Chapter 6 – Face the Storm

Present:

"My whole team. All because of me. After that, I vowed to never let anyone get hurt again."

Smurfstorm stared up at the moon, her hand still resting on Spitfire's neck in heavy remembrance. The dragonfly's head hung sadly low.

As for Clumsy, he gazed at her with wide eyes. He didn't know what to say. Even if he hadn't come to admire her the way he did, her story still would've broken his heart.

"Oh my…golly gee, that's terrible," he finally whispered. "What were those awful monsters?"

"We call them Skull-Crushers. The name is…self-explanatory."

Clumsy's hand instinctively raised up to his own skull and he gulped. "I'm so sorry, Smurfstorm…I had no idea."

The girl released a heavy sigh. "And now you do. Everyone at the Grove knows what happened, but they smurf it under wraps for my sake. But the memories keep coming back to haunt me."

She shivered, feeling cold inside. "I see them…all the time. One moment everything's normal, and the next thing I know, they're standing in front of me. They just stare at me with their unhappy faces. Thunder's always at the front. She's so…angry with me. Every time I see her, I push myself to train harder. I practice archery every morning and patrol the Grove every night. I wiped out every Skull-Crusher in the forest."

Another close look at the scars adorning Storm's blue skin was enough to tell Clumsy that she wasn't exaggerating. He then looked up at the faded clover in her hat that fluttered in the breeze. "So your clover…and Spitfire, they're…"

"Two of three things she left me," Storm finished. "The last one's right here…"

She removed the quiver from her back, her reliable piece of her survival equipment that she never went anywhere without, and placed it on the ground between them. Clumsy looked at it for a moment before suddenly understanding.

"Oh my."

Storm mournfully ran a hand along the green container. "It was all they could find of her."

The two Smurfs lifted their eyes to meet each other's gaze.

"All that time spent all alone," Clumsy whispered. "I can't even imagine how lonely that must have been."

Storm turned her sights down to the clouds. "I could have been even more of a lone wolf, you know…if Blossom and Lily hadn't stepped in."

"What did they do?"

The girl pulled off her hat and ran a hand through her messy hair. "After I was discharged from the infirmary, I shut myself up in my tree house for weeks. I didn't want anything to do with anyone ever again. But they would visit me every day, bring me food and make sure I was eating. Pretty soon, they got me to come out again. They brought me to village meetings, stuff like that, even though the last thing I wanted was to see anybody."

A hint of a smile briefly crossed her face. "They were good to me. They never brought up what happened…they were always just there."

"But I didn't want them disappearing on me. Not like my last best friends."

Her fingers clenched the material of her hat. "That's why I do everything I can to defend my village. It's why I give outsiders a hard time. I can't just throw all my trust on someone I don't know. Any little thing I can do that will keep my friends safe, I have to do it. I can't afford to let my guard down again. That's why I'm…" she paused as she recalled how Clumsy had first described her on their recon mission. "…not nice."

Storm lowered her eyes sadly, feeling herself on the verge of tears as she poured out her heart to Clumsy. The true reasons for her sorrow were now finally revealing themselves. "But it wasn't enough," she hissed in a breaking voice. "Because look what happened. Gargamel destroyed our village. Kidnapped all of us. Locked us in cages. Blossom, Lily, even you almost died today. All because I couldn't defend the village. I couldn't protect my friends. I just couldn't fulfill Thunder's last wish."

She held her hat before her, staring hard at the clover pinned to its side with narrowed eyes. "They always say four-leafed clovers bring good luck…at least, that's what I believed when I was a kid. I wanted this stupid plant so badly when I joined the team, because I really believed that nothing bad would ever happen as long as I had this. But what happened last night just proved that wrong. I don't even deserve to wear this."

Clumsy swallowed hard as he watched her unpin the four-leafed flower (looking very crestfallen as she did) and drop it down to the grass between them. "But you were there too," he pointed out feebly. "We were all thrown into that scary contraption. It's not like you were smurfing at the sidelines watching us fall into Gargamel's hands."

Storm cast her hat aside, allowing her tears to fall freely down her cheeks. "I don't care about myself, Clumsy," she choked in a barely audible voice that broke as the words came out. "The only thing that matters to me is keeping Smurfwillow and my sisters safe."

