Bang was still thoroughly confused when his eyelids flooded with white light. He was sure he was dead, but was the afterlife supposed to have this much beeping? He inhaled and felt a sharp stab of pain in his side. Pain. Is there pain in the afterlife? No… wait…

His eyes snapped open and he was instantly met with a blinding lamp right over his face. He squinted and groaned, attempting to push himself into a sitting position. His ears felt like they were ringing. His brain attempted to register the sound of voices around him, but they were just buzzing sounds.

Matokian doctors swarmed him, checking his vitals and asking him cognitive questions. He managed to get a grasp on the bandages covering his neck and arms and the furred people rushing around him. He was home.

The doors hissed and opened. Now-governor Hyosung walked in, surprisingly still wearing her skinsuit. She stopped at the foot of Yongguk’s hospital bed, a warm smile on her face.

He stared at her for a moment before attempting speech. “Did I…?”

“No, you’re alive and back home on Mato.”

“Bi is…?”

“Dead, yes.”

“But I lost my weapon.”

“Your Novai was cut short.”

“How?”

“Your faithful creation.”

He blinked. “… Zelo? He left.”

“Well then you apparently installed a boomerang function you forgot about because he’s in the briefing room along with Dada, Tats, Keke, and Joko.”

“So the agreement with the Visi is void?”

“Zelo did break the rules so, yes, most likely.”

Bang swatted away a doctor and swiveled on the bed, carefully planting his feet on the ground. He stood, albeit a bit shaky, and managed to stumble past Hyosung towards the door.

“Where are you going?”

“Tats.” It was all he said before the doors closed behind him.

Himchan stood as soon as Yongguk limped through the doors. He was in his human skin, but confidently sporting his purple Matokian cape and armour. He breezed past Daehyun and grasped Yongguk in a strong hug. Bang patted his friends back in reassurance.

“I swear, Shishi, I was about to come down there and kill you myself if I’d heard you died.”

“Yeah well, I had a little help getting back here in one piece.”

Zelo, now proudly sporting the Matokian name Totomato, grinned and crossed his arms. Himchan clasped the back of Yongguk’s neck and held him still, bringing his head back and hitting it against Bang’s. Yongguk laughed and broke out of Himchan’s grasp, rubbing the red mark left by the head . It was a sign of celebration amongst the two of them, but it didn’t help his headache.

“Thanks, Tats.”

“Glad you’re home, General.”

“Good to be back, Commander.”

Hyosung cleared , immediately drawing the attention back to her. “As heart wrenching as this reunion is, you all have a debriefing to get through before you crash.”

“Of course, ma’am.”

The boys all straightened up and formed a line in front of the governor and her data screen. Bang glanced over to see Jae murmuring to himself – something about updated his data stream before they left.

“Wait – left?!” Yongguk cried indignantly, staring back at Hyosung. “Left where?”

Hyosung glared at Jae, who shot her an apologetic look. Himchan sighed and clapped a hand onto Bang’s shoulder in an attempt to reassure his friend.

“Our, erm, new governor came up with a plan to help Mato that requires us to leave once you’ve recovered.”

“While you were under, General, I developed a project for harnessing Earth’s energy before the Visi can ever get their hands on it,” Hyosung tapped at the screen a few times, bringing up several files and images all under big bold letters in Matokian scrawl. “I’m calling it the BAP Initiative. Your squad members have all consented to this plan. What do you think?”

Yongguk’s eyes widened as he read the words over and over again until they started to blur. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”

“Well, it seems your General has given his agreement!” Hyosung chirped, swinging off the table and striding towards the door.

“I don’t believe this.”

“Suit up boys, you’re going back to Earth in several days.”

“A boy band?!”