December 23rd
~2 Days Before Christmas~
"Declan, are you 100%..."
"Zarc, do you really think my sister would give you possessed toys?" Zarc takes a sip from his coffee before answering.
"Your father doesn't exactly like me that much."
"My father studies machinery and physics. Not witchcraft, Zarc."
"Alright, I get it." Zarc sighs. "I just...I'm not sure what to do right now."
"If you want my opinion, I say that the boys are making up these stories."
"No, absolutely not. You don't get it, Declan. They are terrified. Whatever is going on in the house at night-"
"Zarc, I speak from experience. Your brothers are probably just looking for a way to gain your attention."
"Okay, yeah. That makes sense, but this isn't just one of them. It's all of them. Not to mention that I've been experiencing creepy stuff myself."
"You're overstressed, Zarc. With both your parents gone and now having to take care of 4 adoptive brothers you didn't even know you had until just a few months ago, it's weighing on you. Your mind is just playing tricks on you. Happens to the best of us. It's nothing to be ashamed of, really."
"I don't know, Declan. It just...doesn't feel right." Zarc said as he looked down into his reflection in the coffee. "The house has been feeling...'different' ever since I brought the toys in." Zarc heard Declan let out a loud sigh over the phone.
"Alright Zarc, look. I can't come over today, but I can come over tomorrow and check out the toys. Just to make sure they're not malfunctioning or something."
"Okay, sounds good." Zarc said, a bit relieved.
"Now I gotta go. Ray has made it very clear I must watch the 5 hour Christmas Movies Special on T.V with her and the other girls."
"Aww, Declan, you really do have Christmas spirit!"
"She threaten to throw my laptop off the 2nd floor balcony if I didn't."
"Oh..."
"And before I go, Zarc?"
"Yeah?"
"Get some rest." And Declan hangs up. Zarc stared at the phone for a moment before doing the same.
It's time for bed. The boys go through their normal routines. Zarc keeps an eye on them and the basement door as they do so. This morning he had taken each boy individually and had talked to them, getting each of their stories from their own mouths.
Zarc wasn't exactly a lie detector but from the way each boy told him their story it seem nearly impossible for all of them to be lying. Not only did Yugo actually admit to sneaking downstairs to play with his gift, which he never would have done if he actually wasn't truly afraid, Yuto nearly broke down into tears after his recounting which was very much a red flag to Zarc.
Yuya and Yugo fake crying? Sometimes. Yuya is an actor and both can be crybabies although they will deny it.
Yuri? If he had too, he will.
But Yuto? No. Yuto was far too strong for that.
It seem that each story was connected to the basement or the Tattletail toys Zarc had bought them. It was why he had called Declan so early in the morning. Ray and Declan were the ones who had suggested and given him the toys that very day. Zarc just had a gut feeling.
A very big gut feeling that was telling him that those toys...weren't right. After making sure the toys were where they were supposed to be and double checking to make sure the house was lock up tight, Zarc went upstairs and called out to the boys just before they were heading to their rooms.
"Hey, boys! How about before bed we watch a few Christmas movies in my room?" Yuya and Yugo immediately jump for joy at the suggestion while Yuto, although not as excited as his younger brothers, smiles gently.
"Oh? You're letting us stay up past our bedtimes? What brought the change?" Yuri asks innocently, even though he knows the answer.
"Well it is only 2 day until Christmas and we haven't really done anything aside from decorate the tree. Besides, you boys are on Christmas Break anyhow. You should have your fun." The boys don't have to be told twice. They rush into his room and by the time Zarc walks in, they almost decided on a movie.
While Zarc was getting ready for bed himself, Yuya walked up to him and asked him quite timidly if he could sleep next to him for the night. Smiling fondly Zarc had no objections to it and neither did Yuto, who actually call dibs on the far side of the bed where Yuri had slept the previous night.
Yuri was more than happy to give up that spot, claiming that he couldn't sleep last night due to the fear of getting kicked off the bed by Yugo, which Yugo heatedly deny he would ever do. Once bed arrangements were sorted out and a movie was chosen the boys all got into bed and snuggle down for the night.
As the movie play, Yuri was the first to nod off, followed by Yuya, Yugo, and shortly afterwards, Yuto. When Zarc is sure they all are asleep, he gets up and shuts down the television and uses the bathroom. As he is leaving the room he spots his sleeping medication in the cabinet. It was then that Zarc realized that he had been forgetting to take his medicine for the past few nights now.
Zarc debated if he should take a pill for the night, but eventually decided not too. He went back to bed, making sure his brothers were all tuck in before settling down to sleep himself.
