"Homura is right, this doll really does look just like you Madoka!" Sayaka Miki jumps up and down as she points at the grand prize of shooting gallery: A pink haired magical girl like doll.
"The resemblance really is uncanny, isn't it?" Mami Tomoe, a girl with golden twin drill hair style like a rich girl straight out of anime and their senior student from Mitakihara Middle School gives a nod as she closely exam the doll in question. "If the twin tail is a bit shorter it would look just like you."
"Well... we shouldn't be surprised. Pink hair with double horse tail is like, Magical Girl design 101..." Sayaka suddenly realizes all three of her friends are looking at her with a funny look in their eyes. "...I mean, that's what Hitomi told me. Right! She's the one that's into Magical Girls."
"Sayaka-Chan, we are your friends... it's okay to admit you like cute things." Madoka holds Sayaka's arm, trying to give some comfort to her blue haired friend.
"I have a reputation to keep Madoka. I would be the laughing stock of our class if they learns the friend of justice has such a soft spot!"
Homura keeps on staring at 'Madoka doll' while Sayaka busies herself trying to explain Madoka why she can't like magical girl anime. The idea of holding this doll in her bed at the dead of night will certainly bring some comfort to her lonely apartment...
"Do you need a drink Homura-Chan? Your face seem to be heating up." The concerned voice of Mami brings Homura back into reality. The raven haired nerdy girl quickly gives her senior student a bow and a stuttered thank you as she take the plastic bottle of iced red tea from Mami's hand and chuck half a bottle down to hide her embarrassment. She really shouldn't fantasize about having an imaginary sleepover with Madoka while in her friends' company.
"You really want that doll don't you?" Mami looks at the doll and Homura back and forth before a light bulb seems to pop out of her head. "Why don't you give it a try? It's not that hard."
"I... I don't know. Guns are scary... even the BB guns they use here in Shooting Gallery can blind someone if I hit them in the eyes." Homura lets out a weak whimper as she shakes her head.
"Guns are only scary when you don't use them properly. It becomes a part of you when you get use to them." Mami leans closer to Homura and whispers into her ears. "Trust me, I know it. I been fighting with musket for almost three years remember?"
"Ah... Mami-San... you are getting too close..." Homura feels her entire face instantly heat up to the boiling point as she feels the gentle breeze down her ear. She wobbles around on her feet and threatens to topple over if Mami didn't grab her by the arm.
"What are you whispering to Homura, Mami-Senpai? Are you two becoming THAT close now?" Homura looks up from the floor as she sees Sayaka's sly look. The blue head throws her arms around Madoka's shoulder. "That's fine though, because I get to keep Madoka all to myself!"
The pink head's face heats up just like Homura at this statement.
"I was giving Homura-Chan a secret encouragement to help her in the shooting gallery." Mami gives Sayaka a smile while shooting Homura a knowing wink acknowledging the common secret between Madoka, Homura and herself. "Go on Homura. Give the Shooting Gallery a try. Just remember to hold the BB gun firmly and you should be fine."
At this point Homura suddenly realizes Mami could have simply give her a telepathy message. The senior Magical Girl did the ear whisper in order to tease her. Even though Mami is mature for her age, she is still only a middle school student.
The raven haired Magical Girl lets out a soft sigh as she pays the vendor and take a deep breath before taking aim.
BB pellets proceed to fly toward every direction except for the targets.
"AH-!" Sayaka lets out a shriek as a pellet hits her between the eyes. She immediately drops down to the floor like a stone.
"Sayaka-Chan! No~!" Madoka is ready to grab Sayaka, but Mami tackles her right behind a trash can for cover.
"AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH ~!" Amidst all the chaos, Homura wildly flails her BB gun like a three years old trying to control a runaway fire hose.
...
"That was terrible. Getting shot in the head and all." Homura can hear Sayaka's painful groan even without looking up from her own knees."You really suck with a gun Homuhomu."
