Chapter 16: Battle of the Brains
Within ten minutes of having some of Mama Smurf's herb tea, the nauseated smurfettes and Brainy began to feel much better. They all got up to help the rest of the smurfettes unpack their things off the two ships.
A group of smurfs have started pitching up a couple of large tents in the smurf field beside Farmer's garden for the smurfettes to stay in. It'll be their temporary shelter until the updated news on the condition of the Smurfette Village. After everyone unpacked their things, and most of the tents were up, some smurfettes had been greeted with the chance to go on a tour of the Smurf Village.
Brainette decided to stay near the tents, mostly because she had already gone on a tour around the village. Also she wanted to catch up on some reading while she waited for some of the smurfs to come back with more materials to add another tent up. The smart smurfette pulled out one of her books she managed to save from her home, and sat down on a nearby rock. She sighed contently as she tried to relax from her exhausting trip across the ocean.
After being able to read three paragraphs into her book a shadow moved over the pages. Brainette looked up and frowned.
"Oh, it's you." She said coldly. Brainy scowled at her comment.
"You've been doing your best to avoid me. And if I do say something to you, you talk down to me. This has started to happen ever since the incident at the volcano. Don't think I haven't noticed that. I wasn't smurfed yesterday, you know." Brainy lectured.
Brainette rolled her eyes with a heavy sigh. "Look it isn't you, ok. I'm just upset that I lost my abacus. It was a gift from Mama Smurf way back when I was a smurfling. If it makes you feel any better I have been moody to a lot of the other smurfettes too." She confessed before trying to focus again on her story.
"Fine. Apology accepted." Brainy said as he held up his hand.
"Apology accepted?" Brainette muttered in disbelief. The smart smurfette began to recall her recent memory to see if she had indeed mentioned an apology to him. She concluded that she did not.
"Yes. I can understand the pressures of being the smartest member of the village. I too have that responsibility on my shoulders of being in command when Papa Smurf is off on important missions. The stress can sometimes cause mood swings." Brainy explained.
"Oh really?" Brainette cocked an eyebrow as she placed her book down and slid off the rock to stand face to face with Brainy. She quickly disliked this smurf's attitude. "Is that what you came all the way over here to say to me?"
"Well that, and to lend my expertise in the situation."
"What's that suppose to mean?" The brunette huffed, crossing her arms over her chest.
"Nothing really. Papa Smurf appointed me to be in charge in assisting with any questions that you or any of the other smurfettes may have. Being the fragile state you all are in it is important that somebody like me is here to help guide you."
"Excuse me?" That statement brought Brainette in a state of disbelieve. She simply stood with her mouth hung open.
"If you ever need anything, anything at all even a shoulder to cry on, I'm your smurf. Even a smurfette of your stature will be able to welcome someone that can provide information that could bring comfort in your delicate condition. I can answer any of your questions for I know all there is to know about what you are going through. I should, because Papa Smurf left me with this important responsibility." Brainy proudly stated to the smart smurfette.
"Oh he has, has he? Fine…" Brainette looked up to see one of her smurfette sisters walking up to them with a perplexed look on her face.
"Gosipette. You look like you have a question on your mind." Brainette asked the bleach blond smurfette.
"I do, actually. Lots. You don't suppose you would have time to answer some for me." Gosipette asked in a hopeful tone.
"Oh, I don't think I'm in the position to answer any questions, Gosipette. But why don't you ask Brainy here. He says he has all the answers." Brainette said with a mischievous gleam in her eye.
"Really?" Gosipette beamed as she turns to Brainy with a wide grin.
"Well, I don't mean to brag…" Brainy began to boast before he was instantly cut off.
"You will know if the others are alright? How about our village? Will it still be there if the volcano should smurf? Given our status now, what will happen if something were to happen to Mama Smurf and the others? Do you think they were able to save the Wood Sprites? What if they were unsuccessful? How will we know they'd be ok or not? Will it be much longer to hear back from them?" The young bleach blond smurfette babbled.
Brainy wasn't sure if he should be scared or impressed that this smurfette could speak without taking a single breath after each little question. Something didn't seem right at all. He looks over to Brainette, whom stood quietly and watched both Gosipette and him with a smirk on her face. 'She knew this would happen.' Brainy growled inwardly. 'If this is her way of saying she is smarter then I, she's got another thing coming.' He continued in thought while glaring at the smart smurfette. Just as Brainy would open his mouth to try and give Gosipette a single answer, she'd again cut him off with another set of questions. This stunned Brainy. No one has ever been able to talk more than him before.
