Well! Another… er… month… another fanfic! Or something. Yeah. I'm excited! I get to keep my dad's laptop until he decides he needs it because he never uses it! Yay! Well, I should have a better updating schedule this time, because when I publish this I should have the next three or four chapters typed up. I'm so excited! I love being one of the writers of a fanfic! It makes me want to dance! Anyway, I hope you enjoy. A couple of notes first.

Note #1: Warnings: Rape, violence, mentions of abuse, mentions of child abuse, etc.

Note #2: This fic is rated T for a reason. The rape "scenes" are the same as and no worse than the rape scene in Speak (owned by Laurie Halse Anderson and others) and the sex scenes in Memoirs of a Geisha (owned by Arthur Golden and others). Both of those books are in the Young Adult section of the library. Young Adult corresponds with T. If you think my rating should be changed, please don't report it. Tell me. I will change the rating. Thank you.

Note #3: There is an OC, but she is by no means a Mary-Sue. In fact, she has a minor role.

Note #4: Voleurs means Thieves in French. Technically, it should be Les Voleurs, as a noun is never alone in French, but screw it. Americans don't care.

Disclaimer: No funny disclaimer here, folks. Move it along. I know none of you want to read "I don't own it, others do. I could look up whom, but I'm way too lazy. Not to mention bitter."

Lunarmercury Presents:

Voleurs Chapter One: Begin With a Plan

Hiei slowly trudged his way to his tiny tent. He was sore, sorer than normal. Things hadn't been that rough for years, not until these new demons showed up, much harsher than the bandits were. They didn't seem to care that he had to fight the next morning. They were indifferent to the fact that he had to train and training was difficult with injuries of that nature and severity. They didn't care. They knew they were needed, and he was just a lowly nobody, despite the fact that he had one of the largest ki's in the group and was among the most skilled. No, that didn't concern them at all. He plopped down on the dirt floor with a weary sigh, carefully avoiding his brutalized rear, and massaged the bridge of his nose.

He didn't realize he had fallen into a light doze until he woke from it fifteen minutes later to the sound of cloth rustling. He immediately tensed, then relaxed when he recognized the familiar ki of his tentmate, Lebia. They had known each other since they were less than a year old. Her parents had been eaten when she was a week away from 7 months old. Given the success they had had with Hiei, then exactly 8 months old, they took her in too. She plopped down opposite of Hiei with a sigh much like his. Hiei took a quick stock of her: bright red hair, done in two braids, in disarray, blue eyes dull and only slightly slit open, red tunic and puffy pants torn and stained with blood, dirt and who knew what else, her red martial arts shoes wearing thin.

"Awfully rough tonight," she commented casually, voice hoarse. Hiei wasn't surprised – his voice was like that, too, from suppressing screams. She pulled off her shoes and began to rub her aching feet.

"Hn," Hiei agreed, pulling off his boots, too. He normally did it first thing, but this time he had fallen asleep first.

"They shouldn't be allowed to be that cruel. We need to be able to walk to fight."

"Peh. They'll do what they please. Our band is big, but not nearly big enough to take over the three worlds."

"Unfortunately. It's a stupid plan anyway, one that'll never work. The tantei are supposed to be incredibly powerful, and Reikai has a huge army to help them."

"True. But still, it's possible we'll win. From what I've heard, it's a good plan… Makai does have plenty of artifacts to help the quest, we just need to find them… everything falls easily from there." He leaned back, a slight smirk playing on his lips. "Oi. You remember when I said I'd leave and take over Nigenkai myself?"

Lebia laughed. "Your plan wasn't bad either… for a three year-old," she teased.

"… You think it'll really work?" She inquired softly.

"I'm not sure. Reikai's bound to have noticed the activity, and it's risky at best. But if we can just defeat the initial wave… it's possible we'll really win. Not that we'll be treated any better if we do…" he said wryly.

She sighed. "Tr-" She cut off suddenly, stifling a cry of pain, clutching her abdomen tightly.

"You're pregnant again." It wasn't a question. He reached for a dagger, preparing to perform yet another abortion. Lebia saw this and caught his wrist. He started, snapping his now wide eyes to hers, surprised.