"I know you are hurt Sayaka-Chan, but please don't make Homura-Chan feel even worse about it. I'm sure she's feeling terrible about injuring you with that BB gun right now." The raven haired Magical Girl can hear her best friend trying to comfort the blue haired girl and protect her other friend. It's just like Madoka, kind to a fault that she'll do anything to ensure nobody gets hurt even if she herself ends up hurting in the process.
"Ah, are you abandoning me for someone new, someone more moe, my dearest waifu? I thought what we had were special..." Homura swears Sayaka is letting out sniffing sound in between sentences. She's not sure if Sayaka is teasing the kind hearted pink Magical Girl or if she is genuinely hurt. The blue haired girl is too cheerful to cry at such trivia matter most of the time.
"What? No, Sayaka-Chan! That's not it at all..."
Homura feels someone place her hand on her shoulder as Madoka trying to desperately explain to Sayaka she's not abandoning her for some one more moe. "Don't feel so down Homura. It's just an accident, and despite what Sayaka is saying she doesn't hold a grudge against you."
"Thank you, Mami Senpai..." Homura raises her head out of her knees and gives the veteran a grateful smile. She moves her sight on the doll and give it a forlorn look in her purple eyes. "But I'm not good enough to win that doll..."
"You must really want that doll huh..." Mami turns around and look at the Madoka lookalike doll before giving Homura a confident smile and turns toward the shooting gallery. "You just sit tight here."
The Musket user pays for the entry fee as she holds the BB gun tightly in her hand and takes aim. As the target starts moving again Mami starts firing pellet with deadly precision and speed. Unlike Homura, the veteran Magical Girl easily nails every single target. It is to be expected for a Magical Girl who has been single-handedly keeping Mitakihara safe from familiar and Witches for almost three years. The golden haired Magical Girl suddenly does a 180 degree spin on her feet and fires the BB gun over her shoulder, hitting the last target right in the center as she does a peace sign with her hand in front of her face like she's role playing Sailor Moon.
"And the grand prize goes to the lady with golden hair, congratulations." The vendor takes 'Madoka Doll' off the shelf and hands it into Mami's hand with a professional smile on his face. Mami give a graceful bow to the vendor as she takes prize and offers it to Homura.
"Here you go Homura, take good care of her alright?" Homura looks up at Mami's face once again as she takes the doll from Mami's hand. The face of her senior class man is practically glowing with a confident yet kind smile.
"OHMYGODTHAT'STOTALLYAWESOMEMAMISENPAI~!" Sayaka's cheer is so loud and rapid it almost make Homura's ear hurt. She's not bothered by it, as the only thing she is thinking about is how dependent the veteran Magical Girl is. If Homura can become as good as Mami... no, maybe only half as good as the veteran in time for Walpurgisnacht she can surely save Madoka together with her Senpai...
／人◕ ‿‿ ◕人＼
"Did I really suck that much with a gun back then?" Homura sits straight up from the futon. She thinks back on her dream/memory from her second timeline. The look of both nostalgia and total disgust fight over for control of territory that is Homura's face.
Homura has always acknowledged she was a nervous wreck back when she first started. That is the reason why she's so determined to keep her fearless soldier like persona she manages to build over the timelines. After all, what chance does she has in save Madoka if she herself constantly need other people's saving.
It doesn't mean she wants to be constantly reminded of how embarrassing she is when she first starts this task of course. That's why she sub-consciously (or perhaps consciously) omit certain detail when she needs to recall event from her past.
That being said... it almost feel endearing to remember the time when she is actually friend with Sayaka and Mami. Homura has to admit to herself, even if both of those girls have mental deficiency for being Magical Girls they are still fun to be around as...
Friends.
Especially when Homura realize she probably won't see them again in a very long time.
Stop yourself!
Her brows twist together into a knot at this thought. Yes, there was the time when she has faith in the dependable and kind hearted Mami. Almost like the veteran Magical Girl is an elder sister she never had. Mami's kindness and ideal inspires both Madoka and Homura even if Madoka will always be the friend that the raven haired time traveller treasures the most. That was back when Homura Akemi was a naive and dumb girl with more hope than there are stars in the sky.
