My name is Tiger Eye, and I am the Fastest Gem Alive. Since the day of my creation or my birth for you humans, I have been a warrior of Homeworld. I was made to fight for the Diamonds until the day I decided to become a traitor and join Rose Quartz and her Crystal Gems.
But for you to fully understand my story, I will start from the very beginning.
(Break)
(Third Person P.O.V)
The land was barren and devoid of any life. There were cliffs and boulders surrounding a deep chasm. Although, what was strange was the many odd-shaped holes in the walls of the chasm. They were tall and humanoid shaped.
Suddenly, a strange looking being was seen examining a holeless part of the chasm wall. They appeared to be female. Her hair has a lime green and in a bob cut fashion. Her skin was a darker shade of green, and she wore a black and green leotard that covered everything but her arms and a lab coat over it all. Also, on the center of her forehead was a light green gem.
She was fiddling with a handheld device, that looked like a smartphone, and examined the wall.
"Hm, the subject appears to be stabilized. The foreign energy sample seems to be resonating with his gem. Almost as if it becomes one with its gem. According to the data, the subject should be appearing in three, two, one." she counted down.
*Crack!*
The wall started to crack until it crumbled. Only leaving the same humanoid shaped hole in the wall. What walked out was another being similar to the green woman, although this one was male. His hair was spiked and short, and pure white in color. The skin was light bronze, and eyes were a glowing shade of amber. He also wore a leotard, but his was burnt orange over his torso, and black over his lower half. In the center of his chest were a striped bronze and black gem.
He walked out of his hole and stood in front of the green woman, examining his surroundings and himself.
The green woman's eyes widened slightly, before typing on her device. "Subject is male, never before seen in any other gem. The obvious mutation caused by the foreign energy being used to make him." she voiced her findings in a bit of a raspy voice. She put her device down to address the male in front of her. "Greetings subject L-1, I am the Peridot that watched your making. State your name and designation."
The male was silent for a moment before speaking in a deep, masculine voice. "I am Tiger's eyes. A gem soldier created to serve the Great Diamonds and aid them in conquering all worlds."
The Peridot started typing once again on her device. "Hm, everything seems to be stable. Bodily functions normal, speech normal, you're mutation needs to be studied more but all in all, you're a perfectly fine gem. Now to test for any anomalies." she put down her device. "How are you feeling Tiger's Eye?"
"I... I feel energized." He said unsurely. Suddenly, amber lightning started blazing across his body.
Before the Peridot could even blink, Tiger's Eye disappeared in a blur of bronze and lighting. She looked around, to see him many yards away from her. Her eyes widened in shock, but before she could even react the bronze blur passed her again. Tiger's Eye then appeared in the opposite direction, many yards away. He looked at himself amazed at the speed he was capable of, before smirking. Once again he ran, but he circled around the Peridot. The wind started to pick up as a cyclone of dust and lightning started to form around her.
The Peridot just looked around at the cyclone in amazement. "I have to report this to the Diamonds."
(Many Years Later)
It has been hundreds of years since Tiger's Eye's creation, it had been eventful, to say the least. He had spurred up quite a bit of attention for being the first male gem alone. The Diamond's were skeptical at first glance, but after they see what he can do they instantly changed their minds. He was an experimental gem that they created with infusing him with a strange energy sample they stumbled upon, but they didn't expect something so grand.
It didn't take him long for him to be one of the most renowned and feared soldiers of the Diamonds. Taking on missions directly from the Diamonds themselves. His skill and strength were good, but what set him apart was his godlike speed.
For centuries he aided in the conquering of worlds, some single-handedly, but for Tiger's Eye, it was meaningless. He conquered many worlds and took on other missions for the Diamonds, but he didn't feel anything emotionally. He was grateful to the Diamonds for creating him and did as he was told, but he felt empty when conquering worlds. The only time when he felt things like enjoyment, happiness, and fulfillment was when he was running.
The thrill of his speed filled his gem with glee, getting faster, and faster, and even faster! Like some force was telling him to go as fast as he could, a Speed Force.
Then the day came when Pink Diamond was shattered by traitor gems. This had made everything on Homeworld uneasy. Tension rose within every gem, and the Diamonds were furious. To the point where they decided to send their ace in the hole, Tiger's Eye. They wanted him to hunt down the so-called "Crystal Gems," and bring them their gems. Either in one piece or pieces.
That was his current mission. He was in a spaceship on a course for Earth.
(Break)
He landed his ship in an open field, he finally made it to Earth. The moment he exited his ship there was only one thing on his mind. Find the Crystal Gems.
He ran, no matter how far they were he was determined to find his target. But he suddenly started hearing voices.
"Slow down."
