Okay, I guess I kinda owe a you guys an apology... nah, I'm the writer, so
you guys will just read what I give you when I get it to you.
Disclaimer: you all know, oh, and I don't own the quote from Macbeth, either, just in case someone has a problem with that.
Gendo's Desk: The River NERV
"Asuka, are you sure that you know where we're going?"
"Shinji, listen very carefully, Shut. Up. It's just that simple. Do you think I like this?!" Asuka motions to her mud covered legs.
"I just."
"Ahhh!!! I can't take it anymore! Die!"
Asuka lunges at Shinji, catching him off guard. Shinji slips on the wet jungle floor under Asuka's weight and begins tumbling with Asuka. Suddenly Asuka feels the ground give way underneath her as she raises her fist to strike. The next moment the two children are again tumbling, this time, however, they fall prey to gravity as they tumble down a steep hill.
"Baka!"
Seconds later the two children find the end of the hill, only to be flung into the river at the bottom. Asuka stands up, dazed, and tries to figure out exactly where they are. Shinji stands and looks at Asuka, who is totally drenched, like himself.
"Baka Hentai!" Asuka says as she wraps her arms around her chest, "What do you think you're doing?! Don't look at me!"
"Sorry..."
"That's all you ever say is sorry, God it's so annoying!"
Before Shinji can respond, his entire body quivers before he sneezes. He then sloshes out of the river, a sad frown on his face, and sits underneath a nearby tree.
"Baka..." Asuka takes a step forward when she comes to full realization that she's in a river, "Shinji! We found the river! I told you I heard water!" Asuka jumps in the water for joy. Before, the duo had been too distracted to even realize that they had fallen into a river, now it had finally dawned on them.
"So... what are we going to do now? We found the river... but..."
"Baka, why can't you ever just accept good fortune? And now I can finally wash my legs off..."
Asuka begins rubbing her legs to clean them as she notices Shinji's gaze.
"Hentai! Stop watching me! Get out of here!"
Asuka picks up a small river stone and prepares to throw it as Shinji scrambles behind the tree, hiding himself. Asuka, seeing her actions work, continues to wash her legs off, her countenance slowly drifting away from anger to calmness, as if washed away by the river. Back in good spirits, and cleanness, Asuka makes her way up the shore line to Shinji. Shinji, still drenched and shivering from the cold water, sits behind a tree, rubbing his arms to get warm. Asuka leans around the tree and looks down upon Shinji's shivering form.
"Shinji, are you okay?"
"I'm... cold."
"Well, of course you're cold, you're soaked with water! Your clothes will need to dry off, you know..."
"I know, but how am I going to dry them?"
"Simple! You'll just have to take them off!" Asuka says gleefully
Shinji stares dumbfounded at the red head, "Take them... off?"
"Well, of course, Baka."
"I'm not doing it while you're around!"
"Well of course not! What were you thinking that I actually wanted to see you naked?! Please! I'd die first!"
"Fine, I'm going up the river, and if you don't want to see me, then don't follow!"
Shinji gets up and walks off upstream (A/N: Shinji grew a spine! Don't worry, it won't last long), leaving a stunned Asuka standing on the shore. After a minute, the shock begins to wear off and Asuka silently muses to herself.
'Well, he's been getting more courageous... but why was I acting like that? And for a second I kinda wanted to see him... No, no! I'd never want to see that Baka naked! It's bad enough when I have to look at him with his clothes on... hum, that river sure was calming... and it has been pretty hot... maybe I'll just take a bath while Baka's doing whatever.'
Asuka nods to herself and wades into the river till she's ankle deep, then begins removing her clothes. As she immerses herself, she feels that weird feeling she had before, strangely calming. She feels her muscles relax, all the tension melting away with the flow of the river, and her senses begin examining the forest again. The lush greenscape seemed peculiarly quiet, only the sound of the river could be heard, though every once in a while she thought that she heard a faint rustling of leaves. Asuka dismissed it as her over-active imagination and began to wash herself when she heard something definitely out of the ordinary.
"Stupid Fish! Come back here!"
