Dreamer was able to see the truth other than being told of it, outright.
As for the reason for all the noise they had witnessed…
It was only a couple of steps away…

An extraordinary creature was laying down in a glade. He appeared magically by a guiding presence. She kept a loving vigil over him since his creation. He used to belong in the imagination of a young child. In a grisly circumstance, he was forgotten, which meant that there was nowhere for him to go. As some would think. Instead, she took him. Not in the sense of stealing or kidnapping, for that matter, but it was a tough rescue. Now, he was an awkward fellow. As if pink elephants were insane enough. He was one except he was made up completely out of candy. The sugary pelt was soft and it sparkled in the gentle light of the surrounding quartz stones that littered the forest floor. He wore a checkered brown jacket and a pair of thick dark brown gloves over his sugary paws. He sported a trunk that was lain strewn about his head with a nozzle that seemed to take the shape of a candy heart. He seemed to sleep on even as his body was slowly appearing, ending at his colorful stout legs and lastly, his tail. Purple and soft, it curled over his feet as if he was trying to stay warm. He was going to wake up very soon now and she didn't want him to startle. She even tried to soothe his dreams a little. This place she chose was very quiet and peaceful. After a moment, he began to open his eyes … for the first time, to a new world.

"U-uhh…" he hoarsely moaned as he tried to move.

He blinked, trying to see where he was. The creature's green eyes widened before he struggled to get to his feet. He was in a great forest. It was nothing that he recognized.

"Oh gosh… oh dear! Where am I?" he spoke, softly, in a nasally, bright sort of voice. Fear did not suit it. It hurt to hear it twist and deepen with such unpleasant surprise.

With care, she had decided to come close to this newcomer. Right when he saw her in the form of a brilliant glowing orb, the lost creature had to take a couple steps back. Now she was able to see him completely. It was clear to her eye that he was imaginary. One that needed to stay safe and far away from the wrong hands. In his mind, he had trouble trying to remember anything that may have happened before this. He had no idea that she was his rescuer. He had one memory though. A vague one. He tilted his head a bit. "…j-joy…?" he spoke, timidly. As he whispered that name, he rose his trunk to her, slow and cautiously. Kindly, she responded by softly touching the heart shaped tip of his nose. Being a powerful Fairy, she was able to sense a lot of pain inside this creature. Being forgotten was a fate worse than death. It was something he was innocent to because he couldn't remember.

"Is… is it really you, Joy?" he asked her, sounding very confused. He found that he couldn't remember anything before now. What was he trying to remember anyway? Also, why did he feel so … so bad? It wasn't like being sick with a cold, but it was something that felt so wrong. He wanted to cry. Terribly… It all settled inside his chest behind his pink spotted bow. It was like the pain someone had when they had a bad tumble or got pushed down hard. It felt really heavy… He had never felt like this before. Even though, he was where he was afraid to be in, which was the dark, this… beautiful light stayed. It was such a wonderful thing for him to focus on, rather than this dark place. Wanting to be polite to her, he took his hat off while slowly standing up. The whole while he kept his gaze solely on her.

"I don't — I don't remember much…" he said, finding it even harder to try.

"I-I dunno why. But d-do I know you?" Soon after he asked her that, a voice came from this stunning floating orb. "Do you know me?" she asked in the most calm voice. "Is my name Joy?"

That planted confusion in him. Now he wasn't so sure. "Aw, I dunno. I-I thought it was…" he spoke, dragging his gaze down while twiddling his fingers. "I'm sorry." "Do not tell me that you are sorry, dear." the Fairy began with love in her voice. "Of course, you may call me Joy if you really want to. I believe it is a beautiful name." Being called dear was what struck him the most. She looked deep into his eyes which were overcome with so many emotions. He was scared but then he found her to be so beautiful that he had almost forgotten why he was scared in the first place.

"Your voice…" he expressed, with a soft look growing in his green eyes. "I think I know it."

"Just keep your eyes on me. I am here to help you." she reassured. "In time you will see true beauty in a world that will be entirely your own. I have given you life here because you've already proven yourself greatly. Even though you cannot remember it, you will understand my words soon. I see goodness in you. I am your friend, Bing Bong."

