Crisis Of Infinite Smurfs (story)/Part 1

The story takes place about a month or so after Empath's 160th birthday, in which they celebrated his tenth anniversary of being home from Psychelia. The day began pretty normally for the Smurfs as they did their daily routines, with Hefty supervising the activity, Polaris Psyche doing his security patrols, and Empath overseeing it all. Nothing was really out of the ordinary, though there a poem recital by Poet that a small crowd of Smurfs had gathered around to hear.

"This is my latest epic, ladies and gentlesmurfs. It's called 'Time And Tide'," he announced before he began:


 * As time and tide passes,
 * As the years keep smurfing by,
 * We will someday smurf back and notice
 * How it all smurfed with a sigh.
 * It has all smurfed just like yesterday
 * Between the now and then,
 * And with each new moment that we smurf,
 * We will never smurf it again.
 * So make the best of the time you smurf
 * And smurf it for the best
 * For what will smurf in the years to smurf,
 * Oh, we can only guess.
 * But when you smurf the end of time,
 * May you not smurf back in lament
 * For our life is but a smurfing treasure
 * That must be smurfly spent.

Every Smurf sighed as they heard the poem, feeling as if Poet's words have resonated in their hearts with whatever they were thinking about. So did Empath and Smurfette.

As they walked off after the recital, Smurfette said, "That poem got me thinking, Empath, about all the years we smurfed together as friends, and yet now we feel much closer than that."

"This smurf shares the same sentiment, Smurfette," Empath said. "With all that we have went through both together and separately, this smurf cannot bear the thought of living another ten years wondering what's going to happen to us."

"You sound like you want something more than what we smurf right now, Empath," Smurfette said.

"Could you honestly think of living another ten years right now as we are?" Empath asked. "That this will be all we will ever have between us?"

"Honestly, Empath, I've been wanting something more myself, but with all my fellow Smurfs, I just haven't smurfed up the courage to realize this for myself," Smurfette said.

"Smurfette, you've been a very good friend to this smurf," Empath said. "You've helped this smurf to become the Smurf that I am now, and I hope that you will continue to be there for me as my guide and companion, because this smurf cannot do this alone." He then laughed nervously as he felt that what he said wasn't exactly what he wanted to say. "What this smurf really meant to say is that...well...you know..."

"Empath, whatever you have to say, just say it," Smurfette said.

Empath was going to say something next when he heard a scream inside his head. It sounded like the Smurflings. They were crying for help. And it was urgent.

"Empath, what's wrong?" Smurfette asked, sounding concerned.

"Uh, this smurf needs to take care of an urgent matter in the forest, Smurfette," Empath answered. "This smurf will return to ask the question that is on this smurf's mind when the matter is settled."

"You go and smurf that, Empath," Smurfette said, sounding empathetic. "I'll be waiting right here for you to return."

Empath smiled at her before he took to the sky and flew.

To be expanded on.