History Fanfic / WeightOfTheWorld

-->-- Summary for ''Weight of the World'', Website/FanfictionDotNet.

''Weight of the World'' and its sequels, ''The Shattered Soul'', ''The Depths of Deception'', ''The Atrocities of Atlas'', and ''The Charlatan of Choice'' are fanfiction stories available on fanfiction.net and Archive of Our Own by [[https://www.fanfiction.net/u/3966416/SkyleafAlchemist19 SkyleafAlchemist19]] a.k.a. [[https://archiveofourown.org/users/Skyleaf19 Skyleaf19]]. The series is a crossover between ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}'' and ''Webcomic/HetaliaAxisPowers''. It was completed on April 20th 2019.
* ''Weight of the World'' can be found [[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12649987/1/Weight-of-the-World here]] and [[https://archiveofourown.org/works/13193565/chapters/30179424 here]].
* ''The Shattered Soul'' can be found [[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12758400/1/The-Shattered-Soul here]] and [[https://archiveofourown.org/works/14264493/chapters/32898945 here]].
* ''The Depths of Deception'' can be found [[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12894112/1/The-Depths-of-Deception here]] and [[https://archiveofourown.org/works/14580012/chapters/33692400 here]].
* ''The Atrocities of Atlas'' can be found [[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12969849/1/The-Atrocities-of-Atlas here]] and [[https://archiveofourown.org/works/14937426/chapters/34607811 here]].
* ''The Charlatan of Choice'' can be found [[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13090765/1/The-Charlatan-of-Choice here]] and [[https://archiveofourown.org/works/16271378/chapters/38049032 here]].

* DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything:
** England's disgusted reaction to America activating Japan's Aura and his snide comments that America will "do that with anyone" brings SlutShaming to mind. America's resulting shame and questions whether his overly-friendly personality led to him "practically asking" to become Vale (despite his blatant QuestionableConsent) adds a dose of alluded UsefulNotes/VictimBlaming to the mix.
** The therapy session can be viewed as one huge metaphor for a therapist helping their client realize they did not give their consent in a sexual situation (because agreeing only because they are trapped and the other party won't take "no" for an answer is not consent), accepting they were in fact raped, and that they did nothing to deserve being assaulted.
** Greenlee (the Atlas soldier stationed on Earth) further compounds this by saying America should be [[NotIfTheyEnjoyedItRationalization honored and grateful]] that Atlas and Ironwood chose him to become Vale.
** England's attempts to trick America into performing the severance ritual and his actions when America finds out the truth and refuses are reminiscent of a family member's desire to get rid of a SplitPersonality, their attempt to CureYourGays, AttemptedRape, or a non-consensual attempt to Lobotomize someone (depending on the interpretation).
** Russia's successful attempt to force America to activate his Aura is reminiscent of someone using manipulation and physical force to pressure a mentally-incapacitated person into having sex with them.
** The symbolism continues in ''The Atrocities of Atlas''. [[spoiler:The sequence where the ex-soldier tortures America is is disturbingly comparable to a rape scene, complete with the soldier shoving America face-down over a table and pressing his body against his.]]
** [[spoiler:America is knocked out by a soldier. He wakes up naked, in considerable pain, and leaves drops of blood behind as he walks. When he exits the shower, two guards come in and attack him.]] The scene plays out like the aftermath and lead-up to another sexual assault, as several readers have noted.
** [[spoiler:The ex-soldier catches America again and taunts him about their "bond". The soldier rips off America's shirt, pins him down and lays on top of him, and runs his hands over America's skin. When the soldier makes to stab him, America fights him off and kills his attacker before breaking down. America blames himself for not trying to stop the ex-soldier sooner is deeply ashamed.]] The above three scenes play out painfully similar to rape and/or attempted rape and the victim's traumatized reaction to it.
** [[spoiler: America ran away from his older brother, was captured, escaped, and is alone in a new world. He implicitly trusts Penny 2.0 (the only "friend" he has at the moment) despite her unsettling and suspicious mannerisms. He brushes off the older and warier Vale's warnings that Penny 2.0 isn't his friend and cannot be trusted. Penny 2.0 is very concerned with America being "undamaged". She knowingly leads America into a trap concocted by her and Ironwood, where he is presumably meant to be captured and given to Atlas. And then there are all the other people in Atlas who have gone missing...]] TheRunaway and HumanTrafficking, anyone?
** When America confronts [[spoiler:Ironwood]], it plays out much like an abuse victim confronting their abuser. [[spoiler:Ironwood]] tries to get America to go with him, blaming him for fighting back and getting hurt, subtly manipulating him and insinuating America is a bad person if he doesn't do what he wants, and pulling something akin to an IfICantHaveYou when he refuses.
*** In summary, the way Atlas and her cohorts treat America can be summed up as one huge metaphor for being kidnapped, [[HumanTraffickers trafficked]], and trapped in a sexually, psychologically, and physically abusive relationship.
** [[spoiler:Jaune's failed attempt to heal America's scars is comparable to a NearRapeExperience where one partner does not want sex but the other does not notice until the scared partner starts crying and trying to pull away. Cinching it are America's quiet pleas for Jaune to stop, which Jaune accidentally ignores until America screams in pain.]]
** [[spoiler:Russia's attacks on America]] in the bathroom brings DomesticAbuse to mind. The attacker corners the victim, grabs them by the throat and shoves them around, while insisting this is the victim's fault. The victim is too terrified to move because of past encounters like this but accidentally resists out of survival instinct. The attacker slams them into the wall and pins them there while touching them and the victim shuts their eyes and doesn't fight back. The victim is left with visible cuts and bruises but makes excuses and defends the attacker's actions when confronted by their family and friends. As they are attacked again and again they continue to deny what the attacker is doing is wrong and believes they somehow deserve it.
** How characters react to America and Vale can be seen as an allusion to someone being biromantic [[note]]Not bisexual since America is ace. [[/note]] and others failing to understand them or believing they're "confused". America sees nothing wrong with caring about both Earth and Remnant, but others are unhappy that he likes and feels connected to both worlds. Some try to pressure him into choosing one world over the other and scorn him when he refuses to adhere to what they think is right. America eventually ignores those that want him to choose between one or the other and chooses both; because that's what ''he'' wants.

