So you ever actually done this before? I mean, actually built one that floats and works. Because I've built shit-- not a boat, but like, stuff-- but there's a big difference between building something and having it actually work.
My father had more than one boat, [he says with a light smile.] We would rent them out to tourists who wanted to visit the nearby islands or try their hand at fishing for extra money. I helped with building and repairing them.
[Bruno's eyebrows raise a little at the gesture, but there's a subtle increase to his smile. Never let it be said that Polnareff's enthusiasm isn't at all infectious.]
[Bruno finishes off the last of his coffee, setting the mug aside as he turns back to the plans, carefully rolling them up.]
I'll try to keep that in mind, but I won't make any guarantees that there won't ever come a time when I have to use him on a living thing in front of you, [Bruno says with some amusement. He stands up once he's got the plans gathered, glancing up at Polnareff as he passes him.] At least I know an easy way to get you to talk if I ever think you're holding something back from me.
[He narrows his eyes, but then Bruno has strolled past and he's left wondering. It's not actually all that unpleasant a feeling, despite the threat of Sticky Fingers looming over his head.]
Can't you just pull out my fingernails like they do in every other mobster movie?
[He shoves his hands in his pockets and falls into step with Bruno. There's only a few inches between them in height, which makes walking alongside him fairly easy.]
So, uh . . . how does a fisherman's kid go from building boats and renting them to tourists to a mob . . . guy? I mean, I know you said your mom lived in Napoli, but--
[And he almost leaves it close to that, maybe with a passing comment that he got involved the way most kids got involved with gangs by getting in well and truly over their heads. It's a standard non-answer that he's given so many times, it's almost second nature, because it's always been the general rule that every man's past was his own. But that piece of Bruno's past wasn't kept just to himself, and more than one person saw the spectre of his past.]
[He glances at Polnareff, his smile at this point faded and replaced with something else entirely by the time he looks ahead again.]
My father agreed to take two men to an island so that they could fish. He was about to leave when he noticed that one of them left behind their rod, so he went to deliver it. But they weren't there to fish. They were there to make a drug deal. They saw my father and tried to kill him, but he managed to hang on long enough to get to the hospital where they stabilized him.
I knew they weren't going to let him live though. He saw their faces and exactly what they were doing. They came that night to finish it.
So, I did what I had to. I killed them.
[Bruno says this firmly and with his eyes nearly as cold as they were that night, but that doesn't mean he's without feeling. It's quite the opposite. The men he killed have been dead for eight, nearly nine years, but there will always be embers of his hatred and anger for them somewhere beneath the surface.]
I knew that wouldn't be the end of it. More would keep coming for my father. I went to Passione to protect him. I worked up to having my own team and Polpo began favoring me above other officers within a few years. In exchange, my father was kept safe and his medical bills were paid for five years until I was seventeen.
[It's like their conversation on the network all over again, but magnified tenfold. He'd expected something short and simple-- not a lie, exactly, but certainly nothing so personal. It's an intimate story, and one Polnareff is a little shocked to hear-- but he's honored, too. They're not close, precisely, but the very fact he's told Polnareff this at all means he thinks highly enough of him to trust him with it.]
It was a noble thing to do.
[He says it softly, but his voice is no less serious for it.]
Both the killing and what you did afterwards. There's a lot of people who wouldn't have done either.
[And this time, Bruno does leave it at that. The events that put his life on the path that he walked were one thing, but his regrets and failures were another entirely. Those were things he was intent on keeping to himself and leave at rest with the hope that Giorno's ascension was enough to atone for what he'd complacently allowed to fester further within Passione.]
My story is not so unique though. Most of the kids who found their way to Passione faced similar problems before joining our ranks.
[Bruno opens the front door to the mansion, holding it open for Polnareff to go outside first.]
[Which isn't a judgement, just an observation. It'd be stupid to judge; he himself ends up there, in the end. He slips past Bruno-- and here comes Chariot, floating above his user, peering at Bruno.]
So. Pine or spruce.
[He knows pine, at least, and fortunately, there's a fair few of them towards the edges of the forest. He nods Chariot towards a likely looking one, and-- well, his Chariot wasn't built for cutting trees, but the blade is sharp and it's not going to dull anytime soon, so soon he's at work, slashing at the base of the tree in short, precise cuts. And as he works, he glances over at Bruno.]
Thanks, by the way. For doing this with me.
[It's a bit of an indulgence, for all neither of them actually has anything but time.]
