Luminous Truth: A 21XX Fan Fiction
Chapter 1: Swordsplay
Luminous Archangel was steadily growing worried, as were the other Unit Commanders. Maverick activity had been quiet for a long time, and while some fervently hoped that the war was finally over, most secretly knew that it would be coming back with a vengeance, when they least expected it. For this reason, against his usual preferences, the leader of Unit 11 had opted to spar with Unit 0's crimson wonder, over discussing the relaxation and family joys inherent in the peacetime with X and his family.
In fact, X had reluctantly decided to join in, too. and, against Archangel's insistence, so had Chrono Coral, the youngest member of Unit 11, and indeed the smallest and newest of the Maverick Hunters. She'd stuck to his leg like a limpet, shouting at the top of her lungs. "LUMIE! YOU LEMME TRAIN WITH YOU, OR I'LL TELL EX-IE 'BOUT AUR." Sighing in defeat, and turning a shade of red to make Zero jealous, he'd had to let her tag along. how do you tell your closest friend that you've got a crush on his (illegitimate) daughter?
"OK, listen up. you are NOT using live weapons, agreed?" The stern emerald eyes of 'Lumie' glittered with slight satisfaction as Coral's bright magenta hair bobbed up and down, twin braids flicking the tip of her nose as she nodded her affirmative. "Second, you say a thing about Aurie around X, and I will not let you hunt for the rest of the year!" Another nod, though slower and guiltier than the last, gave Archangel the assurance he needed.
"Hey. angel!" A voice rose softly from behind, and Luminous gulped down a blush. He hadn't. X surely hadn't. Archangel's emerald eyes betrayed his silent prayer, as they met the sparkling hazel eyes of Aurie Travors. Her smile was as innocent as the day Archangel had met her, and her hair cascaded down in a shimmering fall of golden brown. She was almost as tall as Luminous (who was an inch higher than Zero), a slender beauty that only grew more wonderful as time passed. "What'cha been talking about?" Here, Unit 11's first-and-second-in-command exchanged glances, before trying a somewhat nervous laugh.
"Oh, you know. this and that, Aurie! This and that!" Luminous smiled, hiding his nervousness behind the wide grin, as X and Zero rounded a corner and walked into the group. "Well, then, let's get this over with." X nodded, obviously as forlorn as Luminous at having to train. The others seemed anxious as children, namely Zero and Coral. Only Aurie was neither sullen nor excited. instead, a slight nervousness flooded her eyes, as she glanced from her 'father' to Zero, and then to Luminous.
Coral caught the slight fear, and took her hand, noticing the fiery glares being exchanged by Zero and Archangel. "Come on, miz Travors! You 'n me can play!" X smiled and waved off his daughter, mouthing "No worries" as the human girl was childishly dragged into the training room.
*****
"Ha-cha!" Zero exclaimed, the green hum of his saber slashing through the air. Energetically, Luminous parried with one of his shorter golden swords, before taking a swing at his opponent's sword hand. Both of their weapons were set on stun, but Archangel didn't take any chances. he trusted Zero about as far as he could throw Rainy Turtloid. "Today's th' day you lose, Lumie!" A quick twisting roll saved Zero's arm from paralysis, and the two duelists continued at their war with vigor.
Coral was grinning under her frown. they'd only just started, and Aurie and X were raining an assault upon her! Aurie's own saber, a dazzling blue beam of light, was countered at every turn by the guarding arms of the childish Reploid. X had joined in the melee, and was charging for a full- blown blast. of course, his own blaster was set to stun, so Chrono wouldn't be hurt. As soon as the high-velocity plasma was unleashed, Coral laughed aloud, as she swung her protective shielding at the attack. Aurie shouted a curse as the beam collided with her midsection, sending her crashing into her pops.
Luminous glanced their way, as Coral cheered childishly "I won! I won, I won, I won. I WON!" Without a second thought, his wings unfolded, he subtly smacked Zero upside the head with his stun-level saber, knocking him out, and flew over to the others. "AURIE? You OK?" Archangel asked worriedly, extracting a somewhat-bumped Aurie Travors from the winded form of the sapphire hunter. She groaned a little, rubbing her shoulders where she'd collided with X, and nodded wryly.
"Yeah, I guess so. a little bruised, but I'll live." She glanced over at her dad, who looked kind of disabled. "I think I'll try sparring with you, instead." Coral flashed a victory sign and a cheeky smirk to her Commander, who glared needles of ice at her before drawing his sabers again. The smile on his face widened as he adopted a ready stance. "Well, since Dad's out of it, and Zero's napping." Luminous nodded as he waited for her first move. but Aurie wasn't budging.
