"Oh, well I'm really sorry about your sister, Uren. I -" Ai paused, the last thing she would want was to offend her newly found closest friend. "I think, she would have been really proud of you." There was an infinite saddness that lingered in Urens eyes, but Ai's words seemed to have dispelled this for but a moment and smile formed on her lips. "Thanks Ai," Uren said softely then changed the subject back to their master. "So, baring in mind what I've told you, just be careful ok? I'd be bored if you became miserable or died." The pair laughed and Ai playfully punched the pale girl's arm. "I appriciate that you've told me everything about him, I gotta say though, I'm just more excited than I was before, I can't really seem to help it..." Ai trailed off as she scratched the back of her head in embarassment. Uren sighed but a smile still remanded on her face, her eyes seemed to have gained a sparkle that evening. "I'm not worried if you aren't and I am being honest here, he seems very, well, close with you. I've never seen him talk to anyone like the way he talks to you." Ai squeeled and positively jumped up and down on the bed. Uren laughed and ran a hand through her silky black hair. "Really!" the little green haired girl beamed then bit her lip and her eyes glazed over as if she was day dreaming. Uren played with a crystal neclace she was wearing and she to took a moment to think over things. "Oi!" Ai exclaimed and snapped Uren to. "So, Sasuke Uchiha huh?" she giggled as Uren immediately went scarlet and twtiched her eye. "Yes," she began to respond robotically to hide her sudden flush of emotion. "What do you think he's like?" Ai interrupted her, she couldn't be bothered to play Urens games. "Well Guren described him pretty accurately. Down right rude and arrogant." Uren said, attempting to convince herself that there was no other side to the boy who had enchanted her without saying a single word in her direction. "So what's his story? Come on Uren it's not like you aren't interested!" Ai teased. Uren frowned but endevoured to tell her the little facts she did know about the new arrival. "He's pretty much Orochimaru's prized possession as I explained before. Seems our master is training him to defeat some great rival of his then he's handing himself over to become the new vessel." Uren suddenly went cold, she couldn't bare the thought of Orochimaru taking the boys life. Ai frowned, "So like, how old is Orochimaru?" Uren laughed, "I have no idea, I know he's been around a good 50 years though, but don't worry the guy considers himself immortal." Ai wiped the shocked look off her face and replaced it with a grin. "Oh well! That's ok then!" the two girls laughed into the early morning, it was fortunate nothing had been asked of them the next day.

*
Ai awoke groggily to the sounds of what she knew could not be mistaken as Suigetsu screaming at someone. "What the fuck?" Ai thought almost aloud as she scrambled out of bed in her sleeping gear and stumbled outside. Sure enough her old hidden mist comrade was having a full out argument with a very good looking redhead. Ai raised an eyebrow and observed the pair. "Yeah well you give me the creeps you disgusting fish thing!" she girl screamed at him, two fingers pressed to the frame of her glasses in aggravation, she was right up in Suigetsu's face. The purple eye'd swordsman glowered at the shorter red head and rudely told her to mind her own business. "Trust me, next time I will!" and with that she stormed off leaving behind a bewildered Ai and an agitated Suigetsu. "Sui, what the fuck?" the boy gave the largest eyeroll imaginable, then shook his head in dismay. "Orochimaru paired us up and I fucking hate her guts." Suigetsu spat at the floor. "Seems like the feeling's mutual" retorted Ai who then yawned. "Oh right, Orochimaru wants to see you actually, just you. Said you should go to his quarters when you're ready." Suigetsu stated and Ai's face notably forgot the meaning of the word let out a squeal of joy and ran back into her room to ready herself. "Have all the women lost it round here?" Suigetsu wondered aloud before storming off to find his highly resented team mate. Ai quickly sorted her hair out in the mirror and changed her clothes, she opened her door to find Uren standing there just about to knock. A smirk formed on the girls red lips. "so I take it you've been told he wants to see you?" Ai grinned widely and nodded as the girls left the room together. "and where are you off to? Hmmm?" Ai questioned as mischievous look played on her face. Uren rolled her eyes as Ai continued to poke fun at her. "not going to try and stalk someone are we?" at this Uren bashed her over the head with her hand. "don't be ridiculous!" but she looked to the side in denial. Ai laughed as they reached a fork in the corridors of the base. Uren smiled and ruffled ai's hair. "have fun!" she laughed and headed off as Ai took the corridor adjacent and headed for her masters quarters.

