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Author
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Topic: "Empath's Wedding" -- the full story
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Vic George The ND Guy
Super Smurf
Member # 300
Member Rated:
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posted 10-16-2021 06:16 AM
Here's the full write-up of the EMPATH: The Luckiest Smurf story "Empath's Wedding".
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Chapter 1
The story takes place about a month or so after Empath's 160th birthday, in which they celebrated his tenth anniversary of being home from Psychelia. The day began pretty normally for the Smurfs as they did their daily routines, with Hefty supervising the activity, Polaris Psyche doing his security patrols, and Empath overseeing it all. Nothing was really out of the ordinary, though there a poem recital by Poet that a small crowd of Smurfs had gathered around to hear.
"This is my latest epic, ladies and gentlesmurfs. It's called 'Time And Tide'," he announced before he began:
As time and tide passes,
As the years keep smurfing by,
We will someday smurf back and notice
How it all smurfed with a sigh.
It has all smurfed just like yesterday
Between the now and then,
And with each new moment that we smurf,
We will never smurf it again.
So make the best of the time you smurf
And smurf it for the best
For what will smurf in the years to smurf,
Oh, we can only guess.
But when you smurf the end of time,
May you not smurf back in lament
For our life is but a smurfing treasure
That must be smurfly spent.
Every Smurf sighed as they heard the poem, feeling as if Poet's words have resonated in their hearts with whatever they were thinking about. So did Empath and Smurfette.
As they walked off after the recital, Smurfette said, "That poem got me thinking, Empath, about all the years we smurfed together as friends, and yet now we feel much closer than that."
"This smurf shares the same sentiment, Smurfette," Empath said. "With all that we have went through both together and separately, this smurf cannot bear the thought of living another ten years wondering what's going to happen to us."
"You sound like you want something more than what we smurf right now, Empath," Smurfette said.
"Could you honestly think of living another ten years right now as we are?" Empath asked. "That this will be all we will ever have between us?"
"Honestly, Empath, I've been wanting something more myself, but with all my fellow Smurfs, I just haven't smurfed up the courage to realize this for myself," Smurfette said.
"Smurfette, you've been a very good friend to this smurf," Empath said. "You've helped this smurf to become the Smurf that I am now, and I hope that you will continue to be there for me as my guide and companion, because this smurf cannot do this alone." He then laughed nervously as he felt that what he said wasn't exactly what he wanted to say. "What this smurf really meant to say is that...well...you know..."
"Empath, whatever you have to say, just say it," Smurfette said.
Empath was going to say something next when he heard a scream inside his head. It was the Smurflings. They were crying for help. And it was urgent.
"Smurfette, will you marry me?" Empath blurted out.
"What?" Smurfette asked, surprised by the bluntness.
Empath gave Smurfette a quick kiss. "This smurf must respond to a distress call. You can think about what you will say for an answer while this smurf takes care of the matter."
And as Smurfette watched Empath fly off into the forest, she was saying to herself, "He asked me to marry him!"
Meanwhile, the Smurflings were sinking in a mire of quicksand that was in a deep pit. "I told you we should have waited for Tracker and Granpda Smurf," Nat said.
"Greasy grimy gopher holes, we can't smurf our way out of this pit," Sassette said.
"Great," Snappy said. "This is not how I wanted to end my camping trip."
"I only hope that they and Puppy can smurf here quick," Slouchy said.
They continued to cry for help until finally they found themselves rising from the pit. They knew who had come to rescue them. It was Empath.
"What smurfed you so long to get here?" Snappy said.
"Ah, don't mind him, Empath, he's just happy to smurf you again," Slouchy said.
"This smurf is glad to come to your rescue again," Empath said, before he paused and just stared at them.
"Empath, what's wrong?" Nat asked, sounding concerned.
Empath had a feeling that he had been through this moment before. Except that instead of four young Smurflings, there were three adult Smurfs that called themselves Nat, Snappy, and Slouchy whom he had rescued. And there were a lot of other things that happened in which time seemed to go crazy and that there were an infinite number of Smurfs appearing in the village. But now none of it has ever happened. It didn't make any sense to Empath why he would remember something like that.
"Oh, it's nothing, Nat," Empath said. "Just wondering what you young Smurfs would look like when you're older."
"Like that's anything new," Snappy said. "The grown-ups are always in a hurry for us to grow up."
Then came the sound of barking as Puppy approached with Tracker and Grandpa Smurf. "There you are, you young grandsmurfs," the elderly Smurf said. "I have warned you not to rush off like that and to wait for us, but no, you had to smurf yourself into danger, and we have nearly lost you if it weren't for Empath."
"Sorry, Grandpa Smurf," Snappy said sheepishly for all four of them.
"It was a such a jolly good time on our camping trip, Empath," Tracker said. "I would regale you with the events that have transmurfed along our journey if you would kindly escort us home."
"That would be this smurf's pleasure, Tracker," Empath said as they started off together.
Polaris Psyche noticed Smurfette standing near the path to the woods all by herself. "Salutations, fellow Smurfette," he greeted. "May this one ask what you are waiting for at this location?"
"Oh, just Tracker, Grandpa Smurf, and the Smurflings smurfing home from their camping trip," Smurfette answered. "They have been gone for over a week and I just want to make sure they smurfed home safe."
"This one senses that they are not the only ones you are waiting for, Smurfette," Polaris said. "If indeed you were truly waiting for the others to come home."
Smurfette sighed. "Okay, Polaris, the truth is is that I'm waiting for Empath, because he has asked me a very important question."
"And this important question requires for you to wait for his return to the village so that you may deliver your answer," Polaris said.
"Exactly," Smurfette said. "I'm just so eager to tell him that I just can't wait!"
"You may not have to wait for long, Smurfette," Polaris said. "This one is detecting his presence approaching this location with several other Smurfs and Puppy."
And soon enough, Smurfette saw Empath enter the village with Tracker, Grandpa Smurf, the Smurflings, and Puppy. The young Smurfs looked like they got into a bit of trouble on their way home that Empath managed to get them out of. But nonetheless, all of them were happy and busy talking with each other, with Empath listening to the tales of what went on during the camping trip.
"Empath! Smurfs! You're home again!" Smurfette greeted as she approached them.
"Oh, this is so cool," Snappy said. "We have Smurfette greeting our arrival!"
"I think I died and smurfed to heaven," Slouchy said.
"You Smurflings and your thoughts of Smurfette are just so ridiculous," Sassette said.
"Well, growing young Smurflings like us can dream of things like this, Sassette," Nat said, with Snappy and Slouchy snickering.
But then as the Smurflings watched, Smurfette embraced Empath and kissed him. "Hello, Empath. I have finally smurfed my answer."
"Salutations to you too, Smurfette!" Empath said, smiling. "And what is your answer?"
"That I would like to known as Mrs. Empath Smurf," Smurfette replied.
"So is that a yes?" Empath asked.
"Smurfs like a yes to me, Empath," Slouchy said, sounding rather sly.
"Jumping junebugs! You two are finally going to be married?" Sassette shouted.
"YES!" Snappy said, shouting with his fist thrust into the air.
"Consmurfulations, Empath and Smurfette," Nat said. "I knew you two would finally smurf the knot together."
"Well, I'll be a smurf's uncle," Grandpa Smurf said. "I never thought I'd live to smurf the day when two of my best grandsmurfs would choose to be married."
Tracker just simply stood there in shock, as did Polaris Psyche for a moment. "So that was what Smurfette was waiting to tell Empath upon his return," he finally said.
"Oh, this is just so exciting," Smurfette said, turning to each of the Smurfs nearby. "Empath smurfed the question, and I said yes. We have to tell all our fellow Smurfs about this!"
"Smurfette, don't you think we should talk to Papa Smurf about our decision first?" Empath asked. "This smurf isn't sure how the rest of the village will receive this particular bit of news."
"This is just too important to wait, Empath," Smurfette said. "We can let Papa Smurf in on the news after we smurf it to the rest of the Smurfs. I'm sure he wouldn't mind the surprise."
"Well, what are you waiting for, Empath?" Snappy said. "Let them know that you and Smurfette are going to smurf the knot!"
The other three Smurflings were encouraging Empath to go ahead and spread the news.
"Okay, Smurfette, we'll smurf this together," Empath said. "Polaris, you go tell Papa Smurf about this decision that we have made and have him join the other Smurfs around the speaking mushroom."
"This one acknowledges, Empath," Polaris said before he headed off.
"Empath, I don't think smurfing into things like smurfing a wedding announcement is the right thing to do," Grandpa Smurf said.
"I know, Grandpa Smurf," Empath said. "It's just after ten years of waiting, this smurf feels like that this smurf can no longer afford the luxury of more time. This moment is just as important to this smurf as it is to Smurfette. This smurf wants to be there to let the other Smurfs know as soon as possible what's going to happen."
Grandpa Smurf sighed, realizing that he wasn't going to change Empath's mind or Smurfette's.
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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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Vic George The ND Guy
Super Smurf
Member # 300
Member Rated:
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posted 10-16-2021 06:18 AM
Chapter 2
Soon every Smurf had gathered around the speaking mushroom at the sound of Harmony's horn. But they were surprised to find that it wasn't Papa Smurf making any announcement. It was Empath and Smurfette. They were curious to find out what they wanted.
"My fellow Smurfs," Empath began with a bit of uneasiness, "this smurf and Smurfette have finally decided that..." His voice trailed off in a long pause.
"You've finally decided what?" one of the Smurfs asked.
Smurfette elbowed Empath to spur him on. "Well, after a bit of deliberation and careful consideration, this smurf and Smurfette have finally decided that we cannot continue to live like this anymore, so..."
"Oh, no!" another Smurf said. "Don't tell us you're going to smurf yourselves off a cliff or something!"
"I hate smurfing myself off a cliff!" Grouchy said.
"It's not that at all," Empath said hastily, finding himself even more uncomfortable trying to make the announcement. "It's that we cannot continue to live apart from each other anymore, so..."
"So me and Empath are going to be married," Smurfette finally said.
"You and Empath...married?" Jokey said, chuckling. "That's a laugh!"
Then the other Smurfs joined Jokey in laughing, which made Smurfette look at them rather displeased for daring to laugh.
"You can laugh all you want, my fellow Smurfs," Empath said, not sounding displeased. "But this smurf and Smurfette have made our decision, and that decision is final! We ARE going to get married!"
Then suddenly the laughter stopped, and the other Smurfs looked at both Empath and Smurfette in shock.
"Empath! Smurfette! How could you?!?"
"Yeah, how could you smurf this to your fellow Smurfs?"
"I thought that you wouldn't love any Smurf more than any other!"
"And you, Empath, have the nerve to smurf her away from every other Smurf!"
"That's real unsmurfy of you both!"
And as the Smurfs continued to raise their complaints at the announcement, Papa Smurf had just walked onto the scene. "Please, calm down, my little Smurfs," he said to them. "What's all this smurfing about?"
"Empath and Smurfette have announced that they're going to be married!" one of the Smurfs said.
"Married?" Papa Smurf repeated, sounding a bit surprised.
"Yeah, Papa Smurf," another Smurf said. "This whole thing isn't fair."
"We love Smurfette, too. We don't want Empath to smurf her away from us."
And again more complaints were raised until Papa Smurf silenced them again.
"You Smurfs should be ashamed of yourselves," he said. "Empath and Smurfette finally want to be married, and all you Smurfs can do is complain about what's fair? You should be happy for Smurfette being able to choose the Smurf she wants to be with for all time, and you should be happy for her choice no matter how you feel toward Empath. If Smurfette had chosen any of you, wouldn't you want your fellow Smurfs to be happy? And wouldn't you want Smurfette to be happy no matter what?"
That made the other Smurfs stop and think. "Well, when you smurf it that way..."
"Of course Smurfette deserves to be happy."
"Why shouldn't she be able to smurf for herself?"
"I'd love her even if she does marry someone like Empath."
"Whatever smurfs her boat, is how I feel."
Eventually Papa Smurf saw that his little Smurfs were all in agreement over the issue of Empath and Smurfette's wedding announcement.
"Good," he said. "Now that we've gotten this smurfed away, I believe that the best way you can smurf how much you love Smurfette despite her choice is to give her and her bridegroom the best wedding, because I believe she would expect nothing less than your best for her regardless of the situation."
"But when are we going to smurf the wedding, Papa Smurf?" one of the Smurfs asked.
"First I'm going to need to talk to Empath and Smurfette privately about their decision," Papa Smurf said. "A marriage is not exactly something for us to just smurf into, so we need to make sure that this is what they truly want before we smurf any other preparations. I'll let you know when you can start smurfing for the ceremony. But for now, let's honor Empath and Smurfette's decision. Is that understood?"
"Yes, Papa Smurf!" all the other Smurfs said in unison.
Papa Smurf took Empath and Smurfette inside his laboratory for a private little chat. As the village leader paced around trying to think, Empath could see that Papa Smurf wasn't used to having most of his face being clean-shaven, as he now had to stroke his moustache whenever he pondered on something.
"I'm just a little disappointed that neither of you thought of smurfing me your decision first before smurfing it public to your fellow Smurfs," he finally said when he stopped pacing around.
"We're sorry, Papa Smurf, but we were so excited that we just couldn't wait," Smurfette said.
"The whole thing was just spur-of-the-moment thinking, Papa Smurf," Empath said. "Not that this smurf hasn't thought about what it meant to ask the question, but..."
"I know, Empath," Papa Smurf said, interrupting his son. "I'm sure that you've wanted to smurf that question to her for a long time. But are you sure that this is what you really want...to smurf together with each other for all time?"
"What would that mean for us, Papa Smurf?" Smurfette asked.
"It means that you and Empath will be treated differently than you would normally be, Smurfette," Papa Smurf answered. "Your fellow Smurfs would no longer see you as a single female Smurf that they can freely smurf anything with. They will know that you belong solely to one Smurf for all time. And your freedom to interact with your fellow Smurfs will also be limited, because you know they will not be able to smurf you anymore as they used to."
"But I don't see why the Smurfs should smurf me as any different being married than they do if I choose not to be married," Smurfette said.
"Marriage is a bond between two people that is very exclusive, Smurfette," Empath explained. "And that exclusiveness means that the two people in the marriage are very protective of each other to the point where anything that tries to get in the way of that union, whether friendly or otherwise, can drive either partner to jealousy and even fits of anger."
"It's a very sacred union, Smurfette," Papa Smurf said. "There are things that smurf on in marriages that cannot be smurfed with anyone outside it. That's why you have to be careful about what you're smurfing into."
"And what about Empath?" Smurfette asked. "Doesn't he have to be very careful about who he smurfs with?"
"Fortunately there aren't many female Smurfs in the village that can smurf Empath's heart away from yours, Smurfette," Papa Smurf said. "But nevertheless, hearts do have a tendency to stray, and there are females of other smurfs of people that can smurf Empath's heart away. So Empath must also be on guard with himself as well."
"Right now, this smurf is thinking of where the two of us are going to live," Empath said. "If we're going to live together, we'll need to make a decision of where we'll settle down."
"I never thought of that before, Empath," Smurfette said. "I'm so used to smurfing in my house, I'm not sure what it would be like smurfing in another Smurf's house."
"Or even having somebody living in your house, Smurfette?" Empath said.
"Why would I have a Smurf smurfing in my house, Empath?" Smurfette asked, sounding as if she didn't that idea one bit.
"It's just a thought, Smurfette," Empath said. "In any case, it would be pretty difficult for us to be alone together if we don't have a single residence for ourselves."
"Your friend Polaris hasn't smurfed in his own house for years, Empath," Smurfette said. "Maybe it would be time to smurf him your house, and...I'll have to have Handy and a few other Smurfs do some smurf on my house, if that's where we're going to smurf together."
"And there's something that I was smurfing of as well," Papa Smurf said. "I know that you consider your fellow Smurfs as well as myself as your family, but all things considered, there aren't many female Smurfs besides Sassette and Nanny to smurf on your behalf for the wedding, so you're going to have to smurf up a list of female guests you would want to have as part of the wedding ceremony. You'll need a matron of honor as well as some bridesmaids."
"Flowerbell the woodnymph," Empath suggested. "She was there for Woody and Laconia's wedding. She could serve as the matron of honor."
"What about the Pussywillow Pixies?" Smurfette said. "I'm sure some of them would be great bridesmaids."
"Or even Laconia herself," Empath said. "And then there's Vanity's friend Periwinkle the pixie."
"I was thinking Marina, except that she's a mermaid and that she cannot smurf for very long outside of water," Smurfette said.
"Anyway, it does seem like you two are very sure that you're willing to smurf the risks of being married," Papa Smurf said.
"We've waited long enough for this time to come, Papa Smurf," Empath said. "Seeing Smurfette being happy with her wish finally coming true is worth whatever risks we may face along the way."
"And I don't want to smurf another day of Empath smurfing by himself anymore, Papa Smurf," Smurfette said. "If being married is what it smurfs for him to fully be a Smurf, then that's what I will give him."
"Then you might as well start smurfing preparations, my little Smurf and Smurfette," Papa Smurf said. "I will tell the other Smurfs that the wedding will smurf place within a week. That should smurf them enough time to make sure everything is ready for that day."
"Oh, thank you, Papa Smurf!" Smurfette said, giving the village leader a kiss on the cheek.
"You won't regret this, Papa Smurf," Empath said.
"I'm only hoping that neither of you will, Empath," Papa Smurf said.
Meanwhile, the other Smurfs had their own little discussion about Empath and Smurfette's wedding announcement.
"This is the biggest moment in Smurf history, my fellow Smurfs, and I'm totally at a loss for words!" Brainy said. "What are we going to smurf about it?"
"What can we smurf about it, Brainy?" one Smurf said. "This is Empath Smurf whom Smurfette is going to marry. None of us can smurf a candle to him!"
"This just isn't fair," another Smurf said. "It's like the whole deck of cards is smurfed against us."
"Yeah," a third Smurf said. "We're just a bunch of normal Smurfs who love Smurfette, and Empath is like greater than any of us. Of course, Smurfette's going to choose him over us!"
"Well, I just have to say that I'm glad for the lucky lad," Duncan McSmurf said. "Smurfette's a fine young lass, and I'm sure Empath will smurf her life with happiness."
