Disclaimer: I do not own the Smurfs. Please don't sue me or steal my story. Thanks!

What? Why are you looking at me like that? Smurfs are cute! They're small, blue, they have tails—they're like Bamfs with morals! And they have loads of personality. Come on, give it a chance. And please, tell me what you think!

Smurfette's Decision
By Rowena

Chapter One

"Has anysmurf seen Smurfette?" called Painter as he ran excitedly towards the clearing in the center of Smurf Village. He was carrying with him several sloppy buckets of colored paint (each impaled with its own brush), his ever-present easel, and a large square of canvas.

"I have been struck with inspiration, and I simply must paint!" he continued, screeching to a halt beside a small gathering of Smurfs. His excitement caused his thick, French accent to be even more pronounced than usual.

"So, paint" said Brainy, unimpressed with Painter's ebullient display of enthusiasm. "What do you need Smurfette for?"

Painter grinned broadly. "She is to be my model! The smurfiest vision in all of Smurfdom!"

Brainy straightened, puffing out his chest pompously as if getting ready to deliver a lecture. "Well, I'm sorry Painter, but Smurfette's not here. Papa Smurf asked for a volunteer to take a fresh batch of his special egg-laying spell to Prince Theodore, and Smurfette asked to go. She shouldn't be back for a while yet."

Painter seemed to deflate on the spot. "But, then, what shall I paint? Without the presence of the lovely Smurfette, I cannot work! My inspiration, she has fled!"

"I have a suggestion, Painter," said Brainy, straightening his thick, black-rimmed glasses. "If you want to paint the portrait of a truly inspirational Smurf, then why not paint me, Brainy Smurf, possessor of the most inspirational brain in the history of Smurfdom!"

Painter growled, his face clenching in anger. "Oh, Brainy Smurf, sometimes you make me so mad!"

He came forward and, dropping his easel, gave Brainy a swift, sharp kick in the pants. Brainy went flying into the air, followed closely by a startled yelp. He landed on his head some feet outside the village. Rolling slowly to an upright sitting position, Brainy straightened his glasses with a glum moan.

"Well, it was only a suggestion," he grumped.

At that moment, a cheerfully whistled Smurf tune wafted its way to Brainy's blue ears. Recognizing the whistle at once as Papa Smurf's, Brainy jumped to his feet, brushing the dust and clinging grass from his white pants and floppy cap. He didn't want Papa Smurf to find him in such an undignified state. Before he had quite finished beating at his knees, Papa Smurf appeared from out of the forest, his rucksack stuffed with fresh herbs for his laboratory and a sturdy hiking stick in his hand.

"Good afternoon, Brainy," said Papa Smurf with a large smile. "And, what are you doing out here? I thought I'd told you to take care of the village."

"Well, I was, Papa Smurf," said Brainy, thinking fast. "I came out here only just now, to wait for you." He didn't want to let Papa Smurf know that he had, once again, been unceremoniously tossed out of the village by an irate fellow Smurf. It was far too embarrassing.

Papa Smurf was suddenly concerned. "Why, is something wrong?"

Brainy was startled. "What? Oh, no Papa Smurf! I just wanted to meet you, that's all."

He saw Papa Smurf steal a suspicious glance at his hat and his knees. Brainy felt his insides freeze up. He knew! He prayed he wouldn't say anything.

"Well, that was a very smurfy thought, Brainy," Papa Smurf said, smiling again-this time with kind understanding. The breath Brainy had been holding came out in a whoosh of pure relief.

"Oh, well, it was a kind of smurf of the moment kind of thing, you know, Papa Smurf."

Papa Smurf nodded, then gestured for Brainy to accompany him back to the village. Brainy trotted eagerly along beside him.

"Has Smurfette returned from Prince Theodore's kingdom yet?" asked Papa Smurf.

"No, not yet," Brainy replied. "I've been watching out for Feathers all day. She should be back soon, though."

No sooner had he finished speaking than the shadow of a large, long-necked bird flew across their path. Brainy looked up.

"See, Papa Smurf," he said, "there she is now!"

He and Papa Smurf rushed to meet the gracefully landing crane and the golden-haired Smurfette perched comfortably on its broad, feathery back. As they approached, a small crowd of Smurfs came out to join them.

"Welcome back, Smurfette!" they chorused happily.

"Hi, Feathers!" came a small voice. Natural Smurfling detached his small frame from the crowd. Feathers lowered its long neck for Nat to stroke. He winked at the large bird. "You come with me after this and I'll get you a smurfy treat, all right?"

Feathers nodded conspiratorially.

While Nat was talking to the kindly crane, Smurfette slipped off its back.

"Here's the empty flask, Papa Smurf," she said, rather listlessly it seemed. "Theo sends his everlasting gratitude."

"Theo is a good friend," said Papa Smurf, looking at the slouching young Smurfette with concerned eyes. "Smurfette," he said, "is there something the matter?"

Smurfette gave a small start, then seemed to droop even further. "No, Papa Smurf. I'm fine. Everything's just smurfy!"

Suddenly, to everysmurf's surprise, Smurfette burst into a flood of tears. She pushed through the concerned crowd and ran for her mushroom house, leaping over her flower patch as she went. The gathered Smurfs all gave a small jump at the sound of her door slamming behind her.

