Now that the first half of Pokémon Insurgence has been completed, it's time to begin the second half, where the story will only grow more intense with every chapter.

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon Insurgence; it is the property of its creators.

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Jaern wandered through the area, his vision obscured by the oppressive fog and lack of light. This was the result of all his time, researching the story behind the great crystal that the First Augur used back in the day to defeat the cults, one by one. Despite the evil that could lurk within the darkness, he wasn't afraid. After all, he did have the legendary Rayquaza at his beck and call. Continuing his trek of the mysterious area, his mind wandered over to the deal he had made with Persephone and her cult. Truth be told, he was planning on disposing of her once she had outlived her usefulness; after all, she knew way too much about him, especially what happened that fateful day.

"This place is so bizarre; I can't believe people actually live here, by their own choice nonetheless." He mused to himself, taking a few more stepped before grinding to a halt, his eyes re-adjusting themselves as he got a better look at what was in front of him. It appeared to be a large temple of sorts, though he couldn't quite make out who it was devoted to.

"At long last, our guest of honor has arrived." A mysterious, otherworldly voice called out to him, as a figure cloaked completely in black slowly approached the Augur.

"W-Who on earth are you, and what do you want?!" Jaern demanded. "You must be the one behind all of this, aren't you?"

"Me? Behind everything? What could you possibly mean?" The voice replied, denial present in their tone, though the blonde man wasn't falling for it.

"I've done my research on where Adam, the First Augur got the crystal from. Additionally, I looked into Persephone's past, which lead me to Zenith and the Infernal Cult and what he can do. And all of it, can be tied back to you." He explained, silence soon permeated the area before it was broken by a slow clap.

"Well, you've certainly done your research." The figure applauded their guest.

"You must be some hidden cult, who plans on catching Giratina for their own nefarious purposes. I will not let you—" Jaern began.

"A false misconception. We may look the part, but we're anything but cultists. Our purpose is a lot more noble than those power-hungry insurgents." The figure interrupted Jaern's rebuttal, annoying the Augur.

"You! I'll make you pay for playing ME like a pawn! I am nobody's pawn to play around with!" He snapped, only to see the figure look at him in…indifference?

"What I'm going to say may hurt your ego, but it's the truth. You were never part of my plans; you're just a minor nuisance at best. A non-speaking role in the grand play of the ages. My plan was for Zenith and his cult to overthrow the First Augur and secure the crystal for me. But no, you just had to intervene, didn't you? You just had to play the edgy antihero for the sake of boosting your massive, yet fragile ego, didn't you?" They scolded him.

"You're evil. Pure evil…" Jaern retorted.

"No, I'm surviving. And even if I was as evil as you say I am, I'm still a saint when compared to you." The figure replied calmly.

"D-Don't make me break the crystal! I-I'm not afraid to, if I must." The Augur bluffed, hoping to intimidate his mysterious foe.

"Hah, anymore than you already have?" The figure countered, with Jaern opting to retaliated by blaming Natasha and Damian for breaking the crystal but chose to stay silent. "I'll let you go today. Your shard is useless without the other two. That and you've managed to make yourself useful, albeit slightly. Please enjoy your trip home, for you won't remember any of this when you do."

Before he could protest, the blonde man was ensnared by the dark fog and taken elsewhere, leaving the figure to themselves as they pondered on the divergent path their plans had taken. If the one with the Delta Call was as strong as they say she was, then the closing act will be the battle to end all battles.

Route 14

Having recovered from her showdown against Taen, Natasha opted to pick up her things and make her way towards Oranos Town for a proper break before continuing her journey to Amphitrite City. Not that she was opposed to taking it easy and explore the sprawling route before her, who knows what interesting Pokémon she could find. At first, she didn't find anything too special, with the route being populated by Pokémon she had already seen in previous areas. But it was after she crossed the bridge that connected the two halves of the route that she saw something interesting.

Sitting idly before a rock was what appeared to be a Shuckle, its head a bright red and resembled a boxing glove. Its four slender limbs were a dark gray and resembled metal springs, while it had what looked like a wind-up crank poking out of a hole on the back of its brown shell. The Shuckle used one of its limbs to wind up the crank, its head slowly retracting into the shell until it was no longer visible. Suddenly, the head lunged out the shell and struck the rock, shattering it into pieces as the Punching Bag Pokémon shook its head to regain its composure.

'How interesting. Seems like another Delta Species worth acquiring.' The purple-haired girl mused to herself, taking out a Pokéball and took aim. The Shuckle slowly turned around and laid eyes on the girl, beckoning her to throw the ball. She promptly threw the ball at it, only for the Shuckle to knock it back with its head, the small device smacking her in the face.

