Yes, once again I'm back with another horrible fan-fic.  After 
doing miserable on a mid-term, getting only three hours of sleep (Which 
would probably keep Hitomi running for DAYS), drinking five bottles of 
Baka Pepper, and eating four Reeses Pieces, I've finally started writing 
this.  Please, flame privately, praise publically.

HEY!!!

I'm human too you know and get tired like everyone else.

	The men occupying the serving hall of the inn were of the usual 
low class warriors, hardly better then the stinking peasants who toiled 
and wasted on the fields.  The man who entered, although not wearing any 
form of armor, hardly would have caused a stir.  His clothes were raggy 
and torn, unfit for the coming winter, but his strong arms and stern face 
kept the innkeeper from daring to turn him away from a table.  The man 
was bald and his thin face told of many hardships.  He had a companion, 
and this turned many heads.

First, most warriors in Japan belonged to two differing groups, the 
religious persons or the samurai.  The only people outside of this were 
the Ninja which were composed of hinin.

	The men waited another hour and then nodded toward a particular 
large man, who seemed to be the most respected amongst them.  He got up 
and walked toward the table and pulled up a chair and sat down next to 
the girl and placed his arm casually around her.  The rest of the men 
snickered as he did so.

His putting an arm around her in such a crass manner would indicate 
extreme disrespect for the girl.  It would also show that he was less 
than a commoner, less than hinin.  Such actions would have been 
distasteful to warriors.

	The girl gave a vicious stare to all the men that nearly silenced 
them.  She gave them a gaze that was so full of hate and pain it nearly 
frightened them.  But they were men, and why should they be frightened of 
a girl?  They shifted around in their seats and some of them smiled back.

Considering that a lot of women were thought how to use swords and other 
weapons, a girl that could cause them to start to be silenced would be 
treated with caution.

	The girl moved closer to the drunk man.  Kyoushiro suddenly 
reached across the table and grabbed the girl's arm.  He brought his 
other arm up over the table in front of the drunk man and dropped several 
coins.

_THIS_ would not happen.  Any attempt to place money like this would be 
more than an extreme insult and would usually be punished by death.

	"Oh, just a traveller, like you," Luanma could see the outline of 
the man's body.  The man walked closer and as he did, Luanma saw him 
clearer despite the half hidden moon. He was smiling and wore the 
garments of a warrior.  His teeth shone.

If he was a warrior, then his teeth would not shine.  A member of the 
samurai class blackened their teeth.

	"Why wasn't I born a man," thought Akane, staring at the place 
where she had hidden the sword.  "Oh Shikiri, why did you have to die?"  
She remembered the old man, who had fought in so many wars, but his 
career ended when he lost the use of his right arm.  He use to laugh at 
her tears and take her into his one good arm and tell her not to worry. 
That some day a prince would come and take all her troubles away.  When 
she had gotten older, only relunctantly, and with great fear and caution, 
did he teach her how to use his sword.  A year ago he had felt his death 
approaching early and had given her the sword and told her to hide it, 
before he went back to his bed and breathed his last.

A woman of the Samurai class was thought how to use bladed weapons.  They 
were trained in the handling of the two swords, how to use a staff, and 
most especially how to use a ningato.  Only a Samurai who was an idiot 
failed to let the women of his household be trained.  Women were the ones 
who trained young Samurai in the first use of their swords.

	Akane sighed.  She had so many dreams but she also realized how 
futile it all was.  No matter how much she wanted, no matter how much she 
dared, she knew father would force her to marry Kuno.  "Father always 
wanted the best for you," she said out loud mockingly deep.

This would _only_ occur if she choose to honour her fathers wishes.  It 
was not unusual for women to become part of the fighting Samurai class.  
Only a few became famous, but many women have taken the role of fighter 
instead of educator.

	After preparing her, the maid opened the door and walked in front 
of Akane, slowly.  They approached the main door and walked out.  For her 
rides about the land Akane preferred to wear a simple dress that allowed 
her to sit comfortably for hours.  It was a red dress however, and died 
silk was expensive, straight from the T'ang dynasty, but to this, Akane 
hardly gave a thought.  Neither did she give a thought to her painted 
nails and painted face or to the comfortable shoes she wore.

Since when did women have nail polish in that period?  Also, the powder 
used on the face was white rice powder.

	Tendo Soun was regarded as the most kindest of estate owners and 
many people were shown his kind hand, none would ever think of harming 
Akane.  Hibiki Ryouga, too, loved the man and would die for him.  Tendo 
Soun had given him the money to pay for his sick mother's medicine, and 
would give him leave from time to time to visit her.  Tendo Soun, in his 
turn, felt something akin to a son toward Ryouga, but the best he could 
do for the poor boy was make him into roto, since he had no noble blood.  
He would make a great warrior too, Tendo had thought often, but only 
nobles were allowed to war.  But Soun did prefer having Ryouga with 
Akane, whenever she was hit with an urge to move about, it was ensured 
that Akane would not get hurt.

Tendo-sama would have easily been able to take him on as a warrior, not 
as just a roto.  Also, it was not unknown for commoners to be raised to 
Samurai.  If Tendo-sama wished to do so, he would formally submit a 
request to the Baikatsu to elevate Ryouga's status.

	"Heh, heh!"  Ryouga blushed, thankful that his back was toward 
her.  "You're too kind, Mrs. Tendo."

Tendo-san, not Mrs. Tendo.

	"Wait, are you from China?"  Akane grasped the girl's arm.

A Samurai lady would not grab hold of someone.  Neither would a warrior 
grab someone.  It was an extreme breach of the niceities and ettiquette 
that prevented wars from occuring more often than they did.

	Luanma had refused to ride in the carriage besides the noble 
lady, at this the driver seemed to approve of probably because he didn't 
want her sitting next to his lady.  Luanma saw the stares he kept giving 
his lady and couldn't help but smile.  "Stupid fool," she said to 
herself, "falling for her fake beauty."  But Luanma couldn't help but 
feel jealous of the beautiful silk dress that the lady Akane was wearing, 
"but why should I feel that?" thought Luanma to herself, "Better to wear 
what the driver was wearing, I still have my pride."  The driver's 
clothing, though simple, was infinitely better than her's.  Luanma forced 
herself from picking at her clothing as she rode on top of the panda's 
back.

One did not wear dresses.  Publically, one always wore a kimono.  also I 
have a question.  I would imagine from how this is written, Luanma is 
more used to being a girl than a boy, and from the context of everything 
that has been written to this point, she is more at ease with her female 
form than her male one.  From the way the speaking has been going, I 
would imagine that the curse has been in effect for some time.  How long 
has Luanma effectively been female?

	"How dare you!!"  Ryouga stopped the horses.  "Don't you dare 
talk to Mrs. Akane that way!"

The use of the personal name for a member of the nobility would be a 
breach of ettiquete.

Blahs:	  Yes, this story takes place in feudal Japan and yes there is a 
        lot of stuff in it that doesn't, but hey, sue me.  The only 
        person on this ML who knows anything clearly along those lines is 
        Hit-chan (like that?).  But I could be wrong about that too:)  
        So, if you MLers got any helpful hints, e-mail me them, everything 
        greatly appreciated.

There are other people who know things you know.  (And it would be 
Hi-chan.  _Only_ Oneechan call me that by the way.)

Good luck with this!

Ichinohei Hitomi
Hitomi@escape.ca