N E E D

By DarkHououmon

Chapter 10: Disappears

Best to act fast, or you will regret it later. How fast things can happen.

sss

Rudy breathed a sigh of relief. It felt as though a burden had just been lifted up from his shoulders. He couldn't help but smile at the doctor before him. He was so happy that it took all his will power not to rush over and hug him. One of the biggest worries on his mind had just been alleviated for him.

"So they are okay?" He heard Penny say. There was a tinge of hope to her voice. "They will recover?"

The doctor, holding a clipboard in his hands, nodded his head once. "Yes. They will need some time to rest of course. Especially Snap. But we have found no major injuries on them. I imagine they will be able to leave in few days. If they have to stay longer, then we will tell you."

"Thank you." Penny said as she let out a relieved sigh.

Rudy smiled at this. He was glad that everything was going to work out okay. They both had been so worried about Rapsheeba and Snap. They were concerned that they were hurt worse than it looked. It was such a relief to know that they were going to be okay. That was one less thing that he and Penny had to worry about.

They had arrived at the hospital a short time ago. He wasn't sure exactly the length. Perhaps an hour? Maybe not as much. Time always seemed to move so slowly in these hospitals. He sometimes felt his mind go numb just from shere boredom, sitting there and wait. The only thing preventing that was his worry for his friends. Often, his mind would have storms of what could become of them. There were several possibilities, each new one worse than the last.

They had rushed there as soon as they could. After drawing a mode of transportation, they reached the hospital as fast as was possible without risking injurying them further. They didn't spare much time to speak to the zoners. As much as it pained Rudy to leave them in the dark about the tornado's situation, he had to drop off his friends at the hospital first. He was so worried about them.

Especially Snap... The poor guy was disoriented ever since he first ran into him when he found Penny. Snap was not fully there, or truly aware of what was going on. He constantly insisted that he was fine even though he clearly wasn't. He was very unsteady on his feet, and a few times he nearly fell down. He swayed from side to side, his eyes were unfocused, and he looked like he just woke up from a year long nap. He was just...not right. And when he found out from Penny he was knocked unconscious, that had him even more worried.

He had been tense the entire time they were there. When Snap and Rapsheeba were taken back to be examined, he remained by Penny's side, sometimes holding her hand as he stared at the clock. He waited as the seconds and minutes crawled by very slowly, waiting on the results. He could feel his stomach tie up in knots. He felt a surge in his stomach like he wanted to throw up. The wait was just unbearable.

When the doctor came out and delivered the news, it felt ike a rock that was on his back had been rolled off. It was such a huge relief, knowing that they were both going to be okay. This was the best news he had gotten all day.

"Can we see our friends?" Rudy asked. The doctor frowned and shook his head. Rudy looked at the doctor in confusion. "Huh? Why not? I thought you said they were fine."

"They are, but...we still need to monitor them." The doctor said quickly. "They are still being examined. The doctors would not appreciate you being in there."

"But...it's only going to be a short visit. Surely we can..." Penny started to say.

The doctor cut her off. "No, I'm sorry." He raised his hadn up. "Absolutely not. No exceptions."

Rudy frowned at this. It was strange that the doctors won't let him and Penny in. They were ChalkZone's protectors. Surely, they could make an exception for them. They weren't going to cause trouble or anything. They knew to back off and let them do their work.

But...oh well. He didn't feel like arguing with him right now. He had just been running for his life from some wicked tornado and barely made it out of it, and then he had his heart worked up when he realized his friends had been hurt. He didn't really feel like causing more stress for himself by arguing with this zoner. He and Penny could always visit later, when the doctors weren't so concerned about them 'interrupting business', or whatever they'd say.

And there was the matter of informing the citizens of ChalkZone City about the fate of the tornado. They needed to know that they were safe now and that the twister was dealt with. He also needed to see that the injured were tended to, and see what he could do to help rebuild the buildings that had been destroyed.

He hoped no one was seriously hurt in that attack. He would feel awful if a zoner had been seriously injured, even killed, by this whirlwind. He recalled just how dangerous it was. And the fact that it appeared almost...sentient... That sent chills down his spine. He didn't know what kind of person would make such a thing. Regular twisters were bad enough. To give them a mind and a will to destroy...

Rudy tried his best not to think about it. He was certain the person who drew it didn't know what they were doing, and just didn't realize the harm they were bringing. There wasn't much he could do about it except keep on the eye out for more in case the person decided to draw another. The zoners would also have to be prepared, then again, they always were, since dangerous creations could be erased at any given moment.

Not wanting to potentially cause any further conflict, he and Penny said their goodbyes to the doctor quickly and left. As they went out, the doctor called out to them and told them they could come back in a few hours to see their friends if they'd like. They thanked the doctor and walked out of the hospital.

The two friends stood on the side of the hospital, leaning against the wall. They were quiet for a few moments. They reflected on what happened today. Things were certainly a lot more...exciting than they thought they were going to be. Then again, that's how it always was. They never predict when these things happen. They just kind of...do.

