"I still can't believe you're actually an apprentice for a blacksmith! And not just any blacksmith but the best one here in Berk?! That's so cool! Do you make swords? Hammers? Spears? Shields? Axes?! What about axes?! Can you make me an axe?!" Jihoon gushed and jumped around while making gestures with his hands to imagine the way he knows how each weapon is used.
The two friends were on their way to the forge.
Junkyu chuckled smiling at Jihoon's wild energy at full display to him once again. After Jihoon finished with his sentence, he raised a hand to slap Junkyu on the back because he just couldn't contain to himself the excitement and laudation he developed for the heir of Berk. Junkyu just kept surprising Jihoon everyday as they get to know each other more and more.
When Jihoon's hand made contact with Junkyu's back, he had placed too much strength into his friendly slap that it made Junkyu almost fall over to the ground. However, he caught himself before he could do so. Junkyu grunted from the force and gasped from the way it felt like getting the wind knocked out of his lungs. Junkyu simply laughed nervously, rubbing on his back and looking at Jihoon's oblivious and distracted state to notice what he did. It was now getting imprinted into Junkyu's head how Jihoon has a habit of hitting people whenever he is feeling extreme emotions. Or maybe it was just Junkyu he hit and not other people. Junkyu could only wonder if and how would Jihoon hit people if is he was in an angry frame of mind. He shuddered at the thought of how that would turn out. He would not be standing near Jihoon if he ever came to that emotion.
"An axe for a weapon in a fight would be so cool! I could go like this! Swing it like this! And chop my enemy down like this!!" Jihoon illustrated each movement, moving his arms around to portray wielding an axe. A battle cry coming out of his mouth with each forceful swing.
Junkyu laughed nervously once again and gulped down the lump in his throat as he heard and watched Jihoon. He even ducked down to avoid a swing from his friend that would have surely knocked him out if he got hit.
"Whoops! Sorry!" Jihoon apologized feeling sheepish and finally stopped. "I just got too excited." He smiled shyly looking to the ground.
"Yeah, I can make you one. I have forged a few, mostly swords and done some shields. This'll be my first to make an axe." Junkyu shared looking fondly at Jihoon whose eyes widened, almost sparkling with joy from the idea.
"Really?! You would do that for me?" Jihoon gasped, unable to believe Junkyu would actually take the time to make an axe for him.
"Of course! But it might take some time, I'll have to start first with the sketches. Get the designs and measurements that you would like and would suit you. Then find the perfect materials for it. Once I've gathered the materials I'll then work on forging it." Junkyu listed out while counting with his fingers.
"Wow, you seem to already know a lot about blacksmithing." Jihoon awed looking impressed.
"Yeah, I've been an apprentice since I was little. Well, littler." Junkyu emphasized the last part.
"Wait, how old are you again?" Jihoon asked.
"I'm nine and will be turning ten a few days soon." Junkyu answered.
Jihoon gasped hearing his answer.
"Shut up! Your birthday is in a few days?" Jihoon asked surprised.
"Yeah." Junkyu chuckled seeing his funny face.
"If I hadn't asked you would have never told me! Well, at least I know now. I should now think of what present can I get you." Jihoon wondered out loud, placing a hand on his chin and looking up to be as if he was in deep thought.
"You don't have to give me a gift. Having you now as a friend is a gift enough for me." Junkyu said, his voice shrinking as he felt shy and embarrassed to voice out the last part.
"Well, I'm still going to give you a gift whether you want it or not." Jihoon said to him, playfully punching Junkyu by the shoulder. "You better like my gift because I will be putting a lot of effort into it." He grinned.
The force again had Junkyu almost stumbling to the side. He laughed nervously once again and rubbed on the sore spot like he did. He should have seen that coming. Jihoon was clearly still unaware of how much force he puts into his so called playful punches.
"What about you? When is your birthday?" Junkyu questioned.
The two were still walking to head to the blacksmith shop. They were only a few feet left before they reached their destination.