"Bing bong. Is… is that my name?" he asked, finding it oddly familiar.

"Indeed, my dear." she warmly replied. "For the now."

She felt deeply for this magical being, who was unable to recall his past, let alone his own old name. He was a lost child, now found. But of course this was not to last. In this form she was able to fly quickly around him to cast a protective spell. Imaginaries were such rare treasures in this world, which remained unseen to the human eye. For good reason. As ridiculous and bright he seemed, his face shared a sad story that she witnessed for herself in secret. He was a former imaginary friend. A child's creation. A child who had grown up so much that he became absolutely obsolete to her. Unwanted and cast out. It was the fact that he lingered like a distant memory for so long. If he didn't, she would have never found him. He was so young compared to his Imaginary brother, Figment. Figment was well known and stayed among the famous for over 30 years. Alas, he was the only one of his kind, protected by and loyal to the Dreamfinder. It would seem that Dreamfinder would have to meet another when the time was right.

Unlike Figment, who had so many magical abilities (almost too much to count), Bing Bong had no knowledge of magic or if he even was capable of it. This was a matter that had to be handled delicately. If he was to embrace what was new then he had to be around those who would help him see that. For that to happen during such a terrible time. The mission now was to find exactly who Bing Bong would be loyal to, first. Certainly, it couldn't be her. Of course, she would be considered as someone special to this Imaginary. Both Imaginaries were endangered now, being the only two currently in existence. Enemy forces knew of them as well and would do anything of obtain one. That was not an option. If only her magic was stronger... but her struggle was real and she needed to heal. Her rescued subject though clearly had no memories of anything previous and the anxiety was shining through, by how he moved with such caution and how his expression appeared uncertain and full of fright.

"Oh gosh! Oh gosh... I dunno where I am."

"You are in a new world, the Magic Kingdom." She answered, weakly. "From here on you will learn and you will meet those you will choose to trust. If you trust in me, I will take you to a new home."

"Home...?"

"Do you know what you are?" she asked, not to probe him but to get him to wonder.

"I-I..." With a mark of confusion, he looked over himself.

He was an elephant. One that was made out of cotton candy who wore a thick brown jacket covered in old patches. Looking over his gloved hands and his colorful legs, he shyly gazed up at the luminous orb above him. "You are an Imaginary." she continued, sensing the pain he must have been feeling. "A treasure in this world. And so, you must be protected. Guided... You need to befriend and trust the right people." He had an inkling that something terrible happened, but he couldn't find why.

"... I can't remember." he spoke, instantly sitting down with a heavy heart. "I don't feel okay. I'm feelin' a little scared..."

The forest around them was beginning to darken even more as this strange storm began to brew. "There is nothing wrong with that." she lovingly replied, soaring down to the tip of his gentle trunk where he could see her completely. The poor, lost and found Imaginary sniffled as his eyes began to well up with tears. When it would be funny or cute, as it were, these tears quickly formed into hardened candy as they came pouring out, forming piles in the grass. Bing Bong was baffled at first, then he was shocked and embarrassed before he covered his eyes while giving own a broken yelp. "What's wrong with me!? I feel so wrong, Joy!" he sobbed. She knew he still felt the repercussions of being forgotten, but he too had forgotten everything before she took him. But the damage was there... This only proved that the enemy was impacting the young already with fear and depression. There was a way to heal him. It was going to take a journey though, until she healed up herself.
"Come with me?" she asked him. Softly, she touched his cheek to wake him from despair. With a couple heavy sobs, he fully gazed at her, nodding. He wiped his eyes before he slowly stood up.

"I-I will. I will." he choked.

The recovering troupe having finally been reunited with Dreamer, who had his own plan. He knew what awaited them just outside, after that horrible battle before the eyes of distant captives still held up in the hotel rooms. To them, the property just resembled a perfect wasteland. Sarah and her schoolmates each held onto the Imaginary; with Sarah latched to his right hand, Katie at his other, and with Lindsey gripped hard onto his jacket. Woody stood firm on Dreamer's shoulder.

