Visions of Greed

Chapter 34: All At Once

Notes:

I hope you all enjoy this extra long and action packed chapter as we get closer to the finale! It's filled with lots of cool scenes, beginning with one inspired by the song Twin Skeleton's (Hotel in NYC) by Fall Out Boy, which includes hidden lyric references.

Speaking of songs, I want to take a moment to thank the user lonelymoo for the song suggestions of Impossible Year by Panic At The Disco and Big Man Little Dignity by Paramore. This chapter wound up be longer than expected and I was running out of song ideas so the suggestions were quite helpful. Impossible Year will be featured in this chapter (with a scene dedicated to it) and Big Man Little Dignity is scheduled for next chapter. Thank you again.

I also want to express appreciation to all of my readers again for interacting with this story in any way. All of the hits/kudos/comments/art you have given me means so so so much. Thank you also for your patience in dealing with the numerous delays/edits/changes ect, the fic has gone through during its run. I am so grateful to all of you and thrilled that you (presumably) enjoyed the story. Thank you all so much.

Trigger Warnings TW: Moments of very heavy angst/mental anguish/panic/stress and also a minor injury with implied blood.

Recommended songs: Twin Skeleton's (Hotel in NYC)- Fall Out Boy, Save Me-Skillet, The Mask Slips Away-Red, Impossible Year- Panic At The Disco, Breakdown- You Me At Six, Rise Of Messenger- Starset, Better Days- Yellowcard, Sinner-Alesti Jonathon Grimes

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

"Hey, Oncie! You'll never believe what I just found out!" Isabella exclaimed one day, just as Once-ler was about to walk past her desk to head to his office.

Once-ler paused and turned around. "What is it, mom?" he asked her, both curious and concerned as to what his mother's discovery could possibly be.

"You know that hotel we stayed at whenever we went to the big city for your hotel appearance? Well, it wound up going out of business!" his mother informed him.

"Really?" Once-ler asked in surprise. "They seemed to be doing really well when we were staying there," he added.

"Uh huh." Isabella nodded as she turned her attention back to the laptop on her desk that she had read the news from earlier. "It says here in this article that after the owner made several poor business decisions, the company had to file for bankruptcy and they closed down the hotel!"

"Wow, what a shame." Once-ler remarked, unaware that one day his own business would share the same fate.

"Indeed, it is. I can't believe the owner could be so foolish and allow something like that to happen." Isabella added with a shake of her head before she turned back to her son and changed the subject. "Anyways, how's work going for you? Have the plans for the four-lane highway been completed yet?" she asked him.

"Almost..." Once-ler told her half truthfully.

"Oh, that's good," his mother replied with a nod of approval before adding, "Well, I guess I'd better let you go finish things up then. "But I'll see you later, okay Oncie?"

"Of course, mom, I'll see you later." Once-ler told her as he made his way down the hall to his office, went inside, and sat down at his desk. Just as he had done so before, Once-ler looked down at the plans from instant roadway company briefly before setting them aside in frustration.

Once-ler would continue to procrastinate on finalizing the plans over the next several days. For some indiscernible reason, he simply couldn't bring himself to deal with the matter. And as the deadline for the millionth thneed ceremony approached, Once-ler's stress only continued to increase, made all the worse by the fact that the Lorax would still occasionally show up and bother him.