It was all dark when Amethio entered the base after entering the password at the steel entrance door. He couldn't even see his hand in front of his face. He groped along the wall for the light switch and finally found it. Quickly, he turned on the light. He was in the long iron corridor he had walked down so many times before. Doors lined both sides of the hallway, and Amethio knew exactly what was behind each one. The door to his left led to the training room, where he had fought against Hamber many times. "No one's here yet," Amethio thought as he walked down the hallway. "It's only 1 AM Of course, no one's awake yet," he said to himself, glancing at his watch.

He entered the common room and sat down on a chair. He released Ceruledge from his Poké Ball so he wouldn't feel so alone. "Ceruledge, do you think Grandfather will kick me out?" Amethio asked, feeling uncertain. Ceruledge shook his head, albeit with doubt. "You're right. He wouldn't even have a reason to do that; I've always been loyal to him," Amethio tried to reassure himself. He took one of the glasses from the table and poured himself some water. But then, suddenly, that pain he loathed so much surged through his body. He dropped the glass to the floor, shattering it into a thousand pieces, and held his head in agony. Everything blurred in front of his eyes, and he only saw himself, sitting alone and lonely on the floor. But the vision didn't last long; soon, a bright light appeared before his eyes. "Come with me," said the light, extending a hand toward him. Just as Amethio was about to take it, the ground beneath him opened up, and he fell. The vision ended, and Amethio leaned back, exhausted, against the chair's backrest. "I can't take this anymore! I need to find out what this is. But how?" he asked himself desperately. It was only then that Amethio noticed Ceruledge watching him with a calming look. A slight smile appeared on his lips, and he closed his eyes once more.

Amethio heard loud talking and immediately opened his eyes. Panicked, he looked at his watch. "WHAT? It's already 8 AM? Did I fall asleep?" he wondered, confused. He looked around the common room and saw that Ceruledge was standing in the shadow of a corner and was now walking toward him. He also noticed that the glass shards from the glass he had dropped the night before were still on the floor. "Damn it," Amethio cursed and quickly left the room, recalling Ceruledge into the Poké Ball to grab a broom. Halfway down the hallway, he ran into Coral and Sidian. They looked at him as if he were a ghost. "Since when have you been back, and where have you been? And what happened to your eye?" Coral asked, shocked. "And why are you in such a hurry?" Sidian asked coldly. "I don't have time for you right now!" Amethio snapped at them. "Oh, you do, apparently. Hamber said we should bring you to him if we saw you!" Coral retorted, amused by Amethio's resistance. "Why does he want to see me?" Amethio asked panickedly, trying to sound calm. "Who knows? He just mentioned that Master Gibeon wants to see you," Coral replied indifferently. "Well, go ahead and tell him I'll be there soon," Amethio shot back angrily. "Fine," Sidian said. "Why are you letting him go so easily?" Coral asked, puzzled. "Because if we keep arguing, we'll get punished for being late," Sidian explained, "And you shouldn't keep Master Gibeon waiting too long, Amethio." "I'm coming, alright," Amethio retorted, annoyed.

Coral and Sidian walked past Amethio, and he briefly watched them leave. "Oh no! The glass shards!" he remembered and quickly grabbed a broom from the storage room. He hastily swept up the shards and disposed of them to avoid any trouble. "Now, just hurry to Master Gibeon," Amethio thought anxiously and rushed to the conference room. He paused in front of the door for a few seconds and took a deep breath. "Everything will be fine," he encouraged himself one last time before stepping into the room.

His footsteps echoed off the iron walls as he slowly entered the seemingly endless room. He saw that the other Explorers were already waiting for him and looked at him with shock, except for Spinel. "Is my injuriy that bad?" Amethio wondered to himself. Amethio stopped in the middle of the room, right in front of the large projection used to communicate with his grandfather. "Well, look who finally shows up, Amethio," Hamber said with doubt in his voice, "but that's not important right now. We need to focus on something more pressing. Spinel has recorded something interesting that you should all see, Amethio." Projections appeared in front of Amethio and the other Explorers, showing Amethio rescuing Liko when she was attacked by wild Pokémon and protecting her. Amethio's eyes widened. "Damn it! How did Spinel record that?" he thought. "I never thought you would betray us, Amethio," Spinel said beside him, pretending to be shocked. "You've been spying on me with your Pokémon, Beheeyem?" Amethio yelled at Spinel, furious.

"Amethio, it looks like betrayal to me," Coralia chimed in. "Me too," Sidian added. "Maybe you could explain the situation to us," Hamber suggested with doubt. "There's no need for that!" Master Gibeon growled in a rough voice, "Amethio, you have disappointed me. You are no better than your father. Never show your face to me again!" Amethio's eyes widened in shock. "NO, GRANDPA! You can't mean this! Please don't do this!" Amethio thought, frozen in place. As he slowly snapped out of his shock, he said with firm conviction, "You can't seriously believe I would betray you, Master Gibeon? Please let me explain!" "Leave and never come back!" Gibeon shouted coldly and angrily.

"Then you don't want to know the secret information I've gathered?" Amethio tried to salvage the situation. "What secret information?" Gibeon asked coldly. "I'll only tell you if you let me stay with the Explorers!" Amethio demanded, hope flickering in his eyes. "I won't make deals. You will tell me this information now!" Gibeon demanded angrily. "Only if you agree to my demand!" Amethio insisted. "If you won't give it to me voluntarily, I'll have to force you. ATTACK HIM!" Gibeon ordered coldly.

Everyone, except Spinel, was shocked by Master Gibeon's order. Spinel immediately released his Pokémon, Umbreon, and said submissively, "At your service, Master Gibeon. Umbreon, use Quick Attack." Umbreon rushed at Amethio. "NO!" Amethio screamed in fear. Ceruledge quickly came out of his Poké Ball and blocked Umbreons's attack. "Ceruledge," Amethio said anxiously. Ceruledge looked at him, demanding, and Amethio said confidently, "Ceruledge, use Bitter Blade." Ceruledge ignited his blades and charged at Umbreon. "Medicham, use Psybeam," Chalce intervened, joining the battle. Ceruledge was thrown against the iron wall by the Psybeam but quickly stood back up. However, Umbreon came from the side and hit Ceruledge with a highly effective Foul Play. Ceruledge could barely stand as Spinel commanded, "End it, use Foul Play."

"HOLD IT!" Amethio screamed and ran protectively in front of his Ceruledge. Umbreon hit Amethio with Foul Play. Everything went black before his eyes, and he collapsed, unconscious.