"And I would gladly smurf up my own happiness if it would make Smurfette happy," Tapper said.
"Let's face it, Smurfs," Poet said. "We can't smurf anything to get Empath or Smurfette to change their minds, so the only thing we can do to smurf our love for Smurfette is to do what Papa Smurf says and smurf her the best wedding. And if I'm going to smurf the best wedding poem for this wedding to smurf how much I love Smurfette, then that's what I'm going to smurf!"
"Les bonnes paroles, mon ami," Painter said. "And I will smurf her my greatest masteurpiesa."
"And I will smurf her my beautiful scents and flower arrangements," Vanity said.
"And I will smurf for her my greatest composition yet," Harmony said, briefly playing his horn.
Then more Smurfs made their voices known, stating that they will do their best to give Smurfette a happy wedding to show their love for her.
"It smurfs like we're going to need some organization if we're going to smurf with Empath and Smurfette on how to smurf together the perfect wedding," Brainy said. "So therefore, I, Brainy Smurf, designate myself as the head coordinator of all wedding preparations, unless any of you have any objections!"
"Oh, fine, Brainy Smurf, the job is yours!" Hefty said, sounding like he didn't want to be there at this particular meeting in the first place.
"Well, at least I have one Smurf who's willing to support my nomination for this role," Brainy said. "Any others?"
No other Smurfs said anything positive or negative.
"In that case, given the current response, it seems that the coordinator job is mine," Brainy said. "I will smurf with my brother Empath and with Smurfette, and I will let you know what exactly we'll need to do in order to properly prepare for this wedding. Until then, you are all dismissed."
As the other Smurfs went off in their own directions, Duncan McSmurf noticed Hefty's attitude. "What's wrong, laddie?" he asked. "You look like someone's smurfed out your innards and smurfed haggis with them!"
Hefty sighed. "It's nothing you really need to know about, Gutsy!"
"Fine, then, smurf it your way," Duncan said. "I just hope you'll be helping us with smurfing the heavy stuff before the ceremony smurfs. You'll be smurfing Smurfette how much you care for the lass!"
"Yeah, right, how much I care," Hefty growled.
Meanwhile, Nanny had just gotten up from her nap, stretching as she stood outside the guest house she was staying in during her visit to the Smurf Village when Sassette came running to her. "Nanny, Nanny, you've got to hear the latest news!" the little Smurfling cried out.
"Oh, for smurf's sake, Sassy, what's gotten you all so excited?" Nanny asked.
"It's Empath and Smurfette, Nanny," Sassette answered. "They just announced that they were going to be married."
"Married? So soon?" Nanny asked, sounding a bit bewildered at the news.
"It's been ten years since they met each other, Nanny," Sassette explained.
"Well, I'll be smurfed," Nanny said. "I didn't think that they would ever smurf it in themselves to even ask that they would smurf each other's hand together in marriage."
"But aren't you happy for them, Nanny?" Sassette asked.
"Happy? It's the best news that I have smurfed in years about them, Sassy," Nanny answered. "It just makes me wish that it could have been my marriage to Grandpa Smurf all those years ago."
"But you two are happy with each other now on Smurfling Island, aren't you?" Sassette asked.
"I couldn't have asked for a better companion to smurf my final years together with," Nanny replied. "All I can wonder now is who you're going to marry someday when you smurf to be Smurfette's age...well, as big as Smurfette is, if you know what I mean."
"I was wondering that myself, Nanny," Sassette said. "I just hope it's not with Snappy. He's the last Smurf that I want to think of marrying."
"I'm sure that he probably smurfs the same feelings for you as well, but times will change as you and the little Smurflings become adult Smurfs, and things will smurf much differently among the four of you when you do," Nanny said.
"I still wouldn't want it to be Snappy, Nanny," Sassette said rather insistently.
"You don't need to worry about it now, my little grandsmurf," Nanny said comfortingly. "You just enjoy what Smurflinghood you have left with your friends and let Father Time and Mother Nature smurf it from there. Me and Grandpa Smurf will still be thinking about you, okay?"
"Okay, Nanny," Sassette said, giving Nanny a hug.
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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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Vic George The ND Guy
Super Smurf
Member # 300
Member Rated:
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posted 10-16-2021 06:19 AM
Chapter 3
Empath went to visit Smurfette in her house as she was busy writing all the invites to her friends in other parts of the Smurf forest. Empath told Smurfette that they could have Printer make some copies of a single letter to save some time, but Smurfette insisted on making sure every letter had her personal touch on it.
"It's not every day you get to invite all your friends to participate in a major event in your life, Smurfette," Empath said.
"Yeah, and to think of all the preparations to make this a very smurfy wedding," Smurfette said. "I remember the village preparing for the wedding of Laconia and Woody, and everything turned out smurfy until Gargamel showed up with his ghoulish calliope. Fortunately it didn't ruin the moment for the two woodelves."
"If you ever need someone to coordinate all the preparations, Smurfette, Brainy has volunteered himself for that role," Empath said. "Of course, this smurf also said that Vanity will offer some assistance, since he knows a great deal about how to make a beautiful wedding."
"I'm not sure about Brainy as the coordinator, Empath, but I do think Vanity is the perfect choice," Smurfette said.
"Okay, well, this smurf has made up a list of assignments for what needs to be done," Empath said, showing Smurfette the list. "There's food preparations, the wedding dress, the suits for every Smurf, the decorations, the seating arrangements, the music...pretty much everything this smurf can think of, with a few suggestions from Brainy and Vanity. And you may want to take a look at all the preparations yourself to make sure that this is truly what you want and how you want it."
"That's certainly a lot to smurf about, Empath," Smurfette said, taking a look at the list. "You think we can get this all smurfed in time for the wedding?"
"This smurf has great confidence that this will all be accomplished by that time, Smurfette," Empath said. "But even if things don't turn out the way we want them to, we can still have a great wedding and everybody can still be happy. It will be worth all the effort put into it."
"I always dreamed of what it would be like to smurf down the aisle to the altar to marry the Smurf of my dreams," Smurfette said. "But when I see myself with any of the other Smurfs in my dreams, something odd always happens, and it just doesn't feel right in the end. Honestly, I do love the other Smurfs and I do want them to be happy, but I never feel like I can be smurfectly happy being married to them."
"If this smurf was never part of your life, Smurfette, this smurf could imagine how lonesome you might feel if you had to choose among your other fellow Smurfs the one to be your future husband," Empath said. "Not that they are all bad Smurfs, but I can empathize with your seeing how any of them might not to be the one you would feel comfortable marrying, given their various faults and behaviors."
"I guess I don't have to worry about that anymore, Empath," Smurfette said, looking at him. "From the moment I smurfed you ten years ago, it was like something perfect had just smurfed into my life...not that I was comfortable with how you were around me when we first met. But you knew what it was like to be different from your fellow Smurfs, and I knew what it was like to not be a Smurf. It's like we're both strangers to the ways of the Smurf that were just smurfed for each other."
"This smurf knows how you feel about that day, Smurfette," Empath said. "And this smurf knows that we both feel like strangers. Yet you showed me things about being a Smurf that this Smurf has never known about before, things that Papa Smurf could never teach me. And for that I am always grateful."
Smurfette smiled when she heard Empath say that. "I am happy that I can smurf them to you, Empath. You don't deserve to smurf your entire life as a Psyche anymore...not that I don't appreciate what your friend Polaris has smurfed for us over the years."
"This smurf knows you mean no offense with the comment, Smurfette," Empath said. "It's just that now this smurf and Polaris won't be as close to each other as we used to be with our thoughts."
Smurfette laughed nervously. "Yeah, there's just some things Polaris really doesn't need to know about. I can only wonder how much he really knows about me from what you smurf him."
"Only the things that he needs to know about you, Smurfette," Empath said. "What we have between us in our private moments...not much of anything."
Just then, Nanny came in the door. "My little grandsmurfette," she said as she went over to hug Smurfette. "Why am I the last one in the village to know that you and Empath are going to smurf a wedding together?"
"I'm sorry, Nanny," Smurfette said. "I thought that I have smurfed everyone in the village that we're going to get married."
"I'm still happy for you, my child," Nanny said. "I'm sure Empath will make a fine husband for you. I understand that you're going to need a bridal shower of gifts while Empath and his friends attend their bachelor party."
"I remember we had one for Woody and Laconia's wedding years ago, but I still have no idea what a bachelor party is," Smurfette said.
"It's a little party that the friends of the bridegroom throw for the groom as a sort of farewell party for his innocence and independence," Empath explained. "It's usually attended by mostly men while the women attend the bridal shower."
"That's not fair," Smurfette said. "Why do you smurf the fun stuff before the wedding and I get smurfed with wedding presents?"
"Come now, Smurfette, you know Smurfs will always be Smurfs at heart," Nanny said. "Besides, you'll be too busy smurfing with your wedding guests to pay attention to what Empath and the other Smurfs are smurfing."
"This smurf promises that whatever happens at the bachelor party, this smurf will maintain his virtue at all times," Empath said.
"Maybe I should attend the bachelor party to make sure of that, Empath," Smurfette said, giving him a look and a smile that means she meant business.
"That's very good advice for a young Smurf who intends to marry this Smurfette, Empath," Nanny said. "You can smurf your fun with your friends, as long as you know and remember you who are smurfing your heart and soul to."
Empath laughed. "You two are never going to let this smurf go on the issue of the bachelor party."
Nat, Snappy, and Slouchy decided to talk to Grandpa Smurf alone in the house that he had been living in before he went back to Smurfling Island with Nanny to settle there forever.
"So Grandpa, are you and Nanny going to stay for the wedding?" Nat asked.
"Yeah, it's going to be the smurfiest thing that's happened to any Smurf for the past ten years since Empath smurfed home," Snappy said.
"Of course I am, you young whippersmurfers," Grandpa Smurf answered. "You think that myself and Nanny would just smurf back home to Smurfling Island after hearing that smurf of news?"
"But you missed out on your chance to marry Wendy Smurfling years ago, and now she's Nanny Smurf," Slouchy said.
"I know what I missed out on, Slouchy," Grandpa Smurf said. "But I always felt like she was the Mama Smurf that I wished that I had, even when I was still a young Smurfling Pan."
"She was the Mama Smurf we all wished that we had, Grandpa," Nat said. "Every Lost Smurfling loved to sit around her and listen to her smurf up her wonderful stories while she smurfed socks with her yarn."
"But there was no one you would rescue from Captain Smurfhook more than Wendy, and you smurfed that pirate good in those days when it was just us and the Lost Smurflings together," Snappy said.
"Those were the days," Grandpa Smurf said with a sigh. "Who knows if there will ever be a villain worth fighting like Captain Smurfhook now that he is but a memory?"
"Maybe we could smurf back with you for another visit, just to see how the Lost Smurflings are doing now," Slouchy suggested.
"Perhaps we can someday, Slouchy," Grandpa Smurf said. "For now, though, you'd be better off with the adult Smurfs here, helping to smurf things ready for this wedding that's coming."
"As long as there's not even a hint that I'm going to be marrying Sassette," Snappy said.
Grandpa Smurf chuckled. "You're still too young to think about it yet, Snappy. It will happen at the right time, when you meet the right Smurfette that will smurf along."
"Too bad for Snappy that 'the right Smurfette' is on her way to marrying the right Smurf," Slouchy said.
"Well, smurfs like this love story's going to smurf a different ending for him," Nat said, with both him and Slouchy laughing.
"Your times will be smurfing, youngsters, when that right Smurfette comes along for you as well," Grandpa Smurf said. "And Snappy, don't feel bad about the crush that smurfed away from you. Who really knows if you could have smurfed her heart in another lifetime like I could have smurfed Wendy's?"
"Don't worry about me, Grandpa," Snappy said, smiling. "I couldn't feel any happier for Empath than I do right at this moment. I may be a bit jealous, but I wouldn't change it for anything."
The following day, Papa Smurf has called Hefty and a few other Smurfs into his laboratory.
"Now that Smurfette has smurfed up the invites, I have a mission for you Smurfs to undertake," Papa Smurf said. "We'll need to deliver the wedding invitation to the Pussywillow Pixies in Pussywillow Hollow. I'm certain that you're aware of the dangers of smurfing into that region of the forest, so that's why I have chosen you Smurfs to deliver the invitation. And if they accept, they will need escorts so that they will smurf to the wedding safely. Hefty, I'm smurfing you in charge of Tuffy, Willpower, Century, and Duncan for this particular mission."
"Uh, Papa Smurf, could you smurf another Smurf in charge of this mission?" Hefty asked.
"Why, what's wrong?" Papa Smurf asked.
"Don't smurf me that the great and fearless Hefty Smurf is smurfing cold feet about smurfing to Pussywillow Hollow just to deliver a wedding invite," Duncan McSmurf said.
"I am not!" Hefty shouted back. "I just don't feel comfortable about smurfing charge of this mission!"
Papa Smurf sighed. "Okay, then...Duncan McSmurf will be smurfed in charge. But you might as well smurf them a hand if the Pussywillow Pixies are going to smurf to this wedding alive."
"If you smurf so, Papa Smurf," Hefty said.
"This is the first time I have to smurf in charge of you for a change, laddie!" Duncan McSmurf said to Hefty.
"Yeah, well, don't get used to it, Gutsy," Hefty said. "I can still smurf those whiskers off your face if I have to."
Duncan snorted. "That will be the day. And that's Duncan McSmurf to you!"
"I'm going to need a moment alone to talk to Hefty first," Papa Smurf said to Duncan, handing him the invite.
"You can count on us to deliver the message, Papa," Duncan McSmurf said. Then he and the three other Smurfs left the laboratory to give Papa Smurf his moment to talk with Hefty.
"You seem rather reluctant to be in charge of this mission into Pussywillow Hollow, Hefty," Papa Smurf said. "Is there something the matter that's bothering you?"
Hefty sighed. "Why does it seem like I'm the only Smurf who's in objection to this marriage, Papa Smurf?"
"I'm sure you're not the only Smurf around here who feels smurfly about the idea of Empath and Smurfette being married," Papa Smurf said. "But your fellow Smurfs seem like they're all willing to make Smurfette happy regardless of how they feel of the idea."
"Don't get me wrong, Papa Smurf," Hefty said. "I love Smurfette. I would do anything for her to make sure she is happy. And I don't ever want to see her get hurt. But I just don't feel that Empath and Smurfette are the perfect match. I feel that Smurfette deserves a better Smurf than him."
"And I would guess that this 'better Smurf' would be you," Papa Smurf said. "Why don't you tell Empath and Smurfette about how you feel?"
"I want to tell them so very much, Papa Smurf," Hefty said. "It's just that I feel like I can't smurf them anything without this smurfing into a fight. And trying to get into a fight with Empath over anything...well, I might as well be smurfing a death wish."
"I'm sure that it doesn't have to come to that, Hefty," Papa Smurf said. "Fortunately there's a part in the wedding ceremony where anyone who wishes to smurf an objection to the marriage will be allowed to smurf so, which will be your final opportunity to smurf your peace to the both of them. If Smurfette understands and decides that you're more worthy of marrying than Empath, then I don't see how Empath can object to that even if he wanted to. But if Smurfette decides that you're not more worthy...well, at the very least you won't have to live with the regret of not smurfing your peace when you had the chance."
"That's still a week away, Papa Smurf," Hefty said. "I just hope I can smurf up the courage to tell them how I feel before then."
"You're still a brave Smurf, Hefty," Papa Smurf said, putting his hand on Hefty's shoulder. "I know you'll be able to express yourself about this situation without having to smurf into fights with anyone. Just give it time and you'll find a way to smurf your peace."
"Thank you, Papa Smurf," Hefty said. "I may not like Empath, but I'm not going to let him down or Smurfette."
Meanwhile, Empath had a personal talk with Polaris Psyche about what's going to happen.
"You will be leaving this residence to live in Smurfette's house, and you will be giving this one your residence to live in?" Polaris said.
"It's a very big change, Polaris," Empath said. "This smurf and Smurfette need to have a single residence for ourselves, and since Smurfette is willing to have her house become our future home together, this smurf has decided that it's time for you to have a place of your own."
"This one understands, Empath," Polaris said. "When will you be moving into Smurfette's house?"
"Within a week, right after our honeymoon," Empath said. "Handy will be in charge of doing some renovations, and some Smurfs have volunteered to move this smurf's personal belongings into the house when the renovations are complete."
"Then this one will help make sure that your personal belongings are delivered safely to your new residence when the time comes," Polaris said.
"Polaris, this smurf senses from you that you do not like the changes that are going to happen with this marriage," Empath said.
"You are correct, Empath," Polaris said. "It feels like the intimate relationship we have had over the years as brothers and friends is going to end with this marriage. There will be things going on in your life that you will not be able to openly share with this one as you were previously able to. And this one would feel like an intruder in the intimate relationship you will be having with Smurfette."
"That's very true, Polaris," Empath said. "This smurf hasn't considered the possibility that you may end up being the third party of this relationship that's only meant to be shared by two people. But you are never the kind of person who would divulge such information to anyone, and you would only tell Papa Smurf if such information poses a danger to the village. That's why this smurf trusts you with my life."
"All the same, Empath, if it were possible, this one would wish that you would sever the relationship that we have together," Polaris said.
"Polaris, how could I sever any relationship with you?" Empath said. "You've always been there for me. You're always willing to offer logic and reason where this smurf would rather go in feet first into any situation. You're willing to make sure that this smurf and Smurfette will be together no matter the cost. You've helped this smurf control my emerging behaviors in Psychelia. Over the years you've been in the Smurf Village, you've grown into the kind of person the Psyche Master may be offended by, but that this smurf would admire the most. You've overcome all the problems you had about living with a "savage race" like us. You even had moments where you enjoyed laughter at the expense of Jokey's dignity, and this smurf can tell that you don't regret it."
Polaris chuckled slightly at the thought before he cleared his throat to maintain his stoicness. "It was a very unusual situation and experience for this one, Empath."
"The thing is, Polaris, that we have been through so much together that, while we'll have to get used to not sharing the same intimacy we had anymore, this smurf still wants you as part of this smurf's life and wants to make sure you still have a life outside of Psychelia," Empath said. "And as a sign of that friendship, this smurf is giving you the honor of becoming the best man at the wedding."
