Author's note: Bored. Borrreeeed. This one is in Bilbo's POV. If anyone's seen the extended version of Unexpected Journey, this piece is inspired by the scene where young Bilbo hits Gandalf in the butt with his wooden sword (love that scene haha). Anyway, enjoy. x
Once upon a time, there lived a hobbit. He was oftentimes seen running about, banishing a small, wooden sword, fighting invisible goblins and slaying formidable dragons. Many of the other hobbits were outraged by this young boy's behavior. Said it was unnatural and that his parents were fools for allowing such a thing to carry on. And for that, Bilbo's parents were often scorned and seen with a suspicious eye for allowing their child's behavior to continue.
The sound of squealing laughter and drunken exclamations filled the evening air, and Took's party was in full swing. Brightly colored tents took up most of the grounds, and there was an area for those wishing to dance, which is where most of the hobbits were if they weren't sitting back having an ale.
Only one stood significantly taller than everyone else. He wore a gray cloak and matching pointy hat, and in his hands he clutched a long, brown wooden staff. He pulled his pipe from where he kept it at the top of his staff, and he lit it at the same time he sent another round of fireworks into the air.
Children tugged on his cloak. "Fireworks Gandalf!" They shouted relentlessly, until the old wizard finally complied, sending fiery butterflies whizzing around their ecstatic faces. One hobbit child in particular was paying the fireworks no mind, stabbing his wooden sword through the chest of an invisible goblin.
"Bilbo! Look at the pretty butterfly!" One of the other children, Daisy, tugged on the back of Bilbo's shirt, but his gaze was fleeting. He stared at the butterfly and wondered if it could be killed too. To Daisy's horror, the young hobbit lifted his sword and swung it right through the fireworks, causing it to disappear. His sword appeared unaffected, and he ran off squealing delightfully as Daisy howled and cursed him for destroying the "pretty fire butterfly."
Picking up a rock, he tossed the small stone at a squirrel he spotted in the tree. It hit it's mark, like it always did, and the squirrel fell down, dead. The other squirrels chattered and scurried off, knowing this was the little hobbit boy that they were supposed to stay away from.
"Boy, put that sword down. You have no use for it here," the lowly voice of a woman seethed, and Bilbo found the wooden sword quickly being pried from his hands. His protests didn't face the woman, and he stared up at her, eyebrows pressed together in anger. It was Lobelia, one of the relatives that always voiced her displeasure on Bilbo's behavior.
"Give it back!"
"Not until you stop with this foolish behavior! You're a hobbit, not a dwarf." She raised the sword to lightly smack Bilbo on top of the head, but was quickly stopped by Bilbo's furious mother. Lobelia quickly lowered the sword, intending to hide it behind her, but Bilbo took that as an opportunity to snatch it back and bolt. His mother scolded the woman for attempting to scold her child, and then ran off for Bilbo, intending to scold him herself. She didn't mind his playing, but she did mind when it got her in trouble at a party.
He was smacking Gandalf lightly on the behind, squealing with laughter, when his mother found him. "Bilbo!" she scolded, pulling Bilbo from behind the wizard just as Gandalf turned, eying the young, smiling hobbit with interest.
"You're young Bilbo Baggins, eh?" The wizard stated, leaning onto his staff as he gazed down at the boy. Bilbo's mother smiled at Gandalf, quickly scolded her son, and then went off to have another glass of ale. Bilbo had barely heard a word his mother told him – the wizard rarely ever actually addressed the children, and yet, here he was, talking to Bilbo himself.
"Yes, sir." Bilbo remembered his manners, tacking on the 'sir' on the end so that he wouldn't get in trouble again. His sword dangled at the ends on his fingertips, no longer gripped in a defensive position like it had when he was fighting off nonexistent enemies.
"And why do you carry a sword around?" Gandalf paused so that he could shoot off a couple more fireworks, as the other hobbits were getting restless. When he turned back to the child hobbit, he was surprised to see a determined look gracing the young features of Bilbo's face.
"Because if we get attacked, all of us will be defenseless. We don't know how to fight. And besides all that..." Bilbo's tone got considerably lighter, "I want to go on an adventure! I have to be prepared for when I do, because the world can be a dangerous place." It was such heavy words coming from such a young hobbit, and Gandalf looked at him for a very long time, even after the child had run off again, shouting at goblins and dragons.
AN: Kay. Gonna go play Assassin's Creed now. Be sure to check out my other stuff. Be sure to review. Be sure to have a happy New Year! I have to say I prefer writing in Kili's POV, but it was a nice change of pace. Anyway, if anyone has any ideas for any little flash fictions that they want me to do, don't be afraid to PM me or tell me in a review! Kay, bye now.