December 24th

~Christmas Eve~

Zarc awoke that morning, surprisingly by himself.

"Strange." Zarc thought as he slipped on a pair of guest slippers. "I would have thought Yuya or Yugo would be nagging me awake by now." Zarc glanced at the clock to see that it was 9 in the morning. "But then again...last night..." Zarc frowned. The sooner he and Declan took care of 'that' problem, the better.

Zarc went downstairs where some of the other Akaba family members were already awake. Ray was by the stove, cooking breakfast, while Declan was sitting at the table with a cup of freshly brew coffee. Riley sat beside her step brother, nippling quietly on a slice of toast. The other siblings were nowhere to be seen.

"Morning, Zarc. Did you sleep well?" Ray asked.

"Yeah. Thanks." Zarc replies as he sits down at the table. Ray leaves the stove for a moment to pour a cup of coffee. Zarc glanced at her in surprise as she prepare his coffee just the way he likes it, a spoonful of sugar and a bit of milk mixed in. "What's this about?" Zarc asked as Ray handed him the cup.

"An early 'sorry' gift. Declan told me what's been going on at your house." Ray's eyes held an apologetic look in them. "Maybe robotic toys wasn't the best idea..."

"It's fine, Ray. No one knew it was going to happen. However, maybe this experience will teach your brother and father about messing with duel energy." Zarc said with a look at Declan.

"Oh please, it's not like anyone got hurt." Declan said, rolling his eyes. "Say what you will but at the end of the day spirits are just spirits, bound by an entirely different plane of existence. Aside from a few scares, there isn't much they can do to the world of the living."

"I suppose, Declan." Ray sighs as she turns back to her cooking. "But why were those dragons trying to scare the boys anyhow?"

"Who knows. Maybe you both could discuss that with them over a cup of tea." Declan answers, turning back to his laptop. Ray rolled her eyes.

"And we just might do that." Ray adds sarcastically. Much like Zarc, Ray could understand and see duel spirits. It was one of the reasons why Ray was such a great rival to him. Suddenly Zuzu comes running into the kitchen, looking around worriedly.

"Zuzu? Is something wrong?" Ray asked her younger sister.

"I can't find my bracelet! It was in my music box last night! I know it was there! But when I woke up, it was gone!" Zuzu looked close to crying, her eyes filling with tears.

"Oh Zu." Ray sighs softly. "Perhaps you just misplace it. Don't worry. It couldn't have gone far. We'll look for it after breakfast, okay?" Zuzu wipes her eyes, sniffs, and nods. Just as she was sitting down at the table the last of the older siblings, Lulu, enters the kitchen with Rin. Both of them also had the same worried looks as Zuzu.

"Oh, Mr. Zarc? You're here?" Lulu questioned, spotting Zarc. Zuzu looks up, blinking. Now finally realizing that Zarc was here. Zarc smiles.

"Morning girls. You guys were still asleep when me and the boys decided to stop by and spend the night." Rin's eyes widen and she pointed accusingly at him.

"IT WAS THEM!" She shouted.

"Rin, what did we say about shouting in the house before breakfast time?" Declan chided. Rin ignored her older brother.

"I knew I left it in the bathroom!"

"Rin, what are you going on about?" Ray asked. Rin turned to Ray, still pointing at Zarc.

"One of the boys took my bracelet last night! I left it in the bathroom by mistake, but now it isn't there anymore!" Ray, Zarc, and Declan all shared a confused look. After the horror of what the boys have been through last night, did any of them really have the energy to pull a prank on the girls?

"My bracelet is missing as well. From my bedside table." Lulu added, glancing between the adults.

"I'm...I'm sure it was just a harmless prank, girls." Zarc assures as he stands up from the table. "Come on. Let's go get them up for breakfast and get your bracelets back." Zarc, Lulu, Rin, and Zuzu all head back up the stairs where they are greeted by a very annoyed Celina.

"Good morning, Celi-." Lulu greeted, but her sister cut her off.

"Where's Yuri?" She growls.

"Is he...not in his room?"

"If he was I wouldn't be asking you." Celina said bitterly. "Now is he downstairs or what? I know he spent the night here."

"Is your bracelet missing too?" Rin asked. Celina nods, arms crossed.

"That little brat said he was going to give it back to me last night."

"Last night?!" The other girls echo.

"Yeah. Little punk woke me up, said he needed by bracelet, and left."

"Why would you let him take your bracelet?!" Zuzu and Rin exclaims.

"I was tired, okay!" Celina shot back. Zarc, now more confused than ever about his brothers, walks into one of the guest rooms. It was empty. "I already check the guest rooms! None of them are in there!" Celina calls. Zarc nearly goes into panic mode.

Nearly.

"H-heh. Come on, boys! Enough hiding!" Zarc calls into house. "You won't get in trouble for the prank! The girls just want their bracelets back!"

"That's right! I swear to Ra, if there is even one scratch on it all of you are going to pay!" Celina shouts.

"Celina, don't be so harsh. You know your shouting always scares Yuya." Lulu hushes.

"Then they shouldn't have taken my things!" Celina counters.

"...Didn't you just say that you let Yuri take your bracelet?" Zuzu deadpans.

"I said he could borrow it!" Celina snaps back.

"They're here! They're over here! Zarc!" Zarc is startled by the voice of quiet, shy Riley coming from downstairs. Of all his years, Zarc had never heard Riley speak like that before and by the look on the other girls' faces, they feel the same way.

This sends Zarc into panic mode.

He pushes past them and practically jumps down the whole flight of stairs, racing over to where he had heard Riley shout. She was in the living room, pointing down towards a hallway. Her blue eyes were wide with fear. Declan and Ray were just behind her. Ray had her hands on Riley's shoulders, like she was comforting her while Declan just stood silently beside them.

Although the hallway Riley was pointing down had many doors, only one of them was open. It showed a dark, inky abyss. Zarc squinted his eyes and could just make out a stairwell leading down. The basement.

It was always the basement.

"Uhh...g-guys? Why is...the basement door open?" Celina asked softly, her anger gone.

"...Didn't it have a lock?" Lulu added unhelpfully. Fear strikes through Zarc's heart like a cord and before anyone else could do anything, he is racing down the steps, barely managing to hit the light switch in his rush to get down.

"Yuya?! Yuri?! Yugo?! Yuto?! Are you guys down here?! Boys?!" Zarc calls out. He gets no answer. Fear makes him clumsy and a few boxes fall, but he pushes on. Until he reaches the center.

There, in the middle of the basement were a few items.

4 battery drained Tattletails, all different colors.

4 silver bracelets, each with a different gem stone.

And 1 strange, demonic symbol painted on the floor where the other items rested.

Zarc hears footsteps behind him.

"...That's not red paint..." Declan says quietly.