The door opened just as Ai was about to knock, this startled her but she timidly made her way through it. Orochimaru stood in the corner looming over a chemistry set that had been set up there. He poured something from one vile onto another and a small "poof" was heard as smoke brimmed the full vile. The snake sannin promptly whisked round and smirked at Ai. The hue of his golden eyes, the purple lines that defined them took the little mist ninja's breath away and she felt she was going to melt into the very ground she stood upon. He advanced towards her and handed her the vile. He stroked her hair gently and smiled, "Drink this, I want to see how it affects you." he instructed, licking his lips. Ai looked at the vile, what was this concoction supposed to do to her? "Don't hesitate now, or it won't work!" Ai blushed and immediately downed the liquid, it tasted absolutely foul and burned her throat like liquid fire. She struggled to control herself. Orochimaru chuckled then with his slender hand tilted Ai's face up, in order to examine her eyes. Ai gulped as her eye contact connected with his, the gold melted into the pale blue like a perfect beach sunset. "L-l-lo-rd orochi-" Ai began but was erriley shh'd by her master who momentarily placed a soft finger to her lips as he continued to examine the pupils of her eyes. Ai could sense the ridiculous smirk he wore just by seeing the way his entrancing eyes studied her. "Hmn... no change there..." he muttered and let go of the girl's face. He turned back to his chemistry set to adapt the ingredients of whatever it was he was trying to make. By this point Ai had turned a shade of scarlet and she nervously bit her lip as she watched her master work. She couldn't understand what she felt, maybe it was the drugs, but Ai couldn't take her eyes off of her master. She was terrified and excited all at the same time, she edged closer to him. "Whatcha making? Lord Orochimaru?" she inquired sweetly, swinging her hips and gently chewing on her lip. Her pale blue eyes were ablaze with excitement. Orochimaru turned to her and suddenly frowned. He placed his thumb over where the kunochi had cut herself on her lip with her razor sharp teeth. He hissed softly, "You shouldn't do that, we wouldn't want you to ruin your pretty little face now would we?" He withdrew his hand and beamed at her as her eyes widened and an inconsealable blush made its way back onto her cheeks. Ai was stunned, 'Why did he just do that? Maybe he does like to tease his subject just like Uren explained...' she thought uneasily as she was fed another vile of liquid by her master. It tasted sweeter this time, but still burned her throat. She shivered as Orochimaru's face came incredibly close to hers once again, examining her pupils and the blood vessels under her skin. "hmmn..." Ai felt some of his silky black hair fall over her bare shoulder and she gulped when Orochimaru stopped his observations with his lips inches from her own. He smirked and brushed some of her green hair from her face. "This one's made your heart rate rise, or did it? What do you say? Ai?" His hands were now on her shoulders, Ai was paralysed, the only thing her body could do to stop her from slowly pressing her lips to his. "Not...sure..." she managed to get out as Orochimaru's tounge danced about his lips, there was somthing new in his eyes, but Ai couldn't put her finger on it. The pair were then suddenly interrupted by the presence of Kabuto. Orochimaru hissed at him, the moment was over.

