So this was it. Today was the day. Rudy had no idea what to expect from this. He had no idea how things were going to go today. He only knew that Mr. Wilter was getting the class prepared for a 'surprise guest', although there was no reason to keep it a secret. What was the point in all of that when Ms. Saffron had already taken the time to speak to several students? It wasn't just him and Penny that she took time out of the day to talk to.

He was still confused by the purpose of that, though. Rudy didn't fully get why she would do that. And just what was her relationship to Mr. Cosmo, anyway? Was he her boss? Was she his boss? An assistant? She didn't really tell them. He went out on a limb here and just guessed that she was his assistant. It seemed to make the most sense to him.

He drew in a deep breath and he let out a small sigh. He had his hands placed on the cool desk, fiddling with his thumbs slowly, rapidly, interchanging constantly. He looked out ahead as Mr. Wilter got some of the paperwork ready. Occassionally, his eyes would shift over to the door, half expecting Mr. Cosmo to come bursting in.

He then looked over at where Penny was. She wasn't looking at him, instead focusing on Mr. Wilter. She was leaning forward a little, her arms tucked up against her chest as though for support. A part of Rudy did want to speak to her, have some kind of support, but that wasn't possible in class. They sat a good distancea way from each other. Probably deliberately done that way by Mr. Wilter... Rudy grumbled as he continued to wait for things to start.

Finally, after what seemed to be forever, Mr. Wilter dropped a heavy load of papers on his desk, creating an even larger pile, and he started to speak.

"Students!"

Everyone nearly jolted at this, straightening up quickly in their desks as they waited to hear what the old teacher was about to say.

"Now as you might have read on the board..." Mr. Wilter slapped a long, wooden stick on the chalkboard, creating a loud cracking sound that made the students flinch. "..we have a special guest today. His name is Mr. Cosmo and you will show up the utmost respect." He turned around, folding his arms behind his back as he glared at the students before him. The way he carried himself looked more cocky than it usually was. "I will not tolerate any tomfoolery while he is here. Do I make myself clear?"

None of the students spoke up at this. Rudy felt a little surprised by this as he looked around. Even Reggie remained quiet, and he was the one who usually had something to say. Rudy suspected that this was part of why Ms. Saffron spoke to the students directly. Perhaps she was aware of the unruly nature of some students?

Rudy looked back at Mr. Wilter, who was giving the students ample time to speak. Was he really expecting someone to talk back? Even after the students nodded slowly, acknowledging what he said, Mr. Wilter still took the time to stare at them this way. Rudy felt his teeth pressing up against his lip and he swallowed hard. For a brief moment, things felt a little...strange. He managed to shake off the feeling and attributed it to him just being unaware of the full situation. For all he knew, Mr. Cosmo was an idol of his teacher's, which would explain...

"Good!" Mr. Wilter's voice struck through the air, cutting Rudy off from his thoughts. "Now let's not waste anymore time. Here is our guest for the day. Let me introduce to you..." He motioned to the door. "...Mr. Cosmo!"

Rudy rolled his eyes at this. What, did Mr. Wilter think that this was a game show or something? Why the dramatic pose and way of speaking?

He immediately stopped himself when he heard the door opening up. He turned his head and he watched as some man walked in quickly, each stride filled with such confidence that it put even the most cocky zoners he's met to shame. It seemed to take only a fraction of a second before the man, this 'guest' that Mr. Wilter called him, stood in front of the classroom.

The man stood relatively tall, but to Rudy's surprise, he did seem slightly shorter than Ms. Saffron. He wore a business suit like she did, although the pointed ends seemed to hand down a bit lower than Ms. Saffron's blouse for some reason. He had a plain tie that he adjusted quickly, and the overall outfit had a green color scheme to it. Even his straight pants that hung close to his legs, which he would think would have been black or grey, were instead green.

The man's face looked like it was freshly shaven, and his eyes, which were blue-grey in color, almost seemed to glow from where they were situated in his face. His hair was red and slightly curly, and he stood there with a hardened yet still welcoming expression. His mouth corners were curled up slightly as he looked around the room, his arms folded behind his back.

And every once of him just oozed of pride and confidence.

Rudy had no idea how to feel about that.

Mr. Wilter took a few steps forward. "Now, Mr. Cosmo is here to give you students an important test and..."

"And it's going to help this town and perhaps the world become better." Reggie said, his hand raised up. "We already know this."

Mr. Wilter blinked a few times. "You did? How..."

