Red (And Blue) Like Roses: Volume 1

Prologue

Ruby Rose was 12 years old when she started hearing voices. To many this would be a sign of a serious mental disorder like schizophrenia or something equally as bad for a developing young mind. But ruby was never really concerned with the voices as the also took the (strange) appearance of colourful marines in armour. They never really interacted with the world and were akin to ghosts in how they acted, (an observation that amused two of them and infuriated another to no end, especially when referencing 'Church').

The origins of the voices themselves was a subject of great debate among the three of them, with theories ranging from magic to a freak teleporter accident. But as far as Ruby was concerned they came into existence when she passed out at her mother's grave. It was a calm night at Summer Rose's grave, Ruby had come to visit after a particularly bad day involving an (literal) exploding oven, a (metaphorical) exploding dad and a (literal) exploding yang. She couldn't remember exactly what happened to start the argument, all she knew was that she needed to get out of the house now. So to summer's grave she went, the night had passed quietly but when she woke up they were there.

"Uggghhhh" someone said near her, as she was waking up.

"Where are we?" A gruff, unknown, voice called out. The sound of a stranger was enough to snap ruby from her dazed, half-asleep state as she jumped up, prepared to open Crescent Rose only to find... soldiers?

She blinked twice as she watched three soldiers, one in blue, another in red and the third in grey with yellow, all get up and look at their surroundings. "This... isn't Chorus." The grey one said, seemingly evaluating his surroundings.

At this the blue one said "No, it's a forest agent Washingtub!" In a very chipper and matter of fact tone.

"How do we know this isn't Chorus?" The red one demanded, causing Washingtub(?) To say, "Well for one I am getting no signal and as I recall, Chorus doesn't have a shattered moon." He finished by gesturing to said moon which was oddly still in the sky with the sun.

"Fair point blue." Red said, which confused Ruby, the other man wasn't blue, he was grey. Unless he was talking about the other soldier? But he didn't say anything. It was at this point the blue soldier said "Oh! Why don't we ask her?" Causing the other two soldiers to turn around to face ruby.

Hoping to make this less awkward she waved, "Hi?"

Red and Washingtub (a strange name) seemed to be confused at her mere presence while blue was a lot more friendly, "Hello!" He waved back "My name is Caboose! Who are you?" He said loudly.

"R-Ruby, Ruby Rose." She stammered out, caught off guard by his loud and friendly tone.

"Nice to meet you ruby! We can be best friends!" This loud declaration was enough to kick the other two out of their stupor, the grey one called out "No Caboose!"

Before turning to ruby herself "Nice to meet you Miss Rose, i'm agent Washington."

"Sarge" The red trooper grunted out "Mind telling us where we are, lil lady?"

Nervously Ruby said "P-patch, near my house." This was met by three silent looks, of what she could only describe as confusion as Washington, (not tub) sought to clarify. "Uh... what? Where?" "Patch" More blank stares "in vale" They didn't stop "It's a continent in Remnant." Sarge step forward "Y-your making that up." He accused.

Thus began one of the most nonsensical arguments of her life as she tried to convince the three that they were on Remnant and not some far away planet called Chorus. Oddly enough Caboose had no trouble accepting her arguments as he told her "Makes sense, the grass feels strange." She didn't point out he had armoured boots on.

Washington and Sarge however seemed to question even the most basic concepts of how the world worked "Dust? Whats dust?" And, "What is Sam hell are Grimm?" Being the most difficult to answer. "Dust." Ruby scrambled for words "Is... dust." Yeah, she was unable to answer this basic question, so what? Everyone knew what dust was.

She moved on "A grim is a monster attracted by negative emotion." Sarge leaned forward "Can they be weaponized?" He asked curiously. "No." Was the firm answer.

"Ruby!" Caboose called out "do 'Grimm' look like that?" He asked as he pointed out a Beowulf that sunk up from the forest. Leaping up from where she sat crossed legged on the ground, she rolled over to the compact Crescent Rose- only for Yang to come out of no where and punch the Grimm away.

"Ruby!" Yelled Yang as she went to hug her baby sister. Washington asked "whose this?"

Pulling herself free from Yang's death-bear hug, Ruby made the introductions. "Guys this is Yang my sister, yang these guys are sarge, Washington and caboose" She informed pointing to each trooper as she said their name.

But rather than greet the trio, Yang instead looked at Ruby weirdly. Super weirdly. "Ruby." Yang asked full of concern. "Are you feeling well?"

Ruby waved off concerns. "I'm fine yang, but why aren't you greeting the guys?" Caboose nodded in agreement "Yeah that's really rude!"

Yang knelt to her sisters level and placed her hand on ruby's forehead. "Ruby... no ones there." She broke the news to her sister gently which caused a great deal of indignant protests from Sarge and Caboose, with Washington tilting his helmet in a troubled manner. Ruby looked shocked "w-what, b-but they are right there!" She protested, it's not like they were ghosts right?

The following walk back to the house and argument with dad proved more frustrating for ruby and concerning for Yang and Taiyang, as little red kept referring to people who didn't exist. Soon she was sent up to her room for 'bed rest' which frustrated Ruby even more. She. Was. Not. Crazy!

During the whole affair caboose and sarge had been far from quiet with caboose making increasingly silly suggestions and sarge increasingly violent threats, but wash, wash was silent.

"What do you think wash?" Ruby asked while she lied on her bed, sending Caboose and Sarge quiet as they looked at Washington for his opinion. Washington was silent in his corner of the room for a moment before giving his two cents " I think that we are..." He hesitated, " I think we're no longer in our world, and I think that we're stuck in your head." He finished. The four occupants went silent as they considered what Wash said.

Sarge broke the silence "so... what now lil miss?" Ruby was taken back "Your... asking me?", "Of course! It's you head after all." Sarge told her.

Ruby contemplated the situation for a moment on one hand no one else could see the three space marines, so there was a (small) chance she was loosing her mind, but on the other wash's theory made sense and they seemed friendly enough, plus yang always did tell her she needed some friends outside of her... She made up her mind. "Alright" ruby all but whispered "we'll pretend that i didn't see anything and that this was, a caused by sleeping in the cold." The others nodded that seemed fair. "Then we can hang out and find away for you guy's to get home." Wash nodded "that sounds reasonable." The other two agreed. This was the start of a beautiful friendship.

-‐-‐-‐-

And so the friendship between ruby and the colourful trio began.

There was some trail and error at the start (figuring out how to effectively communicate without seeming crazy) and some awkwardness (they had to wait outside while Ruby got changed or used the bathroom), but ultimately Ruby benefited from this partnership getting (terrible) combat advice and (great) mechanical advice from Sarge, a true friend in Caboose and some amazing strategies and combat advice from agent Washington.

This was a friendship that went great... until she was robbed while shopping at dust till dawn.