"I...I..." Rudy breathed in, trying to take in what had transpired. "You're...you're..."

He thought he had to be dreaming. There was no way this could be true. Mr. Wilter...he couldn't be the artist from the past... He had always ranted and raved about how he hated cartoons. He didn't know anything about ChalkZone. If Wilter had ever caught him or anyone else drawing on the chalkboard, he would yell at them, or even assign them detention.

He wondered if he and Snap had actually died when the smoke hit them. And this was some sort of afterlife that was just a conjure of random thoughts. No..that would not be very logical. He wouldn't feel any pain if he were dead. And his head was aching him. Then again, when dealing with a world made of chalk, just what did the term 'logical' entail anymore?

He rubbed his eyes a few times. Maybe they were just still a little too cloudy to see clearly. He blinked a few times and looked at the man. No, it was still Mr. Wilter. There was no mistaking him. That large nose, the red suit, the receding brown hair...it was him all right.

Mr. Wilter's facial features were a little softer than he was used to. He rarely ever saw Mr. Wilter look this concerned and worried about someone before. And especially not directed at him. The man was down on his knees, keeping an eye level with Rudy.

Rudy took notice of something on the ground next to Mr. Wilter. It was a gas mask. That would explain why Mr. Wilter didn't collapse from the smoke in the other room. Now that he was far away from the smoke, there was no need for the mask anymore.

"I understand your confusion, Rudy." Mr. Wilter said. "There's...a lot I haven't told you..."

"Yeah... I mean...out of everyone, I didn't think you'd be the one to rescue me and Snap..." Rudy's eyes snapped wide open. He whipped his head left and right. "Where is Snap?!"

Rudy remembered seeing Snap being carried out with him. But he couldn't see him anywhere. What had happened to him?

"It's okay. He's over there." Wilter moved aside and moved his hand to point to where Snap was laying down. "He hasn't woken up from the smoke yet."

Rudy could see Snap on the ground. He was on his stomach, his head turned to the side. Rudy tried to stand up, but the smoke was still affecting him. He slid back down before he could get all the way to his feet. He began to wonder if the smoke was damaging. He looked up towards Mr. Wilter, who guessed what was on his mind.

"Don't worry, the smoke shouldn't cause any real damage. It just incapacitates individuals for a short time." Mr. Wilter said. "Unfortunately..this means that, pretty soon, Mr. Cosmo will be awake. And no doubt, he will be looking for us."

Rudy gritted his teeth at the mention of that man's name. When all was said and done, he wanted that Mr. Cosmo got what was coming for him. All the sorrow he felt earlier about Snap's condition turned into fiery hate towards the man who caused all of it to begin with.

Before, he wasn't sure how he was going to get back at Mr. Cosmo for what he had done. Just a short while ago, everything seemed so hopeless, like nothing he did would get them out of this mess. It was distressing, a terrible feeling. He hated feeling so helpless. He wanted to be able to help Snap...Penny...the citizens of ChalkZone. He wanted to be able to defeat Mr. Cosmo like how he had beaten the other bad guys in ChalkZone.

Now, things seemed to be finally looking up for him. A ray of hope was starting to shine. As shocked as he was to see Mr. Wilter, and as hard as it was for him to digest that he was the mystery artist from the past, it was a comfort knowing he was not only still alive, but seemed to remember Mr. Cosmo and had come to save him and Snap. With someone who had faced Cosmo before at his side, they would have a better chance of winning.

Rudy's mind halted for a moment. Something didn't seem right. If Mr. Wilter had known about Mr. Cosmo and the danger he presented, then why had he allowed him to come to the school? Why had he allowed him to take Rudy back into the abandoned classroom?

Either Mr. Wilter didn't really remember every little detail, he was lying and could possibly be working for Mr. Cosmo, or...there could be another factor he wasn't considering.

As if on cue, Mr. Wilter spoke.

"I do feel regret I didn't do anything earlier. I was a little suspicious when he sought you out, of all my students. Something about him did feel fishy..." Mr. Wilter said. He closed his eyes and shook his head. "I was a fool. I should have realized that his memories had started to return much sooner. I should have seen the signs. Had I known, I could have helped you sooner."

