Project Fugato (2)

I haven't posted on YWS for a while, but nevertheless, I had been working consistently on this project for the past while. So yeah, most of you reading this will not be familiar with this, so if that's the case, I would urge and plead that you read the edited first part I posted a while ago. Link is here: http://www.youngwriterssociety.com/post412171.html#412171.

As well, if it's possible, could mods please move the first part into the Other Fiction section? I do not quite think this novel falls into any of the categories presented. Thanks in advance.

More author's note:

My intentions for this novel is getting more and more vague by the seconds. Ultimately, I am pretty clear on where this book is going to go, but you know, ideas come and go. Some ideas I had earlier in the planning process seemed too forced, and thus I had to adjust that. But because of that, these adjustments don't always quite stay consistent with the rest of the book... So yeah, it's slowly becoming a challenge to write. But nevertheless, I'm a rather persistent person when it comes to creativity, so I'll stick to this idea until the very end. Anyways, I guess I'll save the blabbering for another thread in the Writer's Corner section...

~~~

Part the First – That Obnoxious Cup of Coffee

Prologue 1.01 – Two Years Ago

July 23, 1865

2:13 PM

Lüllz, Corsiviera

“Do you not understand the importance?”

“It’s obviously a hoax, young sir.”

Evelyss sighed at his colleague’s ignorance. It was not his fault, however. One could only blame the fact that the Vean government was as cheap as The Lamp Post. This case did not merely need more resources and everything else, but it also needed more people; a lot more competent people so that Evelyss could actually have a good night of sleep. Right. Sleep. Something he did not have for at least three days. Something he did not have since he was notified Mr. Diveler was going to check on his progress.

“You see, explaining this verbally to you, Mr. Diveler, is not useful, at all. But don’t worry, I have evidence that this is much more than it seems,” Evelyss said, evidently waiting for something at their quaint little table beside a large panel of glass window.

“I see,” Mr. Diveler nodded, “Hmm… What are you waiting for, Evelyss?”

Evelyss pointed at the emptiness in front of him. “The coffee, the obnoxious cup of coffee that refused to be served. I need coffee before I fall down dead.”

The two men had been there for more than half an hour. If Evelyss was at home, he could have already made some forty cups of coffee in the time wasted. He could not perceive the fact how such an expensive looking hotel could fail to serve such a simple cup of coffee. He sighed again.

“Well, anyways, back on topic.” Mr. Diveler leaned back on the chair. He was a plump middle-age man and thus, for a while, Evelyss was worrying for the chair: he was afraid it was going to crush. Those wooden chairs looked fragile and expensive. Sitting on one, Evelyss would describe them as ‘sitting on tree stumps where parasite insects wait for the chance to bite your ass off.’ It was true; there were unexplainable holes here and there on every chair. Apparently, when Evelyss complained about it to a constipated, overweighed looking waitress who greeted them, she mocked him and said it was the ‘new fad and it was natural.’

“Yes, back on topic… Well. May I ask why did the government appoint you, Mr. Diveler, and solely you to a meeting of such importance?”

“Good question, I don’t know. The Vean government is pretty eccentric after all.” Mr. Diveler smiled, rather wearily. Evelyss slowly gazed away, he hated Diveler’s evasiveness.

“Miss!” Evelyss called at a waitress who was standing like a tree next to the archway exit of the area. The waitress paced leisurely, egocentrically toward their table.

“Yes sir, how may I help you?” Her face was stiff. Not exactly stern, she attempted to look friendly, but it failed. She managed to be as sweet as a dried lemon. Evelyss hated this unwelcoming façade more than he hated Diveler’s evasiveness.

“My coffee has not arrived yet, and it had been more than half an hour since I ordered it.” Evelyss pointed at his wrist, which he thought he had a watch on. He seemed slightly embarrassed when he realized he was merely pointing toward his raw wrist. The waitress remained stiff and ugly.

“Sorry sir, I will see what I can do.” The waitress paced away in the same manner she approached them.

The hotel restaurant was grand, asides from their chairs and debatable employees. Elegant silverwares, lavishly decorated walls, silk and frilly tablecloths, ethereal windows gazing over the even more ethereal scenery of Lüllz… But Evelyss did not like it. Or rather, he forgot how to like things after the reckless two years of endless work. For the past five months, everyday, he was in front of his typewriter, typing like a ticking clock; slow, but consistent. Or he would be out in the city, shopping for foodstuff that would keep him alive.

“Such service today…” Evelyss mumbled. He swallowed slightly as he eyed Mr. Diveler sipping his cup of sweet tea delightfully. Yes, he must be thirsty, not to mention exhausted.

“Well, is there anything else you would like to inform me, Evelyss?” Mr. Diveler wiped his mouth with the napkin. Evelyss observed the chaste of the white napkin destructed as Mr. Diveler mopped in a constant up and down motion over his lips. For some reason, the motion mesmerized—if not hypnotized him. Diveler noticed and stopped. “Um… Evelyss?”

“Oh, ah!? Pardon me!” Evelyss turned away, embarrassed. What was he doing?

I need my goddamn coffee, he thought. Then, he realized his eyes were starting to close involuntarily. His eyelids were so heavy that even toothpicks would crumble if they defy their closing.

“Gee, you are tired, good sir.” Diveler stated the obvious. Evelyss wanted to retort with something along the line of ‘no really?’, but no, he was too tired. He managed to feign an acidic smile. Yes, acidic.

“Sir, your coffee.” The waitress finally returned, with the same attitude and all.

“Thank…” Evelyss collapsed on the hot cup of caffeinated beverage landed on the table. No. More precisely, Evelyss’s nose landed perfectly into that hot cup of liquid as it slid perfectly under his falling face.

The waitress gasped. Diveler gasped.

“Oh Frigg! Oh freak! Oh fuck! Is he dead!?” The waitress covered her mouth with her right hand. It was a curious question of whether if she covered it because she cussed loudly, or for the fact that she was sincerely surprised. Immediately, she pulled the man away from the burning liquid. She observed his nose was obviously burned, or at least reddened.

“Take him to the hospital!” Diveler commanded.

A crowd soon gathered around their quaint little table; some were entertained by the situation, others were trying to help but failed. So much for a cup of coffee in an expensive hotel restaurant.

