Our Promise - A Once-ler X OC fanfiction

Chapter I - The Truffula Valley

It had been several days since the Once-ler had left the family cocoon with his mule, Melvin, as his only travelling companion in order to search for the ideal material to make his revolutionary invention: the Thneed. For several days, he had been riding his wagon through prairies and deserts, singing at the top of his voice with his electric guitar as an accompaniment, but apart from a certain amount of madness, he couldn't find anything.

However, this did not dampen his determination and over-optimism, which were part of his nature. He had always been like that, even as a child.

One day he was asleep, exhausted from his endless travels, sitting on his wagon, still steered by the animal that was only moving in random directions, his head down and his eyes showing some fatigue. But then he stopped, his ears perked up and his tired eyes sparkled. He whinnied to wake the young man, but without success. He then decided to kick his hoof under his seat. His companion gave a little cry of surprise.

Still a little sleepy, he spoke in a misty voice:

"We're going to be there soon, I'm sure. It's like-"

His eyes then fell on the reason Melvin had woken him up. Mouth agape, what he saw was breathtaking. A huge valley stretching to the horizon, colored by the warm colors of the trees. Tall trees with a rather thin trunk, white and lined bark, and at its top, what seemed to be very soft tuft. The place was also bordered by several rivers and waterfalls with clear water.

The Once-ler had the feeling he discovered Paradise.

"This is the most beautiful place I've ever seen!"

***

Not far away, Maya was working in a huge greenhouse. She came down from her ladder after having repaired a neon light for the nightly photosynthesis of the several hundred floral species around her. With the ladder under her arm, she went to a small kot where all the tools for gardening and DIY were located.

The young woman put on blue gloves and grabbed a transplanter. She intended to replant some plants that had reached their full germination potential. She then moved to a small plot of land ready to receive new plants.

But Maya was interrupted by the ringing of her phone in the pocket of her khaki overalls. She took off one of her gloves and decided to take a look. It was her colleague and friend, Flora. She picked up the phone.

"I'm listening, Flora, she said in a serious tone.

- So, are you working hard in the greenhouse? her friend asked with some irony.

- I fixed the broken neon light, I was going to replant the seedlings. But I don't think you're calling me for that.

- I don't! We just received a rather urgent and exceptional order.
- What flowers?

- Night-blooming Cereus."

The young woman bit her lower lip, and headed for another aisle of the greenhouse. She wasn't sure if she still had this type of flower, prized for its unique bloom and limited need for maintenance. But there were none growing.

"Enter an urgent request to the second store, Maya ordered.

- The one in LakeVille?

- Yes. They are more specialized in cacti than we are, so they certainly have one or two flowers for us. Let me know when you have a-"

This is it! This is the place!