Kipengele Kingdom *I DO NOT OWN THIS*

"Well wow," Adam said, coming up near. "Tara, with no fires, you'll win. I know it," he said sofftly, trying not to trigger the monster. Tara glared at him, then taking in what he said and smiled. She hadn't smiled for days now. "Thanks," she said calmly.

"You're welcome," Adam let a breath out, relieved. He thought all hell would break loose if he said something wrong. "What happened to the Fires anyways?"
Tara's head snapped around, and she glared at him, nostrils flared and eyes blazing. "Don't you dare mention that," she hissed. Shit Adam thought. I blew it.

"Sorry," He said quieter. Tara got mad, and pulled an arrow out, putting it in the bow and aiming it at the target. She mumbled something that was hard to understand, and shot a perfect bulls-eye, catching a random leaf that just happened to be falling. Right in the middle, perfect shot.

Both Adam's and Lydia's jaws dropped, amazed at the shot. Tara stared at her target, and trembled a bit. Did I actually do that? She thought Did I really just do a good as Colby?
"And we have a winner!" A judge yelled, smiling at Tara. "Congratulations."
"T-thank you," she blushed, still in shock.

Even though she looked like crap, she still won. How amazed she was, but then started thinking about Bella, and how she wasn't there. How her best friend wasn't there to see her dreams come true. Everything that happened to Bella, had just happened to Tara and instead of congratulating her, she got mad and ran off. Tara felt terrible and started tearing, but everyone thought they were tears of joy.

"Tara Willow," the Lordette beamed. "I now pronounce you a Bender. Here are your powers, use them wisely."
Tara continued to cry softly, as the powers were brought onto her. A surge of energy went through her body, not painful energy, more like...bliss. This was the happiest moment in Tara's life, one she had worked so hard for, and for so long. But without Bella by her side, the satisfaction wasn't as great. It was hampered, still there, and bigger than ever, but covered, and unable to be felt. How could I be such an awful person, she thought, tears still pricking her eyes. I, I want my friend back. I'll prove it to her. I'll show her that I can change, that I can still be there for her.

Tara ran off, avoiding the mob. She went to look for her friend. Tara had looked for hours, nothing. Until she finally had checked Ace's house. "Damn," she mumbled to herself, "What's that awful smell?" She continued to search, following the stench, to see Bella and Ace passed out on the ground with the stink of vomit. Tara crinkled her nose as she tried to get closer.

"What the hell," Tara muttered, disgusted. "I knew s*x was weird, but nowhere in class did someone mention getting sick." She saw the two of them, so close together, each equally gross. How could they have gotten so sick so quickly? Tara finally let her nose go for a breath, and gagged on the rancid air. Wait...was that alcohol on their breath?

Tara plugged her nose and walked closer. It was only a matter of time before she would pass out, so she had to make it quick. Ace had a beer stain on his shirt! "Holy shit!" She yelled, waking Bella. Tara jolted back as she watched her drunk friend rise up slowly. "Wha..?" She said, slurring a bit, "Wha hap-p-pened...?" She took a while to finish her words. Yep, Tara thought, alcohol. Bella could only see blurs of colors, so she couldn't make out Tara in her vision. "Who's there?" She said, reaching out to the girl in front of her. She fell on top of Ace, then flipped out because she wasn't really expecting a body next to her.

"Bella, are you okay?" Tara asked, softly.
"Uggh, stop yelling, I have a headache!" Bella groaned, feeling Ace's chest to figure out what was going on. "Who are you and where's my pizza?" She murmured drunkenly.
"Bella, it's me. Tara. You're either drunk or hungover. Or both," she rolled her eyes, staring at the pair. "How much did you guys drink?"

"Drink?" Bella looked confused, her eyes not quite meeting with Tara's, "This dude and I only had a couple........gallons," She laughed quietly, before passing out again. "Oh lord," Tara mumbled trying not to wake Bella or Ace again. Tara went out of the room to get something that would get rid of the smell, although she had gotten used to it.

