I sighed and stood up from my now dead phone and plugged it in. It was nearly midnight and I was restless. I looked at my German Sheppard that lay reclining on the couch in my room. I walked towards him and scratched his head as I lay next to his large form. “I’m so bored!” I groaned and grabbed my stereo remote, turning up the volume. After a few moments of listening to the ever annoying voice of Rebecca Black I stood and shut it off. “Demon, ya wanna go for a walk buddy? Ya wanna go for a walk?” I asked as I grabbed his leash and rubbed his back before pulling on my black and green running shoes.

I looked in the mirror, and sat at the vanity; looking over my features I brushed my long, thick, wavy brown hair. My vibrant blue eyes that seemed to glow in the dim lighting of my blue and green room were framed with thick dark eye lashes. And, my full, pronounced lips were drawn together in a frown as I ran a hand through my silky hair, searching for tangles. I forced a smile as I stood and looked at my thin, yet slightly curvaceous, tan body, and decided I would wear sweat pants instead of the short, ripped jean shorts as the chilly air seeped in through the cracked windows about the room. I looked into my closet and picked out a pair of thick black sweat pants as well as the sweat shirt that complemented the Pink concert tee I wore.
I jogged back to the couch and grabbed onto the leash, after a moment I pulled on my dogs leash as he whined and stayed in place. “Come on Demon we’re gonna go for a walk!” I whimpered, yanked, and fell on my butt when he chose that moment to give in and glared at his body as he bounded away towards the door and the wide stairs adjoining. I let go of the leash and stood, brushing off my sweat-suit laden body. Stupid mutt, I thought.

Grumbling I jogged down the stairs and through the kitchen, dining room and past the living room, to the foyer. I grinned down at my dog and threw open the door, I noticed it was raining but my smile just widened and jogged down the steps, shutting the door behind me I listened to the pounding of my dogs feet.

My parents were almost always gone on “business trips” so I was almost always alone, besides major holidays. Including Christmas and my birthday, among few others, there were gone on their birthday’s too. I guess I reminded them of my sister too much. She had been murdered years previously when she was visiting her friend that had a baby who lived near Mission City. End of story, I wasn’t told how she was killed, so I don’t dwell on it. And, she was fourteen years older than me so she was out of the house before I even started pre-school.

By the time I came out of my reverie I had made it to a fork in the road. One street lead to the coffee shop right outside the downtown area, another led to a biking trail and a school. But, yet another led to the lake, a place of relaxing for me. So, despite the lateness and darkened sky I decided to go to the place I called a sanctuary.

As I jogged down that way I passed a man in a heavy trench coat carrying a young boy to a car, with a girl that looked around the age of fourteen followed by an older lady that looked to be thirty-five or so as she waved towards the house where a family of three including a kitten stood waving back. Beyond them through the pouring rain I saw a woman standing at the bus stop, smoking a cigarette that she soon burned out and I grimaced at the foul smell and continued on.
I looked down at Demon when he started growling at a figure across the street and I squinted in the direction and shuddered when I saw a shadow that disappeared as soon as it appeared and pushed a little faster making my way towards the lake. I paused when I heard footsteps behind me and ran harder as they increased in volume until I was running frantically through the streets and glanced back. Big mistake. It was the shadowy figure I had seen earlier and I pushed myself harder and harder.

It truly shocked me that he nearly kept up. The lake was in sight and I almost smiled in relief, but I couldn’t bring myself to find relief as the figure followed me. He (at least I assumed it was a male) was slowly losing his gain on me. I had been the star track/cross country runner in all 3 years of high school I had so far gone through; school had just ended though, 4 days previous actually. I shook my head free of its ponytail and continued my fast pace.

The steps got harder and faster but not closer, though I pushed myself as fast as I could without tiring myself too quickly, Demon ran alongside me, I looked behind again to see the figure falling behind considerably, however I continued running, I made it to the lake and was close enough to touch the water if I so desired, but I kept on running, with the water beside me and running down my face as the rain took control of my sight.