He was confused. Part of it is the voices, but mostly because it told him to slow down. Speed was everything to him, the word slow was not part of his vocabulary. Telling him to slow down is like telling him to stop living. But then he heard the voice again.
"Take a look around. Speed is grand, but to take the time to slow down and look at the world around you. An important aspect of being a Speedster."
Speedster? That word was foreign to him. Although, he couldn't help but feel compelled to follow the lead of the voice, and that's what he did.
He stopped running, leaving a skid mark on the ground and the lightning around him slowly dissipated. The moment he looked around, he was enchanted. The pure nature and wildlife of the planet painted a picture of beauty that he has never seen before. It was all so magnificent to him.
He has been to hundreds of planets, but he only thought of one thing. To conquer as fast as he could. He never took the time to slow down and take in the planet, that he soon ended.
Taking time to take in the environment, he suddenly found a bed of red wildflowers.
'So vibrant and beautiful, and yet so fragile.' he thought to himself as he caressed the pedals gently.
*Beep! Beep! Beep!*
He heard a beeping noise and pulled out his communications device.
"Tiger's Eye, what is your status?" The gem on the other line asked.
He shook out of his stupor and responded. "I have successfully landed on the planet Earth. I am proceeding to search for the Crystal Gems."
"Considering you're speed I would have assumed you've already found them. You're not slacking off are you?"
"Of course not, I am going to complete my mission and be done with it. End transmission." he hung up his device and ran.
He ran far and wide across the planet to find his target. Eventually, he did. He stumbled upon the traitor, Rose Quartz, and two other gems.
One had a slender, thin build, ivory skin, sky-blue eyes, a pointed nose and thin lips. Her hair has a peach color and resembles a pixie-cut in the front, while in the back, her hair leads to a point. Her gem was in the middle of her forehead. She wore a sleeveless, sky blue top that had a translucent chest and transferred into a transparent silk ballet skirt around her waist. She also wore short salmon pink-colored leggings, light-green socks, and slip-on ballet flats to match.
The other was rather tall. She had medium, maroon colored skin, and black hair styled into a cube-shaped afro. She almost always wore triangular futuristic, translucent orange-tinted shades, which covers all three of her eyes. She wore a black and crimson bodysuit, with cubic shoulder pads, and a pink star with a magenta outline on her chest. She also wore long, elbow-length black gloves that covered her middle fingers.
They seemed to be training at the moment. The two other gems facing off against Rose Quartz in an open field. They were skilled, but Rose Quartz outmatched them with her skills with a sword and shield.
"Showtime," Tiger muttered. The three of them froze in shock at his sudden appearance. "Rose Quartz. By order of the Diamonds, I am here to bring you in."
The three of them prepared to fight, but the Pearl and Garnet were visibly shaking.
"I-it can't be! Tiger Eye." Pearl muttered frightened.
Tiger smirked. "So you know me." He equipped his gem weapon, which was two bronze, clawed gauntlets. "Then you must know that you can not win. Stand down, and come peacefully. I'd rather not shatter any gems. It leaves a bad taste in my mouth."
Pearl and Garnet tensed, before charging at the Speedster. Pearl jumped in the air and prepared the spear Tiger, but his superior speed made it look like she was going in slow motion. He swiftly grasped the spear and flipped her over his head.
From behind, Garnet rushed in with her bulk fists. She tried to strike his back, but he suddenly flashed out of her line of sight making her miss. Suddenly, her legs were swept from under her making her look at the sky. She saw Tiger's Eye looking down at her before he brought his fist down on her stomach. She slammed into the ground with the force of a bolder, creating a crater in the impact zone.
Tiger's eye started walking towards Rose. "Is this the best you have Rose Quartz? Cause if it is, then it makes me wonder how you've avoided my Diamonds rath for so long."
Rose readied her sword and shield. "You don't have to do this! We can be free from the Diamonds tyranny. We can choose for ourselves!"
"Trying to turn me? I was created to serve my Diamond. That is my purpose, and that is how it will always be!" He flashed towards Rose and thrust his claws into her, but she quickly blocked it with her shield. "Oh, you're pretty fast, but I can assure you that I am faster!"
The two continued their fight, trading blow for blow. Tiger's Eye used his superior speed to make relentless strikes against Rose. But Rose's defense was strong, and with her sword, in her hands, she got a few blows in as well. Suddenly a spear was thrown in between them, making them separate. The recovered Pearl and Garnet rushed to Rose's side.
"So you've got your second wind? Good, now it's a fair fight." Tiger smirked as he once again prepared to strike.
