Truffula Tales

Wagon Ho!

Based upon the short film from the Lorax. I don't own this and intend to make no profit from it. Kudos to the writers

Fiora had to admit she was curious about this thing that Once-ler drove whenever he went into town. He told her it was called a wagon and its purpose was to transport humans from far distances. Like a car, which she learned was a human wagon on wheels and it was much faster.

The human world was fascinating. Once-ler often invited her to see the human world whenever he went shopping...yet she wasn't sure. Old as time itself, she had never left the forest. She had to admit she was afraid to actually be in the human world, yet Once-ler assured her there was nothing to be afraid of. Sure, people may find her strange, but they would like her if she would just be herself.

Fiora heard Once-ler's wagon coming back: the clomping of hooves from Melvin, the sound of 'whoa' from Once-ler, the wagon coming to a halt.

Lou and Pipsqueak ventured towards the wagon with their usual mischief. They wanted to ride the wagon. Fiora didn't think that was a good idea. Yet, she was curious to see it. She watched as the two bar-ba-loots climbed onto the wagon. He heard Melvin's whinny and Once-ler turned to find Lou and Pipsqueak.

"Guys," he said. "Sorry. This is a precision machine, OK? So, no joyrides. You can SIT on the wagon, but it better not move an inch." He pointed a finger at them.

"Uh uh," said Lou raising his right hand, indicating he promised.

Then, he made another strange gesture, pointing to his eyes and then at Lou and Pipsqueak. Fiora wondered what it meant. Humans were strange creatures. They often said or did things that meant one thing or another. She would have to ask him about this. Then, Once-ler went inside his cottage...

Lou and Pipsqueak giggled. She looked at the wagon, touching it with her curious fingertips. The top was covered with some kind of cloth held down by something...it felt like the Truffula trunks. The sides were wood and green. The circles were hard with lines that went to a smaller circle in the middle. There was a strange yellow rectangle with letters and numbers on the back. There was Melvin in the front, attached to the wagon...he appeared to have twin leather straps that lead to his mouth. She frowned a bit...this seemed cruel to do this to an animal. She would have to have a word with Once-ler about this unfair treatment to an animal.

"Ya! Ya!" said Pipsqueak, holding the twin leather straps that lead to Melvin. Melvin just responded with an annoyed snort. She was shocked to see what the straps did! They were hitting Melvin!

"Stop!" she hissed. Then turned to Melvin, concerned, "Has Once-ler been hurting you, Melvin?"

Melvin just smiled. He knew that the green girl was not used to human customs. It angered her whenever harm came to nature or living things: he had seen how angry she had gotten when his owner cut down the Truffula tree the first day they met. She shrieked so loudly that he had to cover his ears. He shook his head, assuring her that Once-ler was his friend and he would NEVER hurt him.

"Oh...well good," she said relieved, but still frowned. "Then...why do you have these straps attached to you...and hitting you? And this thing in your mouth?" She indicated to his bit. "It seems awfully cruel and unfair."

Melvin just assured her with gentle eyes that these things were to keep him attached to the wagon so he could pull it, not to be cruel...and Once-ler always took good care of him.

"Oh, I see," she said, stroking his muzzle lovingly. "You are indeed a hard worker, Melvin. Once-ler is lucky to have such a fine beast like you."

He gave a sheepish look. Melvin liked the green girl. She was beautiful and kind. A lover of all living things. His owner talked about her nonstop every day. He had feelings for her, yet he didn't know how to tell her. Melvin had never seen him this way before. He had always wanted someone to love him. He knew Once-ler was teased by his awful family...thank goodness they were away from them. He hated them too. Especially his dumb ass brothers, Brett and Chet, who he had the pleasure of kicking one away before they left.

Fiora was perfect for Once-ler...if he would just stop being a bumbling fool and tell her how he felt about her. He heard Once-ler's stories about how many awkward moments he had with the green girl, including finding her in his bed, falling on top of her...them bumping into each other naked in the lily pond ("Not that I saw anything!" Melvin recalled Once-ler saying hurriedly. Then admitted, blushing, "Well, OK...I saw her naked. But just a little bit...only her butt...and a bit of...er..." Melvin shook his head as he listened to his stammering owner. "But...don't tell her. I didn't mean to!" Melvin rolled his eyes. Like he would ever tell!)

