Empath went to visit Smurfette in her
house as she was busy writing all the invites to her friends in
other parts of the Smurf forest. Empath told Smurfette that they
could have Printer make some copies of a single letter to save
some time, but Smurfette insisted on making sure every letter had
her personal touch on it.
"It's not every day you get to invite
all your friends to participate in a major event in your life,
Smurfette," Empath said.
"Yeah, and to think of all the
preparations to make this a very smurfy wedding," Smurfette said.
"I remember the village preparing for the wedding of Laconia and
Woody, and everything turned out smurfy until Gargamel showed up
with his ghoulish calliope. Fortunately it didn't ruin the moment
for the two woodelves."
"If you ever need someone to
coordinate all the preparations, Smurfette, Brainy has volunteered
himself for that role," Empath said. "Of course, this smurf also
said that Vanity will offer some assistance, since he knows a
great deal about how to make a beautiful wedding."
"I'm not sure about Brainy as the
coordinator, Empath, but I do think Vanity is the perfect choice,"
Smurfette said.
"Okay, well, this smurf has made up a
list of assignments for what needs to be done," Empath said,
showing Smurfette the list. "There's food preparations, the
wedding dress, the suits for every Smurf, the decorations, the
seating arrangements, the music...pretty much everything this
smurf can think of, with a few suggestions from Brainy and Vanity.
And you may want to take a look at all the preparations yourself
to make sure that this is truly what you want and how you want
it."
"That's certainly a lot to smurf
about, Empath," Smurfette said, taking a look at the list. "You
think we can get this all smurfed in time for the wedding?"
"This smurf has great confidence that
this will all be accomplished by that time, Smurfette," Empath
said. "But even if things don't turn out the way we want them to,
we can still have a great wedding and everybody can still be
happy. It will be worth all the effort put into it."
"I always dreamed of what it would be
like to smurf down the aisle to the altar to marry the Smurf of my
dreams," Smurfette said. "But when I see myself with any of the
other Smurfs in my dreams, something odd always happens, and it
just doesn't feel right in the end. Honestly, I do love the other
Smurfs and I do want them to be happy, but I never feel like I can
be smurfectly happy being married to them."
"If this smurf was never part of your
life, Smurfette, this smurf could imagine how lonesome you might
feel if you had to choose among your other fellow Smurfs the one
to be your future husband," Empath said. "Not that they are all
bad Smurfs, but I can empathize with your seeing how any of them
might not to be the one you would feel comfortable marrying, given
their various faults and behaviors."
"I guess I don't have to worry about
that anymore, Empath," Smurfette said, looking at him. "From the
moment I smurfed you ten years ago, it was like something perfect
had just smurfed into my life...not that I was comfortable with
how you were around me when we first met. But you knew what it was
like to be different from your fellow Smurfs, and I knew what it
was like to not be a Smurf. It's like we're both strangers to the
ways of the Smurf that were just smurfed for each other."
"This smurf knows how you feel about
that day, Smurfette," Empath said. "And this smurf knows that we
both feel like strangers. Yet you showed me things about being a
Smurf that this Smurf has never known about before, things that
Papa Smurf could never teach me. And for that I am always
grateful."
Smurfette smiled when she heard
Empath say that. "I am happy that I can smurf them to you, Empath.
You don't deserve to smurf your entire life as a Psyche
anymore...not that I don't appreciate what your friend Polaris has
smurfed for us over the years."
"This smurf knows you mean no offense
with the comment, Smurfette," Empath said. "It's just that now
this smurf and Polaris won't be as close to each other as we used
to be with our thoughts."
Smurfette laughed nervously. "Yeah,
there's just some things Polaris really doesn't need to know
about. I can only wonder how much he really knows about me from
what you smurf him."
"Only the things that he needs to
know about you, Smurfette," Empath said. "What we have between us
in our private moments...not much of anything."
Just then, Nanny came in the door.
