"I still don't understand why I had to come," Doctor Onassis grumped in frustration, slouching down in his chair, long legs stretched out before him.

Madame Bones sighed. She didn't want to be here either but she was at least able to keep her mouth shut. Onassis was just an utter prick though, having never met a moment he didn't want to make worse by bitching and moaning. He was the very definition of a sourpuss, never finding anything he truly liked in the world save for medicine and even then he didn't like much of that either. All he wanted to do was make medicines and potions; he hadn't actually seen a patient in over a decade and was just as likely to try experimenting on them as curing them of whatever infliction they suffered from.

"I have things I need to be doing," he reminded them all, his long, sallow face marred even further by his scowl. He was dressed in a splatter-style t-shirt, gray lab coat, and blue jeans with messy hair and a day's worth of stubble on his cheeks.

"We all have things we need to be doing," Croaker reminded him. "Including this."

"I meant important things," Onassis complained with a dismissive wave of his hand. "All of you just have busy work."

"Really?" Amelia said with a huff. "So I suppose you won't mind if I yank the security detail off of you, hmmm?"

"You can't do that!" Onassis complained.

"Why not? You said it was just busy work."

"Not when it is protecting me, who has very important work to do. That instantly makes their work important as well. It rubs off on them… like a sexually transmitted disease."

Amelia rolled her eyes; she was far too used to Onassis to be offended by his crass and vulgar sense of humor.

"This is important, Greg," Barty said with a glower of his own. Amelia would have cursed the fact that she had ended up part of an Elite 4 filled with grumpy men if not for the fact that she had a reputation of being a stone-cold bitch with steel ovaries herself. "And we need the entire Elite 4 to be here."

"I am still repairing my chambers after what the Potter boy did to them!" Onassis complained. "Years of work ruined and it will only remain ruined so long as I am kept from cleaning up and reorganizing."

"Harry Potter wasn't the one that destroyed your room," Amelia reminded him. "He never even entered your chamber. It was his friends who did it."

"Guilt by association then."

"If that existed," Croaker said dryly, "we'd all be guilty of indecent exposure."

"That was one time and it was a bet!" Onassis said with a cocky grin. He looked back at Amelia and asked with a lecherous leer, "I still have the video if you want to see it."

"If I wanted to see something small, shriveled, and unsatisfying I'd go look at the baby carrots at the grocery store."

"And then go get some cucumbers to fill your-"

"We all have arenas that need to be repaired," Barty cut in, blocking Onassis from finishing his comment. "All of the arenas were attacked by Nocturne and need to be fixed up."

"Not as bad as mine."

Croaker shot him a dark look from beneath the ever present hood he kept up over his head. "I am still trying to catalog what is missing from my inventory. And while you had some bugs stirred up I had, from what I can tell based on the examination made by my people, two teenagers somehow grow to gigantic size and stomp around my arena. It is rather hard to patch over massive footprints."

"…yeah but they threw vials of stuff I was working on," Onassis complained.

Amelia held up her hands. "I swear if any of you keep up this fight or try to leave I'll cram a Pokeball with a release timer up your ass. I'm sure I can find one with a Snorlax…"

"…I think I saw someone do that once in Alola. Cost 50 bucks."

Amelia fought the urge to throw something at the doctor's head.

"We won't have a need for an Elite 4 if we don't settle the matters that have brought us here today," Barty told them finally, settling down in his own chair. They were in the private meeting room reserved for the Elite 4, when they were all together and needed to hold council. Normally that only occurred once a year during tournament time, when they needed to see who had won the Pokemon League and determine if they, and any others, would get the vote that would allow them to take on the 4 and potentially crown a new League Champion for the year. If they did then the group would decide order and all that. They hadn't had anyone make the cut in the last few years (due to the winners not meeting the standards to gain a challenge) so they had only had the one meeting and then went off to do their own thing, rarely interacting. There was just too much to do.

But the room also served another purpose: greeting heads of state. And that is what had brought them to the room that day… meeting a head of state and, hopefully, staving off an international incident.

'Or,' Amelia thought to herself, 'making one all the more worse than it already is.'

