Onceler tried selling the thneed for several days before just giving up one day and trudged home. When he got back home, he found Emerald waiting for him by his front door. She rose and flew towards his face. She was clearly excited. He smiled at her.
"What's gotten you in such a happy mood?"
Emerald squealed. "The Lorax! The Lorax is here! He's waiting for you in your living room!"
Onceler's eyes widened. "The-the Lorax!?"
"Yes!" shouted Emerald. She pressed her fingers to her mouth as it formed a perfect o. "Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to yell, it's just . . ."
Onceler chuckled. "It's just a big thing for the Lorax to visit."
Emerald grinned. "Oh definitely!" She grabbed a hold of his hand and pulled him towards the house. "Come and meet him!" Onceler smiled and allowed himself to be led into his house. Once inside, his mouth dropped. What he had anticipated wasn't quite what he saw. If that was the mighty Lorax, he was lounging on Onceler's bed, munching away at some fruit, surrounded by some of the forest animals. He practically rolled out of the bed and held out a hand to Onceler.
"You're Onceler, I suppose?"
Onceler shook the outstretched hand and said hesitantly, "Yes, and you're the Lorax?"
The Lorax shook it heartily with an easy smile. "Indeed I am. Not quite what you were expecting, huh?"
Onceler chuckled nervously. "Well, uh, not, not really, no." He gave him a genuine smile. "But it is good to meet you."
"Good to meet you too! Now, these animals were telling me you fix excellent pancakes. May I get a sample?"
Onceler laughed. "I'd be honored." With Emerald's help, Onceler fixed enough pancakes to feed a small army, and feed a small army he did. Just about all the animals in the surrounding area came to the feast. Onceler didn't mind, he was hosting the Lorax, the guy was kinda a god of the sun and life. They all chatted away gaily while they ate. Once everyone had had enough, they lounged around in various places around the house.
"Mm, that was good!" The Lorax smacked his lips. "Now, why are you focused on selling this . . . thneed . . . thingy? You'd make an excellent chef."
"Well, I've already had these ideas floating in my head and I wanted to give them a shot." Onceler gave a little shrug. "Guess the rest of the world thinks they're a bad idea."
"Oh, you didn't sell it?" asked Emerald.
Onceler sighed and shook his head. "No, I just keep getting fruits and vegetables thrown at me. I think they were turning me into the local entertainment for a while there. But I won't be that entertainment anymore! I've given up trying to sell the thneed, I have better things to do." He smiled around at his visitors.
"But you were so sure it was such a good idea!" said Emerald. She huffed and crossed her arms. "If only I had been bigger, I might have been able to help you somehow."
"You've been my friend, that's been all the help I've ever needed." The two smiled at each other.
"Aw!" chorused the animals.
"OK, OK, the show's over," said Onceler, shooing the animals out as the Lorax rolled on the bed, laughing.
"But he is right, we are just friends!" said Emerald as she crossed her arms and huffed.
"Oh, I'm not saying you aren't," said the Lorax. "I was just laughing that they thought otherwise!"
"Yeah, sure you were," mumbled Onceler.
The Lorax waved his hand. "Alright, alright, let's talk of other things. Tell me more about yourself, Onceer."
"Well . . ." A noise from outside interrupted him. The three glanced at each other, wondering what it could be, before the Lorax and Emerald followed Onceler to the door. Onceler opened the door, and gasped. A crowd of people were walking towards the house, singing his thneed song. "It, it worked? They want my thneed?" He laughed. "No, they need my thneed!" He let out a whoop and rushed towards the crowd and began taking orders.
The Lorax turned to Emerald. "I think he's going to need some help."
Emerald chuckled. "It certainly looks like it."
"Ah! So many! I'm going to need a lot of help!" exclaimed Onceler when he came rushing back to the house. "I've got to get my family!" He leapt in the air. "This is awesome!"
"Now remember, for every truffula tree you cut down, you have to plant three seeds," said the Lorax.
"Absolutely!" Onceler turned to Emerald. "Um, could I ask you to help me keep track of that?"
Emerald beamed. "Of course!"
"Great! Come on, let's get started!"
In the weeks that followed, Onceler's family had arrived and his business began to grow. But things began to change as well. For one thing, after a while, he stopped listening to Emerald's advice and didn't plant as often as much as he took down. Emerald began to panic, especially once he stopped planting seeds altogether. She tried to get him to listen to her, but either his family pushed her to the side, or he would downright ignore her. She didn't know which one was worse.
It finally got to the point to where she had to take drastic action, and she left the little village. She had to find help. She just hoped she wasn't too late.
