It's Late - Archive

> *“Finally, its ours!” - Locke*
> Template:USE Volume
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**It’s Late**, is the Fifth Volume (Chapter in VoyageRP) of Voyage 2, and the Final part of The Decayer Arc.

Tensions begin to grow yet again between the Athenian Republic and The Outcasts, as threats for Baja's release grow and grow. Multiversal Foes begin to visit, with the interest of the Decayer Stone raising yet again. Cerise's anxiety for the future grows further as she keeps having visions and uneasiness with potential death and destruction. With the eventual prison break, the hunt begins for the remaining Outcasts, and with SMD Intervention, could it pave the way for a possible solution? Will Raf finally find Scorp? Who are Locke and Dave, and what are their intentions? Above it all, will Raf and Cerise be able to secure and protect the Decayer stone until the threat is dealt with? No, because it’s Late Already.

This chapter focuses on the character Cerise

## Plot

### The Sakura Festival

The chapter begins with Raf and Andy walking up to the Festival being hosted by Cerise, where she invited only close friends of hers to event. The Festival kicks of with a Speech by Cerise, Proclaiming a new age in terms of societal reform and customs, in being more open and keeping up with the times, a little to distasteful to Jupiter's ears, who is currently attending the event, but respects his daughters wishes. Her speech is met with applause. She also expresses her support for the NAA, proclaiming that any criminals living in Sakura (The Hidden Village) cannot be arrested by any foreign entity, to this which angered Raf as Scorp is revealed to have been adopted by Jupiter. Unknowingly by Raf, his Glasses have been recording all the events going on in the festival by CONI. Everyone side eyes at Raf as the NAA part of the speech ends. he then begins to feel he is not welcomed at the event.

After the Speech, Raf storms off into the festival grounds, angered by the NAA proclamation, that can harm the national security of the Athenian Republic. He vents to Andy, but slowly calms down, concluding that he is no longer president, and just wishes to leave the political life behind him. He now simply becomes upset by the fact he came for a festival, but instead was greeted by a political statement that seemingly targeted him and the AR's efforts to keep the continent safe. He choses to sit back away from the party, knowing well he is not welcomed back.

Daniel comes by to check on Raf, followed by Agent Mafu, sparking up conversation. They manage to convince Raf to come back to the party, with Daniel Reminding him of what he told him on top of the roof a few days back. They begin to explore the Festival, visiting booths, and begins to wonder if this is more of a Cultural Festival or a Tech Expo. Cerise check up on Raf while theyre at Rey's booth to ask about an Invite to the dinner table reception, to which Raf does not recall about receiving, but assures to Cerise he will be there. She then asks Raf if its true he never really wanted to come, to which Raf Half lies saying he didnt think he had the appropriate wear for the event. It is all settled and Cerise goes off to talk to scorp about something.

###### Sakura Dinner Table

All close friends of Cerise are called to a private dinner as the night goes on. Andy stays behind while Raf goes up to the table. Everyone slowly arrives as the reception begins, Raf sparks up conversation with other people as the guest slowly arrive. Cerise starts off the dinner with a speech, and also announcements. Everyone at the table tries at convincing Raf to eat Fried Rat, forgetting he is human, with Xenophobic remarks soon following after. Cerise ends her speech, but Scorp soon asks to make a few remarks to which she gladly accepts.

Scorp goes up infront of the Dinner Table to try to ask for respect in her name despite her previous affiliations with The Outcasts and their actions. She asks for the fair treatment of Her people (The Liberation Society) as they are not aligned with the crimes of The Outcasts. She also asks for a moment of silence for those who died from the attack before hand. This all confuses Raf on how this relates to anything. She catches Raf and some of the attendees completely left field when she offers to help everyone out here and mentioning to prove the innocence of Baja. The Dinner continues Normally. Scorp gets up from their seat and tries to get Raf attention, but Raf ignores her as he is to focused on eating the Chicken Quail being served. His attention is then caught when 2 voices call out for him, and turns around to see both Scorp and Phoebe (Cerise's Sibling) standing behind him.

Everyone stops as Scorp demands Raf again to release Baja from prison, this Offputs Phoebe, heavily disgusted at Scorp's comment, with Raf confused and Angry just wanting to eat his chicken, Cerise yells to get Scorps attention as she overhears the convo. She gets in-between Scorp and Phoebe, Cerise brings up her Harassment law in the NAA agreement in which Scorp is violating. Scorp reluctantly agrees and goes back to her seat after Cerise gave her only warning. Raf sits there dumbfounded by what has just occurred infront of him. Phoebe see themselves out the dinner table after the ordeal, with Sawyer following them. Cerise and Daniel follow to comfort them while in the meantime, the dinner continues. Scorp then scares Remedi off when she tries to ask questions about Baja to her. The Dinner continues, but with a Panicking Cerise running around. The Dinner ends and everyone makes their way down to the Festival grounds, dancing the night away.

