A/N: Alright everyone, just to let you know, I'm rewriting this story because I realized that it needed some serious fixed due to when I originally wrote it. I plan to have a far more in depth plot along with character development. Although, I'll likely need a little help with the lay out of Gaia itself as I'm mixing the movie version with the original anime to broaden the reaches of the story. Any chapters that are new or redone, will say "REWRITTEN" at the top. A few might disappear in general after a while, but I still plan to have most of what I've written in the story, just highly spaced out is all. That way the story doesn't progress overly quickly because I know that it had frustrated a few people with how things had rushed by. Anyway, if anyone has any suggestions at all, please don't hesitate to message me because I want to make this story as great as possible. Thanks again everyone and enjoy the story!

-Rewritten-

~The Final Kindred Spirit~

Chapter 1

In Sleep I Fade

I lay still, resting in a field, the clouds above rolling by in the sky. My name is, Tatsumi Rikota, I remind my self. I live my life day to day, taking it one step at a time. Ever since I was 12, I've lived in dreams, resting my spirit, and hiding from the world. Here in this field… This is my dream.

T

I lay there in my bed stuck between the realm of sleep and consciousness. Beside me, the clock ticking away as always, and silence otherwise echoing around me. This house holds the memories I loved, the memories of my past that I now seem dwell on. This is all I have left, my parents gone, leaving the house to me as I live my life. Where are my parents some may ask? Well, they are no longer here. My mom died when I was 12, leaving a part of me cold and empty. My dad on the other hand, he's always traveling around for or some other reason, so I never see him. He sends me money every month though, but that's all, so I'm left by myself.

Slowly, I manage to open my eyes, coming out of what was left of my dream as I'm pulled back to reality and myself. I look at the clock at my bedside, the time reading 11:33 as it sits there unmoving, and I let out a sigh.

"Another day, another breath. Another day in this empty house…"

I slowly sit up, brushing the hair from my face as I do, sitting there for a moment before I place my feet on the floor. Once I'm downstairs, I eat my breakfast, the smell of buttered toast and juice around me filling my nose as I swallow each bit. Every day it's the same, nothing ever changes, and nothing ever will. That is why I sleep. I sleep to fade away from the world. I fade away without worries or fear because I know that it will never change. Every time I sleep, I fade away. Sometimes, I even fade away to where I'm with my mother, standing still inside her loving arms.

The water runs as I wash the dishes, cleaning them, before putting them away. Glass plates are seated inside one cabinet and the cups in another; once again, it never changes. I go to pick up the phone as it rings, holding it to my ear as I hear a voice on the other side.

"Tatsumi, my dear, how are you?" the voice of a man asks, his voice worn and gruff.

The voice itself was familiar. The sound was just as spirited as I remembered, but clouded somehow. It was my father.

"Dad?" I manage to choke out.

"Yes, it me," he chuckled. "I'm calling to check up on you…"

I listened as he paused for a moment before finally continuing to speak.

"And to tell you that I'm coming home for a bit."

My grip loosened on the phone. I couldn't believe it, he was actually coming home, after being gone for so long he was actually coming home. I heard a voice in the background then. I couldn't hear what they were saying though.

"I'm sorry honey, I have to go, but I'll see you in a few days."

After that, he hung up, and I frowned. There was a hint of disappointment welling up inside of me.

"…Bye dad..."

I let out a heavy sigh. He didn't even let me say good bye. Pushing that to the side, I remembered that at least he's coming home. This made me smile slightly at the thought.

"It's been so long," I whispered, placing the phone back on the hook as I grab my shoes and walk outside.

I sat there on the porch for a moment I slipped on my socks and shoes. So many things were going through my head right now. I'd have to tidy up the house, maybe air it out a bit even. Then there was the yard. I cringed at the thought. I hadn't really done much to it over the last month, the weeds already starting to try and take it over. I'd have a lot of pulling to do.

"I guess I should get some more food then too, maybe I'll make a cake or something," I muttered, a small smile pulling at the corner of my lips. "Yes, he'd like that."

T

I stand there in front of the shelves, browsing the aisles as I grab what I need and checking it off my list.

