The Twilight Hour/Awesome
This Fanfic definitely rises to levels of mega-awesomeness!
- How? By focusing on Urd, a mysterious stranger, and Hild’s attempts to collect an artifact of fearful power which will forever change the lives of the Morisato household.
- Urd’s CMOA include her sudden reversal to protect her severely injured sister, resulting in the incineration of both her opponent and a good chunk of the surrounding countryside. Or perhaps it’s the unabashed way she enters the demon real, essentially tells everyone to FO, then destroys half the place after breaking free of Hild’s demonic control (still arguably not their biggest fight in the book).
- What? Not awesome enough?! Did I mention she’s doing it to try and recover what’s left of her lover’s soul?
- Too physical? Not enough CMOHW? Then perhaps when she faces the dark ocean winds alone searching for her lost love; or when she falls through the heavens holding him tightly; or maybe when she places only half of the stone on his body praying he finds the one true sea.
- What are you made of iron?!! Alright then, how about when she explains the symbols on the gravestone, or when we learn the meaning of the books title? . I’m not even going to discuss the building of the seaside residence , or her final ride deep into the mountains on horseback.
- Urd’s love interest isn’t too shabby himself considering he almost burns himself to death trying to save Skuld (bonus marks because she hates him). And later when he turns away in the heat of battle to make the Heroic Sacrifice. Which is difficult given that he’s actively being hunted by both demons and Valkyries when not being mistaken for the deity Fudo-Myoo. At several points his existence also proves that (at least beyond Belldandy’s sight) bad things CAN happen to bad people; though arguably Hild proves this even more effectively later in the story.
- And what about Belldandy? Is she not already awesome enough for you?! Then how about when she snaps the bindings on her chains as a horde of demons attempt to overwhelm her; in turn bringing down the better part of a mountain on a particularly deserving big bad, or when she streaks through the skies to catch a fellow goddess just before she’s consumed by Hild’s forces. Or when she pours her heart out to Keiichi on the eve of battle, telling him the truth about she and Urd’s shared past. Several of Belldandy and Keiichi’s talks also qualify as CMOHW.
- And Keiichi? Does he just sit this one out? Not really considering he (1) battles several demons single-handedly during the course of the book, despite the slight disadvantage of being human; (2) puts himself through a wall in order to defend the family from further attacks (more Original Flavour than it sounds); (3) is pretty much the only thing holding Belldandy, Urd and Skuld together during large chunks of the book; (4) builds the fearsome racing bike used in the climatic highway chase against the Sinkansen . On the night of the big outdoor party, he also speaks to someone who is probably the goddesses father.
- True I’ve left out any mention of the book’s humor and the CMOA of Skuld, Lind, or Peorth as well as the gratifying contributions of Tamiya, Otaki, Megumi and Mara in the story – or even arguably what the book is really all about but hey – you get the idea.