The old, wise owl whispered, "Empathy will unlock the castle's heart." Jackson, a brave and elegant five-year-old, loved stories of dragons and castles. He especially loved hearing them from his magical pet, Yuna, who, at a whopping fifty-four years old, was a very old and wise...stuffed dragon! Yuna loved reading about faraway places, and that night, she read about a magical castle. "The Enchanted Castle," she read, "is said to be filled with color and guarded by mermaids who sing the most beautiful songs."
"Mermaids!" Jackson exclaimed. He'd always wanted to meet a mermaid.
“Let’s go find it!” Jackson grabbed Yuna’s paw and dashed outside their home in San Diego.
"But how will we get there?" Yuna asked, her button eyes wide.
Jackson, with his super-duper robot arms, pointed to the sky. "We’ll fly!" He imagined himself soaring through the clouds, his robot arms transforming into mighty wings.
Just then, a sprinkle of fairy dust fell from the sky, landing on Jackson's head. He giggled, feeling a tingle run down to his toes. The world around them shimmered, and suddenly, they were standing before a giant stone castle! It was even more colorful than Yuna had described, with towers that touched the clouds and a gate adorned with sparkling jewels.
As they approached, Jackson heard the most beautiful singing he’d ever heard. It seemed to come from everywhere at once – high in the air, from behind the castle walls, even from under the drawbridge!
“Mermaids!” Jackson whispered, his eyes wide with wonder. Peeking through the gate, he saw them – beautiful creatures with shimmering tails, their voices echoing through the castle grounds.
But something was wrong. The mermaids’ faces were sad, and their song, though beautiful, was filled with sorrow. Jackson’s heart felt heavy, as if he was carrying their sadness too. He understood then what the wise owl meant – he felt empathy for the mermaids.
"They sound so sad," Jackson whispered to Yuna. "What can we do?"
Suddenly, a tiny, shimmering fairy appeared before them. "The mermaids are trapped," she explained. "A mischievous imp has stolen their laughter, and now, their songs can only express sadness."
Jackson knew he had to help. He remembered what his parents had taught him about empathy – to use your heart to help others.
Taking a deep breath, Jackson stepped forward. “Don’t worry,” he said to the fairy. “We’ll get their laughter back!”
He looked at Yuna. “We need a plan! Do you think the imp left any clues?”
Yuna, with her keen dragon eyes, spotted something shimmering in the grass. It was a tiny silver button!
“This must be from the imp!” Yuna exclaimed.
Jackson used his robot arm to pick it up. It was cold and smooth in his hand. As soon as he touched it, a map appeared, showing the way to the imp's hiding place deep inside the Enchanted Castle.
Following the map, Jackson and Yuna braved secret passages, met talking portraits, and even outsmarted a grumpy gargoyle! Finally, they found the imp, hiding in the highest tower, surrounded by stolen laughter, which looked like bubbles of light.
Jackson knew he couldn’t fight the imp – that wouldn’t be using empathy. Instead, he offered the imp a piece of his favorite candy, a delicious caramel chew.
Surprised, the imp took the candy. “Thanks,” he mumbled, his mouth full. “No one’s ever offered to share with me before.”
Jackson smiled. “It’s always more fun to share.”
The imp, touched by Jackson’s kindness, returned the stolen laughter. Bubbles of light floated out the window and back to the mermaids.
As the mermaids’ laughter was returned, their sad song transformed into a joyful melody. They swam to the shore, thanking Jackson and Yuna.
Jackson and Yuna returned home, their hearts full of joy. They learned that empathy was a superpower, even more powerful than robot arms, for it could unlock hearts and spread happiness wherever they went.
