Chapter XIX. Primo & Adios
The earth has guilt, the earth has care,
Unquiet are its graves;
But peaceful sleep is ever there,
Beneath the dark blue waves.
("The Ocean" by Nathaniel Hawthorne)
Upon reaching the beach as planned, the sky and sea had both transformed into absolute darkness. Only the sound of crashing waves could be heard.
Hades noticed Frollo unbuttoned his shirt, folded it carefully, and unfastened the belt. He handed the shirt and the belt to Jafar-Hades assumed it was because Frollo hid his Bible in the chest pocket and attached his cell phone with a strap onto the belt. Frollo still wore another T-shirt and pants though.
"You wanna go to the water?" asked Hades. He really wanted to do so, to wash away all his tangling thoughts after the trial.
"Jafar, do you think it's unfair if we leave you alone ashore?" Frollo turned his back to Jafar. Hades could see nothing but darkness on Frollo's face, he assumed Frollo still had that emotionless expression.
"Yes, I would definitely feel...scammed if you two do so," said Jafar. Hades appreciated that man refrained from uttering "jealous" straightforwardly, for jealousy was a weakness of Jafar's, "How about we rotate? Each of us gets 10 minutes solo in the water, while the other two remain on the shore for any mishaps with the guy in the sea."
"Deal," said Hades. In silent accord, the group agreed for Frollo to go first, allowing him to step into the water steadily. Frollo submerged himself in the ocean, resurfacing and diving repeatedly, probably three times if Hades' math was correct.
At times, Frollo vanished from view for an obscurely extended duration, leading Hades to suspect that Frollo might be attempting to drown himself-Jafar seemed anxious and was about to storm in for the rescue. However, Frollo would resurface (gasping for air desperately, his breath louder than the crashing waves) from the depths, dispelling Hades' concerns.
Suddenly, the sight reminded Hades about his oversight of forgetting to pack spare clothes. What a pity, Hades mused. The unrehearsed beach trip was his brainchild, yet he failed to bring any extra garments.
Once Frollo emerged from the water and excused himself for changing his clothes, Jafar approached the water next, leaving Hades alone to keep an eye on him from the shore. However, Jafar merely ventured into where the ocean's surface barely grazed his knees, as he was interested in collecting seashells, nothing more and nothing less.
Jafar returned with many seashells in his hands. Hades could sense his former roommate and colleague's enthusiasm in displaying his treasure. What a pit that Hades couldn't catch a glimpse of anything.
Frollo happened to come back after changing his clothes, it was finally Hades' turn to emerge in the embrace of the Mother Ocean-What a pity, that he didn't even bring anything for a beach trip! He even was wearing an expensive suit for the courtroom!
Hades loosened his tie and unlaced his shoes, as if on the edge of ripping them apart, and tossed them toward Jafar. He sprinted toward the boundary where the sand met the sea, allowing the waves to cleanse his bare feet.
Let go of Zeus, let go of the lawsuit, let go of all his vexation. There was only the voice of crashing waves.
"Frollo, are you alright?"
Not until they returned to the car with the light on did Jafar realize Frollo's face was paler than ever. He lay on the shotgun seat like a Rescue Anne. Did diving in water exhaust him? The guy was fairly fit for his age, he was a persistent jogger compared to Jafar at least. Or did anything Frollo have at dinner initiate any allergy? Was it why the man ordered the simplest meal in such a well-known seafood restaurant?
"I'm fine..." said Frollo, his voice barely audible.
"Hey, maybe drive him to my mansion. It's like 10 minutes from here," Hades probed his head to the driver's seat, "You two can stay in my house if you want."
So Jafar drove them to Hades' mansion. Hades led them to the home cinema, which Hades said had "the softest couch you can buy in California". The scene was just chaotic, Hades wasn't even sure if he closed the gate-In fact, Frollo could walk on his own, Jafar's assistance probably was a total disservice. It was just that Frollo looked weak and tired, reminding Jafar of the night he drank too much alcohol and passed out.
"Frollo, quick, name any musicians you like," Hades turned his whole album shelves upside down, "Fair warning: I don't have anything you may hear like Beethoven..."
"Just the one you hear when you're about to go to bed..." said Frollo, slouching onto the couch with Jafar holding a cup of hot cocoa at his side, "You don't hear trap music before bed, do you?"
"...Linkin Park Underground 13," Hades raised an album into the air. The cover was pure white with only some skims of colour, like those paints of minimal art, "Don't worry, most of the songs are instrumentals...at least from what I remembered. And can you choose your favourite colour?"
"...And may I ask what's that for?" Frollo took the hot cocoa from Jafar and asked.
"Uh...my stereo system has an LED lighting system. By default, it will alter its colour from every colour on the rainbow. I believe it will be too dazzling for a man who just wants to rest here," Hades forced a wry smile and patted his stereo system like he was rewarding a puppy, "But I can set it to just one colour so just choose one."
"So I can choose a colour from the rainbow?" Frollo asked after a sip of the hot cocoa, "Then yellow, it's the least likely option to cause an eyesore. Thank you."
Hades adjusted the stereo system and plugged it in. Frollo squinted since the golden light emitted by the LED was too bright. The smooth notes sounded like grand piano rang, as Frollo watched Hades turn the volume down in a spin, so the following trap set and electric guitar wouldn't hurt a weakened Frollo. Hades was too accustomed to blasting the music at maximum volume, he had to turn it down a bit.
