Author's Notes: I do not own Prince of Tennis. This story was inspired/based by/on "Enough Dead Heroes" from the Halo soundtrack. This is a one-shot. Clearly, this is set in an alternate universe.

Special thanks goes to Caorann fridh Bronach for beta reading, and to Ilychluna for offering her opinion.

If you think someone is OOC, tell me in a mature and respectful manner, and give me reasons why. Simply saying they're OOC doesn't help me. I'm still in the midst of studying the characters, and trying to figure out how they would act in different situations – where they're not playing tennis.

Lies, lies, lies! How dare they lie to her? Perhaps they were playing a cruel joke, for the one she had grown to love was an infamous trickster, and not a town favorite. Perhaps they were forcing her to experience anxiety as payment for associating with him.After all, even she, Sakuno Ryuzaki, the sweet-hearted girl, had been the victim of one of his many pranks.

The creature was gaining on her. Sakuno urged her legs to run faster, working to go all the way to the limit. She tried to scream, but her throat remained dry, her lips wordless. Fragments of moonlight peeked through thick foliage, and the path before her threatened to slow her escape – and possibly the monster's pursuit – with its bumpy ground and protruding rocks. Then, in an instant, Sakuno screamed and stumbled to her knees, gasping for breath, expecting an attack at any moment, screaming again when two large hands clamped down on her shoulders. "Gotcha!"

Sakuno began to cry, instinctively begging for mercy. "P-Please, someone help!" she cried out.

The feigned, labored breathing ceased, and the creature spoke to her, "I'm not gonna kill you." He stood, releasing his grip on her shoulders, beginning to walk away.

Sakuno recognized his voice, from hearing it every so often when he wandered into her grandmother's shop, looking for freebies. "Masaharu..." she whispered, weeping into her hands. "Don't do that again!" she forced out, wiping away a tear as she lifted her head to look at the rigid back and loose-fitting ponytail of silver-gray hair of the trickster. "Please..." Sakuno let that one, final word speak for itself, and continued to sob, her heart still thudding against her chest.

A long five minutes passed until Niou came to a decision, scooping the young woman in his arms and carrying her back home, the place Sakuno had been trekking to. Her heartbeat slowly returned to normal with the gentle footsteps crushing the leaves, her head leaning against his shoulder. The warmth emanating from his body was enough to lull her, her eyelids drooping until she descended into a deep slumber.

But unlike the others, Sakuno chose not to declare him an outsider. Niou had so kindly taken her to her grandmother's, where Sumire explained to her granddaughter about a perceived, feeble excuse Niou had given – that Sakuno had been kidnapped until the kidnappers decided they didn't want to kidnap her after all, and dropped her on the side of the road. Sakuno giggled that day; now, she choked back sobs in remembrance of that event.

"You gonna stand there all day?" Niou said, not having to glance at the great tree by the riverside where Sakuno stood, half-hiding with a basket in her hands. Sakuno stared at the relaxed position of Niou, leaning against a boulder, legs stretched out so that his bare toes reached the muddy bank, boots cast aside. He lazily threw palm-sized stones every once in awhile, following their movement into the soothing, flowing waters. "Well? Don't be so scared." He turned his head towards her, a hint of a smirk apparent on his boyish face.

Blushing at being caught, Sakuno moved from the tree and approached Niou cautiously. He watched her from the corner of his eye. "I...I wanted to thank you for bringing me home last night," she said, finding the blades of greenery at her feet so much more interesting.

Niou shrugged one shoulder, throwing another stone.

Somewhat crestfallen because he did not answer her, Sakuno continued, "I brought you some lunch...to show my appreciation."

"Lunch" certainly perked his ears. Niou turned his head upward slightly to face her, one corner of his mouth curving in response.

She needed to find out if it were true. Sakuno slipped across the mud, landing on her knees in a puddle from the day before, but she cared not for the dirty results, only focusing on climbing back to her feet, urging her body to move faster. Tears streamed still, and her ears picked up on sobbing and shouting from various residents of the town as she raced down the main road. At one point, she even heard her dear friend Tomoka calling her, the name drifting upon the wind of the morning, but Sakuno did not answer.

