Bleach Karaoke Madness Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Touch My Body

While Ikkaku went through the song books trying to decide what song he wanted to sing, everyone watched with curiosity. "Look Kenny, look! Baldy is going to sing a song, this is going to be fun." chirped Yachiru, bouncing up and down on Kenpachi's shoulder. "Looks like Squad 11 is trying their hand at karaoke, this should be good." Shinji observed. Love nodded his head in agreement, "Yeah, especially since all they ever want to do is fight." Some of the lower ranking members of Squad 11 looked up and grinned as they waited for Ikkaku to choose his song, Ikkaku put in his song request with the DJ and waited for the music to start. After a moment rock music began to play and Ikkaku began to sing.

"Body...wanna feel my body?

Body...baby such a thrill, my body.

Body...wanna touch my body?

Body...baby it's too much, my body.

Body...check it out, my body.

Don't you doubt my body, body.

Talkin' about my body, body.

Check it out, my body."

Taking off his shirt and dancing around on the stage in time with the music, Ikkaku flashed a grin as he began to flex his muscles and puff his chest out. People down in the audience began to clap and cheer, from his table in front of the stage Ichimaru smiled happily as he took as many pictures as he could, not wanting to miss any of this performance.

"Every man wants to be a macho man,

To have the kind of body, always in demand.

Jogging in the mornings, go man go.

Works out in the health spa, muscles glow.

You can believe that, he's a macho man.

Ready to get down with anyone he can,

Hey! Hey! Hey, hey, hey!

Macho, macho man.

I've got to be, a macho man.

Macho, macho man, yeah.

I've got to be a macho!

Macho, macho man, yeah.

I've got to be, a macho man.

Macho, macho man.

I've got to be, a macho!"

Cheering, the audience began rushing to the stage in an attempt to get a closer look at Ikkaku's performance. Most of the members of Squad 11 cheered loudest and climbing up on the stage to dance with Ikkaku, Ichigo rolled his eyes as he watched Ikkaku's performance. "Arrogant bastard show off," "That's how Ikkaku is, he always wants to make the best of Squad 11 as the most powerful Squad in the Gotei 13 and that's never going to change." Renji replied. In the back of the bar, Love helped himself to yet another round of beer as he watched the performance. "I never liked Squad 11, all they care about is fighting and being the best. They have no dignity and never have," Shinji shrugged, "It doesn't matter, we're not part of the Gotei anymore anyway."

Body, don't you tease my body.

Body, you'll adore my body.

Body, come explore my body.

Body, made by God, my body.

Body, it's so good, my body."

Yumichika watched Ikkaku's performance with a look of disgust on his face, "That is so unattractive, you would never catch me doing something that disgraceful." "You're no fun at all, Baldy is doing great up there, isn't he Kenny." answered Yachiru, frowning at the 5th seat. "Kenpachi shrugged, "I guess he's not doing half bad." "Who knew Ikkaku could sing, he's really getting the crowd going." Izuru observed noticing the crowd getting excited by Ikkaku's performance. "Well, at least he's good at something other then fighting." Shuhei agreed. As Ikkaku went into the final verses of the song, he grinned. He would prove that Squad 11 was the best Squad in the Gotei 13 and that no one would beat him, he had promised himself that he would always fight under Kenpachi and no one else.

"You can tell a macho, he has a funny walk.

His western shirts and leather, always look so boss.

Funky with his body, he's a king.

Call him Mr. Eagle, dig his chains.

You can best believe, that he's a macho man.

He likes to be a leader, he never dresses grand.

Hey! Hey! Hey, hey, hey!

Macho, macho man.

I've got to be, a macho man.

Macho, macho man, yeah!

I've got to be a macho, alright!

Macho, macho man, yeah, yeah!

I've got to be, a macho man.

Macho, macho man!

I've got to be a macho, alright!"

