Monkey On Your Smurf/Part 6

Empath's personal journal, supplemental.

''With all the mutated Smurfs restored to normal and Papa Smurf's, Smurfette's, and this smurf's behavior patterns restored as well, the Chimpanzians were allowed to leave the village in their invisible vessel and journey back into the stars to the world that they came from. Apparently, the Chimpanzians have learned from their encounter with the Smurfs that there was a better way to perform scientific studies without using living creatures to the point of harming them in the process. Only time and whatever encounters they have with beings on other worlds will tell.''

''In the meantime, with this smurf's "enhanced" attraction to Smurfette worn off and the probe removed from this smurf's body, this smurf still feels that there is something this smurf had done wrong to Smurfette while we were in that state induced by the Chimpanzian probes. This smurf must unburden myself of this guilt and seek to make amends with her somehow.'' - By the end of the day, Smurfette was surprised to find Empath at her door. He felt like he needed to talk to her about something urgent. She understood and allowed him in.

"Smurfette," Empath began, feeling increasingly insecure, "this smurf just wants to say…that how we were behaving and what we were doing with each other…it just didn't seem to be like us! I mean, this smurf knows you are not ready to commit yourself to giving your heart away to one Smurf for all time…but still…!"

"Empath, please," Smurfette interrupted politely. "You don't have to smurf you're sorry just because of that. I already know how each of us were at the time. We were so…like test subjects for the Chimpanzians. I know that you wouldn't smurf anything to hurt me, though it did feel like we got carried away with it."

"Still," Empath mused, "was there anything in what we did with each other that ever felt like us…even just a little?"

Smurfette sighed. "Empath, you know that I love you, but you should know that I'm not yet ready to smurf in love with you. We need time to smurf each other better before we can decide how we should follow our hearts."

Empath nodded, understanding what she meant. He felt that he wasn't yet ready for her entirely, either.

"Then this smurf shall wait for you, Smurfette, no matter what happens or how long it takes!" - At the same time, Handy was finished testing out everything that he had installed into the new version of Clockwork and was apparently satisfied that everything was working perfectly. Now he was getting Clockwork ready to leave for King Gerard's castle, as he had promised to do.

"Do they still think of me, Master Handy?" Clockwork asked as Handy prepared a bag for his creation containing such things like sarsaparilla leaf oil.

"I'm very sure that King Gerard misses your company, as does Clockwork Smurfette, though I think she's going to like the changes in you," Handy answered.

"Do you wish me to leave, Master Handy?" Clockwork asked.

"No, I don't wish you to go, Clockwork," Handy answered, feeling like a parent having to send his or her child away to school for the first time. "I just wish we had more time to smurf together. I feel like you're smurfing to grow apart from me, and I just don't want to lose you like I almost did when that lightning bolt nearly smurfed your last body into ashes."

"I remember that, Master Handy," Clockwork mentioned. "Thank you for saving me."

"You're welcome, Clockwork," Handy replied, giving Clockwork a goodbye hug. "And please call me Handy. I'm really going to miss you."

"And I will miss you, too, Handy," Clockwork said. Then his ears began to steam and his face briefly turned red. "By the way, soup's on!"

Handy went to grab his bowl and placed it in front of Clockwork as he tipped his head forward and poured hot sarsaparilla soup into it. "You didn't have to do this for me, Clockwork!" he told his creation. "I mean, not unless you wanted to!"

"Wish Empath, Polaris, and all my fellow Smurfs well for me, Handy," Clockwork said, smiling as he grabbed his bag and mounted the back of Feathers the crane to fly away back to King Gerard's castle.

Handy sipped his soup as he watched and waved Clockwork goodbye. "I will."

THE END