Authors Note: Okay, this is my first story, and I'm kind of afriad to post it, but I really want to know other people's opinions, so, constructive critizism is welcomed! Please enjoy!

Day after boring day. Nothing ever changes in this town.

I set down the hammer I had just spent three days upgrading. It was finally finished. I stood up and stretched, examining the tool, looking for flaws in my work and knew my grandfather would find. I couldn't find any, but I knew he somehow would.

"Grandpa." I muttered. The elderly man turned away from his desk to look at me. I held out the hammer to him, gesturing for him to examine it.

"You're finally done, eh?" He asked, taking it from my hands.

Not quick enough. Not good enough. It's always the same.

Saibara: The blacksmith of Mineral Town. He's also my grandfather. I'm his apprentice. I always do my best when it comes to my work, but he always criticizes it. Nothing is ever good enough for him.

He turned the hammer over in his hands, examining it with his judgmental eyes.

"It's okay," he finally announced, "But I'm sure you could do much better in much less time."

I only glared at him as he hands it back to me. "Yes sir." I mumbled, suppressing my anger. I placed the hammer on a shelf, where it would stay until tomorrow when its owner would come to pick it up.

I stood back and looked it over one more time. I don't think it looks that bad. I thought, but kept any comments to myself.

"I'm leaving!" I called out, headed over to the front door. Once I walked out, my grandpa locked the door behind me, leaving me alone on the dark, cold streets of Mineral Town.

Normally, the shop closed down at four, but, in order to give me more time to work on the hammer, my grandpa kept it open until eight. That was why it was so dark as I left that night. Not that I really cared that much. I enjoy nighttime. Not that many people are out at night, and I'm not what you would call a people person. Plus, I liked just walking by myself. It was easier to think.

The cool, autumn air blew across my face, relieving me of some of the hot air built up from my infuriating grandfather.

Why can't he approve of my work, just one time? I wondered as I made my way to the inn that I stayed in. The inn was nice enough, but small, like everything else in this town.

There isn't much to look at in Mineral Town. It's just a bunch of hicks and their sheep (Or, in the case of Poultry Farm, their chickens).

By the time I reached the inn, almost all my anger had been replaced with sorrow. I just wish I could be good enough for him.

"Hi Gray." Ann greeted me as I entered the building.

Ann: A pretty nice red-head who works at the inn. She's the innkeeper's daughter.

Usually I would greet her as well, but I wasn't in the mood tonight. I headed straight up the stairs as Ann watched, a hurt look plastered across her face. Man, she gets upset so easily!

Once I got up to the second floor, I made my way down the hall into one of the two guest rooms. The only ones staying here right now were me and this gloomy boy, Cliff.

As I entered the room, Cliff looked up from the book he was reading. I must have looked pretty glum, because he asked, "Is something wrong?"

Cliff: A usually depressed-looking guy who moved here a few weeks ago. He wore his long, brown hair pulled back into a ponytail. Overall, he doesn't really talk much, so I get along with him. When he does talk, though, he seems like a pretty nice guy.

Even so, it surprised even me when I admitted, "It's my grandpa." Usually I don't talk to people, especially about what's upsetting me. I think it's annoying when people go around complaining about their problems, so I try not to do it.

So, I have no idea why I told him. I should have just blew him off, like I usually do with everyone, like I just did with Ann downstairs.

"What about your grandpa?" Cliff asked.

I figured I had already started, so why not finish? "He's so difficult! Nothing's ever good enough for him," Cliff nodded. He seemed like he was actually listening, like he actually cared. "Whenever I make a tool or something, it's never good enough. He always tells me I could have done better."

Cliff thought this over for a moment. "Maybe it's just that he wanted you to live up to your full potential," He suggested. "Maybe he thinks if he compliments you, you'll think your work is good enough already, and you won't try to improve on it anymore."

At first I was angry at him for taking my grandfather's side, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized he might be right.

"Maybe…" I mumbled. "I guess I never thought about it like that before."

Cliff smiled (a rare sight) and pulled the book back up to his face. I laid down on my bed and pulled the covers up.

As I drifted off to sleep, I thought about how nice it was to have someone like Cliff to talk to, someone who would actually listen to and care about my problems. For the first time in a long time, I fell asleep smiling.

When I woke up, Cliff was already gone, and I found myself a little disappointed. I wanted to talk to him. He really did seem like a nice person, I thought, maybe, I could become friends with him.

I decided I would just catch up with him later, and I pulled on my shoes and trusty hat, and headed downstairs for breakfast.

"Morning!" Ann sang-song, with her normally cheery attitude. I guess she was over the cold shoulder I had given her yesterday.

"It certainly is." I said sarcastically as she set a plate off eggs out in front of me. She rolled her eyes at me.

"Have you seen Cliff?" She asked.

"Nope," I replied, "But he must've gotten up pretty earlier to get by you."

"What do you mean by that?!" She exclaimed defensively, blushing deeply.

"Nothing." I had always kind of thought Ann liked Cliff. Ever since she first met him, she would blush whenever she talked to or about him. She would trip up on words and act nervous around him. I would always just laugh, but today it kind of annoyed me.

"Yeah, well, I've got to get going to work." I told her, excusing myself from the table, and the conversation.

"Oh, okay." She replied, slightly sad. Then her voice perked up. "If you see Cliff, tell him I said 'hi'!"

"I'll do that." I assured her.

I wouldn't.