Dozing Off ((Open))

[Sakata Saburo]

A loud noise echoed through the First Division HQ. Normally, in the other Division Barracks, such a noise would be gotten rid of. However, all the members of the First Division were used to it and went on with their work as if the sound didn't exist.

The sound actually, as strange as it might seem, from the Captain's Office. Correction, the Captain-Commander's office. By now, one would wonder why such a noise came from his office. If they looked inside or identified the noise, they'd understand immediately.

Within his own office, at his own desk, the Captain-Commander was sleeping. That's right, sleeping. One would expect better of the old man, but that was just the way he was. Dozing off while doing paperwork.

[Rangis Mukondo]

Raul walked about, after his encounter with Zuki's family, he felt like he needed to familiarize himself with someone he...already knew. Ok, perhaps Raul's logic was not always on par with the best, but he knew what he wanted. And right now, he felt like grabbing a Sake. And the Soutaichou was sure to have some, right?

However, upon entering the 1st Division's quarters, Raul encountered a loud noise. A noise he was quite familiar with, actually. Sakata Saburo, as much as he may be the Soutaichou, was quite the...slacker, Raul supposed he could say. Not so far as Raul took it, but quite far. Sleeping during his duties...

Opening the door to Saburo's quarters, Raul clicked his tongue. "Setting such a bad example..." He commented. The Lieutenant of the 1st Division had pleaded with him to allow Saburo, in his sickness, to rest. Raul waved him off. He wasn't about to wait for what he wanted.

Walking behind Saburo, stepping softly, he aimed a kick that sent the chair his supposed superior was resting upon to tip over backward, flying into the ground behind it.

"Wake up, you'll sleep when you're dead. Well...you'll sleep when....just don't sleep..."

[Sakata Saburo]

The sudden movement of the chair, coupled with hitting the back of his head off the ground, had been more than enough to wake Saburo up. And the moment he woke up, he let out a yell of pain before sitting up, holding his head.

"Ouch... Who did that?" he asked. Seeing Raul, he smiled and seemed to forget about hitting his head hard off the ground. "Hello there, Raul-san. Is there anything you need?" he asked. Now Saburo was not stupid. He knew full well that Raul, being the slacker he was, would only ask him for a few things.

These specific things were Sake, time off work, or both. And Saburo was willing to guess it was sake this time. Nonetheless, he still decided to ask it anyway, simply to stir up conversation. Heck, he'd forgotten he'd hit his head already.

[Rangis Mukondo]

Raul thought for a moment. "There was this one thing...oh, what was it..." He pondered, mockingly, for a few seconds, before snapping his fingers in realization. "Ah, it was Sake! Of course, how could I forget?" He began looking around the room, through drawers, destroying quite a bit of paperwork in the process. "You used to keep it in the Lieutenant's office, but I've already been through there. I'm starting to think you're mongering the Sake."

He sighed, and looked back at Saburo. "Also, I've got something surprisingly morbid and serious to speak with you about, if you've got the time. Now, this is just a pleasantry. Even if you don't have the time, sit in a chair and listen to what I have to say. Preferably while getting me my Sake."

Thinking back, he realized what he said had made no sense whatsoever. "Well, I suppose you can get out of the chair to get the Sake. But then sit down again. Or maybe you could inch over with the chair, to the Sake hiding place. Or perhaps you could get one of your subordinates to get it. Either way, we'll need Sake..."

[Sakata Saburo]

Saburo smirked. Getting up, he picked up his chair and sat back down. "Well, that does sound nice. Although, the Sake isn't here, sadly. However..." he spoke, pulling out a bottle of the substance from his Haori. "I do have one bottle with me" he finished, chuckling.

Opening it, he took his favorite cup and poured some of the cubstance into it before handing the bottle to Raul for him to pour himself some in Saburo's spare cup, which was on the shelf behind him.

"Might I know what this morbid news is, or shall we put it off?" Saburo asked, still smiling.

[Rangis Mukondo]

Raul sighed. He grabbed the Sake bottle, and didn't bother with the cup, taking a swig directly from the bottle. "It's about Roren. Zuki and I are requesting permission to open our own Garganta portal, and attempt a rescue. If you'd like us to bring troops, that's fine, but we'll do it on our own if you'd prefer to keep Soul Society's defenses up."

