Ruben couldn’t understand a single word being said to him as a loud ringing filled his mind, splitting it in two. His body was weak and bruised if not broken. Though he would heal quickly, he was simply too out of his concussive mind to make a conscious effort.

He mostly just followed Setuna who helped him along the way, but was fairly lost as to what was happening around him.

Everything was suddenly becoming clearer when he felt the cold, crude weapon in his hand. A gun, he remembered. ‘What… where am I?’ he asked as his seat rocked slightly in a moving car. His cuts and possibly broken bones called out to him, begging him for attention as he finally came to.

Ghosting in a moment almost without thought, the car drove away leaving him afloat in mid air as his body healed away all ailments in a burst of energetic combustion. As he realized he’d just left his seat next to Setsuna, he dashed forward like a phantom on the hunt, moving past other vehicles at breakneck speed until suddenly he passed through the back of the car Setsuna was driving, reforming in the passenger seat. He looked at her silently and put on his seatbelt.

“Where are we going?”, he asked with a hint of confusion in his tone…

*Setsuna saw him disappear through the seat and out of the car.*
"RUBEN?!"
*She looked back in her rearview mirror and saw him beginning to run for the car again. Setsuna took her foot away from the brake as she saw how fast he was moving.*
"Damn..."
*When he ghosted back into the passenger seat, she looked at him with a cocked eyebrow.*
"That was crazy."
*She turned her eyes back to the road, dodging a car.*
"I...I don't know where we're going."

There was a long period of silence as Ruben put the gun away in his backpack, even though he disliked the things, he kept it in case it could ever help him protect Setsuna again….

After long minutes of silence, Ruben spoke up. “I’m sorry Setsuna.” He said sincerely as he thought of all that she had just lost. He didn’t know what else to say at a time like this but was glad to see that she was alive and well. Her essence was strong as ever, if not more fired up. Realizing he was staring at her, he quickly turned the other way and watched the fire truck that sped in the opposite direction…

*She looked at him when they came to a red light.*
"Seriously...stop apologizing. You didn't do anything. And don't apologize for what just happened."
*Setsuna stared blankly ahead, deep in thought.*
"It was my fault. I should've seen what Eric was up to, but I was so damn busy into my own problems, I missed what was happening in my own home. What kind of ninja is that?"
*She wasn't actually looking for an answer to the question. It was more for a way to get it off her chest. Setsuna never felt more guilty for anything in her entire life.*

Ruben made a slight raise of his eyebrow at the mention of the word ‘Ninja’ as he couldn’t really take it very seriously. Nonetheless, the situation itself was a serious one. “I wasn’t apologizing to you, Setsuna… it’s called being sympathetic to someone. You say you’re sorry when they’ve lost… I’m sorry for your loss.” He corrected.

After another few minutes of silence and contemplation of the last few hours of his life, Ruben spoke under his breath without intent. “The hell’ve I got myself into…”

"I'm not used to anyone feeling sympathetic for me. I'm not used to anyone feeling anything for me...But, thank you."
*Setsuna replied as she turned down another street and through 5th Avenue. After a moment of silence she heard his remark under his breath.*
"I am a ninja. I CAN hear what you're saying. I didn't mean to bring you into this either. I can't escape my past which has become my present and will most likely always be my future."
*She turned down another side street and parked at the end by a garage entrance. After unlocking the doors, she started speaking to him, but looked straight ahead.*
"It's best if you didn't follow me into this, like you said."
*Setsuna handed him a card which was for the dojo. It had the phone number of the building along with Setsuna's cell phone number.*
"If you need me for anything, please call. My debt is still to you and I plan to repay it when you need it...If I live till you make the call."

Ruben sat still for several moments as the card offered to him. Taking a slow deep breath, he put his left hand over the card, over Setsuna’s hand as he looked at her. “Just take care of yourself.” He said simply as he opened the car door and got out. Closing the door behind himself, he threw his backpack onto his back and walked off into the nearest alleyway…

*Setsuna watched him get out the car and swallowed hard. She quickly put the car into drive and sped down the street. Her head was spinning with everything that was happening in these last several hours. The frightening thing was, the worst thing she felt was possibly never seeing Ruben again. She shook her head of the thought and turned another corner. 'What the hell is wrong with you, Ki? Get a grip...'After Kilala went through Time Square, she parked in a nearby garage and stepped out.*
"He better be home..."

