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NS Monthly Challenge - #13 October 2010 - "A Halloween Duck Mystery" - Entries
Here are the entries for the October fanfiction challenge!
The challenge was:
Quote:
A Halloween Duck Mystery
It’s October and a new month, and that means Halloween themed fanfiction challenge!
The keywords for this month’s challenge are: Halloween, mystery, duck.
Do what you want with it, but it has to be Halloween-y, involve a mystery and a duck.
Read them, leave a vote for your favourite, and don't forget to leave some feedback for the authors ;)
Voting ends November 24th! November 14th! November 16th!
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Re: NS Monthly Challenge - #13 October 2010 - "A Halloween Duck Mystery" - Entries
Story 1
Where There’s a Costume Party…
Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Smallville, its characters, ideas, plots, etc. They are owned by other people, originally Al Gough and Miles Millar and the CW. I merely borrow them to attempt a fan fic. No Infringement is intended!
Rating: PG-15
Comments: This was just done for fun. Hope it's liked! :)
Warning: This is AU - meaning there is no tie to a current season. Lex lives in the mansion while Chloe lives in Metropolis, if that tells you anything!
It was an unusually warm day for the end of October. Chloe Sullivan was taking advantage of it as she walked with her backpack on her back and shoulders to the public library. She loved going to the library because it was quiet and she could go in and just dive into whatever book, magazine, or online periodical she wanted and nobody could call her. In fact she chose to leave her cell phone in her apartment. She had reached a point in her life where she detested the phone and enjoyed times where she could just turn it off or leave it home.
It was a great day for Chloe to spend doing what she wanted to do, instead of having to listen to her boss telling her what to do for eight hours. She could just go inside, sit in front of a PC, and enjoy solitude. The wind blew leaves in her face as she walked up the sidewalk to the Metropolis Library. Realizing quickly that she couldn’t open the door by her hand or arm, she used her foot and sticking it inside, she kicked the door back, toward her so she could get inside.
Ah, the library! She saw the environment of books, PCs, and relaxation. Everything that she thought was wonderful. Going to a computer, she sat in front of it and clicked on the internet. She took a deep breath, smiled, and thought yep, this is my home away from home. It was 3:00 in the afternoon. She was here when most were at work or school.
She was here now because it was quiet. That meant Clark couldn’t call her to ask if he should brush his teeth after eating dinner or not. The last time he stopped her at the grocery store, asking what she thought about the price of a TV dinner, if Chloe thought it would be cheaper next week or not, Chloe said flatly, “I don’t know, Clark. My crystal ball broke yesterday.” She borrowed the crystal ball response from Lois. It was a classic response!
Back to the library: Chloe saw on the main webpage that there was a shortage of ducks this year. People were buying duck for Halloween more than chocolate and to Chloe that was just mean! She liked candy, dang it! Duck was fine for Thanksgiving or Christmas, but Halloween? Come on!
Typing in her email address, Chloe saw the numerous garbage ads that made her roll her eyes. Seeing an email from Lex she opened it. He wrote:
Chloe,
I’m having a Halloween Costume Party at the mansion tonight at 7:00. The theme is Vampire. I’d really like it if you’d come. It’s been a long time since we’ve talked. Hope to see you there!
Lex
It sounded like fun to Chloe! She wrote him back telling him she’d be there. Closing out of her email and the net, Chloe picked up her things and left the library. Driving to a Costume shop, Chloe bought a vampy costume that was bright red and some fangs to make herself look like a Countess of Dracula’s and then went on home. Chloe went into her bedroom and changed into her vampire outfit. This was October 31st and dammit she was going to have a good time! Clark could sit on a finger and spin!
At 7:00, Chloe walked inside the Luthor Mansion, which Lex moved back to last summer. The Monster Mash song was playing as people dressed in costumes from Buffy the Vampire Slayer to Sherlock Holmes moved around, drinking, eating, and dancing. It was lively, Chloe thought and pretty cool. She liked costume parties.
Lex was at the punch bowl, dressed as Dracula, with long brown hair and a black cape. He looked hot! Chloe had researched the mystery and folk lore of Vlad the Impaler. It made her shudder and feel very disturbed how bad of a man he was. The real Vlad the Impaler was cannibalistic and tortured people cruelly, including impaling people on things, which was where his name came from.
Walking over to Lex, Chloe touched his arm and said, “Mind if I have a glass?”
Lex grinned and said, “Chloe! You look tasty.”
Chuckling, Chloe said, “Tasty? What am I, a Lucky Charm?”
Lex shook his head and said, “I was talking about the red in your outfit. It reminds me of the blood drinking association with being a vampire.”
Chloe rolled her eyes and looking at his glass she said, “I like the color red and it looked sexy which isn’t something I ever let myself dress like normally.”
Lex took a drink of his Scotch and said, “It definitely looks sexy and it suits you, Chloe. You look remarkable.”
Smiling largely, blushing too, Chloe said, “Thanks, Lex. You look great too. I’ve always liked your broad shoulders and your blue eyes that are so dark and magnifying. I don’t care if we haven’t talked in weeks. This is Halloween damn it. I want to spend tonight eating candy upstairs in your bedroom, with you, in your sheets and blankets.”
Lex was shocked, but he was also more than willing to go upstairs and play trick or treat with Chloe in his sheets. So he took her hand and his orange trick or treat basket of candy and led her upstairs, to bed!
The End.