"Now, you two know that Once-ler said not to," said Fiora in her motherly voice to Pipsqueak and Lou.

Lou bowed and invited her into the wagon.

"What...? You mean...get into the wagon?" she said unsure. "Oh, I don't know."

They gestured to the wagon, inviting her for a ride. Still Fiora looked unsure, but she was curious about it. What exactly was it like to ride in one? What was inside it?

She climbed hesitantly inside it! Ooh! It was white and soft, a bit dark. There was some stuff in the back of shiny objects that belonged to Once-ler. She looked at them curiously. She hadn't seen most of them before. She recognized the pans and pots of course. Another was a strange silver bowl filled with holes. This indeed was a very curious object. She'd have to ask Once-ler about this one.

"Ya!" said Pipsqueak again. Another annoyed snort. Melvin knew what his owner said. He was not going to let two bar-ba-loots take over. Nope. He was loyal to his owner's word.

"Oh come on, Melvin," Fiora pleaded. "Please. Just this once. Just around the yard at least. I've always wanted to see what it's like."

Melvin stubbornly refused with a snort.

"Well, if Once..." she was about to say when she saw Pipsqueak climbing in the back.

She observed as Pipsqueak picked up a very long and thin stick and began to tie some kind of string around it. Then, he dug thorough a bag and found a Truffula fruit and tied it on the other end of the string.

"What...are you doing?" she asked.

He gestured that he was going to hold the fruit in front of Melvin, therefore that would make the wagon move.

"Oh...I don't know..." Fiora said uneasy. "You know what Once-ler said. We're not supposed to."

Pipsqueak made those big adorable eyes.

"Well...alright...but we should keep this quiet as possible. I don't want to make Once-ler angry."

She watched as Pipsqueak did this...and indeed, his idea worked! Melvin was chasing after the fruit, snapping at it hungrily. The wagon moved so fast...Fiora could feel the wind blowing through the wagon. She laughed delightfully. Ooh! This WAS fun!
She watched as Pipsqueak held the stick and stood on one arm, showing off. Then, went behind Lou, covering and uncovering his eyes. She giggled at the two mischievous bar-ba-loots. Soon, they went up a hill and Melvin was slowing down...panting...tired.

"Ya!" said Lou, flicking the leather straps.

Pipsqueak tapped Melvin's head with the fruit in an attempt to make him go. Melvin didn't get up, still panting.

"Oh, the poor beast," she said. "We should let him rest."

"Aw," Lou sighed disappointed, slumping back...

Only to hear a creak...then began to roll backwards...and Melvin was getting further and further away...the bar-ba-loots realized he wasn't attached to the wagon! Lou and Pipsqueak panicked as the wagon went faster down the hill. Fiora was scared...but this was so much fun! She looked out the back of the wagon at the Truffula trees that flew by in a blur, hearing their laughter.

Lou and Pipsqueak were trying to figure out a way to stop the wagon before anything happened. Lou tried sticking a stick in the wheel, only to get caught in it and was spun around rapidly. Then landed right on the seat next to Pipsqueak, who cheered, relieved that his friend wasn't hurt. Melvin chased after the wagon, worried. He knew Once-ler had spent months making this wagon before he left home. He knew he wouldn't be too happy if this happened.

Suddenly, the wagon hit something that made it buck wildly...probably a rock. She squealed in a mixture of fear and laughter as she flew up in the air and landed back down, holding on tight.

Then...she saw three humming-fish casually walking by.

"LOOK OUT!" she shouted.

They screamed in terror and ducked...speeding past them...it was until...she saw a giant hill...she knew what was at the end of it. Uh oh!

"Hurry!" she said desperately, knowing once they reached the end of that hill, they would fall down it.

