I loved this story. Mint was a fantastic character, and I thought it was sweet how he ended up becoming a good guy in the end. I also must apologize for not reviewing chapter per chapter. I will try to do that soon. I'll try to give more of my thoughts.

I like how the story ended with them going to a place they had been earlier, a bit like how some of the other stories ended. It was nice to see them there, knowing that they could enjoy it this time without any nasty interruptions from Skrawl’s plan.

I wasn’t expecting a year to have passed at first. Though I guess it makes sense if Snap is mostly healed now. I guess they had found somewhere for the artifacts in this time, if Skrawl hadn’t come back and tried to do something again yet.

At least the damage has all finally been repaired! I’m glad that the places have been restored to what they were, or something better. And that Craniac let them help fix the future dome. XD

I’m glad the Zoners have finally started to trust Mint more. I don’t blame some of them for still being angry with him though, especially if they were directly affected by his actions. And I don’t blame Biclops either for being wary of Mint. Having him around Rudy all the time at first was a good idea on his part, wanting to make sure he kept ChalkZone safe. It’s good that he finally came to trust him.

Too bad Skrawl was never found after this. But at least he doesn’t have any artifacts anymore and probably can’t pose much of a threat at the time, if he’s kept quiet for so long.

I liked the scene at the end where they were racing on the mguus! It’s nice to see them finally acting as friends together, and for once in what seems like forever, finally being able to enjoy something without some major threat coming up.

Great ending to the story! I look forward to the new ones!

- Racingwolf

I thought it was really cool that Mint and Snap could talk to each other while in the hospital! That will definitely be good for both of them, and they can also get to know each other much easier that way, instead of having to wait until Mint recovers. And it’s also nice that Mint could finally properly thank Rudy and Penny for saving his life back there!

Smart of Rudy to give him one single magic chalk piece and have the rest be normal; he’d really have to protect that one piece and it certainly wouldn’t be good to have others just lying around. O.o

I realized while reading this that Mint WOULDN’T have known much about ChalkZone or how it really worked. I’d never really thought that much about it, but yeah, after all those lies from Skrawl and then avoiding everything, he wouldn’t really have a way to know. At least now they can explain that to him, and he won’t go drawing something dangerous on the chalkboard without realizing it. XD It was definitely good that he hadn’t before.

And true that, at least Skrawl didn’t tell him THAT aspect of ChalkZone, or else he would have been causing havoc from the Real World too. Not that Skrawl would have any reason to want him to; Skrawl was all about having control.

That was really nice of Mint to draw stuff for Snap like that! And good that he was able to draw equipment for the hospital (without accidentally having it land on top of Snap, too XD). I can see how he’d be hesitant about calling Rudy and Penny friends. If I were in his place, I would be too. After what he did to him, it would be hard to think he had the right to call them such. I am glad that got sorted out in the end, though!

Figures that Vinnie and Terry would hear about this and make the connections, especially since Rudy was involved. DX I wonder how they even convinced the nurses to come into the hospital room in the first place…or if they just snuck in. o.o

Mint was definitely smart not to tell them anything; I’m sure he wouldn’t have even if Rudy and Penny hadn’t warned him. Those two were just acting plain creepy. But wow, definitely not good that Vinnie knocked him over like that. o.o Serves them both right that they got arrested in the end.

I thought it was awesome that Rudy and Penny managed to get a normal sized chalkboard in there! Especially since they made sure it was safe and he wouldn’t have to worry about them finding him gone.

I don’t blame Mint for still feeling bad about what he did to Snap. He seriously injured him…that wouldn’t just go away for a long time.

The stadium thing was a really smart idea. Even if it’s still a start, it’s definitely a big step forward, and at least some of the Zoners could get a sense of closure. Even if they’re still skeptical, that should fade with time as Mint continues to help them, just like he thought. And haha, I liked the bit with the dinosaurs repairing stuff and the T-rex getting distracted. XD

Good to see that the damage in other places is being fixed, too! (Feel bad for Penny about the wiggie incident, though. xD) And nice that they could finally call Mint a friend.

I’m also REALLY glad to finally see closure for the Principal Stringent incident. Not only does that really help Rudy after what happened, but it also prevents her from getting too nosy about what happened in the quarry. This was definitely good for the protection of ChalkZone. And this time, it was really good to see Mint defying someone. Things should definitely be looking up now!

Great chapter, and I’m excited to see the ending!

- Racingwolf

I was wondering how Mint would react to all of this when he woke up. Probably good he did then and not before, where he would have been in a lot more pain before getting to the hospital. It’s not surprising he couldn’t remember a lot of what happened at first…especially I f he had been passed out for days. O.o

That would definitely be freaky for him to wake up and realize his foot was missing. o.o Not remembering anything at first would definitely make that discovery worse. It’s good that he started to remember things pretty soon, though, and remember that Skrawl was involved. I don’t blame him for wondering how he’d get into ChalkZone now. Or what he would tell his parents…he’d probably have to claim he just doesn’t remember what happened to him.

I’m glad he remembered what Penny did. She saved his life, and he definitely should thank her for that! I’m glad he was concerned for Snap’s well being as well. And I was really wondering what happened to Skrawl.

It was also really awesome of him to still want to do what he could to help ChalkZone. The idea to use his dinosaurs to help was definitely a good one! There’s plenty he could do even from the hospital bed, even if it’s just drawing stuff Zoners need on the portable chalkboard.

