Ruby City Mods (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
rubycitymods) wrote2012-01-13 01:45 pm
rubycitymods) wrote2012-01-13 01:45 pm
Entry tags:
APPLICATIONS
✗ Applications are processed weekly, every weekend. The cut-off time for the submission of applications is 11:59PST on Saturday.
✗ Before applying, please read the FAQ and Rules pages.
✗ Please submit your application with the journal you plan to use if you have one made already. If not, another journal is fine, but we prefer your intended journal so it makes for an easier time in granting access to the mod journal and the contacts page.
✗ For very long applications, we would ask you to please separate them into various comments so that they will not take up too much of the page.
✗ Please title your application as { [CANON/CANON OC/OC]CHARACTER NAME || Series Title || reserve/no reserve || X of X } in the subect header
✗ IMPORTANT: Our application form was edited on September 07, 2015. Please use the revised form.
✗ If you are looking for an example of what an application should be like, please refer to the application here for an example of a canon character application, and here for an original character application.
✗ Canon Application
✗ Canon OC Application
✗ OC Application
A note for CR AU applications
Ruby City does allow previous game history/CR to be brought over on a case by case basis. If you want to include this in your application please add additional sections for PERSONALITY DEVELOPMENT and PREVIOUS GAME HISTORY beneath the Personality and Background/History sections.
In these additional sections we would like to see a brief outline of your character's previous game history and how it potentially impacted on and altered their canon personality.
Italy Romana | Axis Powers Hetalia; Nyotalia | Reserved | 1/?
Name: Nutmeg
Personal Journal:
E-mail: meginatree@gmail.com
AIM/MSN/etc: aim: meginatree
CHARACTER
Character Name: Italy Romana [Chiara Vargas]
Canon: Axis Powers Hetalia; Nyotalia
Timeline: August, 1943.
If playing another character from the same canon, how will you deal with this?: N/A
Italy Romana | Axis Powers Hetalia; Nyotalia | Reserved | 2/?
There are many things Romana is stubborn about, including her religion, her family and their wellbeing. She’s unwilling to hear any harsh words against her religion, often leading to arguments when someone attempts to criticise it, and this also occurs when someone criticises one of her family member’s. In her eyes no one will ever be truly good enough for Venezia, North Italy, and she is so set in this belief there is no use even attempting to convince her otherwise. She’s also been known to ignore any of her sister’s faults when someone points them out, yet at the same time, she will point the same flaws out when she notices them. But it’s different, they’re sister’s, and as such only Romana can point out the flaws her family member’s have, while defending those flaws when another remarks on them.
She believes in her religion whole heartedly, but she does know its flaws. Still, it’s wise not to mention them to her, unless you want an irate woman. She also tries to be a good Catholic, though she’s been known to lapse her and there, especially in the case of Nyotalia Spain. It’s difficult, the bible frowns upon a relationship and in term, Romana’s not entirely sure how she feels about Spain, is it romantic, a friendship or a family relationship. Unfortunately, rather than attempt to figure it out, she avoids the issue and the two have a slightly shaky but relatively okay relationship where Romana calls Spain out on her dumb ideas, but at the same time, will defend her if she needs it.
Like the stereotypical Italian woman she’s a good if not brilliant cook, and it’s a task she rather enjoys. There’s always plenty of food on the table and if you reject her (repeated) offerings for seconds she’ll either be deeply offended and embarrassed that her cooking isn’t good enough, or ignore you and keep offering or even rant at you for not appreciating the food she’s slaved so hard over. Nothing like a good old guilt trip, and like I said she’s stubborn. No is simply a maybe, 1 meatball clearly means 3. It’s easier to just take the food you’ve been given and ask if you can take it home. You may end up with a metric fuckton of food but at least you won’t have an offended Italian.
She also takes great pride in her house and she’s the one that makes sure it’s clean, that Venezia’s paints are in her studio and Seaborg’s clothes are in the closet and not on the floor. She’s definitely the mother of the Italian sibling’s, and it’s her that fusses over her sisters’ the most, almost suffocating them in attention at times. Like her male self, Romana does not approve of the relationship between Venezia and Germany, though this disapproval did not become as strong as it currently is until after the Second World War, especially with Nazi Germany’s invasion of the Northern half of Italy, all the way down to Rome, after Italy signed the armistice with the Allies. This, in Romana’s opinion was crossing a very delicate line and she has never truly forgiven the German nation for those actions even if Germany herself had no control over her boss’s actions. They currently have a very tentative relationship, the only thing stopping Romana from kicking Germany into Mount Vesuvius being the tears she knows Venezia would produce. Romana will do pretty much anything for her family, including the other Italian nations as well as the Italian people or pretty much anyone she cares for. Children, for example, will always win her over despite how hard adults may try, especially with an impressive display of tears. They’re her number one weakness.
