> Then there was the time you got sick.
> For days.
> NMM declared quarantine
> If you got up to do something, she would dutifully proceed you, calling out
 "Contagion!"
> Levitating anything that had come into contact with you
> Early on, you wisely designated Sombra as the official food preparer
> Not that the other two don't try, but after a glass of very pulpy orange juice and thirty mangled oranges, you put your foot down
> Chrysalis has taken it upon herself to be your personal nurse
> So you always have a thermometer in your mouth
> She honestly thinks having a thermometer in your mouth will make you get better
> Part of that is occasionally taking it out, looking at it, shaking her head, and then returning it.
> She also throws a tantrum if your meal isn't chicken noodle soup
> Sombra answers the door most times
> It's usually one of the many mothers you've accidentally befriended at the park
> Casseroles for days
> The kids don't mind getting fussed over too much
> God help any of those ara aras if they try to dote on you, though
> Chrysalis goes full jealous, insisting she does all the nursing around here, thank you very much
> Nice thing about being sick, you can play vidya without guilt
> Mariocart tournaments gets pretty intense, finally you claim Peach to keep the girls from fighting over her
> Zelda games are almost like storytime
> The kids regularly take naps during the endless terrain crossings
> Honestly, you aren't immune either
> When you finally do get well, it's with a heavy heart
> You rather like spending more time goofing around with the kids
> Oh, and you have to return all those casserole dishes
 
> Your ears ache for a "Are we there yet?" Or "I'm booored"
> But there is no way your kids would be so normal
> Chrysalis is floating her sticky jelly beans mere inches away from Sombra's mane, jealous of his front seat
> Meanwhile, he is playing a nonstandard game of chess with NMM
> Some of the pieces are from that old HeroQuest game, others from monopoly
> The thimble is over the head of the bishop, so Sombra now controls it
> You think
> The next rest stop, you are going to put your foot down, Sombra really doesn't need to be riding shotgun
> It's just another one of their weird little dominance contests
> Which is to say, Sombra won the barbie games
> Ice skating was super effective against  veterinarian, and black death Kelly just swept the rest
> Point is, the car is pretty quiet, except for Chrysalis's ominous giggling
> 'Honeybug, if you put those in his hair, I will cut them out and you will have to eat them. Got it?'
> She pouts, and pops a jelly bean into her mouth
"Whatsh sho great about the ocean anyway?"
> 'It's just something you have to see at least once in your life.'
> Cheeselegs isn't convinced, but she amuses herself with making pictures on the windows out of the bugs that splatter on your windshield.
> Sometimes, you wish you had magic, but then again, that's what child labor is for
> You make it to the beach with minimal fuss, only a few toys thrown out the window and lost to the endless highways
> You could only listen to Sombra's tickle-me-Elmo for so long
> He mourns the loss of his interrogation specialist
> Once they're out of the car, the kids are pretty happy
> Though they do squirm a bit when you put the sunscreen on them
> and then they're off
> Sombra begins immediately, conscripting from the other kids on the beach
> Chrysalis pokes at the dead crabs in the sand
> NMM gazes at the large waves coming in with trepidation
> You walk to her
> 'Want to swim?'
> She glances at you, then tentatively steps into the shallow water
> A wave almost immediately surges past, and she scrambles back with a surprised squeak
> You laugh and back into the water, holding out your arms
> 'C'mon, I'll keep you safe.'
> She hesitantly steps toward you, then dashes into your arms
> You pick her up, and hold her tight as you go deeper into the salty water
> Once she gets used to the bobbing surge of the waves, she relaxes her death grip on your torso
> You pull her along by her hooves, and NMM grins as she cuts through the water
> Before long, she's swimming on her own, and riding the waves to the beach
> You decide to check on Sombra, only to find him resting in imperial splendor on a throne of sand and buckets
"Welcome, dad, to the kingdom of Silica. I have much to show you."
> Everywhere a kid is piling sand up, or digging ditches, fortifying against the inevitable high tide
> Behind heaped up walls, a more delicate work is continuing
> Sombra walks among his architects and artisans, leaving a compliment here, a suggestion there, and nearly bursting with pride
> You have to admit, it is an impressive city, but you've left Chrysalis alone long enough
> You find her in the middle of a bunch of divots in the sand, carefully drawing on a smoothed out spot
> She sees you and beams
"Daddy, come look at what I've found!"
> You get to about the middle of her odd little field, and then her horn glows green
> The putrid remains of too many crabs rise up out of the sand and start massing around your legs, struggling to climb
> 'Son of a Bitch!'
> The zombie crabs fall away, and your daughter claps her bughooves
"I got another one! Dumbra is going to be so jealous!"
> 'Just, just clean up the crabs alright?'
> You scrub your legs in the ocean, then head for your towel
> Chrysalis follows you, the crabs shuffling off into their holes
> You gaze out over the water, waves dazzling in the afternoon sun
> She settles down by you
> 'What do you think so far?'
> She looks down at her hooves
"It's not so bad."
> You smile, absentmindedly keeping an eye on your other kids
> 'How about you go get Nighty and Somby and we'll have a nice treat?'
" 'Kay!"
> And off she goes
 
> Several Popsicles apiece and a couple hours later, it's time to go
> Sombra had his dramatic moment, grimly witnessing the collapse of his kingdom under the relentless waves, and crying out to the uncaring sky
> NMM rode the cresting wave herself, tackling him off of his throne
> Not to mention the nearly endless hours of rinsing to get the sand off and the salt out
> Chrysalis blushing the entire time, as you poked the sand out of her Cheeselegs
> As you drive away, the setting sun illuminates the tuckered out forms of your kids, napping on top of each other in the backseats
> Definitely something you have to see at least once in your life.