A/N: Welcome back, boys and girls, ladies and gents, to the second to last chapter that'll be presented for a while. After the next one, we'll have to go on another, hopefully short, hiatus, because we hadn't RP'd the rest yet. I have someone or two people to thank for faving and liking this story, one of whom reviewed this, but I don't have my phone, so I can't check my emails to get the names and I want to be able to get this chapter rolling right now since I slept in for too long. ^^; Just know that they're very appreciated. :3

Anywhoo, there's a anon review! let's see...

/Guest (EMObillcipher89): Woah, now, don't blame the Axolotl for people's wrongdoings. And, while I agree with you in that people should stop treating him like shit and that bad guys deserve love, they, the present people, have a good reason to as well. Just be grateful that Greg, the only person who showed up in the last chapter other than Steven, treated him like a person, and maybe even his own son. But Bill has problems. So, yeah, Pearl definitely has problems, that was obvious in canon. xD But there was the whole entire truth in that little electronic booklet she found...
Oh no, ebola? :0 ((He doesn't, but glad to know you're being dramatic. xD)
Yep, he does. Poor Bill.
Yah, Malachite was definitely sent to "China", the other side of the world lol, and Gabe.. heh.. funny you mention them because this chapter...
Yeah, and Peridot is a real happy sailor. Definitely better than Homeworld, and she'll say it too. She probably already had. xD
Well, Bill won't kill himself no matter how much he wants to now because of what he promised Steven, so no worries. That's pretty much the only thing keeping him from killing himself. Steven is, like Connie said, a magical person. :3
Aww, I love the rambling, but that's fine. We need to have room for the actual chapter after all, which is kinda short, sadly, but I can assure you the next one will be longer. And that sucks about your parents. I wonder when they'll give you the right to access it again. And I wonder what happened anyway... but yeah, at least you can still read and review. :3
Oh, and could you have FantasyFan223 read and review this? I bet he or she'll love it! xD

Okay, so, with that said, here's the next chapter! enjoy!

A Triangle in the Stars
Chapter Sixty-Seven: Split Person

Somewhere on the other side of the world, it was quiet. And undisturbed. Right off the bat one could tell barely anything happened here. And then Gabe popped into existence on a sandy beach. He hugged his legs. The first thought that came to mind was finding Bill. He realized, without omniscience, that would be close to impossible. Better let his brother come to him. It was a big world, after all. But then he saw something in the distance, in the water. A human? It seemed so far away though…

The "person" seemed to be arguing with herself, splashing the water multiple times in anger. Gabe got up, and approached. "Um, hi… who are you?" he asked, staring at the figure, who now seemed enormous, and definitely not human, the closer he got.

She whipped around, eyes narrowed but brows raised. He noticed he looked similar to Bill and growled. He was the one who did this to them. They, she, had no idea where they were. And however similar this star was to Bill, he wasn't it. She decided to answer, "None of your business."

The star didn't seem to hear this, or ignored it, and went on to introduce himself, "I'm Gabe… uh, do you know where my brother is? he looks like me, but shorter, and yellow, and a triangle…" Gabe scratched his top point.

And then she suddenly screamed at him, wild hair billowing with the force. She thrashed in the water again, undergoing a deadly temper tantrum powered by hatred and revenge. It was poison, but she didn't care. Lapis may have, but Jasper didn't.

"Woah, woah, woah," Gabe clapped his hands, eye widening, freezing her in place. "Time out, please, calm down. What's wrong with you?"

Malachite growled, "Bill did this to us.. sent us away! sent me away!" it was becoming individualistic. Slowly sapping their personalities away. Soon, there wouldn't even be a "we" left.

"Us?" Gabe thought she meant herself and the star, shakily putting a hand against where his mouth would be. He was gravely mistaken, but he couldn't shake the thought… did Bill want to lose his brother? is that why he was allowed to take the bullet? he felt sick at the mere idea. Had his sacrifice just been a way for Bill to kill two birds with one stone? his concentration shifted, allowing the fusion to move again.

And then she began trying to split apart again, obviously Lapis's doing. But it was a huge struggle. There was yelling, screaming, and metaphorical kicking as Jasper held onto keeping this fusion together, no matter what it was doing to them. She managed one word, "Me," but it was both clear and strangled in an odd sort of way.

Gabe didn't understand what was happening. But the thought didn't leave his head. Had Bill just used him? had the triangle changed at all, since the Burning Day? he shook himself, frowning, "Hey… do you know where he is?" the star wanted answers. If he didn't get them, he knew he'd start believing in these things.

