Marionette

Skies, Chapter Twenty Two - Naikan [内観]

The sun was already torture to Amaya, even though she'd only been out in it for ten, fifteen minutes at most when it started to affect her - After a good forty five minutes, she was exhausted.

The PE jacket she wore was cooking her alive, though she refused to take it off.

She didn't let it show, however.

From the start of Class, Amaya had been paired up with Karma out of everyone to spar with, and needless to say she was a little bothered by it.

Well, more than a little bothered - She was agitated beyond belief.

She was trying not to show just how much Shigure's lessons were helping her - If she let something slip, it would spark Karma's curiosity all over again, and this time he probably wouldn't leave her alone on it.

There was only so much he would let her keep to herself, after all.

Of course, that didn't mean that he wasn't already prodding at her to see what she'd do, either.

It had been many months since he'd bothered to try and egg her into a fight with him, well before his suspension just five months ago.

The last time she had given in was probably a year ago.

It was no longer knife-drills and sparring for class today - Karasuma's eagle-eye into everyones progress was sharper than ever before.

He was scrutinizing everyone closely, as if he was looking for something.

'Come on, Amay~!' Karma drawled out as he grabbed her by the knife arm and pulled her off balance. 'You're not even trying.'

She bit back on her immediate response, instead letting out a breath as she tugged her arm out of his grip.

'Shut up! I heard you the first time!' She complained.

All she received in response was a smirk, showing that all her mood was doing was amusing him.

It was annoying, to say the least.

'Next! Maehara-kun, Isogai-kun!' Karasuma called out, causing the two boys to approach quickly.

Amaya was tempted to turn her head to watch, though she didn't have an opportunity.

Instead she found herself having to leap back out of fright as an anti-sensei knife slashed through the air right where her face had been just a fraction of a second earlier.

'What the hell--?!' Amaya managed to get out, though the amused look across Karma's face had her bite her tongue.

'Someones not paying attention.' He taunted.

'Oh my god, will you shut up?!'

'Will you stop arguing?' He shot back in response.

She resisted the sudden urge to punch him in the face.

'Come on, Amay!' Reiko called out from her spot on the grass next to Koro-sensei, who was reading a remarkably innocent looking magazine in comparison to normal. 'Score a point!'

Damn it all, why was the world conspiring against her like this?

She actually did want to wipe that smirk right off his face, but she didn't want the consequences of doing so.

This really wasn't fair at all.

'Next, Akabane-kun, Katsuragi-san!' Karasuma called out, snatching Amaya's attention away from the infuriating redhead.

Huh, but didn't he say one at a time?

Or maybe he meant sparring partners one at a time?

'Don't fall on your face, Amay.' Karma teased her as he walked past her to approach Karasuma, causing Amaya to gape at him.