Title: Lost
Rating: PG
Fandom: Crossover: Dr. Seuss' the Lorax & Joker/Clover/Heart no Kuni no Alice
Characters: Dr. Seuss' the Lorax: Once-ler, Pipsqueak ; J/C/H no Kuni no Alice: Alice Liddell
Pairing: Once-ler/Alice Liddell (if you squint hard enough)
Summary: [reposted due to accidental deletion] How is it that she, an outsider, can see the damages they were causing to this land?
Word Count: 659
Author's Note: Basically, Alice ends up in the world of Dr. Seuss' the Lorax and befriends the Once-ler before he turns into Greedy!Once-ler (Greed-ler) and… yeah. That's about it, really. I may end up writing more crossover!drabbles for these two [along with some Rapunzeler] because I find myself liking these crossover!pairings. Anyway… on with the crossover!drabble.
Warnings: None.
Disclaimer: Dr. Seuss' the Lorax & Joker/Clover/Heart no Kuni no Alice do not belong to me in any shape or form (including characters). Thank you.

Alice absentmindedly had been scratching Pipsqueak behind the ears as she stared out at the gloomy place that was once filled with bright, happy colors and life.

Behind her, the Once-ler is discussing plans with some important person or another on how to expand his company to ensure that all people are able to have their very own thneed which she still fails to see its importance.

But what she does see is how his business – his success – is having an effect on the environment.

How could he not see it? He had a grand view of the destruction from here, in his large office, where he spent most of his time looking over the plans of his factory.

She tears her eyes away when she hears Pipsqueak give a soft, sorrowful whine and she tries to muster up a reassuring smile; however, that is a hard feat to accomplish when she knows how all of this destruction of his home is happening before his very eyes and how hungry he is.

Because of the lack of Truffula Trees, the Bar-ba-loots are struggling to find food – and they aren't the only creatures that are struggling.

Carefully, she gets up from her spot by the window, Pipsqueak in her arms, as she creeps towards the Once-ler's desk. Despite the changes in him, he still enjoys sweet things and therefore there's a bowl of marshmallows sitting at the corner of his desk.

When she first witnessed Once-ler feeding Pipsqueak and the other Bar-ba-loots – as she soon learned that is what they are called – she immediately frowned and said he should not feed them such things.

But now… now there's really no choice but to feed them marshmallows.

Her feet come to a stop when the two men stand and she gives a small curtsy when the man the Once-ler was talking with takes his leave after bidding them a farewell.

And it's once the doors to his office close that the Once-ler begins to go on and on about how wonderful that went and tells her the "good" news of how his company will be expanding further.

Alice doesn't bother to act enthusiastic about it because she's not.

Instead, she plucks a marshmallow from the bowl and hands it to Pipsqueak. It's painfully obvious that that's not what he wants, but it's the only thing she can offer the critter.

The Once-ler is still going on and on and on about this and that.

"… You're as mad as a hatter."

Once-ler tilts his head a little to the side at her sentence and, really, it surprises her that he even managed to hear what she said with his constant self-praise.

"Mm? What was that, Alice?"

… Oh. Well.

Obviously he hadn't.

"It's nothing."

"Oh. Well, if you say so."

He then continues to share with her about how people everywhere would be able to get their very own thneed and she tries her best to seem somewhat happy for him.

It's what friends do for each other, isn't it? They're happy for them even though they're not happy with the choices they are making or the actions that they're doing.

And yet part of her wanted to see if she could somehow talk some sense into him. That he should stop with this – if only to let more Truffula Trees go.

How is it that she, an outsider, can see the damages they are causing to this – what once was beautiful and thriving – land?

It's not until a day later, as he greedily counts the wad of bills, that she sees how lost he's become in all of this.

How selfishness and greed have overtaken his heart, mind, and soul.

And it makes her wonder what it will take for him to find his way back and realize what it is he's done.

And to see, despite his wealthy gain, he's lost so much more than money ever can provide.