Chapter Eight – The Valentine's Day Dance

Archer leaped from the ocean waters, diving down again and swimming in circles. Marina joined her, splashing the mersmurf with her fake tail. Tailor outdid himself with the makeshift mermaid tail. It was quite easy for him to make something of a pocket for Marina to slip her legs into, completely with fins on the end for her feet. And it was even pure white, like Archer's tail.

Archer pointed to Marina's fake tail and gave a thumbs up.

"You think my 'tail' looks nice?" Marina guessed.

Archer nodded.

"I think so too." Marina smiled. "It's like I'm a mermaid all over again."

Archer laughed silently. She dived underwater and leaped higher into the air, doing a flip and diving perfectly into the water.

Marina giggled. "Oh Archer! You're a natural!"

Archer nodded in thanks.

"Maybe you could go down to Atlantica and meet my family with me sometime." Marina offered. "Although, I suppose we would need a way for both of us to breathe underwater."

Archer thought for a moment before shrugging. She took a stick floating on the water and waved it like a wand, making the sign for "Smurf" in Sign Language.

"Papa Smurf?" Marina guessed.

Archer nodded. Good thing I'm good at charades.

"I suppose Papa could use some sort of magic to help." Marina nodded. "I bet he's very powerful."

Archer nodded happily.

Marina giggled again. "Well, I hope Papa can figure something out. Still, this is certainly fun."

Archer nodded in agreement, even though she felt her neck cramp a little from so much head movement.

"It's quite an adventure holding my breath." Marina admitted. "I'm so used to breathing underwater."

Archer giggled silently. Suddenly, her face turned to a look of shock. She pointed behind Marina feverishly.

Marina turned and gasped. "Oh dear! The Pepper Pirates!"

Archer bared her teeth in a silent snarl. But Marina pushed her back.

"No, Archer!" Marina protested. "We must get back to the village! They won't find us inside the invisible barrier."

Archer signed hurriedly, obviously protesting. However, Marina couldn't understand a word.

"I bet you'd like to swim out there and bash their heads in." Marina guessed.

Archer nodded curtly.

"But you can't!" Marina protested. "Let's go before the pirates follow us!"

Smurf that! Archer snapped in Sign Language. She dove underwater and darted off like a fish. Marina called after her, but Archer already traveled too far ahead.

"Oh dear!" Marina gasped. "I've got to get back to the village!" She swam off as fast as she could, reaching the shoreline in a few minutes more than she would've liked. But the second she touched sand, she pulled off her fake tail and pulled on her dress, carrying her sopping wet fake tail under her arm as she hightailed it to the village.

Meanwhile, Archer reached the Pepper Pirates' ship and leaped up to the anchor, grabbing on and climbing to the railing. She stared over the edge of the deck, searching for something she could tamper with.

"Be careful with that sail, ya land lubbers!" Captain Pepper snapped as his crew raised the sails. "We're too far from a port to get a new one!"

Archer smirked. Oh this is going to be fun.

Captain Pepper retreated to his quarters and the crew went about their business, trying to keep themselves occupied and distracted. Archer slipped down into the waters again, swimming round and round the ship. She grabbed handful of seaweed floating on the ocean's surface and leaped over the ship, dropping the seaweed on a crewmate's head. He immediately looked up to the pirate standing at the helm above his head and started shouting. The pirate at the helm shouted back, inducing an argument. Archer swam down deep and grabbed a rock, using all her strength to pull it back up and toss it on deck. It slammed down on the foot of another crewmate, who jumped and slammed into another crew member. Archer stayed mostly underwater, but allowed her ears to come up so she could hear the pirates shout.

"What be goin' on here?"

"The ship be haunted!"

"Every Pepper Pirate for himself!"

Archer giggled silently. She waited until the pirates either retreated into their cabins or jumped overboard from fear. That's when she leaped up on deck and scooped up a fallen sword. She carried the blade in her teeth and pulled herself up a netted ladder to get to the sail. When she reached the top of the mast, she stabbed the sword through the sail and jumped down, dragging the blade through the sail and tearing it. She let out a mute, malicious laugh as she did it again. But when she hit the bottom of the mast, she bounced off the sword and fell backwards….right into a fishing net!

"Well now, aren't we the mischievous one?" Captain Pepper chuckled, holding the net in his hooked hand.