As the song ended Ikkaku got into a final battle stance, with the other members who had danced with him getting various stances in front of him. Most of the audience cheered as Ikkaku jumped off the stage and walked over to Ichigo's table, "Well Ichigo, what do you think of that?" "A bit a show off, but not bad." Ichigo answered, grinning back. "Hey, at least I can sing, unlike you." shot Ikkaku, rolling his eyes. Ichigo frowned irritably, "Oh shut up already," "That was a good performance Ikkaku." complimented Renji to his fellow former Sqadmate. "Thanks, glad you liked it. I'd like to see how you do up there at some point." Ikkaku replied as he went back to his table and sat down with his captain, Yumichika, and Yachiru. "That was so much fun to watch Baldy, I didn't know you could sing." Ikkaku frowned, "Stop calling me Baldy, and I can do anything." "It's nice to see everyone having fun here, it's great to just get away and not have to worry about work. Maybe I'll go up and sing later," Momo stated, smiling. Izuru nodded, a faint blush crossing his cheeks. "Yeah, it looks like everyone is enjoying themselves. I didn't know you liked to perform, you've always been really shy to perform in front of other people but I'd love to see you sing." Momo smiled, "I am shy, but what better way to get overcome my shyness then try to have some fun." Izuru's blush didn't go unnoticed by Shuhei, who grinned. "The two of you should consider doing a duet with each other," Izuru and Momo looked up, surprised by Shuhei's suggestion. Momo blushed, "Us, sing? Are you crazy Shuhei?" she asked. "It's obvious you both want something more, you hang out together all the time on your days off don't you?" Shuhei questioned. Izuru nodded, "Well yeah, but that doesn't mean anything. We've all been friends since our days at the academy. So what's the big deal about that?" Shuhei smiled at his underclassmen, "Don't you both know that things can always change over the years, it's not unusual." Izuru and Momo both blushed, "That's true I guess, but what about you Shuhei? You haven't gone up to sing at all either." Izuru agreed. "Me? I hadn't even thought about going up," Shuhei answered, thinking. Momo smiled, "I think you'd be great Shuhei and have a lot of fun, why don't you try it out." she suggested. Shuhei thought for a minute and then nodded, "Sure I'll go up and sing, it sounds like fun." With that Shuhei got up from the table and went up on stage to choose his song, Shunui watched in thought. "I've never seen Shuhei interested in singing before, I'd like to see this. "Shuhei was deeply affected by Tosen's betrayal, this is a good way for him to express himself." Ukitake replied, taking a drink of his tea. As Shuei looked for the song he was going to sing he looked out into the audience saw Tosen and Kensei watching, he knew just the song he was going to sing. The one that representing to the two people he admired the most, putting in his song request he waited for the music to start. Soon the soft metal beat of music sounded from the speakers and Shuhei began to sing.

"I'm tired of being what you want me to be,

Feeling so faithless, lost under the surface.

I don't know what you're expecting me to be,

Put under the pressure of walking in your shoes."

Shuhei's voice was a kind of even pitch, deep yet easy to understand. Everyone in the audience was captivated by his singing, "Shuhei is popular with the audience, he sings so well." Momo commented, smiling. "I didn't know that Shuhei sang, his interests have always been editing and cooking." said Renji, surprised by Shuhei's performance and impressed at the same time.

"Every step that I take is another mistake to you.

I've become so numb I can't feel you standing there,

I've become so blind, so much more aware.

I'm becoming this, all I want to do is be more like me and be less like you.

Can't you see that you're smothering me?

Holding too tightly, afraid to lose control.

Cause everything that you thought I would be has fallen apart right in front of you."

The music had much more of an upbeat tune now, and Shuhei became lost in the song. As he looked out into the audience he thought about everything that had happened, did Captain Tosen realize the pain and betrayal he had caused to everyone by his defection, especially Shuhei and Captain Komamura? Did Kensei, who was once the captain of Squad 9 and had saved his life more then 100 years before recognize who he was and the man he had become? After Tosen, Ichimaru, and Aizen had defected from the Soul Society it took all of Squad 9 a long while to adjust to only having Shuhei in charge to give the orders. Often times Shuhei had been forced to work overtime in order to get everything done, the only two who truly understood how he felt were Izuru and Momo since both of their captains had also defected.

"Every step that I take is another mistake to you,

And every second I waste is more then I can take.

I've become so numb I can't feel you there,

I've become so blind, so much more aware.

I'm becoming this, all I want to do is be more like me and be less like you.

And I know I may never feel it too,

Cause I know you were just like me with someone disappointed in you."

"I didn't know Shuhei was so good," Izuru stated as he watched his friend perform, in awe of how good he was. Momo nodded in agreement and smiled, "You're right, he's doing so good up there." In the back of the bar Shinji played with his empty shot glass as he glanced at Kensei. "I'd say the boy has come a long way in all these years," Kensei nodded, "Yeah, he has. Better then I ever thought he'd be." he said. 100 years prior when Kensei was still the captain of Squad 9 he and his Squad were on an investigation mission, a hollow attacked and Kensei had saved a young Shuhei. He left the Soul Society soon after and never got the chance to see the man Shuhei had become, it made him happy to see that Kensei had turned from a young child, timid and scared, to a young man who valued by the Soul Society. Aizen smiled, "Well Kaname, your former lieutenant is doing quite splendid with his song." Yes, the boy has always looked up to others too much." answered Tosen. As Shuhei went into the final verses of the song, he realized how strong he was and knew that he would get through this. He had valuable friends, ones that would always accept him.

"I've become so numb I can't feel you there,

I've become so blind, so much more aware.

I'm become this, all I want to do is be more like me and be less like you.

I've become so numb I can't feel you,

I've become so blind, I'm tired of being what you want to be.

I've become so numb I can't you there, cause everything that you want me to be."

As the song ended all the audience clapped, Shuhei stepped off the stage. As he walked back to his table Komamura stopped him, "Shuhei, you did very good up there. That was a great performance," Shuhei gave a small bow, "Thank you Captain, I'm very glad you liked it." he said. Momo smiled as Shuhei sat back down, "That was great Shuhei, you're a great singer." "Momo's right Shuhei, I'm very impressed that you did so good." Izuru agreed. Shuhei laughed slightly, "I'm glad you both liked it," I wonder who's next up to sing." Izuru said. "I have a good idea, why don't you and Momo sing a duet." Shuhei suggested. Both Izuru and Momo blushed, "Why us?" asked Momo.