Speaking of her sister, Romana and Venezia have a far better relationship than Romano and Veneziano. Sure, they fight sometimes, but what sister’s don’t. Sure there’s a little bit of self confidence issues on Romana’s side, with her sister being the curvier one. In Romana’s mind, her slim waist and smaller bust can’t compare to her sister’s wide hips and larger chest, though in reality the sizes between the two aren’t that big, and Romana tends to not notice that she’s just as attractive as her sister, she just caters to a different audience. Her sister’s also a lot less modest that Romana in terms of dress, Venezia being more than happy to run around in short skirts and stomach showing shirts while Romana sticks to her knee length sundress’s and pastel colours. This difference in dress means that it’s only naturally that Venezia attracts so much more attention, especially when you add in her tendency to be easily excited and loud.
That doesn’t mean that Romana’s some shy little wall flower, like I said, she’s temperamental, she’s passionate. If she has a probably with someone’s opinion or ideas she’ll point it out, as well as point out all the flaws she can think of. This little lecture can often be coupled with violence, often a light bop to the head as if to punctuate her point. Just because she enjoys cooking, cleaning, and over all can seem like a traditional housewife, happy with her chores, doesn’t mean she is one. She’s a fan of team work, and if you even dare complain about being bored around her you’ll be quickly saddled with a few dozen tasks that need to be done. And if you know what’s good for you you’d best do them or she’ll chase you down, nag, and eventually they will be done. By your hands. She can be quite the bossy little woman at times.
As such, she’s not as easily pushed around as the male South Italy is. She is respected and liked within the mafia rather than abused, even though they have attempted to shelter her once or twice. Romana however isn’t about to put up with that bull and while she’s learnt many skills from the mafia she generally ignores their actions unless they start to sneak into the North of Italy, or begin to harm too many civilians. They’re her problem, and like a mother lecturing their naughty children she can be quick to pull them into line. But they’re a bit too hard to get rid of, so what can she do. Plus, a part of her likes having that power, the ability to use them as a threat. But they have served to make her stronger, teach her things she would never have known, and in a way they’re like her. Family first.
This connection to the mafia, as well as the true skill of the Italian soldiers in World War 2, ("The German soldier has impressed the world... However the Italian Bersaglieri has impressed the German soldier.” –Rommel. “The Italians were willing, unselfish and good comrades in the frontline. There can be no disputing that the achievement of all the Italian units, especially the motorised elements, far outstripped any action of the Italian Army for 100 years. Many Italian generals and officers earned our respect as men as well as soldiers”-Rommel.) means that Romana is a capable and relatively strong fighter, certainly a better one than Romano, as noted by Himaruya in his solitary character note, she is better at fighting than her male counterpart. She’ll rarely back down from a fight when it concerns someone she cares about, and she’ll do her utmost to win, even if it occasionally means having to accept help of those she dislikes for silly reasons (America is an overexposed bimbo, England a silly woman who wishes she was younger than she is, France a woman who can be quite snobby at times, all in Romana’s opinion. Things like that.)
Overall, Romana is a woman who loves as fiercely as she fights, who cleans and cooks and is the mother of her family, but isn’t about to walked over as if she’s a submissive housewife. She can be hard to impress, but just keep trying and eventually you can crack through her shell and once you’re in her heart she’ll never let you out of it.
Unless you hurt her sister, and then it’s a trip to see the fishies for you.
Italy Romana | Axis Powers Hetalia; Nyotalia | Reserved | 3/5
While Ancient Greece had a huge impact on her early years, he wasn't family. Over the years Romana had caught glimpses of her Grandmother, a powerful woman in armour, the strong Roman Empire. While she felt an attachment to Ancient Greece thanks to a shared culture and peoples a part of her knew that Ancient Rome was her family, and really it came at no surprise that at the end of the Pyrrhic War Romana found herself leaving Ancient Greece and being 'absorbed' into the Roman Republic. She would still see the older man through the years, but now the majority of her time was spent in the heart of the Republic, in Rome, under the eyes of her Grandmother. With the shift came a change in name, Romana now being given the name that would stick with her for the rest of her life - Italia Romana.
It was in Rome that she met her sister, Italia Venezia, for the first time, a little girl from the North. With hair a few shades lighter than Romana's and eyes that were amber not green, it was clear from the beginning that they had different influences in their formative years. Not to mention the differences in personalities, Venezia a much more cheerful girl while Romana was usually stubborn and even bratty. Her insecurities began right there, Romana unused to sharing the attention of an adult, and feeling inadequate to Venezia's easy cheerfulness. It was common to hear Ancient Roma cooing over the younger sister and complimenting her while forgetting to do so to the older.
