It was a gloomy day in the Smurf village. Rain had poured down, soaking the village. All of the smurfs were inside playing and reading. All but one.

Sassette had stayed in her bed while the smurflings were busy listening to stories from Papa Smurf. The rain had always made her feel upset, but today was a particularly bad day. It was the day that she was created. Normally, a birthday was a wonderful thing to celebrate, though today she couldn't help but remember seven years ago, when not even Gargamel had wanted her. Though she knew she had a home here in Smurf village and was loved by everyone, she just couldn't shake the feeling that they only put up with her because she was too young to survive on her own.

Groaning, she covered herself with her blankets. Tears soon began to fill her eyes as a loud knock came on the door. Sassette tried to steady her voice as she responded.

"Who is it?"

"Ello Sassette! It's me, Sweepy! Can I come in, mate?"

Sassette thought about it for a few minute. Honestly, she didn't want company, but she couldn't let Sweepy stay out in the rain and cold. "Come in," her voice cracked a little, giving away her crying.

Sweepy entered the bunk house, happy to be out of the rain. His normal sooty self was clean thanks to the bad weather as he looked around a bit. Upon looking, he noticed the little smurfling hiding under her blanket. Not that he would ever admit it, but Sassette was his favorite of the little smurflings and her actions confused him, as normally he was tackled with a hug. He waited for a moment to see if the smurfling would decide to come out of not.

"What you doin' under there?" his british accent was thick as he slowly approached the bundle.

Before the smurfling could answer, another knock came to the door. Sweepy opened it up to see Handy and Hefty, both carrying a small gift box. The three older smurfs had become fast friends thanks to the smurflings, and they spent hours to a time together, helping each other out or simply having a good time.

"Oh, hey Sweepy!" Handy said shaking the sweep's hand.

"Ello 'Efty, 'Andy," Sweep said with a small smile. "What brings you 'ere?"

"Well, we'd figure that we'd come see the special smurfday smurfling!" Hefty grinned as he set the gift down on a nearby table.

"Say, where is she?" Handy looked around the room.

"I'm under here."

Hefty and Handy looked past Sweepy to see the bundle on the bed. Both smurfs frowned, knowing that this was not normal behavior for a little smurfling to act.

"Sassette, what'cha doing under there?" Handy also set his gift on the table, the three smurfs slowly made there way to the bed.

"Hiding," was his muffled response. The smurfs watched her shift her position a little, confusion still washing over them.

"But why?" Sweepy asked.

It was then they heard her sniffle. "Nobody really likes me here. I'm not a real smurf," her voice cracked as she started crying harder. "And I never will be!"

Sweepy was taken aback by this sudden outburst as he heard Sassette dissolve in a mess of sobs and tears. Hefty and Handy both jumped, sadness instantly filling their hearts. The chimney sweep set his broom down on the floor and took a seat on the bed while the others kneeled gently by her side. Sweepy began to slowly rub her back as she cried.

"What do you mean, 'not a real smurf'?" Hefty asked over the young one's crying. "You are one of the smurfiest smurfs I've ever met."

"Yeah," Handy said petting the smurfling's head through the blankets.

"If it weren't for you an' the other smurflings, I wouldn't have made more mates!" Sweepy said nodding toward Hefty and Handy, who nodded back. "You've done so many smurfy things Sassette. Please don' cry little one."

Sassette's sobs quieted upon hearing their voices. Those three always knew the best way to make her feel better. She felt the covers around her face lift away. She opened her tear filled eyes and looked up at Sweepy. He was grinning sadly down at her. "There ya' are. Smurfy as evah."

Sassette couldn't help but grin a little as she rolled over on her back to better face all three of them. Hefty and Handy shared Sweepy's expression. "I don't feel smurfy."

Hefty glanced at Handy and Sweepy, confusion and pity written on his face. Being a natural smurfs themselves, they weren't experienced in this matter, though they knew that their little Sassy needed them more than ever.

"I don't see why you don'," Sweepy began as he pet her shoulders. "You look smurfy to me."

Sassette frowned. "Looking smurfy doesn't mean I am smurfy Sweepy."

"Hold on little one, I'm not done," Sweepy ruffled her hair a little. "You look smurfy."

"You act smurfy, and your voice is smurfy," Handy cut in, brushing some hair from her tear-stained face.

"And your heart is smurfy." Hefty said soothingly.

Sassette grinned a little. "But still..."