"Do you know which ship might smurf back to pick up the others? Who will be going on the trip? Maybe I should go. I might get chosen to sit up in the bird's nest - oh, sorry I mean the crow's nest. I'm still getting use to all this sailor talk. It can be so complicated sometimes. Do you think I did a good job being the lookout on the trip here? Oh, that's right; you were on the other ship. Well, Harmony and Smurfette said I did a smurtacular job. Whoa, look at me, I'm slipping away from the topic here… The one question I really wish to ask is where I can go find the little smurfette's room? Is there one near here?" Gosipette finally paused briefly to hear an answer.
"You know, I-I-I just remembered. Papa Smurf had wanted me to something important…uh, over there." Brainy quickly said before running off.
"Hey! What about my question?" Gosipette called out after him.
"Don't worry, Gosipette." Brainette chuckled. She placed a hand on her sister's shoulder and pointed to Smurfette's house that sat down the path through the village. "I believe over there is the place where you need to go and 'freshen up'."
"Oh, good." The bleach blond smurfette sighed in relief, but then again turned to Brainette with a puzzled look. "But who will answer my other questions? Like about our sisters, Hefty and the other smurfs back home? Are they ok? How will we know if they are or not? Wh-"
Brainette, being well experienced with her babbling sister, held up her hand to cover her mouth. "Let me simplify it for you, my sister." Brainette quickly said. "I'm sure that no matter what happens, everything will work out in the end."
"Really?" Gosipette wondered in disbelief.
"Yes. And, Gosipette…"
"What?"
"Thank you."
"For what?"
"Oh, no special reason. Just for being yourself." Brainette calmly stated as she patted her simple sister on the shoulder. She then started to walk away with her book underneath her arm, leaving Gosipette to scratch her in puzzlement.
"Well gee," the baffled blond shrugged. "If I'm not myself then who am I?"
OoOoOoOoOoOo
After most of the smurfettes return from their tour of the village, Sewette and Tailor Smurf came up to the field with more materials. Brainette and some of the smurfs were able to go back in pitching the last tent up.
"There, that should do it." Brainette said as soon as she completed a perfect knot to hold the tent in place.
"Brainette, Brainette, Brainette. You did that all wrong." Brainy exclaimed as he peered over her shoulder.
"You again? Brainette sneered. "Don't you ever smurf up?"
"I'm just lending my expertise here, and you keep putting me down. That isn't very polite of you. Now I can show you how to do a perfect knot if you like." Brainy snapped back.
"What are you talking about? According to this book, I did this knot flawlessly." The smart smurfette said holding up the book in her hand.
"Yes, well. Books are fine as guides, but experience goes a long way. Trust me; I have had much experience in tying knots of all types." Brainy lectured, as he waved his finger up in the air.
Furiously, Brainette stood up. "Are you implying that I do not know what I'm doing?"
"Not entirely so. You just lack the same experiences that I have."
"I'll have you know that I designed and helped built most of the homes back in our Village, while you were most likely sorting out books in your personal library!" Brainette screeched as she stomped her foot on the ground.
By now a small audience of both smurfs and smurfettes surrounded the bickering pair, curious to know what was going on.
"I did much more then just organize the library!" Brainy said defensively. "I am Papa Smurf's best pupil as an apprentice."
"Oh, I'm so sure." Brainette groaned, rolling her eyes skyward. "You are probably as good as a bad germ on a healthy cell."
"You're jealous!" Brainy laughed suddenly.
"Jealous? Are you delirious?"
"Not delirious. Positive. I believe I finally understand the reason for your insane reaction towards me."
"You are the most egotistical, self-centered, loud-mouth of a reject smurf. The only thing going for you is that you have skills as a writer." Brainette spat.
"Well, there is no reason to resort to anger and name calling as your defiance. I thank you for your comment about me being an excellent writer, but that still doesn't let you off the hook that you have this jealousy problem over me." He added, turning away from the brunette smurfette in a huff.
Brainette let out a loud growl. She looked down at the book in her hand before she threw it at Brainy, hitting him dead center in the back of his head.
"Ow!" Brainy shouted in pain. He turned to see Brainette glaring hard at him before she pivots on her heal and storms off in the opposite direction.
The rest of the smurfs and smurfettes stood, speechless. For the smurfs it hasn't been the first time anyone has thrown something at Brainy's head for running his mouth a little too far before. But for the smurfettes this is the first time they had seen Brainette so upset in such a long time. They started to whisper amongst themselves over this event that just accrued.
One of the smurfettes with orange curly clown-like hair whispered to the smurfette with the short light brown hair. "Gee, remind me to never Smurf in Brainette's cornflakes in the near future. That was just too funny." Prankette snickered softly.
