Hating Myself: Chapter 2

Disclaimer:  I still don't own W.I.T.C.H. Disney just does the cartoon.

Chapter 2: Anger of the Beast

Matt groaned as he started to come to. He was becoming aware of some sort of nipping at his ear. Instinctually he swatted the irritation away but a bite to his finger brought him back to reality. For a moment he didn't know where he was or how he got there. A moment later, it all came back to him. 'Will' knocking on his window, Mr. Huggles freaking out, and Nerissa snatching him out of his own yard.

He took a look around and discovered he was in some sort of cell carved into a cave that looked like it was hidden within a mountain. It was cold, very cold. And the bars looked like they made of pure energy spaced just enough to see out, but not for him to squeeze through. He knew it was a stupid idea but he just had to know just how strong his prison was. Slowly he reached out to try and touch one of the bars. He didn't even get within two inches before the electrified energy shot out shocking him to the core. He yanked his hand back and tried to sooth his throbbing fingers. "Son of a..." He cursed to himself.

"Great." he said to himself. "Just great. I've made myself a hostage!" A chill ran down his spine and not just from the cold. "How could she could grab me this easily and why me? Why not try the same trick with one of the Guardians?" He rubbed his arms trying to warm them. "Unless she's like a vampire and has to be invited in." He was already kicking himself for that one. Will had said that her mother was taking her to the movies that night and that she would see him the next day at school. He didn't even think twice when he saw, what he thought was her, at his window.

A familiar chirping sound caught his attention. Mr. Huggles scampered up his pants leg making his way to his usual spot on Matt's shoulder. The boy sighed as he scratched the little dormouse behinds his ears. "Looks like we're both stuck here. Sorry I got you into this." Mr. H gently head butted his master's hand as if to say, 'It's not your fault.'

Matt started to take a good look around his new prison. "No sense sitting around sulking." The cell had an aged look. There was a simple bed, a small dresser, and a broken mirror. But judging from the amount of dust it was smashed long ago. Some parts however, looked like they were well kept as if some had been here not to long ago.

"Wait a minute." He said putting the clues together. "Wasn't Nerissa imprisoned in a cave when she killed Cassidy? What was that name? I'm sure Mrs. Lin said something about it. Mt. Thanos, that's it." OK, so he knew where he was. It was a start, but if he really was in Nerissa's old cell then he had little chance of getting out on his own. This thing was made to hold an evil Guardian never mind a unarmed young man. He checked his watch. It was now 10:06 am so he was already late to school, but how long would it take before someone knew he was missing. His Dad always left early but his Mom usually checked in on him if he overslept. But since he wasn't there would she notice the open window? The school would call his home if he was absent without a note, but no one would be home until at least 5:30.

He grunted in frustration. The girls would just think he was sick, no one knew he was taken, and by the time they realized he was missing it might be too late. He banged his fist against the wall immediately regretting it. The walls were like ice and granite so that meant brut force was out of the question.

"OK, not one of my better moves." He sat down on the floor, no way in hell he was going anywhere near Nerissa's bed, and emptied his pockets. "Let's see what I've got to work with." He didn't have much on him. He still had his wallet but nothing in there was going to do him any good. 'Unless they need to I.D. my corpse.' he thought but immediately regretted it.

"Really wishing I hadn't thought of that just now." There was also a guitar pic, a half written song, a few receipts, a buck fifty-three in change and a small pack of sunflower seeds. "My cell phone, my cell phone...is still charging on my dresser, Man!" Not that it would have done much good smack in the middle of a mountain but it would have been a comfort.

Perfect, there was nothing he could use to escape or even as a weapon. He started shoving the items back into his pockets when he noticed the sunflower seeds. He was getting hungry and who knows when, or if, the witch was going to feed him. "Not that I'd trust anything she'd give me though." But then he noticed Mr. Huggles quietly sitting on his shoulder keeping him company.

"What the heck." He offer what little sunflower seeds he had to the door mouse who ate them gratefully. "I guess you needed then more then me." He had to admit he was grateful for the company of his little companion.

Suddenly he heard the sound gathering energy and he knew their time was up. Nerissa had returned.

"Sorry to keep you waiting Dear Heart. But you understand the busy life of an evil sorceress."
She say in that sickeningly sweet voice calling him by that strange pet name.

"Thought you'd get some good use out of your old room as well?" He said trying to get a rise out of her. But instead she gave him a knowing little smirk.

"I knew the keeper of the heart didn't just keep you around just for your pretty face." He let out a growl, he really didn't like where this was going.

"Let me OUT!"

"I'd love too. You're not of much use to me in there." What did she want with him? Whatever it was he wasn't going to let it happen.

"I'm not going to be of any use to you period." He said defiantly.

Her smirk only increased. "We shall see."

Suddenly Mr. Huggles tensed up like he did when Nerissa first appeared. Before Matt could stop him the brave little dormouse leapt off his shoulder, between the bars fully intending to tear the old woman's face off. 'I'll show you human! I won't let you hurt my Master!' But the woman was too quick for him. She shot out a stream of eclectic energy and caught the creature in mid air.

"Oh, hostile little creature isn't he." She didn't let up the stream even as the little guy was twisting and writhing in agony.

"In this light you can almost see the anger." Sure enough the poor creature's anger over his master being threatened could be visibly seen by the magic of the cave. Magic that was a constant reminder of Nerissa's own feelings and emotions during her imprisonment. "Perfect, he shall be the first to serve me."

She gathered the anger and twisted it to suit her own desires. "Here little dormouse, take your anger back again."

Matt watched in horror as his beloved pet was being tortured right in front of him. And there was nothing he could do. "Stop! Mr. Huggles."

The former guardian raised an eyebrow. "Huggles? Not very dignifying. But you know there was a beast of legend that feed on anger. Kor, he was called. Yes, Kor the Destroyer, that will do nicely."

Matt couldn't believe what he was seeing. The once cute little dormouse started growing bigger, stronger with a much larger set of teeth. Mr. Huggles, no, Kor let out a very loud and angry roar. The boy couldn't help but take a unconscious step back. He couldn't believe this was the same little guy that was just sitting on his shoulder only a few minutes ago.

"What did you do to him?!" And it was then he understood Nerissa's plan. She was planning to turn him into one of her creatures and use him against the Guardians, against Will.

The crooked smirk never left her face as she watch her soon to be Knight. "Oh, I wouldn't worry about him Dear Heart." She could sense the boy's anger, but that was not what she needed to break that chink in his armor. By the time she was done, his soul would forever belong to her.

She looked him straight in the eye knowing just how to break him. "After all, you're next!"

To be continued...