A/N: Hi everyone, sorry it took me so long to post another chapter, but once again I was bombarded with tests, exams and all the other great stuff professors like to torment students with and it doesn't help when you don't know what to write about.

Anyway, this chapter is Raven-centric and I hope you people like him. And if you see the word Hybrid pop up, that's a word I sometimes uses to refer to Raven. If you see the term, fade-out, that's refers to when Evan does his teleport thing.

I does not own Saiyuki, but I own the Daycarthro Chronicles.

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Chapter 8: The Hybrid

"Cassandra?" Warner breaks her thoughts. "Don't tell me a Demon Warrior is here." His blue eyes look out the window, but all he sees is a gray sky.

There's no way one of my scouts could have found him already, Cassandra thinks. I just sent them out an hour ago! It must be my imagination.

"Oh, it's nothing," Cassandra finally says. "I was just thinking how it looks like it is about to rain."

Damn, Sanzo thinks. The monk always hated the rain, which seemed to foreshadow death—nothing good ever happened when the rain fell. As if things weren't bad enough already.

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Not too far from the town Sanzo and crew are in, there is a river that cuts through a forest. A young man with black hair and blue-violet eyes surveys the area. His clothes are ragged from the long journey he has endured. Every muscle in his body aches from lack of sleep and food, but he has almost reached his destination.

I'm close to Cassandra now. Maybe a couple more hours and I'll find her, Raven concludes, but how do I get across this river? There river is about sixty-feet wide and no bridges are present. Damn, he swears under his breath. He slips his shoes and socks off, then his watch, shoving his watch and his socks into his shoes, while tying the shoe laces together. With one impressive throw, he flings his stuff across the river, where it barely hits the shore.

Here goes nothing, Raven jumps into the river, the cold water stunning him for a second. Eventually his body adjusts to the cold and as he swims towards the shore his body moves in perfect rhythm. His mind drifts, recalling a time when similar circumstances like this one occurred…

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"Daddy!" Raven screamed. He ran to his fallen father, blood was pouring from his father's wound. His father coughed up blood then looked at his son.

"Run, Raven. Get out of here now!" his father ordered. He handed Raven his dagger, which told Raven he would never see his father again. Raven shook his head and grabbed his father's hand.

"I won't leave you!" Raven cried. He could hear the Daerenhs approaching.

"Run!" Raven's father pushed him away, willing to give up his life if that meant his son could continue on. "Raven, you're the last of your kind. I want you to get as far away from here as possible and start your life over. I promise you we will see each other again." His father smiled at him as he ruffled his son's hair. "Remember that I love you." Raven understood his father's wishes, even though he didn't want to leave. The young Hybrid nodded his head then left his father.

He raced passed the trees and he could hear the Daerenhs chasing after him. A Daerenh jumped in front of him, but Raven slipped through his fingers. They followed him like a pack of wolves, closing in for the kill.

Just then the ground gave way to a raging river. Raven looked back and saw the Daerenhs closing in. Without another moment's hesitation, Raven took a deep breath then jumped into the river.

The water hit him like a slap in the face, the numbing cold making him lose the feeling in his body. It took everything in his will to keep his muscles moving, but the river proved too violent, dragging him under the surface.

"Daycarthro! Eslanla! Help me!" Raven begged between breaths when he managed to break the surface. The water dragged him under again, and this time he was unable to resurface.

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Those events happened so long ago, but for Raven the images have been drilled into his memory. That was the last time he saw his mother and father, both of them were taken away from him—victims of hatred and a war that not many people knew why they were fighting. For most of his life he believed the Daerenhs were the ones who stole his family from him and damned him to a life of hell. But he found out later that the demons who pursued in his adulthood, were the same ones who pursued him as a child. He also discovered his parents had not died that night and might still be alive—Evan was proof of that.

At last he reaches the shore and climbs out of the water, shaking his head to get the excess water out of his hair. Damn, Raven thinks when he senses a presence close to him. He looks up to see a dragon flying towards him. Looks like I can't avoid him now. Kougaiji lands on the shore.

"Hi," Raven greets the red head, as he slips on his socks then shoes.

"You're hard to track," Kougaiji replies.

"And you're hard to avoid." Raven wrings his shirt. "Well, as much as I would like to stay and chat, I have to be someplace right now." Raven goes to walk passed Kou, but the youkai steps in his way. "I'm really not in the mood to fight you."

"I've been ordered to capture you."

"I figured as much." Raven looks into Kougaiji's purple eyes. "But the only way I'm going anywhere with you is by force."

"So be it." Kougaiji falls into his fighting stance. Raven sighs, then whispers a spell. The water from the river swirls around him then rushes at Kou. The prince rolls out of the way then charges at Raven. Kou slams his fist onto the side of Raven's face, causing the Hybrid to stumble back. Damn, he's fast, Raven thinks as he dodges another punch.

Kou's fist hits Raven in the gut and for a second he can't breathe. Raven grabs Kou by the neck and punches the youkai on the cheek. Before Kou can get up, Raven casts an earth spell, which causes the ground to shatter underneath Kou. The youkai shields his face as he thrown from his feet. Raven recites an ice-spell, but Kou uses his red wind to melt the ice.