Archer glared, struggling to free herself from the net. But the captain tossed the net to his crewmates as they climbed back to order. They held her arms firmly, still keeping the net over her.

"Take her to me quarters." Captain Pepper ordered.

"Aye, Captain Pepper!" the pirates saluted. But Archer suddenly swung her tail up and smacked her captors in the face. Though still wrapped up in a net, she managed to pull herself to the railing and jump over it. But she barely got over the railing before someone grabbed her mermaid fins, leaving her hanging upside down. She looked up…er, down rather…and glared at Captain Pepper.

"Where do ye think you're going?" he laughed evilly.

Archer signed angrily, even though Captain Pepper couldn't understand her, using "words" that would've made Papa scrub out her mouth (and hands) with soap.

"Aw, she's an angry type." Captain Pepper chuckled. "That might take some time to beat out of you."

"Smurf zat!"

Captain Pepper's ears rang and his head rattled when Chef suddenly leaped up and slammed his frying pan into the imp's face. Out of surprise, he dropped Archer into the waters. Baker tore off his hat and dived after her, grabbing her arm and pulling her back up to the surface.

"Go, Chef!" Baker called hurriedly, dragging himself and Archer into their little boat. "Set the sails and let's smurf out of here!"

Chef nodded hurriedly and set the sail of their small boat. A lucky gust of wind pushed them along, leaving the pirate ship in the dust.

What if they follow us? Archer signed, trying to untangle herself from the net.

"I think your handiwork took care of that." Baker laughed. He took out a knife and carefully sliced through the ropes of the net, freeing his mersmurf sister from her bonds.

"Let's just smurf back to ze village." Chef urged, steering the boat towards the river.

Archer sighed silently as she pulled the last of the net off her tail. Papa's gonna smurf.


"While your intentions may have been noble, your actions were reckless!" Papa snapped. "The Pepper Pirates are dangerous and we do not go smurfing for trouble! If Chef and Baker weren't out there looking for seaweed, you could've been killed."

I'm sorry, Papa. Archer signed, looking a little ashamed. I just wanted to keep them away from the village. The longer they stay here, the more dangerous it becomes to go to the ocean.

"I've already told the other Smurfs that I don't want them to smurf past the dam." Papa told her. "You're right; it's getting very dangerous. Until they leave, we take precautions."

Okay. Archer looked down glumly.

Papa smiled softly and put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Thank you for helping keep the village safe. But for now, stay in it. I'm sure you and the girls will have a fun time getting ready for the dance."

Archer smiled. Yeah. I'm going to find Tailor. He made me a smurfy party outfit and I have to go try it on. She wheeled herself out, shutting the door behind her. Papa chuckled warmly, but his grin faltered. How would he explain that he can't undo the spell cast upon his daughter and her friends? Try as he might, he discovered the best way to break the spell would be to find whoever cast it in the first place. And that would be hard to determine; after all, Archer reported that they blacked out and therefore wouldn't be able to remember who cast the spell.

A thought crossed Papa's mind; a slightly random but, now that he considered it, very relevant thought. "The well….." He whispered softly. He shook his head, flipping through a nearby spell book to find something to get his mind off things. "No, that's not possible." He told himself. "Stop worrying, Papa Smurf. After all, you smurfed a spell on that well so that it could never be found except by a pure hearted wizard, to protect its powerful magic." He paused in flipping through his book. "Except…..Archer knows magic, so that could technically make her a witch. But then…." His eyes widened. "Oh dear."


Laughter, cheering, and clapping filled the night air as the Valentine's Day dance took full force. The band, consisting of players both Smurf and elf, played upbeat songs and many of the other party guests clapped to the beat. Everyone else danced in the village square, laughing and twirling. Cupid watched with a smile, overjoyed at such love being expressed without the help of his magical arrows. When the archer of love heard about Archer Smurf, he suddenly realized he never formally met the young Smurfette. So, with Papa as a translator for Archer's Sign Language, the two archers got to have a very nice chat about archery skills and tips on how to shoot well.

"That's it." Cupid nodded. "Stare down the shaft with both eyes. Now, since there's a heart instead of an arrowhead, you want to put the little dip right at the nape of their necks. That'll get it right over their hearts."

Archer nodded, biting her tongue in concentration. She leveled one of Cupid's arrows in her ebony bow and let it fly. It flew over the dance floor and hit Grouchy right in the chest.