"Defend yourself, then!" Archangel cried, leaping towards her with his sabers poised to slash. With a sly grin on her face, though, the human Huntress spiraled aside, dodging Lumie's opening attack. She flicked her crystalline saber ever-so-gently at his back as he passed by, sending a jolt up his spine. "Owch! Well, that wasn't nice!" Still grinning widely, ignoring the tingling sensation crawling up his back, he launched into another offensive, this time becoming what can only be described as a whirlwind of golden light. This time around, Archangel managed to slip under her parrying saber, and prodded her midsection suddenly with one of his golden weapons. "Tickle tickle, missy!"
A slight giggle escaped Aurie's mouth as she parried the saber, before she effortlessly moonsaulted over Luminous, perching herself on his shoulders and bringing her saber to gently brush his cheek. "Kiss kiss, honorable adversary!" Coral was breaking down, laughing, sobbing and gasping for breath, as the two exchanged thrusts, swipes and parries, tickling each other silly in the process. By the time they'd stopped, Chrono Coral had more-or-less chuckled herself to sleep, and the two were giggling uncontrollably, trying not to notice the fact that both were shaking terribly from the frequent saber prods.
"Ah. I never knew. training could. be so much fun. we'll have to. meet again. sometime!" Luminous managed to blurt out between fits of chuckling. Aurie glanced at X, then nervously back to Archangel. When she finally got her breath back, she pulled together a reply, grinning shyly as her face reddened ever-so-cutely. "Oh, Lumie, are you asking liddle me on a date?" Luminous would have replied, but her silent nod sent him back to just a shy smile. Without another word, and with a wink to Aurie, he hauled Zero over his shoulder, letting Coral snore softly in his arms.
When Luminous dropped off Zero at his quarters, he paused and smiled, before singing quietly. "She's my sunshine after the rain. she's the cure against my fear and my pain." The voice trailed off into the corridors, as Lumie went to tuck in Coral. Their next swordsplay would be a duel to remember.
*****
In his room, the sleeping crimson wonder smiled wickedly, a soft chuckle growing in his throat. He'd heard every single word. he'd only been playing possum, and now he knew. Lumie was in deep, serious love with X's daughter, Aurie. "This is just too rich. I'm gonna have some fun." Iris looked puzzled when she walked in, seeing Zero snoring softly with a wide grin on his face. Tomorrow was going to be a fabulous day!
Chapter 1: Swordsplay
Luminous Archangel was steadily growing worried, as were the other Unit Commanders. Maverick activity had been quiet for a long time, and while some fervently hoped that the war was finally over, most secretly knew that it would be coming back with a vengeance, when they least expected it. For this reason, against his usual preferences, the leader of Unit 11 had opted to spar with Unit 0's crimson wonder, over discussing the relaxation and family joys inherent in the peacetime with X and his family.
In fact, X had reluctantly decided to join in, too. and, against Archangel's insistence, so had Chrono Coral, the youngest member of Unit 11, and indeed the smallest and newest of the Maverick Hunters. She'd stuck to his leg like a limpet, shouting at the top of her lungs. "LUMIE! YOU LEMME TRAIN WITH YOU, OR I'LL TELL EX-IE 'BOUT AUR." Sighing in defeat, and turning a shade of red to make Zero jealous, he'd had to let her tag along. how do you tell your closest friend that you've got a crush on his (illegitimate) daughter?
"OK, listen up. you are NOT using live weapons, agreed?" The stern emerald eyes of 'Lumie' glittered with slight satisfaction as Coral's bright magenta hair bobbed up and down, twin braids flicking the tip of her nose as she nodded her affirmative. "Second, you say a thing about Aurie around X, and I will not let you hunt for the rest of the year!" Another nod, though slower and guiltier than the last, gave Archangel the assurance he needed.
"Hey. angel!" A voice rose softly from behind, and Luminous gulped down a blush. He hadn't. X surely hadn't. Archangel's emerald eyes betrayed his silent prayer, as they met the sparkling hazel eyes of Aurie Travors. Her smile was as innocent as the day Archangel had met her, and her hair cascaded down in a shimmering fall of golden brown. She was almost as tall as Luminous (who was an inch higher than Zero), a slender beauty that only grew more wonderful as time passed. "What'cha been talking about?" Here, Unit 11's first-and-second-in-command exchanged glances, before trying a somewhat nervous laugh.
"Oh, you know. this and that, Aurie! This and that!" Luminous smiled, hiding his nervousness behind the wide grin, as X and Zero rounded a corner and walked into the group. "Well, then, let's get this over with." X nodded, obviously as forlorn as Luminous at having to train. The others seemed anxious as children, namely Zero and Coral. Only Aurie was neither sullen nor excited. instead, a slight nervousness flooded her eyes, as she glanced from her 'father' to Zero, and then to Luminous.