*
As soon as she had left Ai's side, Uren's happy smile had deleted itself off of her face. Now, a look of determination was worn upon it. She was going to find Sasuke Uchiha and she was going to find out why he was willing to give his body up to Orochimaru. She was going to say...well, the girl wasn't quite sure what she was going to say really. A small part of the teenager told her that maybe getting words out in front of the good-looking boy could be a trifle difficult, but Uren wasn't one to back down, and nor was she one to be led by her emotions. And it was with this mindset that Uren walked with, until she found Sasuke training -by himself- outside on one of the many training fields. Uren stalled slightly and one of her hands reached up to her long, lustrous locks and she raked her fingers through them, gathering the courage to proceed. She opened her mouth, but Sasuke got there first. His back to her, he stopped his high-speed movements. "What do you want?" he asked, his voice void of emotion. It wasn't even really a question, it was obvious to Uren that he was implying she should leave, but she didn't. Uren was not going to be intimidated, regardless of who he was and what she'd read about him. She stepped forward and moved closer to him, her eyes alight with curiosity behind a mask of boredom. "You're Sasuke Uchiha," she stated. Sasuke didn't reply, he stayed with his back to her. Uren's eyes were led to the back of his neck; the smooth, pale, vulnerable skin that was adorned with the mark of Orochimaru. How could this boy be willing to lose himself? To gain revenge this person before her was willing to die...Uren gulped slightly before continuing. "You're the next vessel...correct?" she continued. Sasuke looked to the side and Uren watched as his eyes shifted to look at her coldly. His fringe covered those dark black orbs slightly, giving him a slightly scary look. Uren had to admit, she felt intimidated. There was nothing but hatred in those pits of black. Uren dropped her gaze to the floor for a second, but she persisted; she was curious. She needed the answer to her question, not only was she curious as to Sasuke's motives, but she wished to know how someone could be so uncaring about their body...about their soul. A small part of Uren wondered if Sasuke could help her discover why Guren had been so willing to be the next vessel.
"I have a question for you," there was a confidence in her voice. A confidence that Uren had mustered up through pure will. This confidence made Sasuke turn. He still looked uninterested and perhaps a little irked at being interrupted half way through training, but he looked at her now. His obsidan eyes staring straight at her, burning into her making her shift uneasily. A blush crept onto her face, a blush that the girl loathed and truly tried to fight off. This was not a matter of attraction. She wasn't looking for that. She was looking for answers. 'I may as well get this over with' the girl decided before opening her mouth once again, ruby red lips forming around words that she had always wondered.
"Why are you willing to be Orochimaru's next vessel?" she questioned.
No emotion flickered upon Sasuke's face and no emotion became apparent within his eyes, so Uren persisted. Was this boy really so unfeeling? "You're giving up your life," she continued. "You understand this? You're throwing away everything and for what? Orochimaru is using you. Letting you grow strong until the perfect moment comes along. You shouldn't trust him..." these were not the words that she had intended for Sasuke. These were words intended for Guren. This was what she wanted to tell her, she wanted to make her understand, but she couldn't. Her sister was lost to her...and it was all that snake's fault. Sasuke just stared at her blankly, his eyebrow raised slightly at the emotion in her tone, but otherwise he looked unmoved. "I don't trust him." he stated. Uren looked up at him, confusion evident upon her face. "Then why are you doing this?" she demanded, anger seeped into her tone. This boy had the privilege of not trusting his master. Something Guren had never had. He could just run away, leave this place, but he stayed for power...to Uren it seemed greedy. She knew she wasn't really angry at the boy before her, it was just the thoughts of Guren clouding her mind once again. Emotions about a sister she'd never known except through the written word seeping into her brain. Sasuke sounded annoyed when he next spoke. "Why do you care?" he replied. His steady gaze stayed upon her face and Uren could feel her cheeks warming once again. "I...I don't care!" she retorted. "Fine, be a fool." "Hn," Sasuke turned his back on her, a small smile slipped onto his lips for a moment. Uren's childish antics reminding him of himself when he was much younger, but then he remembered why he was here...as if he could ever truly forget. "Be gone," he instructed. "I need to train." "Be gone!" Uren growled, annoyance seeped into her tone. First he made her feel sad, then embarrassed and now he was commanding her? 'Fine.' She snapped in her head. 'I will go!' The girl glowered at the back of the boy's head as she discreetly fashioned a crystal in the palm of her hand. The crystal left her hand and hurtled towards Sasuke. Without pause, Uren swiftly poofed away. The crystal did not hit Sasuke -he ducked in time- but it fell in front of him. He looked down at it and mild interest creeped into his eyes when he noticed the crystal was in a shape of a heart. Uren, whether she knew it or not, had accidentally sent Sasuke an inadvertent message.