Time went on. The girl's met their 'siblings': Gaul from the North, Hispania and Lusitania to the East. There was also Germania from the north, a silent strong woman who served as her Grandmother's bodyguard as well as friend in Ancient Rome's eyes. As Ancient Rome's granddaughters they were given an equal education unlike other human girls of the empire, though Ancient shied off teaching them warfare. She wanted her granddaughters to be artists and lovers, not soldiers. They were happy, but it wasn't to last.
As Romana would later learn, no Empires lasted forever. Ancient Rome grew weaker as her Empire fell apart and finally disappeared. While Romana could never prove it she always assumed it was Germanaia who committed the below that finally took her Grandmother, and it was there that her distrust in Germans began. From then to the Gothic Wars she lived under Germania's protection, the woman fulfilling her last favour for Ancient Rome by keeping her granddaughters safe.
In the 500's, after the Gothic Wars, Romana found herself coming under the rule of the Byzantine Empire. Again she was divided from her sister, but at the same time she was reunited with Ancient Greece, the older man having shifted into an Empire like her grandmother's. The Greek influence still remained in Southern Italy and Romana found herself adjusting to the shift in situation, though she found herself missing the little sister she had previously labelled annoying and attention seeking. Often, she would sneak away from Ancient Greece/Byzantine Empire to go to the north and check on the younger girl, always remembering her Grandmother's instructions to look after her younger sister. But overall she was still reasonably happy, even as she found herself starting to wish she would grow some more, becoming frustrated with the fact she still possessed the body of a five year old human child. It made it very difficult to be taken seriously.
Then from the 9th to the 11th centuries Romana found herself in a metaphorical game of keep away, with her as the ball... item being kept. Thing. Caught between Greece, Lombardy, and the Islamic Caliphate, the South found itself in the middle of many wars for control. For once Romana started to become afraid, her body still to childlike to put an end to the fighting. Not to mention she had no skills in warfare unlike her 'sisters' Gaul from the North, Hispania and Lusitania, thanks to her Grandmother's decision to not train them. So she just had to put up with it, being snatched by power to power, a fact that only made her insecurities grow as Romana began to believe that she was only wanted for the land she represented, and not because of who she was. It left her suspicious of people's intentions, and unable to fully trust someone completely, habits she has never been able to shake. In this period a few Islamic states were formed within her, by the Islamic Caliphate, such as the Emirate of Sicily and Emirate of Bari. This Arabic ruling left it's own influence, further darkening her skin and hair, making the physical differences between her and her sister only more noticeable. However by then Romana was mistrustful, and did her best to keep anyone from further influencing her culture. However it left it's mark on her art, as well as the language of Sicily, as much as it annoyed her.
By the 11th century the Normans had made their move and now occupied all the Lombard and Byzantine possession in South Italy, which ended the six centuries presence of both powers in the peninsula. Eventually they also expelled the Muslims from Sicily. However under Roger II the Norman Kingdom of Sicily was said to be characterised by it's multi-ethnic nature and religious tolerance, and he allowed Normans, Jews, Muslim Arabs, Byzantine Greeks, Lombards and the 'native' Sicilians to live together, creating a relative harmony. However this tolerance to different nationalities and religions was not something Romana truly learnt from, both from stubbornness, her belief that her people and her religion were better that those of the invading people. It also didn't help that the Norman domination did not last very long, formally ending in 1198, and thus couldn't really leave an impact on her like being under Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome did.
After the end of the Norman reign with Constance of Sicily, Romana was picked up by the Swabian Hohenstaufen dynasty, German Kings, three of whom were crowned Holy Roman Emperor. With Romana's previous negatives interactions with Germans through Germania still firmly embedded in her mind, she treated this take over with hostility, with one exception. She did not completely mind Emperor Frederick II, who did take quite good care of her, having a long commitment in developing her land, people and culture. He endorsed a legal reform in Sicily which culminated with the creation of the Constitutions of Melfi which was a collection of laws that were considered quite remarkable at the time, and would remain to be a source of inspiration for a long time after as well as remaining the basis of Sicilian law until 1819 (with slight changes over the years). He also made the Kingdom of Sicily a centralised state and his royal court in Palermo saw the first use of a literary form of an Italo-Romance language, Sicilian, which would then go on to significantly influence the beginnings of the modern Italian language. For these developments Romana does think kindly of Emperor Frederick II, though it is done rather grudgingly, and never out loud. She's a very stubborn girl, however the fact that she hasn't kicked up a fuss over the fact that the previously named University of Naples is now know as the Università Federico II shows her true feelings.
