I do not own Hetalia nor Rule of Rose

Two goats are tied to a single pole

Unification of Italy was not an easy one. The people of both North and South fought hard. They turned their own country into a bloodbath. All of that was for a single, same, and unified reason. Italy as a whole.

It is such an ironic fact that now, centuries later, the people who were born in and are standing on the very land that their ancestors fought so hard to unify, wish and will do anything for its separation.

Because as much as the word 'unification' sounds so great, it has its downside as well.

Little sister wrote a letter, bah bah

No one would question the close relationship of Italy Veneziano and Germany. Veneziano would cling to him and call him for help whenever he's in trouble. Germany would never ignore him or cut the ties with him, because no matter how hard he tries to hide it, he never really wants to part with the Italian either.

In World War II when Italy surrendered, the Germans' blow to the north of Italy wasn't as hard as it was for the south. The Germans rescued Mussolini, who was then moved to the north.

And even after that, the fact that North Italy advances in heavy industry and thus makes them rich in economic seems to be caused by their past relationship with Germany.

Big sister munched it up, bah bah

Italy Romano had a close relationship with Spain. The history shows that. The south part of Italy had been under Spanish rule and they are similar in cultures and styles.

The Spanish had made the country one of the most beautiful countries in the world. People of the South had taken Spanish's carefree lifestyle and laid back nature.

Even though as humans their close relationship is hard to spot, but their countries have shown that.

Now in the present, how people of South Italy still rely in agriculture and thus are poor, the cause is still believed to be from their past relationship with Spain.

Little sister studied her note, bah bah

One of the first impressions people make when they see Italy Veneziano is that he's stupid, and he's weak

The fact is, they are all wrong.

Because despite looking like that, Italy Veneziano isn't stupid or weak.

Maybe he doesn't know how to read the atmosphere, but he knows what his people want.

People of North Italy want to be free from the South.

At first he didn't understand. His people is rich. They live their life in prosperity. They work hard and they got paid fairly. So why do they want that? People of the South are their brothers and sisters, the same people who were born in and are standing on the same land. Brothers and sisters should help each other when one of them is in need, right?

South Italy is his brother, who he loves and cares about so much.

That's why Italy Veneziano is willing to do anything he can to help him who is in need. The tax he gets from his people is used to support his brother's people.

Because they are brothers, and they love each other, it is just natural, isn't it?

But unfortunately, to his people it is not. They don't want to be responsible for the South's part of the tax. They don't want to be burdened with the South's problems. They want to be free.

They don't think of the people of the South as their brothers and sisters.

Feliciano Vargas certainly can't accept that. Being an independent country means he leaves his brother to eat the dirt and let his people dying of poverty. And that would mean him dying too.

Italy Veneziano has to accept that, either he wants to or not. Because he is a nation, and a nation can not act with his own feelings, his own private reasons. A nation acts according to what his people want.

And that is the separation from the South. An independent country.

Big sister tore them to shreds, bah bah

Italy Romano may be the older one of the twins and the more violent one, but he is as weak and stupid as his brother. That's what people will think.

Once again, they are proved wrong.

Just as Italy Veneziano isn't stupid or weak, Italy Romano isn't either.

He knows his people are poor. He knows that it was harder for them than for the people of the North when the unification took place.

It still is.

His people, despite being poor, have to pay the same amount of taxes as the amount for the people of the North.

The conscription system the government carry out has robbed the young workers from them.

The poverty worsened that way.

Italy Romano is fully aware of that. He is fully aware as well of the fact that he can't rely to his younger brother forever. His brother's people will come to oppose it, and now they've already do that.

Feliciano told him it's alright. He is his brother, and it is what brothers supposed to do. Support and help each other when one of them is in need.

But Lovino Vargas isn't that naïve. Brother can't rely to the other forever. And as much as they love each other, sooner or later the one who supports will be fed up with his brother's dependence. Sooner or later, the one who is supported will become a burden.

Because as much as the love of brothers is true, it is also true that many things can shred it to pieces.

Little sister wanted to read big sister the letter

It can't stay like this, Italy Veneziano decides.

Freedom.

For this sole purpose blood has been shed. People are killed. The ones who survived live in fear. People lost their family, their parents, their lovers, their brothers and sisters, their friends, to the wrath of something called independence.

How ironic that it was just like this too when they fought for the unification of Italy. Maybe this is worse.

Their ancestors fought to unify, they fight to separate.

Feliciano finds it painful.

Italy Romano knows it can't stay like that.

His people have felt the hostility that is directed to them. Even though the government-formed organization in Rome fights hard and stubbornly, the people of the opposition fight just as hard and stubbornly, and have gained more victories.

All he demands is time. In these past few years his economic has improved to the better state. The improvement in information and electronic industry has brought not only that but also the reduction of unemployment rate.