"The best man?" Polaris said, recalling from his knowledge of wedding ceremonies what that meant. "This one does not know what to say."
"You do not need to say anything, Polaris," Empath said. "This smurf senses that you are willing to accept the position."
"Then this one will become your best man, Empath," Polaris said, nodding. "You are truly this one's Smurf brother and this one's friend to have bestowed such an honor."
"And you will always be this smurf's Psychelian brother and this smurf's friend...now and forever," Empath said as they shook hands with each other.
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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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Vic George The ND Guy
Super Smurf
Member # 300
Member Rated:
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posted 10-16-2021 06:21 AM
Chapter 4
Soon the team of Hefty, Tuffy, Willpower, and Century had entered the land of Pussywillow Hollow, led by Duncan McSmurf. The land hidden behind the fog on the other side of Toad River hasn't changed much since the last time they visited this dangerous land.
"Smurf on your toes, laddies," Duncan warned his companions. "Everything in this area's much bigger than what's in the rest of the forest. Plus we have those nasty Wartmongers who are out to smurf anything that moves, which includes us and the Pussywillow Pixies."
"Well, I'm not afraid of what smurfs on in here," Tuffy said.
"Just keep your smurf down and be very careful, or else we won't smurf out of here alive," Hefty told Tuffy.
"I wish Tracker were here on this journey," Century said. "I don't know where to begin to look for the Pussywillow Pixies."
"We'll find them, Century," Willpower said. "We may have to smurf through every part of the hollow, but we'll find them."
"Shhh," Duncan said. "I hear something smurfing through the bullrushes up ahead."
They hid themselves behind the bullrushes and watched quietly as the three known Wartmonger hunters -- Sludge, Slop, and Slime -- made their way past them, talking among themselves about what they and King Bullrush is going to do with the Pussywillow Pixies.
"One would figure those imbeciles would have given up on the lassies by now," Duncan said.
"Oh dear," Century said.
"I'd like to smurf those three what they can smurf with their bubble guns," Tuffy said, eager for a fight.
"We're trying to avoid a fight with them, Tuffy," Hefty said, muffling Tuffy. "Not that I wouldn't like to smurf them a good smurfing myself."
"The coast is clear, Smurfs," Willpower said, as he peered out of the bullrushes and saw no sign of the three Wartmongers.
"Stay alert, laddies," Duncan McSmurf said. "They may smurf back for us if we're not careful."
The five of them continued on their way through the mysterious region filled with large creatures and flowers. None of them liked the idea of staying in such a place for too long.
"I hope Empath and Smurfette appreciate what we're smurfing here," Hefty said, again sounding like he didn't want to be on this particular mission.
"Me, I'm only hoping that the Pussywillow Pixies would attend such a grand ceremony," Century said. "I certainly wouldn't miss it for the world."
"There they are!" Willpower exclaimed, spotting the group they were after.
The Pussywillow Pixies saw who was approaching them. "Oh, I do declare, it's the Smurfs," Lilac said.
"My child, what brings you and your friends out into this dangerous place?" Elderberry asked, addressing Duncan.
"We're here on behalf of our friends in the Smurf Village to deliver you this invite," Duncan said, handing Elderberry the message, which she opened to read.
"'Dear friends, you are smurfially invited to attend the wedding of Empath Smurf and Smurfette'," Elderberry read from the letter. "Oh, dear, your friends are getting married?"
"A wedding?" Acorn said, sounding all excited. "Can we go to it, Elderberry? Please?"
The other four young Pussywillow Pixies sounded like they were so eager to attend the wedding as well.
"Now, now, my little pixies," Elderberry said. "Let's not rush things." She then turned to Duncan. "We do appreciate the honor of this invite being sent to us. The thing is, is that we have never dared to venture beyond Pussywillow Hollow apart from the time that we helped to deliver invitations for Woody and Laconia's wedding, and we can't stay in your world for too long."
"Surely there must be a way for your clan to do so, since you know some things about magic," Duncan said.
"Even the magic that I know has its limits, my child," Elderberry said. "When is this wedding supposed to smurf place?"
"Within a week," Hefty said. "If you can't smurf in our world for more than a week, it smurfs like we're going to have to smurf here until that day smurfs."
"Smurf here for a week?" Century said. "Oh, my, and I was smurfing of a relaxing facial treatment when we smurf back to the village."
"I'm not afraid of Wartmongers or anything that smurfs around here," Tuffy said.
"We can smurf this, can we?" Willpower said. "If it's worth Empath and Smurfette's happiness, I'd say we smurf here and keep the Wartmongers from smurfing us and the pixies until the day before the wedding."
"Smurfs like we don't have a choice," Duncan said. "Century, you smurf back to the village and tell Papa Smurf that we'll be smurfing here and escorting the pixies to the wedding the day before."
"Good smurf, Duncan," Century said. He then turned to leave the hollow.
"Well, it's such a pleasure to have some fine gentlemen escorting us to a wedding," Lilac said.
"I wonder what Smurfette would look like in a wedding dress," Acorn said.
"I wonder if I'll meet Clumsy at the wedding," Pansy said, sighing at the thought.
"You're very brave Smurfs to stay with us for such an event," Elderberry said. "The bride and groom will surely be pleased to know that you risked your lives to have us along as your guests."
"Yeah, they'll be pleased, all right," Hefty said, again with the sound of disappointment.
"Come on, laddie, this is no time to be smurfing about things on your mind," Duncan said to Hefty. "Let's smurf with the pixies and make sure we don't get smurfed by the Wartmongers."
"Whatever you smurf, Gutsy," Hefty said.
Meanwhile, out on the open sea, Dreamy sailed the S.S. Smurf II to the coordinates on the map where Atlantica should be. With him as part of his crew are Handy, Marco, Swimmer, and Surfer, plus a few others. Handy was outfitted with his deep-sea diving suit, which he first used to rescue Marina years ago in the River Smurf and then later used to rescue her father King Aquarius when he fell ill and Marina tried to go to the Pool of Avalon to get some lilyroot.
"This should be the smurf on the map where we need to smurf anchor," Marco said.
"Ahoy, there," Dreamy called out to the crew. "Smurf anchor!" Some Smurfs threw the anchor overboard.
"It's a good thing Papa Smurf had this message be smurfed with waterproof paper and ink," Handy said. "Otherwise, Marina wouldn't be able to smurf the message."
"Now, remember, Handy, we can't smurf in this spot for too long," Marco said. "We know how much you love Marina and all, and Swimmer and Surfer will smurf the smurferator to make sure you're smurfing enough air. But we're only here to deliver a message. If there's any smurf of trouble down there, smurf on the line and we'll smurf you up. And if we smurf into any trouble, we'll smurf on the line to signal you."
"I know what I'm smurfing, Marco," Handy said, eager to get on with the dive. "Well, here smurfs!"
Handy put on his helmet and jumped off the ship, lowering himself into the depths of the sea while Swimmer and Surfer operated the smurferator to make sure Handy had enough air.
"What I wouldn't give to be smurfing down there to see Atlantica for myself," Swimmer said.
"How can you surf in such a place like that?" Surfer said.
"Generally, you wouldn't," Swimmer said. "You'd be smurfing around on seahorses."
"Seahorses?" Surfer said. "That would be more like what Wooly would like to smurf."
"Wooly isn't much of a sea Smurf, Surfer," Swimmer said. "He tried smurfing around on dolphins, but he still prefers wild toads."
"Whatever smurfs his board," Surfer said with a sigh. "I hope Handy has smurfed over the fact that this Marina has smurfed her heart to this Snorkelian that he smurfed several years ago."
"Yeah, those creatures are really weird," Swimmer said. "They look like us, but they smurf those snorkels on their heads."
"Imagine an entire village of those Snorkelians, smurfing underwater like we smurf on land," Surfer said.
"Come on, you two, let's keep smurfing the pump," Dreamy said, noticing that their minds are drifting away from the job.
Meanwhile, Handy had reached the bottom of the sea. He could see Marina swimming about with her boyfriend Dylan the Snorkelian. He remembered how he met this strange being who looked like a Smurf yet had a snorkel on his head that allowed him to breathe. He remembered building a submarine so that he, Marco, and Empath could help Dylan rescue his people and Marina from a menace that lived in the oceans called Leviathan. He remembered how heartbroken he felt when Marina fell in love with Dylan, realizing at last that he and Marina could never be together.
"Marina, look who's here," Dylan said as he noticed Handy in his deep-sea diving suit.
"Hello again, Handy," Marina said as she swam toward him. "I trust that everything's going well on land with you."
"I see that you're happy with Dylan, Marina," Handy said. "I have come to deliver a message to you."
"A message?" Dylan wondered. "Are your Smurfs in any trouble?"
"No, of course not," Handy said. "It's just that my friends, Empath and Smurfette, are getting married."
"Oh, that just sounds so romantic," Marina said after she read the message. "I would like with my very being to be there."
"I know you have trouble smurfing on land for very long, Marina," Handy said. "Fortunately we still have the smurferator."
"I would also like to attend this wedding just so I can be with Marina," Dylan said. "I'm pretty capable of being on land as well as in the sea, and I can watch over her in case there's any problems."
"I can't think of going anywhere without you, my sweet Dylan," Marina said, looking into her boyfriend's eyes.
"We don't mean you any disrespect, Handy," Dylan said. "Marina has told me so much about you. I know you've been a very good friend to her and her father. And I appreciate that you've saved my people and brought us two together."
"I just wish I could be in your smurfs right about now, Dylan," Handy said.
"We appreciate the message you have sent us, Handy," Marina said, kissing him on his helmet. "If my father King Aquarius permits, we will be there the day before the wedding."
"That's great," Handy said, sounding like he really didn't know what to say. "It may not be like old times, but at least we could smurf together one last time."
Papa Smurf decided to deliver this particular message himself to Flowerbell, the woodnymph whom he fell in love with about four years before Empath's final return from Psychelia. He didn't like how she used him just so she could be set free from Lord Balthazar's clutches, and he was less enthused by the idea of having to marry her so that Avarice the greedy treasure hunting imp wouldn't be able to use her to get his hands on the ancient Treasure of the Trolls. But he wasn't going to continue holding a grudge against her. Apparently Smurfette liked Flowerbell enough to think about having her attend the wedding as a matron of honor.
He reached the hole in the tree where she said that she was staying in. He knocked on the door and waited.
"Hello! Who is it?" a familiar female voice called from inside.
"It's me, Papa Smurf, your old friend," he replied.
The door opened, and Flowerbell appeared. "Oh, it's you, Pops," she greeted. "You look different from the last time we were together. What happened to that smurfy beard you used to wear?"
Papa Smurf chuckled. "Well, I figured that it was time to smurf for a more comfortable look, Flowerbell."
Flowerbell giggled. "You sure look like you're years younger, Pops. Is there anything I can do for you?"
"Just a little message that I wanted to smurf to you from some friends," Papa Smurf said, handing her the message.
Flowerbell opened the envelope and read the message. "It's from Smurfette! She wants me to be the matron of honor! Oh, this is just too much for me to take!"
"Smurfette still thinks highly of you to smurf you such an honor," Papa Smurf said.
"And I would be glad to become her matron of honor, Pops," Flowerbell said. "It's just that I won't be attending this wedding alone."
"Oh?" Papa Smurf wondered. "Is there someone you wish to smurf along to the wedding?"
"Oh, yes, there is," Flowerbell answered. "He's someone very special that I have met since that time you saved me from Avarice. This is my boyfriend Glonk."
Then Glonk appeared at the door, and Papa Smurf was rather surprised by his appearance. It was like this creature was all head and hair, and looked rather fearsome. "Glonk glonk," he said to Papa Smurf.
"Oh, don't mind him, Pops," Flowerbell said. "He may look rather scary, but he's a real sweetheart. I couldn't be more happier having him around."
Papa Smurf chuckled. "Well, Flowerbell, you certainly have interesting tastes."
"Glonk, this is Papa Smurf," Flowerbell said. "He's come here to invite us to a wedding for two of his little Smurfs, and I'm going to be the matron of honor."
"How do you do, Glonk," Papa Smurf said, extending his hand toward him in friendship, expecting a handshake.
"Glonk glonk," Glonk said, grabbing Papa Smurf's hand and strongly shaking him so hard it made Papa feel rather dizzy.
"Oh my," Papa Smurf said, trying to recover from the handshake. "That Glonk sure smurfs a strong grip!"
"That's how I like them, Pops...big, strong, and hairy," Flowerbell said. "Anyway, you can expect us to be there as soon as possible. I would love to show Glonk to the other Smurfs in the village."
"I'll make sure my little Smurfs will be expecting you and this...uh, Glonk," Papa Smurf said.
Meanwhile, the Smurflings were heading out into the forest with Puppy to deliver an invite. "Isn't it smurftastic, that we could have Mother Nature and Father Time attend the wedding of the century?" Sassette asked.
"Why wouldn't they, Sassy, unless they're just too busy with what they smurf throughout the whole world?" Nat replied.
"I just hope that they would attend my wedding sometime in the future," Snappy said.
"But who are you going to marry, Snap?" Slouchy asked with a tease in his voice. "Sassette?"
"You want me to marry her?" Snappy answered, sounding a bit disgusted. "I'd rather marry a slimy Wartmonger than the likes of her."
"Well, don't you worry about that, Snap, because you're the last Smurfling that I would ever want to think about marrying," Sassette said.
"Maybe we should consult the Tome of Tomorrow and see who it will be for any of us down the road," Slouchy said.
"Sorry, Slouchy, but Father Time said that that book is off-limits," Nat said.
Slouchy sighed. "It was just an idea, Nat. It would have been fun if we could find out."
Soon the four Smurflings reached the beautiful cottage out in the forest where they saw Mother Nature at work tending to the flowers she was growing outside. "Why, hello there, my little Smurflings," Mother Nature greeted. "And how are you this lovely day?"
"We're fine, Mother Nature," Sassette answered. "We came from the village smurfing an invite for both you and Father Time to attend the wedding of Empath and Smurfette."
"A wedding, eh?" Mother Nature said as she received the invite and used her magic wand to enlarge it so that she could read it for herself. "Why, nothing would please me more than to see my children of the forest uniting together as husband and wife so that they can continue to bless others with love and family."
"What about Father Time?" Nat asked. "Will he be able to attend the wedding?"
"I won't make any promises, my child, but I'm sure with a little motherly persuasion that he will make the time necessary to grant his blessings in person upon this lucky couple," Mother Nature replied.
"Smurfabunga!" the four Smurflings shouted together.
Also at the same time, Empath and Smurfette made a personal visit to Laconia the wood elf at Woody's house. Poet had joined them for this visit.
"Laconia, Woody...it's your friends, the Smurfs," Smurfette announced at the door.
The door opened. It was Woody. "Greetings, my friends," Woody announced. "Everything going well with you?"
"We were wondering the same about you and Laconia," Poet said. "How are you two doing?"
Woody laughed. "Laconia's so busy with being a mother, it's hard for her to get around doing what she does best."
"Laconia's a mother?" Smurfette said, sounding surprised. "I never thought that would happen."
"Frankly, neither did we, but you know how mysteriously Mother Nature works," Woody said. "We couldn't be more happier, and Laconia...well, let's face it, she was at a loss for words...not that she ever needs to say anything."
"That makes this smurf wonder how Laconia ever gets the child to sleep, Woody," Empath said.
"She leaves that duty to me, unfortunately," Woody said. "I don't mind doing it, as I love to sing. It just makes me feel bad for her, like she's missing a part of being a mother that others would take for granted."
"This smurf is certain that Laconia would make an excellent mother nonetheless," Empath said.
"That reminds me, Woody...we've came here to smurf her a message," Smurfette said, handing it to him.
"Oh, it's a wedding invite!" Woody said after he opened it and read it. "And it's for the both of us!"
"We were hoping that you would repay the kindness we smurfed you of smurfing your wedding by attending Smurfette's wedding," Poet said.
"You're getting married, Smurfette?" Woody said. "Well, I would like to congratulate you. And this Smurf with the star suit, I believe he will be your husband?"
"That is correct, Woody," Empath said.
"That sounds interesting, and we would like to attend," Woody said. "However, we will also have to take along our child, if that's not a problem."
"We would like to meet the child, if we have the chance," Smurfette said.
"Sure, let me get Laconia," Woody said as he went back into the house for a bit. Soon Laconia appeared with Woody, very happy and satisfied as she is carrying a baby girl with her.
"Oh, look at that," Poet said as Laconia handed him the child.
"She's absosmurfly adorable," Smurfette said. "I would like to smurf a child just like her."
"She appears to have Woody's hair color and Laconia's facial features," Empath commented as he got a closer look at the child.
Woody was astounded. "You can actually tell that? Amazing. Laconia says that she takes more after me."
Laconia signed a private message to Poet, which made him giggle. "I'm sure that he does, Laconia."
At King Gerard's castle, the king is having a private picnic with his wife Queen Guinevere while they watch their son Jared at play with the Clockwork Smurfs.
"It's not every boy that gets to have such wonderful mechanical toys to play with, Gerard," Guinevere said as they continue to watch. "It's like your friends the Smurfs are always with us, watching over the boy, helping him grow into the young man he will someday become."
"I only wish I had those toys when I was his age, Guinevere," Gerard said. "That single Clockwork Smurf has been such an inspiration to me all those years that he served me as an advisor."
"And now he's the leader of an entire village of these same creations," Guinevere said. "It's just amusing to watch them all with their own unique personalities, even though they all look alike."
"I wonder what's been going on with our friends, the Smurfs," Gerard said. "It's been years since they have attended our wedding."
"Mummy, Daddy, look up in the sky," Jared shouted.
Gerard and Guinevere turned their attention to the sky and saw a stork carrying a message in its beak. Gerard had a feeling that this came from the Smurfs.
"'Dear friends, you are smurfially invited to attend the wedding of Empath Smurf and Smurfette'," Gerard read. "It's from the Smurfs. Their wedding is going to be within a week."
"The Smurfs are having a wedding?" Jared said. "Are we going to it?"
Gerard chuckled. "The way to the Smurf Village is rather difficult for humans to find, my young son. But I'm betting Papa and Mama Clockwork would like to attend it, if you would have them join me."
"Right away, Daddy," Jared said. He then turned to the Clockwork Smurfs. "Papa Clockwork! Mama Clockwork!"
