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Features Writer
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OP
Features Writer
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 966 |
Thanks to Anonpip, DW, and Morgana, who beta-ed this in a hurry to get it ready for posting!  Hope you all enjoy!
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Columnist
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Columnist
Joined: May 2003
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Silence is violence. End white supremacy based violence
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Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 9,509
Nobel Peace Prize Winner
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Nobel Peace Prize Winner
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 9,509 |
I knew Cloneman was up to no good. How spooky to have Lois wake up to Superman looming over her and no Clark in sight. I only hoped Clark could hear her calling for him. For a second there I thought Cloneman had convinced Clark to kill himself with K because Clark thought Lois loved Superman(cloneman) and not him. I wished I could hear Clark, wished I could see him again, wished I could reach out and run my hand through his hair and down his neck, wished I could tell him that Luthor was wrong about me, that I hadn't really betrayed him, that I had only been confused but that I did love him, had loved him for so long, would never stop loving him... Luckily Clark wasn't that stupid, right? But somehow he still fell for Cloneman's trick (wonder how he convinced Clark to leave Lois and the apartment... my guess: lying). Something hurled me through air. Something heavy grounded me, shielded me. Who saved Lois? Was it Clark? Or Cloneman? Was it the both of them? MUST HAVE ENDING! (and epilogue and whatever else you have to go with this story, like a little WAFFy vacation fic or something  )
VirginiaR.
"On the long road, take small steps." -- Jor-el, "The Foundling"
---
"clearly there is a lack of understanding between those two... he speaks Lunkheadanian and she Stubbornanian" -- chelo.
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Joined: Nov 2010
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Merriwether
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Merriwether
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 1,686 Likes: 1 |
Can I tell you this sent shivers through me when I read it: "Lois." Clark's whisper was all that managed to pierce the bright, frozen moment. "That man cannot be Superman...because Superman's real name is Clark Kent." What a fabulous build up to a revelation. And I love the way you tie into to clues that helped Lois figure it out in canon. This exchange is excellent: To be Superman, you have to care about something...something other than yourself. Go Lois! I sure hope the clone saved her. Exciting chapter! Joan
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Beat Reporter
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Beat Reporter
Joined: Feb 2007
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Wowowowowow! I'm practically speechless  and anxiously awaiting the next. Powerful stuff, and what a place to leave us!  More now please! 
EvelynC
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Joined: May 2011
Posts: 6,142 Likes: 2
Nobel Peace Prize Winner
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Nobel Peace Prize Winner
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 6,142 Likes: 2 |
The cot was empty. The blankets were twisted and rumpled; one hung over the edge, its limpness giving it the impression of death. *gulp* What did Cloneboy do????? Uh oh! This *can't* be good. The cape flaring behind him in the breeze let in by the open windows--the windows I had closed and locked just two or three hours earlier--ruined the calming effect he was trying to exude. Hmmm...true. She *did* lock the windows. Did Clark unlock them?  The smell of burnt flesh tainted the air. Oops, not so invulnerable yet, huh? And then, so suddenly it seemed a spell was broken, Clark's own eyes shone with a ruby light. The imposter's face shifted in surprise, but he sent out his own burst of heat-vision. A fireball exploded into existence halfway between the two super-powered beings. Am I allowed to make a bad pun about "if looks could kill?" Then, completely unexpectedly, he let out a groan and bent forward, his hands gripping the sides of his head. With a jolt of recognition, I realized that I had seen this before--the day he had flown me to a mountainside location so I could relay Clark's cunningly planned questions. I didn't know what was happening to Luthor's minion, but I wasn't about to let the opportunity slip by.
"Clark!" I hissed, capturing his immediate attention. I tilted my hands to reveal that I held the Kryptonite. "Get out of here! Quickly, while he's still distracted!"