It all changed when she sees Mami's complete breakdown. How the Senpai she trusts so much kills Kyoko in cold blood after learning the truth of Magical Girl. How the veteran Magical Girl proceeds to point the barrel of the musket towards her. That's when Homura realizes Mami's actions are driving more by her need to escape her loneliness than an uncompromising kindness like Madoka. As Homura Akemi repeats more and more loop, where Mami's inner insecurity drives Madoka down the path of self-destruction every single timeline as much as Kyubey's malice, the time traveller starts to resent her Senpai more and more.
Thinking back now, even the simple thought of being friend with Mami gives her an urge to put her pistol into her mouth and blast those thoughts out of her brain...
"I strongly recommend against putting a lethal weapon in your mouth. You won't get any nourishment out of such action and it's highly probable you will ends up with a fatal injure. If you put the gun barrel side of the weapon into your mouth of course." Homura turns her head towards Nobita's book shelf and sees the white abomination sitting on top of it like some self-appointed king of jerk mountain looking down at his subject.
"Were you watching me sleep?" Homura doesn't bother to hide the pure malice emitting out of her voice. The Incubator is either too dense or uncaring to realize it.
"Not exactly. I was curious about you and dream can be an easy if somewhat unreliable way to learn about a contractee. I have to say the 'you' from your dream behave completely different than 'you' in the waking world. Very intriguing... BLU! " The Incubator lets out a wet grumble as Homura tightens her grip around his throat.
"Intrigue this." Homura stares Kyubey through his beady red eyes and down to his vile soul (assuming he has one) as she takes a 9 iron out of her shield.
After a few moment of grotesque violence against cute alien that would make all the animal right group shit their pants, Homura walks out of Nobita's room humming a happy tone to herself. Kyubey on the other hand has a golf club replaces his spine as he lies stretched pass what should be his physical limit on the tatami floor. "Having a golf club reshape my corporeal form certainly is intriguing in its own way. I didn't know our body can bend this way before."
"Nobody cares!" Homura shots Kyubey a particularly annoyed telepathy rebuke as she goes toward bath room. Lacking a tooth brush means she can only have a quick wash but she's not too worried about the health of her mouth cavity. It doesn't take that much magic to replace a whole set of teeth.
As a result she's a little surprised when she finds mug with her name tag on and a brand new tooth brash inside. That, and a little note posted beside the washing cabinet.
[To Homura:
It's a good thing we always keep some spare tooth brush sealed around for replacement, so don't ever think about skipping brushing your teeth or neglect other part of your body just because you have healing magic. (╬⊙д⊙)
Have a proper wash and come to dining room for your breakfast, young lady!
From: Mom]
Homura stands in front of the mirror for a solid minute not doing anything. Not that she doesn't appreciate the gesture.
Isn't Tamako a little too old to use emoticon like that?
Homura supposes it does not matter in the end. She's not exactly confined to normal so much she can't accept another person for being quirky. She quickly brushes her teeth and have a wash before heading towards the dining room with her old cloth on the account Nobi family hasn't bought her new clothes yet. It's still a little damp from the wash but she doesn't mind.
The fragrance of freshly prepared food greets her as Tamako busies herself around the dining table while Nobisuke reads the early morning newspaper.
"Another actress attempted to commit suicide before her manager called for ambulance... I know the entertainment industry can be quite cut throat but what's the world coming to? She's the third one this week and it's only Thursday." Nobisuke says with an exasperated voice and a deep frown on his face.
Homura mentally cringes after hearing the word 'commit suicide'. It shames her greatly after all those pain and suffer a single word still affects her so much. To her defence, that's how her mother goes away and leaving herself alone in a cold uncaring world. Sometimes when she needs to take a short break from planning strategy, she would sit on the edge of her apartment rooftop looking at the moon and wonder if her life would turn out the same with her mother Kaori still alive.
