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T O P I C R E V I E W
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VicGeorge2010
Member # 300
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 posted 10-24-2023 07:32 AM
Here is the EMPATH: The Luckiest Smurf adaptation of the 1980s cartoon show episode "The Smurf Who Couldn't Say No". Enjoy!
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Chapter 1
Empath's personal journal.
It is now the time of the Firefly Festival in the Smurf Village. This smurf has missed the one that took place during this smurf's last nine years in Psychelia, so this smurf considers myself fortunate to be a part of the festival this time since this smurf no longer has to return to Psychelia. During the festival, one Smurf is chosen to be the one who will go to the Great Swamp to light a torch with the Foxfire in order to light the Firely Lantern before the end of the second night of the festival, and they must be careful not to extinguish the Foxfire or they will unleash the terrible Marsh Monster that will go on a rampage after whoever extinguished the flame.
Since Polaris has been a member of the Smurf Village following his exile from Psychelia, this is the first time that he gets to experience the Firefly Festival in person. This smurf hopes that he will enjoy everything that the festival has to offer without being bound to the Psycehlian belief that the Smurfs engage in reckless immoral celebrations that only prove in the minds of the Psyche that their way of living is the only correct way.
Empath and Polaris were both going throughout the village during the preparations for the Firefly Festival, observing all the activities going on. They could see Fiddler, Twanger, and Piper both practicing their music which they will play that night. They could see Hefty and Handy with some other Smurfs working on building a stage for the performers. They could see Party with some other Smurfs assembling the Firefly Lantern and putting up various other decorations. They could see Jokey filling up small rockets full of fireworks that they intend to launch up into the sky at the conclusion of the second night. They could see Greedy and his kitchen crew making up all the food for the festival.
"So how often does this Firefly Festival take place in the village, Empath?" Polaris asked.
"Papa Smurf says that it's once every four to five years, Polaris," Empath answered. "This smurf hasn't had the opportunity of being the one to be chosen to go to the swamp and light the torch with the Foxfire yet."
"But you're hoping that you'll be chosen this time so you can experience the dangerous trek to the Great Swamp and not feel like you've been left out of the festival like you have been during your years away from your people," Polaris surmised.
"If only this smurf didn't have these mind powers that would make the whole task so easy to perform that it's not even a challenge, Polaris," Empath said, heaving a sigh. "It's times like this that this smurf wishes to have been born a regular Smurf like everybody else so this smurf wouldn't feel so left out of anything as a regular Smurf."
"It's not your fault that you were born with those abilities, Empath," Polaris said. "However, according to what some of your fellow Smurfs believe, you were given those abilities at birth for a reason, so as much as you don't like not being like your fellow Smurfs, you should also consider yourself grateful to even have such abilities that make you the envy of everybody else because everybody else would have suffered greatly without them in their time of desperate need."
"This smurf knows, Polaris," Empath said. "But all the same, it would be worth not having these abilities for even a single day so that this smurf could experience the life of a regular Smurf and be able to appreciate all that this smurf can do for them."
The two of them came across another Smurf who was just doing his own thing, cleaning up outside his house to make things look tidy for the upcoming party. "So how are things going for you today, Pushover?" Empath asked.
"That's Pushback to you, Empath, and I'm feeling really great this morning," the Smurf answered a bit roughly.
"So there's no one bothering you about getting you to do things that you don't want to do?" Empath asked.
"Nope, not a single Smurf," Pushback answered. "And that's just the way I like it. Smurfs me plenty of time to smurf my own things for a change."
"So this is the Smurf who was called Pushover," Polaris said, realizing who Empath was talking to. "This one has heard about the kind of problems you were having since you were a Smurfling, fellow Smurf, from what Empath has told this one about you."
"About me being the kind of Smurf that every Smurf could smurf all over like a doormat?" Pushback said. "Yeah, that's been my problem, Polaris, and Empath, Tapper, and Duncan have smurfed their best to counsel me to smurf up for myself and not be that kind of Smurf."
"So how did you eventually become the kind of Smurf who is now called Pushback, if this one is permitted to ask that question of you?" Polaris asked.
"Just to let you know, most of the other details are from Narrator, but from what I know personally, it smurfed back a few years before Empath returned home for good at a Firefly Festival similar to this one, Polaris," Pushback answered.
As Pushback began his story, Empath and Polaris both saw the village preparing itself for a party similar to the one they were preparing for in the present day. There was building and cleaning and putting up decorations, with every Smurf seeming to be happy about what they were doing it for. Every Smurf, that is, except for Grouchy, who was pushing a broom through the streets of the village to sweep away all the loose pebbles and twigs and small bits of junk that gathered in the public walkways.
"I hate sweeping," Grouchy managed to say after a while of just doing that.
Then Smurfette came by near the village well where Grouchy had stopped, singing the Smurf song. "Oh, hello there, Grouchy," Smurfette pleasantly greeted as she filled the bucket she was carrying with water that was drawn from the well. "Ooh, I can hardly wait for the big Firefly Festival that will be smurfing on tonight. How about you?"
"I hate Firefly Festivals," Grouchy responded as he turned his attention toward doing his job again.
At that moment, Tapper and Duncan McSmurf arrived at the village well. "Smurf o' the morning to you, my dear Smurfette," Tapper greeted. "You seem just as eager as most of the village is about the Firefly Festival. I can understand why in your case since this will be your first one with us."
"So who are you planning to smurf to the festival with, my fair lassie?" Duncan asked.
"I just don't know, Duncan," Smurfette answered. "Every Smurf here seems like they would be willing to smurf me to the festival...well, almost every Smurf...but the thing is, I can't decide who I would want to smurf to the festival with. Every Smurf just seems so...smurfy."
Tapper chuckled. "Well, in case you can't decide, me and Duncan would be very much honored to be your escorts, Smurfette. I don't think the other Smurfs would have a problem with you smurfing with us tonight."
"Not unless they want to smurf a problem, and then I'll make sure that they know not to mess with a proud Smurfsman and his damsel," Duncan said.
"Really?" Smurfette said, sounding flattered. "Then I expect you two gentlesmurfs to smurf at my door promptly before the festival starts, so you would smurf me safely to the festival without any problems."
"You have our word, my dear Smurfette," Tapper said. "We will smurf you later."
After Smurfette departed, Tapper and Duncan were left talking among themselves. "Now that is a fine lass that I would hate to see being smurfed off to just about any Smurf who's less than worthy to smurf her hand in marriage someday, laddie," Duncan said.
"She will make the right Smurf happy, whoever that Smurf happens to be, my fellow Duncan," Tapper said. "For now, I will settle with her company for whatever things she wants to consmurf with me in secret."
"Are you sure you wouldn't want more than just her smurfing her secrets with you, my dear boy?" Duncan said with a suggestive look on his face.
"The Almighty knows that my heart is pure when it smurfs to my interactions with Smurfette, Duncan," Tapper said. "Even as a creature of fleshly passions, I will not smurf anything that would smurf dishonor to the very Creator of all living things."
Duncan snorted. "Well, then don't be surprised if you see Smurfette decide that I am the one who will fulfill all her desires when the wedding bells smurf, laddie."
Meanwhile, at the windmill, Miller left Brainy and Lazy in charge of grinding the wheat to be made into flour. Brainy is busy watching to make sure the grains of wheat all fall down the funnel toward the millstone while Lazy is pushing with all his might to turn the grinding wheel over the grains to crush them fine.
"The Firefly Festival should be pretty smurfy this year, huh, Lazy?" Brainy asked, sounding very enthusiastic.
"Yeah, but getting ready for it is hard work," Lazy said, stopping after a rotation to wipe his brow and catch his breath. "I don't know how Miller smurfs this job every day for all of us, but I sure need a break." He stretched out his arms while letting out a yawn before he rested on one of the arms of the grinding wheel.
"Come to think of it, Lazy, I could use a break myself, and I know just the Smurf to smurf about it," Brainy said.
"But who, Brainy Smurf?" Lazy asked, opening his eyes in order to respond.
"Pushover Smurf, that's who," Brainy answered. "He's the type of Smurf who would never smurf no to any Smurf who asks him for a favor."
"But didn't Miller entrust us that we would smurf the job of grinding the wheat while he's busy?" Lazy asked.
"Miller wouldn't mind if he smurfed along those duties over to another Smurf, and I'm sure he would approve of the very Smurf that I'm smurfing about, Lazy," Brainy answered. "Come on, let's go over to Pushover's house and see if he's there."
Lazy yawned again. "What the smurf, why not? It's going to get smurfed anyway."
Soon Brainy and Lazy arrived outside Pushover's house and knocked on his door. He opened and saw the two Smurfs standing around outside. "Smurfy day, isn't it, Pushover?" Brainy said, trying to keep himself from sounding too obvious about what he wanted his fellow Smurf for.
"Oh, yes, it's very smurfy, Brainy," Pushover answered. "Now what can I smurf you for today?"
Brainy elbowed Lazy in the side to draw his attention toward Pushover. "Well, since you asked, we do have a couple of favors." Pushover rolled his eyes, having a distinct feeling that Brainy had something more in mind than "a couple of favors", even as Brainy pulled out a long sheet of paper to read from. "Since I have a list of things of a high order that I must attend to today, and that Clumsy must assist me, I was wondering if you would..."
"We were wondering if you would smurf over the grinding job at the windmill today, Pushover," Lazy contributed.
"Oh, Lazy, I was going to smurf that question myself," Brainy complained. "But anyway, since you apparently have nothing important to smurf today, Pushover, I would most appreciate it if you would..."
Pushover sighed. "Yes, Brainy, I will smurf over to the windmill right away and get smurfing on the job."
"Now that's the spirit," Brainy said, trying to sound encouraging. "I will let Miller know that you're smurfing over the job so he won't have to worry about who's smurfing it today."
"Whatever you say, Brainy," Pushover said, already sounding rather defeated and helpless before he headed in the direction of the windmill.
Lazy looked at Pushover as he walked off. "Don't you smurf the least bit guilty of having to smurf your job over to a Smurf like Pushover, Brainy?"
"Me, feel any guilt? Why, not at all, Lazy," Brainy said. "Every Smurf's got to smurf their own weight around here in order to be useful to the community, and having Pushover smurf over our jobs is my contribution to making sure that every Smurf is useful and productive in the community. It's one of the things that every good future leader needs to smurf aware of, to not waste any valuable resources where they can be smurfed."
"Okay, Brainy, well, I'm going to smurf off somewhere and rest before the party," Lazy said, yawning again before he headed off in another direction. "Smurf you later."
Brainy snickered to himself. "Well, now that I have the whole day to myself, I might as well smurf advantage of it while Pushover smurfs over my job at the mill."
Pushover was left to his lonesome at the windmill as he did the jobs of both Brainy and Lazy, making sure the grains are fed to the millstone and that the grinding wheel crushes the grains into wheat. Already he was feeling like he would rather be anywhere else and doing anything else than what he was doing right then and there.
"Oh, I'm just a Smurf who can't say no...I always say yes when I really mean no...what is the matter with poor little me...I just can't say no," he sang to himself as he turned the grinding stone around and around.
Just then, Hefty came into the windmill, pushing a wheelbarrow full of rocks. "Well, well, well, look at what we smurf here," Hefty said in a very condescending tone. "If it isn't my favorite Smurf that I can smurf around and have him smurf all my work."
"Oh, hello there, Hefty," Pushover said, trying to sound friendly in the face of possible torment.
