Marionette

Oceans, Chapter Forty One - Torishirabe [取り調べ]

The world in which Amaya had been dragged back to was normal for the most part, aside from the person who'd actually dragged her out of that nightmare. Nobody was alarmed, Koro-sensei was still lecturing in the next room, only this time on biology. So she hadn't screamed or caused a ruckus during her nightmare.

The only factor that was different, was the perturbed red-head still holding her by the shoulders.

There was a strange sense of deja vu about the situation though.

She vaguely recalled that he'd woken her up in almost the exact same way from a very similar nightmare before, though she couldn't recall when that could have been.

Though that time, he'd just been a little startled.

'K-Karma?' She managed to say, staring up at him with wide eyes. 'What are you--?'

She didn't get to ask anything further.

In an instant, the perturbed look across his face escalated to a different look she couldn't read, and he'd immediatley let go of her shoulders as he grabbed her by the wrist, and dragged her from the bed before she even knew what was going on.

The next second, he was dragging her out of the infirmary altogether.

'W-wait! What the hell?!' Amaya managed to gasp out, barely managing to maintain her balance as she was dragged outside through the back door of the building.

The grip he had of her wrist was uncomfortably tight, strong enough where she wouldn't be able to free herself without a lot of trouble. She also noticed that there was a lot of tension his his grip too - oddly enough, it felt like his hand was shaking, though she didn't understand why.

In reality, she didn't understand why he seemed so bothered right now.

It was almost like her reaction had actually upset him.

Though she honestly quite doubted that.

She was dragged over to the line of trees that circled the schoolyard, where as soon as the classroom was obscured by trees, he stopped and turned to face her, releasing her wrist in preference for crossing his arms over his chest.

She didn't know if anyone had noticed them, nor did she really want to contemplate it.

'What's going on?' Karma questioned, his tone rather blunt and to the point, unlike his usual drawling manner.

'That's what I was trying to ask you!' Amaya deadpanned.

'Don't change the subject, Amay.' He told her, his gaze narrowing as he stared her down. 'I asked you a question, and I expect an answer.'

Amaya shivered uncomfortably at the stern edge to his voice.

That unfamiliar look she could read was written clear across his face, but she could also see that he wasn't necessarily mad, but more frustrated. But she could also see that it wouldn't take much to piss him off, either...

What the hell had she managed to do this time?!

'I-I umm ... I don't really know what you're getting at.' Amaya responded hesitantly, though truthfully despite how poorly her words were chosen.

She really didn't know what he was getting at, because of late there was always something going on with her. She honestly needed more than just the rather vague question to go by.

'Amay.' He spoke in a warning tone, the sharpness in his gaze increasing as Amaya huffed. 'Don't make me ask again.'

'More like demand.' Amaya muttered out of argumentative habit, however she honestly hadn't meant to.