Demon or Hollow

Urahara couldn't make heads or tails out of his newest find. He had set out to go deal with a hollow that showed up since Ichigo was still recovering from regaining his Shinigami powers and was feeling a bit board so he had decided to go and destroy the hollow. What he hadn't expected was a person whose reiryoku was similar to a hollow yet different to be standing over a hollows corpse and seemed to be studding it intently.

Urahara also remembered hearing the stranger muttering about how the hollow seemed different from other 'demons' he had fought before he suddenly looked right at him. Urahara had felt the burning intensity of the strangers red eyes before in less time he could blink the stranger was gone but his reiryoku was still within sensory range.

"Hmm, what to do what to do?" Urahara said to himself as he contemplated what he should do. On one hand he could follow the stranger and find out why his reiryoku was like a hollows or he could head back to his shop and wait for Ichigo to wake up.

"Option one it is." The ex-captain said. He couldn't fight his curiosity for long and that was when he actually put an effort in resisting it let alone when he didn't even try to fight it. With that said he did a quick flash step to the stranger's location.

When Urahara arrived on top of the school building he found the stranger standing across from him arms crossed and eyes narrowed. Smiling lightly Urahara pulled out his fan as he waited for the stranger to finish his observation.

"Ok, who and what the hell are you?" Urahara blinked for a second, his voice sounds older than I expected judging from his height I would have pegged him at 12 or 13 years old, than again if we aged as fast as normal humans than I would be bones right know.

"Oh, it's rather rude to ask for someone's name without offering your own." The stranger shrugged at his comment before saying, "Most people, and I use the term loosely, that I meet tend to go about shouting their names and other nonsense before I shut them up so forgive me for my rude behavior."

Urahara let out a laugh at that, he was starting to like this person being able to trade witty banter was becoming something of a rarity these days. Still though he wasn't here for that so he decided to speed things along.

"Well if we follow your normal pattern than my names Kisuke Urahara and I'm a lowly but handsome merchant so I believe it's your turn now." The stranger nodded at him and said, "You may call me Nikumu."

Urahara despite finding the name odd didn't comment on it as he waved his fan in front of his face. Before he could continue asking any questions Nikumu spoke, "Well now we know each other's names how bout you tell just what the hell you are, I met plenty of demons who could take human form but no matter what form they took they would always leek demonic power yet you feel like some super charged human."

This time Urahara closed his fan as he stared at Nikumu as he said, "Hmm, how about you explain why you feel so similar to a hollow and maybe I might answer your question."

This time Nikumu blinked in confusion before muttering, "Hollow that's a new one." Before raising his voice and asking, "And what the hell is a Hollow."

Urahara didn't miss a beat as he said, "The creature you killed earlier that was a hollow." Urahara saw Nikumu's eyes widen and he made an accurate guess that his face was currently showing his understanding even though he couldn't see it.

"You mean the incredibly weak demon that could surprisingly talk." Urahara nodded but in the back of his mind he couldn't help but ask what he meant by incredibly weak demon the hollow from what he felt was strong but not at Menos level but it was still able to speak meaning it was dangerous and from the way it sounded Nikumu had never seen one before and killed it without much trouble.

"Ya I guess that would be an accurate way of describing it." Urahara finally said as he pulled his fan out again and waved it in front of his face. Nikumu just stared at Urahara making said man start to feel uncomfortable but making sure not to let it appear on his face even if the fan hid it from sight. They continued to stare to the point Urahara thought he wasn't going to answer when Nikumu finally spoke.

"I am the thing that stands against the forces of hell as they continue to threaten this world. Best part is I acutely get paid for it unlike a white haired bastard I know." Even though Urahara couldn't see it he could definitely feel the grin coming from Nikumu toward the end of his short speech.

"Now it's your turn and no bullshit about being a 'Lowly but handsome merchant' you're giving off enough power to match a high A rank to low S rank demon." Urahara frowned at that, either these 'demons' were very weak or Nikumu was a very good sensor and he had his money on the second option. Much like Nikumu did with him Urahara took a long pause as he stared at the man/boy he hadn't figured out which yet before answering him.

"I am the thing that protects the souls of humans and helps pass them on when the time comes for their judgment and sadly I don't get paid to do that anymore." Urahara felt rather proud of that answer as although it was a rip off of Nikumu's it still worked explaining what he was without outright saying it. Nikumu gave him a light clap at his answer to show he understood the meaning behind it as his eyes held an amused glint to them.

"Well then shall we get down to business then Mr. Urahara?" Nikumu asked all playful amusement gone to be replaced by cold red eyes in what Urahara would guess would be his serious face if he could see it. The tension this produced was thick enough that Urahara wouldn't be surprised if Benihemi could cut it.

The moment was shattered when a Garganta opened above them and to Urahara's surprise a Gillian appeared looking down at them. Nikumu looked at the Gillian without any sign of discomfort not that there was much to show but Urahara could feel his (Nikumu) energy barely flicker at the sight of the Gillian which meant he was either unaffected by the sight of it or very good at keeping things hidden.

"Well it's bigger than the last one hopefully he lasts longer to." Nikumu said as he jumped into the air silently calling Lucifer out and pulling out four blades as he landed on the hollow/demon's knee. The next sight was forever imprinted on Urahara's brain as Nikumu stabbed all four blades into the Gillian's knee before vanishing and reappearing on the other knee and did the same to it as the first. The Gillian roared in anger and pain as it tried to swat Nikumu away but Nikumu vanished again before reappearing on the Gillian's elbow with the arm from said elbow down covered in red blades. The process was repeated several times before the only thing left untouched by the blades was the head as it continued to roar and shoot cero after cero at Nikumu who like with everything else simply vanished and reappeared in a different spot and more blades added to the Gillian's body.

Suddenly Nikumu reappeared next to Urahara with his right hand above his head and fingers in position to snap when he said, "Dance of the Blooming Lotus" and snapped his fingers. The blades sticking out of the Gillian started exploding in the order they were stabbed with enough of a break to see each individual limb blown to pieces till all that was left was the head which in a show of strength that made Urahara blink Nikumu lifted and threw back into the Garganta before it closed.

"Well that was very interesting to watch not many can face down a Gillian and come out unscathed for their first time." Urahara finally said after he found his voice. Nikumu shrugged at that but stayed quiet as he personally didn't see what the big fuss was about. Sure it was big but it was barely at the level of an A rank demon.

"So got a place to stay?" The question surprised Nikumu as he turned to look back at Urahara who once more had his fan in hand (he dropped it at some point when he was watching Nikumu destroy the Gillian) and his other hand held out toward him.

Answering honestly Nikumu said no making Urahara's grin turn into a full blown smile as he said, "Well than how bout you stay at my shop for a while it's not too far from here and I'm sure it's better than the ground don't you think."

Nikumu stared intently at Urahara for around a minute trying to detect any ill intent but couldn't find any and with nowhere to go nodded to the merchant as he shook his hand. Urahara nodded to him before they headed back to his shop and he couldn't help think Kami might have just sent the help they desperately needed to deal with both Soul Society and Aizen.