The rest of the day seemed to move in slow motion and Kuroko was happy when it was over. He and his siblings were heading home, Momoi was going to try and cook again. Now that Kuroko, thanks to Akashi new that not all-human food tasted horrible he could properly tell Momoi what human food is supposed to taste like. Kuroko wondered if Momoi would take the advice offensively.

For some odd reason none of his siblings were conversing, for that matter they seemed sullen. Something was wrong. Momoi stared down at the ground as she walked, her eyes seemed teary and her gaze was distant. Mayuzumi hung his head low in doing so his bangs covered his eyes. There was unspoken tension between them… the heavy air made it hard to breathe. Kuroko balled his hands into a fist, something happened… something horrible.

When the angels arrived home they didn't exchange words. They all silently undid their wing concealing enchantment and headed into their own rooms. What could have happened to them Kuroko wondered?

Kuroko lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling. Did it have to do with Akashi, or perhaps the holders of the Gem of Reason? Or maybe…

Kuroko turned to his side; no it's too soon for that. Kuroko remembered his sister's eyes, that dead cold look she wore. Kuroko never wanted to see his sister wearing that face. She's the kind of girl who deserved everything and more. Mayuzumi, nothing gets under his skin. Whatever happened, Kuroko had to be strong for his family.

Sounds could be heard from the downstairs kitchen, Momoi was cooking. Kuroko left his room and proceeded into the living room, next to the kitchen. Kuroko lay on the couch. Momoi walked out of the kitchen still wearing a sullen expression. She had a bit of food on her cheek and she held a knife in her hand

"I burnt the food. Sorry" she spoke robotically

Kuroko hadn't heard his sister speak like this since their grandfathers passing.

"Tetsuya could you please call Chihiro to the living room" Momoi requested lifelessly.

Kuroko's head was spinning but he still nodded. With no energy Kuroko went up to his brother's room. Something was very very wrong here.

Mayuzumi was lying flat on the floor, reading a book of enchantments.

"Satsuki-san wants us to come down stairs," Kuroko announced

Mayuzumi shot Kuroko a glare so cold it seemed to pierce him. Mayuzumi's eyes, they were cold and dead, it was as if he had been called to attended funeral. Mayuzumi got up and headed downstairs to the living room, Kuroko following close behind him.

The three angels assembled in the room. For a minute or two none of them spoke. Kuroko was growing restless, what was going on? Why he was the only one who didn't know what was going on?

"Enough games. Please tell me what's going on," Kuroko inquired flatly

Momoi turned her head to Kuroko, her eyes glossy and her expression pained. Mayuzumi sighed. "We are going to perform the identification ceremony. Meaning, some of us might die."

Kuroko's eyes widened upon realizing what his brother had just said. The room around him seemed to spin, causing Kuroko to grow dizzy. A stab of pain, worry and despair ran thru Kuroko's chest, like a spear piercing his heart. The pain spread until it enveloped his entire being. Momoi's angel wings sagged and a few tears escaped her eyes.

"We decided at lunch, when you were getting Intel on Akashi, we couldn't interrupt you." Momoi added

Intel? Kuroko wasn't gathering information on him, he did learn a thing or two about him through the chess match but that had nothing to do with this part of their lives…

Mayuzumi stood up. "Just in case you aren't clear. The identification process if performed by a none gem holder on a holder will result in the gem emerging from the body but it will kill the owner, but this is only true for humans who have weaker souls. For us, the gem will come out and then go back in, we will live.

If the person the spell is performed on isn't a holder, regardless if the performer is a holder or not, the person who the spell is preformed will have their soul sucked out and they will die.

We need to identify which one of us is the true holder of the Gem of Restraint, if we don't we will end up killing the human holders with the extraction process.

As you know if a holder preforms on a holder, all is well. "

Mayuzumi took in a long breath "But I am sure you already knew all of that. Momoi will be preforming the identification enchantment on us seeing as she is the best with enchantments."

Momoi sadly stood up.

This can't be happening. Kuroko remembered when they were all young angels, carefree and happy. The three of them held such fond memories together… They laughed, cried and grew up together. They discovered the world together. They were born together as triplets… and now there's only a 1/3 chance that all of them will live, all for the sake of the mission. For the sake of Heaven. Perhaps if they were born in another time in another place they could be happy forever. Sadly they were not born in a different place or in a different time, they were living now and that was the cold truth. This can't be happening…

Who will go first?