Just then, something crossed Rudy's mind. He widened his eyes, unable to believe he hadn't thought of it. He looked left and right, feeling his mind start to race.

Penny looked at him with concern. "Rudy? What is it?"

"Blocky..." Rudy whispered. "Was he with us when we went to the hospital...?"

Penny paused for a moment. "No..." Her voice sounded haunting. "He had Sophie with him and..." She took in a sharp gasp and looked around. "I don't see her anywhere here."

Rudy's heart clenched. He took a step back, a disbelieving look in his eyes. They had lost Blocky and Sophie. How could they have done that? Rudy thought for sure they were with, but he had been in such a hurry to get Rapsheeba and Snap to the hospital that he didn't do a head count to make sure Blocky and Sophie were with them and.. Oh no..what had he done..? How could he have left them alone like that?

Penny put a comforting hand on his shoulder. "We will find them, Rudy. Don't worry." Penny tried to sound as reassurance as possible. "We just need to go back and retrace our steps. I'm sure they didn't wander far." Rudy looked at her, uncertain of what to believe. "It will be okay, Rudy. Blocky is responsible. You know that."

Rudy took in a few deep breaths. "Yeah...you're right..." He could feel his heart rate slowing down a little. He gave his friend a grateful smile. It didn't last very long before a frown returned to his face. He looked out in the direction that they came. "Come on... Maybe we can find them before my aunt gets suspicious."

"Good idea." Penny said. "The last thing we need to worry about is your aunt finding you missing for too long."

Rudy nodded his head. "She's not like my mom and dad. She may try harder to find me. And if she goes into my room..." Suddenly Rudy's arms stiffened out at his sides, and he let out a small scream. "Oh my gosh!" He clutched his head tightly, digging his fingernails into his scalp. "The portal! I forgot to erase the portal!"

Penny looked at him in horror. "Oh Rudy..."

Rudy grabbed onto Penny's hand. He pulled on her roughly. He felt guilty when he heard her grunt. But they didn't have time to spare. They needed to secure the portal before they did anything else. They would search for Blocky and Sophie after they ensure that the portal was safe. "Come on! We've got to erase that portal!"

The two children immediately took off. There wasn't time to waste. Rudy knew the longer they waited, the more likely his aunt would walk into his room and find the portal open. He had to make sure that didn't happen. It would be a complete disaster.

To have someone else find out about ChalkZone... That would be a nightmare. They already had Terry and Vinnie to worry about, and possibly Von. He didn't want another person to find out as well. He didn't want Tilly to learn about his adventures in an alternate dimension. He couldn't begin to imagine how she might react to it. And then if she found out Sophie had gotten in there...

This would be worse than Terry or Vinnie or Von finding out. It was worse because it was on a personal level. He could deal with having to defend ChalkZone against people he didn't really care that much about. He didn't mind running circles around them or making them angry, because they were his enemies, and he knew they hated him right back.

But for his aunt to find out... That would be a whole different story. He loved his aunt, and he knew how much she cared about him. He would feel awful having to go against her, to violate that familial bond they had. He couldn't do to her what he did to Terry or Vinnie. He'd feel awful about it. And his aunt...she loved him too much to let him wander around in what she may see as a 'dangerous dimension'. She would most certainly tell his folks about it, and then..what were they going to do...? Bar him from going into ChalkZone? Would they spread the word? Would it get exposed...?

Rudy felt like cursing himself out for forgetting to erase the portal. He was usually good with that sort of stuff. The fact that he forgot this time... He wanted to smash his head in the wall. How could he have been so stupid? He could only hope that he would make it back in time to ensure that his aunt would not find out.

Only time would tell if he would succeed or fail.

sss

"No...No..." Rudy whispered. He smacked his lips together, his eyes darting around. Then, a few seconds later, he screamed, "No!"

Penny watched her friend sadly. She rubbed her hands together nervously, clenching her teeth. She hated to see Rudy like this. So upset, so angry, so...terrified... She wished she could comfort him. She wished she could say something to help him feel better. But at the moment, she was drawing a blank.

They had recently arrived at the location where Rudy gets into ChalkZone from his home. It hadn't taken them too long to get here. Maybe a few minutes, but to them, it felt so much longer. To them, they couldn't move fast enough. Every second counted. Every moment that passed was a second wasted. There was so much riding on this. Time all around them appeared to slow down, coming to a hault. Minutes swiftly transformed into hours, and she and Rudy both couldn't help but fear the worst.

Penny tried to remain rational about the situation. She tried to remind Rudy, and herself, that there was still time. Tilly may not have gone into his bedroom yet. The portal was probably just sitting there in his empty room, just waiting to be erased. They had to keep calm and avoid getting themselves worked up. They would not solve anything that way.

Then came the painful shattering of hope when they finally arrived at their destination. Penny had went quiet in horror, while Rudy found it difficult to keep quiet. He frantically called out, hoping it was some kind of sick joke. He had even turned to her and wondered if she did anything, which she could assure him that she did not.

There was no way they could deny the truth that was before them. Despite the want...the need... of getting that hope back, she knew it was not to be.

