Marionette

Skies, Chapter Fifty Three - Hyōnoarashi [雹の嵐]

To say Amaya was surprised at what he'd said was an understatement – To her, that was the last thing she'd honestly expected to hear him say right at that moment.

And once the surprise had worn off, it felt like some sick joke.

'W-what?' Amaya managed to speak up, confusion clear in her voice.

'You heard me, Amaya.' Karma responded, his tone stern as he stared her down. 'You're staying here, end of story.'

But ... why was he saying that now?!

This wasn't the time to force her to stay behind – Koro-sensei had said for all healthy students to help with this, though undoubtedly Okuda and Takebayashi were still going to stay behind to help everyone sick.

If they were going to steal the remedy from the person who'd done this to everyone, they needed all the numbers and hard-hitters they had on hand, right?!

'B-but—'

'I'm not arguing with you, Amaya – You're staying whether you like it or not!' Karma snapped, silencing the confused girl in an instance. 'I will tie you to one of the support poles if I have to.'

That was no empty threat – The frustrated snap in his tone told her that.

And yet all she wanted to do was argue.

There were just as many reasons for her to go as there was for her to stay here, and they were growing in numbers.

And now wasn't the time to sit and worry about herself when there were lives on the line.

'You expect me to accept that?' She responded in answer, shaking her head quickly as she tried to tug her wrist free from his grip. 'Seriously, Karma! More numbers means we'd get this done faster, right? Then--'

'If you come, you're just going to be a liability!' He shouted, his grip tightening painfully around her wrist. 'You get it yet?! We don't have the time to bail you out of trouble this time!'

The words were like a resounding slap across the face, ripping all chance of argument from her.

All she could do was stare wordlessly as the hurt those words did ached inside her chest.

But before he could say anything else, there was the sudden sounds of someone clearing their throat.

'If Sensei may interrupt,' A had-been silent Koro-sensei spoke up from the table right next to them, drawing Karma's gaze from her in an instance. 'Karma-kun, we will be leaving shortly, so you should go get organized.'

In spite of the words used, the tone Koro-sensei spoke in was not a suggestion.

It was a command, and Karma made no attempt at arguing it.

With a sharp glance at Amaya's silent form, Karma dropped her wrist and left at a brisk walk in the direction everyone else had gone.

Leaving Amaya to suffer beneath Koro-sensei's inquisitive gaze.

'That, was something Sensei had not expected to see.' Koro-sensei remarked once Karma was nowhere to be seen, his form swiveling slightly from within the crystalline orb as he seemed to look around quickly. 'However, we have little time so allow sensei to make this brief.'

Amaya nodded ever so slightly, biting harshly on the inside of her bottom lip.

'For different reasons entirely, Sensei would also like you to stay behind.' Koro-sensei explained, his tone entirely patient as he watched Amaya's silent form. 'Sensei does not think you would be a liability, nor does Sensei believe your presence wouldn't help. But there is more help you can give to the plan by staying behind. Sensei just hadn't thought about it until now.'