###### Cerise's Concerns

The sun rises over the festival, and everyone departs, but before Raf leaves, Cerise Asks for Raf's audience. They go under a tree, they chit chat for a bit until she begins to talk to Raf about a message she has received by the AR government in comment about the NAA. Raf wonders how as there has been no announcement about it until he realizes his glasses are recording and immediately turns it off. He apologizes about the massive mishap, and Cerise begins to clear up the misunderstanding and both of them come to an understanding on how things are probably going to be, and he begins to see how nervous Cerise seems to be about opening up. He promises Her that The Aethereal Kingdom, its rules, and its sovereignty will be respected, and assures to her that no matter what anyone else says, she will be a great leader, and will figure something out with what the AR has said. Cerise assures to Raf she trust him and is a valued friend, and is one of the only people she can speak to. Raf departs the party. Scorp then comes out as Raf leaves, and asks to speak to Cerise about her concerns about how people view her, in which they discuss about AR Government's recent actions. She promises Cerise that despite of everything she has been insinuating, she wont do anything rash in the terms of Baja's case.

###### Phoebe and Orphne

The Episode ends with Phoebe and Orphne having a talk, and that despite the NAA's Terms, she still blames Baja for everything. She threatens action if Baja is ever released. They both agree that the neutrality terms will be dropped if it were to come to that result. Time begins its inevitable march to the end of its cycle.

### The Prison

#### Rey's Visit

Rey is visited by Scorp once more, Scorp coming in with a request. She requests that Rey go to Baja's prison and visit him, under the guise of seeing that his prison cell is ok and that he's being treated ok. Rey reluctantly agrees and goes down to the location, before being escorted to the underground cell. Baja and Rey chat, with Rey cautious of Baja even as he's behind solid bars. Baja attempts to get into Rey's head, and its unclear whether it works or not. She however leaves the prison with a mixed bag of thoughts and feelings. She comes back to Scorp to let her know Baja is safe in the prison and where they're keeping him in the prison before Scorp leaves.

Baja in the meantime hijacks a prison computer during his little library time and broadcasts the co-ordinates to the prison in a cryptic code.

#### The Prison Break

Scorp sets out the following day and sets up camp near the prison as night falls. She finds a lone patrol officer, knocks him out, and steals his clothing, before throwing the evidence off the mountain. She collapses her base camp and writes a manifesto under the influence of Murk, before trekking to the prison.

She manages to get into the prison with little complications, knocking out the camera guard. She passes security down to the cells, but mistakenly gives a terrible fake reason for her to be down there. Security, suspicious of this, begins chatting about while Scorp find Baja. Right as Baja and Scorp arrive to the ground floor again, the security guards notice the camera guard is knocked out cold under his desk. The alarm is set off, and Baja and Scorp race to the top of the prison, with the guards in close pursuit. They set off a chain of explosives, taking the elevator out of service, before dealing with the roof guards. Scorp leaves the manifesto planted onto the ground floor, with a special last page, before flying off with Baja.

The manifesto is found hours afterwards in an investigation, brought back to Raf for reading. We look on as Raf reads the book, the mobs in the street protesting once more, as time begins its slow march to midnight.

### A visit from the SMD

#### Meeting with Lady karma

Days have gone by, agonizingly, with little leads on the whereabouts of the criminals. Meanwhile, Agents Carver and Mafu visit the newly constructed town square in Sakura before being invited by Cerise to her quarters. Cerise is asked about her connections to Raf and Scorp, as she fills the agents in on her ties to Scorp and her thoughts on Raf. Carver and Mafu explain the importance of Raf as they enjoy a meal cooked by Her. They depart, stomachs filled but questions emptied of answers, in search of more information.

#### Dj's Farewell

Agent Carver, Agent Mafu, and Daniel all find themselves led to a location broadcast by none other than Dj. Upon arriving theysit among a few other agents. They hear Dj give a sort of parting speech, denouncing and criticizing the Outcasts, before casuing his own death by explosion. The three however notice a robot part and realize Dj had faked his death. They depart, more questions than answers.