''Weight of the World'' and its sequels, ''The Shattered Soul'', ''The Depths of Deception'', ''The Atrocities of Atlas'', and ''The Charlatan of Choice'' are fanfiction stories available on fanfiction.net and Archive of Our Own by [[https://www.fanfiction.net/u/3966416/SkyleafAlchemist19 SkyleafAlchemist19]] a.k.a. [[https://archiveofourown.org/users/Skyleaf19 Skyleaf19]]. The series is a crossover between ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}'' and ''Webcomic/AxisPowersHetalia''. It was completed on April 20th 2019.

* NecessaryEvil: [[spoiler:Ironwood]] sees America's capture and the Transformation Institute as this. In [[spoiler:his]] eyes, they are necessary to protect Remnant and keep Atlas secure.

* AdaptationalVillainy: This Version of Ciel Soleil is Far Worse then her Canon Web Animation Counterpart, This Ozpin is Far Worse then His Canon Web Animation Counterpart and this version of Jame Ironwood is Far Worse then His Canon Web Animation.
* AdaptationalJerkass: This Version of Yang Xiao Long are far More Jerk than Her Canon Web Animation Counterpart and this version of Qrow Branwen are Far more Jerk than his Canon Web Animation Counterpart.

* BenevolentConspiracy: Ozpin's group. Though not all of them are benevolent. [[spoiler:Ironwood took part in America and Canada's abduction and [[PlayingWithSyringes torment]], and Ozpin is a WellIntentionedExtremist who is willing to manipulate, sacrifice, and kill to stop Salem.]]

* CanonCharacterAllAlong: The kindly doctor seen in the flashbacks is actually [[spoiler:Penny's creator, Doctor Polendina.]]