Sweepy was still trying to figure a way to convince the little smurfling that she was indeed a smurfy smurf. A thought crossed his mind as he glanced back at the two other smurfs. They instantly caught on to his idea and they both nodded in agreement. It was great that the three could communicate without even speaking to each other.

"You know what?" Sweepy said with a grin on his face. "I think there is one last category that we 'aven't tried yet."

Sassette frowned again, worried about this last thing on his list. "W-what do you mean?"

"Well," Hefty scooted a little closer. "It's something we have to try for ourselves."

Sassette looked puzzled, but refused move. "What do you mean?" she repeated.

"Well," Handy said slyly reaching for the smurfling. "We'll show you. But you have to close your eyes."

Sassette didn't know what was going on as Handy reached for her face. But she did as she was told and closed her eyes. It wasn't even a few seconds before she felt Handy's fingers gently tickle her chin, causing her to giggle and squirm slightly from the gentle touch. The older smurfs tried to refrain from giggling themselves as she crinkled her face.

"Hehehehehe... tittering twisters that tickles! hehehehehehehe!"

The boys chuckled as Handy pulled his hand away. Sassette opened her eyes, a new smile on her face. "What was that for?"

"We had to see if your giggle was smurfy," Handy grinned. "And it's one of the most smurfy giggles ever," he added while tapping the smurfling's nose.

Sassette giggled. "Well..."

"Now I 'ave another one to test," Sweepy said. With one fluid motion he reached for his broom, now dried out and fluffy, and reached it toward the smurfling. Before Sassette could get a word of protest in, Sweepy started tickling her face and neck with the broom. Sassette burst into a fit of laughter as she feebly attempted to swat away the ticklish object, with very little success. Handy laughed and soon assisted Sweepy in holding her still. Without being able to protect herself, Sassette laughed even harder.

"I think her laugh is smurfy too!" Sweepy chuckled as he ended his small attack. Sassette had to take a moment to calm down and breathe before speaking.

"I guess I am pretty smurfy then, huh?"

All three boys nodded, relieved that she was finally seeing things with a better light.

"And I am able to stay here because I'm smurfy, right?"

"More than just that," Hefty smiled. Using only half of his strength, he was able to jump over the smurfling and land on the other side of her bed with her. This caused her to squeal, before dissolving into a fit of laughter. Handy shook his head as they all chuckled.

"More than that?" Sassette finally managed to choke out.

"Yeah," Hefty smiled. He looped an arm around the little smurfling. "You're able to stay here because we all love you Sassy."

"Yeah," Handy said joining the hug.

Sweepy smiled and closed the hugging circle. "We love you mate."

Sassette laughed. "I love you guys too."

After a few more moments of cuddling, Sassette broke the silence. "Hey guys?"

"Yeah?"

"Can we have another tickle fight? This time, let's be fair about it though?"

The boys couldn't help but to laugh out loud, grinning down at her as she giggled as well.

"I suppose a fair one is in ord'ah!" Sweepy smiled and quickly lunged at Hefty, who dissolved quickly in a fit of giggles. Sassette tried to tickle Sweepy, but was soon caught off guard by Handy. From there it was all fair game. They all tried to tickle each other, often ending up in a fit of giggles before they were able to defend themselves. Sweepy would squeal with laughter, while Handy's giggling was hysterical. Hefty would try to tickle little Sassette, but would soon be tickled by her (granted, it was a fair tickle fight so he lessened up on his strength for her). This lasted most of the afternoon, neither one of the smurfs willing to give up.

It was now evening, and Papa Smurf had come to get Sassette for her smurfday dinner with the village. Upon entering the bunkhouse, he smiled at the sight.

All the smurfs and smurfling were asleep. Sassette was being cradled in Hefty's arms, Sweepy was half laying on Hefty's legs, and Handy was leaning up against the bed, his head resting gently on Sassette's side. Papa Smurf was turning to leave, not having the heart to wake them when he heard a small voice.

"Pappy?"

He turned back around to see Sassette blinking her eyes sleepily. "I'm sorry to have woken you, my little smurfling."

She giggled quietly. "It's okay."

"What happened in here?" Papa Smurf whispered.

"We had a tickle fight, because I was a little upset today."

Papa chuckled to himself. "I guess it was quite a serious one."

Sassette nodded. "It lasted for three hours."

Papa shook his head, a large grin on his face. "I'll let you four rest then. Is there anything I can get for you before I leave?"

Sassette yawned and shook her head. "No thanks Pappy Smurf," and right before she fell back asleep, she muttered, "I'm just smurfy, thank you."