"You finally happy now, kid?"
The husky voice made The Once-ler jump in his chair, as one would thinking they were alone at night. Turning, the newly turned multi-millionaire met eyes with those of the so-called speaker of the trees, the pale orange puff that was The Lorax.
The human narrowed his eyes, irritation lining his voice as he stared at the creature from above his desk. "What are you doing here? How did you get in here?"
The Lorax scoffed, folding furry arms. "Did you forget who I am? Or did all this glory get to your head and make you forget that you made a promise?"
The Once-ler glared at the guardian, tired of hearing the furry meatloaf complaining about this and that when he had a business to be running. "All this glory, in case you forgot, is the whole reason I came here. It was my dream and now that I finally have something good happening to me for once in my life can't you even pretend to be happy for me?"
"I am happy for you, kid," the orange guardian stated diffidently. "I'm glad you finally feel you're worth somethin' but if this really what you wanted to be? A guy who goes around betraying his friends and destroying everything around him?"
"Oh, so now we're friends? Funny, you didn't care to mention that before all this happened." Once-ler replied, almost comically.
"I'm only telling you now because you've become so blinded by biggering everything that you've lost sight of who you really are. The kid I knew would have never let this fame and money get the better of him."
"Oh please, how bad can it possibly be?"
"You wanna know how bad it is?" The Lorax asked sourly, his eyes flaring momentarily with fury. "How about you open your eyes, and take a look outside."
The Once-ler sighed over-dramatically as he scooted his chair back in one brief motion, the resounding screech setting The Lorax's teeth on edge. "Fine, if it'll make you happy," he stressed the word sarcastically "And get you out of my hair," he added making his way slowly to where the orange creature was pointing. Standing in front of the massive glass window and stepping through the door that lead to a balcony overlooking the forest, The Once-ler looked out to a familiar sight. His factory's shadow over the forest that had become the stepping-stone for his ambitions, granted there was a little less…color to it now.
But he couldn't bring himself to care.
"Tell me, how does this business of yours go on with no trees?" The Lorax's voice was delicate, trying to hide his desperation and the indignation that came with it. "More importantly, how do expect Pipsqueak and the others to keep livin' here?" That was his greatest fear. With all the trees gone, the animals that once lived here with him and the kid couldn't live off the land anymore. No trees, no food. Even the one Truffula tree that remained would take years to sprout new seeds, and years more for those trees to bloom and grow.
"Get out." Was all the human said, his voice flat and unwavering as his eyes scanned the shades of gray that had replaced the vivid pinks and oranges of the trees indifferently. We'll find a way to keep making Thneeds…he thought, his confidence taking over his common sense. This isn't over yet.
The Lorax was about to refuse when a sudden rumble filled the air around them, shaking the foundation slightly as below an extensive vehicle emerged from the factory, it's engine nearly deafening, and bearing axes of all sizes along its frame as it started forward.
Straight for the last remaining Truffula tree.
"Kid don't do this, you can still stop it," the guardian looked up at the human, beseechingly. The Lorax was met with silence, The Once-ler didn't move, didn't speak even as the guardian tried to find any trace of remorse in his darken eyes and found none.
Clenching a fist, the kid was beyond reasoning now even The Lorax could see that, the orange protector growled. "Fine! If you're not going to do something, then I will." He snapped, hopping down the stairs as quickly as he could manage without falling down them completely as he hobbled after the machine with surprising speed for something his size.
The Once-Ler watched him curiously, wondering what he hoped to accomplish chasing after the machine like he was. It was loud (something the inventor hadn't gotten around to fixing quite yet), the driver wouldn't be able to hear him no matter how close he managed to get and with the axes swinging in every which direction there was a low chance the driver would be able to see the orange furball either.
The Once-ler's mouth suddenly went dry. No… the thought hit him, suddenly and hard as a rapid numbness ran through him, his legs threatening to give in under his weight.
