DISCLAIMER: THE DYING DREAMS SAGA TAKES PLACE IN A TIMELINE WHERE KINGDOM HEARTS 3: ReMind IS RETCONNED.

Sofia trudged along, snow getting into her boots as she moved through the deep snow. She would have gladly teleported to her destination, but the very essence of that place required spending too much energy and just wasn't worth it despite her end goal. After adjusting her heavier than usual bag. She stopped as something moved slightly in the bag, and a frown spread across her face as she held out the bag and promptly dropped it on an old stump. It land with a thud and a yelp.

"Get out." The bag shuffled as Nala meekly pulled herself out of the bag. Sofia crossed her arms, silently expecting an explanation.

"Er... See... The thing is... Well, it's your fault I had to follow you!"

"Excuse me?" Sofia's sharp tone made the lion cub wince.

"I-I've told enough lies in my life to know when someone's lying to me. You have someway to reverse that whole petrifaction thing. You're powerful with your magic so surely you have the means to-"

"Stop." Sofia inturrupted. "Everything I do and say, It's for a reason. I reason I see no reason to tell you about. So I suggest you turn back now and let me do my own thing. Maybe once that's done, I'll come back and see you guys." Nala shook her head.

"Nu uh. Until I get Simba back, you're stuck with me!"

"No." Sofia answered, grabbing her bag and teleporting away, leaving the startled cub alone. Nala looked around in worry, only for Sofia to reappear suddenly. "Get in." She sighed, holding her bag out for the cub.

"What the heck is Rule 34?" Kairi pondered, raising an eyebrow as she stared at the website entrance.

"Trust me, you do NOT want to go in there." Vanellope answered, tughing Kairi away and looking queasy at the thought of that place. "And on the off chance you do, do NOT put your own name into the search bar. I learned that the hard way." Come on, it's through here." The two made there way through the router tunnel, coming out on the other side. Game Central Station was deserted. A stark contranst from how lively the place usually was.

"Wah-" Vanellope looked around. "What's going on!? Where is everyone!? I don't even see the Surge Protector guy!" She cupped her hands around her mouth and began hollering. "HELLO!? ANYONE!? RALPH, FELIX, CALHOUN, ANYBODY!"

"Vanellope..." Kairi began quietly. "I think your friends are gone."

"No, that's not true. Ralph would never abandon me-"

"Kid, I can tell you quite a few things about abandonment." The two girls stiffened as a black and white cat landed in front of them. "...Hello."

"Who are you!?" Kairi demanded, charging a Firaga.

"Name's Julius, and put that away before you get hurt." He flicked his finger, and Kairi's Firaga vanished in a puff of smoke to her surprise. "Anyway, about abandonment, be lucky it wasn't your father doing the abandoning, leaving you alone and forgotten while your brothers get to stand in the spotlight."

"I don't have any brothers." Vanellope stated in child-like confusion. "Heck, I don't even think I have a dad." Julius facepalmed.

"I... You know what, no. I'm not explaining that."

"Listen, Julius..." Kairi began. "Can you tell us what's going on here."

"Hmph. Fine, let me start by explaining the three worlds..."

Bambi blinked feebly as the tiny white mouse approached.

"Are you okay little one?" She asked gently, placing a paw on Bambi's nose.

"Who are you?" The fawn croaked weakly

"My name is Bianca. But everybody calls me Miss Bianca." She shook her head. "You poor dear. To lose your mother like that at such a young age."

"You're not a prisoner, are you Miss Bianca? What are you doing here?"

"I'm looking for someone. My Fiancé, but..." She shook her head. "I... I can get you out of here. I just need you to follow my directions carefully." Bambi's eyes shifted to the still form of his mother, and he shook his head, silently laying down."

"I know you're hurting, but we need to act now."

"No point in trying Lass." The mouse jumped, whirling around to see a human man in the cell across from Bambi's. The man had such an air about him that if Miss Bianca didn't know better, she'd have thought him intoxicated. "I've seen eyes like his before. A broken man... Er, deer. He feels like like he's failed his dear mother and has lost his will completely." Bianca blinked.

"Can you understand us? How?"

"Good question." The man slurred. "I don't know. But trust me Lass, talking animals are far from the strangest thing I've experienced."

"I'll keep the in mind Mr...?"

"Sparrow Jack! Er... Jack Sparrow." He laid down, then promptly shot back up, holding up a finger for emphasis. "Captain Jack Sparrow." And with that, he lay back down, leaving Bianca dumbfounded.

"So let me get this straight." Kairi sighed. This is a world where the vast majority of the villains have teamed up under Maleficent's lead, and are taking the characters from these so called storybooks and are petrifying them for some unknown purpose. Besides the petrifaction this is kinda Deja Vu for me." She glanced over at Julius. "And you say I got pulled from my world into this one, how is that exactly?"

