Hefty knocked on Smurfette's door the next morning, his hands shaking.
"Smurfette? It's me. Um...can you answer the door?" The door didn't open. "Okay, I deserve the silent treatment. But, I just want to say that I'm sorry about yesterday. I just wanted to have a good time with you and, yes, I do have some feelings for you. You might even say that I...like you a little. But that's no excuse for how I treated you. I'll smurf whatever you want me to do if it means your forgiveness. So, will you forgive me?"
No sounds came from the house, and Hefty grew worried. He raised his hand to knock again, then pressed his ear against the door. He heard nothing. He tried the doorknob and was shocked to find it unlocked. The door creaked open, and the house was dark and empty.
"Smurfette? I know you're mad at me but - " A glint of light caught him off guard, coming from outside the window. He trekked outside and followed the beam of morning light to Brainy's hut. He reached for the doorknob, but the door leaned and crashed to the floor. After a second to compose himself, he marched in. The place was a mess as usual, but it usually didn't smell like salt and metals. A crunch under his foot sent him back a bit. He lifted his foot, a few crumbs of bluish-white rock sprawled on the floor. He scooped it up in his hand.
"Smurfstone?" It shimmered for a split second, making him drop it. "It's never done that before." He cautiously stooped down to pick it up again and shoved it into his pocket. If Brainy thought this was some sort of sick joke, then it wasn't funny. Wait...Brainy's jokes were terrible. And Brainy couldn't even scare Paranoid Smurf. Something was definitely wrong here.
"Brainy?" There was probably no point in yelling, but it was worth a shot. Hefty noticed the nearby book on the table. He flipped it open. It was filled with maps. "Storks? Why would they be looking at storks?" He flipped through the book some more, coming across a picture of a Blue Moon. Brainy's fingerprints were particularly covering this page.
"The Blue Moon is a rare Smurf phenomenon which can occur anywhere from every 2 to 100 years. This type of bluish hue can only meet the arrival of a baby Smurf..."
Everything seemed normal, until the note at the bottom.
"After some investigation, I, Brainy Smurf, have concluded that the Blue Moon may smurf more than we know to believe. I shall smurf-duct more investigation with a small team of Smurfs to an undisclosed location in the western mountains until further conclusions have been smurfed."
Hefty growled and clenched the smurfstone in his fist. "Next time, Brainy, when you smurf out in the middle of the night with Smurfette, don't tell me where you're going!" He snatched the book from its post and sprinted from the hut into the forest.
"PAPA SMURF! PAPA SMURF!"
Hints of blue were beginning to appear, so Hefty quickened his pace. Everyone was gathered under the Great Oak, Papa Smurf and Smurfwillow standing on the large toadstool. He called out again, straining to regain his breath. He stopped in front of the toadstool.
"Papa Smurf, Brainy and Smurfette are gone."
Papa nodded. "We know, Hefty. So are Clumsy and Smurflily. We can only assume that they're all together."
"Yeah, yeah!" Hefty sputtered quickly. "But, I think I might know where they could have gone."
Smurfette pushed back the tree leaves, gazing at the view. They were nearly out of the forest, the mountain range just in view. The mountain lived up to its name. All around it were rocks and dead trees, a barren wasteland to behold. If Nanny Smurf was real, why would she stay there?
"Smurfette! What do you see?" Brainy called from below. Smurfette jumped from the leaves and slid down the trunk of the tree.
"We're almost to the mountain. We just need to smurf a little ways north and we'll be at the base."
"Let's smurf to it!" Clumsy said. Smurflily blinked in confusion. "What?"
"Your language has the word 'smurf' in it a lot. Doesn't that become tedious and worn out sometimes?"
"Look, Smurflily," Smurfette said. "Male Smurf culture is more contextual than literal. You say what's in your smurf and we understand."
"Oh, okay," Smurflily complied, putting her hand over her heart. "I smurf my friends." The three cringed in disgust. "What? I do. I smurf my friends."
"Stop saying it! Gross!" Brainy winced, pulling a few maps from his satchel. "Let's go guys. If we smurf now, we can smurf there before sundown."
Smurflily stood dumbfounded for a few moments before following the group towards the edge of the forest. Smurfette pushed past the brush and stepped out into the open, her friends following. The towering mountains loomed over the horizon like a black phantom looming over a frightened child. A phantom like Gargamel. She told herself no. Gargamel was gone now. She had to accept that and move on.
"Careful everyone. This area is known for its structural instability," Brainy stated, studying a piece of granite.
"Oh, yeah. That's never good." Clumsy stood over by the edge of the cliff as it began to crack. Smurflily lunged and pushed Clumsy out of the way just as the ledge began to crumble.
Clumsy and Smurflily laid on the ground, him in shock. "Gosh, that could have killed us!"
"I tried to warn you," Brainy said.
Smurflily shrugged and stood up. "You get used to it." She held out her hand for Clumsy to take and pulled him to his feet. "Are you always like this?"
"Well, usually when it's funny."
Smurflily giggled. Brainy led the group down the hill, testing the ground for stability. Smurfette followed close behind, staring at the foreboding mountain above. This mountain held answers, answers she needed. Whether or not Nanny Smurf was up there, or even existed for that matter, was up for debate. It almost didn't matter. It held something she needed one way or another. She pulled the shard from her pocket, the crystal glowing in the dim atmosphere. She'd come too far already. Nothing was stopping her.