"Me? My birthday is close to spring. Just when the winter ice starts to thaw! I just turned ten!" Jihoon shared enthusiastically. "Woah! I turned ten first which means I'm older than you!" He added after the realization hit him.
"What about it? Do you want me to call you hyung?" Junkyu asked scrunching his nose.
"No, that won't be necessary. Jihoon is fine for me! Or maybe Ji? Or Hoonie! But you can call me hyung if you want." Jihoon threw suggestions at him.
"Sure!" Junkyu nodded.
He looked back to the front and stopped walking as they stood faced with an average size wooden one floor structure. Jihoon also stopped and observed what was now in front of them. The blacksmith shop had an A frame roof design stretched out tall and towered intimidatingly over the two small children. There was a grey and crooked stone chimney at the side and thin black smoke was lightly seeping out from the opening. They could hear from inside the hammering of metal against metal, then the crackling heat of the fire burning in the furnace as the blacksmith worked. Junkyu smiled and felt more relaxed standing there in front of the forge than his own family home. It just looked more welcoming to him. It was warm and the noises that came with it were oddly calming. Unlike the empty and cold house he lived in, his father is barely present and is always out around the village working on whatever chief duties he has.
"This is it! Welcome to the forge! Where we make the best and the strongest weapons of Berk!" Junkyu proudly announced.
"Wow!" Jihoon clapped. "So cool!!" He peeked over inside and saw a tall figure. He could only make out a silhouette and not much any distinguishing features because of the poor lighting from where the blacksmith worked. "Is that him?" He asked.
Junkyu smiled nodding.
"We'll go inside and I'll introduce you to him and we'll ask if you can stay and look around for a while. I'm sure we have plenty of axes inside you can look at." Junkyu babbled on.
Jihoon's eyes gleamed in excitement upon hearing the word 'axes.' He can't wait to see the craftsmanship and admire the skills put into making the deadly weapons.
"Can we go in now?" Jihoon asked.
"Sur—" Junkyu couldn't finish.
"Junkyu! I haven't seen you in a while. Have been slacking off, eh?" A loud voice interrupted him. The voice came from inside the shop. Soon, a man walked out, chuckling as he talked.
The man that came out was an unfamiliar face to Jihoon. He observed the small limp in man's walk and saw the wooden peg leg attached to the left side. And as the man stepped further outside into the morning sun, Jihoon saw a glint of light that bounced off the shiny metal hook on the man's right arm.
"Hello too Jinwoo hyung. And no I have not been slacking off. Just took some time off to rest." Junkyu answered as he crossed his arms. His shoulders looked relaxed and a playful grin was on his face.
Jihoon noted how much more comfortable Junkyu acted and talked with this man. It was unlike how he was with his own father. Well, he hasn't actually seen much of the father and son interact, but from the way Junkyu acted and talked about his father it was kinda difficult to really put into words. Jihoon wondered if this man was any way related to Junkyu by blood. It could be possible. Jihoon thought maybe the blacksmith was Junkyu's uncle. But Jihoon put those questions down for now. Junkyu will tell him when he wants to tell him. For today, he would focus this visit to the blacksmith shop.
"Well, you better be well rested coz' I have piles and piles of swords that needs cleaning and sharpening." Jinwoo said with a widening grin on his face. He used his hook to point back inside the forge.
The two younger boys looked inside and both indeed saw the pile of dirty and misshapen swords. There were clear evidences of the worn out weapons having been melted and burned by strong fires. Junkyu guessed they were used back in the most recent raid of the dragons that happened a few days ago, right before he came to know Jihoon. The heir of Berk had his face turn into one of disbelief by the sheer amount of swords in the pile he saw waiting for him.
"Wait! Really!?" Junkyu groaned. "I just leave for a few days! Two days to be exact!"
