before. Sesshomaru would never admit it, but he was glad that Rin had someone like the priestess to rely on. He had immediately noticed how his mate's aura was a little cleaner and less grim than this morning. For these reasons, he hadn't objected when Rin had asked him to stay a little longer alone with her friend. Meanwhile, he still had something to deal with, and his brother needed to pick up Ah-Un in the stables and fly East.

It was already mid-afternoon when Inuyasha left the valley, and he knew that if he wanted to arrive before bedtime, he would have to put the two-headed demon to test. It made him feel a little guilty, but he couldn't stand to stay another moment away from his pups without knowing how they were fairing. Besides, knowing that Toga most likely hadn't taken the news of their disappearance very well didn't help him. He knew his youngest very well, and even if his behaviour granted on his nerves sometimes, he couldn't blame him. He had been the same with his mother when she was still alive.

He had said goodbye to Kagome with a fierce and passionate kiss, leaving her hesitantly because he knew he would see her not before a whole day passed, but she had comforted him, repeating to him she was safe. He had given the guards a pointed look and sworn that, should he find even a scratch on his mate upon his return, his brother would have to deal with him. Sesshomaru had rolled his eyes but had let it pass.

By the time he reached the edge of the forest that bore his name, it was past suppertime, and he hoped with all his heart that his pups were still awake. He couldn't wait to hold them in his arms and nuzzle his nose into their hair, breathing in their comforting scents and making sure they were fine.

When Ah-Un landed in front of Miroku and Sango's house, Inuyasha didn't even have time to set his feet on the ground when he was tackled by a tornado named Muteki. A second later, the couple walked out of the hut with Toga next to them.

Inuyasha hugged his eldest son tightly, hiding his face in the crook of his neck, and then looked up at his youngest, who was still holding Sango's hand and looking at him strangely. He opened his arms and signalled for him to join them, but the pup still didn't move.

"What is it, Toga? Didn't you miss your old man?" he asked him. Evidently, the child was trying to be a little difficult.

The boy shook his head as his eyes filled with tears; Inuyasha noticed it immediately. He let go of Muteki, got up and walked over to Toga, kneeling in front of him. He tried to wipe away the tears that were now flowing freely down his cheeks, but the boy turned his face away as if offended and pouted.

"No, you and mommy left us again," he complained trying to keep the pout as long as possible, even if he wanted to do nothing more than snuggle in his father's arms and let his embrace comfort him.

Inuyasha sensed his reluctance and didn't take it badly when his son pretended to resent him because he imagined well his feelings. His heart broke at the thought, but he knew that things couldn't have gone any other way; he and Kagome couldn't have brought them along during such a delicate situation that night. Thus, he pulled him into a tight embrace. The pup reciprocated without a moment of hesitation, wetting his father's robe with his tears as Inuyasha stroked and kissed his little head. When Muteki joined them, Inuyasha held him in his arms as well and, for a moment, they stood so still; Kagome was the only one missing.

Behind them, Sango was moved by the scene as Miroku wrapped his arm around her shoulders and led her inside to give his friend some privacy.

"Hey, my little men, I'm not leaving now; we'll catch up with mom tomorrow," he said while tears threatened to mar his cheeks as well. The two children looked up at him with two beaming smiles and eyes full of joy despite the tears.