Two Sides Of The Same Coin- Once-Ler X Reader

Two Sides Of The Same Coin- Once-Ler X Reader Chapter Seventeen

Do You Remember The Once-ler?

I know I haven’t got the lyrics exactly right, I deliberately adapted them :P

The factory stretched into the sky in front of them as (Name) and the Lorax stood in the town square. (Name) had a silver and blue guitar on her back as she stared up at the ominous building.

“You know, he really isn’t him anymore. He’s… greedier… that’s it!” She snapped her fingers.

The Lorax glanced at her. “What’s what now?” He asked confusedly.

“He isn’t the Once-ler right now- he’s the Greed-ler.” She said determinedly.

He shrugged. “Well, then I suppose you’re serenading the Greed-ler.”

(Name) nodded and chewed nervously on her lip as she recalled what Theodore had told them.

“If I know one thing about my son, then I most certainly know that he loves music. There’s no changing that, no matter how he might be acting right now.” He said decisively. “All you need to do is find the right song.”

She sighed as she took hold of the guitar. “Well, Lorax, are we doing this?” She asked anxiously, stepping up onto the edge of the fountain.

He nodded. “If you think you’re ready. What are you playing?”

(Name) paused for a moment. “When Theodore was teaching me how to play, I sort of came up with something. It’s called ‘Do You Remember The Once-ler?’”

He smiled. “I like it already. Now I guess it’s just a matter of him hearing it.”

(Name) started strumming on the guitar, taking a deep breath as she closed her eyes and imagined him up in his office, probably tinkering with some design for a machine to make Thneed faster, and ergo, money faster.

“It all started a long time ago…” The Lorax said mysteriously to the passers-by whom had stopped to watch.

“Can we start not so long ago, maybe?” (Name) asked, raising an eyebrow.

The Lorax looked at her. “You wanna save the trees?” He deadpanned.

She sighed. “Yes! Yes…”

“Then it all started a long… long… time ago…” He said.

She took in another breath and started singing.

“Do you remember the Once-ler?

Who saw the world as his to take~

And said ‘I really only fracture

The rules that we made to break!’”

By this point a decent crowd had gathered in front of them and a few children had started clapping along to the song.

“He never really seemed to notice

Things they found appalling.

Smilin’ as the very first

Truffula was falling, falling, falling

Lead the world and heal tomorrow

Knowin’ we could always

Run to higher ground.

Same day, different story!

When we play, but now we borrow.

Falling, falling, falling,

And there’s no one left around!”

Meanwhile, up in the office of the factory, the man that used to be the Once-ler sat in his high-backed chair. He paused and got up, walking over to the window to see (Name) playing in the town square. Despite the distance, he could still hear what she sang. Again, he felt an unknown emotion burbling inside him.