"Ta da!" Alyson said, coming out of her room and posing with a flourish to show off her planned costume for Halloween.

Alyson's mouse friend and next door dormmate Sadie clapped lightly. It was just on the brink of seeming sarcastic. "A sexy nurse, Alyson? Not bad. Definitely a classic choice."

"Just a regular nurse," Alyson protested. "Not every Halloween costume has to be sexy!"

"Beg to differ," said Sadie. "On both things you said."

"You've definitely got some cleavage going on there, Lee. It's not not sexy," said Sable, Alyson's other mouse friend and other next door dormmate. She looked the sheep up and then down and then up again. "Also, that skirt is doing all kinds of things for your thighs. Like exposing them."

Alyson flushed in embarrassment at this assessment. "Okay, so it's a little sexy. But I couldn't find a non-sexy nurse costume!"

"Why would you want to?" asked Sadie. "Are non-sexy nurses even a real thing?"

"Stop teasing me," chided Alyson, stomping a hoof in frustration.

"The look works for you," said Sable, still looking her friend over. "I guess you really wanted to dress as a nurse for some reason?"

Alyson looked sheepish, or more so than usual. "It's aspirational, I guess."

"You want to be a sexy nurse when you grow up?" asked Sadie, definitely messing with Alyson intentionally.

"A regular, non-sexy nurse! And don't act like you don't know! I know I've mentioned!"

"Have you?" asked Sadie. "Do we talk about things that aren't your panda crush?"

"Of course we do! And it's not a crush," Alyson lied.

"I'm actually surprised that you're not planning a costume from that space adventures of Captain Panda thing," said Sable. "You said you had a great idea for one."

The Cosmic Adventures of Captain Zheng, Alyson mentally corrected but did not say aloud. She also thought of visiting home and the disastrous attempt with her mom's sewing machine. "That idea wouldn't have been ready in time. Store-bought is fine!"

"Store-bought sexy nurse," Sadie said.

"Well, what are you wearing for Halloween?" asked Alyson, trying to put Sadie on the spot.

"Big-tiddy teacher," Sadie deadpanned. She then laughed at Alyson's confused expression. "I don't plan Halloween. I'm not a kid. I'm going to procrastinate until the last minute and then buy the sluttiest costume left. Give the hopeless boys something to talk about." She looked Alyson over again. "Hey, if we wind up wearing the same thing, no offense."

"HEY!" Alyson protested.

Ignoring Alyson, Sadie turned to Sable because she knew the answer would be good. "What about you, Sables? How slutty you planning to go?"

Sable pulled out a notebook labelled "Destroy The Bat (At Costumes)" and flipped it open to the middle. The pages were crammed with notes and sketches. "I'm still in the reconnaissance phase. As soon as I know what little Miss Nyx plans to wear, I'll know how to totally show her up!"

Alyson had been getting to know Sable and it still threw her whenever the mouse swung between being a mostly reasonable person to a "from Hell's heart I stab at thee!" level of obsession with an upperclassman.

"Sable... is that... healthy?"

Sable was flipping through her notebook and didn't hear but Sadie did. "You're a sexy nurse, not a sexy therapist, Aly. Let her have her fun."

"It's not- whatever!"

---

Alyson March owned by me
Art by  tgwonder