"Well, I know you're smart enough to know already these were the ones used back at the latest raid. The fire breathing devils really put a number on us." Jinwoo explained. "I already repaired and made a few new axes, hammers, arrows and shields. Now it's your turn to work on the swords. We always need to be prepared. We don't know when the next attack comes."
"Yeah, yeah. I'll get to it." Junkyu groaned once again.
Jihoon watched amused over Junkyu's predicament. He found it funny and couldn't hold back his laughter. Junkyu glared at Jihoon, annoyed by how his friend was reacting to this.
"Oh! Who's this young lad?" Jinwoo finally acknowledged Jihoon's presence.
His eyes were curious as to who and why was this other child standing close to Junkyu right now. It was an odd sight to see. Throughout his years of looking over Junkyu, he never saw any other child the same age as the heir of Berk standing so close to him.
"Jinwoo hyung, this is Jihoon." Junkyu happily introduced.
Jinwoo's eyes widened a bit by the smile Junkyu held. He never saw him smile that way before. It was different from when he took in the heir as an apprentice. It was different from when Junkyu did his sketches or shared his ideas about blacksmithing. And it was different from the smile Junkyu had when he first made his own sword.
"I'm Junkyu's friend!" Jihoon added smiling widely as he hung his head up looking like he was boasting.
"A friend eh?" Jinwoo looked over to Junkyu skeptical and even more curious. It was interesting to see Junkyu have someone to call a friend his age. He himself felt a smile crawling his own lips as he watched Junkyu's entire demeanor.
"He's new to the island. He just got here with his family that wants to settle and live here at Berk." Junkyu explained not really understand the smile on the older man.
"New? Oh! You must be the boy of the Parks? I met your parents already. Lovely people." Jinwoo said in realization. He turned back his eyes to Jihoon with a genuine smile.
He did meet the Park couple already. He had been there with the chief to assist him in meeting the newcomers who sailed on their boats, besides the Park family there were also others whom had sailed the seas looking for a peaceful place of dwelling.
"Yes! I'm Park Jihoon. Nice to meet you! Junkyu told me you are the best blacksmith in all of Berk. He said the best and strongest weapons are made here?" Jihoon asked eagerly expecting for a positive answer.
"That's right lad! I'm the best and only one here in Berk!" Jinwoo boasted. His smile was so wide as he said his sentence.
"Only?" Jihoon scrunched his nose after hearing that. However, his question was ignored.
"Why don't you come in and I'll show you around the shop?" He offered to Jihoon.
"Sure, I want to look around." Jihoon replied and nodded in a respectful manner.
"Alright lad! Right this way!" Jinwoo pointed as he gestured for Jihoon to follow. "And Junkyu, you better start on those swords! I want them done by tonight." He added as the two disappeared inside.
"Tonight?! You gotta be kidding me! This will take me at least two to three days to do! I am still a child! I don't have the muscles yet to bend this all back so quickly like a god." Junkyu complained as he followed them in to the forge.
Jihoon heard and laugh at Junkyu's words.
"Well, if you keep complaining like that instead of actually getting on working it you'll end being a toothpick for the rest of your life. I didn't get these muscles from just fighting dragons. Sometimes blacksmithing is like a workout." Jinwoo said to them.
Junkyu said nothing more and begrudgingly went to his workspace to start on his task.
Jihoon chuckled some more over Junkyu's pouting face. Then finally he let his eyes scan the place. It was definitely messy with all the piles of weapons and tools scattered around. The walls were made with sturdy dark wood and there were cobwebs in some corners of the ceiling. It made Jihoon wonder of this place was old and not new like how he had observed from most houses around Berk. The place was dark due to the closed windows that if once opened the natural daylight will surely light up the entire room. At that moment, the only light came in a soft orange light and heat from the fire blazing burning alive in the fireplace.
"Sorry if it's a bit messy here right now. This place doesn't always get visitors often. Usually customers wait outside for their weapons." Jinwoo explained chuckling as he picked up some hazardous tools he left around on the ground. He wouldn't want the kids getting hurt under his watch. "You can look around wherever you want young lad." He added, walking over to the windows and finally opening them to brighten the space up.
