The Green and the Violet

Like a Swinging Vine

SURPRISE!!! Hey there, it's me Stegz. Just a series of one-shots and short stories I've written that take place before JK. I meant to post this on my first anniversary here in Fanfiction, but I was delayed by technical difficulties. And yes, this was definitely something inspired by dragonrider1234's WK story, and this will take place after the events of that one. Between y'all and me, I'm sometimes a bit of a hopeless romantic at heart (just ask Alex.. :P) and it surprised me a great deal that there's not many romantic one-shots here. Couldn't resist..
DISCLAIMER: I DONOT own Wild Kratts. If I did, it wouldn't be just a kid's show... that and it's my first time writing this type of stuff...
   "Why did I let you talk me into this?"
"Oh c'mon, Aviva. It'll be fun."
The pair were currently deep in the heart of the Central African rainforest, high up in the canopy well over 200 feet above ground overlooking the rest of the jungle which stretched out like an ocean of green as far as the eye-can-see. Apart from the calls of various tropical birds and monkeys, the jungle was tranquil.
"What's the matter? You swung on vines before."said the Kratt in green.
"That was different!"countered the inventor. "Last time, the Tortuga was nearby. And I certainly wasn't standing 200 feet off the ground!"
"Don't worry. I'll be there to catch you if you fall. Trust me."
Aviva then took her eyes off the ground and back at Chris, who wore a sincere smile. She heaved a sigh; she could rarely say no to that face. "Okay."
****Earlier....****
   Soon after the skirmish in Kenya involving a group of poachers capturing lion cubs, the Wild Kratts team decided to explore the lush, tropical jungles of Central Africa, something that had been on the Kratt Brothers' life-list for some time. While the rest of the team was busy trying to find a suitable clearing for the Tortuga to land, Chris had just left Martin's room in a slightly glum state. His older brother had caught a cold not a day before, and the second day is always the worst. He was certainly in no condition for the great outdoors today.
Oh man. Who else can I go creature adventuring with? thought the Kratt in green. Koki? Not likely, she prefers the relative tranquility of the computer panel. That and what happened last time with the When Fish Fly adventure. What about Jimmy? His thoughts were interrupted as he spied said pilot in the cockpit, steering the Tortuga. He seemed to be in a peaceful state as smooth jazz music blared through his earbuds. Guess that leaves Jimmy out. Looks like I'll just have to fly solo–
Wait a second..thought the Kratt in green, snapping his fingers as a sudden realization hit him. What about Aviva? She loves the outdoors. After all, I gotta ask her out some time, and now just might be it..
Taking a deep breath and summoning enough courage, the younger Kratt then approached Aviva, who was currently viewing the main computer panel, glancing at footages of the countless creatures that call these African jungles home.
"Hey Aviva."greeted Chris.
"Hey Chris!"she chirped as she turned from the screen facing him.
"So.. I was wondering... Martin's too sick to go creature adventuring today, and umm.. It's never fun to go alone," It was only two weeks since she opened up her heart to him, and he his, yet he still couldn't help but feel a little shy around her. C'mon, pull yourself together, Chris, he mentally scolded himself. "I- I was wondering if you would umm.. like to go with me instead."he finished while rubbing his neck nervously.
Aviva immediately jumped at the opportunity." I'd love to!"she replied with a wide grin. "I'll bring the M.I.K. just in case. Be right back." With that, the inventor planted a quick kiss on his cheek, earning a blush from the Kratt in green, before darting to her quarters to pack up for the day's adventure. Watching her go, Chris couldn't help but break into a grin. That went well.
It wasn't long before arrangements were made and the pair stood at the edge of the open door, parachutes ready, overlooking the Central African rainforest several hundred feet below them.
"...Compass?"
"Check."
"Binoculars?"
"Check."
"Water?"
"Check."
"First-aid kit, batteries, headlamps?"
"Check, check, check, we're all set."
""Not so fast."added the inventor quickly as she held out a hand. "Creaturepods. We aren't going anywhere without these."
"Oh right. How could I forget?"said a sheepish Chris, hand rubbing his neck. It wasn't long before he felt a playful punch on his shoulder, and he looked to see none other than Martin beaming a smug grin, despite his slightly paler skin and tired eyes from lack of sleep due to his illness.
"Good luck, dude. I wish I could go with you,"–here the older Kratt stifled a cough–" man, I hate being sick."
"Don't worry, bro. I'll tell you how it goes. Once you're feeling better, it'll be the two of us. Remember: bros before ho–"
"Alright, I get it."interjected Martin, now practically pushing his younger brother closer to the entrance. "Just go. Be free. Ya don't wanna keep her waiting. Especially on your first date." Chris flushed bright red as his brother gave him a thumbs up and a wink.
"As soon as we find a spot, I'll send our coordinates."said Koki. "And don't worry, CK. Jimmy and I will take good care of Martin." Chris smiled gratefully. The technician then placed a hand on Aviva's shoulder and added with a wink, giving a thumbs up with her free hand, "Good luck, Aviva."
"We'll jump on the count of three."said the inventor, glancing down at the forest below. "One...two..."
"Last one down's a rotten platypus egg!"yelled Chris as he literally threw caution to the wind, leaping straight out the door like a green arrow, free falling straight for the forest canopy.
Might as well. With that she threw herself out of the Tortuga, falling right after Chris. She deployed her parachute before plummeting feet first, eventually being swallowed into the leafy clouds of a massive forest giant.
