Author's Notes: This chapter was originally going to be two separate ones, The Assassins and The Ketos. However, not only did it feel like I was bloating both of them, but I didn't have enough nightmares for Summer to justify. So I decided to just trim down the two, and combine them into one. Hope you enjoy.

(1)(2) This has been edited after an observation by CipherWrites, the author of 'When You are Needed Most'.

The Nightmares

Summer stood in an extravagant palace, with ornate decorations on the walls. However, her only focus was on the group of people bombarding Ruby from all angles. They were enshrouded, so she couldn't tell who they were, but Ruby was clearly getting overwhelmed.

"Who were you," one of them declared, "To think you knew what was best for Atlas?"

"Summer was the best and brightest of Beacon."

Ruby takes a hit, clinging to the chandelier.

"And she traded her life for her family!"

The woman threw a spear, detaching the chandelier and smashing both it and Ruby into the ground. The woman approached her as Ruby tried to get back up.

"How many more people are going to die because of YOU!?"

She spin-kicks Ruby to the wall, who attempts to crawl away, but the blood coming off of her made it clear she wasn't going to get out of this.

"I'm trying to save everyone," she pleads, "Just like my mom would."

Summer's heart broke for the thousandth time in the past year, seeing her little girl trying so hard to be like her, and getting broken because of it. One of the shadow people punched Ruby hard enough that she could hear the ribs breaking from here.

"And yet, with all your good intentions, have you ever stopped to wonder if you did more harm than good, just like your mother?! That, if you didn't look up to her as much as you did," the man smashed Ruby into the ground before slamming a punch, causing a dent in her head, "Remnant might actually have survived!"

Another shadow man approached, and swung a cane down on her, breaking bone after bone.

"All because you wanted to be like Summer! How many more lives do you have to ruin before you learn you can't save ANYONE!"

Ruby grabbed her sycthe and swung at the shadow man, only for both her and Summer to gasp in horror. What looked like a blonde version of Raven stood in the man's place.

"Yang…" Summer gasped, as both daughters had a horrified expression.

"Ruby?" Yang muttered before falling back, dead. Ruby clutched her head, screaming in agony.

"Do you really think you can stand to watch more of your friends fall?"

"Please…stop."

"Or are you ready to admit the truth? That the world would be better off without you?"

Summer snarled, and took a step forward. She didn't have her axe, but she still had her hands. However, before she could strike at the shadow people, beams of lightning and light blasted all of the shadows away. As the light cleared, approaching Ruby's proned body was…a Cat? It was patched, with purple and bright blue colors.

"It's alright, Ruby," the Cat says, "It's over now."

"I'm sorry," Ruby cried, "I…I don't want to be me anymore."

The Cat dipped its head, saddened, "I'm so sorry, Ruby. I have a solution. Here, in the Ever After-"

Summer gasped. 'The Ever After? As in the fairy tale? It's real?! Then, that has to be the Curious Cat!'

The Cat continued, "We have ascension. You could try that, become someone new. Or…you could let me be you."

Summer scrunched her face. 'What did he mean by that?'

"Your mother. The memory of her has broken you so much, that there's barely anything left in you. Would you like me to fill that hole?"

Ruby nodded. The Cat climbed on top of Ruby…and entered her mouth, becoming energy as he did so. Summer was both horrified and stupified at what was happening, as Ruby's body twitched violently from the experience. Eventually, all of the Cat had entered Ruby(?), who stood up. She turned to Summer and opened her eyes, revealing those beautiful silver eyes had been replaced by pure blue.

"Well, well," Curious Ruby declared, "Look what following her example has led you, Miss Rose.

All because of your mother."

Summer screamed as she fell out of the jeep she was sleeping in. It had been two weeks since getting Ketos's flight path. She had to quickly travel to Argus, where Ironwood had stowed the now completed diving suit. However, the hardware in it made it so that he had to transport it in a locked container, which wasn't exactly light, hence the need for a car to carry it.

Summer groggily got up, her eyes bloodshot. The nightmares have gotten far worse. She has barely gotten any sleep, and has mainly been using her Aura to sustain herself from her sleep deprivation. But that would all end soon.