His eyes widened. "No! I won't leave you--"
"Go!" I commanded raggedly. "I can't use it if you're here! *Now*, Clark!" "Well, I must say, this isn't working out the way I'd hoped. How very disappointing, Lois." Uh oh! Luthor! I hope Cloneboy throws him into the molten metal! A spark of irritation scampered through my body; couldn't he just *once* do what I told him? Somewhere in the middle of his insane spiel, he had hit me again. This tale has left Lois shaken, not stirred. All I know is that he seemed maniacally obsessed with me, perhaps because with the Kryptonite destroyed, I was now the only way he knew of to hurt Clark. Not "perhaps." Definitely why. A blur of red and blue sped past me. Cloneboy to the rescue! Exhilarating chapter! My heart was in my throat the entire time! Please post the next chapter soon!
Battle On,
Deadly Chakram
"Being with you is stronger than me alone." ~ Clark Kent
"One little spark of inspiration is at the heart of all creation." ~ Figment the Dragon
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Joined: Feb 2010
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Pulitzer
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Pulitzer
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 4,393 Likes: 1 |
I hadn't planned to take the time to quote specific passages, but this part is so good it left me no choice but to do so. He was only a brightly colored haze in my vision, an obstacle to my comprehensive glance across all of the apartment I could see from my current position. Superman only being an obstacle to keep Lois from seeing Clark. Sheer brilliance. Something that was completely true but in a totally difference sense in S1 and S2. I rarely use the following graemlin, but no other one will do:  "Luthor didn't take him, Lois. Clark went to him. Voluntarily." Clark would rid Luthor of Superman. *Which* Superman? Or both? Either way, it can't be good. Assuming, of course, that Superclone is telling the truth. Then again, things also look bad for our favourite couple if pseudo-Supes is lying. Clark peeking inside silenced me. A spark of irritation scampered through my body; couldn't he just *once* do what I told him? Now there's a surprising role reversal. Eternal blackness claimed me. I repeat: I think I used that graemlin more in this post than I have in all of my other posts combined. Brava! Part 22 *is* dropping soon, right?  Joy, Lynn
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Joined: Jul 2003
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Pulitzer
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Pulitzer
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 2,979 Likes: 11 |
Superman's real name is Clark Kent IT'S! ABOUT! TIME! 
~•~
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Kerth
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Kerth
Joined: Dec 2005
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Well done part. Delightful tale.
Framework4
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Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 8,948 Likes: 28
Boards Chief Administrator Nobel Peace Prize Winner
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Boards Chief Administrator Nobel Peace Prize Winner
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 8,948 Likes: 28 |
Why would Superman wake her? Is he going to kidnap her? Is it really Clark? What's going on? "He can't see you here, not like this, not now. You have to le--" Oh dear, what if Clark wakes up to that exact blurt! The cot was empty. The blankets were twisted and rumpled; one hung over the edge, its limpness giving it the impression of death.
"Clark?" I said again, then louder, "Clark!" Oh dear, Superman took him! "He has nightmares. He gets up and cooks. He's probably making breakfast. In the kitchen." Hope blossoms  That he had left me. Again. Superman took him for a trip to the farm  Surprise flittered across Superman's face as I advanced on him. "Lois, please. I need your help."  /huh/ "Luthor didn't take him, Lois. Clark went to him. Voluntarily." What now? I blinked, suddenly struck by the image of Clark and Superman standing side by side, leaning against the ledge of a skyscraper, and looking out over Metropolis as they discussed...*me*? That can't be good for Clark. "Luthor's the only one who has what he wants."
"And what does he want?" I questioned, puzzlement creasing my brow.
Superman raised his eyebrows, as if he thought I should have figured this out already. "Kryptonite. I know he told you about it." Oh boy. Really? And why not get Henderson's piece? "He told me he would do anything to protect you. And he thinks you need protection from *me*." She *does*. Most likely, that is. "He thinks I'm an imposter, Lois." /calls for a vote on who else thinks so/ /raises hand/ and Clark...Clark would rid Luthor of Superman. Yes, Lex would get a kick out of Clark murdering somebody. And it would end Superman. "Lois, you asked if Clark and I had argued before Nightfall," Superman said, the barest hint of impatience feathering his tone. "The truth is that we did. We argued about you...and only days later, he was imprisoned away from the sun. And, last night...we argued about you again." And now he's flat out lying. He can't even believe that himself. He knows too much about his existence. No matter what he had said about protecting me--no matter what Superman claimed--I knew that Clark didn't believe in giving concessions to the enemy, not for any amount of dark promises or dire threats. Now there's a thought! he wind whipped at my hair and made a rushing noise about us, but I could still clearly feel Superman's heartbeat. It was irregular, almost erratic, certainly much more unstable than it had been during our last two flights. /imagines little train that could/ "If there were another Superman," the superhero said slowly, "he would need a place to dispose of the extra body."  "Your emotions can get in the way and rupture your concentration."
