Making their way through the dancing crowd, Ino and Sakura found their way backstage and awaited further instructions. They were joined by a few more familiar faces, and Sakura felt a wave of relief as she felt less imposed upon, and more excited for the auction to begin.

As the stagehand lined everyone up behind the curtain, the music stopped and Sakura felt her hands go clammy.

'It'll be fun... this is for the village... it'll be fun... this is for the village' she kept repeating in her mind like a calming mantra.

As the audience applauded the efforts of Killer B and his Beastly Boys, they made their exit, and Sakura felt her nerves skyrocket. With her pulse racing, and a flush spreading across her cheeks, she swallowed the lump in her throat.

It was showtime.

At least she was toward the back of the line, and had a few extra precious minutes before the spotlight would be on her. Soon, this would all be over, and Tsunade would be off her back. She was lucky Sakura loved her job so much, or else there wouldn't have been a chance in hell she would ever agree to do something like this... even if it was for the sake of the village.

With the crowd cheering and whistling, Sakura peeked around the line of people towards the stage, finding herself speechless as Tsunade took the stage.

"Hello, Konoha! Welcome to the Ghoulish Gala. Is everyone ready for the main event?"

Judging by the roar of the crowd, Tsunade should have put herself up for auction with a costume like that. Abandoning her Hokage robes for the night, she now donned a look not suitable for the faint of heart. From the black bouffant wig, to the slinky black dress with the hip-high slit, Tsunade was no more, as Elvira took the stage.

With her generous endowments squeezed into the deep v-neck of her dress, the Mistress of the Dark certainly had everyone's attention as she explained the rules of the event.

With the highest bidder getting a dance from the person of their choosing, she assured them that their money would be well spent as they moved forward with their new vision of Konoha. It was a genius plan, but one that still didn't sit quite right with Sakura.

Perhaps it was just her nerves, though...

"Without further ado, let's hear it for our first dance up for auction. Please welcome to the stage, the best assistant and friend a ghoul could ask for, Shizune!"

Making her way to center stage, Shizune posed, folding her arms over her chest and stood confident and proud, fully becoming Morticia Addams. She turned and posed, raising a brow at the whooping crowd as the bids came rolling in.

With the bids topping out at five hundred ryo, the winner paid his dues to Tsunade, and took his place beside Shizune at the back of the stage while they waited for all the dances to be auctioned off.

One by one, the line dwindled, and Sakura felt her throat closing up as breathing became suddenly difficult. She was nervous, but mostly wanted the moment to be over. Thus far, Ino had fetched the most money, with her bid topping out at eight hundred fifty ryo from the Fire Daimyo's son, who seemed to be her biggest fan.

It was now her turn.

"Good luck, Sakura-chan!" Naruto cheered, slapping her on the back, almost pushing her out on stage.

Swallowing the sick that welled up in her throat at being thrust into the spotlight, Sakura calmly made her way toward center stage. The blinding light followed her, as she ignored the urge to fidget under its scrutiny.

"Please welcome to the stage, my apprentice and your new head medic at Konoha General, Sakura!"

She couldn't prepare herself for the volume of the crowd as it cheered and whistled, bids being shouted before the opening price point had been set. Feeling the blush spread over her cheeks, Sakura played to the crowd, waiving her wand as the tip glowed from the burst of chakra she utilized.

"As a member of the legendary Team 7, we'll start the bidding at five hundred ryo. Do we have any takers?"

To her amazement, the crowd didn't seem bothered by the starting bid, as voices fought to bid over the next. Giving her dress a twirl, Sakura tried her best to appear enticing and worth all the money that was quite literally being thrown at her. To think she'd even get one bid was a compliment, now there were people fighting over her as the bids climbed higher and higher.

"Looks like we have a taker for one thousand ryo, can anyone else top that?" Tsunade bellowed over the crowd.

"Going once... going twice... SOLD for one thousand ryo to Zorro in the back!"