"Yes, my young child?" Papa Clockwork said. "What does our king want?"
"Your fellow Smurfs have invited us to a wedding, and Daddy says that you should be the ones to attend it," Jared said.
"Really?" Papa Clockwork said. "Mama Clockwork, we'd better talk to our king to find out."
The two Clockwork Smurfs went over to King Gerard, where he repeated what the message had said.
"Empath Smurf and Smurfette?" Mama Clockwork said. "That sounds absosmurfly wonderful."
"If you want to attend this wedding, my son will watch over your little Clockwork Smurfs during your absence," King Gerard said.
"I'm sure he will smurf very good care of them, my Lordship," Papa Clockwork said.
"Wait a minute," Mama Clockwork said. "I think we should smurf along Baby Clockwork."
"Why Baby Clockwork?" Papa Clockwork asked.
"Your father Handy Smurf," Mama Clockwork answered. "He would like to smurf his own grandson."
"Oh," Papa Clockwork said, realizing that Handy hasn't yet seen Baby Clockwork. "I figure that I would smurf him the chance."
Gerard turned to his son. "Now, Jared, be a good boy and watch over your Clockwork Smurfs for Papa and Mama while they are gone, okay? They are counting on you to do that."
"Yes, Daddy, I'll make sure the Clockwork Smurfs are safe," Jared said. "I hope you have a good time at the wedding, Papa and Mama."
"I'm certain that we will, Jared," Papa Clockwork said. With Mama Clockwork carrying Baby Clockwork, they hopped onto the stork and flew off toward the village while King Gerard and his family waved them goodbye.
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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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Vic George The ND Guy
Super Smurf
Member # 300
Member Rated:
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posted 10-16-2021 06:23 AM
Chapter 5
Upon Empath and Smurfette's return to the village, they ran into Narrator who was busy telling the story to whoever was listening.
"Oh, hello there, Empath and Smurfette", Narrator said. "You got back from smurfing your message to Laconia and Woody?"
"They have their hands full with a child, but they should be coming to our wedding, Narrator," Empath said.
"Have you seen Vanity Smurf?" Smurfette asked.
"Last I know, he has gone to smurf the invite to his friend Periwinkle the pixie. Also Greedy went to smurf one to Gunilda the fairy, and Miner is busy smurfing underground for Picklick and Guardiana," Narrator said. "By the way, Brainy wanted me to smurf you two that Tailor is expecting to have you smurf to the Imaginarium for a dress fitting."
"A dress fitting in the Imaginarium?" Smurfette said. "Well, I can't wait to see what smurfy dresses he has in mind for me."
"This smurf can't wait to see them as well," Empath said. "Thank you for relaying the message, Narrator."
"I would be rather remiss if I didn't tell you how jealous I am that you're marrying Smurfette," Narrator said. "She's a very fine young woman that I was hoping to someday marry. I have a feeling that you'll be an excellent husband for her."
Smurfette kissed Narrator on the cheek. "And you're a very excellent storyteller, Narrator, who will make a very good husband someday."
This made Narrator blush. "Aw, gee, Smurfette, I just don't know what to smurf to that."
Then Papa Smurf arrived in the village. "It's all set, Smurfette. Flowerbell has accepted the invite and she will be attending as your matron of honor."
"Smurftastic!" Smurfette exclaimed, giving Papa Smurf a kiss on the cheek. "I knew that I could count on her."
"She won't necessarily be attending alone, Smurfette," Papa Smurf said. "She's smurfing along a friend of hers."
"A friend?" Smurfette said. "Oh, I can't wait to meet her friend."
Then Century came into the village. "Century, where are the other Smurfs you went with?" Papa Smurf asked.
"They chose to stay in Pussywillow Hollow, Papa Smurf, to protect the pixies," Century said. "Somehow they can't stay in our world for very long, so they'll keep smurf over them until the day before the wedding and then they'll escort them here."
"Oh, my smurfness," Smurfette said. "I just hope Hefty and the boys will be all right."
"Hefty is a very brave and resourceful Smurf, as are the ones Papa Smurf has chosen to go along with him," Empath said. "If anyone can keep themselves and the Pussywillow Pixies out of harm's way, they can."
"I hope you're right, Empath," Smurfette said. "The hollow isn't safe for any Smurf, including you."
"It wasn't the hollow that was dangerous to this smurf, Smurfette," Empath said. "It's that Princess Chamelianne, who tried to make this smurf think that this smurf was a Wartmonger and even turned this smurf into one in order to hunt down the pixies."
Smurfette made a face thinking about how Princess Chamelianne looked. "She's definitely not a princess that I would want to be like!"
"Papa Smurf! Empath! Smurfette!" Tracker shouted as he approached. "I just spotted Dreamy's ship. It should be arriving at port soon."
"Let's be there to greet them upon arrival," Papa Smurf said as they headed to the port and watched the S.S. Smurf arrive to dock.
The crew of the ship disembarked, with Handy being the first. "We did it, Papa Smurf," he said. "We smurfed the invite to Marina the mermaid, and she said she will be attending with her friend Dylan the Snorkelian."
"Excellent work, Handy," Papa Smurf said. "Now we just need to receive word from a few others."
"Papa Smurf, I hear a stork approaching," Tracker said.
They now went to the clearing on the north end of the village and waited for the stork to land. On the stork were two mechanical Smurfs, with one of them carrying a third. "Hello there, master Handy," one of them said.
Handy couldn't believe what he was seeing. "Clockwork Smurf? Clockwork Smurfette? But you both look like Papa and Mama Smurf!"
"I'm now the leader of an entire village of Clockwork Smurfs, master Handy," Papa Clockwork said.
"And this is the first child that we smurfed together," Mama Clockwork said, showing Handy the mechanical baby Smurf.
Handy was further astonished by the sight. "Incredible!" he said. "You smurfed this Baby Clockwork by yourself?"
"Not just by myself, master Handy," Papa Clockwork said. "Me and Mama Clockwork smurfed this one together."
"May I hold it?" Handy asked. Then Mama Clockwork handed Handy the Baby Clockwork, who held it just as he would hold Baby Smurf. The mechanical baby looked up at Handy and smiled.
"That's your grandfather, master Handy," Papa Clockwork told Baby Clockwork.
Handy smiled. "I can't believe it! I'm a grandfather! And at such a young age too!"
Papa Smurf chuckled. "I'm sure you'll have plenty of time to smurf your wisdom to this little miracle, Handy!"
Soon Empath and Smurfette joined Tailor inside the Imaginarium for her dress fitting.
"It's just so wonderful that the Imaginarium allows me to smurf up so many magnificent possible designs for your wedding dress," Tailor said. "And of course, you can choose to alter the designs however way you want it."
"At least I don't have to get unsmurfed just to try on a dress in here," Smurfette said.
"And it's so private in here," Empath said. "You won't have Sneaky Smurf trying to sneak a peek at you when you're undressed."
Smurfette laughed. "Why can't a Smurf like him ever grow out of smurfing something like that?"
"Okay, we've set up a mirror for you to smurf yourself in whatever dress appears on you," Tailor said. "Just simply smurf before the mirror and relax while the dress appears."
Smurfette then stood before the mirror and watched as her normal clothes was replaced by an imagined dress. She took a look at it and then said, "Uh, this doesn't smurf right."
Then another dress appeared. "No." Then another. "Uh-uh." Then another. "This doesn't work." Then another. "Not in this lifetime."
"This could take forever, Empath," Tailor said as they watched her go through several more dress designs. "Why not just simply choose the one you want her to smurf in?"
"No, Tailor," Empath said. "This is her wedding too, and this smurf wants her to make the decisions on what would look great on her."
"Suit yourself, then," Tailor said.
Then after a few dozen more dress designs, Smurfette said, "Now, this is the design that I want!"
Tailor saw the dress she appeared in. "You sure this is the dress you want? Something about it doesn't smurf right with me!"
"Empath, what do you think?" Smurfette asked.
Empath took a good look at the dress Smurfette appeared in. "Tailor, this is definitely the dress Smurfette should appear in for the wedding."
"Okay, fine, then," Tailor said. "I'll just get the measurements and the cloth, and I'll start smurfing work on it."
"Now it's your turn, Empath," Smurfette said. "I want you to smurf before the mirror and tell me which bridegroom outfit looks smurfy on you."
"Smurfette, this smurf thought that this is supposed to be your dress fitting," Empath said.
"Oh, come on, Empath, smurf along a little," Smurfette said. "I want to see how my Prince Smurfing will look when I smurf him at the altar."
Empath sighed as he went over to the mirror and Smurfette stepped away, appearing in her regular clothes. "Okay, then, show this smurf the first outfit."
Instantly Empath appeared before the mirror wearing a green-plaid kilt with no shirt on and a green feather pinned to his hat. Smurfette snickered as she stared at Empath in this appearance, which only made Empath look at her with a side glance of slight annoyance.
"What's wrong, Empath?" Smurfette asked, trying to contain her laughter. "Don't you like the first outfit that I have smurfed for you?"
"This smurf thinks you should be marrying Duncan instead of this smurf if that's what you're intending for this smurf to wear at the wedding," Empath said.
"I'm sorry if you don't want to be embarrassed by showing how strong and handsome you really are to the wedding guests," Smurfette said. "I'll let you smurf something with a bit more dignity if that's how you want to smurf."
"Maybe for the honeymoon, this smurf can dress up in this for you, Smurfette," Empath said with a slight smile before he caused the next wedding outfit to appear on him.
Throughout the rest of the day and the following day, Empath and Smurfette went through the entire village looking at what the Smurfs were planning to do for the wedding. Greedy and Biscotti created a sample of the wedding cake that they intend to bake, with Sculptor desiging the little bride and groom figurines for the top within a heart shape. Vanity was creating floral arrangements with the help of his friend Periwinkle the pixie, who decided to stay in the village and offer some assistance in that area. Harmony, despite being the worst musician in the village, was busy at work composing his own musical masterpiece that he hoped to play at the wedding. Printer showed samples of the programs he was developing with finely crafted designs by Painter. Carpenter was building a special carriage that Puppy would pull so that Smurfette could be taken from her house to the wedding, using a giant hollowed-out pumpkin from Farmer's garden, while the Smurflings were training Puppy how to gently pull the carriage once it is completed. And Architect was going through the various seating arrangements for every Smurf, including the guests.
Meanwhile, outside the Smurf Forest, all this activity was being observed by an elderly woman in a blue robe and hood looking through a giant telescope in her observatory. Her name was Chlorhydris, and for years she sought to get her revenge on a world that robbed her of the happiness of marriage. Now she is seeing preparations for a marriage that the Smurfs are having for two of their own, and she could feel her anger and jealousy being kindled as she watched how happy the two Smurfs are with the prospect of being married.
"What gall that these Smurfs have to be so happy and to make preparations for a joyous occasion that should have been mine," the old witch muttered. "And even worse, it is this star-clothed Smurf that has interfered with my plans who is getting married to this Smurfette. Well, my little blue friend, if I must suffer in a world where marital love is for everyone but me, I shall plan to make you suffer with me...as I will make all your friends suffer along with you."
By the end of the second day, Empath and Smurfette felt exhausted. They took a break in Tapper's Tavern with a bit of smurfberry wine that Tapper had served them. "It's a very special vintage, my friends," Tapper said. "I was smurfing it for this particular moment when the two of you would be smurfing together."
"This smurf appreciates it, Tapper," Empath said. He raised his glass toward Smurfette's. "Here's to our future together."
Smurfette raised her glass and clinked it with Empath's before they both took a sip together. "Mmm, very smurfy."
"Something seems to be smurfing on your minds," Tapper said. "I'm believing that it's all the preparation for a ceremony, wanting it to be so perfect and yet uncertain of what you really want with it."
Empath nodded. "It's such a momentous occasion for the both of us, Tapper, we're not sure how we would be able to keep it simple."
"Hmmm, sometimes I just wish we could smurf it simple," Smurfette said. "It's just so much work to make it smurf so beautiful, and there's always the chance that something can smurf wrong with it."
"A beautiful wedding isn't about decorations or cakes or dresses or anything like that," Tapper said. "The beauty of the wedding comes from how you both wish to express your love for each other. Even if a major disaster were to strike the village on the day of your wedding, it shouldn't stop you from showing that you're willing to spend eternity with that person and that you're willing to sacrifice all that you are and have for that person. Woody and Laconia didn't have the perfect wedding, and look how they turned out."
"Speaking of perfect weddings, are you still looking forward to being married to the Almighty's Son on the day that He comes for you?" Empath asked.
"Aye, Empath, and what a beautiful day that will be, when the bride of Jesus Christ smurfs beside Him before the throne of the Almighty," Tapper said. "That day will come when we least expect it, although now we will smurf through trials and tribulations of this life to be counted worthy to be by his side."
"Trials and tribulations?" Smurfette asked.
"It's all part of the walk of faith that we smurf through, my dear Smurfette," Tapper said. "Our faith will be tested by various trials so that those who smurf the test will be rewarded with a crown of glory that will never smurf away. It doesn't matter how long the Lord will tarry until He smurfs for His bride, for a day with Him is as a thousand years and a thousand years with Him is as a day. He smurfs in eternity, and we smurf in time. But someday all His promises, for both good and bad, will smurf true, and His faithful ones will see that all the struggling they have smurfed through will be worth it in the end."
"This smurf would go through anything just to have you, Smurfette," Empath said.
"And I would smurf you everything I have just to have you, Empath," Smurfette said as they both looked into each other.
Tapper smiled. "You see, if you have love for one another, that should be enough for a beautiful wedding. Of course, if you have need of anything for me to smurf for the wedding, don't hesitate to let me know."
"Thanks, Tapper, we appreciate it," Smurfette said, not looking away from Empath.
Tapper took this as his cue to leave these two Smurfs alone and returned to his place at the counter. His thoughts turned to Hefty and the Smurfs that Papa Smurf had sent with him into Pussywillow Hollow. Century said that they would be staying there to protect the pixies until the day before the wedding. He just hoped that Hefty and the boys would be all right.
It was night in Pussywillow Hollow. The pixies had folded over their wings and slept on the branches. Hefty, Duncan, Willpower, and Tuffy were camped nearby, huddled together near a fire they have built.
"The nights here are so chilly," Willpower said. "I'm not sure if I can smurf through a few more nights of all this hiding from the Wartmongers."
"Just hang in there, laddie," Duncan said. "You've smurfed through much worse than this with all that time-traveling we did when Grandpa Smurf lost the Key of Chronos."
"Right now I'd rather be smurfing through time than wasting it protecting the Pussywillow Pixies just so they can attend a wedding," Hefty said.
"You always seem to have something against Empath and Smurfette smurfing together," Duncan said.
"You think that smurfing Empath and Smurfette together for the past ten years was easy?" Hefty said.
"I never said that it was easy, Hefty," Duncan said. "Sometimes I do think about what kind of future I would want to smurf with such a fine lass like her. I would give anything to make sure that she would be happy. But I know somehow that she would never be happy smurfing her whole life with me."
"So you would just give up on her, like every other Smurf seems to be smurfing when it comes to her and Empath," Hefty said.
"That's one battle that I just don't have enough strength to keep smurfing, Hefty," Duncan said. "I would rather give up my happiness for Smurfette's than be selfish and expect for the slim chance that Smurfette will someday smurf her heart to me if she's already smurfed it to someone else."
"Well, I don't intend to retreat from this battle, Gutsy," Hefty said. "I'm going to let Smurfette know how much I care for her, and I'm going to fight for her heart no matter what."
Duncan sighed, realizing how dead-set his friend is and how he isn't going to persuade him to change his mind.
"Let's just smurf to sleep. We're going to need our strength to continue our job here in the hollow before we return to the village."
"Aw, let them come," Tuffy muttered. "I'm not afraid of what's going to happen, and I'm not afraid of this wedding."
Hefty snickered as he settled down on a leaf along with Duncan and Tuffy. "You will be, Tuffy. You will be."
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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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Vic George The ND Guy
Super Smurf
Member # 300
Member Rated:
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posted 10-16-2021 06:25 AM
Chapter 6
Narrator was busy watching over Miracle, the former Baby Smurf, as he related more parts of the story.
"What happens next?" Miracle asked.
"Well, Miracle, the next few days, your fellow Smurfs have been so busy smurfing together the wedding that you and I will be attending," Narrator said in his storytelling voice. "Of course, with Brainy being who he is and also being the head coordinator of all the preparations, trouble would eventually smurf our way. He would get on their smurfs about how things were not up to standards and offered lots of personal suggestions that his fellow Smurfs did not want to hear. As usual, they got so smurfed up with him that they eventually smurfed him out of the village...not permanently, but just to smurf that he was getting too big for his smurfs around them."
"That part is funny," Miracle said, laughing.
"I suppose it is, Miracle," Narrator said. "Anyway, as the day of the wedding smurfed closer, Smurfette was beginning to worry about the other guests showing up. She was also worried about Hefty and the Smurfs who stayed behind in Pussywillow Hollow to smurf after the Pussywillow Pixies. It was then that another Smurf whom most Smurfs haven't smurfed in years decided to smurf his appearance."
Miracle then beat upon his chest and made a Tarzan-like yell.
Narrator laughed. "You know exactly who I'm smurfing about, young one."
Most of the Smurfs who were busy in their preparation work for the wedding stopped to hear the familiar Tarzan-like yell of a Smurf they knew all too well. It was Wild Smurf, who just leaped down from a nearby tree.
"Wild Smurf!" Papa Smurf exclaimed. "It's been a long time since we last smurfed you in our village!"
"Papa Smurf, it's so smurfy to see you," Wild Smurf said, giving the village leader a hug. "You smurfed the fur off your face!"
"Ah, so you noticed," Papa Smurf said. "Well, I still smurf a moustache, because, well...you know..."
"What's smurfing on here?" Wild Smurf asked, looking at all the preparations taking place.
"Your fellow Smurfs, Empath and Smurfette, are going to be married, so we're preparing to smurf a wedding ceremony for them that will smurf place tomorrow," Papa Smurf explained. "Some of your fellow Smurfs have gone to Pussywillow Hollow to smurf some of our guests and they haven't smurfed back since."
"Sounds dangerous," Wild Smurf said. "Is there anything I can smurf to help?"
