Just as he had expected she began to thrash.  His arms wrapped tighter and he knelt in the pool of water, trying to bring her into the water as much as he could so that it could aid in keeping her pain to a minimum.  Or as much as it would be able to.  Hs jaw locked with his resolve and despite himself he gently shushed her until her body stilled in the waters.  When her scent spread around them he looked back towards his sister, making sure that such potency wouldn’t affect her too much as it could be known to do with vampires.

A set of fingers wrapped around his wrist, bringing back his attention.  Looking down at her he saw her eyes for the first time in person.  They looked so similar in the dream world but now, in their true lives, he realized how far off they had been.  His lips parted as she touched his face, his hair, and his heart pulled in sympathy for her.  He had come to wake her, but just as he had said before, it wasn’t for the reasons she might have hoped for.  This was hardly the time or place to bring that up though, so instead he closed his eyes and gently exhaled. 

“Right now, let’s concentrate on getting your body healed…”   It wasn’t going to easy and it certainly wasn’t going to be pleasant, but for now they had to remain in the water so that her body could recuperate as much as it would be able to before she was sent with his sister.  The Mother still needed to make the artifact from their hair, and he wasn’t sure how long that would take but hoped it wouldn’t be too long.  The longer he stayed around Holly, the harder it would be for her when he had to leave, and her body was going through enough pain as is to have that kind of emotion added onto it.  It wouldn’t be easy for anyone, much less someone coming back to life.

“I’ve brought someone who’s going to help, she can be trusted.”

Holly seemed like she was going to go back to sleep. She was exhausted from waking up and it showed so heavily as her eyes went from wide eyed to slit. She tried to shift herself in the water as she shivered. "I know," the girl now a woman was hardly the fool she had once been. "Someone told me already." There had been someone else watching over them. Someone else that had connected their dreams and allowed them to see each other. Perhaps it was fate or just someone looking to do a good deed but she gave a slight smile. "I know you're leaving. I just can't remember who told me. My head hurts Naota." She held onto him and shivered more.

"I'll trust her if you say so." Her silver eyes tried to look around but she found herself strained as she tried. "Naota?" She looked up at him and smiled. "You've changed a lot." Maybe the dreams had done their damage on the inside but on the outside it was much like how she use to be. It was too awkward for her to just remain silent. Closing her eyes she lost her smile as she leaned her head back. "I'm so tired but I don't want to sleep." Her voice was tired now as she yawned and tried  to push herself against him.

When the time came to bring her out Angela checked her all over. "First thing first," Angela slapped her daughter across the face. "Never and I repeat never do something this stupid again! If you have a problem come home and your family will help you deal with it." Holly nodded and didn't seem to mind as if she knew that were to happen. "Second, Holly's body hasn't regained all function… She's not going to age anymore or grow anymore. What you see is what there always will be. No bust growth, no height change, nothing." Angela ran her magic down Holly examining more. "Her magic is on the frizz but that should be alright for now. I can make the amulets for you now if you would give me some of your hair Naota." Angela took strands of Holly's hair. "Might take a little bit to get them constructed. This is powerful magic." Finally Angela kissed her daughter's forehead. "Don't think about leaving us again."

Someone had told her already…?  Who could have done that?  His lips parted, trying to recall if he had ever noticed or sensed another presence whilst being in the dream world with her.  Right now he couldn’t remember, but he’d look into it more at a later time.  If Minasé would cooperate then he might be able to aid in that, after all: he was always in his mind, watching things from the inside as if by a window.  Though he doubted the daemon would do anything to help him unless there was also a chance of it bringing him trouble.
 
At the end of the day it was hard to trust anything he said.  Hiromi didn’t seem to have much better luck with her daemon, but her psionic abilities when it came to the mind were greater than his own…she might be able to offer some help.

He pulled her closer, hoping that some of his body heat was able to transfer to her despite the chill of the water.  She was right, he had changed a lot.  In physical state there wasn’t too much of a drastic difference since he’d only gone from nineteen to twenty three visually, but mentally…?  She had no idea.  Despite that, he attempted a smile, they may have their differences but he was glad that she was awake and hoped that she’d be able to grow stronger from the experience.

Angela’s smack to her made his eyes widen almost comically.  He couldn’t say that he was surprised by it, his own mother would have beat him nearly back to death if he’d ever done something like this.

Careful not to let her sink further into the water, he cradled her under one of his arm so that he could lift his other hand up to his hair on the back of his head.  He gathered a few strands and twisted them around his fingers before pulling them out and extending his hand towards The Mother.

It might take a while, but at least it was something that could work and help.  He sighed, moving his arm back under her to give her better support against himself.  “It’s all right, do what needs done…”   He looked back down at Holly, checking to see if she was still having trouble keeping awake.  They’d gotten this far, he wasn’t going to let her slip back into that place if he could help it.

Angela took his hair and held it separate from Holly's. She moved to a table and set it down. Bringing her hand up she formed two crystals. Taking the crystals she put them down and looked between the hair and them. She began to sing softly as she separated the crystals and began to beat them into dust. She weaved the hair together and placed each braid inside of the dust. She waved her hand over it and the crystal was now formed around the braid. Her singing got louder as magic began to flow from the earth through the crystal and dance around Holly and Naota.

