The Smurfocalypse chapter 104: The Search for the Savant cure Part 8: The Electric Star of Mars
Jupiter was one of the knights which had chased their fleeing opponent into the forest. He was still chasing this Smurf which had no bone armor like the others and wasn't carrying a weapon. However if Jupiter wasn't a hundred percent certain his target wasn't a warrior he wouldn't be chasing him. This Smurf he was chasing was wearing all white and had a wrist watch on his right arm similar to the kind Jupiter and Pluto have. He knew his target was a star user like himself. There were only a few star users in the entire universe. Not just any Smurf could be born a star user. In order to be a star user one must be born under a certain star very literally, and due to the small number of planets in comparison to how many Smurfs there must be scattered throughout the universe this meant that being a star user was even rarer than having an Outer Smurf based Smurf essence. To complicate matters further there can only be a single star user to represent each planet. Jupiter's star is the Star of Jupiter which earned him the name Jupiter since the day he was born and taken to his native land of Turtle Island. Star users are born wearing the watch needed to summon their star and they carry it throughout their entire lives lest they wish to be separated from their birth right forever.
At a hundred and seventy five years old, Jupiter has only been an adult for just over a couple of decades but during this time he trained under the leader of Turtle Island to learn how to properly use his Star of Jupiter in between his career as a miner. They say it takes a star user a lifetime to fully master their star, and the only way they can get stronger is obviously to partake in combat using it. During the Blackhearted's reign of terror Jupiter has seen almost as many battles as his fellow Knights of the Smurf Table, endured hardships that led to the awakening of his Smurf essence, and saved countless innocent lives. However unlike Pluto, Jupiter was not robbed of a decent Smurflinghood. If not for the fact he is a fast learner he'd have lost to Pluto who was using her star since the day she was able to walk. There is much more for Jupiter to learn about his star, but Jupiter dreams of a day where he no longer has to use the Star of Jupiter at all. This peaceful world in which that was a possibility is something Jupiter believes Hefty will take considerable steps to work towards, and this is where Jupiter's loyalty to Hefty stems from aside from the fact he literally saved his life.
Jupiter never thought the day would actually come where he'd be hunting down a fellow Smurf in the woods with the intentions of killing them, but after the Seven Smurf Deathmatch Jupiter realized that not all Smurfs are apparently "Smurfy". He chased this Smurf through the woods until they came into a clearing and at that moment he was in close enough range to execute an attack. Jupiter generates his Smurf essence and takes a deep breath before breathing fire towards his opponent. The Smurf dashed out of the way of Jupiter's attack and the fire hit the foliage behind him causing it to catch fire and stopping him in his tracks.
"Have you gone Smurfy?! What are you trying to do burn the whole forest down?!" The Smurf yelled.
"If that's what it takes to get you to stop running like a coward, then yes." Jupiter said.
"Well you have my full attention now, and it seems I am far enough away that I won't hurt any of my friends while fighting you." The Smurf said.
The Smurf turns to meet Jupiter's gaze, the light of the fire reflecting off his wrist watch.
"I guess I may as well introduce myself. I am Mars Smurf, and as I'm sure you've noticed we have something in common." Mars said.
"You're a star user…" Jupiter said.
"Correct. I don't know who you are or why you follow Hefty Smurf so blindly, but if you insist on harming me or Master Raptor then I have no choice but to fight." Mars said.
"Hefty saved my life. It's as simple as that. We didn't come here to harm any Smurf. All we wanted was a single bloodstone. It's your master that decided to make things the way they are now." Jupiter said.
"It is truly unfortunate, but we stand on opposites sides of a battlefield. Understand that I don't want to do this. It is Hefty Smurf that caused all of this." Mars said.
"And if that is what you wish to believe then it's no wonder why you must die tonight." Jupiter said.
Jupiter then holds his right arm towards the starry sky.
"Star of Jupiter! Shine down on me!" Jupiter shouts.
At that moment up in the depths of our solar system a barely visible steel colored orb was currently orbiting Jupiter. Upon syncing with Jupiter's watch a mechanism within it activated booting up the Star of Jupiter. The orb of steel unraveled to take the form of a Smurf shaped mech suit which quickly soared down to Earth heeding the call of its current operator. In mere moments the Star of Jupiter crashed down from the tree tops destroying everything in its path in its pursuit causing sticks and leaves to fall from the tree tops and scatter about the arena. Landing on its feet just in front of Jupiter was the Blazing Star of Jupiter in all its glory having have naturally recovered from the fight with Pluto due to a magic core which made up the machine's anatomy that allowed it to rejuvenate as though it were a biological being. The door on the back of the mech suit opened and Jupiter skillfully leaped into it taking hold of the controls and drawing the huge sword from the sheath compartment on the back which instantly was set ablaze as it synced with Jupiter's Smurf essence.
