Chapter 14: The find of a Lifetime
"Oh no, not this place again…" Toughette whined as soon as the smurfs enter their living room. She instantly recognized the large evil box at the end of the room that had displayed the screaming demon on the screen.
"Relax, Toughette." Sassette says cheerfully, "I have told Sorcerette and Sorcerer Smurf to keep the TV off tonight."
She looked over to the young magical smurfs just in time to see them roll their eyes.
Sassette continued, "Besides, I prefer to have some quality time with you two anyway. There is just so much to talk about - we have a lot of catching up to do."
"Sassette's right. Not to mention that this will give us an opportunity to answer any additional questions you two may have." Snappy added.
"Wonderful. We only have a thousand or so of them." Toughette groaned, shaking her head ruefully.
Hefty lets out a chuckle at his mate's remark. Then he noticed the unnatural silence coming from his now older brother. He leaned his head to one side, and glanced at him with concern.
"Hey Brainy, you seem so quiet all of a sudden. Is everything alright?" He asked.
"Huh?" Brainy looked up with a puzzled expression. He let a deep sigh than replied, "I'm just a little tired, I guess."
Brainette over-heard him and tugged at Slouchy's sleeve. "Why don't Slouchy and I prepare some tea and cookies for us to snack on?" She suggested before slipping away into the kitchen, with Slouchy right behind her.
"Forget tea, smurfs, there is something else I want you two to try," Sorcerer said excitably. "I'll be right back!" Right away, he ran past his elders and into the kitchen.
"Okay…" Hefty shook his head in bewilderment. He wondered about the young magical smurf's mysterious behavior.
With another sigh, Brainy took his seat in a comfortable chair. "Won't you please sit down while we wait for our tea?" Brainy invited, gesturing toward the couch beside his chair.
For a while, there is an awkward silence in the living room between the seated smurfs. With a shrug, Sassette finally broke the silence. "Um, how are you two handling your second day in this new world?" She asked Hefty and Toughette curiously.
"To be honest it's a little over whelming." Toughette replied after a moment. Hefty simply nodded in agreement.
"Well it should come as no surprise that there is a lot for you to learn, but don't worry, we will help you adjust." Snappy promised.
At once Sorcerette began to fidget in her chair excitedly. "Yeah, and Sorcerer and I can't wait to show you the city! We are going to have so much fun!" She squealed giddily.
"Sorcerette, remember what we told you now." Nat admonished, shaking his finger at Sorcerette in a lecturing manner.
"Hey, don't worry, Elder," The magical smurfette said confidently, "We won't go into the city for another three weeks. I'm sure Hefty and Toughette will get to know a few things about the new technology by then."
She turns back suddenly to Hefty and Toughette. "Oh you are totally going to love this one place! It's called a movie theater. They play awesome flicks that will just blow you away!" She clasped her hands in glee, "And then there is another place we have to show you, which is called The Rave Club...but it's only open at night time. That is where they play groovy music to dance to!" She added, bouncing her body in her chair as though she was listening to music inside her head.
Hefty and Toughette paused; silently they gave Sorcerette strange looks.
"What is she talking about?" Hefty finally asked.
"Oh, something that I'm sure will involve in a little chat before your tour to the city, Hefty." Snappy growled, crossing his arms across his chest and giving Sorcerette a very serious look.
"Indeed." Brainy groaned, tapping his finger on the handle of his cane. "The Rave Club is not place for young smurfs. I heard too many bad things that go on in there."
"Oh, come on Elders," Sorcerette whined, feeling like a cornered animal, "We are always careful when we go, and besides Hefty and Toughette are here now, so it will be extra safe to go to these places."
"That is beside the point and you know it!" Nat said sternly.
Sorcerer exited the kitchen, carrying a tray with four glasses filled with some kind of black liquid that made a strange popping sound.
"Here Hefty, Toughette, try this." He eagerly said, handing them each a glass.
