Due to a long history of oppression and harassment, most supers in the Masks world have a separate, costumed identity for using their powers. Vic, unfortunately, does not have that option.

Masks XXVI: Lost and Found

by

Rodford Edmiston

Part One

The young married couple were in their bedroom, one of them having just emerged naked and still a bit damp in the hair from the bathroom. Vic had made triply certain all the shades and curtains in their apartment were drawn before starting her shower. Sometimes their lovemaking involved more than one room. However, that was not what was occurring at this time.

Vic Peltior was a young woman who appeared to be about sixteen, and a mix of Asian and Caucasian, though her eyes lacked epicanthic folds. She actually had French ancestry on both sides of her family. Her hair was dark brown, and rather short; though she often wore extensions, just now she was completely natural. As well as completely naked. Her skin was dark enough to confuse people as to her ethnicity. Many thought that perhaps she was of Mediterranean extraction. She had taut muscles and high, firm, small breasts. She also had broad, muscular shoulders tapering to a slightly narrowed waist, below which her body flared into very feminine hips, which were positioned on quite fit legs. Just now, she was standing before her licensed cosmetologist wife, prepared to yield as gracefully as she could to the inevitable.

Michelle Peltior was much darker of skin, with full, curly hair, though with dark eyes similar to those of her wife. She was a bit taller and better endowed than Vic. She was also wearing makeup, which her wife wasn't. She appeared to be a several years older than the other woman. In fact, they were very close in age.

"Okay, I'm naked and freshly bathed," said Vic, not shivering from the cold but the anticipation. "Now, what's this all about?"

"You know I have met a bunch of your costumed peers," said Michelle.

"Yeah," said Vic, noncommittally.

"Well, some of them have asked me for advice."

"I hope you've been charging them for that," said Vic, interrupting.

"Some of it," said Michelle, rolling her eyes. "Anyway, they want to know about hair and makeup, about overall style and appearance, and even about costume technology. For superheroes. So I've been studying up on those things."

"So you want to try some things on me before you recommend them to a client," said Vic, in revelation.

"Bingo!"

"You just like to play dress-up with me as the dressee," said Vic, blushing.

"Guilty," said Michelle, smirking. "Oh, don't tell it so scary. I do need to practice some things and we both think it's a turn on."

"There is that," said Vic, grudgingly.

"Anyway, now I need to Barbie you."

"You what?!"

"What I want to try involves the application of, well, pasties and a guard or concealer for your groin, all matched to your skin color," said Michelle, holding up the appropriate silicone appliances as she explained. "It's a good thing you don't have much body hair; they're self-adhesive. The straps on the pasties are to provide support for those who need it. If you were bigger up top..."

"I've never heard you complain," said Vic, raising an eyebrow.

"Well, for women with more or who just aren't as perky these appliances provide support as well as cover. All of this is intended to be worn under sheer or very conforming clothing, so nothing shows. All these pieces therefore have tapered edges. Which means great care is needed to apply them correctly."

"So you're practicing on me," said Vic, trying to sound sour but unable to hide the fact that what her wife was proposing excited her.

"These are often used under skin-tight super costumes. Well, for those who want the natural look without looking too natural."

"I don't wear a costume. I wear normal clothes or armor."

"Yes, dear, but since you introduced me to The FX I have been asked for a lot of advice about super costumes. They've even been recommending me to other supers they know. I'm working with the owners of Curl Up and Dye to help them."

"Oh. Well, that makes sense. I mean, I knew they were already asking you for advice on stuff."

"All, right," said Michelle, cheerfully. "You ready?"

"No, but go ahead," said Vic, with a sigh. "You would anyway."

"Now you know I wouldn't so anything without your consent!" said Michelle, pouting. "Okay, if you consent, let's get started."

Vic did and they did. Shortly, the super martial artist was regarding her reflection in the full-length mirror on the wall of their bedroom.

"Wow. That's... spooky."

She looked completely nude, but also featureless on the breasts and crotch. Indeed, like a doll.

"See how these strips pull the breasts up?" said Michelle, tugging a bit on a silicone strand connected to one of the pasties. Both pasty and strand were securely adhered to Vic's skin. "Well, they would, if you needed that. Also, note how the edges blend smoothly into the skin, so no seams show through clothing."

"If you don't stop rubbing there..." said Vic, smirking.

"Oh, stop. You boy. You still think wireless bras come with a data plan. Get your mind on something else for once."

"How about the fact that there are actually women..."

"As well as men," said Michelle, pointedly.

"Okay. People who wear revealing costumes but who don't want to reveal anything." Vic watched her reflection as she posed. "This looks like something Dare would wear. I mean, only this. Just to make people look at her more closely."

