How Bad Could It Be Chapter 7

A/N: I want to thank Mircosedy from fanfiction.net for beta-reading my story.

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When Once-ler finished his tuft pulling device, he immediately set out to the Truffula trees only to be stopped by the Lorax.

"Okay, Beanpole, what are you up to?" The Lorax asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

"I'm getting some tufts for my thneed," Once-ler said happily.

The Lorax put himself in front of the Once-ler and held an arm out to stop him.

"No, you remember the deal," The Lorax said. "You can't chop down anymore trees."

"I won't be chopping down any trees," Once-ler said as he ran past The Lorax and used the device to tug the tufts off of the Truffula tree, astonishing the Lorax. "Okay, that works."

Apparently, the Lorax didn't care what Once-ler did as long as the trees didn't suffer for -ler gathered the tufts off of the ground and took them to his cottage. There was just enough for one thneed. He immediately got to work and called Kat when he was done.

"Hello?" Kat's voice said as soon as she picked up.

"Kat, it's me, Once-ler," Once-ler said, trying to contain his excitement. "I just finished your thneed."

"That's great, Once!" Kat said. "How much do I owe you?"

"Owe me?" Once-ler responded shock. "You don't owe me anything."

"Once, I'm not so broke that I can't afford a thneed," Kat said reassuringly and added the next thing in a joking manner. "Unless you're charging $100 a piece for them."

"No, nothing so outrageous!" Once-ler said in shock. "Though, if you insist, you could pay me a little something in return."

"Once, just because I'm sleeping with you doesn't mean I'm going to prostitute myself for a thneed," Kat said. "The only possible way I would ever prostitute myself is if the world entered an apocalyptic situation."

"Kat, I would never ask-!" Once-ler began, surprised that Kat would expect the worst from him like that. "Wait a minute, you mean you would prostitute yourself?"

"Well, I have to eat and I don't have any other skills."

"I think you might have more survival skills than you know," Once-ler reassured her. "And I would never make you prostitute yourself for anything."

Kat laughed.

"Would you relax?" Kat said. "You really need to learn how to take a joke."

"I think your sense of humor might be a bit much for me," Once-ler responded. "Anyway, I was hoping that you'd bring one of your stories here in exchange for a thneed."

"Really, Once?" Kat said. "A story for a thneed?"

"My work for yours," Once-ler said with a smile. "I don't know about you but I'd call that a fair trade."

"Okay, if you say so," Kat responded. "I'll be there in a few."

"Looking forward to it," Once-ler said.
                                 
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When Kat arrived in Truffula Forest, holding a stack of papers to her chest, she saw the swomee swans giving flowers to other swans, the humming fish presenting pearls to other humming fish like they were engagement rings, and the bar-ba-loots singing to other bar-ba-loots on tree tops and jumping into the singing bar-ba-loots' arms. Melvin was lying on the grass, lazily observing the whole scene.

"Hey, Melvin," Kat said, smiling. "You'll forgive me if I don't pet you, but my hands are kind of full right now."

Melvin gave Kat a happy grunt in acknowledgement. Kat saw two bar-ba-loots, one fat and one normal sized, singing to a bar-ba-loot wearing red lipstick, a flower in her hair and blowing bubbles from a bubble blower. Okay, weird, but Kat heard of stranger thingshappening in Truffula Forest. The fat one and the normal one kept pushing each other out of the way and singing to the flower haired bar-ba-loot on top of the tree.

Then the strangest thing happened. The normal sized bar-ba-loot summoned swomee-swans to gather around him and provided backup as he danced and sang. Kat's eyes widened and her mouth dropped open to from a huge O. If that wasn't shocking enough, the fat bar-ba-loot called the humming fish to provide back up while he sang and danced. Then the normal sized bar-ba-loot grabbed a megaphone out of nowhere and rapped into it. Kat was so shocked, she was surprised she didn't drop her story on the ground. If Kat didn't know any better, she would've sworn she was high. Of course, that would be impossible because nothing she was on would make her hallucinate and she didn't take anything from strangers. Then the bar-ba-loot with a flower in her hair jumped between the fat and normal sized bar-ba-loots and sang her own song that attracted a third small bar-ba-loot. The bar-ba-loot with a flower in her hair took the small bar-ba-loot's hand and walked off with him.

"What the hell was that?!" Kat exclaimed, still recovering from the shock.

"Hey, Kat!" Once-ler shouted from behind her.

Kat turned around to see Once-ler at the door of what appeared to be a hybrid between a tent and a cottage.

"I just saw the strangest thing," Kat tried to explain. "The animals broke out into a song and dance number! It was like something out of a Disney movie! Oh, and here's your story."

Once-ler laughed as Kat handed him the papers in her hands.

"Yeah, they do that sometimes."

"So, around here, this is normal?" Kat asked, still having trouble comprehending all this.

"Yeah, pretty cute, huh?"

Kat replayed the scene she witnessed in her head.

"So, you live here?" Kat asked.