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Re: NS Monthly Challenge - #13 October 2010 - "A Halloween Duck Mystery" - Entries
Story 2 À la Carte
RATING: PG-13
There’s nothing like the thrill of the hunt, the exhilaration that comes with risk-taking, the surge of energy provided by the adrenaline pumping and filling both muscles and sinews. It makes her feel alive, that while the world’s moving fast around her and everyone in this leafy little hamlet is either sauntering in slow motion or standing still, she’s actually doing something to move forward and get closer to her dreams and the city which has never really left her.
She’s a girl on a mission, but this once she’s got no partner in crime. Even though he’s driven the brunette away and pushed her unwittingly into Jason’s arms, Clark’s mind is too busy mooning over Lana to be of any help. Having him on the team would be a liability this time because he’d either try to talk her out of her plan or do something foolish and ruin the whole operation.
Everything has gone smoothly so far. Her recon’s been a success and she’s managed to gather all the pertaining information to make any last-minute adjustments and time her steps carefully. There’s very little room for mistakes since she’ll be working on a very tight schedule.
Slipping behind the wheel of her red Beetle, she shakes her head when she sees her reflection in the rearview mirror. She looks like one of those stealthy jewel thieves who move in and out of rich people’s houses camouflaged from head-to-toe in the middle of the night.
She’s aware that a professional would have driven to the future crime scene in an inconspicuous car, one which blended with the surroundings and didn’t shine like a beacon in the moonlight, but borrowing someone else’s would have required giving explanations she couldn’t afford. Carrying her reliable but colourful vehicle with such a china moon up in the sky was the only calculated risk she decided to run on tonight’s stakeout.
She turns on the ignition safe in the knowledge that she’s too far away for the engine to be heard. And, as she manoeuvres out of the bushes, she breathes relieved for the first time since she left the dinner table and then sneaked out of her house claiming she had to meet a deadline for her last Halloween edition of The Torch.
A couple of blocks away from home she makes a quick phone call to check Gabe and his date are on their way to that jazz club in Grandville she got tickets to thanks to a guy who owed her a favour. Nobody picks up, which is good news since she doesn’t feel like pushing the Beetle up the driveway with the engine off. Her abs still ache after all those push-ups the substitute-gym teacher-from-hell submitted them to a couple of mornings ago. She lets out the air she’s been holding as she turns off the ignition and steps out of the vehicle. Damn! That hurt. Good thing she doesn’t have to climb up the old oak tree to get to her room.
Once inside she changes into a pair of comfortable Halloween-themed pyjamas Gabe bought especially for her when he visited Gotham for a job interview at Wayne Enterprises. No pumpkins or witches on a broomstick like the ones that used to be her favourites as a small kid; these new pyjamas feature haunted houses and a flying bat against a full moon as it befits the city where they were purchased, the hometown of the caped-crusader who became her hero during her distancing from Clark .
It isn’t midnight yet and her stomach’s grumbling after skipping dessert. Her sight falls on the pumpkin and pecan pie Mrs Kent insisted she brought home and, with a sigh, she gives in to temptation. She removes the tea towel, slices a big portion and then settles down on the sofa with a fork and a tall glass of milk to have a good laugh watching Mel Brooks’ Young Frankenstein for the umpteenth time. To hell with her diet; nobody cares about her generous curves and, anyway, she deserves to indulge her sweet tooth after being recruited by Lana to help Mrs K carve all those pumpkins meant to decorate The Talon for the Halloween Bash. At least, all that pumpkin pulp was put to good use.
The following afternoon she enters The Talon for her daily double dose of caffeine and finds Smallville’s High Prom Queen in a sour mood and being unusually curt with a couple of jocks.
“Wow! What’s with that scowl and that Jason Voorhee’s attitude? I know The Talon’s supposed to adopt the Halloween spirit to attract more clientele, but don’t you think the manager’s gone a little overboard?” chuckles Chloe.
“I’m sorry... it’s just that... . I know I shouldn’t be taking it out on others, but I’m mad,” replies the brunette, closing the till a little too forcibly.
“I can see that,” the blonde cocks an eyebrow. “Who’s the male specimen to blame this time?“
“Don’t you hate it when they try to buy your forgiveness or act as if nothing had ever happened?”
“The story of my life,” sighs Chloe, sitting down at the counter. “So? Spill.”
“It’s nothing really.”
“It didn’t look like nothing a minute ago. Has it got anything to do with a certain handsome and lately unemployed coach?”
“It does in a way. If Lex thinks I’m going to let things go away this easily...”
“Lex?” asks Chloe in a slightly tremulous voice as Lana preps the espresso machine.
“He’s the one who had Jason expelled not Clark... And this,” she adds, looking at the card she’s got in her hands as if she wanted to bore two holes in it, “is definitely not the kind of apology I was expecting.”
“Excuse me, Lana. There’s a client at number four who... wants to talk with the manager,” one of the temp waitresses interrupts them with a hint of panic in her voice.
“It’s OK, Janine,” smiles Lana, “I know what the first couple of days feel like. Been there done that; I’m doing much better behind the counter. I’ll see to it. Go and give Stella a hand at the back.”
“Thanks, Miss Lang,” replies the young girl visibly relieved.
“OK. Wish me luck,” Lana tells Chloe, taking a deep breath and wiping her hands on her jeans. “Mr Sorensen is a client sent straight from hell.”
“How about inviting him to Saturday’s party at The Talon? Tell him the costume’s on the house. It can’t be difficult to get a pitch and a fork considering you’re doing business with a Luthor,”
“Lionel must have rented the last one,” smirks Lana, leaving her girlfriend to pacify the difficult customer.
Chloe takes a sip of her macchiato and, darting a discreet look around, she retrieves the card Lana threw into the wastepaper basket.