Thinking fast, Garnet thrust her fists forward and her gauntlets shot towards Tiger. He only smirked as he knew he could easily dodge them. As he prepared to flash, something caught his eye from behind him. His eyes widened in shock, and he only stood there not knowing why is body was reacting this way. Instead of dodging, he only blocked the attack with his gauntlets. He struggled for a moment, before redirecting the attack away.
"Hmph, cheap trick." he scoffed.
Pearl and Garnet were ready to charge. "Wait." Rose's voice immediately stopped them. Rose walked passed the both of them and towards Tiger's Eye. She dispersed her shield and stabbed her sword into the ground.
Tiger narrowed his eyes. "What are you playing at Rose Quartz?"
She didn't waver and continued to gaze at him. "You could have easily dodged Garnet's attack, but you didn't. Why is that?"
Tiger couldn't find an answer. He only gazed behind him, where a bush of red roses was.
"I grew them myself." Rose smiled. "They beautiful aren't they? I couldn't help but name them after myself. They are red roses. You didn't move cause they would have been destroyed by Garnet's attack. You wanted to protect them, didn't you?"
"D-don't be ridiculous!" Tiger shouted. "I've conquered dozens of planets! You think I would protect meaningless fauna!?" He flashed towards the roses and raised his claw. "They mean nothing!" he thrust his claws out, but they stopped inches away from a single pedal. His body began shaking as his claws dispersed and dropped to his knees.
"Why?" His voice trembled as he caressed one of the roses in his hand. "Why do they make me feel this way!?"
Pearl and Garnet were shocked seeing one of the most feared gems to ever live, trembling at the foot of a rose bush. Rose just smiled, seeing him realizing what she enforces.
"What do they make you feel?" Rose asked.
Tiger's Eye didn't turn to her, only facing the roses. "I-I don't know. For some reason, they remind me of the feeling I get when I'm running."
"When you're running?"
"This "rose" as you call it. It's frail, purposeless, is only what it is, but it feels like it has meaning it what it does. Yet, I feel something from it. I've conquered worlds for my Diamond, but it left me empty inside. When I run, I feel like a weight is lifted off my shoulder, like nothing else in the universe matters. I feel the exact same feeling from this rose. I don't understand this feeling!" he yelled
"That feeling is freedom," Rose said, Tiger looked at her confused. "Choosing to do what you want. Going against your supposed "Purpose." That's what freedom is. Like this rose, it is a beautiful thing. That's why I rebelled, I wanted to do more man my "purpose." In doing so I found my true purpose, the one I found on my own without the Diamonds telling me what it was. I wanted to spread freedom to all gems, so they can find their own purpose."
"Freedom?" He said confused. After years of thoughts and confusion storming in his mind, that one word silenced them. Freedom, it explained so much. Why he felt so caged serving the Diamonds. Why conquering worlds for them seemed so meaningless to him. Why when he used his powers he felt the weight lifting off his shoulders, and make him feel full of purpose.
"I think I like it." A slight smile crept up on his lips.
"Why don't you join us?" Rose asked, shocking the other three gems. "With your help, we can show every gem the beauty of freedom and choice. That they don't have to end the life of entire planets just because that was the purpose they were made with. To coexist with life and live freely."
Tiger's Eye was the most shocked about this. "Why would you want me by your side? You know me, so you also know what I've done. You protect the life of this planet while I ended many others. How could you even come to trust me?"
Rose just smiled. "It's a concept I've learned while protecting the Earth. Everyone deserves a second chance." She held out his hand. "Will you accept it?"
He only looked up at her and thought. Betraying the Diamonds? That was one of the farthest thoughts from his mind. They created him, all of the gems. But he always felt there was something holding him back from his full potential. Something more than he could do besides the "purpose" the Diamonds gave him.
'Freedom. Don't all gems deserve that?' He thought.
He had made his decision.
He reached out and grabbed Roses hand.
Today was the birth of Tiger's Eye, the Crystal Gem.
(Years later)
Over the years, Tiger's Eye had worked his way up to being a great ally to the Crystal Gems. It had been shaky at first. Given his reputation, most of the Crystal Gems didn't trust him right away. He understood that, and he felt regret for all the planet's he helped conquer. Although that did not stop him from doing his damnedest to earn it.
Years of going on missions, saving lives, recruiting, training, and fighting had finally earned his spot. One would even say that he was like a general, under Rose of course.
But then the day came. Homeworlds biggest attack on earth thus far. It had broken out into an all-out war. That day, even though they took out a majority of the Homeworld forces, they lost almost all of their out allies. The climax of the battle had found itself at the last stand.
