Chapter 12: The Big Surprise
It was very warm outside with hardly a cloud in the sky, and birds sang sweetly in the woods. It was truly a beautiful afternoon. Hefty and Toughette, however, were not there to bask in the pleasant weather. Instead, they stood with their jaws hung open in shock, hardly believing their own eyes.
For what they saw before them was an open field teeming with smurflings. A little over two hundred little smurfs and smurfettes, all running around laughing and shouting gleefully as they frolic about in a huge playground built especially just for them.
Some of them were swinging merrily on swings. Others were riding on the merry-go-around. Several youngsters slid down a long, twisted slide attached to a large jungle gym. A few other smurflings kicked a ball around in a farthest part of the field. At the other end of the field sat a small group of young smurfettes, gossiping and giggling amongst themselves.
"Smurflings?" Toughette gasped in total disbelief.
"But how? Where did they all come from?" Hefty added. He looked over at Brainy who was peering fondly at the blue-skinned youngsters.
"A place called the 'Enchanted Garden'." Brainy answered absently.
"What?" Hefty glanced at his older brother carefully.
The smart elder smurf turned slowly and smiled at Hefty. Brainy placed a hand on Hefty's shoulder and said, "I'll explain later. But first, the smurflings are anxious to meet the two of you."
"They are?" The strong smurf gasped.
"Sure," Sassette replied cheerfully. "We have told them all about you, and if it weren't for your sacrifice that the future of all younger smurfs would not be possible."
"You did?" Toughette gulped. She again looked wonderingly at all the smurflings playing in the field. The youngsters seemed oblivious to the presence of the adult onlookers. She tried to count them, but could not, as the kids were too active to stay still.
"H-How many are there of them?" She finally asked in a small voice.
"There are 115 young smurfs and 115 young smurfettes," Brainette replied, "A total of 230 smurflings."
"Wow," was all Hefty could say. Toughette blinked with a slow nod in agreement.
Brainy took two steps forward and addressed the youngsters. "Smurflings! Smurflings! Over here please!" He called out loudly.
Almost instantly, the youngsters stopped what they doing and every young face looked up expectantly towards their red-capped elder. Brainy beckoned to them. They came running right away to him and, as soon as they reach him, they skid to a stop in front of him. To show they are ready to listen, they all sat down promptly, cross-legged on the grass, and watched him quite attentively.
"The time has finally come, my little ones," Brainy began eagerly, "The Sleeping Smurfs have awakened. And today they are here to meet all of you today, and to become a part of our family." At this joyous announcement, the smurfling cheered wildly.
"The Sleeping Smurfs?" Toughette whispered to Sassette standing beside her.
"Yeah, well, we didn't know how else to explain the condition you two were in." Sassette shrugged.
"Smurflings," Brainy continued to the young smurflings, "Meet Hefty and Toughette. They were our protectors from the Old Village, and they will be our protectors again today."
Again, the little smurflings cheered even louder than before.
"Protectors?" Hefty whispered in disbelief.
"Sure, why not," Brainy whispered back to him, "Even when you two were in Asmoday's clutch it still felt like you two was protecting us."
Hefty is stunned. He is unsure what to think of all of this.
Snappy stepped up to the red-capped elder. "Brainy, it's getting close to dinner time," He whispers in the older smurf's round ear, "I think Nat, Slouchy, Sassette, Sorcerer, Sorcerette, and I should go to the main kitchen and start preparing the food. You and Brainette can show Hefty and Toughette how to shepherd the smurflings into the dining hall."
"Good idea, Snappy." Brainy nodded approvingly. Snappy turned and walked off with his companions in tow back into the building.
"Ok, smurflings! It is getting close to dinner time now," the bespectacled old smurf announced, "I want to see each of you to start lining up right now, and get ready to head into the spas."
Right away, the smurflings scrambled to their feet, and quickly formed two long lines. One line the little smurfs stood, while the smurfettes stood in a row beside them.
At once Brainette took charge. "Toughette, you can come with me. We will take the little smurfettes to our spa," She ordered, "And we'll leave it to Hefty and Brainy to take the little smurfs to their own spa."
"Uh, ok," The golden blond smurfette nodded, looking rather uncertain.
"Come on, Hefty." Brainy jerked his head in the direction of the building.
Hefty bit down on his lower lip and watched the little smurfs march by him, with his older brother leading them. He noticed that one by one each of the young smurfs would glance up at him with something akin to awe and smile shyly at him. He felt awkward, but he flashed a crooked smile back at them. It was not long before he finally took up the rear and followed them inside.
