Truffula Tales

Based upon Slasher12's drawing "Once-ler Gets Tickled" and "New Strategy" on DeviantART. Kudos and MANY thanks! Also, many thanks to ghost-of-a-scarecrow as well for inspirado!

Tickle

Fiora warmed herself in the sun, watching the fauna of the Truffula forest play: the bar-ba-loots played leap-frog, climb up the trees to gather Truffula fruits, the humming-fish leap out of the water in harmonizing hums, the swomee-swans flying or swimming with quacks. She watched as the small swomee-swan was starting to learn to swim with its parents. She clapped with delight.

Pipsqueak approached Fiora, grabbing her hand and eagerly invited her to play, which she was overly delighted! She skipped merrily with them. She vocalized with each skip, the humming-fish echoed back her trilling vocalizations.

After playing with the bar-ba-loots, she sat on the grass, sighing with content. Yes! She loved playing with the bar-ba-loots! She stroked their soft fur, which made them smile widely with adoration. For they loved Fiora.

Soon there was the sound of hoof beats of the mule, Melvin. She looked in the direction towards the yellow and green cottage and there was the owner of that little cottage, Once-ler. She knew he had gone into town to try and sell his Thneed, his invention. She didn't really know what it did though. All she knew was he killed one of the trees to make it...though he did promise never to do it again. She was ever so grateful for that promise he made.

She touched the puckered flesh from the scar on her leg, recalling the day they first met. Sure, she would've liked to have greeted the human warmly when he first came to the Truffula forest, but she was so angry at him for killing the tree. Yet, she could see there was goodness in Once-ler: how concerned he was when he saw she was injured. How he bandaged her wound gently, the compassion and warmth in those sky blue eyes of his.

Once-ler was the first human Fiora had ever encountered. For no human had ever come to the valley before...nor did Fiora see any reason to leave it. She was just content being where she was, caring for the trees, the plants and the animals. Yet, though the Truffula valley was perfect in every way, Fiora had to admit that it wasn't. There were times she was lonely. Not that she minded playing with the animals or speaking to the trees, it's just that she wished she had someone. Every spring all the creatures would choose their mates, she was happy for them all, but it made her sad since she had none.

She was ever glad that Once-ler came here...perhaps a blessing from Mother Tree Herself, who knew? He was indeed strange creature, but she took an immediate liking to him when he first arrived. She was curious about this human, yet she didn't really like some of his objects that were sharp and dangerous looking, especially that axe. He killed the tree with it.

Once-ler removed the sign from Melvin's back, patted his muzzle and let him graze in the yard. With a depressed sigh, he held his broken guitar and went inside to put it away. He was sad that it was in such a state; it was going to cost a lot of money to have it fixed, which was tight enough. He had to work on another sales pitch without his instrument. He tossed his Thneed from around his neck inside on the small chair as well.

"Oh," Fiora said sympathetic to her animal friends. "He looks so sad."

She didn't like seeing him this way. She liked when he was happy: his eyes would light up, the widest smile would stretch across his youthful, round speckled face. She liked his laugh as well, light and joyful. Once-ler was always an enthusiastic, optimistic young man; she liked that about him.

"We should try to cheer him up," she said.

She watched as Once-ler left his cottage and leaned against a Truffula tree, slumping down with a dispirited sigh. He pinched the bridge of his nose, rubbing it. Then, rolled up his sleeves and pulled his shirt out of his trousers, relaxing, then lowered his hat over his face, lying down in the shade. Yes, Fiora knew of the days where just the tranquility of the Truffula forest brought relaxation.

"Do you suppose he's asleep?" Fiora said her animal friends. "We probably shouldn't bother him."

She seemed to recall telling her that sleeping was how humans told others to go away. Not that she minded the animals snuggling with her in her home, Mother Tree. Just then, little Pipsqueak darted towards Once-ler.

"No!" Fiora hissed. "Don't wake him up!"

She sighed, knowing Pipsqueak always went to him for a marshmallow. She wondered why Pipsqueak hadn't gotten as big as Lou, the fat bar-ba-loot. Fiora followed after the mischievous baby bar-ba-loot, lifting her dark green dress up and tiptoed as quietly as possible. She looked over at the peacefully sleeping Once-ler. She wanted to see his face: his adorable nose, his pouty lips, his speckles, his starless night tousled hair. She especially loved his eyes: just like the sky in the Truffula valley. How they sparkled with utmost joy when he was happy, decorated with thick lashes.

Carefully she just pinched the brim of his hat until she heard a giggle coming from him...which she dropped and darted immediately into the bushes, hiding with her animal friends.

Once-ler stirred as he felt something fuzzy tickle him. Straightening up and saw the little bar-ba-loot, sitting on his stomach with the cutest, wide eyes. Once-ler stroked his head with a little smile, then reached into his pocket and handed him a marshmallow.

Pipsqueak ran back to Fiora with his prize, munching it in delight. They watched as Once-ler put his hat over his eyes once again and went back to his nap.