"My little grandsmurfette," she said as she went over to hug
Smurfette. "Why am I the last one in the village to know that you
and Empath are going to smurf a wedding together?"
"I'm sorry, Nanny," Smurfette said.
"I thought that I have smurfed everyone in the village that we're
going to get married."
"I'm still happy for you, my child,"
Nanny said. "I'm sure Empath will make a fine husband for you. I
understand that you're going to need a bridal shower of gifts
while Empath and his friends attend their bachelor party."
"I remember we had one for Woody and Laconia's wedding years ago, but I still have no idea what a bachelor party is," Smurfette said.
"It's a little party that the friends
of the bridegroom throw for the groom as a sort of farewell party
for his innocence and independence," Empath explained. "It's
usually attended by mostly men while the women attend the bridal
shower."
"That's not fair," Smurfette said.
"Why do you smurf the fun stuff before the wedding and I get
smurfed with wedding presents?"
"Come now, Smurfette, you know Smurfs
will always be Smurfs at heart," Nanny said. "Besides, you'll be
too busy smurfing with your wedding guests to pay attention to
what Empath and the other Smurfs are smurfing."
"This smurf promises that whatever
happens at the bachelor party, this smurf will maintain his virtue
at all times," Empath said.
"Maybe I should attend the bachelor
party to make sure of that, Empath," Smurfette said, giving him a
look and a smile that means she meant business.
"That's very good advice for a young
Smurf who intends to marry this Smurfette, Empath," Nanny said.
"You can smurf your fun with your friends, as long as you know and
remember you who are smurfing your heart and soul to."
Empath laughed. "You two are never
going to let this smurf go on the issue of the bachelor party."
Nat, Snappy, and Slouchy decided to talk to Grandpa Smurf alone in the house that he had been living in before he went back to Smurfling Island with Nanny to settle there forever.
"So Grandpa, are you and Nanny going to stay for the wedding?" Nat asked.
"Yeah, it's going to be the smurfiest thing that's happened to any Smurf for the past ten years since Empath smurfed home," Snappy said.
"Of course I am, you young whippersmurfers," Grandpa Smurf answered. "You think that myself and Nanny would just smurf back home to Smurfling Island after hearing that smurf of news?"
"But you missed out on your chance to marry Wendy Smurfling years ago, and now she's Nanny Smurf," Slouchy said.
"I know what I missed out on, Slouchy," Grandpa Smurf said. "But I always felt like she was the Mama Smurf that I wished that I had, even when I was still a young Smurfling Pan."
"She was the Mama Smurf we all wished that we had, Grandpa," Nat said. "Every Lost Smurfling loved to sit around her and listen to her smurf up her wonderful stories while she smurfed socks with her yarn."
"But there was no one you would rescue from Captain Smurfhook more than Wendy, and you smurfed that pirate good in those days when it was just us and the Lost Smurflings together," Snappy said.
"Those were the days," Grandpa Smurf said with a sigh. "Who knows if there will ever be a villain worth fighting like Captain Smurfhook now that he is but a memory?"
"Maybe we could smurf back with you for another visit, just to see how the Lost Smurflings are doing now," Slouchy suggested.
"Perhaps we can someday, Slouchy," Grandpa Smurf said. "For now, though, you'd be better off with the adult Smurfs here, helping to smurf things ready for this wedding that's coming."
"As long as there's not even a hint that I'm going to be marrying Sassette," Snappy said.
Grandpa Smurf chuckled. "You're still too young to think about it yet, Snappy. It will happen at the right time, when you meet the right Smurfette that will smurf along."
"Too bad for Snappy that 'the right Smurfette' is on her way to marrying the right Smurf," Slouchy said.
"Well, smurfs like this love story's going to smurf a different ending for him," Nat said, with both him and Slouchy laughing.
