Do You Remember The Once-ler?

I know I haven’t got the lyrics exactly right, I deliberately adapted them :P

The factory stretched into the sky in front of them as (Name) and the Lorax stood in the town square. (Name) had a silver and blue guitar on her back as she stared up at the ominous building.

“You know, he really isn’t him anymore. He’s… greedier… that’s it!” She snapped her fingers.

The Lorax glanced at her. “What’s what now?” He asked confusedly.

“He isn’t the Once-ler right now- he’s the Greed-ler.” She said determinedly.

He shrugged. “Well, then I suppose you’re serenading the Greed-ler.”

(Name) nodded and chewed nervously on her lip as she recalled what Theodore had told them.

“If I know one thing about my son, then I most certainly know that he loves music. There’s no changing that, no matter how he might be acting right now.” He said decisively. “All you need to do is find the right song.”

She sighed as she took hold of the guitar. “Well, Lorax, are we doing this?” She asked anxiously, stepping up onto the edge of the fountain.

He nodded. “If you think you’re ready. What are you playing?”

(Name) paused for a moment. “When Theodore was teaching me how to play, I sort of came up with something. It’s called ‘Do You Remember The Once-ler?’”

He smiled. “I like it already. Now I guess it’s just a matter of him hearing it.”

(Name) started strumming on the guitar, taking a deep breath as she closed her eyes and imagined him up in his office, probably tinkering with some design for a machine to make Thneed faster, and ergo, money faster.

“It all started a long time ago…” The Lorax said mysteriously to the passers-by whom had stopped to watch.

“Can we start not so long ago, maybe?” (Name) asked, raising an eyebrow.

The Lorax looked at her. “You wanna save the trees?” He deadpanned.

She sighed. “Yes! Yes…”

“Then it all started a long… long… time ago…” He said.

She took in another breath and started singing.

“Do you remember the Once-ler?

Who saw the world as his to take~

And said ‘I really only fracture

The rules that we made to break!’”

By this point a decent crowd had gathered in front of them and a few children had started clapping along to the song.

“He never really seemed to notice

Things they found appalling.

Smilin’ as the very first

Truffula was falling, falling, falling

Lead the world and heal tomorrow

Knowin’ we could always

Run to higher ground.

Same day, different story!

When we play, but now we borrow.

Falling, falling, falling,

And there’s no one left around!”

Meanwhile, up in the office of the factory, the man that used to be the Once-ler sat in his high-backed chair. He paused and got up, walking over to the window to see (Name) playing in the town square. Despite the distance, he could still hear what she sang. Again, he felt an unknown emotion burbling inside him.

“Do you remember the Once-ler?

Finally drove the world away.

Turnin’ all the things we live for

Turned the sky from blue to grey.

Never really seemed to notice

Things they found appalling.

Smilin’ as all of those

Truffulas were falling, falling, falling

Lead the world and heal tomorrow

Knowin’ we could always

Run to higher ground.

Same day, different story!

When we play, but now we borrow.

Falling, falling, falling,

And there’s no one left around!”

As Greed-ler stared out at her, looking at the wasteland that was once the beautiful forest he had discovered with his trusty mule, Melvin, seeing the destruction that his own greed had caused, his eyes slowly turned from green to blue, and he took off his top hat, eyes wide as he gazed out of his window.

“Falling down

We’re falling,

And we fall in what we believe

We fall in life…

Thank god he held on to a seed…”

His eyes lit up as he shot over to his desk, rattling around in the drawers before he found what he was looking for; a single Truffula seed that he had hidden away, as a sort of trophy. But how had (Name) known it was there? She must have spotted it when he…

He froze and gaped, realising what he had done to her, dropping the seed onto his desk with a clatter. “How could I have done that?” He whispered, horrified, as he tried to pick the seed up again, hands shaking.

“Do you remember the Once-ler?

Who saw the world that he designed

Lookin’ from an empty factory

The nothing that he left behind.”

Once-ler looked again out of his window, clutching the seed in his trembling fist. He locked his eyes back on (Name) before wheeling away from the window, stumbling slightly as he ran for the office door. He charged down through the factory, staggering as his long green coat was caught by some of the machinery. He yanked on it, ripping the fabric as he continued in his flight.

“Maybe someday he’ll notice

Things we find appalling

And cry as the final

Truffula is falling, falling, falling.

Lead the world and heal tomorrow

Knowin’ we can always

Run to high ground.

Same day, different story!

When we play, but now we borrow.

Falling, falling, falling,

And there’s no one left around.

Falling, falling, falling,

‘Till there’s no one left around…”

(Name) looked around at the crowd, who exploded into enthusiastic applause and dropped a few coins into the Lorax’s hands before bidding her goodbye and going on their way. But one little girl hesitated.

“Hey, miss?” She said, tugging on (Name)’s skirt.

(Name) bobbed down to her. “What’s up, sweetie?” She asked.

“Can you tell the Once-ler I’m sorry for taking his hat?” She looked up seriously.

(Name) nodded. “Yeah. I’ll be sure to tell the Once-ler next time I see him.” She replied softly, giving the girl a quick hug.

The girl gave a buck-toothed grin before she ran off.

(Name) stood up and looked up at the office window for the first time. Seeing no movement, she sighed. “Well, I guess that was a bust.” She commented disappointedly to the Lorax.

He passed her the coins, which she shoved into her pocket. “Yeah, it kinda was, I s’pose. C’mon, let’s head back to Theodore’s place.”

She nodded and they vanished into the streets of the town.

A few moments later, one of the maintenance doors was thrown open by Once-ler. He panted, looking around the square. “(Naaaame)?! Peanut?” He called desperately. He stumbled forward, his suit torn, tears in his eyes, red in the face from running. Seeing no sign of them, he sighed miserably and shuffled back inside the door, closing it softly behind him.