"Yeah, but I think it still might be a shock to them seeing any of us naked without a bit of a heads up.", Robert chuckled as he rubbed the back of his neck.
"It's your call, love, what do you want to do?", Phillippe asked, in terms of having her leaving with them. If she stayed, then Robert would probably do the same himself and it might just be Phillippe, Esme and Tristan to go out for the others.
Silvergrace raised an eyebrow, "I am pregnant, yes, but I am not that helpless yet! Now let me get up!", and Phillippe nodded, recognizing her 'princess' voice, moving back from Silvergrace as she got up from bed.
Silvergrace glanced at the others, "You haven't seen Oakwood Falls as it's out of the way somewhat, yet that helps out in keeping the place safe from scavengers and such as the parents don't need stress. It's up to me to take you guys there. And I have a feeling they already have a bit of a heads up.".
Meanwhile, near Oakwood Falls which is an accurate description of the place for the spot is filled with oak trees, with a peaceful clearing, and a lovely waterfall with a pond, after a semi-rough landing of the hot air balloon some distance away, the boys are now occupied by the view of two naked people talking with each other as they are sitting near two nests of eggs which is the size of a punch buggy.
Link muttered lowly, "One thing for sure, they ain't Susan and Robert or the twins.".
"My mind would never even remotely think of anything that exists down here in my wildest dreams.", Doc said. "B.O.B., stop staring at them, it's rude.". The blob quickly covered his one eye when Doc chastised him there.
Link frowned slightly, "I can't make heads of what they're saying, through it sounds familiar to me.", referring to the fact that he had been frozen for 20,000 years.
"Certainly, a strange untouched language, who knows how long life like them has even existed down here.", Doc said to him. "But it's probably best to avoid them for the time being. Susan, Robert and the others probably have already made contact with them, but I'd rather find them first beforehand.".
Link nodded before blinking with a slight grimace, "Uh, Doc, you may want to refrain that. B.O.B. is approaching them.". Sure enough, B.O.B. is sliming up his way, waving and calling out, "Hello!".
"B.O.B.!", Doc tried to chase after him, but they all came to a stop next to him since they were pretty much fully caught now. "B.O.B., please, just slowly back away into the brush before we do anything that might upset them.".
Flashbird and Rocklight stared at them as they got up in alarm, walking around their nests to guard them in front, and Flashbird frowned lightly as she sniffed their scents, "They smell weird...almost like they're from the surface...", standing close near her nest of three eggs.
Rocklight nodded, "I smell the same thing, dear sister. Do you think they're the friends that Chief Thunderwolf spoke about in his story report? The ones that are like family to Susan and Robert?", glancing anxiously at his nest of three eggs that he has laid with a temporary vagina.
Flashbird blinked in thought, "They might as well be. The descriptions of them are accurate to what Thunderwolf said. A blue blob of transparent water-like solids, a man with a head of a cockroach, and a person that is a mix of fish-human-ape.".
"Anyone getting any of that?", Link asked. "Sadly, not even close.", Doc said as they both looked to B.O.B. who was staring once more.
"B.O.B.!", they both shouted. "Sorry, sorry!", B.O.B. covered his eye again.
Rocklight tilted his head, "They seem to be friendly. They aren't threatening from the looks of it.", before hearing a crack, and he spun his head around to see one of his eggs shaking, "Oh, oh! They're hatching!", dropping to his knees with excitement and anxiety.
Rocklight called out, "Come out, little one, it's your papa!", and the egg quickly cracked, clawed feet coming out, "Yes, that's it!", and the egg shook furiously as clawed hands popped out, and then a spiked human head tumbling out as its body dropped out into the hay of the nest, kicking off the remains of the egg.
The baby is half human and half Tarbosaurus, looking like two or three years old, having the Tarbosaurus feet, claws, and spikes as it blinked at its papa, and squeaked out curiously, and Rocklight smiled brightly, "Hello, my darling son. You shall be called Rumblepaw.". Rumblepaw squeaked happily at the name.
