An illustrated story by Kerry
Photos by Kerry and Rogue
Pam couldn't believe what was staring out at her from her closet. It was Oscar, her sister's cat. Her damned cat. It was bad enough he was given free reign all over their apartment as if he owned the place, but now he was in her private stuff. Enough was enough. Despite how much her sister loved the cat, Pam would have to lay down some ground rules concerning the annoying beast.
As she walked toward the dining room, she carried the protesting feline along with her as evidence, but mostly so it wouldn't go back and continue molesting her belongings. Pam noticed a newspaper sitting on the dining table where her sister was finishing her supper. A headline read: "Maskara Still At Large" and had a picture of a purple-and-white spandex clad masked woman. Pam dumped Oscar on top of the newspaper and said to her sister, "Selina, I found Oscar in my room again."
Selina Kyle looked at her
younger sister. Unlike Selina, Pam dressed in dowdy grays and
long skirts, covering nearly every inch of her exposed body
except for her hands and head. In contrast, Selina wore a tight
form-fitting leopard print catsuit that hugged and emphasized her
curves. Selina had a great body and loved showing it off. She
looked down at her cat, who freed from the clutches of Pam,
scuttled off the table for the protection afforded by Selina's
leg.
Pam stood over the table, waiting for a response. Selina turned to her and said, "That's not my problem, you know how curious cats are."
Pam sat down across the table from her sister. She knew she had to make her point now or forever lose the opportunity. How could she make Selina understand that her feelings were more important than a pet?
"But he's YOUR
cat," she protested, "You should exercise some control
over him."
All this did was cause Selina to lean over and begin petting the her cat which began purring loudly, "Oh, you're such a good boy...yes. Pay no attention to mean old Pammy."
Pam saw where this was going. It was no use, the cat had her sister exactly where it wanted her. She shook her head and decided to change the topic.
"Are you going out again today?"
Selina straightened up. "Of course. Maskara is still out there."
Pam glanced over at the newspaper headline again. It appeared to be gloating at Selina, challenging her. "Is she dangerous?"
"She cheated me out of the Cat's Eye Opal. I don't let that sort of thing slide." Selina got up and stepped away from the table heading toward the back of the apartment. Pam stood and chased after her.
Pam followed Selina down the hallway but stopped as Selina went into her bedroom. The door was only slightly closed but Pam felt uneasy just barging in, particularly when she had a favor to ask. Instead, she felt like a ninny standing outside talking to a door by herself but it was all she could think to do.
"I was
wondering," she started, hoping she didn't sound too
pathetic, "...maybe this time... I could come with
you?"
Selina startled her when she poked her head from behind the door.
"Pam, are feeling alright?" She disappeared behind it again, making Pam feel an even bigger fool. "You don't even like going out of the house at night. And you want to come with me?"
Pam knew it sounded silly but tried to press her case. She arched her back trying to see around the door. Inside, she could see glimpses of Selina peeling off her jumpsuit and tossing it aside. "Well...you know...just to see...what it's like." It was a lame excuse, she knew, but perhaps her sense of curiosity might appeal to Selina.
Pam could see one black glove then another being pulled on as her sister matter-of-factly told her, "It's way too dangerous for you. You're my little sister and it's my job to look out for you."
"But..." Pam tried to cut her off before the final verdict was rendered. Too late.
"It may look exciting and adventurous what I do, but you need years of training. An amateur could get hurt...or worse."
Pam swung her arms in defeat. She knew the disappointment in her voice made her sound like she was ten years old again being told by her big sister that she couldn't come along with the older kids to the movies. "Okay, sis, I guess you're right. It was just an idea."
Selina had just about finished changing as she said, "Now you don't worry about Maskara or anything, that's my concern. Stick to your computers and books...I expect you to be the one taking care of me when I get too old to do this."
She pulled the door open to reveal
herself now dressed as Catwoman. The purple costume, like the one
before it, fit her perfectly, with black gloves and boots the
only contrast. She stepped out and looked at her sister who
nodded in defeat.
"Don't wait up for me. I'll be back late." She walked away leaving Pam standing there. With a single, "Bye," Selina slammed the door behind her. Pam sighed and slumped her shoulders. Clearly Selina had more important things on her mind that humoring her sister tonight. But perhaps that wouldn't be the end of it. She thought for a moment, then came to a decision. With a determined look, she marched off into her room.
Pam went straight for the closet where she had earlier caught the snooping Oscar. It was a good thing he hadn't found and revealed her secret. Pam knew her sister would never go through her things herself, but a nosy cat was something else.
She pushed aside dresses
hanging in the closet and then pulled out a purple and white
spandex costume. She looked at it for a moment then threw it onto
the bed. On the top shelf, in the back, she reached in and pulled
out a styrofoam head. On it was a latex mask and wig. The skin
was white with black highlights, the hair a shoulder length
white. A zipper in the back allowed the wearer to put it on and
off with ease. Pam stared at the face for a moment, it's painted
unmoving eyes looking back at her. She caressed the nose and
black-painted lips for a moment then set it down. She reached
behind her back and lowered the zipper on her dress and began to
disrobe.
The good genes which had blessed Selina were also shared by Pam. She had a slim waist, full breasts and behind, and long legs. Once she even tried on one of Selina's spare costumes when she wasn't around and it had fit her perfectly. Only her blue eyes would have given her away, in contrast to Selina's emerald green ones.