I couldn’t even find comfort in the fact that I knew the lake was at my side or in the fact I knew in the back of my mind Demon would protect me. I ran on blindly even though I could no longer hear the footsteps of the mystery man. I hadn’t even seen the two large metallic legs in front of me before I ran into them. I cried out as I fell back and landed on my butt, on the muddy ground. Demon growled at it, at the legs that I had run into. I was quite tall and I knew from the moment I looked up, I had not just run into a metal monster, taller than my house. I had run into something much bigger. I had run into a new life and something I wouldn’t outrun, fate. My eyes travelled from the metal legs, to the stomach, to the torso, shoulders, neck, and finally the face. I screamed with all the strength I had in me, I screamed for all I was worth as I looked into the face of a robot. I sat on the ground, frozen, as the only thing moving, was my voice box and my lungs as they strained to keep up with my screams. I stared into the blue optics of a robot and I couldn’t understand a thing. Not even the footsteps of the man that had pursued me, not the rush of the rain as it pounded into the lake water that had once served as a comfort zone for me. I couldn’t hear the growling and snapping of my ever faithful dog. I couldn’t even feel the rain as it fell upon me, nor the pounding of my heart in my chest.

My voice finally died out and I stood shakily and gaped at the metal woman, who I noticed for the first time had friends that also stared down at my shocked figure. They all had blue optics as well and I met each and every pair of them in turn. The tallest one’s optics looked at me with authority and the obvious, shock well everyone’s were filled with, shock, worry, or apprehension. In my shock I didn’t notice the figure had made it to me until he grabbed me. The hands of all the robots reached for me.

The man did not notice them as I gasped at the hold on my shoulder. He spun me around and I tripped, falling to the ground. The only thing he did notice however was the almost abnormally large German Sheppard that bit at him and snarled. I crawled backwards and ran, unknowingly, straight into the awaiting hands of a female robot. I didn’t care as she raised me towards her, small, however strong and sturdy frame. I did notice however when I was suddenly looking down on the man who was trying to fend off my dog.

“Leave him alone! Leave my dog alone!” I yelled out at him and tried to jump off the hands that were holding me yet no matter how hard I tried I couldn’t when they continued to move and place one in front of the other frantically trying to keep me from leaving their grasp. The man glanced towards where he had thought I had been to see the same pair of robotic legs I had seen.

The man’s bright blue, almost glowing, eyes widened in terror while he backed away and I could’ve laughed as Demon continued to attack the man. He stared at the robots in the same manner I did, and that reminded me, what exactly they were and what was holding me. My movement turned frantic as I scrambled towards the edge. The metal giant’s progress increased as she moved even faster and as an idea came to mind I acted it out quick as possible. I reversed and the female had no time to react as I fell out of her hands. Servo reached and human scrambled when I fell in a crouch at her feet, standing, I ran with Demon on my heels. I ran past a young woman as well as a man who had come out of tents and stared as I shot by.

I didn’t – No, I couldn’t stop running till I made it to my house. I knew the way so the still-pouring rain didn’t matter as it dripped from my now tangled hair and eyelashes. Once I opened the door Demon rushed past me and I collapsed against the closed door in sobs. The tears were released without permission as they added to the wetness on my cheeks. Demon sat beside my hunched figure and laid his head in my lap I could’ve smiled as I pet my dog. After a few moments of silence I carefully pushed my dogs head off my lap and stood slowly, making my way to the kitchen I pulled out some pizza crust, sauce, cheese and toppings. I had always cooked when I was upset, it always calmed me down. I grabbed a rolling pin, and a pan. I proceeded to roll out the dough and spread on the sauce when the phone rang. I jolted at the intrusion of the almost horror movie-like silence. I ran towards it as Demon barked and I shushed him when he loped towards me. I glanced at the contact ID and groaned in annoyance. My parents, “Hello?” I asked dryly.

“Hi sweetie! We met a few old friends that are visiting Sydney Australia after Tokyo and we wanted to catch up a little! So we will be gone for about 3 or 4 more months! In case you don’t have enough money, I’m sending you a check!” I snickered.

“Course you’ll be gone,” I muttered under my breath. I forced a smile and spoke louder, more cheerfully. “Yeah! Okay! Uh, I guess I’ll see ya later, and I don’t need anymore money, I received enough last time.” Honestly she always sent far too much. I already had what I wanted. An awesome protection dog, my favorite type of car, all my own and a mansion to myself, almost all the time, anything I wanted to eat anytime I wanted, who could want more?

