JDG, that's wonderful! Is this your first fic? Have I missed something?
Your story is beautifully written, where the language flows perfectly.
I had never heard of the magic 8-ball. I googled it, and I quickly found myself at a page sponsored by The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe - well, that's pretty much me, you know!
Ah, but if I can accept that a man can fly, at least in the LnC universe, then surely I must accept that this little oracle-contraption knows all the answers that you can ask it - at least if Lois and Clark ask the questions?
I loved how you wrote Lois, how she was dismissive of the 8-ball at first, but how you got her more and more fascinated as the ball started answering her questions about Superman. You wrote her questions so that we, who know the answers, could enjoy the 8-ball's answers even more. And we could easily follow Lois's follow-up questions and groan and giggle to ourselves, 'Oh Lois, if you only knew....'
Does Clark trust me?
<Cannot predict now>
That answer stung. Was that why he hadn't told her? Come to think of it, she had no idea how Clark had become such good friends with Superman. She was the one who had seen him first! And yet, at some point in those first few days after Superman arrived on the scene, Clark was the one who started getting all the really good Superman stories. Why? Was it because they were both new to Metropolis? Clark had been a fish out of water, but surely Superman hadn't felt that way.
<giggle> <groan>
Was Superman new to Metropolis? she thought - hoping the ball could sense exactly when she meant. It was specific enough in her mind, after all.
<It is certain>
So why pick Clark as his friend? Why not her? Why not someone who already knew the city?
Does Superman like Clark more than me?
<Very doubtful>
But why Clark? Lois glared at him as he typed away. Why him? Sure, Clark was nice in a bland sort of way but Superman was a man of action and Clark was... Clark.
Superman was a man of action and Clark was... Clark. Oh, so Lois! You nailed her perfectly!
As Lois gets closer and closer to the truth about Clark and Superman, we can feel her excitement growing. And I, for one, felt it too! I could feel my heart beating faster, and I was trying to read faster, too!
When Lois finally asked the 8-ball about Superman's disguise when he walked the earth as a normal man and she was told that he wore glasses, we knew that she had to find out the truth. Particularly when she started doodling glasses on a newspaper picture of Superman. Let's just hope she didn't leave that newspaper lying around - hey, where is the paper shredder?
This is an absolutely delightful story! Please let us hear more from you.
Ann