Revised Edition

Yes, obviously I changed some parts, since two reviews reckoned the ending could be better. I changed a couple of other things as well.

Thanks a lot to Micrll, Kataan and Velf. Especially Velf who gave me those list of nice words.

I suppose you can review again (as in unsigned reviews) just to tell me what you think of this new version. You don't have to, but if you do I'll review your stuff (but only the anime/movies/books/you-get-the-idea I've seen/read. It's pretty pointless otherwise). ;)

Disclaimer: I (obviously) don't own Spirited Away. But Rayako is a different matter…but not like anyone would want to use her… Actually, what's the point of disclaimers? Everyone knows that we don't own these things. Still…

R&R!!!

"There are no dragons," she declared.

"There are."

"Chihiro, you live in a grand world of fantasy," she laughed, "and of myths and legends. Dragons don't exist."

She and her new friend Rayako were sitting in a quiet corner of the playground. Rayako was holding the sparkling purple hair tie between her teeth while doing Chihiro's hair into an elaborate bun.

"You know, Chihiro? If you stopped believing in spirits and magic and the like, maybe you'll have more friends."

"But they're real," she insisted, partly because she wanted her friend to believe, and partly because she wanted herself to believe. So far no one had believed her stories of the spirit world, most dismissing her as a raving lunatic. And after a week of this treatment she was beginning to think that maybe she was crazy, and all the adventures she had was just a very long dream.

"I'll believe you if you prove it," Rayako said, pulling her back to the present. "If you can show me a real dragon."

Chihiro was silent. How could she show her anything, much less a dragon, when she was close to not believing in herself anymore?

"Let's go to the canteen," Rayako decided after a while.

"You're hungry again?" Chihiro asked.

"Of course."

Chihiro followed her, absently pulling out the fancy hairstyle and putting it back into her usual ponytail. Reviewing Rayako, she conceded that she was really nice – after all she was the only one who felt sorry for a crazy new girl. She was also rather chubby, with few friends. Despite her kindness to Chihiro, she couldn't help resenting her for being a down-to-earth person with very little imagination. And sometimes she wondered how she – or anyone – could live like that.

She leant against the brick wall outside the canteen to wait. Rayako and her food, she thought, a little amused. That was her top priority.

She glanced up at the sky, more out of habit of doing it every free minute of the day than any real reason. Seeing no familiar white streak in the sky, she lowered her eyes regretfully. Her thoughts turned back to the events in the other world. She had to believe it was all true, so she made herself wonder how everyone was going, what Kamaji and Lin were doing, wondering what No-Face and Zeniba were up to, wondering if Haku was free of his apprenticeship…her thoughts swirled around in an endless whirlpool. Most of all she wondered if he had been able to cross from the spirit world into the human world. Haku had promised they'd see each other again, and she sincerely hoped the promise would be kept.

Kohaku she corrected herself firmly.

She searched the sky once again and suddenly her eyes widened in surprise. For the briefest instant – barely a flicker – she saw the white dragon spiralling up into the sky before disappearing behind the clouds. Or had she? It had appeared and disappeared so quickly that she was beginning to feel that she was hallucinating.

"Hey, thanks for waiting," Rayako said, breaking into Chihiro's thoughts, ice cream in hand. "Let's go back."

As she began to walk away Chihiro glanced up at the sky once more. There was no trace of anything she had seen less than a minute ago.

She was distracted in class – that was for certain. She wished the last half an hour of school would disappear into nothingness so that she could get out of here.

"Chihiro, concentrate," the teacher snapped, catching her gazing out the window one too many times.

She looked down at her desk, ashamed.

When they were finally dismissed, Chihiro raced home, eager to be away from the mindlessly chattering crowd of her fellow students. Entering their new home, she quickly realised her parents weren't back from wherever they were yet. Most likely trying to get good bargains for new furniture, she thought, a little mockingly.

She dumped her schoolbag and then decided to dig around for some food. She definitely wasn't like Rayako, but still…

Then a sudden breeze alerted her and she stood up. The windows rattled and she had a sudden flash of her being back at Zeniba's cottage at Swamp Bottom. And could it…could it be…

Almost cautiously she pulled open the door and poked her head out. She sucked in her breath at the majestic white dragon before her and a broad smile lit up her face. The world spun around them, forgetting everything else.

"Haku!" she cried, running to meet him. She pressed her head against his, almost afraid that he would disappear if she didn't. With tears of happiness running freely down her cheeks, she whispered, "Haku…you did it! You crossed into the human world!" Fondly she twisted her fingers into his blue-green fur.

Then Haku nudged her towards his back and she asked, bewildered, "What?"

Suddenly she understood and climbed up, holding on tight. Then he effortlessly launched himself into the air, spiralling into the sunset sky, over the busy towns and cities, higher and higher, climbing through the insubstantial pearl-white clouds.

See, Rayako? There are dragons.

He playfully did a plunging dip before climbing back up higher than before, the wind whistling in their ears. Chihiro's spirits soared, and she exulted, finally being as one with Kohaku.

So, what do you think?

Tell me if the last section is corny, and if so, how. I'm not very good at those types of things. And any 'factual' mistakes.

All kinds of comments – good or bad/flames – are welcome!