A/N: Welcome back again! Thank you to all those that reviewed, favorited, followed, or just stopped by to read. I love you all as much as I love cheesecake and that's a lot of love. Lots of talking in this chapter but lots of plot points are present. I wonder if you all are able to spot 'em. This chapter's title is Superchic[k]'s Me Against The World. Happy reading.
DISCLAIMER!: I DON'T OWN ANY OF THE LORAX CHARACTERS! ALL RIGHTS GO TO DR. SEUSS AND ILLUMINATION ENTERTAINMENT!
The Hanging Tree
Chapter 10:
Me Against The World
"I see a woman may be made a fool, / If she had not a spirit to resist." - William Shakespeare, 'Taming of the Shrew'
"We will first hear from the person who has filed the court order, which is Ms. Arbore. Interruption while she is speaking will not be tolerated," Judge Waterloo stated stoically, "unless, it is me and you have a basis to object; only if you feel that person is lying or doesn't have proof. Now, if you please Ms. Arbore, stand and tell the court of your issue."
Something in the air of the courtroom seemed to shift. Whatever it was, Beth could not determine the source of it and then she stood warily. Her eyes briefly flick over to the right of her to see a full jury box. Taking a deep breath to steady her quaking nerves, Beth began to tell her side of the story.
Bethany told of everything that she could remember from the first time she had met one of the Thneed adversitors up until the company's laborers came chopping down the tree in front of her yard. The only part of the story she left out was when the Once-ler came back to retrieve his stovepipe hat.
From the opposite table, the entrepreneur took notice of the elapses in her story. Once-ler continued to listen, he wrote down some notes. When he finished with writing the last thing Beth said, he sat down his pen. As usual whenever he'd finished writing for an extended amount of time, his right hand sparked up in an agonizing ache. He cringed slightly at the sudden pain and clenched his gloved fist to suppress it.
Then in the next moment, he raised his round head to look up at the judge who called his name. 'Oh, it's my turn.' Standing tall in his taunting height, the Once-ler cleared his throat before he opened his mouth to utter the words of his point-of-view.
"When I first started my humble business with my creation of the Thneed, I was not aware that there was another person living in the Truffula Valley. As far as I knew, the forest didn't belong to anyone until I became a success," He took another deep breath, looked over at Beth's intense, incredulous face, and continued on, "I most certainly did not expect or intend to stumble upon Miss Arbore's land. Luckily, we discovered the ownership before one of our Super-Axe-Hackers crashed into her property."
"Get to the point, Mr. Once-ler." Judge Waterloo grouched out.
"Heh, sorry your Honor," the Once-ler apologized with an edge of annoyance. "As stated by Miss Arbore, we had first sent out the Thneed notifiers at the beginning of September. However, several weeks had passed by and according to reports, she'd been refusing us. Since we weren't seeing any progress in this matter, I decided to visit her and to see if I could be able to persuade her. After discussing things with her, I came to realize that Miss Arbore seems unable to be negotiated with. However, if she'd just listen to our terms and what we have to offer, she would not be completely bothered with."
"Hmm...this dispute you two are having seems to be something that can be easily handle but," Judge Waterloo trailed off.
"Your Honor," Mr. Brown stood up in that moment, "Mr. Once-ler does want to use Miss Arbore's entire land to use to his company's benefit. And not only that, he wants to own her property."
"Is that so," drawled Waterloo as he tapped his finger against his large bench. "I imagine Ms. Arbore is not too keen on this idea."
"You are correct, your Honor." Beth immediately said.
The judge leaned back in his cushioned chair and thought hard. "We will continue this hearing tomorrow. I suggest you two to consult with a mediator." - His hand grabbed hold of his gavel- "Court dismissed!" He bellowed and banged the gavel once.
The majority of the reporters in the room deflated with disappoint at the lack of drama between the million-dollar Thneed inventor and isolated farm girl. Bethany's button nose scrunched up and brow raised.
