Red As A Bloody Rose

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Tamara.... She woke up from yet another nightmare, glowing red again.

She let out a shaky breath, saying "This needs to stop.... I need to talk to the diamonds."

She went outside, grabbing her communicator. She set it to contact White Diamond, the screen pulling up shortly after.

"Hello Firefly, is everything alright?"

".... Hey, Aunt White, what was my mom like?"

White Diamond frowned, saying "Why do you ask?"

"I realized that you and the other diamonds never told me much about her. I want to know what she was like!" She said, raising her voice slightly.

"Firefly, your mother was a prestige gem of the highest honor. She was loyal and a powerful asset to the diamond. I see no reason for her to be believed as something else." She said.

"White, that doesn't give me a clear answer!" She said, losing her patience.

"Watch your tone, you will complete your mission on Earth, and return to Homeworld immediately after, understood?!" White shouted.

"Well maybe I should stay here and get the truth, you CLOD!" She yelled.

White gave her a look of pure rage.

Tamara put her arms up into a diamond symbol, terminating the call. She fearfully threw it, knowing that they could be remotely destructed.

"Tamara...." Netty said, seeing Tamara smile nervously.

"Yeah?" She responded.

"Why were you yelling?"

"Um-"

A large explosion was heard, Red Pearl pinching the bridge of her nose.

"Yeah.... I don't think we want to go to Homeworld for a while...."

.

"YEEEES!!!!" Steven cheered.

"Steven, I just called White Diamond a clod, I'm in some big trouble." Tamara told him.

"This is gonna be great! I can't wait to tell the gems!" He shouted, running off to find said people.

"Oh god give me strength, this child is going to be the death of me...." She muttered, combing a hand through her hair.

"You seem to be conflicted."

She turned her head to see Garnet standing there.

"Yeah, well who wouldn't be? So far, I know nothing about Bloody Rose, I've practically been kicked off of Homeworld, and I keep on having these stupid red outburst!" She said, her voice raising and her body glowing red.

Tamara flinched, taking a breath and the red glow leaving her. Garnet thought about the girl for a moment....

"Everything that you've ever believed that is falling apart at the seams, correct? You spent most of your life fighting for Homeworld, and now that you realize that it's not as good of a place as you believed, you have no idea what to do.... Am I right?"

Wow. She can see why Steven likes her so much.

"Heh.... I can see why Steven is so impressed by you. You always know exactly what to say.... Can I ask you something, Garnet?" Tamara says. "I normally don't do this, but.... What do you see for my future?"

Garnet seemed to be in thought, before finally saying "Your future is yours to make.... I can't tell you how to deal with it."

She walked away from her, leaving Tamara in thought. Was it really possible for her to change? She served Homeworld all those years.... Does she have a chance? More importantly.... What was the truth behind the gem war? She knew Pink Diamond was shattered, but Blue and Yellow always just brush her off whenever she brings up Bloody Rose!

She noticed Steven walk over to her, saying "Me and the gems are going out to look for Peridot, you'll have to stay here."

"It's cool, I need to think about how to handle my living situation. Good luck with finding her!" She responded.

The gems teleported away with Steven, leaving Tamara to herself inside of the temple.

"Geez.... I wish that I could talk to you, at least for a few hours." She said, a finger brushing over her gem.

She sighed, thinking about how her mother would handle it.... Then she had an idea.

"Hold on.... The gems have books and stuff, right? Surely the gems would have some kind of info regarding my mom lying around somewhere!" She voiced, rushing over to the gems' warp pad.

She began searching around.... And Jesus Christ she wanted to hit somebody. How did the gems operate in all this disorganization?! There was absolutely no books or info on the war! Perhaps.... A different approach.

*3 hours later*

The gems returned to the temple, hearing a voice sing.

"We are running out of time, we are running, we are running-"

The walked in to see Tamara singing into a red microphone.

"And you're a killer.... But I'm your best friend. I think it's unfair, your situation," She sang, her skin and body glowing red. "You say I'm changing- sorry I didn't know how to say the same! Could we talk about this later? Your voice is driving me, driving me insane!" She sang, a slight red aura coming off of her.

She stopped, seeming to finally notice the gems in the room.

"Oh, hey guys!" She said nervously, the glow receding.

"That was amazing!" Amethyst suddenly said.

"Agreed." Pearl nodded.

"You sing amazingly! Why don't you do it more often?" Steven said, running up to her.

"I uh.... I haven't done it in a while, I was worried that I was rusty." She admitted, rubbing the back of her neck. She then thought, before asking "Do you guys actually wanna hear something that I've made?"

Steven did a little cheer, the other gems taking a seat as Tamara walked over to the front of the warp pad. She took a deep breath, before her gems glowed, taking out a guitar.

"This one is for you old man...." She mumbled.

"I see you have a lot of questions. All my thoughts and imperfections. I guess what I'm trying to say is...." She sang, playing a few calm notes.

The music then started playing faster, Tamara strumming her guitar harder.

"I'm angry, about the things you don't like about me! I see, it's just you and not me! I guess, my question is 'what went wrong'? The fire's been burning so long! I see, it's just you and not me!" She sang, her skin lighting up a bright red.

"It's hard, being perfect all the time. Do you really crave the limelight? I'll let you have it if you just let me go! I can see, that you hate the things I like. You bully me and all my fragile insecurities.... So hey, I guess what I'm trying to say is...."

She stopped playing for a second, before starting back up.

"I'm angry, about the things you don't like about me! I see, it's just you and not me! I guess, my question is 'what went wrong'? The fire's been burning so long! I see, it's just you and not me!" She sang.

She then started rocking to her hearts content, her hair floating up, closing her eyes.

"I see the fire's still burning bright! Do you really crave the limelight? I can see, it's just you and not me! You no longer control what I say! I rule my life my own way! I can see, it's just you and not me! I can see, it's just you and not me!"

Her eyes shot open, pupils a triangle shape.

"I said, it's just you and not me! I said, I can see, it's just you and not ME!" She sang, playing the last few cords as she stopped.

She breathed a bit heavily, getting air back into her body as she heard Amethyst and Steven cheer. Garnet seemed happier, and Pearl clapped her hands.

'You know what.... I think that being on earth won't be so bad!' She thought, a smile covering her face.