"Anything I can adjust?" Hades turned to his back and smiled, but all he could feel was those sweats on his back.
"...Hades," Frollo was visibly concerned, "I think someone just broke into your house."
"What?" Hades was confused. He quickly dashed toward the doorstep of the home cinema, and he saw Zeus' unexpected appearance.
"Zeus..."
"Hey, Hades!" Zeus' voice was sonorous and loud, even louder than the music from the stereo system. Zeus tried to hug his brother, but Hades just backed off into the home cinema. Jafar was shocked by the sudden voice, he raised his head in fear-the man breaking in was bigger and taller than any of the three.
But Frollo just...glanced, like this stranger was merely a guest.
"No, no visiting, I have guests today. Get out of here, I don't want to deal with any family business anymore!" Hades blocked Zeus from getting closer to Jafar and Frollo behind him. He KNEW his brother had the capacity to knock him out by merely dashing forward, but he...the two men on the couch were more brotherly than the pile of muscles in front of him.
"Oh, I am here for the family business, don't you worry, brother," Zeus stepped forwards slowly, leaving the only option for Hades was back down, back down, and back down.
"Get out of here, or I will call a restraining order," Hades shrank like a ball in the home theatre corner as Zeus successfully trapped him. He tried to sound tough, but he KNEW how cowardly he looked, he even yelled: "HEY REMEMBER WHO HIRED THAT BLONDE HOT LAWYER? SHE'S MY MAN!"
"Please don't, or I'm calling the police," Jafar decided to stand up, even though he was shaking like the home cinema were Antarctic.
"It's none of your business, gentleman," Zeus just grabbed the chair next to him in hand like it weighed nothing, Jafar had to stay at the safest distance from Zeus.
Oh, how powerless Hades felt at this moment! And the album played the first non-instrumental song, Primo. The peaceful piano prelude and Chester softly singing "Like shining oil this night is dripping down/ Night is dripping down" served as the loudest irony at the moment of family drama.
Zeus continued: "Hades, explain to me what's that nonsense evidence in detail."
"I DON'T KNOW! I WAS AS CLUELESS AS YOU!" Hades cried out desperately, "LOOK, BROTHER. EVEN IF I HATE YOU, I WOULD NEVER EVER..."
"Back off."
Hades was interrupted by Frollo. The frag man put his cup of hot cocoa aside and stood up from the couch with a gun pointing at Zeus.
"Frollo, you don't have to..."
"Zeus, right?" Frollo didn't let Hades finish the sentence, he said the words clearly and calmly despite his illness, "I count to three, put down the chair and stay away from your brother. One..."
Not until Frollo finished the countdown, Zeus raised his hand for hurling the chair at Frollo, yet Frollo pulled the trigger faster.
Suddenly, all Hades could hear was his own petrified scream. A scarlet burst tainted the golden wall illuminated by the gleaming LED. Zeus now lay motionless before him, a crimson mark resting between his eyebrows.
This was the man for whom he sacrificed everything he loved, the man he used every fibre of his to resent. Hades' shame and pain. Now lifeless on the ground.
Frollo then closed his eyes and pointed the gun at his own temple. Jafar dashed to him and held him. He shouted: "NO! FROLLO! You don't have to...you did it out of self-defence...Don't."
Frollo exchanged a glance with Jafar, the emotions in his eyes still remained unreadable for Jafar. Tears streamed down Frollo's face, and he lowered his weapon, his hand swaying near his knee.
"...Hades, it's your call," said Frollo, but Hades was still crying and kneeling next to Zeus.
"Hades...LOOK AT ME!"
Hades raised his tearful face and looked up at Frollo, who still held the gun.
"Can I die for taking away your sibling, even if you hate him from your heart?"
"Don't...Frollo...just...don't..." Hades didn't even know what Frollo meant-Why does this man keep apologizing for the things he couldn't even control? It is getting really annoying. Frollo, just don't.
Hades buried his face in Zeus' muscular abdomen. He could hear Frollo's footstep become closer, and he saw Frollo remove Zeus' ankle monitor (from his conditional release) and put the monitor on Frollo's neck.
"Frollo...what do you want now..." asked a confused Hades.
"I want to say something to Jafar in my dorm, can I?" Frollo asked gently.
"Frollo, just stay here. We will call the police. It's self-defence, you will be fine, don't complicate..."
"Jafar, you don't understand," Frollo interrupted and shook his head, "I am far beyond salvation. The man in front of you is not the only victim of me."
"Frollo, no, every man you killed on the battlefield, you did it for the country-"
"I didn't. It was a murder," Frollo placed both his hands on Jafar's shoulders and bowed his head, a tear dropped from his nose, "Jafar, let me tell you in the dorm...drive me home, please."
Seeing Frollo insist on going home, Jafar just didn't know how to say no. He looked at Hades, who was still leaning on his brother's corpse, crying.
"Jafar...Jafar...I did everything for you..." Jafar could barely comprehend Hades' sentences.
"...I'll call the police for you, ok?" Jafar caressed Hades, trying to calm him down. His ex-dormmate and once-mentor just nodded. Then he left the home cinema with Frollo, and the lyrics of "Primo" faded out:
"Tell them I couldn't help myself
And tell them I was alone
Tell them I was the only one
And there's nothing that can stop me from going home..."