"You know, I was wondering, when you're finished smurfing up the flour for Miller Smurf, if you could smurf this pile of rocks over to Handy so we can get the stage smurfed up," Hefty said.
"I don't know, Hefty," Pushover said. "This job's already smurfing me out as it is and..."
"Oh, come on now, Pushover," Hefty said. "You wouldn't want me to get all smurfed out before the party smurfing all the heavy jobs now, would you?"
Pushover seemed rather reluctant to answer. "Well..."
"I said, would you?" Hefty said in a more forceful tone as he grabbed Pushover by the arm with one hand while making a fist with the other.
"Uh, no, Hefty, I wouldn't," Pushover finally said, causing Hefty to relax his stance. "I will make sure this gets smurfed over as soon as I'm done."
"Good, that's the kind of answer I want to hear from you, Pushover," Hefty said.
"Is there anything else that you want me to smurf for you, Hefty?" Pushover asked with a hint of sarcasm in his voice.
"Yeah, you can pour for me a glass of that smurfberry tea," Hefty said. "If not, I will just help myself to the entire pitcher."
"Okay, Hefty, here you go," Pushover said as he headed for the pitcher and poured out a glass of smurfberry tea, which Hefty took and drank right in front of Pushover.
"Aaaaah...," Hefty said, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. "Come to think of it, I might as well smurf down the whole pitcher since I'm that thirsty."
"Come on, Hefty, that's all the smurfberry tea that I have left," Pushover complained as he watched Hefty head for the pitcher and start drinking from it.
"Then you should have thought of smurfing some for both yourself and me, Pushover," Hefty said as soon as he was finished drinking the pitcher. He then handed over the empty pitcher to Pushover.
"Is there a problem smurfing on here, my fellow Smurfs?" an Irish-accented voice broke in. They turned and saw Tapper had just entered with a fresh pitcher of smurfberry tea in his hand.
"Uh, there's nothing smurfing on but a friendly conversation between me and Pushover, Tapper," Hefty responded, prompting Pushover to respond in the affirmative. "Isn't that right?"
"Oh, yes, Tapper, nothing smurfing on here," Pushover said.
Hefty realized from the way Tapper was looking at him that what he was doing was going to be told to Papa Smurf. "Well, I have other things that I need to smurf before the party, so I'll smurf out of here," he finally said before he left the mill.
With Hefty gone, Tapper spoke privately with Pushover. "I feel in my spirit that you're being bullied into smurfing things you don't want to do because they want to slack off and smurf their own things," Tapper said.
"I know, Tapper, I know," Pushover said. "And I know that you and Duncan have smurfed me many times that I should smurf up for myself and not let people like Hefty smurf me into doing things that I don't want to do. You must think that I'm a hopeless case."
"I don't think you're a hopeless case at all, my fellow Pushover," Tapper said. "If anything, I think that the Almighty is working on you to help smurf you up to the point where you will have the courage to smurf up for yourself. You just need to be patient for that time when you won't need to feel like you're a coward that can't say no to anyone."
"But I'm afraid that if I do smurf up for myself, I'm just going to get smurfed even worse than I do right now," Pushover said. "I don't think that I can handle that kind of abuse."
"What you face are giants in the land, my fellow Pushover," Tapper said. "Not literal giants like David's adversary Goliath, but personal giants that smurf over you and make you think that you're no match for them. But even as big as those giants may smurf to be, know that the Almighty that loved you from the beginning of creation is much bigger than the giants, and in Him you don't have to fear anything that a Smurf can do to you. He can be your strength in the times of your weakness, and that through Him you can smurf all your enemies to flight."
"You honestly believe all this, Tapper?" Pushover asked.
"I honestly believe it with my whole being, Pushover," Tapper answered. "You are meant for greater things than to stay the kind of Smurf that you are. The Almighty will smurf a new person out of you if you would let him smurf His wonderful work within you."
Pushover felt inspired by what Tapper said. "Gee, Tapper, I wish that the Almighty could smurf that to me right now so I won't have to fear anything from anyone anymore, and I won't ever be afraid to say no," he said.
"I will continue to pray for you, Pushover, that you can smurf all things through the Almighty who strengthens you," Tapper said before he left.
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VicGeorge2010
Member # 300
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posted 10-24-2023 07:38 AM
Chapter 2
"This one doesn't envy the position you were put in at the time, dealing with your fellow Smurfs as they have dealt unto you in putting the weight of their tasks upon your shoulders all the time," Polaris said.
"This smurf also shares the same sentiment, which makes this smurf wish that this smurf could have returned home much sooner to help you deal this problem, Pushback," Empath said.
"Well, Tapper and Duncan have always said that this is a problem that I had to smurf with on my own sooner or later," Pushback said. "I just wish it didn't have to smurf that Firefly Festival in order for me to smurf up for myself, but at least in retrosmurf I am glad that it finally happened."
"This one would still like to know more about how it reached that point, Pushback, if it's not a problem for you to relate that story," Polaris requested.
"No, not a problem at all," Pushback said. "I was smurfing finished with my job at the grinding mill and so started on my job of smurfing rocks over to where Handy and his crew were smurfing up the stage for the performers."
And as Pushback continued telling the story, Empath and Polaris both saw that Handy, Farmer, Tracker, and Duncan were busy assembling the stage, with Handy nailing down the wooden supports and the other three building the stone wall.
"I'm beginning to wonder where Hefty is right now," Handy said. "He should be here with the pile of rocks that he said he was going to smurf."
"That do not be typical of Hefty to just smurf hooky on us when we really need a job to be smurfed there, Handy," Farmer said.
"But smurfing this job as it is is really wearing us out," Tracker said. "I wouldn't mind smurfing a bit of a break so we could smurf a bite to eat."
"Yup, I do be feeling that way myself, Tracker," Farmer said.
"You young pups really need to stop smurfing about your stomachs and smurf your backs into smurfing the job you're supposed to be smurfing," Duncan said.
"We're not all like Empath there, Duncan," Tracker said. "If he was here, he would have most of this job done and smurfed already, and we would have time to just relax and prepare ourselves for the party."
"I doubt that Empath would want to return here to see you Smurfs as nothing but a bunch of lazysmurfs, smurfing all your jobs off to him," Duncan said. "If anything, I'd want to still be smurfing right beside him if he smurfs home and decides to get his hands smurfy like the rest of us."
"Oh, wait a minute, here comes Pushover," Handy said as he saw Pushover approaching while carting the pile of rocks in Hefty's wheelbarrow to the spot were the stage was being constructed.
"Here's the rocks that Hefty said you needed," Pushover said, letting out a sigh of relief as he set the wheelbarrow down. "Where shall I smurf these?"
"You could smurf us a hand, if you don't mind, Pushover," Tracker suggested, grabbing a stone from the wheelbarrow and handing it off to Farmer.
"Yup, just smurf it right on the wall," Farmer added.
Pushover then noticed that Tracker and Farmer were now leaving the work place. "Hey, where are you Smurfs going?" Pushover asked.
"Well, for lunch, my good Smurf," Tracker answered. "May we smurf you back a bite?" Pushover shook his head in disbelief as he watched the two Smurfs head off away from the work place.
Duncan sighed. "Smurfs like it's going to be just me, you, and Handy left to smurf up this stage now, Pushover," he said after watching the two Smurfs leave. "You sure you feel up to smurfing this job, laddie?"
"Don't mind me, Duncan," Pushover said. "I'm going to get this job done even if I'm the only Smurf left smurfing it."
"Not if I have anything to smurf about it, my boy," Duncan said. "I'm not going to leave this project until it gets smurfed."
Then after a while of working, Handy stopped what he was doing. "Hmmm, it sure is hot today," he said to himself. "I think that I'll go smurf a swim in the river, to smurf myself off." He then handed Pushover his hammer while the latter was still stacking up. "I have an errand to run. Be a smurfy Smurf and finish up for me, will you, Pushover?"
Pushover looked at the hammer in his hand, feeling a bit angry and ready to use it on the next Smurf that would pawn off his job to him to take care of. "Yes, certainly, Handy," he muttered before he continued on with his work.
Duncan sighed as he watched Handy now depart from the work place. "That's the last Smurf who should be smurfing off from his job when it's that important to be smurfed," he said with a hint of anger in his voice.
"This whole thing is my all fault, Duncan," Pushover said. "If I weren't such a doormat to these Smurfs, always saying yes when I really want to say no, I wouldn't be letting them smurf all these jobs they should be smurfing to poor old me. You think that I'm just too weak of a Smurf, don't you?"
"You shouldn't blame the whole thing on yourself there, laddie," Duncan said. "You're just too nice of a Smurf to ever refuse to help, even if Smurfs like Hefty continue to bully you into smurfing things that he himself should be smurfing himself."
"I know, and I truly wish that I could be strong enough to smurf him in his place when he smurfs that," Pushover said. "Then nobody will ever have to smurf me as just a Pushover Smurf that they can smurf anything with."
"You just got to believe that you're a strong Smurf who can smurf anything that you can smurf your mind to smurfing, Pushover," Duncan said. "Then if anyone asks you to smurf something that you don't want to and you say no, you won't feel ashamed and you won't feel like a coward."
Pushover sighed. "I just wish that today will be the day that I can finally smurf up for myself, Duncan. I really do."
Meanwhile, Handy, Tracker, Farmer, Brainy, and Clumsy were enjoying themselves outside Greedy's kitchen, eating to their heart's content.
"I do so enjoy these repasts during our work, especially when we know that Pushover can smurf the work for us in the meantime," Tracker said.
"But won't Papa Smurf find out if we've been smurfing off on the jobs while Pushover is doing them?" Clumsy asked.
"Don't be ridiculous, Clumsy," Brainy said. "Papa Smurf will never know about what we are smurfing here. Besides, if he does come smurfing our way, we'll just simply smurf back to our jobs and make it smurf like we've been smurfing them all along. There's no harm done."
"I do be feeling a little guilty of just letting Pushover smurf over all our jobs while we smurf it easy," Farmer said.
"Pushover's fine, Farmer," Handy said. "He's got Duncan to help him out."
"Come to smurf of it, why doesn't Duncan just smurf it easy, since he deserves to smurf a break from his work?" Tracker said. "I'd hate to be all smurfed out by the time the party smurfs around, don't you?"
"Oh, who cares if they do, Tracker?" Brainy said. "That just means there's more for us at the party to enjoy. Right, Clumsy?"
"Uh, right, Brainy," Clumsy said until he looked over his shoulder and noticed something. "Excuse me, but I do see Papa Smurf smurfing toward the stage," he spoke in a low enough voice so as not to be overheard.
"Whoops...our break is over," Handy said, as the five of them got up from where they were sitting and raced back over to the stage that they had left Pushover and Duncan working on during their break.
"Well, well, well, how are preparations smurfing for the Firefly Festival?" Papa Smurf asked as he saw the seven Smurfs busy working on building the stage, looking like they have been doing it for hours.
"Oh, we've been smurfing on this round the clock, Papa Smurf," Handy answered.
"As I was telling my fellow Smurfs, smurfing your nose to the grindstone is what makes all our efforts smurfwhile when all is said and smurfed, Papa Smurf," Brainy added.
"We should have this smurfed well before the party even smurfs, Papa Smurf," Tracker said.
Papa Smurf beamed. "Good work, my little Smurfs. I knew that I can count on all of you to smurf your part well. We should ready for the Foxfire Lottery that will smurf tonight during the festival."
