Chapter Four... From Dusk till Dawn

She opened her eyes to face the evil, which stood before her, not more than 5 feet away. He was tall, handsome, and had black hair to his ankles. Sakura sighed and closed her eyes. "Oh great Star Wand, transform me!" she called out, pushing the wand straight out in front of her. The power of the wand released the stardust from the crown and consumed her body. When they dissipated she was wearing a blue dress with sleeves split like daisy petals, and her hair was braided up above her head with blue ribbons intertwined amongst them. She was as beautiful as a polished diamond. Sakura opened her eyes and observed the outfit her wand choose for her, pastel-like and glittering. It was much better than the silly outfits Madison used to make for her. She looked up at her target, which had seemed to move slowly closer to her. Sakura backed up a few steps, putting comfortable distance between her and the stranger before her. "Who are you?" she demanded, standing firm and tall. The handsome figure studied her face a moment, then answered her. "Arithon." he said simply, an evil grin graced his lips. "What do you want?" Sakura threw another question in his direction. Arithon walked around her in a circle, not answering. He seemed to be waiting for her to do something, and then he stopped and ran his fingers through his long black hair. Sakura could have easily mistaken this man for Yue, but with a much darker look. Her eyes widened in surprise upon seeing this. He grinned again, as if he could see in her eyes what she thought. "So, I look like him... do I?" he asked her, his presence somehow closer than ever before. It smothered her like a crowded elevator. She closed her eyes, but all she could see was his evil eyes, pure black. "Somewhat, but hardly alike in personality. From what I've seen... the total opposite!" she stated, standing her ground. Arithon chucked, his tones evil as any foul creature could sound.

Sakura held her wand out to the side, and it grew till it touched the ground, appearing as a staff. The crown reached above her head, dwarfing her small form. She struck the butt of the staff on the ground, making a loud noise that echoed off the trees. "Let's end this, I don't want to deal with you anymore!" Sakura said to him, holding her head high. Arithon raised an eyebrow and laughed. He walked up close to her and grinned again. "Sweet as candy, yet deadly as any poisonous snake. This battle will go on as long as I want it too. This game must be played out, the cards are in my hands now." he said, displaying her stolen cards between his fingers. His laughter filled her ears, and raced through her mind. She shook her head to rid herself of his menacing laugh. The fear escalated in her at his horrible words. "Well, no one ever said candy was good for you!" she smarted back, reaching for a card. The Windy Card. "Windy, I command you to trap him! Windy, Release and Dispel!" she yelled, throwing the card into the air. The wand dispelled the card, and Windy rushed towards her target, making to encircle him with a cage of wind. He stretched out his hand in front of him and a wand shimmered to life, the length of his arm and black as pitch. He grabbed hold of it. He stared into her eyes and with a crooked grin, windy was sucked into his wand and formed into a Dark Card. Sakura watched with wide eyes as it fell to the ground. Arithon bent down and picked it up, holding it up for her inspection. "WINDY!" she exclaimed. Sakura edged closer to him, but stopped short. "Give it back!" she yelled at him, anger in her eyes. Arithon laughed aloud, sounding like a mad scientist. Words could not describe her feelings, when suddenly she felt a third presence, this time it was very familiar.

Sakura turned around to face Yue in all his angelic grace. He stood tall and his face shown not that of happiness, but of anger. Arithon looked Yue over and then laughed. "Good god! He does look like me, but hardly as handsome." he gloated, glaring at Yue. The sparks flew around them, as the air crackled with their powers. Good pitted against Evil. Which force would win, and which would loose? Sakura exchanged looks between them, as they continued their stare down. Sakura walked over and stood next to Yue, wanting to fight at his side. Yue looked down at her a second, his eyes full of worry and love. Sakura smiled and looked back at Arithon along with him. "I am her guardian, and whomever she fights, I fight as well. She does nothing alone when I am around!" Yue growled, arching his wings out behind him. "Well then, that's easy enough to solve." Arithon stated, as he raised his wand into the air. Yue prepared for a fight, and flew up into the night sky. Arithon pointed the rod in Yue's direction and white-hot bolts of electricity leapt from the head of his staff. Yue jumped around in the air to avoid getting singed. Sakura gasped as she watched them fight. Yue flew up more and pulled his hand back forming his famous bow and arrow of white energy. It coursed around him as he let go of the arrow, letting it fly towards its target. Arithon grinned and stuck out his hand, forming a shield of protection. The arrow of energy hit the shield and bounced off, heading in the direction of Sakura.

Yue called out her name "Sakura!" he yelled, folding in his wings to gain speed enough to stop the attack. Sakura looked at Arithon and with his green eyes, she stood perfectly still, as he put her under a trance. Yue flew at great speed towards Sakura and as their body's met, he grabbed hold of her and they slammed hard into the ground. The energy danced past them and hit a tree, splitting it apart. Pieces of wood landed around them, as Yue protected them with his massive wings. Sakura looked up into his face, as Yue lay next to her on the ground, dust filling the air. Their eyes met and shared a mere second of something wonderful and then Yue pulled her up along with him, holding their ground. "You okay?" he asked her, his eyes marred with vengeance towards their attacker. Sakura nodded and smiled at him, glaring back at Arithon. "What are we going to do? I can't use my cards, and your magic doesn't have any effect against him." Sakura whispered as they stood there, regaining her strength. "We may need the help of someone you know." Yue said, looking down at her. She thought for a moment. Then it occurred to her whom he was speaking of. "Lee!" she replied, turning to look up at him. Yue nodded, and took her into his arms and flew off into the sky, before Arithon knew what was happening. "Damn them!" he yelled, pocketing her cards. "This is not over, by far. We will meet again, very soon... Sakura." Arithon grinned, disappearing in a rush of darkened wind.

