Pushover Pushes Back/Part 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."

To be expanded on.