Star filled them in because Brainy had gone to sit leaning against the wall, looking extremely dizzy again so Gutsy was slightly distracted with concern. The summary though Gusty was surprised that Brainy even brought it. Even this vastly different version of the brainiac was still clearly extremely smart given he was still using the long words. A brainwashed cult? Plus Papa was good at potions but not that good! To be fair neither was Gargamel but with that Gutsy had no idea on how Brainy's memory was entirely erased. Brainy looked bored still but when he noticed Gutsy's gaze locked on him his expression was noticeably concerned. The blank in his knowledge really irked him at moments like this because he clearly wasn't Papa who had wiped his memories so he had no idea why he was looking at him like that, nor why he was the only smurf who didn't seem to care the loud one was unconscious.

"Brainy, he's lying to you!" Papa said, finally breaking his long silence. He hadn't known what to say until that moment but the realisation that Brainy had only swapped sides due to obvious manipulation. "Both of you!"
"Well you would say that," Brainy mutters, crossing his arms. "What, you expect me to believe you just because you say something different than I've been told?"
"Plus why would Father lie?" Star adds. "He is always super nice to me!"
"Because it is what he does," Smurfette replied. "He did it to Hackus and Vexy! He did it to me when he kidnapped me, tried to manipulate the Formula out of me then nearly let them die because I said no!" Star noticeably paled and Brainy looked like he cared at least moderately about the conversation.
"But- he-" Star stammered, looking lost and trying not to let herself cry from the muddled emotions. She shot Brainy a pleading look, who whilst may emotionally numb did at least feel empathy towards his sister.
"Stop putting ideas in her head," he said, picking up the wand from his side again. "Because I have little to no qualms about blasting you as well."

"Brainy!" Papa exclaimed, aghast. "You've never been violent!"
"Yeah you hate being violent as much as I hate everything..." Grouchy cut in. Brainy's eyes narrowed.
"Well given I can't remember that why should I care?!" he retorted, grip on the wand tightening. "Whoever the old Brainy was – and given what I've heard that I got captured whilst unconscious outside of your miserable village – is gone! Whoever the old me was must have been pathetic." It seemed the loathing had remained.
"Fine. Blast me then," Gutsy challenged, crossing his arms. "It isn't like it is entirely undeserved."
"I- huh?" Brainy was lost now. Smurfs, it seemed, weren't the one dimensional creatures Gargamel made them out to be.
"You heard," Gutsy said as Brainy finally went remotely close to the cage. As soon as he was close enough he reached through the bars and grabbed the brainiac's wrist, not twisting it enough to hurt but quickly enough for him to drop the wand where it rolled off the desk and onto the floor.

"Let him go!" Star ordered.
"I'm not going to hurt him," Gutsy assured. "But with that wand he was too busy occupying himself with anger. I need him to listen to me." His eyes met Brainy's who was trying to pull his wrist away but with little force or aggression. Without magic it seemed Brainy's more pacifistic nature remained. "Brainy, you have always been a prodigy when it comes to knowledge. You have to be able to tell Gargamel is lying to you. Come on, have you noticed any inconsistencies, laddie?"
"I...well...it doesn't matter!" Brainy exclaimed, trying even harder to break free. "And with everything you have all been saying I'm not sure which alternative is worse!" Gutsy frowned.
"What do you mean, laddie?"
"If Papa didn't erase my memory or make me like this then things must have been really bad. We all know Gargamel isn't competent enough to do something this complex given he doesn't even know the formula!" he snapped, dark eyes flickering to their normal colour for a split second. "Which means, given apparently I knew it, I must have done it myself."