“Oh, Lex, you’ve just served me the way in on a platter! “ murmurs the blonde reporter, trying to rein in her excitement so as not to call anyone’s attention.
Getting the perfect costume has been the most difficult part. She almost gave in to a naughty impulse that told her to rent a dominatrix costume complete with chains and a couple of handcuffs. The mask covered a good deal of her face but she thought Lex would be able to recognise her. The whole purpose of attending the ball was to sneak in using the event as a cover-up, take the information she needed and leave without calling the host’s or anyone’s attention. And that particular outfit... Well, let’s say all those months of being ignored by him would have come to an end.
She can’t believe an old-fashioned hairpin has opened the door of the cupboard which houses one of Lex’s best-guarded secrets. State-of-the-art security? Hah!
“Let’s see...” she browses the ancient book.”Gotcha!”
“So here you are,” murmurs a velvety voice close to her ear, making her jump. “I didn’t expect to find you in this particular room. May I?” he adds, stretching out an arm to take the book from her hands. “This secret’s been in the family for decades. My maternal great-grandmother’s recipe of Canard à l'orange. Venturing into the bad wolf’s lair for a duck recipe, Chloe? He must be a very special man.”
“He is,” she replies, clearing her throat and wondering if her body will ever stop reacting to Lex’s nearness.
Her plan has been as much an excuse to see the billionaire again as an operation to secure her Dad the perfect recipe to dazzle Kathy before his marriage proposal. “What gave me away?”
“Maid Chloe. Nice outfit. You might consider wearing a longer skirt next time,” his mouth tilts slightly upwards.
Damn it! How could she have been so remiss? The crescent-shaped mole on her left thigh.
“You look better as a blonde,” he adds, removing her brown wig.” So... what shall I do with such a beautiful intruder?”
“Any ideas?”
“I‘m sure I can think of something.”
THE END
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Re: NS Monthly Challenge - #13 October 2010 - "A Halloween Duck Mystery" - Entries
Story 3 From Hell
A/N: Yes, I am aware that the AU challenge was last months’ but please try and enjoy it anyway.
Detective Constable Alexander Luthor could feel the worry and despair of the denizens of Whitechapel wash over him as he walked the streets.
He made his circuit up Berner Street to Hanbury Street to Fieldgate, all the while keeping his eyes open for any suspicious looking characters.
The East End of London was not a large section but it was so densely populated that the amount of people milling around at 10pm was not that surprising.
What did astonish him was the number of women still willing to go off into dark alleyways with men, especially after the horrible killings.
5 women had been murdered, their throats cut, and for three of the victims, they had been damn near mutilated.
The newspapers had latched onto the crimes, even naming the killer Jack the Ripper and that only escalated the terror of its readers.
Lex knew that the people were afraid and that they blamed the police for the madman still being on the loose so they had taken to brandishing their own form of street justice.
Twice already this night he had broken up brawls amongst men accusing various immigrants of being the man known on the streets as The Knife and once he’d averted a potential lynching.
The thought crossed his mind the one of the men involved in the brawls might have been the killer the Metropolitan police were seeking.
He’d passed the pub The Plaid Duck and stopped suddenly.
A familiar looking blond woman stood just in front of the pub, smack dab in the middle of Berner Street.
She was looking up and down the street, and seemed to be measuring distances with her eyes.
She was also gathering the attention of several unsavory looking men when Lex quickly walked up behind her and grabbed her arm.
“There you are darling, I was wondering where you wandered off to!”
The blond gasped in surprise and had her pocketknife out in a flash but she sagged in relief at seeing Lex.
Miss Chloe Sullivan smiled into the tense face of Lex Luthor and breathlessly answered, “Dear me, but you gave me a fright.”
Lowering her voice so no one nearby could hear her, she fiercely whispered, “Let go of me Lex, or I swear I’ll start screaming!”
Lex didn’t answer but continued to grip her arm tightly. He whispered back just as fiercely, “Scream all you want Chloe, but I’ll have you in front of the Magistrate for public drunkenness faster then you can blink.”
She scowled furiously up at him, “I haven’t had a drop to drink and you know it.”
He pointed to the public house in front of them, “You are loitering around a drinking establishment. That’s the only excuse I need.”
Chloe rolled her eyes in disbelief at his highhandedness. “Lex Luthor, I can not believe that you would willingly get in the way of my helping to solve these crimes.”
Lex pulled Chloe closer into him and practically hissed into her ear, “This isn’t a game Chloe, nor is it a way for you to sell more papers!”
Chloe Sullivan was working undercover in the East End, writing under pen name Gabriel Joseph for The Star. Her column, The City at Night: A Continuing Journal of Whitechapel was wildly popular with readers.
She lived in the local workhouses and wrote of the appalling conditions she found there, and for two terrifying weeks, she had been an inmate in the Fairfield Row Lunatic Asylum, uncovering horrifying abuse.
Lex knew the risks she was willing to take if she thought she had a story, but he was damned if he was going to let her get hurt. Not on his watch.
Chloe drew back, as if she’d been slapped. “I know this isn’t a game! People are being killed and it’s up to all of us to stay vigilant.”
Lex nodded his head gravely, “Yes, we do need the citizens to keep a sharp look out but it will be the police who catch this man and not the newspapers.”
He glanced around him and saw that the men Chloe had been attracting had dispersed once Lex had walked up to her. He loosened his hold on her arm and Chloe had moved to step back slightly away from him.
They regarded each other in the gloomy darkness, the gas lamp above them barely cutting through the fog. Chloe finally spoke, “Can I at least tell you my theory as to how the killer fled Berner Street to Mitre Square?”