In 1266 conflict between the Hohenstaufen house and the Papacy led to Sicily being conquered by Charles I, Duke of Anjou, which then led into the War of Sicilian Vespers, caused by opposition to French officialdom and taxation as well as incitement of rebellion by both the Aragonese and Byzantine agents. The Sicilian Vespers successful invasion was led by Peter III of Aragon in 1282 and the war would last till 1302, ending with the Peace of Caltabellotta and the division of the old Kingdom of Sicily. This Romana clearly did not like, because again, it was more powerful countries, fighting over land that was hers, and peoples that were hers. But still, she had barely aged, her growth squashed by continuous changes in power and a reluctance to let in new culture and absorb those strengths. The actual island of Sicily was taken by Frederick III of Aragon, who had already been ruling it, while the peninsular territories which had previously been known also as the Kingdom of Sicily, but now know to the modern day as the Kingdom of Naples went to Charles II of Anjou, who had also been previously ruling that section. This peace was merely a formal act and an unstable status quo, and Romana would find herself being influenced by two different cultures, French and Spanish, which meant she was caught between her older sisters, something that would not be the first and last time. Thankfully, in Romana's opinion, the King of Spain was able to grab both of the crowns starting from the 16th century, leaving Romana in the now teen-aged Spain's care, which was the lesser of two evils she decided. However it wasn't until 1816 that the Kingdoms were completely reunited as the Kingdom of Two Sicilies, which just gave Romana yet another name she was now known as.
Alfonso V was the one to conquer the Kingdom of Naples from the House of Anjou in 1442, and now Sicily and Naples were unified as dependencies of Aragon. In 1458 the kingdom was again separated when Alfonso died, with Naples going to his illegitimate son, Ferrante. Then when Ferrante died in 1494, Charles VIII of France invaded Italy and used the Angevin claim to the throne of Naples, an inheritance of his father, as a pretext. This then started the Italian Wars, and while Charles VIII managed to expel Alfonso II of Naples from, well, Naples, in 1495, he ultimately was forced to withdraw as Ferdinand II of Aragon support was for his cousin and Alfonso II's son Ferrantino, who was placed back on the throne. However he died soon after in 1496 and was succeeded by his uncle Frederick IV.
Naturally, the French did not give up their claim, agreeing in 1501 to a partition of the kingdom with Ferdinand of Aragon who had decided to abandon his cousin King Frederick. Of course the deal soon feel through, and France and Aragon resumed fighting over the kingdom, Ferdinand being the eventual winner in 1504, and while the are remained an area of dispute between France and Spain for several decades after, the French attempts to gain control begun to become weaker and the Spanish control was never truly threatened. Finally with the Treaty of Cateau- Cambrésis in 1559 the French gave up their claims to the kingdom, and Romana began to think she was finally going to be settled down. Even though France had never gained control of her, the years had being annoying, as France had occasionally attempted to physically take her from Spain, and while Romana at the time would refuse to admit it, she was beginning to grow attached to the older girl. She remembered Spain from her childhood, and had always had a better friendship with the girl, Spain reminding her of her Grandmother. So now that France had finally given up, she hoped nothing would happen for awhile and hopefully she would grow.
Even when the kingdom changed hands again, after the War of the Spanish Succession in the early 18th century, Romana's life was not completely uprooted. Austria, somehow sensing of knowing Romana's feelings towards Germans. While Naples and Sardina were given to Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor in 1713, joined by Sicily in in 1720, Austria agreed to let Romana stay with Spain, knowing that the young girl had already began to form an attachment to the older, and that to break them apart would only hurt Romana. The fact that Romana's temper was already legendary probably also helped sway Austria's decision. Naples and Sicily would later by conquered by a Spanish Army in 1734, Charles, Duke of Parma, a younger son of King Philip V of Spain being installed as King of the two regions in 1735. It would later be left to Charles younger son Ferdinand IV when Charles inherited the Spanish throne from his half-brother in 1759.
But through all of this Romana stayed under Spain's care, slowly beginning to age, despite Spain constantly babying her. Perhaps because Spain had fought so hard and for so long to keep her hands on her, she was one of Spain's most favoured 'children', as the older would call them, despite the fact that Romana was nearly as old as her, unlike the South America colonies. Working as a maid for Spain, she would usually be found in the kitchen, assisting the women there and learning herself. She found herself keeping an eye on the younger South America colonies, and it was here her motherliness began to show, Romana often acting like an older sister to the others, especially so when Spain was extremely busy. She also received an education, and one that was more similar to a male's of the day, rather then the females. Spain believed in equal education for her colonies, which meant that Romana was well read, knew her mathematics and history, as well as the geography of the day, often being allowed to peer over Spain's maps. She was was also taught to fence by the older woman, a skill she did demand that Spain instruct her in. Slowly she aged from a small child into a pubescent girl, and she started to grow stronger. And through this time, she remained distant to her sister, the different courses their lives or history had gone through creating two girls that were different to the ones they had been at their grandmother's death. Despite this, Romana tried her best to keep and eye on her sister, even from a difference, and would often bug Spain to visit Austria and take her, so she could check on her.