"She's here," a voice said over the small intercom on the table, making them all jump and then mentally curse at being so jittery. They were supposed to be the best of the best… it did no good if they were leaping at shadows.

"Show her in," Barty stated, turning to face the door.

Into the room walked a tall woman that, while looking well enough in her pantsuit, would have looked more comfortable in a pair of sweats and an old tank top while working out in the gym. She was one of the tallest women Amelia had ever seen, well over 6 foot tall with inches to spare and if she wore heels she'd be pushing 6 and a half. She wasn't a leggy lady either but built like a warrior, with thick arms and a strong powerful chest that made it clear that she didn't need to merely verbally attack her foes but could grab their face with one hand, palming their skull like it was a basketball, and then slamming them through a table before walking off without a care.

'Which isn't surprising,' Amelia thought to herself, 'considering she did that and more to those she faced in the Johto/Katno War.' She was sure Onassis hadn't bothered to look up who Sybil O'Malley was but knew the rest of the Elite 4 had done so, just as she had. Thus nearly all of them had gone through her file and seen the medals and awards and accolades she'd received fighting for Johto's freedom under the command of Vixen. No last name for that one as her husband had been a Kanto loyalist, as had her parents, resulting in Vixen fighting four brothers and her husband in order to enlist. Vixen's Lovelies, as her squad had become known, had been instrumental in the taking back of Lake Rage and Sybil had been right there day one, serving as the strategist for the group.

That was why she had been the natural choice to become Johto's first Prime Minister.

Right behind her, easily dwarfed despite his own nearly 6 foot tall frame, was the Johto Elite 4's Head of International Relations, Tyrone Ellis. Less was known about him but Croaker claimed that he was the cousin of Lt. Mattis Surge, having turned spy for Johto early in the war and helping in the final invasion campaign. He was the one Barty had been holding meetings with in order to set up this final meeting but Amelia wasn't fooled at all by the late addition of Minister O'Malley; this would not be the standard diplomatic affair.

"Please, be seated," Barty said, motioning for the two to take the two chairs opposite from the four of them.

"Damn you are a tall one," Onassis said, eyebrows nearly rising to his hairline as he took in O'Malley. "I'd like to climb you like you were an Alolan Executor."

"And I'd like to slit yourthroat like I was a Scyther but we don't get our wishes in this life, do we?" O'Malley said gruffly.

"Oh, she is a feisty one."

"Enough," Barty snapped. "I will revoke your funding if I have to."

"You don't have the power," Onassis stated.

"But the Prime Minister does and if we all go to him we can outvote you on it. Now be quiet, doctor." The head of Avalon Medicine pouted sullenly while Barty turned back to the two. "Thank you for meeting-"

"Let's cut out the formal greetings because we know they are only token gestures on your part," Ellis stated, cutting Barty right off. "And on our part they would be lies at best."

"Or bile as we choked on them," O'Malley stated.

"I thought a Prime Minister was supposed to be more… political," Croaker asked with interest; there was no sting to his comment.

"I am with allies. Enemies are a different matter."

"I can see why you'd think that-" Barty began again only for O'Malley to raise her hand.

"Think? Allow me to lay out what has happened within the span of 24 months. First terrorists from your region attack the World Gauntlet Tournament our region held, resulting in 17 deaths, 59 injuries, and damage to Ilex Forest. As part of their numbers was a known terrorist, Fernir Greyback, who fought for Kanto during the War and is on our Most Wanted List."

"Avalon can not be held accountable for what its citizens don," Barty said with a sigh. "They have free will, after all."

"They can be held accountable when they lie about the defeat of the Team that they informed the International Police had been completely wiped out. Or do you deny that your government did that?"

"We were… rash in declaring Nocturne defeated."

"And slow to admit their return," Ellis commented.

O'Malley continued on. "Next there was the Grand Trainer Tournament. Since Lance Blackthorn had not yet been pardoned for his actions during the War and awarded Friend of the Region status I can't legally hold you accountable for what happened to him during the first task; that is up to him but know he will have the full backing of the Johto Government should he ever decide to seek justice. Let us move on then to the Third Task. Gabrielle Delacour-Malfoy was legally dead for 2 and a half minutes because of your Nocturne; while she is a Kalos citizen she DID and still DOES have Friend of the Region status."