Lex sighed loudly, “If you must.”
They had gone around this point on several occasions with Lex punching holes into all of Chloe’s theories, but he admired her tenacity to keep going.
“On the night of September, 30, 1888, there was the double murders of Elizabeth Stride and Catherine Eddowes. Stride’s body was found in an alleyway on Berner Street and Eddowes was found in Mitre Square. The killer would have to have been walking at a brisk clip because the bodies were found 45 minutes apart.”
Here Lex interrupted, “Not necessarily. A constable could make that distance in less then 10 minutes and walking at a normal rate.”
“Yes, Chloe acquiesced, “ but only if the man knew the streets. The area of Mitre Square is a virtual labyrinth of blind corridors and alleyways.”
At this Lex looked up sharply at Chloe, “You’ve been walking through that neighborhood?”
She nodded and spoke far too breezily for his comfort, “It was during the day and filled with people, I was perfectly safe.”
He closed his eyes and shook his head, “Chloe, I swear by all that is holy...”
She stepped closer to him and took his hand, “Please don’t fret. I promise that I didn’t take an unnecessary risk.”
She paused for a moment. “Lois was with me.”
Now it was his turn to roll his eyes, “Oh yes, that’s quite comforting! You and your cousin are both known for worrying about your safety.”
Chloe smiled gamefully, “Now back to my theory. The killer’s a local man because not only does he know the streets, but the local women know him as well and therefore wouldn’t be afraid to go off with him.”
Lex nodded in agreement, “Speaking off the record...” And at Chloe’s brief inclination of her head, he continued, “Scotland Yard agrees with the majority of your theory, excepting the women not being afraid. I think that the poor unfortunates would have gone anywhere with a man willing to pay them”
They both stood in contemplative silence for a moment, and then Chloe continued to speak. “I know that another working theory is that the killer has medical knowledge because of various organs being removed.”
Lex interrupted a second time, “Medical knowledge is too broad a term. All the killer would have to know in order to remove a kidney would be the barest of anatomy, so that covers the medical field, but also the butchers in the slaughterhouses.”
At this Chloe paused and looked up at Lex. “What about barbers?”
“Barbers?” He repeated thoughtfully, “I suppose they definitely fit the bill regarding dexterity with a knife, but I’m unsure as to their knowledge of the human form.”
Again, they paused and looked at each other, and again, Chloe spoke first. “The police aren’t going to catch this man, are they?”
At her words, Lex looked down at the cobbled stone street. “Short of a confession or catching him in the act, we don’t have that many solid clues, so no, it doesn’t look good.”
Chloe’s face filled with sadness, and Lex suddenly wanted to see her smile again. “Look, how about I buy you a pint, and we can put our heads together and come up with a plan to catch the Ripper in the act?”
Chloe smiled gratefully and tucked her arm into his. “Between the two of us, we should be able to get him!”
They walked into the pub The Plaid Duck, unaware that a man had been observing them the whole time they spoke together.
The pair of them would bear watching, particularly the little blond. Her theories were getting a little too close to the truth for his comfort.
The knife in his hand flashed briefly as he placed it back into his coat pocket, the silver of the straight edged razor gleaming briefly in the light from the gas lamp.
Yes, they definitely bore watching, and if necessary, he was prepared to stop their meddling.
He pulled the collar of his coat up and headed towards his home, easily blending into the darkness.
~~~
If anyone wants to learn more about Jack the Ripper, please check out this website: http://www.casebook.org/
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Re: NS Monthly Challenge - #13 October 2010 - "A Halloween Duck Mystery" - Entries
Story 4 Motivations
Rating: PG-15
She knew that he was going to visit her. He was reliable like that. Clark Kent. The goody two shoes. She loved him. She had always loved him and how they got to opposite sides of a mental institution. Her new home was sterile. It was oddly sparkly and festive in areas and then dark and foreboding in others, no matter how bright the sun shined through the windows. The ducks that marched on a nearby dinner mat was a perfect example. Why ducks? Why here? Why would they be smiling at her? So obvious and fake. It was creepy, but who was she to complain? She was in a mental institute with the worst life had to offer.
Oh, she knew what they thought. Their whispers were never far from her hears. Despite everything, she knew her value. It should’ve been higher, but it wasn’t. Her accomplishments tossed away like so much garbage. Her dreams and hopes denigrated because certain people didn’t get them. She wasn’t understood. No matter the head nods and glances she received meant to indicate.
But she knew that he was broken. Her actions had burned something in him and that was a good thing in her mind. She had always felt ephemeral in his life. Like she was replaceable. She knew it to be true. He’d done it. Clark Kent broke promises he never made and it infuriated her. She was a part of his life. She always had been. And now she would. Not a day would go by that he didn’t think of her. That he didn’t wish he’d have done something different. Been someone better. And that was his fault. He should be better. And now he would.
Clark’s voice was soft, barely audible, but she could make out the shape of his words and the broken tone of desolation, “Why? Why would you do this?”
She leaned forward in her chair and studied his face. She didn’t know what she was looking for, but she knew she needed to find it. It was easy to begin. Not even close to the hardest thing she ever had to do.
********
Seeing them together was the worst feeling for someone like herself. Lex and her. It was like she didn’t matter. And she knew she did. But like everyone else, Lex had cast her aside. Their time together was meaningful. She knew it was because of the way it had affected her. She’d put effort into being there for him. Into giving him something that he’d never had and then he leaves her. Leaves her for someone so very inferior. Leave her to be broken and humiliated because she couldn’t give him exactly what he wanted when he wanted it. Clark’s secret was his own and nothing would change that.
