Silvia Russo || South Italy

[Deleted]

Silvia Amoretta Russo Silvia's an independent and strong-willed woman who thinks she's put a lid on her past. She was moved to an orphanage after the death of her parents in London, and now she's found herself a cozy little house of her own. She's a policewoman who's been through plenty of counseling, absolutely hates the mafia and wishes to bring justice to this cruel city.

CODE NAME: Rossa

Female

24

Heteroflexible

Italian

Policewoman

Independent

Physical

5'3"

117 lbs.

Dark Auburn

Green

Fair

Slim, Lean

Personal

The first thing to note is that Silvia is her own woman – adjusted as she is now to a solitary life, she's learned along the way that she doesn't need other people to protect her or tell her how to live. At least, this is something that she's adamantly told herself for years. She believes her independent qualities are what make her strong. She's strong-willed and she knows how to handle herself, her life, and anything risky that might be thrown at her. At a glance, she might appear stoic and unapproachable to others. She's the sort of person whose neutral expression looks rather unwelcoming, though she doesn't always mean to come off as a grump or an unfriendly person – of course, that will vary depending on her actual mood. For the most part, though, Silvia is approachable and she has good intentions. That, however, isn't all there is to be said about Silvia's appearance. She seems to put effort into how she looks each day – although it might not seem so, she is a feminine woman. She might not ever boast about or fawn over her appearance, but she isn't self-conscious about it, either. Criticism is taken quite well – what should she care about people who don't like how she looks? She dresses for herself, not for them. Although she might be all dolled and gussied up, her behavior isn't exactly what one might deem feminine. She can have a tough attitude when dealing with situations, and the thought of being some prim and proper lady who behaves with her best manners honestly makes her scoff. Truthfully, Silvia does enjoy company. It's the fact she's so reserved that makes her hesitant around new people – but she isn't the type to completely shut everyone else out. The way she handles people depends on how they act toward her. If they're decent, friendly people, then she won't have a reason to be rude and can be perfectly hospitable. If they're the ones being rude, then she certainly won't have a problem dealing with them accordingly. A feisty young woman, there are times where her speech certainly contrasts any lady-like behavior. The only time she uses curtness and biting insults to her advantage, though, is when she's trying to get someone to leave her alone. Otherwise, she isn't the type to just start arguments out of the blue. She tends to keep herself out of the way of those sorts of things, because she doesn't have any interest starting scenes when they aren't necessary. Most people aren't worth that trouble. What makes that difficult is the fact that Silvia has an unavoidable temper. It isn't a problem she's avoided addressing, but it is still there – through past counseling she has learned how and when to keep it under control, though there are moments where she can't help but snap. Little things such as nearby noises or words are enough to set her off, and her preferred method of blowing off steam is just to walk away from the situation. On the other hand, if it's a situation that deals with someone Silvia is close to, she won't back down from expressing her more protective and defensive sides. If someone hits a more sensitive nerve or decides to insult a family member or anyone else Silvia is fond of, she resorts to verbal (but rarely ever physical) violence. Not to mention that her bank of insults and cuss words is fairly expansive, mind you. She doesn't use them on a daily basis, but still. As for Silvia's common social behavior, she is often blunt and to the point whenever she speaks. She won't wish to share personal information if it isn't necessary to, but if someone is really pestering her about it, then yes – she'll say whatever they want to hear out of her. In conversation, her sense of humor and way of talking is often sarcastic. She can't always help that. If the person she's talking to is an acquaintance or less, Silvia will be a woman of short words. It isn't that she's shy, per say, but as aforementioned she's reserved and chooses not to open up to people until she's warmed up to them. If she hasn't yet done that, then she might seem a little bit awkward. Silvia isn't great with making friends and often isn't sure how to go about doing it – even if she tries to be sociable, it isn't something that's likely to change about her. She's especially awkward in groups of people, which, of course, applies to people outside of her work. In the event that she has found friendship or companionship, it isn't like she's a bad friend. As strange as it might be for her, she honestly wants to make people happy. She's sensitive to the emotions of people she likes and will do her best to work around that awkwardness of hers, proving to others that she can be a decent person. She's helpful if someone ever needs her to be and will always be appreciative of acts of kindness – she always enjoys seeing that there is still a sense of decency in people. Of course, some friendships blossom into something more. Silvia likes the idea of romance – the coveted prince charming and his chivalrous lady treatment and all. She isn't really the flirtatious type, but sometimes finds herself wishing that any certain man or woman will take interest in her. This is where Silvia battles with her own independence – she tells herself that she doesn't need anyone in her life, but at the same time, there is loneliness in her, isn't there? It wouldn't hurt to have someone fill that void she forces not to acknowledge. Sensitive emotions such as these are certainly what Silvia is reserved about. On the topic of romance, she can be easy to fluster – honest compliments are something she isn't used to taking but can't help appreciating. On a more negative note, she finds it difficult to resist some temptations. This might give off a rather naive air to her – if someone seems perfect, then it isn't unlikely that she'll decide to go for them. As usual, naivety can leave to some mistakes in the end, and making impulsive decisions don't usually land Silvia with the best outcomes. Still, for the most part, Silvia fares well on her own. She tries to move beyond her past, even if those memories still occasionally like to creep up on her. Either way, she faces the world ahead of her without cowardice. She walks a strong strut while doing her job. In her worst moments, she might be a bit self-deprecating, scolding herself over the worst decisions she's made... but she hasn't lost herself yet. She's passionate about what she likes and what she does now, waving a dismissive hand to those that oppose her.

