Author's Note

Proofreader:RockstarRaccoon

I'm posting this story around midnight since at that time it is now technically my birthday and thought it would be nice to have this as a gift. If you guys or gals see any mistakes please point them out and in the morning I will try and fix it if I'm not doing anything. Also, if you have the time, please tell me in the comments what you thought even if you don't like it I will be fine hearing it we all have different taste. It doesn't help my grammar is not the best, though thank you for those who are willing to put up with it.

Starting from the bottom (Unedited)

I was lucky that it was only midday. It seemed the streets were only half full of what I was guessing were griffins, running around either going to food stands or back towards their places of work. Most of the griffins towered over me seeming to be around seven feet tall at least I had a lot of work ahead of me seeing as I had to look up to see anyone. They were mostly ignoring me either too busy to notice me or not caring at the time being. I had a smile on my face as I heard the banging of a hammer, my guess from a blacksmith.

It was the perfect place to start with my most likely enhanced knowledge and if I am anything like Tails strength: I should be able to breeze through an apprenticeship, though I hoped that it came with a room to stay in. I had to weave my way through the crowds, which were starting to thin some as I looked up seeing the sign: an anvil with a claw above. I was guessing I was in the right place.

I was already feeling a bit at home, with the rhythmic hammering, and the hissing sound of metal being dipped into a barrel of cool water. The griffin blacksmith stood around 7’7 tall, and the once brown feathers on the top of his head were turning a silvery grey color. His muscles were primarily in his arms, though his hands were more claw then hand. I guessed I would stick out some, since from what I'd seen so far I was the only one wearing shoes. All the griffins still had the more lion-like feet which I am guessing would make me stand out a bit more.

I was waiting over by the door thinking it would most likely be best to wait for him to finish the project he was working on. I could see him glance over to me while waiting for the metal for, what was most likely, shaping into a bastard sword, a one handed long-sword. For the first time since I entered, the old griffin spoke, his voice a rugged croak, "What are you in here for young chick? This isn't a place of play you know..."

His voice had most likely having been hurt more when he was younger, as the forge had only a small opening for the smoke to exit the building. It looked newly applied most likely only put in during the old griffin's life time. I walked over toward, him speaking up to be sure I could be heard over the ringing of the hammer.

"I know this isn't a place to play sir, I had come to see if I could get an apprenticeship here so I could afford a place to stay and food for myself." It seems my words had surprised the old griffin guessing no young has ever came to him looking for a job.

There was a light clicking of his tongue most likely trying to think of how to reply to that not sure whether I would be any use around a forge or that it would even be safe. I waited silently, letting him have his time to think on it, watching him continue the work on the sword as he soon placed it back into the water barrel. The hissing filling the room before turning back to me with his answer.

"Son, you do know working in a blacksmith, especially at such a young age would not be good for you right? I mean why not go back to your parents and try again in a few more years when your not a hatchling?"

"Well sir, I would if I could but I don't really have any where to go back to since I'm an orphan." Which isn't technically a lie Tails was known to be an orphan having lost his parents minutes after being born, since they were killed by Robotnik right after he was born.

The old griffin had paused for a minute thinking over how long it has been a war or instance with bandits. He could think of anything that would have caused such a young orphan unless he was old than he looked.

"How old are you chick? You look like you should still be in your mother's nest," the griffin asked having leaned back against his counter.

"Well, sir, I nearing puberty for my race I just haven't hit my growth spurt yet, along with having some practice in metal shaping." I replied. Looking up at him I could swear I saw him flinch, guessing he thought I was younger.

"How about this: if you can prove to me that you are strong enough, smart enough, and don't need a break every few minutes, I'll let you be my apprentice?" He offered. I only had to think it over for a moment before I nodded.

With the old griffin chose to test me I was ready for anything he had tested my knowledge asking for different equipment to help him finish the long sword he was working on. I could swear his beak nearly hit the ground when he saw my lift up the twenty pound hammer with one arm handing it over to him for tempering the blade.

"Okay, this is the last test I would like to you to bring me the grinding wheel." The griffin said with a small smile.

"That's a trick" I replied, smiling back, "Since the grinding wheel is over there and moving it could damage or hurt the mechanisms of the device. That's why most of them that size are built into the floor."

The old griffin gave a knowing nod with a large smile, "Well color me surprised chick: you passed every test I put you through! I guess you are my apprentice now. Shall we finally trade names to make it official? My name is Sharpen Claw what about yourself my young apprentice?" Sharpen asked, holding out his claw to me.

"My name is Miles Prower, though most people just call me 'Tails' for short." I smiled, shaking his claw, my two tails unknowingly flickering back and forth behind me.

I have never worked to much with metal 'til now, but with some of Tails' pros I most likely got his joy of tinkering I didn't ask Sharpen Claw how much I would be making, as I thought it would be rude at the time being. He had continued tempering the sword before finally having me run over to grab one of the hand carved wooden handle.

"Master Claw, I was just wondering why this sword had a wooden handle rather then a metal one?" I had asked him generally curious since most swords did have metal handles, just usually having something such as leather covering it to keep the grip.