** In another non-sexual and non-romantic instance, [[spoiler:England attempts to trick America into participating in a ritual that would sever his connection with Vale's people. Not only is America amnesiac and unaware of the intricacies of what a personification does and is, but England ''purposely'' keeps the ritual's true purpose from him, stopping Norway from explaining the truth. England takes advantage of America's naivety and trust because he knows America would never agree to the ritual if he knew what it actually did.]]

* FramingTheGuiltyParty: "Framing a Known Guilty Party for Something Else" version. Ironwood did some terrible things, which include approving of the Transformation Institute. However, America suspects the investigators are planning to make Ironwood appear to be his StalkerWithACrush at the [[ScarpiaUltimatum very least]], along with pinning Ironwood for other crimes the General did not actually commit.

* PublicExecution: [[spoiler:Jacques Schnee]] is executed on "live" TV. The footage is not actually live and was prerecorded, but VNN pretends it interrupted their broadcast.

* BenevolentConspiracy: Ozpin's group. Though not all of them are benevolent.

** The notion of Earth being a-okay with the blatant disregard of human rights and willingly allying with those that disregard them is smashed to bits. Despite [[UtopiaJustifiesTheMeans their world-saving motivations]], [[spoiler:Atlas, Ironwood, and Professor Ozpin]] are ''not'' absolved of their heinous crimes. [[labelnote: Crime list]]: [[spoiler:Atlas and Ironwood's crimes: abduction, espionage, torture, human and Faunus experimentation, wrongful imprisonment and executions, murder, and brainwashing. Ozpin's crimes: using his position of authority to pressure underlings into doing what he wants, neglectfully sending inexperienced teams on high-ranked missions for his own gain (which got at least one team killed), sending countless Huntsmen and Huntresses on suicide missions, attempted murder, torture, regicide, and {{Human Sacrifice}}s.]][[/labelnote]] These leaders' actions do not inspire confidence, and since these crimes are Earth's biggest look into Remnant's culture, many potential allies look at them in [[EveryoneHasStandards disgust.]] Some of the nations of Earth consider Remnant an untrustworthy, dystopian threat and reject the very notion of allying with them because their leaders utilize such deplorable tactics. The perpetrators being "the good guys" matters little: crimes against humanity are inexcusable, and those that commit them have gone too far to be trusted with Earth's welfare. [[spoiler:If Atlas, Ironwood, and Ozpin survived the war]], they be put on trial for war crimes and crimes against humanity. In fact, [[spoiler:Ironwood]] is awaiting trial before he escapes his captors.

* {{Fauxshadowing}}: [[spoiler: Despite the name of Italy's weapon being Thyrus, which is named after a legend where a brave knight slays a dragon, he never fights the Grimm Dragon. Though he does help fight [[HumanoidAbomination Salem]][[labelnote: *]] the creator of the Dragon[[/labelnote]].]]

** Raven claims to be doing this to Alfred to keep him from [[TheManBehindTheMan Salem]]. He he calls her out on her BS by pointing out she only wanted him to join her tribe so she'd have another strong member. He [[GoodThingYouCanHeal survives]] her attempt to murder him.

** Most of the nations' name their weapons in ''The Charlatan of Choice'': Japan: (Hanasaka), France (Trouvère), Italy (Thyrus, Russia (Sunflower) Romano (Gladiolus).

*** [[spoiler:Tyrian is killed by France in the woods of Vale.]]

*** [[spoiler:Emerald is beheaded by Canada.]]

*** [[spoiler:Arthur Watts is killed by Penny.]]

** Penny is told to guard America by Ironwood in chapter twelve of ''Weight of the World'' in a cute sequence that focuses more on her budding friendship with America, Canada, Sun, and Neptune than anything. Three books or ''sixty-two chapters'' later [[spoiler:Penny 2.0 is activated with Penny's memories but nor her Aura. Her only non-corrupted mission is to protect Alfred F. Jones.]]

