Polaris' Smurfy New Life/Part 1

It was on a day about two years since Empath had left Psychelia for good that the Smurfs were preparing for a brand new day in the Smurf Village. Every Smurf was rising out of bed, getting themselves cleaned and dressed, ready for what the new day might bring forth.

Smurfette was in her house getting Baby Smurf all dressed up and changed for the new day ahead. "Are you ready for your Uncle Polaris to smurf care of you today, Baby Smurf?" Smurfette asked.

"White Smurf," Baby Smurf said.

"No, Polaris isn't a Smurf, Baby," Smurfette said. "Polaris is a Psyche. He only looks like a Smurf because he has a similar type of face and body that resembles a Smurf. What makes him different from us is that he has pale skin, hair on his head, and no tail."

"White Smurf," Baby Smurf repeated.

Smurfette sighed. "Someday you will understand the difference between a Smurf and a Psyche, Baby. What matters is that he is a member of the Smurf Village, and that he cares for you just as much as me and all your Uncle Smurfs care for you."

Soon there was a knock on the door. "Smurfette, it's Polaris Psyche. This one is ready to watch over Baby Smurf for the day," the voice from the other side of the door announced.

"Smurf on for just a minute, Polaris," Smurfette called back. She took a final look at Baby Smurf and saw that he was all set. "Now I want you to be a good Baby Smurf and not give Uncle Polaris any trouble today, you got that?"

"Yes, Auntie Smurfette," Baby Smurf replied.

Smurfette laughed. "Of course you will be. I just can't wait for the day that Papa Smurf will smurf you a name that will best smurf the kind of Smurf you will be."

"A name?" Baby Smurf asked.

"Every Smurf in the village has a name, Baby," Smurfette explained. "It indicates what that Smurf is or what he does in the village. I can only wish to have a name of my very own if there were other female Smurfs in the world, but for now I will settle for Smurfette. You like that?"

"Yes, Aunt Smurfette," Baby Smurf replied.

Smurfette smiled. "The day when you smurf your own name will be a day that every Smurf in the village will hope to rejoice to, because it will be a special name that you will smurf with for the rest of your life, Baby Smurf."

"No more Baby Smurf?" Baby Smurf asked.

"No more Baby Smurf from that day forward," Smurfette answered. She sighed as she felt like she didn't want to let go of Baby Smurf, but she knew that Baby Smurf wasn't just her child, but every grown-up Smurf's child as well. Someday, she knew, she would give birth to her very own child that she alone would claim as her own.

Smurfette opened the door and saw Polaris standing patiently outside, his face still as expressionless as ever. "I hope that I didn't keep you waiting for too long, Polaris," Smurfette said.

"This one understands your need to delay handing over Baby Smurf to this one for the duration of this day, Smurfette," Polaris said. "This one was also mentally preparing himself for the task of being able to watch over Baby Smurf for the day while you were busy."

"I can understand this is your first time, Polaris," Smurfette said. "But since I know it's you, I can trust that you will smurf a good job of being Baby Smurf's babysmurfer for the rest of the day."

"Then this one is ready to receive Baby Smurf," Polaris said, sounding a bit eager to begin his task.

Smurfette carefully handed Baby Smurf over to Polaris. "Now if you have any problems, all you need to smurf is to contact Empath or Papa Smurf, and they should let you know what to smurf when something arises," Smurfette said. "You got that?"

"This one understands and acknowledges, Smurfette," Polaris responded. "This one thanks you for allowing this one the opportunity to watch over Baby Smurf."

"Have a good day, Baby Smurf," Smurfette said, kissing him on the forehead. "And you have a good day as well, Polaris," she added, giving him a kiss on the cheek before she headed off in another direction.

"Smurfette loves White Smurf," Baby Smurf said.

"That was merely a platonic gesture, Baby Smurf," Polaris said in his usual emotionless manner. "We will proceed onward to making sure that you are properly fed."

He joined the other Smurfs at the breakfast table, where Greedy served Baby Smurf a bowl of porridge and Polaris Psyche a bowl of his usual nutrient paste. "So how does it feel to be Baby Smurf's babysmurfer for the day, Polaris?" Greedy asked as he came by the table to deliver the two food items on his serving tray, with Baby already situated in a high chair.

