The Harper’s were back in their room. Emily was sitting with her kids while they were getting ready for bed. Dan was out patrolling and said he would be back later.

Oliver and Sophie were laying side by side in their sleeping bags.

“But you have to consider the size of the a whale! It’s huge! There’s no way a crab could win against that.” Oliver told his little sister. Emily was confused for a minute. She had spaced out and didn’t hear the beginning of the conversation.

“But crabs are quick and they have those pinchers! One whale against one crab might not be fair, but what about a bunch of crabs?” Sophie responded.

Emily chuckled at their discussion. She decided to add a twist to the debate. “What if the crabs worked together? Imagine, a whole army of crabs, maybe even forming some sort of crab megazord?”

Oliver’s eyes opened wide with excitement, “A crab megazord? Like, all the crabs combine into one giant crab?”

Sophie clapped her hands in delight. “Yes! And it could have super pinchers and be as big as the whale!”

The conversation continued, each of them adding more imaginative elements to the scenario.

Oliver continued. “Okay, but what type of whale are we talking about? A blue whale is the largest animal on Earth. I don’t think even a crab megazord could take that on.”

Sophie rejoined. “Not unless it has special powers! Maybe the crab megazord can shoot laser beams from its eyes!”

Emily smiled at her kids. They were adorable. “And what about the whale? Maybe it’s not just any whale. What if it’s a magical whale with the ability to control the ocean?”

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

Oliver started to pout. “No fair! You two are ganging up on me.” He turned away to face the whale.

Emily laughed and came over to kneel next to run. “I love you honey. I’m certain the whale would win.”

Sophie felt left out. “What would win between a crab and a lobster?” She asked.

Oliver considered the question with a serious expression. “Hmm, that’s a tough one. Lobsters have those big claws, but crabs can move in any direction really quickly.”

Emily joined in the fun. “Well, crabs are often more agile, and some of them have really hard shells. But lobsters… they can get quite large, and those claws are no joke.”

Sophie answered. “But crabs can burrow into the sand and hide, right? They could sneak up on the lobster.”

“True, but lobsters are pretty tough too. They live in some really deep and dark parts of the ocean. I bet they have some cool survival tricks.” Sophie thought out loud.

The discussion evolved into a friendly debate about the various strengths and abilities of crabs and lobsters. Sophie and Oliver weighed the pros and cons, considering factors like size, strength, habitat, and survival strategies.

“Maybe it depends on where they’re fighting. On land, or in the water? Shallow water or deep sea? The environment could make a big difference.” Emily asked.

“I think crabs are cuter. So, I’m on Team Crab!” To Sophie’s mind, this was the ultimate of comebacks. Of course the cuteness won.

Oliver suddenly sat up. “Wait, is a mantis shrimp a lobster? Are shrimps on team lobster?

Emily shook her head. “Well, mantis shrimps are actually neither shrimps nor lobsters. They’re stomatopods, a different type of crustacean. But they are fascinating creatures.”

Sophie asked with curiosity. “What’s so special about mantis shrimps?”

Oliver cut in excitedly. “Mantis shrimps have incredibly powerful claws. Some can strike with the force of a bullet! And they have one of the most complex visual systems in the animal kingdom.”

Sophie’s mouth opened in amazement. “Oh, wow. That is amazing. Just think how hard they could punch now with magic.”

This put a damper on the mood. After today, Emily could indeed imagine how hard a mantis shrimp could hit using magic. “This topic is too sad.”

“Yeah.” Oliver quickly agreed. “Let’s go to bed.”

“Yeah.” Sophie agreed.

“You guys go ahead.” Emily said. “I’ll wait up for your dad.”

“Ok, mom.” Both kids said at the same time.