Lux Apollo

Best chapter yet? I'm a sucker for happy endings, so no matter where it goes I think you will be happy with John's love at the end of the day. Hee hee, as I was writing what John sees, looking at himself in the mirror, that summary description was immediately what popped into my mind. I may have also popped a little wood along with John imagining how he looked.

Thanks Tim! I have to settle for 'meow' with this guy, though.

When you go to sleep Every night Before me What do you dream? When I crawl into bed Later, tired And the bed dips Do I wake you? When I am restless And my body and mind Work against me, When you get up And go sleep on the couch Do you resent me? Sometimes I don’t get That kiss goodnight If I don’t initiate it I wonder if I’m Even attractive Anymore When you go to sleep Every night Without me What do you dream?

This chapter was so much fun to write, so I'm glad the fun was transmitted to the reader. Life at Xavier's is anything but boring, and I think John has some interesting times ahead of him, some good, some bad, and some will be with Bobby. Don't worry, I promise the story will eventually get around to giving John some much-deserved love. There will be some bumps, of course, but I don't want to make things too complicated in this one. Just remember that John's love life isn't the core focus of the story so much as it is a conduit for examining his growth as a person. As for the darker part at the end, I'm sure you are starting to figure out what may have happened to John at the end of his tenure with Freedom Force. It's another deep wound he carries, one that he will have to deal with for the rest of his life. Thanks for being a loyal reader and reviewer!

Hmm, 122 chapters Labour Day to New Years? Now why does that sound familiar... Great chapter. I really like the 'shape' of it. Steve's actions were understandable - except for Tracy. It is difficult to find any respect for him after using that method as an out. Perhaps I hold people to too high a standard, but I have never understood people who deliberately create a bad situation in order to end a relationship. I glad Toph was finally able to get that out of the way. I found the synesthesia bit to be particularly interesting - why purple and why that particular purple? I ask partly because I have a degree of synesthesia with music in colour and kinetic forms, so it is always interesting to learn what the specifics of different peoples' reactions are. For example, my music-colour associations are not the same as those reported by Scriabin. We can all breathe out in relief that Toph did make it in to Abington (though as a reader it seemed difficult to imagine he wouldn't), and the scholarship Toph will hopefully be able to accept as what it is - an affirmation of his talent and potential. Now off to deal with mother dearest... that will be revelatory, and if the past is any clue it will not proceed the way Toph likely imagines.

October 31, 2021 Welp, it’s Hallowe’en. I don’t remember them allowing the students to wear costumes quite this slutty back in my day. I heard some of the students talking about their costume plans in the halls earlier this week when they didn’t realize I was listening. I didn’t really think too much about it at the time, but today I have to say I’m actually a little uncomfortable with some of them. I can’t help but think this must be Emma’s influence. She seems to be much

Thanks Parker. I hope at least some of these will be able to touch beyond my own experience and state of mind; it's good to know that started off on the right foot.

The funny thing is that I best most readers will have no idea that I'may writing about my cat. Thanks for reading, and the affirmation. It's definitely something I need lately.

I have been feeling like my partner and I have become somewhat detached lately too. It's difficult when life makes you have to work for things that used to come so easily. Nice piece.

You've hooked me, as usual.

It’s unbelievable, sometimes To have something, someone to care for That you are actually here In my space Living It’s unbelievable, sometimes That we’ve bonded like this That we can go for walks and play That you are happy to see me When I come home It’s unbelievable, sometimes That you’ve come to trust me That you can rely on me That you want my affection Even when I’m difficult It’s unbelievable, but Maybe I should start believing Sometime

A random collection of thoughts, poems, words, whatever.

Great chapter, loving how Jason is doing his best to help Shane heal, bit by bit, while learning about everything he missed. A long road ahead, but it gives me incredible hope given the bond they still seem to share. And the electricity, even in that briefest of kisses! I hope that wasn't just on Jason's side. Hmm, a killer? Could his name perhaps start with a T? I'd love to scream bloody murder about the bastards getting away with rape just so the video would never see the light of day. I really would. The psychological trauma of having to keep going through it with the police and then court just sucks... and then there is the fact that police often don't take the rape of men seriously. Looking forward to more.

Needed something fun before bed to put the dreary weather and emotional turmoil of the last few days behind me, so I turned to a fun set of piano miniatures by Reinhold Glière, the 12 Esquisses op. 47 (1909). It's a collection I haven't had the chance to play yet. I really should hunt down the score in the library at WLU or UW sometime soon.

We learned so much about Zane in this chapter, and the behaviour of his father. To be honest there were a number of moments when I started seeing how the apple didn'the fall as far from the tree as Zane pretends. He definitely has a temperamental streak he's struggling to control, but he needs to own up to his emotions and talk. Clint is too transparent, and we don't know yet how well he is reading Zane. It seems he is giving him the benefit of the doubt for now, but I see problems ahead.

Things are going to get worse before they get better for Alek and Liam... if they ever do get better. Are we on the road to them being caught and some sort of horrible denial? Yikes. Thanks for giving us some hot happiness to lift us put of the dreary at the end.

That's a toughie, definitely, but it had to be done. This whole situation really sucks.

Amazing. You seriously caught me completely unexpected with the Warren angle but I really look forward to where this is going. :-D

I am still a relative naïf when it comes to the forums, or I would have made it one... oops.

October 24, 2021 Ugh, teaching today was not the best idea. It’s Friday today. Why didn’t I just wait the extra day and then have the weekend to recover too? Guess I’m still a glutton for punishment, surprise, surprise. It wouldn’t be me if I didn’t do things the hard way. I’ve had a headache since the end of my first class, and ended up taking an extra painkiller when I took the next dose at lunch. They had a tarp covering the hole in the wall, which was annoying because wheneve

Glad to see another chapter, and such a good one. Damn it, I guess I am surprised that it was Luke who would throw a wrench into things here, but it does make sense. I guess I am disappointed in our little semi-secret rebel. Ally is turning into even more of a Queen Bitch than I expected. Ugh, that is going to all places not good, and we are starting to get the fractures and dilemmas appearing among the others. Where will the cards fall? Clearly Ally feels like Bailey is usable.

The Hurrian Hymn to Nikkal, from the 12th century BCE city of Ugarit (in modern day Syria) is the oldest piece of annotated music currently known, well over 3200 years old! They think it dates from some time between 1400 and 1200 BCE, and was discovered during the excavations of the city libraries - documents of this period were written on clay tablets. Although it was written in Ugariti cuneiform, it is actually in the Hurrian language rather than a western Semitic dialect (e.g. Akkadian, Canaanite, Amorite, Aramaec, etc). The hymn was composed by a sacred scribe named Hammurapi, and is devoted to the Great Goddess Nikkal, wife of the Moon, and one who had some duties to do with orchards. Although there is some debate over exactly how to interpret the music, there are some interesting interpretations out there such as this one by Michael Levy:

Sigh. Idiots, all.

Dude, you were worried this prologue was too long... It's not long enough! This could be expanded into an awesome story all on its own. Looking forward to how things come together, even if the tragedy of Nicholas and Richard really hurts.