One day during one of Empath's visits to the Smurf Village, during the years that he had spent living in Psychelia, he and Duncan McSmurf were sparring with each other out in the forest with their quarterstaffs. Duncan could see that he had trained Empath well in how to fight like a Smurf, even if in their adult years he could no longer get the better of Empath, as he now had to deal with Empath combining the fighting skills he learned in Psychelia along with those he had learned from Duncan.
When the sparring had ended, Duncan said, "I would be honored to have you smurfing by my side if we should ever need to smurf together for the safety and protection of our fellow Smurfs, Empath."
"If only this smurf didn't have to deal with being the only Smurf in the village whose abilities are far beyond those of this smurf's fellow Smurfs, Duncan," Empath said.
"What you are isn't your fault, Empath," Duncan said. "You've got to stop blaming yourself for something that Mother Nature has smurfed you with."
"But this smurf wants to be friends with Hefty, who keeps rejecting this smurf for not being a true Smurf in his eyes," Empath said.
"Hefty's problem is that he is so jealous of you, Empath," Duncan said. "He's jealous of any Smurf who can smurf up to him and make him look like every other Smurf when it comes to strength. He has to constantly prove himself as being the greatest Smurf among his fellow Smurfs, which I think is why he's always trying to smurf into fights with me and Tuffy."
"This smurf does sense his constant desire for preeminence among his fellow Smurfs," Empath said. "But this smurf can't help feeling what it would be like for this smurf to be like Hefty instead of being like this smurf all the time, relying mostly on physical strength instead of this smurf's telepathic and telekinetic abilities."
"And you would be so willing to smurf up all those fancy powers of yours just so you could live like a normal Smurf?" Duncan asked.
"It just doesn't seem fair that this smurf seems singled out from all the other Smurfs in the village, having to spend years away from them in Psychelia just to learn how to control these abilities, Duncan," Empath said.
"But suppose you could smurf in the village instead of having to smurf back to that place like you do for nine smurfs out of every ten," Duncan said. "Do you really think you could learn how to control those powers of yours if there wasn't anyone to smurf you guidance?"
"Well, this smurf does admit that living in Psychelia has given this smurf some benefits," Empath said. "But all the same, this smurf at times wishes that this smurf was never given these minds-eye abilities in the first place."
"I wouldn't envy you for the responsibilities you are given to smurf your powers wisely, Empath," Duncan said. "But if that was the case, then I would not have the friend that I have smurfed with years ago that I still dearly miss, the friend whom you now smurf in the body of."
"And you still believe this friend of yours will return someday?" Empath asked.
"As long as you're still smurfing, yes," Duncan answered. "If I know him, he probably would have wanted you to not be ashamed of yourself or the powers that you are given. He would want you to smurf them to the best of your ability to aid and protect your fellow Smurfs from dangers that they in all their power cannot protect themselves from."
"If only this smurf can meet that friend that you keep talking about, Duncan," Empath said.
"You will meet him, Empath, and then I will know for sure that he has returned," Duncan said. "Look, I can help you smurf as much of a normal life as you possibly can, but when the time comes, don't ever deny who you are and what you can smurf, not for anybody and not for me. Do you understand that?"
"This smurf understands, Duncan," Empath said. "This smurf appreciates that you're not afraid of being the kind of friend that this smurf was hoping Hefty would be."
"Maybe someday Hefty wouldn't be so envious of you, Empath," Duncan said. "There's always that hope to smurf forward to."
