Eska's Christmas Party (The Devereaux Story)/Chapter 7

After walking a mile, Cerise pointed to a sickly looking tree, "There it is!" As she hopped down Johan's shoulders, the others looked at the tree and found no one there.

"Uh...are we meeting them here or...?" Johan wondered.

Just then, like a switch, Cerise's cheery personality faded into a melancholy sigh as she pulled out the two stones. Eska then realized what she was doing as she watched Cerise set the two stones against the tree. She then noticed that Cerise was about to cry.

"Cerise, what's wrong?" Peewit asked, "Aren't we meeting your parents here?"

Cerise looked up with a sad look in her eyes, "Guys....my parents are dead." The news put them all in shock as they gasped.

"You mean...we walked out here...for nothing?!" Johan asked in frustration.

"I'm sorry," Cerise stood up with tears in her eyes, "I just didn't want to upset you all...and me. I knew they were dead because the cold..." Suddenly, Cerise burst into tears as she ran to give Peewit a hug. Peewit returned her hug and comforted her while she shed her tears.

"I'm sorry!" Cerise apologized, "I'm been nothing but a nuisance."

"Nuisance?!" Julia replied, "Cerise, you are the most talented person I've ever met!"

"Yea!" Johan agreed, "You beat Eska's dark version!"

"Agreed!" Eska added, "And if anyone should be sorry, it's me. I was so selfish in finding my own parents, that I didn't consider your feelings first. I know how hard it is to just lose them. I should help you, not hurt you. It's just...this is my first Christmas without my parents."

"You didn't hurt anyone, Eska," Cerise let Eska climb into her hand, "This is my first Christmas too. We'll get through this...together."

"You know," Julia smiled, "We can't leave you alone, Cerise. You being that age. So, if you want, we Forest Scouts can take you in and teach you to become a Forest Scout in Training. What do you say?"

As the others anticipated her answer, Cerise smiled, "Yes! I would love to! And then, I'll have a family again!"

Later on, back in the Smurf Village, Eska sat on her mushroom as she watched her fellow Smurf friends dancing along the Christmas tree and eating the feast Baker prepared with the help of Eccentric. She watched as Spiro walked over to Smurfette and asked for a kiss under the mistletoe, which her gladly giving it. The feeling of Christmas made her happy, but her empty feeling still remained.

"Um...Eska?" Benny's voice turned her face red.

"Uh, I, hey, Benny!" She awkwardly waved, "Uh...you wanna sit here?"

"Sure," Benny sat next to her and fiddled with his thumbs, "So...interesting thing happened. Your Dark self kinda...snapped at me a bit."

"Oh no!" Eska facepalmed herself, "You probably hate me now since.....that."

"Not really actually," Benny coyly smiled, "I knew it wasn't you. You're always nice to me."

"Yea," Eska agreed, "But I would NEVER do that, even if I was mad at everyone else! I feel like such a doofus, going after my own desires to find my parents on Christmas. Speaking of which, I didn't."

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that," Benny sighed, "...I wish I can do something...I wish I had some superpower or something to find them or...do anything...I feel so bad."

Eska smiled, "There's nothing you can do, Benny, but thank you." She blushed, "Yea! You....nice!"

"Thanks," Benny blushed back, "You are too! Now...um....maybe I can offer you a dance tonight? Maybe?"

"Uh...yea!" Eska smiled awkwardly, "Maybe! I mean...yea! I mean..."

Benny hopped down and offered a hand to her. Eska chuckled nervously as she took it and let Benny lead her out to the dance floor. This Christmas, even without her parents, turned out to be the best Christmas ever.

Meanwhile, back at the Wasteland of Darkness, the ashes of Dark Eska were suddenly caught in the wind, which blew over to a menacing-looking castle. A hand grabbed on to these ashes, which belonged to Lord Balthazar, and brought them into his castle. As he looked through these ashes, he smiled evilly,

"...Perfect."

The End

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