Narrowing eyes. "Why do you keep coming to see me?"

Darting eyes. "Because...they say you have no friends, and it makes me very sad."

A scoff. "You pity me. Poor Masaharu has no friends."

A gasp. "N-No, I did not mean it like that! I...I want to be your friend."

For days on end, she brought him lunch at his favorite spot, and he was always there, staying to eat, seldom spoke, and always disappeared when her back was turned. He never pranked her again. She tried to hold a conversation with him during those times, about animals, nature, and what lay beyond the sea. Only one-word answers came. Until one day. Sakuno brushed away a tear, remembering the day he had opened up to her.

"My old man never stops drinking."

Sakuno shivered against the bitter wind and pulled her shawl around her tightly; if it had been anyone else, Sakuno would have stayed in, choosing not to go outside into the cold. Luckily, Niou took care to lead her into the woods, stopping to sit at the base of a large tree that would shield them from the wind.

"I stay outside all the time unless it's the cold season. Then I go back to the house and watch through the window as he drinks until he passes out." Niou shook his head. "I don't like going in and having him yell at me, calling me names, telling me how much of a disappointment I am to him. I sneak in when he's out, and in the morning, I'm gone."

"Masaharu..." Sakuno reached out to touch his shoulder, but before making any contact, she froze when he turned to face her.

Niou's hard stare never left her face. "I don't want your pity. I can survive on my own."

"But no one should have to go through that!" Sakuno brought one hand to cover her mouth. "Sorry..."

With a smile not reaching his eyes, Niou said, "But they do."

Sakuno said nothing for awhile, contemplating over his family life until she thought of a solution. "Why don't you stay with someone else?"

"Who?" Niou looked away. "I thought you knew. I have no friends. No other family. Everyone hates me because of my father and what I do for fun." Closing his eyes, he smiled.

"I don't."

Masaharu! Sakuno gasped for breath, spying the gathering ahead. A man not of their village had come to deliver news of the fallen. He would know. He would tell the truth. Sakuno clamped down on her lip with her teeth with so much force that she could taste blood. Niou couldn't be dead! He was clever, quick-witted. Nothing got past him. Not even the stray, mad dog that nearly attacked her. Niou had diverted its attention while she climbed a tree, leading the animal away to the cliffs a little ways from the village, returning unscathed but breathless, grinning. "Fooled him," was all he had said, and he never did share the details. No, her Trickster was too smart, rarely revealing the secrets of his pranks, not even to her. He wouldn't let himself die, because she would be truly alone.

Sakuno sobbed against the motionless body of her grandmother, not wanting to let go. Ever. She was relieved when those offering their condolences, left, leaving her to grieve privately.

A firm rap at the door alerted her of another visitor. She didn't bother answering; hopefully the sound of her weeping would send them on their way.

But the door opened. Sakuno lifted her head, turning around to see Niou. Ah, yes, it was around the time they usually met. Sakuno dashed from her kneeling position and crashed into his body, crying her eyes out.

After a few minutes of his just standing there, listening to her weep, Sakuno finally whispered, "I'm alone..."

He gently pushed her away from him, so that he could see her. She could have sworn that day that she saw genuine warmth in his turquoise eyes as he gazed into hers, and quietly said, "No...you're not."

Tomoka's family took her in, and Sakuno went to live with them, but not before telling Niou to stay in her home, to keep it as his. Those who had heard of this absurd gesture, protested, some people wanting to inherit the home for themselves, but Tomoka had been Sakuno's voice. "It's her home! Let her do with it as she wants, and leave her alone!" Sakuno thanked her friend that day, but Niou said he would only use it for the cold season, unwilling to accept the place so suddenly. Still, that answer had been satisfying enough for her. Sakuno blinked away more tears, remembering the last time they had spoken before he departed, months after Sumire had passed on, and two months to this day.