Flashbird complimented warmly, "That's a wonderful name, dear brother.", before snapping their heads over to another sound of cracking. The second egg is cracking open horizontally, and a head popped out with a loud squeak, blinking its eyes as it toppled over with a surprised squeak, tumbling overheads as it came out of the egg, crashing into Rumblepaw who gave out a squeal of surprise, revealing to be the same as its brother in looks.
Rocklight laughed softly, "What an arrival, my rascal daughter. You are named Splashpaw.", and Splashpaw giggled with a wide smile. Rocklight glanced over at the third egg that's weakly crackling, and called out, "Come on, little one.", but frowned in concern when a few minutes passed on.
He gently, anxiously opened the egg, hoping the baby is only tired, and widened his eyes in horror as the baby was limp, no breathing at all. "No, no!", he cried out, cradling the baby in his hands with tears falling. The tribe never had any knowledge of CPR, so he's helpless to do anything.
Link and Doc immediately knew something was wrong just from the motions and all. It was universal no matter what language it was.
"Link, that one isn't breathing, follow me!", Doc waved as the two of them ran forward for the baby. "What's wrong with it? Was it a stillborn or something?", Link asked.
"I'm trying to figure it out, Link.", Doc told him as he looked over the child since the giants were still too stunned by the recent events.
Flashbird hugged Rocklight who's sobbing as the two other babies cuddled up in confusion and fright near Rocklight, "Breathe, brother. I got you. These things happen sometimes.", her heart breaking for Rocklight as he literally laid his eggs, and now, this...
"Link, you need to give this one CPR.", Doc explained. "What? You want me to mash lips wi-", Link spluttered in surprise.
"There's no time, man! Just do it or this child will not live!", Doc shouted at him.
"Okay, okay...", Link moved over to the point where he could meet lips with the baby and started to perform CPR. Doc was hopeful that all the child needed was just a kick of air into the lungs to get them working.
Rocklight shrieked, "What's he doing to my baby?!", startling in shock, but Flashbird held him back, "He's trying to help, Rocklight!", watching anxiously with curious eyes as Link worked on the CPR.
Link startled back as the baby then cried out for air a moment later, and Rocklight sobbed out in relief, "She's breathing!", reaching for his baby as the boys moved back.
Rocklight saw his daughter blinking at him and squeaked loudly with a smile as Rocklight helped her to her feet, and Rocklight cried happily, "You're okay, you're okay.", as Rumblepaw and Splashpaw made their way to meet their sister, squeaking as they nuzzled each other.
Flashbird breathed shakily in relief as she said, "By the gods, they did it.", looking at the boys with a grateful look for her brother is smiling again, and she gained two nieces/one nephew.
Rocklight picked his babies up in his arms, nuzzling them with his face, "You're all here, you're all here.", before looking at his daughter who is saved from death, "You are determined to be full of life, my beloved daughter. You shall be Sparklepaw.".
Sparklepaw squeaked happily with a nuzzle towards Rocklight's cheek. "Okay, never make me do that again...", Link growled at Doc as he took a few deep breaths.
"Fine, I'll do it myself next time if it comes to that, but you did save that child's life. Be at least content with that.", Doc said. "Yeah, yeah, I'm fine with that, just wish it was just another way not to do that.", Link nodded with a wave of his hand.
B.O.B. cheered happily, "They're happy! You're a hero, Link!", having a wide smile. "Yeah, I know.", Link smugly said as he punched B.O.B.'s elbow... only for his hand to go right though. "Oh, right, forgot.".
Flashbird smiled at the sight of her brother hugging his babies in his arms, and then heard crackling sounds, and turned her head to see her eggs cracking, "Oh, my babies, they're coming!", taking a few steps over to her nest, warmly calling out, "That's it, little ones, Mama's here!".
One by one, with a minute in between, the eggs hatched with wild bursts of their feet breaking the shells open with their claws and heads popping out, and Flashbird happily took into their scents, finding that she has two boys and one girl.
She smiled in the fact that at least with hers didn't have an issue as opposed to her brother's. "There you all are. Grovepaw...", Flashbird cuddled the first boy. "Duskpaw.", she embraced the other. "And finally, Blossompaw.", she embraced her daughter. "Oh, how precious all three of you look.".
