Chez Empath/Part 5

Out in the forest, Empath, Smurfette, Tapper, and Duncan took Puppy with them to the spot where Puppy found Greedy's picnic blanket. There was a bit of food still lying on the blanket, but there was no sign of Greedy anywhere.

"Greedy has been here, all right, which this smurf can sense," Empath said. "There were two other individuals that were picking berries from a nearby bush, but where could they have gone with Greedy?"

"Great Smurfiny Crickets, the better question would be, 'who would even take Greedy?'" Tapper asked.

"Oh dear, I hope Greedy is all right," Smurfette said, sounding worried.

"This smurf doesn't have a sense that he's in any danger yet, Smurfette, but we're not going to take any chances," Empath said.

"Empath, laddie, Puppy has just smurfed up another scent," Duncan called out as he pointed toward Puppy sniffing the ground.

"There must be a trail left by the two individuals whom Greedy has gone with, Duncan," Empath said. "Puppy, let's follow that trail and see where it will lead us."

The four Smurfs followed behind Puppy as he continued along the scent trail that his nose picked up. - Meanwhile, within the kitchen of King Glouton, Greedy was busy watching one thing cooking after another, always kept constantly on his toes to make sure everything is done just right, if not also right on time to feed the king's appetite.

"Boy, I'd love to cook, but this is smurfdiculous," Greedy grumbled as he stirred up a big pot of soup in a kettle. "The king's soup of the day could feed the Smurfs for weeks." He wiped the sweat from his brow as he heaved a sigh. "Gee, I wonder if they'll even miss me."

"Master Chef Greedy, the king wants more soup, more salad, and a lot more muffins," the tallest gnome guard called out.

Greedy looked at the guard rather sourly. "Is that all?"

"He's also prepared a list for tomorrow's menu...this is what he wants...for breakfast," the tallest gnome guard said as he unraveled a very long scroll that rolled across the floor to the stool Greedy was standing on.

"Breakfast?!?" Greedy exclaimed, looking at the really long list in bewilderment. "By Smurf, I think it's time that the king and I had a little talk." - After Greedy had the food prepared and brought out to King Glouton, Greedy joined Prince Leon as he and the servants stood before the king while he continued to feast on yet another big piece of meat.

"And so, King Glouton, Your Highness, I was hoping that you could smurf me the day off so I could visit the Smurfs," Greedy requested.

King Glouton acted as if he didn't hear a word Greedy had said. "In the future, Master Chef, add a teensy bit more sassafras to the sassafras snaps," he instructed before taking another bite.

"Did you even hear what I said?" Greedy asked, sounding rather insistent.

"Oh, and more acorns in the acorn cookies," King Glouton added, again not paying attention to Greedy.

Greedy looked steaming mad as he took off the royal chef's hat and stomped on it. "Forget the day off...I quit!"

"Quit?" King Glouton said, sounding surprised. "You're the finest chef I ever had...you can't quit!"

"Oh yeah? Well, just watch me!" Greedy said as he razzed the king on his way out the door.

"Guards, seize him!" King Glouton shouted. Suddenly Greedy found himself grabbed by the guards. "Take him away!" the king commanded.

"No, Father, please! Greedy is my friend!" Prince Leon begged.

"A few hours in my dark dungeon should help him see the light," King Glouton said with a fierce look in his eyes. "If not, then that's where he will stay." - Greedy struggled uselessly as he was carried away by the guards toward the dungeon. "Smurf me down, do you hear? Smurf me..." He was then suddenly dropped to the ground after he was placed in the dungeon and the door was locked closed behind him. "...down." He turned and saw the guards walk away from the door after it had been locked closed. "Hey, wait a minute! You can't smurf this!"

"Oh, yes, they can," another voice broke in. Greedy turned and saw that there other chefs locked up in the same dungeon with him. "You're not the only Master Chef whose goose has been cooked."

Greedy looked at his fellow prisoners. "Well, how long have you fellow been in here?"