"Avalon has agreed to pay all her medical bills," Onassis stated with a bored tone.

"For her life," Ellis stated.

"She did not suffer any lasting complications that would require her to get medical attention."

"You misunderstand," the Johtoian man stated. "Your government is going to pay for her medical bills… ANY medical bills. Checkups, dental visits… if she chooses to get breast implants you will foot the bill."

"That is-" Barty began.

Onassis cut him off. "Give it to him. It's not that big of a deal." He paused. "I have a condition… I want her medical files sent to me."

Amelia knew the real reason: Onassis wanted to study a Veela.

"Acceptable," Ellis stated. "But only if Fleur is also included."

"…deal," Barty said wearily; he'd have the justify it to the Minister but honestly that was a small price to pay and it would get Kalos off their backs. Because while Johto was the one seated before them there was no delusion that Kalos was also being represented. Ever since the Johto/Kanto War the friendship between Johto, Kalos, and Unova had been strong.

"Nothing for the injuries Kenway received during the rescue?" Croaker asked, Amelia fighting the urge to smack him for bringing that up. She knew the spy had his reasons but she didn't see what they might be.

"He got them saving his goddaughter," O'Malley stated.

"I heard she's more than that," Onassis said with a lazy shrug. "Rumor is he's been with both of those ladies-"

"Gabrielle is her parents' daughter, genetically and emotionally. You know this." The doctor sighed and let go of that bit of gossip. Honestly Amelia was in the camp of suspecting that Kenway was Gabrielle's father… it wouldn't have been unheard of for a lesbian couple to get help conceiving, even with the recent medical breakthroughs that allowed same sex couples to produce children all on their own. And the rumors concerning the Kenways and their open marriage-

"That leads us to the Fourth Task," O'Malley stated. "Let me be clear on this: Jasmine Kenway doesn't want a dime of your filthy money. She has no interest in you helping her in any way, shape, or form. This is me speaking. Me and every person like me within our region: You nearly got the Princess of Johto killed thanks to not being able to manage your Nocturne filth. Citizens of this region, who STILL have not been arrested for their crimes, beat her, hacked off her boyfriend's hand, and then threatened her with rape."

Amelia swallowed at that. Croaker had shown her the whispers about The Pack… about one terrible night in Sinnoh where they had been captured. The next morning, when police had finally been alerted to the abduction, they'd arrived at the cabin in the mountains to find the kidnappers brutally slaughtered and the teens soaked in blood at a local Pokemon Center out cold. Doctors had examined them and while the files were locked up tight rumors still got out that all six had shown sign of rape.

The mere suggestion that one of their 'pups' might face the same experience was not a good thing.

"We regret what happened to Jasmine Kenway-" Croaker began to say only for, of all people, Ellis to slam his hands on the table.

"The Princess of Johto was nearly raped and was in fact brutalized and all you offer is REGRET?!"

Of course it was Onassis who had to open his mouth. "Princess… I was under the impression that Kenway was uncrowned. Or are you being disgustingly cutesy?"

O'Malley glowered at him and Amelia wondered if she could get away with smacking the man across the back of the head… with a heavy steel pipe. She honestly didn't get what was the man's deficiency… she'd recommend sending him to a good doctor except he controlled all the damn doctors!

"While we honor the Father that doesn't mean that all in Johto agree with everything he says and does. Jack Kenway has refused the crown and the throne but that does not mean there aren't many of us who quietly hope that he will change his mind. The Father… that is not merely a title we gave him to remove the stain of the names you and others like you have forced upon him. He raised us up from mediocrity and showed each and every one of us just how far we could fly if we only took the leap. And he, in turn, only took that step because of that young woman. Jasmine Kenway… she has lost so much. The death of her birth parents was the spark that lit the flame of rebellion. She is our princess, no matter if she has a crown or not, and none of us will stand for any insult to be brought against her… or harm to come upon her."

O'Malley had said all that with quiet intensity, never raising her voice or resorting the screaming. That was so startling, considering her reputation. And all the more chilling.