"Well Tails' the reason this one is wooden is cause it is a training sword this was ordered by the nearby guard station to help train new recruits. That is a good eye you have: if you see someone with wooden handled sword it usually means one of two things. One, they didn't have enough money to order one with a metal handle, or two, they are a guard in training." Sharpen replied glad to see so far he has not made a mistake.

I had continued helping him as he started making the shield to complete the last set of sword and shield the guard ordered. While I was helping him we heard the opening the door and a large armored griffin came in standing just a hair short of eight feet tall.

"Ah, Harden Wings, I did expect you to be by so soon just finishing up on the last shield for you. Tails, would you go gather up the five training swords and four shields that are already done." Sharpen told me. I gave him a nod before walking over picking up the shields first.

"Ha, I didn't expect I would ever see you with a kid running around the shop that wasn't one of your grandchicks trying to get you to play with them." Hardened replied, giving Sharpened a slap on the back. "It's nice to see that you finally got an apprentice: I thought you would've been stuck in bed by your children before you got one."

I was walking over to the the soldier griffin handing up the four shields with the three swords balancing on them. "Here you go sir, if you need any help or need anything just ask sir." I said as I walked back over to Claw, who had gone back to tempering the blade.

"Well Tails here, has shown he at least knows the basic items needed, has the strength to help hand me items and move things around without much help, and has kept up with me so far today." Claw said between the hammering of the blade and the hissing of the water touching the hot metal.

Hardened was a bit surprised some as he looked down at me my two tails swaying back and forth as I headed over to the counter to grab the wooden handle for the last sword. As I handed the final handle over to Claw he nailed down to opening of the handle keeping the blade in the wood.

"There you go captain. Your final training sword the four swords is five bits a piece, while the four round shields are seven, since they were built to last all the punishment you could throw at them." Claw said with a smile as Harden reached to his belt, pulling off the small bag of coins and handing it to Claw.

"It's always a pleasure! I'm sure before you know it I will be back here to make more blades so they can be ready in case the dragon clans choose to move over here to our mines." Harden said as he saluted Claw before walking out of the forger.

"Who are the dragon clans Master Claw?" I looked at him as he let out a light sigh.

"Well Tails, we don't know completely who they are, we call them the dragon clans cause unlike the original dragons they are much like how we, walking on two legs, wings folded to their back though no feathers and are about a foot or two taller then us. They are covered in scales that are stronger then iron and breath fire like the original dragons. Though they still have the hoarding habits of their forefathers, they are a bit less aggressive. A few independent ones do trade from time to time but are more known to be raiders. They usually never talk much of their culture to any who they don't trust with their lives." Claw replied as he walked over to the counter starting to polishing the already finished swords, axes, shield, and spears that were up for sell.

It seems the dragons were still around and intelligent but were rare and a distant relative to the dragon clans. They sounded like they wouldn't be to hard to win over, but the main problem I saw was finding a starting point with them. Though I'm getting way ahead of myself in that area, that is something that would be done at another time, for now I must continue working and build up a nice sum of bits.

Claw had told me that I would be staying on the second floor of the forge in a room he had slept in at the late nights at work. It wasn't much it was a place to sleep and a roof over my head along with a paying job so it's a good start. He handed me a small bag: I had got seven bits for the few hours that I had worked that day, and he told me that, if I work a full day, I would get ten bits, and I'd have midday off to go get something to eat.

He told me I would have an hour and half before the stores in the main square closed, so I should go and buy something to eat. With a nod I took off my modern tool belt, slipping it under the bed along with my phone, thinking it would be better here. I looked at the Chaos Emerald slipping it under my pillow for now just encase of pickpockets.

With my small bag of bits I headed off towards the market area.

The market place was nearly empty other then the few sales griffins and even surprisingly a pegasus. I had made my way over to the griffin who was selling bread along with some cooked meat. It cost me five of my seven bits though the loaf of bread and meat was almost as large as my head! I had got it wrapped up before walking back towards the forge, while taking some bites out of the bread idly as I thought about how I could increase their technology. I could always slowly but surely add 'new' inventions each year but that could take centuries, and I didn't have that kind of time, especially since the Chaos Emeralds are scattered across them world.

I suddenly face-palmed, I just remembered I was following one of the emeralds and never completely found it. I hoped no one else has found one yet, or who could tell would happen since the emeralds could have negative effects on people who are not embodiment of Chaos. It also didn't help that Discord could have put fail-safes in them in case worse came on himself. Though with my luck a good many of the other emeralds were already claimed and I would have one hell of time collecting them.

When I got back I had half a loaf of bread left, so I put it along with the meat in a cold area of the room. I start thinking over what I remember about the games, then it hit me: quickly, I ran over to my bed and pulled out the emerald. I had forgot the Chaos Emeralds are attracted to one another, I could use mine to find the closest one while I had time before the moon was in the sky!

After heading outside the town making sure to keep the emerald hidden in my pocket looking around making sure no one was around me. I had pulled it out pointing it in different directs, the way I originally came from the light in the emerald was dim but as I pointed it north of the town the light inside sprang to life. With grin and a nod I started running off in that direction to try and claim my second emerald...