Searching for Enoki Matsuhito (Crono vs Gosai)

Crono reached into the dusty travel bag at his hip. Eyebrows furrowed into a look of concentration, he rummaged around inside. There was an assortment of things in there, not all of them useful. The rumbling in his stomach brought as sense of urgency to his search. His fingers touched the item, it was soft, round, and firm but with a little give—just the thing he needed.

Tearing his hand free of the bag he raised it up to eye level, ready to dig in. Both of his eyes were closed, of course, but he didn't need to see—just savor. It was a rice ball, a glorious rice ball. Even though it was a simple snack, for a hungry young warrior it nearly as satisfying as a glorious feast.

He raised it up and took a large bite—only to find it was in fact a wad of rolled up napkins.

Spitting it out, Crono sighed. He didn't have a single zeni to his name. The black road stretched out in front of him. In the distance he could see gray spires reaching for the puffy blue clouds. It was East City, and it had been a very long time since he had last visited it. There was more than enough food there, but being so poor, he never felt so far from a meal.

Well, I suppose I can focus on the task at hand. Maybe if I can find Enoki Matsuhito, he will give me a bite to eat.

It was a long shot, but it was all Crono could do at the moment. With his resolve renewed and the nagging feeling of hunger dwelling in his gut, he set off, jogging down the highway.

***

It was nearly dusk by the time Crono arrived at the Matsuhito estate. It was actually smaller than he had been expecting. From what his deceased uncle Enric had said, the Enoki Matshuito was a legendary martial artists. Crono thought for sure that such fame would have netted him a larger manse.

As he approached the double wooden doors, he an his hand across the marble bust of a wicked looking dragon with flames coming out of its nostrils. Upon the door was a round brass knocker which had been molded into the face of a tiger. Taking it in his hand, he rapped the door three times and waited with his arms folded for someone to show up.

After a minute or so the door opened a crack. He couldn't see who was inside, only a shadow, but he spoke none the less.

“Hello, I am searching for Enoki Matsuhito? Is he home?”

WC: 441

Gosai stumbled around inside of the house. The combination of Enoki's death and Gosai's constant wandering had left the Matsuhito family in a rather precarious position financially. Although the home was owned by them free and clear (a lucky bit of inheritance) little amenities like power were becoming harder to keep up. The Human Dynamo had even started teaching occasional classes for anyone willing to pay a teenaged martial artist to train them.

"Megumi?" He shouted from upstairs as he heard the knocking. When his only response was even more knocking the annoyed hero hopped onto the banister, surfing his way downstairs and hopping off to land in a crouch near the front door.

I'll give it three points for creativity, four points for style, aaaaand another two for overall performance. Nine out of fifteen. That's terrible. He thought to himself before adjusting his attention back to the door. If it was another bill collector he wanted deniability and someplace to hide... but no. The question that came into the house made it quite obvious this wasn't someone looking for cash (sort of).

"You're a few months late if you're looking for grandpa." The dark haired youth asserted, opening the doors up to allow his visitor inside. "I could take you to visit his grave if that's what you'd like. Or if he somehow offended your familial honor I could engage you in savage combat." He added, tapping his chin. "Really, I'm up for any of those options."

"You're a few months late if you're looking for grandpa,” a dark haired teen said. The door was open now and Crono could see inside. The fellow in front of him didn't look much older than himself.

"I could take you to visit his grave if that's what you'd like. Or if he somehow offended your familial honor I could engage you in savage combat." Matsuhito's grandson continued, tapping his chin. "Really, I'm up for any of those options."

So this is his grandson? Crono thought before lowering his head. Enoki Matsuhito was dead too. Crono had in ind a few other potential teachers that his uncle Enric had mentioned, but Matsuhito was the one he had been most interested in learning under.

“I am sorry for your loss,” Crono said in earnest. “And no, no one offended me. In fact, I came here because I wished to prove myself, to become a student of the great Enoki Matsuhito. Where I am from the Matsuhito fighting style is quite famous and highly regarded. You see, Enoki defeated my uncle Enric, who was my previous teacher, in single combat at one of the Tenkaichi Budokais. I thought there would be no better of a man to learn from.”

Crono's stomach rudely interrupted the conversation with a low growl. A wry smile crossed his face as he turned, going down a few steps.

“I am sorry to bother you Mr. Matsuhito. Thank you for your time,” he said, resting his palm on the hit of the katana on his hip. “I'll be going now.”

WC: 267
TWC: 678