The Smurfocalypse Chapter 128: The Search for the Savant Cure Part 22: Love That Transcends Dimensions
"What if they don't wake up?" Blossom asked curiously through her fatigue.
"We'll take them out of the forest and the magic will wear off. It's in a concentrated area like my Smokescreen Deathmatch. I'm guessing it has no control outside the forest." Sweepy said.
"So long as one of us is still standing we can all make it out." Mammoth said.
"Hey Pearl. I dare you to count sheep." Dew said with a smirk before laughing tiredly.
"From the looks of things I'll be counting my shoes soon." Pearl said.
"We'll see about that." Dew said with a causal smile.
"Guys wait up…" Blossom said trying her hardest to follow along.
"You ok Blossom? We don't have time to take a rest." Sweepy said.
"I'll be ok Sweepy." Blossom said with a deep yawn before falling backward flat on her back.
The others flinched as she landed sympathetically.
"I hope your right about the magic." Mammoth said.
"Yeah… Me too." Sweepy said.
Meanwhile storm traveled the Smurf village below Hefty, Papa Smurf, and Titan. She was just as impressed with the whole thing as Hefty. However she only had one thing in mind.
"I'm going to search this whole place until I find you…" Storm said.
As she walked she'd start to see familiar faces. Faces that had long since disappeared. She stops as she swore she saw Lily out of the corner of her eye amongst a crowd passing by.
"No time to get all soft. I have to find him." Storm said to herself.
Storm picks up the pace as she searches for Hefty in a sea of Smurfs.
"Storm? Is that you?" Lily asked.
Storm stopped in her tracks and turned. She maintained her stoic expression expertly, but inside her heart was melting.
"Lily? Is that really you?" Storm asked.
"Of course it is!" Lily said with a smile.
Storm could no longer resist the urge to grab her friend who she had seen die so horribly and hold her.
"Lily. I'm sorry. I didn't know they were bad. I thought we were a team." Storm said.
"It's ok Storm. I don't even remember it. I just remember waking up here." Lily said.
They part from the hug and Storm turns and immediately continues her tireless search. Lily follows along not realizing she's contributing to the problem by even talking to her.
"So how did it happen to you? Blackhearted? Accident? Did you get into one of your moods and try to wrestle a dragon?" Lily asked.
"Oh I'm not dead. I'm just here looking for someone." Storm said.
"Storm… That doesn't make any sense." Lily said with a chuckle.
"I don't have time to explain. Someone I love is in danger." Storm said still diligently striding through town.
"Storm…" Lily said.
"I have to find him no matter what and make sure he's alive." Storm said.
"But… Nobody is alive here Storm. Whatever happened it's over now you don't have to be angry or stressed." Lily said.
Storm turned towards her and sighed.
"You just don't understand, and I don't have the time to explain. I loved seeing you again and I'm glad you're ok, but I have to save the ones I love that can actually be saved." Storm said stomping off.
Storm then walked off not allowing herself to drown in her past. She was determined to find Hefty. This place was great and she did take note, but nothing stopped her again as she continued her search. Not far away Blossom would suddenly appear amidst the thousands of Smurfs that dwell here and begin her own struggles as the world she saw was the world she pictured Hefty envisioned whenever he'd give a speech. The comforting feeling and the serenity of it all was captivating and she would struggle to separate it from reality. Blossom explored the town with no real purpose. She was stuck, and she loved everything about it. She felt like she could be the Smurfette she was before everything happened. Blossom felt truly alive, and that was the problem. She quickly made friends due to who she is and was integrating just accepting whatever this was she was experiencing. Meanwhile Hefty struggles to shatter this illusion one way or the other. With Titan screaming at him to wake up and pushing him he had to do what he does best and somehow brute force this just as he had planned to brute force the forest.
"I swear to the great fucking Smurfette I'm about to suplex you!" Titan said.
"Just shut up for like 3 fucking seconds!" Hefty said.
"How can the Smurf that defeated Titan of the Waste not have the strength to wake up!?" Titan yelled.