"So far this is only the beginning of this one's appointed task of the day, fellow Greedy," Polaris answered. "This one only hopes that this one will perform a satisfactory job by the time this day is finished."

"Baby Smurf doesn't seem to mind your presence, even if he does call you a white Smurf," Greedy said. "One of these days he will know the difference."

"This one only hopes that he and this one will remain close associates with each other on the day that he knows the difference between a Smurf and a Psyche," Polaris said before Greedy left the table to serve the other Smurfs.

"White Smurf eats same food as me," Baby Smurf said as he noticed what Polaris was eating.

"It is called nutrient paste, Baby Smurf, and this one only needs to eat this one time a day because it is capable of sustaining this one for the duration of a single day," Polaris explained.

"Me want to try paste," Baby Smurf said.

Polaris sighed. "This one will allow you to try half a spoonful so that you will know what it tastes like," he said as he scooped up that much onto a spoon and fed it into Baby Smurf's mouth.

Baby Smurf gave it a taste and swallowed it, only to make a face afterward. "No taste, White Smurf," he said.

"Nutrient paste is not supposed to have any kind of flavor to it, Baby Smurf," Polaris said. "That's because Psyches are allergic to any food that has any kind of flavor to it."

Baby Smurf shook his head. "Me want my own food," he said.

"That is a very wise decision, Baby Smurf," Polaris said as he picked up another spoon and scooped up some of Baby's own porridge to feed it to him. Baby ate the porridge and swallowed it, seeming to smile afterward.

Polaris looked at Baby's reaction and sighed. "This one can only wish to be able to enjoy the kind of foods that your fellow Smurfs take for granted so that this one would better understand how the Smurfs live their lives, Baby Smurf," he said with some honest feeling behind it. - Hefty, Handy, and Tuffy were busy discussing the next construction project that was being planned for the Smurf Village when they saw Polaris coming towards them, carrying Baby Smurf with him. "So pale-face is watching the little squeezer today," Hefty said.

"Yeah, so what's the problem with that, Hefty?" Handy asked.

"The problem I'm having is what he might be smurfing the little tyke, as if it's normal for him to smurf Baby Smurf things he shouldn't even know about," Hefty answered.

"You mean how to smurf along with Psyches?" Tuffy said. "I don't see the problem in smurfing that. I mean, we all have to live with him smurfing in the village now, don't we?"

"He shouldn't even be in the village in the first place, Tuffy," Hefty said. "Empath made friends with him when they were still in Psychelia, and then a year after Empath returns home, Polaris smurfs here and brings the other Psyches with him to attack the village. And now instead of just one telepath who wants to smurf into our minds and control us, we now have to deal with two of them."

"That's ridiculous, Hefty," Handy said. "Empath never wanted to control us, and neither does Polaris. They just simply want to live a normal life among us, to know what it's truly like to be a Smurf."

"I still think we're better off without Polaris smurfing here at all, and nothing in the world is going to make me change my mind about it," Hefty said very resolutely.

"Salutations, fellow Smurfs," Polaris said as soon as he came close enough to the three Smurfs to talk directly to them. "This one has been given the responsibility to watch over Baby Smurf for a day while Empath is overseeing all activities within the Smurf Village."

"So how's Baby Smurf been treating you, Polaris?" Handy asked.

"The only minor annoyance that this one has to put up with is that he constantly calls this one 'White Smurf', Handy," Polaris answered.

"Calling you 'White Smurf'?" Tuffy said in disbelief. "That smurfs more like a compliment, if you ask me, Polaris."

"Well, I sure don't see a Smurf standing in front of me holding Baby Smurf, whether he's white or otherwise," Hefty said.

"Ah, don't mind what Hefty says, Polaris," Handy said. "Even if you are a Psyche, I still think of you as being one of us. At least you don't have to smurf on a hat every single day like we do."

"What's wrong with smurfing on a hat, Handy?" Tuffy said. "I actually enjoy how I look smurfing one...to be as big and strong and tough as Hefty and..."

Suddenly Polaris stumbled to the ground, though he managed to catch himself from falling with one hand while still holding onto Baby Smurf with the other. "Hey, Polaris, what's the matter?" Handy asked, sounding concerned. "Are you smurfing all right?"

Polaris didn't know what to answer, as he never experienced that kind of feeling before. "This one is still functioning normally, Handy," he replied. "However, this one does not know what has happened that would cause this one to just suddenly stumble like that."