"Don't talk such thing in front of the kid." Tamako shots her husband a threatening glare as she sees Homura in the doorway.
"Ah, Homura! You have to excuse me, I didn't see you coming in." Nobisuke puts down his newspaper as he gives his own head a slap. "Did you sleep well?"
"It was well." Homura quickly re-adjust her mind and sits down around the table and looks down. Rice, nattō and miso soup, very old school Japanese breakfast. This brings back a lots of memories. Those are exactly what Kaori uses to serve in Akemi household. Hard bread or vitamin pill becomes Homura's new order of the day after she's gone.
"Do you prefer western? Like toast, fried egg and bacon? I can do that for tomorrow if you want." Tamako's voice brings Homura out of her memory. The middle aged house wife has a face of pure concern the time traveller isn't too familiar with unless such look comes from Madoka. The housewife must mistaken the reason Homura stares down her breakfast.
Homura is more used to suspicion and accusation from Sayaka or uncaring gaze from Kyoko. Mami does act friendly towards her and even show a sense of concern from time to time - before Homura loses her cool and starts to show open hostility against goldilocks of course. It used to be another source of solace Homura takes besides Madoka's uncompromising kindness in the early timelines.
After her third loop Homura realizes Mami's concern for the others originates more out of her need to establish her supremacy for being the veteran or her need to escape her loneliness rather than a genuine concern for the other like Madoka. Afterwards, it's hard for Homura to see Mami's action as anything other than patronization.
Homura wonders what other skeleton does the middle aged house wife has hidden in her closet besides being a veteran Magical Girl.
Still, the time travelling Magical Girl won't throw Tamako's apparent kindness back to her . Not unless she shows actual malice, or she's plotting something together with the Incubators anyways.
While Homura has made the decision to save Madoka by herself, she isn't above exploiting others in order to achieve her goal. Right now Nobi family offers her a place to stay until she either find a way to get back to the future, or meets Madoka once again in this timeline when the pink haired nurse aid is finally born into the world. It's more than Homura has any right to ask for. Unless they strap her onto an operating table for the Incubators to probe of course.
"It's fine." Homura shakes her head as she prepare to reach for her pair of chopsticks. She hears someone stomping in the door with a loud echo on the wooden floor panel.
"My good for nothing son must have returned from walking his dogs." Both Peko and Ichi runs into the dining room as Tamako gives this remark. The brown Shiba Inu lets out a growl as he slowly inches his way around Homura towards cupboard. The white Beagle eagerly walks up to Homura and licks her left hand. Even the iron clad time traveller has to secretly admit Peko is cute. Nobita's voice echoes down the corridor as he runs for the bathroom while she pets the friendly little doggie.
"I'll take a quick shower mama, can you feed Peko and Ichi for me?" Nobita's voice is quickly covered by the sound of running water.
"Just be quick about it and get down to the dining room. You don't want to start arriving school late again." Tamako lets out a huff as she opens up canned dog food for the pets. Ichi quickly dives his face into his feed. Peko gives Homura a muffled whimper before leaving her gentle touch and moves toward his breakfast.
For a second, Homura almost feel a sense of pity the friendly dog decide to leave her side.
"Don't let Ichi's attitude get you down. He has always been cautious against people he's unfamiliar with." Nobisuke gives Homura a smile as he pushes a plate towards her. "Do you want some dried fish?"
"...Thank you." Homura gives the middle aged salary man a quick look before bowing her head to show her appreciation. She takes a piece of fish into her mouth and slowly chews the food.
It's only pre-packaged food bought from supermarket, but it still taste better than what she's used to have. Not to mention she's not in any hurry to finish her food fast so she can squeeze every bit of time she has to calculate all her moves as well as strategize how to fight Walpurgisnacht.
