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Back in the days before Mickey stepped through the mirror, the world of Wasteland was quite different. Oswald arrived to find just a simple landscape, with blueprints and plans for a magical kingdom left behind. Being skilled in building, Oswald began constructing the wooden facades and structures that would become the bustling city of Mean Street. With help from the Mad Doctor, Gremlins, and other citizens, it grew into a community hub and popular attraction. For most residents, it represented a new life and purpose after being discarded by the outside world.
But some, like Horace who ran a detective agency, still wondered if Mickey remembered them. Long ago, they were main characters, only to eventually be replaced and forgotten. Upon arrival in Wasteland, Horace became a private investigator while Clarabelle led Ostown. Others like Peg Leg Pete appointed himself sheriff, though most saw him as an oaf seeking self-importance. Still, despite pranks and threats, the residents kept their distance and did their jobs.
For many peaceful years, Mean Street thrived. But one fateful day, chaos struck. A wave of thinner poured from the sky, twisting structures into dark reflections. Clouds covered the once vibrant sky in perpetual storm. In the aftermath, Oswald and the gremlins tried preserving order, but the Storm Blot appeared, starting the destructive Blot Wars. The Mad Doctor sensed opportunity in this power shift. Darkened streets now crawled with blotlings and modified beetleworx capturing any resistance. After a final failed stand against the Blot's fortress, a grieving Oswald exiled himself as the town became a ghostly, silent shell.
When Mickey arrived, memories surfaced at the sight of the ruined world. He vowed to use paint to restore beauty and peace. Oswald observed from afar, waiting to confront the one he'd long dreaded meeting. Their eventual alliance would mend their bond and illuminate the darkened streets once more. But remnants of the Blot's power lingered, as the mysterious Yen Sid knew they someday would. All along, he had seen the visions of this fated place, its decay and rebirth bridging the forgotten and cartoon realms.