The portal...was gone.

So many possibilities filtered through her head. There were so many things that could have happened, many of which would make the situation oh so dire. She was not able to stop the images of possibilities from sifting through her head, growing dread eating away at her stomach.

Had the portal been erased? Had it been moved? Did Tilly come in and take it? Did something else happen? Maybe someone in ChalkZone had... No, that wouldn't make much sense. But...maybe it was still okay. Maybe the portal was just erased. Yes.. Maybe somehow Sophie had one back to the Real World. Blocky could have taken her. She could have erased it herself.

Trying her best to stay calm. Penny moved closer to Rudy and gently nudged him on his shoulder. The boy simply stood there, almost in a trance, as he stared at where the portal had been. "Rudy.." Penny said, trying to get his attention. "Try to draw a portal. Maybe we..."

"It won't work..."

Penny blinked her eyes a few times. "Excuse me..?"

"It won't work, Penny." Rudy turned his head. His face was the most haunting she had ever seen. What he said next nearly made her heart stop. "The chalkboard isn't there anymore..."

Penny gasped and took a step back. "I-It isn't...?" Rudy shook his head. "Are you sure?" She held her hand out in gesture. "M-Maybe we..."

"It's not there. I checked." Rudy's body shivered slightly as emotion swept through him. "The chalkboard is gone!" He shut his eyes tightly, turning his head to face the ground. He kicked the ground hard, knocking dirt up into the air. "Someone took the chalkboard! And we don't have a damn idea where it is!"

"Rudy..." Penny whispered, horrified by both the news and her friend's behavior.

Rudy seethed, taking in a few quick breaths. His narrowed eyes were filled with a mixture of anger and sorrow. He shifted his gaze and looked at her again. Penny felt ice shoot through her body when she saw the look in his eyes. She found it hard to turn her eyes away despite how uncomfortable it was. Rudy looked almost...feral for a split second. The horror shined through his eyes quite clearly, and he looked like someone who had been boxed into a corner.

After a few seconds, Rudy swiftly settled himself down. His expression softened up and his body became more relaxed, less tense. He appeared to realize what he was doing and he gave Penny a regretful expression. He took a few steps back, taking in a couple breaths, looking left and right. It was as though he was making sure he didn't break out into a rampage or something, despite how silly that sounded.

"Penny, I..I'm sorry." Rudy whispered softly. "I don't know what came over me, I..." He put a hand on his head and shook it. "I just felt like...I don't know..."

"Shh...It's okay Rudy. I understand." Penny clasped her hands together, staring at her friend with concern. "You're just worried...frightened. So am I, Rudy." She cracked a small smile. "But don't worry. We are in this together. We'll...we'll think of something..."

Rudy hung his head. "But..what are we going to do?" He tilted his head so he could look at her in the eyes again. This time, his eyes were filled with only sadness. No anger to be seen. "We don't know where the chalkboard was taken, or by whom..."

Penny nodded her head. "That is true." She crossed her arms against her chest. "But.. we won't find out anything here. We will need get back into the Real World and figure things out from there."

"But Penny..." Rudy looked left and right. "Where should we come in from?"

Penny thought about this. There weren't too many places they accessed ChalkZone from. The main place was here, at Rudy's. There was also the school, but only during recess. At least during the times when Mr. Wilter didn't have anybody to watch during that time. The school was likely to be closed right now, so no one would see them coming in.

But that may not be a good idea. If they went in through the school, then they may have to contend with the security system. Even if they took care of that, how would they get out? The doors would be bolted shut until tomorrow, provided they are even open the next day. And what if there were people there? Penny realized that there still might be someone, like the time when she and Rudy snuck into the school, Mr. Wilter had been there, and he had nearly caught them. Penny wasn't sure if the school would be the right place to go.

There was one other place they could try, and it would be easier. They could try her place. She knew her mom would be busy all day. She always was. Her mother typically didn't bother her in her room. Her mom was pretty respectful of her 'territory', as it were, and thus would not enter the room while she was gone.

Yes, that would be the better option. It was closer, and it would certainly be easier explaining their appearance in her home than trying to tell the authorities why she and Rudy were trespassing in a building after hours.

"Let's head to my house, Rudy." Penny said. She made a motion with her arm. "We can have my mom drop us off at your house."

At this, Rudy tilted his head in confusion. "Uh..." He raised his finger up. "Would that be such a good idea...?"

"What do you mean?" Penny asked.

Rudy rubbed the back of his head. "Didn't you tell me something about you fainting and how your mom wouldn't leave you alone for a while because she wanted to make doubly sure that you were okay?" Penny nodded her head slowly at this. She waited for him to say more, wondering what his point was going to be. "Aren't you worried that she is going to try to check again? Or what if she went in your room to make sure you were okay?"

Penny's eyes widened at this. She had almost forgotten about her mishap with Von earlier today. She had been so concerned about the twister, and all that, it had slipped her mind. Her mother had done a thorough look at her already, however, that didn't mean she wouldn't try again. She was her daughter, after all.

