[Video]

[victoriantype]

[Alice is out for a walk, and speaks after a few minutes. From the buildings behind her, she's approaching the cathedral

Comments

[morethanpasta]

Hello! I haven't seen you around before! I'm hungry, I would like to eat a sandwich and I'll drink a cup of tea with you, too, though I like coffee better!

[victoriantype]

[Blink. Wait, she's processing that.]

Ah.. Well, we should introduce ourselves, first. I'm Alice, who are you?

[morethanpasta]

[He coos in surprise.] Oh! It's nice to meet you, Alice! I'm Italy Veneziano. [He wrinkles his nose.] Or you can call me Feliciano Vargas, whatever you prefer!

[victoriantype]

Italy..? [Blink]

You mean you're from the country Italy? [Surely, he didn't mean that he was..]

Feliciano..? That's a very pretty name!

[morethanpasta]

[He nods eagerly, trademark curl bouncing around. A giggle escapes him.]

Ve~ you could say I'm from Italy! I am Italy. Well, the northern half of it, my brother Lovino is the southern half.

[He tilts his head to the side and winks.]

Alice is a very pretty name, too! A very pretty name for a very pretty girl!

[victoriantype]

[Alice just eyes him for a moment] But.. you look like a person?

[Oh hey, compliments. Alice smiles and folds her hands in front of her] Thank you!

[morethanpasta]

[He chews on his bottom lip, momentarily lost how to explain it. He has often been just plain disbelieved, but no one ever doubted him because he is human-shaped.]

I'm the representation of the nation. The personification! [He brightens.] I'm everything that makes Italy Italian, but in a human shape! [A pause.] And I'm a good cook.

[victoriantype]

[Alice eyes him for a second and then nods] So it's like Italy said it wanted to be a person, and then you were.. born? What do you like to cook?

[morethanpasta]

[Italy is dumbfounded for a moment, quite a rare occasion. He blinks slowly, then a smile spreads on his lips and he gives a delighted laugh.]

Alice, I think that's the best explanation I've ever heard for the existence of nations!

[victoriantype]

Nation..s? There are others like you? [A pause] That does make sense.. There are several nations in the world, after all.. So they all thought you into existence? How amazing!

[morethanpasta]

I'm not sure, but it's a nice thought, isn't it? Nations just come into existence and then there they are... I was a child nation for a very long time, like when I lived in Austria's house. Others grow up within a few centuries or even faster.

[victoriantype]

It is nice. [Alice nods] So you can grow up either slowly or quickly? I only grow a little each year..

[morethanpasta]

[He nods eagerly.] Ve~ humans are funny like that! You live such short lives, too. We can grow quickly or slowly or not at all for the longest time, that is very different for each nation. As nations change, we can come to represent something other than what we started out as, too. Or we die with our nation, like Grandpa Rome did.

[victoriantype]

Short..? Well, when compared to a nation that can live for centuries, it should seem very short. [But still.] Oh! Your grandfather died? How sad!

[morethanpasta]

[Feliciano coos sadly.] Yes, he died. But he still visits me sometimes. I miss Grandpa Rome. He taught me to paint. Do you like to paint?

[victoriantype]

Is he a ghost, then? [Blink] Paint? I've never tried it!