"Hey!" Grouchy snapped. "Who did—" He paused and his eyes got a fiery pink glow to them. "Ooh la la!" He darted off to Smurfette and Smartette standing at the food table. "Hey Smurfette. When did you get a twin?"

"A twin?" Smurfette asked, cocking her head.

"That pretty lady right there." Grouchy pointed behind the girls, a googly eyed look still on his face. Smartette and Smurfette turned and raised eyebrows.

"Um, you mean the ice sculpture Painter made?" Smartette asked nervously.

"Yeah!" Grouchy sighed blissfully, moving past the girls to stand on the table. "She's a hottie!" He kissed the ice sculpture's cheek, his eyes almost turning into hearts.

Smartette and Smurfette shared a look. "I think he's finally lost it." Smartette whispered.

"Well, we better get lost before Painter sees and come running." Smurfette whispered back. The girls snuck off; and not a moment too soon.

"Grouchy!" Painter's angry, thick French accent rang out as he darted for his beloved ice sculpture. "What are you doing to my masterpizza?!"

Archer covered her mouth, but she shook violently with laughter. Cupid and Papa laughed as well, tears coming to their eyes. "Oh dear!" Cupid laughed heartily. "That didn't go as expected!"

"That seems to happen a lot!" Papa struggled to compose himself.

Archer held her sides. Even though her laughter silenced, she could feel her stomach hurting from laughing so much.

"I must give you props for good aim, Archer Smurf." Cupid complimented. "I've tried for years, and I could never hit Grouchy."

Archer took a bow, but bonked her head on the smurferator's rim. She smiled sheepishly, rubbing her forehead.

"Is it very hard to be in that bucket on wheels?" Cupid asked. "I don't know if I could sit in there for more than a day."

Archer shrugged. It doesn't bother me much.

"I'm working on a remedy for that." Papa explained. "Hopefully, I'll be able to reverse the effects and make everything as it was before." As soon as I have a little chat with my eldest and most reckless of daughters. He thought to himself.

Well, I'm going to get some food. Archer signed. See you later, Cupid! She turned and wheeled herself off, albeit hurriedly.

"I'm sorry if I touched a nerve there." Cupid said sincerely.

"Not at all." Papa assured. "She's had to deal with it for a few days now. I'm sure I'll find some way to reverse it."

"I have complete faith in you, Papa Smurf." Cupid nodded. "But now, I must follow Archer's example; I'm starved." He disappeared in a POOF, leaving Papa to smile and shake his head.

I only hope I'm wrong with my well theory. Papa thought worriedly. I haven't been to that well in a long time, and I don't know if Archer can smurf it again on command.

"Archer, me lass!" Gutsy greeted warmly. "How ye doin'?"

Very smurfy. Archer signed. A little hungry.

"Well, by all Smurf, don' starve yerself." Gutsy chuckled, but Archer just shoved him playfully.

"Hello Gutsy Smurf!" Brook bounded over, the skirt of her sky-blue dress bouncing. "Will you dance with me?"

"Oh, I don' know." Gutsy looked to Archer. "I'm spendin' some time with me lassie."

Oh, go on, Gutsy. Archer encouraged.

"Really?" Gutsy asked.

Go on, have fun. Archer insisted. If you can't dance with me, you should dance with somebody else.

Gutsy smiled and kissed his mate's cheek. "All right, little lassie. Let's go."

"Yay!" Brook cheered, taking Gutsy's hand and leading him to the dance floor. Archer watched, amusedly, as the little girl pulled the Scotsmurf into the midst of the dancers. He held the little wood elf's hands in his, laughing and dancing with the child. Archer felt her heart constrict, and she stared down at her mermaid tail. She looked back to the dancers, and her tail began to move unconsciously, as though dancing in the confined space of the smurferator.

The song ended, and everyone clapped and cheered and whistled. "And now, we have a special song to be sung!" Greedy announced. "By our very own Laconia and Poet Smurf!" Everyone cheered as said Smurf and formerly mute wood elf came onstage, the latter shyly waving to everyone.

"As a thanks to Papa and all the Smurfs," Laconia spoke and signed. "For accepting my friends and me into your home, I would like to dedicate this song for you all."