Hefty eyed the drink skeptically.
"What is that? A potion...?" He asked.
"No, nothing like that," Sorcerer assured them.
"Are you sure? It sounds like something Papa and Mama Smurf would conjure up back in the Old Village.
"Trust us, give it a try." Sorcerette encouraged them.
Hefty looked over to Toughette; she had the same questioning expression as well. Both are not sure if they should try this strange drink.
"You first..." Toughette finally suggested to him.
Hefty gave her a grim look before sniffing the drink and taking a sip from it. As he swallowed, he nearly choked. No liquid he has ever drunk in the past felt so strange going down his throat.
"Are you ok, Hefty?" Brainy asked in a worried tone.
"Something's not right with this drink." Hefty managed to speak after a fit of coughing.
"It's called soda pop. I know its terrible stuff. I'd do my best to stay away from it." Brainy shook his head in discussed.
"It felt like dozens of tiny bubbles dancing down my throat," Hefty commented with a wry face. Then, unable to stop himself, he let out a small belch.
"Oh that's attractive." Toughette smirked sarcastically. The two young magical smurfs and Snappy, Nat, and Sassette start to giggle.
"I didn't mean to burp. Like I said, there is something wrong with this drink!" Hefty cried out in defiance.
Brainette exits the kitchen with a tray of biscuits. Obviously, she had heard the conversation concerning the soda pop.
"It's the carbohydrate mixed with caffeine in the pop that is causing the acid in your stomach to react and form gas bubbles, which results in belching." She explained with a little smile.
Slouchy followed behind her, carrying another tray with a teapot and ten cups.
"Oh great," The strong smurf grumbled, not looking too happy about it. "How long does this last?"
"It shouldn't last long at all, Hefty; depending on how much you drank. Here, perhaps you would prefer some tea instead?" Brainette offered, pouring into a cup from the tea pot.
"Yes please…" Hefty nodded, relieved to put away the glass with the strange dark liquid.
As Toughette sipped her tea, she looked over to the floral arrangement around the natural waterfall displayed at the far wall of the room. Sassette noticed her and smiled.
"What do you think of the little garden I created, Toughette?" Sassette asked with a hint of pride.
"It's lovely," Toughette remarked, "Floraette would have been both proud and impressed, Sassette."
"I'm sure Smurfette would feel the same too." The elder with the gray braids agreed with a little sigh.
Something occurred to Hefty and he turned to his elderly brother. "Speaking of gardens, Brainy, didn't you mention something about there being an Enchanted Garden?" He asked.
Brainy stopped his cup before it could touch his lips. "Yeah, guess I did…" He replied slowly, and after a few seconds, he allows himself to take a sip of his tea.
"Well…?" The strong smurf said forcefully, wanting to prompt his intelligent older brother to continue.
Brainy immediately put his cup down to stare at Hefty with a near stunned expression on his face. "Well what?" He demanded exasperatedly.
Hefty is just as exasperated. "Aren't you going to explain yourself on what you know of this Enchanted Garden and how it is related to the smurfs?" He asked, waving his arms wildly up in the air.
"Hey, yeah...how is this place related to us?" Toughette nodded, putting down her cup as well.
Brainy looked over to his mate, Brainette, sitting beside him on the other comfortable chair. She smiled and let out a little giggle.
"We might as well tell them." She said warmly.
Brainy let out a deep sigh and sat back in his chair. "Alright," He began, "It happened around 110 years ago. Sorcerette and Sorcerer Smurf had just turned 47 years old. There were times we shared with these young smurfs that would eventually broaden their intellect to the young smurfs you see before you."
Brainy raises his eyebrow meaningfully at the young magical couple and continued narrating.
