100 years ago:
"I'll beat you with my rabbit kick!"
"I'll deflect your miserable attack with my beetle block!"
The emerald square beneath the Crystal Palace was abound with new students, boys from the Azure Craft Village who were at least twenty years old. This meant that, according to tradition, as eight-year-old Smurfs (according to the Smurfs years), they could start learning martial arts under the guidance of the Masters of the Crystal Palace.
During these times, the palace had only two Masters: the Grand Master – Grandpa Smurf who, due to his title, didn't teach the boys. Because of this, the responsibility for over ninety little Smurflings fell to the second of the Masters – Master Papa Smurf. He was an understanding and gentle Master, but also full of justice toward the boys. His brown beard wasn't as respectable as Grand Master Grandpa's long gray beard, but the village children admired him no less than the other famous Masters.
"All right, my little Smurflings," Master Papa shouted, standing in the center of the square with his hands clasped behind his back.
Master Papa Smurf was dressed in a red tunic with blue decorations, black waist wrap and pants, traditional bindings on the calves and black sandals.
Around him, the little ones continued to fight for fun. Most of them fought the way all children did, without particularly clever techniques, kicking and punching blindly, wildly. However, there were a few Smurflings among them, whose movements were slowly taking shape, which meant that in their case, their destined fighting style had already begun to emerge.
"Enough of your playtime. Come with me." With that said, Master Papa turned and walked calmly to an old tree at the edge of the square. There he knelt in its shade and waited patiently for his new charges.
The Smurflings stopped playing as soon as the older Smurf moved, and watched him until he sat down. Then, as one man, they spilled over the square, shouting, laughing and pushing each other. Everyone wanted to sit as close to the Master as possible.
The old tree cast a shadow so huge that all the little ones fit in it without any problems. Master Papa waited a moment for the crowd of children to calm down. The still enthusiastic boys giggled under their noses and exchanged equivocal glances.
When there was silence and all eyes turned to the Master, Papa Smurf straightened up proudly. "It's a big day for you, my little Smurflings," he began. "Today will be your first class. You must know that your background doesn't matter here, because each of you is destined to acquire knowledge of martial arts."
The Smurflings' eyes shone in awe and their mouths opened wide.
"Today I would like to talk to you about our long-standing tradition and culture and the huge role martial arts play in all of this."
"Why do we call them arts?" one of the Smurflings in front asked, brushing thick waves of brown hair from his face.
"Because talent and Destiny are needed to create art, and the same elements are needed to master any of the martial arts, Painter. Martial arts today are what we call them, an art that we practice, improve and bring to perfection. Long time ago, warriors were trained to protect common lands, families, rulers, but also to raid and conquer. Now we live in times of peace, and we cherish our tradition, in which martial arts are written. They are destined to every boy."
While Master Papa was teaching dozens of Smurflings about history and culture, another tiny figure lurked outside the walls of the Crystal Palace. A little Smurfess the age of the Smurflings being taught, had escaped her mother and ran out of her house when she had found out her father had taken her brother to the teachings at the palace. She couldn't understand why her parents didn't want her to participate in the teachings of the Masters. And she couldn't understand why the girls from the village didn't study at the palace.
The little blonde snorted, stamping her foot, and clenched her hands into tiny fists. The life of a little girl was complicated, full of questions and injustices.
Smurfette, because that was how her mother had embarrassingly simply named her, ran to one of the tall trees growing close to the walls of the Crystal Palace. The girl had always been a crazy mix of girlish charm and manners with truly boyish dreams and ideas. She had mastered tree-climbing and was much better at it than her brother, whose only mischievous crime was constantly stealing his sister's mirrors.
The Smurfess climbed high, unconcerned at all by the fact that her weight was setting the tree in motion, its top swaying from one side to the other. The blonde wanted the best view and reverberation from the square.
Well, she couldn't see well through the huge tree Master Papa was teaching under, but she could hear his and the Smurflings' every word perfectly well.
"And what about the girls?" Smurfette's brother spoke, frowning. "Why aren't any here?"
The other boys looked around hastily, some of them bursting out laughing.
"Girls are not meant to learn martial arts, Vanity," Papa replied calmly.
"Why?" another Smurfling at the front asked, pushing his huge glasses up his nose.
"Because history warns us against it, Brainy."
"How?"