A beaten and fatigued Tiger's Eye was standing defensively in front of a downed Rose, Garnet, and Pearl. Directly across from him was another gem. She was just as tall as he was, with green skin with red random patches. She wore a pitch black leotard with a matching hood over her shoulders. Her hair was seafoam green and reached down to her shoulders. In her hands, was a large scythe that matched her color scheme. This was Bloodstone, another one of a kind gem just as infamous as Tiger's eye. She's a gem assassin, that takes her orders straight from the Diamonds. She's known for executing Gem criminals.
"Looks like we found each other like this once again Tiger's Eye," Bloodstone smirked.
Tiger's eye and Bloodstone have a history. Before he joined the Crystal Gems, she and he had somewhat of a rivalry. A "Who was the better gem?" contest per say. They were both one of a kind gem's that served directly under the Diamonds, so the way they competed was to either fight directly, or see how many worlds they could conquer.
"It seems that way, only this time, only one of us is making it out of this with their gem whole," Tiger said, preparing his claws for battle.
Bloodstone only laughed. "You don't seriously believe that you could defeat me now? You're tired, beaten, and you're defending your comrades. You can't protect them and fight me at the same time."
Tiger's Eye only snarled in response, because he knew she was right. In his current state, he could only be their shield. But he couldn't let her know that.
"Then we'll have to fight and see." He said with a fake smirk. But suddenly, he felt something latch onto his ankle. It was Rose, looking up weakly at him.
"Y-you need to escape." She stuttered.
"What!?" Tiger asked shocked. "There's no way I'm leaving you three here to be shattered!"
"Garnet, Pearl, you, and I are the last of the Crystal Gems. The three of us aren't fast enough, but you are. You can run and survive now, and gather more gems who fight for may fall here, but the future is in your hands."
Tiger's Eye understood what she was saying, and struggled to find words to deny her.
"I won't leave you! You're the one who taught me about freedom! Helped me realize I can decide what my purpose was! I'm not like you Rose, I'm not a leader!" he continued to argue.
"Tiger." A struggling Garnet suddenly spoke. "You need to go. You're the only one who can do this."
"Rose is right Tiger's Eye," Pearl spoke out. "We know you can be a great leader. Please, don't let our legacy end here."
His resolve got weaker as he saw his comrades begged him to go. He took one last look at Rose, who had a pleading look in her eyes.
"Run Tiger. Run," she whispered.
So he did, he ran as fast as he could away from the scene.
Bloodstone only chuckled darkly. "Smart, but utterly useless. He may be the fasted gem alive, but he can't run forever. We'll find him, then "poof!" no more Crystal Gems." She raised her scythe ready to strike. "But for now, I'll shatter the lot of you."
Suddenly, she heard rumbling in the distance. She looked to see a storm of dust rushing towards her and with it Tiger's Eye. Before she had time to register, he ran past her delivering a powerful blow to her. The attack sent her flying a few feet away.
"Oh, so he isn't a coward," Bloodstone said. She heard another rumble, but before she could even turn another powerful speed blow hit her again. "*Grunt!* That was stronger than the last one. He can't be gaining so much force by running in circles." And another attack hit.
While this was happening, Rose, Garnet, and Pearl also noticed the increase in power in each blow.
"She's right, he can't be gaining so much power by just running in circles," Garnet said.
Pearl agreed. "He would have to change directions at some point, which would only result in a constant stream of attacks."
Rose's eyes widened in realization. "It's because he's not running in circles. He's running a straight line."
Her comrades were shocked as well. "Then that means he's running across the whole planet," Garnet exclaimed.
"In mere seconds!?" Pearl shouted. "He's never run this fast before!"
Bloodstone was unable to fight back as she was constantly being bombarded by super speed punches.
Deciding it was enough, Tiger's Eye makes one more lap across the Earth before stomping his foot into the ground in front of his opponent. This caused a huge crater to form under them. Using the force behind his speed, he transferred all of it into one last punch landing right on her solar plexus. The attack had so much force, it rocketed her right off the ground and into space.
When the dust cleared, there stood Tiger's Eye. His body vibrated as lightning danced around him. He walked up to his comrades.
"Like I said. You taught me how to choose for myself. I chose to fight." He said.
Rose and the others smiled, but suddenly his body started to look translucent. Tiger's expression dropped and his eyes turned glassy.
"I... I feel a force. A speed force. It's calling me." He started to look more translucent. "I have to go."
He tripped and he started to fall, and Rose tried to catch him. But before she could even touch him, he disappeared without a trace.
Rose could only stare where he stood in disbelief, Pearl had tears gathering in her eyes, and Garnet could only tighten her fist as they all saw their comrade, their friend disappear.
(Break)
There I disappeared. Leaving my friends with the belief that I had perished that day. But I didn't. My power was pulling me somewhere, pulling me away to discover who I was meant to be. Many know me as Tiger's Eye, the Crystal Gem. But soon enough, I would have been called another title.
I am...