Visions of Greed

Chapter 6: No Rest For The Wicked

Notes: Here's a bit of trivia from the 1972 special that will be relevant in this chapter: Once-ler was indeed the inventor of the super axe hacker. The big orange machine used to chop down the trees in the film. Also apparently thneeds are edible, and they taste like bread without the crust.

 Recommended Songs: No Escape- Transcend, Fast Forward- You Me At Six, Monster- Skillet

Once-ler stood in what appeared to be a large, endless room. Surrounding him were piles of cash. Once-ler looked up, and he saw a winding, gilded, spiral staircase in front of him. On top of the staircase was Greed-ler, who was playing his guitar and singing, all while skillfully hopping down the stairs on one foot. Just below Greed-ler, Once-ler's family was also singing and dancing on the staircase. Once-ler stared at the scene in disbelief.

Greed-ler then gracefully jumped down from the staircase, landing in one of the piles of cash in front of Once-ler. Dollar bills fluttered around the room. Greed-ler stood up and held out a gloved hand towards Once-ler. "Come Once-ler, Come join us," he whispered.

Once-ler, captivated by the image in front of him, lifted his own hand towards Greed-ler's.

"Come. Join. Us." Greed-ler repeated with a wicked grin

Once-ler changed his mind and pulled his hand back, staggering backwards in uncertainty. Although the scene in front of him looked alluring, Once-ler feared what would happen if he were to give in to the temptation.

Seeing this, Greed-ler laughed wickedly. Then, to Once-ler's shock, Greed-ler suddenly appeared to melt. Greed-ler slowly dissolved into a black ooze that was identical to the schloppity schlop that Once-ler's factory poured into the nearby river. Once-ler stepped backwards as the schlop formed a puddle in front of him, which then transformed into a large, gaping hole.

Once-ler continued to stagger backwards in fear until he felt someone standing directly behind him. Once-ler peered his eyes over his shoulder and saw Greed-ler again. Once-ler turned around in shock. As Greed-ler slowly approached him, Once-ler moved backwards in the other direction, until he almost fell inside the hole in the floor.

"I am the hole deep down inside of you that can never be filled." Greed-ler sneered as he grabbed Once-ler by the vest and dangled him over the hole. "You can't escape me." Greed-ler then let go, and Once-ler began to fall, screaming into a dark endless void.

Once-ler's head shot up from his office desk as he woke up, gasping. His eyes darted around the room and Once-ler realized that he had once again fallen asleep in his office. The visions of Greed-ler had only been another nightmare. Once-ler's eyes turned towards the clock on his desk. He had less than an hour until his meeting. The one where Once-ler would present the finalized plans for the factory expansion to his family and top executives.

Once-ler looked down at his blueprints as he chewed on a breakfast bar from his desk drawer. He had been working on the plans all night. Although Once-ler wasn't completely satisfied with the layout, wishing it could still be bigger, he hoped the layout would still satisfy his family and top executives while also allowing him to conserve more of the Truffula Forest.

After Once-ler finished eating, he made his way to the bathroom to freshen up. Once-ler stepped in front of the mirror above the sink, and gasped when he saw his reflection. Once-ler's face remained the same, but he was wearing Greed-ler's iconic green suit and top hat. Once-ler blinked in surprise, and then the reflection reverted back to normal, with Once-ler now wearing his signature gray waistcoat and fedora. He shook his head. This had to have just been residual effects from the nightmare he just had.

After Once-ler finished up in the bathroom, he went over to his desk to grab his blueprints and other important files for the meeting. Just as he had done so, he heard a knock on the door. Once-ler went over the the door to open it, expecting his secretary. His eyes widened in horror when instead he saw Greed-ler.