"Oww!" Natasha winched, clutching her aching nose as the small Pokémon let out an amused chuckle. Though it stung like crazy, it wasn't bleeding, so it wasn't as bad as she initially expected. "That wasn't funny!" She pouted, causing the Shuckle to let out another small chuckle.

"Shuuu~" The Punching Bag Pokémon sighed, gazing calmly at the purple-haired girl. Seeing that it wasn't as cautious as it was before, she picked the ball back up and attempted to catch it, the device sucking up the small Pokémon as it shook on the ground momentarily. A few seconds later, it ceased shaking, indicating a successful capture.

"Alright! Another Delta Pokémon caught!" She congratulated herself, picking up the ball and tucking it away before continuing her journey to Oranos Town. Thankfully, it wasn't that far away; the entrance being just beyond a pair of small ponds. The first thing she saw upon entering was a large crowd standing before a wooden podium…with Zenith standing before the crowd. However, she was the only one who knew who he was; everyone else saw him as Zachery, the friendly librarian.

"My fellow Torrennites, it's so good to see you again. I missed Oranos Town so much, it's such a beautiful place!" He began, the crowd cheering for him wildly.

"We missed you too, Zachery!" An elderly lady called out to him.

"Is that you Mrs. Parker? How are your grandkids?" 'Zachery' inquired.

"They're wonderful. Jonathan is—Oh my, I forgot you had something to tell us. I'll let you get on with it." She began, cutting herself off part way.

"Thank you. I have something very important to say to you all. There's a very nasty disease running rampant in Torren, something to do with the legendary Deoxys. As of right now, we don't know how deadly it is, or if it's even fatal, but we do know that it has some really, really nasty side effects. But as you know, I work at the library alongside some intelligent colleagues, all of whom are trustworthy. Together, we've developed a vaccine that will protect you from this disease. As I'm speaking, several quarantine zones have been set up so that anyone who has come in contact with the disease can be cured. My number one priority is the wellbeing of the people of Torren, and I hope the good people of Oranos Town can help me on this mission." The old man spoke to the people, most of whom applauded him, though a young man did raise his hand slowly.

"S-Sir…where can we pick up this vaccine?" He inquired.

"An excellent question, my man. We are supplying vaccines to each and everyone of you in the warehouse, the northernmost building in the town. I highly recommend that everyone signs up for this program, because if you don't, we'll have to assume that you're already infected. After all, the virus affects your behavior. So if you see anyone acting suspiciously, such as speaking out against the Augur, please report them to us so we can deal with them swiftly. Remember, your safety is our top priority. Thank you all so much and have a wonderful day." 'Zachery' concluded, before remembering one thing. "If any of you happen to see a purple-haired girl going by the name, Natasha, please make a report to us as soon as possible. She's not infected, but she is a person of interest."

"Odd…why would he be after this girl if she isn't infected?" The old woman whom Zenith referred to as Mrs. Parker inquired.

"Perhaps she's one of his colleagues, or the person tasked with delivering additional vaccines." The young man suggested, as the crowd slowly made their way towards the warehouse, with Natasha blending in with the crowd. After all, this was her chance of finding out what Zenith plans to do with these "vaccines". Making her way into the building, she took a seat beside a young girl and decided to strike up a conversation with her.

"Getting your vaccine as well, right?" Natasha inquired.

"Yeah, my friends got theirs the other week, so I figured I should as well. However…" The girl began.

"However? Is there something wrong with the vaccine?" The purple-haired girl inquired.

"No, but I do remember hearing something odd from my friends. Before they got the vaccine, they had to have a blood sample taken from them. I've had vaccines before, but none of them required a blood sample." She explained, raising a question in Natasha's mind. Why would they need to give up their blood in order to receive the vaccine? "Hey, what's your name, miss?"

"Me? I-I'm Natasha. I don't know if I'm the one Zachery wants though." She answered, hiding the fact that she is the one he was after.

"In that case, we better let him know just in case." The girl said, calling out to a staff member with the tall man approaching the duo. Informing him of the situation, the man kindly asked Natasha to follow him, something she complied with as they made their way to the back room. Along the way, she heard what sounded like an old man confessing to another staff member that a friend of his has been expressing anti-Augur sentiment. The staff member thanked him for his contribution before sending him off, leaving the purple-haired girl with more questions than answers. But those questions would have to be shelved as she soon laid eyes on the old man.

"Heheheh, that stupid child and that foolish old man gave me the perfect excuse to collect the DNA of everyone in this region." Zenith muttered confidently to himself.

"Sir? The guard inquired, oblivious to what he just said. "I have the girl you're looking for."

"Leave her here and close the door behind us. I want a quick word with her." He requested, the guard bowing in respect as he exited the room, leaving the duo on their own.