Jihoon nodded smiling. He looked around again with the room.now filled with better lighting. Somehow everything felt like looking at something new again. The space looked much better for him when the light was now bouncing off the polished weapons. Jihoon walked around and was careful where he stepped, seeing there were some pointed objects still left lying on the ground. His attention was caught and mostly drawn to the axes stacked up neatly against the wall. He walked over to see specifically the double axes much closer and admire the craftsmanship. Jihoon's mouth hung open as one axe caught his interest.
There was a big double axe that in Jihoon's current age and body wouldn't be able to handle wielding it yet. The axe was very sharp from what Jihoon could see. He liked this one. The design wasn't that all too detailed but it looked sturdy, efficient, powerful and deadly. All while he was browsing and admiring the axes, Junkyu had been carefully observing Jihoon. He was taking down mental notes while he started to work on the swords. He paid close attention to what Jihoon seemed to like. The heir of Berk smiled seeing how enthralled Jihoon was over the axe Junkyu had actually helped sketch the design for. Junkyu's head now started to form dozens of ideas of the possible axe he was going to make for Jihoon soon.
"I see." Jinwoo muttered to himself after having been doing his own observation. "You like battle axes young lad? Want to grow up to be a big and strong warrior?" He asked Jihoon.
"Yeah! I want to be just like my dad." Jihoon answered with a gleam in his eyes.
"Why don't you pick out any weapon you would like? Take it as a gift from me." Jinwoo offered to Jihoon.
"Really?" Jihoon asked shocked.
"Um, but Jinwoo hyung I already promised to Jihoon that I would make him an axe." Junkyu inserted from where he was hammering on a bent sword.
"Don't get your undies(underwear) in a bunch, Junkyu. You can still give Jihoon your wedding proposal gift. I just want to give your friend here a gift for being new to the island." Jinwoo said with a teasing grin.
Junkyu stopped with his hammerong and twisted his neck over to Jinwoo. He heard Jihoon's laughter. The former turned a deep shade of red, embarrassed by what the older had said.
"It's—It's not we—It's not a wedding proposal gift! We're friends!" Junkyu stammered.
"I know! I know! I didn't say anything that you two were not friends." Jinwoo started laughing. He couldn't believe this reaction he got from Junkyu. It was the first time he was seeing him look flustered.
Jihoon was now too into his axe selection to listen in on their conversation. He really wanted the double axe he had been admiring but after a quick hold of trying to lift it he couldn't. The double axe was too heavy for him. He instead went over to the smaller ones that looked lighter in comparison. He quickly skimmed around them and soon reached out for one double axe he was able to lift with his childlike strength. Jihoon tried to swing the battle axe with a bit of difficulty as he wasn't used to its weight yet. But he knew with practice he can get better and maybe be even excellent in wielding the weapon.
"Ah, good choice. That one is not as pretty as he others but it's strong and sturdy." Jinwoo commented.
"Thank you so much! I want to tell my Mom and Dad about this!" Jihoon jumped looking extremely ecstatic for the gift.
"Alright, lad. Why don't you go and show it to them right now. Junkyu will be here to finish his work. Scurry off now laddie." Jinwoo said smiling at the young boy.
"Okay, I'll be back later Junkyu! See you!" Jihoon shouted over and started to run out the forge.
"Ah, I feel like a proud father who just gave my child his first battle axe." Jinwoo sighed as he and Junkyu watched Jihoon disappear from their sight.
Junkyu looked sad that Jihoon was now gone. He felt hollow with the sudden absence of his friend.
"Get back to work Junkyu. Now there's no more distractions to keep you from ruining that sword even further." Jinwoo said to him.
"What distractions!? I wasn't distracted!!"
An update!! Hope you liked it! I really want to get to the dragon riding part now but i just love adding details and making their story different from the movie.
ʕ·ᴥ·ʔ