Aneko: Hello again! Okay, so this fanfic may be the cheesiest I've written, but…I couldn't help it…it was asking to be written.

Okaeri

Gentle music filled the misty clearing, a stage for the two dancers. It was a pas de deux they danced, this Prince and his Princess, so graceful and elegant you never wanted to look away. The Prince had eyes only for the Princess, and he looked at her so tenderly itr was obvious he loved her.

No one was audience to the dance, but for a small yellow duck. She watched the pair happily. Mytho, Rue-chan. I'm so happy…they got their happy ending.

Demo… The smile on her face faded. I'm just a duck now.

She looked down to see her reflection in the water she was swimming in.

That's right…I'll never be a girl again. I can't study ballet with everyone anymore.

A ripple distorting her reflection made Ahiru look up. Mytho and Rue had gone, and in their place, someone else danced alone upon the water. His feet created more ripples as he danced lightly on the surface.

Fakir.

That's right. Even though I'm a duck now, Fakir said he would stay with me. Did I ever thank him? I should…

Ahiru opened her mouth (beak) and only a quack came out.

And this time, she couldn't stop tears from welling up in her eyes, as she realized what she missed the most.

Speech.

She couldn't talk to Fakir, like he talked to her. He gave her so much, and she could give nothing in return. She couldn't tell him how grateful she was, how much he meant to her…

At that moment, Fakir looked at her. That look, only for her, was so gentle that a tear slid down her cheek, landing in the lake with a ringing noise. Ahiru gasped as she was surrounded by light. A few moments later she stood, in human form, dressed in a snowy white dress just like the one she had dreamed of wearing to dance with Mytho, all that time ago.

She looked up from staring at her hands in shock, to see Fakir holding out his hand to her. Immediately, Ahiru accepted, and he swept her into a dance.

Just as they had danced before, Ahiru found that she felt safe, and stronger, as Fakir's arms supported her. This time, though, they were not dancing a dance that would help end a story; they were dancing simply because they wished simply to dance.

As they continued to dance, though, Ahiru's tears only increased, and Fakir's eyes seemed to question silently.

Why? Why are you sad? Why are you crying?

Ahiru smiled sadly through those tears.

Because…

"I am a duck. And…"

…and no matter how wonderful…

"This is a dream."

…this dream will end.

Ahiru was wakened unwillingly by sunlight shining through the window. She turned away, hiding in her warm nest of sheets and blankets.

Not yet. She couldn't get up yet. The dream still lingered, fresh, in her mind, and she could not give it up yet. Not to go and face another day as a duck.

"AHIRU!!" Someone burst through the door to the room.

Quacking in surprise, Ahiru fell off the bed, taking one of the sheets with her, and landed in a tangle of arms and legs.

Wait a minute- a tangle of arms and legs?!

Ahiru looked at herself in dawning realization. Salmon-colored hair filled her peripheral vision, and skinny arms and legs, no one's but her own, stuck out from the folds of a slightly large nightgown.

"Ahiru!" The person who had come in hugged Ahiru.

"Rue-chan!" Ahiru said in surprise. She was still in shock from her transformation, whenever it had occurred. She had stepped from a sleeping dream into a waking dream.

"Rue-chan, what are you doing here? And how did I change back?!"

Rue smiled. "Well we can't have you change back and not have any clothes to wear, can we?" She left the second question unanswered, helping Ahiru extricate herself from the sheet from the floor.

"Come on, you should eat."

She pulled the younger girl quickly downstairs.

Ahiru looked around in confusion. She was still in Fakir's house (where she had always stayed at night as a duck), but said young man was nowhere to be seen. The whole house seemed empty apart from her and Rue.

Ahiru found Rue was a good cook (though she admitted to herself that she thought Fakir was better), and after she was done, Rue began speaking (or rather, musing).

"I think my clothes will fit you, they just might be a bit big…but it's not like we put any time aside for new clothes…"

"Huh?" Ahiru was bewildered. "Rue-chan, what-"

Come on, come on," Rue said, pulling Ahiru up and back to the bedroom. She opened a trunk and pulled out several clothing items, holding them up in front of Ahiru. Rue made her try on a few, but they all felt stiff and awkward to Ahiru. More like dresses a real Princess would wear.

Rue shook her head, finally pulling out the old school uniform.

"I can only see you wearing this…well, I don't think he cares that much anyway."

She hustled Ahiru to change into it, waiting outside.

When Ahiru emerged, Rue once again pulled her quickly downstairs, and out the front door, starting to run.

By now Ahiru felt rushed and confused. Where was Fakir? Why was Rue-chan here? Did this mean Mytho was here too? Why was she human? How was she human? The questions swirled endlessly, so that it was hard to concentrate on following Rue, wherever she was going.

"Rue-chan, why-"

"Ah, there!" Rue sped up, so Ahiru was forced o follow suit, her questions falling once again on deaf ears.

Suddenly, Rue's hands gave her a slight push forward.

"See you later, Ahiru!"

"But Rue-chan-" Ahiru turned to look at her friend, only to find that she had disappeared.

Ahiru turned back in the direction she had been pushed. There had to be a reason for all of this, right?

She recognized her location immediately. She was in the area just after the entrance gate to the ballet school.

Down the short walk, just before the stairs leading up to the school door, two more figures stood. It was impossible to see their features from here, with the sun in her eyes, but Ahiru could see the one close to her had his back turned to her, talking to the other, who was facing her. If she squinted, Ahiru thought the one facing her had white hair.

Mytho?

Mytho, if it was he, seemed to notice her, because he pointed to Ahiru. The other turned slowly, as Mytho walked away, into the school building.

He began walking towards her, and as each step echoed and he grew ever nearer, Ahiru's eyes began to fill with happy tears. She understood. It was him. He had written for her once again. Perhaps it had even started with that dream. He had even brought back Rue and Mytho for when she transformed. And now, he stood only a few feet away, giving her that smile that was only for her; and Ahiru said the word she had wanted to say for so long.

"Fakir."

Her voice, though choked with tears, was joyful nonetheless.

"Okaeri, Ahiru," he murmured gently.

-Owari-

Aneko: Yay!! I think this may be really cheesy, but I couldn't help it. I think it's cute!!

Okaeri means "welcome home" in Japanese, but I don't know if I spelled it right. Sorry if I didn't…