~~~

July 23, 1865

8:25 PM

Lüllz, Corsiviera

Evelyss groaned as he woke again.

“Where the hell am I?” He tried to turn his head, but was shocked by the sudden sting of his nose. “What the hell happened to my nose?” He could see his nose was poorly bandaged.

He realized he was in the hospital, in a room of his own. Evelyss could not smell the usual stench of a hospital. He sat up, mumbled something and winced at his sore nose. Then, at the corner of the room, there was Diveler snoring like a snorting pig on a cheap looking couch. Evelyss rolled his eyes but even that pained his nose.

He lay back down, confused. The last thing he remembered was the fact that ugly waitress was serving him that damned coffee. Soon, as he stuffed his pillow on his left ear, hoping to block out the boisterous snoring, he felt an itch in his nose. He blamed the dusty pillow. Some nurse or hospital worker must be a failure at keeping things clean.

Damn damn damn! Don’t sneeze! He thought. But it was too late. His nose suffered the sensation of being raped by an army of scorpions. Oh the agony.

“Ah!” Evelyss screamed, winced, rubbed his nose, and only to find it pained him more.

“Wha…?” Diveler woke at the commotion. The plump man noticed Evelyss’s suffering and rushed to his bedside. “Are you alright, good sir!?”

“You think I am?” Evelyss replied, still trying to find ways to comfort his nose. For a moment, he wished for no nose.

Diveler scratched his head and remembered Evelyss was oblivious to the entire situation. “You passed out in the hotel today. The doctor said you were over fatigued...”

“And?” Evelyss interrupted.

“And what?”

“My nose!” Evelyss pointed to the wound.

“Oh, right. Your face landed in the cup of hot coffee. Doctor claimed that it’s a minor burn, nothing severe. It will sting for a while, but other than that…” Diveler yawned soundly. “So, what else have you got to tell me that you didn’t?”

“Right… I have yet to show you the extensive research I did for the past few years.” Evelyss remembered that his purpose in the hotel was not merely there to drink his coffee. His case was the subject that was important. “But I’m still curious, though, why doesn’t the Vean government contact me directly? Excuse my nuisance, if you will.”