* CompletedFic: The series was completed on April 20th 2019.
* DeathWorld: Remnant is this, especially from the view of the nations. Civilization only survives in small pockets throughout the world and humanity is constantly threatened by the Grimm.
* {{Deconstruction}} [[DeconstructionFic Fic:]] Of common crossover [[invoked]] [[FandomSpecificPlot Fandom Specific Plots]], specifically ones where the hero is kidnapped or drafted into a different world's war. No, the heroes from another world are ''not'' happy or willing to fight for the people who abducted and [[PlayingWithSyringes experimented on]] their friends. No, they do ''not'' forgive the abductors because they are the [[BigGood Big]] [[BenevolentConspiracy Goods]] working in the interest of [[TheNeedsOfTheMany The Needs]] [[{{Deconstruction}} of]] [[UtopiaJustifiesTheMeans The Many]]. Because of Atlas and Ozpinati's actions, the nations (minus America and Canada) plan to [[NotInThisForYourRevolution leave Remnant as soon as possible]] and they do so [[OptOut without regrets]]... until they're forced back to Remnant.

** How characters react to America and Vale can be seen as an allusion to someone being biromantic[[note]] Not bisexual since America is ace. [[/note]] and others failing to understand them or believing they're "confused". America sees nothing wrong with caring about both Earth and Remnant, but others are unhappy that he likes and feels connected to both worlds. Some try to pressure him into choosing one world over the other and scorn him when he refuses to adhere to what they think is right. America eventually ignores those that want him to choose between one or the other and chooses both; because that's what ''he'' wants.
* {{Doorstopper}}: Together, the five installments reach over 760,000 words, not including author's notes.

* ForWantOfANail: Canada kills Cinder at Beacon. Because of this (and other AlternateUniverse factors) the villains successfully steal the Relic of Knowledge from Haven Academy. In other terms: Cinder isn't around to want vengeance on Ruby, so the villains succeed.

* ForgotAboutHisPowers: Justified. The nations only had their Auras activated recently and discovered their Semblances after that, so they often forget about their new abilities and fall back on the [[BadassNormal mundane combat capabilities]] they have used for hundreds of years.

** RWBY and JNPR are completely unaware that their new friends are nations from another world. At the end of ''The Shattered Soul'' Pyrrha finds out the truth the hard way.

** Raven claims to be doing this to Alfred to keep him from [[TheManBehindTheMan Salem]]. He [[GoodThingYouCanHeal survives]].

** Canada when he realizes killing Cinder sent all of Vale's Aura to his brother.

* AnyoneCanDie: The body count includes: Penny Polendina, Cinder, Mantle, Neo, [[spoiler:Ciel (Atlas), Doctor Polendina, Jacques Schnee, Tyrian, '''Blake''', Vale, Cardin, Dove, Mercury, Roman, Watts, Ironwood, Salem, and Ozpin.]] [[spoiler:Blake's]] death solidifies this entry as the death was a [[spoiler:main character]] performing a StupidSacrifice with little fanfare. ''No one'' is safe.

* {{Deconstruction}} [[DeconstructionFic Fic:]] Of common crossover [[FandomSpecificPlot Fandom Specific Plots]], specifically ones where the hero is kidnapped or drafted into a different world's war. No, the heroes from another world are ''not'' happy or willing to fight for the people who abducted and [[PlayingWithSyringes experimented on]] their friends. No, they do ''not'' forgive the abductors because they are the [[BigGood Big]] [[BenevolentConspiracy Goods]] working in the interest of [[TheNeedsOfTheMany The Needs]] [[{{Deconstruction}} of]] [[UtopiaJustifiesTheMeans The Many]]. Because of Atlas and Ozpinati's actions, the nations (minus America and Canada) plan to [[NotInThisForYourRevolution leave Remnant as soon as possible]] and they do so [[OptOut without regrets]]... until they're forced back to Remnant.

** [[spoiler:Germany berates the nations of the Anti-Grimm Taskforce for not bothering to help Austria when he was taken by a Holo!Grimm in their first battle simulation. Seeing as how the purpose of that simulation was to make sure no one was taken, they failed.]]

