A/N: This is a sequel to the first. I recommend reading the first part with no good reason XD This part actually starts with Onceler, not Greedler but as soon as the 500th or 600th word, the scenes will get a little dramatic XD Enjoy my little Oncelings!
•••
Things started to get really smooth between you and the Onceler. First scene you show yourself as a shy, country girl then the second scene you started to get wild. Not that wild to make him think you're a mental patient who escaped, but enough wildness to show off how fun it is to spend the times with you.
You raised your scarf no more whenever the Onceler talks to you or interacts with you. However, you still get to do that when he is too near, too touchy or when there are neighbours visiting his little cottage. You thought it was so easy of him to befriend and to make him as a fun companion, but things will start to change, slowly.
"Hey Oncie!"
"What is it, (y/n)?"
"Wanna race? First one gets tah eat all the s'mores at the counter."
"Hmm. Let me change."
You waited for a minute and was quickly devoured by boredom so you took a little stroll around the cottage. You didn't really get to go outside that often, so you spent your precious time discovering more about the place. You've been for here for about five days, but it felt like weeks already. You went by the river and by a Truffula tree and caressed the striped bark. You simply find it odd to see a tree like this yet you loved it. You went back, only to find him tuning his guitar and was ready go.
"16 seconds late. Is that a deduction?"
"Probably not. Get ready. On the count of three.."
"One.."
"Two.."
"Three!"
And so, your feet jolted right after he shouted. You knew you would win at this. You and your siblings always do this whenever there are chores or when a chicken escaped, so there is a possibility. Just then, a hand grabbed yours and then advanced. You were quickly overwhelmed by a particular tingling sensation sliding down your spine. A cloud of dust woke you up from the thought.
"Hey! No fair!" He replied with a mischievous grin and blew a raspberry. Your temper got the rest of you so you ran faster. People walking are now staring at you two, but you didn't mind them.
Moments later, you slowed down, caught up the air in your lungs and then raised your scarf. You lost and you knew he wouldn't be sharing those with you. He loves it more than you do and you felt hopeless.
"What's with the pace, (y/n)?"
You didn't run but instead you just walked briskly. You gave up and raised a hand, telling him that you stopped.
"I thought you were faster! Aren't you a country girl?"
"Well yes, until ya cheated."
"I didn't cheat!"
"Then what do ya call that?"
"Uh, that was called strategy."
You rolled your eyes at his reply, and grabbed his guitar from him. You ran away back to his place never turned your back.
"Hey! Give it back! I need it! Hey!"
"Tell me that ya lost and ah win before ah give your it back."
You ran and ran while he tripped and tripped. You liked his clumsiness and you find his voice so feminine yet handsome in a unique way. Until you tripped too and he got his guitar back. He blew raspberries at you and raised his guitar like it was some sort of trophy.
"Ah won't let ya get away with this."
"I'll look forward to that."
The day went by like a blur and you saw the Onceler's face so different from the past. These days he still looks happy and determined even though he never sold a thneed or two, but today he looks like he wanted to give up already.
"Hey. It's okay. Someday people will recognise ya and buy your thneed."
"Yeah and that it is after a decade, right?"
"Well, we just have to put in some of my gigs."
You giggled and thought that this a good start. And so, one by one, the people came and bought his thneed and in just two weeks, he was famous. His invention-turned-fashion was recognized by the whole country, but at the same time, the air was getting filthy.
"Hey Oncie. Ya wanna calm down your company. The surroundings are gettin' a little diff'rent day after day."
"Why would I when the people are asking for more?"
"Ah noticed that ya'll be gettin a bit too far for the trees if ya don't pause for awhile, y'know."
"I am not dumb enough to see that, (y/n). I mean, what's the big deal? No one ever noticed the beauty of the trees, until I considered it."
"Well for your information, ah found that out, too. And ah say let us not continue."
"What do you mean?"
"What ah mean is, let's stop cuttin' down the trees and pluck down and harvest the tufts instead. Make a machine that can do that. Ya have enough money to do that, right?"
"And who are you to demand me such thing?"
You froze. Something was odd with the Onceler's behavior and the tone of his voice. Your butterflies started a brutal war inside but you didn't let your scaredy side eat you.
You were still composing yourself when he sighed and rolled his eyes. Who am I to him? You thought. Who am I to him? You repeated mentally, a bit irritated. Well, I was the person who gave him comfort when he felt down and morose. I was the one who encouraged him to continue his work and never stop. I have been his companion ever since. In short, I am his friend. Why didn't he realise it earlier?
