It was a beautiful morning in the Truffula forest, and Once-ler had just woken up from his sleep. He sat up in bed, stretched and yawned.
As he got up to get dressed out of his bunny pajamas, he noticed his clothes weren't in his dresser.
"MUSTACHE!!" Once-ler yelled, causing some Swami-Swans to fly out of the nearby Truffula trees.
Suddenly the Lorax appeared just outside his window.
"What is it, Beanpole?" The Lorax asked him, not too happy with him disturbing the peace and quiet of the forest.
"What did you do with my clothes!?" He asked, now having searched every drawer of his dresser, "I had them just right here" — he pointed to the top of his dresser — "and now they're gone!"
"Did you check the bathroom?" The Lorax asked him.
"T-The where now?" Once-ler asked, giving the Lorax a slightly confused look, "If you're asking if I keep my clothes there, heck no!"
"Well I saw some Bar-ba-Loots in there with 'em a few minutes before you woke up." The Lorax said, "The toilet was clogged again."
"Oh, no..." The Once-ler said quietly to himself with a groan, "Please don't tell me they're using them for what I think it is..."
As he exited his room and entered his bathroom, he saw Pipsqueak and Lou using his clothes as towels to soak up the water.
"Guys, do you ever use the forest as your bathroom?" He asked, facepalming, "I mean, you are animals." As he finished, he wiped his hand down his face before picking his clothes up, which were now soaked.
"Well we used to." The Lorax said with a shrug, "But now that you have a home built here, we figured we'd use yours."
"This is so gross, Meatloaf." Once-ler said, trying to avoid holding his soaking wet clothes to his chest to keep them from soaking through his pajamas, "You know I have towels, right?"
"Well we couldn't find any so we either had to use your Thneed - which we decided not to touch for obvious reasons - or your clothes." The Lorax explained, "So we decided to do the responsible thing and used your clothes."
Once-ler looked at Lou and Pipsqueak, who just nodded.
"Mustache, the responsible thing would be waking me!" He complained, walking out of the bathroom.
"Waking you wasn't an option Beanpole!" The Lorax argued, following him, "Remember that time you sprayed me with that hose?"
"That was for almost drowning me in the river!" Once-ler retorted, "You could have killed me!"
"Well that was the first option we came up with." The Lorax mentioned, "We decided not to and were going to send you down the river but Pipsqueak was in the bed with you. So that idea failed."
"Well you almost succeeded!" Once-ler argued as the Lorax opened up his front door, the Once-ler throwing his clothes outside. His clothes landed in the grass with a wet plop.
"Now what are you going to wear?" The Lorax asked, looking up at Once-ler, "You can't go running around with no clothes on."
"Probably should've thought of that before using my clothes as towels!" The Once-ler argued through clenched teeth, glaring at the Lorax, "It's because of you, Meatloaf, that I have nothing to wear!"
"Well the good news is you can run around in your underwear if you wanted." The Lorax said with a shrug as he began to walk back into Once-ler's house.
Once-ler cringed as he heard that, imagining himself standing in the middle of the forest feeling embarrassed.
"What!?" He asked, quickly getting rid of the thought, "Why would I want to do that?"
"Well knowing you you're the crazy type." The Lorax said, sitting on the couch, "So I thought you'd be more than happy to run around in your underwear with no one to judge you." He then muttered, "Except for me, of course."
"Well I'd be happy if this forest wasn't filled with animals!" Once-ler argued, "Though I love animals, I still don't feel comfortable running around naked - heck, even in my underwear - around you guys!"
"None of us can talk, Beanpole." The Lorax said as if it was obvious, but then again, he decided, it wouldn't be too obvious for Once-ler to get through his head due to how childish Once-ler was at times.
"But you can!" Once-ler pointed out, getting out the stuff to make pancakes, "That's the problem!"
Huh. The Lorax thought, rolling his eyes, Guess he isn't that stupid.
"Well I certainly wouldn't tell anyone." The Lorax then said, now standing next to Once-ler, "Plus you are a beanpole and I don't think anyone would notice you running naked through the woods if you were to do it anyway."
"No, I'm not doing that." Once said, "It's not like I'm dumb enough to do that!"
"Well what are you going to do then?" The Lorax asked him with a shrug, "Run around in your bunny pajamas all day?"
Suddenly Once-ler remembered his Thneed.
