The story of a young girl, Earth-chan, our mother planet, who studies at Planetarium College together with other planets and stars, and is the only one to have tiny creatures - humans - inhabit her hair.
Due to such difference from the other planet...
A girl with beautiful long brown hair and vivid hazel eyes asked a man who sat on a chair near the bed where she lay, as she listened to his nighttime tale.
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"Yes, Phoebe." the old man smiled, "She has everything she needs now."
"But the pollution still exists, and global warming too!"
Phoebe was confused – obviously, Earth-chan wouldn't have recovered completely, so, was her life truly that happy?
"Well, pollution is a global issue that cannot be completely solved in only fifty years, Phoebe. But global warming is a message to us, humans, that Earth-chan needs further help, and we do pay heed, unlike in older times. Global warming means that Sun-kun, as the head of the group Earth-chan belongs to, feels responsible for her safety and stays close to her as much as he can. Thus, we receive more heat than we used to. We must be prudent. Sun-kun won't be using his heat against us if we behave. As for Moon-kun, he told me back then, that he'd always be watching us. If we ever made a wrong step to make him think we had returned to our old behaviour, he'd see to it that Earth-chan washed her hair with the Meteor Shampoo. Moon-kun's nearness to Earth-chan can cause tsunamis, so we must be careful with him as well. He cares for Earth-chan deeply, since they are young lovers. Whenever a boy's lover is in peril, boys become vigilant, as well as ruthless towards their enemies."
"Hehe!" Phoebe giggled, "You too, were like that, huh, grandpa?"
"Well, of course! And your father was as well."
Her grandfather winked, apparently in a prideful mood. Phoebe laughed.
"I hope my future boyfriend will be like that, too."
"That time is still far ahead, but I'm sure you'll choose wisely." the man caressed her on the head.
"Say, Grandpa Neil..."
"Hmm?"
"How did you manage to get in contact with the planets? I wish I could speak with Mother Earth too. I bet she'd teach me a lot of things, and she'd be so warm and kind... like mom was." A tear streamed down her cheek.
"Phoebe, your mother is watching over you. You shall never be alone. Your father, grandma and I are all with you, and your mother's protecting us from above..." Neil embraced her tightly.
"Thank you, grandpa..." Phoebe sniffed. She wiped off her tear and cuddled with him. "I guess Mother Earth can understand me in that aspect too. You said she doesn't have a mother either."
"Unfortunately, she doesn't."
Neil pressed his granddaughter to his chest to calm her down.
"Who was her mother, anyway? Our history doesn't tell where Earth was born from."
"I don't know. I guess you can go and ask her on your own?"
"Huh? You'll teach me how to contact them?!" Phoebe's eyes brightened as she stared at her smiling grandfather.
"Well, I haven't contacted them since my first and last flight on the moon, but I guess the trick is to reach Earth's mind through your dreams. It permits us to get in contact with them. At least, when I met Moon-kun, I blacked out on the surface of the moon first and met him after that. When I woke up and came to my senses, it was all back to normal. However, I noticed such strong resemblance between the planet people I saw and the round planets I could see in space, that I concluded it all had indeed happened – there was just no way that I would have such a clear dream about the truth I beheld much later. I am not a clairvoyant, after all, I cannot look into the future." he chuckled. "Earth and other planets are alive. I could not tell such a bizarre story to others, but your father grew on these stories of mine, and I decided to retell them to you too, now."
Phoebe widened her eyes:
"So, it is possible to reach Earth-chan through my dreams?!"
"Yes, dear, but you must be close to nature. You must feel the presence of nature around you. Nature is connected with Earth's mind, soul, heart... Nature is Earth."
"But, how am I going to do that?" Phoebe blinked – this philosophical stuff sounded so complicated!
"It is simple, really. For the start, try concentrating on our little plant here." Neil pointed her on the Filicales which grew in a pot on her bedside table. "Filicales actually belong to the family of Psilotopsida – plants which existed even back in the era of the dinosaurs. Even the Meteor Shampoo that the planets used on Earth-chan was unable to wipe them out. It means they must have the deepest connection with Earth-chan's mind. Use these Filicales – feel their energy, and fall asleep. You might be lucky enough to contact our mother Earth. Your grandpa was lucky, so I don't know why you shouldn't be." he winked.
"Hehe! Alright, grandpa, I'll try."
Phoebe turned around and covered herself with the blanket.
"Well, goodnight, dear. Sweet dreams!"
Neil kissed Phoebe on the head, switched the light off, and walked out. Phoebe cried to him before he would close the door behind:
"Goodnight, grandpa!"
When she remained alone in the darkness, with only the full moon and bright stars shining through her windows, she glanced at the Filicales, which the moonlight was falling on, and thought:
Earth-chan, Moon-kun, please, I want to meet you so badly! I don't have any friends since mommy's car accident... Tears streamed down her cheeks. I wish I could meet you guys, and learn from you. You both were in the same situation as I, yet you did so well! I wish to at least once meet you, my mommy Earth and kind Moon. I bet we'd become great friends...
She fell asleep, her tears drying on her cheeks.
A star shot from the sky, near the full moon that still shed his light onto the Filicales rustling beside the girl's bed.
