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Chapter 3: /Prelude to War /
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Shinji let out a loud sigh as he rubbed the throbbing forehead, "Well that was great," Shinji said to himself, as he decompressed his plug-suit. "Embarrass yourself in front of everybody ... smooth move. At least Asuka wasn't there to see it ..."

The young boy opened his locker and was surprised to see a bag hung up in front of his regular cloths. "What's this?" He asked as he unzipped the suit bag and blinked in surprise at the brand new uniform. "Wow ..." Shinji gasped, it was exactly like Misato's black and red uniform, only with slacks instead of a skirt "Thank God," Shinji added under his breath. But there was also two other differences instead of the NERV symbol on both shoulders on one arm was the NERV half leaf symbol, and the other was the Autobot symbol as well as Lieutenant Stripes on the shoulders.

He quickly and proudly pulled on the Uniform and looked at himself in the locker-room mirror. Nodding his own approval he exited and went to the Command Complex.

"Wow, looking sharp there, Shinji-kun!" Misato winked, "You did well out there, and earned me a lot of money!"

"Thanks, Misato ... wait you bet on me ..." Shinji asked looking up at his guardian as her words registered "YOU BET AGAINST ME!?!"

"Oh don't make it sound like I signed your death warrant or anything," Misato waved her hand dismissively.

"You bet against me!" Shinji repeated again, as if she had committed the worse sin imaginable.

"Shinji, don't take it so personally," Misato said trying to fight back her smile, "You did very well, but ... you were fighting the greatest of the Transformers."

"I'm far from the greatest, Misato," Prime said entering the Complex with his and Shinji's groups behind him. "You did good out there, Shinji."

"Thanks," Shinji bowed his head shyly. "I just wish I knew why my AT barrier didn't work."

"The Matrix." Gendo spoke up from his platform. "The EVA's core was based in design on not only the first Angel but also the prior knowledge I had on a Transformer's spark." He informed, resulting in shocked looks from the Autobots and NERV personnel. "Sparks are governed by the Matrix."

Everyone was in stunned surprise except Optimus Prime himself who nodded knowingly. "I assumed as much."

"So ... I'm piloting a hybrid of an Angel AND a Transformer?" Shinji rubbed his face with both his hands, "And here I thought this couldn't get anymore damned screwed up ..."

"Shinji!" Misato snapped, "Watch that mouth!"

"Sorry," Shinji groaned, before looking up at Prime, "So what's this Matrix then?"

"The Autobot Matrix of Leadership," Prime nodded bringing his hand to grip the two plates over his chest and started to open it. "It is thought to be the first Spark, mass of energy that makes a Transformer, Autobot or Decepticon, alive. The Matrix is the combination of every Spark of every leader of the Autobots, including my own. It gives the leader of the Autobots all the power and wisdom of his or her predecessors. The added power it gives me quite possibly would be enough to make my energy weapons penetrate your barriers." He said as his chest opened and the humans in the Command Complex had to shield their eyes from the blinding light.

Shinji's eyes finally focused and could only stare at the item Optimus now held in his hand. It was what looked like a gold sphere with two rounded silver handles coming out of either side of the sphere. Its center was hollow with a glowing white-blue light shining from it. The whole item radiated raw power. "This ... is the Matrix." Prime said, before returning it to his chest compartment.

"That's enough show and tell for today," Gendo spoke up unamused. "Major Katsuragi, your services will no longer be needed today, please take Pi- Lt. Ikari home so he may rest. Also, Pilot Sohryu has been causing a ruckus in the last few hours, the hospital requests you take her home." Gendo said turning his back to the group, "You'll find your bodyguard waiting in Parking Lot C."

"Bodyguard?" Misato asked irritably.

"Yes, as Director of Operations you should have protection outside the base. If the Decepticons come, your handgun will be about as useful as a paper fan." Gendo stated, "So Commander Prime has assigned an Autobot to keep you out of trouble."

"I don't need a baby sitter!" Misato stated angrily, "Commander, I can take care of ..."

"How many times have you crashed your car, Major?" Commander Ikari smirked, "Do you know how many strings I've had to pull to keep you clear of DUI charges?"

"I ... I ..." Misato stammered before Gendo held up his gloved hand.

"How you can command this bridge as well drunk as you can sober I'll never know, Major," Gendo stated, "but, consider this as a gift, you can drink yourself as stupid as you desire and still have a ride back to your residence."

Misato clamped her mouth shut and glared at the Commander. Though in her mind she rather liked the free drink card she's been given.

