Some of the following characters (The Once-ler, Gammy Norma, The Lorax) and plot belongs to Universal Studios and those who contributed to the 2012 animated film 'The Lorax'.

Chapter 1: The Beginning Of The End

The Lorax stood there in the middle of the forest. In every direction he looked he saw the Truffula trees fall, one right after the other. There was only a few hundred left now. The air was so filled with smog that you couldn't even tell whether it was day time or night time. And with the lack of trees to produce clean oxygen, the air only got worst and worst. Yet nobody complained. Every body was so caught up in the Thneed craze that they didn't care how polluted the air was. The air wasn't the only polluted thing either. The water was contaminated with shloop also. The once beautiful Truffula Valley was nothing more than a landfill because of a factory. The product of a man's greed.

The Lorax and all the forest's critters, the barbaloots, swamnee swans and humming fish, fought desperately to save the forest. But nobody cared, nobody listened. Yet they still had hope. They had hope that the man responsable for all of this, the man they once called Beanpole, will break free from his greed and realize the mistakes he has done and fix them. So they kept fighting. His name was The Once-ler.

The Once-ler wasn't always greedy. He once was a completely different man. He was only blinded by his success and his manipulative family who never loved him until now, apparently. But The Lorax knew that deep down inside of him there still was that beanpole who could play guittar like a rock star and had the most irrational sense of optimism. But the last straw came that night.

The Once-ler was in his office preparing for an appeareance he will make for Thneedville's Opening Lighting Ceremony. It was to be the city's official opening and The Once-ler had to look his best. He wore his signature green suit with his signature green gloves. He looked absoulutely dashing. He practiced all afternoon the speech he would make. The crowds were bound to go wild tonight. The Once-ler never thought he would become this famous. He was at the top of the food chain. The richest man alive. Nothing could stop him now.

As he walked towards the big mirror in his office to fix his tie, something slipped out of the piles of papers he was carrying. It was a picture of him and Pipsqueak. The Once-ler suddenly felt a pang of guilt fall over him. How many times he had pushed the little critter to the side to keep working on his business? It had been over a year since he last saw him. But Once-ler decided to push the feeling aside and concentrate on what really mattered: Tonight. Just as he was about to leave, The Lorax sneaked in through the balcony.

"Hey Beanpole!" said Lorax.

The Once-ler sighed "Not again!" he turned around, anger reflected in his expression.

"No! Don't tell me. You came here to beg and complain about the trees, aren't you? Well guess what?! I don't care!" The Once-ler turned around to leave his office but The Lorax only followed suit. He tried to make Once-ler understand he was much better than this. How he has changed. The Lorax knew Once-ler was too proud to admit to his greed. Once-ler thought it was some sort of a duty he had to not let anyone down. Well, even thought The Once-ler didn't realize it, he had let The Lorax and the forrest's animals down. This was his last opportunity for redemption but he only ignored The Lorax and left for town in his limousine. Not a care in the world. It was over, The Lorax knew it.

"Tonight." The Lorax said to himself "I have to gather all the animals tonight." He sadly turned around, heading towards the last few Truffula trees, were some of the animals awaited him. Unless, he thought. Unless.

Meanwhile, The Once-ler sat in his limousine, smoking on a cigar, thinking over on what The Lorax said earlier. Bad? The Once-ler thought. I'm not bad, I'm the good guy here, he just dosen't get it!

"Am I bad?" This time he asked out loud to his secretary, Mrs. Funce-ler (whom he had been carrying an affair with for quite some time).

"No sir, of course not." She said, not even bothering to look at him. Of course it was expected of her to say that, but The Once-ler, so desperate to rid of the guilt he felt at the moment, accepted it anyway.

They arrived at the city, greeted by a multitude of adoring fans. Even though he had been doing this for over five years, The Once-ler still got a little nervous at times like these. Nevertheless, he put on that famous grin of his and walked towards the stage. Once there, he know could see how much more people were actually there. Were there that many people living in Thneedville? The Once-ler didn't know. Even though he wore his blue sunglasses, he still could feel the spotlights burn pass them into his eyes. He placed his papers on the podium and began his speech. At first he was a little nervous but it all came naturally to him. His speech compared a company with an animal trying to survive. Which was very ironic, if you think about it. He just let him self loose and in no time the crowd grew in excitement.

It wasn't until his big finale, were a poster unfolded behind him with the words 'Welcome To Thneedville' and fire works were shot to the sky, that the crowds exploted with every thing they had been holding back this past hour. The Once-ler took in all of it. But it was cut short when, seemingly out of nowhere, he saw a tiny figure stand before him in the middle of the stage. It was The Lorax. The crowd was too busy crying and screaming with joy that they did not notice the creature that stood in the stage. Oh but The Once-ler, he felt him alright. He felt his gaze burn right through him, hotter than the spotlights did. That was it! This couldn't go on for any longer. Something had to be done. The Once-ler walked towards him and stretched out his hand as a peace offering. But Lorax just stood there, looking at his green gloves, stained with all the blood of the Truffula trees and animals he killed. He stared at them with disgust. The Once-ler waited for him to accept, almost expecting it, but Lorax just turned around, making his intentions clear. He wasn't here to chastise The Once-ler or make peace with him. He was here to let him know. It was all over now.

The Once-ler watched his old pal walk away, disspearing into the wild crowd. To him, he lost nothing. But in reality, not only did he lost a friend, but, that night, he completely lost all of his humanity. The Once-ler did not know what awaited him that night when he returned home. When the last Truffula tree would fall.

"What goes up must come down."

-Isaac Newton