"Ok, milk...Check. Eggs check. Sugar, check."

I grab two loafs of bread next, placing them in the cart next to the eggs so that they don't get squished.

"Bread, check. Hmm, what else?"

I stand there thinking for a moment, finger to my chin as a wrack my brain for the answer. Suddenly, it was like a light bulb flipped on.

"Coffee! I need coffee," I smile as I look through all of the coffee, spotting what I was looking for.

Hazelnut. It's my dad's favorite. I pick it up, holding it for a moment, and thinking back to when I was small.

T

I ran down the steps, a smile plastered on my face as I tried not to trip over my own feet.

"Daddy, Daddy!" I cried out, hand clutched at my side in excitement as he chuckles.

"What is it cupcake?" he asked as he sat there at the table, coffee in hand, the paper on the table

I grinned as I ran to him, hoping on his lap without a second though, his coffee sloshing slightly in its cup.

"I lost another tooth," I said, showing it to him. "See, see?"

He smiled down at me, a warm look in his eyes. It was a look that he always gave me, one that made my heart swell.

"Yes, I see, and do you know what that means?"

I shook my head no as he proceeded to tell me.

"It means you're starting to be a big girl now," he said as he smiled down at me again.

A thought popped into my head just then, a smile growing on my lips.

"Can big girls try daddy's drink?" I asked, smile never wavering as he chuckled again, placing a hand on top of my head.

"Of course."

With that, he grabbed his mug and brought it to rest in my tiny hands. I smiled up at him with a toothless grin, two teeth missing, creating that funny smile. I took a gulp from it, my face scrunching up as I stuck my tongue out, this causing him to laugh.

"I knew you would be that way."

I gave the cup back to him, a questionable look on my small face.

"How can daddy like that stuff? It's icky!" I cried, face still scrunched up in disgust as I stuck my tongue out, watching as he gave a hearty laugh.

"Because I can," he smiled down at me, ruffling my hair.

T

"How I miss those times…"

I gave a sad smile as I placed the bag of coffee in the cart, finishing up and heading to the register. I paid for my stuff and headed back home. As I walked I watched as a bird flew overhead, free to do as it pleases. How I wish I could be like that, to fly around without a care in the world.

Closing my eyes, I try to clear my head. That's when I heard it, eyes flitting open. There seemed to be a song floating in the air, the melody oh so beautiful. It was a woman's voice that came echoing through my soul, along with the wind as it blew through my hair. It gave me a sense of peace. I then thought of my dad and ran home, waiting for when he would come home.

I waited for him and waited, the cake baked and sitting in the container. The house had been cleaned, the yard trimmed. I'd pulled every weed that I could find until my hands were sore. My dad, he never came home. The phone rang a few days later, I ran to it, hoping it was my dad to tell me that he was finally on his way. Perhaps he'd finally landed at the airport.

"Dad? Where are you? Are you almost here?" I breathed out.

I couldn't wait to see him, to feel his arms around me and experience the warmth that was him.

"Listen, honey, I'm sorry," he sighed, sounding like he was running a hand through his hair. "Something came up and…I can't come home."

I frowned, sadness taking hold of me, sorrow taking its place. All the hope that had welled up inside of me came crashing down.

"Why did you even bother to call…?" I sighed, screwing my eyes shut.

There was silence on the other end for a moment, before I heard a scuffling noise on the other end.

"Wha-what do you mean? I don't understand."

I just shook my head. Was he that clueless? Did he really not understand at all?

"Why do you even bother to call? You never come home…"

My voice was small, tears welling up in my eyes as I stood there, taking in the sound of his breath.

"Honey…"

"…Just leave me alone. It's never going to change…" I choked out.

"I..I'm sorry, I thought…" his voice was sad, I could hear him go silent. "I… Understand… I guess we'll talk some other time then. Good bye, sweetheart."

I slowly walked outside, onto the porch, my feet dragging as I went.

"I'm such an idiot...for saying that to him," I choked out, swallowing the lump in my throat.

I started to regret what I had said, but at the same time, I knew that I was right. He always let work come first. It'd been that way practically ever since Mom died.