Asuka looks up in time to feel something slimy brush against her skin before the wave coming toward her crashed down. Behind the wall of water came Shinji, who promptly tripped over the naked Asuka. As Shinji comes to his senses, he finds the scenario peculiarly familiar, though the first time had been in Rei's apartment, and that time he had clothes on. This time was a little different, however. For a moment time seemed to stop as Shinji looked into Asuka's sky blue eyes, expecting to find nothing but pure, burning hatred. The forest had become quiet once more save for the sound of the river. Shinji expected to be dead in a few moments, but Asuka's face didn't seem to betray any feeling of anger. Only an air of confusion surrounded them.
'What's this weird feeling? Why am I not killing him right now? I just don't feel like being angry... he's warm. What am I saying?! But, he's kinda cute when he looks like that.' Another voice permeates Asuka's thoughts, one she felt strangely knowingly of, yet couldn't quite place it, 'you like him, don't you? This would be the perfect chance, and there's absolutely no one around.'
'What are you talking about?! I couldn't like him! Ever! I hate him!'
'If you hated him, why do you still allow him to be where he is? You admitted it yourself, he is cute.'
'You... no, you're wrong!'
'You don't have anything to lose.'
Meanwhile, Shinji wrestles with his own thoughts, along with another's, one he could definitely place, but for once it didn't feel evil.
'Unit one... but how could that be?'
'You love her.'
'Do I?'
'Yes, it is obvious. Do not worry, dear child, nothing bad will happen.'
Slowly Shinji brings his hand to Asuka's cheek.
'He's touching my face! His hand does feel warm...'
'You desire that warmth, don't you?'
'But I don't need anyone!'
'Dearest Asuka, do not fear love. You will not be hurt any longer.'
Asuka is drawn away from her thoughts as Shinji speaks, "Asuka..."
"Shinji... I..."
'Confess it! You have nothing to fear, my child! You shall have me back soon, but first you must confront your feelings, Asuka! You must not run anymore!'
Asuka closes her eyes, then brings her hand to Shinji's face, caressing it gently. The next instance Asuka is kissing Shinji. Several breathless moments pass before the two part, huge blushes forming on their faces, and they slowly come back to reality. Asuka realizes just where Shinji's hand is, an unfortunate development for a still stunned Shinji. Asuka screams as she knocks Shinji off of her and runs to the shore, grabbing her clothes as she runs by. As Shinji comes up from underneath the water, he turns to where Asuka had run to; only to have a stick hit his head, knocking him back under the water.
"Hentai! You were touching my breasts! How dare you! You're going to get it now, Shinji-chan!"
Asuka stops in her tracks as she realizes what she had just called Shinji, stupid, Baka, Shinji. Then the impact of what she had done hits her. All emotion leaves her as she finishes putting her clothes back on, regardless that they would be getting wet.
'At least Rei didn't hit me... but Asuka did kiss me... and why do I still feel that weird voice in my head?'
Shinji begins trying to go upstream to get back to his clothes while Asuka watches him, her face deathly pale.
*** "Shinji and Asuka are missing?!" Misato yells into her phone. It was nine P.M. now, and Section 2 had just reported their disappearance.
"Well, find them! Isn't it your job to keep an eye on them?!," Misato hangs up her phone, "Those two are in so much trouble when they get back!" Misato yells to no one.
***
Gendo sits behind his desk, oblivious that his son and the Second Child had used that very thing to evade all of NERV, as he listens to Section 2's latest report. Behind his hands he frowns.
"We must retrieve them, at any cost. Rei will not be sufficient enough to prevent an Angel attack by herself. I don't care what you have to do, but find them!"
It was rare for Gendo to show any emotion, and his outburst startled his colleague.
'This was unexpected... but Gendo has never been this upset before. Perhaps in these days fair is foul and foul is fair...' Fuyutsuki muses
***
Okay, that's it for #3! Please R&R, and I know how many questions all of you have *hopes*, so I'll try to explain more in the next installment! Some things, however, are the basis of the mystery (though some of you may come to different conclusions), and will not be answered quickly, but will eventually. Thanks! 'Next time- Will Section 2 ever find Asuka and Shinji? How will Asuka and Shinji react to each other once Shinji returns? Did the rustling in the forest mean anything (foreshadowing or symbolism or whatever), or was it just a means to fool you all? Find out next time mit #4, 'A jungle home'.
