Rick, or Lyla, watched as the world faded into view around her. She was in a room sitting in a chair across from a desk. In a few moments a woman with a folder came in and sat down at the desk. She opened up the folder and looking at Lyla said, "Welcome to the cyber world Lyla, I'm Ms. Storm. I just need a little bit more information before we can put you in a family." She looks at the folder and says, "Your file says that you're an adult male in the real world. Is that correct?"
"Yes it is," Lyla said noticing the sound of her voice.
Ms. Storm made a note and asked, "Why did you choose to be a twelve year old girl?"
Lyla looked down and said, "Well I've always believed that I should have been born a girl. I wanted to be the girl I was supposed to be and I've felt like I should be around twelve or thirteen."
"I see," Ms. Storm said writing something down. "Why do you want to be adopted?"
"I figured I should have a cyber family since I'm twelve here."
"Are you willing to be adopted into a mixed family?"
Lyla figured that this meant that she could be adopted into a family that were of a different species which she didn't mind. She smiled and said, "I don't mind being in a mixed family."
"Would you be willing to have same sex parents if they would like to adopt you?"
"I don't mind having same sex parents."
"Are you going to live in the cyber world?"
"I really hadn't given it much thought," Lyla admitted shrugging.
Ms. Storm finished writing then said, "Well that's all we need. Now if you'll follow me I'll show you around the adoption center."
After the tour was over Ms. Storm left Lyla in the recreation room with all the other kids waiting to be adopted. One of them came over to her. She was green and had what appeared to be flowers growing all over her. "Hello there," she said smiling. "I'm Rosabel Moss and I'm a Florasapien. What's your name and what are you?"
Lyla giggled and said, "I'm Lyla Rose and I'm human."
"Want to be friends?" Rosabel asked with a smile.
"I'd love to be friends," Lyla said bouncing with joy and excitement.
"That's great," Rosabel said hugging Lyla. "We should be able to stay in touch unless we become slaves or sex slaves."
"You mean that it's true that the cyber world is almost lawless?" Lyla asked in a hushed whisper. She had heard that the cyber world was pretty lawless before but she didn't believe it.
"Oh it's true," Rosabel said with all the conviction one could possess. "I've heard that some of the girls and boys here ended up as some type of slave after being adopted."
"Couldn't they just exit the cyber world if they become slaves?" Lyla asked a bit confused.
"Well of course they could," Rosabel said rolling her eyes. "However most of them spent a lot of time creating their avatars and they don't want to just abandon them."
Before Lyla could say anything else Ms. Storm came back in and said, "There's someone here who would like to adopt you Lyla."
"Already?" Lyla asked sure she must have misheard.
"Yes already," Ms. Storm said smiling. "Now come with me to meet your potential family."
Rosabel hugged Lyla for a few moments before letting go. She handed Lyla a piece of paper and said, "This is my contact information. Please write to me soon."
"I will," Lyla promised with a smile. She didn't want to leave her new friend so soon but she really didn't have much of a choice. With a tear in her eye she followed Ms. Storm wondering who was adopting her.