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"Again?" Ryusui asked Francois in disbelief. "Did none of the traps activate?"
"None." Francois confirmed.
"None of the produce were taken?"
"None, sir." It had been almost a week since it happened. Ryusui came from a wealthy family that owned a lot of land where they grew a lot of crops and vegetables. He, along with his trustworthy and loyal servant, Francois tended to the plot of land that bore taro and near the farm was a stream of fresh, cool water. Lately, the tall taro plants nearest to the water were always bent and looked like something trampled upon it. Francois had set traps but none of them had caught anything and none of their crops were ever taken. Minimum damage was done but if it kept on going, who knows what the consequences would be?
"Get me my swords, whatever is messing up the crops stops tonight."
"As you wish."
When the sun began to set and Francois retreated to their home, Ryusui hid behind the wide, tall leaves of taro and waited. It was not until the moon was high up in the sky did anything strange happen. At midnight, Ryusui heard laughter and cheers from the sky. When he looked up, he saw the stars descending to the earth. As the stars got closer to land, Ryusui began to see their forms clearly. They had fair skin and very light hair, their eyes glowed brilliantly in various colors, cheeks and lips colored in natural reds and pinks, and they had white wings. Ryusui was enchanted but he remained hidden in fear of startling the star gods.
When they landed on earth, their laughter faded into giggles and their loud conversations into hushed whispers. They looked around cautiously for anyone watching and when they deemed the coast to be clear, they took off their wings and gingerly laid them onto the taro leaves near the stream. Ryusui backed up a bit, hiding deeper into the shadows and placed a hand on one of his sword's grip just in case. They all came close but there was one that came directly in front of Ryusui. When the big leaves in front of him lowered because of the pair of wings, his breath hitched at the owner.
Like his brethren, he had pale skin and long hair that he kept behind with a bandana. His eyes were green and it reminded Ryusui of the sparkling depths of the ocean that he loved so much. Out of all the beautiful stars, he had caught Ryusui's attention the most.
"Hey, Ukyo! Come on!" One of his brothers took him by the arm and dragged him to another part of the stream away from their sisters who were already bathing and playing in the water.
'Ukyo, huh?'
Dawn was approaching and they all returned to the taro farm to grab their wings to return to the sky before the first ray's of the sun touched the soil.
"Ukyo? What's wrong?"
"My wings! They're missing!" He cried in despair.
"Quick! Search the field, Ukyo can't come back with us if he doesn't have his wings." They pushed the wide leaves apart, searching for Ukyo's wings but when the earth began to warm up from the sunshine, they had to give up.
"Go! You can't return to the sky when the sun arrives!" Ukyo urged his siblings.
"We'll be back tonight, we promise." And with that, they swiftly flew away, leaving Ukyo on land. He searched desperately for his wings, tears in his eyes until he heard someone behind him.
"Looking for these?" When he turned, he found a smug looking mortal. To his horror, in the smirking bastard's hand, were his wings.
"Why did you take them?" He calmly asked, physically restraining himself from kicking the man and running away with what belonged to him.
"Well, you and your siblings have been ruining our crops lately and I believe an apology is well overdue."
"Then on behalf of my family, I apologize for your crops. We won't damage them again now give me back my wings."
"It's going to take more than that to get them back. You will help Francois tend to the fields today, maybe then will I give you your wings back, Ukyo."
"How do you know my name?"
"You guys weren't really all that silent last night."
"You were watching us last night?" He gasped.
"All night." Shivers ran up Ukyo's spine at the implication.
"Then you saw me..." Too flustered to finish his sentence, he simply glared at Ryusui. “Wait, that also means you saw my sisters as they bathed.”
“No! I didn’t look at your sisters, I don’t care about them.” Ryusui assured him in a panicked tone. "Now, come with me, I'll take you to my home where you can eat then Francois will take you to work after that." The star took in a deep breath and calmed himself down.
He would have found the day pleasant if it were not for Ryusui. Francois was an amazing person and Ukyo didn't mind working with them, in fact he enjoyed it a lot. However the mortal did not leave him alone at all. He asked a lot of questions and he talked a lot. Maybe he would have enjoyed the conversation if he wasn't trying to focus on the plants.
That afternoon, Ryusui did give back his wings. He bathed to rid himself of the dirt and sweat from a day of labour and when the sky got dark, he flew away without a goodbye.
Ukyo didn't return to earth for a week until he got tired of his siblings' whines and he joined them once more to the stream of water. When they landed, he was surprised to see woven cloth laid on the soil.
"Aren't they beautiful? They don't look like they get used a lot so we've been leaving our wings here." Kohaku told him.