“No! You do need more darling! I hardly sent any last time! Business is skyrocketing, it’s fine and I already sent it anyway! We will see you soon! You are welcome to go on the trip to Hawaii, remember? I sent the tickets and there are multiple tickets for your friends as well.” At that moment I heard a large clang in the background and I raised an eyebrow. “Oh my gosh I’m sorry honey I have to go to the meeting, that was the bell they set up to inform me and your father.” I rolled my eyes, always the obvious things, “Anyways I’ll see you in four months! I love you Jasmine!”

“Yeah, see you in four months Kayla.” I muttered and slammed the phone down, grumbling. I stormed upstairs and grabbed my iPod stereo and stormed back down stairs and passed Demon who was curled on a reclining leather chair. I plugged in my iPod touch and blasted a random song, which happened to be Over by Drake. And I sang along with the music as I returned to the cooking of pizza. “I swear it feels like the last few nights we been everywhere and back but, I just can’t remember it all. What am I doin, what am I doin? Oh yeah that’s right I’m doin me, I’m doin me! I’m livin life right now man, and this what imma do till its over, till its over. But, its far from over.” I grinned and started dancing in place as thoughts of giant robots fled and murderous thoughts of parents dissipated. “Aight, bottles on me long as someone drank it. Never drop the ball, what the f*** are yall thinkin? Makin shorty young money, ship is never sinkin, bout to set it off, set it off jada pinkett. I shouldn’t drove, tell me how I getting home. You too fine to be layin down in bed alone! I could teach ya how to speak my language Rosetta Stone, I swear this life is like the sweetest thang I’ve eva known. Bout to go gorilla Mike Jackson on these n****s all I need’s a f***in red jacket with some zippers!” and that’s how it went until three, when the pizza was finished, and I was on the couch curled up with the pizza, Demon and watching some comedy about a family that wasn’t really a family, and were pretending they were a family so their old friends wouldn’t judge them, and the teenagers fell into some trap set for criminals that had stolen loads of money with an vain photographer and a German scientist. I fell asleep later, oblivious to the Shelby mustang disguised Cybertronian mech that stared at me in curiosity and wonder as I slept.

9 hours later (12:00 noon, May 27)


I groaned as I sat up, “Gosh, stupid headaches.” I mumbled as I closed my eyes and leaned back against the couch while Demon trotted up to me. As I looked down I noticed I was wearing a blue tank top and white basket ball shorts and groaned again as I remembered the previous nights events with disbelief. “But it was real,” I yelled out loud to nothing and no one in particular. I sat in anger before pain shot through the front of my head.

I stood and stomped upstairs, to my bathroom and headache medicine. I opened the doors with hate and grabbed the headache medicine. I opened the bottle and dumped out two of the small round tablets. I put the bottle back and walked back downstairs to the kitchen and the Pepsi. I grabbed a two liter of the first soda I saw and unscrewed the lid. I popped the tablets in my mouth and downed it with a gulp of soda. I slammed down the bottle and the liquid fizzed slightly before settling back down. I stared at the bubbles and took another gulp and it spewed from my mouth when I saw my best friend Lilli sitting at the counter as she drank orange juice and read the newspaper. I screamed and she glanced up nodded at me and returned to reading. I gaped at her and screamed again.

“What the heck Lilli?” I slowly approached my friend in near fear. She glanced back up at me, raised an eyebrow and shook her head at me. I narrowed my eyes in suspicion. I tapped her head and looked her in the eyes. “Are you experiencing any memory loss, sudden mood changes, suicidal thoughts or murder attempts?” I asked her seriously.

She laughed and looked at me oddly, “Are you?” she asked with an eyebrow still raised questioningly.

“You’re in my house!” she gaped at me before breaking out in hysterical laughter.

“W-well obviously!” she cackled and lowered her head. When she raised it again after halting in her hysterics, she saw me and started snickering.

“WHY?” I screeched and she flinched.

“Because I was bored, hungry and I didn’t want to cook!” Lilli scoffed as if it was totally normal, well for her it was.

“Well you should’ve gone to a bakery or something!” I whispered in defeat.

“I didn’t want to go all that way, and I didn’t want to have to get my wallet!” she groaned and sat back in the spinning stool. I sighed and walked towards the fridge.

“Get the big pan out, and you do like soy sauce on your stir fry right?” I turned towards her after I grabbed all ingredients, she nodded and hopped up and over the counter while I set the stuff out for the dish.

“Course I do Ivy!” I growled at her and snatched a nearby spatula and threw it at her.