"The universe works in mysterious ways kid."

"Can you tell me what happened my friends!?" Vanellope interrupted. "Where's Ralph!?"

"Order took him. Honestly, I'm surprised YOU flew under their radar. They cleaned this whole place out. Even took Sonic, and that guy only had cameos."

"What!? We gotta help them! We gotta go after them!"

"Hate to burst your bubble kid, but you're pure code and data. You venture into the real world, and you'll dissipate into nothing."

"If the Order was able to take Vanellope's friends, then there has to be a way." Kairi countered. Julius chuckled.

"Fair observation. Hold still shortstack." Julius pointed a finger at Vanellope, and she briefly glowed with a blue aura.

"What was that?" Kairi questioned.

"Basically I just put a protective shell around Vanellope. But don't think of it like a shield. All it does is allow her to move around in the real world without dissipating. It won't protect her from petrifaction."

"How do you even petrify data?"

"Magic, stop questioning it." Julius slturned and made to leave.

"I thought you said everyone was stripped of magic." Vanellope noted

"Hang on!" Kairi demanded. "If you have all this magic, then why don't YOU fight the Order?"

"...Good question. Think fast!" Kairi yelped, hitting the ground as something embedded into the wall behind her. Looking up, Kairi saw her Keyblade. When she stood up, Julius had vanished.

"Ugh! That jerk!"

Sofia sighed as she readjusted her pack, Nala sleeping inside of it. The young Protector knew she'd gave to settle down for a bit at somepoint, but she wanted to make as much headway as possible before.

"You know, a young one like you shouldn't be pushing your limits like this. It's not good for you." Sofia blinked, looking up into a dead tree for the source of the voice, spotting a black and white rabbit giving her a Cheshire grin.

"Oswald?" With a small flip, and a puff of powdered snow, he landed beside her.

"Seriously though, you should rest. You're running yourself ragged."

"I haven't seen you since before this whole thing started."

"Yeah, sorry 'bout that. I've been making sure my own people are going to be okay in my absence."

"Your own people?"

"In the Cartoon Wasteland. It's where all the Storybook character go once they've faded so far into obscurity that few even remember. It may come as a surprise, but I was actually its very first resident. Spent a few decades ruling in peace before some mischievous mouse I later came to find out is my brotger accidentally dropped a monster made of ink and thinner onto us... But, eh... I've long forgiven him for that. Wonder what happened to that old paintbrush though..."

"Oswald?" Sofia questioned as he began to go off topic.

"Right sorry, let's talk about this." He tapped Sofia's amulet. "Can she hear us?"

"I've put some spells on it to completely cut Magica off from the outside world."

"Good, good." He plopped down on a fallen tree trunk and pulled out two cans. "Want one?"

"What is it?"

"Grape soda. Trust me, you'll love it." He popped open a can and handed it to her. Sofia took a tentative sip, then blinked.

"Ooh."

"Told ya." He patted the spot beside him, and Sofia sat next to him. "So, you realize that even if you give him him Magica, he won't be able to actually bring your sister back, right? At most he can just hand you her soul."

"I know but... It's a start at least."

"I just hope you realize what you're getting into kid. I've heard of this guy and you can never tell what he's thinking, and that's the scary part."

"But he's also said to be a man of his word, and he promised to help if I brought Magica."

"Heh, I'll give you that." The two sat in silence before Sofia spoke.

"Why are you helping me anyway. We barely even know each other."

"Well, I guess helping people who need it gives me a sense of purpose. My little brother Mickey is appearing in new stories all the time and all I get these days are cameos in them if I'm lucky. And despite being called 'Oswald the Lucky Rabbit', I'm not really that lucky. So, you could say that I'm glad to help you out Sofia."

"Thanks Oswald..." Sofia stated quietly. Oswald sighed and stood up.

"I have to go soon. Gotta make sure my kids aren't wreaking havoc. The Wastelanders are worried enough as is."

"You have kids?"

"I have 420 kids."

"Holy-"

"Yep." He waved it off. "They're a handfull. You know, I could teleport you and the cub to your destination real quick if you want."

"Thanks but..." Sofia cast a glance to Nala's sleeping form. "You know how first time teleportation usually leads to vomiting, and food's scarce enough as is."

"Fair enough." He turned, ready to leave before stopping. "You're a good kid Sofia. Don't let all of this change who you are." With that, he vanished. Sofia blinked, before spotting a brown sack next to her. Pulling it open, she saw that it was full of food and a single note:

Take care kid- Oswald.

Smiling, Sofia closed the bag and lay back, intending on a quick nap at the rabbit's earlier suggestion.

Tod panted as he pulled himself up a hill, his leg throbbing as he sat down to rest real quick. Looking up, he blanched at the massive floating fortress that floated above the ruins of some sort of castle.

"What have I gotten myself into?"