The fact that Brainy had been gone so long wasn't promising and the snarky comments from Hefty that they may as well let him stay missing if he had chose to run away were really starting to annoy Gutsy. The urge to kick the other Smurf out of the group so he could maybe get an inkling of an idea on why the brainiac had ran away. Gutsy, however, unlike Hefty had realised a while chucking smurfs away did more harm than good. Primary case, the one who went through that was now missing without so much of a hint to his location or any evidence on whether or not the brainiac was even alive. That thought made Gutsy noticeably shudder, trying to push that idea from his mind.
"Are you okay?" Smurfette asked in concern. "Cold?"
"No, I'm fine," he replied, shortly, not in the mood for conversation for once. He was too busy trying to focus on any sign of Brainy's whereabouts to want to focus on anything else.

"We should change course," Papa said after a while, examining the area with narrowed eyes and caution. "We are getting pretty close to Gargamel's."
"Yep, definitely time to change direction," Smurfette agreed, getting a nod from Grouchy, Hefty and Handy. Gutsy, however, paused with a slight frown crossing his features.
"What if he was captured by Gargamel?" he suggested, staring at the distant smoke that billowed out of the not yet visible chimney.
"Then he would probably have long had all of his essence extracted," Hefty said, matter of factly. Gutsy turned round to glower at Hefty for the implications in that statement. At least Hefty finally looked at least slightly concerned but he really was testing Gutsy's patience.

"Isn't it worth at least checking?" Gutsy said, determination flashing in his eyes. The other smurfs all hesitated. "Would you go look if it was Papa?" That question was directed at them all with a sharp look. "Or Smurfette?" Those were the best two examples he could come up with because there was irrefutable evidence that they very much would take the risk given they had in the past. Both times were extremely dangerous but hesitation was barely present. "He's right," Handy said. "Although we can't just storm on in. That is asking to get caught."
"Then what do we do?" Gutsy asked.
"If we find a good tree to hide in we can wait until Gargamel has left, then quickly scope the place," Papa said. They nod, heading closer to the hut with trepidation because this was somewhere they were told to always avoid.

They scaled a tree with little effort but suddenly the branch gave way, a net encasing them. It had a slight blue glow, suggesting it was made with Smurf Essence, and a sharp alarm filled the air momentarily.
"Oh smurf this..." Gutsy muttered, trying to get the net loose but to no prevail.
"Language!" Papa scolded, giving Gutsy a sharp look.

They kept trying to undo the net but given it had magic to it nothing was working. A slight chuckle caught their attention, one icy cold and cruel. Gargamel came into sight, holding the wand at the ready. Blue fog emitted a glow from it, highlighting that yet again the wizard had a lot of power. He made them all float into a cage, making the lock meld into the bars so only magic could release them.

Gargamel took the cage inside, more or less throwing it to the desk so Papa and Smurfette lost their balance. One of Gargamel's creations looked at them in curiosity, her visible eye narrowing slightly as she looked at Papa.
"Star, dear, make sure they don't escape," Gargamel ordered, getting a nod from said creation. "Get your brother to help, he is always good at outsmarting smurfs given he had an idea on where to set up the net." Gutsy huffed. Doesn't he ever learn making Naughties inevitably blows up in his face? As Gargamel left, another Naughty came in. Like all of Gargamel's creations their skin was a light grey but he had a few sprinklings of subtle blue freckles. It took Gutsy a moment to even recognise the figure and when he did his heart sank as slight nausea filled him. The glasses were the same but his clothes were darker, ripped at the knee. Even his eyes were a significantly darker blue and there was no recognition in them as he barely spared the captured Smurfs a glance.
"Brainy?!" Gutsy exclaimed, horror flooding his features.