"Look at the complex patterns! And it looks like there are threads of gold woven into it." Ruri cooed. Ukyo knew it was the man named Ryusui who had left it there for them and he smiled a little in appreciation. He bathed in the cool stream with his brothers like normal but when the sun was about to rise once more, he found himself in the exact same predicament he was in last week.
"Again? We can't leave you down here a second time."
"I'll be fine, just go. I know what to do so don't worry about me." Ukyo smiled gently at them in assurance and with heavy hearts, they left him again.
When Ryusui's head popped up from the taro leaves, Ukyo didn't hesitate to throw a rock at his head.
"Where are my wings?" He demanded.
"They're back home-" Before Ryusui could even finish his sentence, Ukyo swiftly pinned him to the ground.
"What reason do you have this time?" He seethed. "You left those pieces of cloth for them to use and they've used it instead of your crops. I have no reason to stay on land for a day."
"I missed you, okay? We didn't get to talk a lot last time and, I just want to get to know you better." He answered.
Ukyo sighed, "Fine, but this is the last time this happens, alright?"
And that indeed was the last time Ryusui hid Ukyo's wings. The night after that, Ukyo placed them on a high branch and climbed his way down to land. The night after that, he flew down as soon as the sun disappeared from the horizon to meet Ryusui. Then he did it again the next night, and then the next night, and he did it again and again until it became the norm for him to go down earlier than his siblings. He always gave them the excuse that he wanted to make sure the dog that always took his wings away at midnight wouldn't bother him again but they began to grow suspicious when Ukyo started to look forward to descending more than usual. He also always looked reluctant to leave the earth and return to the sky and it worried them. His brother, Hyoga, and his sister, Kohaku, decided along with the rest of his family that they would follow him and figure out what was going on. They hid within the leaves and branches of the trees and watched their brother. He took off his wings and hid them in another tree and waited under it. Minutes later, a man emerged from the field and ran up to Ukyo, picking him up in a hug and kissing him lovingly. Kohaku gasped and Hyoga quickly rushed out of hiding. Using his wings, he pushed Ryusui away and grabbed Ukyo, lifting him up in the air.
"So you're the one who has poisoned my brother's mind." Hyoga glared. "Kohaku, take him, it's time I taught a mortal a lesson." Ukyo was tossed and Kohaku caught him mid-air. Hyoga took out his spear and targeted Ryusui.
"Hyoga, no!" Ukyo yelled out. He struggled in Kohaku's grip and after an advanced apology, he twisted himself, kicking his sister in the face. He took advantage of his height and position to land on Hyoga's back and tackle him onto the ground.
"Do not interfere, brother." He was pushed away but before Hyoga could attempt to attack Ryusui, Ukyo swept at his feet causing him to fall down.
"Stop it!" He angrily exclaimed, standing in between Ryusui and Hyoga. "Don't hurt him, please, brother!"
"Can't you see? He's taking you away from us. First he takes your wings and forces you to stay here, if you had problems with the humans you could have told us sooner. Now get out of my way so I can end this problem once and for all."
"He's not forcing me to stay, I want to stay!"
"Why? Why do you want to choose to stay here on land when you live with us in the skies? Why, brother?"
"Because I love him!" Ukyo finally said. "I want to stay because I love him." Hyoga stilled in shock, however, his grip on his spear tightened and he looked more enraged.
"You, you made Ukyo drink a love potion didn't you? After I finish you off I will get our brother-"
"That is enough, Hyoga." They looked up and all of Ukyo's siblings flew down.
"Senku, you can't be serious."
"You heard him, there's nothing we can do about it. I doubt Ryusui made him drink a love potion anyways." Their brother stuck his pinkie finger in his ear.
"You knew?" Hyoga asked.
"What, you think you were the first to think that following him would be a good idea? Besides we would've known if Ukyo was given a potion. In fact, I've brought an antidote to prove you wrong if you still refused to believe."
"No, I think I've heard enough." He sighed and lowered his spear. "I apologize."
"Are you sure of staying here, Ukyo?" Ruri asked. "You know that those who never return to the sky turn human."
"I'm sure. I've been sure of it for quite a while now but I never knew how to tell you guys about it."
"Are you willing to give up immortality? To grow old and to die just like all humans do?" Senku pressed on.
Ukyo glanced at Ryusui. "Yes, I'd rather live a short human life if it meant that I'd spend a lifetime with him than to endure an infinity of loneliness.
"Then we will respect your choice, brother." Kohaku sadly smiled.
Ukyo bid goodbye to the sky he called home and his siblings promised to visit him each night. He buried his wings somewhere far away in the mountains and started turning human. He grew old with Ryusui, gaining wrinkles as the years went on which his youthful siblings always teased him about. He never returned from where he came from for as long as he lived and not once did he ever regret his decision.