"I wouldn't want you to smurf in there alone, Wild Smurf, but we're smurfing out of time," Papa Smurf said. "You and Century will have to smurf back into the hollow to make smurf that our fellow Smurfs and the Pussywillow Pixies arrive safely to the wedding."
"Oh, Pops, is there anything Glonk can do?" Flowerbell asked, having arrived sometime earlier with her boyfriend.
Papa Smurf turned to her boyfriend. "We have friends in the Pussywillow Hollow that may need our help. Can you smurf there with Wild and Century?"
"Glonk glonk," Glonk replied, nodding eagerly.
"You think sending Glonk into such a dangerous place like Pussywillow Hollow is wise?" Flowerbell asked.
"I'd like to smurf the look on the Wartmongers' faces when they have to smurf across something like him," Papa Smurf said with a chuckle.
Flowerbell also laughed. "I'm sure that he would scare the warts off their horned and warted faces, Pops."
Then Empath and Smurfette appeared on the scene. "Oh, Papa Smurf, I haven't seen my friend Blue Eyes appear yet."
"I can't say that I have smurfed him either," Papa Smurf said. "But then I have never smurfed him at all during the times that you have smurfed him."
"Who's Blue Eyes?" Empath asked.
"Oh, he's the name of an orange winged horse that smurfed into our forest more than a dozen years ago, Empath," Smurfette said. "He was my best friend, and his mother smurfed me that I can summon him three times to appear before me. Well, this is my third and final time, and I'm hoping to smurf him at the wedding."
"There she smurfs again," Brainy said just as he walked onto the scene. "Smurfette and her imaginary horse friend. I thought that she would be a big enough Smurf that she would smurf over such childish fantasies."
"Blue Eyes is not a fantasy, Brainy Smurf!" Smurfette said. "He's very real, even if you can't see him!"
"Empath! Smurfette! Brainy!" Wild Smurf exclaimed.
"Well, look who decides to smurf up after years of smurfing in the forest," Brainy said.
"It's so good to see you again, Wild Smurf," Empath said. "What brings you here to our village?"
"I just had to smurf away from my other family for a while," Wild Smurf said. "You know, Chitter's got a litter of little squirrels now, and I have to smurf over them when he and his mate are not around."
"So you're like an uncle?" Smurfette said. "That's real smurfy of you."
"And you're going to be married to Empath now?" Wild Smurf said. "I don't know what to say...except that I wish that I could be the one marrying you."
"I know, Wild Smurf," Smurfette said. "But your place has never been here with us."
"Papa Smurf wants me to smurf into Pussywillow Hollow to smurf Hefty and the other Smurfs," Wild Smurf said.
"Oh, that place is dangerous, Wild Smurf," Smurfette said. "But I know you'll be able to smurf your way through there."
"Well, here I am," Century announced, "and this time I smurfed along Tracker, who can best help us smurf our way through the hollow to find the Smurfs."
"Wild Smurf, my brother," Tracker said as the both of them embraced each other. "It's so jolly good to smurf you again!"
"I see that you're smurfing well also, brother," Wild Smurf said. "We need to get smurfing into the hollow."
"Right away," Tracker said. "Come along, Glonk! Papa Smurf says that we need you."
"I hope that we can smurf again when we return," Wild Smurf said to Empath and Smurfette just as he, Century, Tracker, and Glonk head off into the forest.
Smurfette sighed as she watched them leave. Then she heard the flutter of wings as something is approaching.
"Hello there, Smurfette. I'm glad to see you again after all these years," a familiar voice spoke.
Smurfette recognized the voice and the sound of wing flutters. "Blue Eyes!" she exclaimed, giving the horse a hug. "You're here!"
"This will be my last time appearing unto you, Smurfette, but I'm glad to be here nonetheless," Blue Eyes said.
Brainy just stared in shock at what his eyes now beheld. "Empath, are you smurfing this? It's an orange winged horse that smurfs!"
"This smurf shares the same sentiments, Brainy," Empath said, also rather surprised. "How is it that we can now see Smurfette's winged friend?"
"Oh, that," Blue Eyes said, hearing Empath. "Well, you see, this is a very special occasion in Smurfette's life, and somehow on very special occasions I don't just appear visible unto Smurfette."
Papa Smurf also noticed Blue Eyes appearing visible unto him for the first time. "That's just simply amazing!"
"Come with me, Blue Eyes," Smurfette said. "I bet you must be hungry smurfing all the way from your home. Maybe Greedy's got something he can smurf you."
"I would like to meet all your fellow Smurfs, Smurfette, even if it's the only time they will ever see me," Blue Eyes said.
"Well, of course," Smurfette said as she walked away with Blue Eyes.
"I hope that we've arrived just in time for the ceremony," a familiar voice spoke.
Papa Smurf, Empath, and Brainy turned to see that it was Peewit, the court jester. He had somehow grown bigger from the last time they have met.
"I remember when you were just a little boy who smurfed into our forest 15 years ago when you smurfed your hands on our magic flute and you smurfed for our help in getting it back," Papa Smurf said.
"Yeah, and since then I still don't know how to speak in Smurf," Peewit said. "But it's great to smurf you all again. In case any of you didn't know, I go by the name of William now."
"It will smurf some time for us to get used to your new name, William, but it surely sounds appropriate for you," Papa Smurf said.
"Here we are again, just like old times," another voice spoke.
The Smurfs now saw who else also came with Peewit. "Johan! Another face that I haven't smurfed in a while!" Papa Smurf said.
"It's now Sir Johan," the noble squire said. "I've just got my full commission as a knight from the king, and it's official."
"It's been a few years, and I still can't get used to calling my friend Sir Johan," Peewit said.
"I hear that there's going to be a marriage in the Smurf Village," Sir Johan said. "Has Smurfette finally found a Smurf among her fellows to be her future husband?"
"This smurf happens to be the lucky Smurf that she has chosen, Sir Johan," Empath answered.
"Oh," Sir Johan and Peewit said together, realizing who it was from their previous encounters with him.
"I don't think there's any room for you in the village, but you're welcome to smurf nearby for the day of the wedding," Papa Smurf said.
"Oh boy," Peewit said, rubbing his hands together and sounding eager. "I hope there's going to be lots of food at the reception."
"As long as you're not going to give Smurfette the present of your 'wonderful singing voice', my friend," Sir Johan said.
"Why not?" Peewit said. "Everybody knows how wonderful I sing!"
"Apparently, everybody knows all too well, William," Empath said, shaking his head in disapproval.
Meanwhile, back in the hollow, Duncan McSmurf and his fellow Smurfs were ready to escort the Pussywillow Pixies to the wedding reception.
"Now what exactly is a bridesmaid supposed to be?" Lilac asked.
"Don't tell me you've forgotten about weddings and bridesmaids," Holly said.
"Well, it's been so long living in this hollow without seeing anything in the world that the Smurfs live in," Lilac said.
"As far as I know, lassie, she's supposed to be a friend of the bride, who accompanies her and the matron of honor to the altar where the escort presents the bride to her future husband," Duncan said.
"Oh, that sounds so beautiful," Bramble said. "Me, Lilac, and Pansy are just the right ages to be bridesmaids."
"And what about me?" Acorn asked. "What do I get to be at the wedding?"
Duncan chuckled. "You, my pretty little one, will most likely be the flower girl."
"That's not fair," Acorn said. "My sisters get to be the bridesmaids and I just get to be a flower girl."
"Now, now, my little Acorn, you mustn't complain about your role in the wedding," Elderberry said. "You're fortunate that your friends have even thought of including us as part of it. At the very least, you should be grateful to Smurfette and this Empath Smurf she's going to marry."
"Let's just head for the fog and smurf out of here," Hefty said, eager to get this job finished.
"You're not going anywhere," Sludge, the leader of the Wartmonger hunters, said as he, Slop, and Slime appeared from behind a rock.
"Yeah," Slop said, "you're not going anywhere except to Toad Castle as our prisoners!"
"You'll have to get through us to smurf your hands on the lassies," Duncan said as he and his companions readied themselves for a fight.
"Prepare to fly, my little pixies," Elderberry said as she and the other pixies now spread their wings.
"You'll fly, all right...right into our bubble guns," Slime said, as the three Wartmongers prepare to use their weapons.
Then came the sound of a Tarzan-like yell from behind the Wartmongers. They turned to see that it was Wild Smurf, swinging from a vine right onto them.
"Come on, boys, let's smurf them," Duncan said, seeing how Wild Smurf has distracted the Wartmongers.
Then came the sound of a ferocious animal, and with that sound came Glonk, appearing all fearsome and scary.
"Uh-oh, I don't like the friends that the Smurfs brought along," Slop said as the three of them huddled together, afraid of Glonk.
"Quick, let's croak back to Toad Castle before that thing croaks us," Sludge said, and then the three Wartmongers ran for it.
"Oh dear, what is that scary thing?" Elderberry said as she and the other Pussywillow Pixies looked at Glonk.
"It's just a friend of a friend of the Smurfs, my good ladies," Tracker said as he appeared. "We smurfed back into the hollow to make sure that you're all right and that our guests are still smurfing to the wedding."
"It's a good thing you smurfed in for us when you did," Duncan said, also noticing Century returning. "I've had enough of smurfing in this place."
"It's too bad I didn't get to lay my smurfs on the Wartmongers, though," Tuffy said.
"Anyway, we're ready whenever you are," Pansy said.
"I just hope I look beautiful enough to be a bridesmaid," Lilac said.
"You smurf beautiful just the way you are," Willpower said. "I'm just glad we smurfed through this together."
"Oh, that reminds me...Polaris is going to be at the wedding, isn't he?" Lilac said. "I wonder if he's still thinking of me after all this time."
"Not that I would know for sure, lassie, but you'll smurf your chance to find out," Duncan said. "That will surely be a reunion neither of you will forget."
"Hey, are we smurfing back home or not?" Hefty called out.
"Hold your horseflies, laddie, we're coming," Duncan said as they started to head out of the hollow together.
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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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Vic George The ND Guy
Super Smurf
Member # 300
Member Rated:
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posted 10-16-2021 06:27 AM
Chapter 7
Back in the village, there was a rehearsal for the wedding ceremony that Brainy Smurf was in charge of. He wanted to make sure everything went along smoothly in the rehearsal as it would in the actual ceremony, but without all the players, and also with a few Smurfs causing problems like Dimwitty bringing the wrong things to the bride and groom, it was very frustrating to both Brainy and to the others in the rehearsal.
Then during the rehearsal came a shout. "Success, my fellow Smurfs! We've safely brought the Pussywillow Pixies to our village!" It was Duncan with the Smurfs that went with him into Pussywillow Hollow, plus some others.
Smurfette left her place in the rehearsal, as did most of the other Smurfs, to greet their new arrivals. Brainy did not like this interruption one bit.
"Oh, my young child," Elderberry said as she and Smurfette greeted each other with a hug. "I'm so happy for you. I wouldn't think that I would be able to see someone like you get married to one of your fellow Smurfs!"
"So where is the lucky bridegroom?" Lilac asked.
"He's over there at the altar with Brainy," Smurfette said. "Empath, the Pussywillow Pixies are here!"
Empath left the altar to meet the new arrivals. "It's so good to see you again," Empath said to them. "This smurf only wishes that our first meeting was under better circumstances."
"You look like such a brave and noble soul, young man," Elderberry said. "Not that I don't think highly of your friends that escorted us here."
"Yes, well, these Smurfs are truly a brave and strong group, Elderberry," Empath said. "This smurf couldn't think of any Smurfs who would be best suited for the job."
"Okay, you Smurfs, let's smurf this rehearsal again from the top," Brainy said as he approached them, disgusted by all the hassles and interruptions. "I suppose that the three of you Pussywillow Pixies are assigned to be the bridesmaids for Smurfette."
"That's right, and I'm supposed to be the flower girl," Acorn said.
"Fine, then you four can join Smurfette as we resmurf the rehearsal one more time," Brainy said.
"Brainy, the pixies have just arrived," Smurfette said. "Can't you smurf them enough time to relax before smurfing them through a rehearsal?"
"You're the one who wanted this wedding to be so smurfect, Smurfette, so I'm just trying to follow orders and making sure that everybody else follows them, including the bride and groom," Brainy said.
"Well, I say you should let them relax and stop worrying so much about how smurfect this wedding is going to be," Smurfette said.
"This smurf agrees with what Smurfette has to say, Brainy," Empath said. "They seem to know what's expected of their roles in the wedding. They'll do just fine regardless."
Brainy pulled on his hat, ready to tear it off his head. "Oh, fine! Smurf it your way! But don't blame me if your wedding doesn't turn out to be smurfect!"
"My, my, this Brainy Smurf seems to be rather touchy today," Elderberry said.
"He just wants to do a perfect job at the wedding," Empath said. "By tomorrow, he's not going to care about all these little problems and will just enjoy himself the way he normally does."
"Yeah, by smurfing everybody to sleep," Snappy said.
"We just want to thank you for thinking about including us as part of your wedding," Bramble said. "It looks like it's going to turn out to be beautiful anyway."
"Hey, Clumsy," Pansy said as she spotted him among the Smurfs. "Long time, no see. How have you been doing lately?"
"Uh, you know, just the same as usual for me," Clumsy said. "Smurfette just smurfs so pretty, I can't wait to smurf her in the wedding dress."
"Me too," Pansy said. "Of course, I would probably trip and fall if I were to wear a wedding dress."
"It don't matter to me if you did...you'd still look pretty in one anyway," Clumsy said.
"Oh, that's just sweet of you," Pansy said, as the two of them went off to talk to each other.
Empath turned his attention to the Smurfs escorting the Pussywillow Pixies. "So how was it staying in the hollow for about a week?" he asked Duncan.
"Uhhh, I feel like the smurf of the place has smurfed onto me, Empath," Duncan said. "And then I had to deal with Hefty smurfing on about you and Smurfette all the time. I think there's something wrong with the boy."
Empath noticed that Hefty had just left, wearing a facial expression more commonly found on Grouchy.
"This smurf senses that he isn't comfortable about what's going on," Empath said.
"So, are we on for smurfing the bachelor party in the Imaginarium?" Tuffy asked.
"Of course, Tuffy," Empath said. "Why wouldn't this smurf want to attend such a party?"
"Some of your fellow Smurfs might think you'd change your mind if you smurfed through the bachelor party, Empath," Century said.
"Really?" Empath said. "That depends on what's going to happen during the party."
"Just be prepared for anything, is all that I can smurf you, Empath," Duncan said. "This will separate the Smurfs from the Smurflings."
Empath sighed as he began to wonder what's in store for him.
Meanwhile, Handy had a private talk with Marina the mermaid. "So how's life with your...uh, new boyfriend?" Handy asked.
Marina laughed. "He reminds me so much of you, Handy...he's smart, brilliant, inventive, brave! He showed me the people who lived in his village under the sea, and it just amazes me how much they are like your people...well, except that there also female Snorkelians."
"I just wish we could smurf more time together, Marina," Handy said. "It's just so unfair that I have to smurf on land and you have to smurf in the sea. I'm glad that you've smurfed somebody who will always be with you."
"Handy, he can never replace the feelings that I have for you," Marina said. "I still love you and I still wish that we could actually be together. I still appreciate that you went out of your way to rescue me and my father King Aquarius, and that you got the lilyroot from the Pool of Avalon during the time he was sick."
"Yeah, those were the days, all right," Handy said. "And now I'm surprised to find out that I'm a grandfather Smurf to one of my creations."
"The Clockwork Smurf," Marina said. "It's surprising how much he looks like your Papa Smurf now."
"There's just so much that smurfened with him while he was smurfing with King Gerard, I just wish he could have smurfed me more often about those things," Handy said.
Marina held Handy's hands in hers. "Handy, you'll make a good husband and father someday. My only hope is that you'll find somebody that will care for you just as much as I do."
"That's my wish as well, Marina," Handy said. "But there will never be anyone in my life who's like you. Nor will there be anyone like Smurfette."
"No, I guess not," Marina said, smiling as they looked into each other's eyes.
Meanwhile, Clumsy was walking around with Pansy when she noticed how quiet her friend has been for the past few minutes. "Is there something the matter with you, Clumsy?" she politely asked.
"Pansy, there's something I've got to tell you that I feel rather ashamed to tell you," Clumsy said, sounding very uncertain.
"If you've found somebody else to fall in love with, I'm sure that I'll understand," Pansy said. "After all, we come from two different worlds, and we both can't live in each other's like this."
"Well, it's just that I've been smurfing feelings about my friend Brainy, and it's making me feel like I'm less of a Smurf for having them, because...you know...," Clumsy said.
Pansy looked a little shocked as she realized what he was trying to tell her. "You mean...that you're in love with Brainy? But how does he feel about it? Have you even told him?"
"I did, one time during a Valentine's Day party, and he told me that he couldn't feel for me the same way that I did for him, even though he would still be friends with me," Clumsy answered. "But it's still hard to me to smurf with this kind of feeling."
"I'm sorry to hear that, Clumsy," Pansy said, sounding a bit understanding. "Maybe you'll find the right one who will love you for just the way that you are."
"Gee, Pansy, I don't think there will be anyone else out there," Clumsy said. "Besides, Papa Smurf always says that Mother Nature created males and females to love only each other and not the same gender, or else there wouldn't be families."
"That doesn't sound right or fair, Clumsy," Pansy said. "You deserve to be happy with whomever you fall in love with, no matter if it's a male or a female."
"I wish I could believe that, Pansy, but I don't want to risk my life on smurfing the wrong thing with choosing who I love," Clumsy said sadly. "Tapper believes that his Almighty already has somebody smurfing for me sometime in the future, and that He will smurf her to me when He feels that I'm ready for her."
"But what if you find out that you'll never be happy with that someone else?" Pansy asked.
"I really don't know, Pansy," Clumsy replied. "But what other choice do I have in life now that Smurfette's going to marry Empath?"
"I'm sure that we'll find that special someone for you, Clumsy, trust me," Pansy said, as she and Clumsy embraced each other.
After the rehearsal, Polaris Psyche and Lilac took a walk around the village so that they could have a talk with each other alone. "Oh, I do declare that I feel so much more free walking around in this village than I do back home in the hollow," Lilac said.