They walked through the snow, away from the forest. Together.

"Many men from the village are leaving tomorrow," Sakuno was saying, "They are traveling to Kenkasa to join the war, and to protect our village."

"They go to their deaths," Niou replied, shaking his head, smirking. "Fools."

Sakuno frowned. "They have families to protect," she said softly, halting her walk. Niou ceased his own pace a couple of steps away from her.

"I owe the people of this village nothing," Niou replied, not facing her, his tone laced with harshness.

Dipping her head to hide her tears, Sakuno whispered, "I am frightened."

Arching an eyebrow, Niou said, "Of?"

"Of the war...of what may come our way." Sakuno sniffled. "I have heard stories about terrible monsters roaming the land, and their owners, the enemy, are even worse."

"And you want me to go..."

"No! I mean—" Sakuno sighed, coming up behind him. "I don't want anything to happen to you...but I believe that if you went, helped defeat the enemy, and came back, you would be known as a hero!" Tears sprang forth. "I'm tired of people putting you down! They-they can't see you for who you really are!"

"Sakuno..." Niou spun around, face-to-face, almost nose-to-nose as he leaned down towards her. "Do you know who I really am?"

With widening eyes, Sakuno's throat suddenly went dry. Had she been fooled all along by the bits and pieces she had witnessed and believed to be his caring nature?

"They already know. I hide nothing of who I am. I enjoy throwing them off their guard." Smiling, he lifted her chin with one finger. "Do you know who I am? Are you ashamed?"

Sakuno shivered; his hair was almost as white as the very snow falling from the gray sky, and his eyes were brilliantly blue-green against the brightness of their surroundings; the windows to his well-hidden soul. "I'm sorry," she whispered with watering eyes.

They continued walking, Sakuno a step behind, and it was on their way back when Niou told her, "I will go."

Sakuno brought her gaze to him. "Where?"

"I will go tomorrow," he said, staring intently, "Not because of the glory, but to prevent whatever evil force is out there...from coming here. I will go for you."

Proud; she'd been proud to tell others that he was fighting against the monsters, the enemy in the west, beyond those ominous cliffs. Many were surprised, others hoping he wouldn't come back. Sakuno worried each day for him, not receiving a letter at all, but she didn't expect any. He wasn't the kind to write letters like a good boy to his mother.

Now the scattered pieces of fear and regret pieced themselves together; she shouldn't hinted about going to the war, displaying such selfishness. She had never been ashamed of him! She only wanted the best for him, but perhaps what she deemed as best wasn't true at all for him.

Sakuno strained her neck to see above the crowd. Sobbing reached her ears. A young man standing on a platform, red hair being blown by the wind, read the list of names of the men who had perished. "Shuichirou Oishi."

A woman, most likely his mother, screamed, covering her face with her hands. A lump formed in Sakuno's throat; she had known Shuichirou, and would have sooner grieved for him, but right now, she wanted to find out about Niou, fidgeting with her hands.

"Kentarou Aoi, Kojirou Saeki, Takeshi Momoshiro, Yoshiro Akazawa, Ryou Shishido..."

Sakuno brought her hands to her mouth, stunned.

Other names were read, most of them older men, some of them familiar to her. They were all heroes, dying for their people and village.

Finally, the redhead stepped off the platform, and departed from the crowd with a taller man.

Niou's name hadn't been mentioned! With a glimmer of hope inside her heart, Sakuno dashed off to stop the redhead. "S-Sir! Please! Wait!"

The red head stopped, as did the other man, and turned around to see who was calling them: a lovely young woman with one long braid.

Sakuno halted before them, breathing deeply. "Was there a Masaharu Niou among you?"

The two briefly glanced at one another, and the redhead sighed. "I'm sorry..."

Her heart skipped a beat.