Rocklight grinned lightly, "Well done, Flashbird. They look wonderful.", carefully lowering his babies down to meet their cousins officially, squeaks and chirps filling the air as Flashbird smiled at her brother, "Thank you, Rocklight. They are so happy with having playmates all the same.".
A roar bellowed out, and they looked up with a smile as Rocklight spoke, "That sounds like Silvergrace. She must have heard about those three arriving.", soon seeing a T-Rex at the border of the trees and shifting into Silvergrace.
Silvergrace smiled widely, "Flashbird, Rocklight!", glad to see her old friends who is a year older than her, and she gasped happily, "Oh, my goodness, what a brood of babies! Congrats, you two!".
Flashbird nodded, "Many thanks, Silvergrace, yet today was nearly a disaster. Rocklight nearly lost one of his daughters.".
Rocklight embraced his daughter, Sparklepaw, "Sparklepaw was thought to be lost forever until they saved her.", gesturing to Doc and Link with a grateful look, with B.O.B. introducing himself to one of the adventurous babies, Duskpaw.
Silvergrace blinked in surprise, "Why, I'll be. Phillippe, guys, come on! I found them!", and soon enough, the family emerged out into view next to Silvergrace.
From out of the bushes came Esme and Phillippe first. Robert and Susan stayed behind, thinking it was a bit better to at least let the others know he was pregnant before they saw Robert. They would already get quite a number of shocks from Tristan appearing soon enough.
"Tristan's the other way, he'll be here in a few moments.", Esme said to Silvergrace before she waved to the guys. "Hey, you three, nice to see that you guys survived the journey down here.", she spoke to them in English.
"We were wondering when you guys would be getting down here. Guess it must have taken longer, huh?", Phillippe said.
Link laughed heartily, "That's for sure! We had to wait for Doc to make his teleporter and test it out since we figure that shrinking Bea doesn't work, and that you couldn't fit in the hot air balloon.".
Esme smiled softly, "That's a brilliant idea, Doc, but Papa gotta stay here for a huge reason.", and Phillippe nodded, "Yeah, we're having little siblings.".
All three were surprised to hear that. Mostly just the fact that Susan and Robert were having children again. Of course, they were all confused for a moment about the whole 'Papa' aspect until they quickly realized that the other giant is pregnant and figured it out. Well, all except for B.O.B., but he'd know eventually.
"I see...", Doc said. "Seems you've all adapted to this underworld then, I would guess?".
Esme nodded, "We sure did, through Phillippe adapted more to the lifestyle down here than others.", giving Phillippe a sly smirk, and Phillippe blushed lightly as Silvergrace grabbed his hand with a smile, "Yeah, I found my true love, and I'm a daddy.", not resisting to kiss Silvergrace on the forehead and gingerly patting Silvergrace's baby belly.
"Congrats, you two.", Link was the first to say as that quick shock calmed down. "Didn't think you really had it in you.", he teased.
"He's always had it in him. Isn't that how babies are made?", B.O.B. asked in confusion. "Not what I'm meaning there.", Link groaned lightly.
Doc smiled warmly, "I'm glad that you are happy, Phillippe. Speaking of, Esme, where's Tristan?", as Susan came out with a chuckle, glancing at Silvergrace who nodded, and Susan smiled, "Tristan caught up with Robert. Come out, boys.".
Jaws dropped once more as both a fairly pregnant Robert and a giant Tristan came out. "Heh, yeah, I had a bit of a growth spurt, guys.", Tristan chuckled at the sight of the guys being shocked.
Link whistled in awe, "Damn, you look stronger, man!", and Doc nodded, "I believe that's the work of some Quantonium then?".
B.O.B. blinked in surprise, "How come Robert is having a big tummy?", and Link groaned, "That's because he's pregnant, B.O.B.! First time I ever said that.".
"Yeah, the core of the Earth turned out to be Quantonium, it seems.", Tristan said. "It's affected all of us down here. In the case with me, it made me grow up like Susan and Robert all those years ago.".
Doc looked amazed, "That would explain all the life down here. The trees, the dinosaurs, the people.".
"Continuous exposure to it clearly causes quite a number of changes in human life. And would certainly explain almost everything we knew about the past in millions of years.", Tristan added.