Then things changed. She saw it when Lex decided to love her. When he decided that he could be happy. And she realized that no, she wasn’t better. She wasn’t what he needed and she couldn’t stand it. Why should she? She was as capable as anyone else and now they couldn’t deny it any longer. So she waited. And she waited. She had all the time in the world. There was nothing else in her life. Dashed dreams. Crushed hopes. Faded love.
She watched as the people she was closest to in the entire world move on and away from her. Not even a backwards glance. No token or a semblance of a life they had shared. No time to ease away from her. Just an abrupt departure to find a life, a destiny, a purpose that was beyond her scope; but it wasn’t. They didn’t have to take her with them, but they could’ve eased the transition. There could’ve been something, anything, so that she didn’t have to feel worthless.
At any rate, she waited. Though she was no longer part of Lex’s life, she had been once. He still trusted her. He still thought of her as a friend, if not a lover, and it meant that he would still see her. But the end result was that she needed to wait even longer. But then it came time to finally set her plans in motion. To show the world that she mattered. That she had power over their lives in ways they couldn’t imagine.
Setting up another dinner, but at her home, was easy. There was still emotion, still affection and nostalgia that only time could put into place. A mild flutter of shame settled in her belly. Her home was small. Small and unassuming and not where they thought she’d be. She knew that. It was where she thought she would be. And she didn’t know how to change the circumstance of her existence. After all the failure, the heartache, and sheer amount of energy required to push against the forces of life, it was too hard to change things. So when they sat to drink tea before the meal, it was with trepidation that she watched them drink their tea in her home. She watched Lex stand and grab for his wife and then turn to her. She knew the minute they saw their death. It meant everything to her.
********
Clark leaned away from her. Whatever sorrow or pity he had walked in with was gone. His revulsion was palpable. His anger and hatred like a soothing balm on her soul. She’d marked him. Just like he had her.
“You did this? Because Lex left you? Because Lex finally found happiness? You killed Lex and Chloe, Lana!”
His voice once held passion for her. It held love and conflict and concern, but none of those were evident. There was only hard steel. The kind that even he, Superman, couldn’t break. The kind that bound him tighter than any other force in existence.
Lana leaned back in her chair, glanced at the ducks, and then out of the window into the sunshine.
“What is it that you want me to say, Clark? What can I possibly say? Sometimes…sometimes, it’s even a mystery to me why I did it. Sometimes I know exactly why, but today is not that day. You can’t fix everything. You can’t solve everything. I’m broken and now you are too. You all are.”
Clark abruptly stood from his chair and glared at her for a moment before he walked out of the room. There was no understanding her, Lana Lang’s, motives. There was no making it better.
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Re: NS Monthly Challenge - #13 October 2010 - "A Halloween Duck Mystery" - Entries
I liked that all of the stories had such different takes on the mystery theme and on how the duck was mentioned.
I have to say that Story #4 surprised the crap out of me--excellent work all around:grin3:
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Re: NS Monthly Challenge - #13 October 2010 - "A Halloween Duck Mystery" - Entries
Thank you for the story^^ I love them all but special mention to the 4 = so amazing
and the 3=its so court^^ i was frustating;i would like to see more.
Thank you
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Re: NS Monthly Challenge - #13 October 2010 - "A Halloween Duck Mystery" - Entries
These were all so much fun! And I love how everyone managed to work duck into the story!
I got a good laugh over how Chloe in Story 1 was raving so much over being in the library. She must be a kindred spirit!
Chloe in the second one was adorable. I can just picture her in that costume (and it reminds me that I once plotted out a Chlex British murder mystery in which Chloe goes "undercover" as a maid!). And it was just so cute and in character for her to sneak in to steal a duck recipe for her father!
I really liked the period setting of Story 3 and all of the cool historical details. The mood was nice and creepy, although I was very worried for Chloe out there on the streets by herself with Jack the Ripper on the loose! But I love the journalist backstory she was given here as well as the great Chlex interaction.
And I was pretty sure that it was Lana in Story 4 (probably because I'd been similarly sneaky in The Dark and the Light) but it was a very cool twist and very nicely handled!
Thanks for submitting, everyone!
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Re: NS Monthly Challenge - #13 October 2010 - "A Halloween Duck Mystery" - Entries
I thought story 2 was really good! I loved it! Especially the suggestion in the end, it makes me wonder what Lex was about to do! :)
I thought story 3 was intriguing and well put together, especially around the backrop of the the era of Jack the Ripper. I think the person who wrote this fan fic did a great job tying in Lex and Chloe as detectives in the story, seeking him out. I'd like to read more of this story! What happened next after they left the Plaid Duck?
And story 4, wow! I was equally stunned as others have said here by this! I would have never guessed the ending!!! I think all the stories turned out well! Great job, guys! :)
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Re: NS Monthly Challenge - #13 October 2010 - "A Halloween Duck Mystery" - Entries
Wow! They're all great and I'm having a hard time choosing just one.
Story 1 - I like the thought of Lex being Vlad the Impaler. It was funny when Chloe was thinking that Vlad was cannibalistic and then Lex telling her she looked tasty in the next instant.
Story 2 - It was a great build up, I was wondering what important thing she had to steal and it was a duck recipe.
Story 3 - I like the ending best. I've always been fascinated with Jack the Ripper and I found it really easy to visualize the dark and creepy atmosphere of the story.
Story 4 - Good twist, at first I thought it was Chloe, didn't think Lana would have the guts to do that.