"Then that gives us more of a reason to go there." Penny said slowly, her eyes filling with the glow of realization. "If I am not back there soon, and if my mom finds out I'm missing..." She tilted her head slightly so she could give Rudy a sideways glance. "We might have a police case on our hands."

Rudy winced at this. "It might be a bit early for that. She might just think..."

Penny shook her head. "I was in trouble today, Rudy. My mom is going to be extra worried." She turned her head away. "If we don't get back there...If I'm not home..."

There was no time to waste. They couldn't stay here for much longer. Her mother was going to realize she was gone. Her mother would surely come to her room to check on her, only to see she was missing. Her mother would panic and likely call the police, especially due to the fact that she stopped breathing. Even if her mother didn't... It wouldn't be wise to take the risk. Regardless of what she told her mother before, she knew they had to get back there and fast.

The sooner they got there, the sooner she could make sure that her mom isn't going to have a heart attack. And then they could get her mom to take them back to Rudy's, under the guise of spending the night there, and she and Rudy could spend the night trying to figure things out.

Looking over at Rudy, Penny made a quick gesture with her head. "Come on, Rudy. Let's get going."

Rudy didn't bother trying to argue with her this time. She was glad for this, happy that he was coming along with her instead of wasting precious time arguing about what they should do. It wouldn't take them too long to reach her place. The sooner they got there, the better. She could only hope they got there before her mother got worried sick.

She realized they still hadn't determined Sophie's location. This was definitely going to be problematic. Rudy's aunt would be worried sick if she's not home. Penny felt horrible about leaving ChalkZone before finding Sophie, but she also knew the devastation that could strike ChalkZone if another human had found out about it. They would have to find her later and hope that she was just with Blocky somewhere.

The two children ran off into the distance, their feet pounding the grassy ground with each stride. It shouldn't take them too long to reach her place. Hopefully there will be no more complications and that everything will just be smooth sailing from here on out.

But she could not shrug off the nagging feeling that the road ahead will be a lot bumpier than she and Rudy would have liked...

sss

Rudy stared in shock at what laid before him, or rather, what didn't. He shook his head in denial, not wanting to believe it. He exchanged a look with Penny, hoping to see if she had some kind of solution or explanation. But there was just...nothing. She looked just as horrified as she did. Rudy turned his head away and looked back at the space in front of him.

The chalkboard... It... It was gone...

Rudy's mind raced at this realization. He found it hard to control his breathing. His worst fears had just become a reality. His chalkboard was gone completely. He had hoped that maybe it just been moved. But..no... He did not see it anywhere in his room. True, it could be somewhere else in the house, but... the chalkboard had never been moved like that before. And in order for that to happen, his aunt would have...

He trembled at the thought. He couldn't believe that this was happening. He couldn't believe that they had come out of a tough situation with the tornado, and then convincing Penny's mom that everything was all right, neither of which were easy to do. And now, to come here, and to see this...to come to such a sight... It was horrible. How could this have happened...?

He tried to rationalize the situation. He tried to think of something that didn't sound so bad. Maybe there was something that could have happened that still allowed ChalkZone to be safe. Maybe there was something that was missing. Maybe he just wasn't thinking hard enough.

But the more he thought about it, the more he realized... No, he wasn't. There was only one conclusion that this could mean. Only one direction that this could go. There was no way Sophie was strong enough to drag the chalkboard around. She was too little. But his aunt...

The idea of his aunt finding out about ChalkZone made his heart skip a beat. He tried to be more positive. He tried to think of something, but his mind was swirling with a storm of thoughts, a headache sweeping through his skull. His aunt...she was the only one who could have moved the chalkboard. She was the only adult in the house. And there was no way she could have moved it without...

Oh no..

Rudy dropped down onto his knees. He felt Penny's hand on his shoulder. She looked at him with great worry. Rudy kept his eyes downcast as his mind was raging with thoughts that just woudn't leave him alone. Horrible imagery of what coud happen as a result of this...

And all because he didn't erase the fucking portal.

This was all his fault. He should have known better. He should have made sure the portal was closed. He should have erased it as soon as he came into ChalkZone. And now, because of him..of his stupidity... There was no doubt in his mind that his aunt knew about ChalkZone.

Or did she? Another thought came to Rudy's head. It was no less comforting. But what if it was stolen? He remembered how Terry had been on the streets earlier, not far from where he lived. What if she had something to do with this? What if she had snuck into his house and stolen the chalkboard? Or maybe she tricked his aunt into letting her in. Not that it made the situation any better, but it was still another plausibility.

He was glad that at least the problem with Sophie was solved. When he and Penny came, she was busy drawing in one of his notebooks and hadn't really noticed him sneaking into the room. Blocky must have dropped her off and left. This was the only thing that made him smile. At least Sophie was safe and sound.

But his happiness was short lived. There was still the issue of the portal. He had to figure out what happened. He looked down at Sophie. Perhaps she would know. He and Penny had been so frozen in shock, they hadn't bothered to ask Sophie about what had happened. He licked his lips nervously, hoping that Sophie had forgiven him after their previous...spat, if it could be called that.