Rudy was unused to this amount of sorrow and regret from the person he thought would never become an ally. This didn't sound like the Mr. Wilter he knew. And that had him wondering. Just how much of Mr. Wilter did he not know of? How much of Wilter's behavior had been genuine...and how much had been an act to mislead him?

Rudy couldn't help but feel angry at Mr. Wilter for not telling him sooner. He was right. A lot of things could have been prevented if he had said something. If Mr. Wilter had told him, they wouldn't have had to try so hard to sneak into ChalkZone. Things would have been a lot easier.

But it was too late now. And at least Mr. Wilter finally fessed up. This was still going to take some time getting used to, though. Mr. Wilter...the man who saved ChalkZone years ago from Mr. Cosmo? If he had been told any of this a couple years ago, he would have laughed at the very idea.

"I suppose you want me to tell you the story, am I right?" Mr. Wilter asked Rudy after a bit of silence.

Rudy replied, "Well...Biclops already told me what happened..."

"There's some details I am sure he left out." Mr. Wilter said. He sat down next to Rudy, pressing his back against the wall. "I can tell you more, if you'd like. This tunnel's security cameras were disabled earlier. Ms. Saffron and Penny took care of that. So we have a little bit of time to talk before Cosmo gets them back up and running again."

"Penny...?" Rudy breathed. "She's...she's alive...?"

Mr. Wilter smiled down at him. He gave a slow nod. "Yes, Rudy. She is. Ms. Saffron rescued her from Draow's grasp. She's injured, but not too seriously. She'll be okay."

Rudy smiled. He felt so relieved and elated that Penny was okay. He had been so worried about her. He wasn't sure if she was dead or alive. Mr. Wilter's confirmation made him feel so much better.

But that smile soon faded when he remembered what he had seen earlier, when Draow went over to grab him. The red on his wing claw...

"So that blood I saw on Draow's wing..." Rudy whispered. "It really had been Penny's blood..."

"I'm certain you are right about that." Wilter said in a regretful voice. "She's lucky it wasn't as bad as it could have been. Draow is...quite a monster himself. He is the most resilient and dangerous of the zoners Mr. Cosmo has created."

Their conversation was interrupted when they heard a moan from where Snap was. Rudy watched in anticipation as Snap slowly raised his head. His eyes blinked a few times and looked around. He felt his heart sink when Snap immediately showed fear upon waking up. Not at him or Wilter, but looking around for Cosmo, as if he were just around the corner, waiting for him.

When Snap's eyes fell on Rudy, there was a moment of silence. Snap continued to stare at Rudy. The look of fear and confusion in his eyes... Rudy wondered if Snap was thinking this was a dream. After all he had been through, he couldn't blame the poor guy.

"R-Rudy...?" Snap said in a slighlty scratchy voice. "Is...is that really you?"

"Yeah Snap...it's me..." Rudy said. He smiled. He felt tears starting to form, these of happiness instead of sorrow. "Mr. Wilter got us out of there. You're safe now. Cosmo isn't here."

Mr. Wilter seemed to understand that the two needed a moment. He got up and he moved away. He couldn't leave them behind though. So he just sat on the other side of the tunnel. It was the best he could do to give the two some time together.

Snap's face brightened up a little. He still looked worried, but he was still happy that, for the moment, he wasn't in any danger. He clearly wanted to get closer to Rudy. He started to drag himself over with his hands as his feet were too damaged for the moment to be of any use.

Rudy's heart tightened as he saw his friend try to crawl over to him. Rudy's light headedness started to go away. He leaned forward towards Snap, reaching out his hands for him. Luckily the tunnel wasn't too wide, so it didn't take long for Snap to get close enough for Rudy to grab him.

Rudy gently grabbed Snap by his uninjured hand. Being very careful, he pulled Snap off the ground and into his arms. This moment felt almost like a dream. After all Cosmo put them through, he had a hard time believing that he was reunited, for real, with his best friend. It was almost too good to be true. But he knew, without a doubt, this was no dream. Sometimes reality is better than dreams...