[Bruno wouldn't have faulted Polnareff if he did pass judgment. There were a lot of kids out there with problems, but not every single one was directed by Bruno to Polpo. He was careful and selective because there was always a chance that some of those kids, it was just a momentary blip in their lives where things were hard and seemingly insurmountable. But they'd drift away from the fringes with a gentle nudge and be back to life as usual.]
[Regardless of where Polnareff does or doesn't end up in his future doesn't really factor into it. Right now, Polnareff's not the sort of person who exists primarily in the fringes and Bruno doesn't anticipate immediate understanding.]
[So, Bruno is merely quietly grateful for it as he watches Chariot for a moment. This is actually his first time seeing Polnareff's Stand as it was before it became Silver Chariot Requiem. His gaze slips over to Polnareff as Sticky Fingers appears beside him.]
Certamente, Polnareff. I've spent plenty of time by the sea, but it will be nice to actually be on the water again.
[Sticky Fingers moves to a tree, striking it with a fist and immediately creating a zipper at its base.]
[A little murmur, because he hadn't actually thought Sticky Fingers could be used like that. But it's less creepy and more fascinating this time around, and Polnareff leans in, staring with interest. But Bruno is, ultimately, more interesting than his Stand-- and so he glances over after a moment, a grin flashing.]
Ah, well, if you insist--
[There comes that memory again-- of how things had been when they'd been under that weird 50's illusion, how he'd taken just about every opportunity to flirt. It's not quite as cringeworthy a memory as it was a few weeks ago-- now it's just a reminder, a little comparison of then and now.Then, he would have let those words go on to something a little smirky and sexual, something like --I can think of a few ways you could thank me.
Now, he lets it be. Bruno can finish that sentence as he sees fit.]
[Bruno's eyebrows start to raise minutely as Polnareff cuts off whatever it was he was about to say because Bruno is fairly certain there was more to that sentence than where Polnareff made it end. But there's nothing filled in and Polnareff moves on, so Bruno decides that he might not want to know. Bruno shakes his head a little as Sticky Fingers carefully controls the tree's descent to the ground. Once it's down, Sticky Fingers splits it in half with another zipper.]
[That is the sound (and, in all likelihood, taste) of a liar.]
But I'm just warning you-- there are some out there. Or-- one, really, a leviathan, but one's more than enough, right?
[Chariot is both more and less precise than Sticky Fingers. His way makes more of a mess-- there's bits of bark and wood gathering in the area he's in-- but on the other hand, he's got cleaner cuts. He's a bit slower, though-- Chariot's only just managed to down the tree.]
[Yeah, Bruno doesn't actually believe that for a second. But because he's a generous and merciful soul, he'll let it slide.]
Mm, I've heard of the leviathan before. But as far as I know, no one has seen or heard anything from it since. [Bruno steps over a little closer to the tree that Sticky Fingers felled, glancing back at Polnareff.] I'm sure it will return eventually, but there's no sense worrying about it endlessly in the meantime when it might not even make another appearance so long as we're here.
I didn't say I was worried. I'm just saying, it's out there, along with all the sharks and squids and other creepy junk in the ocean.
[He wrinkles his nose at Bruno, even as Chariot hovers over his own tree. It's not a competition, but now Chariot's blade goes a little faster. Like, he's not going to do a shoddy job, but he'd like to keep up, thanks.]
Which, by the way, if you don't know? There's a ton of it. I don't know why goblin sharks even exist.
[While Polnareff is talking, Bruno's taking a moment to inspect the wood before letting Sticky Fingers further divide it. But at the comment about goblin sharks, Bruno turns his head a little, bringing the back of a hand up and covering his mouth as he laughs softly.]
And what's wrong with goblin sharks? I'd think a viperfish would be more difficult to look at.
[He likes that laugh, actually. He likes it so much that he plays up what he's saying-- not a lot, he really doesn't care for deep sea fish, but just a little.]
I don't know what a viperfish is-- and don't tell me, all right-- but goblin sharks, they're like--
[He gestures in front of his face, like that's going to help.]
That nose, first off, what's the point of that friggin' nose, but then they've got that mouth! It's not a normal mouth, it looks like something on a person-- why does a shark need a mouth like that! But then, if that wasn't enough, they've got a second mouth! A second mouth that just pops out like it's the alien from Alien, what the fuck is wrong with the ocean.
[Bruno watches the gestures, which does very little to actually illustrate what he's talking about, but does keep his attention entirely centered on Polnareff for the moment. It's not really until he gets to the second mouth part of his small rant in opposition to goblin sharks that Bruno has to turn his head away again with another laugh.]
