I do not own the Smurfs.
Silly Smurf
The sky above the enchanted forest was rapidly darkening, the weak light that managed to penetrate the dense leaves overhead diminishing greatly. Papa Smurf cast another critical glance around, taking in every gnarled tree and thick smurfberry bush. He listened intently to the sounds and let out an anxious sigh when the only sounds he could hear where the sounds of nature.
"Oh Brainy...where are you?" Papa whispered worriedly. He could not stay out much longer...night was not a safe time for a Smurf to be out alone. But he had not allowed his little Smurfs to assist him in his search. With night approaching so soon, he did not want to risk their safety.
They hadn't been too happy but they complied with his request. "Fine, but when you find that smurf-for-brains, smurf him a good one over the head for me," Grouchy ordered.
Papa had noted that Grouchy said when, not if. As the concern bubbled more ferociously in his chest he began to wonder if he would be able to bring his Smurfs good news that night.
I should have expected this...
Papa shook his head and ran a hand through his white beard. He had seen the expression on Brainy's face when he had told the bespectacled Smurf it was too dangerous to go smurfing for firewood so close to dusk. Brainy had protested that it would be no problem, but Papa had been adamant.
"Why must you be so stubborn, Brainy?" Papa said aloud, the silence beginning to bother him. Of course, he realized that in order for Brainy to be Brainy, he would need to be stubborn.
Just when the elder Smurf began to give up all hope and go back to the village with solemn news, something glinted amongst the dry leaves on the forest floor. Heart pounding, he hurried forward and bent down carefully. A sigh of relief and concern escaped him when he uncovered Brainy's glasses.
He was relived because at least this was something to go by. He was also worried because Brainy could do nothing without his glasses. His vision was simply terrible.
Papa bent down and searched the area for any more clues that might help guide him to his missing Smurf. He froze upon seeing strands of orange cat hair lying a few feet away from the glasses. A growl escaped his throat. "Gargamel!"
The normally calm Papa Smurf was filled with rage as he ran as fast as his little legs could carry him towards Gargamel's run-down castle. If there was one thing he would not tolerate, it was something that put his little Smurfs in danger.
Gargamel was one of those intolerable things.
Papa Smurf sprinted through the forest, the little light he had vanishing completely by the time he reached Gargamel's hovel. He quickly climbed up to the window, fear growing in his stomach. Brainy had been gone for quite a while...he just hoped Gargamel caught him recently.
He nearly collapsed with relief upon seeing Brainy tied up to an extremely small chair. Gargamel really did have too much time on his hands.
Azrael snarled and stalked towards Brainy. The sorcerer in the shabby robes growled in annoyance and shoved the cat aside. "Azrael! This Smurf is mine! Go get your own!"
The cat hissed at his master before reluctantly jumping down to the cold stone floor. It really wasn't fair. He was the one that caught the Smurf, after all. Azrael suddenly froze, his nose twitching as he caught scent of another Smurf lurking nearby.
Brainy had absolutely no idea what was happening. The world around him was black and blurry and he couldn't stop shaking from fear. He desperately wished Papa Smurf would come and rescue him. In fact, he wished he had listened to Papa Smurf to begin with.
What's worse, I bet no Smurf even realizes I'm gone...in fact, I bet they don't even care.
The knowledge that no one would even miss him if perished at the hands of Gargamel depressed him greatly. He knew no Smurf liked him. They certainly showed it enough by smurfing him constantly out of the village and dismissing him before he could even open his mouth.
Maybe it would be better for every Smurf if Gargamel won this battle...
"GARGAMEL!"
The cutting knife was inches away from Brainy's throat when Papa let out his outraged yell. Gargamel whirled around and caught sight of the elder Smurf perched on his potions shelf. "Papa Smurf!" he exclaimed in surprise.
"Papa Smurf?" Brainy echoed quizzically. "Where? Where is he?"
Azrael quickly bent low and pounced on the shelf. Papa jumped out of the way just in time and Azrael smashed into the numerous bottles, sending them flying. Gargamel shouted in pain as one slammed into stone by his feet, causing a small explosion. "Azrael! You stupid cat!"
Papa took advantage of this distraction and hurried over to his little Smurf. "Papa?" Brainy asked frantically, trying in vain to see something.
"Hush, now," Papa shushed gently, untying Brainy and helping him to his shaky feet. "Everything will be alright."
Brainy gasped softly as he was lifted up into a pair of comforting arms. Papa grunted softly as he accustomed himself to holding Brainy (Papa was no longer the young Smurf he once was) and quickly made for the window.
"Get them!" Gargamel roared as he tried to move towards the escaping Smurfs. His foot stepped into a pile of slimy green stuff and he found himself stuck to the cold stone floor. "Azrael!"
His cat was faring no better. A bottle of sticky purple stuff had upending over his fur and Azrael was frantically trying to get it out.
Papa scooped Brainy's glasses off of Gargamel's window sill and jumped to the ground. He could feel Brainy shaking in his grip and decided that he was in no condition to run. Papa did not stop until he decided he was a safe enough distance from Gargamel's castle and close enough to their village.
"P-Papa?" Brainy quavered as he was set down. His legs gave way instantly and he collapsed to the hard forest floor.
"You're safe now, Brainy," Papa assured him and carefully cleaned Brainy's glasses before setting them upon Brainy's face. The bespectacled Smurf blinked owlishly a few times before peering around. It was then Papa noticed that he had a few cuts on his arms and face.
"Oh Brainy..." Papa sighed. "Must you always be so stubborn? I specifically told you not to smurf into the forest!"
Brainy stared at the ground, his lips quivering. Humiliation and shame overtook him, and he was still shaky from the Gargamel scare. He tried to keep the sudden tears at bay. He hated it when his emotions got the better of him.