Doc nodded, "That one, I can understand easily as Silvergrace's friends back there has incredible children.". Link grinned, "And I am a hero! I saved one of the kids!".
"So, we've heard.", Silvergrace smiled as she went to check up on her fellow tribe members. "Good thing you guys were around or today would've been fairly somber in the mood.", Esme said.
Link sighed heavily, "Yeah, I'll give that for once.", before they all heard a couple of roars, and Phillippe blinked, "That'd be the Chief and Chiefess.", before shifting into his T-Rex form to roar back to the leaders some ways down, and a few minutes passed with communication before Phillippe shifted back.
He smiled lightly, "They're gonna be up in a couple of minutes with the hunting party, if Rocklight and Flashbird's mates don't beat them first, that is.".
"I think it's safe to assume we have a lot to catch up on. Even with how short of time we've been gone.", Link said. "That's certainly one way of saying it.", Tristan laughed.
B.O.B. smiled widely, "Is there gonna be breakfast? I'm hungry!", just as two Tarbosaurses came out of the jungle, shifting to two women, one normal, and the second one with a 'manhood'.
The first woman called out to Rocklight as he looked over with a loving smile, "Mooncloud, come look at our family!", gathering his children warmly from the pile of leaves that served as a safe playing spot.
Flashbird called out to the second woman, "Maplebreeze, come meet our children!", with a warm look as she gently grabbed her children's attention.
"Very curious, the biology of these underearth humans.", Doc admitted as he took glancing looks at the others, trying not to stare. "Am I to guess that clothing is... optional and all with them?".
"It's very much like complete free love of the 60s.", Robert explained.
Susan smiled, "It's liberating, actually. And those people belong to a tribe called the Eternal Earth Tribe down here, it's over 1,000 people since there are plenty of pregnancies and lots of babies being born in the next few months and so on, including this family, of course.".
"Sounds fairly wild.", Link nodded as he tried to wrap his mind around it. "Wild wouldn't even fully describe it.", Esme teased. "More like total paradise. Something that we hopefully can keep from getting out. I'd rather not let the surface world ruin this place as it has above.".
Doc nodded, "That I can agree with...We're a tad too far to contact General Monger.", glancing at his wristwatch, "But if we're under the sinkhole, we'd be able to contact him thanks to the antennas up in the sinkhole...Do you want us to stay with you? Because we have the teleporter in the basket of the hot air balloon...".
"Well, if you three wish to stay for a time. We're staying here for the time being until the children arrive then most of us will probably come back up to the surface after that." Robert said. "One thing that's for sure is that you should at least message that we're alright. Just to give Sue and I's parents a relief."
Link grinned lightly, "I couldn't mind having a vacation down here. A week sounds good to me.". B.O.B. nodded, "Yeah, wanna have food!", and Link groaned lightly, "We'll get breakfast when it's ready, B.O.B.".
The hunting party with the Chief and Chiefess made it out of the jungle, with a few choice catches of iguanodon, spiketail, and mammoth.
Thunderwolf looked at Silvergrace with a grateful nod, "Thank you for sending Driftclaw after us, daughter. I trust everything is well back in the village when you left.".
Silvergrace smiled warmly, "The village is safe in good hands, Father. I'm glad to see you and Mother well after the long trip.".
Stormfire chuckled warmly, "It's a good morning for all of us, Silvergrace.", glancing at the boys, "You were most right about them, Robert. And they have earned our respect and friendship after what they have done for our tribespeople. A child's life is most precious to us all.".
"Just lucky they got here when they did. Any of us would do the same if we were here.", Robert said. "Either way, a life was saved and will grow hopefully now.", Susan added as she gently rubbed Robert's back before her hand drifted to his belly.
Silvergrace hugged Phillippe gently, smiling, "No doubt that Sparklepaw will grow up to be a great warrior and be her own person. And besides, she got a big family around her.".
Thunderwolf nodded, "Indeed.", seeing the rest of the hunting party congratulate upon the children, "Flashbird, Rocklight.", calling out, "Much congrats on the children. Are they strong enough to come back to the village?".
Rocklight smiled at Mooncloud who kissed his cheek, "They are strong enough to come, my chief.", and Flashbird, after a steamy kiss with Maplebreeze, "Our children are able to join in as well.".