With eyes wide in disbelief, Sakura waiting anxiously for her bidder to come forward. The spotlight was still on her, so she could only see the faces of the people up front, the rest of the huddled mass was just a shadowy blur.

And then... he appeared.

Clad in all black, the caped winner paid his dues and offered his arm to her as they took their place at the back of the stage. With her arm snaked around his elbow, Sakura nervously glanced up at her masked companion. He didn't look familiar, but he also had his eyes covered and donned a wide brimmed hat.

When he glanced over at her, Sakura quickly averted her eyes, feeling silly at having been caught staring. Whomever he was, she counted herself lucky to have such a handsome winner. He was tall, had a sharp jawline, and smelled divine. His cologne, although subtle, was enough for her to take notice of and appreciate.

"Now... for our final dance of the evening. This person is very special, and quite the animal, so the bidding will start at one thousand ryo. This man has trained with the Toad Sages of Mount Myoboku, defeated Pein during the invasion, and is on his way to becoming one of the most powerful Hokages this village has ever seen. Please welcome, your hero and savior of Konoha, Naruto!"

As the shy blonde walked across the stage, Sakura jumped from the instantaneous uproar of the screaming crowd. Women were clawing their way to the front of the stage to place their bets, bills and fists flying through the air as the seemingly feral hoard lost all control.

Apparently, Naruto was a very hot commodity these days, and people just couldn't get enough.

Sakura was taken aback by the turn of events. Once shunned, Naruto now had the attention and respect of every villager. She was happy for him, but did not envy his current position. With his sudden celebrity status, he was sure to face many obstacles she'd never know, but if anyone could handle such a heavy burden, it was the ever persistent Uzumaki.

The bids came flying in so fast Tsunade had a hard time keeping up with all the shouting as the numbers climbed quicker than she could repeat them. At this point, they were well past two thousand ryo, and still climbing. Baffled, Sakura could only stare at the mayhem that was breaking loose right before her eyes.

"This is... insanely unexpected," she commented, earning her a glance from the man beside her.

"I'll say," he chuckled, leaning closer to her as he spoke over the growing noise of the crowd. "Seems like his own date will pay for a dance."

"SOLD for three thousand ryo to Jack's Sally!"

As the crowd whined and groaned, Hinata took the stage and claimed her prize.

Astonished, Sakura could only giggle as the usually shy woman jumped on stage and ran into Naruto's arms. To think she'd throw down an insane amount of cash just to dance with her own date was love at its finest. Those two were sweeter than sugar.

As the nauseatingly cute couple took their positions with the rest of the group on stage, Tsunade thanked the citizens for their passionate involvement in the fundraiser and cued the maestro.

As the slow, beautiful notes of the song began, the couples onstage began their dance.

The spotlight faded, as purple star lights twinkled above them. The fog rolled in over their feet, and the stage was set for magical ambiance as Sakura felt transported to another dimension.

The masked man in front of her offered his gloved hand, bowing before they began. Placing her smaller hand in his, Sakura smiled politely and curtsied as she placed her other hand delicately upon his shoulder. Following his lead, Sakura was amazed at how a simple box step waltz felt more like gliding. She wasn't sure why the assumption that it would be a clumsy attempt at dancing crossed her mind, but she was pleasantly surprised by the effortless synchronization of their movements.

The atmosphere was dim, but she could still make out the dark blue-gray of his eyes as they watched her carefully. The man might have been wearing a hat, but Sakura could make out the brown curls sticking out from beneath the brim.

She was dying to know who this Zorro truly was, but there was something so fascinating about the ambiguity of it all.

"Still having a rough night?" he asked, lowering his head to her ear. His voice was so close, she could feel his breath tickling her neck.

"I thought you didn't like crowds?" Sakura grinned knowingly, realizing it was her rooftop companion that had bought her dance.

"I don't feel so crowded now," he assured, flashing her a debonair grin.

Sakura could see he was looking at her with a careful intensity. There was something about the way his eyes glowed that seemed so familiar, as if she'd peered into their depths many times before.

