The Discovery Of Smurfette Island/Part 4

In the infirmary, Sympathy sat at Empath's bedside holding his hand and monitoring his condition. Jasmine, the village nurse, came into the room. "How is our patient, Sympathy?" Jasmine asked.

"I can sense that he's still alive, but he's unconscious," Sympathy said.

"You should be careful of him when he awakens," Jasmine advised. "There's no telling what end of trouble a male Smurf may bring to our village."

"He's like everything we've been smurfing for, Jasmine, I can just sense it," Sympathy said.

"I know, and that's the part that will smurf us trouble," Jasmine said.

"Jasmine, I'm sensing that he's awakening," Sympathy said.

Empath slowly opened his eyes and looked up at the female face that was smiling at him. "Smurfette?"

Sympathy giggled. "Actually, I am a Smurfette, but my name is Sympathy. And your name is...?"

"Empath. Empathy Smurf. But where is this smurf?"

"You mean, 'where am I'?" Sympathy said. "You're in the village on the island that we call Smurfette Island, and you happen to be in the infirmary."

"Smurfette Island?" Empath said. "So you must be the one who smurfed the message to us."

"I didn't expect that someone like you would ever answer, Empath," Sympathy said. "But I feel like I've smurfed my whole life waiting for you to smurf. And now that you're here, the whole village must know that you've responded. How did you even manage to smurf here in the first place?"

Empath tried to think. "This smurf was on a ship that was smurfing across the ocean...and then there was a storm at sea...and then this smurf fell overboard...and that was the last thing this smurf remembered."

"A ship?" Sympathy asked. "You mean others are coming to smurf us?"

"That is correct, Sympathy," Empath said. "They must have smurfed the message from this smurf and had smurfed along with this smurf on this ship in order to find your island."

"Oh, this is just wonderful," Sympathy said. "We must smurf this news to Mother Smurfette as soon as possible."

"Mother Smurfette?" Empath asked.

"She's the leader of our village, Empath," Sympathy explained. "She's very old and wise, about 557 years old, and she'll know what to do about the visitors who are smurfing." She then looked at Empath. "What's wrong?"

"This smurf...can't sense the ship or anything that's beyond this island, Sympathy," Empath said.

"I'm sure that it's a condition that will pass in time, Empath," Sympathy said. "For now, let's smurf you out of bed and see if you can smurf."

"This smurf will appreciate that," Empath said, allowing Sympathy to carefully sit him up and rise from the bed. He staggered a bit when he arose, but Sympathy caught him before he fell.

"You're going to need a bit of support before you can smurf on your own again," Sympathy suggested. "Here, smurf hold of my hand and I'll smurf hold of you."

Empath took hold of Sympathy's hand. For a Smurfette, he felt that she was just as physically strong as he was. - As they both left the infirmary, Sympathy took Empath through the village. "Great Ancestors, this is just so amazing," Empath said.

"Does this village smurf very familiar to you, Empath?" Sympathy asked.

"This smurf didn't expect it to smurf anything like home, Sympathy," Empath said. "Granted, this smurf has never been here, and yet it smurfs like this smurf has been here all my life."

"Then it must be what Fluorescent calls deja vu," Sympathy said. "It's the feeling that you've smurfed someplace that you've never smurfed to before."

"Fluroescent? Who's she?" Empath asked.

"She's the village artist," Sympathy answered. "She likes to speak in the language of Schtroumpf, and she's always working on her latest masteurpiesa."

"That sounds more familiar to someone this smurf knows," Empath said. "In fact, it feels like this smurf is smurfing into a mirror and seeing everyone this smurf knows as their female opposite. Even you, with the way you're smurfed."

"I'm surprised that you noticed that about me, Empath," Sympathy said, smiling. "It's something that I smurfed up for myself, since I'm now old enough to be an adult Smurf. But I'm curious as to how you think my sister Smurfettes are anything like your brother Smurfs."

"It's just what this smurf is sensing right now, Sympathy," Empath said. "I have yet to smurf for myself how true this feeling really is."

"Oh, it's the boy Smurf! He's awakened, my sister Smurfs!" one of the Smurfettes said.

