Chapter Ten for you guys! Enjoy!

Music: Under Pressure by Queen; Illumination by Jennifer Thomas

Chapter Ten

New Business Plans

It's the terror of knowing

What this world is about

Watching some good friends

Screaming, "Let me out!"

-Under Pressure by Queen

"They want to build a what?"

Once-ler was back in his office, back in his business clothes. And his mom was back to harassing him.

"A zoo, Oncie!" She was almost squealing in delight. "Can you imagine? How fast the money will multiply?"

He was still confused. "But… why would we need a zoo?"

"Well, if you would have been here when they showed up, you would know all about it." Isabelle's eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Where were you today anyway?"

"Oh." Once-ler laughed awkwardly. "I… I went for a walk."

Isabelle's eyebrows lifted. "A walk."

"Yeah!"

She stared him down until Once-ler began to squirm in his seat. To his immense surprise, she let it go.

"Anyway, I told them to meet you tomorrow at ten. They'll explain everything then." She patted his head with more force than he was sure she meant, and strutted out of the room.

Once-ler barely had a moment to relax and get back to work before there was a knock on his door. "Enter!" he called out. Mr. Filler walked in, wiping his forehead with a small cloth.

"The other Choppers have been hired, sir. You now have twenty."

"Very good." He sat back lazily in his chair. "Thank you, Mr. Filler."

The short man nodded his head, and began backing away. He paused at the doorway, then turned and walked quickly back. "Mr. Once-ler, sir… I think I should speak to you about something."

Once-ler extended his arms. "Go ahead."

The poor man glanced around the office as if someone might be listening. "The… the Choppers… well, sir. They're not normal creatures."

Once-ler regarded Mr. Filler for a moment. "I know they're not," he finally said, feeling some sympathy for his hiring manager.

"No, but they're… they… they don't think the way we do, sir." He began twisting at the cloth in his hands. "They're… They're destructive, and ruthless, and-"

"They haven't hurt anybody, have they?" Once-ler felt a little alarmed at Mr. Filler's words.

"Well, no, sir, but…" He lowered his voice to a hoarse whisper. "They're not human." His eyes were bulging out of his head. He looked terrified.

"I see." Once-ler reclined in his chair, crossing his feet on his desk. "And what would you like me to do about it?"

"Well, sir, I would consider maybe… well, if you even wanted to…"

"Stop stuttering Mr. Filler and just tell me what it is you want."

The man grew quiet, and cast his eyes to the floor. "It's nothing, Mr. Once-ler. I was… over reacting."

Once-ler sighed. "I think you're experiencing a lot of anxiety, my man." He leaned forward. "Take a few days off. Spend some time with your family." He smiled kindly. "How's your little girl? Um… Norma, was it?"

Mr. Filler's eyes widened as if he had been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. "Mr. Once-ler… I had no idea… I told her to stay away from her, but she's in something of a rebellious mood…"

"Woah, woah, woah!" Once-ler held up both his hands. "What are you going on about?"

Mr. Filler was struck speechless for a moment. Then, "Why, Norma's been meeting up with that girl who goes around bashing your business, sir. But I'll put a stop to it, don't you worry. I-"

"Hold up." Once-ler stood, confusion twisting in his brain. "Cindy? Norma's been meeting up with Cindy? To… ruin my business?"

Mr. Filler looked terrified. "Oh, I wouldn't say that, sir. But don't you worry- I'll keep Norma away…"

"No, no it's alright, Mr. Filler." Once-ler sat back down, suddenly feeling very tired. "You don't have to tell your daughter to stay away from Cindy."

Now he looked surprised. "I… I don't?"

Once-ler shook his head with a small smile. "No. What can they do? This company is too big to fail!" He paused a second. "Hey, that has a nice ring to it. It should be my new slogan- 'Too Big to Fail.' I like it."

Mr. Filler smiled and began backing away. "Yes, Mr. Once-ler, sir. Very fitting indeed."

"Yes…" Once-ler twirled slowly in his chair, a smile growing on his face. "It is, isn't it?"

Once-ler gave Morris a firm handshake. "Welcome, gentlemen! Now, my mom- uh, secretary- was telling me about some idea for a zoo?"

Morris grinned, flashing very white teeth. "Well, we've noticed that a citizen of Greenville has been… sowing some doubt about what your company is doing to the environment."

Once-ler shrugged, and took a seat in his high-backed chair. "She's harmless- one girl."

"Yes, but nevertheless… she does have a point."

Once-ler cringed. "She does?"

"Yes. Mr. Once-ler, if we don't do something to preserve all that nature out there-" he gestured out the windows, "-It'll all be gone. So."