“They’re much too engaged with the defence of the country, you see.”

“Then why do they hire you if they were so occupied?” Evelyss inquired slyly. Diveler frowned for a moment, caught off guard by Evelyss’s persistence.

“Good question… As I said, the Vean government is a strange group, you see. So… Uh… Well, believe you me; I am not a fraud, good sir. Besides, who would be interested in such an insignificant matter when there are greater problems to deal with? Who would be concerned about the d’Ezeiles and the—” Diveler rambled for an excuse.

“Well, you’re not entirely wrong with that… I suppose it does me no harm to inform you what I know anyways… You are, after all, part of the Vean government and that’s proven…” Evelyss stared at the blank wall as he spoke.

“I’m glad you understand.” Mr. Diveler sighed of relief. “In that case, you said your set of evidence is not present with you, correct? So shall we discuss the case later?”

Evelyss nodded solemnly. There was then a grumbling sound that startled him.

“Well, I haven’t eaten all day. I suppose I should part soon, now that you’re fine…” Mr. Diveler stood. He offered his hand at Evelyss. Evelyss shook it. “Very well, I shall be back tomorrow. Good day.”

Mr. Diveler beamed at the younger man and waved goodbye. In return, Evelyss gave no particular gesture but a blank stare. And off went the fat man Evelyss had tea with today. Wait. He last spoke of food. Evelyss then realized he was hungry—no, famished too.

