A Megaman X fanfic by Neo Qwerty

The others thought Optic Sunflower was insane. They told him that to his face. That he had been wired the wrong way, that the way he could create optical illusions in his adversaries had destroyed his own sense of reality… Some even had the gall to tell him he wasn't devoted to Lumine's plan!

It was so, so far from the truth. He was completely devoted to Master Lumine's new world. There may be beauty in the eye of the beholder, but the beholden, too, could see beauty. And, oh! how Master Lumine held him, heart and soul! Not to mention that when the plan had first been exposed, he had seen its greatness as if it was standing before him, his mind's eye guided by Master Lumine's passionate words…

He'd always thought that his Master had never noticed his fast-developing love, but one day he'd been proven wrong. He had been called in the sparsely-decorated room, near the top of Jakob, and had spent a full night discussing with him. To his greatest surprise, he had been ordered to consider himself an equal. He was, as Master Lumine had assured him, as important in the grand scheme as the others, and as even the Master himself. And so, they had spent a good part of the night talking, at first uneasy and tense, but slowly relaxing as the time passed.

Some time into the little conversation, Master Lumine had begun gently steering the conversation toward him, the lowly general! He'd stayed quiet, somewhat hesitant, his lips barely moving as he mumbled replies timidly. Lumine's inquisitive gaze stayed locked onto him, so intense he almost ducked his head and folded his petals several times into the conversation.

"Please, Optic, answer me. It is important that I know your motives, why you seem so much more involved than the others. Why have you supported me so readily when I exposed the revivals of Sigma and Vile as the next steps of my plan, while the others balked at first?"

"Master Lumine… I trust you. I believe in you… I know what you choose to do is in everyone's best interests, that it's… That it's best for the new world."

"But the others repeatedly stated that Sigma might be dangerous to our plans. Why have you not expressed an opinion at all? Do you trust me that much?"

Optic Sunflower looked at the Reploid of small stature, partially irritated at how persistant he was, but also surprised at it. Why was it so important for Master Lumine to know it?

"I didn't voice an opinion because it didn't really matter. You wouldn't do something foolish, Master, as to endanger yourself or the new world… You're far too intelligent for that."

"I see. But," Lumine hesitated, folding his arms over his waist, before his visible gold eye burned into Optic Sunflower's, as he continued. "The others also know that I am intellectually gifted, yet they still displayed a dose of healthy doubts as to the results I would gain. I also know that there is something you are attempting to hide from me."

A moment of silence filled the small room, before Optic Sunflower diverted his eyes away from his master, petals curling slightly to cast a little shadow around the edge of his face. He heard the sounds of a chair being pushed backwards, wheels rolling on the metal floor, and then boots clicking on said surface. He knew Master Lumine rose from his chair, and was circling around the table to take a closer look at him…

White fingers coaxed him to look back at the single gold eye, and Master Lumine brushed his other snow-colored hand over his petals, as if attempting to righten them. Black eyes widened slightly, and a strange coloration tinted the base of said petals a dark orange.

"Optic Sunflower… Tell me the truth. What are you hiding from me? Why are you trusting me so?"

The plant Reploid stayed quiet for a long time, the "blush" in his petals never receeding, before his lips moved, eyes closing and both of his long-fingered hands folding in his lap.

"That… That would be because… Because I love you, Master."

Lumine stayed unusually silent, drawing his hands back… So silent, in fact, that a few minutes later, Optic Sunflower opened his eyes again, only to glimpse Master Lumine, a frown on his young face, staring at him as if he was a most-puzzling creature.


"…What is love, Optic Sunflower?" Lumine's voice was tinted with nothing more than pure curiosity… But why would he ask such a question?

He had been completely baffled as to how he should answer it. Or at least, until he he told Master Lumine that it couldn't be explained in simple words, but touches were needed as well… And Master Lumine had asked—no, demanded that he then explain it to him, unsing whatever was needed to make him understand it completely. And the rest of the night was spent explaining it to his lovely, clever Master… thoroughly.
