The sun has set in the city of Tearde. The streets are dimly lit with light leaking from the open windows of the residents. (There aren't any street lamps) Bale notes this while looking out the window from the room above the stables. He had gotten used to a low technology life-style, and he rather enjoyed it. However, it didn't come without its own inconveniences.

Bale began to wonder, for the upteenth time, whether or not it would be a good thing to introduce technology from earth to make their lives better. He's keenly aware of the environmental devastation that comes with machines and industralization. As his mind wanders, a voice brings him back to the present.

"So little brother, about that invitation to the baroness's estate..." Ebina states while brushing her hair. "...I think I want to do that after all." She smiles. "That's great." Bale replies "I'll let mother know tomorrow."

"But, do you have any more songs you can come up with?" "I have plenty." Bale smiles. He would much rather be writing plagiarized music than fill his mind with vengeance. This was a nice and refreshing change of pace for him.

"The party is in 10 days, so we have plenty of time to practice a few more. Are you up for that?" Bale asks, knowing the answer already. "Yes, lets do it brother!" Ebina smiles as she jumps over to hug Bale. Bale was addicted to the joy of spending quality time with a family member. It didn't matter what they were doing, as long as it was together. It was something he sorely missed in his past life.

For the next several days, the siblings stayed behind and practiced their new songs while their parents were busy at the marketplace. Their mother would come and check on them ocassionally. And every night, Bale would change the number of Zodiac stones in his posession while he slept.

And on the seventh morning, he woke up on Earth as Johar. "Damn, looks like I can only activate one Zodiac stone at a time." He then looks around the room, his roommates are awake and getting ready to go to class. He then finds the clock (it's 7:03 AM. But...what day? Did this body sleep all 8 days while he was in Etheria?)

"Hey Timmy, what day is it?" asks Bale. A young boy with curly brown hair - struggling to put on a shirt - replies "Umm, April 8." "Thank you." Johar smiles. "No problem." Timmy gives him a thumbs up. (It's still the same day I killed Renalt!!) Johar raises a brow. (Does time move differently here?)

(Or maybe my progress here stops while I'm in another world?)

Knock Knock! "Hey Johar." Emily smiles while near the door. She's already dressed in the orphanage's attire: A blue blouse with a gray vest and skirt. "Sister Emily!" Johar rolls out of his bed. "Good morning!" He runs up to her "Are you feeling okay sis?" He tenderly touches her bruised cheeks, hoping this will be the last time he has to see her face discolored. "I am, thanks. Lets go get some breakfast!" Emily smiles.

"Okay, please give me a few minutes!" (His mood seems to be better today. Did something happen yesterday?) Emily thinks to herself.

Johar looks in the mirror as he's brushing his teeth (Well, it looks like I figured out how to travel between here and Etheria) he thinks to himself. (Since I'll be living 2 lives. It's going to be confusing so i better keep a diary)

Johar did worry about what would happen if someone found his diary. But he quickly came up with a fool proof plan: He'll just write in his Earth diary using the language from Etheria and vice versa.

"This morning, the entire family of senator Danny Young was found dead." A news anchor reports on the television. "The weapons left behind at the scene were stolen from a firearms shop just a half mile away." The television continues to display the news as inspector Dio is in the next room over, interviewing some maids, scribbling on a notepad.

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"And you said that a midget attacked the place?" "Can you describe him?" He asks. "He was wearing all black, and his face was covered with a blue mask and gray ballcap." says one of the maids.

On the projection screen, a video of Johar breaking through the gunshop doors was replayed over and over. "Even slowed down, the image is blurry. But it looks like something the size of a child broke through the security door of the firearms shop." says a large muscular man, sitting at his desk, playing with the video remote.

Knock Knock! "The door's open!" He barks at the door. Inspector Dio quickly opens the door and salutes. "Deputy Chief Garcia, I believe that the murder of the senator and my earlier case may be related..."

"What's this?" asks the deputy chief as he looks through the file given to him. "You see that bloody brick wall there?" says Dio. "What about it? How does it relate to the murder of the senator and the firearms shop theft?"