The band began to play, starting with Marco at the harpsichord and Painter (who finally calmed down) at his cello. Farmer took up his fiddle, playing softly and smoothly. Greedy tapped the cymbals on his drum set; Hefty and Smooth each took up a guitar. Laconia took a breath, not fully sure if she was prepared to do this. But swallowed her fear and began to sing. Many of the Smurfs, Smurfettes, and wood elves paired up and started dancing, moving in a nice, rhythmic waltz. Poet joined Laconia in the song.

Papa watched with a warm smile. So many loving and dancing Smurfs and wood elves. Even those without dancing partners smiled happily. Papa looked up to the stars, thinking back to his lost love. Luna would've loved to be here. He sighed sadly, but kept a small smile on his face. Suddenly, he felt a breeze on his face, and heard the slightest of whispers. He smile grew wider, and happy tears welled up in his eyes. He hurriedly wiped them away, but couldn't stop smiling as he watched his family dance during such a happy occasion.

Laconia and Poet stepped back, allowing the musicians to finish the song. Everyone erupted in cheers and claps, awestruck by the wonderful song. Laconia let them cheer for a moment before raising her hands for silence. "I cannot take full responsibility for this song. Poet and Woody helped me write it, of course, and the Smurf musicians graciously gave up some of their free time to practice. But the one I must really thank is Archer Smurf. It was her voice I sang with tonight; she's the reason I speak now." She looked out over the crowd. "Archer! Come up here! You deserve this praise as well." The Smurfs and wood elves cheered, but soon discovered Archer never wheeled forward.

"Archer?" Hefty called.

"Where iz she?" Painter wondered aloud. The party guests started calling for the archery loving Smurfette, but she never appeared. Gutsy ran off to check their house, but she was nowhere in sight.

"Where could she have gone?" Brainy asked no one in particular.

Papa looked down and noticed the faintest of wheel tracks in the dirt. "I'll go search for her!" Papa called. "You all just smurf back to the party." Everyone seemed a little reluctant, but the band started playing another song and they resumed the party. Papa followed the wheel tracks into the forest. He ducked under bushes and weaved around tree roots, keeping his eyes on the tracks. He didn't stop jogging until he discovered the empty smurferator parked some ways from the River Smurf. He walked to the riverbanks, staying quiet and watching with a solemn look as his eldest daughter swam in the river, doing flips and zigzagging in the currents. He moved to some rocks on the water and sat down, watching Archer swim about freely. The mersmurf didn't even smile while she did it; she looked indifferent on the matter. But when she surfaced and spotted Papa on the rocks, her face immediately fell. Papa gently waved her over, and she obeyed faithfully.

"Good evening, my little tomboy Smurfette." Papa greeted with a small smile. "What are you smurfing in such cold waters?"

It doesn't bother me. Archer signed.

"You still look upset." Papa noted.

Archer pulled herself onto the rocks, sitting beside Papa. I guess I missed dancing more than I thought.

Papa nodded in understanding. "You're not very happy, are you?" Archer looked away, her hair hiding her face from Papa. But she felt his gentle touch on her shoulder, and she turned to hug him tightly. Papa held his daughter close, gently stroking her dripping wet hair. "Oh, my little girl. It's not easy, is it?" Archer shook her head, pulling away and wiping her eyes dry of tears. Papa looked at Archer as a whole, and he realized just how much she changed: a white mermaid tail instead of legs, a green vest trimmed in silver (the party "outfit" Tailor made for her), and a dainty silver tiara instead of her Smurf hat resting in her acorn colored hair, now loose from its usual braid. She looked like a blue-skinned mermaid princess, not the archery-loving Smurfette he knew.

I don't know what to do. Archer signed with a silent, saddened sigh.

"I do." Papa assured. "But I need you to be honest with me: did you, Marina, and Laconia find the Wishing Well of Wonders, and make your wishes there?"

Archer blinked in surprise, but gave no sign in response. It was all Papa needed.

"You know we'll have to smurf back so you can wish for everything back to normal again." Papa told her. "I can use my magic to give Laconia a voice and Marina legs. But first, we need to change everything back to the way it was before, do you understand?"

Archer heaved a heavy sigh. She nodded.

"Good." Papa sighed, holding Archer close. "For now, we'll leave things as they are. But first thing tomorrow morning we're smurfing to the cave."

Yes, Papa Smurf.