It would be so confusing to realize you were asleep/unconscious for a long period of time but not know HOW long. It was kind of amusing that he first jumped to “a year” though. XD

But I was really glad that Rudy and Penny came in so soon, so he wouldn’t have to be wondering about that for very long. It was good he didn’t have to wait for answers like Rudy and Penny had to in Play the Game.

I don’t blame Rudy for wanting to apologize again…that would definitely be something that would be hard to deal with. D: But at least Rudy’s friends can assure him that none of this was his fault; it was just Skrawl’s cruelty that let this happen. It’s good that he does trust them enough to believe them, too.

And hooray, Penny can finally get an apology from Mint too! I liked that he went over everything he did to her and apologized for all of it. It was probably nice for him to receive her forgiveness too. Now all he needs to do is apologize to the Zoners.

I’m glad that Ripclaw turned out to be okay in the end! Though Skrawl getting away is definitely concerning. O.o Rudy’s idea of what to tell the adults was a good one. Having them both pretend they didn’t know what happened would be better than trying to make up a story that probably wouldn’t be believed.

Too bad they can’t destroy the artifacts. Hopefully they’ll find some place for them that’s safe and secure, and not near any Zoner civilizations either.

It’s definitely a relief that Snap’s spine isn’t injured further. And that he could eventually recover from the wounds Skrawl inflicted.

I really wonder what Rudy and Penny had come up with as a solution. They gave Mint the chalkboard, though, so at least he can do good for ChalkZone even from the hospital.

Also good that his parents could come in soon after he woke up! Hopefully he’ll get another chance to further discuss ChalkZone with Rudy and Penny soon.

Great chapter, and I really want to see how this wraps up!

- Racingwolf

I really liked Penny’s thoughts at the start of this. Even in a dire situation, Penny would be thinking of a way out. She wouldn’t just give up and act helpless. XD I also liked what she ended up doing to hide Snap. That was definitely clever; and this way Snap can see what’s going on if anyone comes near him, but Skrawl’s beanie boys aren’t going to take a second look at what appears to be an empty room.

Penny was definitely lucky to find her way back when she did. Though with her intelligence and memory, it was probably more than just luck. And if she’d gotten there too late, well…not just Rudy and Mint, but all of ChalkZone would be in deep trouble. O.o

I love how what she ended up doing to get out of Skrawl’s grip was so simple…yet so effective. She didn’t have time to draw anything, so just jabbed the chalk in his eye. xD And it worked! And that was really all the time she needed.

Realizing that Rudy had lost his chalk would definitely be alarming. o.o And if she had argued with Snap a bit longer…that could have ended far worse. But the good thing is that she ended up listening to him and got to her other friends in time!

And Mint losing enough blood that it’s eating through the chalk is not a good sign. O.o At least she could shield them from view while she helped him, making it a bit harder for Skrawl to attack them while he was distracted. And at least Mint was able to wake up for a little bit, even if it didn’t last long. The fact that he was talking at all is a much better sign than simply lying unconscious. I’m not surprised he didn’t remember much; his thoughts would have been really muddled and confused. And you know, I’m really wondering what they’re going to tell people back in the Real World. o.o

Not good that he passed out again…and Rudy was struggling with Skrawl at the same time. I was wondering what he would do, knowing he didn’t have much chalk left, while Skrawl could keep using the artifacts as much as he wanted. I was relieved when he started to gain the upper hand in the fight.

I really, really loved the part with the rock/metal spike thing. That was such a great danger element, very creative. And certainly threatening. o.o From trying to crush Rudy to impaling him…and there’s not really much you can do to hurt something that’s not actually alive and made of material that’s extremely tough.

I really liked that Rudy learned from Mint in drawing the mice he sent to attack Skrawl. That was a neat little detail. And going straight for the crown was certainly the smartest and most obvious choice he could have made. There goes your ‘beautiful plan,’ Skrawl!

I really wondered how that incident with the remote was going to go. O.o But of course, makes sense that Skrawl would only be bluffing. There’s no way he’d destroy himself or his ‘wonderful’ hideout.

And it’s a good thing Ripclaw woke up. And even if she was injured, it at least wasn’t bad, or else she wouldn’t have been able to do that. And at least she got the gun away from Skrawl, making him pretty defenseless in comparison to the creators. I do wonder what happened to the two of them, though. o.o Hope Ripclaw wasn’t hurt worse.

At least now they can get Mint out of there. And Snap, too. This will probably involve splitting up, one taking Mint to the Real World and one taking Snap to the ChalkZone hospital. Hope they will both be okay.

Great chapter, and I can’t wait to see what happens!

- Racingwolf

It’s definitely like Snap to want Penny to go help Rudy instead of himself! I also thought that Snap was kind of right during the whole thing; Rudy was the one in danger at that very moment…I think it would be less risky to have Penny hide him and go help Rudy, who was in immediate trouble, and come back for Snap afterward. Yet, it does come with a risk since there’s a chance Snap could be found, so Penny would definitely be reluctant to leave him.

Snap had a good idea of Penny drawing a shelter; it makes me want to find out what she actually ended up doing. I’m sure Penny is smart enough to come up with something good, whatever she did. She had the magic chalk; she can definitely use it to her advantage!