Despite being conquered again by France and her Napoleon, a sense of nationalism growing in Italy. Even as Napoleon captured Naples in the name of the French Republic, Romana was starting to think enough was enough, these feeling urged on by the feelings of her people. King Ferdinand had fled Italy and would not return till June 1799 and would then dethroned by the now French Emperor Napoleon in 1806, who appointed his brother, Joseph, as King of Naples. In 1808, in the Edict of Bayonne, Napoleon moved his brother to Spain and appointed his brother-in-law as King of the Two Sicilies, however this meant they could only control the mainland portion of the Kingdom.
Italy Romana | Axis Powers Hetalia; Nyotalia | Reserved | 4/5
The Kingdom itself ran in relative peace, though it was not completely unified just yet. It wasn't until after 1866 that Italy was able to claim back Venice, meaning that Romana did not truly see her sister until then. However in exchange with forming an alliance with the Kingdom of Prussia during the Austro-Prussian War, Prussia would allowed Italy to annex Venice, a deal that King Emmanuel took which created the Third Italian War of Independence, which ended in success against Austria. This meant that Romana was finally reunited with her sister, for the first time in many years. It was one of the few times Romana's walls dropped and she showed her true emotions to another. They were one step closer to being Independent completely unified. The only obstacle being that France still controlled the Papal State of Rome. However in 1870 Prussia went to war with France, and France abandoned it's positions in Rome to fight the large Prussian Army, and when Prussia was victorious, Italy was able to take Rome from French authority. The Unification was now complete and both sisters settled in Rome, now their new capital. And while Romana will rarely show it it, she is actually quite thankful to Prussia for helping them both, knowing just how much harder it would have been had they not had her on their side.
Now unified, both girls went through a large growth spurt, their body's aging to look more like an adults. However, Romana's growth was still slower than her sister's, and to this day she is slightly shorter than Venezia and will compensate for this with ridiculous high heels. This is due simply to the fact that while The North began to flourish in the new unified Italy, the South did not, it's economy suffering and and it process of industrialisation being interrupted. This only lead to poverty and crime growing in the South, and the rise of organised crime. Many people also left her, for her sister and her industry, or for other parts of Europe or even to America for a fresh start. This left Romana as much more hardened then her sister, and with a more pessimistic outlook. As much as she loves her people, it hurt a lot to see them leave and it felt like she was a failure that she couldn't industrialise or modernise fast enough for her overpopulated land. And the rise of the mafia meant that Romana learnt the evils in life, and learnt that at times certain sacrifices need to be made, which is a rather skewered idea that even she is aware of. It never changed her strong sense of loyalty though, but it did increase her ability to hold a grudge for a long time, especially in the cases of her people and her sister.
Overall however, life was good. She had her sister back, they were their own country and even though they had their hiccups, they were independent. However in 1876 her parliamentttt, which was already favouring radicsocialismsmsmsm, removed the conservative Prime Minister Marco Minghetti and replaced him with socialist Agostino Depretis which began the period known as the Socialist Period, which was marked with corruption, government instabipovertypovert and the use of authoritarian measures. As much as she could, Romana attempted to shelter Venezia from all the changes and corruption, but at the same time, she struggled. Finally, she was starting to understand what it was like for the other nations, such as Spain, Austria, France and Prussia. Physically she was a woman. And in this period, even her political leader would not completely listen to her, despite the fact he knew who and what she truly was. Frustration started to grow and even to this day she gets easily frustrated by obviously displays of sexism and misogyny.
Depretis first government used a political idea of transformismo, which in theory meant that a cabinet should select a variety of moderates and capable politicians from a non-partisan perspective. In practice of course, trasformismo was authoritarian and corrupt, with Depretis pressuring districts to vote for his candidates if they wants favourable concessions when he was in power. This was most likely used as the key means to how Depretis kept his support in Southern Italy, who was already weak from poor economy, poverty and the organised crime. Romana found it harder and harder to speak up, her own strength tied to that of her people, and her own stubborn personality being squashed down. She had never had a proper government before, perhaps this really was how it was run. However while Depretis dominated the government and started to use authoritarian measures like banning public meetings , placing so called dangerous individuals into internal exile and remote penal islands and adopting militarist policies, her also made elementary education compulsory and free, and abolished arrest for debt.