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Toughette stood at one end of the spa as she watched all the little smurfettes washed up. It almost felt like the old days when she was growing up in the Smurfette Village. One of the little smurfettes walked casually by, scrubbing her round face and hands dry with a towel. The little one was wearing a pretty velvet color dress and had long curly brunette hair tumbling past her shoulders. She stopped to look curiously and keenly at Toughette before breaking out into a warm smile.
"You are very pretty," the young smurfette declared, "I especially like your hair."
Toughette was taken off guard by her comment. Then she blushed. "Ah, uh, ah… Thank you." She stuttered awkwardly, "You, um, look very pretty too. In fact, you kind of remind me of a sister I once had a long time ago."
"Really?" The little smurfette's face lit up, apparently thrilled to hear that. "Do you think someday you can let me comb your hair?" She asked hopefully.
Toughette thinks about it and shrugs. "Sure, why not."
"Cool!" The smurfling giggled happily, and tossed her towel into a laundry bin then waved cheerfully at Toughette. The little smurfette skips away to join the rest of her playmates as they wait patiently in a long line to be ushered into the dining room.
Toughette raised her eyebrow. "Cool…?" This new word puzzles Toughette. She looked over to Brainette, hoped the elderly smurfette could shed some light on the odd way the little smurfette spoke to her.
Seeing her confused face, Brainette let out a chuckle then leaned over to Toughette.
"'Cool' means a smurfy thing, Toughette. Looks like you made her excited that you'll let her comb your hair someday!"
Toughette shook her head and shrugged. "Whatever. I guess it's the small things in life that thrill us the most." She said, more to herself than to anyone else in particular.
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Hefty watched curiously, and with some amusement as Brainy hobbled up and down next to the long row of sinks, instructing each smurfling how to wash their faces. After the smurflings did as Brainy told them, they put away their used washcloths and wet towels in the laundry bin. They then hurried off to line up at the door.
Hefty was simply amazed at how everything seemed so organized. Life in the Old Village did not even get to be this organized. Hefty did manage to help some of the fumbling smurflings dry off before they could run off to join the long line.
For some odd reason he thought he noticed some of the smurflings bear more than a passing resemblance to his brethren back in the old day. Then again, it may just be his imagination, after all.
Soon all the freshly cleaned smurflings were ready for dinner. Brainy gave Hefty a nod before they proceeded to lead everyone into the dining room.
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The smurflings, both male and female, had pretty much taken themselves to their assigned seating arrangement, sitting in three long rows of tables in a spacious dining room. Brainy and Brainette got Hefty and Toughette to sit with them at the main table at the end of the room. It is a good spot, which gave the adult smurfs a clear view of every corner in the room - perfect for spotting any mischievous activity should it occurs during the meals.
For a moment, Hefty and Toughette, sat across from their elder siblings. They looked quietly around, while the young smurflings' chattering and giggling voices were echoing up and down the room as they wait for the food to be served to them.
The two strong smurfs were still very much overwhelmed with all of the technology and the new, unfamiliar way of life. They also could not get over the fact there were so many lively young smurflings, something they had never expected.
Finally, Hefty and Toughette could not hold back any longer. They turned to look earnestly at Brainy and Brainette.
"I just don't get it. How did these smurflings come to exist?" Hefty finally asked them.
The elderly smurfs glanced at each other with a knowing grin. Then, with a deep breath, Brainette responded.
"Ok," she siad, "As you know, the original villages in which we came from both had either a Mama Smurf, or a Papa Smurf, right?"
"Right…" Hefty and Toughette slowly nodded their heads.
"And originally there were a hundred smurfs and a hundred smurfettes in each of the villages as well; do you see where I'm going with this?"
"I think so…" Hefty lifted his hand up to scratch his head. He thought carefully on what the elderly smurfette was trying to say.
"So, from what I calculated there had been some additions to the Smurf Village such as; Baby – a.k.a. Sorcerer Smurf, Smurfette, and Sassette. Later Grandpa Smurf came back to the village to retire from his journey of exploring the world. Then almost a year later you smurfs found our beloved Nanny Smurf. Basically there were a total hundred and five smurfs in the Smurf Village, right?"
"Ah…" The strong smurf tried to follow the mathematical equation of how much the Old Smurf Village grew over the years before meeting the Smurfette Village.
"Just nod your head, Hefty." Brainy sighed knowing that they could be all day to wait for Hefty to understand the equation fully.
With a mildly annoyed sigh, the young strong smurf did as told and nodded his head wordlessly to Brainette.