* BloodyHandprint: In Pyrrha's nightmare, [[spoiler:Dream!America leaves a trail of bloody fingerprints on the glass of the Aura transfer machine as he dies.]]

* TimeDelayedDeath: Variant. [[spoiler:America jabs Atlas with his PoisonRing. She goes on to fight Japan, loses an arm and ear to SE!Ruby, and runs off. Then she fights Canada and England, losing an eye and getting her leg broken before the cyanide in America's ring kills her.]] At first the heroes are confused how she died but Ren notices the needle-mark on her neck and guesses she was poisoned.

* TheDogWasTheMastermind: [[spoiler:It wasn't Atlas or Salem who orchestrated the America's second abduction. It was the kindly doctor aka Doctor Polendina.]]

** [[spoiler:Germany berates the nations of the Anti-Grimm Taskforce for not bothering to help Austria when he was taken by a Holo!Grimm in their first battle simulation. Seeing as how the purpose of that simulation was to make sure no one was taken, they [[CaptainObvious failed]].]]

''Weight of the World'' and its sequels, ''The Shattered Soul'', ''The Depths of Deception'', ''The Atrocities of Atlas'', and ''The Charlatan of Choice'' are fanfiction stories available on fanfiction.net and Archive of Our Own by [[https://www.fanfiction.net/u/3966416/SkyleafAlchemist19 SkyleafAlchemist19]] a.k.a. [[https://archiveofourown.org/users/Skyleaf19 Skyleaf19]]. The series is a crossover between ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}'' and ''Webcomic/AxisPowersHetalia''. The series was completed on April 20th 2019.

** The heroes defeat [[spoiler:Salem's CloneByConversion body and prevent her from infecting America with a Grimm parasite. She destroys Frontier; blinding America in one eye and killing Qrow, Klein, Sun, and Whitley.]]

** Vale's Aura is green. When it combines with America's it becomes a blue-green shade. America's eyes glow green whenever he uses Vale's Semblance.

** PlayedForLaughs. Prussia insists that Germany needs to name his ahlspiess semi-automatic rifle. Germany doesn't see why that is necessary, much to Prussia's horror.

''Weight of the World'' and its sequels, ''The Shattered Soul'', ''The Depths of Deception'', ''The Atrocities of Atlas'', and ''The Charlatan of Choice'' are fanfiction stories available on fanfiction.net and Archive of Our Own by [[https://www.fanfiction.net/u/3966416/SkyleafAlchemist19 SkyleafAlchemist19]]. The series is a crossover between ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}'' and ''Webcomic/AxisPowersHetalia''. The series was completed on April 20th 2019.

* AMillionIsAStatistic: How Atlas/Ciel views the people of Earth. She is willing to sacrifice them to keep herself safe. [[spoiler:This mindset extends to everyone, even her own people.]]

* AnyoneCanDie: The body count includes: Penny Polendina, Cinder, Mantle, Neo, [[spoiler:Ciel/Atlas, Doctor Polendina, Jacques Schnee, Tyrian, '''Blake''', Vale, Cardin, Dove, Mercury, Roman, Watts, Ironwood, Salem, and Ozpin.]] [[spoiler:Blake's]] death solidifies this entry as the death was a [[spoiler:main character]] performing a StupidSacrifice with little fanfare. ''No one'' is safe.

** ''The Atrocities of Atlas'': [[spoiler:Atlas/Ciel dies during the Fall of Atlas.]]

*** [[spoiler:Vale/Amber]] dies [[HeroicSacrifice saving America's life]].

** [[spoiler: America ran away from his older brother, was captured, escaped, and is alone in a new world. He implicitly trusts Penny 2.0 (the only "friend" he has at the moment) despite her unsettling and suspicious mannerisms. He brushes off the older and warier Amber/Vale's warnings that Penny 2.0 isn't his friend and cannot be trusted. Penny 2.0 is very concerned with America being "undamaged". She knowingly leads America into a trap concocted by her and Ironwood, where he is presumably meant to be captured and given to Atlas. And then there are all the other people in Atlas who have gone missing...]] TheRunaway and HumanTrafficking, anyone?