Needless to say Depretis' first government collapsed in 1877, his second starting in 1881, with his goals including widening suffrage in 1882 and increasing the tax intake from Italians by expanding the minimum requirements of who could pay taxes and the creation of a new electoral system called which resulted in large numbers of inexperienced deputies in the Italian parliament . It wasn't until 1887 that Depretis was pushed out of government and replaced by his cabinet minister Francesco Crispi whose major concern was the strength of Austria-Hungary, and how was best to protect Italy from them, a concern Romana shared. She had grown attached to her younger sister, despite all the years of separation and was beginning to bond with the younger girl. Not to mention she didn't think she could handle being divided yet again. However, the fact that one Crispi's ideas was to win Germany's favour, joining the Triple Alliance with both Germany and Austria-Hungary, irritated her, her older dislike of Germans returning. In Romana's eyes a German from Germany was just as bad as one from the Austrian-Hungarian empire. But yet again she was ignored, her boss unable to look past the physical into what she was.
The fact that her government was focussing so much on the foreign policy meant other important areas of Italy were neglected and alienated, such as the agricultural community of Italy. Already in decline since 1873, a government investigation was started in 1877, a report released eight years later showed that agriculture was not improving , that landowners were swallowing up revenue from their lands and contributing almost nothing to the development of the land. There was also demand from lower class Italian's to break up the communal lands, which only benefited the landlords. Most workers were not peasants but short term labourers, employed for, at best, a year, while peasants without stable income were forced to live off meagre food supplies while disease was spreading rapidly, plagues were being reported, including a major cholera epidemic which killed at least 55,000 people. South Italy was producing too many grapes for wine, this overproduction resulting from the 1870's and 80's where Southern Italy had stepped in to become the largest exporter of wine in Europe while France's vineyards were suffering from diseases from insects. And when France recovered, southern Italy was still overproducing, and had to cut back which only resulted in more unemployment and bankruptcies. And the Italian government could not effectively deal with the situation thanks to massive overspending by Depretis' government which had left Italy in debt.
Romana's feelings on the entire period can be summed up in two word. Anger and frustration. Anger her government was focusing on her people, was making alliances that she didn't truly want, but was forced to agree to, to gain power. Frustration for being ignored, simply because of her physical appearance. She began to truly understand how much she had taken for granted under Spain's care, how hard the older woman must have found it. And yet she still kept working. And so would Romana.
Then came World War I. While Italy was in an alliance with both Austria-Hungary and Germany, Italy struggles on whether to honour the alliance, originally stating that they were neutral and that the alliance was for defence purposes only. Unlike the people who were divided on whether or not to enter the was Romana wanted to stay out, knowing her country was already suffering, and that war would only exacerbate the problem. However, she was forced to cave to the demands of nationalists and her bosses and this saw her and her sister signing the London Pact and agreeing to declare war on Austria-Hungary in return for a promise of major territorial war. Still confined to the gender ideas of Italy, Romana slipped into being a nurse to the injured of which there were many. The army consisted of 875 000 men but it was poorly led and lacked military supplies of heavy artillery and machine guns, the supplies being depleted in an early war with Turkey in 1911-12. Close to 650 000 soldiers died and 950 000 were wounded and the economy struggled, only surviving thanks to large-scaled Allied funding. Deep down Romana seethed, and mourned, and did all that she could to help her people, while struggling to have any power. To this day she still regrets not doing something drastic, but a nation finding the power to refuse and reject their boss they need a lot of power. And instead of Italy's power increasing it decreased, with Italy not reviving any territories promised from the Treaty of London besides the Southern half of the County of Tyrol, Trieste, Istria, and the city of Zadar. And these gains did not outweigh all that Romana had lost, how much her people had suffered. A small seed of dislike grew inside her, growing thanks to the emotions of those in the South, and this dislike and belief of inheritance incompetence in the government is one she still caries.