The part where Penny and Snap were going back and forth about this…it was really worrying because I knew they were wasting time. D: At least Penny wasn’t giving up; she was still trying to think of a solution. Though they didn’t have a lot of time. o.o

I really liked the way Snap was reassuring her, though. He knew Penny couldn’t just leave Rudy and Mint like that, not when they were up against Skrawl himself. She definitely needed a way to help them, ESPECIALLY when Mint screamed like that. I can see how she’d be really scared of losing Snap, though. D: But Snap was right…and if she left Rudy and Mint and they were killed…Skrawl could throw the entirety of ChalkZone into worse danger. Yet I think it was awesome, that, at the end of it, she seemed to have come up with something to help Snap, too; she didn’t have to leave him with an inadequate hiding place. I know Penny will have thought of a good idea!

Rudy and Mint REALLY needed Penny’s help…without magic chalk, their chances were not good with the power Skrawl had on his side. O.o I also liked the brief flashbacks to other times he was at a disadvantage, like the first Skrawl encounter and the Jacko incident when Rudy was injured. And now Skrawl, even just through sheer size alone, could badly hurt Rudy if he wanted to even without the artifacts.

At least Mint would be okay a little longer…but he doesn’t have a ton of time. Skrawl could easily hurt them both. And Rudy was exhausted and had injuries on top of that.

Skrawl’s taunts about him saving Mint were just messed up. DX But Rudy was right; that was all Skrawl’s doing, not some sort of failing on Rudy’s part as Skrawl would like to have him believe. I also love that he argued right back when Skrawl began taunting him about that thing he’d said to Mint all those days ago. Those sort of mind games aren’t going to work anymore, Skrawl!

And of course he’d just try to blame Mint for being disobedient. Typical. DX I’m glad Rudy stood up for him, even if he was unconscious and unaware. At least it showed how much Rudy realizes that everything Skrawl’s saying is a load of crap.

Kind of messed up how Skrawl took Rudy’s words and used them against him. o.o The “yeah, that was much choice and so is THIS!” thing to do something worse. I think that’s something a lot of manipulative characters (or people in general) do…when they get called out on something, they just try to use that against the person. And coming from Skrawl, who wants to kill them, would certainly not be good. o.o

That was really brave of Rudy to take the attack for Mint like that! He might have even saved his life by doing so.

But of course, Skrawl would take that and just see it as a weakness. The way he talked about people saving themselves…makes me wonder how Skrawl would feel if HE were ever in a position where he was in trouble and needed help. Okay, he’s probably grumble about it and never admit anything. XD But still, that’s a pretty messed up thing to say. O.o

But Rudy’s right…Mint is definitely a stronger person than Skrawl; he’s the one that decided to change. And Skrawl’s response to that was pretty messed up too. o.o

But hooray for Penny coming back! I’m definitely glad she did; they really needed her help! And she probably found a good way to keep Snap safe in the meantime, too. Snap was definitely right to believe she could do it!

And I know she’ll find a way to get out of this too. And she has Rudy to help!

Great chapter, and I’m looking forward to seeing where it goes!

- Racingwolf

Mint was smart to realize that if Rudy hadn’t given in or did something, Skrawl would have done a lot worse than break his arm. O.o I’m also glad that he realized how selfless Rudy was being, and why the Zoners looked up to him so much as their guardian.

I also like how he stood up for Rudy. That again, was definitely a change from how Mint was earlier in the story. I really liked that he refused to run, that he was going to stay and help. That was a wise decision…Rudy didn’t stand a chance on his own, and Skrawl would probably be left to ravage ChalkZone if they didn’t do anything. D:

Scary when Rudy was forced to draw a gun. At least the “bullets” weren’t so fast and could be dodged, even if it wasn’t easy. The fact that he was actually injured by some of them definitely proved that. o.o Mint really needed to think of something fast.

I like how, when he pinned Rudy to the wall, it still wasn’t as simple as just taking the gun or the magic chalk just like that. Skrawl saw what he was trying to do and adjusted accordingly. D: I was really wondering what was going to happen when Rudy pointed that gun at him. o.o It wasn’t something he could fight against with willpower, so if Skrawl was successful, Mint was going to die.

And yay, I’m glad we got to see Snap’s point of view of some of this! Wish he could get a chance to do something to help, though. Not sure what he could do… like he said, he was pretty stuck there unable to move. D: At least he knows not to feel guilty about that. He’s right, though, about the fact that he’s an easy target. D: Definitely not good. At least there don’t seem to be any Beanie Boys around, but they have to be SOMEWHERE, so I don’t think that luck is going to hold out.

I liked reading his thoughts about Mint, too. I still think it’s awesome that, after all he was put through, and all that had been done to him, he was still willing to give Mint another chance and even be friends. But ouch, that injury sounds like it hurts. D: Now he really has to get back to the hospital.

I was wondering what all that weird “machinery” was. I figured it probably had something to do with the artifacts. Sounded so weird and creepy…especially that they were so cold. I’m glad that Snap realized what they were so that Penny could cut off the power. They saved Mint’s life right there.

That’s still really messed up that Skrawl would force Rudy’s body to kill someone just to mess with him. D: Man, Penny acted at just the right time. At first I was relieved that Skrawl’s artifacts didn’t seem to be working, but I knew it wasn’t going to be that simple. But since the crown’s still activated…well, they’re not out of the woods yet.

And wow, Mint was really brave to attack Skrawl like that, especially since he didn’t even have magic chalk. But when Skrawl took that sword, well, I knew what was going to happen. O.o

That definitely sounded gruesome, and I don’t blame Rudy for being so shocked. O.o That was probably the last thing he would have expected to happen when all this started. And the sword…it sounded like it had enough blood on it to at least damage it; if it did, then that’s one less weapon Skrawl can use efficiently.