She heaved a very heavy breath of air. "Those girls…they're more than just my friends. They're my family. They always come first. I saw the ultimate sacrifice with my own eyes when Thunder gave her life for me. That's why I vowed to do the same. Never give up on family, no matter the odds."

Her breath hitched sharply as she felt her heart ache from a whole mess of twisted pictures now clouding her eyes. Her tears had now become torrents. "It's why I'll die for them if I have to. Protecting them is the only thing I care about. Just like the only thing she cared about was…protecting me."

Frightening memories surfaced before her, but they were not of her tragic life long ago, but of the ones she had gained just the previous day. Seeing Gargamel for the first time had been scary enough, but what had scared Storm more was when the evil wizard froze and captured Smurfwillow with his dark magic and tossed her into his sack. Shoving all fear aside, Storm had been furious enough to drive all her spears and arrows into the brute's ugly head, but she herself was quickly blasted by one of his freeze balls. Unable to move but still able to see, Storm had been forced to watch all her friends frantically trying to escape Gargamel's attacks while his cat and bird destroyed the village. Hearing the helpless cries of her friends had been nothing but pure torture to her ears and knowing there was nothing she could do to stop it had only broken her further until Gargamel finally dumped her into the sack with the entire Grove population.

But the worst had still been yet to come. Being jostled around in the sack and hearing the sobs of her friends was absolutely painful, but nothing compared to the storm that had swarmed her mind when they reached Gargamel's lair. When Azrael had intercepted their escape plan and caught the hem of Blossom's dress with his claw, Storm had felt her heart stop completely. And when she, Blossom, Lily, Clumsy and the other captured escapees had been dumped into Gargamel's essence-sucking machine, left to swirl mindlessly as they slowly died away, Storm had felt sick to the stomach, but in no way had it been because her life was on the line. No, she knew what exactly had made her feel so terrified inside. The echoing screams of her friends ringing all throughout that giant bowl had pierced her ears and the sight of their panicking faces racing past her over and over had ripped her mind apart, stabbing her in the heart with the force of an arrow. That was why she had been scared.

Snapping back to the present, Storm hunched over in guilt, hugging her knees to her chest and burying her face as the weight of the world fell heavily upon her shoulders. Never before had she ever felt like such a failure.

"Thunder left me to protect the village, but I couldn't do it," she sniffled. "She left the village in the hands of a Smurf who just couldn't carry her legacy. I don't even wanna think of what'd she say if she could somehow rise from the dead and speak to me now."

Clumsy remained quiet, his eyes peering at her from the brim of his drooping hat. Though he was quiet, his mind was at work. He gazed out to the clouds that floated around their little mountaintop.

In times like this, he tended to stay in the crowd and allow his fellow-Smurfs do the decision-making and the talking. He wasn't good at coming up with ideas and if he ever did, no one seemed to like them anyway. But this time, there was no one else who could offer words to Smurfstorm. It was now up to Clumsy.

"If I were to guess…she would say how very proud of you she is."

Silence. Storm very slowly lifted her head, eyes red and wet. "Huh?" she asked between tears.

"Yes," Clumsy said with a small smile. "Smurfstorm, I think Smurfthunder would be very, very proud of you right now."

Storm stared at him in pained disbelief. "What are you talking about?" she seethed, feeling very hurt as a fresh onslaught of tears threatened to spill. "Didn't you just hear everything I said? Look at me, Clumsy, just look at me. I'm a warrior who can't protect her own village. I talk tough, everyone says I'm The Mighty Storm, but for what? Gargamel proved that none of that mattered. All my sleepless nights of training and kicking myself in the butt to fight harder were for nothing. My whole team died for nothing. I'm a failure to everyone in my village."

She was angry and heartbroken, but she didn't lash out at Clumsy again. She just didn't have the energy to do that. Unable to hold his gaze or her sobs any longer, she pressed her face into her knees. "So how is that anything to be proud of? You tell me."

Taking in her anguished stare, and knowing that she was likely to never talk to him again if he didn't get this right the first time, Clumsy took a deep breath. "I don't believe for a second that you're a failure, Smurfstorm," he whispered. "Please, just hear me out."