"Oh, smurf at this! He's just so adorable!"

"Oh my! Look at how handsome and strong that Smurf is!"

"He's an absolute dream! I can just imagine smurfing with him alone!"

Empath and Sympathy both noticed how the Smurfette were just flocking toward him, responding like how Empath's fellow Smurfs first reacted when they first saw Smurfette when she became a real Smurf.

"You're going to be pretty popular around here, Empath, trust me," Sympathy said.

"This smurf can sense that," Empath said.

They both reached Mother Smurfette's laboratory as some of the Smurfettes continued to follow them around, looking like they just couldn't get enough of looking at Empath. "So our patient is up and about, isn't he, Sympathy?" Librarian said when she met them at the door.

"We need to talk to Mother Smurfette privately about our visitor, Librarian," Sympathy said.

"What? Don't think you've smurfed in love at first sight with this stranger...not that I wouldn't want to smurf some time with him myself," Librarian said, straightening herself out and adjusting her glasses when she looked at Empathy.

"No, you silly," Sympathy laughed. "We're not getting married...at least not yet, I hope. We just need to talk about how he smurfed to the island."

Librarian chuckled nervously. "Yes, well, don't let me smurf in your way. I'll just smurf out here and make sure you and Mother Smurfette are not bothered." She stepped aside from the door to allow Empath and Sympathy to enter.

"The way she carries herself, with her glasses and all, Librarian reminds this smurf of someone this smurf knows," Empath said.

"I would assume she would smurf along with this Smurf you know quite famously," Sympathy said.

"Ah, so this is the male Smurf who's smurfed up on our shores last night," Mother Smurfette said the instant she looked at Empath when he and Sympathy entered. "You certainly smurf like a handsome young Smurf, and quite brave at that."

Empath simply looked at Mother Smurfette and noticed that she looked like a feminine version of Papa Smurf, with her white hair tied up in a ponytail, her crop top and skirt, her red hat, and her shoes. The way she sounded, it was as if Papa Smurf had gotten a sex change.

"This is Mother Smurfette, Empath," Sympathy said, as she noticed him just staring at the village leader, noticing how beautiful she looked for someone around Papa Smurf's age.

"This smurf apologizes, Mother Smurfette," Empath said, extending his hand toward her for a handshake. "This smurf didn't mean to be simply staring at you."

"There's no harm done, Empath," Mother Smurfette said, accepting Empath's handshake. "I trust that my little Smurfettes are smurfing good care of you while you're here for a visit."

"Here for a visit?" Empath repeated. "That's what this smurf's expedition from the Smurf Village was intending."

"An expedition?" Mother Smurfette asked. "I see that we're going to smurf other visitors from your village. Very well, then. Me and my little Smurfettes will offer your group our hospitality, but let me smurf one thing clear. We are Smurfettes, and as much as a good deal of us would want to have male Smurfs in our village, we do value the right to have our maidenhood respected. So I would suggest that, if you don't want yourself and your fellow Smurfs to be smurfed into eunuchs, you would act like a gentlesmurf when you are around my little Smurfettes. Is that smurfectly clear?"

Empath gulped at the thought of being turned into a eunuch. "This smurf understands and acknowledges, Mother Smurfette," he managed to say, nodding with acceptance.

"Mother Smurfette, is there any place we can smurf Empath so that we can...uh...," Sympathy requested.

"We should have one empty Smurf house in our village that's not being smurfed right now, Sympathy," Mother Smurfette said. "That should be smurfy enough to smurf our guest in. I'll have some Smurfettes smurf in the furniture to make you feel right at home, Empath."

"And what will you smurf for the others once they arrive on the island, Mother Smurfette?" Empath asked.

"We can arrange for other guest houses to be smurfed, but once they arrive, I expect them to smurf on their best behavior here, Empath," Mother Smurfette said. "These are my daughters, whom I cherish very much, and I would not want to see them harmed in any way by any male Smurf."