“Don’t call me that!” I screeched and threw a potato masher at Lilli’s ducking figure. As she opened the pantry doors and ducked behind one, laughing at me. “Uck! You are so annoying! I see no point in cooking for you!” I spat at her.

She straightened and became silent. “No I’m good! Friendly!” she turned and grabbed the soy sauce then the skillet quickly. I grinned at her turned back and couldn’t resist sticking my tongue out at her. She turned and I looked down and busied myself immediately. Lilli set the skillet on the large stove top and the soy sauce on the counter. “So, Jazz?” I sighed and motioned for her to continue as I proceeded to chop the veggies and the meat. “How ya been doin? I haven’t seen ya in a while.”

It was then the events of the previous night revealed themselves again. I clenched my jaw and debated telling my friend. I shook my head and mentally refused “I’ve been good but I was stalked by a total creeper last night.” The statement made her eyes widen and jaw drop. So I told her about the shadowy man, but not the giant robots.

“Oh my gosh!” she stared at me and her nostrils flared in anger and I nodded.

“Yeah he had the whole thing going for him too! He had a long tan trench coat and sunglasses and a matching hat.” I shuddered, “I couldn’t really see his face, his glasses fell off at some point though so I could see his eyes and if they weren’t creepy I don’t know what is! They were almost glowing, they were super bright blue!” I whispered, and I mean they were as scary as heck!

“Jasmine, it’s okay he’s gone he isn’t gonna come back, your safe, he isn’t going to let you get hurt.” My best friend soothed me as she rubbed my back comfortingly.


“I know but still, he looked like he wouldn’t hurt me Lil but I couldn’t take it, I-I was so scared, people just don’t DO that Lilli, oh God Lilli!” I swallowed the tears that came unbidden, but I still stumbled over the words as I clutched the edge of the counter.
The timer dinged after a few moments and I pivoted towards the oven, in an attempt to get away from the conversation, and shifted the skillet to a burner that wasn’t hot as the rice finished too. I stood on tip toes and grabbed a plate for each of us, and felt my shirt ride up my stomach and set the plates down, pulling down the tank top I watched as Lilli reached for the soy sauce and laughed when she reached even farther and fell straight out the chair.

“Mffft!” she moaned from a facedown position on the floor as I leaned against the metal fridge in laughter. “Your floor is really hard!” she groaned as she got up. I nodded, still fighting giggles as I grabbed the soy sauce and my plate and carried them into the living room. “Hey you wanna have a horror movie marathon?” Lilli asked when she came into the room and sat beside me on the L shaped couch. I debated the question for a moment. Hmm be scared out of my mind with a friend or be scared out of my mind without a friend?

I grinned at my best friend and nodded enthusiastically. “Sounds cool! Why not?” I looked down and frowned. It was actually really hot in the small town of Tranquility during the day, in great contrast to nighttime. “Yeah hold that thought it’s really hot, b-ball shorts really aren’t gonna help that!” I mumbled as I stood and walked up the stairs, pausing in front of the second staircase. It was the staircase that led to my parents room and the library as well as a lounge room and a game room that was rarely used, but included so many games it would put an arcade to shame, it also leaded to an unused master bedroom that faced the backyard and pool which had yet to be used so far, I pondered that fact for a moment as I walked towards my room again, passing the exercise room and the bathroom and large supply closet as well as another bedroom.

When I made it to my room I entered my large closet and plucked a spaghetti strap tight purple tank top and a pair of thin yellow short shorts from a section and walked back out, peeled off the blue tank top and the white basketball shorts and proceeded to pull on the new outfit as I threw the dirty one in a clothes hamper. I bounded to the vanity and grabbed the hairbrush. I ran the brush through my hair and continued to do so until my wavy hair looked as if it took hours instead of minutes. I smiled at my reflection cheerfully and pushed all bad thoughts of giant robots from my mind as well as the fear and decided I would stay in my house for a week or so, so the metal men would forget about me. Hopefully, I thought and went back downstairs, ready for even the scariest of horror movies.

Ratchet’s POV (starting right after food is finished)

I swear, Prime can be extremely ridiculous sometimes, I grumbled to myself as I watched the human female as she talked to a supposed friend. Prime had ordered us to take turns watching her so we knew she didn’t tell anyone. She was cooking a dish called “Stir Fry” as a quick trip to the internet had informed me. I let out a rush of air and sank a little on my wheels and watched as humans stared at my form in wonder and I glared at them, even if they couldn’t see me. after a few more minutes I tuned into the girls conversation.

