Since we all know that RT is just gonna screw the end up, I’m gonna to write a fanfic(rewrite) of what I think could(should’ve) happened when Ruby picks up her mother’s Axe.

“Mother…” Ruby reached for the Axe. If anyone could do it, her mother could. She had to.

When she grasped it, a bright flash of light came forth.

“Ah!” She covered her eyes just in time to not go completely blind. When she opened them… she saw her.

“M-Mom?!”

Summer Rose, the one who Ruby thought was dead (and then thought was turned into an abomination), stood in front of her.

“Ruby.”

Ruby ran towards her, crying her eyes out.

“I missed you so much!” She said, hugging her mother like her life depended on it… the life she was about to give up.

Summer however, while returning the hug, didn’t smile.

“Ruby? What do you think you’re doing?”

“I… I can’t do this Mom. It seems now a days I’m ether not doing enough or do the wrong thing! A whole kingdom is gone because of me! Two of my friends are dead, because of me! ITS ALL MY FAULT! … So I’m going to be you instead…”

Summer stayed quiet.

“All I wanted to do was be like the heroes in the stories you read to me as a child. Even though I couldn’t talk, I remember them all clearly. How they would always win in the end, just like you! They were perfect, YOU were perfect! You’ll do a much better job than me… don’t you think?”

Summer stayed quiet for a bit longer before finally speaking. What she said was… surprising.

“I think you should stop talking like a child and open your eyes!”

Ruby was taken aback.

“You’re not perfect? Of course you aren’t! You joined beacon when you were only 15, much younger than you should’ve been! You were inexperienced and you still are now!”

“Y-Yeah… I know, that’s why-“

“But becoming me is not the answer! I’m not perfect Ruby. I made plenty of mistakes as a huntress, some fatal, others emotionally damaging. And let’s not forget about the fact that I died! The heroes in the books are perfect because they’re made for children and NOT REAL! Being perfect is an unrealistic and childish thing to strive towards, because no one is perfect, Ruby!”

“P-please stop-“

“And that’s okay.”

“Huh?”

“It’s fine because no one is perfect. Even when you make a mistake, you get up and learn from it. History exists for this reason. Unlike fantasy, history is based on actual events, in which we see both the good and the bad of key figures. And we use them as a way to learn from the mistakes made in the past as to not repeat them. Our world as it is is built on mistakes. But even if you make the same mistakes, you still learn from them. That’s what I was hoping you’d do, learn from mine and make better decisions.”

“But I… I…” Ruby sobbed. “What if I make a mistake that causes one of my friends to die… my FAMILY to die?! What if Yang dies protecting me because I couldn’t-“

“Then you greave, and push on. Because the best way to honor them is to keep going and learn. You won’t get over it right away, maybe you won’t even get over it, but that doesn’t mean you’re not good enough, it just means you’re a human being. Humans and Faunus are creatures with emotions, feeling them is not a crime.”

“But I can’t do this alone…”

“And you’re not alone. Listen.”

“Huh?”

Ruby looked up and sure enough, she heard voices.

“Ruby, I don’t know if you can hear me, but please, you have to come back!”

“Yang?!”

“I know I should’ve been there for you, and you probably think I’m the worst sister ever and you have every right to think that, but please, let me be there for you now- AH!”

“YANG!”

Upon listening a bit closer, Ruby could hear fighting.

“She can’t hear you, but don’t worry, I’ll be sure to tell her when I rip her out!”

The cat…

“Like we’ll let you!” Said Blake. “Ruby, remember what I said about admiring you? What I admired the most was your resolve, even when things were going wrong you still kept going. We made a lot of mistakes but we can still make things right!”

“Ruby.” Said Weiss. “I can’t exactly speak for Jaune, but I know the impact you had on MY life. It’s thanks to you and my friends that I changed, and even though my home is gone I’m not going to despair because I have you! I told you I’d be the best teammate, right?”

“ENOUGH OF THIS!”

The cat did something, but the screams were enough to let Ruby know it was bad.

“GUYS! I need to get out of here, I need to leave!”

Summer smiled. “Can you repeat that?”

Ruby paused. “I… ‘I’ need to leave. ‘I’ need to get out of here. Not someone else, it has to be ME!”

“Exactly.”

Ruby lowered her head. “I didn’t hear Jaune, but I’m not going to let that stop me. Because the best way to honor someone is to keep going, right, Mom?”

The two shared one last embrace.

“I love you, Mom.”

“I love you too. And when you go back tell this to Yang, and let her know that I’ll always be watching over you two.”

“I will.” Ruby shed a single tear. “Good bye…”

With that, Summer disappeared into a flurry of rose petals. Ruby grabbed one of them and held it close to her chest. When she opened her eyes they were filled with determination.

She turned to the Blacksmith. “I want to stay as me.”

The blacksmith smiled. “Very well.”