Her brows tie into a knot together once she remembers the name of the super Witch she can never defeat without Madoka turning into a Witch herself. It's likely that thing will show its ugly face again at the end of the year and destroy Saigaku just like it destroys Mitakihara. If Homura can stop it in the past, maybe that means Madoka from this timeline can live happily without dying or turning into a witch. The problem: While Homura has almost a year to make preparation compares to one measly month, her time stop ability is acting weird and she can't replenish her supply of military weapon. Not to mention she doesn't know anything about this past timeline so she's bumbling in the dark.
Homura supposes she'll cross that bridge once she gets there. At the worst, she can try to meet other Magical Girls in this timeline and groom them into fighting Walpurgisnacht for her. Unlike Madoka, the raven haired time traveller doesn't need to worry about their survival as long as they are stable enough to take out Walpurgisnacht.
She can hear the sound of Nobita as he once again stomps into his way into the dining room. "What's for breakfast mama?"
"The usual, steamed rice, nattō and miso soup." Nobita plops himself down the seat and picks up his chopstick. He pours some nattō onto the top of his rice as he begins to wolf the content down. "Nobody is going to fight you over your food."
"Can't help it, morning exercise always make me hungry. Plus mama's home cooking is just that good." Homura notices a faint yet goofy smile on the face of her idiotic 'brother'. Once again she resist the urge to say something impolite like Kyoko. Homura scoops up a small bundle of rice into her mouth in silence.
The distant yet familiar taste of rice feels her mouth. It reminds Homura of the time when she used to have a family of her own where she sits around the table with Taiyo and Kaori in the morning waiting for her mother's breakfast while having some idol chat with her father. Granted there's not much difference you can do when it comes down to making plain steamed rice, but the time traveler swears it taste just like her mother's home cooking.
Adding to the fact she's once again sitting around the table of a loud, yet caring family. This feeling of normality is something that's so unfamiliar to the iron clad Magical Girl she can't help but blurt out the first thing on her mind.
"...Delicious..."
Suddenly Homura realizes what she's doing as she looks up. All three members of Nobi household is looking at her in a funny way.
"I know I just said my mama's cooking is good... but are you alright? You sounds like you haven't had rice for breakfast in a very, very long time. What do you eat for breakfast, millet porridge?" Nobita tilts his head sideways as he scratches his head like a monkey.
An understatement. After the death of her parents Homura was quickly hospitalized due to the deteriorate of her heart condition. The food they serve in hospital isn't what one can describe as homely. After she condition stabilizes enough that she's released out of hospital she mostly settle herself with microwave food she buys from supermarket and rarely cooks anything herself.
After she becomes a Magical Girl and dedicates her life at saving Madoka the times she would cook anything herself becomes even more sparse. She needs every second of her waking time to strategize, and look for solution on how to spare Madoka the fate of becoming a Magical Girl. Any moment spend processing food is a moment wasted consider she can just have microwave lunch. In fact, a lots of times she simply pop vitamin pills rather than eat any normal food - a Magical Girl's healing ability is as useful for curing malnutrition as well as battle wound.
"Vitamin pills." Homura says in a nonchalant manner as she takes a sip of the miso soup. It's every bit as tasty as her nattō covered steam rice.
"What kind of shitty parents let their daughter pop vitamin pills for breakfast!" Homura can hear the barely contained anger in Nobita's voice. She may be a bit angry at Nobita too for talking about her parents in such condescending tone when he never even meet them - if this takes place during her earlier loops when she still cares. They are trivia matter now.
"Dead." Homura peeks up from the soup bowl and sees her idiotic 'brother' sits in his chair with his mouth open wide like he's frozen in time. Tamako gives Nobita a hard knock on the head which sends his face right into the table. Nobisuke simply look at her with sympathy filled eyes while in the process of open his mouth. "I don't want to talk about it, and I don't want pity."
"Hey, Peko. Comes here." Nobita slowly rises from the table as he gestures his dog to his side. Peko lets out a curious whimper as Nobita picks him up. The glasses wearing middle school boy plop Peko's butt right on top of his head like an over decorated hair ornament. "I am an Asshat."
