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Author
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Topic: "Requiem For Clockwork", an Empath-related mini-story.
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Vic George The ND Guy
Super Smurf
Member # 300
Member Rated:
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posted 04-22-2012 02:15 PM
NOTE: This is considered an alternate ending for "Clockwork's Powerplay" which fits into the EMPATH: The Luckiest Smurf story series event "The Death Of Clockwork Smurf". This takes place less than a year before Empath's final return from Psychelia.
The Smurfs watch through the window of Handy's workshop, seeing the master builder at work trying to see if he could restore his creation and friend. It was like watching a doctor doing emergency surgery on a patient, trying to keep him from dying. They were all eagerly anticipating the diagnosis. Even Tapper, who didn't think a machine like Clockwork Smurf would have a soul, was praying for a miracle to happen, and Duncan, though he wasn't a praying Smurf, was hoping for the same.
But after what seemed to be an hour, Handy just hung his head in great disappointment. "It's just no use," he finally said. "Just about everything inside Clockwork Smurf is totally burned out. There's nothing I can do to resmurf him back to the way he was."
"You did what you could to save him, Handy," Papa Smurf said consolingly. "He was a brave Smurf who risked his life to save ours."
"It's all my fault, Papa Smurf," Brainy said. "If only I haven't smurfed Clockwork Smurf up to Reporter's printing press in the first smurf, he wouldn't have to have been smurfed like this."
"We can't change the past now, Brainy," Papa Smurf said. "We'll all have to live with the fact that Clockwork Smurf may be gone for good."
"No, Papa Smurf," Handy said. "Clockwork Smurf isn't gone for good. If there's a way for me to resmurf him, I'm going to find that way and I'm going to smurf him back good as new, if not even better than before."
"I don't doubt your abilities, Handy," Papa Smurf said. "But we must be careful not to lead the other Smurfs with false hopes, especially Clockwork Smurfette. This may be one instance where you may not be able to smurf Clockwork Smurf back from the dead."
"In the meantime, Papa Smurf, what are we going to do?" Brainy asked.
"We'll just have to tell the other Smurfs the truth, Brainy, as difficult as it may be for them to hear it," Papa Smurf said. "Handy, I'll smurf the telling of Clockwork Smurfette in your hands. I think it would be best if she smurfed this from you."
"Yes, Papa Smurf," Handy said. He, Brainy, and Papa Smurf left the workshop to deal with the Smurfs gathered around outside it to hear the diagnosis.
"Clockwork Smurfette, I'll need to smurf this to you in private," Handy said as she approached him. The mechanical Smurfette understood and went with Handy to hear the news from him alone.
"My dear little Smurfs," Papa Smurf addressed, "Handy has tried his best to save Clockwork Smurf, but I'm afraid that the damaged smurfed to our fellow Smurf may have been too much."
"You mean...Clockwork Smurf is gone for good?" Smurfette asked, sounding fearful.
"I'm afraid so, Smurfette," Papa Smurf said, sounding very heavy.
The news made the other Smurfs feel very sad as they joined Smurfette in mournful crying. "Poor Clockwork Smurf," Sassette wept. "It's all Pappy Gargamel's fault that he's smurfed like this."
"I hate losing Clockwork Smurf," Grouchy said.
"Aye, there's never been a soul like that of Clockwork Smurf," Tapper said. "May he find his peace in the hands of the Almighty."
"I'll miss the laddie's fighting spirit," Duncan said. "I would be honored to have him smurfing at my side in battle."
"I'll make sure Clockwork smurfs a proper obituary in the village newspaper, Papa Smurf," Reporter said, weeping as he was recording the moment in his notebook. "I think he would desmurf no less an honor from his fellow Smurfs."
"Oui, what a brave and noble sacrifice," Painter said. "This inspires me to create my next masteurpiesa in tribute to the late and great Clockwork Smurf."
"And I shall compose 'A Requiem For Clockwork' as my personal tribute," Poet said.
"Pappy Smurf, what's Clockwork Smurfette going to do without Clockwork Smurf?" Sassette bravely asked.
"Yeah, and what about King Gerard?" Snappy asked.
"I'm sure that Handy will handle smurfing the news to them both, my little Smurflings," Papa Smurf said.
In the meantime, Clockwork Smurfette was in tears as she heard from Handy that he couldn't save Clockwork Smurf in his current condition. Though she couldn't voice what she was feeling, Handy knew that it was affecting her greatly.
"I'm not going to abandon Clockwork Smurf," Handy said, trying to comfort her. "His body is just a shell. There may be parts of him that haven't been damaged by the lightning. If there's a way I can smurf him back to life, Clockwork Smurfette, I will find a way to do so. I'm not going to stop until the both of you are reunited again...you have my word on it."
Clockwork Smurfette looked at Handy, understanding and feeling his conviction. She responded with a nod.
"I'm going to smurf you back to King Gerard's castle and we will smurf him the news together," Handy said. "He may not like the fact that he will have to smurf by without his friend and adviser, but I think it's fair that he should know what has smurfened, and that he should have hope in that he will someday have Clockwork Smurf smurf back to him alive."
Clockwork Smurfette tried to communicate her feelings in her own limited mechanical speech patterns which Handy understood.
"We're going to see Clockwork Smurf smurf again someday," Handy responded. "He will be good as new, if not even better than before."
The evening was rather somber at Tapper's Tavern. Every Smurf in it felt the weight of sorrow knowing Clockwork Smurf isn't with them, and nobody felt much like talking.