"Hey, Soph...?"

To his relief, when Sophie looked over at him, she smiled broadly. She immediately got up onto her legs and spread her arms out. "Rudy!"

Rudy grunted as Sophie leaped into his arms and held on tightly. Rudy giggled, along with Penny. He grabbed onto her and held the little girl in his arms. "Good to see you again, Soph!" He looked left and right nervously. "You...uh...forgive me for being a jerk earlier?"

Sophie stared at him for a moment. Then her smile broaded and she cuddled up against him. She planted a quick peck on the cheek and called out, "Rudy! Rudy!"

"I'll take that as a yes." Rudy said with a grin. Then his smile faded slightly, worry becoming more dominant on his mind once more. "Hey.. Do you know where my chalkboard went, Sophie? I can't seem to find it?" At this, Sophie pointed towards the door. "Did someone take it?"

Sophie nodded her head. "Drag it away!"

"Who?" Rudy asked. Before Sophie could answer, there was a loud shout. It was enough to make him and Penny cringe, although Sophie merely looked surprised.

"Rudy Tabootie! Answer me!"

Rudy sucked in a sharp breath. That was his Aunt Tilly, and she sounded furious. He could feel his heart begin to race against his chest as he casted a worried glance to Penny. Although there was a chance that this did not at all relate to ChalkZone, with how angry she sounded...

Rudy quickly set his little cousin down. He looked towards the door. Thankfully, his aunt wasn't coming up the steps yet. But judging from how enraged she sounded, he knew it was only a matter of time before she would do something. Her tone of voice had some frustration in it, as if she had been trying to reach him for a while. He bit his lip. If that's the case..then he better not keep her waiting much longer, or she will come up.

He turned to Penny and quickly handed her the little girl. "Penny, watch Sophie. I need to go speak to my aunt."

"Rudy!" Penny called out. Rudy stopped and looked over his shoulder tentatively. "Do you...want me to come with?"

Rudy thought about this. He would certainly like the company, since he knew his aunt was going to tear him a new one. Penny's company would help him through the ordeal. Soon, however, he shook his head. "No. It's best if I do this alone. My aunt may send you away, anyway."

Penny nodded her head. "I understand." She steadied Sophie in her arms. She watched as Rudy left, giving him a sympathetic look. "...good luck, Rudy."

Rudy paused at this. He looked over at Penny. Slowly, he smiled at her. "Thanks..." His smile fading, he turned around and walked away.

The atmosphere as he exited his bedroom and headed towards the stairs was intense. He hadn't even figured out why he was in trouble, nor did his aunt yell for him again. But the air had somehow gotten so thick... So tense... There was a sudden chill that made him shiver. He wrapped his arms against his chest, rubbing them to generate some form of heat.

It was almost unbearable walking down the steps. Normally, this was not a big deal. But today, due to what was going on... It was more like torture. He could feel himself growing more and more tense as he went down the stairs. Each step felt like something sharp was shooting up through his legs. He couldn't stop gritting his teeth, his mind practically numb, unable to think of anything except for what he might be in for when he reached the bottom step.

He could see the shadow of his aunt. She was standing by the living room. She must have heard him coming. She was waiting for him. Rudy was usually happy to see her, but today... This was even worse than the stupid chores thing. He was almost..terrified...to come down. A part of him wanted to run away so badly. But he felt his body gravitating towards her, as if she were emitting an invisible force that was taking him to her.

And then he saw her face. As he came around, as he turned his head to look, there she stood. The moment he saw her face, he almost crouched down and wet himself. She wore the most furious expression he had ever seen her muster. If looks could kill...

Rudy swallowed nervously, feeling a bitter taste move down his throat. Aunt Tilly just glared at him, her arms folded tightly against her chest. He continued to stare at her, unable to turn his gaze away. Soon, he mustered up the weakest and most nervous of smiles and raised his hand in a quick wave.

"H-Hi, Aunt Tilly..." Rudy tried to sound friendly, but he was unable to stop the cautious tone of voice. "Wh-What did you want...? M-More chores...?" He was practically begging at this point for it to just be more chores. Unfortunately, he was not that lucky.

"Rudy Tabootie.. Do you mind explaining to me..." Tilly's voice wasn't necessarily cold, but it still sent a shiver through his spine. "...why there was a portal into another dimension on your chalkboard...?"

Rudy's heart skipped a beat, nearly stopping altogether. His eyes widened, and he felt like several rocks had just been dumped on his shoulder. He was unable to speak, even breathe, for several seconds. His aunt didn't beat around the bush, and she had just confirmed what he had been fearing this whole time.

His breathing took on a shaky form, and he could feel sweat beginning to pour down his face. He tried to think of something, anything, to say. He tried to think of a way to get her to believe it was all just a dream. But nothing would come. All he could do was stand there and cower in her presense. The way she continued to glare at him... He was unable to think of any kind of lie to get him out of this. And nothing he could say would work anyway. If she had seen the evidence...