"Kiyosumi..." the other man spoke. "I will tell her." Kiyosumi Sengoku nodded, allowing Hiroshi Yagyuu to take over. Yagyuu stared at Sakuno, not speaking, and closed his eyes in remembrance of the cunning Niou. "Masaharu became my friend, as well as the friend of others from the same division as I. He learned quickly the proper ways of battling the enemy, and only a few matched his skill." Pausing only to catch his breath, Yagyuu continued, "We went out to fight those that were starting to head this way. Masaharu left on his own, saying he was going after the leader. In a few hour's time, the battle was finished. We had defeated every single monster and enemy soldier. Your village and this side of the land is safe."

"And Masaharu?" Sakuno tried desperately to ignore the uneasiness in the pit of her stomach.

"I found him by a cliff. He had defeated the leader, but wouldn't tell me how. He simply pointed to the cliff, saying, 'Fooled him.'"

A whimper escaped from her, as one hand again covered her mouth in shock.

Yagyuu took a deep breath. "I wanted to take him back to camp to the healer, but he shook his head...he said, 'I'm going soon.'" Yagyuu couldn't look at Sakuno anymore, instead letting his eyes trail over to the grieving gathering behind her. "He kept smiling, looking at the sky. He asked me not to mention his name here in this village. The last words he said to me were, 'Give this to her.'" Yagyuu then reached into a pack slung around his shoulder, producing a white handkerchief, spotted with dried blood.

I gave this to him...to remember me... Sakuno took the handkerchief, clutching it to her chest, now openly weeping.

"And...he died, still smiling," Yagyuu finished, as if the fact that Niou smiled in death would be of any condolence to her. Perhaps someday it would.

However, at the moment, Sakuno could only dwell on the fact that her Trickster wasn't coming home – to her.

"I'm alone..."

"No...you're not."

"But I am now..." Suddenly, Sakuno gasped loudly, her knees giving out, sobbing hard into her hands, crying out, "No! No! Please, no!" This wasn't how it was supposed to be! He was supposed to come back to her—be with her. "It's all my fault..."

Sengoku shook his head, protesting, "No, it's not your fault!"

Sakuno lifted her eyes to the soldier. "He went because of me! I shouldn't have said anything about the war, and maybe he would still be here!"

"Miss," Yagyuu began, kneeling down so he was eye-to-eye with her. "Everyone, including your village, knew about the war." Sakuno broke into sobs again, facing the ground. Yagyuu continued, "Masaharu would have found out eventually, whether by way of word or if the enemy did succeed in coming in this direction. He probably would have gone to fight, anyway, because..." Yagyuu waited until Sakuno looked at him. "Because—"

Yagyuu rubbed his chin. "You say you hate the people of your village, yet all the men from the same area came to fight for the village itself, and the people. So what are your reasons?"

Niou stared into the fire, his meal forgotten. At last, he replied, smirking, "She's afraid of the monsters."

"Ah, a lady." Yagyuu nodded, understanding; he, too, had a love, aside from family, to fight for.

"I will make sure she never has a reason to fear again."

Sakuno wiped at her eyes. "Masaharu..."

Yagyuu knew he couldn't do anything more to lessen her pain; he turned to leave for the horses waiting outside the village for the two soldiers. Sengoku lingered, looking back and forth between Sakuno and the crowd, where not one person could be seen making their way through to comfort the grieving young woman.

"Hiroshi!" Sengoku called.

Yagyuu continued walking. "There is nothing you can do," he called back over his shoulder. "We have to leave...now."

Sengoku sighed, glancing at Sakuno once more before leaving to fulfill his duties as a soldier. "I'm sorry...my lady."

She had known them all – those young boys who had gone to war – and they'd been like Niou, bordering on the edge of manhood, their lives now stolen from them for the sake of protecting the people they loved.

And the two men heard her find the strength to cry out, "Please—enough dead heroes!"

Author's Notes: Hope you read the beginning author's notes to avoid asking questions already answered or explained, especially since it doesn't say I think they're OOC.

I plan do Niou's POV to better explain the motives and thoughts behind his actions, since this one-shot was Sakuno's POV.