Marionette

Cosmos, Chapter Fifty Four - Sorasu [そらす]

Irridescent hues danced in her peripheral vision, glimmers of light that reflected off of shards of glass and the remaining shards of a crystal wind chime that used to hang within the infirmary window.

Amaya's thoughts were torn between the viciously glaring construction man who they'd just released, and whatever was going to happen next within that classroom. The side of her face ached like sand had been rubbed straight into an open cut, and considering the inflicting object, there may very well have been some contamination.

The construction workers went for their break as the Principal had instructed, sparing no shortage of curses and complaints as they glared in Amaya's direction.

It was a pitiful, childish reaction, one that did not fail to cause Amaya to scoff in response.

But needless to say, she was fairly sure that they would not attempt to resume the demolition work until the Principal gave his authorization, so she could wander over and investigate what was going on inside.

She received barely a glance from a few classmates, most of whom were more preoccupied with the events taking place inside, though Okuda had cast her a startled look when she'd turned her head and spotted the cut across Amaya's face, along with the tattered shoulder of her shirt, and she had only seemed to return her attention back to Asano and Koro-sensei once Amaya had signed that she was perfectly fine.

All of the students had relocated outside of the classroom, peering inside from out the windows, and over the heads of a few of the shorter students, Amaya could easily see that five desks had been rearranged into a semi-circle in the centre of the room, and just as many educational workbooks were set down atop the desks.

And at the moment, Amaya found herself scowling at the presence of five hand-grenades being set down atop one of the desks.

'What the hell, is that bastard planning to detonate the classroom, instead?' Amaya muttered with a scowl.

'Mind your language, please.' Asano casually reprimanded her from his place within the classroom, though the cold stare he cast her set chills tearing straight down her spine. 'We wouldn't want your guardian to have to pay for me to overlook yet another cause for expulsion, Mizumoto-san.'

Wait--?!

'My mistake.' The Principal continued with a chilling smile. 'Katsuragi-san.'

That was no mistake, it was a warning. A threat.

Regardless of the confused glances she was now receiving from the students who'd been intrigued by the intentional slip-up, Amaya could only keep her mouth shut, lest she incite an already vindictive and seemingly unhinged man on a warpath into spilling anything worse.

If need be, she could give some feasible excuse as to why he'd called her Mizumoto without too much trouble.

Anything more, though...

'Asano-san.' Koro-sensei spoke up far more reproachfully than his earlier edge of panic, earning the Principal's immediate attention. 'Surely you're here to assassinate me like you announced. So please don't threaten or incite discord in any of my students.'

There was no response, though Amaya certainly wasn't listening for one.

Amaya shied away from the bulk of the class as the Principal explained all about his so called game he wanted to play with Koro-sensei, shuffling away to the very back, to get as far away from the unpleasant man as she could. Her fingers gripped tightly at the insides of her pockets as she struggled to maintain her composure, trying in vain to keep her nerves from getting the best of her.