Chapter 19: The Great Journey

17 DAYS LATER…

The royal ship set sail three days ago. Aboard the ship was the King, his most trusted crew, and his guests - the smurfettes and Hefty Smurf. It was no surprise that some of the smurfettes wanted to come along on the trip. Hefty has pretty much become apart of their family and they wanted to make sure he would have a safe journey home. They also would like to meet the rest of the smurfs that Hefty had told them so much about.

To the smurfettes, being on a human ship was like a large floating smurf-size village. As long as they stayed out of the way of the ship's crew, the smurfettes are free to explore every part of the large boat. Most of the trip Hefty and the smurfettes spent on the deck so they could enjoy the scenery.

Toughette often would find herself sitting at the bow of the ship for most of the trip. She didn't feel like joining any of the other smurfettes, and for sure she didn't feel like being around Hefty. It seemed to cause her great pain to be near him right now. How she wished she could make this feeling go away. All she could think about was that evening during the Blue Moon Ball. She pondered over the time when he held her in his arms, and when they almost kissed. It was the first time she felt vulnerable, and yet, safe at the same time. She had always been use to being the strong one in the smurfette village. Nothing would ever get to her. That is, until she found Hefty lying half dead on the shore.

Every day she would go by the clinic to see how he was doing. And there was that one day when she was asked to sit by his bed while Nursette took her nap. Her worry for a stranger baffled her. Before then, Toughette never really cared or worried about anyone or anything as much, unless it was the other smurfettes. She remembered the day when news got around that Hefty was starting to come around, and that he said his name. The joy she felt was like a large weight being lifted from her shoulders.

It was only when she actually seen him in person for the first time after finding him on the beach, her feelings would start reacting strangely. She understood that Hefty was only trying to be helpful, and yet, she yelled at him. It was only a reflex. Apart of her that had always been defensive to any male that thought she couldn't pull her own weight around. The last thing she ever wanted to feel was helpless. That was why the evening of the Ball confused her so much.

Absently, Toughette started hugging herself as the sea breeze blew in her face and through her long golden ponytail hair. She let out a long sigh as she pondered on why she decided to come along on this trip.

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Hefty sat up at the captain's deck where the steering wheel stood. He looked out onto the long vacant sea. From a distance, a mountain tip suddenly becomes visible. With a grin, Hefty started to recognize that mountain. He could tell that he was closer to home now more then ever before. His face began to light up like a Christmas tree regardless of the swarm of emotions that are building up inside of him.

"You recognize that mountain, my young smurf-friend?" Asked King Randolph looking down at the smurf.

"Yeah. My village is not far from it." Hefty exclaimed cheerfully.

The King chuckled amusingly. "Well, we are almost there. I better go make sure my crew is preparing to dock soon." He said as he headed down on deck level.

"Ok." Hefty nodded while suddenly fidgeting and tapping with his fingers on the wooden floor of the ship.

"Is something the matter, Hefty?" Mama Smurf asked with concern. She sat down beside him and comforted him by placing her hand on his shoulder.

At first Hefty tried to hide what he is feeling, but after looking up at Mama Smurf, he could tell that it was a futile effort. He began to chuckle nervously. "I guess I haven't felt so happy, and yet, scared at the same time before."

"That is understandable." Mama Smurf calmly replied. "I am glad you allowed some of the smurfettes and I to smurf along with you." She added while slowly releasing her hand from his shoulder.

"Yeah, well, knowing Papa Smurf and the others they would want to meet the ones who smurfed my life, and accepted me as a member of their village for the past two years." Hefty smiled at Mama Smurf.

"Well, you do have this charm that had been very hard to resist." Mama Smurf chuckled amusingly. Hefty bashfully grinned.

"So, how is it you met King Randolph again?" Hefty asked looking down as the King laid out his demands for the crew.

"Well, when he was a very young prince, he got himself lost in the woods. That very day I went out for a walk with a few my young smurfettes. That was when we found him. We helped him find his castle and ever since then, he had been one of the few human friends we have." Mama Smurf explained.