"Gosh, I wonder who's going to win the lottery," Clumsy said, sounding a bit excited.
"With my luck, it's probably going to be me," Pushover said quietly to himself.
"Don't smurf too hard upon yourself there, laddie," Duncan said privately to Pushover. "I would be surprised if any of these Smurfs would have the honors of winning it tonight."
"I'm sure that it will be a surprise worth waiting for, my little Smurfs," Papa Smurf said, smiling. "Keep up the good work." With that, he headed off in another direction while whistling the Smurf song.
"You're all smurfing a good job, my little Smurfs," Pushover muttered through gritted teeth. "Keep up the good work, my little Smurfs. What I wouldn't give to let Papa Smurf know who's been smurfing this whole job while the others were smurfing off, Duncan."
"Try to smurf yourself from smurfing off the handle there, laddie," Duncan said. "You'll get your chance to smurf the truth to Papa Smurf about what's been smurfing on here."
"Oh, yoohoo, Pushover," Smurfette called out as she approached the work place. "Did you finish smurfing up my flower wreathes yet?"
Pushover sighed. "Almost, Smurfette. As soon as I get a chance to..."
"Hey, Pushover, where are the decorations you promised to help me smurf up?" Party said as he also approached the scene.
"Oh, Pushover, I was wondering if you could..." Clumsy interrupted.
"Smurf your turn, Clumsy, I'm the one who needs Pushover right now," Hefty said.
"Wait a smurf, Hefty, we still need him to..." Handy interjected.
And so Pushover found himself swamped with so many requests for his service that he finally just raised his voice and shouted "ALL RIGHT!" before he walked away.
"Well, I wonder what bee's been smurfing under his bonnet lately?" Party said, sounding rather insulted by Pushover's response.
"I don't know, laddies," Duncan said with a bit of sarcasm in his voice. "Maybe it's because you Smurfs keep smurfing all your duties upon him like you think that he's a Supersmurf or something."
"A Supersmurf?" the other Smurfs said in unison.
"But I thought that he liked smurfing things for other Smurfs," Smurfette said.
"Yeah, and that he'll never say no to any Smurf for any reason," Clumsy said.
"Let's face it, Pushover is a Smurf who will always be the kind of Smurf that others will smurf advantage of because he has no backbone to smurf up for himself," Hefty said. "And I for one would never want that to change about him."
"My thoughts exactly, Hefty," Brainy said. "Pushover has to live with the fact that he's always going to be needed to smurf things that sometimes we don't want to smurf for ourselves, since there will be times when we will need to smurf things for ourselves to smurf away from our work."
"And if Pushover doesn't smurf the work for us when we need him to smurf it, then who will?" Handy said.
"You know, I have a mind to just tell Papa everything that you smurfed me right here and now about how you all want to use Pushover," Duncan said. "But personally, I think that it would be better for Papa to hear it straight from Pushover himself, because my words aren't going to matter in the long run if Pushover is still able to smurf for himself about how all you Smurfs are mistreating him." With that, Duncan just walked off.
"Well, who needs that Gutsy Smurf in the village anyway?" Hefty said.
"Come on, Smurfs, let's get what we can finished so that Papa Smurf doesn't find us smurfing off the job and we get smurfed by our ears with what he has to smurf to each of us," Handy said before the group of Smurfs dispersed.
Near the end of the day, Tapper and Duncan joined with each other at the dining commons outside Greedy's kitchen to enjoy the day's final meal before the festival began. "How are you smurfing today, my fine Duncan?" Tapper asked.
"I couldn't smurf any better about what I have accomplished, laddie, but I do feel that Pushover's never going to overcome his problem with the other Smurfs," Duncan said.
"I can understand your feeling of frustration with him, Duncan," Tapper said as he and Duncan received their meal before heading for their seats. "The Almighty's Son had to smurf patience even with His own disciples not fully understanding what He was smurfing them on a daily basis. Fortunately as a man, He only had a few years of smurfing with this problem whereas we seem to be smurfing a whole lifetime of our dear friend never being able to overcome his problem."
"It would easy just to smurf up on him, Tapper, but I care too much for him to do that," Duncan said as he ate a bit of his food.
"We would all like to smurf that with the Smurfs that annoy us the most," Tapper said. "But if living with our fellow Smurfs was always an easy thing, how would we be able to handle adversity when it smurfs our way? I know you don't like to be called Gutsy, and I respect that of you, my friend, but you do earn the name by smurfing up for the Smurfs that need to be smurfed up for, and I wouldn't want that part of you to ever not be a part of you."
Duncan smirked. "Well, smurfing from you, laddie, I don't find it to be an insult. But smurfing from somebody like Hefty, it's one of the things I have to smurf up with when it comes to smurfing around him all day."
"You're a good model of patience, my fellow Duncan, and for that I commend you and only pray that you don't lose hope, for someday you will smurf a harvest of goodness if you don't faint," Tapper said before taking a bite of his food.
At that point, Pushover came by the table that Tapper and Duncan were sitting and eating their meals on. "Mind if I smurf with you two for dinner tonight?" Pushover asked, sounding rather worn out.
"Oh, not at all, my fellow Pushover," Tapper answered. "Our table is your table as well. Come and smurf us company if you wish."
"Thank you," Pushover said gratefully as he sat down next to Duncan at the table. He took a bite to eat from his food before he just sat there holding his head in his hands.
"It's been another long day for you, hasn't it, my fellow Pushover?" Tapper asked, sounding very concerned.
Pushover nodded very slightly. "Tapper, would you think the less of me if I were to smurf to you that I think most of my fellow Smurfs are nothing but selfish jerks?" he asked.
"All I can smurf to you is that you're free to believe anything that you want of your fellow Smurfs and to smurf your mind to me about how you feel about them, Pushover, even if your fellow Smurfs don't think too highly of your opinion of them," Tapper answered.
"It's that bad the way that you're feeling about them right now, isn't it, laddie?" Duncan said, sounding sympathetic.
"Right now I just want to smurf back home after this meal and take a rest, because I sure don't feel smurfy enough to enjoy myself at the festival, Duncan," Pushover said. "That, and I want to keep myself from smurfing off at the next Smurf who wants to ask me for a favor to smurf him."
"I'm sorry that you feel that way, Pushover," Tapper said. "If you want, I can go tell Papa Smurf about what you have smurfed me about how the other Smurfs are treating you so he can smurf something about it."
"Thanks, Tapper, but I feel that I should be the one to tell Papa Smurf about my own problems," Pushover said with some honest feeling behind it.
Tapper sighed. "If that's what you want, Pushover, I will not smurf in your way."
"Hello there, boys," Smurfette greeted as she walked over to the table where Tapper, Duncan, and Pushover were sitting.
"Greetings, my fellow Smurfette," Tapper responded. "Ready for the festival that will be smurfing on tonight?"
"I sure am, Tapper, thanks to Pushover," Smurfette said, giving Pushover a kiss on the cheek as a show of gratitude.
Pushover didn't know what to say. "Uh, I'm going to smurf you three later, if you don't mind," he said, getting up from the table with his meal in hand.
Smurfette looked at Pushover with some puzzlement as he left. "Gee, I wonder what's wrong with him tonight," she said.
"Nothing that a little talk with Papa won't fix, my fair lassie," Duncan said. "You do know that there's going to be a lottery at the Firefly Festival tonight."
"A lottery?" Smurfette asked. "What will the winner of this lottery do?"
"The winner of the Firefly Festival lottery will smurf the honors of traveling to the Great Swamp to light the torch with the ancient Foxfire flame from within the swamp, but the smurfer of the torch must be careful not to smurf out the flame or else they will awaken the great Marsh Monster," Tapper explained.
"The Marsh Monster?" Smurfette said, sounding a bit intimidated. "Oooh, that sounds a bit scary."
"It's nothing that a brave Smurf couldn't handle, and I for one wouldn't mind being the one chosen for this Firefly Festival's torch smurfer," Duncan said. "So far, though, no Smurf over the past 150 years has ever awakened him."
"But what if this Marsh Monster does awaken?" Smurfette asked. "What will we do then?"
"I'm sure that we will be able to handle the situation if it arises, my dear Smurfette," Tapper answered. "There's nothing for you to be afraid of, for you have a hundred of your fellow Smurfs all smurfing out for you."
Smurfette sighed in relief. "Oh, I'm so glad to hear that. Ever since I have been a real Smurf, you Smurfs have always been so kind to me...especially you two."
"There's nothing that I wouldn't smurf for you, my bonnie Smurfette," Duncan said, sounding pleased with the compliment.
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VicGeorge2010
Member # 300
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posted 10-24-2023 07:47 AM
Chapter 3
Pushback sighed. "I'm sorry, you smurfs. This story should be about me, and I got sidesmurfed and started talking about Smurfette. But then again, who couldn't talk about Smurfette in their stories...besides maybe Grouchy?"
"That's perfectly understandable, Pushback," Empath said. "Given that she's the only adult female Smurf in the village that about every adult male Smurf is in love with, why wouldn't they want to talk about her at all?"
"Fortunately, this one does not have a need to talk about Smurfette as if this one actually has an infatuation with her as do most of your fellow Smurfs, Empath," Polaris said.
"Are you so sure about that, Polaris?" Empath said with a suggestive wink toward his friend.
"You're implying that this one is withholding vital information about this one that you assume that this one is not comfortable sharing with anyone else, including you, Empath," Polaris said, sounding a bit defensive.
"The Psyche Master isn't controlling your thoughts anymore, Polaris," Empath said. "You're pretty much free to express how you personally feel about people like Smurfette, since she is the first female Smurf that you have met."
"Smurfette is a friendly female Smurf that this one considers a very valuable associate to this one, Empath," Polaris said with a hint of anger in his voice. "This one will not allow the fellowship this one has with Smurfette to be misconstrued as anything other than a fellowship."
"Okay, Polaris, you don't have to get so touchy about it," Empath said, sounding like he had offended his friend. "Anyway, getting back to the story..."
"Well, it was finally the first night of the Firefly Festival, and every Smurf seemed to be in good spirits for dancing and partying and just smurfing a good time," Pushback said, pausing before he added, "Almost every Smurf."
And as Pushback continued the story, Empath and Polaris both saw that it was now nighttime in the Smurf Village, as the first night of the Firefly Festival commenced. Smurfette was in her house making final preparations for herself when there was a knock on her door. "Who is it?" she asked.
"It's your friends, Tapper and Duncan, Smurfette," an Irish-accented voice answered from the other side of the door.
"We've come to escort you to the first night of the festival," a Scottish-accented voice added.
"Oh, you've smurfed just in time," Smurfette said, putting aside her hairbrush and getting up from being in front of her mirror to answer the door. She saw that Tapper and Duncan were waiting right there, just as they have promised.
"My dear Smurfette, you've certainly smurfed quite beautiful tonight, if I must smurf so myself," Tapper complimented.
"Would you like either of us to smurf your hand, my fair lassie?" Duncan asked.
Tapper snickered. "I won't be offended if you choose my fellow Smurf here, Smurfette."
Smurfette seemed flattered. "How about I let you both have the honors?" she answered, positioning her arms so that either Smurf could loop their arm around hers.
"It would be my pleasure," Duncan said as both he and Tapper reciprocated the gesture by looping their arm around hers on either side.
Hefty watched as Smurfette arrived at the festival with the two Smurfs. "Well, well, well, if it isn't Gospel and Gutsy Smurf as Smurfette's two escorts," he mused. "What's the matter...one Smurf not smurfy enough to smurf her to the festival?"
