"Seriously though Osi, you should plant some flowers over in that corner. Some windflowers or hycainth would look absolutely lovely!" She twirled around with a small laugh.

"When will you go get your OWN garden to decorate? Mine is for herbal plants and medicinal aid. It's not meant to be a pretty floral wonderland." Osiris laughed as he ruffled Dakota's hair, or well, what would have been Dakota's hair had she been in her own body.

The two had become great friends since the day he had come home to find her wandering around his garden. She was like a little sister to him, helping to ease the small void that had been left by the disappearance of his sister Thal. He had to admit that he was rather glad he had not tried to seriously hit on the young woman before him. He had thought about it at one point, mind you, but was more than content to grow into an older brother type of friendship. Not to mention the fact that he had seen a woman around the forest that had peeked his interest. He still needed to find a way to run into her.

It had been quite the surprise when she had wandered into his home this morning looking absolutely nothing like herself and completely like Aura. Osiris had almost lost his mind at the fact that another Original had found their way into his shop. At least Aura hadn't come in with a bad attitude and covered in blood. Still, he had been rather grateful to find out that it wasn't actually the goddess brightening the doorway of his shop. He had sat there and listened as Dakota told her story, hardly able to believe what he was hearing. Had it not been for the fact that she looked exactly like Aura (minus the few times the platinum blonde hair turned bright red), he wouldn't have believed her.

So now, here he was in his garden with Dakota-Aura. He had told her to keep her head down and to go home, but the rebellious child had refused to listen, telling him that she would be more than careful He shook his head as he gave Dakota a playful shove, moving to collect the herbs behind her. "Don't you have something better to do than bother an old man and his herb garden?"

Dakota crossed her arms and pouted playfully. "Bother? Oh Osi, how deeply you wound me with your calloused words. I can bother you instead by asking why you haven't found yourself a woman to decorate that sad excuse of a house?" She laughed as she bumped into him, almost knocking him into his plants.

"Girl. Now you are just pushing it, I'm about to toss you into the pond if you keep this up. Although, I'm not sure how Aura would respond to me tossing her body into water." He laughed before standing up and moving to the next plant. "Are you going to stand there and daydream or make yourself useful and help me collect these plants?"

Dakota stuck out her tongue at him before moving to grab a basket. She was about to pick it up when her hands froze in place, her head swiveling to look towards the center of the city streets. Osiris caught her faraway look and coughed to try and get the girl's attention. "Earth to Dakota. You finally lose your last brain cell?" He waved his free hand in front of her face, pulling it away as she reached out to try and lick him.

"Nope! I still have it! But I have to run along now. I think my sister just arrived in town!" She threw the empty basket at Osiris and darted out of the garden, throwing a wave goodbye over her shoulder.

That child was a wildflower and Osiris could only laugh as the platinum blonde hair disappeared in the distance. He just hoped she pulled that hood up and kept herself safe in that borrowed body.

******

Dakota made her way down the main street in Oliford, wandering in between the few market stalls and alleyways. She had almost forgotten Osiris' warnings, but the foreign anxiety that bubbled up within her at the sight of the crowded street reminded her. She pulled the hooded bright blue cloak up and over her hair, hiding the brilliant blonde locks from view. Hopefully, no one would recognize her as Aura. Blue eyes darted around, searching for her sister within the slight crowd. She kept to the edges of the street, following the pull of the invisible thread that seemed to always connect her to some members of her family.

She could feel the invisible thread growing more taunt as she got closer, a wide grin crossing her face as she spotted her. She would recognize her sister anywhere in the world, within any crowd. Thankful that Ellie had kept towards the sides of the busy streets instead of in the middle, Dakota ran up behind her, throwing her arms around her neck and hugging her back. "ELS! I knew it was you!" She laughed, spinning her sister around to face her. She hugged her sister again, COMPLETELY forgetting about the fact that the face she wore was not her own. In fact, it never even occurred to her that she wasn't in her own body and that her sister may be more than a little weirded out by the fact their grandmother was hugging her.