Chapter 1: The Boy with Elemental Powers
The waves crash and splash two and fro in front of the beaches of the Island of Bainbridge and the beach houses facing the waters of the Puget Sound outside the city of Seattle. One of the houses is the one on 7788 North East Yeomalt Point Drive near Yeomalt Point, where it is home to a 12-year-old boy with messy dark brown hair and blue eyes who wears a thin cotton hoodie, skinny jeans, and black sneakers, which we see him walking down the street on Yeomalt Point Drive with his blue backpack covered with stickers of his favorite band and singers, ranging from Justin Beiber to Queen. He was coming home from middle school and since today was the last day of school, he was eagerly looking forward to summer vacation. Following him behind was a girl, who was the same age and had blue eyes as him, with straight blonde hair and pink overalls, carrying a red backpack with an AC/DC sticker on it. That boy was Jackson Thomas-Andrewson and his fraternal twin sister, Emily.
Jackson continues to narrate.
It was the last day of school and my sister and I were walking down home on Yeomalt Point Drive, excited for summer vacation. Oh, who's my sister? Well, that's my twin sister, Emily. Why does she look different despite being my twin? Well, that's because she's my "fraternal" twin. You see, both of us have traits from our parents. I have my mom's dark brown hair and dad's messy hairstyle while Emily has my dad's bright blonde hair and my mom's straight long hairstyle. I have my dad's interest in being a singer and song artist while my sister has my mom's interest in painting and making people laugh and smile. Anyway, we were walking home, excited for summer.
"Yo, Sis, are you doing okay back there?" asked Jackson. "I'm doing okay, considering we have to walk under the sun," said Emily, a seat rolled down her head. "Don't worry, our house is down the driveway. We can make it." his brother answered. It was a very hot afternoon and the bright sun was shining on the twins as they walked with sweat rolling down their heads and dripping from their cheeks. At long last, they finally made it to their home driveway that leads to their home.
Jackson continues his narration. We live in a beach house at Yeomalt Point Drive on Bainbridge Island with our inventing Doc Brown-like genius yet zen-like Japanese uncle, Dr. Nye, or Uncle Nye as our sister and I like to call him.
As Jackson and Emily walked down to the house on the steep driveway, the front door opened, and an old Japanese man with a thin white beard, a hairless top, and a white lab coat. "Jackson and Emily," he said to his niece and nephew. "How was your last day of school?". "It was a boiling hot day today, I couldn't even stand the heat." "Funny considering you have fire powers," said Jackson, sarcastically. "Just because I have fire powers doesn't mean I enjoy the heat all the time. You're lucky to have the ability to cool down with one of your ice powers" retorted Emily. Jackson was annoyed but sighed and put his backpack down on the dining room table chair. "Alright, you two" intervened Dr. Nye "I think it's time for both of you to shower. You both look very sweaty in the hair." Jackson and Emily looked at each other and turned over to the big mirror over the fireplace. "We look greasy and disgusting," said Emily, seeing her messy and greasy blonde hair. "Well, guess we should start showering before we start our summer." joked Jackson. Emily giggled. "Yeah, guess we should. I'll shower first, you go last." "Why do you shower first?" asked Jackson. "Because my hair looks greasier than your hair" Jackson looked in the big mirror once again. He could see his sister's hair was in a frizzy, sweaty mess compared to his messy dark brown hair which was barely greasy at all. "Okay, fair point" Jackson sighed "I'll wait in my room while you shower. Knock and tell me when you're done." "You got it," Emily said then too she put her backpack on the dining room chair and off she went down the hallway to the bathroom to prepare for a shower. "Even when you two tease each other, you two manage to get along in the end," said Dr. Nye, smiling at Jackson. "What can I say? We're twins, we look after one another" Jackson responded. "So, is it a takeout dinner night or are you cooking tonight?" "Well, I'm too busy with my inventing project so I'll order pizza tonight," said Dr. Nye. "Oh, Pizza, that's good," said Jackson "Hell yeah, my favorite food!" shouted Emily from the bathroom down the hall. Jackson giggled and started walking down the hallway toward his and his sister's room. "I'll tell you both when the pizza arrives!," called Dr. Nye as he headed towards the back door to the garage where he is working on a project. "Okay, Uncle" called Jackson as he headed down the hall to the bedroom and shut the door.
