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To my Dearest Friend Leone,
It feels surreal, having to run this team without you. The gap you've left behind is suffocating. Your dry comments are forever missing now, it seems. I'm sorry. Truly. I'm sorry that I left your body back on that beach. I could barely look at you, and I know it was selfish. But you and I both knew the risks of betraying the boss, and we have his face now, thanks to you. Thank you for that, by the way. Naturally, priority took over: you won't get far with a rotting corpse on your boat, and it really lowers morale, too. I sound like I'm just making up excuses, but it's true. I suppose I had just assumed that we were all overthinking and would end up fine, hm? Why would I expect that my best friend would die so quickly?
You didn't look like yourself, lying on the rock. Maybe because I didn't take you in for long without feeling the urge to completely lose composure, but I couldn't recognise you at all. So lifeless. Empty — more so than usual. It creeped me out. That must've been how I looked, too, when I died.
Ah, right. I never told you, hm? Back when we first betrayed the boss to save Trish... I had already died. I am a walking, talking zombie Capo. Giorno tried to save me the best he could, but you can't give life to something already dead. It's not possible, no matter how much you want it to be. I obviously feel guilty; I should've told you and the others straight away: how can I be your leader if I'm not completely honest with you all?
It doesn't matter anymore, though, does it? You're gone. I can't get you back to tell you. Mio Dio, it's so fucking hard without you here, I won't lie. I can't. I always knew you'd drive yourself into an early grave, either from your drinking or from a job, but I never expected it to be this early. You were always the rational one, alongside Fugo. No matter how sober (or not) you were, you were always right. Sure, the way you voiced your opinions could be brash at times, but that was just part of your charm. Now that you're gone for good, and Fugo is somewhere back in Naples, I need to screw my rotting head on straight so that I can bring you to the justice you deserve and lead this team without losing anyone else. I'll never forgive Diavolo for what he did to you, nor will I forget that final effort of yours to find his face. I must say, his face is nowhere near as handsome as yours was.
I miss you so, so much, Leone. Words cannot describe it. Everything reminds me of you now, much against my will. I've taken a liking to that whisky you kept in your flask: that Puni distillery one. It's strong, like you. I must say, I can't really feel the burn of it going down my throat anymore. Being dead and all. I can't wait for this all to end so that my soul can rest. I'll join you in heaven. We can drink that whisky until we get sick of it while laughing at what's happening down on Earth. I look up to the stars when the sky is clear. It's quite clear tonight, actually. I saw a shooting star. Of course, I made a wish before you ask. I won't tell you what it is, though, or it won't come true. Just know it's about the future, be it with or without me.
I hope you realise that the others miss you too, even the ones you didn't really like all that much. Even Trish. She said that she'll never forgive her father for what he did to you, which I found rather sweet of her. Narancia isn't as lively as normal, understandably. He cried so hard when we found you, and it killed me. I bit my lip so hard that it bled, which shouldn't have even been possible. Giorno had that defeated look on his face because he couldn't save you, and Mista was barely holding it together when he tried to calm Narancia. Trish was shaken when we told her inside the tortoise; you have that effect on people. Everyone loves you, whether you want them to or not.
You'd be pleased to know that we're on our way to Rome now, in search of a strange man in the Colosseum; he said he could help us to defeat Diavolo with a tool. He claimed that an arrow could stop him. He refused to tell us his name, his business or what the arrow did. Personally, I find it suspicious, but Giorno seemed to be perfectly fine with going. Even Trish wasn't as wary. I'll trust their opinion, of course. Even if things go south, I'm sure we'll handle it. That's probably the same hope that I had in you speaking, though. We have to expect the unexpected, so we're preparing ourselves whilst on our way back to land.
Oh, Leone... You were my best friend. Still are. I haven't really slept since we first got on the boat. To not worry the others, I mentioned that I'd keep watch whilst Mista and Narancia pilot. Giorno is in the tortoise with Trish. The thought of you not returning to me is so foreign; you're normally the first one back. The one by my side the whole time. Ever since I met you in that rainy alley, you've been by my side.
In a way, you remind me of my father. He was the strongest man I knew, honest, respectable, and always got the work done without complaint. He was such a good man. I haven't told anyone my story before, and I'm not planning on changing that reality, but I felt you should be the first to graze my rough surface. I won't go into too much about what happened, just know that it's the root of my beliefs, ideals and standings.
I promise you, I will hold on to the memory of you until my last breath, and then I can join you wherever you are, if you are somewhere. I'm not religious, but I'd like to hope there's at least some place that we can go to together after everything and simply exist until the end of time. Truth is, I wanted to spend forever with you regardless. You were my guiding light, but now you're getting further away for me to see. I'm tired, Leone. I'm tired and dying and already dead. However, I'm holding on for that little bit until we beat Diavolo, for the rest of the crew.
As I said, I wanted to spend forever with you. I still do. The team was perfect before we started up, just after Giorno joined us. We could've been like one big family together. Sadly, my time is coming soon. We will dock in Rome in about ten minutes. We all know this last fight won't be easy, and as my body weakens, there's no doubt that I'll follow after you in no time. Just know I won't go down without a fight.
I love you, Leone. I have always loved you, since the very moment I met you under the rain when you were drunk. I'll never stop loving you, in this life or the next.
See you soon, Leone.
— Bruno Bucciarati