Rosegarden and The Warrior in the Woods
In this post I'll break down what I see as allusions to Rosegarden contained in RWBY's The Warrior in the Woods fairy tale.
First of all, I've seen people use said fairy tale to justify Lancaster and it's mostly based on Boy's appearance in animated version.
I don't put much weight into this considering Warrior only superficially looks like Ruby and appearance are not consistent between two versions of the story (notable big difference being that Warrior is black and has curly hair in the book). And when you factor in other things, I think story alludes way more to Oscar being the Boy.
With that out of way, lets start with more superficial similarities. Ruby and Warrior both have silver eyes. Oscar and Boy are both younger than Ruby/Warrior and significantly less experience fighting Grimm.
Ruby: So, you've never fought before?
Oscar: Just the occasional small Grimm. Nothing like this, though
Both versions of the story put an emphasis on Boy being well... a boy. In book version he played hide and seek with his friends while in animated version he played with kite. It makes most sense with Oscar considering he is the youngest member of the main cast.
But I think most parallels are within dialogue.
Oscar: How do you handle all of this?
Oscar: I'm... scared. I'm more scared than I've ever been in my life, than I ever thought was possible. I always knew that I wanted to be more than a farmhand, but this? Who would ask for this?
Ruby: We all went to Beacon because we wanted to help people. But, you're right. None of us asked for this either. We just have to press on and--
Oscar: How can you be so confident?! People have tried to kill you! The world's about to go to war all over again! How are you okay with any of this?!!
Boy: I have a question for you.
Warrior: Go ahead and ask. I don't promise an answer.
Boy: Why? Why do you live in the woods alone? Why do you risk your life to save strangers? Why do you protect the village? Why?
So you have Oscar/Boy questioning Ruby's/Warrior's motivation with barrage of questions.
Ruby: When Beacon fell, I lost two of my friends: Penny Polendina and Pyrrha Nikos. I didn't know them for very long, but that doesn't change the fact that they were two of the most kind-hearted people I have ever met. But that didn't save them. Pyrrha thought that if there was even the smallest chance of helping someone, then it was a chance worth taking. And because of that, she died fighting a battle she knew she couldn't win. And Penny... was killed... just to make a statement.
Ruby: I am scared, but not just for me. What happened at Beacon shows that Salem doesn't care if you're standing against her or not. She'll kill anybody, and that scares me most of all. Pyrrha... Penny... I'd be lying if I said that it didn't hurt, that I didn't think about them every day since I lost them, that I didn't wish I had spent more time with them. If it had been me instead, I know they would have kept fighting too, no matter how dangerous it was. So that's what I choose to do - to keep moving forward.
Ruby: (putting a hand on Oscar's shoulder) C'mon, if we don't hurry, Nora's gonna eat everything. It wouldn't be the first time. Hey, Oscar? This isn't gonna be easy, but the fact that you're even trying says a lot about you. You're braver than you think.
Warrior: That's five questions. But they all have the same answer. I live here alone because I am alone. And as a general rule, I don't like people. Most of my own people were killed long ago. My family, everyone I've ever known, is dead. And if there are other survivors like me, they're scattered all over Remnant.
Boy: Killed by the Grimm?
Warrior: Murdered by other people.
Boy: Oh... But then why do you protect others?
Warrior: Because I can. Because no one else will. And because some people are good like you. And that gives me hope.
Both Ruby and Warrior explain what happened to their people. Ruby lost two of her friends to Cinder's attack, Warrior lost her entire family, murdered by other people as well. This is followed by Ruby/Warrior explaining their motivation, ending it with them complimenting Oscar/Boy.
And what's the first thing both Oscar and Boy noticed about Ruby/Warrior:
Oscar: You... have silver eyes.
Young Man: Because that's what I could do. Because no one else would. Because... I fell for her. The moment I saw her silver eyes.
Another thing is that both Warrior and Ruby share a character flaw: taking all the burden on themselves. Warrior was reluctant to accept Boy's help while also distancing herself from anyone else, protecting the village on her own. Eventually she disappeared. Ruby had a similar issue, eventually reaching the breaking point in Volume 9.
Does that mean they are doomed in some way? I'd say no. Technically we already had this sequence play out with Ruby being assumed dead after the end of Volume 8. But I suspect we'll have it play out again, but this time with Ruby being taken away by Salem. Oscar stepping up and becoming a new leader in her absence, similar to how Boy inherited Warrior's mantle.
And while saying Oscar has a crush on Ruby is not particularly controversial take, does it really apply in reverse? We don't quite know, but animated version does end in quite peculiar way. Instead of Ozpin's commentary like in the book and with every other animated fairy tale, story is framed as Tai reading it to young Yang and Ruby.
Taiyang: (rubs his face) Oh, it's, uh, it's nothing, baby. Do you want to hear another story?
Young Ruby: (smiles) Nope. That one was perfect.
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