The fusion then brought herself back together, seamlessly, and smiled, having thought of a plan. Gabe was just like Bill, wasn't he? she then frowned again, as she explained in a guttural growl, "He's with Rose Quartz… Steven…"

"Oh, yeah, the kid… well, that's just perfect," Gay smiled, remembering the little peephole on Steven's shirt. He closed his eye, using it to see. But it was covered, with the blanket of his bed. Gabriel growled, and opened his eye, "Welp, that's a dead end." Of course, he could teleport, but he didn't want to leave this… thing here.

"Aren't there.. other stars?" Malachite caught onto this. She wanted to know exactly what was going on now. Was it the right time for her to strike? for them? she would not fail Yellow Diamond. She was going to bring back someone, or a Gem. And she preferred Bill. Or she would die trying. Lapis protested, trying to split them apart again, and almost succeeded. But there was no luck. The bright light around them faded as soon as it began.

"Stars just aren't as common as triangles and squares," Gabe shrugged, closing his eye again. "But I'll keep looking…" he found another one. The one on the Temple Gate. He could see no one, unfortunately, as they were all up in the attic, out of sight. "Looks like they aren't home, uh… what's your name again?" he glanced at her, having opened his eye.

She growled, at this failure, but even though she moped, she was still thinking. Still planning. They weren't home. She'd have to strike another time. Soon, she answered him, "Malachite. It's Malachite."

One of her components—guess who?—fought again, but the other quickly silenced it. They were indeed Malachite. No more Lapis. No more Jasper. But Lapis was terrified.

"Malachite," he pronounced, and then nodded, "well, I think we can get over there through the ocean, since I'm still too weak from the trip here to do any international teleportation." He sighed. Regardless of what he thought he could do before. But he wasn't thinking to take Malachite with him then.

"As long as we get there," she gruffly responded, and looked around once more. There was nothing here but water and a beach. Again. She growled, and a question popped into her head. She asked, "How did you get here?"

"Uh.." Gabriel was caught off guard, and scratched his top point, "that's a good question. I guess I wound up in the Void again, and it.. spit me out? like last time? honestly, I have no clue. I was there, and now I'm here…" he shook himself softly, shrugging. "Anyway, we should get moving. We have an entire world to cross." He smiled grimly, knowing it would be a long journey.

Malachite nodded, and began to part the waves. The ocean floor was soon revealed, and she began walking along the path. If they could find a Warp Pad along the way, that would be great. But Jasper wouldn't be willing to let them split up long enough to use it…

Gay followed, obediently, floating around her shoulder. He was still trying to figure out what exactly she was, if she wasn't human. As they were now, the star was able to see her back. There was a gem on it, a teardrop. She grinned just a little bit, exposing her sharp teeth. Wading through the water would have been much slower, even with her power. This was smart. Gabe touched it gently, wondering if she'd be able to feel it. And she could indeed, and stopped, looking back and glaring with all four eyes, "What are you doing?"

"Oh!" he brought his hand away," sorry, I just.. it's pretty," and looked down, frowning. "I think… I think the kid had one too, on his… navel," Gabe would have bitten his lip.

"That he did," the fusion nodded, resuming her steps. "A rose quartz."

She didn't even thank him. But Lapis would have. The giant woman showed signs of breaking apart again. The pink star nodded, twiddling his thumbs, "So.. you're not exactly human, are you? and neither is he…"

"I don't even look human," she growled, forcing herself back together again. It would always disorient them. Her. Maybe she could still be saved. They.

Compared to me? yeah, you do…" he took a deep breath. "So, if you're not human, what are you?"

"I'm a Gem," every single word was a growl. And this got forced out, "A fusion!"

She didn't seem willing to admit she was one. Yet another deadly sign.

"A fusion…?" Gabe frowned, thinking it over.

"Yes!" she then just let him think about it. They let him think about it. She just focused on walking. They were about a mile away from the beach now, with her giant steps. Gay looked up. The ocean towered above them. They were a long way down, and he found himself getting a little nervous. But Malachite wasn't worried. Even with her almost splitting apart at times, she was still strong enough and concentrated enough to hold it up. And if they did break apart, Lapis would pick up the slack. If she didn't immediately fly off.

The star wasn't too worried either. He knew he could teleport up and away if need be. That is… if the water didn't confuse him. The thought overwhelmed him then. He could get lost in this water…

The stomps of her steps echoed throughout, and the fish, of almost every species indigenous to this area, could be seen through the water's "glass". Even like this, Lapis still preserved the wildlife, just like she did before. Gabe then perched upon and sat on the fusion's shoulder, getting tired of floating along. He hoped she wouldn't object. And she didn't, focused on getting to her destination. Beach City. She was ready to finish what she started…

A/N: Aaaand there ya have it! looks like Gabe's sacrifice wasn't permanent.. heheh. So, Ace had Gabriel, and I had Malachite. Things have most certainly changed...
Hope you enjoyed!