"I regret ever coming up with this plan!" Shocker yelled as he charged across a field in the Pride Lands. He was completely focused on retrieving the 'evidence' in their supposed 'crime'. The Interceptor had neglected to mention that the plant was dead anyway; it wasn't like anyone was going to know what it once was. "How could you? This was supposed to be perfect—and you wrecked everything!"

"I did not wreck everything," the Interceptor insisted. "The damn poison's probably still worked anyway—and if you ask me, then I think that plant isn't as deadly as you first thought."

"What are you talking about?" Shocker grumbled, not having a clue about what he was trying to tell him. "That poison is perfect."

"It was pink!" the Interceptor exclaimed.

"What did I say about appearances being deceiving?" Shocker retorted, stopping and turning to face him. "It's obvious that the plant was a trap for the unwary. It probably makes animals turn inside out!"

"Or it could turn them into girly little fairy princesses," the Interceptor shot back. "Maybe appearances aren't deceiving. Did you ever think about that, huh?"

"There is no such poison in the world that turns animals into girly little fairy princesses," Shocker told him. "If there was, then that means nature has a very cruel sense of humour."

"I'm telling ya—that plant is useless," the Interceptor said. "If we walk in there and the whole kingdom is dead, then I'll eat myself."

"I think I'm gonna eat myself," Nala muttered, rolling her eyes as Haiba clung to her tightly. It looked like he would die were he to let go of her. "Haiba, are you sure you can't give me just a little breathing space?"

Haiba gasped. "But, Nala, it's not safe out there! I can't have any of those nasty monsters hurting you! After all, you are so perfect. To ruin your beautiful figure would be one of the worst crimes anyone could ever commit."

I'd find that sweet if he wasn't completely insane, Nala thought to herself. "Well… that's very kind of you, Haiba, but I don't think walking a little bit is going to ruin my 'perfection'."

"We can't risk that," Haiba said, tightening his hold on her. "We're going to wait here all day—and then be married as the sun sets. I can't think of a more beautiful moment than that. Don't you agree, my love?"

"Oh, yeah… great," Nala said flatly. "I don't suppose you'd want to invite Simba to the wedding by any chance, do you?" If there was something going on, then surely he could figure it out, right?

"Of course I do!" Haiba proclaimed with a happy grin. "I want everyone I've ever known to attend our wedding! Including my own reflection—I once had a date with him. You don't realise how lonely your constant rejection has made me… It's about time that you confirmed our love for each other."

"Yeah, whatever," Nala replied. "But… if you're going to invite Simba, then you have to find him first."

"Hmm…" Haiba put a paw to his chin. "Aha! You're absolutely right, dear! I'll go and find him, while you wait right here. That way I'll know that you're safe. No one's going to attack you at a safe place like this!"

Oh, thank you! Nala thought happily. She was beginning to suspect that Haiba was never going to leave her alone —ever! "Yes, you do that, Haiba. I'll wait right here—safe and sound."

"I'll be back soon, my sweet," Haiba said, backing away slowly. He began to run off, in search of Simba.

Nala waved after him, feigning a smile. "Missing you already…"

"I was missing you before I even left!" Haiba called over his shoulder, as he disappeared into the distance.

Nala scratched her head. "That doesn't even make sense." She shrugged. "Oh, well. At least it gives me a chance to get away from him. Something screwy is going on here…"

Turning away from the waterhole—and unaware that the answer to her problem was right behind her—she began to make her way back towards Pride Rock. Maybe her mother knew something about this kind of thing. After all, she had been on quite a few adventures of her own.

"Nala!" Right on cue, Sarafina wandered over to her daughter. "Have the King and Queen returned yet?"

"Nope," Nala responded, shaking her head. "No sign of 'em. I'm sure they'll turn up sooner or later, though."

"Oh. And what about Simba?" Sarafina asked.

"Oh, he's… gone away with Haiba for a while," she replied. "I'm just here, doing… nothing." She remembered the question she was going to ask her. "Um, Mom?"

"Yes, dear?"

"Well… have you ever heard of someone having… sudden intense feelings for another animal?" she asked, pretending to sound like it was just a curious cub question.

"Why would you ask that, Nala?" Sarafina wondered with a little laugh.

"Just curious," Nala replied with a shrug. "I heard a… story once, where one lion took one look at a lioness and fell instantly in love with her."

"Hmm." Sarafina thought for a moment. "Well, aside from love at first sight, I really don't know—"

"Love at first sight?" Nala interrupted.

"Yes—it comes from quite an old legend," Sarafina explained. "Love at first sight was said to be some sort of curse spread around by something known as the Mapenzi plant. Apparently once you drink its juices you'll instantly fall in love with the first animal you see."

"Really?" Nala said with casual interest.

"Yes." Sarafina nodded. "Although most say that the plant has been extinct for years, and that love at first sight is the only remainder of the curse." She sighed dreamily. "Ah… it's so sweet."

"Well, thanks for your help, Mom," Nala said brightly, before walking past her. "See ya round."

"Any time, Nala," Sarafina said, walking towards the waterhole. "Any time."

"A plant?" Nala said to herself as she wandered away. "So if you drink the juices, then you fall in love with the first animal you see? Sounds like what happened to Haiba. But where on earth would he get the juices from…?"

Nala suddenly stopped dead in her tracks, whipping round to look at the waterhole. She noticed that the water had taken on a pink tint, and had gone all glittery. At first she had assumed it was the sunset, but could it possibly be something more?

Her eyes snapped onto her mother, who was lowering her head to take a drink from the waterhole. Gasping, she ran towards her. "Mom—wait! The water is—"

But it was too late. Sarafina turned around to face her cub, and Nala could tell that she'd already drunk the water. After staring at Nala for less than a second, her eyes grew incredibly wide, as did the smile on her face.

"Nala… you're looking incredibly yummy today," Sarafina said seductively.

Nala shook her head. "Oh, now this is just sick," she said, before sprinting away as fast as she could.

Sarafina chased after her with a hungry look in her massive eyes. "Come back, Nala! Come back! We could be so great together!"

"All right, we must be close," Shocker said, wandering over to the edge of the waterhole. "Now, where did you say this gorge was?"

The Interceptor shrugged. "Somewhere around here. I don't know. I just found it and dumped the plant inside."

Shocker stared at the water, sniffing it curiously. "Yuck!" he exclaimed, backing away from it. "It smells of… niceness!"

"'Deadly poison', eh?" said the Interceptor with a raised eyebrow. "Looks like a love potion to me. Look how glittery and girly it looks."

"I told you the plant wasn't a poison!" Shocker said, pointing at the Interceptor accusingly.

"What?" The Interceptor looked outraged. "You're the one who wanted to use it! Don't go blaming it on me!"

"Nonsense," declared Shocker, turning away with his eyes closed. "You're just trying to ignore your mistakes. If you'd listened to me and picked the red plant, then my plan would have worked at an optimum level—"

"Oh, stop nattering on, you great big girl!" the Interceptor cut in, before giving Shocker a hard nudge.

"Whoa!" Shocker wobbled on his paws, and then toppled into the glittering waterhole. Splash! The sparkly liquid erupted into the air.

The Interceptor watched, chuckling with amusement, as Shocker remerged from the waterhole, coughing and spluttering. "Bleh! Why does that liquid taste so warm and—?"

Shocker stopped, as his eyeline caught sight of something.

That something just happened to be Nala, who was in the middle of being chased around and around in circles by her own mother. But he ignored that. All he could concentrate on was how unbelievably beautiful she was.

His eyes grew amazingly wide, and he smiled at her.

Shocker—one of the most evil cubs ever to walk the earth—had fallen in love.