He motioned to Jensen, who set a briefcase on Once-ler's desk and clicked it open, drawing out some papers.

"Why not preserve the wild- in a zoo?"

Once-ler nodded. "But… why a zoo?"

"Well," Morris laughed, adjusting the cuffs of his sleeves. "Some people out there may actually begin to wonder what will happen to the environment. If you create a zoo, they will be satisfied that a portion of nature will be preserved. And you can keep on with your business without worrying about it! Plus." He leaned over the desk, his eyebrows raised suggestively. "You'd get even more profit for running a zoo. With our help, of course."

It made sense. A swelling of excitement made Once-ler nod encouragingly. Then he frowned when he pictured the scenario. "Wait… But the barbaloots… and Swomee Swans…" He pushed his giant top hat back slightly. "They'll be locked up. In cages."

Morris stared at him for a moment, as if trying to understand what his point was. "Yes… That's what a zoo is. Is there a problem?"

"A… a bit." Once-ler bit his lip. What was he doing? He was cheating himself out of a marvelous opportunity to preserve the environment and create even more money. But at the same time… Something about those creatures he had once called friends confined in smaller spaces made him feel bad.

Morris sighed. "Mr. Once-ler, I assure you that the animals will be well taken care of. They'll get nice, large habitats. They won't know the difference between zoo and Truffula Valley. In fact, they'll love all the attention they'll get!"

Once-ler still couldn't quite imagine keeping the animals confined. Moustache would throw a heck of a fit. "I suppose…"

"Oncie!"

Isabelle barged into the office, hands on hips. "You'd better be telling these gentlemen that you agree to their plan wholeheartedly."

He swallowed, trying not to let his nerves show. Cleared his throat. Had she really just been eavesdropping? "Gee, Mom… We've already got quite the business going on now… Is it really necessary to have a zoo?"

Something glinted in Isabelle's eyes. He knew she was about to use that sugary sweet, killer voice she used when she was getting what she wanted,no matter what anyone else said.

But Morris laid a hand on her shoulder. "I've got this, Miss." He faced Once-ler. "Did it perhaps occur to you that Cindy Lou Who agrees to this plan?"

The new information threw him off. "Cindy? You mean… she wants to set up a zoo?"

"She wants to help us protect the environment, Mr. Once-ler." He pulled some papers out of his briefcase. "We visited with her yesterday. She signed this contract, granting us her full support."

Once-ler took the contract, and studied the signature at the bottom. It was in a very slanted cursive, with a giant "C" to start her name off. It certainly looked like it could be Cindy's signature. But… a zoo? She agreed to putting the animals away in a zoo?

He leaned back in his chair, considering. He supposed if Cindy was all for it…

His mouth spread into a wide grin. "Gentlemen, you have renewed my interest."

For the next two hours, they discussed contracting, percentage of pay for each company, and so on. Once-ler was actually starting to get excited about the whole prospect. He would partially own a zoo. And they didn't plan on only putting the animals from Truffula Valley in it. Creatures from all over the world would be contained in this thing. Eventually, they could make this the biggest zoo anyone's ever imagined. Tourists from all over the world would come see it, which would only increase thneed production.

The plan was quite brilliant, really.

He only wished he'd thought of it.

He was having so much fun planning things out with Morris (and even Jensen grumbled an idea or two) that he lost track of time. He ordered lunch, and the four of them continued to finalize the details of the whole idea. He wished his mom wasn't there, chirping in her opinions, which he would have to listen to, but at least she wasn't entirely running the whole thing. In fact, her diminished bossiness was a sign to Once-ler that he was actually doing something right. She was proud of what he was doing, and didn't feel the need to constantly pester him about how she wanted it done.

Once-ler finally glanced at the clock. It was almost three. He gave a loud gasp, which stopped Morris in the middle of his sentence.

"I have another appointment!" He rounded on Isabelle. "Mom! You're not doing your job! You're supposed to be there when my appointments arrive, and let me know when they're here!"

Isabelle shrugged. "I figured she could wait."

Once-ler groaned. "This is highly unprofessional…"

"We'd better get going anyway, Mr. Once-ler." Morris stood. "We apologize for taking up so much of your time. But before we leave, we need you to sign the contract."

"Yes, yes of course." Once-ler drew out his favorite green pen, and signed the bottom of the paper with a flourish. "Well, gentlemen," he said, pushing the paper back at them. He stood and grasped Morris's hand. "It was a pleasure doing business with you."

"And you, Mr. Once-ler sir." Morris's grin was contagious. He rather liked the man. Together, they would make a fortune.

Isabelle led them out, promising to return with Cindy. Her appointment was an hour late, Once-ler realized. He would have to make it up to her somehow.

But when Isabelle returned to his office, she returned alone.