Making the Maskara costume had been easy, especially as Selina
spent most evenings "out." Pam had designed the outfit
herself and as she pulled the lycra up her leg, it gave her a
thrill. It stretched it around her hips and her arms slipped
easily into the sleeves and gloved hands at the end. She drew the
collar up and then pulled up the hidden zipper in the back. She
picked up the 
latex mask and
wig she had made. The painted eyes contained nearly unnoticeable
pinholes allowing her to look out without anyone seeing her real
eyes. Indeed, not one bit of flesh was exposed from head to toe.
She opened the back of the mask and slipped it over her head. The
cool latex felt good against her skin and she reveled in how it
enclosed her completely as she zipped it closed. She finished the
job by tucking the edge of the neck underneath her costume's
collar. She picked up the thigh-high white boots with five inch
heels and put them on each foot, pulling the long zippers all the
way up her legs. Finally, the transformation was complete.
Where before had stood the meek and acquiescent Pam, there was now Maskara. She threw back her now-white hair behind her shoulders and examined herself in the mirror. Her disguise was perfect. Even Selina, who had only caught fleeting glances of her as Maskara, did not suspect who she really was. Her plan was working perfectly. She headed out, a long night ahead of her.
Catwoman had an agenda of her own. Just a few nights earlier the Cat's Eye Opal had been within her grasp. She had been planning the heist for weeks when suddenly that new interloper Maskara had arrived on the scene and taken if from her just as she was about to steal it herself. No honor among thieves, she thought. That made it personal. She was determined to get the Opal for herself and teach Maskara a lesson about respect. She had been hot on her trail when she had lost Maskara nearby Madison Street. She would begin her search there. Although she was one to stand out in a crowd dressed in her purple bodystocking, Maskara was even more conspicuous in her white and purple outfit with outrageous heels. Catwoman had to give her credit for even attempting to walk in the things, much less avoid pursuit. However, they might prove her undoing as well.
Catwoman landed on the sidewalk near a vacant lot. It was just possible Maskara had passed through here and left some tracks in the soft dirt. Sure enough, the distinctive impression of a high-heeled boot crossed through the lot and toward an abandoned building. Catwoman smiled to herself and approached the building.
The inside was completely
gutted. A trail through the fine patina of dust on the floor
indicated someone had passed through her recently. A brief but
sudden noise froze Catwoman instantly, as every instinct waited
for another tell-tale sign. But nothing new was forthcoming. She
continued on, finally reaching a padlocked door. The lock was
almost new, a sharp contrast to everything else around her. What
an amateur, she thought, picking the lock with ease. Slowly, she
opened the door and peered in.
It was some sort of storage room. She entered and quietly closed the door behind her. Looking around she laid her eyes on what she had been looking for all along. Covering a table were piles of jewelry, including the Cat's Eye Opal. Catwoman couldn't resist running her hands through all the booty. Maskara evidently had been quite busy lately. Well, she was in for a shock, Catwoman mused as she picked up the Opal to examine it.
A single sharp click of a heel on cement caught her off-guard and she spun quickly only to be faced with the barrel of an ominous-looking gun pointing at her. Holding it was Maskara. She pulled the trigger without hesitating and gas shot out the end. It took only seconds for Catwoman to black out and fall to the floor in front of her enemy.
Catwoman came to in the center of the floor, still lying on the ground. She heard Maskara's distinctive footsteps and saw her approach, still wielding her gun. Catwoman stayed where she was on the ground and watched as Maskara began to circle around her, keeping the gun pointed at her at all times.
"Catching you was easier
than I thought, Catwoman," Maskara gloated. Catwoman never
took her eyes off her for an instant as she continued to circle.
"Hardly. I'm the one who caught you," she told Maskara defiantly. All she needed was an opening, one single mistake on her part.
"Interesting way of looking at it. I was hoping we could work together instead of against each other."
"I work alone," Catwoman replied crisply.
"I think you need a partner. Someone to watch your back."
Someone had better watch hers, Catwoman thought. Instead she said, "Forget it, Maskara. All I want to do is put you out of business."
Maskara took her eyes off Catwoman for an instant and it was all she needed. In a single leap she bounded up and had the barrel of the gun in her hands. She pushed it up and out of harm's way. Maskara tried to regain control of the weapon, leaving herself wide open for an attack. With one blow, Catwoman delivered a chop to her neck and Maskara went down. It was over.
Taking no chances, Catwoman bound Maskara's hands behind her and stood her up to face her as she recovered.
"You've been a nuisance to me long enough, Maskara. Let's see who you really are." She reached up to pull of her mask and end this once and for all.
Maskara resisted as Catwoman pulled at her mask, protesting, "No....please..." but Catwoman paid her no heed.
The mask peeled off revealing
Pam, her eyes clinched shut. Catwoman was startled and took a
step back.
"Pam! Not you!" She couldn't believe it.
"I wanted to prove I was as good as you."
Catwoman had to agree it was a lot more than she had expected from her sister. But they were interrupted by a police siren that was drawing nearer. Evidently, someone had spotted her snooping around outside earlier. Both women reacted to the sound.
"We'd better get out of here," Catwoman told her sister, "We'll discuss this when we get home." Her arms still bound, Catwoman lead her away, waiting for a better moment to untie them once they were safe. It had been a night full of surprises and certainly more to come.
THE END
Catwoman (c) - 1997 DC Comics. Maskara (c) - 1997
Tiresias Productions.
Read about the making of this story and an
upcoming video version
in the December 1997 edition of the Mask
Mailing List (subscribe now, it's free!).
In 1998 we made another video, Maiden China, which was even better!
Written and maintained by Kerry
(kerryjtv@aol.com).
Updated December 3, 1997
(c) - 1997 Tiresias Productions