"Long time ago martial arts were treated as an important defensive part of tradition and culture, it was much more seriously treated as a means of defense and attack. At that time, not much attention was paid to the aesthetics of the styles. In those days, people were taught to fight not because of their gender, but because of their willingness and predispositions. Destiny was not mentioned. Many women were among the warriors, but each of them, despite the perfect mastery of martial arts, brought bad luck and failure to such an extent that it could bring destruction to our species. It was then decided that women and girls were not meant to study martial arts, as it did not benefit the Smurfs. Eventually, a decree stating that no girl or woman could practice martial arts was issued."
What nonsense, Smurfette thought from the tree, grimacing.
"What about Destiny?"
"At that time, it was written in another decree that martial arts were for men, and since women could not study them, it was made compulsory to teach martial arts to every boy from an early age, so that as many men as possible would be able to defend themselves if necessary."
"But not everyone can become a great warrior like you, Master Papa," the blond boy in front said.
"You are correct, Handy." Master Papa nodded slightly. A friendly smile never left his face. "Although each of you is destined to learn about history and basics, not everyone will be able to explore the martial arts at the level of advanced warriors. During these classes you will learn the basics of self-defense, and get to know various styles and techniques of combat. Classes with me are to help you discover your Destiny and pursue it. Some of you will find your way in the first few weeks, it will take years for others, but one thing is certain. If one's Destiny is to lead him to martial arts mastery, practice is the only way to unleash your warrior Destiny."
All the boys were very excited. They started exchanging glances and talking to each other. There were several more and less willing to share their enthusiasm among them. Another blond boy sitting right behind Handy certainly belonged to the latter option.
"I have one more question!" Handy shouted, raising his hand and bouncing in his spot on the grass.
The other boy tugged at Handy's sleeve, shaking his head. "Give it a rest, brother," he whispered.
Handy, however, had no intention of listening to his brother. The Smurfling turned his head toward his brother, and his eyes changed color for a brief moment, becoming all light blue and glowing pale. He only used that glare when other children made him angry or utterly sad, or when he got too excited about something. "Stop it, Architect!" he quietly rebuked his twin. "You want to clip my wings again."
Architect cringed barely noticeably, but didn't let go of his brother's sleeve. Handy had never given him that glare before. Likewise, no adult had ever had the opportunity to see it.
"You can ask me whatever you want," Master Papa encouraged. The adult Smurf, like any other adult, didn't see anything. "I am here today to answer all your questions and dispel any doubts."
"If everyone becomes good in one technique and creates his own style with the help of other techniques, is it possible for someone to achieve perfection in all techniques and fighting styles?"
The square became quiet. All the boys looked up at Master Papa, who was genuinely surprised by the question. Even Smurfette, still swinging on the tree, stopped her train of thought, no less interested in the answer the Master had to give to the younger generation.
Papa Smurf frowned, never taking his eyes off Handy. Large emerald eyes glared back at him.
When answering the question, he chose his words carefully. "To be perfect in all existing martial arts is impossible," he replied slowly. "No one has ever been able to do that, and everyone's Destiny has always been headed in one of the only two directions that exist. The first is to master the basics, explore one art, and create your own unique style. The second is to become a warrior who will learn and explore more than one technique and create his own unique fighting style. Besides, it is impossible to become a Master of all styles, because there are techniques that have been eradicated that will no longer be destined for anyone."
"Eradicated techniques?"
"Now the time for questions has ended."
The Smurflings groaned in disappointment. Handy lowered his ears and looked at the ground.
"You should not be bothering yourself with unnecessary information at the moment." Master Papa Smurf stood up and dusted off his tunic. "I think that is enough theory for today. Are you ready for your first practice?"
"Yes, Master Papa Smurf!" the crowd of little Smurfs shouted back.
Present time:
"Golly, Smurfette, I don't know if this is a good idea."
"Trust me, Clumsy. I know what I'm doing."
It was hard to tell that someone knew what they were doing if they ordered their team to hide in stinging-nettle-like bushes for almost an hour. The plants were not only resembling the nettles in appearance, but also in properties. That meant stinging, lots of stinging, and white spots with red borders around them on the body. Fortunately, none of them had any allergies or other such problems. And if anyone had, they would soon find out.