He paused to make sure she was listening.

"When I look at you, I remember everything about you from the moment we met. You had an arrow pointed at Smurfette the whole time even after your friends lowered theirs. You stepped right in front of your leader Smurfwillow because you didn't trust us. And you didn't even hesitate for a second to bring me along on your recon mission when I could tell that the last thing you wanted to do was share your dragonfly with one of us 'blue blobs'. Yet you did it anyway because you knew I could help you, which in turn would benefit your village."

Storm slowly uncovered her tear-soaked face to look at him again. "What does any of that have to do with anything?"

Clumsy pushed his hat up to look at her in full unobscured view. "These are all things that spring forward when I think of you, Smurfstorm. And they all point to a defining trait that tells me who you are. That you're a Smurf who will do absolutely anything for your fellow-Smurfs. That you will fall to the very ends of the world to save your sisters if any one of them is in harm's way. And that you're selfless, brave, thoughtful, and intimidating because you love your family with all your heart."

Feeling confused to where he was even trying to go with this, Storm wiped her eyes on the back of her hands. "Well…yeah, but…it didn't matter when it counted," she argued. "Gargamel still attacked us. I couldn't stop him."

"None of us can," Clumsy stated flatly. "Gargamel is a bumbling giant compared to us of three-apples-high, so it would be downright impossible to take him down. The best thing to do is to evade, not fight. It's what Papa Smurf has taught us to do. And it makes sense, since none of us are exactly outfitted with Smurfette's origins that allow us to absorb evil magic. Truth be told, Smurfstorm, I think you put up a valiant effort to fight him. It didn't work simply because we were never meant to fight the likes of him."

Storm kept frowning, but only because she was mulling over his words. "He was kinda big," she finally muttered, unable to come up with a better response.

"He sure is," Clumsy said with an agreeing smile. "But beforehand, you've kept your village safe for all these years, haven't you? You girls and all of Smurfy Grove looked in pristine shape when you took us there. I imagine much of that was a result of your hard work to keep it as such, right?"

"I guess."

Clumsy picked up the discarded clover safely off the grass. Then taking a chance, he shifted himself to sit closer to Storm and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "A wise and very brave Smurf once told me something that has made me rethink my entire self, but can also apply to you," he murmured slowly to her. "You may not be giving yourself the credit you deserve for everything you've done. In fact, I don't think even Brainy's smurfiest textbook could hold enough pages to document all you've done for your village. And to us as well. And to me," he added with a pink blush.

Storm said nothing. But she was listening very closely.

"And I don't believe for a second that you must protect your family alone," Clumsy went on. He reached towards her to gently wipe some stray tears with his thumb. Storm didn't object.

"You have your friends, and now you have us. There's a special phrase shared between me, Smurfette, Brainy, and Hefty that has always lifted me up in my most vulnerable smurfing states: 'We're in this together'. That's what family is for."

"And I don't mean to be offensive when I say this and so please excuse my observations," he very nervously added, "but it sounds to me that your heartbreak over your sister has made you rather overlook that key detail."

He flinched ever so slightly as he finished, as if prepared for Storm to lash out at him for that last comment. But it had, in fact, the opposite effect on her. Storm looked at Clumsy before letting her gaze drop to the clouds below.

Processing what he was telling her, she recalled the countless times Lily, Blossom, and most of all, Willow had told her that she wasn't alone. That she didn't need to stress herself out by feeling she needed to protect the village by herself. But she had been too blinded by her mentor's last wish to listen to them. Unwilling to let Thunder go in any way she could, she had dismissed their assurances and comforting words, instead being intent on fulfilling her self-driven mission to defend Smurfy Grove on her own. Years of burying her emotions and constantly blaming herself for Thunder's death had rendered her into the dedicated and hardcore, but heartbroken and bitter Smurf she had become.

But now she was starting to feel different inside. It was like the answer to her lifelong pain had been right in front of her, but just too close for her to see. She turned to face Clumsy again, just starting to notice the warmth radiating from the hand on her shoulder.