"What do you suppose made him laugh?" she wondered curiously to Pipsqueak.

The little bar-ba-loot shrugged.

"Do you think you can do it again?" she asked.

Pipsqueak nodded and went back to the sleeping human, observing as Pipsqueak poked Once-ler's bare stomach with a fuzzy paw. Almost immediately, there was a fit of giggles. Ooh! Now Fiora could understand! He was ticklish!

"What are you doing here again, little fella?" asked Once-ler. "Didn't I just give you..."

Then he burst out laughing as the baby bar-ba-loot started caressing his stomach.

"Let's go!" Fiora said with an impish giggle to her animal friends.

The animals proceeded first towards Once-ler...they started tickling him! The humming-fish fish yanked out feathers from the swomee-swans, who cried out in pained quacks, rubbing their bottoms in annoyance.

"Stop it! Stop it!" he said between laughs, clutching his torso, trying to protect himself. "Please stop!"

The swomee-swans tickled under Once-ler's chin with their wings and the humming-fish tickled with the feathers. Two bar-ba-loots held Once-ler's legs while they engaged in this tickle frenzy.

"S-Stop it! You guys win!" he laughed between gasps for air. "I give up!"

He heard the silvery giggling of the sprite. Her hair was orange and she was kneeling next to him, watching in delight as her animal friends tickled Once-ler.

"F-Fiora! Make them stop! Please!" he begged the sprite in his fit of laughs. "I can't take it!"

After a good minute, Fiora clapped her hands to get the animals attention, which they stopped immediately.

"Alright everyone," she said in a motherly voice. "That's enough!"

"You put them up to this, didn't you?" he said straightening up, panting.

"Maybe..." the impish sprite responded with her green eyes sparkling innocently.

Once-ler smirked and thought of a way to get back at her. Seemed only fair.

"I don't suppose you're ticklish, are you, little Miss Green Girl?" he asked slyly.

"No," she lied. Fiora's hair turned a very bright pink!

Once-ler wasn't fooled. He knew what it meant when Fiora's hair turned that color. Oh yes! He had learned all of the colors of the sprite's hair when her mood changed. He crawled towards her.

"Don't you dare!" she warned with a finger, playfully.

"Oh really?" he said with a devious smirk. "I think I will."

He pounced towards the sprite and proceeded to tickle her ribs, which she let out delightful shrieks of laughter, squirming; her green feet kicked. Fiora fell backwards on the grass as Once-ler continued to tickle her. The animals of the forest watched as the two youths frolicked on the grass.

"STOP IT, ONCIE!" she squealed.

"I wonder if your feet are...ticklish?" he said with a sly twinkle in his blue eyes.

"Ohhhh...no!" she replied.

He clutched a dainty foot and tickled, met with more silvery laughter, along with protests of 'stop' and his name. The hem of Fiora's dress rode up, revealing the ugly scar on her leg...which Once-ler saw, and stopped almost immediately. He was struck with horror, then remorse. Their first meeting. The sight of the wound. How scared and angry she was at him.

"What?" she asked, panting. "Why did you stop, Oncie? It was getting really good..."

He just kept staring at the sprite's scarred green leg.

"What?"

"Y-you said stop," he stammered, blushing.

"You humans are strange," she said, sitting up. "You say one thing, but you don't mean it." She saw her friend was...sad? "What's wrong, Oncie?" She saw he was looking at the scar, which she touched. "Oh. I'm alright. It's all healed up now, thanks to you."

Once-ler sat there silently, still staring at the scar and then into Fiora's bright green eyes. Her silver specks glittered.

"I'm sorry..." he said, lowering his head.

"It's alright, Oncie," she said gently. "You're forgiven."

The two youths looked at each other. Was it...some kind of...attraction? Fiora bit her lip, her hair turned a light pink. Once-ler's speckled cheeks did the same. He really liked her.

Suddenly, Once-ler was smacked in the backside by something hard!

"OW! Jeez!" he said.

He looked in the direction where he had been hit to find Lorax holding a branch, looking very stern.

"What the hell was that for?!" he hissed, rubbing his bottom.

"Didn't I tell you no funny business with Fiora, Beanpole?" the diminutive guardian said sternly, crossing his arms.

"Nothing happened," Fiora insisted. "Oncie and I were just playing."

"Sure you were playing," Lorax said with disbelief.

"Was that really necessary?" Once-ler said frowning.

"Well, I'm teaching you a lesson, Beanpole," Lorax said. "Besides, you never listen to me so I figured this tactic would work. And judging by your reaction, I'd say it does."

"Oh, leave him alone!" Fiora defended, furrowing her brows. "He did nothing wrong!"

"Don't tempt me to get you next, young lady!" scolded Lorax.

She watched as the orange guardian stormed away. She needed to have a serious talk with her mentor. He was being way too harsh on the young man. They were just having fun.

Once-ler rolled his eyes. "What's IS Mustache's problem?"

"Oh, don't mind him," Fiora said. "I'm sure he'll warm up to you in no time."