No, there had to be something he could do. Anything... This..this couldn't be happening... Please, don't let it be so.. Please..let this all be just one big nightmare... Soon he would wake up and everything was going to be okay.

Rudy yelped when he felt his aunt grip his shouder tightly. She yanked him forward. He ignored the pain in his shoulder as he stared up at her, wide-eyed. "I saw the portal, Rudy. I saw there was another world there. Just..just what were you thinking? How could you have... You didn't tell your folks, did you?"

"I-I..." Rudy gulped and shook his head. "N-No..I..."

Aunt Tilly growled at this. "How could you be so wreckless?! You could have gotten hurt!"

Rudy raised his hands up at his sides. "Please, Aunt Tilly! I-It's not what you think! It's not dangerous! I..."

Aunt Tilly released his shoulder and took a step back. "I can't believe that you did something like this behind your parents' backs. All this time, they thought you just..snuck outside or something when you wanted to be alone. But you...you were going off into this..." Her teeth gritted. "..alternate dimension... with gawd knows what danger! What if you gotten really hurt? We wouldn't know what to do or where to look!"

"Please, just listen to me..." Rudy begged, his heart racing against his chest. "I can explain!"

"Oh I bet you can! But you chose not to tell any of us about this!" Aunt Tilly sneered at him, her anger beginning to reach its boiling point. Her face took on a red shade, making Rudy whimper and cringe away from her. "How long..."

"How long what...?" Rudy whimpered softly.

"How long were you going to this fucking dimension?!" Aunt Tilly snapped at him, her voice raising in volume.

Rudy cowered away from her. He tried to take back away from her, but his feet felt as though they were glued to the ground. "Two years..."

"Two years?!" His aunt wailed. "And in all that time, you never thought of telling your mother or your father?!"

"N-No..I...I didn't want them to worry..." Rudy was getting desperate. He tried to think of something to say to ease his aunt's mind. But what could he do to calm down an enraged woman? "Please...it's not that dangerous..."

Aunt Tilly narrowed her eyes at this. "Then why didn't you tell your folks? If it wasn't so bad, why didn't you say anything?"

Rudy froze at this. He looked left and right, trying to think of what to say. How could he explain the situation to his aunt? How could he get her to understand just what would happen to the zoners if the truth came out? Would she even care about their fate? Would she dismiss them just because they weren't human?

There was no turning back. As much as Rudy wanted to, there was nothing that could be done to get him out of this mess. He was no choice but to tell his aunt the truth. And right now he needed to focus on trying to calm her down. If he convinced her that the world wasn't dangerous, maybe she'd relax more. But then, how would he explain why he didn't tell anyone...? He bit his lip. He had to try something.

"I...I didn't think it was a big deal..." Rudy said. He flinced at this. It was the worst lie he had ever come up with. "I didn't think my parents would really mind it."

Aunt Tilly cocked up an eyebrow at this. "You didn't think your folks would mind it if you spend time in a potentially dangerous alternate dimension?!"

"It's not dangerous!" Rudy cried out. "The inhabitants aren't dangerous! Penny and I are fine in there!" He froze when he realized he had spilled out Penny's name. Before he could correct it, his aunt apparently caught it.

"You not ony endangered yourself, but you took Penny in there as well?!" Aunt Tilly gripped her head, her hair flying upwards. "I can't believe this... How could you endanger the life of your best friend?!"

Rudy waved his hands out in front of him. "I'm telling you! It's safe!" He raised his hands up like he did before, this time, bringing his arms closer to his chest as he gave a nervous smile. "Even Sophie was able to move around in there without..."

Rudy realized he had blown it. He put a hand over his mouth, his eyes bulging open. It was one thing to say he brought Penny in, but to admit that Sophie was in that chalk world as well..?

Rudy winced when he saw the look in his aunt's eyes. Bulging open with anger, her face's red color deepening. He could see her teeth being exposed as she clenched them. Her body began to shake at the realization that her only daughter had been romping around in this alternate dimension.

For several moments, even minutes, all she did was glare at him. He could hear her emit a low growl, but now words came out. She just kept staring at him, giving him a look of anger and disbelief. Rudy could see her body shake harder as the emotion swelled up in her. Rudy could feel his own body trembling in fear. He had screwed up. He really messed things up this time. He wanted to smack himself for such a foolish statement. How could he have let this slip out?

The tense, uneasy silence of the air came to an end when he heard Aunt Tilly exhale slowly, her breath escaping through her clenched teeth. All the rage she was feeling was present in that breath, and it made his blood run cold.

"You took Sophie into that wretched world...?" Aunt Tilly asked. "Rudy, I'm very disappointed in you... Not only did you endanger Penny's life, but you endangered my daughter's!"

"I-I didn't mean to...! She just..got in and..." Rudy stammered. "Look, I got her out before the staplegator and the rhino..."

"I thought you said it was safe!" Aunt Tilly cut him off.

Rudy realized he had just made another grave mistake. "I-I..." He fell silent, unsure of what else to say. Now he wished more than ever that he had Penny by his side. She could have helped him through this.

