The time is 8:50
James wakes at his desk
James
Hm?
Why do I feel like I just woke up from a nightmare…?
Huh?
James looks around the room
James
W-why am I at my desk?!
James leaps up from his desk
James
Lacerta!
Lacerta emerges
James
(What happened?!)
(Wasn't I at Mitski's barn?!)
(I was!)
(And what about that Manifesto?!)
(Or the fire?!)
Shit!
James starts to leave his house, but as he does he runs into Will
James
Will!
How? Why? When did you get here?!
What happened?!
Will
I'm as confused as you are!
James
Tell me what happened!
Did you see anything?!
Will
Last I remember, I was at the barn on that farm…
I-I was following Chuck!
I-I saw him with Auriga!
He was there on the farm!
A-and there was a man in a suit and-and he killed someone right in front of me!
James
You saw Chuck!?
(And, did he say a man in a suit?
(Was he really there after all?!)
Wait, so you chased Chuck, then what happened?!
Will
I-I got to the barn, and I saw his Manifesto!
Then he set the barn on fire!
James
(So Chuck was the one who did it…)
I knew Mitski had to be leading me into a trap!
(Wait, no that can't be the case…)
(If he was leading me into a trap, then why would he also be set on fire?)
(Did he have a Manifesto that protected him like Aries?)
(No, I don't think that was the case…)
(Was it a Manifesto that would hide someone's abilities?)
(Like Cancer?)
(No, it's more likely he got betrayed by Chuck…)
(Chuck never did like accomplices…)
Hang on Will, I have a question.
Will
?
What is it?
James
You said you were following Chuck using Aurga, but how could you do that?
The barn was lit on fire while we were there!
Will
…
That's the thing James, I'm not sure how, but Auriga hasn't been wrong yet…
I-I think that farm is somehow able to exist in the past and present at once.
James
!!!
Past and present at once?!
What does that mean?!
Will
It means that the farm is somehow replaying events from yesterday, at the same time as playing them out in the present.
Not just that, when I was there, I saw events playing parallel to each other, both the man in the suit and Chuck doing things in the same place, but at different times!
James
(What kind of ability is that?!)
(But, if this farm is somehow able to have events run simultaneously, then that could explain how it keeps the good weather…)
(And if the farm were to "reset" so to say, then that would explain why we woke up back where we were yesterday!)
(And the reason we can do things differently before is because we weren't affected, meaning the farm has to have a certain range!)
(If I had to wager a guess, I'd say it would probably only extend to the property.)
Will
James!
C'mon!
James
Hm?
Will
We need to go and get that farmer!
He has to be behind all of this!
I just know it!
James
I-I…
(I know it's probably Mitski, but for some reason I don't think it's him…)
(If he knew about Manifestos, and was working for him, then it wouldn't make sense that he would also lead me into the barn, or that he wouldn't attack me.)
(Maybe he was hoping I'd get caught in the fire?)
(No, I don't think that's the case either.)
(If he knew about the fire, then why was he also caught in it?)
(But if someone, or something, was forcing him to go there, like a Manifesto that replays someone's actions, then it would make sense why he was in the barn!)
(But, that doesn't explain the screams the Manifesto was making.)
(It shouldn't be affected by something like fire…)
(But the user would be!)
(So, I'm looking for someone who could be in the barn…someone other than Mitski…but I was told Mitski was the only one on that farm…)
…
(…unless…)
Will!
Will
Huh?!
Yeah?!
James
We're going.
Will
Oh! Uh, great!
Will and James are running to the farm
James
Pick up the pace Will!
If I'm right, then we don't have a minute to lose!
Will
*hah* w-what *hah* do you mean?
James
If I'm right, then we have until 6 o'clock before our actions get set in stone!
Will
?!
What do you mean?!
James
Once we set foot on that farm, so long as that Manifesto is still active, today will keep repeating itself.
Will
How can you be sure?!
James
You said that the farm somehow exists in both the present and the past.
I'm willing to bet if you use Auriga once we arrive at the farm, you'll see Chuck, him, and us.
Will
What do you mean?
We weren't there at the same time, so how could I see all of us?
I've tried, and I can only look a day at the most into the past!
James
That's the point I'm trying to make. Today is the 28th of January, on that farm, the day would have to be some day in July, I'd wager the 15th, give or take a few days.
Will
…
How does that make any sense?!
I'm not getting any of this!
How does any of this work!?
James
From my understanding of it…
…The time loop of this Manifesto, which I'll call Horologium, was started back in July when presumably, he gave a Manifesto to someone or something.
After it got a Manifesto, Chuck must've arrived, whether he was brought there by him or if it was merely coincidence.
Once Chuck arrived, he lit the barn on fire, which is what we saw.
However, due to the time loop, the barn returned to normal.
But from what you've told me, and what I saw, it looks like people can still alter the farm as long as they weren't already part of the time loop.
Will
Wait, what do you mean by "if they weren't already part of the time loop"?
James
When we were at the farm, when the barn was lit on fire, I saw the farmer get lit on fire and not even blink twice, almost as if he had already been through that experience and he knew it would be fixed soon.
Will
Wait, now that I think about it, I saw some ashes outside of the farm's property while we were there…
James
Great! That means you've confirmed the range of the Manifesto!
Let's go!
James and Will run to the farm
They arrive outside the farm
They are greeted by the farmer from the beginning
Farmer
Eh?
Good!
I need to tell you!
The barn!
I just saw it burn down again!
What's happening over there!?
James
I'm sorry sir, but you wouldn't understand even if I tried to explain it.
Just know, I'll be solving it right now.
James marches towards the farm
The time is 9 o'clock
Mitski
Good evening detective!
James
Hi Mitski.
Mitski
You came back a lot sooner than I expected…
Will
Auriga!
Will gets ready to attack
James
Will! Don't.
Will
…?
Huh?
Why not?
This is his Manifesto we're looking for, right?
James
No, it isn't his.
Will
What do you mean it's not his?!
He's the only other one here!
James
Notice how earlier, I kept saying "something" and "it".
I was choosing my words very carefully there.
Will
Wait, so if he isn't the user, then who is?
James
Why don't you follow me and find out?
James brings Will to the Manifesto from earlier
James
Will, I present to you our mystery Manifesto: Horologium.
The Manifesto heaves and sighs, like it's struggling to breath
Will
So, what are we gonna do now?
James
Easy.
Ready?
James points his finger at Horologium
Will
What are you doing?
James
What else?
Finishing the job.
Lacerta emerges
James
Fire.
A gunshot rings out, the Manifesti crumbles away with a bullet hole in its chest
A spider falls from the rafters
Will
I guess it got knocked down from the shot
James
Nope.
Will
What do you mean?
James
I present to you, our Manifesto user.
Will
…
HUH?!
A-a spider?!
How can a spider have a Manifesto?!
James
Well, we're not sure what he can and can't give a Manifesto to.
We're also not sure what can and can't get a Manifesto naturally.
I believe this to be him experimenting with his abilities…
He's trying to test the limits of his abilities…
So we gotta catch him before he can find them.
Perspective change to Chuck and him
Chuck
C'monnn I'm bored!
How long are we gonna wait outside this dump!
I already burned the place down to ashes, and you already did your little test, so why don't we just leave already!?
Mysterious Figure
No, I need to see what our foe's capable of.
If he is to truly serve as a divine test given to me, then I must make sure he is adequately prepared for the undertaking being involved will require.
Chuck
…
(I'll show him a test…)
(I'll get my revenge and prove myself in one fell swoop!)
(Two pigeons with one stick, or however that foes!)
(Just you wait detective…)
(I'm coming for you…)