Looks like school's almost over! (I'm a senior, so seniors get out of school earlier than other students XD) So I'm gonna TRY (note: TRY) to write more frequently. If I don't, hit me on the head with a baseball bat for breaking a promise :P

So another theme for m 100 Theme Challenge! After writing the 10th theme, I actually like these two as children. They're so cute :3

ENJOY!

11. Bullying

MANY YEARS AGO…

Ever since they first met, 7-year-old Roy and 9-year-old Marth became best friends. The two played with each other every day, and they enjoyed each other's company. The Lowell family and Eliwood noticed that their children shared a strong bond, so they decided to come to each other's countries to visit so their children can play together.

One day, Eliwood and Roy went to Altea to meet the Lowells, and Eliwood let the young boy play with the young prince as he and the family talked.

The two children ran around the large garden of Marth's castle, chasing each other in a game of tag. The blue-haired boy caught up to the younger red-haired boy and tapped him on the shoulder.

"Tag! You're it!" Marth cried. Roy then chased after him, and after he tagged him, the two sat on the stone steps of the castle, catching their breath.

After a while, they decided to play a game where they fight a giant dragon. However…

"I…I forgot to bring our wooden swords…" Marth said, ashamed.

The younger boy smiled and said cheerfully, "It's OK! We can use sticks to fight! Let's go find some!"

The two went around the castle together, looking for some sticks to use as swords. Eventually, the two split up to find the sticks.

Roy looked around a bush, and he found two long sticks. Grabbing them, he pulled them out.

"Found some!" Roy cried. He then ran off to find Marth, but he heard voices instead.

"Hey look! It's the girly boy!"

Roy stopped running and he turned to see two tall boys standing over the blue-haired prince. The two were taunting him and making fun of him.

"Hey princess! Can you fight? Oh wait; you can't! You fight like a girl!"

"I-I can fight!" Marth cried, trying to hold back tears, "Watch me!"

The smaller boy then charged at the two bullies, but one of them placed his hand on his forehead, preventing him from moving any closer. The small prince can only flail around as a way to fight back.

"See? You DO fight like a girl! You're so pathetic!" The boy said, pushing Marth to the ground. Marth lay on the ground, sobbing.

Roy witnessed all of this, and he decided to stop it.

He walked up to the bullies and stood in front of Marth in a protective manner.

"Leave him alone, you bullies!" Roy cried, trying to be brave. Marth looked up, shocked to see that his best friend was protecting him.

The two bullies looked at the red-haired boy and they laughed.

"Well, looks like the princess had a buddy! Tell me, kid, can you fight? Your little buddy can't 'cause he's just a girly princess!"

"He's NOT a girly princess!" Roy shouted, "He's my friend! People who hurt my friends will have to face me!"

The two boys just laughed.

"Well, go ahead and fight us! I bet you can't win!"

The red-haired boy grabbed his two sticks and he lunged at the two boys. He hit one of them with one of the sticks, nearly poking his eye out.

"OW!" The boy cried. He held on to the area where he was hit, but he quickly recovered. "You'll pay for that, you lil' squirt!"

The two boys grabbed a hold of Roy, and they threw him to the ground. Roy tried to fight back, but the two boys grabbed his sticks and threw them to the side. They began to beat him as Roy started to cry. Marth watched in horror as he watched the bullies hurt his best friend. He decided to stop this.

Getting up, he bravely ran towards one of the boys and he began to pound him with punches.

"Leave him alone! LEAVE HIM ALONE!" He cried, trying to hold back tears.

The boy turned his attention to the prince and he backhanded him across the face. He then pinned him down on the ground and spat at his face.

"You stay out of this, twerp!" He cried. Before he could hit him, a strong hand grabbed his fist. The boy looked up to see Marth's father, his eyes burning with anger.

"Leave the children alone!" He growled.

Eliwood ran to the other boy and grabbed him by the arms and pulled him off of his son. Marth's mother and older sister watched from the front of the castle, shocked and worried.

Marth's father pulled the boy off of his son, and he and Eliwood stood them up, holding them still so they won't run off.

"Now you listen here, boy," Eliwood growled, "if you hurt our children again, you'll damn well know that we'll go after you! Do you understand?!"

"U-u-uh—" The boys stuttered, but Eliwood's patience was running thin.

"DO YOU UNDERSTAND?!"

"Y-yes sir! W-we won't do it again!" Both of the boys said in unison.

After Marth's father gave them a stern warning, he and Eliwood let them go, and the two boys ran off, frightened.

The men checked their children to see if they were harmed. Marth had a red spot on his forehead and face, as Roy was bleeding from the nose and he had a black eye. Both of the boys were crying and shaking from their ordeal.

"Here, I'll go get one of the maids to help them heal." Eliwood said, helping Roy up and bringing him inside. Marth's father did the same, bringing his son with him as Marth's mother and sister followed.

One of the maids healed the boys' wounds with her staff, and she suggested to the Lowell family to let them rest and stay inside for a while. The boys had to stay in their beds so they could heal.

While Roy was lying on his bed, Marth turned to his side to face him. "I'm sorry…" He apologized.

Roy stared at his best friend and he quickly said, "It's not your fault. Those mean bullies were hurting you. I don't want them to hurt you."

"B-b-but you got hurt because of me…"

"Nope. Not your fault. They were being mean. They shouldn't have been so mean to you."

Marth paused. "Y-you're right…but…"

"Huh?"

"Thank you…for saving me. I…I knew that I made a best friend…a best friend who will protect me…" Marth smiled.

Roy smiled back. "And I'm glad that I made a best friend like you."

Marth got out of his bed and he walked beside Roy's, and he hugged him tightly.

"Best friends forever and ever?" Marth asked.

Roy was surprised that he hugged him, but he hugged him back.

"Best friends forever and ever."

And that's it for now! Next theme it will have them older (Roy, 15; Marth, 17) so there won't be any more of them as children for now.

Requests are still open!

Comment/review please! :3