Shinji: "But why do I have to build it alone?!"
Disclaimer: you all know, oh, and I don't own the quote from Macbeth, either, just in case someone has a problem with that.
Gendo's Desk: The River NERV
"Asuka, are you sure that you know where we're going?"
"Shinji, listen very carefully, Shut. Up. It's just that simple. Do you think I like this?!" Asuka motions to her mud covered legs.
"I just."
"Ahhh!!! I can't take it anymore! Die!"
Asuka lunges at Shinji, catching him off guard. Shinji slips on the wet jungle floor under Asuka's weight and begins tumbling with Asuka. Suddenly Asuka feels the ground give way underneath her as she raises her fist to strike. The next moment the two children are again tumbling, this time, however, they fall prey to gravity as they tumble down a steep hill.
"Baka!"
Seconds later the two children find the end of the hill, only to be flung into the river at the bottom. Asuka stands up, dazed, and tries to figure out exactly where they are. Shinji stands and looks at Asuka, who is totally drenched, like himself.
"Baka Hentai!" Asuka says as she wraps her arms around her chest, "What do you think you're doing?! Don't look at me!"
"Sorry..."
"That's all you ever say is sorry, God it's so annoying!"
Before Shinji can respond, his entire body quivers before he sneezes. He then sloshes out of the river, a sad frown on his face, and sits underneath a nearby tree.
"Baka..." Asuka takes a step forward when she comes to full realization that she's in a river, "Shinji! We found the river! I told you I heard water!" Asuka jumps in the water for joy. Before, the duo had been too distracted to even realize that they had fallen into a river, now it had finally dawned on them.
"So... what are we going to do now? We found the river... but..."
"Baka, why can't you ever just accept good fortune? And now I can finally wash my legs off..."
Asuka begins rubbing her legs to clean them as she notices Shinji's gaze.
"Hentai! Stop watching me! Get out of here!"
Asuka picks up a small river stone and prepares to throw it as Shinji scrambles behind the tree, hiding himself. Asuka, seeing her actions work, continues to wash her legs off, her countenance slowly drifting away from anger to calmness, as if washed away by the river. Back in good spirits, and cleanness, Asuka makes her way up the shore line to Shinji. Shinji, still drenched and shivering from the cold water, sits behind a tree, rubbing his arms to get warm. Asuka leans around the tree and looks down upon Shinji's shivering form.
"Shinji, are you okay?"
"I'm... cold."
"Well, of course you're cold, you're soaked with water! Your clothes will need to dry off, you know..."
"I know, but how am I going to dry them?"
"Simple! You'll just have to take them off!" Asuka says gleefully
Shinji stares dumbfounded at the red head, "Take them... off?"
"Well, of course, Baka."
"I'm not doing it while you're around!"
"Well of course not! What were you thinking that I actually wanted to see you naked?! Please! I'd die first!"
"Fine, I'm going up the river, and if you don't want to see me, then don't follow!"
Shinji gets up and walks off upstream (A/N: Shinji grew a spine! Don't worry, it won't last long), leaving a stunned Asuka standing on the shore. After a minute, the shock begins to wear off and Asuka silently muses to herself.
'Well, he's been getting more courageous... but why was I acting like that? And for a second I kinda wanted to see him... No, no! I'd never want to see that Baka naked! It's bad enough when I have to look at him with his clothes on... hum, that river sure was calming... and it has been pretty hot... maybe I'll just take a bath while Baka's doing whatever.'
Asuka nods to herself and wades into the river till she's ankle deep, then begins removing her clothes. As she immerses herself, she feels that weird feeling she had before, strangely calming. She feels her muscles relax, all the tension melting away with the flow of the river, and her senses begin examining the forest again. The lush greenscape seemed peculiarly quiet, only the sound of the river could be heard, though every once in a while she thought that she heard a faint rustling of leaves. Asuka dismissed it as her over-active imagination and began to wash herself when she heard something definitely out of the ordinary.
"Stupid Fish! Come back here!"