Mr. Cosmo answered quickly. "Oh I had Ms. Saffron..." He noticed the look in Mr. Wilter's eyes. "Someone who works for me. Anyway, I had her go and talk with some of the students." He raised his hand up in gesture. "I figured it would be best that they have an idea on what is going to happen."

"I see." Mr. Wilter nodded his head slowly. He stood there for a few seconds, fidgeting slightly. He looked like he was struggling to speak. Rudy was surprised that he was this affected by this turn of events. It seemed so minor. Finally, Mr. Wilter licked his lips and nodded his head to Mr. Cosmo. "Okay then. You seem to have things under control. You may proceed."

And with that, Mr. Wilter sat down in his chair. He had pulled it away from the desk in order to give Mr. Cosmo the room that he needed to manuever around. Rudy watched Mr. Wilter very carefully, trying to take note of his expressin. The old teacher did quickly take on a more stern look like he usually had, and he was back to silently judging the students, which he did even without someone like this coming in to speak with his class.

But there was still something about Mr. Wilter's expression that seemed a little off to him. He couldn't quite put his finger on it. It was like... He wasn't sure if he could describe it to anyone who asked. It just felt like Mr. Wilter was...upset with Mr. Cosmo for some reason. Did he feel as though the man stole his thunder? That seemed pretty childish, but this was Mr. Wilter after all. Maybe...

Rudy gritted his teeth. He was probably making a big deal out of nothing. He needed to stay focused. He remembered that speech he had with Ms. Saffron nad he knew that his parents were relying on him doing a good job. He didn't really know how well he could possibly perform and he still felt that this man was better off going somewhere else for 'talent' as he would call it. Surely there were better qualified students than him.

The green-suited man began to speak.

"Greetings, students. I'm sure by now you know who I am. I am Mr. Cosmo for those still unaware." He placed a hand to his chest for a brief second. "I have been scouring cities, looking for the perfect school to begin a dry run on my test that I put together. Now if you are familiar with standardized testing, it's sort of like that, but better. You see, standardized testing doesn't really narrow down your skills that well." He raised his hand up in gesture. "But my test will delve in deeper. It will help hone in and discover what your skills are, even if you are unaware of them yourselves. And then you will discover your passion and..."

The man stopped as he looked around the room. The students were blinking at him slowly. He was getting a little theatrical with this now. Not that it was a bad thing. Rudy couldn't doubt that he could feel himself getting a little excited over this. Even Penny seemed interested, even if her expression suggested that was she was not completely certain.

Mr. Cosmo seemed aware of how he was taking things and he immediately cleared his throat, his hand curled up into a slight fist as he coughed into it. He readjusted himself, straightened his back, and he resumed talking, this time in a calmer, more collected voice.

"I do believe that this test has the potential to change the world. Imagine what kind of future that might be, where everyone has some kind of purpose." Mr. Cosmo smiled broadly as he said this. "Imagine a future where even the so-called 'lowly artist' has a leg to stand on above everyone else."

Rudy couldn't help but flinch at this. He thought he could see Mr. Wilter shift uncomfortably and Penny's frown had apparently deepened. The other students didn't seem bothered by this and none of them noticed how he was feeling.

And yet despite that, a part of Rudy still felt excited for this. A part of him still wanted to be a part of this. Somehow, that one insensitive comment made him fill up with more excitement and energy. He really wanted to get started...and he didn't know where this energy had come from.

Mr. Cosmo moved towards the papers and he scooped them up into his arms. He looked even more arrogant as he moved along the rows of desks, handing out the paperwork, each one filled with thick lines of questions. "I will give you all an hour to complete this. But I don't think half of you really need that time limit. You could finish it faster..." There almost seemed to be a twinkle in his eyes. He stopped next to Rudy, staring down at him. Rudy couldn't turn away. "...couldn't you...?"

Rudy had no idea if the man was speaking to him or not. Mr. Cosmo didn't spend long beside his desk before he dropped the paper down. Somehow even that thin sheet of paper had slammed against the table with great force. Or perhaps that was just his imagination.

"The test will begin...now."

Rudy took one glance at Penny, seeing how she already had her pencil raised up and started to fill it in. He then looked down at his paper. He pressed his teeth against his lips. He still wasn't completely certain of this test. He still had some questions about it and he still wondered how this man felt that this could change the world. It looked like any ordinary test to him.