"Fine," Misato saluted her commander, before turning to move to the elevator.

"Go on, soldier," Prime nodded toward the blushing teen who was hiding his face in his hands. Shinji sighed and started to follow Misato to the Elevator. "See you bright and early at four hundred hours."

"What?" Shinji squeaked, turning back to the Transformer Commander.

"You didn't think I'd give you a command position without proper conditioning?" Prime nodded, "Until we're sure you're fully trained in command tactics and procedures, Jazz will be acting commander of your Unit and you'll be taking lessons from me, Ultra Magnus, Ironhide, and Grimlock."

"I met most of those guys ... who's Grimlock?" Shinji asked as the side door slide open.

"What in ..." Gendo breathed as the towering metallic Tyrannosaurus stomped into the Command Complex. But the Dinobot, known as Grimlock, was not what surprised him, but the young girl riding on the Dinobot's head wearing a school uniform and one of her rare smiles.

"A-Ayanami!" Shinji gawked as he and his father both shared a panicked expression.

"Rei, what are you doing?" Gendo asked, displaying one of his few showings of emotion of fear.

"My friend is giving me a piggy back ride here." Rei said in her usual monotone voice.

"Friend?" Shinji asked slowly.

"Piggy back?" Gendo asked in the same tone.

"Yup, there's the resemblance," Maya nodded, and the bridge crew all nodded in agreement.

A moment later a robotic Pterodactyl soared in followed by a mechanical Stegosaurus, Brontosaurus, and Triceratops.

"Rei Dinobot now," Sludge the Dinobot Brontosaurus said, nodding his massive head toward the girl on their leader's head.

"Rei not Dinobot," Grimlock growled back at him, turning so quick Rei had to hold on so not to fall off. "Grimlock say Rei Dinobot Queen!"

"Rei Dinobot Queen!" All five Dinobots cheered, causing all there, Autobot or Human to blink in confusion.

"Rei? Care to explain?" Gendo asked, glaring daggers at the Dinobots.

"I have been told by my peers at school I should make some friends," Rei explained in her usual quiet, serious tone, "I believe I have accomplished this."

"We'll ... have to speak about this later, Rei," Gendo said carefully, when Grimlock gave him a small protective growl.

"Ok then," Shinji rubbed his hands together backing away from the Dinobots slowly. "I better catch up with Misato now!"

-------

The elevator door opened and Shinji plainly heard Misato's screams and curses. He walked out to see the flame-painted 1998 Camaro SS being beaten and kicked by his guardian, yelling at the top of her lungs for the driver to get out and face her like a man.

"Um ... Misato, what are you doing?" Shinji asked walking toward the purple haired woman and the sports car.

"Ruining my paintjob," A new voice added causing them both to look at the sports car.

"What?" They asked in unison as the sports car transformed. Misato's jaw dropped as she stared up at the Autobot who was standing on one knee before her and Shinji. "Autobot Hotrod reporting for duty, Major Babe."

"You're my bodyguard?" Misato asked, with a twitching eyebrow.

"Yup, and what a body to guard, I tell you if I didn't know any better I'd say such perfection had to be manufactured." Hotrod said flirtily.

"Kami-Sama ..." Misato breathed, "I'm being hit on by the love child of a Firebird and Kaji ..."

"I am not a Pontiac, thank you oh so very much, ma'am!" Hotrod said indignantly.

"Oh hush, we've gotta pick up Asuka at the hospital," Misato grumbled as she walked toward her car, continuing to mumble about not needing a body guard.

"Hey, Misato, wait," Shinji said, a very Asuka-like smirk growing on his face. He glanced from the towering Autobot to his guardian, "I have an idea."

-------

Gendo Ikari walked out of the command center angrily, giving death glares to the massive Autobot commander walking beside him. "I do not want those ... beasts near Pilot Ayanami, Prime. That won't do. That won't do at all."

"She's a living being, Commander," Prime said evenly, "You can't tell her who she can or cannot see. Especially if those you wish her to avoid are fellow soldiers."

"Ayanami has no Evangelion to pilot any longer." Gendo said as he followed Prime toward the cages.

"Is that a fact?" Optimus asked, as the large door opened to a sight that made Gendo's jaw drop. In one of the cages stood the charred remains of Unit 00, with a group of Autobots constructing a mechanical armor set around it. "It's far from complete, but the new Unit 00 will be more Transformer then Angel once it's ready."

