I guess I pulled something akin to what Isabel did.....
I forgot to add the bit with Akari in the epilogue *DOH*
ah well, I'll just toss it up today.

Until then, how's this read:

   Kuno looked out the front door of his estate.  His eyes scanned the area,
searching for the one man that had caused him unacceptable grief and
humiliation for years on end.
   "Brother dear, father's been gone for quite."
   "Yes, he has."
   "Do you think he'll return soon?"
   "To the gods themselves I pray that I never see such a hated countenance
roam the face of Japan within mine own lifetime.  Cursed old man!  May he
plague the rest of this earth for the rest of his acursed lifetime but he
shall never be welcomed within the estate of the noble lineage of Kuno
again!  He is a disgrace to everything our ancestors held dear!"
   "You're upset about the haircut, aren't you."
   "Dammit, woman, do not remind me of this sorrow inflicted upon me by mine
own blood!"
   "Let me guess, your classmates made fun of your haircut?"
   Kuno fumed.  He reached up and felt where a normal hair configuration had
once been.  [ednote: er... did Kuno's dad make Kuno totally bald or just give
him a weird haircut?]  He shook in rage.
   "I swear to the gods now that I shall never be mocked again!  I shall be
undefeated in all my glorious battles!  I shall command the respect and fear
of those around me!  And if the damned foul creature that calls itself mine
own father should return someday, I WILL HAVE REVENGE!!!"
   Kodachi didn't look impressed.  "Do you have any idea of where our dear
father-"
   "OUR dear father?"  Kuno sneered.
   "Fine.  Our father.  Any idea on where he may have gone?"
   "I care not!"
   "Sasuke!"
   A small blur zoomed into the room, stopping and revealing itself as a rather
small ninja.  "Yes, mistress Kuno!"
   "Where has my father gone?"
   "Um... well... he did mention something about a vacation.  He might have gone
to America.  You know how he's fascinated with that place."
   "Oh!  To the heathen lands has he fled?  How suitable!" yelled Kuno.  Kodachibonked him in the head with a mallet.
   "Calm down brother dear.  Anyways, Sasuke, did he say when he would come
back?"
   "He didn't say, Mistress Kodachi.  It could be days or it could be months."
   "Hm..." Kodachi said.
   "Let him wander the heathen lands for YEARS!  I care not!" declared Kuno.
He stomped angrily out of the room.
   "Where are you going, brother dear?"
   Kuno raised his bokken.  "To train!  Ours is a long line of kendo masters,
is it not?  I shall carry on what our father had so pathetically failed to
do. I shall be the next great Kendo master in Japan history! HAHHAHA!"
   As Kuno walked off, Kodachi looked out at the front door that her brother
had left open.  A gentle breeze blew a few inconsiquential small clouds across
a bright blue sky.
   "He would not stray from home for years, would he?" Kodachi muttered.

meanwhile...

   [[Sir, would you like a pina colada?]]
   "Pina Colada?"
   [[Oh, you're not from around here, are you.]]
   "Dreenk?"
   [[Yup.  Or, how would I say it in your language....]] "Hai."
   The strange man thumbed through his Japanese-English dictionary.
With a bit of difficulty, he said "I rike Hawaii!"

<<<END PREVIEW OF "BLUE THUNDER RISING">>>

-rpm