Chapter 20: Home Sweet Home, part 1

All around the village, many smurfs were spring-cleaning their houses, Smurfette was working in her flower garden, and Handy was working just outside his workshop. Painter Smurf had been painting again, and is now working on his latest masteurpiesa. Clumsy Smurf was organizing his rock collection. Lastly, Lazy Smurf was back to doing what he does best, taking a nap under his favorite tree.

In the garden, Farmer Smurf lead a group of smurfs to harvest some of the crops for winter. The Smurflings played with Puppy in the field beside the garden, while Papa Smurf, Brainy, and Grandpa Smurf watched them. Nearby, Harmony Smurf attempted to practice his trumpet playing. As usual he played out of tune. Vanity Smurf, who was now admiring himself again, sat on a rock near the edge of the forest. He was holding out his mirror to look at his reflection. With a quick adjustment with his free hand, he made sure that the flower on his hat was set right.

Papa Smurf smiled at the innocence of the Smurflings as they tossed a little red ball over Puppy's head. One by one each Smurfling would catch the ball and have a turn to throw it over to the next Smurfling before Puppy could catch it.

Without warning, Puppy suddenly stops playing. He turned with a puzzled look on his face towards the path heading into the forest.

"What is it, Puppy?" Nat Smurfling asked.

"Arf?" Puppy perked his ears forward then sniffs the air.

Soon Papa Smurf, Grandpa Smurf, and all the other adult smurfs turned to see why Puppy had stopped playing with the Smurflings.

"Come on, Puppy. Play." Snappy demanded as he tosses the little red ball up in the air and caught it again.

"Arf! Arf!" Puppy barked with excitement.

"Puppy? What are you barking at?" Sassette innocently asked.

Ignoring the little female smurfling, Puppy continued to bark as he ran off and disappears down the path.

"PUPPY!" All four smurflings cried out. Not even waiting to see if Puppy will come back on his own, they followed him into the woods.

"Puppy! Smurflings! Wait!" Papa Smurf called out after them, but soon realizes that it was a futile effort. The smurflings have gone down the same path that Puppy had ran.

"I'll go after them." Harmony volunteered as he placed his trumpet on the ground then headed off after Puppy and the Smurflings.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

MEANWHILE, NOT FAR AWAY…

"How are you feeling now, Brainette?" Gingerette asks the smart smurfette.

"Much better, thanks." Brainette said after taking a deep breath in.

"Good, then perhaps now you would like one of the muffins I baked?" Gingerette offered holding out her basket in front of Brainette.

"Actually, that does sound like a good idea. I am a bit hungry." Brainette admitted by accepting a muffin from the basket.

"Does anyone else like a muffin?" Gingerette generously began offering the others. The rest of the group, finding this trip has made them a bit hungry, also accepted a muffin.

"Thank you, Gingerette." Mama Smurf politely nodded.

"Hefty darling," Valvette purrs as she walked up beside him. "You know, I hate to complain, but we've been walking for such a long time, and my feet are really starting to kill me. Anyway, I was just wondering if you had any idea where we are going?"

"Yes." Growled Hefty. "The village can't be far from here." He pauses to scratch his head to think as he views the scenery. "Although, there have been a few things that had changed since I was here last. I suppose it could be possible that we might have gone a tad out of the way from the direction we should be going?"

"That's it. We're lost." Tattlerette cried throwing her arms up in the air. The rest of the smurfettes groan in despair.

"That's enough my young smurfettes." Mama Smurf called out. The smurfette elder walks up to Hefty and places a hand on his shoulder. "Look Hefty, I promised you that we would help find your home, and find it we will. Now, look around you. Try to remember something that might be a clue to which direction we should go."

As Hefty did as suggested, he suddenly heard a familiar sound coming towards them. When it came into view he started beam with excitement.

"Eek, a dog!" Screeched Valvette.

"That's not just any dog, Valvette. That's Puppy!" Hefty cheered. Puppy ran right up to the young smurf and nearly knocking off his feet as he licks his face. "Yeah, yeah. I missed you too, boy." Hefty laughed.

"Eeew, dog slobber." Cringed Valvette.

"Affection fella, ain't he?" Cowgirl chuckled.

The sounds of young smurflings calling out Puppy's name caused the smurfettes and Hefty to turn their attention back down the path.

