The Smurfs and the Foxfire (Hero Stories)/Part 1

Hero's Journal: September 15th (dawn)

"This entry will be short and sweet. Firstly, not much has smurfed in the village since we cured Smurfette of her cat problems and Wonder has been smurfing me tiny gestures about smurfing our marriage to the next step, she showed me a set of booties that would fit a baby Smurf. In all honesty, I would love to smurf a child with Wonder, but I feel like I'm not mentally ready to become a Papa Smurf myself just yet; but I will become one eventually. Anyway, I've got a years worth of training to do today, better get prepared and head down into my training chamber."

... It was an early morning, and Hero was in his house writing a note using only the light from a nearby candle. He was dressed in an orange karate gi with a black belt tied around the waist. All the while, his wife, Wonder, was still in a deep sleep in the bed next to him. He looked at her and smile, for in his mind he couldn't believe that he was married to a beautiful and caring Smurfette for what would be thirteen years.

Once Hero had finished writing his note, he folded it and placed on the bedside table next to Wonder. He gave her a slight peck on her cheek before leaving the house. He headed round to the side and opened two doors with a staircase heading down towards several white rooms; but before he headed down to undergo his heavy training, he placed a 'DO NOT DISTURB' sign next to the doors. He closed the doors behind him and headed down into his training chamber.

Once the sun rose over the forest, Harmony sounded his horn to awaken the Smurfs for breakfast. Wonder rose up from the bed and gave a big yawn.

"Good morning, Hero!" she tiredly greeted, but there was no reply. "Hero? Where are you?"

She looked around and noticed the letter on her bedside table, she opened it and began to read what was written on it. She knew it was Hero's handwriting and he stated that he wouldn't partake in any activities for the day as he was going to use his chamber to undergo heavy training, and he would leave his Guardian duties to her for the day. Wonder then got out of bed, she picked out a clean set of undergarments and a clean dress; but not before having a morning shower before putting them on.

After Wonder had her shower and was appropriately dressed, she headed off towards the dining hall for breakfast, where she joined up with Clumsy, who was at the back of the line with no one to talk with. Though unbeknownst to everyone, two Smurfs had slept right through Harmony's horn and hadn't awakened for breakfast.

"Good morning!" Wonder said, greeting him as she arrived.

"Good morning, Wonder!" Clumsy answered with an innocent smile. "All set for breakfast?"

"Of course I am, Clumsy," Wonder replied with a smile of her own.

Clumsy soon noticed that Hero wasn't with her, "Eh, gosh, where's Hero?" he asked her innocently.

"He won't be joining us today, Clumsy," Wonder answered.

"Why? Is there something wrong?" Clumsy asked again, sounding a little concerned.

"There's nothing to worry about, Clumsy," Wonder politely answered. "Hero's just smurfing sometime in his training chamber, that's all."

Soon, Greedy opened the dining hall and every Smurf went inside and to have their breakfast. Many of the Smurfs had porridge, each with their own additions to give it more flavor. Wonder had smurfberries, a small drop of honey and a sprinkle of sugar in her porridge. Fergus had honey along with a sprinkle of salt in his porridge, Wonder could only wonder how he could eat such a combination.

"How can you smurf salt in your porridge, Fergus?" Wonder asked after finishing a spoonful of her porridge. "It must taste disgusting."

"You would think that, lassie," Fergus answered. "But the taste is rather pleasant, I've always smurfed salt in my porridge, ever since I was a wee Smurfling."

"I'd rather just smurf with sugar in my porridge, thank you very much," Wonder insisted.

"That's your choice, lassie," Fergus said. "But a true Smurfsman will always smurf salt in his porridge."

"Does Hawkeye smurf salt in his porridge?" Wonder asked.

"Of course he does, lass," Fergus replied. "He is a Smurfsman after all."

Just then, Papa Smurf stood up at the end of the table to make an important announcement.

"My little Smurfs!" he began. "Today is a very smurfy day! It's the day of the..." he soon noticed that Hero wasn't with them. "Wonder! Where's Hero?"

"Hero won't be smurfing with us today, Papa Smurf," Wonder replied, holding Hero's letter up with one hand. "He'll be smurfing the day in his training chamber, so he's left his Guardian duties to me."

"Can I read the letter?" Papa Smurf asked. Wonder got out of her chair and walked to the far end of the table and gave the letter to Papa Smurf, who opened it and began to read what it said. "Right! That's fine, as long as I know where he is."

"What were you going to smurf, Papa Smurf?" Brainy asked. "Something important."

"Oh yes!" Papa Smurf answered. "Today is the day of the Firefly Festival, and I need you all to decorate the village in time for the festivities, for later we will have our Foxfire lottery to choose who will be the Foxfire Smurf."

All the Smurfs clapped and cheered before Papa Smurf raised his hand to quiet them.

"When the Foxfire Smurf is chosen, they must travel to the Great Swamp and light a special torch with the Foxfire flame." Papa Smurf continued. "But they must be very careful as to not put out the foxfire."

"Why's that, Papa Smurf?" Hefty asked.

"It will awaken the Marsh Monster," Papa Smurf answered sternly.

All the Smurfs muttered among themselves, some feeling rather fearful of being chosen as the Foxfire Smurf.

"Anyway, finish up your breakfast and get started, my little Smurfs!" Papa Smurf said. "There's so much work to smurf today."

"Yes, Papa Smurf," all the Smurfs answered.

As every Smurf left the dining hall, the two Smurfs who slept in approached and wondered what was going on, they were Pushover and Panicky Smurf. It soon occurred to them that they had just missed breakfast and only a small amount of food was left, so they quickly went inside and had something to at least see them through to lunch before going about their business.

Soon, every Smurf was hard at work preparing the village for the Firefly Festival, several Smurfs were sweeping the village to make it nice and clean, others were bringing rocks and wood to Handy and his group to make the stage for the band to play the music that evening.

Grouchy was one of the Smurfs sweeping the village, he felt really annoyed about being given a job as one of the sweepers.

"I hate sweeping!" he angrily said to himself as he sweeped near the village well, before Smurfette arrived with an empty bucket in her hand while singing the Smurf song.

"Hi, Grouchy!" she greeted with a smile. "I can hardly wait for the big Firefly Festival to begin tonight, can you?"

"I hate Firefly Festivals!" Grouchy answered in his usual 'I hate' attitude.

to be expanded later.