Coral caught the slight fear, and took her hand, noticing the fiery glares being exchanged by Zero and Archangel. "Come on, miz Travors! You 'n me can play!" X smiled and waved off his daughter, mouthing "No worries" as the human girl was childishly dragged into the training room.
*****
"Ha-cha!" Zero exclaimed, the green hum of his saber slashing through the air. Energetically, Luminous parried with one of his shorter golden swords, before taking a swing at his opponent's sword hand. Both of their weapons were set on stun, but Archangel didn't take any chances. he trusted Zero about as far as he could throw Rainy Turtloid. "Today's th' day you lose, Lumie!" A quick twisting roll saved Zero's arm from paralysis, and the two duelists continued at their war with vigor.
Coral was grinning under her frown. they'd only just started, and Aurie and X were raining an assault upon her! Aurie's own saber, a dazzling blue beam of light, was countered at every turn by the guarding arms of the childish Reploid. X had joined in the melee, and was charging for a full- blown blast. of course, his own blaster was set to stun, so Chrono wouldn't be hurt. As soon as the high-velocity plasma was unleashed, Coral laughed aloud, as she swung her protective shielding at the attack. Aurie shouted a curse as the beam collided with her midsection, sending her crashing into her pops.
Luminous glanced their way, as Coral cheered childishly "I won! I won, I won, I won. I WON!" Without a second thought, his wings unfolded, he subtly smacked Zero upside the head with his stun-level saber, knocking him out, and flew over to the others. "AURIE? You OK?" Archangel asked worriedly, extracting a somewhat-bumped Aurie Travors from the winded form of the sapphire hunter. She groaned a little, rubbing her shoulders where she'd collided with X, and nodded wryly.
"Yeah, I guess so. a little bruised, but I'll live." She glanced over at her dad, who looked kind of disabled. "I think I'll try sparring with you, instead." Coral flashed a victory sign and a cheeky smirk to her Commander, who glared needles of ice at her before drawing his sabers again. The smile on his face widened as he adopted a ready stance. "Well, since Dad's out of it, and Zero's napping." Luminous nodded as he waited for her first move. but Aurie wasn't budging.
"Defend yourself, then!" Archangel cried, leaping towards her with his sabers poised to slash. With a sly grin on her face, though, the human Huntress spiraled aside, dodging Lumie's opening attack. She flicked her crystalline saber ever-so-gently at his back as he passed by, sending a jolt up his spine. "Owch! Well, that wasn't nice!" Still grinning widely, ignoring the tingling sensation crawling up his back, he launched into another offensive, this time becoming what can only be described as a whirlwind of golden light. This time around, Archangel managed to slip under her parrying saber, and prodded her midsection suddenly with one of his golden weapons. "Tickle tickle, missy!"
A slight giggle escaped Aurie's mouth as she parried the saber, before she effortlessly moonsaulted over Luminous, perching herself on his shoulders and bringing her saber to gently brush his cheek. "Kiss kiss, honorable adversary!" Coral was breaking down, laughing, sobbing and gasping for breath, as the two exchanged thrusts, swipes and parries, tickling each other silly in the process. By the time they'd stopped, Chrono Coral had more-or-less chuckled herself to sleep, and the two were giggling uncontrollably, trying not to notice the fact that both were shaking terribly from the frequent saber prods.
"Ah. I never knew. training could. be so much fun. we'll have to. meet again. sometime!" Luminous managed to blurt out between fits of chuckling. Aurie glanced at X, then nervously back to Archangel. When she finally got her breath back, she pulled together a reply, grinning shyly as her face reddened ever-so-cutely. "Oh, Lumie, are you asking liddle me on a date?" Luminous would have replied, but her silent nod sent him back to just a shy smile. Without another word, and with a wink to Aurie, he hauled Zero over his shoulder, letting Coral snore softly in his arms.
When Luminous dropped off Zero at his quarters, he paused and smiled, before singing quietly. "She's my sunshine after the rain. she's the cure against my fear and my pain." The voice trailed off into the corridors, as Lumie went to tuck in Coral. Their next swordsplay would be a duel to remember.
*****
In his room, the sleeping crimson wonder smiled wickedly, a soft chuckle growing in his throat. He'd heard every single word. he'd only been playing possum, and now he knew. Lumie was in deep, serious love with X's daughter, Aurie. "This is just too rich. I'm gonna have some fun." Iris looked puzzled when she walked in, seeing Zero snoring softly with a wide grin on his face. Tomorrow was going to be a fabulous day!