"One day, we were following some leads that an old wizard gave us, a possible way to have the ruby half of our Beetle Gem repaired. It turned out to be a wild goose chase, so we headed back home to the school for Wizards and Wiccans. As we wondered the forest, we discovered that we might have taken a wrong turn, and that we could be lost. That is when we found it…"
OoOoOoOoOoOo
1895 – SOMEWHERE IN THE FAR NORTHERN MOUNTAINS OF EUROPE
The smurfs trudged slowly and wearily over a well-trodden path through the woods. An autumn chill blew, causing the smurfs to shiver. Sassette looked up at the sunlight filtering through the bright colored leave on the trees.
"Is it much further yet, Elders?" Baby Smurf whined for the umpteen time.
Brainy rolls his eyes skyward as he let out a weary sigh.
"Yeah, my feet are very tired." Babette second the whine.
"Be patient, young ones," Brainette explained, "We need to get our bearings straight. First we need to figure out where are."
Sassette stopped and looked around. "Perhaps we should rest a bit. I admit I am a little tired myself."
"Me too," Slouchy agreed with a nod. "...And hungry too."
"Yeah, so am I." Snappy said, rubbing his tummy. The little smurflings and four adult smurfs chorused their need for a break.
Brainette and Brainy Smurf gave each other a knowing stare as they shook their heads.
"Fine," Brainy sighed again, "Let's take a few minutes to rest over there by that log."
As soon as the smurf travelers sat down they pull out some sandwiches they packed for lunch.
While the other smurfs finished their sandwiches, Baby Smurf pulled out a heart shaped locket out of his backpack. Baby placed the locket on the ground and looked up at Babette. With a nod, they both wriggled their fingers, making the object glow. The smurflings grin gleefully over how bright it was becoming.
Taking a bite out of his sandwich, Brainy turned around to see what the smurflings were doing and nearly chokes on his lunch.
"I thought I told you two to put that thing back where you found it back at the castle?" He snapped angrily at them, causing the youngsters to jump rather guiltily.
"Aw, come on Elder. It's so pretty!" Babette chimed up. She ducked her head when Brainy frowned severely at her.
Nat placed his half-eaten sandwich down. "That does not matter, Babette, that locket belonged to our special friend who was loyal to us smurfs." He said in a serious tone, "We need to take care of that as well as all the other treasures we have back home."
"I don't understand why we have to care so much for a bunch of junk," Baby Smurf griped, shuffling his feet.
"Junk?!" Brainette blurted out in surprise. "Those items are not junk! They belonged to each and every smurf and smurfette from the Old Village!"
Sassette turned to give Baby and Babette a serious look. "You remember all the stories we told you of the days of the Old Village, don't you smurflings?" She asked the young ones.
Baby Smurf rolled his eye. "Yeah, yeah we remember," He groaned, "But you don't understand. There is something neat Babette and I found out about this locket."
"The only thing I want to see you smurflings do is to put that locket back in your backpack so it won't get lost!" Brainy demanded.
"Please Elder…" Babette peered up at Brainy with puppy-dog eyes. She blinked rapidly, her long eyelashes flapping up and down for extra cuteness. "Just one little thing. Then we will put it away as you requested."
Brainy let out an exasperated sigh and rolls his eyes again. "Fine," he growled. "One thing then back in the backpack it goes!"
"Ok!" The young smurflings chirped happily.
Both of them instantly roll up their sleeves of their purple jackets. They curl their hands into tight fists, and then stretch their fingers out as far as they would go. After doing their hand movements a few more times the smurflings reach down toward the locket. With one hand, each of the little ones held the bottom half, and with the other hand, they push open the locket with ease. Instantly a golden glow appears from inside the charm.
The adult smurfs gawk. "You're able to open it?! No one was able to open that locket… No one!" Snappy cried in sheer disbelief.
"Snappy's right. How is it that you two are able to open Puppy's locket?" Slouchy asked, his eyes wide with amazement.
Baby Smurf shrugged. "Don't know."
Babette smiles sheepishly. "We were just curious the other day when you told the story of Puppy, The Guardian of the Smurfs, and so we wanted to know if we could open the locket. Well, guess we can…" she trailed off and ducked her head again.