"She stole items from my arena," Croaker said, causing Amelia to pinch the bridge of her nose in frustration and wonder how she'd ended up surrounded by idiots who didn't know when to shut their damn mouths.

"Compensation for nearly being killed repeatedly while in Avalon."

"She snuck into this region to murder the Prime Minister," Croaker reminded them

Onassis though shook his head. "Sorry but I'm siding with the Johtoians on this. It can't be a crime to try and kill Fudge… if it were I'd have been arrested years ago." Amelia snapped her head in his direction and he gave her a small shrug. "You honestly didn't suspect that I was the one that rigged his chair to explode?"

"No," Amelia said with grit teeth. 'I spent 2 months investigating that case…'

"So you are suggesting I just ignore the evidence that Jasmine Kenway stole several priceless artifacts?"

"I am suggesting you don't have Johto begin asking how several relics that are Regional Treasures for us, and have been missing for several centuries, managed to suddenly return only after the Princess returned from Johto," O'Malley said with a tiny smirk.

"And I suggest you think carefully even if you decide to pursue such things… from what I've heard there are items from other regions as well and many might be interested in an audit of your Department of Mysteries to find out what was stolen from them." Ellis leaned across the table and flashed a smile that would make a Sharkpedo proud.

Croaker sighed and waved his hand, the closest he would come to admitting defeat. While Amelia herself wanted to find out what Jasmine Kenway stole (and there was no doubt in her mind that the young woman had pilfered the DoM's relics as she would have done the same if in a similar situation) she knew that pressing the issue would only make things worse for Avalon now that the secret of Team Nocturne's return had been revealed to the entire world. Already allies were nervously putting out feelers wondering if this would result in another long drawn out civil war… and enemies were using their return as fodder to attack them and seek to diminish their standing in the world.

"And that leads us to the Father himself," Ellis said, having gained a bit more control over his emotions as things had moved away from Miss Kenway and thus moving to take back control of the conversation. "The crimes committed against him are the most grievous for all of us and why we have agreed to have this meeting with you."

"Are we really going to talk about crimes when discussing a-"

Amelia cut Onassis off. "Perhaps, as you did with Miss Kenway, it would be wise to take these in chronological order, so we might address each in turn? Some were only learned about recently, after all."

Ellis and O'Malley looked at each other, considering her suggestion for several moments before turning as one and quietly nodding in acceptance.

"We haven't announced anything yet," Barty said, "as we are still finalizing details, but we would like to donate money to the repair of Ilex Forest. On a proper payment plan, of course."

"Understandable," Ellis stated before the Johtoian Prime Minister could speak up. "We would much rather wait for the money and know that Nocturne was dealt with properly rather than fix Ilex only to find ourselves facing another threat from your homegrown terrorists because the money that could have gone to stopping them filled our coffers."

"Assuming the money actually is used towards eliminating Nocturne," O'Malley charged. "If I find out that you have been wasting your money I will call in all debts due."

"We haven't agreed to anything yet," Amelia pointed out to her. "So threats-"

"I'm not talking about Ilex," O'Malley informed her, cutting her off.

"It seems you have forgotten something very important," Ellis said, taking over. "Avalon is highly in debt to Johto. We have been kind so far not to press the issue but we will if we feel you are trying to delay payment just to fill the pockets of the rich and powerful in your region."

"I am… unaware of any debt that we owe Johto," Barty said before wincing at his own words. "I mean before all of… this." He gestured between the two groups. "I understand that debts have been obviously made, due to Nocturne-"

O'Malley held up her hand, silencing him. "We don't take any offense. We know what you mean."

"However you are quite wrong," Ellis continued. "There is a great debt that Avalon owes us. And we aren't speaking of blood, or revenge, or anything quite so… lacking substance. This isn't us talking in code or riddles. No flowery language. No no…" he leaned forward and poked at the table one-two-three times with his index finger, "we are talking an actual debt."

That caused all the Elite 4 members to glance at one another in confusion. "I'm afraid," Amelia finally said, "that we don't quite get what you're talking about. Avalon and Johto have had very little interaction, not just in modern times but ancient as well, that would result in a debt involving money of any kind."

