Empath: The Luckiest Smurf (novel)/Part 4

"What did our people do to this Gargamel for us to deserve his wrath?" Empath asked Papa Smurf as the both of them were on their way back to the village.

"Years ago when you were away, Empath," Papa Smurf explained, "one of our Smurfs was kidnapped by him, though at the time we had no idea he was even in our forest. Brainy was the first Smurf to smurf us news of this Gargamel, and from there it took an entire village two days to rescue the Smurf from that wizard. We never smurfed any offensive action against him other than that, but since then he has vowed to smurf his revenge on us. No matter what we do to try helping him, he's still been spiteful and ungrateful."

"This smurf does not understand the concept of revenge," Empath commented, "but this smurf's encounter with Gargamel is not something this smurf wishes to repeat."

"It's a difficult world you've returned to here, Empath," Papa Smurf sighed. "We all must smurf with things we wish we could smurf without, no matter how dangerous they are."

Smurfette was waiting for Empath when he entered the village with Papa Smurf. "I've looked all over the village for you, Empath. Where have you been?" she demanded.

"Papa Smurf was in danger, so this smurf had to rescue him," Empath answered honestly. "Was there something important you need to talk to this smurf about?"

"Not really," Smurfette replied, "but you left Baby Smurf at your house with the Smurflings unattended. You shouldn't leave Baby alone like that!"

"This smurf couldn't see any real danger in leaving Baby in the care of the Smurflings, Smurfette," Empath said. "Is Baby Smurf your child or..."

"Not this again!" Smurfette huffed again, walking away in her own frustrated fury.

"As you said, Papa Smurf," Empath stated, "this is a truly difficult world this smurf has returned to."

"Don't feel too bad, Empath," Papa Smurf said consolingly. "You're not the only Smurf who has trouble trying to figure out Smurfette!" He let out a slight chuckle as he and Empath went to resume their personal duties. - By late afternoon, Empath's birthday party was underway. Everybody who sat around the X-shaped table in the village center waiting for Greedy to bring out the birthday cake was entertained with some music the Smurflings performed with their jugband instruments, as well as Jokey's endless tricks and gags, some of which included some other Smurfs who didn't quite like being the butt of Jokey's humor. Clumsy didn't seem to mind, though, for he also had a juggling act of his own that wound up with him tripping over himself or getting bonked by his own juggling things. Empath enjoyed every minute of the show.

Then came Greedy with his cake, and every Smurf stopped what they were doing to sing: "We wish you a happy smurfday...we wish a happy smurfday...we wish you a happy smurfday...and a welcome back home!"

There were so many candles on his cake, Empath didn't know if he could blow them all out in one breath. So he basically faked it by taking as big a breath as he could and just exhaling it while snuffing out the candles with his mind powers. All the Smurfs cheered for Empath while he pretended to look slightly embarrassed for resorting to such a cheap trick.

"This year, Empath," Greedy announced, "we're smurfing up a new treat to go with your smurfday cake...it's called 'ice cream'. It took a small accident to make it happen, however, with myself creating the accident with Handy's air consmurfener. But I think you are really going to enjoy it, almost as much as I do."

Empath couldn't wait to try it out, but first he had to open up his presents to see what his fellow Smurfs had given him this year -- not that he preferred anything in particular, but he did appreciate the effort. Of course, Jokey turned out to be the first one to give him a present, which looked too much like all his gag giftboxes to all the other Smurfs. "Hey, Empath, I've got a little smurfday surprise for you to open right now!" Jokey announced with a slight impish snicker.

Empath recognized this present as looking like one of his gag giftboxes as well, for he opened one unwittingly years ago and was surprised to the point of total dumbfoundedness when it exploded and Jokey laughed. Papa Smurf had to explain that it was a harmless joke. It took years for Empath to realize and understand that concept.

"A surprise for me, Jokey?" Empath exclaimed. "This smurf would be honored to accept it."

Taking the giftbox, Empath felt tempted to use his mind power to examine its contents and find out what's really inside it, so he would not be fooled. But then Empath felt that that would ruin the surprise Jokey had set up for him. So Empath decided to take a chance and open the box to find out.

Jokey snickered in anticipation while everybody else tensed as they watched Empath remove the ribbon and open the box lid.

"Great Ancestors!" Empath exclaimed. "Is this for me?"

To everyone's relief, the box didn't explode. But now they were anxious to see what Empath saw in the box that made him perked with excitement. "What is it?" someone asked.

Empath pulled out of the box a Smurf hat and a pair of pants, both of which were black with silvery white stars embroidered on. The Smurfs were truly surprised by this gift.

"That gift was my idea, Empath," Tailor explained. "I felt that you needed a suit that made you smurf so distinguished from all the other Smurfs, so I used some black fabric and smurfed the stars on mysmurf. I wanted to surprise you, so I got Jokey to present it to you."

"Well, this smurf was certainly surprised by this interesting gift," Empath remarked favorably, "but this smurf doesn't know if this smurf should accept this gift..."

"Why don't you smurf it on?" Tailor suggested. "Maybe you'll like it after you smurf yourself in that suit."

Empath looked to Papa Smurf for what he would have to say about trying this gift out, since this didn't look like something a traditional Smurf might wear. "It's your gift, Empath," Papa Smurf told him, "but I have no arguments against you or any Smurf wearing anything out of the ordinary."

"Aw, smurf on, Empath," some Smurf cried out. "Let's see how it smurfs on you!"

Other Smurfs started encouraging Empath to try on his suit as well. "All right, everyone," Empath replied. "If it will satisfy your curiosity, this smurf will try on the suit, but this smurf can't promise that this smurf will be wearing it much!"

As Empath went to his house to change into the new suit, Greedy started serving the cake and ice cream to the Smurfs while they were waiting for Empath to return. Papa Smurf told Greedy to make sure he saved some for Empath.

"Ready or not, here this smurf comes!" Empath announced a few minutes later as he returned, wearing the new suit. All the Smurfs looked at him, not believing what they saw.

"Empath...is that really you?"

"Absosmurfly smurftabulous!"

"Awesome, man. Smurfally awesome threads!"

"Smurf about being a real star!"

"Really brings out the smurf in you!"

They couldn't say enough about how Empath looked now wearing the suit. Smurfette, however, had more on her mind than just commenting. She went up to Empath and kissed him on the cheek. "Sorry I didn't have anything to give you for your smurfday, Empath," she said.

Empath looked at Smurfette, not knowing what to say. Her kiss made him feel so warm inside, so incredibly strangely warm like nothing he ever felt before.

"Attention, my little Smurfs," Papa Smurf announced. "As you all know, today we celebrate Empath's birthday. However, today is also the day that Empath is no longer a guest of the village...he is now a free Smurf and a member with all the rights and privileges. He will be with us for as long as he wants to be. So let's give him a toast!"

The Smurfs responded by raising their glasses of smurfberry juice, singing, "For he's a smurfy good fellow..." and cheering Empath afterward.

Empath was a very happy Smurf that night. He never thought that such a good thing would come from being released from the Psyche Master's care. Now that he was a full member of the Smurf Village, he started to see a bright new future for himself, full of hope and an entire family to help him make each new day of that future a good one for him.

For now, he hugged Papa Smurf and thanked him for a birthday wish that finally came true. He was free.

Smurf to Part 5