But still, he did like the idea of being able to help people. If he and the others could all contribute by doing this test, probably the first time it was ever used, and if Mr. Cosmo could improve upon that... Rudy couldn't help but smile. He did really like the idea of being part of something helpful. So without another thought, he raised his pencil and started.

sss

There. The test was finally done. The students had been dismissed. Mr. Cosmo had already left, having thanked him for his time. The room had been emptied as the school was getting into its shut down hours. It was the end of another long day.

Mr. Wilter was doing what he normally did at the end of each day. He got the papers from the students' original homework and piled them up to take home with him. He would spend a few hours in the night grading them so that they could be handed back when the next school day started. Even on days when he didn't need to do this right away, he always made sure it was done on that night. He wanted to set an example for the students.

Today didn't feel like an ordinary day, however. And that was because it wasn't.

A part of him wondered if it really was a good idea to let Mr. Cosmo in here and test his students. He knew how the man could be. And yet he still felt...drawn to this whole thing. He still felt excited, and a part of him wasn't completely sure why. He knew there had to be a reason for it, even if he couldn't think of it just yet.

He tried to push it off out of his head. He might just be overexaggerating things. Maybe he was making a big deal out of nothing. Not everything that he thought would happen did happen. Maybe he was freaking out over Mr. Cosmo for no particualr reason.

He tried to make himself feel happy for what he had done. Maybe Mr. Cosmo's test, even if it...wasn't what he claimed it was, would inspire his students to try harder. Maybe this would lead to better grades. It just might lead to a brighter future for everyone. Perhaps this was not going to be so bad after all.

He just hoped that he wasn't going regret this decision.

sss

"Well at least we got it done and over with." Said Rudy, raising his hand up in gesture. "It wasn't as bad as I thought. Those questions were pretty easy." He leaned back against the wall behind him, his body supported by the soft cushioning of the bed. "I don't know why you're getting this upset."

"But something about it didn't seem right. You thought it too!" Penny pointed a finger at Rudy. "I saw what you did!"

Rudy looked down at Penny's finger. He gritted his teeth softly as he looked away. "I have no idea what you are talking about."

Penny glared more deeply, releasing a low growl. "You sure as heck know what I'm talking about. Don't act like you don't know." Penny stared at Rudy for a few moments before she leaned in towards him. "You know as well as I do that something is a bit off about that man and this test of his." She went quiet for about a minute. When she didn't get any sort of response, she continued, "Rudy... I know that you were thinking it. Just because Mr. Cosmo gave you a pat on the back doesn't mean that you can just throw away all suspicion."

Rudy continued to try to ignore Penny a little, but he quickly found that he just couldn't do that to his best friend. He soon let out a small sigh as he turned around to face her. The two of them locked eyes for several long moments, neither of them attempting to speak up over the other.

Rudy let his mind wander a little. He felt his eyes turning downwards just ever so slightly. He thought back to how he had been acting ever since they came back. He did realize that he might have gotten a little too carried away. He was just so excited about the prospect of helping people. He had forgotten about his original suspicions and he wanted to give Mr. Cosmo the benefit of the doubt. Even Mr. Wilter seemed willing to do that. So why couldn't Penny?

And yet...

He let out a small sigh. "Yeah I know. You're right." He bowed his head a little more. "I'm sorry."

Penny reached out and placed her hand on his shoulder. She smiled at him, but he could tell that it was shaky and uncertain. "I can understand. I'm sorry if I was a little too pushy." She kept her hand on his shoulder for a few moments before she eventually pulled back. "I just hope that you don't..."

"I won't. I promise." Rudy didn't need to hear her in full to know what she was going to say.

The two friends sat quietly, both thinking of what happened earlier today. Even though they were in Penny's room, resting, none of them could really feel as though they were truly out of that classroom. The test wasn't even that intense. But there was something about it and Mr. Cosmo that made them continue thinking about it. It wouldn't leave them. It was almost like a plague.

Had this been intentional? Was Mr. Cosmo's goal to create a test that was so memorable that students wouldn't stop thinking about it? Did he believe that, by doing so, he could get the students to care more about testing and thus get them to work harder at it?

This was all plausible. He did say that he wanted to help change the world. One of the biggest reasons a lot of students fail is because they are not taught in a good way. They aren't interested. They can't stay focused. If this test really was designed to make students actually pay attention, well they would congratulate Mr. Cosmo on a job well done. It did seem to work.