"I am going to be tested first," Mayuzumi announced as if answering Kuroko's thoughts.

Kuroko's eyes widened. Tears filled the edges of his eyes as he looked to his brother in horror. Momoi gasped and covered her mouth to block out sobs. Mayuzumi looked down solemnly. If the Gem of Restraint didn't reside within him… he's as good as dead.

"No-" Kuroko tried to interfere. There was no way he was going first, if he died Kuroko wouldn't be able to carry on. Kuroko wanted to go first, that way if he died at least he wouldn't have to live in a world without his siblings and the odds of the others survival will go up from 1/3 to 1/2. He promised himself that, he wouldn't let Mayuzumi go first.

"Kuroko Tetsuya, I will go first. I was the first to be suspected of being the holder and so I have the highest chances of being it. I am the oldest of us triplets too. I am an elder brother to both of you. It's my job to protect you and do all I can for you. I will NOT let any of you die while I am around. I am going first." Mayuzumi reasoned

"I was suspected too! I w-want to p-protect you Chihiro…! I don't c-care if I d-die" Momoi chocked out through sobs.

"Don't say things like that. Your life is a treasure. Don't cry. It's my job to protect you, that's why I was born slightly before both of you. If I let you go first and you died then I would be ignoring my birth responsibility, I wouldn't be able to live like that. I am no saint but I am a brother and as such I will do my job of protecting both of you." Mayuzumi for once in his life was speaking with feeling.

"But brother, if you don't have the gem you will-" Kuroko huffed, tears in his eyes, straining his voice to sound calm.

"Let's just pray that I do" Mayuzumi gave a small smile.

Mayuzumi walked towards Kuroko and signaled for Momoi to come closer. Mayuzumi hugged both of them tightly in his arms. His siblings. His beloved siblings. Silent tears fell from Momoi onto Mayuzumi's shirt. Kuroko buried his head into his brother's shirt. They stayed like that for a while, comforting each other with their warmth. Mayuzumi hugged them slightly tighter and kissed the top of their heads "I love both of you more than the universe." He whispered to them.

Kuroko closed his eyes tight. Mayuzumi wasn't one for such words, to hear them at a time like this was too much for Kuroko and Momoi to handle. Mayuzumi let both of them go.

As he walked to the center of the room, Kuroko caught something, he caught Mayuzumi smiling, a true smile.

Momoi walked to Mayuzumi and sent him a look of 'do you really want to do this' to which Mayuzumi gave an adamant stare.

Momoi hung her head and placed her hands over Mayuzumi's heart. Mayuzumi's wings spread out and he raised his head. Momoi gathered Heaven's energy hands, the energy shone over Mayuzumi, turning his human clothes to the white silk clothes of Heaven. Mayuzumi's halo shone with intense light.

Momoi closed her eyes.

"Restraint, the reason is not taint. No Kaiser of train-wreaked desire holds a candle. Restraint, the will of balance, the flame of the heart and the water of the mind."

A blinding light began to rise from Mayuzumi's heart, his soul. The light was blinding and bright, it was as if it was a star. Kuroko and Momoi turned their heads away from the light. The colour drained from their faces. Momoi hung her head and brought her arms to her side. Mayuzumi's soul dissipated and his body grew limp and pale. His halo faded and his wings sagged. Mayuzumi's body gently landed on the floor, the spell's light fully faded by now.

Mayuzumi was dead.

He wasn't the holder of the Gem of Restraint and as such the spell killed him.

Momoi covered her mouth, tears pouring out. Kuroko's head spun, his brother was dead. Dead. The one who picked him up when he was down had just died. Kuroko's elder brother was dead, gone and never coming back all because of this stupid mission. Kuroko clenched his fists. To top his death off, he died in an attempt to keep his siblings alive. He always said "I am no saint" but when it came down to it, he was a good angel and a lovely brother who Kuroko and Momoi love so much.

Momoi's knees went weak and she clutched her head in despair over her brother's dead body. She would never hear his voice again. Kuroko slowly walked up to Mayuzumi's body in disbelief before falling to his knees and looking up in sorrow. They both harshly closed their eyes and silently mourned and wept. Momoi's throat burned and her body quivered. Kuroko's eyes strung and his stomach tossed.

After a moment of suffocating despair Momoi took a deep breath. "Tetsuya, Chihiro is really dead isn't he?" she hopelessly cried.