The smurfs all look at each other in wonderment. This is when Brainette noticed Brainy sitting quietly, deep in thought.
"Uh oh, I know that look," she smirked, "What's on your mind?"
"Just remembering the old days…I could have sworn that Papa Smurf had discussed to us about Puppy's locket," The red-capped bespectacled elder said, almost to himself, "He went to Homnibus, and the old sorcerer told him that only the chosen one can open it."
Nat scratched his head. "I don't think I remember hearing Papa Smurf saying that."
"Well, I am not sure he told all the smurfs, Nat," Brainy admitted, still pondering. "Either that or I just over heard him talking to someone about it…"
Brainette nodded. "Hmm, very interesting," She commented. The bespectacled smurfette turned her attention back to the smurflings. "Is there anything else you found out about this locket, young ones?"
"We aren't sure Elder, perhaps it can help lead us back home?" Baby Smurf suggested helpfully.
All of a sudden, the locket began glowing even brighter, and a golden beam shot past the startled smurfs' heads. The beam made a direct hit in the darkest part of the forest. The darkness dissipates, revealing a golden gate that was apparently hiding behind an invisible shield. Above the gate it reads, "The Enchanted Gardens".
The smurfs all sit with their mouths hanging open.
"Ok, is it just me, or did that gate just appear out of thin air?" Sassette asked in astonishment.
Both the youngsters are beside themselves with excitement. "Wow! I knew our magic was good, but not this good!" Baby Smurf cheers, hopping up and down happily.
"Yeah!" Babette cried, clapping for joy.
The young smurf grabbed Babette's hand. "Come on! Let's go check it out!" Baby Smurf shouted, and eagerly they ran off towards the golden gates, leaving behind the locket lying on the ground.
"Smurflings, wait! Arg! When are they ever going to learn patience?!" Brainy growled, struggling to get up from the ground.
"Probably never?" Sassette shrugged in a jokingly manner.
"Come on, we better catch up to them before they get into trouble." Brainette suggested. In no time she, Brainy, Snappy, and Sassette take off chasing after the smurflings.
Nat and Slouchy realized that the smurfs, in their anxiety to keep the smurflings from getting into trouble, has forgotten the locket left on the ground. Nat paused long enough to reach down to pick the golden object up. The locket snapped shut before Nat could touch it. He blinked, but he picked it up nevertheless. With the locket in his hands, he and Slouchy rush off to catch up with the others.
The smurflings reached the gate, but before they could touch it the gate simply opened on its own. Curiously, the youngsters peeked in through the gate. To their amazement, they find a beautiful, yet strange garden stretched as far as they could see. The sun shone down on the blooming plants and trees laden with all sorts of fruits. The birds seemed to be chirping in a more pleasant tune then they did in any parts of forests they've visited before. Even the other animals and insects appear much happier going about their business in this garden. In fact, it feels very much like springtime, it was so warm and inviting. The smurflings glance over their shoulders at the cold, autumn forest behind them and then back to the gorgeous scene through the gate.
"Whoa…" Both smurflings whistled in awe. With a giggle, they started skipping right through the gate and into the garden.
"Smurflings...! Slow down!" Brainy hollered, running in after them as fast as his legs could allow him. Fortunately, Snappy is even quicker.
"Wait for us!" Snappy cried, scurrying past Brainy after the smurflings. Brainette and Sassette were not far behind the smurfs in passing through the gate as well, too.
Panting, Nat and Slouchy were about to catch up with the rest of the smurfs when a slight movement just above a marbled pillar at either side of the gate caught their attention. Mystified, they pause and glance up to see what it was.
There, at the top of each pillar were statues in the shape of a gargoyles crouching with their heads bowed.
"Is it just me, Nat, or did those statues move?" Slouchy asked with a gulp.
Nat scratched his chestnut brown-bearded chin in wonder. "I'm not sure Slouchy, but I suggest we keep our eyes peeled as we enter this garden. There is certainly something strange about it, no doubt."