"Long enough to have exchanged all our recipes," one of the other chefs answered.

"Each of us have served King Glouton to the best of our ability, but somewhere along the line, each of us have failed to satisfy him one way or another," a third chef spoke.

"That king doesn't look like he is able to be satisfied," Greedy said.

"We know, and we have learned that to our own sorrow," a fourth chef said. "And in the meantime, he does nothing for his own son Prince Leon. Such a shame that the young prince has to live with."

"Greedy," Prince Leon called out from outside the dungeon, "you must do what my father asks of you."

"Sorry, Prince Leon, but a Smurf cannot be smurfed so much," Greedy said as he approached the door.

"But unless you obey him, he will keep you in prison forever," Prince Leon warned.

Greedy sighed. "If only Empath were here, maybe he would know what to do."

"I'll get him for you, Greedy," Prince Leon said. "That is my promise."

"Oh, if you could, Your Highness, you could find some Smurf in the forest that will smurf you to him," Greedy said.

"I'll try my best," Prince Leon said before he left the dungeon area. - Meanwhile, out in the forest, Empath, Smurfette, Tapper, and Duncan have stopped at a pile of rocks that Puppy's scent trail has ended. He tried to sniff around, but there was no other place around that area that had the scent.

"I'm afraid that our trail ends here, laddies," Duncan said.

"Something about this rock formation feels so unnatural, as if it was stacked on purpose to hide something," Empath said.

"But what could it be hiding?" Smurfette asked. "An underground fortress or something?"

"Let's just sit and rest for awhile, Smurfette," Tapper said. "I'm certain that the answer will suddenly..."

Tapper was suddenly flung off the rock he was sitting on as it was lifted, revealing a hidden passageway and a person behind it. "My goodness, you must be Smurfs," the person behind the passageway said. "What luck!"

Tapper rubbed his head after he had landed. "So it would seem for us as well, my green-smurfed friend."

"And who might you be, laddie?" Duncan asked.

"My name is Prince Leon," the person answered. "I am looking for a Smurf by the name of Empath."

"That would be this smurf's name, Prince Leon," Empath said. "We were looking for our friend Greedy who had disappeared into the forest sometime earlier today."

"Then you're in luck," Prince Leon answered. "Quickly, before anyone else notices you." - After Prince Leon let the four Smurfs gain entry into the underground gnome kingdom, he explained his situation about himself and his father to Empath as well as how he came across Greedy.

"That is so unfortunate, Prince Leon, but surely we might be able reason with your father," Empath said as he and his fellow Smurfs followed the young prince down the hall.

"I don't know, Empath," Prince Leon said. "When it comes down to it, my father's temper is almost as big as his appetite."

Suddenly they could hear Greedy shout, "Smurf your hands off me!"

"Aye, that's Greedy, all right!" Duncan said. "I don't think I'd like to know what they're smurfing to him."

"There's the throne room up ahead," Prince Leon said. "Let's watch quietly and see what's going on."

Empath and the prince stood as close to the doorway as possible and peered quietly inside to see that the gnome guards have brought Greedy before King Glouton. "This is your last chance, Greedy Smurf...it's the kitchen or the dungeon," the king commanded. "You have one minute to decide whether you're going to cook for me."

"I don't need a minute, King Glouton," Greedy said angrily. "My answer is..."

"Yes!" a familiar voice broke in. Greedy turned and saw that Empath had arrived with Prince Leon.

"What's this?" King Glouton asked, sounding curious about the new visitors to his court. "Who have you brought, my son?"

"We are Chef Greedy's staff, Your Majesty," Empath announced as he approached the throne and bowed before King Glouton. "And with our help, Chef Greedy promises you a royal feast that you and your entire court will never forget."

"A royal feast?" King Glouton wondered for a bit about what was being promised. "Yes...yes! What have you need? Go...cook! I want my feast!"

Empath smiled, knowing that the king took the bait. "You are certainly going to enjoy it, Your Highness."