* TheNeedsOfTheMany: Ironwood and Atlas/Ciel's justification for abducting and experimenting on the twins and Ozpin's group's justification for having America accept the remainder of Vale's Aura. In ''The Shattered Soul'' the nations and most of JNPRR disagree and call foul, the [[LockedOutOfTheLoop latter]] because they think human experimentation is wrong regardless of the reason and the former because Atlas' actions put millions of more lives at risk on Earth, making their actions less this and more like UtopiaJustifiesTheMeans.

* SlidingScaleOfUnavoidableVersusUnforgivable: Discussed. Does saving Vale/Amber and keeping her Aura out of Salem's hands justify the abduction, imprisonment and experimentation of America and Canada, which threatened billions more lives on a previously uninvolved world? The audience, characters, and the narrative say "No.": Atlas's actions are unforgivable. On the more unavoidable side, Ozpinati cannot do anything but finish what Atlas started.

** Remnant has nation-tans. Thanks to experimentation at the hands of Atlas, Canada is Mantle and America has part of Amber/Vale's Aura.

* VideoWills: [[spoiler:America records one for Canada in Amber/Vale's Vault in case he [[DeathOfPersonality does not survive]] the Aura transfer. In it he asks Canada to pass on messages to his friends, tells his family he loves them, apologizes for [[DeadlyEuphemism "leaving"]], and tearfully admits he's [[HesitantSacrifice terrified of possibly dying]]. Canada finds the message after America goes missing.]]

* FaceDeathWithDignity: [[spoiler: Alfred. Twice. Being immortal, he doesn't die either time. Not that he knew that.]]

* AnyoneCanDie: The body count includes: Penny Polendina, Cinder, Mantle, Neo, [[spoiler:Ciel/Atlas, Doctor Polendina, Jacques Schnee, Tyrian, '''Blake''', and Vale.]] [[spoiler:Blake's]] death solidifies this entry as the death was a [[spoiler:main character]] performing a StupidSacrifice with little fanfare. ''No one'' is safe.

* {{Doorstopper}}: Together, the five installments has reached over 725,000 words and counting.
* DrawAggro: Italy shoots a [[spoiler:[[SuperPoweredEvilSide Silver Eyes raging Ruby]]]] in the back to draw her attention and distract her from attacking an injured [[spoiler:Weiss and Japan]]. He later does it again to protect [[spoiler:all of his friends from Ruby. Since Italy has Intangibility,]] he has the least risk of getting hurt, so he acts as a distraction despite how terrified he is.

''Weight of the World'' and its sequels, ''The Shattered Soul'', ''The Depths of Deception'', ''The Atrocities of Atlas'', and ''The Charlatan of Choice'' are fanfiction stories available on fanfiction.net and Archive of Our Own by [[https://www.fanfiction.net/u/3966416/SkyleafAlchemist19 SkyleafAlchemist19]]. The series is a crossover between ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}'' and ''Webcomic/AxisPowersHetalia''.

''Weight of the World'', ''The Shattered Soul'', ''The Depths of Deception'', and ''The Atrocities of Atlas'' are complete. ''The Charlatan of Choice'' is in progress.

*** [[spoiler:Salem dies to America, Ruby, and Canada using [[TheresNoKillLikeOverkill fire, Silver Eyes, and the Relic of Destruction]] respectively.]]

* TheLastDance: [[spoiler:The Relic of Choice is slowly killing America so he pulls out all the stops and vows to kill Salem before he passes.]]

* TreasureChestCavity: [[spoiler:After America makes an (unknowing) choice to do everything he can to keep the Relic of Choice from Salem, the Relic sinks into his torso, where Salem cannot touch it (or him) until he dies. She orders her army to attack DC and destroy Vale.]]

* BattleAmongstTheFlames: [[spoiler:In Kuroyuri.]]