Zarc is awoken that night by heavy breathing. Thinking it was one of his brothers, Zarc sat up and glanced to the side. All of them were sleeping peacefully.
His blood turns ice cold as the oldest realizes that the heavy breathing was coming from behind him. Slowly, carefully, Zarc pushed the sheets off of him and shakes the boys awake. When the boys groggily open their eyes, Zarc motions for them to stay silent. Yugo opens his mouth to question him, but then the 'thing' growls and Yugo snaps his mouth shut.
Zarc could pinpoint where the 'thing' was now. It was on his side of the bed, not quite beside him but close enough to make him very uncomfortable. Zarc gestures for them to leave through the other side of the bed which they do hurriedly. Once they are all up, with a nod from Zarc they all move towards the door. Its gaze follows them as they exited the room, but it didn't move to go after them. Zarc shuts the door behind him and turned to the boys.
"Grab your shoes. We're going over to the Akaba's." They all nodded in understanding and went into their respective rooms. Zarc takes one last look at his room before heading downstairs to grab his snow boots which he had left by the front door.
The drive was almost dead quiet. Nobody knew what to say anymore. Zarc's grip was tight on the steering wheel. Luckily, it had stop snowing yesterday and the streets weren't that bad.
"Please...someone tell me I wasn't the only one who saw it." Yuya finally whimpered from the backseat. Yugo jumped at this.
"You saw it too?! Like...actually saw it?!" Yugo asked, his eyes wide. Yuya nods his head and Yuri just sighs.
"This is so stupid. Monsters aren't real!" He growled.
"Then how do you explain it, Yuri?" Yuto questioned quietly from the passenger seat. "This isn't Solid Vision or special effects. That...that 'thing' was in the room for Ra knows how long, watching us sleep." Another moment of frightful silence.
"...I don't like Christmas anymore." Yuya mumbles quietly. And the others boys agreed.
Leo and Henriette Akaba were out on a 'romantic' Christmas vacation and wouldn't be back until Christmas Eve. So Ray was the one who had answered the door and was certainly surprised seeing Zarc and the boys, in their pajamas on her doorstep. She quickly invited them in to sit by the fire and get warmed up. As Yuya and the others were sitting in the living room, Zarc followed Ray into the kitchen.
"Zarc, what's going on?" Ray whispered to him as she bustled around the room, making hot chocolate for the unexpected guests.
"Let's just say we're not exactly welcomed in our house anymore." Zarc whispered back as he began to help her. Ray gave him a confused look, but Zarc waved her off. "I'll explain everything tomorrow."
"You saw it?" Declan questioned. Zarc nods. Both of them were now in the dining room, while Ray was tending to the boys in the living room, keeping them distracted.
"Woke up to it staring down at us." Zarc said, taking a sip from his cup. "And before you say anything, no. I wasn't dreaming and I couldn't have imagine it. Not only that, but the boys saw it as well." Declan raised an eyebrow at that, appearing a bit intrigued now.
"Alright then, so what did this 'monster' look like?" Declan asked, raising his own mug to take a sip.
"It was a large red dragon-like monster with red and green eyes-" Declan does a spit take with his hot chocolate. Zarc stares at his friend for a few minutes before finally letting out a weary sigh. "Shot in the dark, but I'm going to assume you know what I'm talking about." Declan wipes his mouth with a napkin, appearing lost in thought.
"Give me a moment." Declan says, quickly leaving the kitchen. Zarc just hums in reply. Declan returns a moment later with a tablet in hand. "Remember when I told you the Tattletails weren't from me?" Zarc didn't need to be reminded. "That's because me and my father were going to give your brothers a different gift for Christmas. Some unique dueling cards. They were inspired by your Magicians."
"How exactly were they 'inspired'?" Zarc asked.
"We made 4 cards, one for each of your brothers." Declan shows a document on his tablet. Prototypes of the cards. Zarc read through the names quickly.
- Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon
- Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon
- Clear Wing Synchro Dragon
- Starving Venom Fusion Dragon
"So they're all Dragon-types?" Zarc asked, raising an eyebrow.
"It seem quite fitting." Declan said, adjusting his glasses. "Considering your ace monster, Supreme King Dragon Z-ARC, is also a dragon. We thought that if your brothers also had Dragon-Type ace monsters it would be easier for you all to bond."
"Okay...?"
"Now the dragon that you saw in your room was one of those dragons. Odd-Eyes if I'm not mistaken."
"Of course. And the reason why it's at my house?"
