Once again, I apologize for the slow update. It's just that, with the alerts being down, I didn't really want to write it until they were fixed. Not to mention my keyboard decided to quit working, and it took us awhile to fix it. Thanks to everyone who reviewed (even though I didn't get the alert telling me that you did), and I apologize if I didn't reply to yours.

Just a few notes before we start, so I don't have to put them at the end:

Ryoma's ax is referred to as a cleaver as well because, well, it just is.

Cicadas are normally active during the summer. However, in the story it is currently winter, and it's unusual to hear them during this time of year.

And now, I present the final chapter of When the Cicadas Cry.

Disclaimer: I do not own Tennis no Ouji-sama or Higurashi no Naku Koro ni

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Ryoma picked up the ax from where it was lodged into the teacher's desk and calmly walked over to where Tezuka was tied up. Without a word, raised it above his head and brought it down on Tezuka's. He repeated the process, and the other children could only gasp and flinch as the ax's handle collided with Tezuka's forehead.

"Stop it, Ryoma!"

Ryoma paused mid-swing and turned to glare at the one who had spoken. "Fuji, you promised you wouldn't move away from that wall!" Fuji tensed and looked at Tezuka; his eyes were closed, and Ryoma had moved the ax so that the blade hung next to his head. "I cannot forgive Tezuka for selling me out to his family and the police!" As he spoke, a stream of blood began trickling down Tezuka's face. Ryoma lifted the ax and once again began beating Tezuka with it. "When I believed in you…I believed in you!" With each hit, more blood came oozing out, dripping onto the floor.

"Stop, Ryoma!" Fuji yelled, squeezing his eyes shut. "Please stop!" Tears formed in his eyes as he took a step forward.

"Stay back!" Ryoma yelled, taking a single step backward. "Come any closer and I'll flick this lighter." He held up the object, which he pulled from his pocket, to demonstrate. Fuji, not wanting to risk it, stayed where he was. Before Ryoma could resume his relentless beating, however, the phone on the desk began ringing. "Hello?" Ryoma said as he answered it. "Inui-san, what is it?"

Fuji stood, unsure of what to do. It was then that he remembered what the police had given him. He reached into his pocket and took out the earphone, placing it in his ear. There was some static before a voice asked, "Can you hear me? This is Choutarou of the Okinomiya Police Department. If you can hear me, please cough once." Fuji did.

"Thank goodness," Choutarou said. "Please listen carefully to what I'm about to tell you. The suspect has claimed to have set a timed explosive." Fuji's eyes widened. "It's a simple device, made with a kitchen timer, but it's still enough to blow up the classroom." Across the room, Ryoma was still talking on the phone; he glanced back to check on things before returning to his conversation.

"According to him, the timer is set for seven o'clock," Choutarou continued. "That's in fifteen minutes."

"What should I do?" Fuji whispered into the device.

"We want you to locate and disarm the explosive."

"Me?"

"The timer is probably powered by an electrical outlet. Is there anything plugged into the outlets of the classroom?" Fuji looked around; the only outlet didn't have anything plugged into it. "No."

"It's possible that the device is in another room," Choutarou said.

"You want me to search all the rooms?" Fuji asked, bewildered. "In fifteen minutes?"

"Fuji!"

Fuji turned around to look at the hostages; it was Eiji who had spoken. "Eiji? Were you listening?" Eiji nodded. Beside him, Oishi leaned forward to offer his say. "I've always been pretty good at finding traps and such," he said.

"Then where would you put a bomb if you wanted to blow up this room?" Fuji asked. Oishi smiled. "That's easy. I'll show you that Ryoma's trap is nothing!"

"That won't make it in time!" Ryoma yelled into the phone. "Inui-san, do you understand anything that I've been saying?"

"There's probably a cord somewhere," Oishi continued quietly. "If you can confirm that…"

Fuji nodded. "All right, leave it to me!"

Ryoma turned away from the phone, his hand over the over the receiver so the police couldn't hear him. "What is it, Fuji?" Fuji hesitated only briefly before coming up with an excuse. "I heard a weird noise just now." When Ryoma looked skeptical he added, "I'm sure I heard it."

Ryoma's eyes narrowed slightly. "Then go take a look, Fuji." Fuji nodded and headed towards the sliding door. As he opened it, Ryoma added, "I would hate for you to make me angry."

"Trust me," Fuji said with a small smile before closing the door and running down the corridor. He opened the first door he came to and took a brief look around; on the ground, he saw a cable connecting to an outlet and winding around the desk that stood near the door. He followed it until he came to a storage closet, and saw an alarm clock sitting on a box in the dark room. "There it is!" he said to himself as he picked it up. Turning it over in his hands, he examined it only to find that the wire was just taped on the bottom of the clock; there was no bomb attached.