"Chris?" She called from her place on a mossy tree limb, looking in all directions, but there was no sign of the Kratt in green, until–
"I'm king of the world!"hollered Chris triumphantly as he stood at the very edge of a high limb on the very same tree with great confidence, without any fear of falling as was that time in the Flight of the Draco adventure. Aviva rolled her eyes in amusement. She admired and somewhat envied that part of him. It seemed as though he wasn't afraid of anything. Without wasting another moment, the inventor then joined him.
"Magnífico."murmured Aviva, taking in the awe-inspiring view, looking over the vast, primeval forest, and it wasn't long before she noticed a familiar smug look on Chris' face.
"I know that look. What's on your mind this time?"
"You'll see," he answered with a wink, excitement written all over his features.
****Presently....****
"This sounded like fun at first,"murmured Aviva nervously, a long vine in hand, glancing at the understory down below, unaware of a mischievous grin crawling on Chris' face. "but now that I'm up here, I'm starting to have second thooooooouuuuuughttsss!!!!"
She screamed out that last part as she felt something push her off the branch, and now she was hanging on to the vine for dear life as she felt herself seemingly falling free, wind in her face, heart racing, her stomach tied in a knot. It wasn't long before her screams were joined by laughs and whoops of glee.
Aviva then glanced over her right shoulder to see Chris falling alongside with her, the only difference being that the Kratt in green had a wide grin on his face, his brown eyes twinkling at the thrill of being high above the ground, in his natural element. After all, he was the climbing brother.
"You're doing great, Aviva!" he yelled in encouragement before adding, "It's all about eye and hand coordination! Here comes the next one! Watch and learn!" With that, the arboreal Kratt stretched out his hand before grabbing another vine overhanging a mossy tree branch, and with almost no effort at all, took off flying once more.
  Following Chris' lead, Aviva reached out with her own left hand and succeeded in grasping another vine on the very same limb. She then held on tightly with both hands as she felt herself once more hovering through the jungle, eventually catching up with Chris who was patiently waiting on the massive limb of another rainforest giant which towered over most of the other trees in the jungle. The moment she landed, Aviva had difficulty keeping her balance and almost fell over until Chris' hand shot out like a striking serpent, catching her's on time.
"Not bad, not bad at all!"congratulated the Kratt in green, beaming a smile. "You pushed me!" accused Aviva in mild anger, punching him on the shoulder. Chris slightly winced in pain as he clutched the same area where a poacher's bullet hit him not long before.
"OWW!! Okay. I may have deserved that,"he chuckled before the excited flame returned to his brown eyes. "Ready for round two?"
"Ready when you are."answered the inventor with a smile before she warned, eyes narrowed, her finger jabbing his chest, "But don't you dare push me again."causing Chris to throw up his hands in defense before grabbing an overhanging vine. Aviva did likewise.
"Alright. On the count of ten. One. Two.. Ten!"
  This time both the inventor and creature adventurer took off at the same time, with Chris doing his best Tarzan impression, yelling at the top of his lungs. Aviva couldn't help but laugh at the younger Kratt's goofiness. Before long, her initial fear was gone, replaced by excitement coursing through her veins, once more feeling the wind in her face, everything in the green scenery passing by like a blur. "This is fun!"she exclaimed.
"I told ya."replied the arboreal creature adventurer with a wink. "Check this out!"
Chris then launched himself from his perspective vine before clinging onto a sturdy tree limb ahead, twirling forward several times before flying several feet in the air once more, then letting gravity take over, performing multiple flips in midair during the descent. A lower vine then broke his free fall.
Show-off..thought Aviva rolling her eyes in amusement, before gaining enough confidence to perform a few stunts of her own.
   As Chris leaned against the bole of a sturdy forest giant, keeping a watchful eye on his girlfriend (he's still getting used to that term...), he noticed a flash of yellow flying past him. The expert tree-climber turned his gaze until his eyes fell upon Aviva performing several twirls and flips in midair while grabbing creepers in quick succession. She then landed on an elongated tree limb covered in a green carpet of moss, and let gravity take over, surfing down the branch until it ended in a ramp, tossing her to another creeper.
Wow, she sure is a quick study.. he thought, awe struck as he witnessed Aviva's arboreal performance, marveling at her lithe figure moving gracefully among the vines and the branches. "Way to go, Aviva!"he praised.
Unfortunately the next vine she chose was a dead one, and the added weight caused it to fall apart in a SNAP!
  "Aviva!"
Aviva felt herself free falling, rapidly descending  towards the forest's understory which seemed to be growing bigger and bigger until—"Gotcha!"— she felt a strong arm wrapped around her waist and turning to her right, she was met by Chris's gaze. His left arm held her securely while his right was hanging on to a more durable vine.
"Told ya I'd catch you."he said with a wink.
  For a brief moment, all else was forgotten as the pair was lost in each other's eyes, hazel brown meeting stormy gray. Their heads began to drift forward slowly, their eyes beginning to close, lips almost brushing against each other when the trance was broken as Aviva's eyes instinctively looked on before spotting a major obstacle ahead, and it was gaining fast!
"Chris! Watch out for that—" Thud!
Aviva's warning came too late as the Kratt in green collided headfirst against a stout tree trunk, causing him to relinquish his grasp on her, rendering him semiconscious before both fell to the understory more than a hundred feet below.
  Fortunately Aviva's descent was slowed down by a series of massive rainforest leaves growing along the tree boles until the inventor landed on a convenient branch just ten feet off the ground. Chris wasn't so lucky; the Kratt in green crashed and tumbled against countless resin-covered branches, spitting out leaves accidentally collected in his mouth. One particularly robust limb struck him where the sun didn't shine, earning a yelp of pain from the creature adventurer who then continued his descent before faceplanting to the damp, jungle floor in a resonating SPLAT!
Then everything went black.