"How dare you!" Gendo screamed at the noble leader, "You dare waltz in here and ..."

"Stop you from killing every Terran on this planet?" Optimus Prime's optics flashed dangerously, "This is a war, Spike. Are you fighting to save the world? Or are you warring to destroy it?"

"I chose to save." A monotone voice spoke behind them causing both to turn to see Rei standing beside the robot-mode Grimlock.

"Rei ..." Gendo started.

"I know what the purpose you have given me is, Commander Ikari," Rei said, her even gaze on her father-figure. "Your logic confuses me. You seem to have wanted to stop the Angel as they attacked us, but now you wish to do what they long to do? I do not understand."

"Pilot Ikari has tried to befriend me, though recently he has avoided me." Rei continued, "Grimlock and his Dinobots are kind toward me, I wish to return the favor. I wish to fight along side them. If not under NERV, then I shall wear the Autobot symbol if I must."

"Rei you ..." Gendo gapped, before turning his glare toward Optimus, "You find this amusing don't you?"

Optimus shook his head, "I have been a soldier far longer then you, Commander Ikari." Prime stated, "I find warriors will flock more to the leaders who do not wish for them to battle for them, then the ones who see them only as expendable pawns ... expendable dolls to be played with to their pleasure."

"This isn't over, Prime," Gendo growled, giving the tall Autobot one last glare before stomping back toward his office.

Prime watched his old friend go, before letting his head drop in sadness.

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Asuka sat in her wheelchair, drumming her fingers on the armrest staring at the TV. She was getting frustrated, impatient, and angry. "Misato, where the hell are you?" She grumbled more then ready to go home.

She hated the hospital food, she hated the hospital beds, and especially hated the dull room. She missed her own bed, her own room. She especially missed Shinji. "His cooking, I mean ..." She audibly corrected her own thought, "Not like I'd miss anything else about the spineless wonder."

"Glad to know you still think highly of me," A familiar voice spoke up behind her.

Asuka's eyes light up but she quickly masked it before turning her wheelchair around. "It's about time you ...WHA-WHA-WHAT?!?"

Shinji couldn't help but grin proudly as Asuka did a gold fish impression staring at him. "Glad to see you're feeling better, Asuka-chan."

"Don't Asuka-chan me, Baka!" Asuka hissed, "What in EVA's damned name is THIS!" She asked waving her hand to his officer uniform.

"Oh, I'm only partly in NERV now," Shinji said, "It's a covert organization so I'm not at liberty to give you many details here in the open. Too many possible ears you see?" He said with an exaggerated wink, causing Asuka's blood to boil.

"I will tell you this right now, you idiot," Asuka hissed, "I don't know who in their right freakin' mind would ever ... EVER make you ... YOU an ... an ... Mein Gott, AN OFFICER, but I tell you this, I will meet this Ubber Baka and I will kick him so hard in the head his grandkids will be feeling it!"

"I'd like to see you try that one, Asuka," Shinji chuckled. "Come on, let's get you back to the apartment."

Asuka crossed arms and sulked as Shinji wheeled her out into the hallway on out of the hospital toward a red fire-trimmed Camaro. "What are you doing?" Asuka asked, as Shinji opened the passenger side door and helped her into the car before closing up her wheelchair and putting it behind the seat.

"Driving you home," Shinji grinned, closing the door before she could react.

"WHAT?" Asuka screamed as Shinji got into drivers seat and fastened his seatbelt. "NO! YOU'RE JUST FIFTEEN, YOU CAN'T DRIVE!"

"Watch me," Shinji said straight face as Asuka and Hot Rod's tires screamed.

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"Ah, Earth, it's been too long." Megatron smiled from his command chair on the bridge of the Deception, staring at the blue and green orb that grew closer and closer by the moment. "We'll touch down in exactly Fifteen hours," Megatron spoke over the loud speaker.

He enhanced the view screen in all the way to view Tokyo-3 and the insane commander smiled wickedly. "Decepticons, here are your orders: Constructicons, Predicons, your mission will be to deal with these Evangelions: shred them all. Rumble, Ravage, Lazerbeak, infiltrate their headquarters and destroy it. The rest of you, I want the city burnt to the ground and the streets covered with Autobot Scrap and human blood. No prisoners. No survivors. Any Decepticon bringing a prisoner back will be destroyed along with their captive. And lastly, anyone who fires a shot on Optimus Prime will answer to me. Prime's mine, and mine alone."

TO BE CONTINUED ...