He began to arrange the miniature buildings in his so-called city and totally forgot about you. Suddenly, out of nowhere, the Lorax popped out from the balcony and talked to him. Well, the creature seemed to talk to him in a sincere manner, but the Onceler was shouting and cursing and was pushing the Lorax away from his building.
You looked away in disgust. You told myself you were wrong and very, very wrong about him. You've been a nature enthusiast ever since but now look, you are socializing with a man who doesn't give a damn about it. So much time was wasted and you started to walk out of the building.
Once you got to the cottage, you grabbed the bag of marshmallows you bought earlier and ate the frustration away. Moments later, the door creaked softly and light footsteps made its way towards your room.
"Hey (y/n)."
"What happened?"
Silence filled the whole room. It took the Lorax a long time before answering.
"I am afraid he became a model of greediness. He chases people's butts for their money. He wouldn't let me talk and give the reason why I hate him. Hate him for cutting down my trees, for hurting my companions, for destroying the ecosystem. I hate him. I despise him. I loathe him. I-"
"Stop."
Silence ruled the room once again and now tears flowed from your eyes. You searched for anything in your brain to reason out. To at least defend him, but there were none.
"I know that you were and have been his company since you came. You began to hang out with him during weekends, catch fishes in the river, race with the Bar-ba-loots, eat s'mores.."
"But he changed because of his thneeds. His thneeds meant money for him. And so, t'was my fault."
"What? (y/n), it wasn't-"
"Ah encouraged- no, forced him to continue his work, do not stop knittin', never sleep or else he won't see me again, ah'll leave him."
"No, you misunderstood-"
"He was afraid of becomin' lonely again and he actually confessed that to me. Ah used it as some kind of blackmail to him. Work or be lonely. Never sleep until it's done or sleep with the deafenin' silence. He got used to it and ah was half proud and half guilty to say that he took it seriously. Until he hit the jackpot, got rich, got greedy.."
You both were silent for the rest of time until sleep came. It was a Bar-ba-loot that woke you up. You got up and opened the television but before you could even change the channel, commercials of the thneed played and filled the room with the Onceler's voice advertising. You just covered your ears, rolled your eyes, and turned it off.
You made pancakes and s'mores and ate with the most awesome creatures you've seen. They stayed the same, only the smiles changed. Unfortunately, you remembered your problem last night, and choked. Fortunately, the Lorax heard you from the other room and saved you.
••
"Ah want your thneed finished by mornin'. Do not sleep if possible. Or else-"
"Okay, okay! Got it."
"Ya can do it, Oncie. Ah know ya won't let me down."
"Will you be here and make me coffee?"
"Ah don't know if ah can stay up all night, but ah'll try."
•
"Why are you mad? Tell me 'bout it."
"I'm mad because you didn't fulfill your promise last night. You slept on the table while waiting for the water to boil. But you didn't wake up. I didn't bother to."
"Well, ah only said ah'd try. Don't get mad over it. Anyway, did ya finish your masterpiece?"
"I finished it and was kinda proud of myself I did something. But there was this little rat that bit some of the thneed and I'm afraid it's a bit large."
"Well then, what do ya do? Forget about it? Fix it! Start up ASAP so we can sell it already!"
"Alright, alright."
••
You never thought it'd flashback. That conversation said it all. You were the villain here, not him. You were the one who pursued him. You were his boss and he was your poor, little employee. You were the one behind his greediness.
Crash!
"(y/n)! What happened to you? Are you okay?"
You didn't bother answering the Lorax's questions. The room was flooded by the creatures and then your vision went black.
You opened your eyes and felt a bed. You played back the scenes and remembered the bits and pieces of the one and only flower vase the Onceler had, and now it's your fault it's broken. You bit your lip until it bled. You didn't know what to do now, and you were still overwhelmed by the fact that you were complaining on his work but then it was your fault he did it. Just then, something clicked.
"Work or be lonely. It means he will work if he isn't lonely. He won't work if he's lonely. If ah leave, he will stop this madness but will get depressed. If ah chose to be his friend, ah'll stay and the madness will continue and the forest will forever be perished."
You sighed at your statement. You didn't know what to do and you were having a hard time choosing over him or nature.
Leave him and heal nature..
or..
Be with him and watch nature slowly die.
•••
A/N: I am very sorry and I ask for an apology if I ever left you a question. I was having fun typing this part when I realised it was already a thousand and eight hundred words. So long for a one shot XD Sorry again for letting you wait for this part and then leaving you a freakin question. Wait till I post the last part and now you can go to sleep XD