"There is nothing connecting us," Barty stated. "The Avalon/Galar Empire moved in the opposite direction of Johto, feuding with Kalos and settling Unova. When we traded with your corner of the world it was with Kanto."

"Unless you're referring to the blood of AZ," Croaker stated while Onassis huffed at the reference to the mythical Giant King of Kalos. "But even then it is only recently that AZ's bloodline played a role in Johto's politics, seeing as the Ironsides were mostly associated with Hoenn-"

"It isn't the Blood of AZ," O'Malley told them before glancing at Ellis, nodding to him. The Johtoian Elite 4 member in charge of International Relations reached into his coat pocket to pull out a small smartphone.

"While you did not originally have the debt with us we have… inherited it." He slid the phone over to them before leaning back, hands folding on his lap, happy to wait.

He didn't need more than a few moments before getting the reaction he'd clearly been craving.

"Sevii?" Onassis exclaimed in shock.

"Sevii Island. Once a rather beautiful island, from what the ancient records show, but ruined due to experiments with Charizard training by the founders of what would become Charizard Valley. The newly formed ruling council of Kanto, which would later become the Pokemon League, decided to use it as a prison to hold the 17 territorial warlords that had refused to submit to the Council. They would open up Sevii to international prisoners in 1605, and would continue to do so until the present day. While most assume that Sevii is paid for by the International Police it was still the property of the Kanto government and regions agreed to pay fees for the housing of their criminals. This agreement has been made with nearly every major region in the world."

"Our debt then is with Kanto, not you," Onassis stated with an eyeroll. "Leave it to Johtoians to not understand how contracts work."

But Barty punched to bridge of his nose, lowering his head and letting out a pain-filled sight. "Except it isn't. Not at all." The others looked at him. "The contract is with Sevii itself, not Kanto."

"…what?" Amelia whispered.

Croaker stared at Barty in open shock. "They signed the contract with the island instead of a region!? Why… would anyone-"

"All the regions did it," Ellis stated. "Not just your own. And its been like that for centuries, so it isn't Barty's fault. Honestly even we in Johto were startled to find that was how the contracts were written. We knew we held the prison but not that we took over the debt that was owed to it." He paused before letting out a weary sigh. "Do I need to even say that we are calling these debts it?"

"We… we can't pay. Not at this moment." Barty was sweating, stumbling over his words, and for Amelia that was the true shocker in all of this. She had always seen the man as calm and collected. No, more than that… Barty Crouch was cold. Ice water had always filled his veins and the only time she'd seen a glimmer of humanity in him was when he was around his son and even then it was only a pinprick, like a single star in the darkest night. In everything else all emotion, all sense of weakness or emotion was faked. He did it rather well; how could he be a politician (and deal with politicians) if he didn't know how to make it seem as if he were truly human? So to see him so out of sorts… it was like waking up the find that the sun wasn't rising but rather was spinning in the sky like it was a child's toy.

"You will."

"We don't even house our criminals in Sevii anymore," Amelia pointed out. "Fudge had them removed."

"Exactly."

Amelia opened her mouth to continue only to snap her jaw shut. "Shit." She leaned back in her chair and stared at the ceiling, feeling something she hadn't thought possible: more disgust and rage at Cornelus Fudge and his short-sightedness. At first glance she was sure some would believe that it was a good thing they weren't keeping their prisoners in Sevii anymore. It meant that the Johtoians had no leverage over them. They couldn't wag the threat of tossing their worst out onto the streets. Except only a fool would believe such a thing an option for the Johtoians; it would be as shortsighted as Fudge's actions, for it would cause all the other regions to quickly pull out of Sevii as well. It was a 'burn the world to the ground' kind of move, one did if they were desperate.

The Johtoians were hot headed… but they had survived this long because they had shown they could turn that fire inward, use it to drive them. Make them cold. Collected. Cruel.

And why should they burn the world when they had such a strong hand?

"We'd like to move a prisoner to Sevii," Amelia said immediately.

"I wasn't aware you had a prisoner that warranted Sevii."

