Doc closed his eyes tight before he could feel a rush of energy slamming against his chest that pushed him back against the wall of the bathroom for a few moments before he could feel himself able to fall forward again and dropped onto his knees. "That certainly opened up the lungs...", Doc coughed as he was trying to recatch his breath.
Dr. C steadily got up, blinking in confusion as he was caught off guard for his head felt lighter and is it smaller? He looked ahead, and he shouted in surprise as the reflection of a black-haired man with a pyramidal mustache, pale tan skin, and amber gold eyes is looking back at him, and he instinctively touched his face, realizing that the reflection is doing the same thing.
Dr. C gasped in shock, seeing no red cockroach skin anywhere nor the antennae, and yet he still has his golden amber eyes, for he used to have light blue eyes...He's remarkably in his late 20s... just like before the change in his laboratory, and without the cockroach head and antennae, he's down to his old height, 5'6".
He furrowed his eyebrows in thought, and glanced at the walls, touching them, feeling the familiar suction in his pads of his hands, and climbed up and over.
He muttered, "Still have my climbing power...", before dropping to the floor, landing gracefully, and looked at the mirror again, and exhaled deeply, focusing and then his head ballooned up back to his cockroach head and antenna, and Dr. C widened his eyes, "Switching between monster and human at will...".
He focused again, and he went back to human, smiling widely before he realized that he could walk in public again without anyone judging or screaming at him...He glanced at the empty black stone, and said, "This is the best gift ever.".
No response from the stone, but he can feel something humming warmly inside him, recognizing the energy that hit him, and he chuckled happily before taking a deep breath and walked out of the bathroom.
The moment Doc opened the door, he was face to face with Bob who screamed, "AH! SOMEONE SNUCK INTO THE HOUSE!", before he tried to throw a fist at Doc. Luckily, he still had his speed and dexterity, so he dodged several punches.
"Ah! Bob! Stop! It's! Ah! Me! Doc! Ah!", Doc shouted. "Bob! Stop, stop, stop!", Link quickly ran to try and stop Bob.
Doc narrowed his eyes, "Benzonate Ostylezene Bicarbonate! It's me for god's sake. Look!", shifting back to monster form, and Bob stopped in shock, "D-Doc?".
Doc nodded, "Yes! Now, I have a new power, okay?", before shifting back to human form, "This is how I used to look like, okay, Bob?".
"Ohhhh...", Bob nodded. "I don't get it.". If this was an anime, Link and Doc would've face faulted through the floor upon hearing that.
"Look, don't even think about it...", Link told him. "Just know that Doc can look... different at will, alright? Same as the others can change into animals or their height.".
"Okay... I can remember that...", Bob smiled as Link pinched the bridge of his nose, "You've already forgotten, haven't you?".
"Yep.", Bob chirped happily. "It'll be alright, Link... just as long as he isn't attacking me again, it's fine.", Doc assured him.
Link smiled, "Your voice and your mannerisms, and your eyes are the same...So, this is how you look like as human...Huh, not bad, really.", and Doc chuckled, "Thank you, Link. I still have my climbing power, my speed, and my durability as human, luckily.", as he walked on through the hallway into the kitchen/living room.
Everyone looked at him with surprise, amazement, and awe...Mo whistled, "Wow, you look great for a 75-year-old!", and Doc pointed out, "Technically. I am physically and mentally 27 years old, the age I was before the change in my laboratory happened.".
"You've certainly got the look of a lady killer, that's for sure.", Wendy chuckled as Carl rolled his eyes. "Oh, relax, Carl, I can flatter at least.".
"I know.", Carl gave a small smile. "So, the Quantonium allowed you to look like your old self again then?", Bucky asked.
Doc smiled, "Pretty much, yet it allowed me to keep my climbing abilities, my speed, and my durability, and I guess my eyes wouldn't be changed back to their light blue color as they're stuck like this, but somehow, it suits me. And I can change from human to monster by will, so, all advantages on all levels, through there's one thing...".
Tara looked at him, "Let me guess...You're scared about romance, and if a lady doesn't like you for what you have, well, those ladies don't know what they're missing out on!".
Doc chuckled, "Why, thank you for the support there, Miss Tara, I needed that, but still, I'm rusty and well, I need to catch up on things around here, even if I know some things thanks to the tv and radio.".
Susan replied, "Does that mean you're going to bring back your human name then?", and Doc sighed heavily, "I think I can have my first name, Richard...But my last name...I don't know if I am the last living one of the family, or if I have descendants...Nor do I know if I should take up a new last name...".
"Well, what was it before?", Susan asked. "Delambre.", Doc said. "But as I said before, I'm honestly not sure to keep it.".
Bob piped up, "Why not use Cockroach?", and Doc rolled his eyes, sighed, "That's my monster name, Bob, and besides, a lady would be disgusted if I did that...I mean, Richard Cockroach...Doesn't do well on the tongue.".