"I see." Hefty nodded knowingly.

"Oh dear, Brainette is getting sick again." Mama Smurf said worriedly when she heard one of her smurfettes throwing up over the boat's side.

"I wouldn't worry about it too much, Mama Smurf. She's probably just sea sick." Hefty noted as a matter of fact.

"How do you know that?"

"Because Brainy Smurf, back home, would get sea sick all the time when he was aboard the SS Smurf."

"Oh, ok." Mama Smurf nodded in understanding.

"By the way, Mama Smurf. Do you have any idea what could by the matter with Toughette? She's been acting cold towards me for the past few weeks, and I'm wondering why." Hefty finally asked.

Mama Smurf stared up to where Toughette had been sitting for most of the trip. She could sense what was going on in the young smurfette's head, but she also felt it wasn't her place to say what it could be to Hefty.

"I believe that is something you should go down and talk to her about yourself, my dear smurf." The smurfette elder told him with a reassuring tap on his shoulder.

"Gee. Thanks Mama Smurf." Hefty disappointingly sighed.

The sound of Brainette getting sick over the side again made Mama Smurf turn away from Hefty. "I really should go check up on Brainette. She really doesn't sound good at all." She mentioned before leaving Hefty's side. Hefty simply nodded before pondering on how he would approach Toughette.

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Gingerette walked around the corner with a basket hanging from her arm. She had just filled it full with smurfberry muffins that she recently baked in the cook's kitchen below deck. Throughout the journey aboard the ship, Gingerette had been very worried about Brainette. The fiery redhead smurfette hated to see anyone too sick to eat. She would try and tempt in getting Brainette to eat at least one of her freshly baked muffins.

"Hey Brainette. Would you like to try one of my muffins?" She cheerfully asked.

"Oh Smurf, no." Brainette quickly responded with her hand out to indicate Gingerette stop and not to take another step forward. Her other hand started to cover her mouth. Even the thought, not to mention smell of the food, made her feel like getting sick again.

"Brainette, what is the matter with you? Why are you getting sick?" Gingerette asked.

"It is most likely the motions of the waves. In a result it causes the ship to sway in a way that it disagrees with my stomach." Brainette desperately tried to explain without throwing up.

"Huh?" The redhead responded with a puzzled look. "Maybe I should go get Nursette to have a look at you?"

"Umnuff." Brainette muttered in agony.

At the other end of the boat, Nursette, Valvette, Tattlerette, and Cowgirl sat to enjoy Melody's beautiful guitar playing. Valvette spent this moment to touch up her make up and fix her hair, while the others admired the scenery and music.

"That sounds beautiful, Melody." Nursette says with a dreamy look out at the glimmering sea.

"Why thank you, Nursette." Melody politely responded as she prepared to play another tune.

"Nursette?" Gingerette calls out from around the corner. "You better come quick. Brainette is getting sick again."

Nursette looked at the other smurfettes as they look back up at Gingerette. All at once they get up and followed Gingerette back to the spot to where she left Brainette. The moment they arrive to Brainette's side, Nursette kneels down beside her. Right away she notices her blue skin is a shade paler, and the look of needing to throw up on her face.

"Gee Brainette, I haven't seen you look this sick since you had the flu a few years back." Nursette said as she inspects Brainette's condition.

"Uh huh." Brainette nodded in agreement.

"Eeew, what is wrong with her?" Valvette asks and cringed in disgust as Brainette leaned over the side of the ship again to throw up.

"I believe the term is called, 'sea sickness', my young smurfettes." Mama Smurf answered the question being asked.

"Aye," the human captain said walking up from behind the smurfettes. "She should be ok once we arrive to land. Which should be less then two hours from now." He added looking out ahead of the ship.

"Oooh, Why do I get the feeling that this will be the longest two hours of my life?" Brainette whined.