The gentle touch of his hand around her waist as they continued their waltz was comforting, not creepy or invasive like she had been dreading from a mysterious stranger that would bid on a dance.

Part of her hoped the song would never end, as she felt completely enchanted in this moment. It filled her heart with a hopeful warmth, and left her swooning as she stared at the handsome face of the man who was watching her closely. Sakura had to keep biting the corner of her mouth to keep from smiling too much.

Never in her life had she felt so swept away like this.

"Don't fight it. I happen to like your smile," he whispered into her ear, drawing near her once again.

There was something so seductive about the way he spoke that gave a tremendous weight to such simple words. She could feel the pulsing of her heartbeat through her entire body as he spoke, her breathing becoming shallow as she didn't want to miss a single syllable.

As if remembering her nerves, Sakura averted her gaze, looking anywhere but at the masked man before her. At this point, the full blush her face was sporting was making her feel so warm, she began to fear the threat of sweat.

Inhaling a calming breath, the witchy woman began thinking of how she should even respond to that sort of statement.

Who exactly is this guy?

"You're awfully nice for a stranger."

"Do I seem that strange to you?" he smirked, knowing she was vexed by his obscurity.

Looking more closely at his face, Sakura admired his crooked smile. With his smile widening under her gaze, she noticed the elongated canine that peeked out over his lip. They weren't quite fangs by any stretch of the imagination, but they were longer and sharper looking than a typical canine tooth.

"Yes and no..." she responded cautiously.

"What makes you say that?"

"Your teeth."

"Pardon?"

"It's your teeth. Your cuspids have characteristics most closely associated with the use of ninken, such as the Inuzuka clan. Are you one of Kiba's cousins or something?"

"Not that I'm aware of. Although, some would say my father was known for his teeth."

"Hmm... that's not really ringing any bells for me."

Deciding to forego his thinly veiled – yet amusing – double entendre about how she should know all about his bells, the man couldn't help but smile at her adorable thinking face, as she no doubt wracked her brain for the sake of figuring out his identity.

Ultimately, it was more enjoyable to watch her try to solve this one on her own.

Besides, perhaps this way was the best way to spend time with the real Sakura. If he was to identify himself, there was little chance she'd be her carefree self he saw before him now.

"Well, if you're not in the Inuzuka clan, you must belong to one that specializes in the use of ninken somehow," she pondered aloud.

"I guess you could say that," he chuckled, "But why does that matter? Do you honestly care that much?"

"Of course!" she defended, "I mean, you just paid an insane amount of money just to dance with me... of all people."

"So? It is a fundraiser."

"I see..." she sighed, secretly hoping there was more to it than that.

"It was a win-win situation, really. The village gets money, and I get a dance with you."

"Well, I hope it was worth it. I'd hate to be a disappointment," she confessed, her feet slowing as the music winded down.

"Well worth it," he confessed, lips briefly skimming her cheek as he planted a soft kiss to perfectly punctuate the end of their dance together.

With the screeching of the microphone pulling Sakura out of this daydream like experience, Tsunade's voice bellowed over the crowd once again.

"Thank you ladies and gents of Konoha for your unrivaled spirit and willingness to make this village a better place. I appreciate every single one of you and all the hard work you've put in. We hope you've had a great time tonight, and look forward to your continued commitment to this city we love so much. Be sure you make your final bids on the items for sale, as the auction will be closing in the next twenty minutes. Happy Halloween, everyone!"

"Oh!" Sakura exclaimed, "That reminds me, we should check our bids!"

"Did you also bid on something?"

"Yep," she smiled coyly, "I saw something that would be a perfect gift. I just need to make sure someone didn't outbid me."

"Oh, really?" he added with subtle amusement. "Well, let's go see how we did."

Arm in arm, the two made their way to the opposite side of the room, searching through the items up for sale. The last few minutes of the auction had warranted another rush of people, all of whom, were eager to place their final bets in hopes of winning these prized tokens of history.