"This smurf will relay the message upon their arrival, Mother Smurfette," Empath said, nodding again. - After Empath left the laboratory with Sympathy, they started talking with each other. "Is Mother Smurfette really serious about turning male Smurfs into eunuchs if we're not on our best behavior around here?" Empath asked.

"She's only trying to protect us the best way she knows how, Empath," Sympathy answered. "She's been our Mother Smurfette for the past 115 years. It hasn't been entirely easy for her, but we're willing to smurf our best to make sure she smurfs the best job that she can when it comes to being a leader. I have a feeling that your village leader probably feels the same way."

"This smurf is certain that he does, Sympathy," Empath said. "You know, for a Smurf who has telekinetic and telepathic abilities like this smurf does, you seem to be very comfortable smurfing your abilities without feeling like you're an outcast."

"And you seem like the kind of Smurf who's very afraid to show your emotions, like you've been in a prison for a good deal of your life," Sympathy said. "I can understand that male Smurfs have to be tough and in control of their emotions, but you seem to smurf it a little too far."

"That's because this smurf has been raised in Psychelia, Sympathy," Empath said. "Psyches have been trained since the day of emergence to keep all their emotions suppressed, and to purge our thoughts so that we don't feel anything."

"What a terrible way to live, Empath," Sympathy said. "Well, you won't have to worry about that anymore while you're here. Everybody's free to express anything that they truly feel inside...within reasonable limits, of course."

Sympathy took Empath over to the empty Smurf house that was located in the village. "There we are...home sweet away from home," Sympathy said as Empath opened the door to have a look around. "It may not smurf like much, but Gadget can smurf your house just the way you like it if you're not happy."

"Gadget Smurf?" Empath asked, wondering who she meant.

"She prefers Gadget Smurfette, because after all, she is a Smurfette, Empath," Sympathy said. "She's the village builder and inventor that likes to smurf things from her own two hands. I suppose you know of a male Smurf from your village that also likes to smurf the same thing."

"Actually, this smurf does, Gadget...I mean, Sympathy," Empath said as he examined his new surroundings, which looked rather Spartan in appearance compared to anything he had in any of his homes in the Smurf Village.

"Well, smurf yourself at home, Empath," Sympathy said. "I will smurf up on you later to see how you're smurfing in your house."

After Sympathy left, Empath spent the time just looking around at all the furnishings, which consisted of a table, some chairs, a fireplace, a bed, a wardrobe, and a dresser. It felt like the first time he had his own house in the Smurf Village, only now he was in a totally different Smurf Village with a group of Smurfettes that seemed vaguely familiar to the ones he remembered in the Smurf Village. He only hoped that this feeling of walking into a gender-flipped mirror world wouldn't extend so far as to also include the same type of enemy that would terrorize the Smurfettes.

Soon there was a knock on his door. "Hey, laddie, I hope you don't mind me smurfing a visit with you so soon after your smurfing here," a female Scottish-accented voice spoke from outside.

Empath went to open the door, and there outside was a female Smurf who was dressed in a Smurf hat with a green plaid headband, a green feather pinned to its side, a white shirt with green trim, a green plaid kilt, a pair of checkered socks, and a pair of black buckled shoes. She looked rather athletic in her physical appearance, with brown hair that looked like she spent more time getting herself in shape than with any concern for proper grooming.

"This smurf is pleased to meet you, Miss...?" Empath responded.

"Brenda McSmurfette, at your service," the female introduced herself. "I bet you haven't seen a true McSmurf like me in your village, but I get the feeling that the spirit of the McSmurf is within your flesh and bones."

"Actually, there is a McSmurf in my village, Brenda, and he would be very interested in meeting you to see what kind of McSmurf you are," Empath said.

"Well, if he's anywhere near a good swordsmurf like I am, I would like for him to smurf his mettle against me in smurf-to-smurf combat training so I can smurf for myself if he's truly a warrior," Brenda said, sounding very confident about her own abilities.

"This smurf wouldn't mind if you accept a sparring challenge that this smurf would present to you," Empath said.

Brenda snorted. "You want to spar with me, then get ready for a smurf of pain, because when I'm through with you, you're going to need a smurf to the infirmary to get your injuries smurfed at. You won't smurf nothing from me but the best fight you'll ever have in your life."