"Yeah, and here I thought Toughette had a temper." Grumpette grumbled.
OoOoOoOoOoOo
On the dock, some of the smurfs had just finished unpacking the smurfettes personal belongings, and now started to prepare for the S.S. Smurf to set sail once again. As Captain Dreamy barked out orders aboard the ship, Papa Smurf and Grandpa Smurf observed from the dock.
"I am hoping to leave first thing in the morning after Captain Dreamy has had a chance to rest. We are planning to get back to the Smurfette Village in a reasonable time. With any luck the others will be there safe and sound waiting for us." Papa Smurf explained to Grandpa Smurf, standing beside him.
"I hope so too." Grandpa Smurf nodded his head in agreement.
"Papa Smurf, Papa Smurf!" A whinny voice cried out.
The two smurf elders both turned their heads to see Brainy, along with a few other smurfs, running up onto the dock.
What is it Brainy." Papa Smurf sighed.
"That Brainette is out of control!" Brainy shouted. "All I was doing was lending my assistance in trying to set up the last tent for the smurfettes, and she got all upset over it."
"Yeah," Jokey agreed, "she even threw the book at him, literally." He finished with his trademark laugh.
"That's not funny, Jokey!" Brainy growled. He then began to rub the back of his sore head. "It really hurt, Papa Smurf."
"I see. Well, I'll go talk to her, Brainy. In the meantime, I suggest you stay away from her and the other smurfettes for a while. They are all going through a tough time right now. It could be that they are not use to, uh, your kind of help." Papa Smurf said, having a feeling that he may have more of a part in upsetting Brainette then he is letting on. Never the less, he does not and will never approve of hitting or throwing anything in any form. Brainette will have to be told this.
Jokey Smurf again started to giggle to himself, getting Papa Smurf's meaning right away. Brainy kind of got what Papa Smurf may have meant, but simply frowned as he nodded his head and said, "yes Papa Smurf."
"Why don't you go home, youngin', and put some ice on that noggin of yours. It looks like she got you pretty good there." Grandpa Smurf mentioned, after noticing a bit of a lump underneath Brainy's white cap.
"Thanks Grandpa. I think I'll go do that." Brainy sighed, before heading off the dock.
OoOoOoOoOoOo
As soon as Brainy walked into his home, he felt very confused. He was happy that Papa Smurf will take action and talk to Brainette about throwing a book at him, but at the same time he couldn't help feeling guilty about it too. Guilty? Why? What could have spawned this feeling? Brainy never had to feel guilty about anything he ever did.
He started to feel the throbbing in the back of his head again from where the book struck. Letting out a sigh, Brainy is sure that he should take Grandpa Smurf's advice and put ice on the pain. Yet, he didn't feel like doing that.
'How about I read something?' He thought. 'That will help relax me?'
The smart smurf walked over to his book shelf. He guided his finger along the row of books in order to find the right one he wishes to read first. 'Quotations of Brainy Smurf, Volume 1 – The Burden of Being the Smartest Smurf' 'Quotations of Brainy Smurf, Volume 2 – How to Improve every Smurf' 'Quotations of Brainy Smurf, Volume 3 – How to be more like Brainy'…
Brainy stopped when he noticed that one of the books didn't have any writing on the side cover. Curiously, he pulled it out to inspect it. That was when he realized that it wasn't a book at all – it was an abacus.
"So that is where I put it." Brainy exclaimed out loud. He took a deep breath in, and blew on the abacus. Dust flew off of it like a dark cloud. After coughing out the dust particles that he had accidentally breathed in, Brainy thought as he looked at his calculating device.
"I wonder how it is that I rarely got to used this before." He asked himself. After pausing a moment to think about it, Brainy smacks himself on the forehead. "Stupid Brainy. Of course. Brainette had been so right about me. I focus too much on literature and speech that I rarely worry about math or science. This abacus is practically useless to me…or is it?"
Again the gears in Brainy's head began turning once more. He turned to look at his door as if he was planning his exact steps he is about to take. With a deep sigh, the smart smurf nodded.
"Ok," he said before walking out the door.
OoOoOoOoOoOo
Greedy and Gingerette had spent the entire afternoon cooking and preparing the night's dinner for every smurf and smurfette. Regardless of Gingerette's worried mind on her home and others that were left behind, she found being distracted with cooking helped maintain a positive focus. She really felt a great partnership working with Greedy in the kitchen. The redhead smurfette wondered if this could be a permanent thing for the smurfs and smurfettes, or will her home survive and the smurfettes will get to go home within a few weeks or less.