As the two smurfs run through the gate to join the others, the statues suddenly opened their glowing yellow eyes. They turned their heads slightly to watch the blue intruders enter the garden.
Not far ahead, Brainy and the others had finally caught up with Babette and Baby Smurf.
"Boy, when we get home I'm having a serious talk with you two about running off like that." Brainy panted, grabbing hold both of the smurflings by shoulder.
"Aw, come on Elder just look at this place." Baby argued, sweeping his arms outwards to indicate the expanse of the garden.
"Yeah, and look over at those weird plants with the strange blue mushrooms growing on them." Babette cried, pointing at one end of the meadow.
Brainette looked to where Babette had pointed, and her eyebrows go up with surprise. "Interesting... I never have seen plants like those before. Perhaps, in the name of science, we should take this opportunity to have a closer look at those." Brainette said, allowing her curiosity to get the better of her and she walked over to inspect the strange plants up close.
"Brainette…" Brainy growled through his teeth. He wanted to tell her that she was not being a good role model. It tempted to say she was encouraging adolescence behavior by doing exactly what the smurflings did by wandering off without looking for danger first.
Babette and Baby Smurf were about to follow the elder smurfette, but was stopped by Brainy. "Hold it you two, you're not going anywhere." The red-capped elderly smurf said sternly.
"Aw…" The smurflings whined.
Slouchy shook his head in bemusement until he noticed something moving towards them from the gate. Startled, he turns around to look carefully – and saw two pairs of glowing yellow eyes staring straight at him. The eerie eyes were enough to send chills down this smurf's spine.
With a shaky hand, Slouchy taps Nat's shoulder. When the nature-loving smurf turned curiously to his brother, Slouchy pointed to the scary figures heading their way. Nat took one look, lets out a loud gasp and walked fearfully backward toward Brainy.
"Uh, Brainy…" Nat whispered to his older brother, tapping gently but urgently on his shoulder.
Annoyed, Brainy turned around, ready to rebuke Nat for distracting him, when at that moment he noticed the mysterious figures creeping toward them. Brainy's face turned pale with fear.
"Oh…my…Smurf…" he gasped.
Blissfully unaware of the drama that was taking place behind her, Brainette moved closer to one of the vines. She was very curious and wanted a better look at the strange blue mushrooms attached to them.
The pulsing blue veins definitely were a clear sign of life, which was been drawn into each of the mushrooms. This was all so new to Brainette; she had never seen any form of life evolve this way before.
Curiously, she placed her hand carefully on one of the mushrooms. Scarcely a moment later had she felt something inside kick up against her hand. Startled, Brainette stepped back and immediately took off her backpack.
After she pulled out her lantern, she lit the candle inside before moving it behind a mushroom. The strange mushrooms seem to have some kind of semi-transparent skin, which allowed the light from the lantern to shine through. Brainette peered at it quite avidly. Her jaw dropped the instance she saw what was within the dome fungus.
Brainette was looking at what appeared to be a tiny naked baby smurf curled up peacefully in a fetal position.
"Brainy…" Breathlessly Brainette called out to her mate, "Come here. There is something here I think you should have a look at."
"Uh, Brainette, I think you should pay attention over here first," Brainy answered in a quivering tone. He and the other smurfs are slowly walking backward towards her, unable to take their eyes off two strange figures approaching them from the shadows of the trees surrounding this unusual garden.
"Honestly, Brainy! How could your something be more important then what I have just fou – oh." Brainette had just turned around in time to notice those unusual figures with glowing yellow eyes. The smurfs could only huddle together and watch fearfully as the creatures came closer and closer.
Once they are out of the shadows, the creatures turn out to be two gargoyles – very much alive. The smurfs realize the gargoyles are somewhat a little taller than they are, about five to six apples high.