Awhile later...

Yue and Sakura flew through the air, and she spotted his house. "There!" she said to him, pointing towards a white home. Yue dipped down with her, the air rushing around her so hard she had to close her eyes. Her grip tightened around him, and she could feel his muscles harden with their closeness. Yue looked at her out the corner of his eye and then looked forward. Landing softly on the ground, he delicately placed her on the ground in front of him. Sakura ran off towards the house, and spied in the window. The house was dark inside. When she returned to Yue's side, a window upstairs flicked on. Sakura's eyes brightened as Lee's head popped out the window. "I can feel when your near Yue, what do you want?" Lee said, slight contempt in his voice. Yue raised an eyebrow. "We need your help Lee!" she hollered up to him. Lee looked over in her direction, his face totally surprised. "Sakura?" he said, as he smiled. "Yes, it's me! We need your help. I was attacked by that stranger again." she said. Lee's face was suddenly filled with blistering anger. He disappeared from the window and came outside a few minutes later, dressed in his green outfit. He came up and looked at Yue with a slight glare and then turned his gaze upon Sakura. "He took Windy from me..."Sakura said, sadness in her tones. "Did you try to stop him?" he asked, looking into the guardians silver eyes. Yue showed his distaste for Lee and folded his arms over his chest. "Yes, I did." he replied flatly. Lee sighed. "And… what happened?" he continued on with his interrogation. Yue glared back, his wings arching with his distaste for the boy. Lee quirked a grin.

The air about them as they exchanged glances began to feel odd again. Sakura tightened her grip on the wand, as the air became slightly hard to breathe. She began to gasp for vital air. Yue turned to notice a strange look on his mistress's face. "Sakura, what's wrong?" he asked, placing his hand on her shoulder. Sakura looked up at him, and before she passed out, he saw a most pained look in her eyes. "Sakura!" he called out, as he caught her before she fell to the ground. Holding her up against him, he turned to see Lee having the same problem with breathing. Lee began to gasp and went to his knees as he held his head. "Yue, what's... happening...." was all Lee could manage, as he passed out on the ground. Yue looked around them, and noticed a shadowy figure standing at the other end of the block. Yue put Sakura down on the ground and put up an attack stance. Yue was seething with anger. The other man stifled a small laugh. "So you thought that recruiting this one, it would in some way help you win?" Arithon asked with a laugh. Yue clinched his fists, ready to rip this man apart. "Well well... you think that you can hurt me all by your self?" he asked again, when he received no answer from Yue. The Moon Guardian clenched his teeth, and tightened his fists till his arms shook.

Yue knew he could do nothing, but he was determined to keep them safe, till he drew his last breath. Arithon grinned and whipped out Sakura's windy card. "I command thee, encase him!" Arithon said, as he released Windy. It raced towards Yue and his eyes went wide as the card surrounded him and he tried with everything he had to escape its capture, but nothing could be done. Yue cursed his failure to save her and lowered his head to the ground in defeat. "I knew you couldn't beat me your self! You're too weak without your mistress and her friend to back you up. But your not what I came for, Sakura is who I want. So thanks for handing her to me... guardian." Arithon said, a smile crossing his lips. The man appeared next to Sakura and picked her up into his arms. "No!" Yue yelled. With a maniacal laugh Arithon disappeared with his prize. It was almost too much for Yue to bear as he closed his eyes and sobbed in the floating bubble. A moment or two after he was gone Lee awoke, came to his knee's and shook his head clear of the after effects. Yue was then also released from his cage, as the bubble dispersed into nothingness. He sat there on the ground, his wings in a weakened appearance. Lee looked over at him and then looked around for Sakura, which he didn't find. "Where is she?" Lee asked him, coming over near the guardian. Yue looked up at him, tears in his eyes. Then he placed a shaking hand over his face and continued to cry. Lee's eyes widened and filled with sudden terror. "HE TOOK HER?" he yelled aloud, anger replacing the terror.

He grew angry with Yue as tears formed in his eyes. "You couldn't protect her? What kind of guardian are you? You worthless...." he yelled, as he lost his voice with sobs. Lee punched the ground and shook from the pain of it mixing with his own emotional pain. Yue drew his knees up to his chest and surrounded himself slightly with his wings, as the pain of this loss slowly ripped at his tender heart.

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WOW, Lee like really hates him now... o_O I mean..he is so dumb..who could hate our beloved Yue...??? @_@ It makes me wonder what the world is coming too..hehe...Anyhoo..How did ya'll like it...Review me please..^_~

For any question's, comments, or flames... e-mail me at: sakura_blossom@hotmail.com!