While Emily showered in the bathroom, Jackson took out his karaoke microphone and started singing a cover of "U Smile" by Justin Beiber, accompanied by music he created himself using several instruments he has in his room to record, and a music editing program to edit and combine.
SONG TANGENT 1: U Smile
This is the Justin Beiber song cover Jackson sang in his room, with or without music.
I'd wait on you forever and a day
Hand and foot
Your world is my world, yeah
Ain't no way you're ever gon' get any less than you should
'Cause baby
You smile, I smile, oh
'Cause whenever you smile, I smile
Hey, hey, hey
Your lips, my biggest weakness
Shouldn't have let you know
I'm always gonna do what they say, hey
If you need me, I'll come running from a thousand miles away
When you smile, I smile
Oh whoa
You smile, I smile, hey
Baby, take my open heart and all it offers
'Cause this is as unconditional as it'll ever get
You ain't seen nothing yet
I won't ever hesitate to give you more
'Cause baby, you smile, I smile, whoa
You smile, I smile, hey, hey, hey
You smile, I smile, I smile, I smile, I smile
You smile, I smile, make me smile, baby
Baby, you won't ever want for nothing
You are my ends and my means now
With you there's no in between, I'm all in
'Cause my cards are on the table and I'm willing and I'm able
But I fold to your wish 'cause it's my command, hey hey hey
You smile, I smile, whoa
You smile, I smile, hey, hey, hey
You smile, I smile, I smile, I smile, I smile
You smile, I smile, oh
You smile, I smile
You smile, I smile
After finishing the song, Emily knocked and told Jackson she was done, so he grabbed some new clothes and a towel and headed to the bathroom. 15 minutes later (which was the siblings' shower timer I forgot to mention), Jackson got out of the shower, all clean and refreshed, just in time as Dr. Nye brought in a Little Caesars pizza, complete with bread sticks, into the house, much to Emily's delight, as she was already at the table waiting for the pizza. Jackson, Emily, and Dr. Nye were eating and enjoying their dinner when a knock came at the door. Dr. Nye went over to the door and opened it to a man with a short bang haircut who was wearing a purple jacket with a rainbow sphere logo on the back. Accompanying him was a woman with a ponytail wearing a dark blue hoodie. "Oh, Robert and Amy, nice to see you again, how are you and your wife doing?" asked Dr. Nye "Doing okay, just still settling into Seattle in our new apartment," said Robert. "And it's Alex by the way, Robert's my middle name". "Oh, excuse me for my miscalling you" apologized Dr. Nye, "Nah, don't worry," Amy intervenes "he has had people sometimes referring to him as either Robert or Alex, no biggie". "You got that right," Alex agreed. As Alex and Amy continue to talk to Dr. Nye, Jackson, and Emily continue to eat dinner while at the same time partly listening to the conversation although this makes Jackson feel a bit nervous about Robert and Amy. "Hey, you feeling okay, bro?" Emily asked, noticing his brother's anxiousness. "I'm okay" Jackson answered "It's just that, since Robert, ur, Alex, sorry, and Amy came to Seattle two months ago, they've been having talks about adopting us. And I don't know if I'm ready to have a new Mom and Dad". "Yeah, I feel you," Emily sighed. "And I know that you're still not ready to have new parents since, well, our parents' deaths 5 years ago but, you know, maybe it's time for you to begin a new chapter in your life. I mean I'm ready to start anew with them". Jackson just stared down silently, tapping his finger at the table. Emily saw that his brother was still thinking about it. "I see, well, maybe when the summer ends, You'll come to a decision". said Emily, giving his brother some optimism. "Thanks, sis" thanked Jackson. He turned to the door to see Alex and Amy chatting with Dr. Nye about things.
Jackson soon narrates about Alex and Amy.
I'm sure you all want to know about Alex and Amy. Well, theirs is kind of a long story.
You see, Alex Robert Robinson Griffin and his wife Amy Sherman Griffin (that's their full names by the way) had known our parents ever since they were little back during their childhood days in Indiana. Our mom and dad also were their babysitters during that time. Two months ago, they moved from their old home outside of Indianapolis, Indiana to here in Seattle, Washington. The reason they moved here was for several reasons. The first was that after spending 6 years in their nice home a hundred miles away from Indianapolis, they decided to Seattle after hearing how there were some new job opportunities for them (both for Amy with her talent as a Tailor and Alex with his talent as a Writer), Second was when they heard about the passing of my parents and why they haven't back from them since 5 years ago, and the third was that they were looking for some children to adopt, mainly with Amy paranoia about pregnancies (don't ask why, she doesn't want to talk about it.). So that's why they wanted to adopt my sister and me and why my uncle obviously chose them as our next new parent guardians since my uncle has recently been busy with things like science and technology. However, I am a bit hesitant to accept them as my new mom and dad because I've grown to have my uncle as my parental figure, and, aside from my sister, I haven't completely moved on from my parents' deaths 5 years ago.