I felt really sad for Rudy when he thought back to what he’d said. I’m glad that, in a brief moment, he was able to hear Mint say he knows Rudy didn’t mean it. I really hope he won’t always have to feel guilty about that. D:

But Mint passing out is not a good sign…at least Rudy could stop the bleeding, or even just slow it down. Now he just needs to get Mint out of there, and fast. Though he also needs to stop Skrawl, or he would just harm ChalkZone further. And Snap, too, needs help. This is definitely not good for any of them. D:

Great chapter, and I’m looking forward to the next!

- Racingwolf

I was glad to see something from Penny’s point of view on Mint and Rudy working together. That would have been an unexpected turn of evens for her, that’s for sure. Obviously by their actions, though, something had changed, and as Mint was trying to free her and Snap, it was clear that he at least realized just how dire the situation was.

And how he reacted to Ripclaw would definitely convince her; it’s not something he could really fake well, and if he was going to fake something, it wouldn’t be that. And at least now she can be sure he knows how real Zoners are. Definitely not good that it took him so long to figure that out, though. D:

I felt bad for Penny and Snap…without the magic chalk there wasn’t much Penny could do, and if she left Snap, she could easily be leaving him open to attack. o.o Snap could easily be killed.

At least Skrawl doesn’t know how to use every artifact. That at least gives them a fighting chance, and if he’s still new to using the ones he has, that will also give them an advantage.

The weapons Mint was forced to draw were pretty scary. o.o First the spiked bat…that alone could kill Rudy if he hit him in the right place. Rudy’s really lucky he managed to avoid any serious injury when Mint was made to attack him like that! I felt really bad for Rudy when he got punched in the face, though. D:

The chainsaw was even worse…now THAT would have killed Rudy if Skrawl had been successful in making Mint attack him. D: And I like how, even in spite of that, Rudy refused to hurt Mint, focusing instead on getting out of the way and blocking his (well, Skrawl’s) attacks. I was really wondering what was going to happen…that moment when he was trapped and could only tell Mint to keep trying to resist was definitely suspenseful. O.o

And hooray for Penny, not giving up despite being chalkless! And even if they weren’t able to attack the artifacts, it DID provide a much needed distraction, and Mint could aim the attack away from Rudy.

I like how you showed Mint being concerned about Rudy’s injury. It’s a minor detail, sure, but it really shows that he DOES care about them now, especially as an injury to his foot is dangerous in this sort of situation. And the part where he threw the magic chalk to Penny was a really selfless and brave action. Rudy was right; Mint HAS come a long way.

Skrawl’s taunting about what Rudy said back at the temple was just twisted. DX Of course Mint realizes that Rudy was merely forced into it (if he wanted him to get hurt, he just would have kept defying Skrawl without hesitation), but I can see how Rudy giving in to something, even something small, would be unsettling. But as there was nothing really on the line other than Mint’s arm, it wasn’t too bad that Rudy did that. What is bad, however, is how it affected him. D: I hope that Rudy won’t feel bad about this in the end…it’s certainly Skrawl taking advantage of his mistake, a mistake he already fixed. Dx

I think the worst part of it is that Skrawl KNOWS what he’s doing…he knows that Rudy wouldn’t truly wish something like that on anyone, but he decides to mess with his head, place doubts in his mind. And for what? Nothing but sick satisfaction, really.

At least Mint got spared a pretty nasty injury for the time being. Though he probably can’t use his arm as well as usual for a little while. At least Rudy had that split-second moment to say he was sorry. But now, he’s the one in trouble. O.o

I’m wondering what’s going to happen to Penny and Snap, too. They wouldn’t have had time to leave, and I don’t think Penny should. Snap’s hurt, but Rudy and Mint’s lives are in danger…they need all the help they can get. Of course, if Skrawl or his minions did something to attack Snap (or both of them), that would probably be a different story. D: I don’t think they’re out of danger yet. Either way, it’ll be interesting to see what Penny ends up doing. It would be nice to see her be able to help again…quite contrary to what Mint first thought about her earlier in the story!

Great chapter, and once again I’m excited for the next!

- Racingwolf

It was interesting to see Skrawl’s threat from Mint’s point of view, even briefly. I imagine he would have gained some more respect for Rudy, being able to stand up to Skrawl in spite of the twisted things he was saying, when Mint himself wasn’t sure if he’d be able to do the same.

And Mint was right that he really didn’t have much time. o.o I liked how, even though he didn’t know how he was going to get Snap back to the hospital, he thought that Penny would have an idea. Nice to see him thinking of Penny as the competent person she is, rather than just a useless friend of Rudy that he had before.

Looking at Snap’s wounds up close must have been startling. o.o That definitely sounded really bad from the description. D: And I can see how Mint would think back to what he’d done. I don’t think the guilt of that would fully go away for a long time, but it would definitely be manageable now that they had forgiven him. Speaking of which, it would be interesting to see Penny’s reaction to all this. She didn’t really get to see Mint apologizing to either Rudy or Snap, or even know about it before this happened.

I was really relieved when he managed to free Penny. At least they weren’t so helpless now. But when Snap told them the pain was getting worse, I just thought, “Uh-oh. O.o” That’s not good. I’m really glad that Mint, instead of just giving up or doing nothing when he didn’t know what to do, went to Penny and asked her what he could do. And, even though he wasn’t used to drawing the stuff she asked for, it seemed like he did a pretty good job! And what they came up with was pretty smart to stop the bleeding for the time. Scary, though, how it described all the cloths being soaked in blood…that’s…a lot of blood. o.o This really does not sound good for Snap.