"So this is the Star of Jupiter. One of our solar systems most powerful stars." Mars said.
Mars smirked.
"Well… I surely will not disappoint." Mars said.
Mars then held up his own right arm. His watch began to glow in the darkened forest.
"Star of Mars! Prepare me for war!" Mars shouted.
Out of the night sky a red Smurf shaped mech suit crashed down onto the Earth just as what happened with Jupiter's star. The door opened and Mars leaped inside before grasping the controls and drawing a sword similar to Jupiter's from the sheath compartment of the device. This blade was immediately electrified like a violently short circuiting electronic as it synced with Mar's Smurf essence.
"An electric type Smurf essence…" Jupiter said.
"That's right! Behold the Electric Star of Mars!" Mars shouted.
"Let's see just how well you can use it." Jupiter said.
Even though Farmer has an electric type Smurf essence that Jupiter has seen in action, it would be foolish to assume that he was prepared for what Mars was capable of. No two minds think exactly alike. The techniques Mars had would more than likely greatly differ from Farmers. The two star users stared each other down intensely as though waiting for the other to make the first move. Finally Jupiter makes the first move by swinging his flaming sword and sending an arc of flame soaring through the air towards Mars. Mars easily dodges the attack by leaping over the flames as they approached him. Jupiter's attack collided with the forest and worsened the fire. Mar's lands safely away from the blast.
"Are you insane?! You're going to burn the whole forest down, and for what?! A bloodstone?! Does Hefty Smurf's path of destruction know no end?!" Mars shouts.
Jupiter does not respond to Mar's taunts. He generates his Smurf essence in such a way that the Star of Jupiter uses it for fuel necessary to allow him to hover in the air. In a blur Jupiter disappears and reappears in front of Mars. Jupiter swings his flaming sword only for Mars to match his speed and strike Jupiter's sword. A massive amount of raw Smurf essence wisps and cracks causing a shockwave that encircled the entire arena causing branches to fall from the trees into the fire. Jupiter continues to swing his sword in rapid succession and Mars matches that speed tearing apart the foliage around them and adding to the raging fire burning all around them. Jupiter very skillfully used his Smurf essence to repel any lasting effects of his opponent's electrical abilities.
"It's time I put an end to this stalemate!" Mars shouts.
The Star of Mars began to glow in a bright light as Mars generated a massive amount of Smurf essence into the mech.
"Arc Flash!" Mars screams.
Before Jupiter could react a massive arc blast emitting from the Star of Mars sent him and the Star of Jupiter flying. Jupiter screams out and hangs onto the controls of his mech for dear life as he is sent flying across the forest and into a tree trunk causing massive damage to the tree.
"And now Jupiter Smurf, you will die! Ten Thousand Volt Flash!" Mars shouts as he swings his sword at Jupiter.
A bolt of lightning like nothing Farmer had ever produced shot out of the sword and soared through the air at mach speed colliding with the Star of Jupiter. The Star of Jupiter was bathed in a rush of electricity which coursed into Jupiter's body as it traversed throughout the mech. Unable to let go of the controls Jupiter was subject to a massive amount of electricity. His body convulsed violently as he screamed out in pain unable to let go of his controls. Once the electricity subsided the Star of Jupiter fell from the tree trunk in a heap on the forest floor. Jupiter laid there in pain as Mars walked up to him.
"So then… Is this all the Star of Jupiter is truly capable of, or could it be you're just incompetent." Mars said.
A light smirk appeared on Jupiter's face as Mars stepped into his range of attack. From the ground he jabs his flaming sword into the earth.
"Flame Marsh!" Jupiter shouts.
In mere seconds Jupiter's Flame Marsh would cause the ground around Mars to heat up to an insane temperature before a geyser of flame shot out from the earth below Mars and sent The Star of Mars airborne. Jupiter then got to his feet and used his Smurf essence to propel the Star of Jupiter into the air. He flew into the air towards Mars at immeasurable speed with his sword drawn and held out.
"Behold my finishing move! Comet Strike!" Jupiter shouted.
As Jupiter approached Mars the Smurf smirked.
"Finishing move eh? As though this battle were anywhere close to be over!" Mars shouted.
Mars swings his sword towards Jupiter's sword to parry the attack and a shockwave of Smurf essence take the tops right off the surrounding trees causing them to fall and scatter about the arena. They then began rapidly swinging their swords at each other creating a great amount of raw Smurf essence to surround them as they fought in midair. Jupiter then yanks on his controls causing a compartment in the Star of Jupiter to open up and a tube lowered into the control dock. Jupiter takes the tube and stuffs it in his mouth. Then he takes a deep breath and his entire body as well as the Star of Jupiter is enveloped in a large amount of Smurf essence.