It took a journey months long for it to fully click for Dreamer, that his purpose was more than just bringing joy. There was more than being supportive to his new friends… Fighting was a new concept to him but now it was a full-on necessity, with magic he once never knew he had. The dear Blue Fairy knew this from the very beginning and it was something some tended to underestimate. It was going to be soon now when some intense magical swords were about to collide.

With hands linked to each other's, the troupe all began to edge their heads out through one of the office doors after trying for a time to find a way through such an office mess of a maze. Or so, it resembled an office at first. It was before the troupe all began to hear glass beginning to crack. It was as though someone was aware that they were seeking a way out, and a whole manner of water began to seep through into the room. Woody with all he had, he leaped to the girls as Dreamer blinked and vanished suddenly.

The girls held their breaths and tried to paddle to someplace to keep their heads above water, but it proved no use to them when the water rose quickly to the ceiling. During this discombobulating moment, Sarah tried as well to keep to the surface before something had gotten hold of her leg. What had her looked like the tail belonging to one red and orange snake, until a dolphin appeared from above to quickly bite at it and struck it hard with his tail so hard that it soon released the nearly drowning girl. Quick, he swam beneath her and she held onto his dorsel and he swam upward as fast as he could.

Meanwhile, Woody was with the other two girls trying to encourage them to follow him. As soon as they breached the surface, it was discovered that the room or maintenance room they were once inside of was gone and it was physically and obviously apparent that they were then thrust into a vast underground or an old castle's well system because directly above them was a series of high arches of aged stained stone that held this greenish, all too familiar hue to them.

It was a solid cobblestone walk ahead of them, by the look of it, but it was far better than nothing at all. Only Kate and Lindsey climbed up onto it, soaked and coughing as Woody was thrown into another state of panic.

Sarah and Dreamer both had disappeared and he was helpless again.

"Jackie!"

Granted he wept out into his arms for a second before there was churn of water, and a dolphin's head popped up along with a wet head of gold.

No words were needed to be spoken, but the terror in Woody's eyes was worth a thousand words to Sarah when she finally saw him whilst catching her breath, holding onto the dolphin's back with all her strength. Keeping the girls together, Woody could barely find the words.

"Oh! Thank my stars…" Dreamer was then told by the emotional Sheriff. He sounded about ready to break down.

"Can't - Can't imagine losing any of you… Not in this way— Not in this way…" the dolphin spoke in Dreamer's voice, scared and fairly angry.

Woody naturally swatted at the water as though to get them closer to safety, his face twisted once with grief now with worry. Sarah let go of Dreamer and paddled to the cobblestone and clambered on, all shaken up. She felt the small cowboy try to wrap his arms around her. If it was physically possible, he would have.

"Both — you guys! Guh!" he sputtered, as Dreamer came about out of the water and as an elephant again.

They found themselves lost in this vast, deep space, within some kind of twisted fortress. One that felt all too close to home for Woody. If a toy could pale like death, he would have. Soon enough, they were able to see that they were in a wide of what looked like, the internal well of an actual castle… Woody was horrified to see this when they all hid in the shadows for a moment, as soaked as they were, except for Dreamer who changed back to himself in the nick of time. All soaked through, and thank goodness he lacked a voice box, Woody kept an eye out when he spied what looked like a guard down the way. Dreamer did so as well, especially when those strange beasts started to walk in their general direction. As panic set into Woody, he kept himself in check, drew in a deep breath before looking back to the girls.

"To clue you in, girls, just listen to me… You can take my word for it, can't you?" Woody warmly smiled at the blondes and the brunette, even the grimly quiet elephant.

"Since you're talking," Lindsey mentioned, " and he's… well…"

"… he's well, all right… especially after saving Jackie back there…" Kate cut her off from insulting the brave elephant again. She just touched a chord in him, again.

"If it isn't too much trouble to ask, is how you know J-Jackie…?" Dreamer shyly asked, giddy at the thought of more friends. Woody rubbed his face in the palm of his hand but smirking all the same.

"Not like's time's been our friend or anything…" he prodded.

"Oh, we've been friends since first grade…" Kate happily answered, getting her mind off things for a second, as fleeting as it was. There was something about the elephant that helped her feel more… at home. Even Woody did.