"Wait..." His voice was low. And too quiet he realized as he leaned over the edge of the balcony "Stop!" Reaching a hand out as if he could stop it with some mystical force, The Once-Ler abruptly turned on his heels and darted down the stairs, following The Lorax's path to the machine. To the tree. The last tree. How could he have let this happen? The Lorax had been right…He had changed, and not for the better. As he ran through the once lively forest, he felt sick as he remembered what it used to look it. The trees, the color, the animals. Everything was gone. And it was his fault.
Why hadn't he seen it before? Had the customers, and money really altered him that much? Enough that destroying the only friendships he had hadn't been enough? That he had to destroy the best things that had ever happened to him, or the most beautiful place he had seen?
It was bad, this he saw now, but there was still time. He could still stop this. He could still save the last tree and The Lorax, that was all that mattered now. If he could just get there! Everything seemed to be moving in slow motion, despite the fact his lanky frame made it so he covered twice as much ground as The Lorax but he briefly wondered if it was enough.
Luckily, it was and he skidded to a stop in front of The Lorax, forming a barrier between the guardian and the machine as he spread his arms. "Stop!"
"What are you doing, you idiot?!" The Lorax screamed from behind him, raising his voice to be heard over the thunderous noise of the engine but the human stood his ground, ignoring his friend's cries as he stared up at the monstrous machine. This was all his fault and, somehow, standing here felt…right. More right then anything he had done in a long time…and also more terrifying.
He closed his eyes, bracing for the impact as he heard an axe whiz though the air, drawing back for the final blow before it zipped through the air towards him, towards The Lorax and the last tree.
But nothing came.
"Wha..?" Daring to open an eye, The Once-Ler came face-to-face with an axe and yipped in fear as he jumped back before realizing the blade was no longer mobile. In fact, the whole forest had just gone unusually quiet, though it was soon broken by The Once-Ler's chuckle as he patted himself down, all limbs in tack. "I'm alive! I can't believe it!"
"Neither can I," the fuzzy guardian stated, though whether he was relieved or not was overshadowed by the glare he aimed at the kid. "What in the world were you thinking?! Are you crazy?! You could have been killed!" He exclaimed, his little arms waving wildly.
The human laughed giddily, dropping down to scoop up the orange ball of anger and hug him close. "I wasn't! No, and I wasn't! I'm alive and you're alive and…" He drifted off as he looked behind them, to the tree. The last Truffula tree, it brought a nostalgic feeling to the inventor.
Suddenly it hit The Lorax. "Wait a second, that's why you nearly killed yourself?" He asked incredulously as he squirmed out of the human's hold, glaring up at him once he was free, demanding an answer.
"Yep," The Once-ler smiled pompously.
The guardian shook his head with a sigh. "You are insane, beanpole."
"Okay, maybe a little," the human allowed with a shrug, then frowned, his eyes desolate. "Listen…about everything, I'm sorry. You were right, I guess I did get caught up in everything. The money, the success. I thought I finally had everything I wanted…but I was wrong."
"Sorry's not good enough kid." The Lorax's voice was cold, and not at all what the human expected after an apology. Then again, what did he expect? As far as The Once-ler was concerned, he deserved it, every bit of it for what he did and he looked at the ground, ashamed.
"It'll take years for everything here to grow again," the guardian continued lightly, placing a fuzzy hand on the humans, taking him by surprise as he raised gloomy eyes to sympathetic auburn. "But…Thanks to you, at least we still have somewhere to start."
The Once-ler smiled softly, "thanks."
"Uh…by the way, I hope ya weren't too fond of that hat'a yours." The Lorax told him, a twinkle in his eyes The Once-ler hadn't seen in a long time and was grateful for.
"Why not?" To answer his own question, the inventor placed a hand on said hat, only to find the top was gone, leaving his hair exposed (thought thankfully it was still there). Oh man, talk about close shaves! He thought, looking at the orange creature, his mustache twitching with unshed laughs and smiled. "Well, guess I won't need this thing anymore." He said, tossing it aside as he and The Lorax burst into laughter.
Okay, so I'm obsessing over The Lorax right now but in my defense The Once-ler is just adorable, okay? XD Please R7R!