"It is unfortunate that your life is bound to living in that world and this one's life is also bound to living here in this world, fellow Lilac," Polaris said.
"It doesn't mean that I can't dream of the two of us being together, can I?" Lilac said. "Don't you sometimes dream of who you want to spend your days together with?"
"This one finds such dreams to be a distraction from this one's duties, although the possibility of who this one wants to be bonded to besides Empath has been meditated on from time to time," Polaris replied.
"But I don't happen to be who you're thinking of when you do think of that?" Lilac said, sounding a bit displeased.
"You are very beautiful and attractive for a female member of your species, Lilac, make no mistake about that," Polaris said. "It's just that this one yearns for someone who will accept this one for the kind of person that this one is without any reservations."
"Well, that just makes me feel appreciated," Lilac said, folding her arms and looking away with her nose in the air, sounding a bit hurt.
"It is nothing personal against you, Lilac," Polaris said. "This one appreciates that you have shown an interest in this one despite how this one behaves towards others. It's just that there can be nothing between us beyond a fellowship even if we were to exist in the same world together."
"Oh, I just can't stand it!" Lilac said. "I could only wish that I never met you in my life!"
"This one apologizes if this one made you believe in something that could never exist between us, Lilac," Polaris said. "This one could only wish you would find a companion suitable for yourself in your own world that would make your existence complete."
Lilac suddenly turned around and kissed Polaris. "I can only wish the same for you as well, Polaris," she said after the kiss ended.
Polaris watched as Lilac walked away, and then soon was joined by Tapper. "I hope that I'm not interrupting anything important here, my friend, but I did sense in my spirit that you're perturbed by something," Tapper said.
"This one does not like having to tell Lilac the truth about how this one could feel for her and that this one could never be anything more to her than just a friend, Tapper," Polaris said.
"Being honest with how we feel toward each other is never an easy thing, but at least it's better to smurf her the truth than to keep smurfing her with a lie," Tapper said.
"But this one cannot get her to stop thinking of this one in any romantic sense, which is what this one is sensing from her," Polaris said.
"That's something only time and the Almighty will be able to smurf, my friend," Tapper said. "What's important is that you'll still be a friend to her no matter what happens to the two of you in the future."
By the end of the day, with all the preparations done and the rehearsals finished, the Smurfs went their own separate ways to their own separate parties. Smurfette joined her female guests in the dining hall where Biscotti and Culinary served finger food and she opened up all the gifts her fellow Smurfs have made for her, including the ones that Nanny Smurf have knitted over the week. Then Tailor arrived with Vanity.
"This is the finished wedding dress, Smurfette," Tailor said as he presented it inside the box. "There's also the hat that Empath smurfs you're supposed to wear when you become his wife."
Smurfette pulled out the dress and showed it to all her guests. "Oh, Smurfette, that is absolutely gorgeous," Lilac said.
"That is a very beautiful wedding dress, my child," Elderberry said.
"Shucks, you make me wish that I was young enough to smurf that thing," Nanny said.
"That dress seems very appropriate on you, Smurfette," Flowerbell said.
Laconia signed a message of approval which Smurfette understood.
"So how does it feel to soon become the wife of Empath Smurf?" Bramble asked.
"Gee, I don't know," Smurfette said. "It's like so exciting and yet so scary at the same time. I can't believe this is actually happening to me."
"Laconia says she is sure you'll make an excellent wife," Periwinkle said, interpreting her signs.
"Being a wife," Smurfette said. "It's like something I always wanted to be, and yet it means that I won't be the Smurf I used to be anymore."
"That is part of growing up, my dear child," Elderberry said. "To step from being a maiden into being a mother is no small easy task. In some ways, I envy that you have found a mate that you will love with all your heart and soul. It's just something us pixies can only ever dream about."
"I only wish that I had your courage, Smurfette," Flowerbell said. "I wouldn't have had to rely upon my charms to trick anyone into loving or marrying me."
"But the thing is, Smurfette, we'll be there to witness your smurfing from being a single Smurf into being Mrs. Empath Smurf," Nanny said.
Smurfette shed a tear. "I know, and I'm very grateful to have you all here as my witnesses, and as my friends. This is the very day I have waited for. And I don't want to let anybody down."
"You won't, my child, you won't," Elderberry said. "Believe in yourself."
Meanwhile, unnoticed by any of the female guests at the bridal shower, a lone Smurf was watching the whole thing, remembering the days when it was just him and Smurfette, and hardly anyone stood in his way except for the other Smurfs whom Smurfette had also loved. It seemed so fair and honest...until Empath came along, and all bets were off. Now he wanted so much to tell Smurfette how much he loved her, and yet no matter what, it wouldn't change how she would ever feel towards him at all.
He felt a single tear fall from his eye, watching Smurfette being all happy.
"Aw, what are you so in tears about, Hefty, my boy?" a devilish version of Hefty said as he appeared next to Hefty. "You should take Smurfette to be your very own if you really care about smurfing yourself happy."
"And what about his friend Empath?" an angelic version of Hefty said as he also appeared. "Doesn't he deserve to be happy with Smurfette for all that he smurfed through in life?"
"Empath has never been Hefty's friend," Devil Hefty countered. "He deserves to smurf back to Psychelia where he belongs with all the other star-smurfed freaks."
"Empath has been more of a friend to Hefty than he will ever realize, but you're so blinded by your hatred of Empath that you'll never smurf that for yourself," Angel Hefty responded.
"Hefty was the first to find Smurfette, and even the first to fall in love with her, so I say it's smurfers keepers, losers weepers," Devil Hefty said.
"If that's all you really care about, then that's probably the reason Smurfette will never smurf in love with you," Angel Hefty said, before the both of them vanished.
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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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Vic George The ND Guy
Super Smurf
Member # 300
Member Rated:
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posted 10-16-2021 06:29 AM
Chapter 8
Meanwhile, in the Imaginarium, the adult male Smurfs were holding their bachelor party. Only this party wasn't what Empath or anybody was expecting.
"Ah, here we are again, right where I want you to be," Gargamel said as he was holding a good deal of the Smurfs captive in his laboratory. "You rotten little Smurfs think you can always get away from me, but this time is where I will prove you wrong. Soon I will be able to complete my Philosopher's Stone, and with that stone I'm going to turn half of your village into gold, and the other half is going to serve me and my cat on our dinner plates!"
"You won't get away with this, Gargamel," one of the captured Smurfs said.
"Always the same refrain that I hear from you," Gargamel said. "Well, where's your beloved Papa Smurf this time? Is he going to save you like he normally does? Or is he too cowardly and too impotent to do anything about his little Smurfs?"
"Empath will come to save us, and then you'll be sorry," another captured Smurf said.
"Oh, yes, the son of Papa Smurf," Gargamel said. "Let him come...I will be expecting him."
"Uh, Gargy, don't you think it would be better to give up the Smurfs rather than risk having Empath come to their rescue again?" Scruple asked a bit fearfully.
"Have you no faith in the power of evil, my worthless student?" Gargamel reprimanded. "He is just one powerful Smurf, but his power is no match for mine."
"That's what you think," Empath said, emerging from behind a vial on a shelf. "Crazy, sound the alarm!"
Crazy appeared from behind another vial and made a very loud siren noise. Then every Smurf popped up from everywhere in Gargamel's lair and attacked the evil wizard, some with various projectiles, others with direct assaults.
"Azrael! Scruple! Stop those Smurfs!" Gargamel shouted as he futilely tried to swat some away.
But Scruple was easily overwhelmed by the number of Smurfs attacking him. It was the day of their final battle with Gargamel when he wore the Gauntlets of Gantharros, except that they were fighting him without the gauntlets.
"There comes a time when every Smurf must stand up for what is good and cute and blue in the world," Narrator said as he was observing the Smurf attack on Gargamel. "And on this very night before Empath and Smurfette's wedding, that time is now!"
"Hey, seriously?" Grouchy said, standing beside Narrator.
"Sorry, it's kind of what I do," Narrator said.
"Hey, gato estúpido! Tratar de cogerme!" Zipper said, taunting Azrael.
Azrael tried to give chase to Zipper, only to find that Zipper was always one step ahead of him, easily evading him. He ended up luring Azrael into a net where he got tangled up in, struggling to find his way out until he hit his head against a wall, knocking him out.
Then came Wild Smurf swooping down from the rafters with a big sack that he dumped right onto the wizard's head, blocking his vision. Gargamel found himself falling right to the floor, where a bunch of Smurfs were waiting to tie him up with rope.
The captured Smurfs cheered as Empath unlocked the cage they were trapped in. They rejoiced as they saw their nemesis again on the floor at the mercy of his prey.
"This is one victory that's definitely worth celebrating!" one of the Smurfs said.
"And here's where we have the victory celebration," Jokey Smurf said. "Cue the beach and the music!"
The scenery then changed from Gargamel's hovel to the beach front setting where the Smurfs normally held their beach parties. Sloppy was already there with his band ready to start the music. And soon the Smurfs were dancing and singing and having the time of their lives together.
"Hey, Empath, here's a special cake that we smurfed just for you," Jokey said, as the music stopped briefly while he and Sneaky carried a very big cake that said HAPPY WEDDING DAY, EMPATH written on it in cake frosting.
"Hmmm, a very special bachelor party cake," Empath mused. "This smurf can only wonder what would be the reason for..."
Suddenly the top layers of the cake popped off, and a Smurf called Nudie, appearing entirely nude, rose out from inside. "Did somebody call for a stripper?" he asked, as the other Smurfs simply laughed at the sight, including Empath.
"I hate strippers...if they happen to be like Nudie Smurf," Grouchy said.
Polaris stood by and watched the festivities from a distance, not wishing to participate in them. "A rather interesting setting for this 'bachelor party' of yours, Empath," Polaris commented.
Jokey went over to where Empath and Polaris were standing. "Great idea for a bachelor party, isn't it?" he said.
"A very interesting surprise, indeed," Empath said. "One last adventure we'll have together against the evil wizard Gargamel. This smurf appreciates the sentiment."
"It's too bad Hefty isn't here to smurf the fun, though," Jokey said as he went back to join the others in dancing.
"Wait a minute," Empath said as he went over to talk to Jokey. "You said that Hefty hasn't appeared in here?"
"I haven't smurfed him at all, Empath, and neither did Tapper smurf up," Jokey said. "I could understand why Tapper wouldn't smurf up, but Hefty?"
"You suspect something has happened to him?" Polaris asked when Empath rejoined him.
"Duncan said earlier that Hefty was just going on about this smurf and Smurfette when they were both escorting the Pussywillow Pixies," Empath said. "And this smurf sensed that Hefty wasn't happy. This smurf must go and talk to him to find out."
"This one will remain here to make sure the festivities don't get out of hand," Polaris said as Empath exited the Imaginarium.
Empath realized that if neither Hefty or Tapper showed up at the bachelor party, there was only one place Hefty would go. It wasn't exactly the place that Hefty himself would frequent unless it was for Vita-Juice, and Empath knew that Hefty wasn't much of a drinker of sarsaparilla ale. But Tapper's Tavern was the place to look for him.
"Thank Smurfness you're here, Empath," Tapper said as Empath entered the tavern. "I was going to smurf your bachelor party, but I just knew in my spirit that one Smurf wasn't going to attend it, and I didn't know what to smurf, so I let him smurf here!"
"Where is Hefty?" Empath asked.
"Over by that table, smurfing with that Psychelisphere," Tapper answered, pointing in that particular direction. "All I smurfed him was a single mug of sarsaparilla ale, and not his usual kind, either. But it's like he barely even smurfing it!"
"This smurf will handle this, Tapper," Empath said as he went over to the table where Hefty was sitting. His face wore frustration, and not just from how badly he was trying to play the Psychelisphere. Something was definitely on his mind.
"Would you mind if this smurf just sat here with you, Hefty?" Empath asked.
Hefty shrugged, barely noticing Empath at all. "Be my smurf."
Empath sat across from Hefty and watched him continue playing the Psychelisphere. "It's rather strange to see you play a game that doesn't require physical exertion, Hefty," Empath said.
"Just so much on my mind about what's smurfing on, I don't know what to smurf," Hefty said, again not paying any attention to Empath.
"What is it that you're thinking about?" Empath asked.
"Just that one question, Empath...why," Hefty said. "Why is it that Smurfette will never smurf in love with me no matter how hard I try to please her? Did I smurf anything wrong to her?"
"All this smurf can sense is that the only thing you did to Smurfette was just be yourself around her, Hefty," Empath answered. "She wouldn't expect anything less than that from you."
"But it's still not enough," Hefty said. "I can see now that nothing I can smurf for her will ever be enough to smurf her heart."
"And you blame this smurf for it, Hefty," Empath said.
"Yeah, I blame you for everything that smurfs wrong in my life," Hefty said. "You smurfed into my life and smurfed a mess of it. I smurfed pride into being the first...the firstborn among the Smurfs, the first that found Smurfette out in the forest, possibly even the first that smurfed in love with Smurfette. And then you came and smurfed me that being first isn't everything. I really hated you for it, Empath. I wished that you could smurf back to Psychelia and never smurf back at all if it would mean that everything in my life would be smurfy."
"Do you still wish for this smurf to go back to Psychelia now?" Empath asked.
"If that would mean that Smurfette will marry me instead of you, then yes!" Hefty said. "But I see now that you truly don't belong in Psychelia anymore. And I can't wish for anything unsmurfy to happen to you or Smurfette because I'm too much of a Smurf for that. The thing is, I can't offer you or Smurfette anything but grief because the only thing I'm good at is smurfing muscles and smurfing with my fists!"
"That's not true, Hefty," Empath said. "If anything, whatever differences we may have with each other, you have always inspired this smurf to be strong and brave and to rely on this smurf's own physical strengths when this smurf's mental abilities aren't enough. This smurf would gladly give up all my minds-eye abilities just to be able to know what it's like to be you for a day. And those heart tattoos...this smurf originally thought you wore them because you love to show how strong you are. But now, this smurf sees that you have chosen that particular marking because you love to show that you care for your fellow Smurfs, and how you choose to show how you care for them is by using your strength to help others, not to hurt them."
"Yeah, I really helped my fellow Smurfs back then in the day, Empath," Hefty said. "I treated you, Grouchy, and everybody else really badly, and I'm beginning to realize how much of a jerk I was and how much of one I became over the years. Even Smurfette sees me as a jerk. I guess I desmurf it."
"We all have our faults, Hefty," Empath said. "But the one thing this smurf never wants you to stop being is who you are. And no matter how much you hate this smurf, this smurf is never going to hate you in return. You are my Smurf brother and you are my friend. Nothing in the world will ever change that."
"I'm not sure I can ever be a friend to you, Empath," Hefty said. "And I'm not sure I can let you marry Smurfette without me smurfing anything about it."
Empath sighed. "You have the right to confess yourself at the wedding, Hefty. Just get some rest and we'll see what happens tomorrow." He got up from his seat at the table and began to leave.
"Empath," Hefty said, "remember when you smurfed my hand when I was smurfing you hard in the chest, and I had to have my hand smurfed by you or else I wasn't going to smurf it again? You never apologized for it."
"This smurf can only apologize for causing you pain, Hefty, but not for the intent," Empath said.
"Well, I hated you for smurfing that to me," Hefty said, looking away from his game to look at Empath. "But now all I want to say is...thanks for smurfing that to me. I needed you to smurf me in my place."
Empath didn't know what to say to that. "This smurf will see you in the morning, Hefty," he said before he left.
Out in the forest near the village, Johan and Peewit had set up camp. They were sitting around the campfire thinking about earlier times and the adventures they had with their fellow Smurfs, including when they attended King Gerard's wedding with his cousin Princess Savina, who after her uncle's passing was made queen.
"Johan, did you ever think about marrying Queen Savina...you know, back in the days when she was just a princess?" Peewit asked.
"There hasn't been a day that passed without that very thought in my mind, my young friend," Johan answered. "It's unfortunate that her station as a princess and mine as her loyal knight means that neither of us were meant to be. It hasn't stopped me from thinking about what kind of future the two of us could have had together if our stations weren't what was keeping us apart."
"I only wish I wasn't stuck with that curse that left me as a young boy for many years," Peewit said. "That left me watching so many beautiful women pass by in the my life that I could do nothing with."
"You don't have that interfering with your life now, William," Johan said. "You should have plenty of time for a virtuous young maiden to find her way to your heart if you give it a chance."
"Ah, if only it were me with Queen Savina on the day of her coronation," Peewit said with a sigh.
Just then, they were joined by the Smurflings. "We couldn't sleep because we were too excited about the wedding tomorrow, so we thought that we could join you two," Snappy said.
"You're more than welcome to sit by the fire before we retire for the night," Johan said.
"So what are you Smurflings thinking about this evening?" Peewit asked as they sat with the two humans.
"We were just wondering who we're going to marry someday," Nat said.
"Yeah, and both Nat and Slouchy think that I should be marrying Snappy of all Smurfs," Sassette said. "That's just disgusting."
"And you don't think there could be someone special for any of you?" Johan asked.
"Orbit and Dreamy think there could be another Smurf Village out in the world somewhere that has just female Smurfs," Slouchy said.
"Well, why aren't you Smurfs going out to explore that possibility?" Peewit asked.
"Leave the village and smurf the world based on just some Smurfs' flight of fancy?" Snappy said. "Papa wouldn't let any of us smurf out into the forest without an adult, much less smurf the seas looking for another village."
"There's got to be something out there, not just for us, but also for the other adult Smurfs in the village, because Smurfette is the only adult female Smurf we have," Nat said.
"I sure wouldn't want to see your friends go through their lives without having a Smurfette that they could fall in love with and marry someday," Johan said.
"Ah, there you are, you young whippersmurfers," Grandpa Smurf said as he entered the campsite. "I know that this is a very exciting night for everyone in the village, but you Smurflings ought to smurf your sleep because you're going to need all that energy for the wedding tomorrow."
"Yes, Grandpa Smurf," all four Smurflings said in unison as they headed back to the village.
Grandpa Smurf chuckled as he saw the four Smurflings depart. "If only they were old enough to attend the bachelor party that Empath and his friends were having...and if only I was young enough to join them. It's too bad that I never got to see my son get married or smurf his only child, but you know that I was just too busy exploring the world for any such things."
"Do you regret missing out on those days you could have spent with Papa Smurf?" Peewit asked.