Tomorrow, she'll be in position. Ketos will be passing by a section of Anima's coastline close enough to swim to it, but also has enough foliage around it to mask her approach before she dives under. Tomorrow, she'll infiltrate Ketos.

Tomorrow, she'll see her daughter, and fix her mistake.

'Mistake…' Summer thought back to her most recent nightmare. With how visceral it was, it seems like she was starting to learn how much Ruby adored her…possibly to an unhealthy degree. How much pain and suffering she caused because she left Ruby.

Her thoughts were drawn to her ringing Scroll, which had an unknown number.

"Hello?"

"Mrs. Rose."

Summer gasped, "Ozpin?"

"I know you've been gone a long time, but-"

"Why are you calling me?! And from a different number"

"Well, to answer the second one, is because, for some odd reason, you have my number blocked, which brings me to the first question...Because I'm worried about you."

"Ozpin, I have the situation handled."

"Do you? I'm aware of the Lien you sent in Mistral."

Summer shook, "H-How…?"

"When Qrow told me that Tai had split you off from your family savings account, he went to Tai to find out why. Tai never explained why, but I know you wouldn't do something like that unless it was for…something quite unbecoming of you. This obsession with ROWSE is not good for you."

"Look, you don't understand, I need to find them."

"But is it worth destroying yourself? What would Tai think, or your daughters?"

Summer grinded her teeth, 'This is for them!' She wanted so badly to scream, but stopped…because a scarred Ruby was standing in front of her. Her face was mangled, with roots coming off of it.

Ozpin doubts you. She said, then another, burning from some acidic substance, and a third, with tears across her body.

Not surprising. You've turned against him.

Even convinced Ironwood, good and loyal, to act without his consent.

"Which is why I've asked for Qrow to find you."

Summer's breath hitched. "W-w…what?"

Qrow's a much better tracker than her. If he's being sent, he'll find her in no time. And she doubts she could talk Qrow down, if Ozpin sent him.

"Summer, I don't mean to be cruel, but I know where this kind of obsession can go. I don't want you to make the same mistakes I did."

"You don't know anything, Ozpin."

"Then help me understand."

Another pair of Rubys appeared. One had a spear through her throat, while another was only a face, poking out of a Grimm Hound.

Look where you've gotten yourself. Spear Ruby mocked, What you've accomplished. We tried to stop you, and you're still going to get yourself killed.

And, Grimm Ruby declared, With that, history will repeat itself.

"It's…It's all my fault."

"It'll be alright, Summer," Ozpin comforted, but it felt like mocking her, "Once you're rested, we can look for them together."

Summer felt a clawed hand on her shoulder. Turning, she saw the Curious Ruby, glaring at her.

And she'll follow the same path, right to-

Summer's eyes flared silver, "SHUT UP!" Her grip tightened, and her Scroll broke in half.

"SHUT UP!" And the signal went dead, making Ozpin flinch. Ozpin's eyes widened.

"Did you hear that?"

"Yeah," Qrow, on the linked call, replied, "I've never seen her this…I don't what to call it. I've simply never seen her like this."

Ozpin, without Summer's knowledge, had Qrow linked into the call, to gauge what her mental state was so he could better talk to her. Needless to say, it didn't end well.

"Whatever her obsession with Ketos, it goes beyond what we thought."

"I agree…but why?"

"Damn if I know. I tried to talk to Tai, but he's tight lipped. And not in the 'I don't know, but I trust my wife' kind of way. He knows, but also knows that it has to be important to her."

"Qrow, as the Spring Maiden and a Silver Warrior, she's invaluable. If something happens to her, then it will likely cause a ripple effect in your family."

"Yeah, no du, Oz. I'll find her. Given her trail, I might be able to find her by tomorrow."

"Please do…I fear what might happen if this goes on for too long."

Summer drove the jeep down the road, heading for the insertion point. She had no idea where Qrow was, but kept a twitchy hand on her axe. If she couldn't talk him down, she'd have to-

'Gods, what am I thinking?' Summer rubbed her face. She was contemplating fighting Qrow?! A year ago, she'd never consider such a thing. Has she really gone that far-

BOOM

An explosion rocked the side of the jeep, flipping it over and sending both the crate and Summer flying out.

Oh, my. Summer heard. Looking up, she saw Spear Ruby, looking at her.

