Title: The Love Disaster

Author: thequietgenius

Genre: General/Romance

Rating: K+ (Rating may go up.)

Summary: Keira plots revenge on Ashelin by concocting a potion to make Jak fall for her. What happens when it backfires? Now not only Jak, but other guys are infatuated with her too. Will these obstacles stray her judgment? JK

A/N: Just in case you're wondering, Keira needed a gun to get 9 skull gems for the potion. That's why she came to Spargus to ask Sig. I hope that didn't confuse anyone.

Keira aimed the heavy morph gun with difficulty at the closest marauder. She attempted to steady it as she was trembling with fear at the rampant raider. "Snap out of it Keira!" She berated. "You got yourself into this mess, and you're going to get yourself out!"

Currently it only held the short-range scatter gun. This meant she was going to have to get closer to the enemies to be effective. She gulped in fear and let out a battle cry, running towards the next marauder. He paused for a moment at the woman's sudden offensive but quickly resumed his spike-clubbed swing.

However, he was a bit too late. Keira pulled the trigger and blew him backwards once. But he wasn't finished yet; he clamored to his feet and let out a fierce roar of anger. She flinched and backed away slightly from the advancing marauder. Just as he was about to strike her, a loud alarm sounded. The magma boiled beneath their feet and began to rise above the ground.

The mechanic gasped and scrambled onto the nearest, highest platform. The warrior, however, stood their dumb-founded until he was ablaze. He screamed in pain as the lava disintegrated him. Few other marauders were affected as well. "Score five for me!" She shouted. But her rejoicing didn't last long since fifteen more arrived, as the lava subsided. Hungry for battle.

"What! More of them? But I defeated five of them already." Keira pouted.

"Five? That's child's play, missy! A real man can take twenty." Sig shouted over the intercom.

"Pssht! I'll show you!" Keira responded. Yet she thought, I'm done for… Not budging from her position on the ledge. Suddenly a marauder attacked her from behind. The impact sent her flying to the ground with a thud. She whimpered from the sharp pain throbbing in her back, but she got back up. "It looks like they can jump on ledges too."

Then she was surrounded. The marauders cornered her on all sides poised for attack. Looks like their getting smarter…think of something Keira! What would Jak do in this situation? Then it hit her. She jumped up, spun around while shooting the morph gun. All of them were knocked back briefly. The mechanic took this to her advantage. She kicked, punched or shot as many as she could while they were down.

However, ten still remained. The alarm blared again, signalizing volcanic emission rise. She hopped on a higher platform breaking a crate with her gun, obtaining a health pack. Keira watched as the 10 remaining opponents were dematerialized. Or so she thought.

Five surviving marauders sneak attacked her from all sides. Keira let out a shriek as she was pummeled to the ground. The morph gun slipped from her hands and into the fiery magma, vaporizing it. Just as the marauders were about to give a last blow, she thought. I knew this was a bad idea. How in Mar's name could I have been so stupid? Before she blacked out.

---

The next morning, Keira opened her eyes wearily. When she sat up, she felt sharp pain everywhere, especially her back. She yelped and dropped back on the mattress. Someone shuffled next to her, moaning loudly. He sounded rather familiar…

"Daddy?"

Abruptly, the green sage shot up to her bedside. "Keira! Keira, dear, are you alright?"

"A bit tired, I guess." That was quite an understatement. "What happened?" Apparently, the mechanic didn't remember the events of the prior day.

"What happened? WHAT HAPPENED? We found you in the arena, half-dead!" Her father took a minute to calm himself. "Keira, what in the world were you thinking?"

Then she recalled the events at the stadium. She carelessly took on 20 or so marauders, just to earn a gun. To fight at least 9 metal heads and obtain skull gems. She needed them for ingredients for that love potion. She felt shame and embarrassment for even thinking of such a thing, a l o v e potion. A stupid recipe in her father's book. What was I thinking?

"I don't know daddy. Maybe I was overworked or something…" Keira answered dumbly. She observed herself being covered with bandages and IV tubes.

"Just don't do that every again, dear. If you wanted attention, you at least didn't have to do it so dangerously." Her father rubbed his forehead exhaustedly. He was up the whole night, healing Keira's wounds with green eco.

"I'm sorry daddy…wait…what you mean I wanted attention?" She questioned at the latter of his sentences.

"Why else would you have done for a reckless thing? The only thing I don't understand is why you would want it."

"I don't want—" Keira paused. What did she want? Attention from Jak? Well, he had ignored her when they found each other in Haven City 2 years ago. Then again, her response hadn't been too friendly.

People say you get angry and change…

That was what Errol told her anyway. A wave of gloom set over her. How could he have deceived her? All along he was trying to kill Jak. Was he was using her? She shuttered at the thought. He was the one who found her when she fell from the portal. Errol must've only talked to her because he knew of her connections to Jak.

Oh well, the past is the past. She sighed and shrugged at the same time. He got the worst possible punishment, didn't he?

"Does this have something to do with Mar?" The eco sage asked looking at her intently.

"I guess it does…" There was no point lying to her father. There weren't many other reasons for someone with no battle experience to believe they can fight powerful warriors in the arena. Unless the future has made her stark-raving mad.

"You must catch him, Keira. Before it's too late." Her father informed. "The longer you wait, the more love is at stake." I'm a poet and I didn't even know it, hehe…

She nodded innocently. "Okay daddy, I will."

"Because Ashelin's and Jak's engagement party is tomorrow." He said nonchalantly.

Keira practically fell over, gaping at him. "And you didn't tell me before because…?"

"Well duh, you were fast asleep for three days seeing as you thought you could take on 20 marauders!" He meditated to compose himself.

"Don't worry. I won't do anything like that again." Keira said crossing her fingers behind her back.

"You better not! I'm not breaking myold bonesagain for my daughter's stupidity. Good day to you." With that he floated out of the room. His log head getting caught between the door momentarily.

"Grreeaat, my life can't get any worse can it?" First I get pounded by blood-thirsty raiders, now Jak is getting married. Wonderful just wonderful…

At that moment, a knock came at the door. "Come in." Keira said half-heartedly.

Then, Jak and Ashelin came in holding hands. Probably about to announce their glorious engagement. Woo-hoo!

Keira put on her most gracious, sympathetic, not-to-mention fake, smile on her face. Bring it on life, I'm ready for it. They won't know what did them, when I put my plan in action!

A/N: Sorry for the late update. School is such a drraagg. Maybe a little motivation will help me write faster. (Hint, hint. Nudge, nudge.)