Video

[thneedifestdestiny]

[Eventually, the Once-ler makes it into the mansion (though he spends a considerable amount of time outside where he first arrived in the garden, marveling at everything around him). He finds his old room and all of his stuff inside, but it feels too crowded to him now. So, the first thing he does is gets rid of all the clutter and all the things he doesn't need until more than half the room has been emptied out.

He sets up the camera on one end of the room and stands kind of awkwardly in front of it to film his message. Instead of his usual attire, he's wearing an over-sized green suit - which is old and tattered now, as though he's been wearing it for a couple of years.]

So, uh. I'm back. I guess.

[Well, this is going swell already.]

Look, I'm going to make this quick. I just want know if someone's here. He's orange and furry, about yay tall- [He has to bend down to gesture how tall, which is apparently not very tall at all] -and he's got this mustache. He's the Lorax, and he used to be here once. I just...

[He frowns a little, trying to find the words. His shoulders fall, and it takes considerable effort to shrug them.]

...I was just hoping maybe he turned up again, that's all. If anyone's seen him around, let me know.

[He quickly moves to shut off the camera after that, as if he's a little sick of the spotlight already.]

Comments

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[radiopalkiller]

[ Philip knows that guy. Philip knows the other guy. And Philip knows the answer to that question. Right. Sure. Why not. Probably makes for a good exercise on the whole "freely share your wisdom of magical imprisonment" plan. ]

That was the one who had a thing about trees, right? But erm, he left a while ago, you-- I mean, you remember that? [ He did say he was back. ] Uh, he didn't come back either, if that's what you mean...

[ Philip slowly shakes his head. ]

Why? Did you think he should be here?

[ Because short of "Hey, we remembered Wonderland and built a portal device to suck us back in!" he couldn't think of a good reason for suspecting as much, at least none other than wishful thinking. ]

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[thneedifestdestiny]

[The Once-ler also knows this guy, but when he tries to think of his name, it doesn't come to him. It was four years ago for him, but even not counting that he was kind of self absorbed during his last Wonderland stay. He doesn't remember many names at all.

He seems disappointed by that answer, but he forces a nod.]

Right, that was him. No, I remember him taking off. But like four years passed at home and I have no idea how long I was gone and...well. I was just kind of hoping he would've come back while I was gone, I guess.

[So, wishful thinking, mostly.]

...He uh. Left, at home. I thought he might have come here. [He shrugs. It was kind of dumb, but he couldn't help hoping a little.] He's a forest guardian. Maybe he could break the rules, if he needed to.

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[radiopalkiller]

[ By Philip's count Wonderland has housed some pretty disgruntled gods, who probably would have broken, shattered and burnt the rules, if they'd been able to do so. He sincerely doubts that this guy's friend is the golden exception to the rule, but he stops himself from pointing it out, because if you've already got disappointment written across your face then you probably don't need the slogan on a t-shirt to go with it. ]

Did he say he'd try?

[ Even that would be a miracle and a half, memory loss and all, but what's another quick grasp at some good-looking straws? And, um, probably something a bit more productive to go with the flavour: ]

Erm, if you tell me the last event you remember I can probably give you an estimate. About- about how long you were gone, I mean.

video;

[thneedifestdestiny]

[The Once-ler shakes his head, slowly.]

He...didn't say much of anything, really. This is just the only other place I've seen him.

[But it was dumb and he looks like he knows it was dumb. As if it would actually be that easy to get the Lorax to come back...

He pinches the bridge of his nose and tries to think back to the last event. It was ages ago, from his perspective.]

Uh. I think there was some big party? And some weird lizard went and changed a bunch of stuff on the grounds...I didn't really pay attention to it, since it didn't make us do anything, but that was the last big thing going on.

video;

[radiopalkiller]

[ In that case Philip should probably drop the subject of that orange friend. No good results there, not as far as he can see. ]

Right, okay, um... [ Counting, counting, count-- there we go. ] That was just a bit over two weeks ago, actually. So you didn't miss much here. Uh... there was an event, but--

[ There was an announcement. He noticed an odd thing or two happening afterwards. He may or may not have spent the rest of the weekend out of commission with a massive hangover, after wondering just how many bottles of whiskey it would take to get himself properly drunk these days. ]

I've got to be honest, I'm not too sure what it was about. Might have-- [ He coughs awkwardly. ] Might've had something to do with liquor, but- but I couldn't really say.

