Chapter 18: The Journey to New Beginnings

"Well this is it," Mama Smurf says as she turns to her friends, the Wood Sprites. "We are going now. Are you sure you Sprites do not want to come with us? I'm sure Papa Smurf wouldn't mind. You could find a new home in the forests near the Smurf Village."

"I'm afraid not, Mama Smurf." Shia, the mauve Sprite says, shaking her head. "Our home is here. There is much work to be done in helping the forest heal from the natural destruction."

"We thank you for your generous offer, though Mama Smurf." Forlo adds.

"You and the other smurfs better hurry if you want to catch the boat in time." Coron suggests.

"Oh, I'm sure Papa Smurf and the others won't go anywhere without us." Mama Smurf chuckled. She paused briefly with a serious look. "But we will most certainly miss you Wood Sprites. I promise that we will try to come back and visit once things are more settled at our new home."

"We will look forward to that day, Mama Smurf." Tiango says as she shakes the smurfette elder's hand.

"Goodbye, my friends." Mama Smurf nods before heading away from the cave to join the other smurfs and smurfettes waiting patiently by the path.

"Goodbye Mama Smurf! Goodbye smurfettes! Goodbye smurfs!" All the Wood Sprites cried out in unison.

"Goodbye!" The smurfs and smurfettes called back with a wave. All together they head down the path towards the eastern shore.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

The S.S. Smurf paced the eastern shore until its crew spotted Mama Smurf and the others waving for them on the beach. In no time the ship was anchored so Captain Dreamy could lower the small boat with Grouchy and Harmony inside. The two smurfs rowed the small boat to shore.

Once the two of them is able to beach the boat, they help everyone aboard the boat. Hefty and Toughette help Harmony push the boat back out into the sea deep enough to be able to use the ores.

"Ok. Let's smurf everyone back to the ship, Grouchy." Harmony sang after jumping back into the small boat.

"I hate smurfing everyone back to the ship." Grouchy grumbled loudly.

"Gee, smurfy to see you too, Grouchy." Tattlerette scoffed sarcastically.

"Here, I'll smurf the boat back if you are tired Grouchy." Hefty offered.

Grouchy didn't argue. In fact he is relieved, not only to have Hefty back, but also not having to row the extra weight back to the ship. He sits down beside Tattlerette, being that was the only spot available.

"Of all the spots to be available to you it had to be beside me." Tattlerette said in a huff.

Hearing her say that just made Grouchy tense and more aggravated with the redheaded smurfette. He began to mutter in a barely audible voice with a grumpy tone. Tattlerette raised her eye brow in suspicion to him.

"Excuse me? I didn't quite catch that." She snapped.

"That's enough Tattlerette." Mama Smurf stepped in.

"What? He started it, Mama Smurf." Tattlerette said in defiance.

"Move over, Hefty." Toughette demanded. "Your arm must be still tired after our little arm wrestling challenge earlier." She joked.

"Oh, very funny…cheater." He said with a grin as he let her sit down beside him to begin rowing towards the S.S. Smurf.

Handy and Farmer start giggling at Hefty and Toughette, leaving Harmony out of the loop.

"I don't get it. What's so funny?" He asks.

"You had to be there, Harmony." Farmer Smurf chuckled.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

A DAY LATER…

Mama Smurf stared blankly out on the ocean surface. Her mind is off wondering about the changes that she and her young smurfettes have undergone in the past two years. It all started the one fateful day when Toughette found Hefty on the beach near the Smurfette Village. What once was nothing but a legend, is now of fact. Smurfs do exist.

The smurfette elder turns to look over to her young smurfettes mingling with the smurfs. How happy they all seem, even though they had just lost their home. She couldn't help but to think that the smurfs have a very loving energy that attracts happiness in all of them.

Captain Dreamy stands behind his wheel to steer the ship, Astrologette stands by him as they talked. Farmer Smurf and Cowgirl both sit up in the crow's nest so they could plan on gardening techniques when they return to the Smurf Village. Tattlerette focused mostly on the adventure/rescue story for her 'Daily Report'. Grouchy mostly stays by the railing of the ship, while the rest of the smurfs and smurfettes talk and tell jokes.

Mama Smurf smiles at the playful scene before noticing Papa Smurf coming towards her with two cups in his hands. He hands her one of the cups then takes a sip out of the other one. The warm tea feels good going down his throat, instantly warming him up from the cool sea air.

"Thank you, Papa Smurf." Mama Smurf smiled as held the warm cup in both of her hands. She blows into it in order to cool it just enough to take a sip.

"It's kind of nippy today." She points out as she hunches over the warmth of the cup.