"Well… Kate, I can speak for them, but they're the reason why I was able to see you again." Sarah tearfully explained. "If Woody never found me, I would've been caught long ago and Mickey would've…"

"We can't afford that kind of thinking. Not right now." Woody reminded, patting her softly on the hand. "What's on our plate now is far more important~ We have to find the rest of the troupe in this maze."

"Th-they could be anywhere, after what just happened to us…"

"Yeah, what the heck just happened…?"

"I thought we were all going to die…"

"Where the heck are we?"

Each child had the right concern during this dire situation. As of this moment, they were prisoners. So prone to losing her mind on and on again, the more she believed that Woody was beginning to sound more like her father every moment thus far. Granted, the scare she had when he was torn was overwhelming still… It was all as if they were family to her, without a doubt.

"That won't happen," Woody boldly told them. "The reason why we're here is that someone is mad at us and we're in pretty bad straits right now. If we've learned anything, we know indefinitely that she loves to play games. I'm talkin' about the ones like Twister and Jacks. If we play our cards right, we can beat her at her own game."

"What are we gonna do…?" Lindsey trembled, finally looking at the cowboy with some growing trust.

"What we're not going to do to fall flat to one of her tricks. We've all just been kidnapped… by the looks of it." Woody spoke, taking a chance to look around for a moment to take it all in.

"I have an awful feelin' that she has the others too… doin' who knows what!" Dreamer tearfully mentioned.

"Well, we're not hanging around here to find out — Come on, get in step~" Woody rangled them on, away from the nearing guards.

Not even a moment had passed when one hideous creature walked by the spot they were hiding, and gladly, they were brisk enough to make it around the farthest corner. As soon as he was sure everyone was accounted for both and Dreamer made a silent discovery. There was, what looked like in all this darkness, a manhole of sorts or some kind of entryway into this mysterious passage.

Woody led on first, but soon enough, something dazzled him for a second, coming from the pitch darkness…

It was as tiny as his boot but as bright as anything, with a set of beautiful sky blue transparent wings. It sat alone on the stone wall, waiting, before fluttering in mid-air before the Sheriff's eyes. Thinking he had been attacked, all three girls met with him as Dreamer flew past over their heads, as a bird, with them finding Woody completely entranced by this delicate spectre. With one hand pressed against his heart as it blossomed again with hope, he had to follow her.

"…blue?" was all Woody could utter, fearing that it was a lie at first but…

"It is her! Come on!" Dreamer wept with glee.

"She's here!? If she's here, then…"

"Hurry!"

Dreamer got the four onto his back and began to fly as a pegasus to the arching roof, following the shimmering trail of that precious enchantment. In their hearts, they knew something happened… Something terrible… and it all lied within reach of this narrow passage which led the determined group to a watery outlook that allowed them to see into a corridor, where screams could be heard and chains rattled. Lindsey was about to scream at the sight of hanging bats above them, but Kate slapped a hand over her mouth. Dreamer remained as a pegasus, peering through with the lot, his green eyes wide with terror. The hopeful spectre landed atop Sarah's shoulder.

"I knew it would come to this…" Woody choked.

"Wh-what is this place…?" Kate asked.

"The one place we fought all along to avoid. This is Maleficent's Fortress."

"No, no… We can't be here.. No… If we've been brought here, then that means the others are here too. Mickey can't be… His friends— Quasimodo! The Knight!"

"Let's not lose it~ Blue's with us. Aren't you, ma'am?" Woody then wistfully asked the spectre, whose wings shimmered brightly in response, allowing the Sheriff's heart to secretly sing. Once again, she could not speak aloud here. They were all being searched for as of this moment.

"We have journeyed far and wide in order to be ready for this place. We have learned her tricks and wishes. Now we must show her our own. Alas, in order to give her the satisfaction, I fear our many allies and friends have been captured. Including us. One thing I am thankful for are her Goon's ignorance." came the beautiful warmth of the Blue Fairy's voice. "Dreamer has been returned to you and Figment works by Yen Sid's side, Sarah Jackson. Together, you two will throw the final blow."