"So what have you got up your sleeve, Zenith? What are you injecting people with?" Natasha demanded, only to get interrupted by a pair of guards escorting an old woman into the room.

"F-Forgive us sir! This old woman was avoiding our quarantine stations; she must have the virus!" They informed him.

"Is that so? Allow me to have a word with her…" Zachery demanded, the guards bowing in respect before exiting the room. "Ma'am, the fact that you've avoided out stations leads me to believe that you have the virus. For the sake of the region, you will be vaccinated and quarantined."

"But why quarantine me if I'm getting vaccinated? I won't have the virus anymore!" The old lady protested.

"I'm very sorry ma'am, but we can't take any risks. However…I think we can come to an agreement. If you know people who are in hiding, let us know and we'll come to some sort of arrangement." The old man replied, a sigh of relief washing over the old woman.

"Oh yes, I can help you. I know a few people who don't have their vaccines." She said quickly, a small smirk forming on Zenith's face.

"Excellent. Tell the guards everything you know, and they will give you a vaccine. You're doing the Torren region a great service." He reassured her, the old lady exiting the room as a low chuckle escaped from him. "Heh, as easy as stealing candy from a baby."

"So what did you want me for; do you plan on injecting me with that rubbish you call a vaccine?" The purple-haired girl inquired snidely.

"Oh no, I wanted you to see the next stage of my plan bear fruit. You're a knowledgeable girl, Natasha. Are you familiar with the Salem Witch Trials?" Zenith inquired.

"No, I do not know what you're talking about." She admitted, with the old man seizing this opportunity to flaunt his vast knowledge.

"Understandable; that dictator-in-training Jaern has rewritten most of history in order to stroke his ego. Anyway, the Salem Witch Trials occurred long, long ago in a foreign land. The story starts off with a little girl who wanted to learn witchcraft. To keep herself out of trouble, she accused other townsfolk of being witches. Those who didn't confess we hanged, while those that did were burned at the stake, unless they outed someone else as a witch. It created a vicious cycle where people would accuse others of witchcraft, including their friends and family in order to save themselves; a reflection of human nature at its worst." He informed her.

"Which is why you bullied that old lady into confessing; you knew that human nature would triumph over reason and she'd rat her friends out to you." Natasha stated.

"Somebody's a quick learner. Yes, that is why I bullied her, as you put it. There is a reason so many dictators and tyrants use it; why kill one political enemy when you can use them to find ten more? And before you ask, no, I have no idea where this virus came from. Either way, I'm definitely using it to my advantage. As much as I'd like to continue our conversation, I have places to go and business to conduct." Zenith concluded, only for the purple-haired girl to block his way.

"The only way you're getting out of here is in—" She began, only for the doors to slam open as half a dozen citizens eyed her up, a glazed look in their eyes.

"Good you're all here. Deal with this girl, I have no use for her anymore." He ordered, the citizens nodding slowly as they all brought out their Pokéballs. Knowing that she had no choice but to flee, the purple-haired girl promptly escaped the building and towards Route 15. "Run while you can, Natasha. Soon you will become my most valuable pawn." The cult leader chuckled under his breath.

Route 15

The purple-haired girl hid behind some trees, taking the time to catch her breath as she waited for the brainwashed trainers to leave the area. The trainers wandered up and down the path for a few minutes before making their way back to Oranos Town, having lost her scent. Once the coast was clear, Natasha emerged from the trees and surveyed the area, making sure all the trainers were gone. She doesn't know what exactly is in that "vaccine", but she knows that it's controlling all those innocent people. The incident only furthered her resolve to put a stop to Zenith's twisted scheme, and she needs all the help she can get. For now, she had to make her way to Amphitrite City and meet up with Calreath, which meant going through Route 15.

Route 15 ran downwards longside a steep cliff, with guard rails on the side to prevent anyone from falling over the edge. There were also a series of caves than ran inside the cliffs, acting as a shortcut for those willing to brave the dimly lit terrain. The most notable landmark of the area was a tall, satellite tower that was nestled in the middle of the area, though what its purpose was is unknown to her. Deciding to check it out, Natasha made her way down the path, making sure to avoid any trainers in case they had succumbed to the vaccine. Eventually, she made her way towards the tower, where she locked eyes on a scientist who was pacing up and down the area in a panic.

"Not good…not good at all. If the boss finds out, he'll—" He began, only to spot Natasha by the side and jumped in fright. "GAAAHHH! O-Oh, you're not my boss. Thank goodness for that…"

"Is everything alright, sir?" She inquired.

"No, not at all. Something's gotten into the tower and has begun chewing on the electrical wires. If the power goes out, a great disaster will befall this region. P-Please, you must find the source and deal with it!" He pleaded desperately.