"Yes it is. But according to Captain Dreamy and his new Navigator, we should be at least half way back to the Smurf Village." The bearded elder stated, looking up at the smurf and smurfette on the captain's deck. Dreamy has apparently said something funny, and Astrologette giggles. Papa Smurf smiles before bringing his attention back to Mama Smurf.

"That's good to know." She sighed with relief. "This has been the most traveling time my young smurfettes and I have ever done. I'm looking forward in getting everyone all settled in and starting our new lives with the smurfs."

"It's already becoming an exciting change for my little smurfs." Papa Smurf assures her.

Before either of the elders could take another sip of their hot tea, Tattlerette, whom sat beside them, let out a loud sigh.

"What's wrong Tattlerette?" Mama Smurf asked.

"I can't seem to describe a perfect ending to my Daily Report, Mama Smurf." The redheaded smurfette whined.

"I'm sure a creative smurfette, such as yourself, will be able to come up with an ending that will blow all your readers away." Mama Smurf said with a positive tone.

"Thanks Mama Smurf." Tattlerette smiled up at her elder.

"No way, Hefty! I did not cheat! I can't believe you are still going on about that!" Toughette screeched, throwing her hands up in the air.

"Yes you did! You deliberately distracted me so you could win at arm wrestling." Hefty shot back. The other smurfs and smurfettes start laughing at the bickering couple.

"Hmm. This may not be a perfect ending, but it will make an excellent epilogue." Tattlerette thought out loud before bringing full attention in writing down ever detail she is witnessing.

"I hate epilogue." Grouchy grumbled.

"Are you trying to be annoying? Or is that something you like to do on occasion?" Tattlerette asked the grumpy smurf. He didn't give her an answer. Instead he turns his head away from her.

"Oh my." The bearded elder cringed. Papa Smurf doesn't like to see any of his little smurfs fighting of any kind, and begins to take a step forward in order to stop the young couple from arguing.

"Don't worry Papa Smurf." Mama Smurf said, stopping him by grabbing his arm. "Those two love to argue. It's like a game to them."

"But…"

"Hey, I too once shared your concern when I first saw them like this. But they do work it out themselves and usually by going off to play sports or something." The smurfette elder chuckled before sipping on her warm tea.

Papa Smurf still looked concerned, but decided to give Mama Smurf the benefit of the doubt. He will stand aside and watch closely. If there is any sign of the argument getting out of hand, he will certainly step in.

"You are being a smurfling about this! There is no reason why I can't do something as good, if not better then you." Toughette smirked.

"How could you be better then me at arm wrestling when you cheated to win?" Hefty whined.

"I wish I could have been there to see that." Harmony chuckled.

"That'll be Toughette for you. If she knows she can't beat someone with brute strength she'll beat them with sheer wit." Melody explains.

"Oh, you should have it though, Harmony. It was classic." Nursette said with a giggle.

"Yeah. The expression on Hefty's face when Toughette slammed his hand down was hilarious." Handy laughed loudly.

"Ha, ha, ha! Very funny, old pal." Hefty growled at Handy.

"Oh stop being a sore loser, Hefty. I won, and that's that!" Toughette said as she crosses her arms.

"Well there is only one way to settle this then." Hefty grinned mischievously.

"Are you trying to say you want a rematch?" The golden blond smurfette chuckled.

"Only if you think you can handle it." He said in a mocking tone.

"In that case you're on!"

Without wasting another word, Hefty and Toughette start to lie down on their tummies. They clasp their hands in a ready position while focusing their stares into each other's eyes.

"Ready?" Hefty asks her.

"I'm always ready. You can start any day now." Toughette teased.

Like last time, their strength is evenly matched. Hefty even cuts her some slack for the first few moments. But this time he won't let her distract him with kissing. Nope, he would stay focused and show her how a real arm wrestler wins. With brute strength.

Toughette can tell by the look in Hefty's eyes that he won't be fooled again with her kissing him. She thought quickly on how she could take him down this time. That's when she thought about his other weakness. With her free hand, Toughette reaches over towards the arm he is using in this wrestling match and tickles him under his armpit.

"Hey!" Hefty cried just before Toughette slammed his hand down, again. All the smurfs and smurfettes aboard the ship howled in laughter, including Farmer and Cowgirl who saw the scene all the way up in the crow's nest.

"I never saw anything like that in all my days on sea or on land." Captain Dreamy said in between his laughter.

"Oh, just keep watching. I predict that he will tickle her next." Astrologette giggled.

"YES! That's twice that I beat you now!" Toughette cheered with laughter as she sits up.

"No, that is twice that you cheated to beat me." Hefty growled, as he starts to sit up.

"I don't believe you are getting all worked up over this." The golden blond smurfette said shaking her head.

