The Orb Of Inspiration/Part 2

By the end of the day, the Smurfs were gathered around the dining commons to have a nice refreshing dinner of smurfberry goulash prepared by Greedy Smurf. Empath could hear some of his fellow Smurfs groaning from all the hard work that they were doing.

"I can't remember when I have ever smurfed so tuckered out," Farmer said, "and I still have most of my fields to seed."

"Oui, mon ami, it is a sign with me," Painter agreed. "I'm beginning to wonder if I would ever finishing smurfing my painting in time."

"Yeah, my lips just feel too pooped to pucker," Harmony said as he briefly picked up his horn.

"Oh, come on, Smurfs," Hefty said as he helped himself to another serving of the goulash. "A little concentrated work never hurt anybody. Isn't that right, Empath?"

Empath sighed. "You are correct in that assessment, Hefty."

"Empath, what's the matter?" Smurfette asked. "Aren't you happy with your job as the assistant counselor?"

"This smurf just feels so frustrated, Smurfette, knowing how tired this smurf's fellow Smurfs are when it comes to preparing for this pageant, and there isn't anything this smurf can do to alleviate that," Empath said.

"I just wish they could smurf some of your abilities, Empath," Smurfette said. "That would smurf things a whole lot easier around here."

"What we don't need is an entire village of star-smurfed showoffs, Smurfette," Hefty said. "It's bad enough just having Empath around to show us how weak and unimportant we all really are."

"That's not true, Hefty Smurf," Smurfette said. "You're just jealous because he doesn't always have to rely on muscle to solve anyone's problems."

"This smurf wouldn't mind being like Hefty or any of the other Smurfs, Smurfette," Empath said. "It would be a nice break from constantly being reminded of how different this smurf is from every Smurf in the village."

"There's nothing wrong with you smurfing the way that you are, Empath," Smurfette said. "I only wish that more Smurfs like Hefty could learn from your example."

"All in good time, my dear Smurfette," Tapper said. "Anyway, I do enjoy the hard work, even if I'm not as strong as Hefty, Tuffy, or Duncan, and I hope that we will accomplish more by tomorrow."

"By the way, where is Poet?" Handy asked.

"He's probably still in his house, Handy," Smurfette answered. "He hasn't smurfed out of it since he smurfed back from the forest."

"It's been hours since he's returned, Smurfette," Empath said. "He should be finished composing his Spring Day Pageant poem by now."

"Maybe we should go check to smurf if he's all right," Hefty suggested.

Empath nodded. "We might as well check on Poet together, Hefty."