Across the Rift (SNT X Rookie/Gizmo)

Chapter 4: Pestering

Rookie and Sonic were in the Chao Garden relaxing when Gadget appeared. "Alright Giz we should go." "Aww cmon Gadget! Just a little longer!" "Yeah!" Sonic chimes in holding a Chao in front of Gadget. "You wouldn't say no to this adorable Chao now would you?" Sonic's Chao made a small frown. Gadget looked away quickly composing himself. "I'm not saying no to the Chao, I'm saying no to my brother. Besides, we still gotta prepare for the sleepover tomorrow!" Rookie stood up from the ground and the surrounding Chaos waddled away from him. "Right. To be honest I forgot it was tomorrow." Rookie became a little embarrassed. "This last week was a blur for me." "Yeah you were too busy thinking about your girl." Gadget muttered. "I heard that!" Rookie said while he sped walk out of the garden.
Rookie starts to swing back to his home. Rookie is enjoying the nice breeze as he swings from place to place until a voice catches his attention. "Hey." The voice sounds smug. He looks to his right and sees his brother swinging next to him. "I don't want to think about what you told Sonic." "Why not? We're just trying to help you Giz." The twins swing left and enter the city. "Gadget, when it comes to giving me romantic advice your 'helping' isn't that at all. I thought you'd learn your lesson by now." The two land on the ground and start walking the rest of the way. "I'm just trying to help my brother out. Since you are too shy to tell her, I think it's fair that I nudge her in the right direction so you can make a move." Gadget waves at someone before continuing. "I know you're scared to do things like go to the movies together or go to a restaurant, which is why I suggested her and Maria staying the night! You got me and Maria to help you out incase you get nervous." "I've done stuff with her. I've shown her around, we had a picnic, we've sat around and talk to each other and enjoy each other's company."
Rookie enters the house when he notices the blue hedgehog already in his house somehow. Sonic is eating a chili dog when he spots him. "Hey Gizmo!" Sonic waved. Rookie looked around to see if there was any windows open. "How did you get into my house?" "I gave him my key." Gadget said. Sonic walked over to Gadget and returned the keys. "Why did you give him your key?" "I just wanted to hang out some more." Sonic finished eating. The three went to the couches. "So Gizmo." Sonic laid down and put his feet on the table. "Gadget told me about SNT." Rookie slowly deadpanned his head towards his brother. "He's here to help. Perks of being friends with Sonic." Gadget rested his hands above the couch while standing behind it. "Well I don't need your guy's help. I already know what to do." Rookie crossed his arms standing up straight. "Like?" Sonic called out Rookie's bluff. "Sonic I'm sorry you got roped into this. You can go. Also get your feet off the coffee table." Sonic put his feet down. "I want to help you man. I am everyone's wingman after all. Amy talks about this stuff when we hang out so I'm basically a master at it. I'm currently helping out Tails with trying to get with Cosmo. So cmon! Lay it on me!"
"Alright fine. But I gotta see Tails later for my watch. There's not much you can help with. Me and SNT just hang out." "Alright a little alone time I see." Sonic says. "Go on." "We just talk until her alarm goes off.. Her alarm for work! She is a busy person after all. She works." Rookie looks at Sonic for a bit looking to see his reaction. "Okayy. She's a busy person." Sonic said slightly awkward. "Have you done anything romantic or has she suggested anything?" "Not really. We're just waiting for the right time when she has a bunch of free time." "Giz I think it's time you made a move. You've known SNT for a while and I want you to at least start making moves." Rookie sighed. "Fine. You're right, I'll do something." "Yes!" Gadget celebrated quietly. "But don't expect me to do something big like kiss her! I'm just gonna start small." "It's the small steps that count pal!" Sonic said. He got up. "Well my job here is done. Now I gotta pester my little fox friend about this. I know he's gonna make the big moves soon and I'll be there to support him!" Sonic left the house and dashed off towards Tails' lab. "So what do you want to do now?" Gadget hopped over the couch and sat. "I can make us something to eat and we can play some video games. How does that sound?"