"Why is Fuji holding an alarm clock in his hands, I wonder?" Ryoma said, appearing in the doorway. "I wonder…"

"Ryoma!"

"I trusted you, Fuji," he said, taking out the ax that he had been hiding behind his back. He raised it above his head. "You're horrible, Fuji!" Fuji's eyes widened before he closed them, preparing for the worst. Before Ryoma could bring his weapon down, however, Eiji ran into the room and tackled him, sending them both flying into the wall. The lighter, which had been safely tucked away in Ryoma's pocket, went sliding across the floor. Fuji ran over and grabbed it.

"Fuji!" Oishi called from somewhere outside the classroom. "I know where the bomb is!" As Ryoma began to get up, Eiji stepped in front of him, his arms spread out to block him. "Fuji! Hurry and go to Oishi!"

"Eiji…"

"Fuji, this isn't the first time," Eiji continued. "Last time…if only I had tried harder…when you killed Ryoma and Tezuka, if I had only been able to do something more…that's why, this time, I'll make sure to do something"

"Fuji! The time's almost up!" Oishi called. Fuji hesitated before saying, "Sorry, Eiji!" and running out the door, leaving him to deal with Ryoma.

Ryoma laughed. "Eiji, you're going to get killed! At the hands of wrathful Ryoma, you shall surely perish!" At this, Eiji only smiled. "I'll play with you. Come here, cleaver boy."

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"What do you mean?" Fuji asked. He was standing in the hallway with Oishi, who claimed to know where the bomb was.

"This morning. As soon as I remembered, it was easy! Remember?"

"Man, something stinks!" One of the students said.

"I think it's coming from outside," another said, wrinkling her nose in disgust. Behind them, a boy opened his locker and noticed that something was missing. "Hey! My baseball's gone!"

"That smell was gasoline!" Oishi said.

"And the ball?"

"Ryoma used it to clog the rain gutter, then filled the entire gutter with gasoline!"

"So that means the bomb is…"

"It's probably on the roof!"

Fuji smiled. "Good work, Oishi. Take care of everyone, alright?" He began to run off, but Oishi stopped him. "Take this!" he said, tossing Fuji the baseball bat he'd had in his hand; the name 'Kaoru' was engraved on the handle. Oishi's brother. Fuji thanked him, then began to make his way outside.

"Inui-san, can you hear me?" he yelled. "I've taken his lighter! The bomb's on the roof; it's in the rain gutter." Outside, one of the officers looked at his watch. "We have less than three minutes!"

Inside the school, Fuji had reached a window and was struggling to get it open. When that didn't work, he grabbed the baseball bat and smashed it. Quickly moving the sharp pieces of glass from around the window, he climbed out and onto the roof.

"One minute left!"

Fuji hurriedly ran across the roof, spotting the bomb in the rain gutter: right where Oishi had said it would be. The timer said less than ten seconds, and he quickened his pace, making a dive for the device when he was close enough. Right before the countdown reached zero, he pressed the 'off' switch. He breathed a sigh of relief. "I did it…I did it!"

The police below gave a cheer. "All units forward! Secure the hostages and apprehend the suspect!" Inui yelled. The students had already opened the classroom window and were climbing out, running across the grass to safety. Oishi was one of the last ones out. After he had jumped out the window, he extended his hand to Tezuka and helped him out.

"Inui-san, it's from the fire department!" said an officer that held the speaker for the car radio in his hand. "The scene's still dangerous because of the gasoline vapors. They're requesting that you call back the entry team. Even without the detonator, the place could still blow at any moment!"

Inui looked up at the building. "But Fuji-san is still there!"

On the roof, Fuji heard something behind him. He turned around, only to find Ryoma standing behind him. "Ryoma!"

"Impossible…I never thought you'd find it up here," Ryoma said. "I guess it all ended in failure, huh?"

Fuji smirked. "Game and match, Ryoma."

"And I was fighting so hard against the aliens…" Ryoma continued. "If humanity perishes now, it's all your fault, Fuji."

"Aliens? No one in their right mind would believe that!" Fuji said, standing up from where he had been kneeling on the roof. He held the baseball bat tightly in his hand. "Idiot." His taunting was working: Ryoma was getting angry.

"If you really want me to believe you, there's an easy way for us to settle this, you know," Fuji said.

"You're saying the one who wins is right?" Ryoma asked.

"Exactly."

Ryoma scowled at Fuji before sprinting towards him, the ax held out in front of him. He brought it down when he reached Fuji; sparks flew as the blade hit the metal of the baseball bat. "If you lose to me, you'd better prepare yourself!" Fuji said.

"What will you do if you beat me?" Ryoma asked, pushing down harder.