As she handed out each plate of food and cup of smurfberry juice, she wondered if all the smurfettes thought the same as she did about this situation. Gingerette gave the last smurfette her dinner before looking around the field to see how the others are doing. Over on the left corner, she spotted Klutzette talking to Clumsy Smurf. He was showing her something that would appear to be a small rock in his hands. The two of them seem to be having a conversation about it, and at the same time enjoying each other's company.
Off closer to the center of the field Painter Smurf stood with Craftette, Smurfette, Vanity and Valvette. He just finished painting a portrait of Valvette. The beautiful brunette managed to see the picture for the first time and became instantly impressed.
Her voice seemed to echo across the field as she said, "oh Painter, where have you been all my life? That is simply the best portrait anyone has ever done of me."
Craftette even agreed with her, surprisingly, being she was the true artist of the Smurfette Village.
Poet Smurf was doing everything he could in making sure Ballette and a few other smurfettes were comfortable. He again read out another poem he had just written. Ballette and the other few smurfettes smiled with each beautiful word Poet speaks.
Even Melody was enjoying Harmony's company. She began to cringe with each sour note he made playing his trumpet. In fact it made most of the smurfs and smurfettes in the field cringed, including Gingerette. Here she thought she would be safe at the other end of the field from that noise. Everyone sighed with relief as soon as Melody managed to grab the trumpet away from Harmony.
"I think a little more practice is in order." She told him.
Behind the musical duo Sweepy sat down beside Sweepette and offered her another cup of smurfberry juice. She accepted while the two of them started up a conversation about the best way to clean chimneys. Each of them realized their techniques were similar and yet slightly different from each other. This amazed Gingerette. It was really at this moment she realized how similar both villages were to each other, including her and Greedy Smurf.
The last smurfette Gingerette notices in the field was Brainette. She sat alone in front of one of the tents. The redhead smurfette frowned. She could feel her sister's worry. If anything were to happen to Mama Smurf, she'd be the next in line to lead the smurfettes. This was something that Brainette felt she was not ready for.
Gingerette watched with sympathy as Brainette finished the dinner given to her. The female cook could only wonder what the smart smurfette was thinking. She wondered if Brainette was still upset for what happened earlier in the afternoon between her and Brainy. The fact that Papa Smurf had come to talk to her about it most likely embarrassed her. One thing had been for certain, Brainette was not use to being lectured on good manners when visiting other places. Brainette had always been the one on her best behavior anywhere the smurfettes went.
The redhead smurfette was about to walk over to Brainette when she saw Brainy walking up to her. A knot formed in her stomach. How was this going to turn out? She decided to wait and see what would happen.
Brainette was about to take a sip out of her cup when she noticed Brainy walking up to her. She let out a frustrated sigh when he stopped right in front of her.
"Please just get away from me!" Brainette groaned. "Papa Smurf has already talked to me about this afternoon, and I apologized for my actions. Is that the reason why you are here? To get an apology out of me? Well, I'm sorry then. There it is. Happy now? Enjoy."
"No. That isn't the reason why I'm here." Brainy said in a barely audible tone. "In fact it is I who should apologize."
"What?" Brainette looked up stunned. It had been at that moment she realized he was holding something behind his back. She watched as he brought the object around into view. To her surprise it was an abacus.
"Here," he said softly, "I believe you could use this more then I ever will."
Brainette sat speechless. Her hand trembled slightly as she slowly accepted his gift. Could this be his way of apologizing? The world around her seemed to fade away as she stared down at the new abacus in her hands. Sure it was a little dusty, but the thought of been given one after loosing hers nearly brought tears to her eyes. She felt she should say something for his generosity, but no words seem to want to come out. All she could do was sit there with her mouth hung open.
"Um, well, I-I can see you are busy here, so I'll just leave you alone now." Brainy acknowledged, sensing the awkwardness of this moment.
Brainette looked up as Brainy started to walk away. "Thank you." She whispered, after finally finding her voice.
"No problem." Brainy turned to smile at her.
"Friends?" The brunette in pigtails said as she held out her hand.
Brainy's smile grew wider as he reaches over with his hand and took hold of hers. "Friends." He nodded as they shook on it.
Gingerette, whom watched the whole thing, felt relieved that the two smart smurfs made amends.
"Here you go Gingerette." Greedy said, handing her a plate of food.
"Huh?" Hearing Greedy's voice took her off guard.
"You must be hungry too. I managed to save you a plate." The village chef said.
"That is so sweet. Thank you, Greedy." Gingerette smiled as she accepts the plate of smurf-bean casserole and smurfberry salad on the side. As she began eating her food, the redhead smurfette again wondered how the others are doing back home.