But Penny did have a point about something being a little off about this. It did seem almost impossible that this backwater town would be the one first chosen for a dry run of the test. There were other towns more suitable the last he checked. Especially ones closer to where Mr. Cosmo's main headquarters were. Rudy slowly licked his lips as he felt his throat going dry. He didn't want to obsess over this, but he did feel the questions starting to form.

There was still much that neither of them really understood. There was still more to this man that they could see and they knew it. There was something that he wanted. They both wanted to believe that he was being sincere, and he most likely was. There wasn't too much strongly they felt about him that negated this. But after dealing with the likes of Terry and Vinnie... Yeah, it might be best to err on the side of caution.

Rudy tried not to think about it too much. They weren't really going to get much done if they focused so much on that. They might end up creating false fear and tension, and that isn't what they needed. Especially not after they had went to such a great party.

Speaking of...

"Hey, do you think we should visit Snap?" Rudy suggested. "I'm sure he must be done cleaning up that huge mess by now."

Penny released a chuckle, obviously forced. "And I'm sure he'll be happy to see us. Sure, that does sound like a pretty good idea, Rudy. Let's get going."

Rudy did feel a small pang of guilt for pushing aside such an important topic, and he did realize just how important it was to keep focus on these suspicions. Not obsess, but at least acknowledge them. But for now, he and Penny made their way into ChalkZone to speak with their friend.

sss

It was practically like night and day.

What was once a room filled with zoners and lights and confetti and music was now empty and almost barren. It wasn't really abandoned of course. Snap still occupied this house. Not like he left. But it was still such a sharp contrast to his party from before that it felt...empty.

"That does sound like some weird test you two took." Snap commented. His eyes were slightly narrowed as he stared at the two of them. It was almost like he was judging them. "You certain that they were just..."

Rudy nodded his head. "Yeah. This Mr. Cosmo fellow promised that it was for the good of the world."

Penny wanted to agree with that on some level. But a part of her just...couldn't. She still found herself narrowing her eyes a little and gritting her teeth. She still felt as though something was off. But she didn't want to bring up too much suspicion without evidence first.

It was just...not constructed the way she would normally see a test. She did not even know how to describe it. It was almost like the test was sucking her in and she thought she could feel a small, tingly sensation. She did manage to shake it off, of course, and in the end, she might be a little paranoid. But she still couldn't help but wonder if something were going on.

Penny softly spoke up, "That's what he claims, anyway."

Snap rubbed his chin thoughtfully, a slight frown developing on his face. Not one of anger, but one that hinted at something else, like he had an idea or something. Penny learned how to recognize this look. "Do you want me to do something? I mean, I could find where his chalkboard is and..."

"No, that isn't necessary. We don't have a reason yet to spy on him." Said Rudy.

"And besides..." Penny raised her hand up in gesture. "We don't even know if he has a chalkboard or not. And he lives pretty far away." She clasped her hands together. "We couldn't ask you to go all the way over there just because of a few little suspicions."

"You guys could draw me something I could use." Snap said, leaning himself forward. "I don't mind checking things out for you. I could even spread the word to other zoners and they could see if they could find a chalkboard that's suspicious."

Rudy and Penny stared at each other and then back at Snap as they thought about this long and hard. The offer was a little tempting. Especially for Penny, who couldn't fully shake off that something might be going on. Maybe it was the way that the man had carried himself. Maybe it was how she couldn't think of how he would pick this place over others. Maybe it was how Mr. Wilter reacted to him. He just...didn't sit well with her.

And that test... How was that a test? It wasn't... It still had questions and a similar structure. But it didn't feel like... Penny struggled to shake that thought out of her head. She was going to give herself a headache if she kept thinking about that.

She eventually found her voice and started to speak, albeit in a more hushed voice than she had thought. "We appreciate the offer, Snap. Really... But perhaps that's something that we should wait until we have something before we..." She fumbled her hands together. "You know what I mean, I'm sure."

Snap folded his arms and shook his head once. "Not at all."

Rudy said, "I think what Penny is trying to say is that maybe we should wait until we have evidence before we go snooping around."

"Oh... I see. I guess that makes sense." Snap rubbed the side of his head briefly. "Might as well give it a little time. Who knows?" He held his hand up, motioning slighlty to no one in particular. "Maybe this guy isn't so bad."

Penny nodded her head slowly. "I do hope that's the case." She let the thoughts move through her head a little more and she felt herself narrowing her eyes a little more. "I really hope so."

The three friends fell silent as they looked at one another. No one said a word. They both agreed that, with this situation, they had to be careful. They couldn't afford to screw up.