Ruben got a few meters into the alleyway, his eyes to the cracked ground. Looking at the card in his hand, he stopped and turned back but it was too late. The car was already in motion, quickly leaving him behind.

He stood still for what felt like forever, staring at the puddle that rippled from the car’s wheels as it drove off. Taking a deep breath he looked back at the card and sighed. ‘Probably for the best…’ he thought as he placed the card away in the pocket of his dress shirt and turned back towards the unknown…

*Setsuna turned another corner as they made their escape from Eric. She put her back against a brick building to catch her breath as she tried to think of where they could go next.*
"It seems...the both of us have a lot in common. Because...I don't have many places to go either."
*She peeked around the corner and saw the streets were mostly empty except for the young crowd leaving the clubs.*
"There are a few motels in the area. What do you think?"

Following suit and hiding against the wall, Ruben took Setsuna’s hand, letting her become replenished by life energy. “I think a motel would be a good idea…if I had any money.” He added.

“I’m sorry…” he said as he thought of Eric’s trap using Ruben as bait. “I don’t know how they found me… and I wish they couldn’t have used me to get to you… but thank you for coming.” He said looking up into Setsuna’s eyes. “You’re the closest to a friend I’ve got…” he admitted as his eyes scanned for the best possible place to hide next…

*Setsuna smiled at him and shook her head.*
"Once again, you don't need to apologize for anything."
*She became very sad as she lead the way toward the closest motel with a flashing green, neon light indicating there was vacancy.*
"It's my fault you were even captured in the first place. Seems like I owe you this life and all my other lives to come. I really don't know how to repay you for what I've put you through, Ruben. I don't know if Eric will let you walk away from this..."
*They crossed the street and made their way into the front door of the motel where Setsuna took out a credit card that was signed to her, but shared the funds with the dojo. It was meant for emergencies and this seemed like a perfect opportunity. After they both received a key, the two went upstairs to the third floor.*

Dropping his bag on the floor, Ruben stole one of the pillows of the single queen sized bed in the room. He laid the pillow down next to his backpack as thoughts of the past few days ran over and over in his mind.

“You think I didn’t do the right thing?” He asked Setsuna as he looked out between the blinds of the window. “You think I should’ve killed him rather than let him live?” he finished, looking back to Setsuna with eyes that spoke volumes of his inner troubles. “I’m not a killer, Setsuna… and it… affects me… it hurts me when I hurt others. Not in a painful way but a way I can feel, like a change in my soul.” He said realizing he was beginning to ramble.

Studying Setsuna quietly, calculating their situation he knew things weren’t good. There were people actually trying to hunt them down and kill them. The situation was unreal and lethally serious. “Maybe I should’ve killed him…”

*Setsuna had been facing the dresser as she listened to Ruben, but quickly turned around and sat on it.*
"Listen. Don't second guess yourself because you didn't kill Eric. Killing someone changes you forever...I've had to grow up doing it, believe me, I know. You should be thankful you never had to and pray that you'll never be in another situation where it's either you or the other guy."
*Setsuna took the katana from her back and placed it on the dresser behind her.*
"I'll take the floor."

Figuring Setsuna actually preferred the floor, sleeping in a dojo all that time and all, Ruben wasn’t going to fight her about it. He took the brochure for the Xavier’s Institute For Gifted Youngsters and threw it onto the bed. It wasn’t exactly Charles Dickens, but Charles Xavier would have to do for some bed time reading.

“You might be interested in that too.” Ruben said passively as he grabbed a change of clothes from his backpack and walked into the bathroom for a steaming hot shower. The hot water felt refreshing to him as if he were born anew. Stepping out of the bathroom, Ruben pulled a black t-shirt over his still wet body.

“What’s the plan?” he asked, hoping Setsuna had something more than he did.