"It's a good thing, then, that I sold that chalkboard of yours." Aunt Tilly said coolly. Rudy shot her a shocked expression. "Don't look at me that way. You should be thanking me for getting rid of that...that gateway into hell..."

"Y-You sold it...?" Rudy breathed, his wide eyes nearly popping out of their sockets. "How...how could you have...?"

Aunt Tilly shook her head. "Don't you dare try to pull that on me, young man." She curled her lip up in a show of anger. "You are the one who kept lying to your own parents...your own family, about this other dimension. You were the one who constantly endangered yourself, your friend, and even your own cousin!" She took a step forward. "You have no right to get upset with me! It is you who screwed up! It is you who has a lot to answer for!"

At this, anger surged to the surface of Rudy's mind. He glared back at his aunt. "You sold my chalkboard without talking to me first! You violated my privacy, my property! You didn't bother trying to ask me if I wanted to get rid of that chalk board!" He took in several breaths, trying to control his raging mind. "Just...just who did you sell it off to?!"

"That is none of your business!" Aunt Tilly snarled at him. She reached for him again, but this time, Rudy swatted her hand away.

"Yes it is my business! That was my chalkboard!" Rudy jabbed a finger in her direction. "And you stole it! You broke my trust in you and you..." His voice devolved into a growl.

"You already destroyed my trust in you when I found out what you had been hiding from us! You should be ashamed, Rudy!" Aunt Tilly hissed at him as she started to advance towards him. "You screwed up big time! Do you have any idea what might have happened if..." She shook her head, closing her eyes. She looked like she was having a hard time coming up with words to say. "You have been romping around this dangerous world for two fucking years! Two long years! In all that time, you could have gotten killed! But instead of doing the right thing and telling us about it, you chose to keep it a secret!"

Rudy felt his heart pounding harder as he was being backed up against the wall. He looked left and right, gritting his teeth, trying to find a way out. "I had no choice! I couldn't endanger the lives of the people who live there! I..."

"Oh, so these filthy creatures are worth your time and effort, but not your own family?!" Accused his aunt.

"No! It's not like that! Please just..." Rudy tried to regain his composure, but his aunt's behavior was making it hard. He could feel her anger from here, and it was filling up his chest and heart. It intermixed with his own. He knew if he didn't get away soon...

Suddenly, his back touched the wall. He was cornered. He had nowhere to go. All he could do was stare up at his aunt, who had boxed him in completely, and hope that soon, so very soon, this would be all over.

"If that is how much you love your family..." Aunt Tilly's voice was laced in cold sarcasm. "..then I am glad you won't be able to use that chalkboard of yours to create anymore of your worthless crap!"

Rudy froze for a moment, feeling as though a knife just ripped through his chest. Then the burning anger took him over, feeling his face heat up. "You bitch!" He spat. "I worked hard on my art, and you know.."

"Oh shut up, you insensitive brat!"

Rudy let out a cry of pain when Aunt Tilly struck him across the face. The force of the impact sent him tumbling to the floor. He hit the ground in a loud thud, his shoulder smashing up against it.

He laid there for several moments. His mind was in a state of shock. He couldn't move, couldn't speak. He just rested on the ground, laying on his side. He could feel the dull ache in his shoulder, the stinging pain in his cheek that his aunt just struck. He slowly touched it, feeling the warmth of when the palm hat hit him. He felt all the anger from before melt away, replaced with horrific realization.

He slowly turned his head to look up at his aunt. He flinched when he saw her still glaring at him, her teeth bared. Her hand was still raised up, as if she were getting ready to strike him again. Slowly, Rudy climbed up to his feet, keeping his head and shoulders low as he stared at his aunt cautiously, his eyes remaining wide in disbelief.

She had struck him... He couldn't believe that she would..do such a thing... He had never been hurt by her before. She had never acted this way to him before. Rudy could feel his heart shattering inside his chest. A cold feeling rose up inside of him, and he felt a bitter taste in his mouth. In that moment, the trust he had in his aunt was replaced by a hurt feeling of betrayal. He could feel his eyes begin to well up, a very faint whimper escaping his mouth.

His aunt's eyes flickered upon seeing his tears, and then widened. The woman appeared to realize what she had just done. Her scowl was rapidly taken over by a horrified look. She put a hand to her mouth as she stared down at Rudy. "R-Rudy..." She choked. "I-I..."

Tears flowing down his cheeks, Rudy took a step back. He sniffled loudly, trying to fight back the urge to cry. He scrambled to get away from Aunt Tilly when he saw her reach for him. He hunched his body, trembling like a leaf.

"Please... Rudy... sweetie..." Aunt Tilly cooed. "I'm...I'm sorry... Please..."

Trembling, his lip quivering, tears blurring his vision, Rudy rushed past his aunt, and bolted towards his room. He ignored her pleads for him to come back.

sss

"Rudy! Please! Come back!"