Not everything in the ocean is horrifying to look at, Polnareff. Even some of the bioluminescent fish in the deeper parts of the ocean are beautiful in their own way.
Comb jellies are a good example. They're similar to most jellyfish, except the way they move creates the illusion of a shimmering rainbow underwater and they don't sting. They're sticky instead.
How is it I have two friends who know a lot about the ocean?
[It's not actually a complaint, just an observation. Polnareff reaches forward, prodding his downed tree with a foot. It's coming out fairly neatly, actually-- Chariot's started on cutting the log into strips, things that could eventually be filed down into boards.]
That's pretty okay, though. I could deal with seeing them on our trip.
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[More a confirmation than a question. Polnareff reaches out, grabbing it and studying it more closely.]
Any kind of wood you really want, or-- I was thinking Chariot could cut down a few trees outside.
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Soft woods like spruce or pine would be best. They're less likely to reject the epoxy and tend to come with fewer knots, so they'll bend easier.
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[He glances up.]
So you ever actually done this before? I mean, actually built one that floats and works. Because I've built shit-- not a boat, but like, stuff-- but there's a big difference between building something and having it actually work.
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[That's a happy exclamation, and he grins at Bruno.]
So let's get started-- come on, you can keep me company while Chariot and I chop down trees. Unless you can-- y'know--
[He wiggles his fingers, which is supposed to indicate Sticky Fingers unzipping a tree.]
In which case you're totally helping.
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You're not as bothered by Sticky Fingers anymore?
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[He stands as he says it, and nods his head-- come along, then, bring the plans.]
And I'd rather not watch if you're going to unzip somebody's thumb or whatever, but I mean. [He shrugs.] It's less freaky if it's not a living thing.
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I'll try to keep that in mind, but I won't make any guarantees that there won't ever come a time when I have to use him on a living thing in front of you, [Bruno says with some amusement. He stands up once he's got the plans gathered, glancing up at Polnareff as he passes him.] At least I know an easy way to get you to talk if I ever think you're holding something back from me.
[Is he serious or is he teasing?]
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Can't you just pull out my fingernails like they do in every other mobster movie?
[He shoves his hands in his pockets and falls into step with Bruno. There's only a few inches between them in height, which makes walking alongside him fairly easy.]
So, uh . . . how does a fisherman's kid go from building boats and renting them to tourists to a mob . . . guy? I mean, I know you said your mom lived in Napoli, but--
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[And he almost leaves it close to that, maybe with a passing comment that he got involved the way most kids got involved with gangs by getting in well and truly over their heads. It's a standard non-answer that he's given so many times, it's almost second nature, because it's always been the general rule that every man's past was his own. But that piece of Bruno's past wasn't kept just to himself, and more than one person saw the spectre of his past.]
[He glances at Polnareff, his smile at this point faded and replaced with something else entirely by the time he looks ahead again.]
My father agreed to take two men to an island so that they could fish. He was about to leave when he noticed that one of them left behind their rod, so he went to deliver it. But they weren't there to fish. They were there to make a drug deal. They saw my father and tried to kill him, but he managed to hang on long enough to get to the hospital where they stabilized him.
I knew they weren't going to let him live though. He saw their faces and exactly what they were doing. They came that night to finish it.
So, I did what I had to. I killed them.
[Bruno says this firmly and with his eyes nearly as cold as they were that night, but that doesn't mean he's without feeling. It's quite the opposite. The men he killed have been dead for eight, nearly nine years, but there will always be embers of his hatred and anger for them somewhere beneath the surface.]
I knew that wouldn't be the end of it. More would keep coming for my father. I went to Passione to protect him. I worked up to having my own team and Polpo began favoring me above other officers within a few years. In exchange, my father was kept safe and his medical bills were paid for five years until I was seventeen.
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It was a noble thing to do.
[He says it softly, but his voice is no less serious for it.]
Both the killing and what you did afterwards. There's a lot of people who wouldn't have done either.
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[And this time, Bruno does leave it at that. The events that put his life on the path that he walked were one thing, but his regrets and failures were another entirely. Those were things he was intent on keeping to himself and leave at rest with the hope that Giorno's ascension was enough to atone for what he'd complacently allowed to fester further within Passione.]
My story is not so unique though. Most of the kids who found their way to Passione faced similar problems before joining our ranks.
[Bruno opens the front door to the mansion, holding it open for Polnareff to go outside first.]
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[Which isn't a judgement, just an observation. It'd be stupid to judge; he himself ends up there, in the end. He slips past Bruno-- and here comes Chariot, floating above his user, peering at Bruno.]