Homura is once again speechless at what a colossus idiot her 'brother' is. Is this glasses wearing buffoon trying to deflate an awkward moment - an awkward moment brings out by his own stupidity mind you - by acting once again out of his own idiocy?
Good thing Nobita's mother once again manages to slap some senses back into her son. "Stop acting like a clown and finish your breakfast. You don't want to be late for school."
"Sorry mama..." Nobita quickly puts Peko down on the floor as he buries his face into his rice bowl once again. Perhaps he's trying to hide his face away from Homura for reminding her the painful past? It is a needless sentiment of course, since Homura has long made peace with the fact her parents aren't around anymore.
The warm family atmosphere has certainly give way to a gloomy and heavy one. Homura doesn't mind it. In fact, she welcome this awkward distance she shares with the Nobi family. Such feeling makes it easier to ignore their friendly attempt to absorbs her into their happy little family.
To have any chance of saving Madoka, Homura needs to be a disciplined soldier with no fear. It she allows herself to get too comfortable with how the Nobi household treats her, her resolve to save Madoka will fade away. Some people may see this as a cruel self-punishment. Homura has long give up the idea of her own happiness if it means keeping the promise with Madoka.
Homura and Nobi household eats the rest of their breakfast in a rather oppressing silence afterwards. Both Nobita and his father look like they are going to start a conversation time and time again. Under the stern gaze of Tamako they both keep quiet. It suits Homura just fine, for the first time in a long time she manages to chew her food and enjoy the taste rather than force whatever stuff that'll keep her body going down her throat. Homura eventually finishes her meal even with her comparatively slow speed of eating.
"Thank you." Homura gives Tamako a bow to show her appreciation as she leaves her seat and puts it back into the table. She's ready to turn around and leave for school but Tamako's voice stops her.
"Where do you think you are going young lady?"
Homura turns around with a puzzled look on her face. To tell the truth she would rather spend her days in a library or old book store and read some literature than go to second year middle school again. She has been repeating the same grade for more than a hundred time after all. It is Tamako's idea to instate her into Nobita's school. "To school, like you wanted."
"Not without your lunch." Tamako also leaves her seat and hands a wrapped lunchbox towards Homura. "I won't have you pop Vitamin pills for lunch."
"You also need a bag. It's a little old since it's Nobita's old book bag when he was going to elementary school. And it's a little beaten up... because our son used to get into a lots of trouble back then. It's the best we can manage under such short notice. We'll get you some new clothes, and a new bag this weekend when we have time for a family shopping trip." Like his wife, Nobisuke also stands up from his seat and hands Homura a book bag.
It is one of those plain looking old school black bag like something out of a 70s photo. Homura notices the bag appears to have been sew back together many times if the many seams is a good indication.
Homura can't help but be reminded of the few memories she has for Kaori: When the timid housewife busies herself preparing a lunchbox for Homura.
Knitting her daughter a sweater, a scarf and a pair of mittens under the faint light of a lamp in the dead of the night when her daughter is in bed.
Why didn't Homura think about bringing any of those things with her through all the loops?
Because they are unnecessary in saving Madoka of course. You spend all those loops in the summer, and you can easily get some sweater and scarf with the bank account they both left you.
Surly those things would only serve to weaken my resolve. I need to purge all my weakness and fear from myself. I need to focus on my mission and be a brave in order to save Madoka.
Then why do I suddenly feel guilty? Aren't I already made peace with my mother's suicide all those years ago?
"Why...?" Homura stares at her own feet. She can hear her own voice trembling. She doesn't know how does Nobi family brings out her weakness so easily, didn't she already beaten the last straw of her old self out all those loops long ago?
"Why do all of you try so hard to treat me like a family? We just met yesterday. For all of you know I can be a Magical Girl who feed people to familiars so I can harvest Grief Seed from them."
She can hear a soft sigh from Nobisuke as the middle age salary man tries to say something to comfort her. "I'm sorry if we reminded you of your painful memories Homura. We... aren't trying to replace your family..."