"Yeah," Once-ler said, tilting his hat sheepishly. "Do you like it?"

"Do I like it?" Kat said frozen in shock when a smile shot across her face. "I love it!"

Once-ler stared at her.

"Really?"

"Yeah!" Kat exclaimed, hugging Once-ler. "It's beautiful, the animals are adorable and the scent's incredible!"

Kat put her arms up and did a twirl, inhaling the scent of the Truffula Trees.

"My apartment smells like crap, the wallpaper's falling off and the only wildlife I get is a cockroach infestation," Kat said, putting her hand on her head and trying to regain her balance. "I want to move here!"

"Whoa, nobody's moving in here," a scratchy annoying voice said. "Beanpole, what's this female doing here?"

"This is Kat," Once-ler answered. "She wanted to buy my thneed."

Kat turned to where the voice originated to see a small orange puff of fur with legs and a mustache and forgot her anger from before.

"Aww, who might you be, little guy?" Kat said, bending down to be at eye level with the cute creature and putting her hands on her knees.

"I'm The Lorax, guardian of the forest, speaker of the trees?" The Lorax said, bewildered. "You seriously don't know who I am?"

"I thought Mothra was the guardian of the forest," Kat said, standing straight up and deep in thought.

"No, Mothra was the guardian of earth," Once-ler explained. "Her two fairies were the ones that spoke for her."

"Who's Mothra?" The Lorax asked.

"She's a giant flying moth who wreaks havoc on anyone who abducts her fairies but will protect the earth from a greater threat," Kat explained.

"Thanks for the info, Cloud," The Lorax said, looking at Kat like she was nuts.

"Cloud?"

"It's because you've got your head in the clouds," The Lorax explained irritably.

"I suppose it's better than Kitty," Kat said in contemplation. "Nice to meet you, Lorax."

"Yeah, just don't chop down any trees and we're good," The Lorax said, keeping an eye on Kat.

"Hey, Kat, you came here for a thneed, right?" Once-ler asked.

"Yeah, of course," Kat said as Once-ler led her into the cottage.

Once-ler put the story down on the cabinet and grabbed the thneed off the bed for Kat.

"One thneed for the lovely lady," Once-ler said, holding up the strange pink clothing for Kat to see.

"Why thank you," Kat said, grabbing the thneed feeling its softness and recognizing the same scent as the Truffula Trees.

Kat changed the thneed into a cardigan sweater and put her arms in the sleeves, stopping when it was below her shoulders. Then she tied the bottom part together and modeled it.

"How do I look?" Kat asked, flipping her hair.

Once-ler stared at Kat like he's never seen her before.

"You look great," Once-ler said with a nervous smile. "Though that's an odd way to wear a sweater."

"This coming from a guy who rides around in a wagon pulled by a donkey," Kat said with a smirk.

"Hey, it's either that or pay for gas," Once-ler said shrugging.

"You got me there," Kat said. "Speaking of animals, what did the Lorax mean by telling me that I better not chop down any trees?"

"Well, it's a long story," Once-ler said, tilting his hat.

"I got time," Kat said, putting her arm on her hip.

"The thneed's made out of the tufts from the Truffula tree," Once-ler began as Kat laid back on the counter and rested her hands on it.

"Yeah, I figured that from the smell," Kat said. "Go on."

"Well, I had to chop down the tree to get to the tufts," Once-ler explained.

"What a minute, you chopped down a tree?" Kat said, looking at Once-ler's arms. "I guess you do have some muscle."

Once-ler did some muscle poses, looking absolutely ridiculous and causing Kat to laugh.

"Okay, I don't think chopping down the trees was the most practical way of getting to the tufts," Kat began. "But don't you think the Lorax is overreacting? I mean, it's just one lousy tree."

"Yeah, that's what I thought," Once-ler said, putting his arms down and looking at Kat sympathetically. "But, to these animals, the trees are their home. I mean, imagine if someone destroyed your apartment without letting you know?"

"I'd start a campfire with the rubble and dance around the flames," Kat said nonchalantly.

"Let's pretend that you lived in a more functioning apartment with no roaches whatsoever," Once-ler said with an exasperated sigh. "How would you feel then?"

"I guess I wouldn't be happy about it," Kat said in contemplation. "So, you found a more practical way of getting the tufts down, right?"

"Yeah!" Once-ler said excitedly as he pulled a device from under his bed. "I call it the tuft puller! Instead of chopping down the trees, I just harvest the tufts!"

"Well, it will keep The Lorax off your back," Kat said supportively. "And it will probably work out better for you in the long run. So, how many customers have you got so far?"

"Including you, two," Once-ler said sadly. "I didn't ask for money from you and I'm not too sure about the second one."

"Who's the second one?" Kat asked. "And why didn't you ask me for money?"

"The second one's your brother, Billy," Once-ler said. "And I really wanted to read one of your stories sometime. That's why I asked you to bring it."

