Chase and his kids, Bing, Yan, and the Twins had been staying at Mark's for about three weeks now, give or take. The house was crowded, but Mark and Amy were helping them find an apartment near LA. Bing had been busy doing…less than legal activities trying to get them all birth certificates, social security numbers, and ID's in that time, all while hacking databases so they actually came up if authorities went to search or if they just needed the information for whatever.

Chase and the Twins worked to help find the new place for them. The Twins were already looking into getting jobs, too; they just needed to know where they'd be living from now on so they could look into news stations closer to home. They were just too restless without something to do. It had been Amy's idea that they apply at a station somewhere after they were familiarized with the humans.

At that moment, they were in the dining room. Chase had his phone out, a cup of coffee in front of him, as he looked through any places up for rent. Amy did the same across from him, laptop casting her face aglow. They needed a place with at least three rooms. One for Chase, one for Yan, and then the kids could share one. The Jims and Bing had said they'd be fine in the living room—just as long as there was a place Bing could hook his charger up to. That was the tricky part: Finding an apartment with enough space for seven. They'd run across plenty of available places, but they had all been small one- or two-bedroom dwellings.

The twins sat side-by-side, two chairs pulled up to the head of the table. As they had their breakfast, they also did their own searching—they were looking for job openings that morning, however. Kyler was in the living room playing video games with Mark, while Yan was braiding Sophie's hair on the couch. He actually had impeccable fashion sense, and had done Sophie's hair and helped her pick outfits for years now.

Bing was in a separate room with the door locked. There was the occasional chirp or beep heard from down the hall, but he was otherwise quiet as he worked to create the needed documents.

When the android had finally departed the confines of his makeshift office, he was carrying multiple manila envelopes, courtesy of Mark. He wasn't wearing his sunglasses, and had on a thin gray tanktop that let his faintly glowing emblem show through. His eyes looked strained, bits of yellow-orange static zipping through them, and they glowed dimly. Lips pulled into a thin line—he wasn't smiling—and his hair looked somewhat tangled. If it was possible for the androids to get tired, then Bing definitely looked it.

Chase looked up when Bing glanced down at his stack of envelopes, then crossed over to the Twins. The android took one look at them, and passed them their respective envelopes.

"Seriously, man. How do ya do that?" the father asked.

Bing blinked, then his blank expression turned cheery. "Android, dude! The Googs and I process images faster than the rest'a you. Take one look at someone, and I pick up the little details. Makes it easy to tell those two apart." He tilted his head down at the Twins as they opened the envelopes. "For them, it's their hands, hair, and eyebrows that're most noticeable." Sure enough, as Chase looked at them (they'd looked up to meet his eyes to make it easier), he noticed the things Bing had pointed out. He never would have on his own, though. Jimmy's (Weather Jim's) hair was more unkempt, while eyebrows and nails were neatly plucked and trimmed. On the other hand, Jim's hair was much neater, but eyebrows fuller and nails chewed down to the bed. His hands also seemed more calloused than his brother's.

"Before you start swooning over our good looks," Jim said, grinning.

Jimmy continued the sentence without pause, "why don't you explain what all these are?"

Bing nodded. "Just let me get everyone gathered, dudes."

Soon enough, all the Figments were crowded around the living room, looking up at Bing who had seated himself on the edge of the TV-stand. Mark and Amy leaned on either side of the doorway into the kitchen to act as supervisors. Chica, the old girl, lay across Kyler and Sophie's laps, with her head rested on Yan's and tail wagging lazily.

"All right! Everyone take out the sheet that looks like this." Bing picked up his false birth certificate from its place next to him. "This is a birth certificate. Make sure to get familiar with your human names, got it my dudes? They're what we'll be usin' in public. Don't lose this." He pointed at Yan. "As agreed, you've been labeled as Chase's adopted kid. That means, he'll be in charge of your documents, as well as Ky and Sophie's."