He took another swig. He realized how large this request was, but he hoped Saburo would understand. This was something they had to do, to protect Soul Society, as well as save one of their best Lieutenants...

[Sakata Saburo]

Saburo picked up his glass and paused for a second as Raul spoke, as if the words hadn't yet made themselves understood. Two Captains... Going through a Garganta... Save a Lieutenant... After a few seconds, it clicked into place. These two were going to Hueco Mundo to save a Lieutenant. As admirable as it was, Saburo could not help but feel conflicted about it.

"Lose one son... Lose two sons and a daughter... Keep three children... Raul, you really know how to tick me off, you know that?" he asked, slowly sipping some of his drink. This was a sudden change from the normal, kind-hearted Soutaichou. He was serious. Very serious.

"If I send you... Even if you're Captains, there's a good chance you'll die... But if I don't, I lose a Lieutenant..." he muttered. Putting down the drink, he massaged his temples a bit. "As I said, you really know how to tick me off...".

[Rangis Mukondo]

Raul nodded. "Well, I always have known how to tick you off. But then, that's not my intention." He sighed. "I have no intention of losing, nor of letting Zuki die. You know what I'm capable of, and in the past week since my injury, I've trained almost night and day. I'm more fit than I've ever been. I feel like I could even take you on." He chuckled at this. Saburo was, by far, the strongest Shinigami in existence. That kind of a comment was out of line.

"Whether or not you give us permission isn't of concern to me. I'm going, one way or another. And you'll just have to try to stop me if you're that against it. In which case, you'd be even more conflicted." He smirked. "Saburo, I've thought this through. You can't stop me. Well, if you had tons upon tons of Sake, you'd have a chance, but not currently..."

[Sakata Saburo]

Saburo continued staring at him. Slowly did the time pass as he stood there but, after a minute of full silence, Saburo sighed and took another sip of his sake. "You really won't give up, will ya?" he asked. Suddenly, and unexpectedly, Saburo's spiritual pressure, which was normally suppressed, came crashing down on Raul, Saburo's gaze still on him.

"This is what you might end up feeling if you get caught. Maybe even worse if you count their combined spiritual pressure. Hueco Mundo isn't a playground. It's a nightmare. From our information, only the strongest survive there. The only safe havens are Hollow-exclusive" he spoke before allowing his spiritual pressure to be suppressed again.

"If you wish to go, I can't stop you. But I'm not sending you back-up. Over there, it would be useless unless they were Captain-class. And I don't plan on wasting away our Captains like this. You understand, of course" Saburo finished, waiting for Raul's answer as he drank his sake.

[Rangis Mukondo]

As Saburo's pressure came crashing down on Raul, he lowered his head, flinching obviously, fighting against the strain and the desire to let gravity, and the pressure, take hold. And, as Saburo released him from the hold, Raul shrugged his shoulders. "Fine, I didn't expect backup. You said that's what I'll feel if I get caught? Fine, then I won't be caught."

He drained the Sake bottle, before setting it down on the table. "The fact is, even if I'm not the most powerful, I'd wager I'm fastest. That should count for something." Though, as he thought, he remembered that Zuki's powers, along with his, would cancel each other out. They'd have to split up to fight at full effectiveness with their released forms.

Suddenly, a figure ran in. It was the 4th Seat of the 12th Division. "Soutaichou, Captain Shihouin!" He shouted. "Yes, yes, what is it?" Raul questioned.

"Roren. He's been returned from Hueco Mundo. I don't know the specifics...but he is resting in the 4th Division Quarters!"

Raul turned back to Saburo. The shock on his face was evident. "I...I suppose our little chat was for naught. But I did get a bottle of Sake, nonetheless." He stood, and bowed. "I'm going to see Roren. If you'd like, we could go together..."

[Sakata Saburo]

Saburo was confused by the sudden entrance of the Shinigami. He had to say, what the man said had to be the biggest Deus Ex Machina he had ever heard. And while he was glad that Roren was safe, he had to sweatdrop at the fact that his entire little speech had just been ruined.

"Well," Saburo started, his more playful tone coming back to him. "I suppose we should check in on him. God knows what the boy has been through".

Getting up, he proceeded to walk out the door, having finished his sake, ready to go see Roren.