Sweetness Vol.1: New Life

Chapter 15: Tree Hugger

Flan ran and ran until she made it to the forest by 7th street. She ran to the biggest tree and sat by it. Moments later, her friends came running to her. "Flan what are you doing?! We can't be here it's a construction zone!" Lolly said suffocating. "I refuse!" Flan hissed. A worker came by "Sumimasem. This is a construction zone-" "Shite imasu. (Japanese for: I know.)" Flan interrupted. "We need to cut this tree." he said. "Over my dead body you'll cut this tree!!! If you cut another tree you cut me! You're threatening life!" Flan said.
"Flan! Stop talking nonsenses and let's go!" Lolly said. "Let me fight for what I believe in, Lolly!!! There's a global warming and they're still wondering why! It's too much! Next thing you know we are all out of oxygen!.." Flan said with tears rushing down her eyes "The Earth doesn't belong to us! We belong to the Earth! We depend on her to survive! Without her we wouldn't be here today!!" a dormouse fell from a branch on to her lap. She caught it and hugged it.
"Look at this! Look at him! Where is he supposed to live after this place is all gone?... To make a useless building!!" she hissed at the worker. She hugged the mouse one more time. "I have suffered from seeing deforestation happening all my life! I know the consequences very well. Remember that trees are also living things, you know! They may not have mouths to scream in pain, but it hurts them too!" she let go of the mouse. The worker was looking at her as if she were crazy.
Moments later, all of them except the worker had tears in their eyes of the touching speech Flan gave. "Gomenasai Flan." they all said one at a time and they walked to her and separated her from the tree. "Everything you said is true. But we can't allow you to get in trouble with the authorities." Bunmei said.
"Yeah Flan. You're our friend and we don't want nothing to happen to you." Akio said. "Think about the big dreams you have!" Ginger said. "Lolly and Gingie depend on you too. They can't be here without you, if you're in jail." Meisu said. "Remember the promise you made to our parents." Lolly said.

With Flan crying, they all helped her up. Flan felt heartbroken when she heard the tree hit the ground, her eyes became two waterfalls of tears. "Something inside me just died." she told Ginger and Lolly.

They got in Meisu's car and drove to the girls's house.

When they got there Flan sat by Meisu and layed her head on his shoulder and he hugged her. It was very quiet. They all sat around her. Ginger sat on the floor by her, Akio and Bunmei were sitting on another couch, and Lolly was sitting by her comforting her. "Flan, think that those trees are going to be used for good things." Lolly told her. Flan was still a bit sad. "I just-" and she kept crying again. "Oh Flan." Lolly stole her from Meisu to give her a hug. "We all feel your pain." Lolly said. Ginger digged in her pocket. "Here. I picked it up from the forest." she said handing Flan a small seed.
"What's this?" Flan asked. "Okay I know it's small, but one day it can grow into a big tree! And since it's yours, nobody has the right to cut it." Ginger said. "Ours, Ginger." Lolly said. "A tree of our friendship." Bunmei said. "Bunmei! You baka! You're a genious!" Lolly said jumping from her seat. "I am?" "It was actually a good idea, Bunmei. I'm proud of you." Akio said. "Finally you made Lolly happy, Bunmei haha!" Meisu said and Bunmei threw a pillow at him.
Flan laughed with happiness "You guys are the best!" Flan said. "Is she smiling?" Akio asked. "Yes Ikeida-kun! I'm smiling I love you guys! I love you all!" Flan said. "Even us?" Meisu spoke in the name of the three boys. "I clearly said all of you!" and they all gave a big group hug.
"Let's plant this tree!" Flan said. Then they ran to the back yard. The guys dug a deep hole in the dirt and Flan, Lolly, and Ginger planted the seed together. They filled the hole with dirt again, and Ginger watered it. Flan hugged them all with her two long arms. "Thank you all so much!" she said nearly crying. Then the guys went home.
"Well today was a good day." Lolly said sitting on the couch. "Yep. We made some good friends." Flan said looking out the backyard window. "Umm, Lolly? Oh my God! Tabby grew legs! Tabby grew legs!" Ginger jumped around and hugged the jar. Flan and Lolly ran to her and they hugged. "Ginger. They're called hindlimbs." Flan said. "....Tabby grew hindlimbs!" Ginger said again. "You're such a potato." Lolly told Ginger. "A kawaii potato." she winked and they all laughed.