That went on for a good hour and a half of Bing explaining the documents and what they were all needed for. Then, came the quizzing. Mark and Amy asked the questions to each Figment in turn.

"Yandere. Human name?" asked Amy.

"Um. Yan…cy? Yancy Brody?"

A nod and reassuring smile from Amy. Then it was Mark's turn. "Bing. Human name and familial relationships?"

"Ben Iplier. The kids' godfather and Twins' cousin. Your distant cousin." Fortunately, Mark's immediate family knew about the Egos. They'd been contacted about this, talked over it, and allowed Bing to add himself into official documents as a cousin (extended family had no clue about any of it, however). Bing's appearance was still too similar to Mark's Outside, so it had been one of the only options they could come up with.

Unfortunately, the android still seemed awkward and tense with his creator. Strained family relationship it was!

Amy set her eyes on Sophie. "Where are you from?"

"Chicago!" She sounded proud of herself for remembering so quickly.

"Very good." Her gaze drifted to Kyler. "Who is Yancy Brody? And where is your mother?"

"Our brother. He's a few months younger than me, and Dad adopted him when I'd just turned six and Sophie was only about a year old. Yan was still five at the time." Kyler frowned a little as he went to answer the next question. Sophie copied the action, but looked more upset about it. After the divorce, and after Chase had won the custody battle, Stacy's only link to Chase had been severed when he got full custody of the kids. She'd faded shortly after since she no longer had any sort of connection to the fanbase. "Mom died in a crash when Sophie was a baby." Chase didn't say anything, but reached down from where he stood behind the couch, squeezing their shoulders. Stacy was a touchy subject for all three of them. Amy could only offer a sympathetic look.

Mark took up the reigns again: "Twins: What are your names, and what do you specialize in?"

"Jim Iplier," Jim said. At the same time, Jimmy stated,

"Tim Iplier. I specialize in meteorology."

"And I in researching; especially recent crimes. Both of us in public speaking."

"We're best fit for occupations involving news stations,"

"Where I could be a news anchor, and J—Tim a weatherman."

The others looked like they were processing that. They tended to kind of hate it when the Twins finished each others' sentences, because then it got confusing. Bing gave the thumbs-up, though; they'd gotten it, and their tendency to speak like that might even get them jobs in the same station just because that would be a first for newsmen and could draw in more viewers.

The quizzing went on even longer than explaining the legal documents. They needed to make sure this information was drilled into everyone's heads. Otherwise, letting them out among humans could end up disastrous.

They'd have to get used to some things to be out here: Chase couldn't carry around his guns 'just because', Yan couldn't stalk his crushes or kill people, and the Twins would have to be extremely careful about not having breakdowns in public. That would mean finding a way to control their Visions, or at least not reacting when they had the more violent ones. Just to name a few.

As of now, with Sophie, Kyler, and Yan now actually 'existing' in this world and part of certain databases, schooling for them would be the next thing to figure out. Apparently they had to attend school? Weird. In the Egos' plane, it was optional. And Chase's kids had never attended; only Yan and a few other Egos ever had. For the time being, though, they'd probably have Bing homeschool them. As much of a senseless goofball that he could be, the android was also one of the most intelligent Egos with only the Googles surpassing him. Aside from maybe Oliver, Bing was the best option.

The human couple looked at each other, then at the gathered Figments. There were still so many things they didn't know about, and there was no possible way to cover it all. Either way, the Egos would figure it out sooner or later. Be it through experience, or getting the information elsewhere.

"One thing," Mark said. His voice was stern, and Chica perked her ears up, dark eyes set on him. Multiple other pairs in different colors did the same. "Humans don't have powers. That means: Don't use them in public. Under any circumstance! That means auras!"

The Twins and Chase all exchanged looks. It was the Septic who spoke, however. "Um, bro? Ya know some of us got no control over 'em, right?"

"Yeah, dude," Bing cut in. He still looked tired, but wasn't acting it. "Bad storm gonna roll through? No stoppin' Jimmy from fainting."