The imposter grimaced and looked down at his hands as he clenched and unclenched them. "This is so hard," he muttered. 
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Pulitzer
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Pulitzer
Joined: Jun 2004
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"He has nightmares. He gets up and cooks. He's probably making breakfast. In the kitchen." First time I read that line I envisioned Clark cooking breakfast in his sleep, not knowing what he was doing. You know, sleep-cooking? I have been following this intense story since the beginning, and I must say that you haven't lifted the pedal from the metal yet. This is great! I assume, since Lois is the narrator, that the final chapter will not be narrated by someone at her wake? Surely not. Surely someone rescued her at the last nanosecond! I guess we'll have to wait for the next chapter to find out. Unless, of course, it's 22 of 25 or so. That would really be 
Life isn't a support system for writing. It's the other way around.
- Stephen King, from On Writing
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Top Banana
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Top Banana
Joined: Jan 2007
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Spectacular part AntiK! On the edge of my seat and still there!!! Can't wait for the last part (and epilogue, sequel, crossover, etc).  I was a bit confused at first, thinking that Cloneboy wasn't affected by the K (at least that's what I thought Clark was implying) but then when he actually was affected, I was thinking how was Clark in pain from the K when Cloneboy was just standing there with his hand on the top shelf??? But I guess Clark wasn't really in K-type pain when Cloneboy and Lois first arrived so that means Cloneboy still had it in the lead box the whole time. But did Cloneboy not know that it would hurt him too? I mean, he held it like he was going to use it but why would he if it really put him in that much pain. I guess I've rambled enough and don't think what I've said makes much sense anyway... Looking forward to the next part. And Michael, your pics you posted are EXACTLY how I pictured it too! ha!
A government which robs Peter to pay Paul can always
depend on the support of Paul.
-George Bernard Shaw
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Merriwether
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Merriwether
Joined: Dec 2004
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She knows the truth...all of it!! Yahoo!! Even I was a little confused for a while there, I guess Lois was rubbing off on me. :p Wonderful part!
Superman: I hear you've been looking for me.
Lois: All my life.
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Pulitzer
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Pulitzer
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 3,661 Likes: 10 |
At last the truth is completely revealed!
What an ending! Talk about your cliffhangers!
So, what happens next? Is the clone still around? What about Luthor?
Waiting....
Morgana
A writer's job is to think of new plots and create characters who stay with you long after the final page has been read. If that mission is accomplished than we have done what we set out to do, which is to entertain and hopefully educate.
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Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 966
Features Writer
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OP
Features Writer
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 966 |
Glad you liked it, L! Hope most of your concerns were cleared up! Clark kill himself, VirginiaR? I just can't see that one happening--if he didn't do it when Lois was engaged to Luthor or Deter, I don't think anything would be able to drive him to suicide! Epilogue is coming soon; I'm sending it to my betas tonight.  Loved your comment, scifiJoan! I always love reading a passage that actually gives me shivers, so I was thrilled to see that was your reaction! And I couldn't have the revelation without the famous clue! Thanks, EvelynC--I'm speechless from your comment alone. You have nothing good planned for Luthor, do you, Deadly Chakram?  He does seem to have a penchant for 'falling' to his death, doesn't he? I like to keep the readers guessing, jackiek, since I'm reading it as I write, too, and it helps keep me very interested in completing the story quickly! Thanks, Morgana! Always a pleasure to see my beta-reader commenting--it reassures me that you're not sick of it yet! Thanks, everyone, for the wonderful feedback and encouragement!
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