"I'm not an expert on this sort of thing, but if a wild Pokémon is behind this, then I'll chase it away." The purple-haired girl promised, the older man sighing in relief.

"Th-Thank you. Here; this key should help you explore the upper levels. That's where the generators are stored. Be careful, who knows what could be lurking up." The scientist warned her, handing her a small key as she proceeded to enter the tall building.

The tower was dark; the only source of light being a few overhead lights that dimmed out every now and then, due to the damaged wiring. Spotting what looked like a back-up generator, the purple-haired girl switched it on, a low whirring noise echoing throughout the area as the lights ceased dimming. Now that light was no longer an issue, Natasha unlocked the door to the second floor and made her way up, where she was promptly stopped by what looked like a damaged circuit, nestled beside an electronic door that was shut firmly.

"Seems like I have to rewire everything if I want to proceed…" She mused to herself, shutting off the circuits power before getting to work. Though she had no experience with this sort of thing, it didn't look that complicated. All she needed to do was reconnect the wiring and replace the fuses, something that could be done within a matter of minutes. And as she predicted, the repair was complete, the purple-haired girl closing the circuit box before switching it back on. On cue, the electronic door opened up, enabling her to make her way to the top floor, where the generators were kept. Upon making it to the room, she heard what sounded like a Pokémon, loudly chewing on the wires. Slowly approaching it, she accidentally kicked an empty can, alerting the Pokémon as it ceased chewing and stared at her with its electric blue eyes.

It appeared to be a Typhlosion, its back a bright orange that had electricity crackling all over it. Its underbelly was made up of bright white steel plating, with light brown fur covering its arms and legs. The most notable feature were the small, electrical generators embedded in its fur, that generated both electricity and storm clouds, though she had no idea how it worked. The Typhlosion reared up on its hindlegs and growled at her, indicating that it won't go down without a fight.

"If that's how you want to play, then I'll be happy to indulge you!" Natasha replied, sending out her Muk, the Quicksand Pokémon uttering a low moan. Rearing back its head, the Muk spewed a globule of mud at the Typhlosion, striking it in the head as its face was covered by mud. Trying to wipe the mud off itself, the Generator Pokémon got on all fours and fired a Flash Cannon at where it thought its opponent was. However, it's aim was way off, the attack striking the wall and left a sizable hole to the outdoors. Not wanting to stall the battle any longer than it had to, the Muk reared its arms up in the air and slammed them down, sending the Typhlosion flying towards a second wall, the enemy Pokémon unable to get back up. Natasha took this opportunity to chuck a ball at the Generator Pokémon, ensnaring it in the device and watched it shake on the ground. A few seconds later, the ball ceased shaking, with the purple-haired girl picking it up before recalling her Muk, mulling over how she was going to explain the damage to the scientist. Making her way downstairs, she soon exited the building, the man running up to her with a look of desperation on his face.

"D-Did you find the culprit?" He inquired, with Natasha giving back the key he gave her.

"I found the culprit and dealt with them. Rest assured, they won't be bothering you again, although the tower did get a little banged up…" She answered, glancing up at the hole in the building.

"O-Oh dear, the boss isn't going to be happy, but it could've been worse…" The scientist sighed to himself. "The basement door; was it open?"

"No, I didn't see it open. Why'd you ask?" Natasha inquired.

"J-Just checking, that's all. Thank all that is holy it wasn't open, because if it was…" He replied, shivering at the thought as he entered the building to get a full scope of the damage. As much as she wanted to ask him about the basement, she had more important matters at hand, opting to resume her journey to Amphitrite City.

Another chapter wrapped up nice and neatly; the next one will be more story-focused and will have a long overdue reunion. Thank you all for reading, I'll see you in the next chapter.

Acquired Delta Pokémon:

D. Venusaur

D. Charizard

D. Blastoise

D. Dugtrio

D. Crustle (Cake)

D. Golem

D. Ambipom

D. Muk

D. Reuniclus

D. Scizor

D. Volcarona

D. Sunflora

D. Gardevoir (female)

D. Gallade

D. Quagsire

D. Raichu

D. Hydreigon

D. Pidgeot

D. Golurk

D. Plusle

D. Minun

D. Ludicolo

D. Heatmor

D. Emolga

D. Drifblim

D. Roserade

D. Snorlax

D. Haxorus

D. Weezing

D. Dunsparce

D. Huntail (male)

D. Gorebyss (female)

D. Vespiquen

D. Chandelure

D. Bisharp

D. Scrafty

D. Luxray

D. Metagross (Spider)

D. Glalie

D. Froslass

D. Noibat (Egg)

D. Liepard

D. Avalugg

D. Shuckle

D. Typhlosion