Pipsqueak patted the covering, to release it...only that it blew off completely. Lou grabbed it before the baby bar-bo-loot could be blown away...and Fiora watched as it expanded like a giant pillow. She looked over her shoulder, sure that they were doomed and shut her eyes tightly...

Only...they...

She heard the rushing wind...and she looked around to see...a swomee-swan flying past...

They were...FLYING! She was delighted! She could see everything! The lily pond. The flowing rivers. Even the Truffula trees in colorful little dots...it was much higher up than sitting in Mother Tree's hollow, overlooking Her children. It was beautiful! She felt the wind blow through her hair...then caught sight of Once-ler's cottage below. It looked so small from where she was like she could hold it in her hand.

It landed with a soft thump right in the spot where it originally had landed! Everything back in place. Melvin got back as well just seconds before Once-ler opened the door...

"Well, whadda ya know?" he said, smiling and surprised to see the two bar-ba-loots. "You actually followed instructions. Thanks for keeping an eye on the wagon. I appreciate it."

Once-ler would've bought it...except Lou sneezed...and it collapsed in a giant, metallic clanging heap. Melvin hid his face, completely embarrassed. The two bar-ba-loots flinched. Lou laughed nervously...

Once-ler's eyes went wide for a second...his wagon! It was completely destroyed! His shock was immediately replaced by anger, balling his fists, letting out a small disgruntled growl, his cheeks flushed.

The two bar-ba-loots took off running for the hills...

"Great!" he growled angrily. "JUST great!"

He slumped over towards the destroyed wagon, then glared at Melvin for a moment who gave him an ashamed look. Well, it wasn't Melvin's fault. Those two bar-ba-loots must've tricked him somehow. That's when he saw the covering moving...

"What the...?

He moved it...to find Fiora, buried underneath the mess...

"Fiora! What are you doing here?" he said surprised. Then frowned. "Did you...?"

"No! I didn't. I just wanted to see inside it...and it was all their idea!"

"Are you hurt?" he asked, worried.

"I don't think so," she said.

He helped her up, to hear a small cry of pain from the sprite, collapsing to the ground.

"Hold on, don't get up," he said. "Let me see."

Kneeling down, he cupped the dainty green foot in his hand and found her ankle was swollen and purple.

"Looks like you twisted it. C'mon, let's go inside and take care it," he said.

Though he wasn't very strong, he couldn't let the sprite walk on it. He scooped her up...she was light as a feather!

"You don't...oh!" she said, surprised with a giggle...her hair pink.

He carried her inside and laid her gently on the bed. He wrapped her ankle in a long bandage and then got some ice, placing it gently on the tender area. He cleared his throat, a bit nervous since he was touching a girl...and staring at her...leg. Green, vine embedded with tiny leaves, graceful. Well, it's not like he hadn't seen this before when he tended her wound when they first met...this seemed more intimate...and she wasn't angry. His speckled cheeks flushed, biting his lip.

"Seems every time we see each other, you end up bandaging me," she said.

"Well, maybe if you stayed out of trouble..." he replied with a smile. "Honestly, how is it that Mustache puts up with you...and your mischief? He must have eternal patience."

Melvin watched as Once-ler take care of an injured Fiora, the two of them talking, smiling and laughing. Fiora's hair was pink as the Truffula trees. She wasn't used to human customs, but was starting to get it a bit.

Yes. He was pleased to see his owner was happy. The way he looked at Fiora, so shy. Yet, Fiora was loving and kind. She never laughed at Once-ler for being who he was (sometimes she did because he was so clumsy around her, but it was appropriate and polite). Yet seeing Once-ler like this was even better. He was a happy man.

Lorax happened to be walking by...hearing Once-ler and Fiora's voices coming from inside his cottage and climbed on the small ledge of the window...only to see that Once-ler was bandaging Fiora's injured...he was about to yell at Beanpole, but seeing how tender and caring he was with the sprite, he couldn't help but feel...softened at the sight of the two of them.

"Well, whadda ya know?" he whispered to Melvin. "He really IS a gentleman."