Of course, those words were only heard by Sarah, Woody, and the Imaginary. The other two girls were stumped but they had no choice in the matter, but to follow along this corridor. It was a seemingly endless one, which was something that stuck out to Sarah, Woody, and Dreamer… even Blue. This felt like the same magic trick that was pulled back at Pete's tent when Sarah searched hard for the former Bing Bong. The corridor was never-ending to them, sending them all in dizzying circles. This time, it was happening again… only ten times worse. At first, she had Robin providing a clue. This was another deal where they had to listen from deep in their hearts, rather than just seeing and believing. All they had to do was not allow fear to hinder them, even their Imaginary knew that well and deep down.

Maleficent seemed the type who adored torture, so when thinking about the rest of the troupe and their loved ones had forced their emotions to be at their peak… Reunited by one so far, they still had a long way to go… Nonetheless, since Woody was safe and well as first discovered~ Right now, they had a chance with the purest magic in all creation… Lindsey wisely decided to keep her mouth shut, especially.

With Blue's guidance, there was something that had to be witnessed… in order to plan accordingly. Just as Dreamer had warned, there was a huge celebration around mighty green flames outside in this old ruin of a courtyard. Being able to see through from some broken stain glass. What was set before them was beyond horrendous, unlike the horrors they have all been through before. First off, there was that sharp sound of distant drums that drew them close. There was the beautiful body of the young Libertas, held down, painfully, by an awful set of thick, rusted chains. Other than that alone, she was prodded and teased by her own guards…. Fought as much as she could to defend herself but she could barely move her head and her wings. There was also the great black steed Dreamer had compassionately healed prior, thrashing and kicking about in fury, receiving the same exact treatment.

"No." Woody's anger grew more inflamed, nearly hopping out onto the sill.

"They're torturing them… Wh-where's Quasimodo…?"

"That's the issue. If they're here, then so are Quasi and his father, for sure. I might be one with wild ideas, but…" Woody had to think for a moment whilst fighting a sob from deep down. Even at the sign of comfort, he held it in. "L-Listen to me, girls… Expect some crazy stuff to start happening, but guaranteed, we all might make it out."

"How can you be so sure…?" Kate asked.

"I know you've seen me and my friend's stories. Don't think I'm out of the loop here. It's often a habit that we pull crazy plans…"

"Crazy as in scarring a kid for life, or pulling an elaborate prison break out~" Kate blandly commented, making a smirk work its way onto Woody's face.

"… with that said, are you all ready for a little roundup?" Woody whispered with encouragement.

"I sure am!" Dreamer chimed in, almost instantly with true excitement.

"I need you to be at your finest~ what do you have that can ruffle their feathers a bit?"

"Don't think you've seen my finest yet, Woody."

"Now that's what I love to hear…" was Woody's proud response, which reminded Sarah of her own father a little bit.

For Woody having countless scares of almost losing Sarah time and time again, but with each experience she changed so much. At the start, she had the right to be a skeptic, even asking questions, venting out and now, she was willing to do what was right for those she loved. One thing though, that they were soon to find out was, that their eyes could not see the truth just yet, for the prisoners set before them. A deep and powerful spell was at work here. As Geno had once hinted long ago that Maleficent had ways of persuasion.

Feeling close to them, like family, Sarah had to link her fingers with Dreamer's as they bravely got closer to that court. Remembering Quasimodo's precious and final words to her, her faith remained as strong as its ever been as they came too close. Right then, she began to notice that something look visibly wrong with the young eagle. With this estranged look in her eye while she barely thrashed against her chains, no matter how tight they were. It broke their hearts while the friends watched the guards march off, guffawing at her and the frazzled stallion. Even though it seemed that they had the upperhand, someone indeed knew of their little escape… Dreamer had a clue that this was the case and soon everyone saw their magical friend look oddly determined.

"You look sure."

"I~um, I have somethin', like how they're tricked, we can do the same thing to those guards."

"Tricked?" Lindsey asked.

"… you don't mean they're cursed?" Sarah worriedly asked.

"Like we were once…? Y-yeah-yeah, I'm 'fraid so… You can tell by that look in their eyes."