Tara gives in

Tara sensed something was wrong with Dawn's argument, but with so much of her mental effort going to resisting the orb, she couldn't quite put her finger on what. The logic of the argument started to undermine her will at the same time the orb assaulted her psyche directly. She kept on resisting, but no longer had the strength to do anything but resist. She couldn't move, couldn't talk, couldn't even think. Slowly, her defenses wore down -- human beings get tired, but the spell that powered the orb doesn't. Tara lasted a long time, much longer than any of the other victims of the orb, but in the end this fight could only have one outcome.

Tara's defenses finally cracked under the strain. Her eyes glowed with the insidious light of the orb, and her attitudes adjusted in line with Willow's will.

"Finally!" said the exasperated brunette when the glow faded from Tara's eyes. "Let's get you back home now."

"Wait," Tara said. Dawn looked at her suspiciously. Had she somehow managed to resist the orb's power after all? "It was wrong of me to leave Willow. Very wrong," she continued. "I should make it up to her."

"Well, yeah," agreed Dawn. "That's why we should get going now. I know JUST how Willow likes being made up to." She waggled her tongue suggestively.

"I'll certainly be doing THAT later," Tara agreed. "But first... I should bring her a present."

"What sort of present?" asked Dawn.

"We're in a college Dorm," said Tara. "Have you seen how HOT some of these girls are?"