"This is just a speculation, but me and my father did create the dragons with the same date from their Magician counterparts. Perhaps because of their connections, the dragons were just drawn to your home."
"And the Tattletails?"
"Well, let's just say that my sister did in fact give you possessed toys, but not on purpose." Zarc sighed and drowned down the last of his hot chocolate.
"So what do we do now? Perform an exorcism on the toys? Oh, we could even make it Christmas themed! Instead of red paint we could use Christmas lights and for sacrifices, Christmas cookies!" Declan rolled his eyes.
"Hilarious as always, Zarc." Declan shakes his head. "But no. These are duel spirits, not ghosts. Regardless, I don't see the point in dealing with this tonight. We'll let you all sleep here for the night and figure it out in the morning. You didn't bring your deck, did you?"
"No. Why?"
"Well if the dragons are drawn to your Magicians and you left your deck at home then those toy possessing dragons aren't going anywhere."
"Wake up! Wake up! Wake up!" A loud, obnoxious voice jolted Yuri from his peaceful sleep. "Wake up! Wake up! Wake up!" Yuri sat up in his bed, glaring around the room. It took him a moment, but once his eyes adjusted to the darkness who could see that the noise was coming from a toy. A Tattletail toy to be exact.
Annoyed, Yuri shoved away the covers and stood up. He grabbed the purple furred toy, and apparently that's what made it shut up. Muttering under his breath about how childish some people in this house could be, Yuri walked up to his door and threw it open. The hallway was dark and silent, all except one door which was wide open.
That was the room Yugo was suppose to be staying in. Of course he would do this. After all, Yuri couldn't think of anyone else who would have the actual guts to disrupt his sleep. Yuri marched to the room, but it was empty. He wasn't in the bathrooms, but Yuri did find a light coming from downstairs. It was coming from the kitchen and upon entering Yuri saw Yugo by the sink, drinking a cup of water.
"Oh, so you couldn't sleep so you had to wake me up too?" Yuri growled bitterly. Yugo turned to face him, looking confused.
"Huh? Yuri, what are you-?" Yugo choked and drop his cup, causing the water to go everywhere on the floor. Yuri jumped back to avoid the spill.
"Yugo! Seriously?!" Before Yuri could rant his brother rushed forward, ripped the Tattletail from his hands and threw it across the room. "Yugo, what-?!" Yugo grabbed him and pushed him out of the kitchen. Once they were in the living room, Yuri shoved Yugo away from him. "Yugo! What the heck is your problem?!"
"Where did you get that Tattletail?!" Yugo demanded, not even bothering to answer his question.
"What are you talking about? You're the one who put it in my room."
"N-no...Yuri. Yuri, I didn't." Yugo's face was white, his eyes full of fear. Now Yuri wasn't so sure that it was Yugo. "W-we gotta tell Zarc." Yugo rushed to the stairs, dragging Yuri with him but they only manage to get to the second step before Yugo jerks them back. Yuri peered over his shoulder and is absolutely terrified when he sees the purple Tattletail, the same one Yugo had thrown, at the very top looking down at them.
"We're having a party! Come help us!" Yugo shares a look with Yuri. "Tattletail will leave if you do!"
"You...you will? N-no joke?" Yugo asked, shaking.
"Tattletail promise!" They both shared another look.
"Anything if we make this thing leave." Yuri said, getting the same fearful feeling he had when he was in their kitchen that night. Yuri walks up the steps and grabs the toy, but holds it a good ways away from him as if it might bite him. Who knows, the toy probably would.
"Let's go to the basement!" The purple Tattletail suggested cheerfully. Having been at the Akaba's before, Yugo and Yuri both knew where the basement was. They quietly open the door and flicked on the light switch that was at the top of the stairs instead of at the bottom. Their basement were more or less identical aside from the fact that the Akaba's basement was much more crowded than their own.
"Careful!" Yuri hissed as Yugo accidentally bump into a tall stack of boxes. The stack wobble for a heart pounding moment but it didn't tip over, much to their relief. Yuri and Yugo continued to work their way through the dimly lit basement until they reached what they assumed was the center. Unlike the rest of the basement, it was a bit neater with a couple of empty chairs and a bit more room to walk around. However, on one of the chairs was the white Tattletail, Yugo's Tattletail.
Yuri carefully set his Tattletail on the chair next to it.
"More! More! More!" The white Tattletail chimed.
"More friends!" The purple one joined.
"There's more of you in this house?!" Yugo shouted.
"More! More! More!" They responded.
"Come on, Yugo. Let's just...get this over with."