"Jackson, Emily" called Dr. Nye. "Yes, Uncle?" The twins answered. "Come outside and greet Alex and Amy, they have something to tell you both". So Jackson and Emily got up, wiped off the pizza from their faces with napkins, and headed to the door. Jackson was the first to greet them. "Hey, Alex and Amy, how are you two doing?" Alex was gonna say something before Amy spoke first. "We're doing good, Jackson, just still settling in Seattle a couple of months in. Other than that, we're doing okay". "How are your jobs doing?" asked Emily. "My tailor job is going well while Alex is trying to come with come up with a new story for his new book" "That sounds great and I'm sure Alex will come up with a story" assured Emily optimistically. Jackson then asks "So what is this something you wanted to tell us?" "Well" Alex began as he had something special to say to both Jackson and Emily. "Amy and I have something big we want to announce". Jackson unsuringly puts her hand behind her head. "Look, if it's about the adoption thing, my sister and been talking and I think need some time to think about it during the summer" "Which is why," continued Alex, "Amy and I were thinking of having a cross-country road trip through the West Region of the U.S. of A." "A cross-country road trip" ask the twins, both were a little puzzled yet curious. "Well, my nephews," said Dr. Nye, explaining to Jackson and Emily "Alex and Amy had been thinking about it and they came here to tell me and, of course, to tell both of you that they decided that maybe this summer will be the perfect time to spend time with them and bond with them with this road trip they had been planning since they came to Seattle". "A road trip, huh?" wondered Jackson. Amy further adds in. "Yeah, we will be going to 8 states (including Washington) throughout the West Region. We'll visit parts of Washington, and then after that, there's Oregon, California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Wyoming, and finally, Idaho (which will be saved as our last state for the trip). So, what do you both think?". "Hmmm" Jackson doesn't know what to say. A road trip does sound like a good opportunity to bond and get to know Alex and Amy, but he wasn't sure. There was silence for a short while until at last Emily spoke up. "Give us a moment". She took her brother's hand and they went to the beach porch to talk. "This is great, bro," Emily said with excitement. "This could be your opportunity to get to know Alex and Amy and maybe you can finally decide whether or not you want them to be our parents" "I don't know, sis, I-" Emily interrupts before his brother can say more. "Come on, Jackson, give them a chance, give this trip a chance, if not, then do it for me and your uncle". Jackson thinks for a moment then sighs and smiles with a laugh. "Okay, Sis, let's go on a road trip" Emily shoots her arm in the air and down in excitement "Alright, let's do this, bro". The twins return around to the front door to Dr. Nye, Alex, and Amy, with smiles on their faces. "Alex, Ames, and Uncle," said Jackson with enthusiasm "I think this sounds like a great trip for the summer. I'd say, let's hit the road!". "You mean it?" asks Amy full of excitement. "Well, road trips mean summer fun, right?" asks Jackson, disguising his answer as a question. "Then it's settled," said Alex "We are officially going on a road trip".
As Alex and Amy headed back to their car, Alex turned back to Jackson and Emily to remind them about the trip. "Oh, remember you two our trip starts this Friday this week so remember to back some things for the trip". "We will" called Emily. As they drove away up the hill, the siblings went back into the house to finish their pizza dinner. After dinner, Jackson and Emily went to their bedroom, which is divided into two sides; Jackson's bed on the right with a blue dresser, surrounded with posters of singers and bands, like his backpack, and Emily's bed on the left with a pink and red striped dress-drawer, surrounded with posters of rock and heavy metal bands ranging from AC/DC, Led Zeppelin, Halestorm and more. They were in the middle of finishing making lists for the road trip. "How's your list coming along?" asks Jackson. "I'm almost done" Emily responded "How about you?". "I'm actually already done with my list" Jackson shows the list to his sister. "Wow, you write fast," said Emily, admired by his brother's quick writing. "Yep, everything is written. Clothes, books, toothbrushes, you name it". Jackson said before putting the list on his bed and heading for the door. "And just where do you think you're going?" asks Emily. "Oh, I'm going to the backyard to practice my elemental abilities". "Okay, make sure not to burn the grass," said Emily, sarcastically. "Says my sister who burned the grass last week" retorted Jackson, also sarcastically. "Okay," said Emily, rolling her eyes and narrowing her eyebrows. "That was just an accident on the beach and that happened just one time". "Okay, see ya sis," said Jackson, waving and walking through the hallway.