"Oh my," said Papa Smurf. "I wonder what could possibly be the matter."

"Do you think something's wrong with Prince Theodore, Papa Smurf?" asked Brainy in a rather less pretentious tone than usual.

Papa Smurf knitted his eyebrows. "I don't know. I've never seen Smurfette this upset before."

Papa Smurf left the crowd of confused Smurfs and knocked softly on Smurfette's door.

"Smurfette?" he asked cautiously. "May I come in?"

The muffled sobs within grew louder. Papa Smurf found himself at something of a loss. Smurfette was the only female Smurf in the village—besides Sassette, but she was still a Smurfling. Smurfette had not been one of Papa Smurf's original group, rather the malicious failed wizard, Gargamel, had created her to spread discord and enmity among his little Smurfs. In those days, she had been purple, with short, raven black hair. However, Smurfette had proved to have such a kind, smurfy nature that Papa Smurf had adopted her into the village, transforming her into a true, blue Smurf. But, despite all the years he'd now known her, despite her bravery and sweetness, intelligence and kindness, her reactions to certain things still confused him at times and he found himself unsure as to how to help her.

"Are you all right, Smurfette?" he asked in as gentle a voice as he could manage.

There were a few loud sniffles, then a louder blow. After a brief pause, during which Papa Smurf considered that it might be best if he left, Smurfette's door opened a small crack. When the glittering eye behind it saw Papa Smurf was alone, the door opened wide enough to let him in.

Papa Smurf entered cautiously. Smurfette had flung herself over her bed, her long, normally impeccably brushed golden hair flying around her in a mad tangle. Her eyes were puffed and her nose runny. She was clutching a limp handkerchief. Papa Smurf was startled at her appearance.

"Dear Smurfette!" he cried, sitting beside her on the bed. "Please, tell me what's wrong! How can I help"

Smurfette sobbed a few times, then blew hard into her damp handkerchief. A few shaky breaths later, she was able to speak.

"Oh, Papa Smurf," she cried. "I don't know what's wrong with me"

Papa Smurf was more concerned than ever. "What do you mean?"

Smurfette sniffled again. "Well, this morning I was so happy to go visit dear Prince Theodore! He is surely the smurfiest human in all the world! He's so handsome and brave, and he has such large, dreamy eyes! But, when I got to his castle, I saw it was all decorated, as if for a party. It was such a beautiful sight, Papa Smurf! There were flowers and garlands everywhere! When Feathers landed outside Theo's window and he let me in, he was so happy to see me! We spent the smurfiest half hour, just talking and laughing about recent events. Then, I asked what all the flowers and decorations were for. He was so excited! He told me he had a new fiancée, one who truly loved him this time, not like that horrible Lady Jasmine who only wanted to marry him for his money! This was the Lady Xolynda. She comes from a very distant kingdom across the sea. They met at a ball seven months ago and they've been keeping in touch by letter since then. Today is the day Lady Xolynda is coming to visit, and tomorrow she and Theo plan to announce their engagement to the whole kingdom!"

"But, Smurfette, this sounds like wonderful news," said Papa Smurf. "Why, then, are you so sad?"

Smurfette started to sob again. "I-I don't know, Papa Smurf! I know I should be happy for Theodore! He's always wanted to marry a smurfy girl like Xolynda. But, I'm not! When he told me, it was like all the happiness had been smurfed right out of me! I tried to smile and laugh, for his sake, but inside I felt so horrible! He was so excited about Xolynda's visit, though, that he didn't notice. I think I would have smurfed if he had! Oh, Papa Smurf!" She collapsed into tears again, burying her face in her pillow.

Papa Smurf patted her golden head gently. He felt now that he understood exactly what was bothering her. "There, there, Smurfette. There's nothing wrong with you."

Smurfette sniffled messily against her arm, then looked up. "There isn't?"

Papa Smurf favored her with a small smile. "No. It's just that, I think you care more for Prince Theodore than you realized. When you heard he was planning to get married, perhaps you feared that he would no longer care for you."

Smurfette sat up, eyes wide. "Do you really think that's all, Papa Smurf?"

Papa Smurf chuckled behind his bushy, white beard. "Smurfette, our friends don't stop caring for us just because they've fallen in love. There are many different kinds of love, more than enough to go around. Theodore thinks of you as a dear friend, just as you think of him. He will never stop caring for you, or valuing your friendship. After all, you were the one who rescued him from the curse the evil magician Morlock used to turn him into a frog and take over his kingdom!"

Smurfette gave a small, distant smile. "Yes, I suppose I did. I kissed his dear little frog face, then suddenly, there he stood, tall and handsome and ever so determined. Theo said then that I was the one who loved him the most. He said he wished I were human too." Her voice was as distant as her smile. Suddenly, Papa Smurf was concerned again. Perhaps, Smurfette's love for Theodore ran even deeper than he'd thought…

"I would recommend that you get some sleep, Smurfette," Papa Smurf advised, a bit anxiously. "You've had a long journey and an emotional day. You should feel much smurfier after a long night's rest."

Smurfette nodded, rather absently. She seemed preoccupied by her thoughts. "Yes, Papa Smurf," she said. "Thank you for your help."

After several concerned backward glances, Papa Smurf left Smurfette alone with her memories and dreams.

To Be Continued...