"We do," Amelia stated, hating herself for preparing to send a basic criminal to that hellhole. But they needed to get someone there; so long as they had a criminal in Sevii then they had a way to bargain. There were safeties built into the contracts with Sevii, to ensure that they couldn't use the 'burn the world' strategy to try and weasel out more concessions from any region. Payment plans, deferrals, as well as-

"I'm afraid it is far too late for that," Ellis said with a sigh, holding out his hands in the universal sign of 'what ya gonna do?'. "I'm afraid you misunderstand exactly what is going on here: we came not to finalize the ending of our contract but to inform you that when Fudge removed the last of the Avalon prisoners from Sevii he fully broke said contract."

"Countdown measures-"

"Began last summer. And ended… about a month ago. Thus this meeting."

A nightmare. Amelia was in a nightmare.

Every measure that was put in place to allow them a chance out of this mess, or at least make it as painless as possible, was completely gone. Burned away. Johto hadn't decided to burn the world… they had just taken the inferno and harnessed it to turn every avenue Avalon had into ash.

"This… paying back what we owe now… it would break us."

"Oh no," O'Malley said with mock horror, "you won't have money to funnel to Nocturne agents who are part of your government. I am so heartbroken."

Onassis glowered at her before saying, "You know, you might be attractive if you weren't such an utter bitch."

"And proud of it," the Prime Minister of Johto told him.

"You want us to fight Nocturne but then you take away our funds to do so," Amelia pointed out.

"We want you to stop Nocturne but unfortunately I don't trust you in the slightest to do so," O'Malley countered. "You've shown your utter inability… and lack of desire, to do so. Far too busy defending the terrorists…"

"This all comes back to Tor Town, doesn't it?" Amelia said, her frustrations finally getting the best of her and causing her to snap in frustration at the Johtoians. "I did not authorize that and I am working to weed out those that caused that madness…"

And she had been. She'd been enraged when she'd learned that nearly all her Aurors had been involved in the lynching of Jack Kenway… and that they had decided to set up that attack by Repel-Blasting much of the forest around Tor Town. The Weasleys were pissed, as they had been brow-beaten by the Aurors into setting up the trap and had only been told that there was a wanted criminal near Tor Town… Arthur had made it clear if he'd known it was "Harry's teacher Jack" he would have never agreed to the operation and instead sought Kenway out himself to get his side of the story. The black eye it had given her department would take years to heal, especially with the knowledge that at least one of the members of the event was a Voldemort spy. And it had led to a near civil war within the Aurors after Kingsley had disappeared, with some calling him a coward and others suggesting they do the same as him…

The Prime Minister leapt to her feet, outrage written on her face. "It is far more than that! Your region has done all it could to try and ruin The Father! He saved Harry Potter and Jasmine from Nocturne and put those mad dogs down and your corrupt Prime Minister wanted him in chains! You yourself ordered his arrest! Then you aided in the slander and libel against him, claiming that he commited those vile, disgusting acts against Little Surrey-"

"The video-" Onassis began only for, of all people, Barty to chime in.

"New… new evidence has been found, which hasn't been made public, that proves that it wasn't Jack, nor any of the sons, were involved with the attack of Little Surrey."

Amelia stared at Barty in shock. "Why have I not heard about this?"

"Nor me," Croaker asked, just as startled.

"It hasn't been revealed-"

"It doesn't matter but we in Johto are good children. When our Father was in danger we came to his aid. We've been working all year to prove Jack's innocence and we have and now you are going to pay for all you have done to the Kenways." O'Malley rose from her chair. "We're done."

"Please-" Barty begged.

"We're. Done."

And with that the Johtoians left the stunned Elite 4 behind.

~MC~MC~MC~

"How did it go?"

Sybil O'Malley continued walking, not glancing at the hooded figure that broke away from the shadows he'd been hiding in as he joined the two of them in walking away from the Elite 4's headquarters. Her security forces remained all around her but let the hooded man walk beside her, one of the few people in the world that could rival her in height.

"They'll fight us on the money but we'll get it."

"Good," the figure stated. "I might not agree with what Avalon does… but I won't see it destroyed."

"Don't worry, Shacklebolt," Ellis told him, "everything is going according to plan."