"You just wish that you were a Smurf like me, laddie," Duncan shot back.
"Whoever Smurfette chooses to be her escort, I will not begrudge that honor, my fellow Hefty," Tapper said.
"Yoohoo, Smurfette," another Smurf called out. It was Vanity, who arrived with his mirror. "Would you like to smurf a dance with the most handsome Smurf of the whole village?"
"Why, Vanity, you know that I would," Smurfette said as she went off with him while Hefty, Tapper, and Duncan watched.
"So much for you Smurfs being smurfy enough for the likes of Smurfette," Hefty jested. "I bet before the night is smurfed, she's going to end up smurfing in my arms throughout the rest of the night."
"I will not be offended by whoever Smurfette chooses to smurf company with on a night like this, Hefty," Tapper said.
"But you try anything unsmurfy with Smurfette on a night like this, and I smurf to you that it will be the last time you ever smurf a dance with the fair lassie," Duncan said.
"Oh, don't get so upsmurfed there, Gutsy," Hefty said. "What makes you think that I would ever smurf anything like that to her?"
Duncan snorted. "Just don't try to mess with a true Smurfsman, laddie."
And soon, with Fiddler, Twanger, and Piper starting the music on the stage, the gathered Smurfs all danced, twirling and jumping and stepping side to side in unison with each other. Smurfette was with Vanity as he danced while holding his mirror to look at himself with one free hand. The fireflies all joined together and entered into each of the hanging lanterns strung on lines hanging on poles to give light for the festival.
"Ooh, don't you just smurf the music, Vanity?" Smurfette asked.
"Absosmurfly marvelous," Vanity responded, paying more attention to his reflection than to anything else going on.
Harmony took a look at the performers on stage and decided to try joining in. He went on the stage and played a bit of off-tune music from his horn, which made the other three musicians stop and look at Harmony with disgust. Harmony smiled sheepishly before he left the stage and the music resumed without any further interruptions.
Grouchy stood outside the crowd of Smurfs dancing, folding his arms and scowling as he watched them dance. "I hate music," he muttered, "and I hate dancing." Then he lightened his mood a little and added, "Sometimes."
Then Smurfette noticed that Pushover was walking past the crowd of Smurfs with his shoulders slumped, looking exhausted. "Aren't you going to dance with us, Pushover?" Smurfette asked, sounding concerned.
"Sorry, Smurfette, but I just feel too smurfed to dance with you," Pushover replied. "You enjoy the party without me."
Papa Smurf stood outside the crowd with Brainy beside him, the both of them watching the dancing going on. "Aaah, I love to see my little Smurfs enjoying themselves, Brainy," Papa Smurf said. "It makes all the work that they have smurfed together worthwhile. Don't you think so?"
"What work?" Brainy asked before he realized that he was about to reveal what his fellow Smurfs weren't doing throughout the day. "Oh...that work!" he responded with a slight chuckle.
Then they both saw Pushover walking right past them, looking like he wasn't in the mood to enjoy the party. "What's wrong with Pushover?" he asked.
"Why, I have no idea, Papa Smurf," Brainy answered. "He seemed so energetic and enthusiastic all throughout the day, and now for no reason he just seemed to..."
"Excuse me for a minute there, Brainy," Papa Smurf said as he headed off in the direction that Pushover was heading in and called out his name to get his attention. Pushover stopped walking as soon as he heard Papa Smurf calling out his name and turned to face the village leader. "Pushover, why aren't you enjoying yourself like the other Smurfs?" he asked, sounding concerned.
Brainy strained to hear the conversation that was going on between the two Smurfs. "You don't want to hear what I have to smurf because every other Smurf here is too important for you to listen to anyway, Papa Smurf," Pushover said.
"Nonsense, Pushover," Papa Smurf said. "Every Smurf is important to me, no matter how unimportant they may seem to everybody else. Now please tell me, what is smurfing on with you that is making you smurf like this tonight?"
Pushover sighed heavily. "I don't know, Papa Smurf. I guess I'm just all smurfed out."
"But no other Smurf seems to be tired right now, Pushover," Papa Smurf said. "They all seem to be having a smurfy time."
"Well, that's because most of the other Smurfs seem to be asking me to smurf their..." Pushover began to say.
"Oh, Papa Smurf!" Brainy cried out, interrupting the conversation.
"Oh, smurf is me, it's time for the Foxfire Lottery," Papa Smurf said, distracted from the conversation he was having. "Excuse me, Pushover, but you'll have to smurf me later about this."
"But Papa Smurf..." Pushover said, trying to get the village leader's attention again when he saw that Brainy had purposely interrupted him from ever saying that the other Smurfs were using him to do all their work for them. "Why...why...why, you dirty little mothersmurfer, Brainy!" he growled quietly with his fists clenched.
"This one considers it a very colorful metaphor that you used in regards to Brainy and his behavior at that point in the Firefly Festival, Pushback," Polaris said, recoiling in slight shock of what he had heard his fellow Smurf's past self saying.
"This smurf agrees, Polaris, but this smurfs also considers it appropriate for the circumstance that Pushback found himself in, having to deal with Brainy trying to keep Papa Smurf from finding out about what his little Smurfs were doing behind Papa Smurf's back," Empath said.
"I'm sorry that's what smurfed out of my mouth at the time, you smurfs, but you understand what I was smurfing through," Pushback said. "Anyway, it was time for the Firefly Festival lottery, and while I wasn't there to see who would win the lottery, Narrator made sure that I knew everything that had smurfened while I was in my house smurfing in my lonesome."
And as Pushback continued the story, Empath and Polaris watched as most of the other Smurfs have gathered around the stage for Papa Smurf's announcement as he captured their attention with Harmony playing his horn, although Brainy gave Harmony a look that signaled him to stop playing when it seemed that he was playing his horn a little too long for Brainy's liking.
"Attention, all my fellow Smurfs!" Brainy boldly proclaimed. "Papa Smurf has an important announcement."
"Thank you, Brainy," Papa Smurf said before he commenced with the announcement. "My little Smurfs, on this, the first night of the ancient Firefly Festival, we now hold our lottery to determine who will be smurfed as the official Foxfire Smurf. The Smurf who wins this lottery will travel to the Great Swamp tomorrow and capture the sacred Foxfire flame. Only with that flame will we be able to light the Firefly Lantern and conclude the festival."
Every Smurf muttered among themselves in anticipation of the lottery and who will win it that night. A good deal of them were hoping to be the winner, while some others were hoping that another Smurf would win that particular honor.
"However, whoever is chosen for this honor must be careful not to smurf out the Foxfire flame in the process," Papa Smurf warned while Brainy brought before the village leader a picnic basket. "Now I want each of you Smurfs to smurf forward and draw a single smurfberry from the basket. Whoever smurfs the green one shall be smurfed the Foxfire Smurf."
"Okay, you Smurfs, let's line up in a smurf and make sure that each of you draws out only one single smurfberry," Brainy advised as he placed the picnic basket near the edge of the stage.
And so the Smurfs lined up in front of each other in a queue so that they could each draw a smurfberry to determine the winner. Hefty went first and drew a red smurfberry. Handy went next and also drew a red smurfberry. Greedy went next and drew a red smurfberry, eating it as soon as he drew it. Vanity went next and drew a red smurfberry. Grouchy went next, saying "I hate lotteries", but nevertheless drew a red smurfberry. Harmony went next and drew a red smurfberry. Lazy fell asleep when he reached into the basket, but the Smurf standing behind him elbowed him in the arm to awaken him, and soon also drew a red smurfberry.
Scaredy was standing in line with Tapper and Duncan standing behind him. "Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear," Scaredy muttered to himself. "What if I'm the one who gets to draw the green smurfberry? What am I going to smurf?"
"That's a chance you're going to have to smurf there, laddie," Duncan said.
"Be of good courage, my fellow Scaredy," Tapper said. "The Almighty will smurf beside you through your journey if that's the case."
"Scaredy Smurf, it's your turn," Papa Smurf prompted as soon as he reached the stage for his turn to pick a smurfberry from the basket.
"Oh please, Mother Nature and Father Time, let me not be the one who will smurf the green smurfberry," Scaredy prayed quietly when he reached into the picnic basket. He drew out the smurfberry that he grabbed and found out that it was green.
Papa Smurf noticed it. "You did it! Scaredy Smurf has picked the green smurfberry!" he announced to all the other Smurfs. "Consmurfulations! You are the Foxfire Smurf!"
All the Smurfs cheered for Scaredy, who looked even more scared than he was before the lottery had even started, for having been picked for what he saw as a dubious honor.
Papa Smurf brought forth a torch for Scaredy to carry on his person. "Tomorrow you will light this torch with the Foxfire. Good luck, and may the spirits of the Smurfs be with you."
Again the other Smurfs cheered for Scaredy. But Scaredy felt a big lump forming in his throat, realizing that he was in a situation that there seemed to be no way out of. Or so it seemed.
Pushover was in his house, asleep while sitting on a chair, trying to relax from the day that he had been through when he heard a knock on his door. He awakened to find out that it was around midnight, and so he wondered who would awaken him at this hour.
He opened the door and found out that it was Scaredy, who was holding what appeared to be a torch. "Scaredy, what's wrong?" he asked, sounding a bit concerned.
"Excuse me, Pushover, I'm sorry to bother you," Scaredy said, sounding very timid in his response, "but I was just wondering..."
"You were wondering what?" Pushover asked rather suspiciously, realizing that Scaredy had something on his mind for Pushover to do.
Scaredy gulped. "I'm sorry, Pushover, but I just need to ask you for a favor because I have been smurfed with the honor of being the Foxfire Smurf who must smurf to the Great Swamp and light this torch so that we can light the Firefly Lantern to conclude the festival, and I'm just too scared to smurf it by myself."
"So you need me to smurf it for you, is that what you're asking?" Pushover asked, figuring the whole matter out for himself.
"Every Smurf says that you're not the type of Smurf who will smurf no for an answer when it comes to smurfing favors, Pushover," Scaredy said. "I don't want to smurf too much advantage of you for smurfing something that I should be smurfing for myself, but could you please..."
Pushover sighed. "All right, all right! Just for you, I will smurf it. But promise me that you'll never smurf me for any more favors again like this, you got that?"
"No more favors from you? But I thought you were the..." Scaredy tried to say.
"Just promise me!" Pushover said a bit more sternly.
Scaredy shuddered, realizing that this favor may end up being the last he would ask of Pushover, and that Pushover meant it. "Of course, Pushover, whatever you say," he said as he handed over the torch to Pushover.
Since only Papa Smurf knew the way to the Great Swamp, Pushover had to get the map straight from Papa Smurf. So while Scaredy went to hide himself away, Pushover went to Papa Smurf's house early before the sun arose to get the map. To do this, Pushover had to imitate Scaredy's nervous stammery demeanor as best as he could so Papa Smurf wouldn't notice.
"Make sure you follow the map exactly as it will smurf you to the spot where you will smurf the legendary Foxfire flame, Scaredy," Papa Smurf said as he handed over the map to him. "Is that understood?"
"Y-y-y-y-y-yes, Papa Smurf," Pushover answered, imitating Scaredy's voice.
"You don't seem like yourself today, Scaredy," Papa Smurf said, as if he could detect something different about the Smurf he was talking to. "Is everything all right?"