Once Sakura found Jiraiya's book, a determined look settled on her face.

"Is something wrong?" the masked man inquired, peering over at her intense expression.

"I don't know who this Sukea guy is, but he sure as hell isn't getting this book."

"This is the gift you wanted for that person?"

"Yes. Only Jiraiya's biggest fan deserves this book, and I intend on getting it for him since he isn't here tonight. It would be the perfect gift, so I have to win this."

"He must be a very special person for you to go through this much trouble acquiring a gift. He's a very lucky man, if I may be so bold."

"I don't know about lucky, but he is definitely very special to me. He's helped me a lot, and I just want to do something to let him know how appreciative I am."

With a smile tugging on the masked man's lips, he watched this woman increase her bid. She had tripled her initial offer, so it was apparent how much she wanted this book. Her generous selflessness was endearing, and it touched his heart. In this moment, it became abundantly clear just how special she was to him as well.

"So?" she nudged, "Do you need to bet on your item one last time?"

"Oh, I'm afraid I've lost that bid. My pockets are spent, and there are others that seem to want it more."

"Oh no... this is all my fault."

"How do you figure that?"

"You spent so much on my dance, now you can't get your friend's item. Let me help you! Which item is it?"

"There's no need. I've already got what I came for, and then some."

"But... you said?"

"I know, but things change. Sometimes for the better."

Once the auction closed, Sakura was able to claim her prize. Smiling ear to ear, she hummed victoriously, looking all too pleased with herself. What had initially been a night filled with anxiety, had surprisingly transformed into an evening of whimsy. This was largely due to the charming gentleman standing beside her.

The crowd began to thin as most people made their way home, but as they walked arm in arm, Sakura could only release a dreamy sigh. It had been such a wonderful night. She felt herself elevate and join the clouds as she was swept up and away by the enchanting man.

What was supposed to just be a dance, quickly transitioned into a date of sorts as the two made no effort to leave each other's side afterwards. Even as the night was wrapping up, neither made a rush for the door. For once, Sakura felt included in the fun... and not just an observer.

"There you are!" a voice shrieked behind her, "I was so worried, Forehead!"

Turning to face her exasperated roommate, Sakura shook her head in playful disbelief. "Why on Earth would you worry?"

"Well, you danced with this... stranger," Ino punctuated, looking over her companion with distrust, "And then you just disappeared. I didn't know what to think!"

"I'm fine, Ino-pig. Besides, you ought to know I can handle myself."

"It's his 'handling' that I'm worried about," she snipped, narrowing her eyes at the masked man in black.

"Ino, calm down. He's being a perfect gentleman, and I'm having a great time," Sakura soothed, patting the blonde's shoulder. "Besides, where's your date? Don't tell me he's picking a fight with the Daimyo's son?"

"Don't joke, Sakura... that nearly happened! Took me twenty minutes to calm him down. Ultimately, it was Shino that helped distract him."

"Shino?"

"Yes. Kiba's obsessed with his costume. Haven't you seen him?"

"No," Sakura pondered, "I don't think so."

"Well," Ino sighed, rolling her eyes, "You're about to..."

"Sakura-chan!" the boisterous Inuzuka called, making his way over to where they were standing. "Do you know who this is?"

Pointing to the man in the black and white striped suit beside him, Kiba stood proudly with a devious grin. Not knowing what he was up to, Sakura played along.

"No. Who is he?"

"I'm the ghost with the most, babe," the man grumbled in a gritty voice.

"Shino, is that you?" she surmised based on her and Ino's previous conversation.

It may have been the frazzled green wig, or the black circles painted around his eyes, but Sakura would never have guessed it would be Shino under that getup. He looked so strange and unusual, that she was really finding it hard to believe it was actually him.

"Yes, yes, it's Shino," Kiba sighed impatiently, "But, do you know who he is supposed to be?"