"And now we take away Brainy, you – Hefty, and the five smurflings," Brainette continued, "From the smurfettes Toughette, Babette – a.k.a. Sorcerette, and me. A total of ten smurfs, which leaves ninety-eight smurfs and ninety-eight smurfettes, including Grandpa, Nanny, Mama and Papa Smurf, that perished by the plaque."
"Okay…But what does this have to do with the smurflings that exist now?" Toughette asked hoarsely, jerking her thumb toward the little smurflings behind her.
"Be patient. I'm getting to that part." Brainette waved her hand vigorously to ward off any more questions the golden blond smurfette may have. Again, the bespectacled elderly smurfette took a deep breath before speaking once more.
"You see, Toughette, we feel pretty sure that those smurflings are reincarnations of each of the smurfs and smurfettes from the Old Village."
As Brainette had expected, Hefty's and Toughette's reaction was immediate.
"What?" The strong couple gasped in disbelief.
"Yes, you heard right," Brainy nodded. "Think of it like when Nat, Snappy, and Slouchy fell in Father Time's clock tower and they became smurflings again. Well, this way it's a little different though."
Brainy shifted in his seat, as his back bothered him again. He cleared his throat to attempt to explain clearly for Hefty and Toughette the new concept. "They are, in a term, re-smurfed. This is a completely new life for them. These smurflings know nothing of Gargamel, Hogatha, or any of the other humans that hunted us and tried to destroy us back in the old days. This is their chance to start over. To have a fresh start in life without the old dangers we once endured."
"Mind you, there are new dangers that we must protect the smurflings from these days," Brainette added, "In about two to three next weeks, Sorcerer and Sorcerette will want to take you two on a tour of the city. They will show you some of the fun places that you will want to visit, as well as the dangers to avoid. Not only that, but we've asked them to make sure and introduce you to Sarah, one of the Great-Great-Great-Great grandkids of Gloria. There are a few human friends we like to stay in contact with, but you will meet them eventually."
Hefty shook his head as if to clear his muddled brain. "Ok, bare with me now," he began, holding up one finger in the air, "I may be a little slow when it comes to math, but you said there is approximately 230 smurflings. That seems a little more than the original number of smurfs and smurfettes that, um, perished over five hundred years ago." Hefty finished, finally doing a mental count.
The elderly smurfette elder nodded agreeably. "Right... For each ninety-eight smurfs and smurfettes, there are an extra seventeen. Why? We are not too sure. It could possibly be that they are reincarnations of some of our original ancestors, or perhaps there are brand new souls starting their first journey into life as smurfs and living among us. But that is just our theory."
"But how is it…How do you…" Toughette struggled to get out her question. "What makes you think these young smurflings are our siblings?"
Brainy leaned forward over the table, putting his elbows on the wooden surface and placing his head comfortably on top of his folded hands. "Just look at them, Toughette. Look into their eyes." He said earnestly, "Each pair of eyes tells their identity. Trust us; they are the smurfs and smurfettes we once knew in the past."
"E-Even Papa…?" Hefty asked with a catch in his throat.
"Yes…Even Papa Smurf and Mama Smurf." Brainy nodded, smiling. "They are here with us, along with the rest of them."
"Although, we call them by new names," Brainette interrupted.
"Grandpa Smurf is called Adventurer Smurfling, and Nanny is now Adventurette. We named Papa Smurf Apprentice Smurfling, and Mama Smurf's new name is Apprenticette.
Brainy let out a little chuckle before adding, "We found out that those were the original names they had before becoming parental figures to the rest of us smurfs and smurfettes."
Hefty and Toughette sat there for a long while, too stunned to think of anything else to say. It was almost too much for them to bear.
Toughette became the first to recover. "S-so they don't remember anything from the days of the Old Village?" She finally asked, gazing at all those smurflings whom all started chowing down on their meals.
"No, Toughette. Like we said before they are reincarnations, meaning they don't know anything of their previous lives…none at all." Brainette said, shaking her head sadly.
Brainy noticed the disappointment in Hefty's and Toughette's eyes, and tried to soften their dismal mood. "Of course, we have noticed that a few of them experiencing what we have dubbed the 'Déjà vu' effect," he explained.
"This is when one of the smurflings may find something familiar to what they do, for example little Craftette would be making something with construction paper, or building something out of clay, and she would say 'it just feels familiar doing this'." He continued.
"Craftette?" Toughette said in almost a whisper. Just hearing her sister's name brought tears into her eyes.
"Yes. She is sitting at the end seat over at the third table near the back wall." Brainette replied, pointing behind her young blond sister. "Can you see her?"
Toughette quickly turned around and looked over to where Brainette had pointed. There she sat, a cute little smurfling with the orange-red hair and light pink hat, talking to one of her playmates.