Sensing Brainy's distress, Papa took a deep breath. Now was not the time to scold Brainy for his disobedience. He had been through a terrible ordeal. Papa bent down and gently stroked Brainy's tears away. "You really gave me quite a scare, Brainy."
"I-I did?" Brainy didn't think any Smurf would care what happened to him.
"Yes, my silly Smurf. I worry about you just as I worry about all the other Smurfs. And you know, the other Smurfs are quite anxious to have you back," Papa smiled gently, and Brainy gave a watery smile back, even if he was a bit doubtful that the others missed him.
Before he could chicken out, the bespectacled Smurf wrapped his arms around Papa and hugged him tightly.
"Thanks, Papa," his muffled voice spoke. "I-I love you."
Papa chuckled softly and patted Brainy's back comfortingly. "And I love you too, Brainy."
After a moment Brainy let go of Papa and wiped his eyes. "Can we go back to the village now?" he asked nervously, staring around at the dark forest.
Papa arched an eyebrow. "I don't know Brainy. Maybe you should spend the night out here and think about what you've done."
Brainy's eyes widened in horror and Papa laughed. "I'm just joking!"
Brainy let out a huge sigh of relief and hurried after Papa as he started to head back for the village. "Oh smurfs..." he muttered, placing a hand over his pounding heart. He had really thought Papa was serious.
The two stepped through the invisibility shield, and Brainy had barely taken ten steps when he was tackled by his best friend. "Brainy!" Clumsy shouted joyfully, awkwardly hugging his friend. "I was really worried!" Noticing the cuts on Brainy, Clumsy gasped. "Are you okay?"
"Can't...breathe!" Brainy rasped. Clumsy quickly scrambled off of his and grinned sheepishly.
"Sorry Brainy!"
Brainy got to his feet and smiled tiredly. "That's okay, Clumsy. I'm fine, really."
"That's good." Clumsy smiled brightly at him and Brainy grinned back. Papa chuckled at the two of them and they continued their way through the village. Brainy was slightly surprised to be tackled into a hug by Smurfette and the exclamations of relief he received from his fellow Smurfs.
Maybe Papa was right. Maybe I am liked...I just don't notice it.
"THERE YOU ARE!"
Brainy did not have time to react to Grouchy's hollered statement. The grumpy Smurf raced over to meet them and smurfed Brainy upside the head. Gutsy and Hefty weren't too far behind.
"Ouch!" Brainy wailed, rubbing his sore head. Papa shot Grouchy a stern glare.
Grouchy held his hands up. "Hey, I figured you wouldn't smurf him over the head for me, so I decided I would do it myself!"
"Geez, if you don't want me back, I'll just go back into the forest!" Brainy snapped irritably. He knew he was right...they didn't even want him back.
"Oh, stop being such a drama Smurf." Hefty rolled his eyes and punched Brainy playfully in the shoulder, much to the bespectacled Smurf's surprise. "Scare us like that again and I'll smurf you so far out of the village, Papa will have to take Feathers in order to find you."
Brainy winced at the mental image and self-consciously rubbed his behind. "Won't happen again!" he said quickly. Papa chuckled and quickly turned it into a cough.
"So laddie, what the smurf happened t' yeh?" Gutsy questioned, eyeing Brainy's various cuts with suspicion.
"I...kind of got caught by Gargamel," Brainy muttered, embarrassed.
"That blinking flip!" Gutsy growled at the mention of the foul wizard. "When Ah smurf my hands on him, Ah'll-!"
Papa coughed warningly and Gutsy hastily fell silent. "Actually, it was that stupid cat..." Brainy sighed, rubbing his sore arms. "I managed to fight him off, but not for long."
Hefty arched an eyebrow and crossed his arms. Gutsy and Grouchy exchanged knowing glances. "Uh-huh. You fought off Azrael. I totally believe that."
"Now Hefty-" Papa began, but Clumsy interrupted.
"That's amazing Brainy!" he exclaimed. "I bet you smurfed that cat better than Gutsy or Hefty ever could!"
Now, Clumsy was only trying to build up his friend's confidence, but that perhaps wasn't the best thing to say. Hefty and Gutsy both shot Clumsy mischievous looks. "So..." Gutsy drawled, slowly advancing upon the accident-prone Smurf. "Yeh donnae think we're a match for that mangy fleabag?"
Clumsy hastily retreated, eyes wide. "No! I mean, I didn't mean it like that! I mean-"
"He's digging himself a hole, Gutsy," Hefty teasingly cracked his knuckles. Clumsy yelped in panic and tried to take off, but was tackled by the two Smurfs to the ground. Papa chuckled as the three tussled playfully on the grassy ground.
Brainy let out a sigh. "The amount of maturity is just astounding..." he muttered sarcastically.
Grouchy snorted. "Oh really? And you think you're so mature?"
"Much more so than you," Brainy muttered under his breath. Unfortunately, Grouchy heard him.
"Ho-ho! Wrong thing to say, Smurfling." Grouchy tackled Brainy to the ground and caught him in a headlock. "Now, who's the most immature Smurf in this village?"
"You are!" Brainy snapped. It was of course, the wrong answer. Grouchy gave Brainy a noogie and the bespectacled Smurf yelped. "Aw, come on! Haven't I smurfed enough tonight?"
"Not even close!"
Papa watched in amusement at his little Smurfs antics. Gutsy and Hefty were tossing Clumsy up in the air and refused to stop unless Clumsy declared them the bravest Smurfs in history. The two of them were actually laughing so hard at Clumsy's shrieks that they had trouble catching him every time he came down.
Brainy, the stubborn Smurf he was, refused to admit he was the most immature Smurf in the village and Grouchy still wouldn't let him go.
But it was then Brainy realized that he was liked after all. It was simply shown in a...different way.