"Please… I want to keep this one."

"Lebia, it'll never make it! And even if it does, what life would it have?"

She lowered her gaze to the ground, ashamed but determined.

"I know. I understand. But just once I'd like to keep my baby."

Hiei sighed and set the dagger down.

"Alright. But you know what happened before, how devastated you were…"

"I know," She repeated. "I remember." She sighed. "And I know that with the huge battle coming up it's not likely it'll survive. But I'd like to try." Then again, more softly. "I'd like to try."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The room was large, as befitted the status of a god – even just a child one. The seeming toddler sat in a large, plush chair, pacifier in his mouth, three best tantei before him.

"You've all made arrangements for the mission ahead, I assume?"

"I told Keiko I had to go on a mission, but it sure would've saved me from a lot of yelling if I knew what the mission was," Yuusuke griped.

"Yeah, same goes for my sis," Kuwabara added in.

Koenma cleared his throat. "Yes, well, I clear that up for you now."

"Ah, come on Koenma, we all know that you never really tell us the entire mission." Yuusuke said.

"Actually, Yuusuke, he normally does a pretty good job of that…" Kurama pointed out.

Koenma cleared his throat again. "Yes, well… This mission involves going to the Makai. It has been brought to the attention of Reikai that there is a rather large mass of bandits there that has joined forces with a veritable army of youkai, and they are planning to take over the three worlds. They will be collecting artifacts to do that, and for the planning and location, they will all be gathered in one place. It is during this time that you three and an army that Reikai will provide will swoop down and eliminate them all. There is no room for failure. Is this clear?"

Kurama spoke up. "What are their weaknesses?"

Koenma coughed. "We have not had much time to investigate them beyond what they're planning. Also, with such a large mass, it is hard to know strengths and weaknesses. However, at the current moment, we believe them to be rather uncoordinated. Your supplies are over there. Please, act with all haste."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The firelight flickered off of the trees surrounding the clearing. The wood in the fire crackled softly, but emitted no smoke. The tantei each sat on a separate log, their bag and sleeping roll in front of them.

"This seems like a pretty big mission," Yuusuke remarked quietly.

"That is why we have an army backing us up… but yes, it is a rather serious mission," Kurama responded.

Kuwabara sighed. "Why are youkai always trying to take over the world?" He complained.

"For a youkai, there is nothing more important that power. If a youkai were to rule even one world, he could gain control of the others. It would still be hard, but much, much easier than normal," Kurama explained. He sighed. "I do believe this mission will be a bit of a challenge."

"Aw, c'mon, it'll be easy for us," Yuusuke boasted. The other two smiled.

"Come," Kurama said. "We had better rest up. It's certainly a big battle tomorrow."

Yuusuke and Kuwabara snuggled under the covers, while Kurama slid of the log and leaned against it, keeping a sharp eye out for any wandering youkai.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The next morning dawned bright and early, clear under the red sky. It was a perfect day for fighting.

"Ready?" Asked Yuusuke. The other two nodded.

They all looked at the enormous army Rekai had managed to gather.

"Good."

They began the short march to the bandits' campsite, where their opponents were ready and waiting.

Sooooo? How'd ya like the first chapter of my new fic? I apologize for OOCness and strained dialogue.

"He reached for a dagger, preparing to perform yet another abortion…" The baby wouldn't survive their lifestyle. It's easier (physically and emotionally) on the mother if he performs it ahead of time. I don't mean to offend anyone by it…

I actually have another fic in the works, but it's still in the idea and planning stage. Besides, I don't want to work on more than one fic at a time. Heck, one's hard enough, I can't imagine how I'd handle two….

Please review! You can't imagine how happy it makes me. Seriously, after my two one shots got reviewed (at once!), especially when the one hadn't been reviewed at all, you can't imagine the euphoria I was in. So please, even if it's to tell me my writing's crap and I should never show my face in the fanficcing community again (in which case I'll ignore you but still be happy you reviewed!), please, please, review!

This chapter was edited 8/17/05