A young girl dressed in a red hood carried a small number of roses to a cliff.
"Hey Mom, it's me again," greeted Ruby with a sad smile. It's only been a few short weeks since she last spoke to her mother, but Ruby felt the urge to speak to Summer again, after certain events "I have bad news... do you remember Penny? She was that girl I told you about a while ago..." Ruby sniffed, but tried to steady her voice.
"She's gone... there was an accident during the tournament. We were going to be best friends forever. Not in a Weiss friend way either, like a real friend. I mean, Weiss is my friend too, but I felt like Penny and I got along better, you know?" Ruby let out a humorless laugh at the silence, and sat crossed legged in front of the gravestone.
"It's like Dad always says, 'friends come and go'... I just didn't think it would be like this..." Her voice was soft, and she wiped a tear from her eye. "Mom? Why did you have to leave me?" she cried softly. "I miss you everyday, and I don't know how to deal with it. I try not thinking about you, and I don't feel so sad anymore, but when I do think of you, I feel guilty! I don't want to forget you, but thinking of you hurts! Nobody ever told me why you left!" she shouted. Ruby tried to dry the tears that were not flowing freely from her silver eyes.
"I didn't have a choice," said a familiar voice. Ruby gasped as she immediately recognized it.
"Mom?!" the girl nearly pleaded. She looked at the cliff, and saw the white cloak she remembered fondly. "Mom, is that really you?"
"I'm sorry, baby," the woman said. She turned to face her, and Ruby nearly burst into tears. It really was her! In a blur of red petals, the girl embraced Summer.
"How are you here?" asked Ruby through the sobs. "Mom, it's really you!" She felt her mother's hand ruffle her hair.
"I don't have much time," replied Summer. "I just wanted to see you one last time, and put your mind at ease."
"What are you talking about?" asked Ruby, breaking from the hug. Her puffy eyes stared into Summers own silver eyes. Ruby realized what this meant. "You're leaving me again..."
"Ruby, I never wanted to leave you!" the older woman sad sadly. She grabbed her daughters hands in her own. "I didn't have a choice... I didn't think that day would be the last time I would see you."
"You promised!" Ruby accused. "Why are you going to abandon me again?! I overheard Dad talking about the promise you made to me. Do you remember what it was?!"
"I..." Summer began.
"You don't know what it's like!" sobbed Ruby. "When uncle Qrow told me what happened I didn't believe him! I waited for weeks hoping you'd come home! Even after that, I still hoped you'd come back, but you never did! Do you know what it's like waiting for somebody who will never return?"
"Ruby, I'm sorry!" Summer said her voice cracking.
"I don't care," Ruby said angrily. "I just want my Mom back! It's all I ever wanted! You can't just show up like this and leave me again, I have so much to tell you!"
"Baby, I know," Summer relied solemnly. "But I don't have much time left. Before I go, I want you to know something."
"W-what is it?" the girl asked. She felt so many different emotions, but she managed to control herself enough.
"I always wanted to be a hero, to protect the world from the creatures of Grimm," she began. "But when I found out I was going to have you, my dream changed."
"I made you lose your dream?" Ruby asked broken hearted.
"Of course not!" Summer denied. "I didn't care about the world as much. I only wanted to be your hero. I wanted to do something with my life that you could be proud of, but I never got the chance. I know I broke my promise to you, but I never wanted to let you down like this..."
"What!? No! Mom, I've always been proud!" Ruby cried, hugging her again. "I was angry and hurt that you disappeared, but I've always been proud! I'm following in your footsteps, to be a Huntress!"
"Really?" asked Summer, getting a nod from her daughter. Summer then let out a small laugh. "Ruby, I wish I could have seen you grow up, because maybe I would have seen it."
"Seen what?" asked Ruby confused. Summer stroked her daughters hair gently.
"The day you became my hero," she said softly, brushing her daughters hair. "Ruby, I wish I could tell you everyday how proud I am of you... but I have to go now."
"What? Why?" asked Ruby in a panic. "You haven't even been here long! I still want to talk to you, Mom. Please don't leave again!" begged the fifteen year old girl.
"I'm fading," she replied full of remorse. "I can feel it... I'm sorry, Ruby..."
"Please don't go!" Ruby repeated in a sob. Summer just cupped Ruby's cheek and kissed her forehead.
"I have no choice. I love you, don't you ever forget that, OK?" Before Ruby could say it back, Summer burst into white petals that scattered off the cliff and towards the moon. Ruby fell to her knees, clutching her chest. Despite seeing her mother disappear from her life forever, she couldn't help but smile. Bittersweet tears fell from her face, but Ruby felt as if a weight had been lifted from her shoulders.
"I love you too, Mom..." Ruby whispered to the wind. picking herself up, she headed back to Beacon, leaving behind the tombstone, and a mint haired girl who had hidden behind a tree.
"Why'd you do it?" asked a woman appearing behind the dark skinned girl.
"I...just felt bad for her," answered the teen looking over to her boss, who seemed a bit annoyed. "It won't happen again."
"For your sake, I would hope not," the woman threatened. "We're here on a mission, not to waste our time providing therapy for the enemy."
"Yes, Cinder," the girl replied with a frightened bow.
"Now, let's get back to the festival, I'm sure we'll find a better use of our time there." The two young women then left, leaving the grave in peace.