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Re: NS Monthly Challenge - #13 October 2010 - "A Halloween Duck Mystery" - Entries
Story 1 - Where There’s a Costume Party…
This was a really enjoyable read! I loved the sheer amount of ecstatic detail that Chloe provided while musing over her love for the library. It’s something that I can relate to with great ease and fondness. I especially liked her inner comment about leaving her cell-phone behind so she can get some truly private time all to herself. LOL! I can certainly relate to that! I find myself also ‘accidentally’ leaving my cell-phone behind and then ‘forgetting’ to check for messages, just because I get fed up of being too available and on-call sometimes.
And considering how Chloe has been ‘on-call’ for YEARS as Clark’s side-kick, I can certainly understand why she would need some quiet and privacy all to herself.
I didn’t quite understand how the fic transitioned from Chloe craving privacy to Chloe desiring to attend a costume party. I guess she just wanted the ‘right’ kind of company, eh? In any case, the fic had a lovely, happy Chlex ending that I enjoyed.
Story 2 - À la Carte
Quote:
There’s nothing like the thrill of the hunt, the exhilaration that comes with risk-taking, the surge of energy provided by the adrenaline pumping and filling both muscles and sinews. It makes her feel alive, that while the world’s moving fast around her and everyone in this leafy little hamlet is either sauntering in slow motion or standing still, she’s actually doing something to move forward and get closer to her dreams and the city which has never really left her.
This was a hilarious fic, and I think this one was my favourite from the bunch! I loved the description of the exhilarated thrill that CHloe gets from ‘hunting’. I suddenly have a deeper understanding for her love for investigation and deduction and puzzle-solving. It’s not ‘just’ all about truth-seeking… but it’s also from the thrill of the hunt for truth, answers and solutions. From the risk of danger associated with the hunt, as well as the primal satisfaction one gets when one achieves a ‘kill’ or a target goal. The description of Chloe’s excitement was just so… visceral! I loved it!
LOL! It was hilarious hearing about how Chloe was running the mission in her sorry excuse for a ‘stealth vehicle’. I even liked how Chloe herself ruefully admitted that her car wasn’t really built for jobs of discretion like this one. Despite all that, I sensed a great fondness for her car in Chloe, and it was clear that she would never trade in her vehicle for something ‘more suitable’… no matter how much Lex begs her to let him buy her a new car, lol! And I’m sure he HAS begged!
ROTFL! Stealing an invitation from Lana? Pure genius! Very nicely done! I also find myself wondering how Lex is going to explain sending an invite to Lana but NOT to Chloe. I wonder whether he sent it to Lana knowing that Chloe would find some way to steal it? Perhaps Lex likes to indulge in Chloe’s thrill-seeking escapades, because he knows it excites her so very much… and he likes to see her happy (and getting her horny and excited is a decided bonus!).
The trick at the end of the ficlet was delightful and FUN! I loved that Chloe had gone through all of this stealth, sneakiness, recon and infiltration… all for the purpose of getting a secret family recipe. I loved how Chloe very nearly got the recipe, only to be caught by a very amused and indulgent Lex.
Most of all, I loved, LOVED how it was made clear that Lex and Chloe were intimately involved. Lex’s comment about Chloe’s mole was the perfect way to suggest, not only that they’ve been intimate, but also show how much obsessive attention he always pays to her. Whether she’s in her normal wear around him, or naked in bed with him… or ‘disguised’ in a maid’s outfit, he’ll always obsessively aware of her. Perfect!
Story 3 From Hell
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A/N: Yes, I am aware that the AU challenge was last months’ but please try and enjoy it anyway.
Quite honestly, I didn’t even think of anything ‘off’ about this submission to the challenge. I thought a story based on the story of the world’s most famous serial killer was the perfect piece for Halloween! And I loved the Chlexy twist given to this old legend.
First of all, I loved the way that the atmosphere was built up… about London, and about that particular period in London. The set-up was very nicely done… just enough details to give us a hazy picture of the place, without overwhelming us with too much information to distract us from the main plot. The insightful and interesting details about ‘street justice’ and riots and lynch mobs being incited because of the pervading FEAR caused by Jack the Ripper was fantastic. Are these details provided in the ‘From Hell’ graphic novel?
And I also liked the imaginative idea of turning Lex into a police detective. I never really imagined Lex as the civil servant kind of person (I always thought of him more as a industrialist and politician), but he fit quite nicely into this role.
LOL! The meeting with Chloe was fantastic! I loved how she drew out a pocket knife when she felt Lex grab her. She might be a small, petite blonde… but Chloe is quite vicious when she needs to be. However, Lex appears to be the more domineering and ruthless between the two of them, since he made it clear that he would, without hesitation, arrest her for ‘drunkenness and loitering’ if she didn’t cooperate.
LOL! I’m choosing to see those threats, from Lex, as signs of his fondness, affection and feelings of protectiveness for Chloe. He wanted Chloe OUT of this place, and did not want her fighting him while he was dragging her away to safety. And he knew that Chloe would struggle the moment she saw an opportunity for a lead or a clue in her sights.
Casting Chloe was a reporter was just perfect!!! I loved it! I especially loved getting the details of her past stories, making it clear that she was a hard hitting investigative reporter, who went looking for difficult stories in risky situations. No wonder Lex seems to be in a constant state of anxiety about her well-being. He’d probably prefer her to be one of those fluff-piece reporters who wrote articles for the society page. Instead, he finds himself enthralled with a reckless investigator who is, currently, on the track of a serial killing psychopath.
