Enjoying her stroll to work, Sakura slipped through the dense fog that clung to the ground that crisp autumn morning. As the leaves crunched beneath her feet, she sipped her steaming coffee, sighing as its warmth washed over her in a little moment of satisfaction. This was her favorite time of day.

It was early, the sun still sleeping like most people in the village at this hour. With the absence of the usual hustle and bustle, the streets were clear and so was her mind. Her peaceful walks to the hospital before her shift gave her plenty of time to think and prepare for the day.

This day, however, would be a little different.

Almost half a year had flown by since the end of the war, and everyone was looking forward to a little fun and festivity. All Hallows Eve provided the possibility for such enjoyment, so as to boost spirits, Tsunade announced Konoha would be holding a Ghoulish Gala in celebration of the candy coated holiday. With the village still recovering in the aftermath of the war, all ticket sales and proceeds would go straight towards the reconstruction and upgrading costs.

It sounded like a good time, and honestly, she needed a healthy dose of that these days.

Luckily, it would be a short shift today, and she'd have plenty of time to help with the setup and make it home to get dressed for the event. She struggled with her costume options, but decided to go with her first choice, much to Ino's disappointment. She had spent several hours with the blonde searching through each rack of every store in the entire village, but nothing spoke to her. It was either too juvenile, too risque, or too boring.

Besides, Ino could grumble all she wanted... at least she had a date for the gala.

Dropping off her purse at her desk, Sakura flipped through the charts on top, noting a familiar name on one of the folders in the stack. Chuckling to herself, she shook her head in disbelief before slipping on her lab coat and disappearing down the hall.

Seems Halloween always had a funny way of bringing about the unexpected.

Looking through the window of the door she stopped in front of, Sakura had to stifle a laugh. What an interesting day it would be if this was any sort of indication for what was yet to come. With a hand coming up to still her lips from further laughter, she turned and took a deep and calming breath. After gathering her composure, she gave a knock on the door and made her way inside.

"Hello Konohamaru-kun. Getting an early start on your costume, I see?"

"Yeah, yeah... this is soooo hilarious!" his muffled voice barked.

"I'm sorry, it's not every day that I get to see a young boy with a pumpkin stuck on his head."

"I'm thirteen, baaaka! Besides, you and Naruto-neechan are only eighteen, so don't talk to me like I'm some little kid. I'm practically a man."

"Sorry, young sir," she smirked, rolling her eyes.

"Anyway..." he huffed, crossing his arms over his chest, "I'm the Headless Horseman, but I... I forgot to carve it first. Who would even wear this for a head? It's too heavy, and my neck is killin' me! Please get this thing off!"

"Firstly, you shouldn't yell at someone who is here to help. Secondly, legend says the Headless Horseman carried his own head, or a Jack-O-Lantern in the latter children's adaptation, in his arms. He didn't literally wear a pumpkin for a head. And thirdly-"

"Okay, I get it. Sorry I didn't study Mythology 101... but it's getting kinda hard to breath in here, Sakura-chan. Please help me get this off. I'd use my Rasengan, but I didn't want to accidentally become the real Headless Horseman."

"Oh, don't be such a scaredy-cat. Just calm down and lay back. You'll be free soon enough."

"Who?!" the boy shouted through the gourd, confused as he laid back on the examination table.

With her chakra laden hands, she pressed gently against the curvature of the pumpkin, releasing small bursts of energy that would slowly soften the rind. After a few careful minutes, she was able to pull it off successfully in one piece. He was lucky she wasn't in a worse mood, as she might have been tempted to bash the vegetable into pieces in order to free him.

Pushing that thought aside, she watched the pulp covered kid pick seeds out of his ears and hair, trying her best not to laugh at the unusual sight before her.

"So you didn't think about gutting it completely, or cutting out any eye holes? How did you expect to see... or breath? How did you even get here with this thing on your head?"

"I was only trying it on for size, to see if it was big enough. My plan was to scare Moegi this morning by popping out of some bushes... but then I got stuck. Luckily Udon was with me, so I was at least able to get here."

"Well, I'm glad it's off, Konohamaru, but if you try it again... this will be your head," she warned, popping the pumpkin between her hands like a balloon, sending it crumbling to the floor.

