Light Faery Wings, Dark Angel Wings
S
is for Self
Disclaimer:
I don't own W.I.T.C.H. or any characters associated with them. This
is based on the cartoon, not the novels. Lyrics for 'The Demon in
Me' and 'The Will to Love' came from W.I.T.C.H. – United
.
Summary: Will's POV from S is for Self, through Z is for Zenith, and beyond that it is AU.
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"Attention Sheffield!" Irma's voice blasted over the loud speakers of KSHP (K-Ship). "This Friday KSHP, in association with Sheffield Broadcasting is proud to announce a 'Battle of the Bands'."
At this point Will quit listening. Anything that had anything to do with music only reminded her of Matt, and thinking of Matt only led to hating Shagon. Especially a 'Matt' glamoured Shagon. What worried Will the most is that even though time and time again Shagon taunted her that Matt was gone, he did it in a voice that sounded like a more mature version of Matt's voice.
Oh, Matt, where are you?
"What if there's, like, a Guitar of Hypnose?" HayLin asked, sounding worried.
"Guitar of Hypnose?" Taranee echoed.
"No." Will shook her head in resignation. "Shagon is here to spy on us; he wouldn't want to blow his cover." Even though it would make things easier on Will to not have to face the jerk masquerading around as the love of her life.
"Will, why don't you and I got watch the guys practice?" Taranee suggested. "I mean 'Matt'," finger quotes here, "And Nigel are our boyfriends."
Will's heart lurched. Oh, how she missed Matt. He was so gentle and loving and romantic. He wrote songs for her, sang to her, and when he held her or kissed her, she felt so alive. She felt even more alive with him than she ever had being a Guardian. Once again she sent up a prayer that they would find him soon.
"While we're there we can see if Shagon has any tricks up his sleeve." Will added with a nod, watching as Nigel signed up Wreck55 to play at the concert.
Taranee wandered off with Nigel, talking about the practice after school while HayLin went looking for Eric and Irma returned to the station. Cornelia placed a hand on Will's shoulder, surprising Will. Even though Corny was a pain in the butt and sometimes seemed quite shallow, she was amazingly perceptive and caring; especially after the narcissistic situation in Kandracar.
"Keep fighting for him Will. Wherever Matt is, he knows you won't stop until he's home safe with you where he belongs." The blonde earth guardian pitched her voice low that Shagon couldn't hear what was being said from where he stood further down the hall, talking to Nigel and Taranee.
"I know Cornelia." Will sighed, her heart and mind weary with guilt and worry. "I just wish I had some idea that he's okay." A tear slid down her cheek from one amber colored eye.
"Have faith." Corny said gently. "Things will work out."
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That afternoon Will and Taranee sat on the couch in the Olsen's garage as Wreck55 practiced. At the present moment Shagon was butchering 'The Will to Love'. Will could remember the first time Matt had sung the song to her.
It was their one month anniversary, just after Matt had found out about the Guardians, Meridian, Phobos, Elyon and everything else that the five girls held close. Matt had been so overwhelmed that he had to say or do something before he exploded, so he decided to write a song. Matt explained to Will that the listeners who didn't know the truth would just think he was waxing poetic as a lovesick fool.
"Well, I'm lovesick at any rate." Matt had joked, striking a macho pose with his mike and guitar. Will fell off the same couch she was sitting on mow in a fit of giggles before he began to play 'The Will to Love' for the first time.
Coming back to the present Will forced herself not to cry, not to feel as she prayed that Matt would be found and returned home to her. Even when Shagon really tortured the last note of the song Will had to blink a couple of times to hide her tears. She was just glad Ember wasn't in the vicinity, or the fire demon would be feasting on her pain.
"Let's just try to nail down 'The Demon in Me'. Nigel suggested once everyone's ears quit ringing. Will blinked listened intently as Taranee glanced at her.
Didn't
know why I couldn't fly What had me cower in fear? The demon in me He fell on me when I was weak I started to just let him win The demon in me Asked myself, what did I want? Somehow you gotta step up The demon in me
Didn't want to be stuck on the
ground
I wanted to soar across the sky
But something was
holding me down
What was it I
couldn't see?
The answer near, but so unclear
I was fighting
the demon in me
The demon in me
The
battle weird, over all that I feared
I was fighting the demon in
me
Made me feel so lazy and
dumb
He talked to me deep in my sleep
My mind and my soul
overcome
I decided to just
let it be
It was up to me not to give in
I was trapped by the
demon in me
The demon in me
My head in a
spin, my strength wearing thin
I was trapped by the demon in
me
Kick back or just go for
broke?
