"And that's why you should never date anybody who thinks you should be able to knit a full length scarf in just 1 week!" Ms Satome smiled, her expression in stark contrast with the nearly breaking pointing stick in her hands.
Homura (much like several other students within the class) let out a quiet sigh of exasperation, hoping that her tirade was reaching its end.
"Oh I almost forgot!" She pushed her glasses up her nose and addressed the class with slightly more gusto. "We will be receiving a new transfer student next week."
A hush fell over the class before almost as quickly being overruled by the excited murmurs.
A transfer student? A few months after the last one? Homura felt a few people glance her way and blushed.
Ms Satome quickly regained control of the class and continued lessons as 'normal', yet Homura felt her mind wander... A transfer student? Something felt off about that.
NeiN
Her reverie was broken by a surge of dark miasmic energy, the unmistakable wave of grief surging from a lower level of the school.
'Mami, did you-' Sayaka's telepathic shout was cut short as another wave of the accursed grief washed over them. Homura saw both Sayaka and Madoka tense as it passed, their classmates completely oblivious to the sudden chaotic force below.
'Yes, Sayaka.' Mami's tone was strained 'It must have just hatched.' She went silent for a second before resuming,
'We can't all leave to fight it without raising suspicion probable best method is for myself and one of you three-' but she was cut off by Madoka joining in the conversation.
'I'll go!'
'Wha-? Madoka? No, I'll go, me and Mami will have this done in no time!'
'But Sayaka, you-'
'No Madoka, I can heal her if she-'
'But I think that-'
'GIRLS!' Mami's shout rung out and stopped the silent argument from devolving any further. 'While both of you would be an asset, I believe Ms Akemi would be the best aid when it is just the two of us.'
Homura's mouth shut, opened and then shut again as she processed the information (drawing a curious look from the boy besides her).
'...M-Me?' She felt panic begin to bubble up inside her. She'd never fought without Madoka before, what if she messed up? What if Madoka got hurt while she was gone?
'Akemi, your magic will help me capture and restrain whatever is thrown at us from a distance, while Madoka can do the same. Your versatility will be more useful AND-' she raised her voice to cut off Sayaka '-will hopefully prevent the need for healing entirely.'
Homura tried not to blush as she tried to think of any way out of the situation.
'Now, I will meet you on the second floor in a moment, you two keep up the act that everything is fine, please. If we don't contact you in 10 minutes-'
'We come and help beat up the creep who would lay a finger on Mami!' Sayaka's energy radiated off her in such waves that she was visibly tensing up.
'Actually I was going to- ah, never mind. Homura I'm counting on you!'
And she was gone. And Homura felt the anxiety rise up again, along with something else...
Excitement.