Rookie arrived at Tails' lab and knocked. The lab door opened and Rookie navigated through boxes and mechanical parts. "Sorry for the mess. I've been experimenting with some technology." Tails turned his chair "So the other me tinkered with SNT's watch to make her stay longer. I took a look at her watch before giving her a present for my Dimensional counterpart. I was able to copy the schematics safely and put those upgrades to yours. You should be able to visit her Dimension safely now." Rookie just watched Tails do the magic and finish upgrading the Dimensional watch. "I'd really like to be able to be in contact with the other me one day. As soon as we solve the reality problems with you two I can be able to make a safe way to go to and from the two Dimensions." Rookie got excited about the idea. "By the way, Sonic told me about you're feelings towards a certain reality shifter.. SNT! Not the other reality shifter. Just thought you should know." Rookie groaned.
Tails turned to Rookie. "Alright here are the adjustments I made some upgrades to the watch. It should be exactly like her's now so it's pretty much a parity change. If we had a Phantom Ruby we could solve all of this. You did say she has similar properties to it. But the only one left is Infinite's and I don't think he'll part ways with it." "What if there's another prototype somewhere?" "If there was another prototype you'd be able to sense it. Any Phantom Ruby holder can sense where a Phantom Ruby is and when they're being used." Rookie tried to sense any Phantom Rubies. He could only sense Infinite. He couldn't sense anything at first but for a brief second he felt something that came from the Lava Reef. "Thanks for the upgrades Tails." "Hey you're helping me understand an entire new area of science! I'm just playing around with stuff."
Rookie walked out of the lab before Infinite came out of nowhere. "Ahh!" Rookie stumbled back. "It's good to know I am still feared." Infinite levitates towards Rookie. "It seems like someone finally realized how to use their new powers." "You could feel that?" Rookie looked back at Tails' lab. "It's like having the feeling of being watched. I'm sure you've felt that from me sometimes." Rookie stood his ground. "What do you want!" "I just wanted to give you a bit of advice now that you know how to sense me. Use your powers for too long and something bad may happen." Rookie gritted his teeth. "If you're trying to scare me it's not working! I've beat you before I can do it again!" "I don't remember that. It was SNT and Sonic who did. Not you." Tails came running out of his lab. "Here to annoy us Infinite? Don't you have anything better to do?" "I do. I'm having board game night with Scratch and Grounder. I just came to give a little advice about the Phantom Ruby." Infinite said, changing the subject to a more lighthearted one.  "You giving advice? That's a new one." Tails said rudely. "I just felt like being nice today." Infinite pointed at Rookie. "This one can do a lot more than just sense people who have the Phantom Ruby. Now when are we gonna hang out Rookie?" Tails got confused. "Uhh.. We'll hang out soon? Just finding the.. proper time that's all." Rookie answered as best as he could. Infinite sighed. "Fine, I'll wait longer." He teleported away after. "It's very hard to understand Infinite." Rookie said "I mean.. he's less evil I guess? It's nice that he gave us more info. What did he mean by when are you going to hang out with him?" Tails asked. "I don't want to talk about it." Rookie replied.

Rookie and Gadget were playing a co-op game when Rookie spoke up. "Ran into Infinite again. He still wants to hang out with me. I don't know how all of you deal with that guy." "You get use to him. It's all apart of being a hero. You can hang out with the villains sometimes, weirdly enough." Gadget found a secret in the level they're playing. "Nice!" "I'm not cut out for that. I'd rather just live my normal life again." Gadget snickered. "That's not how you were during the war. You helped The Resistance so much you single-handedly ended the war!" "Cmon Gadget your over exaggerating a little." Gadget paused the game. "Hey!" "I'm not! You really did!" "It was all of us. Me and S just happened to land the finishing blow with Sonic.. me helping in the background!.. while they dealt the finishing blow, I mean." "..You're selling yourself short again." Gadget unpaused the game. They continued the level. "You never told me what you did. I at least deserve that from you for worrying me so much- Ohh did you see that!" Gadget performed a cool skip in the level. "Yeah that was pretty cool. Now we can actually skip this part." "Good I always hated this part. This game was not meant for teamwork I'll tell you that! Especially when you have the power ups." "You get in my way too much! I'm just trying to beat the level as fast as I can!" Rookie almost killed his brother in the game. "Hey!" Gadget avoided dying in the game. "See." Rookie grinned. He went back to the original subject of their conversation. "I gave SNT info about what would weaken Eggman's army so we could win. There is nothing exciting to talk about."
"So how did you and SNT meet exactly? I want to know the details." The brothers beat the level and were able to skip some part of the world due to finding a secret exit. "That's something I think we should tell you tomorrow. Let's just talk about us. We've been barely able to hang out anymore." Gadget frowned. "I know, I know. You have a job and I gotta do hero stuff with Sonic and the gang now. I'm glad SNT is able to hang out with you. Especially now that you have a lot more free time right now. Odd how she's apparently busy yet can hang out with you a bunch." Rookie didn't realize how many holes his lies have. Gadget didn't ponder on that inconsistent detail. "Hero duties never stop until Eggman stops. Seriously this guy doesn't quit! It's like he plans out what to do like a weekly laundry list!" Rookie chucked. The twins continued playing the game for the rest of the evening.