Likes

Dislikes

Cute Outfits | Dresses and skirts especially - she just loves dressing up in any cute styled attire. She chooses her outfits carefully so that they match her shoes and her headbands. She adores wearing headbands and is hardly seen without one on. Usually it's the red one - which resembles the one she was going to give Sera. She doesn't tell people about that, though. Grape Tomatoes | Her affinity for the things might have started as a young age. She doesn't really think about it now, but she might be obsessed with them - it's sometimes required that they accompany her meals in whichever way possible. Ideas of Romance | Okay, she might get them from the stories she's read and the stupid things she's seen on television, but she can't help but adore romance. It's so cheesy and stupid, again, but there might just come a day where she finds that perfect person. She hates to admit it, but she wouldn't mind spending a day gossiping about romance with other women. Guys | While her orientation might waver, she still leans toward men. She might not be too great at approaching and flirting with them, but there isn't anything wrong with ogling them from afar. If one approaches her for conversation, well - she'll do her best to seem desirable. Her Job | It's really... replenishing. She loves being on new cases, hunting down people who have wronged the law. She's been trained well enough that she considers herself adept, and the feeling of catching someone always makes her feel good. It's because of the damned mafia and her childhood innocent that she joined the team, and now she doesn't see any reason to back down. Soap Operas | These are also very cheesy and very dumb, but that's what she enjoys about them. She's the type of person who honestly gets wrapped up in the characters and their overly-dramatic stories. She both sympathizes with and mocks their unfortunate lives. Accessories | Headbands aren't the only accessories she likes to wear, as this also goes for gloves, bracelets, earrings, and necklaces. They're always cute with any outfit. Perhaps not the gloves, but wearing them at work has become a habit. Italian Cuisine | It's only truly genuine and delicious in Italy. London's interpretation of Italian cuisine is a joke, but... it's one of the few links she has to home, so sometimes she just caves in and eats it. Guns | She feels powerful and secure whenever she has one in her person. Her knowledge of guns in general is quite expansive, and she treats each of hers as if they're precious children.  Warm Colors | She'll wear any color, but she prefers ones that aren't overly bright and obnoxious. Darker, warmer colors are easier on the eye, and she likes to see them around her home especially. Red is, again, her favorite, but she also likes similar shades like orange and yellow. Exercising | Going to the gym to get a good work out is a hobby of hers. It's practically therapeutic and it helps to ease her after (or before, if she decides to go early in the morning) a long day of work. It also makes her feel better about eating lots of gelato or something. Paint | She didn't go down the artistic career path, but she still enjoys painting as an occasional relaxing hobby. Her work isn't worthy of going on the wall or anything, but she does have other well-known works hung up to admire. Wine | At one point in Silvia's life, she was a bit too fond of wine. Nowadays she tries to limit how much she drinks, and definitely makes sure not to be buzzed on the job. Italian wine still tastes absolutely delicious, in any case.