The salary man's wife takes over from here. "...but it doesn't matter what you did in your own timeline. You are in the present, or the past for yourself. You have a new life awaiting you. As long as you don't try to harm other innocent people under our care we won't pry about your past. As for why we treat you like a family... it is because of an ideal."
Homura raises her eyes and give the house wife a puzzled look. She realize Tamako and Nobisuke are looking at each other with a knowing smile on their face.
"It's an ideal, and a vision. Magical Girls and Magical Boys contracted by the Incubators are a family. Not through blood but through their soul that's forever linked together even in the face of despair. As a family, we will carve out our own hope and happiness in our short lives together even when there is none."
"Corny... and unrealistic." Homura can't help but almost feel the need to laugh at those two middle aged Magi as she takes the lunchbox and book bag from them. They claim to have seen a lot in their lives as Magi, yet they act in such a callous manner unbefitting of their ranks. She can certainly see how Nobita turns into the boy he is now with parents like this.
She has to wonder how does Magi with such naive view even manage to stay alive till now. Although she supposes it is worth investigating. If she wants to live long enough to see Madoka in this timeline.
"Maybe, but it's better than simply accept the inevitable death and despair without doing anything isn't it? We can't change the outcome, but we can change how we live our lives. If it is our destiny to die, or fallen into despair then we'll give out kindness to our brothers and sisters till that day comes."
Homura can't help but feel pity toward those two adult Magi. Perhaps they are simply lucky in the regard they didn't see too much atrocities during their lives. Homura has no doubt the Kyoko will berate those two for being naive if foul mouthed drifter is present.
Homura isn't Kyoko, so she does not feel the urge to make both Tamako and Nobisuke realize how stupid their view points are. After all, isn't Madoka just like them in her own way?
"I will take it into consideration." Homura gives them both an ambiguous nod as she takes both the lunchbox and book bag from Nobita's parents. She gives Nobita a quick glance and realize the glasses wearing boy has a distant look in his eyes. It's almost like he is thinking very hard about something but Homura quickly dismiss that thought. He is probably just surprised about all the new information regard Magical Girls and Incubator gets into his life in such a short notice.
Homura honestly doubt he would understand anything they are even talking about. He is the same age as herself after all. A thirteen years old would barely understand the cruel nature of the normal world, let alone the world of Magical Girls.
"Stop staring into the void young man! If you don't hurry up you will really be late!" Tamako's angry voice seem to finally bring Nobita out of his trance. The fool quickly gives his mother an apology as he grabs his bag and runs out of the dining room ahead of Homura. They walks to the front door and puts their shoes on in silent.
"Listen Homura... I'm sorry about what I said back there. I been an ass, jumping into conclusion like that." Walking in the front, Homura can hear her 'brother' trying to apologize for his action. She really isn't too upset about it, consider how utterly over the fact her mother throw herself over a rooftop leaving her all alone...
Okay, maybe she wasn't as over the fact her mother committed suicide as she convinced herself. And he is right about himself being an ass.
"Yes you were, but I don't want to talk about it. I made peace with it a long time ago, and you have no right to pry about my past." Homura gives Nobita a cold reply as she continues her walk toward Saigaku Middle School. She can hear her idiot of a brother let out a deep breath.
"Long time ago..." Nobita's voice seem to tremble when he repeats after Homura. As if the buffoon is puzzled at Homura's age when she was orphaned but too afraid to press the matter any further. It suits Homura just fine. She really doesn't want to talk about things she left behind. The pair of siblings unrelated by blood continue their walk towards school in complete silent until they are interrupted by someone else.
"Yo, Nobita, you dog! Where did you got the cute baby that's walking beside you?" A familiar cheeky voice makes Homura turns her head and spots the somewhat familiar messy brown hair. She doesn't know the boy personally, but being the long time subject of her teacher's torment certainly leaves a faint yet distinguished mark in her memory.
Hideki Nakazawa?