Across the Rift (SNT X Rookie/Gizmo)

Chapter 8: An Unpleasant Surprise

"So what you're saying is that your aura is so strong that it's special?" Gadget asked. "It's my Special Aura." SNT used some of her aura while saying that. Rookie was the only one who could see it and laughed a bit. SNT ate her last onion ring. "Now that everything's cleared up, we should get going now." Maria said to Gadget. "But I want to hang out with them more." Gadget pleaded. "We have been here awhile." Rookie looked at the time. Gadget and Maria stood up and got out of the booth. "It was a fun double date you two, see ya." SNT and Rookie both blushed, looked at each other for a bit before looking away from each other. "I-it's not a double date." SNT was looking away as she mumbled. Maria was also blushing. "I hope I can hang out with you again SNT." Maria said "Me too." S replied. Maria left the diner. "I'll get out of your fur now Giz. Bye!" Gadget waved and left the diner. It was quiet between them for a little bit. Both wanted to ask if they were really on a date. "So um.. I-I'm glad they know everything now." SNT changed the subject. "Maria did tell us everything about herself. So no more secrets." "I'm proud of you Rookie." SNT smiled at him. "I know this whole thing was hard for you to tell them. You had your guard up again." Rookie looked focus before he jumped. "What's wrong?" SNT became concerned. "I had my guard up because I felt like we were being watched this by-"
he was cut off by a voice they both dreaded hearing. "Surprise. I'm so glad our schedules have finally lined up together." Infinite took a seat across them. SNT tensed up a bit. "What do you want." "Aww you don't remember? I said we'd all hang out one day. Today's the day. We all have the time don't we?" Infinite tapped his finger on the table waiting for a waiter to come. "Look at the time I have to go home now." SNT tried to leave but Infinite put his hand in front of her. SNT dodged expecting an attack but nothing came. "Rude." Infinite scoffed. Shadow came up to the table. "Oh finally! I was getting a little hungry. I would like a sandwich." Infinite rested his head on his hand. "Well I'll have you know we have the right to refuse anyone. So get out." Shadow looked impatient. "Aww cmon honey~-" "Do not call me that." Shadow interrupted. "At least get me a drink." Shadow grunted. Infinite showed off his wedding ring in front of the Dimensional Duo. "Why do you still have that!" Shadow started losing his patience. "Because I know it annoys you. Where's yours?" Infinite looked at Shadow's hands. "I threw it in the nearest volcano the day you gave it to me." Shadow grinned. "Now get out." Shadow pointed at the door. Infinite got up. "I'll meet you two outside." Infinite started walking away. "And I am so giving a 1 star review!" He announced before leaving.
SNT and Rookie lowered their guard. "He's a lot less menacing when Shadow's around." SNT used the Ruby Senses to see if he was still around. "That joker's not a threat at all." Shadow was looking out the door making sure Infinite doesn't come back. "But he-" Shadow cut Rookie off. "Infinite may try to act all powerful and intimidating, but he's weak. Without a power source for the Phantom Ruby he can't even lift up a car." SNT and Rookie felt a lot better with that knowledge. "Do you think we can sneak out?" SNT questioned. "He knows how to find us." Rookie sighed. "We can always cut my visit short and go to my place." SNT tapped on her watch. "You two should just get it over with." Shadow interrupted. "Whenever Infinite sees someone on a date he makes sure he sours the mood. He did that for Sonic and Amy last week." "What a jerk." SNT thought. "Wait! Sonic and Amy are dating in this dimension?" "This isn't a date." Rookie with more of a poker face this time. "Sonic also says that but it's obvious he's lying." Shadow chuckled. "I guess now I know how Sonic feels." Rookie thought aloud. "Alright off you go." Shadow started dragging them out of the diner. "I don't want to risk him coming back inside. Next time I'll have Omega shoot on sight so he won't get in."
He let go and they were all in front of the door. "Shadow you should give some compensation for kicking them out." Rouge was drinking coffee from a stool. "I'll make your meal free." Shadow said to SNT and Rookie. "They dealt with Infinite Shadow, you gotta give them more than that." "Rouge I know what your trying to make me do." Shadow turned his head to her. His expression looked annoyed. "Cmon Shadow! Please! You're the best one out of the three of us who can do it!" Rouge pleaded. "OUR MANAGER SAID IF WE DO NOT DO THE SLOGAN AT LEAST ONCE TODAY, WE WILL BE FIRED." Omega informed Shadow. Shadow covered his face with his hand. "Fine." He turned back to the Dimensional Duo. "For having to deal with Infinite today I'll do the diner's slogan and make your meal free." Rookie tilted his head in curiosity. Shadow sighed and rubbed his head. Shadow smiled as wide as he could and waved. "Have a delicious day!" He said in a strangely happy tone. He then immediately frowned and pointed his finger towards both of them. "You NEVER saw me do this." SNT and Rookie both nodded. They never saw Shadow look so happy. "Don't worry I got it on video!" Rouge shouted from a stool. Shadow whipped around to Rouge. "Rouge you better delete that right now!" He ran to snatch her phone. "Nope! I'm sharing this to Sonic!" Rouge was flying away from him teasing. Shadow tried to grab her. "CALM DOWN YOU TWO. WE ARE STILL ON THE CLOCK." Omega tried to diffuse the situation.