[ He didn't wake up in a dress on a gigantic spider pillow though, so it's got nothing on the first frat party the mansion threw him. He shakes his head for good measure. ]

Wasn't one of the big ones though, I didn't notice too much off.

[ And now that he's brought the guy (un)helpfully up to speed: ]

...Guess I should say welcome back, huh?

[Video]

[cursebreaking]

[Emma remembers him. The face is unmistakable, though he seems to be missing some of the energy she remembers him having. Maybe she's just imagining it, since she knows they weren't really themselves when they met, but all the same, he looks more than a little down in the mouth. She raises an eyebrow as she turns her own end of the feed on, curious.]

Haven't seen him around in a long while. Months, now, I'm pretty sure. What, does he owe you money?

[Probably not the best time to make bad jokes.]

[Video]

[thneedifestdestiny]

[Probably not, but it's more the content of it than the joking itself that sends an uncomfortable chill down his spine.]

Ha. Ha...uh, no. Nothing like that. ...I need to ask him something important.

[And apologize, but it's not like there's anything he can say that will change anything he's done. He can say he's sorry all he wants but he knows it won't do anything. But he sort of remembers her too, from that one event with the Superheroes. ...He'd been a villain, and suddenly that makes a little more sense now. But at least she doesn't seem to be holding that old event against him.]

I knew it was kind of a long shot, but I figured it was worth asking around.

[Video]

[cursebreaking]

[Yeah, that fell incredibly flat -- this guy doesn't seem to be a in a joking mood at all.]

He could always turn up again, but yeah, I wouldn't count on it.

[Getting your hopes up for that kind of thing was dangerous. She knew that all too well.]

You been gone long? You seem different. Only been a week or so on this end.

[Video]

[thneedifestdestiny]

[That's fair, and he nods in agreement. But the rest of it gives him pause. He must be really different if it's that noticeable to someone who only met him a couple times at most. ...But, maybe that's a good thing.]

A week? Wow. It's been...

[He has to think about it, which is depressing. But it's not like he's had handy access to a calendar in his isolation.]

...Probably four years on my end? Maybe more.

( video )

[ripstides]

Welcome back. [ he doesn't know this guy but making friends here can't be the worse thing. he can at least try. ] What's a Lorax?

( video )

[thneedifestdestiny]

[To be honest, he wasn't expecting much of a warm welcome. He was kind of a jerk during his last stay in Wonderland. ...It's a nice surprise.]

Uh, thanks. And the Lorax...he's guardian of the forest.

[He pauses though. That description is missing something.]

...He speaks for the trees.

( video )

[ripstides]

You got it. [ people deserve second chances. when people stop believing you're capable of good, then so do you. it's a whole big thing. but Percy doesn't make one thing of it, other than learning more about people that come and go. ]

He's the only one? [ that's either really cool or really lonely. ] Why does he have to speak for the trees? [ is it like the council of cloven elders? ]

( video )

[thneedifestdestiny]

He's the only one I know of. And he said it was because the trees have no tongues, or something like that. He was always a little weird.

[He sets out a single half-hearted chuckle before his gaze drifts downward.]

But no, it's because...they can't speak for themselves, you know? So he spoke for them instead. Someone had to.

[He finally gets that part now, a couple years too late.]

[appealingavarice]

Hey! [The Once-ler wasn't gone quite long enough for Greed to worry as such, but it's definitely been long enough to make him a sight for sore eyes. Greed is grinning hugely.] Haven't seen him, but what do you want him for?

[thneedifestdestiny]

Greed!

[At first he looks genuinely happy to see him, greeting him like an old friend. ...But, then something sinks in. Something he probably should have thought about all those years ago, when he first became friends with Greed.

He's Greed. He's Greed and the Once-ler let greed take over his entire life, and cloud his better judgement.

It's a slow realization. For a long time the Once-ler kept himself intentionally unaware of what Greed is exactly. He has this distinct knowledge that Greed isn't really human, but he never let himself think about it too hard because he liked hanging out with him. Any time something got kind of uncomfortable, the Once-ler would sort of shut his brain off and stop actually thinking about things. He let himself live in denial for so long.

