12.0

[System: Daylight Ending in One Hour]

"Eh?" Rhuda blinked. "It gets night here?"

Shallot nodded. "Yeah. It's an update that happened last year. Oh, you're a Time Patrol Student, so you're gonna be with me over at the High School."

He pointed to Orange Star High. "You can rent a room there for a fee. Warning you now though, you're gonna be paired with someone. I'm with a human guy who's my level. They'll sort you with who's left."

"I see.. should we go there now?"

"Hmm. If you want." He shrugged, "Most patrollers are required to go to the dorms when night hits. If we're found outside the school there's a stupid cut scene where you get caught, yada yada yada. It's annoying."

"You said most. So, there are some who aren't required to go there?" Rhuda asked to be sure.

"Yeah. Me. I'm an Elite. Which means I've beaten the game, so I get a little more freedom. One of the many perks." His mouth turned down into a frown. "Still...I haven't figured out why they even added night time mode. It's like...they're trying to make the game a life simulator. Which is stupid in this kind of game if you ask me--"

"Why? We live here now," Rhuda interjected. "Maybe the creator wanted us to live a normal life."

"Fat chance of that! Who the hell dies and gets stuck in a game?" Shallot shook his head, "You're giving that guy too much credit."

"Perhaps."

Shallot offered to walk Rhuda there, and she agreed. As they set off for the Time Academy they didn't spy the floating form of Trunks watching them with a frown. He stood atop the Plaza building, deliberating on confronting Rhuda about her and Goku's weird behavior. Then he turned away; saving his questions for their next meeting.

Rhuda went through the door and was spawned at a small room with one ogre person behind a counter, looking at a computer. He had one horn on his forehead. The male receptionist lifted his eyes, "Name?"

"Rhuda."

"Rhuda...Rhuda..." he did a lot of clicking. "Okay--here. Your room key. That'll be 3 TP Medals."

[System: Room Key Acquired: Floor 3, Room 2-0]

"Thanks," she said automatically.

"Don't thank me yet. We ran out of rooms, so..." he shrugged and pushed his large glasses up, "Well, you'll see."

She didn't like the sounds of that.

With trepidation she walked to the stairs door and was morphed into a room. It was plain, like a college dorm room with a bunk bed made of wood, a tiny window some distance, and a sliding walk in closet. There was a desk with books on top of it, a lamp, and several potted plants. The overall feel of the room was modern student. Sitting at that desk, however...

"Hn. So they pair me with a mortal."

Rhuda blinked. He had light green skin, mystical elven ears, and two yellow earrings dangled from his lobes. He turned, and she found herself staring at a beautiful Kai with silver eyes that looked misty, like fog in early evening.

Words failed to describe how gorgeous he was.

"...I'm Rhuda," she announced.

"Lord Zamasu." He went back to his book. "Don't bother me unless you're dying. In that case, don't bleed out on my things."

"Ah ha ha..."

Rhuda went to the bunk bed, unsure of which to claim for hers. Above the mattress were two pointers, and she hesitantly asked, "Ano, which...bed is yours, Lord Zamasu?"

"Neither. I don't sleep. Now quit talking."

"Sorry. I didn't know," she began, but he turned in his rolling desk chair and glared at her. "Do I need to sew your mouth shut?" He threatened. "You're interrupting precious reading time. Be gone with you."

"...Sorry." She couldn't help but say again.

Rhuda claimed the top bunk, preferring to put some distance between her and the cranky Lord Zamasu.

[System: Top Bunk? Yes / No]

"Yes."

Everything faded to black.

She awoke fully rested and clothed, standing beside the bunk. Looking around it was daylight, and Zamasu was still there at his desk, writing in a journal. For a time Rhuda stood there, tapping her boot as she debated on trying to engage in talk with him. She knew he was on her Friendship bar, and thus said, "Good morning, Lord Zamasu."

"What's so good about it?" He asked. He put down his fountain pen and stood up, glowering at her. "You snore. That alone is unforgivable."

"Sorry! I didn't know--"

"Ignorance is no excuse." He shook his head and placed his hands behind his back. "I feel like erasing you from existence."