Summers in the Valley of Peace may not have been hot, but the temperature on most summer days was above 20°C, forcing the inhabitants of the valley to wear light clothes with shortened sleeves and pant legs. However, some forced themselves to wear thicker and longer robes, if only out of respect for culture or the need to show their role in society.
Smurfette was kneeling in the thick foliage in front, scratching her cheek furiously. The stinging areas hurt and itched, the scratching increased the pain, and the pain in turn increased her determination. The blonde gritted her teeth, hissing softly.
Behind her, Clumsy, four Smurflings and a toddler were hiding in the nettles. The toddler was the only one wrapped in a long and thick scarf from head to toe. If he suffered even one sting, the boy's parents would turn Smurfette and Clumsy into blue mush and fed them to a crocodile.
Clumsy and the four Smurflings were scratching themselves like savages who hadn't bathed in months. The Smurflings also had tears in their eyes, but they didn't cry. In fact, some of them were as determined as Smurfette.
"How long are we gonna sit here?" Snappy asked, fidgeting and scratching his wrists. The little brunet looked the worst of his peers, and all because of his nervous and violent nature. In addition to tears, his face was also flooded with snots. "I'm telling you, there's no one guarding the side entrance to the square."
"How can you be sure?" Slouchy, kneeling next to him, asked. This Smurfling held on the best thanks to his slow and extremely careful movements. However, this didn't fully protect him from several stings on his cheeks and neck.
"Because my brothers said so like a billion times," Snappy replied, annoyed.
"Shut your mouths!" Smurfette hissed, turning her head sharply in their direction. The girl's pointed ears moved in all directions. "I think it's safe. I can hear the Ten practicing. Let's go!"
The Smurfess ran out of the stinging bush and ran along the marble wall to the side entrance to the square. She stopped at the wooden door and pressed her back against the wall, waiting for the rest. She couldn't help but sigh as her stung back came into contact with the cold wall.
The Smurflings quickly ran to her. The eldest of them, Nat, held the hand of the toddler named Miracle. Clumsy ran behind them, tripping over his own legs. The redhead was panting and kept scratching, even in his clumsy running.
"I told you there's no one guarding the back entrances to the palace grounds," Snappy said smartly, scratching his left eye.
"How is it that your brothers tell you everything and mine brother won't tell me a word about what's going on in the palace?" Smurfette miffed, folding her arms and looking down at the brunet.
"Maybe because you're a girl?" he replied in a teasing tone.
"There must be something to it," Sassette, the only girl among the Smurflings, remarked quietly. "My brother doesn't tell me anything either," she added reproachfully.
"We'll show them yet," the blonde hissed, clenching her fists. "It's a big day for Free Smurfs Team! In theory, everyone has the right to walk in the squares of the Crystal Palace, so I don't see any problem with us practicing in the training square."
"I'm still not sure if that's a good idea..."
"Oh, Clumsy." Smurfette looked up at the sky, shaking her head. "They chased us out of the village, so we'll practice here. Easy as pie."
"Sounds different from what I remember Nat's parents told us in the village."
"My dad told us to stop clowning," Nat corrected.
Smurfette pushed the wooden door open, unfazed. "Martial arts are not clowning," she muttered, her tone holding some threat in it. "We're going in!"
Meanwhile, the group of selected warriors wasn't twiddling their thumbs in the training square. Despite many years of gaining experience, they still worked hard on improving their abilities and took them to a higher level, shaping their own styles. They had been chosen by Destiny, and Grand Master Papa Smurf had trained them to be great warriors, ready to defend the Azure Craft Village until their last breath.
They had been elected a long time ago, and exactly twenty years ago they had become official peace warriors. They were called the Ten Azure Warriors, though all the Smurfs used the more informal abbreviation of their name – the Ten.
"Your fists are to slow to break through my block, Tuffy!" Farmer shouted, fending off Tuffy's powerful blows with his training spear.
"Oh yeah?! Why don't you put that stalk of yours down and then we'll talk!" the angry brunet yelled back.
The former leader of the Ten Azure Warriors hummed shortly, not letting Tuffy get on his nerves. The brown-haired watched the movements of his opponent's arms, and when he found a gap in his defense, he quickly pushed him away with his leg, taking him out of his rhythm.
The other members of the Ten also fought in pairs, practicing their skills. They had to appear in the training square for the Grand Master's roll-call every early morning, and they trained until late morning on empty stomachs. They lived in the Crystal Palace on daily basis, but once a month they could spend three full days with their families in the village. Today was the last day before another three-day break.