Snap cuddled up closer to Rudy. He pressed his head against Rudy's chest and he wrapped his arms around Rudy tightly, afraid to let go. He started to shake and tremble in Rudy's arms. Tears flowed from his eyes as he started to cry.

"Rudy...it was so horrible..." Snap said, sniffling. "He...he did terrible things to me...he told me that I was never leaving this place alive..."

Rudy's lower lip quivered as tears of sadness began to drip from his eyes. "Oh Snap..." He cradled Snap gently, minding his injuries. "He won't hurt you ever again... I promise..."

Although Snap's shivering and sobbing slowed down, it was clear he was still frightened. Rudy bit his lip, trying to think of something he could do to help Snap feel safer, to provide a sense of comfort for his friend. He rested his chin on Snap's head, careful not to touch his forehead, where he knew the dreaded nail was.

That's when Rudy noticed there was something silver taped to Snap's head. That wasn't there before. He looked over at Mr. Wilter.

"Yes, I put that there." Mr. Wilter said, getting the thing of what Rudy was going to ask him. "It will block the signal from Mr. Cosmo's mind control devices. He won't be controlling Snap ever again."

At this, Snap slowly turned his head until he could see Wilter with one of his white eyes. A small, weak smile came onto his face. "Th-thank you..."

Mr. Wilter smiled for a moment. Then he narrowed his eyes lightly and he looked towards the ground. "We still need to get you to a hospital soon to get that...that thing removed from your head. I was able to stop the signal so you shouldn't get anymore damage. But a lot of harm has already been done to you."

Rudy's heart wrenched. "So you're saying that some of the damage could become...permanent?"

Mr. Wilter winced, then slowly nodded his head. "I am afraid so, Rudy. The damage could still be reversed if that thing is taken out soon. But with Cosmo tailing us, I don't know how fast we can get to a ChalkZone hospital."

"So..." Rudy bit his lip, afraid to ask. But he had to know. "...how long does he have before...?"

Snap looked up at Rudy worriedly. He pressed himself a little closer. Rudy responded by hugging him slightly tighter, careful not to hurt him.

Mr. Wilter was silent for a few moments. His already worried expression deepened. Rudy knew that wasn't a good sign. His heart sped up as he awaited the worst possible news.

"I would say..." Mr. Wilter said regretfully. "About six hours. And that's a best case scenario."

Rudy's eyes widened. He looked down at his injured friend, then back at Mr. Wilter. "Six...hours?"

Wilter nodded his head once. "Yes. Six. The mind control thing he placed in Snap is actually just an upgrade from something he created way back, shortly after his corruption. Biclops told me about the victims, who recovered and who did not." He took in a deep breath. "Snap has six hours left before the damage becomes irreversable." He looked at Rudy. "Have you...noticed any neurological problems?"

Rudy took in a sharp breath. He thought back to when he was first brought to Snap. He remembered vividly his friend trying to walk, only to be unable to balance himself and tripping a lot. A tear streamed down his face as he looked at Mr. Wilter.

"Y-Yes...He...he has trouble walking..." Rudy said softly. He stared at Snap's burned feet. "Even before that monster injured his feet so he couldn't get away..."

Mr. Wilter's eyebrows furrowed with concern and regret. "I...am sorry. I wish I could have given you better news."

Rudy didn't reply. He just continued to hold onto Snap. The reality of the situation hit him like a sharp stone. He felt his heart being yanked down by tremendous emotion. He felt like he was slapped in the face. He didn't to believe it. He wanted Mr. Wilter to be wrong, that Snap would be okay when all this was finally over. He wanted to be able to go on adventures with him again, to have fun like they always did before.

The idea that it may never happen again, it tore his heart open. He felt an uncomfortable pain in his chest as he tried to digest what Mr. Wilter told him. Fresh tears strolled from his eyes, wetting his cheeks. He turned his head away so that his tears didn't land on Snap and hurt him more.

The finality of it all was more than he could bear. He wanted to run, get out of here. He wanted to get away from anything that reminded him of what happened.

