Yongguk strolled into the room, whistling quietly to himself as he settled himself in the kitchen. He looked around, making sure all the windows and curtains were closed before heading to the fridge, pressing a concealed button on the side quickly. At his touch, there came a loud beep and the fridge began to transform, opening its doors wider and wider, expanding until it filled the entire kitchen with flickering lights and complex forms of technology; all Youngjae’s work. On the account of them having to have evacuated from their dorms, they had to make do in the apartment Himchan had managed to find on such short notice. (it turns out he used his human money to buy an apartment!)

It had taken Youngjae a while to collect enough smashed computer screens, toasters, cellphones, fairy lights and other random junk to create a system complex enough to connect back to Mato Planet. But it had taken him an even longer time to wire everything back up again. That’s why he was particularly touchy about people coming in and fiddling with the equipment while he wasn’t around. That is why Yongguk was here at 2AM; he didn’t want to work with Youngjae breathing down his neck…again.

The tough leader continued to whistle to himself, quite pleased that he managed to sneak into the system without Youngjae hunting him down.

“Shi-shi Mato reporting.” Yongguk’s deep voice rumbled into the complex system. He watched the main screen (which used to be an HD TV) light up, processing his voice before flashing green, immediately pulling up a screen with his ID and personal details.

“Welcome General, state your business.”

“General Shi-shi Mato requesting access to the mainboard,” he said, distracted by the quiet voices in the background. He turned, wondering if he had left Zelo alone in front of the TV again, only to find the robot sitting slumped on the kitchen counter, his back to the wall while a wire wound around his back and to the socket, his eyes lit blue.

He was about to walk to the robot when a sudden beep and red light brought his attention back to the screen.

“ACCESS DENIED!” it read in red, flashing mockingly in the scowling leaders face. He sighed, pulling a chair over from the dining room table and plopping down in front of the main screen, typing away furiously only to have the entire system blare red lights and sirens at him before shutting down suddenly. Yongguk blinked and sighed, rubbing his temples as he called over his shoulder, “Jojo mato! Jojo…!” he was answered by silence and he sighed, cursing quietly before roaring, “YOUNGJAE!” as loud as he dared in a house filled with scary maternal Himchan’s and ninja Daehyun’s running around.

“You called?” A head poked out from beneath the counter and Yongguk screamed, leaping out of his chair. He crawled away from Youngjae’s head, the younger merely staring at the leader’s strange behavior. He blinked, scrutinizing the leader before shrugging, pulling himself out from under the system and plopping himself into the seat Yongguk had just abandoned.

“Yah!” Yongguk bellowed, having finally found his voice, “DON’T DO THAT!” he hissed. Youngjae grinned smugly at him, opening his arms wide in a flourish, “Don’t touch my babies then,” he smirked, indicating the giant work station behind him. Yongguk squinted his eyes at the younger, watching him grin complacently as he swung the power cable around.

Yongguk took exactly one step forward before he went flying back again, too frightened to even scream.

This time, Jongup had decided to poke his head out, his face smeared in oil.

“Hello,” he said pleasantly enough, holding a wrench in hand as he watched Youngjae replug the system, barely looking up as Yongguk left the room, grumbling darkly to himself. Himchan walked in, watching Yongguk in amusement before reaching into the cabinet, pulling out a packet of juice, “Whazzup?” he asked, sitting on the counter, poking a straw through his juicebox and drinking away merrily beside Zelo who’s head he gently poked.

“Zelo-Mellow,” he commented between sips, “What’s wrong with him?” he asked. The robot hadn’t moved or said a thing in days, even with the additional charging periods and oil Youngjae had been feeding him.

“I don’t know,” Youngjae muttered distracted as he began typing away on the keyboard, frowning at the algorithms that flashed across the screen, “I think we may have lost contact with Mato Planet…again,” he sighed, pushing himself across the room on his rolley chair towards Zelo who began spazzing slightly. Youngjae ped the jacket around the robot, gently tugging his shirt down and placing a screwdriver to the robot’s chest, taking out the screws to peer into the system within. His frown deepened and he whistled, “Check this,” he said to Jongup who had his face buried in the cabinet Himchan had just raided.

Holding a bottle of milk, Jongup teetered over, sipping on his milk and looking into Zelo’s mainboard.

“That’s messed up,” he said, pointing at the burnt out wires.

“He must be dying. He hasn’t quite been himself since we lost touch with Mato planet.” Himchan commented, swinging his legs merrily while brushing his hair with his fingers. Out of nowhere, a gentle knock came on the door, freezing all the Matoki in the apartment mid-motion. All except for Zelo whose blue eyes flickered, returning to their dark brown state as he leapt to his feet, snapping the panel on his chest shut and almost snapping Youngjae’s delicate human fingers off.

The genius mato hadn’t the time to yell before Zelo began screaming his head off, “ERROR! ERROR! ERROR! ERROR! ERROR! ERRO-“

Jongup slammed his hand over his mouth, tackling the robot to the ground as he began spazzing/walking towards the door. No one had the time to decide what to do when a cabinet burst open, out leaping Daehyun. The matoki’s turned and stared as Daehyun crouched on the ground like a ninja, carrying a packet of cereal which he munched as he crawled towards the door. He came to a stop, pressing his ear against the smooth wood, listening. As if satisfied by the answer, he lifted an umbrella in one hand, stood and slowly opened the door.

The matoki waited with bated breaths, watching the door creak open.

And sure enough, the result shocked them beyond understanding.

“H-hello?” the 6 sunbae mato’s stared at the tiny mato that stood on their doorstep.

“It has begun.”