"I trying I swear!" Hefty said.
"My Smurfling complained less than you! Just do it! Do it or you're going to die!" Titan shouted.
"Hefty there is only one thing that could give you the strength." Papa Smurf said.
"Don't listen to that old fart! The power is within you! You gotta want it Hefty! Do you want it!?" Titan shouted.
"I want it!" Hefty shouted.
"You gotta get pumped! Get jacked! Show me you want it!" Titan said flexing his muscles with a smirk.
They finally connected. Hefty was feeling something.
Hefty channels his Smurf essence as he summons just about every bit of power he has thinking it'd help. That this pep talk and the will to survive and see Handy get better was enough. It wasn't.
"Show me it all Hefty! That's not your full power! Show me the power that ended my life!" Titan shouted.
Hefty shouts as his aura flares and his muscles expand and his body grows. Storm still wandering the town couldn't help but see Hefty's aura flaring. It was gaining the attention of others.
"Hefty!" Storm shouted rushing towards the scene.
"Something must have happened." Storm thought.
Hefty's concentration was broken by the sound of Storm's voice.
"Storm?!" Hefty shouted.
There was a brief moment where she actually had to climb the tree to get to them.
"Hefty! I've been looking everywhere! Are you ok?" Storm said.
"I'm fine Storm, but what are you doing here?" Hefty said.
"I fell asleep." Storm said.
"We'll find a way out together." Hefty said with a smile.
Storm nodded. The two of them then hugged. Titan watched on from his dark rift.
"Never let her go Hefty. Bad things happen to a smurf when someone that special dies." Titan thought.
Titan then turned.
"I can say here no longer. It's time for my match." Titan said.
He turned towards the dark rift and lit up revealing a stadium within and a ring with all the seats full of cheering fans as he steps in and lifts his arms to greet them the rift closes.
"Hefty. It's time. In order to get out you both will have to work together in a way you never have before." Papa Smurf said.
Storm and Hefty look to each other and then at Papa Smurf.
"Who even is this Hefty?" Storm asked.
"Shh… Let him talk Storm." Hefty said.
"I've been watching. For some reason I can't grasp you two refuse to show each other your true feelings." Papa Smurf said.
Storm glares at Papa Smurf and blushes.
"Nope! Oh we're not doing this. This old fart clearly hit his head." Storm said.
"Maybe he didn't…" Hefty said turning towards her.
"Hefty? What are you talking about?" Storm asked.
"He's right… I'm not being honest." Hefty said.
Storm immediately gives him a distrusting glare.
"What do you mean Hefty?" Storm asked.
"I haven't been honest with how I feel about you." Hefty said.
Storm was absolutely flustered, but she could never have expected the next words that came out of his mouth.
"You've always been special to me Storm. Forever since I first met you. You're an amazing Smurfette, and I love you." Hefty said.
"Hefty… Don't say such things!" Storm said nervously looking around.
"So you don't feel the same?" Hefty asked.
"No… I do. When we're together I feel complete. I feel strong! Like we can do anything together. I've never met anyone like you before. You're like a hero straight from a fantasy. I love you too." Storm said.
Hefty takes her hand and places his other hand over it.
"Let's get out of this together and change the world." Hefty said.
Storm smiled.
"Just don't get in my way." Storm said.
"What do we do Papa Smurf?" Hefty said turning to him, but he was gone.
"He's gone…" Storm said.
"Then it's just you and me. There has to be a way out." Hefty said.
There was no way out by normal means. Papa Smurf had given Hefty one last precious gift and disappeared when he had to. Their situation was not easy to dwell in, but they had each other at last the way they both wanted it and Storm didn't have to fight to get it. At last Storm could enjoy the serenity of it all now that she knew Hefty loved her. Her heart could now at last heal, and she felt truly safe. She knew her friends would be too.
"This place… It's strange but that village." Storm said.
"We have to make it happen." Hefty said.
"Oh we're definitely making it happen." Storm said.