"What will you do when you return to the village tonight?" Vanity asked his sparring partner while trying to hit him with his stiffly straightened hands.
"I should check in with my mother first," Jokey laughed, jumping around his friend like a monkey, an animal after which he had named his jumping fighting style. "But I decided to prank my cousin Nosey first." The redhead jumped over Vanity and stood right in front of him, then both Smurfs began to exchange blows with their arms and block each other. "That smurfy crud never lets me surprise him because I always leave my bag at home first. This time will be different."
"Jokey! Vanity! Less talking, more training!" Hefty shouted while directing his famous kicks toward Dreamy, who was smoothly avoiding his feet.
At that moment, the agile Jokey lost his balance for a second, and his opponent cruelly took advantage of that and knocked the redhead to the ground.
Vanity put his hand to the chest of the defeated and pressed him to the ground with a charming smile on his face. "You love making these cute mistakes on purpose, don't you?" he asked.
Jokey rolled his eyes, genuinely surprised by his defeat. Around them, the others were still practicing. Vanity laughed out loud, but stopped when a movement he didn't expect appeared in his field of vision. The brown-haired raised his head toward the wooden door leading outside the palace.
A blonde-haired Smurfess peeked out the door into the training square. She looked around quickly, not noticing that someone was watching her. She turned for a moment and said something to someone, then she, a red-haired Smurf, four Smurflings and one Baby Smurf slipped silently into the square and ran low over the grass along the wall until they were behind one of the trees.
Vanity rolled his eyes and moaned loudly at the sight of his sister. After a while, some of the warriors also noticed the intruders and took interest in them. The new faces in the square were clearly plotting a plan, and the blonde in charge was completely unconcerned with how visible they were.
Hefty took a quick glance around the square, then made eye contact with Dreamy and went back to training. The others followed his example, but they couldn't concentrate, too curious about the presence of the villagers in the palace.
"Okay, my team, no one has the right to chase us out of here," Smurfette said in a determined tone, trying to ignore the stares of the warriors. "Let's set up somewhere, by the wall, away from these bigheads." The girl waved her hand at the Ten, her head high.
The group followed her a dozen more steps away from the door, until they approached wooden devices made for warming up and stretching, as well as self-combat practicing. Clumsy tripped over one of the protruding pickets and fell to the ground with a short cry. He quickly got up and started repeating Smurfette's movements, just like the Smurflings. Everyone was doing terribly of course, but they didn't care. The toddler sat on the sand and tried to parrot some movements from his position.
At this point, all the warriors stopped their training. Hefty looked up at the sky. The sun was already quite high above their heads, so the training was coming to an end as planned. The brown-haired folded his arms, looking at the intruders, annoyed.
Vanity helped Jokey get up and dust off his pants. Farmer and Tuffy stepped away from each other, the former leader made a few swings with his spear, then took a neutral pose. The rest also finished sparring.
Smurfette's older brother sighed as if he was carrying the entire palace on his shoulders, and approached Hefty from behind. As he stood next to the current leader of the Ten Azure Warriors, he shot him a sideways glance. "I'll tell them to smurf out," he sighed with resignation.
"No," Hefty muttered, not taking his eyes off the seven uninvited guests.
The warriors observed the intruders' miserable display of skill. Smurfette had some knowledge actually, she had mastered the basics thanks to years of spying on her brother and some boys whose Destiny wasn't to become warriors and who had already taken their mandatory martial arts classes. The four Smurflings were already too old for further education, and none of them showed the predisposition to become a warrior. And Miracle was still too young to be taught.
Clumsy was of the same generation as Smurfette and the Ten, and the warriors remembered him from their classes when they were all in their twenties. He was exceptionally klutzy, which was why he had gotten such a ridiculous name, and was remembered by most of his classmates from that period. Most of his peers had had a rather positive but not close relationship with him at the time.
When the group seemed to be completely absorbed in their own training, Hefty decided to stop this crap.
Ooookay! Another open project that I don't know how many it will have and when and how it will be updated.
The things that might be a bit confusing:
Some family ties shown in this chapter:
– Vanity and Smurfette (siblings, Vanity is older)
– Handy and Architect (siblings, identical twins)
– Jokey and Nosey (cousins, Jokey is older)