Looks like you got attacked. Then again, you survived. But I probably would've died.

Summer got up, and saw ten bandits surrounding her.

"I…am not…in the MOOD! So you've got one chance…leave."

None of them spoke a word, only drawing their weapons. Summer snarled as she drew her axe and charged. The bandits may have had rudementary weapons, but they were coordinated…and, if Summer was of sound mind, she'd noticed that it was unnaturally coordinated.

But, even so, she was a veteran Huntress. After three of them were killed, however, what she presumed to be the leader charged at her. He fought barehanded, and pushed her back. She could've easily gotten rid of him, but the delirium slowed her take.

If you are having a hard time. Eaten Ruby scoffed, walking the battlefield, Then I would've died much sooner.

Summer gasped, her lapse in attention giving the man the opportunity to grab her chest. In an instant, she felt like something got sucked out of her, and her white petals disappeared.

"Wha-OOF!" She was kicked away, sending her to the ground.

"Such a proud Huntress," the man taunted, "Reduced to this."

Yep, Torn Apart Ruby taunted, And I would've done worse.

"Shut up." She muttered.

"Your precious Semblance. You rely on it far too much. Without it, your just a woman with an axe."

And what does that make me? Grimm Ruby added, Just a hopeless girl with stupid dreams.

"Luckily, my employer wants you alive," the man grabs her by the head, "So I'd suggest taking a nap." He readies a fist to knock her out.

Just like you. Curious Ruby finished.

Summer's eyes flared silver. "SHUT UP!" And a torrent of ice and fire erupted in all directions, killing two more and sending the leader flying back.

"What?" He exclaimed, as Summer hovered in the air.

"I'm done." She growled. What followed was pure carnage.

She clapped her hands together, causing the ground beneath two bandits to fold in, crushing them. With one hand, she summoned bramble to wrap around another bandit, smashing him multiple times like a whip, before dragging him underground to suffocate (if he wasn't already dead from the whipping), and, with another hand, encased another in ice. When one of the last two tried to rush her, she flew at him, lifting him into the air, and roasted him alive. Dropping his charred body, she turned her gaze to the last one, the one that somehow stole her Semblance. With a blast of wind, she sent him to the ground, then froze all but his head and left arm.

Stomping onto him, she declared, "Give…it…back."

"What," the man questioned, "What are you? You shouldn't have this power."

Summer raised two fingers on her left hand up, releasing flames.

"I won't ask again."

"You're a Huntress," the man mocked, "You wo-"

"I WOULDN'T!?" She began to lower it to the man's still frozen right arm, "Let's test that theory. It ends when you give me back my Semblance. Besides," the flames began to condense, "Someone once said I should get more creative."

The flames got more narrow, and burned hotter, until it was practically a blow torch. She slowly started cutting through the ice, like a cliche spy movie laser beam. Before reaching the arm…and continued. The man began to scream in pain. By the time she reached the middle of his arm, his free arm grabbed her, and she fealt whole again.

"Thank you." She deadpanned…before kneeing him in the head, knocking him out. Summer's eyes widened, and she sprinted to the crate.

"Please, please, please." She muttered, entering in the password, and opening it. The black diving suit showed no signs of damage, and she breathed a sigh of relief.

"Thank Gods." But, as Summer turned, she saw the jeep was totaled. Which means she'd have to carry it the rest of the way.

'It doesn't matter. I'm almost there.'

Many miles away, Piper watched the exchange through a pair of binoculars.

"Okay, what just happened?"

"So Summer is also a Maiden…" A voice behind her commented. Turning, Piper saw a Seer Grimm, who also observed the battle, "Bold, Ozpin. Too bold."

"So what now?"

"...Nothing. Your hired help couldn't contain her, though, not your fault. You were unaware that she was a Maiden, as was I. It'll be three days to the nearest town on foot. Too far to get the help she needs. We'll let the Grimm finish her off."

"And Marcus?"

"I leave him in your hands."

Piper smirked, getting up and walking away. The man served his purpose. If he survived, maybe he could be of some use one day.

Summer stood in what she could only imagine as a starry void. Infront of her was a giant metal woman.

"Who…are you?"

The woman merely raised an eye, curiously looking at her.

"Simply telling a story." She declared, which made Summer's eyes widened.