"Er--"

He turned to the potted plants, "But I will spare you. A God must be merciful. Consider this your only warning."

Rhuda paled. She had no idea being paired with Zamasu could be so hazardous.

Could I be killed in my sleep? She wondered. Was it possible? Or was it just a threat?

With his words in her mind she bowed, "I apologize for interrupting your study. What was it you were reading?"

"Don't speak anymore. Your voice is grating to my divine ears." Zamasu left the room and slammed the door shut.

Rhuda sighed, "He's...a little difficult."

She left the Academy and made way for the Plaza to look for Shallot. He was among a group of people like always, laughing and talking. Only something was a little different. She narrowed her green eyes, sensing that his laugh was faked. Maybe spending so much time with him, she was able to tell it was a front.

"Good morning, Shallot." Rhuda bowed.

"Oh, hey, noodle head. How was it?"

"Well...my room partner is...Lord Zamasu." She sighed a little.

Shallot's brows shot up. "Really? That's a first. Didn't know you could get paired with an Instructor." His tail flit around, "Seems like he's a pain in the ass."

"He said I snored and gave me one chance, and said he'd erase me from existence if I snored again!"

Shallot burst into laughter. He wiped his tears away, "Ha ha, well, you can always bribe him with Gifts. It will raise Friendship level with hard to get allies."

Rhuda took Shallots advice and spent some of her TP medals on a Gift for Zamasu. She'd chosen "Ear Plugs," thinking they'd be perfect for his apparent hatred for snoring. Afterwards she went to the Time Nest.

Upon entering it she saw Goku--Super version, and Broly chatting. They looked over to her, "Oh! Heya, mornin, girlllfriend," Goku said with a wink.

Broly grunted.

"Good morning Goku, Brother." Rhuda bowed. "Is Trunks off on a mission?"

"Dunno," Goku replied, "I think he and Vegeta are still on Earth." To Broly Goku explained, "So...Rhuda here likes Trunks. I told her I'd help her win him over." He ignored Rhuda's sharp glare for ratting her out.

Broly's mouth turned down in a frown. He appeared beside Goku and put a large on his shoulder. "...No." His deep set eyes found Rhuda, and he glared, "Trunks isn't allowed."

"Eh? Why not?" Goku asked with a blink.

"He cannot protect her." Broly crossed his arms, looking every bit the intimidating older brother who used to be in prison. He stood a whole head above Goku, who was scratching at his dark hair. Rhuda swallowed; she hadn't expected to encounter this kind of thing and was a little lost on what to do. She hesitantly said, "I--I want to date him, brother."

The conversation ended there. Trunks himself walked in, void of his usual trench coat. On his shoulder was his sword, and it was drawn and shining. His long lilac hair was loose and fell across to hide his face from view. He looked up, giving Rhuda a stare, before glaring at Goku.

"Heya! Good morning, Trunks!" Goku waved. Secretly he gave Rhuda a wink, who blushed. Trunks' biceps were well defined and her eyes took them in with interest, glancing off before caught.

He looks great in a turtle shirt, she thought perversely. I bet under it he's completely jacked..

"Where's the SKOT?" Trunks asked, not greeting anyone.

"She's in there," Goku said with a pointed finger to her cluttered home. "Trying to find some way to track Fu."

"..." Trunks calmly walked past Rhuda, who stiffened. His blue eyes shot over to her and they tightened.

He totally hates me, she thought.

"We need to talk later," his raspy voice said.

"S-Sure."

He vanished in the home. Rhuda relaxed; Trunks had been different than usual.

Her thoughts were interrupted by Goku patting her shoulder. "Chin up! Today's the day, you'll see. I've got a plan."

"...Goku...not another plan," she mumbled. He merely laughed and ruffled her pony tailed hair, mussing up the already messy bangs.

"This will work for sure!"

Broly stalked over and yanked Goku's hand off her head and gave his friend a glare. "She doesn't need anyone but me," he said.

And so Rhuda found herself drug off to the Time Vault, leaving behind a sheepish Goku.

The Time Vault was messy. There were unrolled scrolls laying around the floor. It was different from the well kept place she'd saw yesterday. "It's messy."