"Oh I've got it!" He said as he rushed into his room and opened up one of his dresser drawers, "My Thneed can double as clothing for me until my actual clothes dry!"
After mentioning that, he slammed the door, not knowing the Lorax was right at the door, ending up getting the door slammed in his face instead.
"Oof!" He heard the Lorax grunt as the door slammed shut.
"Sorry Meatloaf!" He called before quickly putting on his Thneed. But as he looked down at himself he felt that something didn't seem right.
Of course... He thought, looking at the wall in front of him, feeling his Thneed looked more like a dress on him - or just a really long shirt.
"Okay I'm coming out to make the pancakes now!" Once-ler called, walking towards his door, "And don't judge me!"
As he placed his hand on his doorknob, he took a deep breath and twisted the knob.
As he opened up his door, he didn't expect the Lorax to be standing right in front of his door still, and as he opened up his door the rest of the way he saw the Lorax looking up at him.
Once-ler, of course, never expected this, so he screamed - sounding almost like a girl - as he quickly hid behind his door, peeking at the Lorax from behind it, his nose, eyes and top of his head visible.
"What are you doing Meatloaf!?" He asked, his eyes wide with shock.
"I was just waiting for you to get done." The Lorax admitted with a shrug, "And what's with the freak out?"
"I didn't expect you to just be there while I was getting changed." The Once-ler said, breathing out a sigh, having finally calmed down.
"Well what else did you expect, Beanpole?" The Lorax asked before rolling his eyes, "Me to just magically disappear into thin air?"
"Yeah that would be great Meatloaf." The Once-ler said, looking down at the Lorax with a slight glare.
"Well I couldn't do that." The Lorax said with a smile, "I just wanted to see what your Thneed looked like on you!"
"Uh... I don't think you'd wanna know Mustache." Once said, closing the door just a little more, his eyes now only visible.
"Aw, c'mon Beanpole!" The Lorax said, trying to convince him to show himself, "I ain't gonna judge!"
But what about the others? He thought, before remembering that the animals never really judged him, except for the time where he was unpacking his wagon and throwing everything he had out of it, especially sharp objects.
"Okay, fine..." He gave in with a sigh, "I'll come out. But don't laugh!"
"My lips are sealed." The Lorax said, making a motion in front of his mouth with his hand as if zipping something shut.
Once-ler rolled his eyes, before coming out.
The Lorax's arms just dropped in front of him as his jaw dropped, seeing that due to how tall Once was, the Thneed looked more like a dress that showed his slenderness, either which way you looked at it.
The Lorax snorted, trying not to laugh.
"Uh, nice idea, kid." He said, trying to remain professional.
"Ya think?" Once-ler asked, pouting slightly as he crossed his arms, "This is the most ridiculous idea I've ever thought of."
"C'mon, let's go show the others." The Lorax said, turning around and heading towards the front door.
"No." Once-ler said firmly, his arms still crossed, "I'm not going out there like this. I'm waiting for my clothes to dry."
"But c'mon Beanpole, you have to come out sooner or later!" The Lorax mentioned, turning back to face Once-ler.
"Again, no thank you." Once-ler said, closing his eyes and looking away with his nose in the air, "I'm staying here."
The Lorax sighed, knowing the Once-ler was being stubborn.
Okay, if you're not going to come out the easy way, we'll just have to get you out the hard way... The Lorax thought as he stared at Once-ler.
"What?" Once asked after opening one eye and glancing at the Lorax, "I'm not going, that's final!"
"Well okay Beanpole, but I just hope you know you can't hide forever." Suddenly the Lorax whistled, causing the animals to run inside and Once-ler to scream like a girl before slamming his door shut, breathing heavily with his back against the door, his heart racing as the animals crowded outside the door, pawing and clawing at it.
What did you do, Meatloaf?! Once-ler yelled in his thoughts as he felt the door slightly budge as if something was slamming against it.
Outside his room, two Bar-ba-Loots were standing atop one another, Pipsqueak being on top of them and holding the doorknob as he had it twisted to where it'd open if pushed.
"Try harder!" Once heard the Lorax shout at the other animals, "Lou, help them!"
Please no... Once-ler pleaded in his head, Please don't let them-
Suddenly the door came open from one final slam, sending Once-ler falling to the floor with a short scream that almost sounded girlish, landing on his stomach.
