Smurfed Behind: The Other Side Of The Mirror/Part 6

As morning arose, Polaris saw a place on the other side of the mountains that looked similar in appearance to the Psychelia he knew, but the structures were more bright and cheerful instead of ominous and foreboding as he had remembered Psychelia. He wondered if this was the Psychelia of that universe, and if the Psyches were willing to help.

Polaris was becoming more and more exhausted as he continued to carry Traveler with him to the borders of the city. Hiding in the forest, he could see the Psyches as they got up to perform their daily duties. He was shocked when he saw that only not was their skin a dark brown, but also they seemed to dress more like Smurfs, with the males only wearing pants and the females wearing skirts. He was also surprised to sense from them a feeling of emotional liberation, as if, like the Smurfs, they were free to express themselves however they wish.

Polaris saw two Psyches, a male and a female, approaching his location, both of them carrying baskets. The male had dark hair and was wearing a goatee, but despite that particular difference, Polaris had the uncanny feeling that he was looking at a warped reflection of himself, that this was truly him in this other universe.

"What did you think of the meal we had this morning, Polaris?" the female asked.

"It was the best meal this one ever had, Cassiopeia, although how could any of the Psyches build on perfection?" the other Polaris answered.

"What I want more than meals is to spend more private time with him, my dear," Cassiopeia said.

"This one knows how you feel, sweetheart, but only the Psyche Master knows when is the time for us to undergo the Rite of Bondship," the other Polaris said.

"I only hope it's soon, Polaris," Cassiopeia said, snuggling up close to Polaris.

"Not to interrupt this feeling, Cassiopeia, but do you sense a being that we're very close to?" the other Polaris asked.

"As a matter of fact, I do," Cassiopeia answered. "In fact, there's two beings, and they both have minds-eyes like we do."

The other Polaris and Cassiopeia came closer to look. They soon found their answer as they saw Polaris and Traveler collapsed on the ground, looking like they were unconscious.

"Great Ancestors, where do you suppose these two came from?" Cassiopeia asked.

"This one does not know, Cassiopeia, but this one senses that the pale-face being...is another version of this one," the other Polaris responded, sounding very surprised when he examined them.

"Another version of you?" Cassiopeia repeated. "Now I'm confused. What does that even mean?"

"We must take them to Medical so that they can revive them and they can tell us what they are doing here," the other Polaris said.

"Well, so much for our berry-picking," Cassiopeia said, sighing with frustration. She and the other Polaris both picked up the two fallen beings they have found and brought them back inside Psychelia. - Meanwhile, Empath arose and saw that Gargamel's house was now busy with activity, as he could see smoke rising from its chimney stack. That must mean that the wizard must be busy with an experiment. He climbed down from the tree he was sleeping in and hurried as fast as he could to reach the window in order to see what was going on inside.

Empath was surprised to see how Gargamel appeared in this universe. Instead of looking old and haggardly, with a balding head, missing teeth, and a ratty dark wizard's robe, this version of Gargamel had a full head of neatly-groomed hair, a full set of teeth, and a clean white wizard's robe, looking as if he was no more than thirty years old. With him inside the castle was a young boy that resembled Scruple, but his clothes and his appearance also looked different. A white furry cat was sleeping near the window on a cushion, looking like he was at complete peace with himself. Empath surmised that this must be the Azrael of that universe.

Empath watched and listened to the conversation going on between Gargamel and Scruple, which seemed to be more friendly than that of the Gargamel and Scruple that he knew, as if they both enjoyed being with each other.

"Master Gargamel, do you think that I can be as great a wizard as you someday?" Scruple asked. "You seem to have completed a lot of experiments successfully, and they all work."

"I have very great confidence that you will be, my boy," Gargamel replied. "It's too bad the Sorcerer's Guild can't see the skill that you have acquired in my years of teaching you the basics of wizardry."

"Yeah, that's a real shame," Scruple said. "I wanted so much to graduate from the Academy, but they all think that I'm a total washout and that I would never amount to much."

"That's their loss and your gain, Scruple," Gargamel said. "Those sorcerers also thought that I would never amount to much. Even my old dear mother, rest her soul, thought that I would never be great. But I have accomplished so much more than even that old dotard Hommibus who serves that no-good King Audric with those two vagabonds, Johan and Peewit. But the one thing I want you to be careful about are those little red creatures in this forest."

"I know, the Smurfs," Scruple said, sounding like he heard this many times before. "I wonder why they're so nasty all the time to us. I mean, what have we done to them that would make them want to always make trouble with us?"

"I don't know, Scruple," Gargamel said, sounding disappointed. "All I wanted was to be friends with them, and I even took care of one of them when he was sick and injured. And all they pay me back with was a lot of mischief and trouble. I even sent them a Smurfette to show that I meant no ill will towards them, and they ended up turning her evil and against me."

"But you're not thinking of getting your revenge against them, are you?" Scruple asked.

"Of course not, Scruple," Gargamel replied. "Revenge is not how we do things towards others who have wronged us. I believe that they will either turn around and become good in the end, or their own evil will destroy themselves. But we will not be the instruments of their own downfall. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Master Gargamel, I understand completely," Scruple said. "I don't ever want to disappoint you."

"I know you won't, my boy, I know you won't," Gargamel said encouragingly.

Then Azrael suddenly woke up and spotted Empath at the window. He shrieked very loudly and ran straight up Gargamel to stand upon his head. "Azrael, you poor creature, what is the matter with you?" the wizard asked.

"Gargamel, look toward the window," Scruple said, pointing in that direction.

Gargamel looked toward the window and gasped in horror. "Oh no, it's a Smurf!" he cried out. "Stay back, you miserable creature! Don't make me have to hurt you!"

"Gargamel, this smurf is not the Empath Smurf that you know of," Empath tried to say through the window pane.

To be expanded on.