With a pained and horrified look on his face, Konohamaru gulped loudly, turning white as a ghost. In a flash, he jumped up from the examination table and out the door, running down the hallway at top speed.

"No running in the hospital!" Sakura shouted after him from her stance in the doorway.

"No shouting, either..." a stern voice behind her bit through clenched teeth.

Spine stiffening, Sakura nervously laughed as she turned to face a very hungover Tsunade.

"Gomen, Tsunade-sama. You're here awfully early this morning. Is there anything you'd like me to do for you after I finish my rounds?"

"As a matter of fact, I do..." the older woman grinned, her honey colored eyes sparkling with a mischievous glint.

With the chakra surging through her body, Sakura made moving the heavy props and decorations for the gala look easy. Although, it could have easily been the boiling rage she felt at the moment, as she replayed the conversation with the soon-to-be retired Hokage in her head.

Before she stepped down, Tsunade declared that she would be overseeing the reconstruction of the village as the last of her duties, claiming it was her mess to clean, and that her successor should not inherit her problems.

Although that sounded noble at the time, Sakura was beginning to think it was just an excuse her mentor used to milk her current staff. Not only would the ticket sales count toward the rebuilding fund, but also any and every donation. Just to spice things up... or make Sakura's life more stressful... Tsunade also had the ingenious idea of auctioning off various memorabilia and people.

Seems attendees would be able to buy a dance from anyone (un)lucky enough to be selected for the auction. Even after her lengthy refusal to participate in such an awkward event, she unfortunately had to agree, lest she risked losing her current position as Head Medic. After Tsunade threatened to demote her to sponge bath duty for the next three months, it hardly felt like a request, and more like an order.

Just thinking about the whole ordeal was giving her anxiety. Who would pay money to dance with her?What if it was some creepy old man who was all hands and no teeth? Or... what if no one wanted to dance with her?

Shivering at the thought for the nth time that day, Sakura continued to mumble under her breath, heaving the spooky trees Yamato sensei had created for the entryway with ease. Seems everyone had taken care of the interior decorations, but no one was strong enough to move the heavy decorations for the entrance. Looks like she'd be taking care of this job herself, since Choji wouldn't have the space needed to expand to his full size inside the tight hallway of the convention center.

As one of the newest additions to the village, the convention center proved to be the perfect venue for such a large event.

Upon arrival, guests would turn in their tickets at the admissions tent posted out front. Once allowed entry, they would make their way down the hallway that was converted into a haunted forest. The creeping branches of the bare trees would guide them through the dark and foggy path filled with frightful sights and sounds before opening up into the inner sanctum of the center.

As they exit the forest, they are met with the large open space of the venue, which was adorned with cobwebs, cauldrons, graveyard décor, and all the pumpkins Konoha farms had to offer. There would be black curtains lining every surface inside the space, which were dotted with twinkling pixie lights that resembled the starry night sky.

The atmosphere was sure to be appreciated by everyone in attendance, as the center was large enough to house not only a buffet and tables for dining, but mini game booths, a dance floor, and a stage for the band, as well.

Looking around, Sakura wiped the sweat from her brow and nodded at what the hard work from a few weeks of stressful planning had accomplished.

Deciding not to let the impending dance of doom cast a shadow over her head, Sakura tweaked a few more decorations before making her leave. She had spent far too much time on making sure everything was perfect for the party, and was now eating into her own prep time for this evening.

Sprinting across the rooftops, she could only hope that Ino would be out of the shower by the time she got home. Kamisama only knows what she did in there, but it always took that woman three times longer than her to get cleaned up and ready. Hopefully the bathroom would be freed up, and she could get into costume with little to no fuss from her roommate.

As the sun began to set, Sakura could feel the excitement well up inside her, as the holiday atmosphere came to life in the dusky skyline of Konoha.

Digging her keys out of her purse, Sakura heard shouting coming from the other side of the front door. Stilling herself, she listened closely, unsure of what she would see once the door was opened.

"Be careful, you're smearing my lipstick!"

"Well then move your lips, sweetheart. I'm just trying to do it like you asked."

"You're taking so long, my jaw is starting to hurt. Hurry up!"