As Toughette watched, the young smurfette turned her head slightly and she got a good look at her little face. Toughette gasps softly. What Brainy and Brainette said was true. Little Craftette really did look like her creative sister from the Old Smurfette Village. Toughette felt like crying for sheer joy of seeing her beloved sister once again.
"I see her…" The tough smurfette said emotionally before turning back to Brainy and Brainette. "I really see her."
Brainy and Brainette did not say anything. All they could do is smile proudly and nod their heads.
"So all of these smurflings, except for the Elders of the Old Village, have their original names then?" Hefty asked as he glanced around the room and studied each face of the smurflings thoughtfully.
"Not all of them, Hefty." Brainy answered bluntly. "There are some smurflings that apparently evolved, so they bear new names."
"How so?" The strong smurf questioned with a puzzled frown.
"Well…" The elder smurf thought for a moment to find the right words to explain this part of the theory. "Okay, let's see… you remember Poet Smurf and how he liked to recite his poems to us from the old days, right?"
"Right," Hefty nodded.
"Ok, these days some poets recite his poems in a different way, which is called rapping."
"Wrapping? He makes presents instead now?" Hefty gave Brainy a bewildered look.
"No." Brainy snorted. "Not wrapping as in making gifts. It's called rapping as in talking in rhymes with some kind of musical beat to it. I can't really explain it because I barely understand it myself. It is strange, but that's just how some poets express themselves these days. Anyway, that is who Poet Smurf is into now, so his new name is Rapper Smurfling."
"Oh…" Hefty shook his head in disbelief. "So who else has changed, or as you put it, evolved?"
"Well, Greedy Smurf, for one, he is now called Chef Smurfling, and Gingerette is called Bakerette." Brainy answered.
"Ballette is now known as Jazzette, and Painter Smurf has evolved to Photographer Smurfling." Brainette added.
"You remember Smurfette…?" Brainy leaned in closer to the young smurfs.
"Yeah." Hefty and Toughette nodded in unison.
"She is now called Enamorette. Tailor Smurf changed to Designer Smurfling. Dreamy Smurf evolved up to Astro Smurfling. Even Wild Smurf changed. He is now called Skater Smurfling. He likes to ride on what looks like a board with wheels on it. Strange enough, you still won't be able to understand what he says. He picked up a different language which is called skate slang." The red-capped elder rolled his eyes skyward.
"As for Jokey Smurf," Brainette continued, "Being obsessed with handing out exploding presents, he is now called Boomer Smurfling, and trust me he gets into way more trouble now then he did back in the old days."
The elder smurfette shook her head in exasperation at the recent memory. "Just last year the little bugger thought it was a big joke to flush something called a cherry bomb in one of the toilets. When it exploded we all thought it was World War III. This resulted in flooding both the smurfs' and smurfettes' spas, as well as all the kitchens. He's still grounded for doing that, by the way." She pointed out in a finish.
"Harmony, of all smurfs, even evolved." Brainy spoke up. "He is known as Jammer Smurfling now. He no longer plays the trumpet, but something called an electric guitar. It's louder, and much more annoying, especially that he still can't play in tune. Lazy Smurf has changed to Dozy Smurfling, and even Grouchy isn't Grouchy anymore. He is called Moody Smurfling..."
Brainy stopped once he realizes that Hefty was not looking at him but seemed transfixed on something somewhere else. He looked over to what his strong young brother was looking at.
At one of the tables, closer to where the adults seated, sat a certain young smurfling who was busy drawing some kind of design on a piece of paper. He was noticeably holding down a ruler with his right hand and drawing straight lines along it with his left.
The little smurfling stopped as soon as Sorcerer placed a plate of food in front of him. Sorcerer, cheerfully gave him a noogie on his little head before serving the next smurfling his food. Before the smurfling could pick up his fork to start eating, he placed his pencil behind his left ear. This movement was so recognizable to Hefty, which caused his heart to skip a beat.
"Handy…that smurfling is Handy…" He gasped softly.
"Yes, Hefty. That is Handy. However, like some of the other smurfs, he too evolved. His name is now Tech Smurfling. Even though he is only 30 years old, Tech is very bright and loves to invent mechanical things." The smart elder smurf explained.
"Here you go, guys." Nat said, placing each plate of food in front of Hefty, Toughette and the elderly couple.
Hefty blinked. He glanced briefly at Nat who was now pushing the food cart in another direction, before turning his attention down at his plate of food. He picked up a fork, and began to take careful bites. After the first swallow, Hefty nodded approvingly.
Toughette seemed to think the same thing, too. The food was much better than what they ate on the airplane.