"Kakarot and Vegeta," Broly said by way of explanation.

Ah. It made sense. She doubted those two picked up after themselves much at home, either.

"Did they find anything?" Rhuda asked her brother.

He shook his head. "Nothing. I don't know why Fu is saying you are some...vessel. But I won't let him get away with whatever it is. He's nothing but trouble."

"Thank you, brother." She smiled, and he gave her a tiny one in return. Then he asked, "Why do you want to be with him?"

"...He's kind. A-And...smart, too." Rhuda left off other factors, like his good looks and wonderful physique--looking more like a carving from stone than a real body. She thought of his light hearted smile hiding deep thoughts, and added, "...I enjoy being around him."

"Hmm." Broly stroked his green pelt for a time. Rhuda thought he wasn't going to answer at all but he finally said, "If he makes you happy...I will agree. But if he makes you cry I will destroy him."

She smiled, giggled, and threw her arms around her brother. "Thank you. I'm so grateful to have someone like you, brother."

Rhuda left the Time Vault with a smile on her face. It slid off, however, when Trunks left the dome home of the SKOT. He strode over and grabbed her arm, "C'mon. It's high time I get answers."

"O-Okay. N-Not so hard though!"

His grip on her arm only loosened to swing her up to his chest before zooming off through Conton, to the transporter, and straight to his bedroom window at Capsule Industries. He kicked the window's glass in, sending shards through the sky, and tossed Rhuda to the bed.

What's he doing? She frantically thought.

"Alright--" he tapped down to the floor. "Here's what's going to happen. You're going to explain to me who the hell you are, and why Goku and you have been trying to mess with me. If I don't like your answer, you're going to meet my blade." He drew his sword and pointed to her face.

Rhuda looked from the blade tip to the piercing glare of Trunks and swallowed. With the system in place she was concerned how she could possibly explain anything, but tried. "I-I'm not...her. The one you knew."

His blade lowered. It seemed he was listening, and she continued, "She's probably dead."

"What!"

Trunks leapt to the bed and pulled her by the collar. His sword slid to the side of her neck. "You...killed her," he accused.

"No! I had nothing to do with it! I swear!"

Trunks paused. He could see her tan cheek sweating, the true fear within her green gems. He let her go. "If you had nothing to do with it, then why are you her? Where did she go?"

"I--I died okay?!" Rhuda's eyes watered. Admitting it out loud was absolutely horrible. "I woke up as her. Yesterday. I don't know...I don't know where she went, or what happened."

[System: Topic Restricted]

So that was the best she could do. Rhuda exhaled and trembled. Never had she thought she'd have to explain her past demise, in a video game no less.

"...You...died?" He asked.

Mutely Rhuda nodded. Hot tears slid down her cheeks and she swiped them away, "A-And for the record, Goku was trying to help me."

"Help you? Help you what?"

"...I..." she bit her red lip and looked through her tears at him. "...I like you, Trunks."

"..."

Trunks had been expecting a fight. Androids, Freiza, Cell, Fu--those things he knew how to face. Expected, even. But a confession? His mind halted. The first words from his mouth were, "You...like me?"

The tiny saiyan called Rhuda ducked her head down shyly. She nodded. "Ano...I'm sorry, I know you aren't interested....I-I was just talking to myself and Goku heard me. T-Things got wild from there..."

So that's what happened. Trunks had a clearer picture of the situation. Still...

He put down his sword on the comforter and eyed Rhuda. An odd chuckle escaped his chest. What he had thought and what actually were, had been entirely at opposite ends. For that he was glad. But what could he do about what she'd said?

It would rather rude not to answer.

Trunks ran a hand through his hair and said, "...I'm flattered."

Her head lifted. Rhuda had been expecting rejection and there it was. She mumbled out a sorry and hopped from his bed. The sooner she was away from him the sooner she could vanish into a nice hole or even make Zamasu angry enough to kill her. Either option would be wonderful.

Rhuda's foot touched the sill of the window. Then she heard, "Rhuda."

"?"

Trunks face was pink as he said, "Let's...talk. I'd like to meet the real you."