"Flamethrower!" Jupiter shouts through the tube as he exhales.
Just then a massive torrent of flame shoots from the Star of Jupiter's compartment and soars towards Mars. The blast was too much for Mars to dodge at close range.
"What is this?!" Mars shouts.
The torrent of flame engulfs the Star of Mars and rips through the forest setting everything ablaze in its path. Mars screams in agony as his mech heats up to a severely high temperature covering his body in burns and fusing his skin to both the seat and the controls of his mech. The blast sends the Star of Mars flying and Jupiter pursues his opponent with great haste with his sword drawn.
"Comet Strike!" Jupiter shouts.
"I'm not finished yet! Ten Thousand Volt Punch!" Mars shouts as he draws back his fist.
Mars attempted to blast Jupiter with a mighty left hook charged with ten thousands volts of electricity. Jupiter shouts and slams on a button in his control panel and a barrier of energy reinforced with Smurf essence surrounds the Star of Jupiter. Mars' attack connects with the barrier and it was as though the entire universe got pissed off. A shockwave of Smurf essence crashes through the forest destroying everything in its path and setting everything on fire. When the chaos ended all that was visible besides the burning forest was Mars' fist connected with the Star of Jupiter's barrier.
"How did you even do that?! What button did you press?!" Mars shouts.
"That's for me to know, and for you to never find out!" Jupiter said.
"Close Range Comet Strike!" Jupiter yells as he slams on the controls.
The Star of Jupiter swiftly jams a flaming sword into the torso of the Star of Mars and fully penetrates it. Jupiter then pulls the sword out and kicks the damaged Star of Mars out of the air. Mars hits the ground hard back first. The Smurf screams out in pain and is violently launched from the Star of Mars. Mars flew through the air after breaking the glass of the 'face' of the mech. Mars hits the ground and skids through the forest floor tearing the ground apart as he skidded and then he was motionless laying on the forest floor face down with shard of glass sticking out of his body. Jupiter exits the Star of Jupiter and walks towards where Mars lay. Only after seeing the state of his opponent did it hit Jupiter what he had just done.
"Mars!" Jupiter yells.
Jupiter flips Mars over on his back to find Mars still conscious but mortally wounded as a result of the battle.
"Mars…" Jupiter said.
"Clearly of the two of us you are the superior star user." Mars mutters.
"Mars… Why?" Jupiter said.
Mars coughs and blood trickles down his lips and down his face onto the forest floor.
"You know I had to Jupiter… This battle was our destiny." Mars said.
"It doesn't have to be this way!" Jupiter shouts as he rummages through his bag retrieving an Addicting Potion of Instant Health.
"Oh but it does… I couldn't betray master Raptor… Not in a million years." Mars said.
"Mars…" Jupiter said.
Jupiter sits Mars up and pops off the cork of the potion.
"Whatever you're planning to do… I would seriously advise against it." Mars said.
"But you'll die!" Jupiter shouts.
"It's just the way it's supposed to be Jupiter…" Mars said.
"Mars?" Jupiter said.
"You know that if you restored my health that I would have no choice but to try to kill you again… It's just the way things were meant to be." Mars said.
"I can't accept that! I can tell you're not a bad Smurf Mars!" Jupiter said.
"Accept it or not it doesn't make a bit of difference…" Mars said.
"Mars…" Jupiter said as he teared up.
"Listen carefully because I don't have much time left… deep in the forest close to the mountain there is a cave where we stash bloodstones for worthy seekers." Mars said.
"Why would you share this with me?" Jupiter asked.
Mars grins before coughing up more blood.
"One star user to another I suppose… Go Jupiter. Go and get what you seek. It makes little difference in the end. We are all destined to die." Mars said.
Jupiter continued to hold Mars until he finally died in his arms. Jupiter then closes Mars' eyes.
"Requiescat in pace… Mars Smurf." Jupiter said.
There was no going back for Jupiter now. He had killed another Smurf. A feeling he never thought he would feel before, but if he could find this cave and get the bloodstones perhaps they could still work towards something meaningful despite all the evil they've had to do. Port Saint Smurf was counting on the restoration of Handy's health. Hefty was counting on Jupiter, and Jupiter believes. So Jupiter strives on. He lifts his hand towards the stars.
"Star of Jupiter! Return to the cosmos!" Jupiter said.
The Star of Jupiter takes flight up into the night sky, and Jupiter watches on until is disappears.