After WWI, Premier Vittorio Orlando fell from power in June 1919, being blamed for the mismanagement of the Italian position at the peace conference. Economic issues from before the war were now severe and the people were disillusioned and their national pride suffered. Romana felt the shifts in her people, how the unrest grew but never spoke up, deciding that her people needed a change, and that she would not interfere. And so down went Orlando, and strikes broke out through Venezia's lands in 1920-21 and the Giovanni Gioliti became the new premier, later winning the national election in 1921 with the help of Benito Mussolini's Fascist Party which already controlled 35 seats. This only resulted in weak governments, and finally Mussolini announced a march on Rome on October 27, 1922, to which the King refused to proclaim Martial Law. In response Mussolini's 'Black Shirts', the name give to a paramilitary unit, took control of Rome and he was made Premier, receiving dictatorial powers a month later. His enemies, and the enemies of Fascism were silenced by terrorism and brute force, and while he made peace with the Catholic Church, Romana did not find herself liking this new boss. And slowly Italy became a fascist state, and Romana found herself to continue to be restricted to gender roles, Mussolini adamant that a woman's role was to be in the home, raising strong children from the country, and in Romana's and Venezia's cases, being woman who were striving to better the country by doing menial tasks.
With Mussolini's show of support to Hitler at the Munich conference in 1938 Italy again found itself becoming an ally to the Germans, and after France had been defeated by Germany in 1940 signed an official alliance to create the Axis with Japan and Germany. Again Romana attempted to protest the decision, Italy was still to weak military wise and wasn't prepared for a war, she was ignored, and thus Italy entered World War II. Again, she was moved into the task of nursing the wounded, but even as she fulfilled that she could feel herself nearing the edge where she would finally act.
Three events that were important to Romana in World War II were the Bombing of Naples, The Allied Invasion of Sicily and the German Invasion of Italy. The first left her with her scarring, a mark that has shaped her many things from personality, to her dress sense. Her insecurities have only grown with the mark, Romana seeing it as ugly and hating the blemish. It's not just ugly, it's a mark that says she didn't act soon enough, that she failed. And she she hides it under her clothes, and as of today nobody knows of it.
The next, the Allied Invasion of Sicily in August 1943 and the movement into the peninsula in September forced Mussolini to flee and he and his fascists lost power after all of this, the King bringing in a new government under Pietro Badoglio. This change helped Romana find the strength to actually do something, and it was then she joined the Italian campaign, which leads into the third event. With the Allied movements into Italy the Germans had also made their moves, seizing control of Italy from Naples up and installing Mussolini as the leader of the Italian Social Republic, a puppet state. The act of Germany invading her sister caused Romana to finally snap, the old issues with German's coming straight to the surface. Her thick brown hair which had previously reached to her lower back was chopped off, Romana hating the fact she needed to destroy something she considered one of her greatest features. But she knew it was necessary to disguise herself as a younger male, so she could join the troops moving up through Italy and reclaiming it. She fought by her people for the first time and she fought for her sister and her sister's people. In a way, she was finally realising all that it means to be a nation.
And just as she begins to fight, she'll be picked up by Ruby City.
Italy Romana | Axis Powers Hetalia; Nyotalia | Reserved | 5/5
Strengths
Physical; As a nation, Romana is much stronger than the average human. She is also a much faster healed, when the wound is one that has been caused on her human body and not on her land or her people or economy. E.g.; A bullet wound or a cut will heal quickly, while the damage from an earthquake will leave much longer lasting damage. In canon, a nation gets a cold from having their economy crash. Her nationhood status leaves her practically immortal, or until such time as she herself is forgotten by her people, or Italy is destroyed or no longer needed.
She is also prone to greater bursts of strength when angry or trying to protect someone she cares greatly about. Like a sort of Hysterical strength thing.
Psychological; As a nation, and one of her age, Romana naturally has to have a very strong mind. She's stubborn and determined, both which have helped her to never truly gve up fighting and always climb back up to help her people and make things better for them.
Emotional; While she doesn't open up to many, when she does care for someone Romana is very attentive, very motherly. Children are a massive weakspot for her and automatically bring this out in her. She protects her feelings under layers of snark and sass but at the same time she loves deeply.
Weaknesses
Physical; The Bombings of Naples have left her with scars and wounds along her left side. At her time of arrival in Ruby City one of these will be fresh. The others have begun to heal, and the scar tissue has caused it's own issues, making it harder for Romana to move her left side.
And without her nation strength, Romana would be like any other petite 5' woman and not very strong.
Psychological; Her natural nature of being suspicious can often cause problems, as she becomes unwilling to trust people. She also cares far too much about her sister's wellbeing, to the point that she will risk her own safety with little thought to protect Venezia.
Emotional; Romana is quick to sass and even quicker to burst into a temper when she feels she has been wrong. Her anger is harsh, and can be often undeserved. She is also prone to holding grudges, unwilling to let things go, like Germany getting Italy involved in the war, or even as far back to Germania killing Ancient Rome.
Abilities: As a nation Romana is effectively immortal, and also a quick healer to human based wounds. She also possess an instinctive connection to her people, as they often influence her in decisions. It has also been implied in certain strips that Nations can hop from one country to another, like teleporting, rather then using more human transport like planes or trains.