Damn that asshole.

~~~

Prologue 1.02

July 24, 1865

1:01 PM

Lüllz, Corsiviera

His nose felt artificial on his face. Gratefully, the pain had ceased. For now, Evelyss would describe it as a genre of ‘ants-crawling-on-my-nose’ pain and tingly.

“It seems like you are much better, Evelyss,” Diveler said as he marched into the room. He tipped his hat at Evelyss, who evidently was not enthusiastic about his presence. He was also holding a bag of something, presumably Evelyss’s belongings. They were collected and stored away in the hospital when Evelyss arrived yesterday.

“Oh, good day,” Evelyss replied coldly. “I suppose you have asked the doctor whether if I’m free to go today?”

The older man beamed and nodded. “How did you know?”

“I am an inspector after all, and you, Mr. Diveler are eager to see my evidence.” Evelyss was keen. He could see through a man’s heart and their desires. One might call him an epitome of logic, but he defied that title for this case that took him two years nearly drove him crazy.

Evelyss used to be a competent investigator. However, because of that, he was chosen to privately investigate the case; the case that no officers wished to do it because it was too hectic. Evelyss’s superiors, seeing that he was ambitious, promised him that he would get a generous raise if he could complete the mission. Upon hearing the opportunity, Evelyss agreed hastily. Only then, he realized this ‘case’ was an endless tunnel of qualms and a realm no man of logic would wish to travel into. Now he doubted his claim to be a competent investigator. Moral was: never take offers that sound too good, or one would eventually be very, much very sad.

It was not long after their conversation when Evelyss was freed from the house of the ill and frail ones. It was a good thing. Evelyss hated the hospital.

“Mr. Diveler, I am curious about the situation of Vea,” Evelyss said as he held a godly sandwich near his mouth. After being fed hospital food the night before, he had an epiphany of finding the grace in streetside provisions. The two men strolled down the vivid Lüllzian street, toward where Evelyss had kept his research for the past two years.

“Vea? Well, it’s all the same except the streets are emptier, people struggling to leave the country, and—why are you asking, Evelyss?” Diveler was also holding a sandwich. From his appearance, one would expect him as a gluttonous man that he was portraying.

“Out of curiosity, sir.”

“Do you have any family there?” Diveler spoke with his mouth full, which was quite a disgusting sight to Evelyss, who was quite heavy on table manners.

“Not anymore, but it’s my hometown after all. It’s only natural that I ask.”

“Yes, yes, I understand. I really do hope Courtiania’s clutches will not sprawl into the north of Vaniria. May Odin give them peace.” The middle-age man gave a little solemn gesture of a prayer. Evelyss rolled his eyes. He was not religious. He disliked the idea of religion whether if it was true or not. Thus, he also disliked religious people. If it was not for the case, he would blatantly say he disliked this Mr. Diveler. Though, he remained quiet.

Lüllz was a restless metropolis. Though lacking a festive or convivial atmosphere, it still served as a major cultural centre of the continent of Vaniria. Much of its history owed to its status as a port city that connected the great Vanirian Ocean to the major pathway that travelled into the depth of Vaniria: River Quinz. Asides being a resourceful city, it was also a busy centre of gourmet, economy and fine arts. Lüllz was better described as the Quartz of Quinz due its sturdy importance in the continent throughout the centuries.

However, Evelyss hated the city. He loathed the resourcefulness façade of it (he preferred to think that the citizens feigned their resourcefulness). He loathed the important-looking pedestrians. He loathed many things of it. He was merely here because his compilation of his research must be done somewhere outside of the danger zone of Vea.

“I hope you won’t mind this, but my workplace is in Syvyllieux, some half an hour of transportation from where we are.” Evelyss said as he swallowed the last of his sandwich. He wished for more, but he refused to ‘seem the same’ as his co-worker; in another words, he refused to admit his gluttony to Diveler.

“Not at all, young sir.”

As the two were walking down the busy avenue, Evelyss noticed immature children and young women were secretly giggling at his face. He knew immediately that his nose made him the next greatest clown in Lüllz. He attempted to ignore their naivety…

“Look, mother! I wonder if that man has a nose!” A child giggled. The mother shushed him, but was secretively smirking at Evelyss behind his back. In return, Evelyss gave them an icy glare. He put a hand across his nose, attempting to cover it.

“Haha, you’re live entertainment, good sir.”

Evelyss’s glare transferred to Diveler, who immediately feigned a cough. Evelyss, though a relatively cold person, was very conscious of his own image. Every morning, he would wash his face three times, clean his teeth more than the dentist would, and comb his hair until each strand placed accordingly to the ideal spot.

Evelyss led his co-worker into the underground tramway (or better known as the ‘subway’ to some people). If there were one Lüllzian thing that impressed the cocky young investigator, it must be the underground tramway. There were a few reasons why he liked it: first of all, it was an innovation that the rest of the capitals of Vaniria would follow (which proved that Evelyss endorsed technology), second of all, there was directly a station under his work place, making it very accessible, third of all, it was free public transit (he was cheap), and fourth of all those trams reminisced of him of the Vean tramcars (he was nostalgic).

“My lord, Lüllz is indeed quite a modern city! Tramway underground, that’s amazing!” Diveler was glancing around in the entrance of the underground station. Evelyss smiled, he smiled at his naivety, mocking him silently.

The two continued down the staircase to the ‘underworld’ of Lüllz. Evelyss loved the damp smell of the underground system, for curious reasons. Standing on the southbound platform, the two men waited patiently. Diveler, being a recent visitor from Vea, stood there curiously like a tourist. In fact, he looked like a tourist. Evelyss felt slightly embarrassed when street vendors suddenly approached the two men and asked them to buy monochromatic photos of Lüllz. He was thankful that the train arrived soon enough that he did not need to respond to the vendor.

~~~

July 24, 1865

4:21 PM

Syvyllieux, Corsiviera

Evelyss turned the rusty doorknob to his ‘workplace’.

“Ah, so this is your accommodation in Lüllz?”

“I prefer to call it my ‘workplace’, after all it was not my intended wish to live here,” Evelyss said glumly. The older man chuckled slightly. As Evelyss opened the door, he heard a sound coming from the kitchen in his suite. He opened the door quickly, flung his shoes to the side, and rushed into the kitchen.

“Sir! If you don’t mind, please take off your shoes, I have some matter to deal with in the kitchen, please make yourself at home,” Evelyss yelled from the kitchen. His neighbour’s fat cat was once again invading his apartment. He knew he should have known better than to leave the windows opened in the kitchen.

Mr. Diveler settled himself comfortably near the window, by the typewriter Evelyss had consistently used for the past five months he was here in Lüllz. The small apartment, though plain and cramped, was tidily kept, reflecting Evelyss’s favour of discipline. The walls were plainly painted in a thin layer of light azure with no paintings or wall hangings. Furnishing was modest. Eventually, Diveler’s gaze of curiosity landed on Evelyss, who was standing and panting in the foyer, next to the kitchen door on his left.

