My first comment of the new year...momentous? It's kind of appropriate considering how serious the discussions got here in Chapter 41. Let's see, this what I noticed and really liked.
Half of an unfamiliar ceiling drifted in front of Asuka's face, her mind straining as it tried to grow accustomed the shadow on her right side
It was a really good call to start with this. Reminding us of Asuka's sacrifice and giving it a real lasting physical consequence. It establishes right away how things have been shaken up.
That either means he is serious about abiding by the deal or confident enough it doesn't matter." Shinji flinched, hating to admit his own weakness. "I just... don't know what to do."
I love how many times being more powerful than he is in canon doesn't really make things easier for Shinji. It's ironic and it's also really compelling to read.
"I am so sorry!" Asuka cried and hugged more, feeling her sister finally respond in kind. "I am so, so sorry..."
Now Rebecca was crying too as the siblings joined together. A bond that was never quite there before was now forming in an instant in the dim light of the doorway.
I can't just paste everything in their exchange so I'm just going to say this part summarizes perfectly. They've grown a lot and I can tell you have put so much into Rebecca as a character and what she does to affect things. One of the best additions to the mythos.
At that Rebecca blushed and stared down at her scuffed shoes. "Sorry! Its just... really easy to fall behind when you stop... I haven't had much reason other than Rei, so..." The girl trailed off and grabbed her bag from the stoop, pulling out a worn-looking hair brush. "You don't have to..."
"I want to." Asuka smiled and sat down on the couch, patting the spot next to her, doing her best to be as welcoming as she could be to not scare off the poor girl prematurely.
Okay, that's the cutest thing ever. Any added symbolism there you were going for?
Nothing.
That was what Shinji felt the moment he stepped out of the apartment; a dry, hollow nothing that leaked into all the edges he hadn't realized Asuka's company had occupied. The warm embrace that let him ignore the gnawing absence of his guardian from his life.
You're really good in this chapter, I notice, with the sudden emotional jolts. These keep things feeling very dynamic even when the physical action is comparatively mundane.
"I mean, I can't stop you," Shinji sighed and drank from the cold glass of water in front of him. He looked away from his dad and over to the adjoined kitchen where half a dozen staff slaved over hot woks.
"I think we both know that's not true," Gendo nodded sagely. "If you really wanted I have no doubt you could rip apart me and everyone else at this place without a second thought but... you aren't so... you've got that for you."
How afraid of that possibility was Gendo? I mean, he came here to see Shinji by himself so not that much but did the idea ever cross his mind? Or did he know he was taking a risk by doing that?
"What are you going to do?" Gendo gave a tired shrug, clearly hurt but unable to vocalize it. "She was going for a long time now. This just... pushed her over the edge."
Sobering. I wonder again how difficult it is for Gendo to talk about this.
"Mom? Hmm," Gendo sneered a bit at the word. "Though perhaps I can see how one can take on a role."
"Especially when it is neglected."
It was the Commander's turn to look uncomfortable. "Indeed."
Okay, Shinji clearly wins this confrontation, imo. You don't come back from that, Gendo.
It was a song Asuka half recognized. "You played that for me while I was... sleeping." Her words made him jump, nearly falling from his perch as he scrambled down to meet her.
"Asuka!" he squawked and gave an awkward smile as he got closer, clearly weighing up whether or not to embrace her in a hug before throwing caution to the wind and wrapping his arms around her. "I heard, but I didn't believe that... you're back."
Sweet and also amusing. Moreover, it emphasizes how vulnerable Kaworu is and how vulnerable he lets himself be for other people.
"Kaworu... while we were together in there, Shinji told... or rather, he showed me everything. I got a glimpse right into his soul." Asuka held the boy tight, her voice going cold. "I know, Kaworu."
Again, the rest of the conversation is great but this part sticks out to me the most. Just a lot of power beyond everything Asuka says and does right here.
"Our time is coming, Asuka, I know it is."
"I know it is too, but we have a long way to go and a lot of things to do before we get there," Asuka nodded and pressed her head against his chest. "Speaking of.."
And the polycule gains another leg.
He traced his finger along the edge of the desk again, working their way to the small wooden box on the edge of the table, prodding at the thing with a red stained hand. A gift... not the first, but perhaps the last...
Really solid visual again. It's almost...religious in the imagery you conjure, if that makes sense.
"Life is... too short I think to resort to self-denial of bad habits." He tried to smile back, something almost playful passing between their eyes.
I wonder how ironic that will end up being for him by the end of this.
The Commander blinked again, for a moment thinking the whole encounter a daydream until he saw the box on his desk was gone.
'Dreams within dreams within dreams, but when will I wake up?'
Heh. Good question, Gendo.
The door slid open and he saw Asuka sitting at the table waiting for him. Opposite her, Kaworu sat, his eyes blazing like setting suns.
"Come here, Shinji." Asuka beckoned, her voice a forced calm. "We... have a lot to talk about."
They need to negotiate the polycule. Seriously though, very strong end for the chapter.
the movie playing in the theatre Touji finds Yukina is the Godfather part one early on at the wedding. I watched the scene a few times and tried to synch up Yukina and Touji's conversation to match up with what was being said on screen. I figured it fit since the story is about Touji the son of a mobster trying to get revenge for his father. It's also a very traditionally masculine movie about family and honor and power, themes that Touji struggles with as he tries to reconcile the image of his father in his mind with the knowledge of what he did.