"What, me, Papa Smurf?" Pushover responded. "No...I mean, yes...I mean, I'm still the same Scaredy Smurf as I was last night. Anyway, I have to get smurfing."
Papa Smurf was left stroking his beard and wondering as he watched the Smurf he thought was Scaredy leave his house.
As Pushover headed into the forest with the map to the Great Swamp in one hand and the torch in the other, he was starting to feel not so good about himself. "The things I have to do in order to smurf favors for other Smurfs," he groused. "It isn't enough that I have to smurf this job for Scaredy; now I have to lie in order to smurf it for Scaredy. Well, I hope when this job is smurfed, that no Smurf will ever again ask me to smurf a favor for them."
Pushover followed the directions to the Great Swamp very carefully, making sure he didn't miss a single turn on the map. Navigating through the swamp itself, however, was another problem, as it was filled with sudden drops and unexpected elements like creatures disguising themselves as rocks that Pushover had to be careful of. He almost got snapped by a snapping turtle that he stepped on the shell of in the middle of a great pool of muck when he noticed something glowing up ahead. He jumped off right before the snapping turtle snapped and landed on solid ground when he saw a single flame in the middle of a pool of muck glowing with an ethereal light emanating from the flame itself.
"That must be it...the legendary Foxfire," Pushover reasoned. "Now it's time to light this torch and hopefully smurf this journey to a close before anybody notices." He walked out on the rocks toward the flame and lit the torch with the Foxfire. "Well, that seemed easier than I smurfed."
Pushover headed back toward the ledge and climbed up to it, but in the process he loosed a pile of rocks and caused them to tumble down into the muck, with one of the rocks landing right on top of the Foxfire itself.
"Uh-oh, the Foxfire is out," Pushover said fearfully. "Now what am I going to do?"
Then he heard something rise from the muck, growling in a deep gravelly voice as it arose. He turned and saw a tall hideous bearded creature, a humanoid made entirely of plant material, rising to the surface with fierce staring eyes, ready to have his vengeance on whoever disturbed him.
"Cursed he who kills the flame, cursed he who gives me pain," he muttered. Then lightning and rain came down from the sky as the monster stepped out of the muck to chase after the one who disturbed him.
Pushover realized that he was in deep trouble. "No, you don't understand," he tried to reason. "I didn't mean to smurf that. It was an accident."
"Cursed he who kills the flame, cursed he who gives me pain," the monster repeated.
Pushover realized he had one thing left to do. He had to run for his life and hope he could make it back to the village so Papa Smurf would know what to do. In his haste, he dropped the map he was carrying and hopped as fast as his feet could carry him over the rocks and branches of the swamp so he could reach home.
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VicGeorge2010
Member # 300
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posted 10-24-2023 08:05 AM
Chapter 4
"Hello there, boys," Smurfette said as she approached Empath and Polaris standing there listening to Pushback tell his story. "So what are you smurfing there today with Pushback?"
"Polaris was curious to know how Pushback became the Smurf that he is today, Smurfette," Empath answered. "He was busy telling what had happened at the Firefly Festival when he substituted for Scaredy as the Foxfire Smurf, and had reached the point where he accidentally snuffed out the Foxfire flame."
"I really didn't mean to do that, Smurfette, to awaken the Marsh Monster back then," Pushback said.
"I believe you, Pushback," Smurfette said. "You were just trying to be a friend to Scaredy, and things just smurfed out of control from that point on. It's too bad that you got smurfed into doing so many things that you didn't want to smurf all because you couldn't say no to anyone."
"It's not that I didn't like smurfing anything for anyone, Smurfette, including you of all Smurfs," Pushback said. "It's just that there's only one of me and I can't smurf everything all by myself, especially for Smurfs who want to use me for smurfing things they should be smurfing themselves."
"You're still a sweet Smurf, even if you're not Pushover anymore," Smurfette said, giving Pushback a kiss on the cheek. "I've got some flower wreathes to smurf, so I'll smurf you three later."
After Smurfette left, Polaris reminded Pushback of the story that he had left to tell the rest of. "So while you were fleeing from what was known as the Marsh Monster, what was Scaredy doing?" he asked.
"Well, from what I smurfed, Scaredy was trying to keep himself from being smurfed by the other Smurfs because he wanted them to know that it was him and not me that smurfed out to the Great Swamp," Pushback answered. "But apparently he got too anxious in his waiting for me to return."
As Pushback continued the story, Empath and Polaris saw that Hefty and Handy were busy setting up the Firefly Lantern on a tall pedestal that had been erected. The lantern was so-named because it looked very much like a firefly, and had little crystals appearing in holes from which the light of the Foxfire flame could shine through in many different colors.
"Good, smurfect," Papa Smurf said as he directed Handy with his crane with the positioning of the lantern of the pedestal with Hefty assisting. "Now we just have to wait for Scaredy to return with the Foxfire to light it and conclude the festival. I just hope the storm over the Great Swamp doesn't frighten him out of his smurfs."
"Well, he'd better hurry, because it's going to be dark soon," Handy said.
"Oooh, doesn't that Firefly Lantern smurf so pretty?" Smurfette said as she came to get a closer look at it with Tapper and Duncan beside her.
"Aye, she's a real beauty all right, my dear lassie," Duncan said. "You just have to wait until it is lit with the Foxfire, and then you'll smurf a sight like you'd never seen before."
"I'm sure it will be something that Smurfette will never forget as long as she smurfs, my fellow Duncan," Tapper said.
"By the by, has anyone seen Pushover today?" Duncan asked.
"Come to smurf of it, Duncan, I really don't know where he would be," Tapper answered. "I think he would be too busy smurfing in from all that he was smurfing on yesterday."
"Oh, really, Tapper, why would you need to be so concerned about a Smurf like Pushover?" Brainy said as he appeared with Clumsy beside him. "He's just that kind of a Smurf that can smurf care of himself more than he really needs us to smurf his hand and smurf care of him all of the time."
"Because no Smurf is an island unto himself, my fellow Brainy," Tapper responded. "Even capable Smurfs like Pushover do need somebody else to help them when things are too much for them to smurf all by themselves."
"But the way you've been smurfing around Pushover all of yesterday, you might as well be smurfing everything unto him while you are smurfing yourself off like a daisy in the sun," Duncan said.
"That's nothing that Papa Smurf really needs to know about, Duncan, because as a wise Smurf once said, out of sight is out of mind, and..." Brainy said.
"What did I not need to know about, Brainy?" Papa Smurf said, overhearing his name being mentioned and joining the Smurfs gathered together around the Firefly Lantern.
Brainy looked as if he was put on the spot to answer for himself. "Well, it's just a matter of how some Smurfs make a big deal out of saying they smurf all the jobs for the other Smurfs in the village, and how other Smurfs don't smurf what they're supposed to be smurfing, Papa Smurf," he said rather weakly, chuckling awkwardly afterward.
"I see," Papa Smurf said, giving Brainy a suspicious look as if he really knew what Brainy was doing. "I don't suppose this has anything to smurf with what Pushover was trying to smurf me last night, is it?"
"Uh, why would it, Papa Smurf?" Brainy asked, feeling like he was being backed into a corner that he couldn't escape. "You know that I wouldn't smurf anything bad to my fellow Smurfs, even if it would smurf them some good in the long run."
"If I hear that you've been using other Smurfs to smurf your own jobs while you smurf it easy smurfing nothing while I'm busy with other things, Brainy Smurf, I will make sure that you will be smurfing more than your fair share of work as suitable punishment," Papa Smurf said a bit sternly. "Is that understood, my little Smurfs?"
"Yes, Papa Smurf," the gathered Smurfs said together.
"Gosh, it's like we can't even smurf favors of any Smurf anymore," Clumsy said as he watched Papa Smurf walk off in another direction.
"Smurfing favors of any Smurf is not the problem, my fellow Clumsy," Tapper said. "It's smurfing advantage of another Smurf's good will to smurf things that you should be smurfing yourself."
"Well, let's hope that Scaredy smurfs back home soon with the Foxfire or else we might as well go smurf off after him," Duncan said with a heavy sigh.
Meanwhile, Scaredy was still hiding out inside his own house, peering out through the window very cautiously for any sign of Pushover's return. He had spent all day inside his house, hoping that his friend would return with the Foxfire so that Scaredy could present it at the second night of the festival in time to conclude the festival. So far, though, Scaredy saw nothing.
"Oh dear, oh dear, where's Pushover?" Scaredy asked, daring another peek out through his window when it seemed no Smurf was around his house looking for him. "He should be back by now." He could hear the sound of thunder in the distance, which made him duck under the window for cover and safety. "I sure hope nothing's happened to him."
But then another thought came into Scaredy's mind, a thought that filled him with such dread. "But...what if something did happen to him? Then it would be my fault, because I had smurfed him into this."
He paced around inside his house, trying to think of what to do. "Oh, if only I wasn't so afraid, I would have smurfed the job by myself and nobody would have to worry about anyone but poor little old me," he moaned. Realizing that nothing would be accomplished if he stayed inside his house and did nothing, he said, "I know what to do...I've got to go find him!"
Pounding his fist into his hand as he made his decision, Scaredy debated at first whether he should dare step out of his house and go out into the forest to hopefully find his way to the Great Swamp. But eventually he decided to face his fear and take a bold step outside. He barely made it past his house when he ran into the last Smurf he wanted to run into at that moment: Papa Smurf.
"Ah, there you are, Scaredy Smurf," Papa Smurf said as soon as he had seen Scaredy, spooking the little Smurf out of his mind.
"Oh, uh, hi, Papa Smurf," Scaredy responded, trying to keep as calm and collected as he could in the face of great fear.
"I'm glad to smurf that you're back, Scaredy," Papa Smurf said. "We'll be able to light the Firefly Lantern with the Foxfire after the parade. By the way, you were careful not to smurf out the Foxfire now, weren't you?"
"Uh, yes, Papa Smurf," Scaredy answered. "What would have happened if I did?"
"Why, it would have awakened the Marsh Monster," Papa Smurf replied, as if he was surprised Scaredy wouldn't know from years of previous Firefly Festivals what the consequences were for not heeding that simple command. "But since you were so careful, we won't have to worry about it now. I'll smurf you later, Scaredy."
Scaredy felt even more scared than before. Not only did he put his friend Pushover into possible danger, he realized that he could put the entire village into danger as well. Now it was more imperative that he should go out into the forest and find Pushover before the other Smurfs realize what they had done.
"I...I only hope that he didn't awaken the monster," Scaredy said as he set out toward the forest as bravely as he could to begin his search.
"And so out into the forest Scaredy had smurfed, hoping that he would find his way to the Great Swamp since only Papa Smurf knew the way to it, all the while smurfing out my name," Pushback said. "I didn't know how long it took for him to smurf the way by himself, but eventually he smurfed near the outskirts of the swamp when I heard him smurfing out to me."
As Pushback continued the story, Empath and Polaris both saw Scaredy enter the Great Swamp, still calling out Pushover's name. He felt as if all the hairs on his skin were standing up on end, and he had icy chills running up and down his spine, when he saw and heard all that was in the swamp, everything that he felt could put himself in great danger.
"Pushover? Hello? Any Smurf here?" he called out as he ventured further into the swamp.
"Cursed he who kills the flame, cursed he who gives me pain," a deep gravelly voice spoke from within the swamp.
Scaredy feared that the worst has happened, that his friend had accidentally awakened the Marsh Monster, and yet he was still no closer to finding where his friend went. "PUSHOVER?!?" he cried louder.