Knocking abruptly before the conversation – and whatever else was happening – continued, Sakura grimaced at the chilling mental images those words conjured up in her head.

"Come in!" Ino shouted through the door.

"Are you guys... decent?" Sakura probed, keeping her eyes closed as she poked her head around the opened door.

"Hardly," Kiba smirked, winking at Ino knowingly.

Letting one eye chance a glance at the couple, Sakura could see that they were both fully clothed, much to her surprise. Sighing in relief, she shut the door behind her and kicked off her shoes.

"Sakura, you're late! You better hurry and get ready. Kiba just finished putting on my fangs, so we're leaving soon. The party starts in-"

"Yes, I'm aware. I'm just gonna hop in the shower real quick. It won't take me long to get ready. It's a good thing I picked out a simple costume, huh?"

"I still think it's boring and cliché. You could do so much better."

"Not all of us can be... what are you again?"

"We're vampires," Ino lilted, showing off her sharp incisors.

"Sexy vampires," Kiba added, throwing an arm around Ino's waist, pulling her close.

"How cliché," Sakura stated flatly, mirroring the blonde's own words.

"Just working with what I've got. Kiba already has fangs, so it made total sense."

"Mmm, yes. The better to bite you with, my dear."

"Sounds like you guys should have been Red Riding Hood and the hungry wolf," Sakura laughed, heading off into her bedroom.

"Damn it, Forehead! I didn't even think of that... where were you last week when we were out buying these expensive capes?!"

"Don't worry, dollface. At least now we have every reason to suck on each other's necks all night."

Sakura could hear Ino's giggling and shrieking through her bedroom door, and rolled her eyes at what was probably occurring at that moment in their living room. Those two were all hands these days. She didn't really care, but why must they always do it around her. It only served as a dreaded reminder of her own loneliness.

She had thought that Sasuke would be around after the war, but she was sorely mistaken. He was detained for intense questioning for months afterwards, and then left the village to travel on his own, once again.

Naruto had said it was for the sake of the village, and that he would be searching for Kaguya's hideout and any evidence that there were more Otsutsuki members out there. But to Sakura, all it sounded like was an excuse.

Maybe there was a small chance he was actually doing some real good being away from the village, should anyone come after him and his newly acquired powers. But a large part of her knew that deep down, he'd never return her feelings. Besides, they way Naruto and Kakashi spoke of Sasuke's new mission made it sound like he'd be out of touch for a long time. And Sakura was not a fan of the long distance relationship.

She wanted more... so much more from her partner.

She wanted to feel close to them... the heat of their body... the touch of their lips...

Shaking away the flush she felt on her cheeks, Sakura undressed in a flurry of fabric, and stepped into the steaming shower, eager to wash away all her anxiety. Once she was squeaky clean, she wrapped her hair up in a towel and slipped into her dressing robe.

Tapping her finger against her bottom lip, the medic pondered about her makeup while staring at the costume laid out on her bed. She didn't usually waste time with the stuff, but it was Halloween, she wanted to have some fun with her look. Especially if she was to reign in a donation for a dance.

Bursting through her door, Ino barged in without apology and headed straight for the bathroom. Even though the bathroom was between their bedrooms and Ino had her own entrance, she'd rather use Sakura's door for some reason. Either the woman was completely oblivious, or extremely rude.

"Where is the black eyeliner?" the blonde yelled, rummaging through the bag of makeup on the counter.

"I'm not sure Ino-pig, you would be the last person to have used it," Sakura assured, drying off the end of her hair with the towel.

"Ah, found it!" she exclaimed, running back out into the living room.

With the door slamming behind her, Sakura hurriedly dressed.

She knew no one would be able to see them, but she was rather looking forward to wearing her Halloween themed undergarments beneath her costume. She giggled when she saw them in the store, but the more she looked at the matching set, the more she wanted them.

The black bra and panties had lace detailing around the edges, but were adorned with festive holiday details. Each cup of the bra had glow in the dark eyes and whiskers, and the back of the panties had a cat tail printed on them. Sure it was silly, but it matched her costume perfectly.

