This is a fic that popped into my mind a while ago.

First our two parties need to meet, so it starts at the very beginning of how the Azori'jin girl came into contact with the Autobots.

Stay put, you just might find it interesting. Especially if you are a Hot Rod fan!

- It is the year 2000, 5 years before the war in Transformers The Movie. -

I am an Azori'jin. That I can remember. For the rest, I don't really know where I came from. Can't remember. What I do know, is that I am not in the place or form where I am supposed to be. I don't know where that is either.

Confusing? Tell me about it.

For now I am stuck in the body of a large predatory cat with a golden fur and darker spots on my back and paws. I'm stuck in this cage with glass walls in some casino on a foreign planet.

How I got here is a blur in my memories and I don't like to clear that up. I tried and it terrified me, so I stopped trying.

Last night these vehicles drove up to the casino where I am held. My cage is partly connected to the outside wall to lure customers. They are attracted to my impressive form and when they see me, they see the casino and than nine out of ten times they go in.

So last night these vehicles drove up to my window. One man got out of the small yellow one. Then something happened that dazzled me… yet it seemed familiar.

Bumblebee transformed and walked up to the glass cage. "Will you look at that! That is one big and impressive looking feline!"

Spike followed him to take a look at the beast that gracefully walked up and down in front of the window.

It seemed to be somewhat surprised to see the small bug transform. But when the red truck did the same it looked up with growing eyes.

The feline looked somewhat like a tiger but way bigger and it had spots in stead of stripes on warm golden fur. Spots like those of a jaguar running down it's back and black spots on it's paws.

With strange bright blue eyes it stared up at Optimus Prime as if it was dazzled by his appearance.

"Impressive, isn't she?" said a voice behind them

It was a slender blue robot, who didn't seem to be able to transform into anything. Or at least, they couldn't see that on him. He turned out to be one of the hosts of the casino.

"Please come in and enjoy our fabulous games. Drinks are on the house! You may drink as much as you like, we have the best energon in this part of space. And of course, enjoy yourselves!" he continued.

"What kind of beast is that?" Ironhide wanted to know as they followed the blue robot into the casino. "It's quit impressive for a fleshling."

"Nobody knows for sure. My boss, Saliência got her from some merchant for a good price. She's been here for several years now. And she's an excellent lure for clients." He said with a grin.

From inside the cage was visible as well. The big cat had quit some space to walk up and down, the cage was built along the whole wall on one side of the gambling floors.

"Come on guys, let's get inside, I feel lucky today!" Prime said cheerfully and it didn't take him very long to find himself at a poker-table with Ironhide. Bumblebee and Spike went to give the one-armed-bandits a good swing.

It was early in the morning when Optimus Prime, Ironhide, Bumblebee and Spike left the casino to go to the next challenge.

Prime did get very lucky and won for over 5000 credits while the other's lost half of theirs. Most content he walked out the door, followed by his friends.

"Now can we go to the rollercoaster we saw when we landed?" Bumblebee asked as he pointed at the monster machine that was visible from where they were standing.

"I'd love to come along, but I do need some sleep if you don't mind," Spike stated with sleepy eyes.

"Of course, how thoughtless of us," It hadn't even crossed Primes mind. "We'll bring you to our hotel."

"If we can find it," Ironhide sighed as he looked around at all the tall lit up buildings around them.

Before they transformed, Prime gave another glance at the glass cage where the big cat lay next to the entrance. She lay like a sphinx but than with her head down on her front paws. Her clear blue eyes met his again and again he felt something was intriguing about this cat.

"Autobots, transform and roll out!" He exclaimed, transformed and took off, followed by the others.

It's strange how this transforming thing seems so familiar. I stepped close to the glass and pressed my nose against it to see them drive off.

Seeing them doing that again made me even more uncomfortable in my own body. Oh, how I long to be free like them.