He knows that his reason is weak, and he's clinging to a dim hope that this will be all over when there is no longer economic difference between people of the North and people of the South.

Lovino knows that his brother clings to the same hope he does.

They hope that there will come one day when Italy will truly be unified.

so she fetched it from her sister's stomach

"It can't stay like this, Fratello."

The air is filled with suffocating tension.

Veneziano's voice is calm, betraying the trembling of Feliciano's voice.

"The Five Republics has made it clear,"

His gaze is calm and collected, and he slowly lifts it to meet his brother's. There is no longer the air of cheerfulness and happiness around him. It is replaced with an uncharacteristically calm and knowing one.

"That they don't think of Rome. They are thinking of Venice."

The newspaper on the table has the headline wrote in big, black, and dull (victorious) letter.

"Let's show Venice's pride to Rome" Giacomo Dante had claimed.

Romano stays silent. His gaze never wavers.

"I know what you're trying to say, Veneziano."

I am not that stupid, he thinks. His fists clench on his side and he forces down the profanities that are threatening to come out. Instead, he talks just as calm and collected and knowing as his brother.

"So what are you intending to do now?"

"I want to end it all."

Veneziano's voice is smooth like a glass. His eyes don't move, or waver. He holds them firm.

A forced chuckle escapes Romano's lips. "Enlighten me of how you intend to do it, Fratello."

Without uncertainty, Veneziano pulls out a gun from his pocket. His fingers wrap delicately around the gleaming thing. And he points it to the man before him, his mirror image, his twin, his other half, his brother.

Romano doesn't look surprised. His eyes are still unreadable, still cold and harsh, the mirror of his brother's.

"Do you think killing me will solve the problem? Even though I die, my people won't die with me. At least not instantly."

"I know."

"Then I take it that you like watching them starving themselves to death from poverty and the fall of their economic. Don't you, Veneziano?"

Veneziano shakes his head. His grip on the gun doesn't loosen.

"I will take your people, Romano. I will take them under my wings. I will improve them just like how Germany had improved mine. I will make them no longer agricultural people."

Romano snorts, a dry and venomous one.

"And I will just let your people crush them, like they do now? I'm not that stupid, dear brother. And the politic is not that simple." The world is not. "Do you really think that your boss, your government, will want to take in the people of the South?"

"I know it will not be easy. And I know politic is not that simple, but I will try. I will make them agree."

Romano closes his eyes, and when he opens again, he says, voice firm.

"Then let me ask you just one thing before you carry it out."

They stare at each other in silence for a while. Veneziano waits, Romano prepares.

"Why do you suddenly change your way like this?"

For a moment Veneziano's lower lip trembles, but it only lasts for a mere second. When he answers, he speaks firmly.

"Because I can no longer cling to that dim hope of ours."

Romano smiles a dry and bitter smile. He heaves a sigh and says, "Then, be it to your wish."

Veneziano notices how Romano's gaze is still holding something he hasn't yet spoken, and he says, "Anything you want to say to me for the last time, the Republic of South Italy?"

Romano smirks, answering, "if I may, Repubblica Italiana."

"Say it."

Voice smooth and strong, unchanged from so long time ago whenever he read Bible for his younger brother, never change. "But even if a man's life is long and he has joy in all his years, let him keep in mind the dark days, because they will be great in number. Whatever may come is to no purpose. Have joy, O young man, while you are young; and let your heart be glad in the days of your strength, and go in the ways of your heart, and in the desire of your eyes; but be certain that for all these things God will be your judge."

"I love you Feliciano"

And he pulls the trigger.

"I love you too, Lovi."

But with the big sister dead in the pool of amber blood,

In the silent room surrounded with four walls painted with stained cream color, Italy stands alone.

Fingers around a gleaming gun which still holds the smell of gunpowder.

Feet stand on the crimson pool he has shed.

Figure stands still, firm, and unmoving.

Hazel eyes dull and dry.

Breath is soft and steady.

As motionless and silent as the dead body laid before him. The dead body that is painted with beautiful crimson color, still warm but breathless.

Italy is finally united.

who is there to read the letter to? Bah bah

A/N:

The italic words about goats are taken from one of the storybook in Rule of Rose. The storybook is titled The Goat Sisters and it's the chapter that concludes the phrase "Even true love is quickly shredded by conflict". Sad... :(((

About the universe in this chapter, I took it from the manga Gunslinger Girl which covers the problems between North and South Italy. I don't know if the Five Republics really existed or not. So, this chapter is not fully historically correct. Please don't kill me... *hides*

The Italy here is dark!Italy.

The next chapter probably will come late. It will be Everlasting happiness is a joke.

Thanks for reading!