It just wasn't fair. Out of everyone...why did it have to be Snap? He hadn't done anything to deserve this. He had even helped save ChalkZone more times than he could remember. He shouldn't have to suffer like this. He should only have to worry about big things, such as dealing with another one of Skrawl's schemes. He shouldn't have to worry about something that should be mundane, such as the simple act of just getting around his home...

"B-Bucko..."

Snap's coarse voice caught his attention. He looked down at his injured blue friend. Snap was giving him a pained smile. "Snap..." He whispered.

"Please don't cry..." Snap said weakly. "None of this was...your fault."

"I...I don't want to lose you." Rudy choked, his eyes red with tears. "I can't lose you again."

Snap let out a soft chuckle. He reached over and touched Rudy's hand lightly. "You feel that? I'm still here."

"Snap..." Rudy's lip quivered. He wiped away his tears and pulled Snap into a tighter hug. "You're...you're like a brother to me..." He choked back a sob. "I...I love you..."

Snap's weak smile broaded just ever so slightly. "Love ya too, p-pal..."

Hearing that made Rudy's heart ache even more. Now, more than ever, he wanted to make Cosmo pay for hurting Snap. He was not going to get away with hurting who he saw as his little brother. He didn't know how, but somehow, he was going to get even with that evil man.

As Rudy continued to cradle Snap in his arms, he finally took notice of his arm, the one that had been damaged by Draow's jaws. Something thick and white covered it, wrapping around like a snake. Bandages.

He looked down at Snap again. He didn't know why he hadn't noticed earlier. Maybe he was too muggy and distressed to really take notice. But Snap's wounds were also bandaged up. Unlike his, the bandages Snap wore were clearly from ChalkZone given their appearance.

There was only one why either of them could have gotten the bandages on them. He looked over at Mr. Wilter.

"Did you do this?" He asked, gesturing to the bandages that were on both him and Snap.

Mr. Wilter said, "Yes. I was able to grab a medkit because I had a feeling I would be needing it, knowing what Cosmo is capable of." He glanced down at Snap. "When I heard that your friend from ChalkZone was in trouble, I had Penny go into ChalkZone briefly and draw a medkit. It didn't have to be the best-looking, just so that it worked. I treated you and Snap when you were still unconscious."

"Where are Penny and Saffron?" Rudy asked.

Wilter replied, "We will be catching up to them soon. They had to go fetch a...friend of mine."

"Friend?" Rudy looked at him, confused. "Who?"

"You will see." Wilter said with a smile.

Rudy wondered if he was referring to his pterosaur from years back. But it could always be someone else. Like those child drawings he found in Mr. Wilter's house. Maybe they were coming to help. Or someone that Rudy hadn't thought of... But Wilter could be right. He would find out soon enough.

Rudy realized there may not be much time left before Mr. Cosmo woke up. He looked over at Mr. Wilter, biting his lip lightly. There were things he still wanted to know. Stuff that he didn't fully understand. Wilter may be able to provide most of those answers.

"Biclops...he made it sound like everyone, including you, who had been to ChalkZone...got their memory erased." Rudy said slowly. "I..don't understand. How do you still remember? Did you get your memory back or something, like how Cosmo had?"

Mr. Wilter shook his head. "No. I always had them. Although Biclops had little trust in humans, he did let me keep my memory...as a thank you for stopping Mr. Cosmo. He had a...personal grudge against the man."

Rudy nodded his head, his eyes narrowed. "After what he did to ChalkZone...no wonder he didn't trust me at first."

"No." Mr. Wilter said.

That single word uttered shocked Rudy, even though Wilter hadn't explained. He stared wide-eyed at Wilter. What was he talking about?

Not bothering to wait for Rudy to ask him a question, Wilter continued, "Biclops disliked Cosmo even before he was fully corrupted."

Rudy blinked his eyes. "What? I don't understand."

"I'm not surprised. Biclops doesn't like to talk about it. But if there is one thing I am certain he hasn't told you..." Mr. Wilter paused for a moment. He stared at Rudy, his eyes intense. "Has Biclops ever told you who his creator was?"

What Mr. Wilter was implying disturbed Rudy. No...it couldn't be...could it? Slightly shaken, he shook his head.