"Idiots," Tara muttered, walking back in with a bottle of  perfume and air freshener. How did this even happen? Bella and Ace haven't even went anywhere near a bar since, well ever. She thought. And even adults don't usually drink that much. Kipengele fricken damn.
Tara took a can of air freshener, and sprayed it all over the room. Ace coughed a bit, and fell back into his slumber.

Tara walked up to Bella, holding her own nose, and sprayed Bella with the perfume. She sprayed ace too, and she didn't care if he's smell like girly roses.

Tara sighed, still being able to smell vomit through the roses. I should probably stay here with them, just to make sure they're alright. Idiots, she thought, grabbing a blanket and lying down on Ace's bed.

"I'm not an idiot," Bella groaned in her sleep. Tara shot up, looking scared and surprised. "Bella....?" She mumbled, leaning slightly towards her. Tara started poking her gently, "did you just read my mind or am I hearing things?"

Bella rolled over, and didn't mutter another word. Strange, Tara thought. That was more than strange, it was just plain creepy. Tara sighed, got back under Ace's covers, and drifted to sleep.

In the morning, Tara woke up to Ace staring at her. She screamed, Ace screamed, and lead to Bella screaming from the bathroom. Ace started laughing. Tara could tell he took a shower and Bella was talking one now. "Why are you in my bed?" He said kind of low, still having a bit of a hangover. "You guys were drunk so I made you smell pretty and slept here for the night to make sure you guys were okay." She giggled, then noticed how there was barely any light in the room. "That explained the dead roses," Ace said, moving away to knock on the door to the bathroom, "Bella, you done yet? You took like an hour!"

"Have you tried to get vomit out of long hair!" Bella snapped back from the bathroom, and Ace took a few steps backwards, holding his hands up in surrender.
"I give up. I'm not even going to think of a witty comeback," he sighed, rubbing his temples. "Follow up question, why are you STILL in my bed?"
"Because it's warm and comfy and I'm cold," Tara yawned. "It still smells like something died in here. How did you guys drink so much in the first place?"

Ace coughed, then tried to remember what happened. "Ummm," he said, "I forget. Something with challenges, earths, sushi, spongebob..." Ace tried to pick out keywords.

"Spongebob?" Tara looked at Ace in a very confused manner. Ace concentrated at the floor, and suddenly his eyes shot open.
"That poor innocent squirrel," he murmured, and broke out laughing. "I'd actually do that again. Ha"

Tara looked at him, still confused. "Don't ask," he said, suddenly tired. He sat on the bed, staring into space, murmuring something to hard to understand before passing out. Tara poked him. "Ace?" she asked a couple times, then getting out of bed to knock on the bathroom door. "Bella, Ace has passed out," she yelled into the door.

"He's hungover, what do you expect?" Bella snapped, finally emerging from the bathroom. "Damn vomit takes forever to get out of your hair."

Tara smelled Bella's hair. "Well done, though," Tara commented on her fresh smelling hair. Bella laughed. "Thanks," she said, "Hey whatever happened to our 'fight' thingy?" Tara rolled her eyes, then remebering her great news. "Bells! Guess what! I became a bender!" Tara shouted. Bella's smile suddenly faded and she mumbled, "Oh, uh congrats." then emerging herself away from the scene. "What's the matter?" Tara said, pacing towards her friend. "I was off getting drunk, thinking you hated me while you where off having the greatest night of your life," Bella answered, getting red-eyed and teary, "I always told you I'd be there when your dreams came true...." she trailed off in tears.

"It wasn't the greatest night of my life," Tara sighed. "I was still pretty pissed, and I didn't think I'd win. I magically got the same lucky shot as you did. If I didn't know any better I'd say the competition was rigged. But I was really guilty about what happened, so I went looking for you. Didn't think i'd find you drunk," she chuckled, half heartedly, and hugged her best friend.

"But you still became a bender," Bella moaned, pushing her away, "And I was supposed to be there with you, not out drunk with some other friend!" Bella fidgeted with her robe, still turned away from Tara.