"That was the result of a 300 lb man being thrown through it." "!!!" The deputy furrows his brows. "Go on." He urges impatiently "That wall was 18 inches thick." "That's about the same amount of force needed to break through the firearms shop entrance, wouldn't you agree?" Dio waves a hand in the air. "Yea, that is possible."

"The witnesses of the Heiluck case say that a large man suddenly appeared through the balcony and threw their father through the brick wall." Dio shrugs. "It's a longshot, but both cases include some superhuman individual and murder."

The deputy chief then takes a sip of his coffee "The firearms shop video clearly shows a very small individual or object. But in your case, the witnesses said that the perpetrator was a very large individual."

"Like I said, it's a long shot. But I'd like you to put me in charge." The deputy chief then taps the desk for a second while in deep thought. "Alright, I'll put you in charge." He then says "Keep me posted." "Alright."

At the tiny hope orphanage, the children are attending classes inside the various rooms. However, Johar and Emily are in a small library. They've been given the day off to get used to their new environment.

Emily is reading a book, enjoying herself while sitting next to her brother. "I can't believe they have so many books here." She smiles. Johar is looking bored with his head on his hands, pretending to read a book laid out in front of him. Still sore from his Earth body using the Zodiac stone, he makes a mental note to begin exercising to increase his stamina once he recovers.

"What do you think, Johar? Do you like it here?"

Johar then smiles "They're treating us much better than that shitty old man did. Can't complain." He then says "But as long as you're happy, I'm happy, sister Emily." "Hehe." Emily happily swings her feet hanging over her chair.

(Well, that's great that Emily likes it here. She liked it in my previous life too.) Johar thinks. (And since Renalts dead, I don't need to worry about her suicide). He then looks at the tv in the distance, with pictures of the firearms shop being shown. Johar then exhales (But if I knew I could return to Earth again, I wouldn't have been so sloppy).

(Anyway now that she's safe, I can relax and figure out how to make money with the power of the Zodiac stones). "Hey Emily, what's the best way to make money if you had magic powers?" "Eeh? Magic powers?" She asks. "Well, I wouldn't show it off, that's for sure." "Really?" Johar asks curiously.

"In a lot of stories, the government always want to disect the hero and figure out his powers." She then continues "Also, if you stand out, there'll be people who will try to blackmail or use you for your powers." Emily then leans over to him and whispers "So don't tell anyone how strong you are. I don't want anything bad to happen to you." "Ah, you're right sis." says Johar, happy for her concern. Although Johar has way more life experience, his sister still seems to be the wiser when it comes to life advise.

After some thinking, he then whispers back "So...how would you make money without standing out?" Emily then points her index finger towards him "First of all, you would need a bank account. But you can't do that unless you're grown up." She then shrugs "Even if you're super smart, you can't play the lotto or invest in the stock exchange either until you're 18." "Wow, you really thought this through sister Emily." Johar states, impressed at her insightfulness. Emily then explains "It happens all the time in the stories I read."

(I suppose I can put it off until we grow up, but I'll boogle it later just in case).

"Hey, do you want to check out the band room later, Emily?" He asks. "Okay."

And so, Johar has decided to take it easy for a while on Earth, just enjoying his life with his beloved sister. He very much wanted to tell her about his new life and family in Etheria, but was afraid that Emily would feel left out. Ultimately he decided not to tell anyone about his re-incarnation and regression.

The rest of the day goes on uneventfully for Johar and his sister as the sun sets. But at the police station, Inspector Dio is still working hard on his case.

In his office, inspector Dio is comparing the photographs of Johar with the blurry photographs taken from the cameras at the firearms store. He has a brown mug half full of coffee in his left hand. "Get a hold of yourself, Dio." He says to himself. "There's no such thing as superpowers, or superstrength." He then exhales (But lets assume it's true. Why would the boy kill the senator?) (The background checks show nothing out of the ordinary for Johar. He's just an ordinary boy) "Ahh whatever! Lets just start with the basics!"

"I've got no choice but to wait to see if the hair samples match."