"Puppy! Guys! Wait up!" Slouchy Smurfling whined as he struggled to keep up with the other smurflings.

"Smurflings!" Hefty called back to them as they came into view.

All four young smurfs stopped in their tracks and stood with their mouths hung open. Neither of them could believe their eyes. Were they really seeing whom they thought they were seeing?

"Hefty?" Sassette finally called back. "Is that really you?"

"Yes, it's me. I've come back." Answered the strong smurf with open arms.

With great joy, the four smurflings ran up into his arms for the biggest hug of their lives.

"Aww," The smurfettes cooed at once, except Toughette, she just smiled. Regardless of her emotions, she had to admit watching the scene with Hefty and the smurflings was adorable.

Snappy looks up with a puzzled expression as soon as he noticed the smurfettes standing behind Hefty.

"Who are you?" He asked the brunette smurfette in the velvet dress.

"I'm Valvette, and who are you, little cutie?" She answered in a flirtatious way.

"Guys," Hefty announces to the smurflings, "these are the smurfettes."

As the smurflings are getting acquainted with the smurfettes, Harmony comes running up. He instantly stops in his tracks as soon as he spotted a familiar smurf, whom he never expected to see again.

"H-Hefty?" He stammered.

The strong smurf turned to his musically-challenged friend standing with his jaw reaching for the ground. Hefty immediately grins.

"Harmony!" He called back.

"B-B-But, the dam…a-and you were…" Harmony's body trembled excitedly as he tried to find the words.

Hefty started to shake his head to let Harmony know he didn't have to say anything more. "It's ok. I'm back now."

For a moment neither of them said anything. Their smiles seemed to say it all. Suddenly Harmony shook his head.

"Papa Smurf. I'll let him know you are here." Harmony finally says before running off in the opposite direction.

"Ok." Hefty agreed. He looked down to see Sassette staring up at him with a big grin on her face. Without warning, Hefty reached down and picked her up. She started to giggle excitably as she was being tossed in the air and caught again by the strongest smurf.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

Harmony ran as fast as his little legs could carry him back to Papa Smurf and the others. He could barely contain his excitement. As he re-entered the field, all the smurfs stared up at him as if he has just gone insane.

"Papa… Smurfs… He's back… I don't know how, b-b-but he came back…!" Harmony tried to speak, breathlessly.

"What are babbling about?" Brainy snapped.

Harmony swallows hard as he clasps both hands on Brainy's shoulders. "HEFTY!" He yelled in his face. Brainy's whole body shook as the vibration of Harmony's voice echoed in his ears. "He's here!"

Brainy's, as well as everyone else's, jaw dropped when he heard Harmony say Hefty's name.

"But how," Brainy barely breathed out. Harmony didn't know how to answer with words, so he grinned at him and shrugged his shoulders.

Just then they all heard the smurflings laughing as they are walking up to the field. As soon as they are in plain view, the smurfs saw that the young ones are not alone. Not only was Hefty Smurf, whom was carrying Sassette in his arms, walking up with them, but nine unfamiliar smurfettes. Vanity's expression appears as if he had just seen a ghost. Without realizing, he feel back off the rock he was sitting on. Hefty, the smurflings, and the smurfettes all looked over when they heard Vanity land with a hard thud.

"Oh dear. Is he alright?" Nursette asked out of concern.

"I don't know." Hefty responded as he leaned over to see whom it was that fell. "Vanity?" He said when he recognizes the smurf. Vanity lifted his head up to see that he was not daydreaming. His brother was back.

"Hefty?" Papa Smurf's voice cracked.

Instantly, Hefty looked over to his shoulder and grinned from ear to ear. "Papa Smurf!" He yelled. First thing he did was put Sassette down gently. Then he ran up to Papa Smurf, giving him the biggest hug possible.

"I don't believe it." Papa Smurf whispered while returning the hug. He was so emotionally shocked that tears of joy stung his eyes.

"We never thought that we'd get to see you again, my dear boy." The smurf elder in the yellow hat and trousers said.

"It's a long story, Grandpa Smurf, which will be all explained later. Right now, I'm just so excited to finally be home again." Hefty said as he released Papa Smurf and turned to give him a hug too.

"I have to go tell the other smurfs." Harmony comments as he picked up his trumpet and played it off key as he heads towards the village.

Melody cringes with every sour note he plays. "Please tell me he doesn't play like that all the time."

