Vanity's Double/Part 2

After breakfast, Vanity took Century over to see Smurfette. "Hello there, boys," she greeted pleasantly.

"This is my...uh, brother Century, Smurfette," Vanity said, introducing him to her. "He's the Smurf who smurfed out of my mirror."

"I'm pleased to meet you, Century," Smurfette said. "You smurf just as handsome as your brother."

"Oh, what can I say, Smurfette?" Century said. "True beauty is always hard to duplicate. Of course, my brother can never truly compete with me."

Smurfette giggled. "I think you're going to make your brother feel jealous."

Vanity snorted at that. "Well, I'm off to smurf things to make Century feel at home. I'm sure that he could be of some assistance with your gardening."

"I'll see you later, Vanity," Smurfette said as she watched Vanity head off, leaving Century with her. "Now, since you're a copy of Vanity, you must have his taste in garden design, because I've been planning to plant some marigolds, some daisies, some petunias, some daffodils, and some lillies in the community beds, but I'm not sure where I could plant everything to make it really look smurfy. What's your opinion? Where do you think I should smurf all these plants?"

"Huh?" Century said, sounding distracted. "Oh, well, you can plant them anywhere you like. I'm sure that they will still come out looking smurfy."

"Century, you sound like you don't even care about flower arrangements," Smurfette said.

"I'm sorry, Smurfette," Century said sincerely. "It's just that, since that day of the Festival Of The Moon, I've been feeling rather strange lately, like I find no interest or beauty in flower arrangements like Vanity does."

"But aren't you a copy of Vanity Smurf?" Smurfette asked.

"I'm everything Vanity Smurf is, and yet I feel somewhat different," Century said. "It's like I find myself more interested in being the romantic hero, like in the story books, the dashingly handsome hero who smurfs in and saves the day and the damsel, who smurfs her off her feet..." He picked Smurfette off her feet in the manner of describing what he was talking about. "It's like everything Vanity finds beautiful, I just simply find it ordinary and not worth my time."

"I like the idea of a Vanity Smurf who would act like a knight in smurfing armor, Century," Smurfette said. "There's nothing wrong with that."

"But I still remember everything that Vanity Smurf does, Smurfette," Century said. "The times that we spent together were the times you spent them with Vanity Smurf. You don't remember me, and yet I remember you so smurfly, and I cherish every one of those memories. It's like I'm Vanity Smurf and yet I can't stay being Vanity Smurf. It's all so confusing."

"Hmmm...well, maybe coming out of the mirror for you is a good thing, Century," Smurfette said. "If all the life you knew was being Vanity Smurf, then being a real Smurf alongside your brother would enable you to experience a whole new kind of life for yourself."

"But, Smurfette, I never smurfed out of the mirror...Vanity did," Century said.

"You'll have to forgive me if that's what I remember, Century," Smurfette said. "Anyway, there's nothing wrong with you being a different Smurf from your brother. If being a different Smurf is what you were meant to be, then I would say smurf with what you know and feel to be right and just be yourself."

"Just be myself," Century said, thinking about what Smurfette had told him. "Well, if being Century Smurf is what I was meant to be, then I guess I must become him."

"You don't have to stop loving yourself like your brother does," Smurfette said. "If you feel that you're the most handsome Smurf in the world, then embrace and enjoy that feeling."

"Oh, but I do enjoy that feeling ever so much, Smurfette," Century said. "I'm just looking forward to smurfing in my own mirror to enjoy what I see."

"I can let you borrow mine for the time smurfing, Century, if you'll help me smurf some planting," Smurfette said.

"I'll be glad to smurf you a hand in that," Century said - A little later on, Vanity returned with some mirrors for himself and Century to carry while they went about, with Vanity introducing him to all the Smurfs in the village. They all pretty much acted surprised to find that this new Smurf knew so much about them while they knew so little about him, as if he has been with them for years. Vanity tried to explain to them that his brother now has all his memories, so it would be natural for him to know what Vanity himself knew of his fellow Smurfs. They all wished Century well and to make himself at home in the village. Century, however, felt that the village was already "home" and didn't like the idea of being treated as a stranger in what was his "home".

Then they came across Duncan McSmurf, who was doing some practicing with a fellow Smurf with a wooden sword. "Say, that smurfs like a lot of fun, wouldn't you say, Vanity?" Century asked.

"Me, fight with a sword?" Vanity said. "Well, I would find it totally beneath my own dignity!"

Then Duncan turned to meet the two Smurfs who were approaching. "Aye, if it isn't the village peacock and his new friend, the hundredth Smurf," he greeted. "I'm glad to see that you're no longer smurfing backwards like you were when you had smurfed out of the mirror."

"You certainly smurf a bit different from how I remember you, Duncan," Century said. "You used to smurf the sash of your kilt over your left shoulder instead of your right."

"That's never been the way I remember smurfing the sash, laddie," Duncan said. "But anyway, what smurfs you here to see a Smurfsman at work training other Smurfs to fight?"

"I'm just here to make sure the other Smurfs know who he is, Duncan," Vanity said. "This is my...uh, brother Century. He smurfs a bit different than I smurf with his own particular habits and interests."

