4 Inspiration

Martin has worked as a blacksmith for almost 60 years in Pebbleton. He'd seen many talents from the Boulder Island dojo come and go over the years, including Harpin D. Mortis when he was just another brat disciple. So when he heard that some little girl who claimed to be that man's granddaughter was making a fuss in his smithy, he was understandably annoyed.

'What is that woman doing? How has she already spoiled the girl rotten?'

Martin burst into the showroom fully intending to give the girl the discipline that Angela should have, but he stopped when his rant was only getting started.

'What is this?! She moves like an novice, but I can't help but I feel there's something hidden beneath the surface...'

Martin watched the girl go through the motions of the dojo's style for a few minutes in silence while his assistant was confused, unsure whether to ask what was going on.

When Cherry finally stopped, she turned to look at the old smith. "Hoh? It seems you're not blind, old man. Unlike your employee there..." She gave the younger man a smile that said 'You got a problem?'

"Let me introduce myself. I'm Martin, the master smith here. I have a proposal for you."

"Do you now? You've piqued my interest old man, what do you propose?" Cherry asked. 'I've got you now, hehehe.'

"Let me make a sword for you! Not just any sword, either! You've given me a great inspiration, so I'm sure it will be the greatest work on my life!" Martin almost shouted in his excitement.

'Wow, his eyes are practically sparkling. No, wait, they're literally sparkling. What the hell? Will this world ever cease to surprise me?'

"Alright then, but since you're making it for me I have of my own ideas to run by you."

Martin's eyes shone with resolve "Fantastic! Come into the back here and we can discuss. Boy, you mind the shop." The younger man was at a loss for words.

Half an hour later, Cherry left the blacksmith to look for Borke. By the end of her chat with Martin he was begging her to be his apprentice. She refused, but said she'd come work in the smithy from time to time if he didn't disappoint her with her new sword.

She found Borke scratching and muttering to him himself. "I'm definitely forgetting something important..." Then he spotted Cherry and she could see the gears in his head click into place.

"You shouldn't run off like that, Cherry. You'll worry Master Angela, you know." He said, as if he hadn't forgotten she came to town with him.

They went back to the dojo, having finished their business.

Cherry told Grandma about Martin promising to make her a sword and that she needed to pick it up next month. "What?! That stubborn old man said that?! Your grandfather had to pester him for years to make him a personalized sword! Hmm, could it be... he's helpless in the face of my granddaughter's cuteness?"

Cherry wasn't sure how Grandma thought she was cute. 'Well, I guess she just a weirdo.'

Cherry didn't have much to do over the next month. She tried to get Borke to go out exploring other parts of the island with her, but he insisted on training.

Unfortunately, Slenk had overheard her and went behind her back to ask Grandma's permission to explore with his supervision. Grandma had agreed without much fuss and Cherry didn't have anyone else to ask to go with her instead, so she acquiesced as it was better than staying cooped up in the dojo.

Since Slenk had taken on the role of babysitter unilaterally, she wouldn't hold back and drag him around where she wanted to go. The first thing she did was circle the perimeter of the island, all while bombarding Slenk with questions about the island's interesting and not-so-interesting locations and features.

The two places on the island that caught her interest the most was a small, hidden beach tucked away between rocky cliffs on the eastern side of the island and a dense, coniferous forest full of many thorny plants on the north side of the island.

These were the best choices to build a secret hideout as people rarely ventured to these places.

You might ask how she had managed to circle the entire island in a single day with her short, child legs. That's easy, she had her trusty serpentine steed carry her on his shoulders while he ran as fast as he could.

Slenk had, of course, refused this demand of hers at first. However, he became quite obedient when Cherry revealed that she knew the location of his 'stash'.

Cherry had Slenk 'assist' in her exploration for the next few days and got a decent understanding of the terrain.

For the rest of the month, she decided to join the disciples in their training, much to Grandma's delight. Her talent became quickly apparent and by extension she gained a great deal of respect in the dojo.

One of the disciples of meager talent had been growing more envious by the day. In fact, he was the very same disciple that Slenk had prevented from bullying her. During the morning training in the courtyard he actually had the nerve to challenge Cherry to a match. Naturally, Grandma happened to be on business in Pebbleton on this particular morning.

Everyone present looked at him with disgust, even the innocent Borke. However, before anyone reprimanded the fool for challenging a 6 year old girl, who had been training for less than a month, Cherry accepted. On the condition that should he lose, he would leave the dojo and never return.

The disciple gave a malicious grin, not suspecting that perhaps this was going too well.

The other disciples hesitantly formed a circle, while Slenk acted as the referee. "The match continues until one of you surrenders, is disarmed, or I declare a winner when the outcome is clear. Ready?" Slenk stated, clearly looking forward to whatever fate the disciple had coming.

""Ready!"" Both the fool and Cherry answered simultaneously, raising their wooden training swords.

"Begin!"

The fool rushed towards Cherry and immediately raised his sword high in the air, with the intent to swing it down with all his might.

Cherry was surprised. 'Just how little talent can someone have? He's been in the dojo for years, but he's actually just swinging his sword like it's a club..."

Cherry simply stepped to the side and angled her sword to parry in case he changed the trajectory of his attack. Though that was ultimately unnecessary, as the fool just followed through and nearly fell over in the process.

Thoroughly embarrassed by his own incompetence (which he blamed on Cherry, of course), the fool turned around taking up the same stance for his overhead swing.

'Enough with this farce...' Cherry thought, exasperated. She'd hoped this would at least be a bit of a challenge, just that was just wishful thinking.

Cherry landed a swift kick between the fool's legs and stood back as he toppled over, releasing his sword.

"The winner is Cherry!" Slenk announced, stifling a chuckle.

"Y-you c-cheated... t-that w-was a c-cheap shot!" The fool wheezed.

"I don't believe we set any rules about striking below the belt or using kicks, isn't that right, referee?" Cherry grinned lazily.

"Of course. This matched was entirely fair. Please escort this idiot off the premises." Slenk replied, as if it was the most natural thing in the world for a swordsman to kick someone in the gonads.

The fool was dragged away and swiftly forgotten. When Grandma returned later and the matter was reported to her, she had half a mind to find and kill the fool. Cherry managed to talk her down, however.

The next few days were uneventful until the promised day came.

'Time to see what old man Martin cooked up for me. I hope he surprises me.'