The silence in the air was full of shock, and painful realisation. Star picked up the wand and aimed it at Gutsy.
"Let go of my brother, now!" she ordered.
"If Brainy is right it isn't like I don't deserve it," he said, flatly. Given he still didn't let go Star tried using the wand but the blue light connected with the Smurfalator, making it make a screeching sound.
"Okay...I am not good at this. How are you so good?" she complained, looking at Brainy who frowned slightly with a shrug.
"See now why just believing what Gargamel said is easier?" Brainy asked, flatly. "Now can you just let go of my wrist? And stop being so emotional. Apathy is much easier than emotions." Gutsy sighed and nearly did when he suddenly noticed something very wrong which was likely contributing to his apparent dizziness. Brainy's temperature was going between too hot and icy cold. His pulse was uneven, slower than it should be, and his pallor was pale.

"Okay, your pulse is weird laddie," Gutsy said. "Something is definitely wrong." Brainy scowled, pulling his arm free and wincing as he did through.
"His pulse is wrong?" Star asked, expression worried. "Okay Brainy, enough saying it's 'nothing'. What is going on?!"
"Nothing," Brainy mumbled. "At least nothing important."
"Fading pulse isn't unimportant Brainy!" Gutsy argued. Brainy gave him a deadened look.
"Says who?" he muttered. "Once I have remembered the formula and the location of your village then I'm not useful anymore anyway. It does give a deadline though..."
"Deadline?!" the yell from Star was so loud it made everyone jump. "You had better explain right now!"
"Why?"
"Because I am your sister and I said so!" she retorted with a slight food stomp. "And if you don't I'll keep nagging you."
"So will I. It isn't like Gargamel will just let us leave," Gutsy added. Brainy just rolled his eyes, walking back over to the corner and sitting with his legs swinging off the desk slightly.

"Brainy..." Star's voice trailed off and she stared at the group, eyes narrowed. "You really didn't erase his memory?" Papa shook his head. "Well something went wrong then! If he's right and he did it himself...Didn't any of you care the time he got caught by Father, had essence extracted because he was found unconscious outside in the forest? Why was he even unconscious?"
"We didn't believe him," Handy admitted, rubbing the back of his head awkwardly.
"I hate messing up..." Grouchy muttered, turning this information over in his mind.
"Plus we don't know why he was unconscious," Smurfette added.
"Oh I'm pretty sure we can guess though," Gutsy said, glaring at Hefty who was starting to regain consciousness.

As soon as he was aware his glare instantly locked on Brainy.
"You absolute freak!" he snapped. Brainy didn't react, except to focus even more on staring at the wall. Star, however, did very much react. She stormed up to the cage and reaching through she slapped Hefty, hard.
"Don't you dare be mean to my brother you jerk!" she shouted. "He is going through enough as it is!"
"But he backstabbed us!" Hefty argued.
"With your awful personality that is no surprise," Star muttered. "And in case you are too blind to realise, he doesn't remember you...which is lucky for him really."
"Hefty, she has a point. Shut up before you get blasted or slapped again," Gutsy muttered, giving him a disdainful look.

Star nodded then headed back towards Brainy, sitting by him.
"Tell me, tell me, tell me," she kept on. "Te-"
"You know the long version is rather pointless," Brainy muttered. "Given I'll be dead in a three days. Maybe two." The tone didn't get any less blasé, if anything he sounded more bored. Worrying though he also sounded relieved.
"You'll what?!" that came from everysmurf.
"How?" that quieter question came from Gutsy.
"I just said the long version was pointless. There isn't anything that can be done about it," he muttered in response. Everysmurf still gave him expectant looks. "Ugh, fine. Varying poisons in my system. No clue which or what the antidote is so..."
"Can't you test it to try find out?" Handy suggested.
"Why would I do that?" Brainy asked, perplexed.
"To not die?!" Star suggested, glowering at her brother. "Does father know?"
"Yes but he has more important priorities," Brainy said. "To be fair anything is more important..." Star shot him a disbelieving look.

"If your father is saying that then surely he isn't the good guy he is making himself out to be, right?" Gutsy pointed out, trying to get through to the duo. Brainy frowned, turning over this new concept in his mind whilst Star tried to ignore the weight of the idea her father was lying to her about everything.