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"Hey Toughette…"

The sound of Hefty's voice nearly caused Toughette to fall forward into the water below.

"Geez, what do you want?" She angrily snapped at him.

"I just want to talk to you, if that's ok?" Hefty spat back in a tone of frustration.

"Actually, it's not ok." Toughette stubbornly turned away and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Toughette, why are you trying to avoid me? This is just like the time when I helped Nursette give you that flu shot a year and a half ago. Is there something wrong? Why are you mad at me? Did I say something that offended you or something?" Hefty asked desperately.

"No, I'm not mad at you." Toughette finally responded after a moment of silence.

"What is it then? Tell me!" The strong smurf demanded.

"Look, I'm happy for you, ok!" Toughette snapped as she got up from sitting. "I'm happy that you finally getting to go home! Why do you insist on making everything into such a big deal?" She added before storming away.

As soon as she was out of earshot, Hefty slammed his fist onto the ship's railing without causing any damage to it. To angry to feel any pain, he began to growl to himself. "How could one smurfette drive me so crazy?" He said though gritted teeth.

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TWO HOURS LATER…

The royal ship came in for docking at the harbor. The smurfettes watched in awe as they saw a whole town of humans working and preparing for the arrival of the King aboard the ship. Hefty suddenly recognized two of the humans waiting at the dock.

"Johan? Pewit?" He called out. Unfortunately, due to the rest of the noise around the harbor, the young pageboy and his younger, shorter friend did not hear him.

"You know those two are, young smurf?" King Randolph asked.

"Yes your majesty. They are not only friends with King Gerard, but also good friends with the smurfs as well." Hefty explained.

"Interesting. They are instructed to ride along with my carriage. I'm sure an introduction is in order. Don't you agree?" The King asked the smurf.

Hefty nods in agreement.

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30 MINUTES LATER…

The royal carriage rode down a wide path by the woods. Johan, riding his white steed, and Pewit, on his faithful goat, Biquette, are riding along side it. The two young lads have been very excited to find out that the one smurf they heard disappeared a few years back was in fact still alive. Hefty sat at the window of the carriage so he could chat with his human friends on what had happened.

"…And that's pretty much when I met King Randolph, not to mention my chance to finally come home." The little smurf explained.

"That is quite a story, Hefty." Johan replied.

"Yeah," Pewit agreed, "but it sure is great to see you back, and alive."

"Me too." Hefty added with a nod.

"I defiantly know the entire smurf village will be glad to see you again. It's just a shame Pewit and I won't be there to see their faces." Johan exclaimed with a snicker.

"Oh, I'm sure they will be. But, personally, I'm a little nervous going back after being away so long." Hefty admitted.

"Awe, I wouldn't worry about it. I bet after you reunite with everyone, it will be like you never left." Pewit commented.

"I hope your right." The strong smurf sighed tensely.

"Speaking of which." Johan said as he trots up ahead a bit. "Hey driver, stop please." He called up to the man on top of the royal carriage.

After the carriage came to a full stop, the King assisted in helping Hefty and the smurfettes out.

"I wish you luck, young smurf." King Randolph told Hefty.

"Thank you, your majesty. For everything." Hefty bowed respectively to the King.

"Yes, your majesty." Mama Smurf added with a curtsy. "We will let you know if we require a ride back."

"I will await your message Mama Smurf." The King said as he got back into the carriage.

"You will be ok, won't you?" Johan asked Hefty and the smurfettes.

"Yes, the village isn't far from here. We will be fine." Hefty smiled as he swung his backpack on over his shoulders.

The smurfettes and Hefty wave the carriage off as it carried on towards the castle. As soon as it was out of sight, Toughette shook her head and started to head into the woods.

"Come on, let's get this over with." She muttered as she walked away from the others.

Mama Smurf shook her head in discouragement. She knew the real reason why Toughette was acting the way she was. With a hopeful prayer, Mama Smurf wondered if the tough smurfette will just come out and say her true feelings before it might be too late.