Polaris' Smurfy New Life/Part 3

Meanwhile, Smurfette was trying to keep Polaris company while he was laid up in the infirmary. "So how's my brave and handsome Psyche doing?" Smurfette asked, trying to lighten the mood.

"That is one of the few times you would ever call this one 'brave' and 'handsome', Smurfette," Polaris said.

"I wouldn't say it if I truly didn't mean it, Polaris," Smurfette said as she sat by his beside. "I just don't get to meet as many Psyches as I would have to smurf a comparison between you and anyone else now, would I?"

"If any Psyche truly cared about themselves to make notice of such comparisons of their physical appearances, they would most likely be fighting among themselves to prove that they are 'the most beautiful' or 'the most handsome' of all the Psyches, Smurfette," Polaris said. "However, this one does appreciate you taking notice of this one to make such favorable comments about this one's appearance."

"You know that I'm going to miss you being around in the Smurf Village, Polaris," Smurfette said. "You're one of the best things that Empath has smurfed into it because you're not afraid of just being yourself even when you have the choice of becoming like one of us."

"There's a part of being a Psyche that this one never wants to let go of, Smurfette," Polaris said. "Not that this one doesn't appreciate all the effort that the Smurfs have put into making this one feel like being one of you, but if this one had to live his life being anything else than a Psyche, then this one would rather not want to live at all."

"Please don't say that, Polaris," Smurfette said. "I would want you to live no matter what you are to me, because you're my friend, and I don't want to smurf go of that."

"You will have to let go of me when the time comes, Smurfette, for it is the nature of all things to expire when it is their time to do so," Polaris said.

Smurfette held Polaris in her arms and then kissed him on the mouth. She broke down in tears as she didn't know what she was doing, but Polaris simply looked at her with eyes that seemed to appreciate the gesture regardless. He reached out and gently touched her face to comfort her, to let her know that he understood her grief and to hopefully communicate that things will be all right, however slim that hope may be. - Duncan was standing outside Tapper's Tavern when the Smurflings came along. "Hey, Duncan, what are you smurfing outside the tavern right now?" Nat asked.

"I'm here to make sure that Tapper isn't disturbed while he is busy praying over the situation with our friend Polaris, laddie," Duncan answered.

"You honestly think prayer is going to help keep Polaris from dying on us, Duncan?" Snappy asked.

"Well, why shouldn't it, Snap?" Slouchy said. "After all, Tapper's Almighty must be a pretty powerful God to be able to answer his prayers."

"If Tapper's Almighty was really a powerful God, He wouldn't have let Gargamel torture the Smurfs for so long before Empath smurfed home to help us smurf rid of him for good," Snappy said.

"I honestly don't know how the Almighty works in all situations," Slouchy said.

"Tapper's Almighty can save Polaris from dying now, can he?" Sassette asked Duncan.

"That's what I'm hoping for, my wee lassie," Duncan said. "There might be a medical miracle that none of us have considered, but whether that will come from a supernatural hand or not is something that I cannot answer."

"So you think this might be it for our friend Polaris?" Nat asked. "That it may finally be his time to smurf away and be with his Ancestors, as he always smurfs?"

"I'm not going to give up on Polaris yet, and neither should any of you," Duncan said. "Whatever answers Empath smurfs back from Psychelia, there might be something that will help us save Polaris." - Brainy and Clumsy stood together a good distance away from Papa Smurf's laboratory, trying to keep themselves from interfering with the village leader's research. Brainy was beginning to become impatient with all the waiting, as he was now pacing around back and forth.

"At this rate, it's going to take forever for Papa Smurf to find the answer for how to save Polaris, Clumsy," he finally said after a long silence.

"Does Polaris have forever to wait for a cure, Brainy?" Clumsy asked.

"No, Clumsy, and I'm seriously starting to doubt that we ever will find one," Brainy said. "Oh, why did we ever have to smurf Polaris to be a member of our village, and why couldn't we have known that this was going to happen a year from then?"

"Uh, maybe Polaris didn't feel comfortable smurfing us this because he didn't believe this was going to happen to him," Clumsy suggested.

"Well, that doesn't make me feel any better, Clumsy," Brainy said, sounding really irritated. "I know we're supposed to care about other beings because Papa Smurf said it's the smurfy thing for us to do, but to care about a being who only smurfs about a year to live seems like the worst thing for us to do."

"I don't care if Polaris only has a year to live...I still want him around as a friend, Brainy," Clumsy said.

Just then, Vanity, Jokey, and Grouchy came walking towards them. "I wonder how long it's going to take before Empath returns from Psychelia, my friends," Vanity said. "This whole matter is starting to smurf me worry lines."

"And Polaris doesn't smurf to be in the mood for a joke," Jokey said.

"I hate your jokes," Grouchy said.

"I honestly don't know how long Empath's meetings with this Psyche Master may take, but I'm very confident that he should be returning home within the hour with whatever news he might smurf us," Brainy answered.

"This Psyche Master sure smurfs me the creeps," Vanity said, shuddering at the thought. "I wouldn't want to smurf alone with him for even more than a second."

"Yeah, how can he stand to smurf over the Psyches all day and not let them have a moment to laugh at themselves?" Jokey asked.

"I hate laughing at myself," Grouchy said.

"I would like to smurf out the answers for myself, but the thing is, we're not Empath, and we're not Psyches, and we'll just have to smurf Empath's word for how he carries on with the people he's in charge of," Brainy said.

"Hey, look, up in the sky," Clumsy said as he saw something approaching.

The other four Smurfs also looked up and saw that it was Empath returning from Psychelia. He looked like his visit with the Psyche Master wasn't a pleasant one, to say the least.

"Well, Empath?" Brainy asked. "Did you receive any answers from the Psyche Master?"

"This smurf has received an answer, Brainy, but this smurf only feels comfortable to share this information with Papa Smurf, so you'll have to excuse this smurf for the time being," Empath replied before he headed for Papa Smurf's laboratory.

Brainy snorted. "I didn't expect that I would be smurfed the cold shoulder from my own brother when it comes to important village matters."

"Oh, don't be such a sorry sort, Brainy," Jokey said. "Most of us would have smurfed you the cold shoulder anyway."

To be expanded on.