Her Curl | It's hard to keep down and looks silly always sticking out like that. But because it's so sensitive to touch (and she sure as hell wonders why that is), she's kind of afraid to try cutting it off. The Mafia | She'll never let go of her grudge and her dislike for the Mafia. They're cocky and senseless people who stand on the opposite side of the spectrum, and she hates them for how easily they can ruin a family. Lack of Chivalry | If someone wants to woo her, they should at least have some common sense and manners. She won't ask for a whole lot, but it's nice to see someone put in that extra effort. Her Height | Her legs are long and stunning (in her opinion), so why isn't she stunningly tall? Her height once labeled her as the 'short little angry woman', which she definitely does not tolerate. She hates having to get defensive over it, so it's best not to make insults. Making Enemies | It isn't always easily avoided, but she doesn't wish to stir that sort of drama with people. If she doesn't get along with a person, she might argue with them once or twice - but she won't want it be recurring. Just cut your ties and leave her alone and there shouldn't be another problem. Happy Families | This is actually a sense of envy. She hates seeing happy families walking around all care-free and merry, knowing that she won't ever have that feeling again. She just tries not to look at or think about them. Bullies | Come on now. Some people have been through a lot of crap, and she hates to see them get picked on for it. Her way of dealing with bullies may not be so nice, but she does her best to defend those who can't defend themselves.

Dreams

Fears

Justice | That's what being a police officer is all about. Bringing people to justice. Bringing yourself to feel justice. Silvia is yet to give up on finding that feeling - she took up her career in hopes of avenging the death of her family, and that is what she'll always strive to do. Finding Sister | Something... tells her that her little sister Sera could still be alive. She didn't find her body that night. Silvia thinks she's seen hints and signs of her presence around London but hardly succumbs to believing them. She just wants to put her mind at ease; find out once and for all whether Sera really is still out there. Promotion | She sees herself climbing that ladder one day. Her name might even become better known to the citizens of London. Not that she wants to suck up to the annoying chief or anything, but she still wouldn't mind exchanging her badge for a role more prominent.

Guilt | Guilty feelings should have been left behind long ago. It isn't frequent, no, but once in a blue moon Silvia will feel them - guilt that she didn't do anything to save her family from being murdered. She fears most of all that she'll never be able to let them all go. Being a Bad Mother | She's not really sure how she feels about children - at least not yet. She may want to one day settle down and find someone special, but if it does so happen that she starts a family... she fears she'll do something to let them down, or won't be able to care for them as a good mother should. Robbery | She fears being the victim of a break-in and/or robbery. It's silly, considering she catches damned robbers every week, and robbery isn't the most heinous of crimes in London - but it's still a scary thought of such a thing happening to her home. She has a lot of treasured keepsakes in there.