Greed was a friend of his, an old friend. But, that was the problem, wasn't it? The Once-ler remembers Greed saying he was one of his...and suddenly, the idea of it makes him extremely uncomfortable. He looks the part as well. That smile has vanished entirely, and he seems wary.]

...Um. Nothing, I just...I needed to ask him something, but apparently he hasn't come back here, so. Uh. ...Yeah.

[appealingavarice]

[Greed sees the hesitation, the slow dawning of wariness, but for now he chooses not to notice it. Maybe he's just disappointed that his Lorax isn't around. No reason to assume it has anything to do with Greed.]

Eh, too bad. At least you're back, right?

[thneedifestdestiny]

[Unfortunately, it has everything to do with Greed, so the uneasiness doesn't go away when the bad news about the Lorax sinks in. That happiness to see Greed never really comes back. He shrugs, suddenly unsure how to respond to him.]

...I guess. Technically it's better than what I came from, so...there's that.

[He's still not sure how he feels about being brought back though. He doesn't feel like he deserves anything better. Actually he feels like he deserves to crawl in a hole so he can't see the trees and the grass and everything that reminds him of what he's ruined.

It's been a few years though, so it doesn't dawn on him right away that this might be a weird answer, and that four years ago in Wonderland he was very eager to go home, to start up his company and become a success.]

[formercheerio]

What do you mean that you're back? [ Because as far as she knew leaving here wasn't a possible thing ]

[thneedifestdestiny]

I mean I'm back. This stupid place kicked me out, some...things happened at home, and then it dragged me back here, for whatever reason.

[And he gives her a bit of a look because seriously, it's not all that complicated.]

[formercheerio]

I thought there was no way out?

[thneedifestdestiny]

There's no exit or anything, but sometimes people just...go. They disappear all of a sudden and they go home. But they don't do it on purpose; Wonderland just booted them out one day.

action;

[boyhood]

<sub>[Someone's certainly undergone a lifestyle change since last Peter saw him.

Just as he had in the winter when snow had been on the ground, one minute the Once-ler is alone outside enjoying his commune with nature and the next Peter Pan appears out of the ether a dozen or so feet away, just watching. This world changes all the time, and the Once-ler has changed, that much is abundantly clear to someone with a keen eye, but Peter hasn't.

Still the same boy, still the same inquisitive tilt to his head.]</sub>

You're looking a little down on your luck.

action;

[thneedifestdestiny]

[The Once-ler is relatively easy to find. He actually made his way back to the trees Peter found him hanging off of the first time. Their sweaters are long gone, but he remembers having made them...and it's strange. He feels sort of distant from it, like it happened to someone else. Having memories from four years ago shoved back into his head is unsettling, but it doesn't feel real, somehow.

The trees don't feel real. They don't look like the trees in his world, but they are definitely trees and he's in awe that they still exist. He reaches out to touch one, but then Peter calls out to him and he turns around. But at first, the Once-ler doesn't really know how to answer him.]

...Oh. Well. You know. Just bummed to be back here, that's all.

[It's a lie, and a really obvious one at that.]

[boyhood]

<sub>[It is quite the turnaround for someone who'd had little to no perspective on nature from even a superficial point of view, and not so long ago at that.

Well.

Not so long ago in Peter's memory, rather. To Peter's eyes, however, he can see the passage of time in the Once-ler's dress, his demeanor, the way he looks at the tree with near reverence. Someone's been gone quite a bit longer than their missing time in Wonderland would suggest. Turnarounds don't happen this fast unless the consequences had been disastrous.]</sub>

You remember me?

_{[He asks his own question, letting the lie slip for now. Come on, man, you'll have to do better than that if you want to kid a kidder!]}

[thneedifestdestiny]

[The Once-ler looks at him, squinting a little.]

...Yeah, I think so.

[He looks from this boy to the branches above them and then back again. It's been a few years now, but he kind of remembers him.]

You're the kid I was talking to when I was knitting the trees. Right?

[The one who said he should invent something for Wonderland, and had told him off at first for being bored in a place like this. His name is escaping the Once-ler, but as he runs into people and as people reply to him, he's finding that he apparently just didn't bother to learn many names the first time around. He'd been pretty self-absorbed, at the time.]