I must be in the wrong body, if I were a real cat, would my mind be as busy as it is now? Would I even know that I don't belong here. Maybe it is just me.

I sure hope they come back… maybe I can attract their attention… they look powerful enough to get me out of here. But… how can I possibly make them understand….

It took the Autobots over an hour to find their hotel. It turned out Spike had held the map - he had received when he booked the place after they had landed here – up side down. And the alien signs in stead of plain English road-names didn't help him a lot either.

But after asking directions a few times they finally arrived at the hotel. An enormous tower pierced into the dark starry sky.

The long drive way towards the hotel was decorated with huge real palms. And an enormous lawn lay draped around it with long rectangle ponds with splashing lit up fountains.

"Are you sure this was within our budget?" Ironhide asked Spike when they had stopped and transformed to enter the tower.

"Yeah…. It is only for a few days… you don't want to stay at a dump now, do you?" Spike tried to avoid the price of the hotel, cause he could just cut it.

After a few days of just fun, fun and more fun, it was time to go back to Earth again. (I'm not gonna come up with everything they did, they had fun) Bumblebee had dragged Spike from one rollercoaster to the next and from one wild attraction to another. They had more fun together than they'd had in years.

There was no way they could get Ironhide anywhere near any of those attractions, but they did get Prime to get on several. It made him behave and feel like the kid he used to be for a while. No worries, no responsibilities, just fun.

On their way out of the city to the airport where Skylynx was waiting for them, they passed the casino with the great feline again. At first they didn't notice, but the big cat did.

Hey, look at that! It's them again! I let out a loud roar… but they can't hear it through this damned glass, it's too thick.

'Wait! Come back!' I call out in my mind and run along with them for as far as my cage allows me to. Look this way, see the desperation in my eyes!! When I can't run any further I press my face against the glass. 'Don't leave without me, COME BACK!'

Suddenly Prime hit the brakes and took a sharp turn to the left – almost loosing his trailer. Ironhide and Bumblebee had to hit their brakes even harder to keep from crashing into him.

"Prime! What in the blazes are you doing?!" Ironhide wanted to know.

"I have no idea…" Prime tried to stop when he started to drive back to where they had just came from, but his brakes were not responding. "I can't control myself!"

There wasn't much they could do but follow him. Of the three of them, he was by far the fastest.

He only stopped when he was right in front of the felines cage, in front of her. He transformed and rubbed his head. "What just happened?'

Stunned I look up to him. He came back… Did he hear me? He couldn't have… the glass is too thick. Was it the cry in my mind he heard? Did I cause him to come back?

I wasn't aware I could do that… how did I do that? Is my desire to be free so strong it effects him?

"Yeah, what did just happen? And why did you stop here?" Ironhide asked.

Prime looked around to see where he'd ended up. Then his eyes met those of the feline. In those eyes he was sure he saw a cry for help. He even heard it …

"Get me out of this cage… please… I don't belong here…" She begged him with her thoughts, hoping he could hear them.

"The cat…"Prime muttered. "She calls to me."

Ironhide, Bumblebee and Spike looked at each other.

"Do you have a hangover?" Spike asked.

'The transformations of these robots stirred something up within me. I can do this too… I know I can, I must try… I MUST!'

"What's she doing?" Bumblebee leaned against the thick glass to get a better look. It seemed like she tried to burst out of her skin or something.

Prime knelt down on one knee. "So, where do you belong?"

Hold on, I'm kinda busy right now… must try… MUST DO!

All of a sudden I feel like my fur is sliding off of my body… my bones and muscles are changing… feels strange… but it doesn't hurt.

Bumblebee flinched back from the glass. "Whoooow!!"

Spike and Ironhide had a somewhat similar response but than without the 'whooow'.

A young girl in her middle-teens was sitting where the cat just was… naked and shivering.

"Oh, I see…. You really don't belong here." Prime pulled out his laser rifle and aimed it at the glass wall that held the feline-girl imprisoned.