I’m glad Mint kept trying in spite of his doubts and drew the stretcher for Snap. I think he’s learned a lot since he had a change of heart, he’s much braver and stronger now.

I wasn’t expecting Skrawl to notice them right then. O.o And the way he used the artifacts was definitely freaky…and at exactly the wrong time. D: A few more seconds, and Penny would have had her own piece of chalk.

I felt really bad for Mint when Skrawl was electrocuting him. D: At least Mint actually stood up to him, called him out for what he did. Seems like he DOES have some of the bravery Rudy has.

Good thing Ripclaw showed up! Even if her distraction didn’t last long. D: I’m hoping she wasn’t too badly hurt from the incident with the stalactites. And Penny and Snap were really lucky to avoid further injury from that as well.

But now…I can definitely see Mint getting angry. Skrawl had harmed his creation, a living, breathing creature, as well as Rudy as Rudy and his friends. He’s probably also realizing how many real people Skrawl had harmed in ChalkZone, and how he was happy at the harm that Mint had caused. And also, he can definitely understand how Rudy felt when he hurt Snap at the temple. D:

Now that he has Mint’s body under control, though…this has definitely taken a turn for the worst. Rudy and Penny are going to have to think fast if they want to get out of this. It’ll definitely be interesting to see how things turn out. o.o

And Mint’s reaction to that would definitely be horror, as he realizes what was happening. D: Now he’s likely going to be forced to hurt others. Whether it be Rudy himself, or Penny and Snap, who are more vulnerable, one injured and one without the magic chalk. Either way, this certainly won’t be good. D:

Great chapter, and I can’t wait to see what happens!

- Racingwolf

I had thought that Skrawl had a new hideout. From the previous chapter, I wasn’t sure if it was his same one or he’d found a new place since these dealings with Mint. This new hideout though, definitely seems similar. And it’s actually pretty smart that he put it there, since he could simply place Beanie Boys above it and they could probably see anyone coming from miles away.

It must have seemed strange that there were no guards around at first, and pretty unsettling too, as that’s a clear indication that this is a trap. And seeing Skrawl’s minions through the window, well, I can see why Rudy would be worried. The last thing they need is for Skrawl to know when they’re going to show up.

The part where they were arguing…that was definitely not good. D: I started to get really worried when they were doing that. But I was really relieved when Mint started to realize that he should listen to Rudy, and that soon after, Rudy realized the same thing. I really love how Mint is now quick to realize his mistakes and remedy them; quite a difference from how he was earlier in the story!

I liked Rudy’s idea of adding something to Ripclaw to ensure they didn’t get hurt; in a situation like this, they can’t really waste time trying to think of some other quiet and efficient way down. I was really frustrated with Mint’s reaction at first, because Rudy certainly wasn’t trying to say Mint’s drawing was flawed or needed to be changed in itself, and people’s lives were on the line. I was really glad when Mint realized that fast, and that helping Penny and Snap was of most importance at the moment.

And I thought Rudy would end up drawing wings! Made me think back to the episode with Barney. And once again, the lack of guards really shows that Skrawl wants them to do exactly what they’re doing. D:

This time, though, it’s Mint who has more experience and knowledge, as he’s been to this place many times before. I was a bit surprised when they encountered the guard, then again I’m sure Skrawl would have had SOME of them around, so as not to make it seem too suspicious. It’s good that they stopped him, though, since it would at least be better to have SOME element of surprise (even if not much) than none.

I was wondering about the artifacts…since some were missing, I wonder if it was because Skrawl had them with him or he really hadn’t collected all of them yet. Wonder what Rudy will do with them after all this is over. He’ll need a safe place to put them, that’s for sure. Or even, better yet, taking them to the Real World and erasing them.

Seeing his friends in such a helpless and dangerous position would definitely be startling. D: Especially when he realized that they could easily be impaled by the giant stalactites. And seeing Snap’s injury without the brace like that…I have to say that I don’t blame Rudy at all for feeling anger resurface toward Mint. Even if he had forgiven him, I think it would still take a long time for that anger to fade completely. But this time, Rudy kept it under control, and didn’t lash out at Mint. Definitely another improvement for them!

That definitely would have been scary to see Skrawl looking like he was going to hurt Snap. o.o He could easily do a lot of damage with the injury to his back. And hearing what Skrawl’s plan was would only add to the seriousness of the situation, as if there wasn’t enough to begin with already.

Definitely a good idea for Mint to be the one to free Rudy’s friends and Rudy to be the distraction. Skrawl might not expect Mint to have teamed up with Rudy or come back, so he might not think to look for him.

And the part where Skrawl sliced Snap’s back…yikes. O.o That definitely sounded like it hurt, and if there was that much blood…it must have been pretty deep. D: That would be hard to heal on top of everything else. I certainly can see how angry and horrified Rudy would be after having to watch that.

And now…I definitely want to find out what comes of this. o.o Wonder if Ripclaw would be able to help them again…they definitely need all the help they can get with Penny and Snap in such vulnerable positions.

Great chapter, and I’m excited to read what happens next!

- Racingwolf

I really like that we got to see what was happening to Penny when she woke up. I was really wondering what Skrawl was going to do to them. o.o Penny’s lucky she wasn’t badly hurt when Skrawl knocked her out…but I’m not sure how Snap ended up unconscious, whether he was knocked out too or just passed out from pain.

The description of the place they were in seemed odd at first. I thought it would have been Skrawl’s hideout, but it sounded like a different place from Penny’s point of view. At first I wasn’t sure whether it was just another room in the hideout they didn’t know about or something different altogether. Then I remembered the tanks with the artifacts in them from before, and it all started to make sense.