"HELP! SOME SMURF, HELP!" a familiar voice cried out.
Scaredy found out that it was Pushover. As he came close to where the sound of his friend's voice came from, he could see the faint glow of what may be the Foxfire up ahead. "Is that you, Pushover?" he called out.
Then when Scaredy did come close to the where the glow was coming from, he heard his name called out clear as a bell: "Scaredy!"
Scaredy jumped at the sound of his name, only to see that Pushover was now almost up to his neck sinking in a mire, with the Foxfire torch still lit beside him. "Oh, Pushover, am I glad to see you," Scaredy said, sounding grateful as he reached out a hand to pull his friend onto solid ground.
"Thanks for smurfing me out of that pit, Scaredy," Pushover said. "Now let's smurf out of here before..."
"Before what?" Scaredy asked.
"Before that!" Pushover answered, pointing to what was behind Scaredy.
Scaredy looked and saw that the Marsh Monster had been awakened and was now furious in his chase after whoever awakened him. "Cursed he who kills the flame, cursed he who gives me pain," he growled.
"Scaredy, run for your smurf!" Pushover said, grabbing his friend's arm after Scaredy had grabbed the Foxfire torch that had been lying on the ground.
It wasn't just Pushover and Scaredy that were fleeing for the lives; it was also the animals of the forest that fled before the presence of the Marsh Monster who now ventured out of the Great Swamp and into the forest to chase after the ones who had awakened him. And as the two Smurfs fled back to the village, they could still hear the haunting chant: "Cursed he who kills the flame, cursed he who gives me pain."
Back in the Smurf Village, while it was dark, Papa Smurf was studying through one of his magic books in his laboratory when Brainy knocked on his door to get the village leader's attention.
"Papa Smurf, the Smurfs are all ready for the parade, but we can't find the Foxfire torch," Brainy reported.
"But I had smurfed into Scaredy earlier today, and he said that he had..." Papa Smurf began to say, until he realized that something was amiss.
Papa Smurf and Brainy headed outside, where the Smurfs gathered were busy holding lanterns while a swarm of fireflies hovered above them. "What's smurfing us up here?" Hefty asked, sounding rather miffed.
"Where's Scaredy?" Tracker asked.
"Does he have the torch?" Sloppy asked.
"It's getting late," Jokey said, sounding very impatient.
"I hate waiting," Grouchy muttered.
"What's going to happen if we don't smurf the Foxfire torch?" Smurfette asked.
"Don't worry; I have faith that Scaredy will smurf up soon," Tapper said.
"It had better be real soon, laddie," Duncan said.
"Has anyone seen Scaredy lately?" Papa Smurf asked as soon as he and Brainy had reached the gathered group outside.
"No, Papa Smurf," some Smurfs answered in unison.
"I saw him at Pushover's house last night, Papa Smurf," Smurfette said.
"Pushover's house?" Papa Smurf said. "Has any Smurf seen Pushover today?"
"No, Papa Smurf," most of the Smurfs answered in unison.
"Hmmm...now I'm beginning to understand," Papa Smurf said, realizing what Scaredy may have done with the Foxfire torch.
"Michty me, laddie, you don't suppose that Scaredy had smurfed Pushover into smurfing all the way to the Great Swamp to light the Foxfire torch?" Duncan asked Tapper.
"I don't like what I'm sensing in my spirit right now when you have smurfed that, my fellow Duncan," Tapper said with some foreboding. "But if that happens to be the case, the village may be in great danger."
Papa Smurf headed over to Pushover's house and knocked on his door, with Tapper and Duncan standing beside him. "Pushover? Pushover Smurf?" he called out.
"I don't think the dear boy is even at home right now, Papa," Duncan said when there was no answer.
"This is certainly not how I would want to end the Firefly Festival, smurfing out into the forest to find two lost Smurfs," Tapper said.
"I don't think we have much choice there, Tapper," Papa Smurf said. "You and Duncan should have Hefty smurf one group into the forest, and Handy smurf a second group, and..."
"Papa Smurf! Papa Smurf!" the three of them heard two Smurfs cry out.
"Great Smurfiny Crickets, Papa Smurf, that sounds like Scaredy and Pushover," Tapper said.
"And it also sounds like they're not alone either," Duncan added.
The Smurfs could soon hear a growling voice coming from within the forest. "Now who is that?" Brainy asked.
"What...what...what is that?" Smurfette asked, sounding very afraid.
"Great Smurfness, it sounds like they're smurfing him straight toward the village," Papa Smurf said, sounding worried.
"But...but who, Papa Smurf?" Brainy asked.
"It's the Marsh Monster," Papa Smurf answered, making Brainy quake with fear at the sound of its name. "Quick, every Smurf, evacuate the village! Wait for me across the River Smurf and stay here until I smurf otherwise!"
"Yes, Papa Smurf," all the Smurfs said in unison.
Crazy immediately sounded the alarm to get every Smurf to head out into the forest for their safety. Only Tapper and Duncan stayed behind with Papa Smurf while the others have fled.
"I'm not sure what my presence here will smurf as far as any good against this creature, Papa Smurf," Tapper said.
"Maybe this Almighty of yours will smurf to our rescue, laddie," Duncan said. "Me, I want to see if I can smurf this giant to the ground."
"Perhaps it would be better for the both of you to join the others," Papa Smurf advised. "I will see if I can intercept the two Smurfs before the monster smurfs a rampage."
"May the luck of the Smurfish be with us, Papa Smurf," Tapper said as he and Duncan watched Papa Smurf head out into the forest, carrying a scroll in his hand.
"At least this Firefly Festival hasn't been without any real excitement there, laddie," Duncan said.
"A little too much excitement than any Smurf has even asked for, my fellow Duncan," Tapper said.
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VicGeorge2010
Member # 300
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posted 10-24-2023 08:12 AM
Chapter 5
At that point, Tapper and Duncan had shown up during Pushback's telling of the story. "Greetings, my fellow Smurfs and Polaris," Tapper said. "I had sensed in my spirit that you would be smurfing your time here with our friend Pushback learning about how he had smurfed his new name."
"It's not exactly the name I would have chosen if I were him, laddies, but I think it's a name that smurfs him very well," Duncan said.
"Of course, some Smurfs do prefer to call him P.B., as if that's an acceptable alternative to just calling him Pushback, which is a reminder of how a Smurf like him can't be smurfed around anymore," Tapper said.
"This one may not fully appreciate the name that he has now, Tapper, but this one is willing to accept him for the Smurf that he is despite the name," Polaris said.
"You know, it's not polite to talk about a Smurf like Pushback when he's standing in front of us listening to everything we have to say about him as if he wasn't there," Empath reminded.
"You are quite right, Empath," Tapper said. "We're sorry if we were discussing you without letting you become part of the discussion, my fellow Pushback."
"That's all right, Tapper, I'm quite used to it," Pushback said, trying to sound polite despite the rudeness surrounding him.
"Anyway, I think we should let the dear boy smurf the rest of his story to our friends without any further interference from us now," Duncan suggested. "We'll smurf you later at the festival."
After Tapper and Duncan had departed, Pushback continued. "Now where was I? Oh, yes, Papa Smurf was smurfing out into the forest to meet with me and Scaredy when we were smurfing for our lives from the Marsh Monster."
At the point where the story left off, Empath and Polaris both saw Papa Smurf rush off into the forest, where he saw many creatures run for their lives from the presence of a dark voice chanting, "Cursed he who kills the flame, cursed he who gives me pain."
Soon both Scaredy and Pushover arrived with the Foxfire torch. "Papa Smurf...the Marsh Monster..." Scaredy tried to say.
"Scaredy, I thought you said that you didn't smurf out the Foxfire," Papa Smurf said.
"Uh, I did, Papa Smurf," Pushover said. "Scaredy was too scared to smurf out to the Great Swamp to light the torch with the Foxfire, so he asked me to smurf it for him, and I did, but then I smurfed loose some rocks, and...well, the whole thing was an accident."
"Perhaps I should have cautioned you more," Papa Smurf scolded. "Now because of your carelessness, some Smurf must now smurf back to the Great Swamp and relight the flame."
"You...you mean...g-g-g-g-go back?!?" Scaredy said, finding himself shaking at the mere thought of doing so.
"Cursed he who kills the flame, cursed he who gives me pain," the Marsh Monster chanted, sounding like he was getting much closer to the village.
Pushover sighed. "I'll go, Papa Smurf. I'm the one responsible for smurfing out the flame and smurfing the job I wasn't supposed to."
"I-I-I-I'll go too, Papa Smurf," Scaredy said. "That was supposed to be my job."
"Very well then," Papa Smurf said, handing over an object to Scaredy. "Take this scroll and read it in time of need when you reach the Great Swamp. This will calm the creature long enough for you to smurf the job that you need to smurf with the Foxfire. Now go and may the spirits of the Smurfs be with you."
"Yes, Papa Smurf," Scaredy and Pushover both said together.
"And remember that it's all right to be afraid, my little Smurfs," Papa Smurf reminded them. "Everybody is a little afraid sometimes, including me."
"Come on, Scaredy, let's get smurfing if he want to get the Foxfire relit," Pushover prompted. "I'll be right beside you."
"Uh...coming right with you, Pushover," Scaredy said, swallowing hard before he and Pushover ventured out into the forest to head back to the Great Swamp.
Tapper and Duncan were with the Smurfs that were gathered on the other side of the River Smurf, trying to keep everybody calm while Papa Smurf dealt with the Marsh Monster and the two Smurfs that awakened him.
"Oh dear," Smurfette moaned. "I only hope that Pushover and Scaredy are all right with that Marsh Monster smurfing after them."
"There's nothing to fear, my dear Smurfette," Tapper said. "Papa Smurf will give those two what they need to smurf the creature back where it belongs and things will smurf back to normal."
"This whole thing was Scaredy's fault, that the creature was smurfed loose upon us this night," Hefty said.
"Every Smurf knows by now that you shouldn't awaken the Marsh Monster when you light the torch with the Foxfire," Brainy said.
"Uh, yeah, what Brainy said," Clumsy said.
And several other Smurfs raised up their comments about the situation before Duncan silenced them.
"It's no use crying over smurfed milk, laddies," Duncan said. "What's smurfed is smurfed, and right now we need to let Scaredy and Pushover smurf what they have to smurf to set things right."
"I feel like the whole thing was my fault," Smurfette said, sounding like she was breaking into tears. "I should never have treated Pushover like most of the other Smurfs have treated him yesterday. And now he's out there with Scaredy with the Marsh Monster after them."
"There, there now, my dear," Tapper said, putting his arm around her shoulder to comfort her. "I'm sure we will all have an opportunity to smurf amends for our ways with our friend Pushover, that we will never smurf all our jobs unto him for him to smurf all by himself."
"Me, ever make amends with that Smurf?" Hefty said. "You can just forget it. Pushover deserves all that he smurfs from me, and if he doesn't like it, that's his problem right there."
"You never seem to smurf your lesson from all your years of being a bully to your fellow Smurfs, Hefty," Duncan said with great displeasure. "I wouldn't be surprised if the laddie smurfed you a good one to smurf you in your place."
"Pushover smurf me a good one?" Hefty scoffed. "Ha! I'd like to see him try!"
"You should be careful of what you ask for, my fellow Hefty, because you may not like the fact of how you will smurf it," Tapper warned. "For now, though, I believe that our fellow Smurfs who are returning to the Great Swamp are going to need some spiritual protection."
