Thirty Six Truffula Trees - Pre Plot

[whichwayyoulean]

[The Once-ler is used to a busy schedule. After all, he always has a number of jobs on the go at once, and it's rare he finds time to just stop nowadays. However, he always makes time for Ted, the kid means the world and more to him, after all.

But Ted was nowhere to be found in the mansion they were staying in while the Once-ler worked on a home in the city for them both. He wasn't in the garden, anywhere in the town, or even by the tree. He'd tried contacting the kid over and over again in the journal, with no answer. Eventually, he knew he'd have to do that most dreaded of activities: checking the door of a loved one.

Of course, Ted's name was not there, and the Once-ler's heart sank. He couldn't stay in the hallway, not with the mistletoe still around, so he quickly got out of there, finding the one thing, the one place in this castle that linked the two of them. Not caring that much for the snow, he sat down by the growing Truffula tree. He slowly became aware of a horrible, empty feeling, a dark endless void starting to fill him on the inside. Absently, he recognised it as the feeling he had as everyone had left him alone in the Valley. It was a terrifying, hopeless sort of feeling. He'd almost forgotten what it was like.

He stayed there for a while, ignoring the cold, before eventually letting out a shuddery breath, taking out his journal and writing in it, not trusting his voice]

For those who care. [The irony of his chosen opening statement was not lost on him] Ted Wiggins has gone home.

[And with that he closed his journal, remaining where he was sitting for now, staring at the red tufts of the little tree. Fifty years was going to be a long, long time]

Comments

Once-ler

[rose_of_battle]

Where are you?

Sheena and written forever

[whichwayyoulean]

[It takes him a good hour or so to respond]

Outside. [Specific!]

Once-ler.

[rose_of_battle]

[Sheena nearly drops the journal when he responds, but the relief is there when she addresses him.]

Outside? [She can think of only one place.] You're by the tree, aren't you?

[There's only one "tree" that's important to both Ted and Once-ler.]

Sheena

[whichwayyoulean]

Yep.

[Not exactly being the most helpful of people today, sorry Sheena]

[hellofist]

[December has been... an interesting month, to say the least. All the kissing, everything that comes with it, plus Christmas on the way and winter fully set in, it all makes for a pretty exciting time.

And the snow is new, so Cass has been taking a lot of walks out in it, wandering the city and the castle in pretty equal measure. She's surprised, but pleased to find the Once-ler on one of her walks, but her smile fades when she gets a good luck at that body language. Something is very wrong, here.

She heads over to him, resting a hand on his shoulder.]

Once?

[whichwayyoulean]

[He hadn't been expecting the contact and flinches at her touch. The usual comedic flailing of the limbs are conspicuously absent, and when he turns to her and attempts a smile, he only achieves in looking tired]

Oh. Hey, Cass.

[hellofist]

[Frowning, she crouches down beside him.]

What happened?

[whichwayyoulean]

[He turns his attention back to the tree, letting out a soft exhale]

Ted went home. [It sounds even worse out loud, and his shoulder hunch at that realisation]

[shortishandbossy]

[The news hurts for him to hear just as much as it does the Once-ler, if not more. There was something in the kid that the Lorax hadn't seen in anyone for a very, very long time. Ted was the hope, the proof that someone was going to come along and make everyone care. The fact that he's home is a bit of a relief, but it's only made him think about just how long of a wait they both have in store for the kid to even begin to think about trees. He can't imagine the state the Once-ler's in, and he doesn't really want to. But he can imagine where he is.]

You're going to get sick if you stay out there for too long, idiot.

[whichwayyoulean]

[There's a soft huff that might be a laugh if it wasn't so darn bitter. At least the Lorax was still here. The Once-ler didn't know why he found some weird manner of comfort in that, but he did. Living embodiment of all his failures though he was]

I'm not cold, I'll be fine. [Both terrible lies]

[shortishandbossy]

You're cold inside and out. Don't make me come over there.

[whichwayyoulean]

That was unnecessarily harsh.

And what will you do? Grouch me to death?

Once

[dorkwonder]

Do you want some company? [Tim knows the answer will likely be know, but he wants to ask anyway.]

[lucre]

[ Lucrezia thinks it isn't fair, for this to keep happening to one so dear to her. And as always, words of sympathy don't seem to cut it anymore. There is little left to be said. ]

The maids said you left without your breakfast.

[whichwayyoulean]

[It takes him a while to finally answer her, and when he does, there's a resigned tone there]

I wasn't hungry.

[lucre]

I suppose not.

[ She thinks she understands how it was. Grief and wanting only to be left alone, but even that was so long ago. ]

I thought you would be making your pancakes today. They were missed.

[whichwayyoulean]

[There's a touch of guilt there, for not being there for her, but the horrible darkness of his self loathing only devours it and grows stronger]

Sorry. The whole thing just-

Maybe tomorrow. [Or he'll just hide in his room and not come out for a week]

Master Once-ler

[ensorceler]

Does he go to a better one?

Anne

[whichwayyoulean]

[He considers his answer carefully]

Almost. [He still has to convince the townspeople to let him plant the seed. To let the world begin its slow and arduous healing process] It' will get better, eventually.

Master Once-ler

[ensorceler]

His determination will see it through. I think you need not worry for his state, but moreso for your own without his beloved company.

How are you to find yourself?

Anne

[whichwayyoulean]

I know he'll be fine, he's a tough kid.

[He feels so lost. Ted had been someone he could focus on. Someone he KNEW he had to be a better person for. And now...]

Pretty lousy, if I'm being honest.

Backtagging now that the holiday's have calmed down, if that's all right

[sugarwaffo]

[Sugar was out looking for people to kiss when she notices an old familiar figure off in the snow. Was that her villian? (What was his name? He never did tell her, did he.) Hoping to give him some holiday cheer, she flies up to say hello.]

Hey! [Once she's closer, Sugar notices how sad he looks.] What's wrong?

totally okay!

[whichwayyoulean]

[He doesn't notice her right away, only after her query do his eye flick in her direction, before going back to settle on the tree]

Everything.

[That's both far too maudlin and not at all helpful]

yay!

[sugarwaffo]

Oh, come on. It can't be that bad!

[...Yes, Sugar. It can.]

[whichwayyoulean]

Trust me. It can.