Chapter 4: The Council Meeting, Part 1

"All right. Are you guys ready to go?" Temari asked her two siblings and Izuka as they prepared to leave their house for the council meeting that was going to start in an hour and a half.

"Yep and the Sleep Twins are ready to, so let's go already. The sooner we get to the council meeting, the sooner we can get out." Kankuro complained as he carried his council robe over his back.

"Kankuro has a point. The council meeting doesn't start until Gaara arrives and who are you calling "Sleep Twins"?" Izuka asked as she and Gaara turned their heads to the puppeteer's direction.

"Oh sorry. Let me explain. Gaara's Sleepy Twin One and your Sleepy Twin Two." Kankuro said with a grin on his face. He loved to mess with the two sixteen year olds or anyone younger than him, especially in the morning.

"Kankuro." sighed Gaara. "Izuka can't sleep remember. Well, she used to before the war, but even back then her sleeping habits were bad."

'Wow. Thanks Gaara, you just explained practically half of my life story, right there." said Izuka.

"I did?" asked Gaara in a confused tone.

"No!" Izuka deadpanned.

Gaara sweat dropped and moved a foot away from the agitated Sage.

"Okay, enough talk. We have a council meeting to get to." exclaimed Temari as she opened the front door and walked out. The puppeteer, the agitated Sage, and the still confused Kazekage obediently followed the wind master out the door.

At the Kazekage Building

"Phew! It's a good thing we live five blocks away. The sun's a killer today." sighed Kankuro as he wiped a few beads of sweat off his head with the back of his hand.

"Kankuro, it's only 75 degrees out today and you're wearing all black." said Temari as the four made their way down the hallway towards the meeting room.

"So? You're wearing black too. Why aren't you sweating?" asked Kankuro.

"Cause she didn't run after the ice cream man as he was making his weekly midday rounds." Gaara said as they walked. Izuka was only half listening as she was talking with Goku, the four tails, in her mind.

"It's hot!" exclaimed Kankuro.

"When you're wearing your puppeteer outfit with your council robe on top while running after the ice cream man in 75 degree heat, you're bound to sweat." Izuka said simply as she came out of her mental conversation.

"Hmpfh." and Kankuro turned his head away.

The group walked in silence until they reached the doors to the meeting room. That's when they started to hear the old rock music.

Just take those old records of the shelf

I'll sit and listen to 'em by m'self

Today's music ain't got the same soul

I like that old time rock and roll

"Is that "Old Time Rock and Roll" by Bob Seger?" asked Izuka as she and the Sand Sibs continued to stare down the meeting room door, listening to the old song and the apparent sing-a-long that was going on inside.

"Yes, yes it is." said Kankuro simply.

"This is a change. I bet it's that new council member Mibiku who started this. A lot of weird stuff has been happening around here since Gaara appointed him to the council a month ago." said Temari, whose ear was now plastered to the door, listening intently to the song and the singing council members.

"Weird stuff hasn't been happening here." said Gaara in a confused tone.

"Yes there has." said Temari, Izuka, and Kankuro at the same time.

"What do you mean?" asked Gaara.

"Really Gaara, you haven't noticed at all?" asked Kankuro.

"Nope." said Gaara.

"I've noticed and I don't even work in the building." said Izuka, since her office was at the ninja academy.

"Wow, you must love your paperwork." said Kankuro.

"I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that." said Gaara.

"But, you didn't deny it." said Kankuro in a sing-song voice. Gaara deadpanned at that remark and started to think of ways to get back at his older brother.

"Okay, before this gets out of hand, let me explain it to you, Gaara." Gaara turned his head to the Lady Sage, signaling to her that she had his full attention.

"You see, Gaara, ever since Elder Mibiku became part of the Sand council, the council members have been acting, eh, differently."

"How?" asked Gaara.

"Well" Izuka continued. "The council members seem livelier. You know, less serious."

"They are not as uptight as they used to be." added Temari.

"So much, that they are having sing-a-longs to old rock music in the meeting room." said Kankuro as the song in the meeting room changed to Joan Jett's "I Love Rock & Roll".

"OMG, I LOVE THAT SONG!" Temari squealed as she moved her head to the music, totally oblivious to the stares she was given by her brothers and her pigtailed friend.

The song continued until it finished and the room fell silent." "You think it's over?" Izuka asked Gaara.

"Let's hope so."

But alas, their hope was in vain as Aerosmith's "Dude Looks like a Lady" started to blast throughout the meeting room.

"What the hell!?" Gaara and Izuka exclaimed in unision. They both hated that song ever since Kankuro lip-synched it one night while wearing a long, blond 80's wig that made him look like a drag Pamela Anderson. It was a scary sight, indeed.

Kankuro was dancing around to the song, since he loved it. And Temari, well, she was on the floor after she collapsed hearing the song (Her ear was plastered on the door, remember?).

"Ok. This has got to stop." said Izuka as she went for the doorknob. "Gaara, we need to stop this. NOW!"

"Agreed, the song needs to stop."

"It's not that bad, guys." whined Kankuro.

"Kankuro, you ruined it for me and Izzy when you decided to wear that wig while lip synching it one night, remember?" said Gaara.

"It wasn't that bad." defended Kankuro.

"My brother wearing the same spandex as Lee still looks better than you in a blonde 80's wig." deadpanned Izuka.

Temari fainted at the thought, Kankuro paled, and Gaara looked like he was going to lose his breakfast.

"Izuka, Naruto actually-"

"Yes, Gaara. I saw Naruto wear spandex similar to Lee's and he still looks better compared to Kankuro in that wig." Izuka said as she face palmed at the memory. "I'm still scarred for life."

"I am so sorry you had to see that." said Gaara as he placed a reassuring hand on Izuka.

'It's okay. I've learned to live with the memory." said Izuka. She moved away from Gaara's hand to help Temari up from the floor after she woken up, again.

Gaara took Izuka's place at the door and placed his hand on the doorknob. Kankuro tried to talk his brother out of it, but Gaara cut him off.

"No Kankuro. Don't talk me out of it. We are ending the council's fun right here and right now. That song is just too tormenting." Gaara stared down his brother. Kankuro backed up in defeat.

Gaara proceeded to open the door and you would not believe what he saw.

End of chapter 4

Author's Note: Poor Izuka having to see Naruto in spandex. Poor Temari having to faint. Poor Gaara in seeing his brother look like a drag Pam-An. Poor 80's wig for being on Kankuro's head. I'm just so terrible, but it makes for a great read. The council meeting really begins in part 2 (next chapter). Don't worry everyone, the annoying council member will show his annoying head in that chapter. I don't own the songs mention above.

P.S I should be doing Geometry homework, but I wanted to write. I need to give the reader what they want, right?