"Is that it?" She asked Mr. Schmitz, who was gathering up his notes and documents. "You didn't even get to talk."
"Sometimes the time of court can vary. It all depends on the kind of judge that you get, Miss Arbore," Schmitz snipped at the girl. "Be as prepared as you were today for tomorrow. And don't be late! Goodbye."
Beth watched her not-too-polite attorney disappear into the throng of exiting people. Blowing air out of her mouth, she turned back to the table to shuffle her own papers together. As she continued to organize her documents, her charcoal eyes wandered off to the side and to land on the finely dressed Once-ler. He was just placing his black stovepipe-hat on top of his mop of black hair and lifting his sparkly blue sunglasses to be perched on his face. The portly little man next to him gently patted his long green-gloved arm before he went out of the courtroom. Once-ler turned around to face a group of odd people -'his family, perhaps?'- and flashed them a them a charming smile. Then, all of a sudden, his smile faded and he turned his head over to Beth's direction, a dark brow cocked itself inquiringly. Realizing that she was staring, she quickly averted her eyes back at the oak table.
Pressing her papers to her chest, Beth decided to leave at that very minute. She swore that she could feel eyes burning into her as she walked down the aisle towards the double doors. 'Just act like he doesn't exist.' Bethany chided to herself.
Firm hands rested on her thin shoulders and Beth whipped her head to her left to see Pete Briggs' cocky grin. "You did good today, Beth." He slid his hands off her shoulders to instead rest his entire right arm around them. Beth scowled in distaste. "Other than you being fashionably late. I didn't think that was your style." He babbled on and started to guide the girl out of the courtroom.
"Bethany!"
The young woman looked over her shoulder to briefly catch a concerned Theresa. Beth looked back up at Pete Briggs before she demanded, "Please, take your arm off me."
"Huh?" The reporter stopped in his one-sided conversation and peered confused down at Beth. Never really having a good hold on her temper, Beth flung his arm off her like he was a leech.
"Whoa!" Pete Briggs backed up and held his hands up defensively. "A little hostile there. Listen Bethany, we really need to discuss your lack of people skills. In order for you to win this, you gotta get people to like you. And you doing what you just did to me is not helping you any."
She gave him a dark glare but deep down, she knew that this irritating, pesky journalist was right. "Tch! Whatever." Moodily grouched Beth as she crossed her arms over her chest, leather jacket creaking with her movements.
"I knew you'd agree," Pete Briggs gave a big dorky grin. "Now there is a group of people that I'd like you to meet. If you'd just follow me this way."
Still pouting, Beth was about to follow after Briggs when she seen the Once-ler and his family strutting out. Several people and reporters were surrounding them; wildly asking questions that the successful young man only gave brief answers and dazzling smiles. His cobalt eyes found Bethany's. She held her chin high and refused to break eye contact with the man that threatened her home. However, the Once-ler didn't back down from her silent challenge and he gave her a smile confident smirk. It wasn't until he had been ushered out by some of his bodyguards that it all the line of eye contact snapped apart.
"Uh, Beth, aren't you coming?" Briggs returned back to where the girl was standing after he realized that she wasn't behind him.
"Yes." The young woman followed after Pete Briggs.
OoOo
When the Once-ler family made it safely back into the spacious limo, Isabella murmured, "That was very uneventful."
"It could have gone worse," Once-ler shrugged indifferently and turned to watch the scenery go by out the window. "I'm rather glad that it was so quick." 'Even though it felt like a complete waste of time, and now I have to return again tomorrow!'
"So," Brett started out slowly and the Once-ler's eyes returned to look over at them, "that was the the girl y'er havin' problems with?"
"Heh!" Aunt Grizelda butted in, "She doesn't seem to be so tough. You got this in the bag."
"And did you see what she was wearin'!" Isabella added, "such ratty clothin' and she dressed like a man. There is notin' to worry about with that country bumpkin."
'Did she forget what we were once?' Once-ler thought bitterly.
"Um," Uncle Ubb then spoke up. 'Thank God.' "I don't think we should be so relaxed about this."