"Pushover and Scaredy need prayer, mate?" Sweepy asked, realizing what Tapper was saying.
"Whatever they need, Tapper, we'll join together with you," Barber said. "You said that where two or more are gathered together in the name of the Almighty's Son, He will be there among them."
"I would greatly appreciate it, my friends," Tapper said with some gratitude before he began. "O Lord God, the Father Almighty, the Maker of heaven and earth, I pray that You would smurf a hedge of protection around my friends Pushover and Scaredy as they journey back to unsmurf the damage that they have smurfed, so that the spirits of the world can rest in peace knowing that everything in all creation is in subjection to You and Your will, that no weapon smurfed against Your people shall ever prosper. Strengthen the inner smurf of these two Smurfs so that they know they have nothing to fear when You are smurfing over them like a hen smurfs over her brood of chicks, safe under the shadow of Your wings. In the name of Your only begotten Son, I pray. Amen."
"Amen," Barber and Sweepy said together at the prayer's close.
"Well, I sure feel better knowing that the Gospel Smurf has invoked the name of his imaginary God to watch over those two Smurfs," Hefty said sarcastically.
"You just watch and see if you think Tapper's Almighty is imaginary or not, laddie," Duncan said to Hefty.
Pushover and Scaredy headed back the same way that they came from the Great Swamp, having remembered the way from the last time they were there. All around they could see everything in the forest seemed all dark and scary, with all sorts of creatures, both dangerous and docile, appearing either fearsome or frightened by the haunting presence of the Marsh Monster that was now in the forest. They could still hear its chant repeating over and over, but now only they could hear it loud and clear, which meant that their heading back to the Great Swamp is drawing it away from the village.
"Are we smurfing closer to the spot where we must relight the Foxfire, Pushover?" Scaredy asked, unsure of how far they had to go and not wanting to run into the Marsh Monster should they fail or succeed.
"I think we are, Scaredy," Pushover answered. "This spot smurfs a bit familiar right over there. That's where that I had..."
Suddenly they found themselves face to face with the Marsh Monster, appearing right behind them. "Cursed he who kills the flame, cursed he who gives me pain," he chanted, raising his arms in preparation to do his worst toward the two Smurfs.
Scaredy pulled his hat down over his eyes in fright, while Pushover said, "Scaredy, quick! Read the scroll!"
"Oh, yes, the scroll," Scaredy said, remembering what he was carrying in his hand. He opened the scroll and read the incantation that was written upon it: "O ancient spirit of summer night, help us smurf the thing that's right; O give us strength in this hour of need, to bravely smurf our noble deed."
Suddenly the two Smurfs noticed a glow coming from the Marsh Monster itself as the incantation did its work. Its fierce gaze had relaxed into a peaceful countenance, and it stood upright instead of hunched over ready to pounce on its prey.
"Uh, Marsh Monster, sir, I had smurfed out the Foxfire flame," Pushover confessed, still finding himself shuddering before the once fearsome creature of the swamp. "It was an accident."
The Marsh Monster just stood there and muttered something unintelligible. It seemed to understand the words that Pushover had spoken unto it, and was now waiting patiently for the next thing to happen.
"I think it wants us to relight the Foxfire now," Scaredy said, guessing from the Marsh Monster's facial expression.
"I think so, too," Pushover said. "Come on, Scaredy, it's time for you to relight the Foxfire."
"Me?" Scaredy said. "You're the one who smurfed out the Foxfire. You should be the one to relight it."
"But you're the one who is the Foxfire Smurf, Scaredy," Pushover said, holding out the torch for Scaredy to grab. "It's your responsibility."
"But...but...but I don't want to do it," Scaredy said.
Pushover was resolute. "No. I'm through smurfing any more favors for you. You do it."
Scaredy realized that Pushover wasn't going to back down from what he had said and he wasn't going to change his mind. "Well, okay, if it's my job to smurf the Foxfire, then I will do it," he said, grabbing the torch from Pushover and stepping out onto the marsh to touch the surface of the muck with the Foxfire flame. Soon the flame burned brightly again on the surface of the marsh.
"Yippee! I did it! I relit the Foxfire flame!" Scaredy squealed with joy.
"It seems that the Marsh Monster is now happy again," Pushover said as he watched the creature reenter the muck that it arose from and sink back down, feeling at peace with itself once again.
Over where the Smurfs had gathered in the forest across the River Smurf, Papa Smurf had joined them in the hope that the Smurfs could return to their village soon and resume the Firefly Festival celebration to its conclusion. Tapper seemed to be either in deep meditation or prayer as he stood off away from most of the other Smurfs with only Sweepy and Barber beside him.
"What does it seem that Tapper is smurfing with those two Smurfs?" Papa Smurf asked as he noticed them standing apart with each other.
"That is what Tapper calls praying to his God, Papa Smurf," Brainy answered. "I don't know why he thinks that his God will even answer his prayers, since we can smurf clearly our own patron deities while his remains forever invisible and possibly imaginary like Hefty thinks."
"I wouldn't belittle the faith that a Smurf has in his own personal deity if I were you, Brainy," Papa Smurf said. "If Tapper truly thinks that his God is powerful enough to help us out in a situation like this, who are we to smurf that someone like Tapper shouldn't pray to Him?"
"But how long are we supposed to smurf out in the forest like this, Papa Smurf?" Brainy asked. "It's not like any of us could know for certain whether Pushover or Scaredy have succeeded in their task to..."
"Oh, thank You, Lord God Almighty," Tapper finally spoke, sounding very cheerful. "Friends, our fellow Smurfs have restored peace to the Marsh Monster and are now returning to the village. Praise the Lord!"
"Hey, how could Tapper know all this?" Hefty asked, sounding rather suspicious.
"I believe that it smurfs simply in how his Almighty works, Hefty," Papa Smurf said. "Anyway, we should smurf it as a good sign and smurf back to the village immediately. Come, my little Smurfs, let's all return home and prepare for their arrival."
"Yes, Papa Smurf," all the Smurfs said in unison cheerfully.
Duncan and Smurfette were both walking back to the village together. "Tapper is always surprising me with the faith that he has in his Almighty, Duncan," Smurfette commented.
"I wish I could say that I'm beyond being surprised, my dear lassie, but when his Almighty smurfs through time and again, it just smurfs me in wonder about my friend," Duncan said.
Meanwhile, Scaredy and Pushover were walking home with the still-lit Foxfire torch, pleased that they have together accomplished what seemed to be the impossible for the both of them.
"Thanks, Pushover, for helping me to overcome one of my fears," Scaredy said.
"I think we both helped each other out, Scaredy," Pushover said. "You helped me to not be afraid to say no when it comes to smurfing things that I don't want to smurf."
"I didn't know that's what you were so afraid of, Pushover," Scaredy said.
"Don't smurf it the wrong way, Scaredy," Pushover said. "I do like helping out my fellow Smurfs, but they have to understand that I can't smurf everything at the same time like I'm Empath Smurf."
"I know what you mean, Pushover," Scaredy said. "I can only wish that I was even a little like Empath, to not be afraid of everything."
"As Papa Smurf has said, everybody is a little afraid of something sometimes," Pushover said.
Then Scaredy looked up at the sky. "Look, the moon is really high up in the sky."
"Then that means we must hurry if we're going to conclude the Firefly Festival in time," Pushover said. "Let's smurf up the pace, shall we?"
"Gladly," Scaredy said, as he and Pushover started walking faster.
Back in the Smurf Village, the Smurfs were all gathered around the Firefly Lantern, anxiously waiting for the return of Scaredy and Pushover with the Foxfire torch. They knew that the worst was over from what was revealed to Tapper in his prayer session, but now with the danger gone, there was another pressing concern that was on their mind.
"They are going to return home on time, aren't they, Papa Smurf?" Smurfette asked.
"I can only hope so, Smurfette," Papa Smurf answered as he looked up at the sky. "The moon is about to reach its zenith at any minute."
"Papa Smurf, look!" Tracker called out.
Everybody looked in the same direction that Tracker was looking in, and saw the faint glow of the Foxfire torch. Then came the two Smurfs, looking very pleased and triumphant that they have accomplished their task.
"It's Scaredy and Pushover! They're here!" Smurfette exclaimed.
"HIP, HIP, HOORAY! HIP, HIP, HOORAY!" the Smurfs cheered as they watched Pushover and Scaredy enter the village.
"You did it, my little Smurfs," Papa Smurf said, sounding pleased. "You've smurfed the Marsh Monster back home and smurfed the Foxfire torch in time to light the lantern so we can smurf this festival to a close."
"We couldn't have smurfed it without each other, Papa Smurf," Pushover said.
"Yeah," Scaredy agreed. "We both helped each other overcome our fears."
"Well, there's only one thing left to do," Papa Smurf said. "Scaredy, I know that you're afraid of heights, so if you don't feel that you could..."
"No, Papa Smurf, I must smurf it myself," Scaredy said, as he climbed the ladder with the torch in one hand and reached inside the lantern to light it. Immediately the lantern gave off beams of dazzling colored light, which made the Smurfs look on in awe and wonder before they let out a great cheer.
"All right, Smurfs, let's party until the night is smurfed," Twanger said, stomping on the stage a few times with his foot before he, Fiddler, and Piper commenced with the music. The Smurfs went and danced with each other while the fireflies hovered overhead and gave their light to shine over the celebration.
Pushover decided that now was the time to talk with Papa Smurf. "I'm sorry that I didn't have the courage to just say no when I should have, Papa Smurf," he said. "If I did, then none of this would have happened."
"You only smurfed what you thought was right in your heart to smurf for your friend, Pushover," Papa Smurf said. "Just remember, that saying no when it comes to refusing to smurf a favor to someone, even a close friend, does not make you a bad Smurf for smurfing it."
"But there are other Smurfs who just smurf advantage of me not smurfing no when it comes to smurfing their jobs for them, Papa Smurf," Pushover said.
"There is only one of you in this village, Pushover," Papa Smurf said. "The other Smurfs will need to smurf for themselves that you won't allow them to smurf advantage of you just because you want to be a friend to them. If they have a problem with you smurfing no to them, then you should smurf it to me if you feel that you can't handle the situation by yourself. Do you understand?"
"Yes, Papa Smurf," Pushover said. "I'm glad that you finally know about my problem with the other Smurfs."
"I'm always here for each and every one of you, because you are all my children, and a good Papa Smurf always listens to his children, Pushover," Papa Smurf said, putting his hand on Pushover's shoulder to show empathy.
Meanwhile, Brainy was busy speaking his mind to Tracker, who just looked at him with total disbelief. "I told you...I told you that they would smurf back," he said in his usual self-confident tone. "You should never be a doubting Smurf, since you never knew when your faith will be rewarded, and furthermore..."
Brainy found himself being flung to the village limits. "Maybe Tapper is the Smurf who should be speaking to the other Smurfs about faith and doubt," he muttered as soon as he landed on his head.
Scaredy was standing by himself near the stage, swaying back and forth to the music being played, when Jokey sneaked up on him wearing a scary mask that he held up to his own face. "Hey, Scaredy!" Jokey cried out, attracting his fellow Smurf's attention.
Scaredy turned and saw Jokey's scary mask. "YEOW!" he yelled at the top of his lungs.
Jokey laughed afterward. "Scared you, didn't I?" he said while still laughing. This only made Scaredy so upset that he started to chase after Jokey.
