The Last Days Of Papa Smurf

It was around Papa Smurf's 712 years of age that the village leader was finally laid to rest by his little Smurfs whom he had raised to adulthood and helped them become parents of a new generation of Smurfs. Over the past 100 years, his son Empath had seen Papa Smurf's health slowly deteriorate, when he no longer had the strength to carry on his activities as the village and all authority was then given to Empath to take his place. Brainy was distressed to find out that Papa Smurf could no more work on any of his experiments without fumbling or losing his concentration, which meant that Brainy had to step in and become the village alchemist with Miracle as his apprentice. At first Papa Smurf could get by walking on a cane, but over time his level of mobility required for him to use an automated wheelsmurfer that Handy's sons Gizmo and Widget had created. By the final years of his life, Papa Smurf spent them living in Empath and Smurfette's house being cared for by Smurfette, who tried to keep him company while tending to his needs. His granddaughter Psycheliana visited him often, eager to let him know about how she was progressing in her studies on how to use her abilities, pleased to know that she's living a life that only her Papa Smurf could ever hope to live.

It was on Papa Smurf's final day of life, when he had finished recorded everything that he wanted to leave behind to his little Smurfs on an Imaginarium crystal, that he called together his son and his adopted daughter together one last time. Empath sensed that Papa Smurf's life signs were getting progressively weaker as he held the former village leader's withered hand in his own.

"I know how sad you must feel, Empath," Papa Smurf said. "But don't grieve for me, for soon I will be joining your Mama Smurf in the smurfy hereafter. I can feel her beckoning to me to smurf her by her side."

"If only we could have smurfed more time with each other, Papa Smurf," Empath said. "It just isn't fair that you smurfed more of your life with this smurf's fellow Smurfs than with this smurf."

"I think that I have smurfed you back all the time that I have ever smurfed from you, Empath," Papa Smurf said. "I still regret having smurfed you to Psychelia when you were too young, but now I see that it has all smurfed out for the best. I couldn't be more proud of how you smurfed out than I am right now."

"Well, I think I could have smurfed those same years from you, Papa Smurf, if I had only been born as a real Smurf," Smurfette said.

"Life doesn't give us everything that we want, Smurfette, only that which we need," Papa Smurf said. "But all the same, I couldn't ask for a better daughter than you, even if you were created by Gargamel. It just seems like yesterday when you first smurfed into the village and I have smurfed you into a real Smurf."

"And for that I am always grateful to you, Papa Smurf," Smurfette said. "I promise that I will continue to love Empath with all my heart and my soul even after you are gone."

"I know that you will, Smurfette," Papa Smurf said. "Empath, remember to watch after your fellow Smurfs and their children as well as yours. They will always be your family from now on."

"This smurf understands and acknowledges, Papa Smurf," Empath said. He felt that the next part was going to be hard to say. "In case this has ever gone unsaid before you leave, this smurf...that is...I love you."

"I know you do, Empath...and I love you, too," Papa Smurf said as he breathed his last.

Then Empath and Smurfette watched as Papa Smurf closed his eyes and laid back in his bed, his life fully expended. Smurfette planted a kiss on Papa Smurf's cheek, sad to see him go, but happy to see that he is now at rest.

To be continued...