"Your times will be smurfing, youngsters, when that right Smurfette comes along for you as well," Grandpa Smurf said. "And Snappy, don't feel bad about the crush that smurfed away from you. Who really knows if you could have smurfed her heart in another lifetime like I could have smurfed Wendy's?"
"Don't worry about me, Grandpa," Snappy said, smiling. "I couldn't feel any happier for Empath than I do right at this moment. I may be a bit jealous, but I wouldn't change it for anything."
The following day, Papa Smurf has
called Hefty and a few other Smurfs into his laboratory.
"Now that Smurfette has smurfed up
the invites, I have a mission for you Smurfs to undertake," Papa
Smurf said. "We'll need to deliver the wedding invitation to the
Pussywillow Pixies in Pussywillow Hollow. I'm certain that you're
aware of the dangers of smurfing into that region of the forest,
so that's why I have chosen you Smurfs to deliver the invitation.
And if they accept, they will need escorts so that they will smurf
to the wedding safely. Hefty, I'm smurfing you in charge of Tuffy,
Willpower, Century, and Duncan for this particular mission."
"Uh, Papa Smurf, could you smurf
another Smurf in charge of this mission?" Hefty asked.
"Why, what's wrong?" Papa Smurf
asked.
"Don't smurf me that the great and
fearless Hefty Smurf is smurfing cold feet about smurfing to
Pussywillow Hollow just to deliver a wedding invite," Duncan
McSmurf said.
"I am not!" Hefty shouted back. "I
just don't feel comfortable about smurfing charge of this
mission!"
Papa Smurf sighed. "Okay,
then...Duncan McSmurf will be smurfed in charge. But you might as
well smurf them a hand if the Pussywillow Pixies are going to
smurf to this wedding alive."
"If you smurf so, Papa Smurf," Hefty
said.
"This is the first time I have to
smurf in charge of you for a change, laddie!" Duncan McSmurf said
to Hefty.
"Yeah, well, don't get used to it,
Gutsy," Hefty said. "I can still smurf those whiskers off your
face if I have to."
Duncan snorted. "That will be the
day. And that's Duncan McSmurf to you!"
"I'm going to need a moment alone to
talk to Hefty first," Papa Smurf said to Duncan, handing him the
invite.
"You can count on us to deliver the
message, Papa," Duncan McSmurf said. Then he and the three other
Smurfs left the laboratory to give Papa Smurf his moment to talk
with Hefty.
"You seem rather reluctant to be in
charge of this mission into Pussywillow Hollow, Hefty," Papa Smurf
said. "Is there something the matter that's bothering you?"
Hefty sighed. "Why does it seem like
I'm the only Smurf who's in objection to this marriage, Papa
Smurf?"
"I'm sure you're not the only Smurf
around here who feels smurfly about the idea of Empath and
Smurfette being married," Papa Smurf said. "But your fellow Smurfs
seem like they're all willing to make Smurfette happy regardless
of how they feel of the idea."
"Don't get me wrong, Papa Smurf,"
Hefty said. "I love Smurfette. I would do anything for her to make
sure she is happy. And I don't ever want to see her get hurt. But
I just don't feel that Empath and Smurfette are the perfect match.
I feel that Smurfette deserves a better Smurf than him."
"And I would guess that this 'better
Smurf' would be you," Papa Smurf said. "Why don't you tell Empath
and Smurfette about how you feel?"
"I want to tell them so very much,
Papa Smurf," Hefty said. "It's just that I feel like I can't smurf
them anything without this smurfing into a fight. And trying to
get into a fight with Empath over anything...well, I might as well be
smurfing a death wish."
"I'm sure that it doesn't have to
come to that, Hefty," Papa Smurf said. "Fortunately there's a part
in the wedding ceremony where anyone who wishes to smurf an
objection to the marriage will be allowed to smurf so, which will
be your final opportunity to smurf your peace to the both of them.