After slipping on some fishnet stockings, Sakura stepped into her long black dress, struggling with the zipper in the back. As if on cue, Ino sauntered back through the bedroom to replace the eye liner, scoffing at the sight of her friend contorting herself in order to close the back of the dress.

"Need some help?"

"Maybe," Sakura huffed, blowing the damp strands of hair out of her face.

"Turn," Ino instructed, closing the zipper and taking in the sight before her.

Turning around to face Ino, Sakura posed, showing off her costume proudly. She thought it looked great, perfect even, for the celebration that would be starting soon. But as she noticed the frown on her friend's face, she felt her confidence fizzle.

"What is it, Pig?"

"It's just so... blah."

"Well, it's a little late for me to change costumes."

"Maybe you don't have to. Perhaps this bland dress can be saved with a few minor adjustments," Ino grinned.

Eyeing the garment, Ino noticed just how much fabric there was to work with. Sure the bodice was laced up the front, creating a nice and narrow waistline... but the rest of the dress felt so overwhelming, completely hiding the svelte body beneath.

The long sleeves were just a little too long, and the awkward length of the skirt didn't seem long enough. In her honest opinion, she wasn't sure where Sakura had purchased the item, but she was sure she hadn't paid much for it.

Grabbing a pair of scissors from Sakura's desk, Ino began the major overhaul this costume needed. Ignoring her friend's objections, Ino began shredding and cutting the thin black fabric until she was satisfied Sakura looked the part.

In a matter of minutes, the long and demure dress was no more. Thankfully her mother had taught her how to sew years ago, so the minor pins and tucks that were needed only took a few minutes. Ino had started with the bottom of the dress, cutting off scraps of material, which she added at the waist to build a tutu-like shape. The short skirt, now made of the pinned shreds of the dress from whence it came, showed off Sakura's toned legs in all their fishnet-covered glory.

The long sleeves were also shredded in the same fashion, the long bits of fabric dangling loosely from the elbow, giving the garment more of a high fantasy feel. Ino even gave her friend cleavage, creating a low cut, sweetheart neckline with a few conveniently placed pins.

Chuckling to herself, Ino pushed Sakura into the bathroom. With the costume complete, she now needed hair and makeup.

Starting off with a blow dry, Ino then curled her hair and left them coiled to set while she began on makeup. Sakura had beautiful, porcelain-like skin, so only minor work was needed. With a smokey cat eye and some blood red lipstick, Ino added a bit of sparkle to her cheeks and the corners of her eyes for a more enchanting feel. With a few tiny star stickers dotting the apples of her cheeks, Sakura's magical makeup was complete.

Letting down the curled coif, Ino ran her fingers through the loose curls and secured the pointed hat to Sakura's head. Pushing her friend out of the bathroom and over to the full length mirror to get her opinion, Ino began to smile. Pleased with her own work, she waited for Sakura's reaction.

Slowly, she could see her face light up, as she began twirling back and forth. Taking the time to take in each detail, Sakura gasped and cooed, loving how it turned out. She was terrified of what Ino would do, almost expecting the worst, but, she had to say... she was impressed.

"Ino... it's... perfect!"

"I know. You look damn good, Forehead. Glad the nun costume is gone."

"But I'm a witch..."

"Yes, now you are. Earlier, you were a nun."

"Okay, okay. I get it, Ino-pig. I'm boring. Thank you."

"Not tonight, you aren't. Now, let's go. We're late!"

Slipping on her heels, and throwing on the costume jewelry she had bought for this evening, Sakura quickly joined her friends waiting in the living room.

"Nice eyeliner, Kiba. It really suits you."

"Aww, see?! I told you it would look stupid," the fanged man grumbled to his date.

"Don't be silly, babe. It makes your eyes look so smoldering and seductive."

"Oh, really? You look quite tasty, yourself," Kiba purred, biting at Ino's neck.

Walking around the disgustingly cute couple groping each other, Sakura rolled her eyes. "Ugh, you guys suck."

"Thank you. That's what vampires are supposed to do," Kiba smirked, running a hand through his slicked back locks.

"Can we leave now?" Sakura interrupted, waiving the small wooden wand Yamato sensei had made for her toward the door.

"Off we go!" Ino cheered, slapping Kiba's ass on the way out. "It's time to party!"