Pushover was standing next to Smurfette when Jokey passed by the both of them with Scaredy still chasing him. "Hey, Pushover, I've got a favor to ask of you," Jokey cried out.
"Sorry, Jokey, I'm through with smurfing anymore favors," Pushover responded. "Solve your own problems for a change."
Tapper and Duncan were standing next to each other while the party continued late into the night. "Well, despite everything that has happened, I would say that this Firefly Festival has smurfed out for the best in the long run," Tapper said.
"It's too bad that I wasn't chosen to be the one who would have been the Foxfire Smurf this time around, laddie," Duncan said.
"You'll smurf your chance sometime in the future, my fellow Duncan," Tapper said. "I was rather hoping to be the one chosen for that honor as well, but that decision is one that I will have to smurf in the Almighty's hands."
"With your faith in that Almighty of yours, I wouldn't doubt that He would be there as your smurfguard every step of the way," Duncan said. "But even if he isn't, I would be honored to smurf with you to the Great Swamp."
"I appreciate that thought very much, for all the years that we have smurfed with each other as brothers of two different families," Tapper said.
"United as one family forever, dear boy," Duncan said, putting his hand on Tapper's shoulder while smiling at his friend.
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VicGeorge2010
Member # 300
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posted 10-24-2023 08:24 AM
Chapter 6
"And so we smurfed up as long as we could to enjoy the party," Pushback said. "Some of us eventually smurfed home to sleep, so we could rise and smurf fresh for the morning. And that was when things really started to change for me."
As Pushover continued with the final part of the story, Empath and Polaris both saw that morning had now risen over the Smurf Village, and a good deal of the Smurfs were lying down outside on the ground or on the stage, exhausted from the night of partying. It was during this first hour of the morning that Sloppy came out with his wheelbarrow to pick up the garbage that was left behind from the festival, with his pet fly hanging around on top of his hat.
"Oh boy, Fly, this is the smurfiest bunch of trash for my collection," Sloppy said, sounding very enthusiastic as he started with his garbage collecting. He saw what looked like a rotten smurfberry lying right next to him on the ground and picked it up. "Here, catch this, Fly," he said as he tossed the smurfberry into the air and his pet fly caught it and devoured it in one bite.
Papa Smurf arose, feeling fully refreshed, and walked around the village, noticing the Smurfs that were lying around on the ground. "Time to smurf up, my little Smurfs," he said, shaking one of the Smurfs by his arm. "We have a busy morning of smurfing up all this mess from the Firefly Festival."
"Mess? What mess?" Sloppy said, pulling up his hat from over his eyes to get a look at what Papa Smurf was seeing.
Tapper and Duncan both stepped out of their houses. "Smurf o' the morning to you, my fellow Duncan," Tapper greeted, seeing his friend up and about. "How are you smurfing this fine morning?"
"Like I could smurf some of that acorn brew this morning, laddie," Duncan answered with a stretch and a yawn. "That was one late party that really smurfed me for a loop and then some."
"I'm sure that I can smurf on a fresh pot of brew for you to enjoy, my friend," Tapper said. "This is going to be a really busy day of smurfing up from the festival."
"Not exactly the part that I enjoy when it comes to festivals, let me smurf you," Duncan said. "But life in the village isn't always about parties and rainbows and sunshine now, is it?"
"To everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven, Duncan," Tapper said.
Meanwhile, Pushover had just stepped out of his house, stretching as he was preparing the new day ahead of him, when he saw Brainy approaching him. "Oh, hello there, Pushover," he greeted while carrying a trash bucket. "I was wondering if you could smurf this bucket of trash over to the..."
"Smurf it yourself, Brainy," Pushover said, interrupting Brainy.
"Oh, excuse me, did I hear you say that you want me to smurf the job myself?" Brainy said. "Because you should know that the mark of a good future leader is the delesmurftion of authority when it comes to..."
"Delesmurf this," Pushover said, picking up Brainy and tossing him far over to the other side of the street and then tossing the trash bucket so that it landed with its garbage dumped on Brainy.
"Well, I'm going to tell Papa Smurf on you for this, Pushover," Brainy said, shaking his fist before picking up the trash and putting it back into the bucket.
Pushover dusted off his hands, feeling good about himself when he saw Hefty come over with a wheelbarrow full of rocks. "Hey, Pushover, how about you smurf a big favor for me and smurf this pile of rocks back over to the..." Hefty began to say.
Pushover kicked over the wheelbarrow, causing the pile of rocks to be dumped on top of Hefty.
"Well, since when did you become the physical type all of a sudden?" Hefty asked, upset that Pushover would react this way.
"Look, Hefty, the answer is no," Pushover said firmly.
Hefty looked at Pushover, not liking what he was hearing. "No?"
"What are you, deaf and stupid?" Pushover said with a bit more strength. "I said NO!"
Hefty got up on his feet and pushed himself toward Pushover as if he was going to let his fellow Smurf have it. "All right, you miserable little punk!" Hefty growled. "You've been asking for it, and now you're going to..."
Pushover just suddenly slammed his fist straight into Hefty's face with such force that Hefty was knocked unconscious by the blow. He simply fell to the ground on top of the pile of rocks.
"I've been wanting to smurf that to you for years, Hefty," Pushover said, rubbing his knuckles to soothe them from the impact of decking Hefty with a single blow.
Tapper and Duncan were nearby when they saw that happen. "Great Smurfiny Crickets, my dear Duncan, did you smurf what had happened?" he asked, his mouth gaping wide open in shock.
"Michty me, laddie, I never thought the boy had it in him to smurf down Hefty with a single punch," Duncan said.
"I guess smurfing that journey to the Great Swamp with Scaredy has really changed Pushover for the better, if I dare smurf so myself," Tapper said.
"Who would have smurfed the day when Pushover started pushing back?" Duncan said. "I would smurf that laddie a toast later on in the day."
"I'm with you right there, my friend," Tapper said.
"No Smurf is pushing me around anymore," Pushover boldly stated to whoever was listening. "From now on, I am calling myself Pushback, because whenever somebody tries to push me, I will push back!"
As Pushback started to walk around the village, Scaredy was also walking through the village feeling a bit more confident about himself when he ran into Pushback. "Oh, hello there, Pushover," Scaredy greeted. "I was just wondering if you might..."
"No, Scaredy!" Pushback shouted "And the name isn't Pushover anymore...it's Pushback!"
"YIPE!" Scaredy yelped, realizing that his friend had really changed. He ran in another direction to escape having to deal with Pushback.
"Pushover, would you..." Lazy tried to ask.
"NO!" Pushback shouted as he passed by Lazy.
"Pushover, could you..." Handy tried to ask.
"NO!" Pushback shouted as he passed by Handy.
"Oh, Pushover..." Vanity started to say.
"NO!" Pushback shouted as he passed by Vanity.
"Say, Pushover, I do be wondering..." Farmer tried to say.
"NO!" Pushback shouted as he passed by Farmer.
"Yoohoo, Pushover," Smurfette greeted. "Such a wonderful day it is today. I was just wondering if you would..."
"Whatever you have to ask, the answer is NO!" Pushback said sharply. "No way, not in this lifetime, not ever, not in a million years, not if you smurfed me, never, and if that isn't enough, just N-smurfing-O!"
Smurfette felt insulted. "Well, I'm sorry. I just wanted to invite you over for lunch, but if that's the case...!" She then turned up her nose and walked away from Pushback.
It was then that Pushback realized that he may have gone a bit overboard with his saying no to everything. "Huh? Well, uh, if you were going to invite me for lunch, Smurfette, I could be a Pushover for you," he said rather apologetically.
"And that, my friends, was how I became Pushback," he said as he brought his story to a close. "Not everybody was happy that I became Pushback, but everybody did eventually respect me for it...including Hefty of all Smurfs."
"This one admires you for your gaining courage to become the Smurf that you are now, Pushback," Polaris said. "This village has certainly benefitted from the change that has happened to you, whether most Smurfs in the village want to admit it or not."
"This smurf is happy for you, Pushback," Empath said. "This smurf was wondering when you would ever outgrow being a Pushover to every Smurf, and here you are now, a much different Smurf than the one I had last seen before this smurf's last nine years in Psychelia."
"Thank you, Empath, and thank you, Polaris," Pushback said. "It's nice to be able to tell my story to those who haven't smurfed it yet. But now I don't even know what to smurf with myself since I have overcome one major problem with my life."
"This smurf is sure that you'll eventually find something, Pushback," Empath said. "The thing is, even when you do smurf up for youself, you should realize that every Smurf still needs you since no Smurf is an island unto themselves. We're still a community and a family, and I wouldn't want you to no longer feel like you need us anymore."
"That sounds like something Tapper would say," Pushback said.
"This one still considers it sound advice no matter from whom it had originated, Pushback," Polaris said. "If there wasn't a spirit of community and family that existed in your village where everybody cared for one another, no matter how different and sometimes annoying they may be, this village would most likely have already destroyed itself long ago."
"Hello there, Empath and Polaris," Papa Smurf greeted as he approached, carrying Baby Smurf with him. "Pushback, I was wondering if you might want to smurf over Baby Smurf for a while as I attend to important village matters concerning the upcoming Firefly Festival."
"Oh, certainly, Papa Smurf," Pushback said, as he reached out and grabbed Baby Smurf. "For you I would smurf anything."
"I'm glad to hear that," Papa Smurf said. "I will smurf you later, Baby Smurf."
After Papa Smurf left, Pushback looked at Baby Smurf as he was staring back at the Smurf who was now holding him, sounding like he was eager about something. "You be the Foxfire Smurf?" Baby asked.
"I was once that for a very special friend, Baby Smurf," Pushback replied. "But I don't know who's going to be the Foxfire Smurf this time around."
"Me want to be Foxfire Smurf," Baby Smurf said.
"Maybe someday you will be, Baby Smurf," Pushback said. "Then you will have something to tell other Smurfs when you become a big Smurf like me."
"Who knows?" Empath said. "Maybe this year it will be the Foxfire Psyche."
"Are you suggesting that I should join in the Foxfire Lottery to be chosen as the one who will bear the Foxfire torch, Empath?" Polaris asked.
"Why not, Polaris?" Empath answered. "It will help make you part of the community, to show that not everything you do has to be based on your minds-eye abilities."
Polaris sighed. "If you insist, Empath."
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VicGeorge2010
Member # 300
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posted 10-24-2023 08:31 AM
For the original episode:
The Smurf Who Couldn't Say No [Cropped to 16:9]
Being asked to go to the Marsh to bring back the rare Foxfire is a great honor for a Smurf. But Scaredy Smurf is reluctant to confront the Marsh Monster so he sends the Smurf who cannot say no.
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VicGeorge2010
Member # 300
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posted 10-24-2023 08:33 AM
NOTES:
* Hefty's and Pushover's interactions with each other in this adaptation is based on that of Biff Tannen and George McFly in Back To The Future, and also that of Griff Tannen and Marty McFly masquerading as his son Junior in Back To The Future Part II.
* Pushover calls Brainy a "mothersmurfer", a term Brainy uses himself in a Robot Chicken spoof episode of the Smurfs.
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VicGeorge2010
Member # 300
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posted 10-25-2023 03:54 AM
NOTE:
* Pushover felling Hefty with just one punch is also based on what Batman did to Guy Gardner (Green Lantern) in an issue of the Justice League comic book series in the late 1980s.
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