If Smurfette understands and decides that you're more worthy of
marrying than Empath, then I don't see how Empath can object to
that even if he wanted to. But if Smurfette decides that you're
not more worthy...well, at the very least you won't have to live
with the regret of not smurfing your peace when you had the
chance."
"That's still a week away, Papa
Smurf," Hefty said. "I just hope I can smurf up the courage to
tell them how I feel before then."
"You're still a brave Smurf, Hefty,"
Papa Smurf said, putting his hand on Hefty's shoulder. "I know
you'll be able to express yourself about this situation without
having to smurf into fights with anyone. Just give it time and
you'll find a way to smurf your peace."
"Thank you, Papa Smurf," Hefty said.
"I may not like Empath, but I'm not going to let him down or
Smurfette."
Meanwhile, Empath had a personal talk
with Polaris Psyche about what's going to happen.
"You will be leaving this residence
to live in Smurfette's house, and you will be giving this one your
residence to live in?" Polaris said.
"It's a very big change, Polaris,"
Empath said. "This smurf and Smurfette need to have a single
residence for ourselves, and since Smurfette is willing to have
her house become our future home together, this smurf has decided
that it's time for you to have a place of your own."
"This one understands, Empath,"
Polaris said. "When will you be moving into Smurfette's house?"
"Within a week, right after our
honeymoon," Empath said. "Handy will be in charge of doing some
renovations, and some Smurfs have volunteered to move this smurf's
personal belongings into the house when the renovations are
complete."
"Then this one will help make sure
that your personal belongings are delivered safely to your new
residence when the time comes," Polaris said.
"Polaris, this smurf senses from you
that you do not like the changes that are going to happen with
this marriage," Empath said.
"You are correct, Empath," Polaris
said. "It feels like the intimate relationship we have had over
the years as brothers and friends is going to end with this
marriage. There will be things going on in your life that you will
not be able to openly share with this one as you were previously
able to. And this one would feel like an intruder in the intimate
relationship you will be having with Smurfette."
"That's very true, Polaris," Empath
said. "This smurf hasn't considered the possibility that you may
end up being the third party of this relationship that's only
meant to be shared by two people. But you are never the kind of
person who would divulge such information to anyone, and you would
only tell Papa Smurf if such information poses a danger to the
village. That's why this smurf trusts you with my life."
"All the same, Empath, if it were
possible, this one would wish that you would sever the
relationship that we have together," Polaris said.
"Polaris, how could I sever any
relationship with you?" Empath said. "You've always been there for
me. You're always willing to offer logic and reason where this
smurf would rather go in feet first into any situation. You're
willing to make sure that this smurf and Smurfette will be
together no matter the cost. You've helped this smurf control my
emerging behaviors in Psychelia. Over the years you've been in the
Smurf Village, you've grown into the kind of person the Psyche
Master may be offended by, but that this smurf would admire the
most. You've overcome all the problems you had about living with a
"savage race" like us. You even had moments where you enjoyed
laughter at the expense of Jokey's dignity, and this smurf can
tell that you don't regret it."
Polaris chuckled slightly at the
thought before he cleared his throat to maintain his stoicness.
"It was a very unusual situation and experience for this one,
Empath."
"The thing is, Polaris, that we have
been through so much together that, while we'll have to get used
to not sharing the same intimacy we had anymore, this smurf still
wants you as part of this smurf's life and wants to make sure you
still have a life outside of Psychelia," Empath said. "And as a
sign of that friendship, this smurf is giving you the honor of
becoming the best man at the wedding."
"The best man?" Polaris said,
recalling from his knowledge of wedding ceremonies what that
meant. "This one does not know what to say."
"You do not need to say anything,
Polaris," Empath said. "This smurf senses that you are willing to
accept the position."
"Then this one will become your best
man, Empath," Polaris said, nodding. "You are truly this one's
Smurf brother and this one's friend to have bestowed such an
honor."
"And you will always be this smurf's
Psychelian brother and this smurf's friend...now and forever,"
Empath said as they shook hands with each other.