One is a male with blue skin and is bald with four small horns sticking out of his head. He wore a purple loincloth that straps over his right shoulder, and black belt around his waist.
The other is a female with a pink skin and had blond hair with two long horns jutting proudly from her head. She wore a light pink dress, and a pink belt. Their eyes stop glowing as soon as they walk into the sunlight. As if recognizing their intruders, the gargoyles' expressions soften, making their half-dog, half-cat facial features less scary than they looked.
"Do you see what I see, Adam?" The pink gargoyle said quietly to the other gargoyle.
The blue gargoyle shrugged in disbelief. "I do, Eve, but truthfully, I thought the smurfs would never find their way back here in a million years." He remarked, still staring at the smurfs, "Or at least not until the chosen ones were a few hundred years older…"
"Er, you seem to know who we are, but who are you?" Nat asked timidly.
The blue gargoyle smiled suddenly. "Why I am Adam and this is Eve, we are the guardians of this garden." He cheered proudly.
"If you both are the guardians, then who owns this place?" Sassette asked, feeling there is more to the mysterious garden.
"She does, of course." Eve, the pink gargoyle answered, pointing past the smurfs at something behind them.
The smurfs turn around and gasp. They looked up at the most beautiful human figure they have ever seen. Her long brown hair with blond highlights flows down to the earth below her feet, decorated with gorgeous, exotic-looking purple-pink flowers. Her blouse is a silky burgundy shade, and her ankle-length dress is made of green leaves. The most attesting feature on this woman's kindly, ageless face is her motherly purple-blue eyes.
"Welcome back, my children. Welcome back to your nursery." The beautiful woman greeted in a musical tone.
"Nursery?" Snappy gasped in puzzlement.
"Who are you?" Brainy asked in amazement.
"Smurfs, this is Gaia, the Earth Goddess." Eve answered for the woman in a reverent voice.
"Yes, this is indeed your nursery," Gaia said, smiling at the bewildered smurfs and began to explain, "I remember the day when the powerful human sorcerer found my garden home and asked if he could plant his magical seed he had created into my soil."
"A powerful human sorcerer?" All the smurfs chimed at once.
Gaia nodded. "Right, you could say he's somewhat your 'father'. His name was Dieudonne," She began reminiscing, "The name I believe is a rather interesting one. It means 'given by God'. This human had a very kind and loving soul. I allowed him to plant his seed in my soil, and from these vines grew."
Goddess indicated the area of the garden where Brainette was investigating earlier. "But when the vines first started growing, it produced only one smurf and one. However, over the centuries the vines produced more and more smurfs and smurfettes. This is the largest amount the garden has grown so far."
The Goddess paused to notice the confused expressions of the smurfs' faces.
"I know what you are thinking." She assured them with a smile. "...And yes. It is true that a human, a powerful sorcerer to be precise, created the original seed that spawned you smurfs, but it was my earth that gave birth to you. Thus making you, like all creatures great and small on this planet, my children too."
An awkward silence falls upon the smurfs. They looked to each other, hoping that one of them might know what to say about this.
"So, I guess this kind of means you are our 'mother', right?" Nat asked, breaking the silence at last.
"Right." Gaia nodded.
Sassette grinned. "Who'd knew…our mother is a Goddess."
"And those purple-blue mushrooms growing on the vines…?" Brainette inquired curiously.
"Are in fact cocoons," Gaia answered, "Each one has a baby smurf or smurfette growing inside them."
Brainy gasped. "In the immortal words of Papa Smurf…Amazing, simply amazing." He breathed, and stared in astonishment at the field of mushroom pods.
"You took the words right out of my mouth, Brainy." Snappy said with the same expression.
"Neat!" The smurflings cheered, throwing their hands in the air and creating sparkles of light around them.
When Brainy noticed the dancing sparkles a thought occurred to him, and he turned to the goddess. "I have a question, Gaia." Brainy said hesitantly.
"Yes…" The Goddess knelt down in order to pay close attention to the red-capped elder smurf.