"Obviously, you'll have to become my personal servant," Fuji replied, also pushing back. "From the dawn's 'Good Morning' to the evening's 'Good Night', you'll be completely in my service!"

Ryoma laughed. "That's so like you, Fuji!" The two broke away, then lunged towards each other. The weapons clashed, and they each jumped back again. Ryoma quickly ran forward and brought the cleaver down; Fuji dodged, and the ax embedded itself in the roof.

"Fuji-san, jump!" Inui called from below. It was no use, however; the two were fully involved in the battle. Around them, the students began cheering, wishing Fuji luck and telling him to win. As they cheered, Eiji emerged from the building. He was clutching his arm, but otherwise appeared to be unharmed. Worried, Oishi and Tezuka ran over to him.

Up on the roof, the battle continued. The weapons continued to clatter as they met time and again. Neither Fuji nor Ryoma seemed to be willing to let the other win. They had played many games in the past: cards, board games, water fights. There was one particular fight with water guns that they never got to finish, and Fuji was reminded of it.

"We found with water guns once," he said. "Do you remember? Didn't you wish that we could fight like that again?"

"Yeah…absolutely!" Ryoma replied.

"We can finally finish it," Fuji said with a grin before running towards Ryoma. His opponent laughed as he did the same. "Just don't be a sore loser!" With that, the fight resumed.

Tezuka and Oishi were standing with Eiji after confirming that he was indeed alright. Eiji looked up at the fight. "He will…Fuji will…he might just find an exit…" he said. "A way out of this labyrinth of tragedy." Tezuka looked at him, confused.

The battle seemed to be at a standstill, with both contestants pushing his weapon against the others'. "So, let me confirm this one last time," Fuji said. "If I win, you'll become my personal servant and serve me to my heart's content every day. And you'll have to introduce me at 'Honored Master Fuji' in front of everyone!"

"I have no intention of losing, but that sounds like so much fun!"

"And next comes your prize, Ryoma," Fuji continued. Surprised, Ryoma pulled away. "If you win, Ryoma…I'll believe in your story. I'll believe that aliens are controlling the world. Even if you claw your throat out and die. I'll see it through to the very end, no matter what."

Ryoma was silent for a moment. "You know what? Even if I win, that's so boring."

"What, do you want to change it?"

Ryoma smiled. "I-I would like…the same prize you'll get, Fuji." Fuji wondered why Ryoma sounded so…sad as he spoke. "I want you to greet me everyday with a 'Good Morning' and to hear you tell me 'Good Night' in the evening. I'd like you to fill me with lots of kindness…to fill me with lots of joy…" He paused. "What do you say? With these stakes, even if I win or if you win, we'll…always be together."

Fuji smiled. "Yes…we'll always be together…" He grasped the baseball bat with both hands and held it in front of him. "I'll say this in advance. It was fun."

Ryoma readied his weapon as well. "It was fun for me, too." They rushed at each other, and their weapons clashed for the last time. A moment later, the baseball bat landed loudly on the ground. Fuji was lying on the roof while Ryoma was on top of him, cleaver raised. "Damn…you're good."

"Now the match is over, right?" Ryoma asked, his cap hiding his eyes.

"No, it's not," Fuji said, leaning his head back and closing his eyes. "Until you swing that down, it isn't over."

"No…" Fuji opened his eyes in surprise, and saw that Ryoma was crying. "No…I don't want to! Why did things end up like this? Where did everything get so messed up? When I thought I believed in everyone…When did I stop believing?" He lowered the ax, tears still pouring from his eyes. "Why…to my friends that I love…Why am I doing something this horrible? Why did I destroy these happy days with my own hands?"

"You're…really amazing!" Fuji said, causing Ryoma to look at him. "You were able to realize your mistake. Well done, Ryoma!"

Ryoma slowly got off of Fuji. "I've hurt my friends. I did terrible things to Tezuka." Now that Ryoma wasn't on top of him, Fuji sat up. "So apologize to him later." Fuji crawled over and wrapped his arms around his trembling friend. "It really was a simple thing. Anyone could have realized it. All we had to do was something this simple!" He released Ryoma and looked him in the eye. "If something awful happens, or if we start doubting each other, or if something painful happens…your friends! You have to talk to your friends!"

"That's…right," Ryoma said. "You're right!" His tears, which had begun to dry, began flowing again as he fell forward and leaned his head against Fuji's chest. When Fuji once again put his arms around him, Ryoma did the same. Everyone looked on from the ground, and if anyone was paying attention, they could have seen tears rolling down Eiji's face.

Despite the time of year, the sound of cicadas crying could be heard throughout the night.

That something was so simple, and so close by. They key to everything. To forgive each other, to promise each other. That should have been the magic to defeat the demons of suspicion that lurk within. However, even armed with that key, there is still a mystery in Hinamizawa that remains locked.

The End