"All the time, young one, all the time," Grandpa Smurf said. "But I knew that as long as he is with his fellow Smurfs, he is with family, because family is more than just blood...it's about people who will always smurf by with you and care for you no matter what happens. It just warms my heart that I get to smurf my grandson be happy and marry the Smurfette of his dreams."
"All we can hope for is the best with Smurfette and her fortunate bridegroom," Johan said.
Just then, Papa Smurf appeared at the campsite. "Smurfadoodles, Papa Smurf, shouldn't you also be asleep for the coming day ahead of us?" Grandpa Smurf asked.
"Just thought I'd check in with my human guests and see how they're smurfing, Grandpa Smurf," Papa Smurf said.
"Oh, me and Johan are doing fine out here in the woods so far," Peewit said. "We were just talking about who we would want to marry someday, if that's even possible for the both of us."
"We're grateful for whatever hospitality you can give us, Papa Smurf," Johan said. "My only concern is with the bride and groom, that this is something they truly want to do together."
"I'm sure there must be a little nervousness with both Empath and Smurfette," Papa Smurf said. "Marriage is a very big step for the two of them to take, but if they're brave enough to take that step together, then nothing in the world is going to stop them from smurfing so."
"It would seem that slaying dragons and defeating evildoers would be mere child's play compared to the huge responsibility of making sure that a husband and wife are happy together," Grandpa Smurf said.
"I would only hope to be fortunate enough to find someone I would dedicate my entire life to in the day that I will be called to the bonds of marriage," Johan said.
"You said it, Johan," Peewit said. "I'm with you right there all the way."
Late at night, when every Smurf has gone to bed, Smurfette looked at herself with the wedding dress she was going to wear. She had to admit that it looked really beautiful on her. Tailor and Vanity had really put their hearts into making the dress be everything Smurfette wanted.
And then she looked at Empath's hat lying on the chair next to the mirror. She knew what it symbolized: the moment she wore the hat, she would no longer be just a child Smurf or even a single female Smurf. She would forever belong to Empath as his wife.
She picked up the hat and looked at it some more, pondering what she would look like wearing something that she knew has Empath written all over it. She felt like she had to satisfy her curiosity.
Immediately her other hand removed the white hat from her head and tossed it onto the chair before she placed Empath's hat on her head. She then looked at herself in the mirror with the wedding dress and Empath's hat.
She was startled at the sight of the Smurfette that was now staring back at her. It was like the day Papa Smurf had transformed her into a real Smurf. Except that now it wasn't that Empath's hat made her more beautiful or anything. It just simply made her look really different.
She continued to examine herself, turning this way and that, stroking her hair and trying to see something in this Smurfette that would soon become Empath's wife in more than just formality. She imagined what she would look like in everyday clothes, greeting her fellow Smurfs as well as her husband-to-be wearing his hat. She imagined what she would look like as a mother of Empath's children while wearing the hat. She imagined a lot of things, even what she would look like at Nanny Smurf's age while wearing the hat.
And through it all, she felt a bit scared. This was like a point of no return for her, that she cannot go back to the Smurfette who was originally so content with flowers and dresses and just loving all her fellow Smurfs equally without much of a care in the world.
But even through the fear, Smurfette managed to smile, as if being married to Empath would make her somebody to be recognized in the Smurf Village. She knew everybody would treat her different. But they would not treat her as a nobody Smurf anymore.
Already she was calling herself Mrs. Empath Smurf in her thoughts. It had such a beautiful sound to it that she didn't mind repeating it over and over. She could live with such a name.
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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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Vic George The ND Guy
Super Smurf
Member # 300
Member Rated:
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posted 10-16-2021 06:31 AM
Chapter 9
It was finally the day of the wedding. Everyone seemed to be in high spirits and eager for the ceremony to begin. Everyone, that is, except for Hefty, whom Empath noticed looked a little hung over from the previous night. Nevertheless, he took his place alongside his brother Handy and Duncan as one of the ushers for the ceremony. A few more guests also arrived, such as Gunilda the fairy, Picklick and Guardiana the gnome couple, Queen Fauna and her child Prince Fenwick, Michael the leprechaun, Ripple the woodsprite, the Custodian of the Pools of Avalon, and Tharp the baby gargoyle, who has grown quite a bit since the Smurfs last saw him. Pretty much everyone that the Smurfs became friends with in the Smurf Forest over the last fifteen years were present.
"I heard that there was going to be a wedding today, Papa Smurf," a familiar voice said.
Papa Smurf turned to see two familiar faces joining them. "Father Time! Mother Nature! You received the invite!"
"We know how special this day is to you and to two of your Smurfs, so we decided to spend some time here to give our blessings to this union!" Mother Nature said.
"Actually, it was Mother Nature who talked me into attending this event, and she has a way of persuading even an old time guardian like me into giving in, Papa Smurf," Father Time said.
Papa Smurf smiled. "I'm sure Empath and Smurfette will truly appreciate your presence being here!"
Dylan was helping Marina find a seat, as she was now sitting in a barrel-sized tub with a smurferator attached to it to oxygenate the water. "This seems like a good spot for us to watch, my dear," Dylan said as soon as he parked the tub as close to the altar as they could without interfering with the ceremony.
"Oh, Dylan, I only wish that this could be our own wedding someday, if Papa Smurf is willing to do the honors," Marina said as she looked at the final preparations taking place.
"We can only hope, Marina," Dylan said. "Right now, I could only wish that we would be able to share a dance together at the reception like the others."
"As long as you're with me, Dylan, that's all that matters," Marina said as she stared into his eyes, deeply in love with him.
Empath was with Tapper, who in addition to a tuxedo jacket and tie was dressed in a green-plaid kilt identical to that of Duncan McSmurf's. "So how are you feeling now that the hour of your betrothal to Smurfette is approaching, my old friend?" Tapper asked.
"This smurf is experiencing some nervousness, realizing that this may be the end of this smurf being an independent Smurf, Tapper," Empath said. "After all these years of waiting for this moment to happen, a part of this smurf feels like running away from the inevitable."
"I'm sure that every Smurf would envy experiencing that moment for themselves right about now, Empath, including myself," Tapper said. "Just know that the Almighty will be there beside you and Smurfette all the way, for He is capable of smurfing your marriage in threefold cords that cannot easily be broken."
"This smurf will appreciate any prayers to the Almighty that you can give right about now, Tapper, because this smurf is going to need them to endure through this moment to come," Empath said with some honest feeling behind it.
"Me and my fellow Smurfs Barber and Sweepy will provide you and Smurfette with all the prayer you need, rest assured," Tapper said with a smile.
Empath sighed. "Mabye this smurf should briefly check in on Smurfette and see how her preparations are going along, just to settle this smurf's apprehension over the whole event."
"Wedding traditions would suggest that it is bad manners for the groom to smurf his bride before the wedding takes place, my fellow Empath," Tapper cautioned.
"This smurf doesn't need to go inside her house, Tapper, if this smurf can still sense Smurfette being in the village," Empath said as he headed away from where the ceremony was taking place.
Brainy looked rather nervous. He was pacing back and forth outside of Smurfette's house just waiting for her to come out so he could escort her down the aisle and present her to her husband-to-be. Nat, Slouchy, and Sassette were waiting nearby, sitting in a carriage being pulled by Puppy so they could take Brainy and Smurfette to the wedding ceremony.
Empath noticed this and went over to where Brainy was. "Something about this just isn't right, Empath," Brainy said.
"It's just Smurfette making final preparations to make sure she looks her best when she emerges, Brainy," Empath assured him. "There's nothing for you to be worried about."
"How long does a bride need to take just to make herself presentable?" Brainy asked. "It's like she's been smurfing inside her house for an hour, and I haven't smurfed anything from within."
"Brainy is right," Flowerbell said. "Your bride-to-be has been holed up in her house and I haven't heard her say anything. Maybe she just got cold feet and sneaked outside her house."
"Somehow this smurf can't sense anything from her house right about now," Empath said. "We may want to knock to see if she's all right."
Flowerbell knocked on the door. "Smurfette, sweetie, it's me, Flowerbell. Your friends and your husband are waiting for you."
Empath put his ear to the door. "This smurf is hearing nothing from within."
"Smurfette, I'm going to come in, all right?" Flowerbell said. She turned the knob but somehow the door wouldn't open. "That's strange...the door must be locked."
Empath tried to get the door open himself, but it wouldn't budge. He pushed against it and tried to force it open, but to no avail. "The door isn't locked...it's been magically sealed shut! Nobody can get into Smurfette's house!"
"Papa Smurf! Polaris! Quick, we need your help!" Nat called out.
Papa Smurf and Polaris heard Nat's cry and ran over to Smurfette's house to see the struggle to get her door to open. "Empath, what's wrong?" Papa Smurf asked.
"The door to Smurfette's house is sealed shut, and this smurf can't sense what's going on inside the house," Empath said. "This smurf has the feeling that something must have happened to her."
"Oh dear," Elderberry said. "I hope we can rescue her before it's too late!"
Polaris examined the door with his minds-eye. "Apparently the whole house has been sealed off with a magic spell that prevents entry of any kind," he reported. "It will be impossible for us to get inside to find out about Smurfette."
Blue Eyes showed up at the door. "Smurfette's trapped inside her own house with a magic spell?" he said. "Let's see if I can't do anything about it!"
The pegasus turned himself around and used his rear feet to kick at the door. It opened with such a powerful blow.
Empath, Polaris, and Blue Eyes went inside the house to find Smurfette, only to find that there was no trace of her. But there was something Empath did find on the floor.
He picked it up and found out that it was his Smurf hat. Smurfette was supposed to be wearing it for the wedding. It made him feel sad that it was now left on the floor, as if Smurfette finally reconsidered going through with the marriage.
"Empath, there's something not right with the hat," Blue Eyes said. "I'm sensing magical particles coming from it. Smurfette didn't take the hat off. She was transported from it."
"Transported?" Empath asked. "But to where?"
Blue Eyes sniffed the hat. "These magical particles emanate from a location outside of this forest. I can lead you to the exact location."
Empath had a feeling he knew just who took Smurfette. "Chlorhydris," he said as the three of them left Smurfette's house. "She was supposed to marry someone years ago, and she was left at the altar heartbroken, and she made it her life's mission to make the world as miserable as she is. Now she wants to ruin this smurf's wedding by taking Smurfette away."
"What would Chlorhydris hope to do with Smurfette in order to keep the wedding ceremony from taking place?" Polaris Psyche asked.
"That's what this smurf would like to know, and that's what this smurf is going to prevent," Empath said. "This smurf is going after Smurfette, and nothing is going to stop this smurf from rescuing Smurfette."
"Wait, kiddo," Flowerbell said as Empath came out of the house. "If you're going to go after Smurfette, you're going to need all the help you can get."
"The woodnymph is right," Elderberry said. "If Chlorhydris is holding your Smurfette hostage, you're going to need assistance. Me and the Pussywillow Pixies will accompany you so that you will be able to get inside and rescue her."
"And I'm going to join you as well," Flowerbell said.
"You can count me in," Periwinkle said.
"And I will also help you rescue Smurfette," Clockwork Smurf said.
"Tharp tharp tharp," Tharp said, also eager to join in.
"Hey, if you're going to smurf after Smurfette, you're going to need my help," Hefty said.
"You sure you're up to the task of this rescue operation, Hefty?" Empath asked, concerned.
"You know that I wouldn't let a little thing like what happened last night try to stop me," Hefty said. "Besides, I'm not going to let you marry Smurfette without smurfing my mind about how I feel towards her. You and me are going to settle this issue of who loves Smurfette more once and for all, and I'd rather do it the only way that I can with you -- by helping you rescue her."
Empath sensed that Hefty was resolute in both wanting to help and wanting to make his peace.
"This smurf would be honored to have you beside me, Hefty," Empath said. "And when we do reach Smurfette, you can tell her yourself exactly how you feel towards her without any reservations."
"Good," Hefty said. "Now let's get smurfing!"
"This one will remain here and make sure that the Smurfs and the guests remain calm while you resolve this situation, Empath," Polaris said before he saw Empath and his assembled team take to the skies to follow the trail.
"Come on, William," Sir Johan said as he got upon his horse. "We might as well give our young friend a hand in rescuing his bride from that evil witch."
"Hey, wait for me," Peewit said as he got upon his goat and followed after Johan.
As they followed the trail Blue Eyes was leading them on, Hefty was thinking of that moment of confession he was going to make to Smurfette. Empath sensed this from Hefty and hoped that he would have his opportunity while he had the chance. He wasn't going to be cruel to Hefty about marrying Smurfette if there was even the possibility of making him happy by giving him what he wanted.
"The trail leads to here," Blue Eyes said as the assembled team flew toward Chlorhydris' observatory.
Empath and his party had entered the observatory, staying very close as they explored it together. Hefty was expecting to fight his way through the observatory in order to get Smurfette, but so far there was nothing opposing them. It felt like they were being led into a trap.
Upon reaching the main chamber where Chlorhydris would normally be, they have found the witch just sitting by her telescope. "What have you done to Smurfette?" Empath demanded.
"I just simply brought her to my chambers for a little pre-wedding talk, Empath," Chlorhydris said. "She's waiting for you right here on this table."
And sure enough, the party saw Smurfette standing on the table. "Empath! Hefty! What are you smurfing here?" she asked, her voice sounding surprisingly dull.
"Thank Smurfness that witch didn't harm you," Hefty said.
"We've come to rescue you and bring you home so that you will get married to this smurf," Empath said.
"I'm not going to be married to you, Empath," Smurfette said in the same dull voice. "In fact, I don't love you anymore, and I don't even feel a thing for you."
"Smurfette, that isn't you," Hefty said, sounding rather surprised. "Empath and I have smurfed company with us so that you could smurf home, and now you don't want to be married to him?"
"I don't want to be married to anyone, Hefty," Smurfette said. "I don't feel a thing for you or for any Smurf."
"What have you done to her?" Empath asked Chlorhydris, sounding furious.
Chlorhydris chuckled slightly. "Why, I just simply removed her heart, my young Smurf. That's why she can't feel love for you or for any Smurf. And if she doesn't feel love for any Smurf, there simply can't be any wedding."
Empath turned to Elderberry, the leader of the Pussywillow Pixies. "This has got to be a trick, right?" Empath asked.
"I'm afraid not, my child," Elderberry answered. "That witch used a magic spell that removes the heart from any being so that they are incapable of feeling anything, including love. The only way Smurfette can feel any love for anybody now is that one of you must give up your heart for her, which means that you will no longer feel anything for anybody."
"Wow, now that sounds serious," Hefty said.
"Then it's settled," Empath said. "Since this smurf loves Smurfette and intends to marry her, then the logical choice is that this smurf must give up my heart for Smurfette so that she could feel love again."
"Hold it, Empath," Hefty said. "If anyone's going to give up their heart for Smurfette, it's going to be me."
"Hefty, this smurf can't let you do this," Empath said.
"Consider this my wedding present to you and Smurfette," Hefty said. "You and every Smurf in the village thought that I always smurf problems with my fists. Well, here's smurfing to you that you're wrong about me." He then turned to Smurfette. "I just want to let you know, Smurfette, that I was the first Smurf to ever fall in love with you, and even if you never fall in love with me, I will always love you and I will never stop loving you. So, as proof of that love, I now smurf you my heart."
And at that moment, Hefty handed Smurfette a glowing heart that came from his inner being and placed it inside her. There was a slight glow that came from Smurfette before she became rather animate again.
"Empath! Hefty! My guests! You're here!" Smurfette said, sounding rather excited.
"This smurf is glad that you're back to your normal self again, Smurfette," Empath said. "Hefty sacrificed his heart to make sure you would be able to feel love again."
"He did?" Smurfette said, turning to Hefty. "Oh, that's just sweet of you."
"I don't feel anything for you anymore, Smurfette," Hefty said, now sounding rather dull.
Smurfette was surprised to hear this. "You don't? But I thought you loved me! I thought you cared for me and Empath to be smurfy together."
"I don't feel anything for Empath anymore, Smurfette," Hefty said.
"Rather amusing, is it not?" Chlorhydris said. "A Smurf who loves you enough to give up his heart for you now no longer loves you."
"You mean nasty old witch," Smurfette said. "Hefty is my friend, and I want him back the way he was."
"The only way Hefty can be back the way he was is that you must be willing to give up your heart, Smurfette," Elderberry said.
"Fine," Smurfette said. "I'm willing to smurf that to make sure Hefty is able to feel love for anyone again."
"No, Smurfette, this smurf won't let you do this," Empath said. "Hefty wants this smurf back to the way this smurf was when this smurf first visited the Smurf Village so he could be happy again, and if that means we will not be married, then that's what this smurf will do."
"Empath, please don't!" Smurfette said.
But Empath was resolute in his decision. "Hefty, you are my Smurf brother and my friend. You deserve to be with Smurfette more than this smurf does. And so with everything this smurf has, you shall have this smurf's heart."
And Empath pulled out his heart and gave it to Hefty, who now felt surprised to be able to feel anything again. "What happened?" he asked. "How am I able to feel again?"
"Your friend Empath gave up his heart for you, Hefty," Elderberry said. "He considered your happiness to be more important than his."
And Hefty saw that Empath was back to the way he first was when he first came from Psychelia. And he was not happy.
"Empath, you idiot, what have you smurfed to yourself?" Hefty said. "This is supposed to be your wedding day, not mine! You're supposed to be in love with Smurfette, and you're supposed to marry her!"
"This smurf does not feel anything for anyone anymore, Hefty!" Empath said in a rather flat tone.
Hefty then turned to Chlorhydris. "I want my friend back the way he was!" he shouted.
"The solution is simple," Chlorhydris said. "You must give up your heart for your friend if he matters more to you than anything."
"No, Hefty, don't!" Smurfette said. "I'll give up my heart to Empath!"
"And risk not having you love any Smurf?" Hefty said. "Not a smurf!"
"Empath is the love of my life, Hefty!" Smurfette said. "I will not let anyone smurf in my way of making sure that he is happy, and I will smurf up everything to make sure that he is!"
"And I'd give up my heart again so that he would love you the way you should be loved, Smurfette," Hefty said.