"Well, maybe you should have Doctor or Papa Smurf take a look at you, make sure you're not smurfing down with something," Tuffy suggested.

"Yeah, maybe someone else could watch over Baby Smurf for you," Hefty added.

"That will not be necessary," Polaris said, sounding as if going through a medical examination was the last thing he wanted to do that day. "Now, if you will excuse this one's departure, this one will take Baby Smurf elsewhere to entertain and educate his mind." And with that, Polaris walked off with Baby Smurf still in his arms.

"Now why would Polaris act that way towards us just for suggesting for a medical smurf-up?" Handy asked.

"Smurfs me, Handy," Tuffy answered. "Maybe he just wants to smurf it out like one of us when we think what we're smurfing down with is not serious enough."

"I get the feeling whatever he's smurfing down with is going to smurf care of all our problems of having to deal with a star-face like him," Hefty said.

"Hefty, how could you think of such a thing about Polaris?" Handy said, not liking what Hefty was thinking. "He's been a friend to us ever since Empath and Papa Smurf let him smurf in the village."

"That does not mean that I'm his friend, Handy, and neither am I Empath's," Hefty said. "Those kind of people just don't belong in the Smurf Village."

"Well, if Papa Smurf says Polaris can stay here, there isn't a whole lot that we can smurf about it, Hefty," Tuffy said. "We might as well try to smurf lemonade out of lemons, if you know what I mean."

"It will be a cold day in Tartarus before I smurf that, Tuffy," Hefty said. - Later on in the day, Polaris had Baby Smurf be watched over by the Smurflings as they watched him in a sparring match with Duncan McSmurf using quarterstaffs as their weapons. Nat and Sassette were rooting for Polaris while Snappy and Slouchy were rooting for Duncan. However, both combatants were so evenly matched that the sparring went on for minutes until they were both exhausted.

"That was the best training exercise that I have ever smurfed with someone equal to my own skill, laddie," Duncan said as he was catching his breath.

"This one has had the best training in physical combat to be able to match your skills as a fighter, Duncan," Polaris said, sounding as if he was also a little worn out.

"You know, the best thing that I like about you as a fighter is that you never lose your composure even when you fall," Duncan commented.

"Being able to maintain composure while in physical combat is a required skill for all Psyches to learn," Polaris explained. "It would not be beneficial for the Psyche to 'lose their cool', as some of your fellow Smurfs are fond of saying, when they find themselves constantly falling to their adversaries."

"But at the same time, you don't seem to gloat when you smurf your opponent down for the smurf," Duncan added. "That's the part that I have a problem with when it comes to smurfing a match with you."

"This one does not feel the need to boast about one's victory over an opponent, Duncan," Polaris said. "To this one, surviving a match against an opponent is sufficient enough for this one to call a victory."

Duncan sighed. "Well, laddie, it smurfs like I'm going to have to smurf you some things about..."

Then suddenly the six Smurfs saw Polaris collapse to the ground. "Jumping junebugs, what happened to Polaris?" Sassette asked.

"I don't know, Sassette," Slouchy said. "Maybe he's just smurfed too much of a beating from Duncan's staff in that match."

"Oh, come on," Snappy said. "Polaris is usually tougher than this."

"Holy hickory nuts," Nat said. "I think we'd better get Polaris to the infirmary and have Papa Smurf look at him."

Duncan cradled the fallen Polaris in his arms. "Come on there, laddie, hang in there," he said forcefully. "Empath is going to smurf by any minute now."

Soon enough Empath showed up. "Great Ancestors, Duncan, what has happened that would make Polaris just fall down like that?" he asked.

"I don't know, Empath," Duncan answered. "All we did was just smurf a match with each other with our quarterstaffs. He was smurfectly fine up until now, and look what happened."

Empath gave Polaris a brief scan with his mental abilities. "He's unconscious," he said. "We'd better bring him to the infirmary so that we could do a thorough examination to find out what has caused this."

"Oh, Empath, is Polaris going to die?" Sassette asked, sounding worried.

"Hopefully he won't, Sassette, but if we don't find out what caused this, he soon will be, and I don't want that to be on my hands," Empath said as he picked Polaris up in his arms and carried him to the infirmary.

"Poor White Smurf," Baby Smurf said as Nat picked him up in his arms and carried him.