In more human based abilities, she's fluent in many languages, including Italian, Sicilian, French, Spanish, with passable English and German. She's also very good with a gun, trained in first aid and all that of the traditional war time roles for women. She's also handy with a sword though that is a much older form of battle and it's starting to get rusty.
Relationships to Canon Characters:
Romano; The male version of herself.
Veneziano; The male version of her younger sister.
All the other damn nations; Are all in her world but naturally genderbent, eg; males are females and females are males to her.
First Person:
I do not understand where I am...
What is this... who...
[The speaker of this watch doesn't seem to realise she's being recorded, her voice loud as she tries to make her words carry, tough her confusion is obvious. The question of where she was, was much more important than a silly old watch of course]
England, if this is a trick of yours, I swear it, I'll make you pay! I don't need you! I don't need help from a stupid little heathen witch who never learned the common courtesy of respect!
I can fix this all myself... I can...
You and America can go straight to hell!
And you can say hello to Germany when I send her there as well. Uppity little bitc- [And the connection seems to cut out]
Third Person:
War is hard.
This is something Romana has always known, the daughter of two great empires, the charge of others that followed after the originals fell. She's seen what power, land, all of it costs, how it drains the land, the people, the nation itself. She's seen her grandmother, back lined with scars, Spain with fresh cuts oozing red, France, her eyes tired and still half crazed.
She's fought herself, many times. For independence. For family, her sister. For her people, who needed freedom, who needed a nation of Italy, one whole and strong and not split and strewn between so many. For growth, to give her people land to spread into, though in the end they never got that.
But this war, the second great war is different. It is nothing like the first she thinks, this one is far greater, the gain so much more and the risks even higher. This war consumes, erases and fear crept in early. Fear and disconntent, the voices of her people stirring in her, her own voice silenced as she tried to speak up, by her leader, by her sister.
Venezia had been so sure that Germany would help them to greatness. And Romana wishes she had been right. The words "I told you so" are ash in her mouth, and what does it matter when there is no sister beside her to say them to. For the first time since their independance, the first time since Romana stole her sister back from Austria they are seperated, Mussolini forming another Italy and Romana feels a hole inside her that she hasn't felt for decades.
It hurts. It hurts more than the pain in her side, the ache that flares into a sharp flare of hurt with even small movement. Bombs leave their mark on land, and her body is little more than a human manifestation of land. Perhaps if she was larger, taller, wider, the marks wouldn't be so bad. But she is small, delicate in body and it hurts.
The callouses on her hands in feet, where blisters have formed and burst and scarred can be ignored, but the blood that soaks through bandages can not. Romana wants to keep marching, take Rome back with her own hands, hands of the descendant of Ancient Rome, Italian hands, strong hands, but she can't. The loss of blood makes her feel more human than ever, the wounds left by the bombs in Naples unable to heal. As much as she hates stopping, as much as she hates the time wasted, time that leaves Venezia with that bastard longer, she must. She can feel the tips of sunset reaching the land and she knows it's time for rest.
Setting up the bare minimum of a camp she settles down to check her wounds, feeling the stickiness of blood soaked cloth sticking to her skin. Slowly she unwind the bandages from around her torso, the ones pressing her breasts down being slowly pull off. For once she ignores the embarrassment of being naked, cleaning the wound that covers her side with slow gentle soaks, the warmth of the water seeping into her skin.
The water turns red.
The bandages are tossed into a small pot to rinse them, new ones being wrapped around her body. The ache remains, but she bites down hard, tugging the bandages tight. She needs to stop the blood flow, she needs to be flat. She needs to be a man, because according to the men this is no place for her. Even if she feels the pain of all them dying, even if her sister needs her.
The wind sweeps across her neck, ruffling shorn down locks.
And like every night, Romana lets herself cry, just for a few moments. Tomorrow she'll be strong, tomorrow she'll be a cold, hard man, who can and will kill anyone. Tomorrow she'll keep marching, and soon she'll find her sister. Get rid of the Nazis. Get rid of Mussolini. It won't be tomorrow, but it will be soon.
Tonight she'll cry. For the people she's lost, for the sister that's being held from her. For Naples, half ruined, for her body, marked forever. For the blood that she's spilled, and for the hair she's cut off. She'll cry for many reasons, logical, illogical, emotional and rational.
Tomorrow she'll be strong.
ACCEPTED
After you have done this, post to the Contacts page, Tag Request page, the Taken Characters page and, if you know where your character will be living, the Residences page! Familiarise yourself with the Rules and FAQ and introduce yourself at
If you have a plurk account, please add the rubycitymods plurk to be included in future updates, information and feedback. We are on plurk at