"Ah, but that's only part of what I want you to try," said Michelle, with a knowing smile. "The FX has a new member, a young woman who has chosen the mask name Mighty Gal. Which, surprisingly, was available. She's in her late teens, and is both about your size and built a lot like you. She asked me to design a new costume for her - to her general specifications - then to have it made after she approved one of my sketches."

"A new, custom costume like that is a pretty large expense," said Vic, impresses.

"Well, as usual with teams, the FX is helping pay for all this."

Michelle now held up what looked like the flimsy aluminum wrapper from a jumbo candy bar, complete with printed pattern.

"Now I'm a manikin," muttered Vic. "Where's the rest of it?"

"This is the rest of it. Don't worry; it stretches."

Soon, though with a lot of tugging and smoothing, Vic was in the silver lamé costume.

"There's no armor," said Vic, actually turned on by what she now saw in the mirror. The costume indeed adhered to every curve; almost as if it were painted on. If she hadn't been "Barbied" by her wife... "No padding of any kind. Not even airbrushing. Just the printed pattern on the fabric with her logo, in gold print. No footwear, except the integral socks. Which I'm half surprised don't have individual toes."

"There's no mask, either," said Michelle, pointedly. "My client is a physical super who doesn't bother with a secret ID. She wants to show off her muscles - and I am definitely admiring yours - but not show her naughty bits. Oh, and there are booties. It's just that her feet are a lot smaller than yours, so I didn't even bother with them."

"Which is a polite way of saying that I have big feet," said Vic. She shifted uncomfortably. "It's... very snug."

"Like I said, she's a physical super," said Michelle. "She's actually just a bit taller than you, so it will be even tighter on her. Okay, you can take it off, now."

"Gladly," said Vic, with a feeling of relief. Though she ended up needing help to peel the snug-fitting outfit from some parts of her anatomy. "Wow. This is even tighter coming off."

Soon, though, the outfit was back to being the size of a large candy bar wrapper.

"It's one of the new memory fabrics," said Michelle, as she put the costume back in its box. "Something developed thanks to the tech transfer we're getting from the Shilmek. Unfortunately, so far the material is not compatible with Zip Strips."

"Which is why I had to go in through the neck," said Vic, nodding. "It felt like it was actually shaping itself to my body. Which is probably why it felt tighter after I wore it for a while."

"It's also very, very tough. The material is formed through an additive process, and the whole outfit is a single molecule. Or, at least, that's what the literature says."

"I bet if it is torn the whole thing comes apart very quickly," said Vic, with a snicker.

"No, it's supposed to be ripstop," said Michelle. She smiled at Vic. "I won't say they thought of everything, but they did take into account what a physical super crimefighter was likely to encounter."

"Except going to the bathroom," muttered Vic. "You really need to include one of those concealed openings."

"Except the crotch shield blocks that rather necessary biological process, anyway. Though the designers of those are working on that."

There was some additional discussion about modern costuming for masks - especially heroes who wanted to stay legal while showing off - but this quickly segued into a form of verbal foreplay which was soon very non-verbal. The slow removal of the silicone appliances from Vic was a major part of this.

* * *

"I think Roy is showing signs of having powers," said Karen. "His gym coach mentioned that he's broken several of the non-super school track and field records for his age group. Something they look for on Pine Island."

"Or maybe he's just a natural athlete who has had a lot of early training," said Randy, with a shrug. "I admit he's about the right age for first showing powers. Though in the early part of the typical range."

"You showed powers early," said Karen, raising an eyebrow.

"Mine were artificially triggered, remember," said Randy. He frowned, thinking. "Okay; neither of us has anything scheduled for Saturday, if I remember correctly."

"No, I'm free."

"I'll make an appointment for us to take him back to the island then. The experts can give him some of the basic tests. Unless you think we need to do something earlier."

"No, that should be fine. I just hope Sarah isn't envious of him getting all this attention. She goes to primary school, there, so there's no hiding this from her. Especially if Roy does have powers and switches to the super class lineup."

That settled, Randy turned back to his computer and his waiting e-mails. However, a Subject for one attracted his attention. Though it affected the school, it was for Randy, and not Template. Though there would probably be a copy waiting for her, in her office on the island.

"Uh-oh..."

"What now?" said Karen, as Randy opened and quickly read the e-mail.

"Lysander Douglas has died."

"That name sounds familiar."

"He was a billionaire, and a major supporter of several super teams and the school. His descendants are known to be mostly anti-super. If he did leave supers anything in his will I hope they don't challenge it."