"Actually, yeah, that's how he does play - all the time." Snappy explained with a chuckle.

"Ooh-wee, I don't want to sound rude or anything, but it sounds like he's torturin' an animal." Cowgirl shook her head and covered her ears.

All the smurflings giggle at her comment.

As Hefty pulls back from hugging Grandpa Smurf, he noticed Brainy standing beside him with his mouth still hung open.

"How?" The smart smurf whispered softly.

"Well, lets just say, if it weren't for these smurfettes here I wouldn't even be standing here right now." Hefty explained as he addresses the nine smurfettes still standing by the path with Puppy and the Smurflings. This queued the smurfettes to now step forward and introduce themselves to the other smurfs.

Valvette leaned up against the rock and looked down at Vanity who still hadn't moved up from the ground. "So tell me, how's the view down there?" She seductively teased.

"It's getting better…" He grinned sheepishly. Vanity accepted Valvette's help in getting up. He then dusted himself off before looking into his mirror to make sure he looked ok.

"The name is Valvette, by the way." The brunette smurfette said while holding out her compact mirror and viewing on how her lipstick has held up on her lips.

"I'm Vanity Smurf." He told her as he placed his mirror down at his side.

Valvette flipped her compact mirror shut with one motion of her figure. She looked over and batted her eyes at him before holding out her hand to shake his. With a soothing voice she said, "Please to meet you."

Gingerette walked over to where Farmer and the other smurfs were in the vegetable garden. "Hi, I'm Gingerette. Would any of you like to try one of my muffins?" She offered as she held out her basket to them. "I just recently baked while we were on the boat ride here."

Greedy Smurf, who just happened to be one of the smurfs working in the garden, helps himself to a muffin. He eagerly took a bit and was instantly impressed. "Wow, these are quite smurfy."

"Why, thank you." Gingerette smiled bashfully.

"My name is Greedy, and you have to try one of my muffins later." The smurf wearing the chef's hat told her.

"I love to." She smiled.

Cowgirl walked up in front of Farmer Smurf, and admired the appearance of the garden. "You've got one Smurf of a garden here. What's your secret?"

"I recon the answer to that would be tender love and care." Farmer politely answered. "The name is Farmer Smurf. What would be your name?" He added while holding out his hand.

"Cowgirl," she answered as she took a hold of his hand and gave it a firm shake it. "It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

"It is an honor to finally get to meet the famous Papa Smurf I heard so much about." Mama Smurf said as she walked up to the smurf elder in red trousers and hat.

"The honor is mine." Papa Smurf held out his hand to politely shook hers.

"I am Mama Smurf. And it would appear that we have something in common." The smurfette elder addressed the fact they both were dressed in red.

"Indeed." Papa Smurf chuckled amusingly.

"I don't get it," Brainy says finally finding his voice, "we've searched for almost a week at sea, and we found no trace of where you have gone Hefty."

"May I ask the coordinates you used for your search?" Brainette inquired stepping into the conversation.

"I had calculated a rout 58 degrees north west." Brainy said as a matter of fact.

"Oh," Brainette ponders over his navigation decision. "You know, if you had gone about 56 degrees south of that, you would have eventually found the exact beach where Hefty was discovered."

Brainy pauses as he let's the information sink in. He then slaps his hand hard on his forehead, realizing his error.

"Hey, don't sweat it Brainy." Hefty assured him. "It's the thought that counts." He added, putting his arm over his brother's shoulders.

"Right." Brainette nodded in agreement. "I really wouldn't worry about it. The ocean is pretty big. If the situation were reversed, I'm sure I'd probably make the same exact error." She stated, trying to help Brainy feel better.

"Um, thanks. And you are?" Brainy asked in an almost rude tone. He looked right at the brunette smurfette in pigtails and pink glasses with a questionable gaze.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Hefty apologized. "Brainy Smurf, meet Brainette." He said, properly introducing the smartest smurf to the smartest smurfette.

"All of this is so exciting." Nat exclaimed as he saw the other smurfs meeting the smurfettes.

"Yeah. Exciting." Toughette muttered ignorantly. She crosses her arms as she leans up against a nearby tree.

"What's her problem?" Snappy asked Nursette.

"Oh, um. She's probably a little tired from the trip, that's all." Nursette excused her sister's attitude. She didn't wish to give away the real reason why Toughette is feeling the way she is.