#### A Purple Comet

The day comes and goes as the sun begins setting. Scorp is sitting at the lake where the rift once stood, Baja in a cell in her Grove apartment. The sun shines radiantly as it finally vanishes, as Scorp questions if anything she had done was right. Right as she's about to leave, though, through the fresh night a purple comet rips through, landing not far from the area. She goes to investigate, finding a strange man in a crater of purple matter. She helps the man out, before hearing the approach of others. Scorp and the mystery man retreat into the woods, where he introduces himself as Locke. The agents and their allies arrive at the crater, but with no trail to be found and their only clue being the dark magical remnant, they turn around and head home. Locke is brought back to Underfrost before Scorp returns to her apartment to supervise Baja.

#### Daniel and the kids

Daniel confronts Rey on the suspicious timing of her visit. He questions her true association with Scorp, fertilizing and sprouting the seeds of doubt Baja had sewn. Daniel then speaks to Rey about the kids, as without the rift, their strange magic has begun harshly affecting them. Daniel offers up treatments as they discuss how to save the two. Rey agrees to never see Scorp again, and as Daniel leaves, the ticking of fate only grows louder.

### Bursting Flame

#### Café on Fire

Scorp talks with Baja, as he has clearly driven her insane, to the point of gunpoint. Baja however knows Scorp's promise-bound nature and manipulates her into weakness, having the upper hand every time. Scorp receives a call from Feath, putting up a ransom for Rey and her Cafe. Hostage negotiators surround the Misty Cafe in Athena as everything stands still. For just a moment, time stops as the fate of the future is decided. Scorp decides to keep Baja imprisoned, and with that Feath burns the Cafe down as he escapes through the ceiling. Time once again moves as Rey is brought out from the Cafe as it collapses inward from the flames. Raf rushes over and attempts to heal her. He heals her entire right leg and recently opened burned wounds, but runs out of energy to fix her left leg. Raf watches as Rey's limb is amputated to save her life, as Scorp drops the phone, the silence deafening and defeating.

#### Cerise's Rage

Raf and co visit Sakura in the midst of a town full of gossip. They find Ceruise, who is furiously making her way to the apartments. Scorp is talking to Baja when Cerise gets close to the building. Locke warns them that she's coming, and offers invisibility. Scorp initially refuses, confronting Cerise in the hallway. But as she goes past Scorp, Baja goes invisible and is freed. Cerise in rage goes for Scorp, but misses as Scorp too goes invisible and scurries off into the depths of the cave in search of the way out.

#### The Story of the Decayer Stone

Raf and Daniel tell Cerise they had found a strange buried stone at an archaeological dig site. She tells them that this stone is the decayer stone, a stone capable of summoning a world-destroying beast known as the decayer. Cerise, still enraged, lashes out at Raf, who calms her down by assuring her it is safely locked inside of his basement. The two leave, finally with some answers yet without closure.

#### Inhumane

Locke is shown the underground of Underfrost alongside Baja by Scorp. They end of their tour with a look at a hidden laboratory, showcasing her cruel and Inhuman experiments under the name of science. The Inhuman Labs as their called house freaks of nature and combinations unthinkable. We are shown the human sludge at the end, as it is explained how it came to be as a mess of souls and bodies melted into a hivemind.

#### The Hidden Safe

Orphne, Raf, Daniel, and Lady Mafu all visit Raf's basement vault where the decayer stone is encased in layers of rock still for the safety of everyone in the room. They discuss how to keep it safe, with Raf giving a false confidence to them that it was uncrackable.

#### Cerise's talk with Raf

Cerise, Raf, and Lady mafu return to the crime scene that is Scorp's apartment in search of clues. In it they find the Inhuman Logs #1 book (to be redone) and discuss the contents of this seemingly insane and random book. Yet at the back of the book they find the location and confirmation of Underfrost. They retreat to the cafe to chill, where Cerise has a talk with Raf about her concerns, getting visions and a creeping anxiety of something bad that is about to happen. She break down infront of Raf, because she cant keep these thoughts out of her mind, Raf comforts her, telling her that no matter what happened, they will tackle whatever comes to their way together. She gives Raf a kiss in the cheek and runs off, leaving a confused Raf.

#### Rey's new leg

Raf and Rey sit at the Misty Cafe that still stands in The Grove, as Rey and Raf chat about Rey's leg replacement. They talk about recent events and get caught up, before Raf goes home, followed by a familiar face.

#### The spirit of the damned

Raf arrives back at his home in Athena, exhausted and spread out on the couch, as none other than Alexis Starchip appears before his eyes. She warns him of the dangers within Scorp's misguided direction, providing afterlife updates on her existence since the day Sylvia arrived to their old home. She tells him of a prophecy of dark, creeping upon the world, and of how Scorp is the key to fighting back against it. Alexis then disappears, Raf confused. He attempts to get some sleep not long afterwards, as it starts getting late.

