Smurfocalypse Chapter 46: The Jokey Box
"Jokey had a way of getting under your skin. I'll admit he wasn't the most skilled of us, or hardest working. However even in these dark times he always had a smile on his face. He always found time to make jokes even if they were just small ones. From this day forward we will set aside work on this day to tell jokes, and play ridiculous pranks on each other. That is how we will honor Jokey Smurf." Hefty said.
There was a light snowfall by the time Johan and Peewit got the Smurfs back to the port. They were gathered at the cemetery where Hefty had dug what would be an empty grave. After Hefty said what needed to be said he took the shovel and added a single spade full of dirt to the hole. After Hefty every other Smurf followed, each taking their turn to grab a shovel full of dirt and fill the hole. Papa Smurf was naturally the last Smurf to use the shovel. Jokey had an empty grave, but he'd be remembered forever just like Tuffy as a hero that died protecting his fellow Smurf. This world's version of The Big Book of Smurfs would list Jokey's end as that of a noble sacrifice.
Johan, Peewit, and Clockwork Smurf went back to the palace to report the quest as a success. When King Gerard heard of the sacrifice the Smurfs had made to make his kingdom safe he shed a tear, and then he personally gave the deceased Jokey Smurf the title of dragon slayer which looked rather flattering on his gravestone when one considers the life Jokey lived. The moment the funeral ended Alchemist looked to the Smurf to his left, and the one to his right. Brainy was to his right and he just smirked and reached into his robe sleeves retrieving a handful of snapdragons which he threw at the unsuspecting Smurf's feet causing him to jump in surprise as the tiny fireworks popped all around his feet.
"Surprise Brainy!" Alchemist said.
Normally Brainy would be annoyed, but today was a special day where one takes a break off work to remember a great hero. Brainy Smiled and laughed with the other Smurfs at himself just this one time. It wasn't long until the Smurfs were scattered in little Splatoon sized squads teaming up to pull pranks on each other all over the town. The only Smurf not having any fun was Papa Smurf. He had been locked inside his hut since the funeral ended. Papa Smurf remembered how to create the explosive from watching Jokey make them, and like Hefty was determined to use Jokey's legacy for good. However Papa Smurf naturally had a more peaceful way to use the invention. He recorded all the ingredients and tools Jokey had used to make the explosive onto paper as well as his very detailed plans to solve a little known issue in the village. Papa Smurf wished to use the explosive as a mining tool. In absence of the village's mining expert the deceased Minor Smurf they needed a new approach to gaining materials such as iron, coal, graphite, and other resources the Smurf's use. Papa Smurf wishes to re-invent Jokey's creation and make it less powerful, less dangerous, less chaotic, and a lot more manageable for experts to handle. A smaller box with less power could be used as a tool, or if the size could not be reduced then surely the power could be.
While Papa Smurf was busy being Papa Smurf Hefty, Timber, Handy, Brainy, and Sweepy were going around the port ambushing other Smurfs with rubber bands. Dreamy was hanging out with Coconut who was still sick, but no longer bedridden. They were by the beach telling each other ridiculous jokes and laughing back and forth at what each other has to say when they were rubber band ambushed. Dreamy takes a rubber band to the back of the head and when he turns around to see his assailant he received three more rubber bands two hitting him in the chest and one hitting him right in his eye patch. He just grins.
"Now look what you've done. You shot my eye out!" Dreamy said removing his eyepatch.
Every Smurf there had a good laugh at that, and dreamy thought he'd be getting them back until he remember he literally physically couldn't. So he scooped up a handful and held them out to Hefty.
"How many of these could I trade you for Coconut?" Dreamy asked.
This got Hefty cracking up until Coconut actually answered. She actually was looking upward and moving her lips as though she were trying to figure out the math to it all.
"About 75 packs" Coconut said.
"Wait for real?" Handy asked.
"No, but I fooled you didn't I?" Coconut said.
They resumed laughing.
"However, if you wanted an actual coconut I'd charge you as little as half a pack back home. Here It'd cost you more though since you have none." Coconut said.
"I couldn't imagine having to work to survive, and having to know all that math as a Smurfling. What a rough life." Handy said.
"We don't tend to live as long in the tropics. We have snakes, disease, wild cats, Amazonian Smurfette tribes, volcanic activity. Sooner we work the better." Coconut says.
"Old age is a symbol of wealth and power in their society." Dreamy says.
"So whoever owns the most fruit trees?" Handy asks.
"Not so much fruit. You could have special skills like I have as well." Coconut said.
"I can't deny your skill in construction." Sweepy said.
"So then I've been wondering for a long time. Why are you and mango named after fruit?" Hefty asked.
"Being named after fruit is the way of our Smurfs. It goes all the way back to Tropical Smurf. Tropical Smurf loved fruit so much he used his powerful magic to bless the islands with the ability to grow all the world's fruit. He then spent the rest of his life gathering seeds from all over the world to add to his collection. He made a huts in some places on the islands with hopes that if it appeared homey that the stork would send him a baby Smurf he could share his fruit with, and the stork provided. From then on Tropical Smurf's huts were quickly filled by a generation of working Smurfs which would shape the islands to be what they were when Dreamy showed up. It is tradition to name each baby Smurf after a fruit. The condition is no two tribesmurf can have the same name. So I'm the only Coconut in my tribe. Unless they gave my name away because I left with Dreamy that would so not be cool at all." Coconut said.
Back at Papa Smurfs hut Papa Smurf had finally finished what he was working on. He was going to show it to Hefty first thing in the morning, but until then he'd be nailing Smurfs with snow balls like he was a Smurfling again. Project Jokey Box was the unofficial name for his mining tool, and it was the closest thing to a name the device had. As time passed it would be known as the Jokey Box, and was recorded in the Big Book of Smurfs as such when being described.