Stormfire smiled warmly, "Then let's all return home, except for Robert and Susan. I trust that by now, you know the way to Eternal Mountain to take your friends there?".
"We can take them.", Robert nodded. "Take us where?", Link asked them. "Well, we learned their language when we spent a night on the Eternal Glow... it's a large mountain of Quantronium which is connected to the planet's core.", Susan explained to them.
Doc widened his eyes in amazement, "That could explain why you're so proficient in talking with them. I'd love to talk with them without the annoying wall of gestures and such.".
Link grinned lightly, "Count me in! Maybe they have a few games they play down here...I wonder if they have a version of cards or something similar.".
B.O.B. asked, "And we can get food afterwards?", and Susan smiled warmly, "Yes, B.O.B. And since it's 8 hours that the Quantonium takes effect, and since we spent the night of about 8 hours, the rest of the morning and some of the afternoon should do it for you three, and then we could go back to the village and grab some dinner.".
Robert chuckled lightly, "Oh, you'll be impressed by the games down here, Link. After all, the village would need a bit of entertainment between hunting, free-loving, etc. Why, I believe there's a game tonight.", before talking to Thunderwolf, "Is the game of Voke still on for tonight?".
Voke is a combination of basketball and soccer, and it's a multi-team game. 4 hoops in 4 different colors, 4 teams, and one ball. If it hits the nets between the trees behind the hoops, it's a foul. And the game lasts 2 hours. Each 30 minutes, if one team has a high score above the other teams, that team is safe and able to play for the finale, and the lowest score of a team is out of the game, unable to play further. The winning team in the finale of the last 30 minutes splits up into males and females, and which gender wins, they gain a free day off from hunting or other duties, free to just relax and make love to their mates in their spot of choice on their day off.
Thunderwolf nods with a smile, "It's on. And Lionheart, which team are you going to play in?". Phillippe grins, "I'm playing for the Direwolves.".
Thunderwolf chuckles approvingly, "Good choice, my boy.", before nodding to Robert, "You better get on your way, my brother.", having adopted Robert as his brother of sorts for they are parents to Silvergrace and Phillippe, and grandparents to Silvergrace's unborn baby girl.
"Lionheart?", Link looked at Phillippe when he heard that. "Yeah, I hunted a triceratops and then fought off a wild T-Rex and all as part of a ceremony to be part of the tribe and all. I'm going to be the future chief and all thanks to my mating with Silvergrace.", Phillippe replied with a shrug and a smile.
"Wow, our little Phillippe's all grown up now.", Link chuckled. "He's been grown up since almost the day he was born, Link.", B.O.B. joked. "Yeah, that is true, B.O.B.", Phillippe shook his head as he smiled.
Robert chuckled lightly, "Come on, you three, we gotta take you to Eternal Mountain.", before nodding to Thunderwolf, "We'll be heading back to the village within a couple of hours to sunset if that.".
Thunderwolf nodded, "Understood, Robert.", and Susan leaned down to lend her hands, "Come on, boys. Let's pick up your hot air balloon on the way.". Doc and B.O.B. got on her left hand while Link got on her right hand, and Susan got up, with Robert at her side.
Esme waved, "See ya later, guys!", smiling with a nod, and Tristan smiled, "It's gonna be nice to have you around for a while.".
"Yes, I think we might actually really enjoy this." Doc admitted as everyone started to begin to move out in their separate ways. Susan smiled softly, "I am sure you have quite a few questions, and we'll explain the best as we could.".
Robert chuckled, "The week will be wonderful, I know it.", before gasping in surprise, "Oh, looks like Calvin and Dawn's up from their nap.", rubbing his belly with a smile.
"Ah, already coming up with names for the little ones already?", Link chuckled. "I'm actually surprised you two even ended up going around to have more. I thought maybe Phillippe and Esme would've been enough.".
Susan grinned lightly, "Well, we didn't plan for Robert to get pregnant down here, but the Quantonium in question is very sentient, and it knew that we wanted excitement again in the house when Esme and Phillippe are able to take care of themselves. Before we found out about the changes of the tribe, we only thought it was the woman itself that is able to get pregnant as we were taught to be, you know?".