### The Search

#### Investigating The Liberation Society

More days have gone by, as a team of Athenian Soldiers arrives to investigate the wreckage of Cherry Town, where just days prior, a mysterious event destroyed the city once more. But the soldiers find nothing value at the site, as their time had been wasted by traps and fake clues.

Meanwhile, in the northern arctic, another group of soldiers arrives nears the supposed location of Underfrost. They walk towards the location, but are sidetracked by a cabin. The soldiers walk near and see old tire tracks in the snow, nearly fully filled in, with the culprits long gone. They enter to see a massive mess, blood, bullet casings, other fluids, and destroyed furniture. They look for clues before finding a tape and a disc. They follow the instructions on the tape and play it on a tv. They insert the mystery disc, only to be met with horrific and demonic sounds. They quickly stop it before leaving the cursed cabin, headed for the ominous pillar of light coming from the distance.

They look over the enormous hole in the ground, descending it. Waves of warmth first hit, then blast, as they get to the bottom and look towards the source. They look upon the settlement below, only to see horrors. Melted infrastructure, burning and rotting corpses, dead people in the dry streets. They carefully navigate this hellish wasteland of lava and death, finding only what remains of this melted civilization. They spot a mysterious entrance and decide to venture in.

Within they find the Inhuman Labs. The truth is exposed, as they find what's left of the experiments and their holding rooms. They see the human sludge, where one soldier stays behind. He's quickly killed and disposed of by the last remnant of the amalgamation of corpses, before having his identity assumed by the creature. The shapeshifted creature reunites with the group, right as Scorp sets off the place's self destruct sequence. The soldiers just barely make it out alive, before fleeing the cave in fear of a bigger collapse. They report to command, before getting out of the region.

#### A Less Yet Equally Terrifying Non-Solid Being

More Athenian Soldiers arrive at what remains of Wizard's Watch after complaints from neighboring villages of a creature. However after looking around they find a sentient moss pile that's incapable of communicating, known as Mug. Mug somehow has a talent for eating just about anything into his body, including guns. However he is relatively friendly and harmless, and is brought back by the soldiers to the Athenian Republic. Yet as they leave, they could almost hear the clock tolling its final hours in Wizard Watch's clocktower.

### The Summer Festival

#### The first day

The summer festival is started in the city of Athena, and all our favorite characters show up to have a drink at the renovated Misty Cafe,

#### The Party

Cerise and Raf's other friends surprise Raf with a party during the middle of the summer festival. This ends with our adult characters blackout drunk and our kid characters sugar crashed. Everyone falls asleep in the house.

Locke, Dave, Scorp, and Baja all take advantage of this information to sneak into Raf's house and steal the decayer stone. They break into the vault and unearth the decayer stone, before turning around to see Cerise behind them, blocking the entrance. Dave creates a portal as the four escape back to their secret bunker in the woods of Athena. in the morning, they notice Daniel is missing, Cerise Talks to Raf about what she saw last night, and assures to her that maybe thats where Daniel is at to take care of it. The Cafe is visited once more, but things feel different. The time is running out, as the hands of the clock of fate border midnight.

#### The Beach Episode

Our protagonists have hit the beaches for the last day of the summer festival. The private beach is filled with things to keep the kids busy while the adults try and relax, to little success. They eventually all calm down and go off to do something. This is when the kids are lured into a trap, where they are kidnapped by Meiji Corp Mercs and are teleported away. Daniel comes to the beach to tell them the grave situation at hand, in terror of this revelation and to make matters worse that the kids have vanished. The kids are brought to a location in the middle of nowhere, where Locke surprises Scorp and Baja with the children. Dave backs Locke up as the two sides get into a heated argument. Eventually Scorp and Baja settle down, and they make their journey. The chaotic four and their Meiji mercenary soldiers escort the children with them to a mountain in the middle of an inlet bay. They go into a cave, before scaling the outside. However SMD and Athenian Soldiers awaited them at the altar upon the summit. Cerise, Mafu, and Daniel block the way, as Scorp, Baja, Locke, and Dave get into fighting stances. A fight begins, but the guards are outnumbered, as the four push past their defenses and to the summit. They reach the altar, and as everyone looks up in horror to the sounds of laughter, the clock of fate strikes midnight. It's Late, too late.

### The Awakening

#### The Decayer pt 1

The four summon the decayer, but Scorp finally snaps, realizing she was being played. She lunges for Locke but fails, and is taken by the guards as the other three evils run away to oversee the ends that justified their means. The guards now run away from the mountain as dark disciples and demons begin to flood the continent.