"This smurf can sense that from you, Brenda," Empath said.

"Anyway, I figure that, since you're new around here, I might as well smurf you around the village, help you get to know the lassies that I have to smurf around with...including the ones that dare to call me Brawnette," Brenda said. Her voice turned into a low growl when she muttered, "Oooh, how I really hate being called Brawnette!"

"Then this smurf will accompany you," Empath said, sounding pleased. "And this smurf will make sure not to call you Brawnette."

As Empath and Brenda started their tour together, the first thing they noticed was a kitchen and dining area that looked similar to the one in the Smurf Village. "This would be where we Smurfettes eat our daily meals, laddie," Brenda said as they entered the dining area to have a look around. "Right now, Gourmet is busy with her kitchen crew smurfing up our next meal."

Empath stepped into the kitchen and saw a crew of five Smurfettes, each wearing chef hats and aprons, working on various parts of the upcoming meal together.

"This here is Gourmet, one of the greatest chefs we smurf in our village," Brenda said as she introduced Empath to a Smurfette with dirty blond hair that was pinned neatly in the back. She looked like she was eating whatever she happened to be preparing.

"I like to think of myself as being the greatest chef of our entire village, Empath," Gourmet said, her mouth seemingly full of food. "If you don't believe me, give this a taste and see what you smurf."

Gourmet scooped up a bit of the food with a tasting spoon for Empath to try. Empath took the spoon and tasted it. "Mmmmm...smurfs just as delicious as the food of a fellow Smurf that I know," Empath commented.

"A fellow Smurf who smurfs food just as good as I?" Gourmet said, sounding like she was in disbelief. "Oh, please...I doubt that Smurf even knows half of the recipes that I know how to smurf even with my eyes closed."

"I think he might smurf the same about you, Gourmet," Empath said.

"Well, he's certainly welcome to try, and I will be the judge of whether he's worthy of being called the greatest chef or not," Gourmet said. "Now if you'll excuse me, I need to make sure our supper is ready for tonight."

Brenda took that as a cue to direct Empath elsewhere. "She sure has an attitude when it comes to her job as the village chef, Brenda," Empath commented.

"Well, if you've got only a village full of Smurfettes to smurf the jobs that normally male Smurfs can smurf, laddie, you've got to expect that they're going to smurf some competition from the male Smurfs," Brenda said.

"This smurf is sure that every Smurf here is capable of smurfing their own weight when it comes to smurfing important village tasks, Brenda," Empath said.

"Ah, here's the village clothing shop," Brenda said as they entered into another Smurf house. "This is where we ladies smurf most of our clothes."

Empath saw a female Smurf with brunette hair wearing a pin cushion on her shoulder and a measuring tape draped around her neck. "My, my, my, what do we have here?" the female Smurf said as she looked at Empath with eyes of desire.

"Empath, this is Couturiere, the village smurfstress," Brenda announced.

"Uh, salutations, Couturiere," Empath said as she went around him, using the measuring tape on him to figure out his measurements.

"Such a perfect specimen of Smurfhood, and with all the right measurements, no doubt," Couturiere said as soon as she finished her measurements. "I would certainly love to smurf you a new suit that would make you feel a bit more comfortable around here. You seem to smurf a bit...warm smurfing that shirt on all the time."

"Well, actually, this smurf feels rather comfortable with the shirt," Empath said, finding himself feeling rather awkward around another female Smurf that was just looking like she was undressing him with her eyes.

"I'm pretty sure that I will have you smurfing in my shop, wearing my latest outfits," Couturiere said. "Of course, you're going to smurf rather silly in a skirt and a crop top, but for a Smurf like you, I'd be happy to smurf the kind of suit that will show off that smurfy figure of yours."

Empath smiled nervously. "This smurf is certainly looking forward to it."

"Let's go, Empath, before you get ensmurfed by her measuring tape," Brenda said, taking Empath's hand and guiding him out of the shop while Couturiere continued to look at Empath as if she really wanted to be alone with him.

