"Mhmm." Uren confirmed, looking to the trees once again. 'What is Orochimaru really like?' Ai wondered thoughtfully to herself, as a pensive look overtook her pretty face 'Is he really as sadistic as Uren claims?' The mist ninja shuddered a little, but not through disgust. In fact...the girl couldn't really pinpoint the emotion she was feeling. Maybe...excitement? The man behind her moaned once again, snapping Ai out of her thoughts. "Jeez, this guy is really starting to piss me off," she growled. The girl rocked the cart behind her viciously. "The moans are fucking annoying." "I'm quite enjoying them," Uren confessed, she turned to look at the man. He looked back with his one good eye; fear clearly cemented on his face. 'Time for a little emotional torture.' Uren enjoyed both psychical and emotional torture; it was just the look on the people's faces as they realised they were going to die or be hurt that brought her such joy. "We're bringing you to Orochimaru," she informed him. The man's eye widened and he groaned in both panic and pain, at moving his face. Uren smirked sadistically. "Oh, do you know of Orochimaru then?" she purred, the woman moved closer as she walked along beside the cart. "So you know he's going to crush you like a bug?" Uren made a shape of a bug with her crystal before smashing it with the palm of her hand. The man let out a pitiful groan. Blood began running down the side of his face. Slowly, his head lolled back as he lost consciousness once again. This time, however, it was due to fear; something that made Uren very happy. "You're one sadistic ass bitch, you know?" Ai chuckled as the base came within sight. "I know." Uren replied happily.
"Ah; Ai, Uren, you're back." Uren's face dropped as, upon entering the base, they were greeted by Kabuto, Orochimaru's right hand man. Uren and Kabuto did not get on well together. He grated on her nerves to no end and he seemed to relish irritating her at every opportunity. Ai, too, was annoyed by Kabuto's presence. Pouting in a childish way and placing her hands on her hips, the girl glared at the man before her with pale, ice blue eyes.
"Where is Lord Orochimaru?" she demanded. Kabuto's mouth widened into a smirk; he could sense the girls loyalty from a mile off. 'Lord Orochimaru certainly has his ways' he thought to himself. "Lord Orochimaru is currently out of the base," he informed them. "He's collecting his next vessel and bringing him here." Kabuto's eyes flickered to Uren, to gauge her reaction. As he expected the girl's interest seemed to peak. "The new vessel?" she enquired; hiding her interest behind a blank monotone. "Sasuke Uchiha?"
Ai looked from Uren to Kabuto before looking bored and grabbing onto the cart with the moaning man in it. "Yes, Sasuke Uchiha." Kabuto answered, his glasses glinting. He seemed about to say more, until Ai pulled the cart in front of him and cocked her head at him. "We've got it, he's collecting some vessel, can I go now? I've got better things to do than talk to your boring ass all day." Uren smiled quietly at her new partner's actions. The girl enjoyed nothing better than seeing Kabuto be ridiculed. Kabuto glowered down at the mist ninja. "I advise you lose that attitude, lest you displease Lord Orochimaru." he advised. Ai rolled her eyes before pushing past the medic ninja. "I respect Lord Orochimaru," she shot over her shoulder. "Not you." Kabuto glared after her and then turned to say something to Uren, but the girl was already gone. Kabuto shook his head before grabbing hold of the cart and pulling it away. Well...attempting to pull it away. 'What the?' Kabuto turned to look at the cart and sighed irritably when he saw that Uren had loaded hundreds upon hundreds of crystal rocks upon the cart, deliberately making it heavier for him. 'Nothing but nuisances' he hissed inside his head as he began the laborious job of dispensing all of he crystal rocks off of the cart.
At 4am in the Northern Base; Ai was dreaming.
"Mm, yes, Lord Orochimaru," Ai moaned quietly as she turned, once again in her sleep. "Lord Orochimaru..." she repeated. "Ai." "Orochimaru..." "Ai." "Orochimaru..." "Ai!" Uren growled, she shoved at the mist ninja forcefully once it became apparent that just speech was not working. Ai shot up immediately. "What!" she shouted. Uren breathed heavily before slapping her hand around Ai's mouth. "Ssh." she hissed.
"Mmuremn?" Ai questioned her eyes wide in confusion, Uren's name muffled against the said girl's hand.