"Wait, you can understand me? Hell, you can see me?"

"Thanks to the actions of one who has gone through ascension."

"Ascension…that's what the Curious Cat said. Is…is this ascension?"

"Not quite. This is the memory of one who almost went through one. But…I have a role to play."

"What rol-"

"I wanted to be the hero," Ruby's voice said, as Summer turned, seeing her daughter, teary eyed, "like the stories that my mom read to me. I just wanted to do the right thing, but every step of the way, it's like… it's like there is no right thing! I tried so… hard. And I…," Ruby cries, "I may have just done more harm than good. I don't understand… who I need to be... because who I am right now… she's not cutting it."

"What if you could be…anyone?" The metal woman declared, as glass cases filled with weapons appeared all around her. Ruby approached one.

"Who did this belong to?"

"It's not about who did, but who could. Can you feel the woman who might hold it? The weight of who she is. She could be you. You could put any one of them on, and leave Ruby Rose behind."

Summer could only watch in horror. Much like the Curious Cat, Ruby doesn't want to be herself anymore.

Ruby inspected more and more weapons, but found none connected to her.

"It's all... so... heavy… It's the only thing I can feel anymore... and it never, ever goes away. The feeling of not being… enough."

"And how would you measure 'enough'?"

A new case appeared, one what turned the horror in Summer beyond 11.

"No."

Ruby began to approach it.

"Ruby, please don't."

"You must choose."

"Shut up!" Summer tries to tackle the metal woman, only to fall through her.

"Choose for yourself one who could leave your burdens behind. Or choose one who'll be enough to bear them."

Ruby placed her hand on the case.

"Ruby, please," Summer ran to Ruby's side, getting between her and the case, "I know I messed up. I made a sacrifice, only to force a bigger one onto you, but…please," Summer pleaded, tears coming down her eyes, "You don't need to-"

Ruby reached her hand through Summer, going through the glass, and gripping Sundered Rose. Ruby pulled it out, looking down at the axe. When she looked up, Summer looked at Summer…and smiled.

The failure was complete.

Summer screamed into the night for so long, she thought she might pass out back into her nightmares. Such was the intensity, that she briefly lost her voice, her vocal cords hemorrhaging. She immediately activated her Aura, but it would be several hours before she could speak properly again. But it didn't matter. She understood now.

All her life, she has hurt Ruby. All because she tried to be a hero instead of a mother. There was no forgiving that. Ru-Scarlet probably already hated her, long before she tried to stop her from using the Lamp, and got maimed in the process. But, even so…she had to try. She had to tell Scarlet that she's sorry, sorry for everything that she did, past, present, or future.

Because she couldn't live with herself if she couldn't do that.

Summer didn't sleep the rest of the night. As dawn broke, Ketos could be seen approaching. Summer, in the nearly 200 pound diving suit, was on a cliffface. Normally, diving suits wouldn't weigh that much, but Ironwood made sure to put all of the enhancements and modifications, gear and supplies she'd need to break into Ketos. However, there was one obstacle that would make this nearly impossible.

Oak. His Semblance will detect her Aura…so she had to do all this without her Aura being active. Doing just that, the weight of the suit bore down on her.

Activating the suit, she jumped off the cliff, plunging deep into the water as she began to propel herself forward. She'd need to intercept where Ketos will be passing, or her window will be gone. The jets on the suit propelled her far into the water, and she waited for the shadow of Ketos to pass overhead. When it did so, she breached the water, raised her arm, and shot a grappling hook into the air, boosted by the rocket attached to it. It latched onto the bottom of the skyship, and she was raised upward. When she reached it, she kicked her feet into the hull, the metal piercing cleats on the bottom dug into the hull. (1) What surprised her was how much wire was still left. Ketos usually is much higher than this. But she didn't care. If it made her job easier, all the better.

Summer made the agonizing trek from the bottom. Activating one of the sensors, she could detect several heat signatures moving about the fortress. All she'd need to do is find an access point that wasn't near any of them.

