Ego Daycare

Day 8

Mark was just shuffling everyone out the door when Chase sighed. "Do we have to go to daycare?"

"Yeah, can't we just stay here?" Dr. Iplier whined.

Mark rose an eyebrow. "I thought Mrs. Bolton was nice."

"She is." Wilford shrugged. "It's boring there. We'd rather be here with you."

"I have work to do." Mark explained.

"We will not bother you." Dark promised, and Mark hesitated to stare at hm in confusion.

"We will stay out of your way." Google Blue promised.

Google Red quickly adding, "Unless you need help. We could be helpful."

"You ALL want to stay here?" Mark sighed, and glanced around at all the nodding heads. "Why?" He looked back at Dark. "You hate me." He looked at Wilford. "We clash, a lot." Then looked to the Googles. "You all want to destroy mankind. I'm part of mankind!"

Dark took a deep breath and walked over, Mark watching him intently. "I do not hate you." He leaned in, hugging Mark's legs.

Mark rose an eyebrow, watching him. "What's your angle?"

Dark glanced up at him. "I want to stay here."

"Why?" Mark grunted. "And you can let go now."

Dark leaned back, releasing his awkward hug and his aura flickered around him, the other egos backing off to give him space. "This place feels more like home than Mrs. Bolton's. If I have to be a child, I would rather be a child here."

Mark tilted his head. "What?"

"We're scared." Chase sighed. "We don't know how to fix this, and it's scary that we might be kids forever."

"It is hard having to depend on you." Dark adjusted his tie, cracking his neck. "I trust you, about as much as you trust me. I do not like also having to depend on a stranger."

Mark looked over the group and sighed. "Fine. I'll cancel day care. You have to stay out of my way though. You all understand?" He glanced around as they all nodded, and he went off to call Mrs. Bolton. He explained that he was going to keep them home on a trial basis and would call her with further details, then thanked her for all of her help so far. With a sigh, he headed towards his recording room. "Please don't destroy the house!" He called, before disappearing.

After a few hours, Mark opened the door hesitantly, to listen for screaming, fire alarms and chaos. All he heard was giggles and clicking. Raising an eyebrow, he crept out to the living room where the egos were lazing about on the couches, and some on the floor, with Mario Kart on the television. "Why is there no sound?" Mark mumbled.

"We muted it so we would not disturb you." Google Blue explained.

Mark nodded slightly. "The recording room is sound proof, a little volume wouldn't have-" He tilted his head, watching the race. "Who's Peach?" A few of the egos pointed to Wilford, who was sitting cross legged on the couch, leaned forward, intently watching the TV. His mustache wiggled back and forth as his little hands gripped the pink controller so tightly his knuckles were turning white. "Wilford?" Mark glanced back to the TV. "You're kicking ass!"

"I'm not just a pretty face." Wilford remarked.

"I will catch up." Dark muttered, flashes of red and blue spiraling around the controller, like back seat drivers.

Mark chuckled. "Is Dark, Waluigi?"

A giggle came from Anti, who was sitting with his feet over the back of the couch, his back laying on the seat, his head hanging over the edge of the couch, watching the TV upside down with a controller in his hands. "No, that's me."