So. Pine or spruce.
[He knows pine, at least, and fortunately, there's a fair few of them towards the edges of the forest. He nods Chariot towards a likely looking one, and-- well, his Chariot wasn't built for cutting trees, but the blade is sharp and it's not going to dull anytime soon, so soon he's at work, slashing at the base of the tree in short, precise cuts. And as he works, he glances over at Bruno.]
Thanks, by the way. For doing this with me.
[It's a bit of an indulgence, for all neither of them actually has anything but time.]
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[Regardless of where Polnareff does or doesn't end up in his future doesn't really factor into it. Right now, Polnareff's not the sort of person who exists primarily in the fringes and Bruno doesn't anticipate immediate understanding.]
[So, Bruno is merely quietly grateful for it as he watches Chariot for a moment. This is actually his first time seeing Polnareff's Stand as it was before it became Silver Chariot Requiem. His gaze slips over to Polnareff as Sticky Fingers appears beside him.]
Certamente, Polnareff. I've spent plenty of time by the sea, but it will be nice to actually be on the water again.
[Sticky Fingers moves to a tree, striking it with a fist and immediately creating a zipper at its base.]
So really, it should be me that's thanking you.
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[A little murmur, because he hadn't actually thought Sticky Fingers could be used like that. But it's less creepy and more fascinating this time around, and Polnareff leans in, staring with interest. But Bruno is, ultimately, more interesting than his Stand-- and so he glances over after a moment, a grin flashing.]
Ah, well, if you insist--
[There comes that memory again-- of how things had been when they'd been under that weird 50's illusion, how he'd taken just about every opportunity to flirt. It's not quite as cringeworthy a memory as it was a few weeks ago-- now it's just a reminder, a little comparison of then and now. Then, he would have let those words go on to something a little smirky and sexual, something like --I can think of a few ways you could thank me.
Now, he lets it be. Bruno can finish that sentence as he sees fit.]
Hey. You're not scared of sea monsters, are you?
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Not particularly, no. Are you?
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[That is the sound (and, in all likelihood, taste) of a liar.]
But I'm just warning you-- there are some out there. Or-- one, really, a leviathan, but one's more than enough, right?
[Chariot is both more and less precise than Sticky Fingers. His way makes more of a mess-- there's bits of bark and wood gathering in the area he's in-- but on the other hand, he's got cleaner cuts. He's a bit slower, though-- Chariot's only just managed to down the tree.]
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Mm, I've heard of the leviathan before. But as far as I know, no one has seen or heard anything from it since. [Bruno steps over a little closer to the tree that Sticky Fingers felled, glancing back at Polnareff.] I'm sure it will return eventually, but there's no sense worrying about it endlessly in the meantime when it might not even make another appearance so long as we're here.
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[He wrinkles his nose at Bruno, even as Chariot hovers over his own tree. It's not a competition, but now Chariot's blade goes a little faster. Like, he's not going to do a shoddy job, but he'd like to keep up, thanks.]
Which, by the way, if you don't know? There's a ton of it. I don't know why goblin sharks even exist.
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And what's wrong with goblin sharks? I'd think a viperfish would be more difficult to look at.
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I don't know what a viperfish is-- and don't tell me, all right-- but goblin sharks, they're like--
[He gestures in front of his face, like that's going to help.]
That nose, first off, what's the point of that friggin' nose, but then they've got that mouth! It's not a normal mouth, it looks like something on a person-- why does a shark need a mouth like that! But then, if that wasn't enough, they've got a second mouth! A second mouth that just pops out like it's the alien from Alien, what the fuck is wrong with the ocean.
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Not everything in the ocean is horrifying to look at, Polnareff. Even some of the bioluminescent fish in the deeper parts of the ocean are beautiful in their own way.
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[So, you know. Fuck that goblin shark nonsense. But his curiosity wins out over his loathing, and so after a few seconds:]
So like . . . what kind of bioluminescent fish we talking about here? That's the kind that glow, yeah?
[Sometimes he pays attention to Jotaro!]
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Comb jellies are a good example. They're similar to most jellyfish, except the way they move creates the illusion of a shimmering rainbow underwater and they don't sting. They're sticky instead.
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[It's not actually a complaint, just an observation. Polnareff reaches forward, prodding his downed tree with a foot. It's coming out fairly neatly, actually-- Chariot's started on cutting the log into strips, things that could eventually be filed down into boards.]
That's pretty okay, though. I could deal with seeing them on our trip.
[Our trip, like it's some big adventure.]
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