For our life is but a smurfing treasure
That must be smurfly spent.
Every Smurf sighed as they heard the
poem, feeling as if Poet's words have resonated in their hearts with
whatever they were thinking about. So did Empath and Smurfette.
As they walked off after the recital,
Smurfette said, "That poem got me thinking, Empath, about all the years
we smurfed together as friends, and yet now we feel much closer than
that."
"This smurf shares the same sentiment,
Smurfette," Empath said. "With all that we have went through both
together and separately, this smurf cannot bear the thought of living
another ten years wondering what's going to happen to us."
"You sound like you want something more
than what we smurf right now, Empath," Smurfette said.
"Could you honestly think of living
another ten years right now as we are?" Empath asked. "That this will
be all we will ever have between us?"
"Honestly, Empath, I've been wanting
something more myself, but with all my fellow Smurfs, I just haven't
smurfed up the courage to realize this for myself," Smurfette said.
"Smurfette, you've been a very good
friend to this smurf," Empath said. "You've helped this smurf to become
the Smurf that I am now, and I hope that you will continue to be there
for me as my guide and companion, because this smurf cannot do this
alone." He then laughed nervously as he felt that what he said wasn't exactly what he wanted to say. "What this smurf really meant to say is that...well...you know..."
"Empath, whatever you have to say, just
say it," Smurfette said.
Empath was going to say something next
when he heard a scream inside his head. It was the Smurflings. They
were crying for help. And it was urgent.
"Smurfette, will you marry me?" Empath
blurted out.
"What?" Smurfette asked, surprised by
the bluntness.
Empath gave Smurfette a quick kiss.
"This smurf must respond to a distress call. You can think about what
you will say for an answer while this smurf takes care of the matter."
And as Smurfette watched Empath fly off
into the forest, she was saying to herself, "He asked me to marry him!"
Meanwhile, the Smurflings were sinking
in a mire of quicksand that was in a deep pit. "I told you we should
have waited for Tracker and Granpda Smurf," Nat said.
"Greasy grimy gopher holes, we can't
smurf our way out of this pit," Sassette said.
"Great," Snappy said. "This is not how I
wanted to end my camping trip."
"I only hope that they and Puppy can
smurf here quick," Slouchy said.
They continued to cry for help until
finally they found themselves rising from the pit. They knew who had
come to rescue them. It was Empath.
"What smurfed you so long to get here?"
Snappy said.
"Ah, don't mind him, Empath, he's just
happy to smurf you again," Slouchy said.
"This smurf is glad to come to your
rescue again," Empath said, before he paused and just stared at them.
"Empath, what's wrong?" Nat asked,
sounding concerned.
Empath had a feeling that he had been
through this moment before. Except that instead of four young
Smurflings, there were three adult Smurfs that called themselves Nat,
Snappy, and Slouchy whom he had rescued. And there were a lot of other
things that happened in which time seemed to go crazy and that there
were an infinite number of Smurfs appearing in the village. But now
none of it has ever happened. It didn't make any sense to Empath why he
would remember something like that.
"Oh, it's nothing, Nat," Empath said.
"Just wondering what you young Smurfs would look like when you're
older."
"Like that's anything new," Snappy said.
"The grown-ups are always in a hurry for us to grow up."
Then came the sound of barking as Puppy
approached with Tracker and Grandpa Smurf. "There you are, you young
grandsmurfs," the elderly Smurf said. "I have warned you not to rush
off like that and to wait for us, but no, you had to smurf yourself
into danger, and we have nearly lost you if it weren't for Empath."
"Sorry, Grandpa Smurf," Snappy said
sheepishly for all four of them.
"It was a such a jolly good time on our
camping trip, Empath," Tracker said. "I would regale you with the
events that have transmurfed along our journey if you would kindly
escort us home."
"That would be this smurf's pleasure,
Tracker," Empath said as they started off together.
Polaris Psyche noticed Smurfette
standing near the path to the woods all by herself. "Salutations,
fellow Smurfette," he greeted. "May this one ask what you are waiting
for at this location?"