"I guess…all this time, I've been trying to live up to her example, so she wouldn't die in vain," she mumbled very quietly, her voice so dry and raspy. "But I've been so afraid of not being able to do that. It's hard for me to let her go."

"You don't have to," Clumsy replied kindly, giving her shoulder a gentle squeeze. "I'm sure that Thunder would want you to keep smurfing forward to honour her and continue her legacy. But I'm also sure that she would want you to have a strong team of Smurfs close by your side to aid you. After all, she never defended the village on her own, did she? She always made sure she had her friends to back her up, right?"

Storm sat very still before nodding her head.

"Two heads smurfing are better than one," Clumsy added. "That's something I've been taught for practically all my life."

The girl now looked very ashamed. "I was taught that too…but never learned it," she relented.

"It's never too late to learn," he said, pushing his hat up once again.

Letting out a breath she didn't know she had been holding, Storm rubbed her eyes so she could look at the boy carefully. There was something comforting about his words, much like the hand resting on her shoulder. "The way you're talking…" she struggled to say, "…it's like you understand how it feels to lose someone you love."

Clumsy became still as he directed his gaze up to the moon. "It's how I felt when Smurfette was turned back to a lump of clay," he said slowly. "It's how we all felt. But I also know what it means to want to protect those I hold dear."

She sensed there was more behind this additional statement. "Yeah? What do you mean by that?"

"A few days before we found your village, Smurfette was captured by Gargamel's big dumb bird," Clumsy explained. "Hefty, Brainy, and I set off to find her. And believe me, I was scared out of my wits. Fear and I have quite the unpleasant history with one another. But I kept telling myself the whole way that Smurfette was in trouble. By doing that, I pushed myself to sneak into Gargamel's lair to aid in the rescue mission."

Storm was quiet as she listened to the boy. She wanted to confirm what she was hearing. "So even though you were scared, you still went to save your friend all because she was in trouble?" she asked.

Clumsy plopped his chin in his hands thoughtfully. "Yes, that's right. I'm not too proud to admit I'm a smurfing coward, but as soon as a good friend is in peril, well, something inside me just sort of snaps. After all, just like you and your village, the Smurfs of my village are a family too. Sometimes, you just have to smurf your fears and do what's right," he stated as a matter-of-factly. "Though I may be cowardly and clumsy to the bone…I will never give up on family, no matter the odds."

It was in this moment when Storm realized that Clumsy, a Smurf so unlike her in every way…was not that different from her after all. He understood the value of friendship and was willing to do anything for his friends, just like she would be. Even when both of them were scared, their friends came first.

Then her thoughts turned over to the other boys. She recalled how distraught and stern Papa Smurf had been upon arriving to their village and finding Smurfette. How Brainy had come up with the escape plan that would have saved them all had it not been for Gargamel's stupid cat. How Hefty, the smooth-talking boy with incredible strength and go-to attitude much like her own, had shed torrents of tears as he carried Smurfette's lifeless body the whole journey home. And how all the boys had gathered with the girls to mourn the loss of Smurfette in the meadow. Even that grouchy Smurf, who had linked hands with her and Lily, had done his share of crying during the funeral.

The boys had grieved for Smurfette. Just like she had grieved for Thunder.

One last memory presented itself to Storm's mind, but this time it was of her derisive speech to Blossom and Lily earlier that evening. Spiteful words of how the boys were too different from the girls to be their friends. When really, she could not have been more wrong…

These odd boys, whom she had looked down upon with distrust and scorn the moment she had seen them wash up on their territory, weren't just blue blobs. They were Smurfs. Just like the girls, they were capable of doing all kinds of things. They all had strengths, weaknesses, and feelings. But most importantly, they were a family. They looked out for one another. So different they were from the girls, yes…but at the same time, very much the same.

A cool wind gently passed her, playing with the ends of her hair, but she didn't notice. Her revelation made her feel immensely guilty for showing such animosity towards the boys…but it also made her feel strangely happy.

Turning to Clumsy again, Storm saw he was no longer looking at her, but at her discarded hat that was now held delicately in one hand as he carefully pinned the clover back to its side with the other. When he was done, he held it up in the moonlight.

