Oh yay! A new fanfic! Everyone loves fanfiction…okay. So, disclaimer…I do not own any Who's or any animals or characters aside from Julia and maybe some other random Who's I might make up. Disclaim disclaim disclaim…that ought to do it! :)
My parents just had to bring me on this stupid hike. We were fighting our way through some remote jungle called Nule.
This was stupid. I would much rather e with my friends, listening to music, playing on my computer…basically anything but what I was now being forced to do.
"Julia," my father called to me. "Catch up! You don't want to be left behind!"
"Yeah, sure, 'cause I'm just loving it here," I said under my breath. I deliberately walked even slower.
I stared at the ground. I made a point of crushing flowers and bugs under my feet. I was mad and annoyed.
When I looked up, I couldn't see my family anymore. I couldn't see the path. I was in the middle of an unknown jungle, miles away from everything, including civilization. I yelled for my parents, the guide, anyone, but no one came. My voice was swallowed in the dense foliage.
I was about to climb a tree to get a better view, when an elephant came crushing through the trees.
"Aaaaaaaaaaaah!" I yelled, and I heard the elephant go, "Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!" in response.
"Y—you can talk?" I asked him.
"You can talk?" he said. "Most humans that come through here just talk gibberish. You're the first one I can understand!"
"O…kay…listen, Mr Elephant…"
"Call me Horton," he said.
"Okay, Horton. My name is Julia. I have lost my family, and I don't know where I am."
"I should take you to the Kangaroo. She'll want to help!"
"The…kangaroo." I didn't like where this was going. I could talk to animals. Clearly something was very wrong with me.
"Yes! Come with me!"
He lifted me in his trunk. I gasped, and then laughed as he set me down on his wide shoulders.
"You okay up there?" he asked.
"I'm GREAT!" I said. "This is the most fun I've had my whole trip!"
I suddenly realized I was talking to an elephant, and started laughing. I laughed so hard, tears started to stream down my cheeks, and it was all I could do not to fall.
"What's so funny?" asked Horton.
I just laughed even harder. When I got enough breath, I choked, "Nothing!"
"Okay," he said.
We looked around for the kangaroo—"She's big, bossy, and purple," Horton told me. "You can't miss her."
When we finally found her, Horton said, "Hey! Look at what I found!"
"A human?!" replied the kangaroo. I found I could understand her as well, and I could hear some birds chatting in a tree nearby. I supposed I could understand all animals. I wouldn't know—I had never been near any animals, since my parents didn't want pets.
"Yes, she is a human," replied Horton.
"Horton, what were you thinking?! A HUMAN?! Take it away, this INSTANT!"
"O—okay!" said Horton, clearly afraid of her insane, angry behaviour.
He ran, me still on his shoulders, into the forest. I stole a glance back and saw the kangaroo glaring at me.
Once we were a great distance from the insane kangaroo (at least, I though she looked a little deranged), I said to Horton, "No one likes me! Everyone thinks I'm just in the way! I wish I could disappear! Nothing ever goes right!"
"Oh, it's okay," said Horton, "I like you."
"Thanks, Horton," I said.
"You know what," he said thoughtfully, "I know where we should go. I know someone who is in the exact same position as you are!"
"Really?!"
"Really."
I tried to make him tell me where we were headed, but he would only tell me that he wanted it to be a surprise.
"Horton!"
I heard the voice come from behind us.
"Morton!" cried Horton happily.
Out of the bushes came a small mouse. His voice was misleadingly deep compared to his size.
"Horton—is it true? Did you find a—HORTON! There is a HUMAN on your back!"
"Yes, I know, Morton. This is Julia. Julia, this is my best friend, Morton."
"You know it?!" asked Morton.
"Sure. Julia and I are friends," said Horton. I sat there not knowing what to make of the conversation.
"Well," Horton continued, "I'm taking Julia to…somewhere. I told her I would. I meant what I said, and I said what I meant—and an elephant's faithful—"
"One hundred percent. Yeah, yeah."
I smiled. Horton was so nice, and apparently had a cute little rhyming motto.
"Well, I'll see you around, Horton. Just don't let the kangaroo turn this situation into another one of those 'speck' episodes."
"I won't," said Horton. "See you, Morton."
As we walked away, I asked Horton, "Speck?"
"Nothing. You'll find out soon enough," he finished mysteriously.
I asked, "Please tell me?"
He started to say something, then stopped, and this happened a few times before he said, "OKAY! Fine…I'm taking you to Mount Nule to see the mayor…but mostly his son, Jojo. He doesn't get along with anyone because no one really understands him, so I thought you two would get along well."
"That's sweet Horton," I said, thinking, well, I'm basically being set up on a blind date by an elephant.
Anyway—when we got to the giant mountain, Horton asked me if I could see a sunflower right at the top. I squinted, using my hand to shade my eyes from the sun.
"Yes—I think I do," I told him.
"That's where the speck is."
"The…speck."
"RIGHT! Did I forget to mention—the mayor and all of Whoville live on this speck?"
"Um…kinda."
"Oh well…now you know."
"Thanks," I said sarcastically.
Anyway, we began the long, not-so-perilous trek up to the top of mount Nule. Upon reaching the top, we went into a cave. In the middle of this cave, in the center of a shaft of light, was a sunflower. If you looked closely, you could see a speck of dust on it.
"Mr. Mayor?" Horton said to the speck. "Mayor, are you there?"
"Horton?!" said a voice, presumably from the speck. My eyes widened in amazement.
"Horton, is that you?"
"Yes, it's me, Mayor. How are you?"
"I'm great! How about you?"
"I'm fine, Mayor. Listen, I've got a friend here—her name is Julia."
Horton nudged me, so I timidly said, "Hello."
The mayor said, "Hello, Julia. I am the mayor of Whoville. Pleased to meet you."
"It's nice to meet you too, Mayor," I said.
The mayor proceeded to tell me all about Whoville—about their funny instruments, the oddly-shaped buildings, and all the funny hair. Of course, when I told him how my town was, he laughed, thinking I was the weird one.
I imagined myself as a Who. I imagined I was standing with the mayor on his balcony. It was so real, I could even feel the marble under my feet.
I opened my eyes—no wait, they already were open. So—why was the picture of Whoville still there?