"Oh? And what makes you say that?" Grizelda growled at her husband.
"Just-just statin' my opinion is all." Uncle Ubb recoiled in on himself when the pug-faced woman glared at him. "Isn't that what we were all doin'?"
Sighing at his uncle's lack of a backbone, the Once-ler said, "How about we all just stop talking about it, okay?" They all fell silent and did what he asked. 'They never would have listened to me like that before.' He thought as he still got amazed of the power he held over his family. "I get a bad headache whenever I hear that woman's name anyway." Mumbled the Once-ler.
The rest of the ride remained in silence, much to the Once-ler's satisfaction, and the limo finally came to a halt in front of the Thneed factory. The Once-ler didn't wait for his door to be opened and just went on inside to forget the court meeting... and Bethany Arbore.
OoOo
Most of the hype and people dispersed after the Once-lers left in their long, fancy limo. The only ones that remained was a group of strangely dressed people. A lot of them appeared to have an obsession with flowers and multi-colored shirts; and straggly hair and bare feet. The majority of them wore Thneeds as scarves and jackets. 'Doesn't that contradict with what they're fighting against?' Beth thought sourly but she could clearly hear her father's voice saying, 'Do not judge those if you do not want to be judged.'
Pete Briggs and Beth stood next to each other; Pete with an incredibly goofy grin and Beth's grumpy bent to her brow and frown.
"Hello all! You guys have probably already seen who Bethany is," announced Briggs as he placed a hand on Beth's shoulder once again. She decided to ignore it for now. "Well, here she is!"
"Hey," Beth gave a half-hearted wave.
"Are you trying to stop the Once-ler's environmental hazards?" One of the front environmentalists asked.
"Um, well, actually-!" Beth began but got interrupted by someone else's next question.
"Do you really live in the Truffula Valley?"
"How come you've never done anything before to stop the Once-ler?"
"What's going to become of our ozone?"
Then the crowd became restless and their questioning got jumbled together. Pete quickly tried to keep the peace.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa! People, please! Let the lady speak," Briggs hollered and then he bent low to whisper in her ear, "Okay, Beth, give them your best." And he lightly patted her back for encouragement and comfort.
She looked at Pete before she stepped forward. Squaring her shoulders and raising her chin, Beth then said, "Um, yes, I do live in Truffula Valley but I can not tell you where." A couple of the people in the crowd murmured puzzled with one another. 'Quick, say something that they'll like but not outwardly lying.' "However, I am trying to stop the Once-ler from taking my land."
They cheered at her statement for a bit. Then someone blurted, "What about the rest of the valley?"
"Well, you see-!"
"I think that's enough for now!" Pete Briggs cut off the environmentalists' interrogation and grabbed hold of Beth's upper arms. "It's been a long day so far, and I'm sure Miss Bethany would like to go home and rest. Please be sure to support her side!"
Dragging the young woman down the City Hall steps and along the sidewalk, Pete Briggs talked excitedly towards Beth. "That was so close. If you'd continued with what you were going to say there, it would have jeopardized everything for you."
"How do you know what I was going to say?"
"It was pretty obvious," the know-it-all tone evident in Pete Briggs voice and it was accompanied with an eye roll. "I'll treat you to lunch."
"No," objected Beth and she dug her heels into the pavement.
"Wha? But why?" Pete Briggs was aghast at Beth's refusal.
"You were right earlier. I do want to get home," Beth glared at the journalist and she pried his hand off her wrist. "Goodbye." And she turned in the opposite direction and headed to her house in the Truffula forest.
OoOo
A fork stabbed into the squishy surface of a chocolate cake. The delectable pastry was small, just big enough to fit in the palm of a hand and it was the cheapest cake that Beth could find at Greenville's bakery. The thinnest candlestick that she could find in her house stuck out of the middle and burned brightly with its tiny flame. Beth's chin rested atop her fist as she stared down at the little celebration gift to herself.