"From the bottom of my heart, Smurfstorm, I think you deserve this clover over any Smurf I've ever known," he told her with deepest sincerity. "And it's not because of anything related to good luck…but because there's no other Smurf worthier of protecting the girls of Smurfy Grove than you. Thunder believed so. And – and I believe so. I suppose what I really want to know is…will you believe so?"

Spitfire cooed and nudged his master in the back, pushing her closer to her own hat.

Gazing down at the withered clover shining in the moonlight, Storm couldn't help but break a small smile at Clumsy's thoroughly honest speech. And for the briefest, most fleeting moment as she looked at the boy holding her hat, she saw the face of her big sister.

As if she were the queen awaiting her crown, she lowered her head slightly, allowing Clumsy to slip it back onto her head where it belonged, his fingers grazing her hair as he did. He accidentally pulled it down a little too far, such that she had to push the brim back up from over her eyes. When she did, she met Clumsy's smiling face. There was sincerity sparkling in his large blue orbs, mixed with a hint of anxiousness as he waited for her answer.

Luckily, she had one for him.

"I think we just found another thing you're good at besides being clumsy."

"Really? What's that?"

Storm gazed at him warmly and smiled. "You can help this girl find her lost mojo."

Clumsy blinked and then rubbed the back of his neck. "Ah, well…you know, I just…want to help a Smurf in need," he said modestly. "Some have said over the years that I'm rather good at it, though to be honest, I'm not too sure why. I don't say much and I don't have anything particularly special to offer like the rest of the Smurfs."

"No, but you listen," Storm countered. "And you care. You're also easy to talk to and you're…"

Her cheeks suddenly tinted bright red as a blush chose that moment to appear. "…sweet," she mumbled, eyes darting away. She couldn't believe that word had actually slipped out of her mouth. But she couldn't think of a better one to describe what Clumsy was to her right now.

Clumsy's own blush intensified, trying to register if he heard that correctly. "Oh…golly, I don't know what to say. I just want to help," he smiled, pushing his hat up again.

"Well, don't stop. 'Cuz you're good at it," Storm replied quietly.

Her blue fingers reached up to stroke the clover delicately. "I'll wear this clover with pride, just like Thunder wanted me to," she said resolutely. "But I won't try to do it on my own anymore. And…I won't just protect my sisters. I'll also protect your village. It's the least I can do to thank you for coming to warn us about Gargamel."

The happiness and relief on Clumsy's face seemed to shine in the moon's luminance. "Thunder would be proud of you, Smurfstorm. I know I am."

A rustle of breeze, one that felt strangely warmer, brushed gently across as Storm's smile grew to match his. It wasn't a confident smirk or a sarcastic kind of smile that would be the closest to a real smile in the rare times when she would permit it. This was a true and honest smile.

Just sitting there, basked in the comfort of Clumsy's presence, she felt her insides filling with an enlightened sensation, one that she had truly believed would never find its way to reach her ever again. But thanks to this quirky, weird, yet kind-hearted boy…it had found her once more.

Because for the first time – in a very, very long time – Storm felt happy.

"By the way, Lefty, you don't have to call me Smurfstorm anymore. Just call me Storm."

Clumsy blinked in surprise before grinning warmly. "Very well then…Storm. You may call me Clumsy. Or Lefty. Whatever you want, really. But why do you call me Lefty anyway?"

Storm smirked. "Because you may be able to ride a dragonfly and smurf this warrior back on track…but you still have two left feet."

"Oh. Got'cha."

"Am I ever glad it's not raining season yet," Clumsy observed, peering down at the clouds riding below their feet. "Storms and I don't tend to get along very well."

They were flying once again. But this time, it was Clumsy who was controlling Spitfire while Storm rode behind him, her arms wrapped securely around his waist just like they always used to do with Thunder long ago.

She didn't have to do that of course, what with her perfect balancing skills on moving insects. But she did anyway.

"Funny. I thought we were getting on just fine," she sneered.

Clumsy blushed profusely when he realized his poor choice of words. "Oh, no, no, I didn't mean you! You and I get along quite well! I meant, uh…"

The girl chuckled and punched his arm playfully. "Ah, cut me some slack, Lefty. I'm only messin' with ya."