"Oh, just Tracker, Grandpa Smurf, and
the Smurflings smurfing home from their camping trip," Smurfette
answered. "They have been gone for over a week and I just want to make
sure they smurfed home safe."
"This one senses that they are not the
only ones you are waiting for, Smurfette," Polaris said. "If indeed you
were truly waiting for the others to come home."
Smurfette sighed. "Okay, Polaris, the
truth is is that I'm waiting for Empath, because he has asked me a very
important question."
"And this important question requires
for you to wait for his return to the village so that you may deliver
your answer," Polaris said.
"Exactly," Smurfette said. "I'm just so
eager to tell him that I just can't wait!"
"You may not have to wait for long,
Smurfette," Polaris said. "This one is detecting his presence
approaching this location with several other Smurfs and Puppy."
And soon enough, Smurfette saw Empath
enter the village with Tracker, Grandpa Smurf, the Smurflings, and
Puppy. The young Smurfs looked like they got into a bit of trouble on
their way home that Empath managed to get them out of. But nonetheless,
all of them were happy and busy talking with each other, with Empath
listening to the tales of what went on during the camping trip.
"Empath! Smurfs! You're home again!"
Smurfette greeted as she approached them.
"Oh, this is so cool," Snappy said. "We
have Smurfette greeting our arrival!"
"I think I died and smurfed to heaven,"
Slouchy said.
"You Smurflings and your thoughts of
Smurfette are just so ridiculous," Sassette said.
"Well, growing young Smurflings like us can dream of things like this, Sassette," Nat said, with Snappy and Slouchy snickering.
But then as the Smurflings watched,
Smurfette embraced Empath and kissed him. "Hello, Empath. I have
finally smurfed my answer."
"Salutations to you too, Smurfette!"
Empath said, smiling. "And what is your answer?"
"That I would like to known as Mrs.
Empath Smurf," Smurfette replied.
"So is that a yes?" Empath asked.
"Smurfs like a yes to me, Empath,"
Slouchy said, sounding rather sly.
"Jumping junebugs! You two are finally
going to be married?" Sassette shouted.
"YES!" Snappy said, shouting with his
fist thrust into the air.
"Consmurfulations, Empath and
Smurfette," Nat said. "I knew you two would finally smurf the knot
together."
"Well, I'll be a smurf's uncle," Grandpa
Smurf said. "I never thought I'd live to smurf the day when two of my
best grandsmurfs would choose to be married."
Tracker just simply stood there in
shock, as did Polaris Psyche for a moment. "So that was what Smurfette
was waiting to tell Empath upon his return," he finally said.
"Oh, this is just so exciting,"
Smurfette said, turning to each of the Smurfs nearby. "Empath smurfed
the question, and I said yes. We have to tell all our fellow Smurfs
about this!"
"Smurfette, don't you think we should
talk to Papa Smurf about our decision first?" Empath asked. "This smurf
isn't sure how the rest of the village will receive this particular bit
of news."
"This is just too important to wait,
Empath," Smurfette said. "We can let Papa Smurf in on the news after we
smurf it to the rest of the Smurfs. I'm sure he wouldn't mind the
surprise."
"Well, what are you waiting for,
Empath?" Snappy said. "Let them know that you and Smurfette are going
to smurf the knot!"
The other three Smurflings were
encouraging Empath to go ahead and spread the news.
"Okay, Smurfette, we'll smurf this
together," Empath said. "Polaris, you go tell Papa Smurf about this
decision that we have made and have him join the other Smurfs around
the speaking mushroom."
"This one acknowledges, Empath," Polaris
said before he headed off.
"Empath, I don't think smurfing into
things like smurfing a wedding announcement is the right thing to do,"
Grandpa Smurf said.
"I know, Grandpa Smurf," Empath said.
"It's just after ten years of waiting, this smurf feels like that this
smurf can no longer afford the luxury of more time. This moment is just
as important to this smurf as it is to Smurfette. This smurf wants to
be there to let the other Smurfs know as soon as possible what's going
to happen."
Grandpa Smurf sighed, realizing that he
wasn't going to change Empath's mind or Smurfette's.