My dreams continued to haunt
I'd get close - then the
demon said choke
Stop buying
excuses for free
So I went face-to-face, laid claim to my
space
And rocked the demon-
The demon in
me
I recovered my spark, got free of the dark
And I rocked the
demon in me
The demon in me
I rocked the demon in me!
Will
couldn't help stare at Shagon. Every word, every lyric was as if
Matt had pinned the song. But how was that possible? Shagon said Matt
was gone. But this song was proof that he wasn't. If Matt could
write 'The Demon in Me' and Shagon could play it then – How did
Shagon know
how to play 'The Demon in Me', let alone 'The Will to
Love'?
The second practice was over Will knew she had to leave.
"Sorry to leave like this, but I need to pick up a few things at the store before heading home."
"No problem Will." Shagon said in Matt's voice. "See you tomorrow."
Waving Will slipped outside and went to the park. Perching herself on one of the swings she lost herself in thought. How was it that Shagon knew how to perform Matt's songs? Even if he kinda sucked at 'The Will to Love'. And why would he nail 'The Demon in Me'? Maybe it was Shagon taunting her, yet wouldn't he have used 'The Will to Love' instead? He could have made it sound so real that he could have fooled Will into thinking Matt was back. So why didn't he?
"Though I'd find you here." Taranee settled down onto a swing beside her.
"Hey Taranee." Will looked at the fire guardian. "What's up?"
"Shagon is what's up." She frowned. "Did you know Wreck55 had a new song?"
"No, 'Matt' and I haven't really talked a lot lately." Will sighed and pushed off the ground to start swinging slightly. "But it seemed an odd choice for a song."
"Maybe it is a sign." Taranee began to swing as well. "Are you okay?"
"I don't know." Will said honestly. "But I think I will be. What kind of a sign could it be? That Shagon knows how to push my buttons?"
"No." The fire guardian replied. "Maybe it is a sign that Matt's out there somewhere and he's fighting."
"I just wish I knew." Will sighed.
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I can't believe I let Shagon talk me into this. Will thought as she followed him to the roof of the auditorium. Shagon had lured her with the promise that he would return Matt to her, but she also had a feeling that she was being set up. Pain seared Will before she blacked out, only to wake to the sound of Cornelia and Taranee calling her name. Making them Guardians Will realized that it was indeed a trap. Shagon, Tridart, Kore, and Ember were waiting to fight them.
And, of course, Shagon went for her. He managed to trip Will up, making her fall hard onto the concrete roof of the building. She had a lightning shield up against his eye energy beams. With all the hatred she was feeling, she was only feeding him more power. No matter how hard she tried to control the emotions within, it seemed as if Shagon were pulling them out of her, sucking her dry.
"Ooh, even your lightning comes with a hatred chaser." Shagon laughed maniacally.
"Why are you doing this?" Will cried as she felt herself becoming weaker from the emotional drainage as well as the power drainage to maintain the shield.
"You are in Nerissa's way, Guardian." Shagon snarled. "You and your little friends are nothing more than an amusing side-note in the story of my mistress' rise to absolute power." He then sighed dramatically. "Too bad actually. You and your hatred turns me on nearly as much as you feed me."
Disgust ran through Will at the darkness in Shagon's voice. She turned him on? Yeah right. Only Corny ever got the guy. Well, except Matt. Matt! He had told her several times that he though she was hot, and not only when she was transformed. Was Shagon somehow linked to Matt?
Suddenly Shagon began to shake and shudder as if he had a really bad cold. His energy blasts stopped as he quit siphoning her emotions. With a loud groan he wrapped his arms around himself.
"Winged angel from above / Help me find the Will / The Will to Love." Matt's voice sang brokenly from Shagon.
"Matt? Matt, is that you?" Will struggled to stand. "Matt you're inside Shagon and I can hear you!"
Oh please let him come back home to me.
As quickly as it had started the shaking stopped. Shagon stood upright and looked at Will for a long moment before turning and blasting Ember in the back from where she was drawing the heat out of Taranee's body as Tridart encased her in ice.
"Matt?" Will touched his arm, feeling the solid warmth of skin and muscle. He even felt different, he was warmer and not as harsh.
