A Lizard and Lion, Out on the Town [Private: Kanako/Amaranta]

"The me unfettered by facades, huh? Tch..."

The sun-kissed woman consumed a few more mouthfuls of bourbon before she resumed eating her portion, conducting her feast at a similar pace to her roommate. Of course, she held herself back enough to enjoy the flavor of each piece of meat as she reflected on those annoying words.

Where did that come from? When had she earned the right? There was nothing to explore. There was nothing to know better. To be viewed as anything other than what she displayed was infuriating. After all, without strength, without ferocity, without the brutality that led her to where she was now--who was she?

To remove even one layer felt alien to her. To answer that question even more so. Rising from the chair, she requested that whatever was saved be packaged immediately. When that order was granted, she grabbed her bag and stepped outside without batting an eye.

"Annoying dinosaur..."

There was no need to blow off steam. In reality, Amaranta gained some distance out of her own accord to let her mind unwind, albeit momentarily. An initial kicking of the can or two had been the extent of her frustration, but once that passed over, she could be detected easily, digging into her food from earlier. She could sense Kanako in the distance, but calling her over would be awkward since she abandoned her after she uttered a few harmless words. Whatever. If she wanted to approach, she was certainly free to find a seat beside her on the bench as she idly tossed rib bones in the trash can.

"Don't worry. I ate it warm. It would've been foolish to eat this cold. Should've requested dessert, though. Some of the cake on the menu looked pretty tasty."

With a booming peal of laughter, Amaranta shook her head as she continued to clean her bones and toss each of them into the trashcan. Emptying her box, of each rib at least, she helped herself to the other leftovers. When Kanako posed her question, the leonine woman didn't answer immediately. Since she was stuffing her face full of food, it didn't seem wise to respond with mouthfuls of food.

When she finished eating, Amaranta exhaled softly as she reflected on her abrupt departure. In hindsight, she supposed it was a pretty idiotic thing to do. Additionally, somewhere in her mind, she displayed weakness, on account of the inability to explain herself when faced with a question, even if it broached territory she was hardly familiar with.

"What I'm about to say to say to you stays between us. Got it?"

"Good... Now, then... where do I even begin?"

Amaranta would lean against the bench as she pondered her next words. Part of her was second-guessing whether or not she should share her history, but they were here now, and it'd be stupid to turn back at this point. Running a hand through her hair, she'd cast her azure gaze toward the starlit sky.

"I don't do good with opening up to others, Kanako. Of course, I'm pretty sure our interactions have made that pretty clear. When I was little more than a hollow cub, I had to rely on other hollows to secure a meal. If I didn't, I was forced to deal with the scraps. Or worse, be threatened that I'd be the meal of choice if I didn't measure up. There wasn't anything like friendship among my circles back then. Eat or be eaten. Those who were strong survived. Those who fell behind were devoured."

Visions of the one hollow among them all floated in her mind. Gran Leon. He was the strongest hollow she knew, and time and again, proved to be the most reliable. He could've easily devoured her at any time, but, whether by whim or curiosity, he chose to guide her along and train her until she could operate and hunt on her own. What was he doing now? She wondered.

"There was one who saw some merit in taking me under his wing, but I was always stubborn, and when I grew strong enough and started evolving, I didn't waste a second in running off to a different part of Hueco Mundo. I figured he might have fattened me up so he could devour me himself. Stronger the hollow, the better the meal, you know? Still, he was the closest thing I had to a friend. After that, I simply met the same sort of hollow that wanted something from me or out of me. When I grew strong enough, some looked to me for protection. Others would always claim I had their back and bring enemies to my doorstep to prove it."

Chortling softly, her gaze would follow her hands as she moved them through the air. Sometimes it still felt a little surreal to imagine where she was now. This flesh, this blood, she was no longer a hollow, but an Arrancar. Inhuman, but not entirely so.

"For a time, that felt nice. But it quickly wore out its welcome. And I abandoned or killed them because I hated the idea of those who couldn't fend for themselves or grow stronger. To me, strength is what helped me survive. Strength is what decided my path in life. Without it, I wouldn't be here. At least, not in a way I can exist now. In short... I guess what I want to say is..."

Amaranta groaned as she covered her face. What the hell was she even thinking voicing her thoughts like this? What did she stand to gain from it?

"Bonds, companionship... whatever term people chose to attach to it, it's all still new to me. Truth is, I don't know what a me "unfettered by facades" looks like. I didn't know how to react to that and it annoyed me, so... I left."

"Hunh. For a woman of your size, you sure do act like a big softie sometimes, you know that?"

Amaranta didn't mind the hand that rested on her shoulder. It was a sign that she could let her guard down around Kanako. Of course, given her unpredictable disposition, there was some doubt as to whether the immense woman would discern that. Either way, this sentimentality was starting to grow bothersome. What was her intention in elaborating on her past like that? Did it mean anything in the grand scheme? Or was she finally fond enough to let her in?

Ruffling her hair, she groaned softly as she shook her head with a grin characteristic of her relentless spirit. There was no use mulling over it now. At any rate, she was free to do whatever she desired with that information except to use it against her. Outside of that, she supposed there was nothing else to say or talk about for that matter.

"Play it by ear, Kana. You know me. If I need your help, I'll ask for it. Now, then, do you think that place is still open? I want to see how good their dessert is."