“Matter dealt with?”

“It’s to blame myself for leaving the windows opened yesterday…” Evelyss said.

“Oh?”

“The neighbour’s cat snuck into the kitchen and made a mess of it.” Evelyss settled himself on a chair across of Mr. Diveler. He suddenly stood briefly after settling down. “Oh! Would you like some tea or coffee?”

“Coffee would be great.” Diveler smiled mildly, for he was reminded of the accident from yesterday. Evelyss rolled his eyes and marched into the kitchen once more.

~~~

Two porcelain cups sat comfortably on their saucers, exhaling hot fragrance of coffee. They were like a couple of lotus, floating peacefully on their little boats. Their peace was eventually interrupted as the plump man picked up a cup and devoured its contents.

“Well, I am curious, why are you in Lüllz when your subjects are in Vea?” Diveler said as he placed the half-full cup back onto its saucer.

“Well, when I announced to the government that I gathered enough information to create a first draft on the report, they said that in order to keep the information entirely safe from the subjects, I had to process my information elsewhere. They chose Lüllz in the end. While I’m away, there should be another investigator following up on a second set of evidence.” Evelyss sipped the coffee.

“A third person on this case…?” Diveler said hesitantly.

“Why? Is there something wrong?”

“Unless you’re speaking of the one who mysteriously quit a while ago, I’m not quite sure about this ‘third person’…” There was a moment of silence. Evelyss was slightly perplexed. “Now, where may your project be?”

There was a little pause. Evelyss kept quiet at that comment, however.

Evelyss stood and walked toward a locked cupboard, unlocked it and gasped. Fear disguised itself as a lump in his throat; he started to search the cupboard’s surroundings wildly.

“Is there something wrong?”

“It’s missing! The file… The documents! I swear it was in—ah! Oh lord… It’s… It’s…” Evelyss’s breathing quickened every movement he made.

“Is it completely gone?” Diveler stood, walked toward Evelyss, aiding him on the search. Evelyss inhaled deeply and stopped.

“No. I have an extra copy, but I am afraid the confidential information is on unruly hands.” Evelyss stood calmly. He swallowed the fear’s disguise. In reality, he was still afraid. But there was no time for that, this case had become urgent. He blamed his idiocy and the fat cat next door.

“Very well, that shall suffice for now. We must hurry and present it to the government before anything happens.”

Evelyss walked into the kitchen, this time, Mr. Diveler followed. The kitchen was revealed to be an extremely plain cubicle that consists nothing more than a few wooden drawers, a stove and an oven. At the end of the room, a window gazed at the picturesque skyline of Lüllz behind a vast lushness of greeneries. The afternoon sun glorified the scene to its fullest extend. Mr. Diveler was appreciating the scene, despite the urgent situation. Meanwhile, Evelyss opened a drawer, took a can labelled ‘extra coffee’, opened it and drew a thick package of documents from its emptiness.

“I’m glad I always have an extra copy of everything,” Evelyss said coolly. He handed the package to Mr. Diveler was still gazing out the petite glass panel of the kitchen.

“No wonder you were so terrified when the cat invaded your kitchen and that’s quite a delightful scene you’ve got—” Diveler’s words were interrupted by Evelyss’s glare. It was more like a ‘plead-glare’ though, after all, he was in quite some trouble. “Ah yes, your project. Let’s settle ourselves down and start for the very beginning, if you may, good sir.”

The two men settled once again in the table of the living room.

“As I have stated before, the case on the d’Ezeiles’ were not as simple as merely as an accident,” Evelyss began.

“Then you blame the de Salieris’?”

“No. That’s the thing that perplexed me the most. It was not the de Salieris’ either. How would you explain their unification, if that was the case?”

“As I said, it’s merely a hoax the de Salieris’ made to cover up the incident.”

Evelyss shook his head and sighed. It was going to be a long day…Actually, a long evening. He stared at the clock that ticked slowly away the time, like it had always done for the past two years.

“The story begins as such…”