Lois & Clark Forums Forums Fan Fiction Lois & Clark Fanfic FDK: Side Effects (Take No. 2)

Welcome back, Janet! We haven't see much of you since you finished your long and brilliant "The Girl Next Door", where Lois as well as Clark is from Krypton. That is a wonderful story!

And this one is great too. I had this huge smile on my face as I read it, at least as I read most of it:



After all, how exquisite is a quote like this one?



Or this one?



Or this one:



Or this?



All these quotes are so pricelessly, darlingly, perfectly Lois!!!! Ah, happy sigh. I just love them!!!!

After this, however, I enjoyed myself slightly less. I think you redefined kryptonite radiation as well as other forms of radiation to us, so that your ideas don't square with what most of us may think that we know about Superman. I would have sworn, for example, that Superman could fly straight into a nuclear furnace and remain totally unaffected by the gamma radiation blasting him, and yet exposure to kryptonite, which is mostly harmless to humans, is deadly to him. But that is not what you told us here. Oh, well. I found it a bit confusing, but really it was just another take on what hurts Superman, I suppose!

I'm afraid I didn't like this very much:

Well, sigh. I've spent so many years being angry at Clark for lying to Lois, so I always want her to feel at least some kind of anger when she finds out how he's been deceiving her.

So all in all, the ending here wasn't altogether my cup of tea...



(I found this when I googled "Ann's cup of tea", so...)

...but the first half of this fic was like a magnificent meal at a lovely five star gourmet restaurant!!!



Ann

Actually, I found it interesting as an alternate reality type fic...since I'm currently writing a fic about an Alt-Clark transported to the "real world" maybe it's a little more interesting for me to see how a more realistic take on things might go.

Of course, until we can figure out how to make people fly and lift mountains, the whole thing isn't exactly scientific.

In any case, I enjoyed it.

Also...as a guy, non-angry Lois doesn't really bother me. Maybe I'm identifying with Clark a little too much, but it's nice when women aren't angry.

Thank you for your comments - I'm glad you guys liked it (for the most part, anyway, huh?)

Seriously, though, yes - it's an alternate take on what hurts (or doesn't) Superman. I think I didn't make that clear in an introduction or an author's note (I've tweaked the story a touch to change that). I think you're right that in the comics he withstood a nuclear blast - and in that case the premise of my story doesn't make as much sense as it should, perhaps. Actually, I don't know if the nuclear thing was widespread through the comics, or if it was just one issue or so. I remember (and only vaguely) that while he could withstand it as far as not dying, it did "mess him up" to quote my husband.

But the nuclear blast bit aside, it's always vaguely bothered me that kryptonite affects Superman instantaneously - and so extremely - while it barely if at all affects humans. Yes, I know it's from Krypton and is different under a yellow sun, as is Superman, but still - radiation is radiation. (Mind you, the whole equally unbelievable superhuman man who can fly, etc. doesn't bother me at all!)

So anyway, when I wrote the first Side Effects (and that one was purely intended to be comedy), I was still thinking I might explore (yet another) alternate take where kryptonite ends up being like any other radiation except that because he's super, it takes away his powers first.

And yes, the "real" Lois would get mad. I guess in the back of my mind she still might, but I didn't put it in the story. This Lois had to rein it in because of witnesses, and you know she doesn't usually hold stuff in - so I had her work through it without the anger. Actually, I kind of wanted to give it more of a twinge of her being hurt, but I'm not sure that came across, the way I wrote it. I like your comment, Shayne - my husband says the same thing!

I'm so glad you liked most of my Lois, Ann. Some of the things you quoted were my own favorites (if I'm allowed to say that). One thing I've always enjoyed about her - and many authors here write her that way - is her feistiness. And I personally love writing her babbling in her thoughts.

Thank you both for your comments! I love getting feedback because it always helps me make the story better (I think every story I've submitted to the archive is at least slightly different than the one I posted on the boards).

'Toc

Seriously good story. I was a bit confused that it didn't pick up where the first story left off, but once I caught on there were so many funny aspects of the story--most of which Ann has already quoted. Brava!


Elisabeth

off to find these stories on the archives