Tapper saw Brainy sitting at the counter reading through his manuscript. "You seem very troubled, my good Brainy," he commented. "Is there something I can help you with?"
Brainy sighed heavily. "I look through my memoirs and I'm thinking how can I publish them if I know that my attempt at smurfing them using Clockwork Smurf had caused his death, Tapper," he said. "I don't think the world desmurfs to know anything about me now considering what I have done."
"It's a terrible burden to carry such guilt about our friend, Brainy," Tapper said. "But I wouldn't think Clockwork Smurf would want you to not smurf your life story if it truly means everything for you to smurf it. Unless I'm totally mistaken, your tampering with him years ago is what smurfed him life in the first place. And with that life he has touched many other lives as well, including that of King Gerard. He would think that you have smurfed him a great mercy by allowing him to experience that life for himself as a free Smurf instead of just a mechanical puppet."
"But that was just an accident, Tapper," Brainy said. "I never meant to smurf him any kind of life. I just wanted to see how he smurfed, that was all."
"I'm sure that's how you felt, Brainy, but I don't believe that it was just a mere accident," Tapper said.
"Don't tell me you believe this Almighty of yours has smurfed life into Clockwork Smurf, Tapper," Brainy said.
"I'm not saying that it was Him or if it was Him, Brainy, but if Clockwork was meant to be the mechanical Smurf that he became, then how can we question the One who decided this direction for him?" Tapper said. "Anyway, I think that you should publish your memoirs and dedicate them to a friend who smurfed his life to make sure you would continue smurfing yours."
"You really think so?" Brainy said. "Well, then, it looks like I'm going to have to smurf some adjustments to talk about my role in Clockwork Smurf's life. After all, how could he ever have a life if I didn't smurf a part in it?"
Tapper smiled. "Now that smurfs like the Brainy Smurf that I know and love."
The following day in the Smurf Village, the Smurfs gathered together to pay their last respects to Clockwork Smurf, with Handy and Clockwork Smurfette not attending for their own personal reasons. Narrator delivered the eulogy while various Smurfs told of the times when Clockwork Smurf helped them not because they asked him to or that they forced him to, but simply because he wanted to. They fondly remembered all the times their mechanical friend helped them out of danger, how through him they escaped Gargamel, how through him they protected their forest from being destroyed by loggers. Tapper had Duncan, Twanger, Fiddler, and Piper play an appropriate funeral song for Clockwork Smurf so that they will know that while he isn't with them anymore, he will always be with them in spirit.
A few days later, Papa Smurf came to visit Handy in his workshop, for nobody has seen him come out since he returned Clockwork Smurfette to King Gerard's castle.
"What is it, Papa Smurf?" Handy asked.
"I'm just simply checking up on you, since your fellow Smurfs are worried," Papa Smurf said. "Are you sure you're feeling all right?"
"I'll be fine, Papa Smurf," Handy said. "I'm just beginning to get some ideas on how I can start resmurfing Clockwork Smurf."
"You're really certain that you can smurf Clockwork Smurf back to life?" Papa Smurf asked.
"Not everything is damaged, Papa Smurf," Handy said. "His brain is the only thing left that I have managed to salvage. I just want to make sure that the job is smurfed right this time. There were a lot of things that I never considered when I first smurfed Clockwork Smurf, and one of them was how he ever smurfed to life to begin with."
"You are the best builder and inventor in the history of the Smurfs, Handy," Papa Smurf said. "If anyone can make Clockwork Smurf a better mechanical Smurf, I'm certain that you're the Smurf who's able to do it."
"Thanks, Papa Smurf," Handy said, smiling. "I believe Clockwork Smurf will expect nothing less than the best from me."
"And if Clockwork Smurf was able to speak, he would surely thank you for it, Handy," Papa Smurf said, smiling back.
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VIC GEORGE -- Westfield, MA, USA
"Cat and mouse games really aren't much fun for us mouse types" -- Empath from "Empath The Bandit Smurf"
Posts: 4103 | From: Westfield, MA | Registered: Mar 2003
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Amy Sue Smurfette
Nurturer Smurf / The Odd Smurf
Member # 4050
Member Rated:
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posted 04-22-2012 06:41 PM
very smurfy but very tragic i absosmurfly love it sad as it is fine work Vic as usual :-)
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we're all someone's little fangirl.
Posts: 903 | From: fah fah aweeey... | Registered: Oct 2011
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Vic George The ND Guy
Super Smurf
Member # 300
Member Rated:
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posted 04-23-2012 02:38 AM
It is very tragic, but it does lead to his being built into his comic book form with the water-squirting hat in "Monkey On Your Smurf".
Anyway, here's what comic book Clockwork Smurf looks like:
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VIC GEORGE -- Westfield, MA, USA
"Cat and mouse games really aren't much fun for us mouse types" -- Empath from "Empath The Bandit Smurf"
Posts: 4103 | From: Westfield, MA | Registered: Mar 2003
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Amy Sue Smurfette
Nurturer Smurf / The Odd Smurf
Member # 4050
Member Rated:
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posted 04-23-2012 06:27 AM
that's very cute :-D
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we're all someone's little fangirl.
Posts: 903 | From: fah fah aweeey... | Registered: Oct 2011
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Squeaky Smurf
Hering Smurf
Member # 2416
Member Rated:
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posted 06-29-2012 07:07 PM
Smurfy, sad and very well done work, Vic. ![[Frown]](frown.gif)
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Keep on always smurfin'!!
Posts: 7507 | From: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | Registered: Jul 2008
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