Steve replied, "Good point there...Why not do a twist on your old human last name? Lebre?", and Doc raised an eyebrow in thought, "Dr. Richard Lebre...".
"Certainly could work for the time being... at least in terms of introducing yourself to ladies. That is if you're wanting to do that sort of thing.", Steve said. "I can understand if right now you just want to get more adjusted to being free and looking human again for a while before even thinking about the dating game.".
"He's got a good point, Doc.", Link nodded. "Besides, I think you're probably going to be busy with that robot for a few weeks at least.".
Doc smiled, "I want to go out as human more than anything, and I can spare time to check on the robot on the weekends...After all, Monger's men are currently working to scrap the robot into movable pieces.".
Tara smiled warmly, "Sounds like a good plan...I and Bucky can show you around today, Doc. Susan herself has already a plan with Pops and Mum and Henry.", having gotten permission from Steve and Peggy that she can call them something else as they saw her as an adoptive daughter like how Carl and Wendy saw Susan as an adoptive daughter.
Mo smiled, "I can stay back with Link and Bob, to get to know Carl and Wendy, if that's okay with you?", and Carl nodded, "Sounds great.".
And so, with all of that figured out, they soon finished breakfast, and started their days, parting from the Murphy household to downtown Modesto and such.
Meanwhile, in the dark recesses of space; an emergency signal had been wirelessly traveling through the vast emptiness of the stars, with only one destination: a titanic ship that rivaled the size of most starships that humans had ever imagined in films. The signal reached the main computer before its sole occupant noticed.
"Probe retrieval of Quantonium has failed. Emergency signal sent before unit was disabled and presumed destroyed.", the computer echoed as the being slammed his fist down on his chair.
"Those backwater apes were able to destroy it?! Impossible, I thought the scans showed that nothing on that world could even damage the probe.", the being sneered, growling.
The computer replied, "Probe managed to get information. Shall I bring them out to view, sir?". The being snarled, "Yes, bring them out to view.". Videos of the monsters appeared, showing everything that the probe was able to see.
He watched as he was seeing the early footage, of when the probe was making its moves and whatever the defenses Earth had deployed in its path were brushed aside, "As I suspected... nothing... forward along to probe's last moments.".
The footage moved forward to where the being went wide eyed and was seeing the monsters engaging it. How the gorilla had enough force to break part of the force field protecting the probe, how a giant insect engaged it... and of course, the large humans that were fighting.
"Probe detected the Quantonium trace to this being.", the computer explained as it was focused on Tara. "However, apparently, Quantonium was also detected amongst several of the other beings.". The footage showed Susan, Mo, and Bucky.
"Other Quantonium... not from the meteor?", the being spoke in surprise and curiosity. "Scans show that is the case.", the computer replied.
The being steepled its fingers, "Interesting...So, there was more Quantonium that found its way to this backwater planet.".
The computer spoke, "Yes, sir. However, the amounts of Quantonium are different. The giantess women have the highest Quantonium, through the long-haired one, the one who was traced, is suspiciously hiding something. The scans are still figuring it out. As for the other woman, there's something of some other energy inside her, man-made. The gorilla creature man is similar with high Quantonium. And for the wolf man, he has low Quantonium.".
"Untraceable Quantonium... certainly much more than I was originally planning to retrieve.", the being whispered to himself. "Probe is obviously unable to get it now, correct?".
"Any probes deployed do not have equipment to retrieve Quantonium from those who now are infused with it.", the computer reported. "However, equipment aboard this ship can.".
The being nodded, "Excellent...Is the equipment viable to take all four of them?", and the computer replied, "Yes, but only one at a time, sir. Building more equipment for all of them at the same time, it would take three months, sir.".
The being exhaled slowly, "I see...How about tracing the other Quantonium origins once we're closer to that backwater planet?".
"Can easily be done. But this system must warn you that it might be difficult to pinpoint a true trace.", The computer responded as the being chuckled, "It's alright, we'll already know the source when we pry the information from their dying bodies...".
The computer replied, "Yes, sir. Deep scans came back on the long-haired woman. She's with child, sir, and the child is infused with Quantonium as well.".
The being widened his eyes, "That's a new one...Hmmm, is the spawn viable to be extracted from the subject once we arrive in three months?".
"Unsure of as of the early scans. Once the subject is brought aboard, better information might be gained.", the computer responded.
"Yes... I suppose it is better to know at the moment rather than wasting time guessing.", the being chuckled. "Plot course for that backwater world. I can wait... a little longer.".
The computer replied, "Yes, sir. It shall be done.", and the massive mothership slowly turned, taking up a new heading as the being left his chair, going to start building the rest of the equipment, chuckling to himself, "I will rule the galaxy soon enough.".