As Jackson practices his elemental powers outside, Emily continues to finish her list when she sees a flyer for the Annual Seattle Center Talent Show. She sighs and looks at her brother who is practicing with the element of air. It's been 5 years and he is still practicing for that talent show? Thought Emily. "Ugh, I just wish he moved on from this," Emily says to himself. "I mean, know it's been 5 years since our parents were gone but I feel like this whole talent show thing is a whole waste. I mean, the rest of Seattle hasn't accepted us as people yet and if anything he'll be even more of an outcast than he already is. Ugh, Hopefully, Uncle and I will talk to him about this. Well, back to finishing my list." While Emily goes back to finish her vacation list, Jackson, who couldn't help but overhear her sister talking while practicing, just sighs in a somber tone. Oh, sis, You wouldn't understand."
Now, at this point, I should probably tell you, not just about the talent show my sister was talking about, but also another aspect of my life that is, not good to put it nicely. Jackson begins narration on the other aspect of his life. You see, despite living life as a regular boy, everyone, outside of Bainbridge Island, treats me basically like an outcast, well, mostly at middle school and in some parts of Seattle. The teens at my school say my powers make me a freak and bully me while the people of Seattle say that I'm a danger to society despite that I know my elemental powers are for good instead of evil. See, this has to do with how the death of me and my sister's parents traumatized me and how I went on a small Rampage in a small part of Seattle, something that made me feel regret and guilt ever since. Thankfully, my uncle and my sister were able to calm me down but the damage was already done and everyone in Seattle feared and discriminated against me for my powers. But, again, thankfully, thanks to my Uncle Nye, who became our new guardian, and his great lawyer, were able to sort things out with the city of Seattle and and let our lives go on as normal, but I wouldn't say things are completely normal. Well, some people in the city of Seattle have moved on, but there are still some people that still feel fear me to this very day. As for my sister, well, while the death of our parents dramatized her as well, she did help me, alongside my uncle, calm my rampage, as she was a much more mature twin than I am (considering that both of us were seven years old kids at the time). Since then, well I continued to be bullied at school and shunned in some parts of Seattle, Emily continued to be treated as a regular human, both at school (where she became a popular student) and in Seattle (both in and out). The only place where I was never treated was my home on Bainbridge Island since the locals of the island found my powers more fascinating than fearful. Throughout my life, I have been trying to find a way to show the people of Seattle that my powers are for good when I came across a flyer for the Annual Seattle Center Talent Show. I showed it to my uncle and sister, hoping they understood, but my uncle told me "Jackson, sometimes in life it is best that we accept that there are people who will love you and some I will hate you and accept who you are. There's nothing wrong with showing people that you are good by doing good actions. We just had to start by doing small good things and then work out I think they can see way up to big things" (Did I forget to mention that he sometimes speaks in Japanese proverbs?). My Uncle basically told me to just be myself, that when the time was right, I should start small with simple good actions, and that this talent show thing is not the best way. My sister also said the same thing. At the time I was crushed and it would take me a few years before I understood but they were saying and meaning. However, there is still a part of me that still wants to participate in that talent show. And while I continued to practice my abilities just for exercising, I was secretly practicing for, well, the talent show. That is why I said to myself that my sister wouldn't understand. Because I feel that my talent show is the only way I can show that I'm not a freak and nothing else.
At least that's what I thought. Little did I know, or little did my sister, my uncle, Alex, Amy, and I know that our little cross-country road trip what turn into a little adventure quest led by a group of six multi-colored horses and a small baby dragon from another world (from a kids TV show) that would change our lives forever.
As Jackson continues to "exercise" his powers and his sister puts the finishing touches on her vacation list, Dr. Nye enters deep into the garage and dusts off a big ring-shaped portal device he had built a long time ago. Something tells me that this portal will be important when we get back to Jackson's story. For now, let's have the ponies start their story in a place called Equestria.
End of Chapter 1