Uren nodded and then slowly took her hand off the other girl's mouth. Ai blinked at her; her -usually quite messy and layered- hair even messier than usual, the sleeve of her sleeping top drooping down on one side. "What are you doing here?" she asked loudly. "Ssh," Uren repeated, but with more force this time. "Orochimaru is back." Ai stared at her for a moment before grinning. "He is! Cool!" the mist ninja leapt out of her bed and ran for the door. "Ai, wait!" Uren moaned, rushing after her. Did her partner not realise it was 4 -friggin- am? The crystal jutsu user hurried to catch up with Ai, and upon reaching her was awarded with a barrage of questions. "So he brought the new vessel right? That's cool. What is the new vessel? Do you think the new vessel is nice?" Uren didn't even bother replying to these and instead yanked Ai, by the collar, into the main hall of the Northern Base, where Orochimaru currently stood, his back to them. An ebony haired boy stood next to him and with Kabuto by his side. They were talking quietly...well Kabuto was. As soon as Uren had stepped into the hall, Orochimaru turned. He smiled at her arrival and then his smile widened when Ai popped her head out from behind her friend. "Uren, Ai. Welcome," he purred. "I presume you've come to meet Sasuke?" Uren nodded mutely, her gaze on the boy who still had his back to them. "Sasuke. Say hello." Orochimaru implored, an amused smile on his face. Sasuke turned and Uren was nearly knocked back. The boy before her was enchanting to look upon. A soft black fringe framed his pale, handsome face. Dark, blank eyes full of...something shined towards her. Smooth, perfect lips formed around one syllable as he responded. "Hn," he nodded and then looked back to Orochimaru. "I didn't come here for pleasantries Orochimaru-"
"Lord Orochimaru." Kabuto cut in irritably. "Where are my quarters?" Sasuke continued as if the grey-haired ninja had never spoken. "Hey, hey Uren," Uren couldn't take her eyes off of Sasuke even as Ai nudged her, a knowing smirk slapped onto her face. "Someone looks a little..." Ai leaned closer to whisper the next part. "Enthralled." Sasuke suddenly poofed out of the room, closely followed by Kabuto, as Orochimaru turned to the two girls. Uren blinked as she snapped out of her stupor. 'That was Sasuke Uchiha?' Uren's hands went to her heart as it slowly decreased in pace. Uren remembered that in Guren had mentioned Sasuke's looks, in her journal, but Uren had just ignored it. She wasn't usually interested in romance, but...Sasuke had been enchanting. "So, my dears," Orochimaru moved closer, a smirk dancing on his lips. "Kabuto informs me that you retrieved the test subject I desired...and in one piece no less...though he did mention there were a few...wounds?" Ai blushed at the closeness of her master and bit her lip as she swung her hips from side to side slightly. "We're ever so sorry my Lord. It was Uren's fault though; she insisted on torturing him." Uren glowered at her. She probably would have said something, but Sasuke's face still danced within her mind's eye. "Hmhm," Orochimaru chuckled slightly. "Yes, our Uren is known for acts of violence," he toyed with Ai's hair slightly as he talked, his eyes melting into hers. "You did an excellent job. You've clearly gelled well as a partnership." he looked thoughtful for a moment as the back of his hand stroked down Ai's face and then he poofed away, leaving a -now- stunned Ai with an equally as stunned Uren. "I think I'm gonna be sick..." Uren joked and poked Ai in the shoulder. The little mist ninja snapped out of her stupor. The girl frowned and punched Uren in the arm. "You can talk! Did you SEE your face just now?" Ai retorted. Uren blushed and embarrassed she looked away. She'd never felt like that about anyone before, especially not at first sight. "I don't know what you're talking about." she insisted and folded her arms as they walked back towards their rooms. Ai smirked at her partner "Sureeee you don't." she giggled then tugged at Urens shorts. "Can I see your bedroom?" she pleaded, throwing her best puppy dog eyes that were usually reserved only for Orochimaru. Uren rolled her eyes; "fine but you aren't staying in there forever..." Ai's eyes sparkled with excitement, "Yay girly time!" she squealed, much to her friends dismay. The pair turned a corner and Uren pushed open her bedroom door, Ai's eyes widened. "Wow..." she said looking around the room. "I've never seen so much, well, crystal!" It was true that the entire room was adorned with crystal. Crystal ornaments, furniture, even the large mirror was constructed from pink shiny crystal. Uren laughed at her friends reaction as the pair sat on the bed. "Ai..." Uren began taking a serious tone. The little mist girl looked up, she didn't understand why her partner had changed tone. "Yeah?" Uren continued - "There are some things I think you should know, about Orochimaru..." Ai bit her lip anxiously. "Oh..." she replied as they decsended into conversation.