#### The Decayer pt 2

Hours pass, and civilians are piled up to escape certain demise with the evac sites in Athena. Just two hours before, the partying was at its peak, before a rush of people flooded to evacuate after hearing the news. We see the kids and Rey and her friends on the Athena II. Scorp is wheeled out, but has no idea what is happening due to brain trauma. We switch perspectives as we watch Lady Mafu take a sacrifice for her people and Penny Bun, before Penny Bun and her servant flee the area. We see Cerise, Raf, Daniel, and some agents head towards the Aethereal evacuation site. We witness SMD agents and AR soldiers fight through buildings and the skies to protect the evacuation as sacrifices are made for the people to escape. Raf witnesses the decayer brutally attack Doryu, trying to protect the last evacuation convoy from Entropy to Athena, as she is left to her ambiguous fate. Locke incapacitates Raf after a fight, Baja sees the opportunity to end where the hope started. Finally, Baja himself questions his decisions as Remedi appears, only for Locke to kill her in front of Baja, Raf, and Agent Mafu. Baja Tries to kill Locke, only for Locke to shoot him in the eye. Cerise chimes in as the last defense to protect Raf, She begins to sword fight Locke, in the ensuing fight, Cerise expressed the time she spent with everyone when she reappeared in public, the lessons and experiences she was able to to go through, fueling her attacks on Locke, She then confesses her feelings to Raf, which catches an already crippled Raf by surprise, However, it was not enough, as Locke managed to get the upper hand, and give Cerise the final blow, mortally wounding her. Time begins to warp, as the battle ramps up intensity, with Locke aiming his shot at Raf.

#### The Decayer pt 3

We see a short glimpse of the SMD and AR soldiers from before as help finally arrives. We then go back to Locke, Mafu, and Raf, who are greeted by Blue Soul Raf. The 3 find it too late to save Remedi, but they take Baja and Cerise away for medevac, as they still had a pulse. Dave shows up to cause more mayhem. Meanwhile at the main battlegrounds, the SEDF arrives to combat the evil forces, giving our characters a glimpse into the multiverse. Locke and Dave fight the Raf's Agent Mafu and the SEDF, but are outmatched and realize they must switch to plan B, after which Dave runs off without a chance at catching him. We see the SEDF try to hold off Dave, but they are no match for his divine power as he breaches the Athena II. We now watch as BS Raf and Agent Mafu synch dance to fight back against Locke, switching back and forth between those three and Dave vs. Daniel. Locke feigns defeat before Dragonixing and pushing back BS Raf, Raf, and Agent Mafu, BS Raf and Locke fight it out, taking it to the moon. Meanwhile, Daniel fights Dave. BS Raf manages to beat Locke down back to Earth, However, Locke still had enough juice on him left, Locke blasts them, without any energy to react in time, Athena shows up to defend the Rafs and Agent Mafu. Locke speaks to Athena, inferring that there is something Athena is hiding, Athena, now enraged, forces Locke to leave in a portal. Daniel beats Dave, but Dave still has the detonator and presses the button to begin the Anti-Matter Bomb's countdown before vanishing. Daniel then sacrifices himself to take down the Decayer as Locke narrowly escapes with a last portal by throwing the Bomb.

#### Regroup and Start Anew

We watch as the survivors mourn Daniel and view the destroyed Earth. The Rafs, Derek, and Agent Mafu show up, they are then relayed of the news. Raf runs to Cerise, where she is confirmed to have passed away due to the blow locke gave her. Raf stands there lifeless, All of sudden a bright green object encircle the earth, Reverting the damage inflicted on Aetheria, it is then assumed that Aether sacrificed their own lives to fix Earth, the ships land to the new continent. Athena and Raf briefly talk, reflecting onto the events. Then Raf, Lollipop, and others go onwards to create a new country, the United States of Emerlin, Baja stays with the SEDF in custody, while after being in custody, Scorp is released with a crowd of people following behind as she disappears into the forest as she did all those years ago.. The Aethereal citizens go westward in search of a new home, Others decide to settle, more towns and nations form. And so the clock ticks once more, but hopefully with new preparations, this might be the last time they Regroup and Start Anew.

## Trivia

* In Voyage 2, most Volumes are named after songs, Volume 5 is named after the song It's Late by A Beacon School.
* This chapter was the final chapter of the Decayer Arc.
	+ Due to this, it ended with an animatic of the decayer event.
* This chapter is the longest of the first 5, and the longest so far in Voyage 2.
* After this chapter, the server went on a lore break for ~3 months.
* It took 11 months for the plot to be written on here fully