Background

“Venice appeared to me as in a recurring dream, a place once visited and now fixed in memory like images on a photographer’s plates so that my return was akin to turning the leaves of a portfolio: a scene of the gondolas moored by the railway station; the Grand Canal in twilight; the Rialto bridge; the Piazza San Marco; the shimmering, rippling wonderland; the bustling water traffic; the fish market; the Lido beach and boardwalk; Teeny in the launch; the singing, gesturing gondoliers; the bourgeois tourists drinking coffee at Florian’s; the importunate beggars; the drowned girl’s ghost haunting the Bridge of Sighs; the pigeons, mosquitoes and fetor of decay.” --Gary Inbinder Silvia Amoretta Russo was born in Venice, Italy. She was the first child born to a serene middle class pair, Luigi and Mimi, and was joined three years later by her younger sister, Sera. They found that the sun shone brightly upon their two beautiful girls, who went together like two ripe cherries, like two bright balloons set for the summer sky. Silvia was absolutely ecstatic at the idea of having a little sister. Even when she was little did she desire to help her parents raise the younger girl, which always had them chuckling - she was growing mature for her young age, wasn't she? Going out was one of Silvia's favorite things to do. The sun and all the beaches of Italy were so nice, so it didn't please her when they up and left for London, England. Her parents' reason for doing so was only vaguely explained. The rain was a bummer to get used to - but Silvia wouldn't let that ruin the fun times she had with her dear sister. They had fun together; all four of them did. Laughter went well against the patter of rain on the windows. If things were to stay that way forever, Silvia supposed she wouldn't mind adjusting to life in London. Their family wasn't the richest in London, nor did they have the same privileges as everyone else. Silvia made the best of it. English was easier for Silvia to grasp, seeing as she was the eldest - she often would try to help Sera improve, too. There were a lot of things she could remember them doing. She never thought they would be of the last things she would do with Sera, but that's only what makes them so memorable to her now. Brushing Sera's long, long hair, dressing one another up in pretty ribbons, dresses and Mamma's big high heels. They drew pictures of home, sang songs from home, watched as Mamma and Papà took turns cooking. She was eleven when it was time to leave that all behind. No, it wasn't left behind - it was torn from them and thrown behind. Silvia was upstairs on an early spring day, wearing a new skirt that had been given to her and preparing a gift for Sera's upcoming birthday. It wasn't wrapped yet, but she was doing a good job keeping it hidden from her sister: it was a red headband.  The first gunshot was enough. Noise exploded throughout the house, overriding the startled scream that tore for Silvia's mouth. Sera's crying was faint, audible only once Silvia dared to venture out of her bedroom. She could just barely see what was happening from over the stair railing, and the second gunshot scared her back into place. She scurried back in, her heart racing. They were going to look for her next, weren't they? The girl disappeared into her closet, tucked behind jackets and boots in the corner, names hanging quietly on her lips. She didn't know what to do or when she would come out, so she... waited. That was the first mistake to haunt Silvia to this day. Perhaps the worst one. It wasn't her fault, though. She couldn't have done anything - she realizes it now. Back then, however, she didn't. When she decided to venture back out, her steps were tentative, ears awake and listening for more frightening noises. Things seemed to have quieted down. She would have been more careful if she hadn't seen two bodies on the floor below her. At that point, Silvia didn't care whether scary people were roaming around her house. Her legs carried her so quickly down that flight of stairs that she nearly fell - twice. Blood stained her fingers and her new skirt when she touched her mother. Sera's headband was left behind in her bedroom. When Silvia finished screaming, all she could do was weep - first over Mimi's body, then over Luigi's. The third body was missing. The third would always be missing. Neighbors who had heard the gunshots came over to find Silvia, who hadn't yet pushed herself to dial the police. She couldn't be bothered to do a lot of things from that point on. She was sent away to an orphanage where she continued her schooling, but as she grew older, the sunny Silvia which her parents knew so well began to deteriorate. She isolated herself from the other children, refused to open up to counselors and teachers who tried to help her. People were careful, and they tried to be nice, but... Silvia couldn't help snapping at some of them. Sometimes she'd feel bad, but she didn't know how to redeem herself. Nights were spent awake in bed, tormented by nightmares and recurring images as she grew older. A lot of things about Silvia changed after she hit puberty. Paranoia even began to strike. She wanted to make up for her being isolated and rude to everyone else, but... what happens if she made close friends? Got attached to them? Would they be torn away from her too? On one of her worse nights, Silvia demanded that someone told her what happened that one day. She was informed of her parents' vague involvement with the mafia - that they had borrowed money from them. Money. Just paper in wallets. That's what tore her family apart? What took her poor little sister away from her?? Rage was quick to boil. When worse came to worse, Silvia caved in and sought counseling. Years of sessions did help her. Her therapist was the first person she opened up to. When she was old enough to live on her own, she began to think of her future and all that she had left behind her. She couldn't just let go. She had to find her sister at some point. She decided that she would become a cop. If she couldn't find Sera all on her own, then she had to find a way to justice. Save other people from having to go through what she did. Along with that decision, however, came more reckless ones. Silvia, for a short time, grew attached to drinking wine. Occasionally she'd drink heavier stuff, and when she did, she forgot the pain of those years past - and it was that feeling that she became addicted to. That smothering, numbing feeling. It did not reflect well on her career path. She decided to seek her therapist again. Now, at the age of twenty-four, Silvia has begun to repair herself. She no longer drinks as heavily, she no longer blames herself day in and day out for what happened - she focuses on her job and that's all. Sometimes those feelings come to haunt her, sometimes she thinks Sera is still here, but... she can't let it eat away at her. She's become independent and has opened herself up to the better things in life. There are still things to look forward to... Maybe.