"So the peacock has a twin brother, eh?" Duncan said, sounding curious. "You know, Vanity has such a fear of swords, even wooden ones, because he doesn't like being threatened life and smurf with such a weapon. I wonder how you would react if somebody were to smurf a sword at you, Century."

"Now why would anyone smurf such a thing like that, unless they're just jealous about how handsome I really am compared to themselves?" Century asked.

"Not everyone cares about how you look, pretty Smurf," Duncan said. "In fact, you're not going to care much about your beauty when somebody's smurfing you at the edge of a blade."

At that, Duncan thrust his sword straight toward Century, who instantly dodged and then reacted by knocking the sword out of Duncan's hand. "How dare you smurf that to me!" he shouted.

"Ah, now this is what I'm looking for in a Smurf, laddie," Duncan said, pleased. "You have the fighting spirit that your brother smurfly lacks. I can teach you how to be a true fighter, if you are so interested."

"Really?" Century said. "Well, I'd be happy to smurf you up on it sometime. Of course, that Fencer Smurf has some fighting skills that would interest me as well. I just love the way he handles a foil."

"I just can't believe it," Vanity said to himself. "My twin wants to be a fighter. What is this world smurfing to?" - By evening, after they have enjoyed a night at Tapper's Tavern, Vanity told his brother, "I've got a little surprise for you waiting at home, which I think you're going to absosmurfly adore!"

"A surprise?" Century asked, curious. "Oh, I can't wait to smurf what you have smurfed for me."

They said their goodnights to their fellow Smurfs as Century followed Vanity back to their single house in the village. Century saw that an extra bed was set up in the bedroom. "What's this for, brother?" he asked.

"I think it's time you smurfed your own bed, so I had Carpenter smurf you one just like mine," Vanity explained. "Tailor even smurfed you the same kind of pillows, blankets, and sheets. It will be just to comfortable to smurf in as my own."

"I do appreciate it, Vanity, but the problem is that I already have a bed, so you might as well have smurfed a new one for yourself," Century said.

Vanity did not like what he was hearing. "The bed that I smurf in is mine, Century. I had that bed first before you smurfed along."

"From my smurf of view, that was my bed," Century said. "You just smurfed into it only a few days ago."

"I was smurfing here first," Vanity said, now sounding angry. "I am the original...you are just a copy!"

"And that smurfs you the right to smurf everything in here as yours, which in fact it isn't?" Century responded, also angry.

"I don't why you're even arguing with me about this, Century," Vanity said. "You should be grateful that you even exist!"

"Now I see that you really are a copy of me, Vanity...a really bad copy," Century said.

Vanity growled, as he hated being called a copy. "That's it! If you don't like smurfing in my house, knowing that it is my house, then you might as well leave!"

"Well, don't let the door smurf you in the tail on your way out, Vanity!" Century shot back, as they both folded their arms and turned up their noses.

After a while, they both realized that neither of them was going to leave. "PAPA SMURF!" - Papa Smurf finally came and listened to both Vanity and Century complain that this was their own house and that the other should leave. Their complaints got to the point where Papa Smurf had to silence them both.

"Century, I'm afraid that Vanity is right," Papa Smurf said. "From our point of view, you are a copy and everything in Vanity's house is Vanity's. So in order to resmurf this situation peacefully, I'm going to have to smurf you to another house in the village where you can smurf your own things."

"Papa Smurf, I can't believe you're taking Vanity's side on this matter," Century said.

"I really don't want to take anyone's side, consmurfering this situation, Century," Papa Smurf said. "However, I think you need to start smurfing your own life, and the only way I can think of you smurfing it is to separate you from your...brother and the things that belong only to him."

"But this has been my house for as long as I can remember, Papa Smurf," Century said, now starting to weep. "How can I leave all the memories that I have in this place?"

"I know it will be difficult for you to leave what is familiar to you behind, Century," Papa Smurf said consolingly. "But in time, you will get used to smurfing a whole new life for yourself apart from the things you knew about yourself up until now."

"I'll help you get settled in your new place, Century," Vanity offered. "It will look just as smurfy as my own."

"I don't think any other place in the village will be just like home to me," Century said, as he left with Papa Smurf. - The two of them soon found another Smurf house on the other side of the village for Century to stay in. "Well, it may not look like much, but it's the only place that I can smurf for you, Century," Papa Smurf said.

"Well, this place certainly needs a good smurfer-upper," Century said with some disgust.

"You can smurf the other Smurfs to help smurf up the place to your liking tomorrow morning," Papa Smurf said. "For now, you'll need your rest. There's already a bed smurfed up in there, so you can smurf straight to sleep. Hefty and Tuffy will bring the other bed from Vanity's house over here."

"Well, thanks, Papa Smurf," Century said, with a voice of resignation. "At least this will be the start of a new life for me."

"Smurf well, Century...I will smurf you in the morning," Papa Smurf said, smiling before he left.

Century finally entered the new house and looked around. Except for the bed, it was mostly barren and felt like nobody ever lived in there. It seemed to be another reminder to Century that he was just a new Smurf who was starting to live among the other Smurfs who haven't seen him before. It felt like it was just unfair that he had memories of every Smurf and felt so close to them, yet they had no memories of him except that he existed for the past few days.

He went straight into his bed and cried himself to sleep.