Sophie chirped, "Or-or if someone decides to shoot Dad!" Her brother nodded agreement. Their father's expression just turned into a grimace. "They'll know bullets won't kill him!"

Amy rested her hand over Mark's chest before he could speak, casting him a 'quiet and let me talk' look. He just held out his hands in an 'after you' gesture. "All you can do," she started, "is do your best to avoid situations like that. And if something does come up, you've all got us as your emergency contacts, right?" She waited for the Figments to give the affirmatives before continuing. "All you'll have to do is stall without being…obvious. Just long enough for us to get there and explain for you if you can't do so yourselves."

"That's why we're trying to keep you nearby," Mark said. "Makes it easier on us and you."

Just because Jackie's group had been the only other one to contact either of the creators didn't mean the ones who had would be kicked to the curb without any knowledge of the humans. Just meant the others were either going to figure it out on their own, or get in trouble because they didn't. The ones who had contacted Mark or Seán would get the help they needed to walk among humans.

At dinner that night, with Mark and Amy pleased with how well the Figments had picked up on the basics, they all sat crowded around the dining room/kitchen area. Chica had nosed her way under the table, and now her grayed snout was visible from time to time as Yan or Sophie snuck her scraps.

"You guys sure you're all right with paying?" Chase asked the couple. They were going over the details of an apartment during their meal. They'd narrowed it down to three possible places, but there was no way the Figments would be able to afford any of them as of that moment.

Amy just nodded. "Of course!"

"You'll be getting jobs," Mark added with a shrug, "but until then we're happy to pay the rent for you."

The Twins nodded their agreement vigorously from the table. As of an hour ago, they'd started writing resumes with help from Mark. Chase had really taken an interest in the laws of this plane (even if some of them seemed strange). Amy had suggested he look into law enforcement if his vlog didn't work out. Bing, unfortunately, would be stuck at home. Drug tests, metal detectors—anything of the sort—would immediately set off a red light about him. Hence, why he'd be homeschooling the kids instead of trying to get an earning job.

Besides. Amy had said schooling the kids, watching them when the others had jobs, and probably keeping the apartment tidy, would be a job in and of itself. Especially with Yandere there…

Amy got up to collect dirtied dishes and to put away what remained of the meal. Mark leaned over the counter, fixing Chase with a look that the father couldn't quite place. Was he…studying Chase?

"How are you doing? Really?" the man asked. Chase just looked surprised. His expression probably said enough for Mark to elaborate without needing to be asked. "Out here. Seán texted about a week ago. Apparently, Marvin told him that Jackieboy'd about had a panic attack when he discovered you guys were gone. He'd thought you faded. Have you contacted any of them since leaving?" Though he talked softly, likely so he wouldn't disturb anyone still eating, there was a scolding bite to his words that made it hard for the Ego to meet his eyes.

"Well…no." He ran a hand through dark hair. "But c'mon, man! We left without sayin' anything—I don't think the others'll want to talk to us!"

Mark shook his head. A sigh. Then: "You know Seán's hurting, right? Marv and Jackie are the only ones who contacted him. Schneeplestein's off the radar, Jacques's never been close to him anyway, Anti talks to him through Jackieboy, and Jameson…well, he can't exactly talk to Seán if he wanted to, can he? He and Signe are worried about you. So are Marvin, Jackie, and the King." He turned from the counter to watch Sophie and Yan for a moment; they were giggling with each other like schoolgirls. Mark huffed another sigh before turning back to the single father. "I'm sure the others are worried about you, too."

Chase couldn't meet his eyes at all now. "I know." His voice was so small Mark almost thought he was hearing things.

The man clapped a hand over Chase's shoulder in a way that felt comfortingly familiar: Jackie and Anti did that a lot. "Don't shut yourself away from them. You'll need each other now more than ever. You've all got a lot of adjusting to do."