The stalactite was definitely freaky. o.o She can’t even try to escape without risking it coming crashing down on her. There’s no way she can even TRY to escape. D: And seeing Snap strapped down too would definitely be horrifying…I doubt Skrawl was gentle with him, and he has even more of a risk if he tried to move around. D:

And Penny’s right to be worried…if Skrawl gets bored or just decides he wants to cause Snap pain, he could do so with very little effort. Even just lightly touching would be agonizing, if Snap were awake to feel it.

I knew Skrawl would have some reason for keeping them alive instead of killing them outright, but since he was so wary of Rudy finding a way to beat him, I wondered what that was. And what he did come up with was just chilling. O.o Rudy and Mint really need to come up with something to save them and fast. D: And I agree with what Penny was thinking…if Rudy gave up his life, Skrawl’s unlikely to just let them go. He’d want to kill all three of them. o.o

I was really glad Snap was unconscious when Skrawl was touching his wound like that. And taking off the brace was…definitely not good. D: And that must have been scary for Penny, watching him and knowing he could choose to hurt Snap at any moment. D:

It’s definitely good that she still believes Rudy can come in there and save them, possibly with Mint too. She definitely needs all the help she can get.

I was worried about Snap when he woke up, knowing he was going to be in agony without that medication. D: I don’t blame him for not being able to hold still…I don’t think anyone could in that situation. And without the brace, that is worrying… Mint and Rudy really need to get there fast. D:

I was really wondering how Rudy and Mint were going to get out of that dome. It definitely seemed more problematic than most other traps they’ve been in before. And some of their attempted solutions could have turned out downright dangerous for them. o.o

It’s definitely good that they didn’t give up, that they knew there was a way, they just had to find it. And of course with their friends’ safety and most likely lives on the line, there was no way either of them were just going to give up.

I thought Mint’s solution was really ingenious. I hadn’t thought of that, but it was really clever! I also like the detail of how Mint helped Rudy get out first, instead of being the first one free. That definitely shows some trust and selflessness, there, and it’s awesome they got to work together for this. I don’t think they would have been able to get out on time on their own.

Must have been scary for Rudy when Ripclaw almost attacked him after they got out. o.o Kinda cute that she warmed up to him so fast, though. XD And at least now with her, they can get to the hideout very quickly; Ripclaw’s used to running back and forth to it already, and she can definitely move fast.

Great chapter, and I can’t wait to see what happens!

- Racingwolf

I’m glad that Snap had a chance to explain to Mint that Rudy had been trying to talk to him before. Though I don’t know if Mint knew him enough to really believe him after what happened. I am glad that he’s trying not to let the fear control him, though; I think he would have been able to do it if Rudy hadn’t yelled at him again. He was definitely being brave.

I can see how he would be unsure what to think of Blocky and Rapsheeba, knowing that they still didn’t really have much of a reason to trust him yet. I thought that was really nice of Rapsheeba and Blocky to tell him he was brave, though, and it shows that they obviously don’t completely distrust him. And of course they’d be willing to give him a chance if Snap thought he was all right.

That explosion in the hospital was pretty surprising…guess I wasn’t expecting something to happen THAT soon. I really liked the part where Mint saved Blocky and Rapsheeba by pushing them out of the way of the debris. Hooray for Mint being a hero! Scary for all those Zoners in the rooms that were effected by that, though. D: Hopefully they can all be treated fast, including Mint’s dinosaur.

As much as Mint is worried that he led Skrawl to the hospital, of course it isn’t his fault. Skrawl chose to do that, and well, since he lives in ChalkZone, he was bound to know where it was anyway, and his beanie boys were probably watching Snap’s back being broken.

The wreckage of Snap’s room was definitely freaky, especially knowing that all the stuff in that room was to help keep him from getting worse, and now he was torn away from it. And when Skrawl was holding Snap, I just had to think of how painful that would be. D: And in addition to the rough way Skrawl was holding him, Snap didn’t have the pain medicine anymore either. o.o

Scary that Skrawl has the artifacts now…and we’ve only seen a small fraction of what they can do. And I don’t blame Mint one bit for being furious that Skrawl used him. D: In the part that followed, that was smart of Mint to have Blocky and Rapsheeba run and get help. I really liked how Mint stood up to Skrawl in spite of being at a disadvantage this time. Too bad biting him wouldn’t really do much damage; it would take something like water to really hurt him.

Definitely not good when Skrawl hurt Penny. D: And trapping them in that weird regenerating dome…I really wonder how they’re going to get out of that. o.o And Snap’s away from the hospital…Skrawl could worsen his injury and make it even more painful, or take longer to heal. He could even kill him if he’s not careful. O.o

It was sad seeing Rudy act so irrational toward Mint. D: Though I can kind of understand, since his friends had been taken and he had to be really scared for them. Not that that’s an excuse, though. Rudy was being really mean. D: I think if he hadn’t, Mint would have overcome his fear and talked to him.

At least Rudy realized this wasn’t right. And as for Mint, it was sad seeing him that terrified. D: I still think he should have gone up to Rudy before any of this happened, though, because Mint did hurt a lot of people and he should have done the right thing. And after all, he’d terrorized Snap worse than Rudy had to him, yet Snap still faced him when he needed to, even though there was a lot more on the line for Snap. Plus common sense would have told him Rudy wouldn’t have gotten away with hurting him while in the cafeteria, though I can see why he wasn’t thinking clearly. Still, I think he should have tried to face his fears on account of the bad things he had done.

