And the wind smells slow and sour when it blows

[whichwayyoulean]

Who: The Once-ler and YOU!
What: Nightmares
When: Friday
Where: HIS MIND
Rating: Uh PG/PG13.


[You'd be forgiven for thinking you've entered a pleasant dream, rather than a horrific nightmare here. You've arrived in Truffula Valley, a peaceful, wonderful place that almost puts Paradisa's created beauty to shame. Forest creatures are scurrying about, singing and playing and generally going about their business.

The sky is bright blue, the sun is shining and the waters of the nearby river and pond are crystal clear. And most importantly there are miles upon miles upon miles of Truffula trees. For anyone the Once-ler described these trees to, he wasn't kidding. The touch of their tufts really is softer than silk and that comforting, wonderful smell? Fresh butterfly milk baby.

Nothing good lasts forever, and there's a general unease about the place. A disjointed sort of feel, like someone's putting on a play and you've already been told everyone dies at the end]

[[ooc: Sections: Pretty Valley | Dying Valley | Dead Valley ]]

Comments

Once morning I came to this glorious place

[whichwayyoulean]

[Despite the uneasy feeling in the air, you could stay here comfortably. It's certainly not frightening by any means. Well, except for that low engine noise somewhere in the distance...

Oblivious to the sound, however, is the Once-ler. He's currently lounging underneath one of the Truffula trees, throwing marshmallows at a tiny Bar-ba-loot, the creature jumping to catch them in his mouth]

You're getting pretty good at this, Pip. Sure you didn't run away from the circus?

[Nope. Nothing wrong here]

Then oh baby oh how my business did grow

[whichwayyoulean]

[It's like a scene changing, which strictly speaking in the scope of the memory-nightmare it is. That nice peaceful hillock now houses a an intimidating looking factory, which is spewing out smoke into the sky and black sludge into the water. The animals have taken to running and hiding, trying to find shelter in the very few trees left. Thneed. Inc is well and truly in control now. Oh and by the way, there are axe machines of doom heading your way. Might be an idea to get out of the way or those things will mow you down.

One of them eventually stops and a familiar green-suited beanpole of a man climbs out. The Once-ler doesn't look happy you're here, and just like before, there's not a hint that he recognises any of you]

Okay, seriously, what am I paying security for if they can't even keep the bottom feeders off my land? [He waves his arms in a general southwards direction] Hey crazy people, you need to move, like now. You're in the way of progress here. Go. Home.

All that was left 'neath the bad smelling sky

[whichwayyoulean]

[Another scene change, another skip in memory, and it's all gone. The valley is a husk of what it once was. The smoke in the sky blocks out the sun, leaving an ever present darkness. Breathing too deeply will bring on coughing fits, and the water is an undrinkable black mess. You're going to have to find shelter soon, or you'll die from exposure. There's a long winding road you can follow. Dotted along it are reminders of what happened to this place.

And just at the end of the road, overlooking a cliff, is what remains of the Once-ler's factory. The Once-ler is standing outside of it, watching the sky intently, beside him stands a stone with a certain word on it.

Go too near and be hit with an overwhelming sense of loneliness and failure. If you were travelling in a group, you're suddenly alone. Well, alone except for the Once-ler, who right now doesn't seem to be paying you the slightest bit of attention at all]

[wilder]

[Zelos is following the road, he probably stands out a great deal with how brightly colored he always is. He's looking around the scenery in a bit of horror and shock. He's seen battlefields, too peaceful fields riddled with bodies and blood. He saw the ruins of Ozette - rubble and scorch marks, a quiet village now a mass grave. ]

[But neither, no matter how horrible the sights, were like this. No battlefield, no ruined cities, no massacres- was ever enough to blot out the sun or the air so dirty it's nearly impossible to breath]

[He coughs, his hand going to cover his mouth. He attempts to call out]

Anybody out here?

[whichwayyoulean]

[The Once-ler had been staring intently at the sky, at that place in the clouds where the only friend he ever had vanished from him forever. A small part of him was willing the Lorax to return, knowing it would never happen.

The voice drags him out of his thoughts, and as he turns in the direction of the sound for the first time since his nightmare began, he actually recognises someone]

...Zelos?

[His brow furrows. This isn't right. This is Truffula Valley, not Paradisa. There shouldn't be anyone else here but him, and definitely no one from that magical castle. Did he go home and somehow drag Zelos with him?]

How did you get here?

[wilder]

[He feels relief when he hears Onceler, moving his head to spot him.]

Once-ler! Yo!

[At the question, he doesn't know the answer. He just was here. But he just gives a cocky smirk, hiding any feelings of uncertainty ]

Please, I'm the great Zelos Wilder. I come and go where I please.

[whichwayyoulean]

[The Once-ler's confusion seems to grow. Zelos no that's not an acceptable answer]

I'm pretty sure that's not how it works. You get sent home and that's it, right? You don't bring along guests. At least no one's mentioned bringing home guests before.