"You brought me back Will, you saved me from myself." Matt's voice was tender and tiered, but muffled by the bronze metallic mask that Shagon's body wore. He looked to Kore who held Cornelia trapped.
"Let Corny go Huggles." Obeying Kore gently released her and set her down lightly.
"That's Huggles?" Will stared in disbelief as Kore held Cornelia upright as she brushed her hair out of her face.
"Yep. Sick'em boy."
Letting go of Cornelia Huggles slammed into Tridart, shattering the ice demon's hold on Taranee. He then drug Tridart over to where Ember lay, tossing him down beside the fire demon.
"Matt, is that really you in there?" Will grasped his hand in both of hers. Shagon's body was so much bigger than Matt's, and more defined, that it was still hard for Will to come to terms that it was Matt she was looking at, not Shagon.
"Yes, it's me. It's been me all along." He touched her cheek gently. "But for now that's – "
White light surrounded Matt as he began to scream in agony. Will was screaming in fear for the one she loved. Tridart, Kore and Ember were also howling in pain. Matt shoved Will away from him and into Cornelia as he knees buckled and he gripped his head.
Will didn't understand what was going on as her two friends held her back. She had just got Matt back, even if he wasn't in his own body, and now someone was trying to take him away again. Unable to take anymore pain she broke down screaming in pain and fury, tears streaming down her cheeks.
The light was being sucked into a fold, blurring the lines of Matt and Huggles while Tridart and Ember were dematerialized and pulled into the fold. The light grew in intensity, forcing Will to close her eyes, before winking out, leaving her momentarily blind behind her closed eyelids.
"Will?" Matt's voice floated to her, sounding confused. Opening her eyes she saw that Matt and Huggles were sprawled out side by side on the ground, looking groggy and dazed.
"Matt!" Will threw herself at him, relieved and overjoyed that he was finally back. Chuckling he wrapped his arms around her slim frame before capturing her lips with his. The kiss was powerful and full of love. Matt kissed her hard and deep, trying to say with a kiss what a lifetime of words could never say. Will kissed him back in desperation, wanting to pour herself into him and never leave.
"I thought I'd lost you." Will sobbed into his shirt, clutching him tight to her.
"Never, sweetheart, never."
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With only minutes to spare Will de-transformed herself and the girls, filled in Irma and HayLin, gave Matt a kiss for good luck, and took Huggles from him before the real Matt joined Nigel and the others on stage.
So
many strangers on the street. Easier to keep your distance. Then everything changes. I figured I'd stay on the shelf. I didn't think I had the
strength Then everything
changes. Game's full of surprises. And everything changes.
Yeah, nearly everyone you
meet.
Can't relate, can't translate, can't create
A
connection. No.
Tread the
path of least resistance.
Don't engage, keep to your cage, stay
offstage
For protection.
She's
there. Life rearranges.
Winged angel from above…
Helped me
find the Will… the Will to love
The Will to love… The Will to
love
Truth be told,
didn't trust myself:
Always fade, don't make the grade, too
afraid
Of rejection. Oh!
To find a girl on my wavelength.
Just a runt, always
punt. No will to hunt
For perfection.
She's there. Life rearranges.
Winged angel from
above…
Helped me find the Will… the Will to love
The Will
to love… The Will to love
Live
our share of compromises.
Still when push comes to shove
She's
just the Will to love.
She's just the Will to love.
I found
the Will to love.
She's here.
Life rearranges.
Winged angel from above…
She is just the
Will… the Will to love.
The Will to love… The Will to love
Oh
After the concert was over, and everyone was gone but WITCH, Eric, Nigel, Matt and Martin, Matt slid up next to Will and slipped an arm around her shoulders. Irma and Martin were cleaning you the equipment, Taranee was saying goodbye to Nigel as her mother picked her up, Cornelia was calling her driver to come and pick her up, and HayLin was saying bye to Eric as he packed up his Saxophone.
"I missed you." Matt whispered, burying his face in her hair, holding her close.
"I missed you too." Will snuggled closer into his warmth, wrapping her arms around his waist. Peace filled her.
"Can we talk tomorrow about what happened? I'm exhausted." Matt asked as Huggles transferred himself over to Matt's neck.
"Sure." Will looked up into his face. "Do you want the others there as well?"
"Yeah." Matt sighed. "I don't want to repeat what I have to say too often. I just want to forget."
"I love you, you know." Will smiled, trying to ease the pain in Matt's eyes.
"I love you too. I always will."
- 8 -