Brainy opened his mouth. "When do these pods hatch?"
The Goddess smiles warmly at the question. "I would say these smurflings are scheduled to arrive in about seventy-nine years," Gaia replied. She hesitated, looking somber.
"You will have a decent home to raise these little ones by then, wouldn't you? Otherwise I'm afraid we can only care for them a certain amount of time before we need to send them off out in the world to fend for themselves." The Goddess told them truthfully.
"What?!" The smurfs exclaimed, wondering if they heard this Goddess correctly.
"I'm sorry, smurfs, but I have a rule and my beloved sister Mother Nature works hard in keeping that rule true to all life on this planet." Gaia said seriously.
"And what rule is that?" Nat demanded, crossing his arms in a huff.
"Why, the 'survival of the fittest' rule – in the other words, the strongest shall survive," The Goddess mentioned in a matter-of-fact tone.
Snappy did like the sound of that. "I'm sure if you'd notice, Gaia, we smurfs have indeed proven that we can and will survive." He pointed out.
Gaia smiled proudly at the smurfs. "I did indeed have noticed that, regardless of the demon Asmoday's intrusion. But, without a proper home, I'm afraid these soon-to-be born smurflings will not stand a chance."
"But we do have a home! The school is our home. Isn't that good enough?" Brainette cried out defiantly.
Gaia looked at Brainette thoughtfully. "Take a quick count at all the cocoons, my child, how many can you see?" She suggested to the smurfette elder.
"At the top of my head, I can see just over two hundred…" it dawned on her on what Gaia meant, "...which, even though the old castle is big, it is still not enough space to raise that many smurflings and at the same catering to all the human students there…I see your point, my Goddess." Brainette sighed, admitting her error.
"So now what?" Snappy asked, looking worried now. He did not want to move away from the castle, and yet, knowing that smurflings are on their way, he did not want to lose the chance to raise them either.
"Protect the smurflings…" Brainy whispered mostly to himself.
"What was that, Brainy?" Sassette inquired, turning to him.
"Protect the smurflings…" Brainy said a bit louder, "they're the ones that matter the most … That is what Hefty said to me just before Asmoday took him and Toughette prisoner."
"With all due respect Brainy; I don't think Hefty knew anything about these smurflings." Brainette indicated the pod-covered vines.
"Maybe not, but I intend on keeping my word in protecting them." The intellectual smurf elder said confidently.
Snappy looked at Brainy in shock. "What about the ruby half of the Beetle Gem?"
"Oh, we're still going to get that fixed, but also in the process we will find a new home…a perfect home to raise these smurflings!" Brainy never felt such a powerful surge of leadership in his voice before. The smurfs and smurflings just stood there, gawking at him.
"Brainy? W-W-What about Hefty and Toughette?" Sassette stuttered.
"We're not going to give up on them either."
The blue gargoyle cheers loudly. "We are so glad to hear this, smurfs!"
Eve is just as glad. "Yes, in fact we have a brand new Life Stone you can use to protect your new home - when you find it, of course." Therefore, saying, the pink gargoyle pulled out a sparkling gem out of her pouch and held it in both of her hands; she proffers it to the smurfs who stare at it curiously.
"That is a very smurfy Life Stone, Eve, but how are we to carry it with us? It's kind of big for our backpacks." Nat pointed out.
"True," The female gargoyle agreed, "but you do have young Sorcerette and Sorcerer Smurf to help with that."
"What?!" The young smurflings' jaws drop open and they stare up at Eve with big round eyes. The pink gargoyle chuckled at their comical expressions.
"Well, those are your names, young ones. Gaia named you two herself as soon as you were hatched."
"We have real names…" Sorcerer gasped, still in shock.
Brainette smiled. "Sorcerette and Sorcerer Smurf…how fitting."
"Yeah, well, I'm sure I would have figured their names out eventually." Brainy chuckled, pretending that he is not at all surprised.