[Unless of course Paradisa has decided to make a vacation of Truffula Valley. In that case, it could have picked a far better location]

[kalinda]

[Big smoggy factory. That's nice. Remind her of home...

Oh, yeah. Those machines? Definitely sidestepping those jerks as she tips her sunglasses low enough to get a better glance of those things. Because that's not straight off one of those bloody horror movies or anything.

But, whose voice is this? That... certainly is ostentatious. And turning? Yeah, the outfit matches. Let's juts put two and two together, shall we?]

I'm here for the tour.

[whichwayyoulean]

[Did people honestly think he just had all day to lounge about and play games with them? Did they not understand he had quotas to meet? The Once-ler arches a brow, seemingly not amused by that smart remark at all]

You're hilarious. That was a real side-splitter. And if you're done with your comedy act, you can vacate the premises [he points] thataway. Unless you'd rather me get security on you, I hear they have new tasers they;re just dying to try out.

[wilder]

Never heard of guests brought along. Or people remembering once they do go home.

[a shrug]

Something's going on. Is this your world?

[kalinda]

[There's a smirk.]

Don't worry, there's more where that came from. [And she'll fold her arms.]

I thought your security was lax?

[whichwayyoulean]

Me either. That's what makes it so weird.

[The sky almost seems to darken, the smog surrounding them getting just that little bit thicker as the Once-ler's shoulders hunch, his eyes narrowing as he stares out across the valley]

What's left of it.

[wilder]

[He looks around at it again. His smile slowly fading as it sinks in what all this means. ]

You really did destroy it this badly...

[hairflyingheartpounding]

[Rapunzel barely has time to take in the factory before she notices the axe machines, and finds herself frozen to the spot, despite her brain screaming for her to run. Dreams, huh? At least it gives her a chance to take in the smoggy sky, leaving her coughing hard.

At first, her blank staring is redirected to the man, and then she realizes how familiar he sounds...]

Once-ler?

[whichwayyoulean]

Not if I call them and they want to keep their jobs they won't be.

[He gives her another look, a little more critical this time, before pulling a cigar out of his pocket, placing it in his mouth]

So why are you really here? You don't look like one of the activists.

[whichwayyoulean]

Yeah, I destroyed it this badly. It's not exactly something you just make up.

[His tone is more bitter than he strictly intended it to be. Folding his arms protectively around himself, he wanders over to the Lerkim. However, he's paying more attention to the edge of the cliff it's on than the building itself]

I guess that answers the question of where my factory went.

[whichwayyoulean]

[The Once-ler doesn't recognise her, and her knowing his name doesn't surprise him at all. After all, he's growing into one of the most powerful men in the world. He's a household name, there's not a soul who doesn't know who he is]

Yeah, congrats. You found me. Now get out, you're getting in the way of the axe-hackers.

[courageous_wit]

[Hermione doesn't know how she managed to get here. Or where here is, exactly. All she does know is that she can hardly breathe and the more she walks, the more the place chills her.

Something terrible happened here. That much she can tell]

Hello..?

[wilder]

I didn't think you were. But...you are a bit dramatic sometimes.

[And he would know drama! He meanwhile follows after, occasionally covering his mouth to cough]

...A cliff took it?

[hairflyingheartpounding]

[She pauses at that. Maybe he doesn't know her voice yet, but why is he being a jerk? Not in the usual, difficult way, but really just... A jerk.]

What are you doing with them, anyway?

[whichwayyoulean]

[The Once-ler gives her an incredulous sort of look]

What do you mean? I'm using them to cut down the trees. [He gestures at the little grove of Truffulas that she is, indeed, blocking his way to] Everyone knows that's where Thneeds come from, seesh.

[whichwayyoulean]

Yeah well. Not about this.

[He shrugs a little, down at the bottom of the cliff, small pieces of metal glint, giant cogs sprout up from the ground here and there]

Guess it did. That or someone pushed it down. [If that someone could have been him or his angry, suddenly unemployed workforce, he wouldn't want to hazard a guess. Then, carefully]

Don't breathe in too deeply. Your lungs won't thank you for it.

[hairflyingheartpounding]

Actually, I didn't, but...

[She frowns and looks around, then back at Once-ler with a bit more frustration in her expression.] You're really messing this place up.

[whichwayyoulean]

[Hermione's words are enough to cause the Once-ler to look up. Oh man, something weird is happening here, first Zelos and now...

Hermione doesn't know what he'd done. She doesn't know this was his fault. A part of him selfishly wants to try to keep that as it is, but he knows he can't do that. Not here. Not for long]

...Hey.

[whichwayyoulean]

[Oh. Oh so that's why she's here. The Once-ler's expression turns even more sour]

So he's getting people to come and plead his case for him now too? Well it's not working. [He raises his voice, as if to be heard by something...or someone nearby] You hear me? It's not working!

[He turns his attention back to Rapunzel] Look, whatever he told you is a lie. I know exactly what I'm doing and I have every right to keep right on doing it.