Uren turned in her bed and then flinched as her injuries reacted. Though healed, thanks to Karin, she still felt the pain resonating from her scars...and she still flinched from the emotional scars she'd endured too. Ai too, apparently was still hurting or that was how it appeared to Uren when her partner staggered into her room. "Ai?" she edged up, wondering at the reasoning behind Ai's sudden decline in health. Though she had seemed in pain earlier on she had been moving well enough; now she seemed even worse than before. "Ai what's happened?" the girl's eyes hardened. "Was it Orochimaru? What has he done to you?" there was threat within Uren's voice...though the girl could do nothing against their master. Uren wanted to feel in control again and threatening to punch their master was a good way to start.
Ai didn't reply to her partner's enquires, however, and, instead, fell onto her bed with a loud sigh. "Lord Orochimaru hasn't done 'anything' to me," she explained tiredly, her head felt groggy and the unpleasant mixture of painkillers and whatever it was that Orochimaru made her drink was settling uneasily in her stomach; she wasn't in the mood for Uren and her suspicions about her Lord. "He just gave me a few drinks..." "He experimented on you, you mean," Uren replied coldly, she moved closer to Ai, pulling down her eyelids and examining her. "Ai why do you allow him to do this? You do realise he experiments on you more than any of the others?" "Really?" Ai's mouth stretched into a grin and she reached out to pat Uren. "Maybe that means I'm important to him!" she exclaimed happily. Uren's lips formed a grim line etched upon her pale face before she replied. "Or it's because you're the most willing." she suggested icily. Ai's face dropped and she glowered at the girl before her. "Why does it have to be something like that?" she demanded, sitting up with effort. "Why can't it just be beca-"
"Because I know Orochimaru," Uren cut in angrily; her voice quiet as she fumed. Why couldn't Ai understand that Orochimaru was evil? That he would throw her aside without a seconds thought? What had he done to her to convince her otherwise? "Ai, you're just his easiest guinea pig; no fuss, no whining. You just sit there allowing him to do all sorts of stuff!" "You're just bitter." Ai retorted before burying her face into the mattress she lay upon. "Bitter?" Uren repeated, feeling a coldness take over her as she realised that, perhaps, this argument was about to take a more serious tone. "Bitter about what?" Ai didn't reply for a few moments, but eventually she raised her head. "You're just bitter because Lord Orochimaru shows me attention," she stated, her voice growing with speed and vigor as she continued. "You're just bitter because Sasuke Uchiha won't look at you as anything other than a weak, generic subordinate of Lord Orochimaru's!" A horrid silence descended between the two as soon as the words were out of Ai's mouth. Uren didn't look at her, opting to keep her eyes at the ground. What Ai had said wasn't true, Uren knew that. The taller Kunoichi was just trying to protect Ai from the eventual hurt she was going to face, but some of the mist ninja's furious words had hit home. Did Sasuke really look upon her as another generic person? Just thrown in to be used for training? Uren couldn't accept that...she didn't know why but she had attached some sort of significance with the fact that Sasuke hadn't knocked her out. He had held back...but why? He wasn't known for his mercy...
Ai had clearly taken Uren's silence as hurt and so she immediately launched into an apology. "Uren?" she murmured, she edged forward slightly. "Uren, I'm sorry. I didn't mean any of that," she bit her lip and raised a hand slightly. "I'm just tired...and I think all the drugs are making me moody. Uren?" Uren sighed heavily, pushing the thought of Sasuke and his mercy to the back of her mind. "It's ok," she turned and cast Ai a rare smile as she ran a hand through her long hair. "I know you didn't mean it. But please heed my warning Ai..." the Kunoichi stared deeply into the other's eyes, trying to make her understand the seriousness of what she was saying. "I'm only saying it as a friend; I just want to protect you. Don't place your undying trust in Orochimaru, you'll only get hurt." Ai pouted as she stared back at friend, but then sighed and toyed with the fringe of her dress. "Ok," she said moodily. "Alright..." She didn't mean it, Uren could tell, but as long as the seed of doubt was in her mind perhaps Uren could save the girl. Uren gazed at her for a few minutes and then opened her mouth. "Why didn't Sasuke kill me...?" it was out before she could stop it; Ai's head snapped up and Uren immediately began regretting talking. This was why she didn't have friends dammit! "I can think of a few reasons." Ai purred before winking suggestively. Uren narrowed her eyes. 'This is going to be hell.' she thought. "Don't even think about saying what I think you are thinking about saying." Uren said quickly and flatly. Ai laughed at her partners embarrassment and smiled. "I reckon he likes you," she winked again and Uren rolled her eyes but the words shook her inside. "Impossible," she muttered and folded her arms, looking away from Ai. "Well..." the mist ninja chewed on her thumb in between words. "Something weird happened when I was with Lord Orochimaru earlier," Uren pretended not to be interested, Ai sensed her pretense and continued. "Well that Uchiha boy randomly busted into Orochimaru's lab and had a go at him!" Uren raised her eyebrow. "Really? What about?" Uren unfolded her arms. Ai grinned, as her partner showed interest suddenly. You. Ai finished as enjoyed her friend s facial reaction. What? What do you mean me? What! she was shocked, why on earth would Sasuke even mention her? To anyone? Ever? Ai started laughing only to be shaken roughly by Uren. "Well? What happened then!" Ai frowned at her partner and cleared her throat. "He was having a go at Orochimaru for giving him a weak target, so Orochimaru implied he should train you up as he decided he didn't want to kill you. Which seemed to surprise everyone by the way." Uren glared at her partner "You're kidding me right?" Ai cackled with laughter and grinned. "Yep! Orochimaru didn't tell him not to kill you, he made that decision alone." Uren went a shade of scarlet. "That doesn't mean anything at all, he's probably just saving me for later or somthihg... " Ai winked at her comrade and replied "Yeah, I agree, saving you for later!" she squeeled as Uren proceeded to whack her to death with her pillow.