This time Brainy did more than a glance but there was still no recognition, only a slight boredom across his face
"The smurf do you think you're doing?!" Handy snapped, sounding more horrified than angry unlike Hefty who looked tempted to rip the brainiac limb from limb when he got out of the cage. "Teaming up with Gargamel? What is wrong with you?"
"I don't see how this is any of your business," Brainy replied, the disinterest in his voice extremely clear. "Star, where did they come from?"
"Father caught them in the net. You were right, trees are a good location," she replied, sitting on the edge of the table. "He said to make sure they don't escape."
"How tedious," Brainy mused. "Just you or...?"
"You too," she replied with a grin. "Which means no burying your head in a book." That finally elicited an emotion, a slight irritated eye roll as he put the book down.

The rescue party were stunned into silence. Handy and Smurfette were at a loss of what to say or think, not knowing how to comprehend that out of all Smurfs it was Brainy who changed sides. Hefty was furious but for once it was Brainy, who had the upper hand, especially given a small dragon wand was currently being held loosely in his hand. Papa was obviously upset but the level of devastation was difficult to read the extent of. Gutsy looked as upset as Papa but there was also clear confusion. He was the only one of the Smurfs to notice that there wasn't even a hint of recognition in Brainy's eyes. His grey pallor was slightly pale and the usual spark in his eyes was gone. He seemed almost devoid of emotion and Gutsy was starting to doubt the situation was as simple as simply swapping sides.

"Oi, I knew you were pathetic but this is just dreadful!" Hefty snapped, disdain flooding his features. Brainy didn't respond. "See this is why nosmurf likes you or ever will."
"Shut up," Brainy seethed, fists clenching slightly. He wasn't sure why but the implication of being hated resonated painfully in his chest and made now unfamiliar emotions rise up which he quickly tried to obliterate.
"No!" Hefty snapped with a hateful glare, staring at Brainy with narrowed eyes. "You've always been pathet-"
"Hefty, stop," Gutsy cut in. He was watching Brainy's changing expression. The underlay of pain was clear, as was the apparent confusion. He really doesn't remember us... Plus his eyes flashed dangerously: as Brainy's emotions came back for the first time since doing the potion so did an unnerving nature as he slowly tightened his grip around the wand.

"I won't stop!" Hefty exclaimed, turning his glare back onto the bespeckled figure. "He is so pathetic that he up and left to join Gargamel?! See he never learns! He is nothi-" Brainy snapped.
"I said shut up," he said, eyes flashing dangerously as he flicked his wrist at Hefty whilst holding the wand. Blue lit him up and flung him backwards so Hefty's head collided with the bars of the cell. Both that and the energy knocked him out instantly.

"Hmm. Well that was strangely cathartic," Brainy murmured, looking almost scarily calm.
"Okay, two things," Star said, crossing her arms and giving her pseudo-brother a withering look. "One, was that necessary? And two, what does cathartic mean?"
"Yes it was necessary, he was being a jerk and I don't even know him," Brainy said with the disinterest taking over his tone. "And cathartic essentially is providing relief or satisfaction through either strong emotions or something that has built up being released." Papa was trying to stir Hefty but to no avail. Gutsy was still staring at the changed smurf in shock, trying to figure out what happened. Concern was the main feeling he was settling on though, especially when the other Smurf looked like a wave of dizziness went through him, too the extent he had to lean against a ledge.
"Again?" Star murmured with a concerned expression. "You okay?" A slight shrug. "Have you figured out what is wrong?" A pause, then a headshake but he was clearly lying.

Star crossed her arms, giving him a withering look as did Gutsy.
"What?" Brainy asked.
"You're lying," Gutsy said, matter of factly. "If something is wrong then you should at least tell her." Brainy's eyes narrowed, locking on Gutsy's with a wary expression.
"Why would you care: I don't even know you?" he questioned.
"We do know each other!" Gutsy argued.
"No you know me because you are part of a brainwashed group!" Brainy retorted. Gutsy froze, staring at the figure in horror.
"What happened to you for things to go this dodgy?" Gutsy asked. "And what exactly did Gargamel tell you?"