Tilly tried to call out to Rudy. She begged for him to come back. But it was too late. Rudy was gone. He ran way from her, and seconds later, she could hear the sound of the door being slammed. She was left alone, standing in silence, in shock at what had just happened.

She couldn't believe what she did. She just...she just struck her own nephew... She knocked him into the ground. She insulted his work and she had called him a brat. She...she couldn't believe that she... Oh, how could she have done that to him? How could she have let her anger get this far...? She stared at her hand, the one that had been used to slap Rudy. She could still feel the sting from when she made contact. Staring at the palm made tears of her own begin to creep behind her eyes.

She had been angry at Rudy for lying. She had been angry that he had kept this world a secret from them. She was so infuriated...but that was only because she loved him so much. She just...didn't want him to get hurt. She was so scared that something could have happened. And then Penny and Sophie...

But that was no excuse for what she had done to him. She had boxed him against the wall and yelled at him. He had been trying to explain to her the situation, but she just kept biting his head off. She treated him like some kind of...of criminal... And she wouldn't let him explain properly. He was too frightened and scared...because she had been acting like such a...such a...

She could still see the look in his eyes after she struck him. He looked so...hurt..so betrayed... She had tried to comfort him, tried to help him feel better, tried to apologize... But it was too late. The damage had already been done.

She had broken the boy's trust in her. She had only been worried about him...and she went and broke his trust. She hurt him mentally and physically. She was his aunt, for crying out loud. How..how could she have...

Emotion swelled up inside of her. The horrible guilt ate away at her stomach, making her feel sick. She dropped down on her knees, her body trembling in disbelief. She wrapped her arms around herself, her teeth clenching, the tears flowing down her face. Unable to take it all, she broke down crying, her sobs echoing in the room.

In a wet, trembling voice, she whispered, "I'm so very sorry, Rudy..." A loud sniffle. "I-I didn't mean it... I didn't mean it..." Her voice vanished, replaced with nothing but whimpers and cries.

sss

Blocky let out a soft groan as he opened up his eyes flowly. He blinked a few times, his vision blurry. He could barely make out anything around him. It was so dark... And the shapes that he could see, they were too blurry for him to fully realize what they were.

His head hurt him so badly. He tried to fight back the feeling of nausea, his head swirling in pain. He felt as though he had been hit with something. And his eyes... They were so heavy, he found it hard to keep them open. It was a struggle just to remain conscious. Just what...what had happened to him...?

The rectangular zoner hardly remembered what happened. He recalled something about a tornado..And he thought he had gone into the Real World.. But that's it. Everything else was just a blur to him. He tried to call upon his memories. He tried to search through his mind and find out information on what happened to him. But he could find nothing.

Well...perhaps he should at least try to get up and walk around. Maybe if he explored this place, he could figure out where he was and go from there. Maybe, when he got back into ChalkZone, he took a wrong turn or something and merely fell asleep. It was possible. He didn't always have the best sense of direction.

But when he attempted to move, he realized something was very wrong. His arms...they wouldn't move. His legs... And what was this pain eminating from them? Why did he hurt so bad? He yanked his arm a little harder, only to cause himself to scream in agony. His body tightened up, giving a quick shiver, before he relaxed as the pain, thankfully, went away. He took in a few quick breaths.

What was going on? Where was he? Why was he immobilized? Why was he in pain? He looked left and right as his vision rapidly cleared, fear eating away at his insides.

"R-Rudy...?" Blocky called out hopefully. "P-Penny...?"

A chilling voice greeted his ears. "Those brats aren't going to be able to help you..."

Blocky whipped his head around. "Who said that?" He cried, his body shaking. "Wh-Who's there?"

He heard footsteps. Two pairs of them, and they were heading his way. He turned his head to see where it was coming from. Forward, in front of him. He narrowed his eyes slightly as he tried to make out the shapes. Shadows formed on the ground, creating even darker areas. Soon, the figures had gotten close enough for him to realize what they were.

Two adult humans. A man and a woman. Significantly different ages. Both of them smiling slyly at him...

Blockly shivered at their expressions. He could tell, just from looking at them, that they had nothing but ill intentions for him. He struggled harder, trying to get himself free. But he only caused himself more pain. He eventually stopped trying, lowering his head as he tried to cope with the pain. He looked back at the adults, seeing no sympathy in their eyes.

Blocky took a moment to look at his left arm. His eyes bulgd open in horror when he saw that the cuff used to keep him there was serrated. And when he struggled, it cut against him. No wonder it hurt so badly... He looked from there and then back to the adults, whimpering as he looked into their malicious eyes.

"Who..who are you...?" Blocky whimpered.

"I am Dr. Von Doktor." The man said. He gestured to the woman. "And ziz iz Terry Bouffant."

Blocky gasped in horror. He recognized those names. Rudy had told him about them. In that instant, Blocky realized just what kind of trouble he was in. Out of fear, he started to struggle again.

"Oh yes, struggle, you chalk creature." Terry said with a sneer. "You are going to be our guest for quite some time. And we are going to have so much...fun..."

Blocky widened his eyes in terror.