They travelled smoothly above the clouds in this world closed off from the ground, although the thick blanketing layer had now started to break apart, creating large patches in the clouds where Storm and Clumsy could see the land below. Spitfire's wings were all but a humming blur that glistened in the moonlight as they glided along.

But Storm's heart felt as light as a feather. As the refreshing breeze played with her hair and the moon cast their shadow along the rushing puffy clouds below their feet, the night sky had never looked more beautiful.

"I used to take Blossom and Lily flying on nights like this," she murmured loftily. "Even though I never admitted it, it felt kinda nice to be smurfing with company again."

Spitfire gave a soft click of his beak in agreement. Clumsy smiled. "Do you think maybe you were trying to fill the void?" he asked.

"Maybe."

She gave a wistful sigh as her mind wandered further to those cherished old memories. "Blossom had this song she always used to sing when we were in the air. Lily would join in, and…it never really left me. It gave me a bit of happiness, I guess."

"Well, a good song is always known for lifting jangled nerves," Clumsy said grandly. "I know it captivates me. Singing especially is a good motivation tool to get the circulation going. I'll bet Blossom has the voice of an angel when she sings!" He tugged gently on Spitfire's antenna, guiding the dragonfly around some tall pine trees that were rising from the clouds.

Storm gazed contently out to the horizon of stars, which seemed to sparkle brighter than when she had last looked at them. There sure were a lot.

"I used to like to sing too," she admitted without really thinking; perhaps her inner thoughts were speaking for her now. "But that was a long time ago. After Thunder, I guess all my old interests died with her."

Clumsy raised his eyebrows, sensing he could linger a bit longer upon this new detail. "Well…it's never too late to try and rekindle them," he prodded carefully. "I mean besides Thunder of course…but maybe you could try taking up singing again."

There was silence. Storm had never considered that. "Guess I could smurf a try someday," she finally answered.

Clumsy looked back at her. "I wouldn't mind a little ditty right now," he smiled innocently, sounding very hopeful indeed. "How did Blossom's song go? I'd love to hear it…perhaps just a few bars?"

Though she felt quite unsure if her singing voice was even still existent, given that she had shelved that passion for so long now, there was a slight glimmer of a desire to sing right now on this peaceful night. So Storm decided to try, just to see what she could remember.

"Oh, fine. But if you laugh, I'll chuck you into the clouds."

Clumsy gulped. "No laughing. I swear."

Storm smirked at her little joke and then cleared her throat. Slowly and just a bit nervously, she proceeded to sing the same song that had played through her head earlier that night.

From the moment that we breathe the life in to circle 'round the sun
Each of us has to find a way to be just what we're meant to become
There's a magic in the everyday, but often we forget
There's a power in the gift of love when it's love that you least expect

Feeling quite surprised that it hadn't come out as terribly as she had thought, Storm kept going.

And you crawl until the day you stand to stumble once again
Walk until you lose yourself, desperate to be set
And you run until you run away before you realize

That all you really ever had to do was spread your precious wings and fly, fly, fly, fly

Spitfire gave a happy chirp as he fluttered on through the moonlit sky. Storm smiled and sang Blossom's next verse with a little more energy.

Every one of us who sees the faith learning how to shine
Everything needs room to grow rising up to the warmth of the light
But there's a magic in the everyday that often we forget
There's a power in the gift of love when it's love that you least expect

And you crawl until the day you stand to stumble once again
Walk until you lose yourself, desperate to be set
And you run until you run away before you realize

That all you really ever had to do was spread your precious wings and fly

Storm couldn't describe it, but her heart seemed to be the one singing now. Whoever or whatever it was, she dropped all her barriers down to just sing free once again.

In the time it takes to live one life
A million lessons can be learned
So just remember hearts can always change
To get you on your way

And you crawl until the day you stand to stumble once again
Walk until you lose yourself, desperate to be set
And you run until you run away before you realize

That all you really ever had to do was spread your precious wings and fly

Flyyyy…

Spread your precious wings…

…and flyyy

The smile on Clumsy's face was quite enough to say what he was thinking right now. What he had just heard was truly the song of an angel.

An angel who had finally found her precious wings to fly.