“Yeah so as I was saying this guy was following me, and Demon was running with me, right beside me. The awesome dog he is.” As I looked she stooped down and petted the dog that had been with her last me, as he lay on the floor. “He scared the heck out of me too! But, the weirdest thing was, he nearly kept up with me. I outran him by the time I got to the lake.” She paused and I tensed in anticipation, was she going to tell her friend? “But then I fell and he grabbed me. He ran away though when Demon attacked him, yeah, such a good puppy!” Puppy?! I internally shouted, that dog was huge for his breed. Far too big for his breed, as a German Sheppard he was huge! I grumbled to myself inside my cab, not even Mikaela had come today. “Yeah, I literally thought he was gonna kill me, rape me,” I could see the slight shudder that ran up her spine as she spoke. “or shoot me. Yeah he had the whole thing going for him too! He had a long tan trench coat and sunglasses and a matching hat. I couldn’t really see his face, his glasses fell off at some point though so I could see his eyes and if they weren’t creepy I don’t know what is! They were almost glowing, they were super bright blue!” If I was in root mode I would have gaped, glowing blue eyes? Well frag! I sent a ping to Optimus,


Prime! The girl! She said- I started but he interrupted me quickly.


What did she say?! Did she tell someone! The leaders voice erupted through my processor and I grinned wryly.


No, and if you hadn’t interrupted you would already know, now wouldn’t you? But she says the man that chased her last night, well I think I’ll just send you the content. I finished awkwardly. I dug out the information of the recent conversation, and sent it in a data burst. I waited a moment as the human females conversed.


“Jasmine, it’s okay he’s gone he isn’t gonna come back, your safe, he isn’t going to let you get hurt.” The friend soothed as she rubbed Jasmines back.


“I know but still, he looked like he wouldn’t hurt me Lil but I couldn’t take it, I-I was so scared, people just don’t DO that Lilli, oh God Lilli!” she choked out and leaned against the counter, but my engine rumbled slightly and I growled minutely. As if we would let some human man hurt a female in such a way! The thought came from the back of my processor and I had to agree, no Autobot would let a human get hurt if we could help it.


Primus! She thought that would really happen to her? I would never have allowed such a thing! Optimus Prime’s voice rang through my cranial unit loud, angry.


Me either, none of us would, not even the twins. I mean they are evil vain glitches that care about almost nothing-


Ratchet, get on with it.


Ah yes sorry sir. But, even they wouldn’t let such a thing happen! I yelled at the leader in anger, And, the eyes, I did not see the mans eyes, not even his face when Arcee picked Jasmine up. I could almost feel my leaders nod as he contemplated.


Neither could I, but I must go. Prowl has called some sort of meeting.


Yes sir. I will report later if anything is to happen. With that I shut down the link and watched as Jasmine turned as a timer shoved into the silence. She moved the pan and waited for the rice. As soon as it was done, she stood as tall as she could and reached for the top shelf which stored plates. I couldn’t tear my eyes away from the piece of skin that showed as the top stretched over the toned, tan stomach. After a moment of her struggling for the high plates she got them and set them down. She pulled down the tank top and I watched in amusement as Lilli reached for the soy sauce and nearly laughed when she stretched too far and gravity pulled her down and she fell out of the stool she sat on.

“Mffft!” the girl moaned as she lay on the floor, and I scanned her as she lay. “Your floor is really hard!” she spoke as she sat up, before standing, and it looked painful for a human of her size. “Hey you wanna have a horror movie marathon?” Lilli questioned and I watched as she sat down beside Jasmine on an L shaped couch. Then I was forced to move around to the back of the very large house, as she claimed she needed to change. I slowly transformed in a quiet spinning of gears shifting and I stood crouched, out of the way of any and all human possessions, so as not to destroy the yard as with what happened to Sam Witwicky’s backyard. I recalled the incident with glee and kept an optic trained on Jasmine, and one on Lilli, though I gave the former privacy (even if she didn’t know I was there, she deserved it) as she changed. The rest of the night went quickly and calmly, besides the discordant screeches of the humans as they were frightened by the fictional movies. Needless to say I was assigned to human watch. Meh.