Wilter closed his eyes. "It was Mr. Cosmo..."

"What?!" Rudy cried in unison.

"You're...kidding right?" Snap said softly, his voice filled with disbelief.

"I wish I were...but I'm not. You see, when Cosmo first found the black chalk, the first thing he drew was Biclops...or Cyclops as he was referred to as back then. Shortly after, Cosmo...started to give into the corruption of the black chalk. You know most of what happened after that, I'm sure."

Rudy nodded slowly. He was having a hard time letting this sink in. His mind flashed back to when Biclops, when he still had only one eye, had shown him what happened before. The images of the chalk creatures wreaking havoc, made by careless creators...those weren't just mischevious kids. Those were some of the artists Cosmo had corrupted. And that boy, the one who made Biclops, that had been Cosmo as a kid...

Mr. Wilter's story was not yet finished. "Cosmo had been unusually intelligent even back then. He's worse nowadays, but that doesn't mean he didn't cause harm back then. During his reign of terror, he had created something as a method of trying to control ChalkZone. A prototype to outright mind control that he's going with now."

"What did...he do?" Rudy asked cautiously.

"Mr. Cosmo...is the creator of the red chalk."

"What...?" Rudy was stunned, his eyes filled with fear. "How..how did..."

"The black chalk." Mr. Wilter said. "It gave him knowledge on how magic chalk works, on a deeper level than you or me. That is how he is able to create new types of chalk."

"I...I don't believe it..." Snap whispered. "I..I knew the psycho was dangerous but...to be able to create chalk..."

Rudy nodded in agreement. This was worse than they had imagined. Mr. Cosmo...the one behind the red menace that is locked away in the Chalk Mine. Rudy's respect for Biclops increased as he realized the giant had been taking care of his creator's mess.

"I do apologize for not telling you this sooner, Rudy. But...I had to pretend to not know about ChalkZone, in order to keep it safe." Mr. Wilter explained. "Even if there was a time when I really wanted to help you, I wasn't allowed to. It was too big a risk to let too many humans into ChalkZone. No one wanted a repeat of what happened. Though the black chalk is locked away...that isn't a guarantee an artist won't find it." Mr. Wilter sighed. "Just look at what happened to Cosmo..."

Something slowly dawned in Rudy's head. "So...the reason that you have been my teacher all these years..."

Mr. Wilter replied, "It was to make sure you had a chance at getting into ChalkZone during school hours, if you so needed to. Other teachers would have noticed the strange occurrences. I turned a blind eye so you and Penny could interact with ChalkZone."

The teacher got up and walked over to Rudy and Snap. He sat down next to them. He let out a breath. He glanced down at the confused boy.

"When you were just a little kid, I saw your potential. You had always been so kindhearted. I knew that there would come a day when ChalkZone would need a new protector. I had spoken to Biclops. He was, understandably, sore at the idea of letting another creator in. But..he agreed to give you a chance, and test you. I placed the last box of magic chalk that I had kept with me for years by the blackboard."

"You mean...you..." Rudy said, stunned.

Mr. Wilter gave a nod. "Yes. I am the reason you got into ChalkZone in the first place." He leaned back against the wall, his head tilting upwards. "I know I've said I hated cartoons... A part of me does, but that is just bitterness. I didn't exactly like being kicked out of ChalkZone, despite saving it. But..still..it was for the best, at the time." He looked down at Rudy. "I'm sorry I've been harsh on you at times, like with your chalk and vinegar test. I've only been like that to ensure you never give up doing art. Reverse psychology and all..."

The amount of information Rudy was recieving was staggering. But he and Snap had no time to let it digest. All of a sudden, a loud screech could be heard right above them. They all looked upwards, frozen. A second later, another screech and a crash could be heard.

Wilter narrowed his eyes. "Draow is awake... And that means so is Mr. Cosmo." He got up and gestured to Rudy and Snap. "Come on, we need to get moving. Staying in one spot is suicide."

Carefully, Rudy slung Snap across his back, just like how Penny had been carrying him. He held onto Snap's legs while the blue boy wrapped his arms around his neck gently. He followed Mr. Wilter down the tunnel.