"Oh please," his mate replied, playfully slapping his arm with the back of her hand.
"Go on, young ones; shrink this Life Stone so you may carry it with ease." The blue gargoyle whispers encouragingly to the smurflings.
With a big grin, the smurflings again roll up their sleeves and wriggle their figures. As flickering lights pop around the gem, it began to shrink to the size of a small pebble, enough to fit perfectly in the palm of a smurf's hand.
"Well this takes care of one problem…" Slouchy remarked as he picked up the pebble-sized Life Stone, "Now all we need to figure out is how to repair the Ruby half of the Beetle Gem."
"Have you tried the Fairy Tribe in Africa?" Gaia blurted out, not being able to resist enlightening them.
"Of course!" Brainette cried out, slapping herself on the forehead. "How could've I forgotten!"
"Brainette?" Sassette looked curiously at her adopted older sister.
"The African Fairy Tribe! Back in the days of the Old Smurfette Village the Fairies would come and visit us. They will be able to repair the ruby half, no problem. I wonder if the Fairy Prince would recognize me…" Brainette trailed off, lost in thoughts.
"The Fairy Prince?" Brainy raised his eyebrow suspiciously and a hint of jealousy in his voice. It had not escaped him on how Brainette's cheeks blushed slightly in mentioning the fairy.
"Oh you're right; he's probably the Fairy King by now." The bespectacled smurfette elder giggled. She lets out a soft sigh before continuing, "but in the day he was the most handsome fairy that ever smurfed. There hadn't been a smurfette that couldn't resist his charm, not even Toughette, if I remember correctly."
Gaia chuckled as she listened to Brainette's enthusiastic story of the Fairy Prince. With the wave of her hand she encourages a few large flowers to tilt over. Clear fresh water mixed with sweet nectar from the flowers poured gracefully into eight small cups, which has magically appeared for the benefit of the smurfs.
"I have an unrelated question here." Brainy spoke up, wishing to change the subject immediately. "I remember when Baby, er I mean, Sorcerer Smurf, first came to the Smurf Village a strange letter arrived shortly afterwards claiming there was an error, and that B-ah Sorcerer had to be returned immediately. May I ask what that was all about?"
"Oh that…" Adam ducked his head, blushing. "Well the strangest thing is this. A certain chosen immortal stork misunderstood us when we asked him to move little Sorcerer to his crib, and thought we meant for him to deliver the young smurf to the Smurf Village." He added, glaring up at a stork that is watching from up in the trees. The stork began to sulk in embarrassment.
"You see smurfs; we care for the babies for about two years before allowing them to be delivered to their rightful home with their kind. During those fragile years, these smurflings will need the nectar from the plants here. They give them the important nutrition for their little bodies." Eve explained. "Little Sorcerer was delivered about six months ahead of schedule. That is the reason for that misunderstanding."
"I see. Suppose that is one mystery solved then." Brainy pondered, scratching his white bearded chin.
"Wonderful. We should plan on heading to Africa if we want to get the Beetle Gem fixed." Brainette exclaimed, hinting that she would like to leave soon. Brainy shoots her an annoyed look.
"Before you decide on heading out on this long journey may I offer you some special nectar from my flowers?" The Mother Goddess said generously to the smurfs, "They just came in bloom and have produced the sweetest juices."
"Yes, thank you." Brainy gratefully accepted the Goddess' offer and took a cup that was handed to him.
Each of the smurfs sipped their cups, and instantly found the liquid from the unique flower most delightful. It tastes almost as sweet as honey, but with a more almond flavor to it. They smacked their lips appreciatively; they certainly enjoyed the taste very much.
"Delicious." Nat said approvingly, slurping it down happily.
"Yeah! It's sweet, but not too sweet. I like it!" Sassette declared. Brainette nodded in agreement.
The smurfs finished their drinks, thanked the Goddess and the gargoyles for their hospitality before heading back out in the cold autumn forest.