"You're good," Kou comments, wiping the blood from his lip.

"I've had a lot of practice," Raven replies, his blue-violet eyes not leaving Kou for a second. Raven steps back, drawing the dagger from his ankle sheath. "But I'm done playing games with you." He recites a spell and electricity races across the blade of his dagger, turning it into a sword with a twenty-four inch blade. The first time Kou saw Raven use a spell similar to this, the blade had consisted of fire, now the blade appears to be some type of steel. This fight is about to get interesting, Kou realizes.

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Evan appears in a forest, not too far from where he found Cassandra. He has been searching for Raven all day and the strain is beginning to show on him. I hate being in this form, Evan thinks as he takes a second to recover. It doesn't take much to deplete my energy. It doesn't help that I haven't been able to get that much sleep, either. He closes his eyes, searching for Raven's essence. Stupid Raven, I wish I wasn't so dependent on you.

A water drop falls on his nose, followed by more raindrops. Great, now it's going to rain! Might as well go back to others and rest up for a bit. He is about to leave when Evan senses a mass of energy not too far from where he is at. Raven.

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Rain pours down on the two fighters. The Hybrid cautiously moves around Kou, waiting for the right moment to unleash the spell that will put an end to this fight. Kou lowers his eyes at Raven then lunges forward. Raven stands his ground, waiting for Kou to get close enough. Almost…

Evan appears when Kou has almost reached Raven. Without even thinking, Evan casts a light-spell and heaves a ball of light at Kou, which knocks the youkai off his feet.

"Evan?" Raven asks, surprised to see the child.

"You idiot! Are you trying to get yourself killed!" Evan yells.

"Evan, stay back," Raven orders, when the youkai finally gets back onto his feet. Of course the boy doesn't listen.

"Hey, youkai, you ready for me to kick your ass?" Evan asks. Kou glares at the child, finding it hard to believe a kid was the one behind the attack that took so much out of him.

"Get out of here," Raven tells the demon child.

"You expect me to let you have all the fun?"

"I said stay out of this!" Raven snaps.

"Yeah right," Evan places his hands together, gathering his energy to unleash another attack.

Another one, Kou thinks, looking from the child then to the young man. The boy is going to cast a spell, I better stop him.

To Evan's surprise Kou races towards him to stop the attack. Evan smiles as he whispers his incantation, he unleashes the spell, but Kou manages to dodge it. Damn, Evan tries to vanish, but his energy was wasted on that spell. I can't fade-out! Evan stares at Kou, as the youkai is about to strike him.

"Evan!" Raven yells. He quickly recites a spell then heaves his sword at Kou. The sword bursts into balls of electricity that hit Kou head on, electrifying the youkai. Kou collapses, unable to withstand the attack. Evan stares at the youkai at his feet, then drops to his knees, the water soaking into his knees. Raven runs to his brother. "Are you okay?" Raven asks, kneeling down to the boy.

"I-I'm fine," Evan whispers, feeling exhausted from the long day.

"You idiot! I told you to stay out of this! What were you thinking trying to fight when you're tired!" Evan looks away from the angry eyes of his older brother. Raven sighs, seeing how scorning the kid won't do anyone much good. "It doesn't matter now." Raven ruffles Evan's hair like his father used to do to him when he was around Evan's age. I won't lose you like I lost mom and dad, Raven silently promises Evan.

Raven counters his spell and his sword solidifies, then returns to him. He stands over Kougaiji, realizing the youkai is still alive. I should kill him while I have the chance, but Raven fails to act.

"You're a fool," Evan concludes when he sees Raven can't kill Kou.

"I promised myself I won't kill unless I have to." Raven looks at his brother. "He can't hurt anyone right now." Raven counters his spell and his dagger returns to normal. "Look at you, you're getting drench just sitting there." Raven smiles at the child, who glares at him.

"Maybe I don't give a damn," Evan sneers.

"Come on, let's go." Raven begins to walk away, but Evan doesn't get up. "Evan?" Raven asks, looking at his brother who is getting soaked by the rain.

"Can we rest for a little bit?" Evan mumbles, too tired to move.

"No, we should keep moving," without saying another word, Raven sweeps Evan off his feet. "We're close to them, right?"

"Yeah," Evan whispers, still surprised by Raven's actions.

"Then rest, I'll take us there."

"Raven?" Evan asks quietly. "I'm glad you're okay." Raven is the only person Evan cares about, even though he would never admit it. Evan wraps his arms around Raven's neck and rests his head on his brother's shoulder. For the first time since he has arrived in this world he has a sense of security. I love you, Big Brother.

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A/N: Aw, aren't Evan and Raven so cute! And Bakaneko, I know what you mean about thinking of Evan as a little brother. He's like the little brother I never had, just like Raven is the big brother I wish I could have.

Thanks for the reviews, I probably won't get a chapter out until after Friday since once again my profs have decided to team up against me. Does it ever end? But don't worry, this time I have an exam and essay in my easy classes.

So, till next time!