This situation, though? Yeah, I can see how he’d freak out, since they were trapped with no way to go and Rudy was acting very hostile again. Definitely not a good situation. D: I can definitely picture Rudy being so shocked when he realized what Mint was scared of, so confused at first, especially about Mint wanting to apologize to Snap. Even after Mint had hurt him and his friends, he’d never want to do the same thing back. I was really sad when Rudy briefly tried to delude himself. D: But luckily that didn’t last long, and Rudy realized what he would have seemed like back at the temple. And if Snap, the one who was far more harmed than any of them, could give Mint a chance, he should too.

I was really glad when Rudy started explaining to him, and apologizing for what he’d done. He definitely needed to do that for a while, and so did Mint for all the things he’d done. I was really glad when they finally saw how irrational they were acting toward one another and started to try to understand each other. I thought the part where they hugged and forgave each other was really sweet, especially after being enemies for so long. And they definitely have a chance now that they’re working together.

Great chapter, and I’m excited to see what happens next!

- Racingwolf

Mint’s lucky that none of the Zoners around him really tried to stop him, but then again, it would be pretty unlikely they’d try; Mint’s the one who has the magic chalk and they’ve seen firsthand what it can do. D: I like how you showed Mint’s reaction to seeing the destruction around him in the city. It would seem so much different to him now, knowing the implications of what he did. Knowing that he’d harmed real people.

I really like how he plans to try to do something about it sometime soon, even if he’s not used to things like drawing buildings. The fact that he’s willing to try the best he can is definitely good, and the more I read this the more I started to really like Mint as a character.

I’m really glad the Zoners he ran into were Blocky and Rapsheeba, people who knew Snap and wouldn’t just leave Mint alone with him (not that he would do anything, but the Zoners have no way of knowing that). I also liked that Mint stood his ground and apologized to them, and was still determined to go apologize to Snap in spite of how they first reacted to him. I like that he also recognized his mistakes from before with Rudy, too. I also loved how he called Skrawl a hideous growling jellybean too. XD

The part where he saw the stick figure was sad…knowing that he could have been a victim of one of his attacks. Even if it was his fault, I had to feel bad for him there. D: He really has a lot he still needs to make right.

It’s definitely good that Rapsheeba and Blocky were there to help the Zoners in the hospital realize that Mint didn’t intend to harm anyone. I don’t think Mint could have done that by himself. D: Before he met them, I was really wondering how he was going to get into the hospital.

I really like that Mint wanted to help Snap in whatever way he could, not just refuse to do anything because he can’t undo his past actions. If there was any action he should have changed if he could, I bet he would want to believe Rudy and Penny from the very beginning, and avoid Skrawl as soon as he could. And definitely good that he realized how pointless it was to do nothing but pity himself the past few weeks.

I really like how you wrote the scene where he confronted Snap. I thought the emotions in it were really well done, and I could really see how hard it was for Mint, as well as his determination to keep going. I really like the way you wrote his apology, too. It wasn’t just a simple “sorry,” but he actually apologized for multiple things he did wrong and I thought that was really cool.

I can see why Snap would want to know why…he was probably so confused, even after all Mint had done before, as to why he’d attacked him like that, especially after saving him from the goola monster earlier. I’m glad that Mint was really honest with his answer, as horrible as it was. And of course that he didn’t make excuses for it but admitted that he did something very wrong.

I really loved the part where Snap accepted the apology! I can see how Mint would be so completely shocked at that, not expecting it at all. And it’s awesome that Snap, even if he’s still upset at what Mint did (which he obviously would be) was willing to give him another chance and forgive him. I also love how you wrote Mint’s reaction to it, and how he now thought he could have the courage to apologize to Rudy, Penny and the Zoners for the other wrong things he’d done. And I think Snap was completely right about what he said about Mint. Like I’ve said a lot before, he’s willing to change and work on making things right, and that definitely makes him a good kid.

The part where they hugged was really sweet, especially considering that Mint had been such a jerk, and a very powerful enemy, to them before. And I’m glad it was Snap he apologized to first, since he was the one he’d wronged the most. Really sad that Snap will have to stay there so long, though. D: It was nice of Mint to draw him those things and play the game with him. I hope he does have more time to get to know Snap better later.

Great chapter, I really loved this one!

- Racingwolf

After all that Mint had done, it’s a little strange to see him acting so differently, even if he has a good reason to. I can see how he’d not want to talk to others or pay attention to what’s going on, though, even if it’s just making things worse for himself. At least he knew better than to fake being sick and add to the lies he’s told, even if he was only not doing it because he thought it wouldn’t work.

I had forgotten about that trip his family was planning. I don’t really blame him for not reacting to that; after what he did, well, I certainly wouldn’t want to go on a trip if I was in his position.

The way he reacted to the teacher was so different from the first chapter of the story. I also like that the teacher reacted differently too, and actually realized something was wrong rather than just jumping to conclusions and issuing punishments that wouldn’t have even had an effect on him anyway.

That part where Rudy had been trying to tell him something and Mint just walked away was pretty sad, though more for Rudy’s sake than Mint’s. Even if he did have a somewhat-reasonable excuse to be afraid of Rudy, he shouldn’t have just ran off like that. DX And the way he was thinking so much of how hard this whole thing was for HIM was definitely selfish and stupid…I’m really glad he wasn’t stuck on the “woe is me” thing for long. And at least even at this point, he actually realized that something was his fault, for once.

