Epilogue

Archer pushed the wheelsmurfer through the village to its outskirts, stopping at the headstones that rested there. She came a halt at the second one, pulling the brake on the wheelsmurfer so it didn't roll anywhere. She smoothed out her skirt and tank top before moving to the side of the wheeled chair, looking down at its occupant. She was a young Smurfling girl, only 50 years old. She wore white Smurf pants with a blue kilt over the top like her father; instead of a shirt she had a red strip of cloth over her chest, like her mother used to wear; her Smurf hat was blue-gray and made of wool, like her aunt's. One of her sapphire blue eyes was tinged with lavender and the other tinged with silver; she had her father's rusty auburn hair with streaks of black, cut short-cropped like her aunt's hair. Her sky blue skin was flawless, minus the three diagonal lines that went from her left temple to her right jawbone, a scar from a wound given to her as a baby. A small genie floated near her shoulder, her constant companion.

"Ready, Little Luna?" Archer asked her daughter.

Luna II smiled. "Yes Mama."

Archer smiled and approached the tombstone. She knelt in front of it and pressed a hand to the ground in front of it, summoning a cluster of daisies. She bowed her head, sent up a silent prayer, and then stood and turned to walk off.

"Go on, Luna dear." Archer encouraged as she walked a few feet away.

Luna II nodded and leaned closer towards the headstone. "Hey there Uncle Alchemist. It's me, Luna Smurfette II."

"And me, Mastuh Alchemist!" Gourdy said excitedly.

Luna II giggled and returned her gaze to Alchemist's gravestone. "So I'm here for our annual talk. You won't believe what Sister Sassette smurfed yesterday….."

So she continued to talk about everything that happened in the past year. From Camper's bullying moments to Grandpapa teaching her magic, everything seemed like a special occasion in Luna II's eyes, and she told it all to Alchemist once a year: on the anniversary of his death.

"And then…." Luna II and Gourdy struggled to contain their laughter. "Uncle Brainy smurfed in a pinch too much dried smurfroot powder and it exploded!" Gourdy suddenly fell out of the air and hit the ground, holding his hurting stomach as he laughed. Luna II held her as well, wiping the tears from her eyes. "I wish you could've been there; it was smurftastic." She smiled warmly at her uncle's tombstone. "You know, Uncle Alchemist, whenever I ask about you, the Smurfs tell me all sortsa things. Like that you're brave and strong and smurfily smart. Sometimes, I ask Grandpapa to smurf me the story of how you died; I know I've heard it plenty of times before, but I guess I still don't really understand. I mean, you sacrificed yourself to smurf me home. I used to think that maybe you shouldn't have; that you should've left me at Balthazar's and saved yourself. I mean…..the Smurfs really miss you Uncle Alchemist. But I think I understand why you smurfed what you smurfed. It's because you loved me. And when you love somebody you do what you can do protect them. That's what Grandpapa and Papa taught me.

"So I'm not gonna be sad, Uncle Alchemist. I'll always remember you, and I love our yearly talks. I know you're smurfing an eye on me, and I'll always be grateful for that." She smiled warmly, her eyes sparkling. "I love you, Uncle Alchemist."

Luna II blinked in surprise when she heard sniffling and leaned over the side of her wheelsmurfer to see Gourdy bawling his eyes out. "Oh Mistruss Luna! That was so sweet!"

Luna II laughed and opened her arms, allowing Gourdy to fly into them. She held him close, rocking him a little like a baby. "It's okay, Gourdy. No more crying. Let's smurf home." Gourdy smiled and nodded, floating up to take his place by Luna II's shoulder. Luna II unlocked the brakes on her wheelsmurfer and turned it around to roll towards her mother.

"Hey Archer! Hey Looney Luna!"

Archer rolled her eyes and turned as Vexy came up the path. "Really Vexy? 'Looney Luna'?"

"I don't mind, Mama." Luna II giggled. "I am a bit looney."

Vexy laughed as she came up to them. "And how is my favorite niece?"

"Ha ha." Luna II smirked. "I'm your only neice."

"Ergo, my favorite." Vexy reasoned. "How was your chat with Alchemist?"

"Smurftasitc!" Luna II said happily. "Just got done."

"Good." Vexy nodded. "Papa keeps talking about going to the beach and it sounds like a smurf of a good time."

"Yeah, let's smurf!" Luna II agreed.

"It is rather warm today." Archer nodded. "Come on. I wanna stop by my mushroom for my swimsuit."

"We better hurry." Vexy said. "We gotta find a good spot so the boys' cannonball contests don't shower us."

Archer and Vexy laughed as they walked off towards the village. Luna II and Gourdy followed close behind. But then, Luna II felt something hold her back and she stopped. Gourdy looked back with a concerned expression.

"You okay, Mistruss?" Gourdy asked.

"I'm fine." Luna II nodded with a smile. "You smurf off ahead. I'll catch up." Gourdy nodded a little and floated after Archer and Vexy. Luna II turned her wheelsmurfer and smiled at two ghostly figures behind her. "Hey Uncle Alchemist. Hi Grandmama." She whispered, waving small. Her deceased relatives returned the gesture, smiling warmly. Then, they were gone, with only a soft wind blowing against Luna II's face like they caressed her cheeks lovingly. She sighed through her nose with a happy smile.

"Hey Looney Luna!" Vexy called. "You coming?"

"Yes Auntie V!" Luna II called. "I'm coming!" She smiled skyward one last time before rolling off.