Kuroko fought the lump in his throat and choked out a small broken "Yes…he is…"

Kuroko shuffled himself closer to his sister, offering support. Kuroko held his sisters hand in one hand and picked up Mayuzumi's hand in the other. He then brought their hands together. Momoi looked up to Kuroko with wide eyes. Kuroko summoned all his will not to cry out but instead sincerely smile. Kuroko choked out the strongest voice he could "No matter what, the three of us are siblings" Kuroko stated, smiling with tears running from his closed eyes. Momoi smiled as well and nodded, he brought Mayuzumi's hand to her face and nuzzled it "Always." She responded.

After once last moment of mourning, Kuroko sighed. "We still have to find the true holder, it's either you or me"

"I'll g-" Momoi was cut off

"No, I will. Please preform the spell on me and let's pray that I am the holder," Kuroko firmly said

"But Father was more suspicious of me being the holder, not you. It makes more sense for me to go next! I won't let you die for no reason," she demanded frantically "I already lost…" Momoi fought the lump in her throat "I already lost Chihiro, I am not losing you too!" She looked up to Kuroko with sad pained eyes.

"Satsuki, please. I won't let you go, the chance of you dying and me living on is something I won't take, I am going." Kuroko demanded back loudly

Momoi had never heard Kuroko sound so adamant. Momoi took a deep breath. "Fine but…please…. come back to me, don't leave me alone." Momoi hung her head in utter despair.

Kuroko approached Momoi and hugged her "I won't leave you alone. I love you my dearest sister" he whispered.

Momoi prayed with all her heart that Kuroko was the gem holder. Momoi held her hands over Kuroko's heart. She looked to Mayuzumi's dead body and silently asked him wherever his soul may be to pray for Kuroko's safety.

"Restraint, the reason is not taint. No Kaiser of train-wreaked desire holds a candle. Restraint, the will of balance, the flame of the heart and the water of the mind"

The same blinding light rose from Kuroko's heart. A shining blue aura filled the room, Momoi winced as she held her breath and looked away. The light diminished to a light glow. Momoi turned to look. Her heart skipped a beat. Time froze in that instant; the world came to a grinding halt. Over Kuroko's heart levitated his soul, his soul…

Was a beautiful sea blue gem? The very presence of the gem claimed Momoi's heart. Momoi smiled "oh thank god" she gleefully whispered, tears trickling down her cheeks. She felt as though a great weight has just been lifted from her shoulders. Momoi removed her hands and the gem returned or rather, Kuroko's soul returned into him. Kuroko was the holder of the Gem of Restraint. Despite the fact that he was never a prime suspect compared to his siblings, in the end, he was the true holder.

Kuroko opened his eyes. "I'm alive…" he trailed off

"That means…!" Kuroko's eyes widened.

Momoi threw her arms around Kuroko. "Yes, yes. You are the gem holder I can't believe it! Tetsuya, you came back to me, Tetsuya I-I!" Momoi jumbled her words. Kuroko patted her head "I am lucky I suppose. Please calm down."

Kuroko was astonished. Never in his life has he ever thought that he was the holder, Mayuzumi and Momoi were the suspects not Kuroko. Kuroko tried to process what was happening but he couldn't, none of it felt real. As a child Kuroko was always over looked because it was declared that he was most definitely not the holder of the gem and as such many people forgot he existed. He still got attention as a prince but it was nothing compared to his siblings. Despite all that in reality, he was the true holder. Kuroko had already prepared himself for his death and yet, he was alive.

They stayed like that for a moment, a moment of joy and pure bliss. Momoi let go of Kuroko and turned her head to Mayuzumi's body. A moment of pure bliss? As if. No moment would ever feel complete after all, there should be two angels congratulating Kuroko not one. The room fell silent. Kuroko walked up to Mayuzumi's body. If only Kuroko had went first Mayuzumi wouldn't have died. Kuroko swallowed hard, it was his fault. "Brother… thank you… for everything. You can rest in peace. I will take care of our sister and I will bring pride to the Heavens. Rest in peace. Goodbye my brother" Kuroko prayed.

Momoi joined Kuroko "Rest in peace… brother. Goodbye"

Their prayers flew off into the night sky and showered the room with a feeling of relief and hollowness. Mayuzumi died on this day but the other two lived on. Momoi the princess of the Heavens and Kuroko the holder of the Gem of Restraint and the Heir to the Heavens will carry on. They will carry on and live strong for their dear departed brother.

AN: Well I hope you enjoyed that :)