"Look you are not supposed to kiss or tickle your opponent in order to win!" Hefty shouted at her.

"Oh, let me guess. No tickling is rule #No. 2?" Toughette chuckled, placing her hands on her hips.

"Yes it is, in fact. But since you like tickling so much…" Hefty said with a sneaky grin.

"You wouldn't." Toughette said nervously, trying to back away from stalking smurf.

"There is no where for you to run to, Toughette. It's time for you to get your just desert."

NO! Hefty… Please, stop!" The tough smurfette tried to back away, but knew in her mind it was pointless. Hefty pounces, grabbing her and starts tickling her. This caused Toughette to squeal and giggle at the same time. Again this made the other smurfs and smurfettes laugh out loud.

"See, I told you this would happen." Astrologette chuckled, looking back at Captain Dreamy.

"It was certainly a good guess." He chuckled.

"Harrumph! Guessing had nothing to do with it. It was all written in the stars." The gypsy smurfette said smugly.

"Amazing." Papa Smurf said in astonishment as he witnessed Hefty slowly releasing Toughette, and the two of them staring lovingly into each other's eyes.

"Yes, I guess it can be." Mama Smurf chuckled.

"Not quite a perfect ending to my story for my 'Daily Report', but close enough." Tattlerette sighed as she wrote down her final note on her pad of paper.

"What kind of ending were you hoping for, Tattlerette?" Mama Smurf asked.

"I'm not sure, Mama Smurf. I was kind of hoping for something with a little bit of romance to it." The redheaded smurfette sighed.

"You don't find this to be romantic enough?" Papa Smurf inquired.

"Ah, no Papa Smurf." Tattlerette chuckled. "My readers would not find arm wrestling as a way to end an adventurous tale. Nope, my readers would actually prefer to take notice in something with more feeling. Like kissing for example, anybody would like to read about a couple kissing."

"I hate kissing." Grouchy snaps from behind her.

With an aggravated growl, Tattlerette turns to the grumpy smurf. 'How would he know about happy endings?' The redheaded smurfette thought. She knows that she has to do something to get him to smurf-up once and for all. That is when a cleaver plan begins to form in her mind.

"Mama Smurf, could you hold these for me please?" She asks her smurfette elder as she hands over her note pad and pencil.

"Sure my young smurfette." Mama Smurf nodded.

"Grouchy Smurf, that is just boring. No one will be interested in knowing that you just 'hate' kissing." Tattlerette says, sauntering her way up to Grouchy. With a mischievous grin, Tattlerette places her hands on his shoulders.

"My readers will be more interested in knowing on what type of kissing does Grouchy hate the most. This type…?"

Grouchy gasps as Tattlerette's soft lips gently touch his cheek. The other smurfs and smurfettes watching try to stifle their giggles.

Tattlerette slowly pulls away from Grouchy's cheek, and grins even wider. "…Or this type?"

By placing a hand on the back of Grouchy's head, she pulls him towards her, enabling her to kiss his lips in a passionately way without him getting away from her. At first Grouchy didn't know what to think of this. He tried to muffle a complaint, but the grip she has on him left him paralyzed. All of a sudden Grouchy is starting showing that he is indeed enjoying the kiss. He brings both of his arms and wraps them around Tattlerette's waist, pulling her in closer.

This shocked everyone, especially the other smurfs. Grouchy never likes anything. Well, not in plain view where there would be witnesses. The kiss started making almost everyone blush as it grew more passionate between him and Tattlerette. Finally Grouchy pulls away from the redheaded smurfette.

"Wow. I think I found the perfect ending to my story." She gasped breathlessly. The redheaded smurfette gives Grouchy a smirk, "Not bad for someone that claims he 'hates' everything." She coos.

"Now that is amazing." Mama Smurf said in disbelief. Papa Smurf nodded with a dumbfounded expression on his face.

"Gosh," Astrologette gasped. "Even the stars would have never predicted that."

"What?" Grouchy snapped at every smurf and smurfette that stared with their jaws hung down.

"Well, there's a love/hate relationship." Toughette smirked. Hefty joins her in a good chuckle.

"I know I said this to you before, Papa Smurf, but this defiantly is a sign of new beginnings for our young smurfs and smurfettes." Mama Smurf said with a smile.

"Yes. It defiantly does." Papa Smurf nodded in agreement.

THE END!

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Well, there is part two of the four part saga to this story. What did you think? I would like to hear from you on your opinions and comments. Keep an eye out for the next story. It is called "How Things Smurf". I promise more surprise is in store for the smurfs and smurfettes, so watch out.

Remember to check out my profile for links to join egroups and to check out the drawings based on the stories I have written on ff .net.

Take care, all…

Raven Child.