The magic shifted colors as it danced and  Angela raised her hands for a moment as more magic came from the earth. It was much more large and visible compared to what the average person could do. This was a blessing. Angela's voice got louder but it flowed through the earth and through the magic itself. It would tickle Naota and Holly as it came through them and braided. "Bond these two until the time comes when it is no longer needed. By my grace as a member of the Triune and Goddess to the Tree, I bless these two by magic, aura, life force, and bond them by these pendants." The pendants started to glow and the magic in the air disappeared. The two necklaces were on string now as she held them in her hands.

"They are ready. You can come out of the water now." The pendants were an odd thing. They beat like each other's heartbeat. "Don't be afraid of them. They will break when the time comes when everything is alright once more. I am the Mother and I wish no ill will on either of my children this day. Naota, my wayward son who is plagued by many things and not born of my blood and Holly, my run away daughter who is also plagued by many things. By the time these pendants break I hope that you find answers to some of the things that plague you."

All he could do was watch in awe as The Mother did her work.  He’d heard of how she could turn any ordinary object into an artifact, but he’d never actually seen it done.  Even now, with it right in front of him, it was almost hard to believe.  He pulled Holly closer as if she would be in danger when the magick spiked, he just couldn’t help it since it was something he wasn’t used to.  His eyes watched as each step followed the next and he wondered what it would be like to wear something like that around his neck, even if it was for a brief amount of time against his long life. 

When instructed, he moved out of the water with her, keeping her cradled easily despite the added weight of the water.  He stopped in front of her, eyeing one of the necklaces, knowing that soon he’d be wearing it and his eyes widened when he saw that it had a pulse to it.  That would take some getting used to for sure.  He moved one hand out, still able to easily support her as he did so, and took the two necklaces: draping one around Holly’s neck and one around his own.  Now that he was wearing it he was able to tell that it wasn’t his heartbeat at all, and as he watched her necklace it all became clear: they felt each other’s heart beats.

He said nothing to that, though for him it felt a little too intimate for his liking, but if this was what was going to help her heal then he’d be fine with it until the time came that they were no longer needed.  “Is that to say that when she’s healed from this, the necklaces will break…?  What do we do with them when they’re no longer needed…?”   He highly doubted that they should be sent to a rubbish bin, and he would have felt wrong for doing so in the first place.  Something with this much power wouldn’t have surprised him if it needed something specific to aid in disposing of it.

Angela watched them put the necklaces on and smirked. "My dear Naota, the magic I put into them will vanish. The amulets will remain intact but they will lose the special features. What you do with these gifts is up to you and up to you." She looked to Holly. "I believe that Fate has a special string for you two. Whether it is being friends or something more I would take these words wisely." She leaned in close. "Never let go of that fate string. You are still being introduced to each other. Grow stronger from this and move forward through the fields of life. When the time comes I want you both to come to my temple. You two will know when that time is."

Looking over to Hiromi she smiled and nodded. "You may take my daughter with not a Goddess's blessing but my blessing as a mother. Her mother. When I ascended centuries ago I killed my husband and my children in a freak accident. I wouldn't trust my children with just anyone. They are my precious treasure, all hundred and sum of them. No matter what mistakes they make in life I will be there for them. I will survive the great falls of the World Tree and remain here for them as their guide. My only regret will be watching death take them. Immortality is terrible like that."

Thinking for a moment the Goddess brushed her daughter's hair. Finally she backed up and got down on the floor. The room was alone. "Naota, please take care and let your kin take care of my daughter. This is my request as a mother. Not a Goddess. Not a queen. Her siblings and I make this simple request, protect her and make sure she gets better." She lowered her head to the ground and her red hair spilled around her. Finally she stood up and smiled. "I can do that much as a mother."

Hiromi watched on in professional silence, but he could tell that the deepest soft spot his sister had was being pressed on in the most effective way by The Mother.  Neither of them could have children lest they wanted to carry on their family’s curse, and while Naota was coming to terms with that in his own way, he knew the pain was much greater for his sister…she’d already had more taken from her than he could ever imagine, and that added blow just made it all worse.  Angela could not have chosen more perfect words to speak to her had he directed her himself. 

Hiromi gave a short nod, her eyes drifting over to Naota and Holly, awaiting further instruction like a trained soldier that caught even him off guard.  For even he was left blind to the true intentions of her tayuu house and had no idea that his sister was in truth an assassin, used to much stricter orders than these.

He looked down at the necklace that rested against his collar; laying over the now empty vial that had held the antidote.  The two belonged against each other seeing as they were intended for the same use: to help her as she healed. 

As of now he wasn’t sure what he would do with either item once her healing was complete and their significance was no longer there.  Most likely he would give them to Holly, wanting her to have as many reminders to never do this to herself again as was possible.  His lips parted when The Mother moved herself to the floor and he dipped his head down in respect, eyes staying on the floor until her head lifted back up. 

Only then did he nod in thanks and gratitude.  She could have been much more cruel.  Had she wanted to she could have forced his hand to wake her daughter, not done any of this to make it easier on him, but she had done so with ne’er an argument.  “I give you my word that she’ll be able to protect her and help her heal…”

When he righted himself back up it was to see Hiromi moving with the floating grace that only her kind could manage towards them.  Her arms reached out and he carefully moved Holly into them, not surprised that her weight had no effect on Hiromi in the least.  Hiromi’s arms kept her cradled just as his did, though her hands rested on her shoulder and thigh in a way so similar to holding a child that it surprised him.