Looking between the three of them, Sakura felt put on the spot and began to panic. She wasn't sure what she should do or say given the fed up and unamused look on Ino's face.

"He's Beetlejuice," Ino deadpanned, leveling her gaze at Sakura.

"Beetlejuice," Kiba confirmed with a wide grin plastered on his face.

"Ahh, Beetlejuice. I see it now," Sakura nodded in understanding

"Ha! That's three times. You gotta do the thing now," Kiba snickered, his toothy grin betraying his giddy amusement.

"It's showtime!" Shino proclaimed, holding up his hands in a display of showmanship.

Creeping out of his pores, bugs came swarming out until he was covered by a large swarming mass. As the black figure grew in size the creepy rumble of his laugh could be heard over the rustling of legs and wings.

And then... they were gone.

As if dissolved into thin air, Shino and his creepy crawlers disappeared.

With a twisted look of disgust and horror, Sakura stood frozen in shock at what she had just witnessed. Unsure of how to respond to such a spectacle, she locked eyes with Ino who was still shaking her head. As if she had seen it a thousand times that night, she remained unfazed. Kiba, however, was laughing uproariously, hands slapping his knee as he was hunched over trying to catch his breath in between wheezes. With Ino delivering a less than delicate jab to his ribs, he cleared his throat and resumed his position, throwing an arm around his date's shoulder.

"How cool was that?" he offered with a slick grin.

"Yeah..." Sakura trailed off in only a slightly sardonic tone, "Very cool."

"Anyways," Ino interrupted, "I'm headed over to Kiba's for the after party, you ready?"

"I, uh, I think I'm just gonna go home."

"Oh, c'mon, Forehead! The night is still young."

"Ino, it's almost two in the morning..."

"So? I'd hardly call that late."

"It's late if you have to be at work in five hours. No more partying for me. I'm going to go home and get some sleep. It's been a long day."

"Suit yourself," her roommate shrugged, "Just get home safely, please."

Before turning to make her leave, Ino was sure to glare at her masked companion one last time, throwing him the best 'Don't-you-dare-do-anything-stupid' look she could muster.

Watching the vampiric couple disappear into the crowd heading towards the doors, Sakura turned her attention back to the handsome man still at her side. Smiling nervously under his penetrating gaze, she swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat and apologized for her rambunctious, and only slightly overprotective, friends. He didn't seem to mind though, flashing her another one of his criminally gorgeous smiles.

"Shall I walk you home?"

"Oh, you don't have to do that. I'll be fine."

"I know I don't have to, but I'd like to."

"Sure, that would be nice," Sakura smiled, feeling heat flare across her cheeks.

With that, they slipped through the remaining guests and made their way outside. With the soft click of their feet against the paved sidewalk and the occasional rustle of leaves, the walk home was rather quiet and relaxing.

She kept stealing glances of his face, her eyes roving over his features appreciatively each chance she got. He was just so handsome, she couldn't believe she'd never seen him before. Someone this good looking would certainly stick out in her mind.

But, she couldn't place him.

He was a complete stranger in her eyes... which left her thirsty for more.

By the time they reached her building, her heart began to sink. She could feel the glittering glow of her gown fading as the pumpkin chariot crumbled away, and the dismal normalcy returned.

The evening was over.

Climbing the stairwell towards her floor, the man held on tightly to her hand, as if pulling her up the flight of stairs as she felt her feet slow. She wanted so badly to dig her heels into the ground and march them back into the party where they would never have to leave. If they never left, the spell would never be broken, and they could live forever in this moment.

Sighing at her ridiculous attempt at clinging to such a notion, Sakura inwardly laughed at herself.

"Well, this is me," she smiled, motioning toward her door.

"Thank you for letting me walk you home," he grinned in return.

"I should be the one thanking you."

"For what?"

"For showing me a wonderful time tonight. Not sure it would have been the same without you. And thanks again for the auction. You're a wonderful dancer, I'm just sorry it came with such an exorbitant price tag."

"It's a small price to pay for someone like you."