"I'm so stupid!" I cried, clutching at my hair.

Why couldn't things just go away? Why couldn't it all just fade away and leave me in peace?

"Just go away!" I cried, tears rolling down my face. "Please, just make it stop?" I pleaded, looking toward the sky as I pleaded with whatever was there that might hear me. "Please, just t-take it away?"

My chest began to hurt as I sat on the porch hunched over, my hand clutching my heart. Why did it hurt so much? Why?

That's when I finally heard it, a voice, a man's voice. It came out muffled at first as if trying to solidify itself.

"Yes, let everything fade away…"

My eyes misted over a bit as I rose my head, brows furrowing. Where had it come from? In the back of my head, I could hear the same song that I'd heard a few days ago, the sound soothing me. Slowly, I followed the sound, walking toward the park as the evening sun began to set.

"Let this sad world…let everything fade away…" the man's voice seemed to echo, the sound resonating inside of me.

I continued walking, almost in a daze as the let the voices envelop me in a feeling of serenity. It was comforting in a way that I just couldn't explain, so soothing. Soothing. That was what it was to me. It was a feeling that I hadn't felt in so long.

As I drew further, passing the bend of trees, my eyes caught that of a man. He stood covered in a black cloth, a hood over his head and his mouth covered. The only real part that I could see of him was his eyes, nose, and a few strands of hair; everything else was cloaked in black. His eyes connected with mine, locking our gaze with one another. It was almost… Spellbinding.

"Come… My kindred spirit," he breathed out as he raised his hand, extending it forward. "Come to this land from the world beyond…"

Kindred spirit. My mother used to call me that as a child, but I never truly understood why. I took a few more steps forward, my gaze still locked with his as his strong voice sounded once more.

"Come join me…my chosen one…."

Does he mean me? Maybe… Maybe he can help me.

"You are the goddess….that will fulfill the destiny of our world. Our war… Our world, Gaia, welcome you…"

His hand still stayed out stretched as I slowly walked forward, my eyes never leaving his, nor his mine as a dark shadow flew across us from above. His eyes seemed to draw me closer, until I was right in front of him. My hand slowly made its way toward his as he continued to stand unmoving. It wasn't until my fingers finally brushed his that he grasped it firmly.

Suddenly, all of my energy seemed to drain from my body, my knees buckling beneath me until I was brought to the ground. One hand sat in front of me as he still held my other in a firm grip, a slight grin on his face maybe, though it was covered.

"What's… What's happening…?" I whispered.

Water began to raise from the pond behind him, slowly beginning to flow around both of us as he held my hand. It was as if we were in a giant sphere as it continued to raise, filling the area around us.

"Why?" I whispered, confusion obviously written across my face.

It seemed as though he wanted to say something, the fabric around his mouth lifting slightly, before sinking back to where it was before. His eyes softened momentarily though as the water slowly rose above my shoulders.

"Clear your mind and all shall be well," he finally whispered, kneeling down in front of me as the water rose above my chin, fear prickling at the back of my mind. "Soon, all shall be well."

"Please," I whispered as a rush of water finally rushed over me, rising above my head and clouding my vision.

The man's grip seemed to slacken a bit as an unknown force pulled at my body, my grip tightening ever so slightly as I feared the disconnect between us. Again, fear pushed to the front of my mind as we were roughly pulled apart, my body falling through the water and into its depths.

Someone…

Help me…

T

All I can feel is falling. It's hard to explain. I'm falling through an endless sky of nothing as my subconscious has hold of me.

What happened?

Perhaps I'm dreaming and I'll just wake up to how things were.

Am I dreaming?

I kept asking questions in my head as I tried to bring back the last thing I remembered. That man in black. He was hypnotizing. I could remember his voice. I was walking without really thinking, feet treading across the grass. I remember my father, our conversation on the phone. Suddenly, all the pain starts to return, unshed tears burning at the corner of my eyes.

Is that why I'm here?

Alright everyone, as stated before, I'm rewriting this story, so please message me and let me know what you think? This story is going to have a lot of reworking, but will still keep the original action that I've placed into it.