"It might still be the case, dear Susan.", Doc said. "At least for normal humans, Quantonium infused ones though clearly have had their biology heavily mutated to radical ways in comparison.".
"I've said it before and I'll say it again, just glad the Quantonium mutated us mostly in the few physical ways then.", Robert chuckled.
Link grinned lightly, "I'll agree on that. Fighting those robot probes sure was easy. You look at least 4 months along, but you've been gone for just over 3 weeks. Did the Quantonium do that too?".
Robert nodded, "Yep. The pregnancy time is 3-4 months hence why our miracles are growing so fast. Of course, that's for Quantonium-infused people, no matter what gender and changes they have. And the kids you saw back there, that's a minor difference, for when they have a desire to have eggs, the parents remain in their dinosaur forms for five months, and then lay them, and the eggs rest in the nest for three weeks before hatching.".
"Truly astounding... completely changes everything I've almost learned and understood my entire life.", Doc shook his head hearing that.
"Good thing then I don't have a brain, so I never had to understand it in the first place.", B.O.B. laughed. Susan rolled her eyes casually, and glanced to the side, "Ah, is that the hot air balloon? Boy, you sure made a rough landing.".
"We crashed into a very large tree as we moved out of the shaft.", Link explained. "Same thing happened to us and the kids.", Robert said. "That tree may have saved our lives since we never really got a chance to prove if we could survive the fall.".
Doc leaned over, "Thank goodness the teleporter's safe in the pocket of the basket.", as Susan lowered them to the ground, and pulled out the hot air balloon from its sideway place, plucking out the balloon from the basket, folding it up so easily, and putting it into the basket, and nodded, "There, have a seat, boys.".
"So, care to explain to us all this, Doc?", Robert sat down as he was just waiting to hear how this project of Doc's worked. "And when I say explain, put it in a quick simple understanding... for B.O.B.'s sake.", he mentally chuckled to himself as it was also a bit for him as well since Doc tended to lose him sometimes when he would go on and on.
Doc sighed deeply, "We have tried to use one of the size-changer lasers on Butterflysaurous, but as I feared, the nuclear energy she had, it didn't get along with the laser as it was based on the robot technology, and she was understandably annoyed by it, but it didn't harm her thankfully. And then we talked about deep tunneling with a driller, but General Monger pointed out that fast speeds with a driller would be disastrous.",
"So, on Monger's advice on going steady, we thought about using an underground scanner, and that took a week to scan the full sinkhole properly, and the next week, we have talked about using spelunking equipment, but since there aren't no cliffs for taking breaks in-between spelunking, the next plan was out as that one was about having a very, very long rope ladder. And so, hence the idea for the hot air balloon.",
"But since the hot air balloon wouldn't fit you all, on and off during those weeks, I made the teleporter, figuring that it could help transport you guys back home after I tested it out myself, of course. And for communication, I also made an antenna shooter hence the row of antenna connectors in the sinkhole, so I and Link could contact Monger with our video wristwatches.", Doc finished with a nod.
"Well, that's good to know that at least something worked; it must have been concerning though, I mean, there was no way that we could have survived for all you knew.", Robert said.
"Yeah, I was worried about the pressure crushing us as we went down, but that didn't seem to be an issue.", Link said.
"Would I survive the crushing?", B.O.B. asked. "B.O.B., the intense pressures of the Earth would crush you very much I believe. But we won't have to prove that here.", Doc reassured the blob.
Susan smiled warmly, "Well, we're all fine as you could see, though I am sure our parents must have been very worried.".
"That's one way of putting it. The moment we told them, your mother nearly went into hysterics.", Link told her. "We managed to eventually calm her down, but the sooner we get back in touch with the surface at least, the better.".
"It almost sounds familiar to when we first all met." Robert whispered under his breath.
Susan nodded, "Indeed, the sooner, the better. Either way, we are just over halfway to Eternal Mountain. Robert, are you rested enough to go now?".
Robert smiled lightly, "The little ones are tumbling about, they're quite active. I think they want to have a feel for the pure stuff. Let's get going.", getting up steadily.