"Happy birthday to me," She muttered and she blew out the candle.
When she got a piece of cake on her fork, her front door opened. The Lorax strolled in with a violent shiver. He climbed up the chair opposite of Beth's.
"Oh man, it's cold out there," The forest guardian voiced his observation.
"You're covered in fur, you don't have to worry." Beth dryly stated.
The Lorax snorted and then gruffly replied, "Aw, thanks for the reassurance. I was afraid I'd be a popsicle by the end of tonight."
Beth took the first bite of her cake, ignoring the orange fuzz-ball's snark. The Lorax looked down at it, cocked a long bushy eyebrow, and said, "I see you're finally allowing yourself some self indulgence."
Humming in agreement, Beth sat down her fork and laced her fingers together. "So, any success today?"
"I found a couple Humming-fish covered in glup and several of the Swomme-swans are losing a lot of their feathers," The Lorax's face turned solemn, "and I found a family of Bar-ba-loots but they are being stubborn with returning here with me."
"I'm sure they'll agree to come with you eventually," Beth assured.
"Yeah. Oh!" The Lorax exclaimed and he seemed as though he just remembered something, "Speaking of the Humming-fish and glup, don't drink from the river anymore."
"Why?"
"The gluppity-glup and sloppity-slop are flowing farther down the river. It can be completely dangerous for you to drink."
"Oh. Well, I guess I better get use to drinking a lot of juice then," Half-joked Beth. "I can buy some jugs of water from town I suppose."
"What about us?" The Lorax inquired.
"Us?"
"The forest creatures, me as well?" He stared at the young woman. His eyes pleading for her help.
Sighing, Beth confirmed, "Don't worry. I'll be sure to get plenty for everyone."
The speaker-for-the-trees smiled at her and they continued to converse lightly with one another. Though, Beth felt tempted to tell him about her court hearing but she decided against it. There was always tomorrow after that meeting.
OoOo
Coughing harshly and then rubbing her two slender hands together to friction a bit of heat, Theresa Wiggins walked as briskly as her constricting pencil-skirt allowed. She headed towards the City Hall building to support her boss's client. At the sight of the girl's disheartened face, Theresa felt an instant motherly urge; someone had to be there for the young woman, especially considering that she had no one else.
By the time the receptionist made it up the steps and into the brick building, she notice people milling about the place. She'd smile warmly and bid everyone she passed by with a 'good morning.' Walking up the other flight of stairs to the next floor, Theresa seen a lone figure sitting on a bench outside a courtroom. As she got closer, a happy grin graced its way across her red lips.
"Miss Bethany!" Mrs. Wiggins waved at the younger woman. "You're here early."
Beth closed the book that she was reading and stood. "Yes. I figured that I ought to rise from bed and leave my house early. I didn't want to be late again like yesterday."
"So, are you prepared? Do you have all your documents?"
"Yes, they're right here," Beth patted her papers in her hand.
"You brought a book?" Theresa pointed at the leather bound book.
"Um, just doin' some research of my own," replied Beth.
"I heard that your father was quite the schol-whoops! Sorry," The older woman quickly apologized for her forward mistake. "That was very insensitive of me."
Beth's brow was etch together and her frown deepened in irritation. However, she remember what Pete Briggs had said and her features soften. "It's alright. You didn't mean it."
"I really am sorry," Theresa eyes grew as wide as a pathetic puppy.
"Really, it's okay, Mrs. Wiggins," Beth assured. "How about we just go into the courtroom and wait for my hearing, hm?"
A/N: I feel like I'm making Beth to be a bit of a bitch. Also, I know the beginning of this chapter was a poor excuse for a court hearing but in my strange logic, I kind of picture that these things are a slow process. They only start out small before they turn into something large and troublesome. And I wonder if any of you caught in the last chapter that it was Beth's birthday. Well it didn't out right say it was her birthday but it hinted at it until I confirmed it in the chapter. By the way, her birthday is October 14; a couple days after my grandpa's.
Thanks again for reading. Please review.