Rise of the Guardians 2

Chapter 33

Hi guys. I posted a song video on this chapter. It's called 'The Once-ler' and it's by Solving for X. It's really awesome and you should lisen to it as you read this chapter:)

At first Once kept his promise. He made sure that we regulated the tree's chopping and that there were new ones planted. However as time went on the Thneed grew more and more popular. His family, Isabell in particular, encouraged him to upgrade to a factory. I didn't think it was a good idea, but he seldom got encouragement from his family and so he listened to them. The factory just made a whole new set of problems.

He couldn't follow up on the regulation of the tree's as much anymore and neither could I because of all the work that we had to do and eventually all regulation stopped. As the Thneeds grew ever more popular, so did the profit that they brought in. And as that grew, Once began to change. He cared less and less about the forest and more and more about gaining even more money. He bought a new green suit and insisted that I buy one too, and reluctantly I did though mine was blue. He also got a brand new guitar, and as much as his old one annoyed me at times, I felt hurt that he had tossed aside the second hand gift that I had given him.

To my dismay, more and more tree's were being felled and one day Once came to me with a new gadget called 'The Super Axe Hacker' to hurry along the production of Thneeds. I was done with Thneeds Inc at that point and quit, leaving the company to the sole ownership of Once. He protested, but I was firm and would not change my mind. He insisted that I still stay and I did, if only to try and persuade Once to stop the destruction. He was just as stubborn as I and wouldn't listen.

Each day I gazed out of my window and each day there were more and more stumps; the tombstones for fallen trees. The sky got darker with every passing month, as smoggy clouds filled the sky. The river ran thick and black with the shlop that was being thrown in there. Mustache appearances grew more and more infrequent as he seemed to realize, as I did one day, that nothing was going to change. And that was the day that I decided to leave.

I packed my suitcase with what belonging that I wanted to take, leaving behind the blue suit that I loathed so much. I knocked on the Once-ler's office door to say good-bye.

"Enter" I heard him say and I opened the door. He looked up and his face brightened. "Breeze, how are you? I haven't seen you in forever!" I had no patience for small chat and got the point.

"I'm leaving" I said bluntly. He started laughing until he saw that I was very serious.

"You're really leaving!" I nodded "But why! This was always our dream, Breeze. We've got everything we've always wanted."

"Once-ler, my dream was to build a successful career with my best friend and to be happy." I said wearily "I won't find that here anymore. I quit five months ago"

"But I'm you best friend. I'm not going anywhere."

"No, Once-ler." I said sadly "You are no longer my best friend 'Once'. You've changed to much and I haven't. We've grown apart. It's time we went our separate ways" I pulled something from my pocket and put in his hand, curling his fingers around it. "This is my last gift to you. Use it carefully." I turned to leave and he made one last plea.

"Breeze, please stay" he said "For me...please."

"I'm sorry, Once-ler." I said "I wish I could, but you're no longer the person I once called my friend." I paused "And you're not the man I fell in love with" I hesitated for a second and then stood up on my tiptoes and kissed his cheek. "Good-bye, Once-ler" I said and the turned before he could see the tears that were silently making their way down my face.

I stepped out into the smog filled air then turned back for one last glance at the factory. The last I saw of Once, was his face in his office, his hand raised of farewell, tears coursing down his face as well.

I never saw him again.