Jokey and Echo Chronicles (The Devereaux Story)/Chapter 5

Echo shook his head in disbelief as he watched his friend leave without a trace. Echo furrowed his eyebrows, kicked the Green Smurf in the shin, and ran off to get Jokey back.

"Jokey! Jokey!" Echo called out as he caught him walking further away from the village, "Please Jokey, come back. I need you."

"You don't really, buddy," Jokey patted Echo's head, "Besides, no Smurf wants me around anyway."

Echo looked down in sadness and traced a foot in a circle,"...I do."

Jokey looked at Echo and smiled, "But...you can find another best friend to hang around."

"But, all those other Smurfs are too serious!" Echo crossed his arms, "Even my own younger sister!"

Jokey looked into Echo's innocent eyes. What's a prankster Smurf to do when your fan is broken by the fact you left the village, unwanted?

"Echo, you know how I am," Jokey answered, "I'm a prankster! A trickster! I don't wanna be a bad influence on you."

"But, aren't your jokes harmless?" Echo asked, "I mean, you never killed someone. You never put someone's life in danger. You never kidnapped anyone or hurt anyone's feelings. So, why should the village be okay with you leaving because of who you are?!"

Jokey thought about Echo's words. Sure, his pranks would frustrate the Smurfs, but they never seemed hurt or dead. Jokey lightened up. He finally had something to tell Papa.

"You know what? You're right, Echo!" Jokey beamed, "A harmless prank doesn't kill! I just do it for humorous purposes! That must be beneficial! Good thinking! Let's get back to the village!"

"Yea!" Echo exclaimed as he followed him back. But as they were just getting back, they were ambushed by a net enclosing them in towards the ground. The trap then catapulted them into the air and followed the beacon that came from...a secret Red Smurf base.

Jokey sniffed out the air, "Hoooooh boy! This place smells worse than Filthy's drawers! That reminds me of the time when Eska was kidnapped by two red Smurfs disguised as spa people!"

"And this is the exact same place," A creepy voice filled the base. When the figure stepped out of the shadows, a red Smurf with spiral glasses appeared.

"Psycho!?" Jokey recognized, " What are you doing here, and what's with the bad smell?!"

"I have done what my master told me to," Psycho rubbed his hands together, "With time, I have built Bucky and Underbite's old ransom place into my own lab, where I set traps around the forest, hoping to catch you Smurfs! Now that I have, I will transport you back to Gargamel's old hovel so that we can call our creator home to us! Now, sit tight! I just need to get the transporter ready."

Jokey and Echo watched as Psycho stepped out. Jokey sat on the ground and sighed.

"What shall we do, Jokey?" Echo asked him, "You're the prankster. You can use one of your pies to disintegrate the ropes and set us free!"

"You see me as some sort of hero, do you?" Jokey shot him a frustrated look, "Look at me, Echo! I'm just a Smurf! I'm not a hero! And I bet the Smurfs in the village think the opposite! Face it. They don't miss me. I might as well get the magic sucked out of me. I deserve it."

Echo looked at his friend and sat down. His eyes started to wet and he even wiped a tear from his face. Then, his brows furrowed as he shot his arms down, "No! Your end will not end like this!" He stood up, "You can't give up!"

"But, Echo, how will we get out of this?" Jokey looked around.

"We promised we would tell Papa that your pranks are beneficial!" Echo pointed to him, "And by Joe they will! We will find a way out of here! No matter what the cost, no matter how many bruises we get, no matter how many times we get caught, we shall get out of here alive, AND we shall clear your name for good!" Suddenly, Echo's cheek emblems started to glow a bright green. Jokey looked shocked as he saw his fan glow the same color.

"Echo, what's happening to you?!" Jokey asked.

Echo opened his eyes, revealing a glowing bright green, "I unlocked my key emotion!

And BOY, does it feel good!"

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