I loved the discussion about Chloe’s theories about The Ripper. Those were some very clever deductions made by Chloe… and I liked that quite a lot of her theories were agreed with and corroborated by Lex. This shows that Chloe is probably on the right track. Not only that, but Lex’s general agreement with Chloe’s theories shows that they two of them think alike enough to work together on finding this killer.
I think I see the potential for a full length epic being built from this ficlet. Any chance of this story being continued? I’d LOVE to see how it develops… especially considering that the killer now seems aware of Chloe and Lex getting closer to his trail *shudder*
Story 4 - Motivations
This was a great story with an excellent twist at the end. I have to admit, that I half-suspected that twist that was coming… mostly because this IS a Chlex forum after all. If this had been published on KryptonSite or some other generic Smallville fanfic site, then I probably would have been left guessing until the end. But over here, it was pretty obvious that we were receiving Lana’s point of view.
I do find it VERY interesting to examine my own mind and attitude by examining my reaction to this fic. I’m quite sure that I would have felt great sorrow, pity and outrage if it turned out that it was Chloe who had been driven to becoming a psychotic killer by the end if this story. Instead, finding out that it was Lana who had been left as the alone, friendless, isolated and insane narrator of this fic filled me with a sense of savage satisfaction.
I liked the idea of Lana being trapped in a lunatic asylum, because she had killed Lex and Chloe in a jealous rage. But I would have despised, hated and loathed the idea of Chloe being the narrator of this ficlet. Does this mean that I’m a two faced hypocrite who only feels sorrow and pity for the suffering of people that I personally like only?!? Or can I justify to myself that I have a valid reason for enjoying the image of Lana in the lunatic asylum?
Thanks for the great fic. It really made me think!
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Re: NS Monthly Challenge - #13 October 2010 - "A Halloween Duck Mystery" - Entries
I've moved up the voting deadline, from November 25th, to November 14th, which is this upcoming Sunday.
Be sure to vote if you haven't already! :)
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Re: NS Monthly Challenge - #13 October 2010 - "A Halloween Duck Mystery" - Entries
Just a heads up! The voting deadline is today, in about 13 hours from now! So vote if you haven't, because there's a tie for the winner at the moment! :)
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Re: NS Monthly Challenge - #13 October 2010 - "A Halloween Duck Mystery" - Entries
The deadline for voting was yesterday, but we still have a tie, so I'll extend the voting period until tomorrow (Nov. 16th) ending at 11:59pm Oslo, Norway time! So vote if you haven't yet! :)
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Re: NS Monthly Challenge - #13 October 2010 - "A Halloween Duck Mystery" - Entries
Phew! Finally got a chance to hop on and read these. Just put in my vote.
Thanks for the great stories everyone.
I'm ashamed that I reached 800 words for this challenge and couldn't complete it before the deadline due to real life interference. Bummer :(
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Re: NS Monthly Challenge - #13 October 2010 - "A Halloween Duck Mystery" - Entries
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Originally Posted by
ChloeLovesLex
I'm ashamed that I reached 800 words for this challenge and couldn't complete it before the deadline due to real life interference. Bummer :(
There's always another fanfiction challenge ;):D
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Re: NS Monthly Challenge - #13 October 2010 - "A Halloween Duck Mystery" - Entries
Aaaand the winner is story number 3, written by Kit Merlot! Congratulations, and a well done to everyone!
Don't forget to check out the November fanfiction challenge!
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Re: NS Monthly Challenge - #13 October 2010 - "A Halloween Duck Mystery" - Entries
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Originally Posted by
Julie
Congratulation, Kit! It was a great story. I was a suspicion you were the one who wrote it!
Thanks to everyone who participated in the challenge!
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Re: NS Monthly Challenge - #13 October 2010 - "A Halloween Duck Mystery" - Entries
Congratulations, Kit!
Just like Zannie I did suspect it was yours.
By the way, mine's #2- À la carte.
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Originally Posted by
Zannie
Chloe in the second one was adorable. I can just picture her in that costume (and it reminds me that I once plotted out a Chlex British murder mystery in which Chloe goes "undercover" as a maid!). And it was just so cute and in character for her to sneak in to steal a duck recipe for her father!
The choice of costume was a last minute decision. I'd been racking my brains, trying to come up with something that might look subdued, that didn't attract that much attention but that was "naughty" at the same time;if that makes any sense. LOL I'm glad you liked it and found Chloe in character.
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Originally Posted by
LexGirl
I thought story 2 was really good! I loved it! Especially the suggestion in the end, it makes me wonder what Lex was about to do! :)
So many possibilities, right? ROTFL. You can bet they'd both enjoy them.
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Originally Posted by
donhisiewen
Story 2 - It was a great build up, I was wondering what important thing she had to steal and it was a duck recipe.
It was all about the build-up. The only idea I had in mind was that I wanted the duck to be part of a recipe and I wanted for it to be the goal of the fic and not just something mentioned in passing. The question was how to make it interesting enough and not to give away the ending.
I'm pleased to know the resolution surprised you.
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Originally Posted by
somethingeasy
Story 2 - À la Carte
This was a hilarious fic, and I think this one was my favourite from the bunch! I loved the description of the exhilarated thrill that CHloe gets from ‘hunting’. I suddenly have a deeper understanding for her love for investigation and deduction and puzzle-solving. It’s not ‘just’ all about truth-seeking… but it’s also from the thrill of the hunt for truth, answers and solutions. From the risk of danger associated with the hunt, as well as the primal satisfaction one gets when one achieves a ‘kill’ or a target goal. The description of Chloe’s excitement was just so… visceral! I loved it!
