Tapping Into Your Potential (Hero Stories)

"Tapping Into Your Potential" is a mini-story that takes place in the HERO: The Guardian Smurf story series.

The Story
It was sometime since Hero found the Power Stones and gained his Ki powers, that the young Smurf found himself struggling to keep it under control. His body was going through many different phases, one such phase was his body seeming to react on its own accord without him even thinking, even though he didn't think much about it, he was still worried. One day, Hero was walking through the village with his best friends Hawkeye and Fergus.

"I gotta say, laddie," Fergus said. "You seem to be smurfing very strange lately."

"I have to agree with Fergus," Hawkeye added. "You seem to be losing control of yoursmurf."

"It's something I can't seem to control," Hero replied. "No matter how hard I smurf, I just can't stop my body from smurfing on its own, it feels like it's been possessed by some evil spirit."

"I think that's unlikely, laddie," Fergus said. "We haven't angered any evil spirits to warrant its vengeance."

"I can understand that, Fergus," Hero agreed. "I'm beginning to regret finding those cursed stones, they've smurfed me nothing but trouble."

At that moment, the three Smurfs heard a commotion coming from close by and decided to inspect the situation. When they arrived, they found Hefty bullying Pushover, Hefty had pushed Pushover to the ground and talking to him in a really aggressive manner.

"You listen to me, Pushover!" Hefty dictated through gritted teeth. "You will smurf this task for me or so help me smurf."

Pushover tried to stand up for himself, but he recoiled in fear as Hefty cracked his knuckles, fearing he was about to receive the worst kind of beating imaginable.

"Okay, okay," Pushover trembled violently. "I'll smurf your task, just don't smurf me."

"I had a feeling you'll smurf it, now be on your way." Hefty demanded.

"I'm going! I'm going!" Pushover quaked as he ran off.

Hefty just sniggered as he watched Pushover run off, "It's good to be the alpha Smurf," he preached proudly as he walked away.

Hero, Hawkeye, and Fergus watched the event unfold, Hero felt his anger grow, he clenched his fists tightly.

"Some Smurf really needs to smurf Hefty down a smurf," Hero fumed. "He's using his superior strength to get the other Smurfs to smurf his tasks for him."

"His arrogance really smurfs me up the wall," Fergus added. "It's about time he was smurfed down a peg or two."

"I'm gonna smurf something," Hero responded as he walked off to find Hefty, with Hawkeye and Fergus following close behind.

... They eventually found Hefty bragging about his actions with Handy and Brainy, with both of them laughing hysterically at Pushover's expense.

"So, I cracked my knuckles to smurf my point and he completely smurfed his pants," Hefty bragged before he too laughed. Hero stormed over and pushed Hefty to the ground, catching him by surprise.

"What's your problem, Kakarot?" Hefty demanded.

"My name's Hero, Hefty," Hero answered back. "We seen you bully Pushover for your own gain, and it's about time some Smurf smurfed you down a peg or two."

Hefty laughed once more, "That's a smurfy joke, Kakarot, you should be a comedian."

"If you think you're so tough, Hefty, then fight me! I'll smurf you straight," Hero thundered, raising his clenched fists at Hefty.

Hefty raised an eyebrow, "Are you series, Kakarot? You seriously want to smurf a fight with me?"

"My fists are up, Hefty," Hero responded. "Bring it!"

"Well, if you say so, but don't go smurfing to Papa Smurf once I'm done with you," Hefty said.

"Likewise," Hero replied.

Hefty then delivered a powerful punch to Hero, knocking him onto his back. Hero rubbed himself off and reciprocated the action that floored Hefty.

"That's it! You smurfed for it!" Hefty raged as he tackled Hero to the ground and began to pummel him within an inch of his life, Hero tried to raise his hands to defend his face; but Hefty had positioned himself in a way that he couldn't raise his hands.

Once Hefty had finished, he dusted his hands off, looking down at Hero who was a badly bruised mess on the ground.

"I told you, Kakarot," Hefty said. "No Smurf is better than me."

Hero's body began to twitch slightly as he regained consciousness, his eyes were completely shut as he slowly got back to his feet. Hefty turned back round and noticed.

"I gotta admit, I'm impressed you managed to smurf back to your feet after that beating, Kakarot," he said.

Hero didn't respond to him, he just stood there completely still, head facing downward and arms by his side.

"One punch should be enough to prove my point," Hefty insisted as he clenched his fist once more, ready to deliver the final blow. The others watched on as Hefty swung his fist towards Hero, and Hero suddenly disappeared from sight and reappeared behind Hefty.

"What?!" Hefty said in shock, as he turned round to face Hero, who had his back to him.

Hero slowly turned round to face Hefty, before his body was outlined by a light blue aura and his clothing appeared to become reflective. He opened his eyes and stared at Hefty, the pupils in his eyes were now silver while the irises were black. Hefty tried to deliver punches once again, but Hero easily evaded each punch with flawless, smooth movement; before delivering a powerful punch in response, taking Hefty off his feet and winding him in the process.

The other Smurfs looked on in disbelief.

"What's happened to the laddie now?" Fergus questioned. "He's floored Hefty in one punch."

"How should I know, laddie?" Hawkeye answered.

Suddenly, Hero became engulfed in a silver aura of waving lines, along with particles traveling upwards. He stood above Hefty as he tried to regain his breath, looking down at him with stern eyes.

Brainy and Handy ran off, frightened by the scene unfolding before them. Fergus and Hawkeye decided to intervene in the situation before it got out of hand, but not before Hero suddenly collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath himself. The silver aura surrounding Hero disappeared and he yelled out in pain as he reverted back to his normal state, black lighting bolts shot out from his body, and he eventually collapsed completely.

"What in the name of smurf was that?" Hefty questioned as he got back to his feet. "What happened to that freak?"

"Enough of that, laddie," Fergus replied sternly. "That wasn't his fault, but I think it's best we smurf him to Papa Smurf, he might know something."

"I'll smurf you a hand, laddie," Hawkeye added, as the both of them hoisted Hero up off the ground and headed in the direction of the hospital.