"My, my, two Smurfs fighting over who's going to sacrifice their hearts for one little Smurf," Chlorhydris said. "This will definitely make for an interesting wedding day."
"You do not understand, witch," Elderberry said. "This is what true love and friendship is about...the power of sacrifice. They're willing to give up everything they have to make sure the other is happy."
"And we're willing to give up everything we have to make sure you don't ruin this wedding day," Flowerbell said.
"So give back the heart that you have stolen, or you will know from us what the power of sacrifice means," Blue Eyes said, sounding very determined.
"You pathetic little fools," Chlorhydris said. "You think that your power is enough to stay my hand? Your sacrifice will be meaningless once I'm through with you all."
At that moment, Sir Johan and Peewit entered the observatory, with the young knight holding up his drawn sword, ready to use it. "Let my friends go, you foul witch, before I shall put an end to your treachery," Johan charged.
"You heard my friend, Chlorhydris," Peewit added. "Give it up or else you'll regret it."
"Don't be foolish to risk your lives for the sake of these meddlesome creatures," Chlorhydris said as she raised up her arms to cast fireballs straight at the two humans. Peewit cowered, but Sir Johan stood his ground and blocked each of the fireballs with his sword.
"Stay back, I warn you, or I'll use the full extent of my powers against you," Chlorhydris said as she tried to create a lightning spell to repel the intruders.
Sir Johan used his strength to keep his sword fully raised to block the lightning that was generated by the evil witch's spell. "Your powers are weakening," Sir Johan said as he noticed that the strength of the lightning spell was getting weaker until it dissipated altogether. "This is your last chance...release my friends or else pray for mercy," he said as he held his sword straight in her face.
Chlorhydris could see that this struggle was becoming futile, and in her frail condition she was not going to be able to put up much of a fight. "Oh, very well," she snorted. "Have your miserable wedding. But I swear that this will not be the last you will hear from me."
And with a flash of her magic wand, Empath, Smurfette, Hefty, and their party of guests were gone.
They instantly materialized back in the village, with Empath and Hefty back among the gathered Smurfs waiting for the ceremony to begin. Sir Johan and Peewit also instantly reappeared with their mounts.
"Great Ancestors," Empath exclaimed. "This smurf is able to feel again."
"Well, that makes me smurf better," Hefty said. "I'd rather have you smurf the way that you are now than the way that you were when I first smurfed you."
"This smurf shares the same sentiment," Empath said. "This smurf appreciates that you were willing to come with this smurf to rescue Smurfette and to give her your heart."
"What are friends and Smurfs for, Empath?" Hefty said. "You and Smurfette desmurf to be happy together and I will not smurf in the way anymore of making smurf that you're happy together."
"Okay, places, everyone," Brainy announced. "The ceremony is about to smurf."
"We'll talk more about this later, Hefty," Empath said before the two of them rushed to their places.
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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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Vic George The ND Guy
Super Smurf
Member # 300
Member Rated:
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posted 10-16-2021 06:32 AM
Chapter 10
Empath joined Papa Smurf at the altar, the latter of which noticed a tear forming in Empath's eye. "What's wrong, my little Empath?" Papa Smurf asked.
Empath sniffed. "This smurf can't help thinking about what happened five years ago, Papa Smurf, with you, Smurfette, and all the others. This smurf thought that losing you again like when you left this smurf years ago in Psychelia was the worst thing in the world for me...but losing Smurfette to the Key of Chronos being lost felt like this smurf's whole world was coming apart."
"I know how you feel, Empath," Papa Smurf said, putting his hand on Empath's shoulder to show some empathy. "The time we smurfed apart from each other with us time-traveling and you and Polaris trying to smurf us back home wasn't the smurfiest time in our lives, and sometimes I wish that the time apart never smurfened in the first place. But the important thing is that we have all smurfed through it in one piece...every Smurf is safe back home, and Smurfette resmurfed to a Smurf who loves her just as much as she loves you. We couldn't ask for a better miracle than that. This very day is a smurfing victory over those days for both you and Smurfette! Don't let what yesterday smurfed ruin this smurfious day today!"
"You're right, Papa Smurf," Empath said. "It was foolish for this smurf to keep dwelling on those days. I'm sorry for bringing this up."
"You have nothing to apologize for, Empath," Papa Smurf said, noticing Empath smiling again. "I knew how important smurfing with Smurfette for all time means to you, which was why I never gave up trying to smurf the time crystals in the right order to smurf us all back home. It was my way of smurfing how much I truly love you as my one and only son."
Then Polaris approached the two of them. "Empath, Papa Smurf...Brainy and the entourage have just arrived and he is now about to escort the bride down the aisle toward the wedding altar."
"Smurfs like we're all ready here," Papa Smurf said.
"Thanks for the warning, Polaris," Empath said as Polaris took his place standing beside his friend.
Then wedding music began to play and the three of them watched as Brainy stepped off the carriage with Smurfette and started walking with her down the aisle. Smurfette was looking beautiful and radiant in her wedding dress and Brainy was looking and sounding so proud to be able to have the honor and duty of being Smurfette's escort. Flowerbell and some of the young Pussywillow Pixies followed behind them as the matron of honor and the bridesmaids, with Acorn as the flower girl and Snappy as the ringbearer, carrying two gold rings forged by Smithy on a pillow. Handy, Hefty, and Duncan escorted Lilac, Pansy, and Bramble to their places at the altar.
"Well, this is it," Papa Smurf said. "It smurfs like your days as a bachelor Smurf are all over."
"And not a moment too soon," Empath said.
"Smurfing any second thoughts about smurfing the knot with Smurfette?" Papa Smurf asked.
"Too many thoughts in this smurf's head, Papa Smurf," Empath said, "but not a single one that will make this smurf back out."
Finally Brainy and Smurfette have reached the altar, and as Brainy stepped aside to take his place among the other Smurfs, Empath lifted the wedding veil to see the beautiful face of Smurfette. Something about that moment of seeing her made Empath tear up again.
"Empath, what's wrong?" Smurfette asked sweetly. "You smurf like you haven't smurfed me in years! Is everything all right?"
Truth to tell, Empath really did feel like he hasn't seen Smurfette in years. At that moment, he felt like he was back with his friend Polaris Psyche traveling around the world, trying to find the way to get all the time-lost Smurfs back home, wondering if he was ever going to see Smurfette's face again. It was a really odd feeling. Nevertheless, Empath smiled.
"Everything is just the way that this smurf wanted it to be, Smurfette...perfect," Empath said, gently touching her face.
And then as the wedding music stopped, Papa Smurf took his place on the altar platform with Grandpa Smurf, Nanny, and Smoogle while Empath, Smurfette, Polaris, Flowerbelle, the Pussywillow Pixies, Brainy, Hefty, Handy, Duncan, and Snappy faced forward as they stood before the assemblage of all the Smurfs. Wild stood among them dressed in a tuxedo like everyone else, though he still wore his leaf-woven Smurf hat.
"My little Smurfs, as both your Papa Smurf and the leader of this village," he began, "it smurfs me great pleasure to smurf the long-awaited privilege of smurfing these two fine Smurfs together in the bonds of smurfy matrimony. As it was smurfed in the beginning, so shall it smurf by the decree of nature, that male and female shall be smurfed together as one so that they may be fruitful with the blessings of love and family. I know how eager the both of you are in wanting to smurf eternity with each other. However, if there is any Smurf who feels that these two should not be smurfed together in marriage, please smurf now or forever hold your smurf!"
"I hate that...," one of the Smurfs began to speak.
"Grouchy! What is it?" Papa Smurf asked as every Smurf now looked at him, expecting for him to speak his mind.
Grouchy looked nervous, as he just simply said something without actually thinking, and he didn't know what else to say beyond that. "Uh...that is...I mean...I would hate that Empath and Smurfette would not be smurfed together as a married couple for all time!"
Every Smurf sighed with relief after what Grouchy had said.
"Well, thank you for your honest and heart-smurfed commentary, Grouchy," Papa Smurf said. "I'm sure that they both appreciate your concerns for them. Now, if there are no other objections to this marriage, then let us proceed!"
No other Smurf said anything. Even Hefty, who was planning to make an objection of his own at this point in the ceremony, remained silent.
"But I hate that it couldn't have been me with Smurfette," Grouchy muttered under his breath.
Then Papa Smurf proceeded to the next part. "Empathy Psyche Smurf, do you take Smurfette to be your smurfully-wedded wife, to cherish, honor, and obey, in sickness and in health, in good times and in bad, for better and for worse, to love her as long as you both shall smurf?"
Empath looked into Smurfette's eyes. "This smurf...that is...well, I do, Papa Smurf."
"And Smurfette, do you take Empathy Psyche Smurf to be your smurfully-wedded husband, to cherish, honor, and obey, in sickness and in health, in good times and in bad, for better and for worse, to love him as long as you both shall smurf?"
Smurfette looked into Empath's eyes. "I do, Papa Smurf."
Papa Smurf then called forth Snappy. He raised up the pillow which contained the rings that Smithy Smurf has forged for them. "These rings made of gold will show that the two of you are insmurfably bound to each other for all time. You will smurf your own vows and in turn smurf the ring on the other's finger."
Empath was the first to take the ring. "Smurfette, from the day this smurf had met you, this smurf felt an incompleteness not just as a Smurf, but also in my very being. You have been very patient with this smurf, and you have taught this smurf more about being a Smurf than anything Papa Smurf could have taught." He then placed the ring on Smurfette's finger. "With this ring, this smurf vows that, from the depths of my own soul, to be the kind of Smurf that you want this smurf to be, to give you everything that your heart desires no matter the cost, to make you the one and only Smurf that this smurf will always love above all others."
Smurfette took the second ring. "Empath, from the moment I smurfed eyes on you, I smurfed as if my Prince Smurfing has come at last, underneath all the years of being smurfed as an emotionless Psyche. You smurfed in me things that I never thought I could possibly smurf as a Smurf, and you have smurfed me as being beautiful regardless of how I smurfed." She then placed the ring on Empath's finger. "With this ring, I vow that, from everything that I smurf within me, I will help resmurf unto you the Smurf that you should have been smurfed as...to smurf you a home and a family that will always love you, and to have you as the one and only Smurf that I will always smurf above all others."
"Then, by the powers smurfed in me by Mother Nature and Father Time, who smurf before us as witnesses, and by all the Smurfs who have smurfed throughout the ages, I shall pronounce that Empathy Psyche Smurf and Smurfette are now husband and wife," Papa Smurf said. "May this bond between them smurf for all time!"
Every Smurf in the audience cheered wildly at the pronouncement, while Hefty thrust his fist in the air to show his approval.
"You may now kiss your bride, Empath," Papa Smurf said to the now-married couple.
"This smurf wishes to have this one dance with Smurfette before we make our vow of eternal love known, Papa Smurf," Empath requested.
Papa Smurf nodded, and Empath then turned toward Harmony, sitting by the grand piano, waiting to play that one song Empath had composed for Smurfette. He knew that now was the time and he started playing it.
Most of the other Smurfs were half-expecting Harmony to do a horrible job playing Empath's love song, since he was pretty well known as the worst musician to ever play any instrument. But this time, Harmony surprised everyone, making the piano and Empath's music sound just as beautiful as the wedding itself. Empath took Smurfette's hand as they danced with each other in their arms and Empath sweetly serenaded his newlywed wife, telling her in words and music that he would truly love her until his time was through. Smurfette felt so captivated, she truly believed everything Empath had said and even sang along, vowing to love him forever as well. As the music came to a close, the other Smurfs cheered wildly as Empath and Smurfette kissed each other.
Empath and Smurfette then met with Hefty, who basically looked happy and content.
"Hefty, I just wanted to say that you were a real gentlesmurf and I appreciate that you were willing to smurf your heart to me so that I could love Empath again," Smurfette said. "All those years that I thought that you cared mostly about your muscles, I'm glad to see the true Hefty Smurf come out once more to my rescue, and for that I am grateful and I consider you a true friend." She gave Hefty a kiss on the cheek.
"I just wanted to see you happy, Smurfette," Hefty said. "There's nothing I wouldn't do for you to make sure of that."
"And I would expect nothing less than that from Sir Hefty the Bravehearted," Smurfette said, smiling.
"It's interesting, Hefty, that with your opportunity to speak out against the union taking place, you chose to allow it without any reservation," Empath said.
"I've smurfed what I had to smurf to Smurfette and I feel content with that, Empath," Hefty said. "Not that I'm still not jealous of you right now for marrying Smurfette, but if what we smurfed through with Chlorhydris smurfed me anything, the only way I can truly smurf my love for Smurfette now is to let her go and smurf her heart to a Smurf that I can truly count upon now."
"Just to let you know, Hefty, you did tell Chlorhydris that this smurf is your friend," Empath said.
"Well, that's one thing I'm not smurfing back, Empath," Hefty said. "And if it means anything to you, I'm always going to be yours from now on."
Hefty extended his hand toward Empath, which he accepted and shook. "This smurf is honored to have you as a friend."
After Empath and Smurfette had moved on, Duncan showed up beside Hefty. "I never thought you had it in you, my boy, to smurf the heart that's underneath all them muscles that you smurf," Duncan said, slapping Hefty in the back.
"I can't fight Empath on anything, Gutsy, but I still know who I can challenge when it smurfs to being the toughest Smurf of all," Hefty said.
"Anytime, anywhere, laddie, I'll be the Smurf who can challenge you in anything...even in things that muscles and fists can't smurf," Duncan said.
Jokey had his surprise packages exploding confetti as the newlywed couple made their way to the banquet table, making the first slice in their wedding cake that Greedy had baked and designed with two tiny figurines that Sculptor had crafted on top. The other Smurfs and their guests toasted Empath and Smurfette with smurfberry wine and sarsaparilla ale, some of which got poured on their heads, and even asked if they would ever name their first child after their fellow Smurfs. Vanity with Handy's photo-smurfer made sure he took enough pictures of the happy couple so that they could remember this moment for the rest of their lives. But for the most part, Vanity wanted to remember a wedding that was just as beautiful to look at as he was, every day.
Just before Empath and Smurfette were to embark on their honeymoon to enjoy their first few days of marital bliss, Papa Smurf had to tell Empath something very important that was on his mind.
"Promise me, Empath, that when you smurf your first child with Smurfette, that you wouldn't be foolish enough to smurf him away to Psychelia. I almost missed out on being a Papa Smurf to you the first time? I just don't want to lose the chance of ever becoming a Grandpa Smurf."
Empath knew what Papa Smurf was saying. "You can count on this smurf, Papa Smurf, to make sure that, whether it's a boy or a girl, this smurf will love and care enough for the child to prevent that mistake from happening again," he affirmed. "Of course, this smurf is hoping that it would take after Smurfette!"
"I know that Empath won't smurf anything that bad," Smurfette added, laughing slightly. "But no matter Empath might teach our child about being able to smurf for the stars, he or she will still need me to smurf them back on the ground and remind them about being a Smurf, first and foremost." She hugged Papa Smurf and kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you so much for making me a real Smurf."
Papa Smurf blushed slightly. "I should thank you, Smurfette, for choosing to be a real Smurf. This wouldn't be possible if you hadn't smurfed into our lives."
The Smurflings were the last ones who wanted to say something to Empath, but weren't so sure of what to say. Finally Snappy decided to speak for them.
"Hey, Empath, you're not going to forget about us now, are you? I mean, it isn't going to be the same in the village anymore with Smurfette smurfing your reins."
"That is true, Snappy," Empath answered. "But you are part of my family now. No matter what happens between us, this smurf will still care for you and for all the other Smurfs."
"Hey, good luck, Empath and Smurfette," Slouchy said.
"May nature guide you in the right path," Nat said.
"Hasta lasagna...don't smurf any on ya!" Snappy said.
Sassette didn't know what to say, so Smurfette simply hugged her. "Take care of the Smurflings while I'm gone, little sister," she told her.
"I will, big sister," Sassette replied, wiping a tear from her eye. "And take good care of Empath for me. You're already making me jealous of you."
With those happy and heartfelt thoughts, Empath and Smurfette boarded the wicker gondola that a friendly stork was carrying to an island paradise far beyond the range of the Smurf forest. As the gondola lifted itself off the ground and the other Smurfs and guests gathered around it, Empath and Smurfette looked down at their fellow Smurfs as if it were the last time they would ever see them like this. Then Smurfette threw her bouquet to the crowd while Empath threw something frilly of Smurfette's.
"I can't believe this!" Sassette jumped up and down with excitement. "I just smurfed the bouquet!"
"That's nothing, Sassette!" Snappy jeered, holding up what looked like a garter. "I just smurfed something even better -- Smurfette's slingshot!"
"Gee, Snappy, that's a funny-smurfing slingshot you have there," Slouchy commented, sounding very sly.
"You know what they say," Nat added. "He who smurfs the slingshot must marry she who smurfs the bouquet!"
"Wait a minute!" Snappy whined, caught by surprise. "You mean -- I have to marry Sassette?"
"And I have to marry Snappy?" Sassette asked, also surprised.
Both of them stuck their tongues out at that thought. "Eeww -- that's gross!" they both said together.
Nat and Slouchy decided to have more fun with that thought. "Snappy and Sassette sitting in a tree, s-m-u-r-f-i-n-g," they sang together, further teasing the both of them. "First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes a Smurfling in a baby carriage!"
Disgusted, Snappy and Sassette threw the bouquet and the garter at Nat and Slouchy as they laughed. They knew when they had enough teasing, even about something they certainly weren't going to think about.
Meanwhile, Papa Smurf was watching the stork flying off into the horizon when he noticed Empath embracing Smurfette and kissing in the gondola. He didn't notice Polaris Psyche standing right next to him until he spoke.
"Empath must have been a really special Smurf to you, Papa Smurf," Polaris commented.
"He was my son, Polaris," Papa Smurf nodded. "He made a change in my life ever since he was born. He made me a Papa Smurf long before I became that name. He made me smurf myself in ways that I have never smurfed possible. He helped bring an entire generation of orphans together into a family, and then eventually became part of it. If he ever thought he lost anything from that, I would say he gained a lot more -- the best of the both worlds he lived in."
"So that must make you the luckiest Smurf that ever lived, Papa Smurf," Polaris said.
Papa Smurf sighed, smiling. "No, Polaris...Empath is. He is definitely the luckiest Smurf of all!"
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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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