As his words washed over her, she felt her cheeks flush once again. Shying away the smile that emerged, Sakura bit her bottom lip, looking up at the mysterious man nervously. Their eyes met briefly before his gaze fell upon her lips. Eyes darkening as he watched her closely, something came over him, as if struggling with some internal battle.

Eventually, his smile faded as he stepped closer, extending a gloved hand to caress her cheek. Letting his thumb trace over her bottom lip, the man exhaled a measured breath before slowly leaning down and pressing his lips against hers tentatively.

Although she was shocked, Sakura welcomed this stranger's kiss, sighing against him as their mouths connected. His lips were soft, yet strong, as she began burning this exact moment into her mind. Tilting her head, she welcomed those lips again and again. His slick, velvet tongue tapped at her lips in search of her own. Obliging his efforts, she returned his fervor and welcomed the muscle with equal enthusiasm.

Whatever he had been struggling with was long gone.

This man's movements were confident and intentional, easily driving her body into a frenzy. Her head was spinning and her blood felt like it was boiling beneath the confines of her skin. She was no longer thinking, only reacting. Her mind was now a mere passenger to the ride her body was going through during this heated exchange.

The growing hunger of the kiss fueled their movements, and before she knew it, she was pressed up against her door, whimpering into the mouth of this magnificent man. She held onto him for dear life, arms wrapped around his sides, fingers digging into the firm flesh of his back as their kiss seemed to suck all the air from her lungs.

Gasping, she felt his strong hands smooth down the sides of her waist and over the curve of her hips. Wanting the man impossibly close, she raised a leg, hooking it over his hip and pulling him flush against her. A gloved hand was quick to comply as it ran up her thigh and rested upon her knee, holding her there as he pressed his body against hers.

As she felt their hips collide, Sakura couldn't help the moan that escaped her lips. Her head was fuzzy, well caught up in the moment, but her body wanted more. She contemplated what would happen next, daring to invite the man inside, but before she could do so, he broke their kiss.

Breathless, they both stared at each other wordlessly, lusty bedroom eyes locked onto one another. As if sensing her intentions, the man seemed to contemplate some internal decision once again before slowly releasing the leg that was wrapped around him.

"I should go," he muttered, as if trying to convince himself of his own words.

"Oh... okay."

Sakura wasn't sure what else to say. Sure they had gotten carried away in the moment, but it was hardly out of nowhere. They had been flirting all night, the attraction palpable, as the obvious chemistry between them seemed to nudge them toward this exact moment. It's not like she had any objections to this going any further, but it seemed he did.

She could only assume the worst as he made no follow-up statement. Untangling themselves from one another, Sakura offered a sweet smile, letting him know all was well.

"Goodnight, and thanks again," she whispered, turning the door knob.

"Goodnight, Sakura," he answered softly.

Once inside, she turned to ask his name, hoping he would be interested in seeing her again, but just like that... he was gone.

Much to her disbelief, the spot where he had stood just seconds prior, was empty. Mouth agape, she walked back outside, looking down each side of her floor's walkway, to no avail.

He had vanished.

Closing the door behind her, Sakura sighed loudly. She couldn't shake the unnerving feeling that settled in the pit of her stomach. Now that the moment had passed, and the spell had been broken, it bothered her that she had no idea who this man was, or if she'd ever see him again.

There was something about the way he said her name just now that made his goodbye seem so final, as if he knew he'd never see her again. It seemed cruel that someone so wonderful would just flee after a night like tonight. Had he not had a good time?

If she was sure of one thing, it was that she had the time of her life tonight. It was a magical evening, and she felt so elated having been the prized possession for someone so ungodly charming and attractive. Who could blame her for wanting more?

Sakura spent the rest of the night lost in thought, wrapped up in the mystery of this man and his disappearance. As she lie in bed, thoughts racing as she stared blankly at the ceiling, one thing became abundantly clear to her.

She may have been the one wearing the witch's costume, but it was she who was under his spell.