"Well, thank you," Kat said giving Once-ler a smile that disappeared when she said the next thing. "And I'd hate to burst your bubble but I wouldn't hold my breath on Billy being your next customer."

"That's why I said that I'm not so sure," Once-ler said, narrowing his eyes. "If you don't like Billy, why do you take him in?"

Kat sighed exasperatedly.

"Because he's my brother, whether I like it or not. Tanya would never take him in and he'd be out on the street," Kat explained, her voice sounding melancholy with a hint of malice. "And I'd never hear the end of it from Dad if I turned him down."

"So, you have to be the good sister," Once-ler said, grinning at Kat.

"Sometimes being good absolutely sucks," Kat said with melancholy.

"Being good can't be that bad," Once-ler reassured her. "I mean, sure you have to deal with a mooching brother, a horrible boss and have to work a crappy job in order to keep an equally crappy apartment."

Kat crossed her arms under her breasts and narrowed her eyes at Once-ler

"Are you going somewhere with this?" she asked annoyed.

"You have a roof over your head, food to sustain you, you've got Ryan and Maria," Once-ler said in a comforting voice while he reached for Kat's hand. "And you got me."

Kat tilted her head to gaze into Once-ler's pale blue eyes and smiled.

"Yeah, I do have you."

Their moment was interrupted by a knock on the door that Once-ler answered to see The Lorax at the other end.

"What do you want, Mustache?" Once-ler asked angrily.

"Just seeing if you and your mate can be trusted."

"Mate?!" Once-ler responded shocked.

Kat nodded her head.

"Seems fitting."

Once-ler turned to her with surprise written all over his face.

"You mean you still want to be-?"

"-Friends with benefits? Of course!" Kat exclaimed. "Why wouldn't I want to be?"

Once-ler blushed.

"Well, Billy told me that you didn't enjoy it," Once-ler said hesitantly.

Kat took a deep breath, not wanting to lie to Once-ler.

"Okay, it was awkward," Kat admitted. "But it was our first time. Of course it wasn't going to be one fantastic event."

"So you're saying that we just need practice."

"Of course," Kat reassured Once-ler.

"Get a room, you guys," The Lorax told them annoyed.

"We're in a room," Kat said turning to the Lorax, equally annoyed.

"Fine, I'll give you two some privacy," The Lorax said.

Kat removed her hand from Once-ler's.

"Actually, I was just leaving," she said. "Though I was hoping I could get your number before I go."

"Oh sure!" Once-ler said, pulling out a piece of paper and pen from his cabinet drawers and writing his number on the paper. "Here you go."

He handed the paper to Kat, which she immediately pocketed.

"Oh, and next circle meeting's tomorrow at noon," Kat said as she headed for the door. "You can pick me up at my apartment and I'll tell you how to get to the place."

"Sure, I'll be there," Once-ler said happily as Kat closed the door.

Kat took one last look around Truffula Forest, envying Once-ler. If she lived in this beautiful place, she'd never want to leave. Of course, she would have to get the grocery shopping. She couldn't mail her stories anywhere in this place. She'd also have to get up incredibly early if she didn't want to be late to her job. Okay, so maybe living in Truffula Forest wouldn't be so grand. She'd just have to make it as a writer and open up a new home in the forest. She could see it now, typing away in her new home, playing with the animals and throwing the occasional circle party around a bonfire with no fear of the cops catching them. She'd only go to Greenville for grocery shopping and a few flings on the side. She'd still hang out with Once-ler and bunk at his cottage for a spell, or he could bunk at hers.

Kat was about to leave before the same small bar-ba-loot from earlier appeared before her.

"What do you want, little guy?" she asked picking him up and scratching him on his head.

The bar-ba-loot pointed to the cottage.

"Yes, I'm Once-ler's mate," Kat answered with a mischievous grin. "You would know all about that, wouldn't you?"

The bar-ba-loot smiled and nodded his head as Kat held him in her arms like she was holding a baby. The bar-ba-loot cuddled in her arms as Kat thought that maybe she could stay a little while longer. She was oblivious to Once-ler looking at her from a window as she held the bar-ba-loot in her arms.

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A/N: Hope that last line didn't make Once-ler seem too much like a stalker. Yes, Kat is continuing her arrangement with Once-ler but she doesn't want to jump his bones every time she sees him. Sometimes, she just genuinely likes hanging out with him. I also want to clarify that Kat's wearing the thneed the same way Faye Valentine wears her overcoat in the anime Cowboy Bebop. Also, that scene with the bar-ba-loots was taken right out of the Lorax short, Serenade. If anyone's interested, there's a Walking Dead fanfic I'm working on as well as this one. It's called Confessions of a Whore and it's entirely OC with none of the characters from the comic books, TV shows or video game making an appearance, so I don't think you have to be a fan to understand it. Though, if you do plan on checking it out, Night of the Living Dead was never released in The Walking Dead universe, so they have no idea what's going on with the zombies. Just letting you know. Though, I will warn you that it's rated M to be safe and it's not for the squeamish.