"Told you Beanpole!" He heard the Lorax say as the animals fell on top of him from slamming themselves into the door to try to open it.
"Now you know what to do fellas!" The Lorax said, glancing at the biggest Bar-ba-Loot, Lou, giving the hint that he'd be needed.
Lou nodded, and all the animals started grabbing Once-ler's feet, causing him to start chuckling.
"H-Hey that t-tickles!" Once said, trying to talk through his chuckles as the animals began to drag him out, "Stop!"
"Sorry Beanpole." The Lorax said, "You need to come out."
"B-But I l-look like a...GIRL!" He shrieked as he said the last word as his chuckles became laughter, "S-STOP!!"
Out of all the animals, Pipsqueak was the one who began tickling his foot. He didn't know because he couldn't see, until...
"Pipsqueak!" He heard the Lorax shout, "Less tickling, more dragging."
Pipsqueak seemed to obey since the tickling stopped, and the Once-ler was left to catch his breath after the incident.
"Take him outside." The Lorax ordered, and by his tone the Once-ler could tell he was most likely rolling his eyes.
"But what about breakfast?!" Once-ler asked, trying to dig his nails into the floor, "It's the most important meal of the day!"
"Oh, right." The Lorax said, "How could I forget?"
"Because you were dragging me?" Once-ler replied, the animals finally dropping his feet.
"Hey I was just trying to get you out of your room." The Lorax mentioned, pointing a finger at the Once-ler, "It's not my fault you were being stubborn."
"Ugh, whatever..." Once said, rolling his eyes, "Just wait here as I make your breakfast."
--
As Once-ler was making pancakes, he began to hum to himself. The animals knew what he was humming because he sang it when he first came to the forest.
Na, na, na na na na
Na na na na, na na na na
"Humming Fish I love your hums
I've got a feeling we'll be chums
This pond is perfect there's no doubt
Excuse me while I rip these out"
"Uh, you singin' your song there Beanpole?" The Lorax asked, looking slightly confused.
"Na, na, na na na na
Na na na na, na na na na~" The animals all sang out happily.
"Yeah but I gave it a twist." Once-ler said with a smile, flipping the pancake that was in the pan, "Why? You like it?"
"No, I was just asking." The Lorax said, "The animals sang the one you originally sang once, and when I asked they said a beanpole was singin' it. But I was confused on why you'd change it into something better than that yodelling stuff."
"Aww, you know me." Once-ler said, turning around and booping the Lorax's nose with a smile, "I like to change it so it'd be more tolerable for the older creatures of the forest." He then turned back to his cooking.
"Hey, I'm not that old!" The Lorax argued as he pointed his finger at the Once-ler, "Just wait till you're in your 60s, then you'll see old!"
"So you can tell the future too?" Once-ler asked in a surprised tone, also having a surprised expression on his face.
"No, I ain't saying that." The Lorax said, "But one thing I will say is, how are those pancakes coming along?"
"They're coming along great!" The Once-ler said as he flipped the pancake from the pan into the air, the pancake making it onto the plate, the Bar-ba-Loots staring in awe and amazement at the pancake as it sailed through the air to reach the plate.
"Hey Meatloaf, get a load of those moves." Once-ler said with a smirk as he scooped up another spoonful of the batter, looking directly at the Lorax as he plopped the batter into the pan, "I've been workin' on 'em for a while."
"Your parents must be proud." The Lorax said as he rolled his eyes and shook his head.
"Yeah, hardly." Once-ler said, rolling his eyes as he occasionally checked to see if the pancake was cooked on the bottom, lifting it up with a spatula, "The first time I did it they all laughed - including my brothers - because the pancake landed on my head."
"So you began practicing afterward?" The Lorax asked with a shrug.
"Yeah, but my mom was disgusted and said it was like playing with my food." Once-ler said before rolling his eyes, "But I wasn't even eating it yet."
--
After breakfast was made, Once-ler and the animals ate. It was awkwardly silent as they did, until the Lorax broke the silence.
"Well I'm up for seconds." He said before looking at the other animals, "Who else?"
The Bar-ba-Loots began raising their hands and frantically waving them with smiles on their faces.
"Okay you guys." Once-ler told them with a smile, "You act like you haven't eaten in days."
Pipsqueak nodded, smiling at Once-ler as he let out a few squeaks.
"Pipsqueak says they haven't." The Lorax said as Pipsqueak giggled, covering his mouth.