SNT and Rookie decided to leave before they get roped in. They looked around for Infinite. "Where is he? I doubt he left." Rookie looked around the restaurant. SNT walked a bit down the street. She found Infinite leaning against a dark alleyway. "Why am I not surprised you're here." Rookie said. "So. What should we do first. There's so much I want to do with you two." He stared at the floor, arms crossed. "Do one of those things involve destroying us?" SNT asked in a monotone voice. "That could be an option if you'd like." He moved his head up. He stood up straight and stared at them. "I heard first impressions are important. You get to learn a lot about people. But you two are the odd ones out. At first I thought you two were weak and were too scared to fight. Even if it meant the whole world crumbled." Rookie looked bored. "Get to the point." "I just want to get to know you two better. That's all." "And?" SNT pressed. "And?" Infinite replied. "I've been doing this job long enough to know there's always an ulterior motive when the people trying to kill me are acting nice." Infinite started thinking for a bit. "I'm not trying to kill you anymore. If I was. I would've succeeded already. Now let's hang out." He started flying using the Phantom Ruby. The two weren't intimidated by what he said anymore. SNT grabbed Rookie's arms and flew after him.
"Why are we flying?" Rookie asked. "It's easier to go to Null Space this way." SNT halted in the air. Infinite turned around. "What? I don't want to go to Rookie's house. It's boring." "Don't call me that." Rookie said. "Why not?" Infinite crossed his arms "I thought that was your name?" "It's Gizmo." "Then why does she call you 'Rookie'?" "It's a nickname." "Well I'll stick with Rookie." Rookie looked displeased by that. "If you don't want to go to Null Space then what do you want to do?" "Well I WAS going to suggest to Rookie to just fly around. This view is pretty great." She looked around at the city. The sun was setting and the sky was a mix of orange and purple. The city looked like it was illuminating slowly as the sun started setting. "Meh, this place looks terrible. Not enough burning buildings." Infinite laughed. "Fine, I guess we'll do that." He started flying around the city. SNT followed. "So SNT. Where do you live?" Infinite asked. "I'm not telling you!" "I know where Rookie lives. It's only fair to know where you live." "You shouldn't even know where he lives!" "Why did you even go out of your way to know where I live!?" Rookie asked. Infinite laughed. "I followed SNT. She led me right to you, I didn't even want to know where you live. She was at Chemical Plant and I curious where she was going. Especially after I saw her in Null Space." The two of them got worried. "Let's not talk about our homes. I'm sure Scratch and Grounder probably left a portal open too long and you fell in." Infinite changed the subject. "I'm surprised SNT is staying up this long in the air. It must be hard holding someone so high up." He created an illusion which made it look like they were a lot higher than they were. SNT gripped Rookie's hands harder. Rookie felt comforted by that. His hands were hurting a little though. Infinite got rid of the illusion. SNT loosened her grip back to normal. "Strong fox." "I'm not a- I am a fox thanks." SNT almost instinctually said that she's an experiment. Gadget and Maria asked her that question earlier, also confusing her as a fox. "You're not a what?" Infinite asked. "Not a freak. Like how people use to call Tails that." "He is." Infinite mumbled. "Let's just enjoy sight seeing now." Rookie ended the conversation.
Infinite didn't say a word. He flew back beside them and looked around. He started to get bored. This gave some peace. SNT had the opportunity to look around the city. She was amazed by what she saw. As the sky slowly got darker and the city got brighter. "I can't believe you live here Rookie. This place is beautiful." "I never get to see the city like this. I'm only in the air when I have to grapple to the buildings that need to be restructured." "Can we go there?" Infinite asked sounding interested. "Bringing you there would definitely get me fired." "I'm sure your boss would love to meet me. Anyone would." Infinite went back to being quiet. "I'm glad I'm able to see this with you." Rookie said to SNT. "You shouldn't be, this is boring." Infinite commented. "I wasn't talking to you." Infinite ignored Rookie. "Me to." SNT said not letting Infinite ruin the moment. Infinite yawned loudly. "I'm going to go now. Thanks for letting me get to know you better. Now I know you're not a coward. Your just as pathetic as the rest of the Sonic Heroes." Infinite flew opened a portal to Null Space and flew into before it closed.
"I knew he had an ulterior motive!" SNT started flying forward again. "It didn't look like Infinite got what he wanted. He's trying to figure out something about you. It must be about how he saw you in Null Space. He's definitely going to ask Scratch and Grounder if they left any portals open." SNT scoffed. "Knowing those dumbbots they probably did. Eggman use to complain about them to me before I knew about his evil schemes." "We have a cover story then." Rookie grinned. "I think it's time we go home now. It's pretty late. I'll definitely take us back here to look around in peace. Do you have any places to show me tomorrow?" "There's the park in Park Avenue. We can go there." "That sounds great! Now let's go home before Infinite changes his mind." SNT flew back home.