"And over there, laddie, is our village tavern that we call The Lucky Smurfette," Brenda said. "This is where the finest sarsaparilla ale is brewed and served, and this is where we like to relax after a hard day's smurf."

Empath looked around the outside of the tavern, noticing that it had a four-leaf clover shingle out in front just like that of Tapper's Tavern. "Can we smurf inside to see its proprietor?" Empath asked.

"We can smurf inside for a bit, but this place doesn't open for business until later on, though," Brenda answered.

They stepped through the door, and Empath noticed how similar the inside of the tavern looked to Tapper's Tavern. It had tables and chairs, a record machine in the corner, a dart board on the wall, and a counter with stools lined up in front and a wall of various bottles in the back. The female Smurf who stepped into the room had reddish-brown hair and looked like she was dressed for a Clover Day parade, all dolled up in green of various shades. Her hat looked similar to Tapper's, a Smurf hat variant of a soda jerk hat.

"Greetings, my fellow Smurf," the female Smurf said in a pleasant voice with an Irish lilt to it. "I smurf that you're the new Smurf in this village, and what a handsome Smurf you must be. You'll certainly attract a lot of attention from the ladies here."

"Empath, this is Siobhan, the village bartender," Brenda introduced.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Siobhan," Empath said, taking her hand into his own and holding it for a while.

Siobhan smiled as if she was getting pleasure just from Empath simply holding her hand. "So is there anything that I can smurf for you, my friend?" she asked.

"This smurf was just simply getting to know all the Smurfettes better, Siobhan," Empath answered as he let go of her hand. "My friends are expected to smurf to shore sometime soon because they have smurfed across the seas in order to find you."

"To find us?" Siobhan asked, as if she didn't know what Empath was talking about.

"Well, somebody in your village must have sent us the map so that we could smurf your island, in the hopes that we may rescue you and smurf you home back to the Smurf Village," Empath explained.

"You must be mistaken, Empath," Siobhan said. "Why would we want to leave such a place like this? This island smurfs everything we need...well, except for the fact that it has this evil witch named Seraphine."

"Seraphine? What does she want with you or this island?" Empath asked.

"Oh, the same thing as usual...to use our Smurf essence to make herself the most powerful sorceress in all the world," Siobhan said, sounding rather matter-of-fact with her response. "There's just one problem...we're usually too good in escaping her clutches. She's very competent, but not very bright. She still gives Sympathy enough trouble since her powers don't work against magic."

"Aye, but then Seraphine's no match for Mother Smurfette," Brenda said. "Her magic is just as powerful as that evil witch's, plus she's had years of smurfing her craft that Seraphine doesn't. But the one thing she doesn't know is when to quit."

"But if neither of you smurfed that map to the Smurf Village, then who did? And why?" Empath asked.

"I'm sorry that I don't have the answer to your question, my fellow Empath, but I'm sure that one of the Smurfettes here must have a good reason for it," Siobhan replied. "It's not like I would imagine any of my fellow Smurfettes would just lure you here to smurf you and your fellow Smurfs into any sort of danger."

"But if there was a traitor in this village, then I would certainly like to smurf my hands on who it is before anything terrible happens," Brenda said, sounding like she was raring for a fight.

"Empath, you seem to have something on your mind that you feel uncomfortable sharing with anybody else right about now," Siobhan said, sounding very concerned when she noticed how Empath looked at that moment.

"It's just something that this smurf saw in a dream before this smurf came here, Siobhan," Empath said. "It's like you Smurfettes were in terrible danger, and you needed someone to rescue you before it's too late."

"Well, I think this may be something that Empath should share with Mother Smurfette when he's ready," Brenda suggested.

"I would have to agree with you on that, Brenda," Siobhan said. "Anyway, you're more than welcome to frequent my tavern for as long as you and your fellow Smurfs will be here, provided that you will act like perfect gentlesmurfs when I'm around. We wouldn't want to have a fun relaxing night be ruined by rowdy Smurfs who don't seem to understand any part of the word 'no' now, would we?"

"Of course not, Siobhan," Empath said. "This smurf acknowledges and understands, and will relay the message to my fellow Smurfs."

To be expanded on.