It was really hard to feel sorry for him at this point because he was making it all about himself. He could have tried to apologize earlier, he could have gone into ChalkZone and tried to make it up to the other Zoners he’d harmed by redrawing their houses or trying to fix their land or something. There’s a lot of things he could have done, but of course, didn’t.

It was nice to see that Snap was doing a little better! Sad that he wouldn’t be able to walk for a while. D: Hopefully he could at least have a wheelchair somewhat soon (and I don’t think he’d be very annoyed about it when he realizes how painful it would be to walk at first XD). And for now, at least it’s really good that his friends can visit him when he can’t leave the bed. It definitely would help Snap to be happier. And I can see, in addition to all the other stuff he had to keep occupied, Rudy lending him his comic books to read or something.

And with Mint’s weird behavior…at least he wasn’t going to try to hurt anyone anymore. I felt bad for Rudy when he wanted to apologize but Mint wouldn’t let him. D: It was definitely a cowardly thing to do. I definitely agree with Penny that Rudy should be the bigger person, though, and I’m glad he was willing despite everything Mint had done.

I’m REALLY glad Mint had the sense not to tell his dad exactly what he did or anything else that could threaten ChalkZone’s safety by making the adults suspicious.

And I really liked the conversation he had afterward. It wasn’t just that his dad was telling him these things, but that FINALLY Mint was starting to see sense, to realize the error of his ways and, more importantly, realizing that he has to do something about it, that it’s not all about him. I also really love that he realized that his first apology was false and panicked, just saying what he wanted Rudy to hear, and that he needed to give them a real one. And not just them, but the other citizens of ChalkZone, too. (I also really like that he thought about them as well.)

It was so, so awesome to see Mint finally realize and want to change. I’m really glad that he stopped being cowardly, started being determined to become a better person. I really LOVE when characters develop like that…and for some reason I don’t see a lot of it in stories, so it’s really nice to see it here.

Great chapter, and I’m definitely excited about where Mint’s character development is going! I really love when characters improve like that!

- Racingwolf

It would definitely be unusual to see Rudy so panicked like that, but considering the circumstances, it’s not hard to see why. D: I’m just glad that he was still able to drive without putting themselves or anyone else in danger, or harming Snap even worse in the process.

It’s sad that even semi-unconscious, Snap could still feel the pain. D: At least it had to be less severe that way than it was when he was wide awake, but that’s not saying much. To know that Snap would have to suffer for a long time because of that other child doing something selfish and stupid would definitely be a hard thing to realize.

The way the doctors reacted would definitely be scary to them. o.o Sure, they knew Snap was badly hurt, but if they realized there were threats of even more damage being done, well, they would definitely have a good reason to be scared. D: And it still would be very startling that this had happened at all; they wouldn’t have gotten over the shock of it yet. Just earlier that day, Snap had been fine, and they hadn’t expected the confrontation with Mint to go that horribly, especially if he didn’t even have Ripclaw around.

And although Rudy feels guilty about not realizing the danger Mint really posed sooner, I’m glad he realizes that it isn’t his fault. Mint’s the one who made really messed up choices, not him. Mint was the one who was being a coward and wouldn’t take responsibility for his actions even before all this happened. Makes sense that Rudy would realize he ran away that day because he’d told him to, but that certainly doesn’t excuse anything he did. And with how Mint had acted before, I can see why Rudy would just think he’d start trying to delude himself after this. He always had after every horrible thing he’d done.

Good for him for trying not to think too much about that; Snap’s the one who needs their help right now, or at least as soon as they could go and see him. It would definitely be scary to think how long Snap might have to recover from that. D: Even worse would be the thought that something could go wrong and he could die. D:

I’m definitely glad Penny could be a source of hope for them in that time. The whole thing would be just terrifying, and they still have no idea where Skrawl is or how many of the artifacts he’s gathered…they wouldn’t even know where to look for him, now that Mint ran away.

Snap’s definitely lucky that he didn’t lose any feeling in his legs or anything from this! o.o But that seems to be the only good news as it definitely sounds serious. D: Hopefully he will be able to fully recover in time. It’s definitely good that Penny and Rudy got to see him before they had to go back to the Real World. And yeah…kind of hard for Snap to relax after that. o.o Thank goodness Rudy and Penny were there, otherwise he probably wouldn’t have been able to at all. I really liked the moment where he could at least show some bit of happiness to them while they were there for him; it’s definitely a contrast to how depressing and hopeless things had seemed before. It’s good that he could finally get some sleep after what happened.

I’m glad that Rudy and Penny are visiting him a lot in the days after that, and that Snap’s recovery is hopeful. I really wonder what Skrawl was up to this whole time, though. At least Mint wasn’t around ChalkZone anymore, and I hope that’s putting a stop to Skrawl’s plans for the moment.

I can see why Penny would be angry at Rudy for what he did, in spite of all that had happened. I’m also glad she wanted to apologize for the way she scolded him like that before, just after he’d seen his friend be brutally attacked. It’s also nice that Mr. Wilter apologized to Rudy as well. At least some things are starting to be made right.

It’s also good that Rudy admits that the way he treated Mint wasn’t right, regardless of what he meant. I hope he gets the chance to tell Mint he didn’t mean what he said about deserving Skrawl’s punishments. That’s certainly not something Rudy would ever truly mean. But I can see why he’d be worried that Mint was just putting on an act. Regardless, he definitely needs to apologize to him.

Great chapter, and I’m definitely glad to see things getting a little better for them!

- Racingwolf