Thirty One Truffula Trees

[whichwayyoulean]

[The Once-ler hasn't heard from his mother in a while. This is nothing new, really. She only ever comes to him if she wanted something, it's always been that way, and he doubts she'd ever change, magical castle notwithstanding. But he hasn't heard from her since that dinosaur mess, and eventually, his love for her overwhelms his common sense and desire not to get his heart kicked in, as it always inevitably does. He heads off to her room, finding the nameplate gone.

Well. That was that. She'd left him. Again. Quietly this time, with no harsh words to bite into his memory as she drives away into the smog. Just a door without a name on it. He doubts he'll ever see her again, and he feels guilty for finding some relief in that thought. He exhales, opening his journal. He doesn't even know what to say at first, he doesn't even know if she even HAD any friends here]

For anyone who cares, my mom. [Pause] Flora her name's Flora. Look, I don't know if anyone knew her or not- but she's gone. Back home. So there you go.

[He'll just go try to find somewhere to brood where his friends won't find him now]

Comments

[whichwayyoulean]

Awww, thanks, Nepeta. I'll be fine, I promise. I've got you guys, haven't I? That's all I need.

[whichwayyoulean]

I'm not surprised. You've never struck me as the kind of doctor who follows everything by the textbook anyway.

[ensorceler]

I have not been told much of these past troubles... Would you tell me of what occurred?

[whichwayyoulean]

I haven't been around for most of it, but I heard about monsters at one point, who started in the castle and worked down into the city.

[ensorceler]

Who brought them here?

[whichwayyoulean]

I guess it was just regular castle hijinks.

[ensorceler]

They ought not to blame the castle residents for that... We are as much at it's clutches as they. It is the residents who choose to misbehave, they are the ones to blame for this animosity, I fear.

[rogueofheart]

:33 < yep!
:33 < you have a lot of furriends here
:33 < including me

[tapshoetomove]

[Luke doesn't really understand. He wants to but he really doesn't get it.]

Well I hope next time you meet her it's a happy reunion.

[whichwayyoulean]

Probably. I mean, the castle doesn't just pick the sort of people who'd not hurt anyone. Good people bad people, the people in-between, it doesn't seem to care. So I guess some of them do focus on harming the townspeople.

[whichwayyoulean]

[Stop being precious]

It means a lot.

[It really does, to actually have FRIENDS is still something he's getting used to, even a year into living in this place]

[whichwayyoulean]

[That, the Once-ler knows, is never going to happen again, but he's not going to dump that on the poor kid]

Yeah. Me too.

[ensorceler]

I am not equipped to do anything to assist them if such a crisis were to strike again.

[atrophied]

I'm offended that even needs to be said out loud.

[whichwayyoulean]

You kidding? You look out for them, a few words from you could sway their mindset on something, give them faith, y'know? You've got more going for you than you realise.

[whichwayyoulean]

I'm sure you'll get over it.

[ensorceler]

And I think you offer sweet words, but I doubt they would ever have any real love for my opinions. It matters not, in a time of crisis, they require an army just as we do, and there is none.

[atrophied]

Nope. I'm gonna carry this with me to my grave. Which, by the way, a meat locker? That is disrespectful. At least throw out the meat first.

[whichwayyoulean]

...No, I guess they don't have that. Only their police, no one to really protect them.

[whichwayyoulean]

...They put you in a meat locker? Like Zelos?

[ensorceler]

So you see, my power is as empty as this glass. Speak all I might, but a voice has no power if none will listen.

[yay_heiress]

That does sound like it'd be pretty bad.
How do you know all this?

[whichwayyoulean]

Because I lost all of my money. Trust me, I speak from experience here.

[whichwayyoulean]

Then we just have to show them that you're worth listening to.

[yay_heiress]

How?