Oh, having you single out my fic is a prize in itself! *big grin*
I've always thought that Chloe's been an adrenaline-junkie. I know she's interested in digging up the truth and seeing justice served, but there's always that need not to know if she might get caught.
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Originally Posted by
somethingeasy
LOL! It was hilarious hearing about how Chloe was running the mission in her sorry excuse for a ‘stealth vehicle’. I even liked how Chloe herself ruefully admitted that her car wasn’t really built for jobs of discretion like this one. Despite all that, I sensed a great fondness for her car in Chloe, and it was clear that she would never trade in her vehicle for something ‘more suitable’… no matter how much Lex begs her to let him buy her a new car, lol! And I’m sure he HAS begged!
I miss Chloe's old Falcon and then her Beetle; they've accompanied her on so many missions and been as much a part of who she is as her vintage wardrobe.
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Originally Posted by
somethingeasy
ROTFL! Stealing an invitation from Lana? Pure genius! Very nicely done! I also find myself wondering how Lex is going to explain sending an invite to Lana but NOT to Chloe. I wonder whether he sent it to Lana knowing that Chloe would find some way to steal it? Perhaps Lex likes to indulge in Chloe’s thrill-seeking escapades, because he knows it excites her so very much… and he likes to see her happy (and getting her horny and excited is a decided bonus!)
Well, this fic is set at a time when Chloe and Lex had distanced from each other and Lex was starting to pursue an agenda around Lana... so I don't think he sent the invitation for her to find it. Although, he might have done it unconsciously because the attraction was certainly there.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
somethingeasy
The trick at the end of the ficlet was delightful and FUN! I loved that Chloe had gone through all of this stealth, sneakiness, recon and infiltration… all for the purpose of getting a secret family recipe. I loved how Chloe very nearly got the recipe, only to be caught by a very amused and indulgent Lex.
Most of all, I loved, LOVED how it was made clear that Lex and Chloe were intimately involved. Lex’s comment about Chloe’s mole was the perfect way to suggest, not only that they’ve been intimate, but also show how much obsessive attention he always pays to her. Whether she’s in her normal wear around him, or naked in bed with him… or ‘disguised’ in a maid’s outfit, he’ll always obsessively aware of her. Perfect!
Oh yes, they've been intimate! When I wrote the fic I pictured them as being intimately close in the safe house and then drifting apart but definitely missing each other's company. Chloe's mission and the costume ball were the perfect excuse to bring them together.
Since most of the fic focused on Chloe and I knew I'd have very little room to squeeze Lex in, I wanted his intervention to make a bang. It had to be funny, a little bit naughty and, at the same time, promising. Once I chose her costume, the mole popped in my head: "That's it! That's the way to show they've 'known' each other and wish they could go back to that intimacy."
Thank you all for reading and reviewing. And a big thanks to those who voted for my story- one vote short to tie with the runner-up. Nice!
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Re: NS Monthly Challenge - #13 October 2010 - "A Halloween Duck Mystery" - Entries
First, thanks to everyone who voted for my fic, I appreciate it a great deal:grin3: And I guess I gave myself away by visiting London and then three weeks later writing a story featuring Jack the Ripper himself.
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Originally Posted by
Zannie
I really liked the period setting of Story 3 and all of the cool historical details. The mood was nice and creepy, although I was very worried for Chloe out there on the streets by herself with Jack the Ripper on the loose! But I love the journalist backstory she was given here as well as the great Chlex interaction.
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Originally Posted by
donhisiewen
Story 3 - I like the ending best. I've always been fascinated with Jack the Ripper and I found it really easy to visualize the dark and creepy atmosphere of the story.
I am glad that I succeeded in making this story creepy because that's what I was going for and I don’t know anyone who is creepier then Jack the Ripper. I also wanted both Chloe and Lex to be on the killer’s trail and for the killer to know that he was being hunted by two exceedingly clever individuals.
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Originally Posted by
somethingeasy
The insightful and interesting details about ‘street justice’ and riots and lynch mobs being incited because of the pervading FEAR caused by Jack the Ripper was fantastic. Are these details provided in the ‘From Hell’ graphic novel?
I took the title From Hell directly from the title of the letter that the Ripper allegedly wrote to the Whitechapel Vigilance Committee and also as an homage to the wonderful Johnny Depp movie. I shall of course have to check this graphic novel out now;)
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Originally Posted by
somethingeasy
I’m choosing to see those threats, from Lex, as signs of his fondness, affection and feelings of protectiveness for Chloe. He wanted Chloe OUT of this place, and did not want her fighting him while he was dragging her away to safety. And he knew that Chloe would struggle the moment she saw an opportunity for a lead or a clue in her sights.
That is what I was going for. I wanted Lex to know and respect Chloe’s work as a reporter but his overwhelming need to keep her safe from a mad killer forced him to be heavy handed with her.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
somethingeasy
I think I see the potential for a full length epic being built from this ficlet. Any chance of this story being continued? I’d LOVE to see how it develops… especially considering that the killer now seems aware of Chloe and Lex getting closer to his trail *shudder*
and
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Originally Posted by
LexGirl
I thought story 3 was intriguing and well put together, especially around the backrop of the era of Jack the Ripper. I think the person who wrote this fan fic did a great job tying in Lex and Chloe as detectives in the story, seeking him out. I'd like to read more of this story! What happened next after they left the Plaid Duck?
I love that you want to know more about the Victorian detective versions of Chloe and Lex but I have to admit that I didn't have any plans to continue this into anything more--but who knows?
Again, thanks for reading and I appreciate all of this great feedback.:grin3:
