The months had passed. The young businessman Once-ler and his business begin to grow. Money was raking in for his Thneeds.

He planned to have an elaborate party on his One Million Sale of Thneeds. His assistant, Norma, a slightly plump brunette with bright brown eyes and mass of freckles with spectacles, took notes as her boss told her who to invite to the party. Every important person would be there: celebrities to endorse his product, businessmen who wanted some profits, lawyers, etc. A few fans would be fine, but they would have to be high standard.

Next was the invitation design he wanted: it was decorated an elegant green with light green wording and a pink Truffula tree was painted on it.

Next came the decorations: everything would be in green and gold. The tables would have fake Truffula tree centerpieces along with the Thneed samples. Norma ordered everything as her boss had instructed her.

Fiora suffered for many months as the destruction of her forest caused the animals to flee further into the Moors. Scars appeared on her flesh with each chop of the axes. Yet, she did nothing. Her heart was hardened, embittered by Once-ler's betrayal that she bit back on the pain. She was still planning on how to get her revenge against the human who had stolen her heart, her wings, and her trust.

The animals were beginning to suffer and pleaded with their protector to save their home before it was gone.

It was only then that the crow, her now animal familiar, had returned after being gone for many weeks. She had sent the bird out to spy on the Once-ler. When she bonded with the bird, it showed her what it had seen. Today, it had returned with a sheet of paper.

Fiora looked at the ghastly green paper that was tied up in verdant silk ribbon that had drawings of Truffula trees. HER trees! How dare the human use her trees for this vile display of greed and selfishness. Frowning as she looked at the words, she couldn't understand it. Fiora had no idea how to read. She hadn't learned much for reading the human language. It looked like it was some kind of event going on...yet she wasn't sure.

Looking at the crow, she stroked its dark feathers and stared into its dark eyes.

"Show me what you saw," she said. "What does this mean?"

Closing her eyes, she used the Forces to see what the crow had seen. There was Once-ler. He was with a young woman with brown hair. He was speaking about a party. Something about a sale (whatever that meant). Time. Date. Who was invited.

"A party?" she said with a wicked grin. "That's a perfect time to make an appearance."

At the One Millionth Thneed Sale, which took place at the Once-ler's grand mansion: it had red silk and jewels and expensive wallpaper and carpeting. His ballroom was an elaborate marble, decorated with green: the streamers were silk hanging from the ceiling, tablecloths made of exquisite silk that were decorated with china plates, gold utensils that laid on neatly on napkins that were wrapped with gold rings. The chairs were mahogany with gold paint and red silk seats. The floor was an elegant marble.

Guests were dressed in their finest attire: colorful silk, satin and Truffula tuft hair pieces decorated the ladies with pink Thneeds draped around their shoulders while the gentlemen wore their finest suits and had Truffula tree boutonieres that were handed out for free. Waiters and waitresses dressed in green vests handed out elegant cocktails and hors d'oevres to the guests. Once-ler was making rounds, greeting his guests, many were interested and potential investors. His secretary, Norma, was following him around with a notepad, reading off notes of who he needed to meet. The press was there for some photos and interviews.

When Once-ler was about to make his rounds to fans and the press, the double doors of the ballroom swung violently open by a gust of powerful wind. Thunder clapped loudly and lightning flashed brightly. The chandeliers began to violently spin from the wind like tops, the crystals clinking. The pyramid of champagne glasses tinkled as the gusts of wind blew through. Green streamers were ripped off the wall and hung like loose ribbons; a few broke off and tumbled across the room.

The guests were startled at first by this odd change in the weather. It became more frightening when the windows shattered. Everyone screamed, running towards the center of the room. It was like they had been broken by invisible forces. To their horror, they found vines had done this and were growing in a supernatural rate. Some wrapped themselves around objects that got in their way. The guests screamed and huddled in terror at these living plants. The vines sprouted cruel inch-long thorns that terrified the guests.

Once-ler became frightened by this, but stayed silent. It was then a shadow arose from the far back of what looked like wild hair and an elaborate crown. The room fell silent as the only sounds that echoed in the ballroom were the sounds of bare feet, the dragging of very long cloth and what sounded like a wooden cane tapping the floor. The crowd stared in awe and wonder at the uninvited guest.

It was a very strange woman. She had the appearance of some evil being from a fairy tale. A witch would've been a perfect description to describe her. Her wild red hair was decorated with dead leaves and an elaborate crown made of spiny branches. Her face was green. Her ears were pointed like an elf, poking through her red hair. Her flesh appeared to be embedded with vines that were covered in thorns, making her appearance more threatening. Her green eyes were full of malicious delight. Her clothes were quite unusual: it was a robe of brown with hints of green. She used a walking staff that contained a green stone. Her mouth was stretched into a smile of amusement at the terrified humans.

The elf witch glanced briefly at the humans, seeing how they were huddled together like terrified sheep at the sight of a vicious wolf that had wandered into their midst, uncertain of what to do. The slight movement would send them into a panic. Good. She wanted these pathetic creatures afraid. They should be afraid of her. Of the Forces. It was funny how these creatures who exploited nature could be so terrified of it now that she was controlling the Forces.

Next, she looked forward at the front of the room directly at the host. She studied him from head to toe with her mossy eyes. How she hardly recognized the young man he once was in their days of the past. She appeared to know him.

"Well, well..." she spoke with a sneer.

She took a few more steps towards Once-ler. The skinny businessman flinched slightly at the elf witch's movements, staring in silence and amazement. He recognized her. He felt a pang of guilt in the pit of his stomach. He felt horrible for what he had done to this woman years ago. Betraying her trust and stealing her wings. Years ago.

"What a...lovely gathering you have here, Once-ler," the elf witch spoke again, glancing at the terrified guests. A black raven fluttered above and perched itself on her staff. She stroked its feathers lovingly. The guests were startled by this sudden appearance of a real bird.

"Sir, do you know this woman?" Norma asked.

Norma was certainly terrified of this uninvited guest after seeing the destruction she had done to Once-ler's ballroom. She was trying to remain brave, yet was shaking so hard. Once-ler merely held up a hand to silence his assistant, staring defiantly at the intruder who dared to crash his party. He puffed his chest out to hide his fear, removed his sunglasses and placed them in his lapel. He crossed his arms and stared with a glare.

"I must say," Fiora continued. "I was terribly distressed not to receive an invitation, dear Once-ler."

"You're not welcome here," Once-ler replied coldly.

The green woman pouted slightly and began whimpering like she was going to cry for a moment. Only to smile maliciously again and laughed. The laugh echoed in the ballroom like a bell.

"Oh Nature's breath!" she said laughing derisively. "How terribly...rude of me to create such a situation, dear Once-ler. But no worries...I do not bear any ill will, dear Once-ler. But, that is not the reason why I am here anyway."

Once-ler glowered. He wanted to have a nice party and enjoy himself. Now he had to deal with a gate-crashing green fairy.

"Why are you here, Fiora?" he demanded.

"I'm here on behalf of the Moors," she spoke. "As Guardian, it is my dominion and I have a responsibility to protect it and its creatures. So I am here do discuss some negotiations on the Moors' behalf. You have trespassed on my lands, have slaughtered of the Truffula trees, have poisoned the air and water with your noisy Abomination. The creatures of the forest are suffering-there is not enough food to feed my bar-ba-loots, the swomee-swans and humming fish are sick from the pollution your Abomination has created."

Once-ler stared dumbfounded by these words. The woman sounded completely delusional. Slaughter of trees? Poisoning the air and water? Was she joking?

"What abomination are you referring to?" he asked.

"That noisy, monstrous thing that you have placed on the hill that blasts black clouds out and spews black slop into my rivers."

"The Thneed Factory? What do you want me to do about it, Fiora?" he asked.

"You need to stop cutting my trees down and remove that beastly Abomination away from my forest. It is causing serious problems."

"Are you crazy?" Once-ler said incredulously. "I can't remove that building. I just finished building it and we are making Thneeds quite successfully. I'm at the top of my game now. I can't stop."

"Once-ler, it's a simple request: stop cutting the trees down. It is affecting the dwellers of the Moors."

"I can't do that, Fiora," he said. "I've already sold Thneeds. Millions. Customers want them. They're very popular."

"What you are doing is harming the forest and it's creatures."

"Well...honestly, I don't care right now. I'm in the middle of a party. Now please leave."

Fiora frowned. She anticipated this reply. "If you do not heed my request," Fiora said warningly. "Terrible things will happen..."

She raised her hands up to be sure the audience was listening to her words.

"Listen well, all of you," she spoke. "Should Once-ler continue to refuse to listen, all through the land of Man shall come a great scourge that has not been seen for thousands of years. And to show you all the power of the Forces of Nature hold."

She raised her hands up and produced an orb of green light. It exploded like a supernova...for a moment not much happened. Until a guest shrieked as they were horrified to see the champagne had turned a disgusting rusty color. Even the fountain sprayed this red liquid. The guests dropped their glasses in horror and disgust.

"Blood! It's BLOOD!" someone screamed.

"Oh no..." Fiora replied calmly. "This is a very toxic bloom that grows in bodies of water-it kills fish and creatures of the water. But no worries...it is only in this room right now. But should Once-ler refuse, I shall unleash this toxic bloom to all the bodies of water. The fish and creatures of the water will die. You won't be able to drink water."

Once-ler just grinned and started laughing. "Do you seriously think you can poison all the water supply? We have superior ways to kill toxins. Nature can't win over Man."

Fiora just smiled. "Nature always wins, Once-ler," she said. "So, do we have a deal?"

Once-ler just stared defiantly. "No."

Fiora continued to stare, knowing he'd refuse. "So be it...by the first dawn, all the water will be poisoned."

As she turned to leave, Once-ler summoned his security guards. As they went towards her, a powerful gust of wind knocked them over. Angry thorned vines and brushes bloomed in her path, sending the guests into a panic and chaos. She laughed as she watched these foolish creatures cower in the presence of the Forces.

The Lorax watched from one part of the room. He was sad. After being banished from the Moors and seeing his student using the Forces for her own personal gain, his heart grew heavy.

For he knew the devastating effects of using the Destructive Forces, how high the cost came when they were used for destruction. Lives were always lost. Nobody was going to win in this war. Thousands of years, he had used the Forces for creation and destruction. Everything in Nature was to be balanced carefully. But now that Fiora was using the Forces for destruction, this was going to be bad on both sides. Nature would destroy Man and Man would destroy Nature in retaliation.

The War was coming.