THE FORGOTTEN CHARACTER

CHAPTER 2

[A small note: Incidents in this fiction will be similar to the series along with some twists and extras of our own!]

"We're fucked!"

"Hold up! By whom? 'Cause as far as I know, my assho-"

"Ei North!" Alan hit the boy with a roll of paper on his head, "Does it look like the time to joke, huh?"

"Hehe sorry Uncle," chuckled the boy, still working on the tyre, "But honestly, Dean, who fucked us? We need to know-"

"This idiot!" sighed Alan, turning his attention to the other boy, "Ah yes Dean? What's wrong?"

"Yes Uncle! So...you've already heard about Tony's investment in-"

"I have," said Alan lowly, his gaze falling in that instant, "We can't do anything about it, can we? They've got all the money from UAC CORP. That bastard Tony! And money means power. I don't think we'll be able to cope too much about-"

"It's not just that Uncle," exclaimed the boy, pushing his sweaty hairs off his forehead, "Wait a minute! Look at this."

Dean quickly flipped out his phone, and presented something in front of him. The garage owner's eyes scanned the screen and within the next few seconds, his face turned pale.

"Wh-Who did th-"

"Them," Dean announced, "They are now spreading fake news about us and are even offering more money to our mechanics so that they leave our garage and join theirs!"

"What?" stammered the oldest, not able to believe his ears, "B-But when-"

"P'Alan," a mechanic called, "Two mechanics have given their resignation let-"

"I-I'll see about it, you go," Alan said in an absent minded manner, his mind clouding with worries. He felt thoroughly anxious now. What will he do? X-Hunter, his dream, his family, his life. How can he allow it to be ruined, something that he had built with his own hands, his own blood, sweat and tears, his hard work, his endurance...how could he let something like that smash into dust, just because he didn't have as much money as their rivals did?

Alan sat back on a couch nearby, feeling helpless. He didn't know what to do next. He felt lost.

"What should we do now, Uncle?" asked North, who was sitting at his feet, the tools still in his hand.

"I-I don't know, North," stammered the man, "A garage without mechanics i-is nothing! H-How will we continue our journey without them? We can't recruit anyone now? After all, they were the best mechanics here."

"Don't worry Uncle," assured Sonic, "Babe and Way will help you out. They'll definitely find a plan."

"Speaking of that broomstick," began North, "Where is he? It's already past 10, yet he's not here. Babe's one is an exception though. Can't really guess whether he'll be able to even walk- Oh! There! Hey Way!"

Way walked into the garage, looking pale and gloomy. At first, Alan was too lost in the myriad of his thoughts to notice the boy. But soon, he realized there was someone else around him now, and upon looking up, he saw Way.

Alan wouldn't deny...he was shocked.

Way looked...horrible. Even though the youth was trying to hide it all with a smile plastered upon his lips, Alan could see well through him. Slight tinges of darkness had already made their appearances around his eyes, showing lack of proper sleep. He was visibly injured in places on his face, beside his eyes, on the corner of his lips and there was a faded bruise on his cheek which he definitely had tried to hide with concealer. Way walked with a slight limp, as if he had hurt his hip or somewhere on his leg. In total, he looked like a mess, which wouldn't be easily visible to the eyes, yet the oldest could scan it so well.