Role-Play Sample

This was one of those sessions during which Silvia would rather be at home. Watching one of her awful shows on the television, sitting cross-legged on the couch with a bowl of ice cream snug on her lap, cooling her thighs. Dulce de Leche, most likely. She remembered that she had some left in her freezer. As great as your questions are, Signora, there's probably a bottle of wine waiting for me along with that ice cream. But wine was the very subject of their session today. Silvia brought that upon herself. Signora White didn't seem to care one bit about what was waiting for Silvia at home.  She sat at a short distance from the woman, comfortable upon her usual designated spot of the sofa. Her therapist watched her from over thin-rimmed glasses, so carefully thoughtful and patient about each word she drew from the Italian. The wine. That period of heavy drinking. What was it all about? Silvia did not meet those patient eyes, emerald gaze directed instead toward a spot of blue rug on the floor. Her hand rested upon a bare ankle, one leg crossed over the other. Things between her and her therapist were not tense. She was used to being here by now. "It was all I wanted to do," she said, fingers tapping soundlessly. It wasn't all that long ago, was it? It didn't feel so. "It was new to me, but I'm Italian, huh? It's in our blood or something like that." She scoffed to herself, not once testing the patience of Signora White. Naturally she didn't remember everything she did when she drank, but she knew she got into things she wasn't proud of. Her voice was not rushed, but it was truthful. "You know what we all hear. About alcohol just... drowning all of your troubles away. That's what I wanted. To drown."

OOC Information

Jen

PMs, Skype (jennac211)

Show me a piano falling down a mineshaft and I'll show you A-flat minor.

Good thing I brought my library card because I am checkin u out

made by CAPTAIN of BACK TO NEVERLAND

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APPROVED

Welcome to TND. Your application has been accepted. OH MY GOSH A NYO!ROMANO. I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS DAY MY ENTIRE LIFE. You said you were worried about playing a new muse like Silvia, but oh man -- you didn't have to worry at all, Jen! You got her personality down pat and she is definitely her own person and not simply a female version of Romano. She has this cautious sort of air to her; a lot has definitely happened in her past and I'm really sorry about putting her in such a position with Sera's history, pff. I'm extremely eager to see what will happen when the two sisters reunite! ALSO. KICKASS POLICE OFFICER COMING THROUGH. MAKE WAY. Go forth on your unicycle, carrying out the unwavering hand of justice!! The name is Russo. Silvia Russo.

made by CAPTAIN of BACK TO NEVERLAND