It took ten minutes of grueling climbing, but she found a spot to pierce through. Freeing a hand, she pulled out the laser drill, and began cutting a hole through Ketos, sparks flying everywhere. The suit protected her from any damages, but it still stung. When she formed a small hole, she pulled the panel off, but had to hold onto it. She couldn't afford to let it fall. The air vent was just big enough for her to fit it. Climbing in, she pulled the panel back into place, and welded the hole back into place. She then activated a button on the suit, and her arms and legs slightly inflated. Motion dampeners. They'd slow her down considerably, but they'd also prevent her from making any noises while climbing through the vents.

For twenty minutes she navigated the vents, trying to find a suitable spot to climb out. She reached over a hallway when footsteps made her freeze.

"She's getting worse." the familiar voice of Oak commented.

"Ru-Scarlet barely eats," Snow added, sorrowful, "And it's a miracle she's getting enough sleep as is. Beauty, have you found Summer, yet?"

'So, they've been looking for me? But I can't speak with them. I need to speak to Ruby first. And it looks like I've arrived just when I'm needed most.'

"No," Beauty replied, "All I know is that she's on Anima. But Scarlet knows we're looking for her, which…she isn't taking well. She's locked herself in the Orrery again."

'An Orrery? That's for seeing stars, so she's…' Summer turned the thermals back on, tracking the heat…finding two far above her. But one was moving, so that likely wasn't Ruby.

After another five minutes, Summer guessed that the others were far enough away for her to climb down. Knocking the panel off, she dropped down, and quietly made her way up. However, when she tried turning on the radar to prepare for any patrols, it short circuited.

'Damnit. I guess that explosion did mess with things. But it doesn't matter, I'm almost there.'

But should you go there? Spear Ruby commented, After all, it's because of you that Ruby's in this state.

If you never got involved, maybe she'd have been fine.

Summer ignored Grimm Ruby's words, continuing along the way. However, the hallucinations continued their assault, their words giving her a massive headache. Eventually, she leaned against the side of the wall, panting, all while the hallucinations taunted her

Terrible mother.

Failure of a huntress.

You sent me to my death.

The perfect hero.

And the worst mother.

"Shut up!" Summer yelled, smacking around the corner…to find Trivia Vanille, standing in shock. The two stood there, completely aghast.

(2) Summer reacted first, sending a burst of ice that sent Trivia flying back. She created a massive ice wall, blocking the passageway. Summer ran, heading for the Orrery, but took a glance behind her. Trivia took her weapon and used Burn Dust to try to melt the ice, even getting a short distance before Summer sent another burst of ice, practically doubling the thickness. Trivia scowled and ran in the opposite direction.

'She's going to warn the others. I have to go!'

Congratulations, Curious Ruby taunted, You just attacked your granddaughter. Man, seems you do nothing but hurt those you love, don't you?

Summer ignored the words, as she reached the doors to the orrery. She sent blasts of ice, blocking the paths to it, before standing infront of the door. She had to do this…tactfully. She formed an ice key, having it form into the lock, and opened the door. Once she quietly entered, she melted the handles. Sure, OWSE might panic, but she needs alone time with Ruby. She saw a large room, with the ceiling revealing the sky. In the middle, a large mattress…with her daughter, sleeping peacefully. Or, well, as peacefully as one could while wearing a mask.

"Ruby…" She weakly muttered, her knees on the verge of collapse, "I made it."

Summer took off her helmet, dropping it on the ground.

"I can fix this. I hurt you so much, but I'm here now. I can help you."

"But should you?" Summer said.

'Wait, what?' Summer thought, turning around to see…herself.

"You've caused so much pain to her, do you truly deserve to be with her? Wouldn't it be better if you just…didn't exist?"

Summer shook her head. This…this wasn't right. It was always Ruby that taunted her, why was herself taunting her now?

Summer then fealt a literal creeping up her neck. Summer brushed her fingers against her neck, and gasped.

The veins fealt like…

"No," Summer muttered, "How could I have not seen…?"

She turned to Ruby, but her knees gave out, "No. I've come so close. I've come…"

Summer reached for the mattress, her vision unable to see Ruby laying on it, and going darker by the moment.

"Ruby…"

Summer dropped her head to the ground, mere feet from her daughter.

Author's Notes: Next chapter will focus on what Scarlet's been doing for the past year...Yes, I'm cruel.

I'm not entirely sure if Ketos has air vents, and I will modify the chapter if that isn't the case.

As always, leave a review, fav/follow, and I'll see you all next time.