Asuka looks up in time to feel something slimy brush against her skin before the wave coming toward her crashed down. Behind the wall of water came Shinji, who promptly tripped over the naked Asuka. As Shinji comes to his senses, he finds the scenario peculiarly familiar, though the first time had been in Rei's apartment, and that time he had clothes on. This time was a little different, however. For a moment time seemed to stop as Shinji looked into Asuka's sky blue eyes, expecting to find nothing but pure, burning hatred. The forest had become quiet once more save for the sound of the river. Shinji expected to be dead in a few moments, but Asuka's face didn't seem to betray any feeling of anger. Only an air of confusion surrounded them.
'What's this weird feeling? Why am I not killing him right now? I just don't feel like being angry... he's warm. What am I saying?! But, he's kinda cute when he looks like that.' Another voice permeates Asuka's thoughts, one she felt strangely knowingly of, yet couldn't quite place it, 'you like him, don't you? This would be the perfect chance, and there's absolutely no one around.'
'What are you talking about?! I couldn't like him! Ever! I hate him!'
'If you hated him, why do you still allow him to be where he is? You admitted it yourself, he is cute.'
'You... no, you're wrong!'
'You don't have anything to lose.'
Meanwhile, Shinji wrestles with his own thoughts, along with another's, one he could definitely place, but for once it didn't feel evil.
'Unit one... but how could that be?'
'You love her.'
'Do I?'
'Yes, it is obvious. Do not worry, dear child, nothing bad will happen.'
Slowly Shinji brings his hand to Asuka's cheek.
'He's touching my face! His hand does feel warm...'
'You desire that warmth, don't you?'
'But I don't need anyone!'
'Dearest Asuka, do not fear love. You will not be hurt any longer.'
Asuka is drawn away from her thoughts as Shinji speaks, "Asuka..."
"Shinji... I..."
'Confess it! You have nothing to fear, my child! You shall have me back soon, but first you must confront your feelings, Asuka! You must not run anymore!'
Asuka closes her eyes, then brings her hand to Shinji's face, caressing it gently. The next instance Asuka is kissing Shinji. Several breathless moments pass before the two part, huge blushes forming on their faces, and they slowly come back to reality. Asuka realizes just where Shinji's hand is, an unfortunate development for a still stunned Shinji. Asuka screams as she knocks Shinji off of her and runs to the shore, grabbing her clothes as she runs by. As Shinji comes up from underneath the water, he turns to where Asuka had run to; only to have a stick hit his head, knocking him back under the water.
"Hentai! You were touching my breasts! How dare you! You're going to get it now, Shinji-chan!"
Asuka stops in her tracks as she realizes what she had just called Shinji, stupid, Baka, Shinji. Then the impact of what she had done hits her. All emotion leaves her as she finishes putting her clothes back on, regardless that they would be getting wet.
'At least Rei didn't hit me... but Asuka did kiss me... and why do I still feel that weird voice in my head?'
Shinji begins trying to go upstream to get back to his clothes while Asuka watches him, her face deathly pale.
*** "Shinji and Asuka are missing?!" Misato yells into her phone. It was nine P.M. now, and Section 2 had just reported their disappearance.
"Well, find them! Isn't it your job to keep an eye on them?!," Misato hangs up her phone, "Those two are in so much trouble when they get back!" Misato yells to no one.
***
Gendo sits behind his desk, oblivious that his son and the Second Child had used that very thing to evade all of NERV, as he listens to Section 2's latest report. Behind his hands he frowns.
"We must retrieve them, at any cost. Rei will not be sufficient enough to prevent an Angel attack by herself. I don't care what you have to do, but find them!"
It was rare for Gendo to show any emotion, and his outburst startled his colleague.
'This was unexpected... but Gendo has never been this upset before. Perhaps in these days fair is foul and foul is fair...' Fuyutsuki muses
***
Okay, that's it for #3! Please R&R, and I know how many questions all of you have *hopes*, so I'll try to explain more in the next installment! Some things, however, are the basis of the mystery (though some of you may come to different conclusions), and will not be answered quickly, but will eventually. Thanks! 'Next time- Will Section 2 ever find Asuka and Shinji? How will Asuka and Shinji react to each other once Shinji returns? Did the rustling in the forest mean anything (foreshadowing or symbolism or whatever), or was it just a means to fool you all? Find out next time mit #4, 'A jungle home'.
Shinji: "But why do I have to build it alone?!"