Meanwhile, for several days, Steve, Peggy, and Henry happily spent time with Susan, while Susan took up dates with Mo, with Tara and Bucky showing Doc and the boys around, and the new arrivals was eventually introduced to General Monger who surprised everybody with an abandoned airport field with hangars which is now being built as homes, able to fit everybody who's 10ft tall to anything else for size-changing including most of the monsters, knowing that everybody would want open-spaces and all, and it was not too far off from Modesto, in Tustin, a city off Los Angeles.
"Wow, already looking very nice.", Tara smiled as Monger chuckled.
"You can thank the Army Corps of Engineers for that one; Washington's little apology for the years of incarceration.", Monger explained. "Besides, not much was being done here anyway; so at least maybe this town will stop complaining about the waste of space.".
"Certainly not a waste of space now." Susan chuckled.
Mo nodded, "That's for sure. When will they be done completely?", and Monger smiled, "At least one more week. We're still working on the furniture and bathrooms, but we got the frames of the homes all settled in, and we're putting up green energy alternatives for electricity and all.", glad that he's showing the entire place on video through a computer.
Steve smiled warmly, "It looks perfect to fit all of us...Doc and the boys can sleep in that hangar there, I and my family can live in that other hanger, and the third hanger can be the couples' home.", referring to Susan, Tara, Mo, and Bucky.
Monger nodded, "My thoughts exactly, Mr. Rogers. Unfortunately, I can't do anything for Butterflysaurus...She's a butterfly, so she'd have to be a nomad of sorts...".
"She hasn't been causing issues, has she?", Link asked as Monger shook his head, "Aside from spooking some radars about a large mass that quickly gets called off when they see her, she's been fairly well kept."
"That's good. I don't want anything to happen to her again, if it can't be helped.", Link rubbed the back of his neck.
Monger nodded with a patient smile, "I don't think you'd have to worry as much as before. She can fly off fast, really good at dodging, and of course, she's 300 ft tall.".
Link chuckled, "Fair point. How about water?", and Monger replied, "There's a good-sized lake in the forest close by, and there's a river causeway down to the ocean, so you're all set there.".
"Brilliant. Thanks, Monger.", Link grinned. Peggy asked, "How many acres, exactly, general? I want Henry to grow up without danger of going into the streets and all.".
"About 5 acres or so. So, there's plenty of room for your landings as the Human Torch, for Butterflysaurus, and for Henry's eagle form as well, and of course, a private plane if your parents want to visit, Miss Tara.", Monger replied.
"Okay, maybe that's too much...", Tara blushed at the thought of it. "You're making me feel like I won big on a game show or something.", with a shrug. "Think of it as the perks of saving the world, big sis.", Susan teased.
Bucky squeezed her hand, "She got a point there, T.", with his other hand rubbing her baby bump which is growing a bit more every day, "After all, Reva deserves all the space to experience childhood, playing with Henry, and maybe some local children from outside of the airport.".
Tara smiled warmly, "You've never been wrong on that, James...", and Bucky smiled warmly. Steve asked, "By the way, what do they call the airport base there?".
Monger replied, "Oh, well, it used to be the Marine Corps Air Station. Now it's given the name of Libra Haven.".
Peggy chuckled, "Catchy.", and Monger smiled, "Thank you, Mrs. Carter-Rogers. Say, how come the doc is not here?", noticing that he isn't here.
Mo smiled, "Let's say that Richard wants some time to himself after Bob was pestering him again.", and Monger nodded in understanding.
"I guess we all have our limits with him.", Monger shrugged. "He's very much a child that keeps asking why, eventually you just need a little break.", Link sighed.
Elsewhere, in downtown Modesto, happy to be wearing human clothes after he shopped last week earlier with the help of Tara's fashion sense and Bucky's assistance, and of course, Doc isn't wearing his trademark lab coat, nor in his monster form for he wants to feel inauspicious as much as possible, and he's walking out of a coffee shop, intending to check out the center of arts that's down the street some blocks away.
At the same time, a somewhat familiar face to Tara was also walking the Modesto streets. She was a woman without a job now that got also got hurt by Derek. It was Lacey, the same woman that caught and recorded Derek's confession on the roof and who nearly was raped by him as well the night the probe landed. Unfortunately for her, Derek's charm and quick maneuvering to stay on top of things caused her to get fired thanks to him. She didn't care; she'd probably be getting her job back soon enough once Derek would be exposed and now had the free time to find the woman that would seal the nail into Derek's coffin.
Lacey has researched hard for the address of the Murphy house since the government was somewhat close-lipped about it, and the news information on the chain wasn't too helpful either, but now she managed to find the right address, but unfortunately, she's currently lost at the moment, having not been to Modesto before.
Frugal for many reasons, she didn't have a car, but managed to grab a taxi, and eventually a bus. And now, she's walking down the street, the very same street as Dr. Cockroach aka Dr. Richard Lebre, trying to figure out the directions on her map as it was still a while before the rumor of Google maps on phones would be revealed.