I apologise in advance for Jose's name. I realise he should have an accent on the e, but my computer isn't cooperating. And if I spelled any other names wrong, oops. I didn't mean to.

I claim no ownership to anything in this fic that isn't lawfully, or rightfully, mine. Including characters, settings, etc. This should all go without saying, however, seeing as this IS fanfiction.

NOTE: The number of periods in a row mark a slight passage in time.

Cybersix ran. She ran as fast as she could, but she knew she couldn't make it out. She only had a few seconds left. Even if she could get out of the building, the explosion would still destroy her. It would destroy her and Data 7. She didn't want it to end like this. Not for Data 7. She had to make it...

5... 4... 3...

It was so close, and yet...

2... 1... 0...

The countdown reached zero just as her palm struck the door. This was it. This was the end. She heard the "island" explode, and was suddenly enveloped in bright white light.

Where am I? She thought. This couldn't be what an explosion was like. There was supposed to be rushing torrents of fiery death. Not a sudden appearance of white light. Cybersix was utterly confused, and only became more so when she felt her feet hit something solid.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

"Cybersix." She heard a female voice call her name. Cybersix opened her eyes, and saw that she was lying on the ground, on a cliff, somewhere near Meridiana. Groaning, she got up, and saw the person that the voice must belong to. She was tall, and graceful. Her black hair fell in smooth waves past her shoulders, and her blue eyes sparkled. She wore a full- length white dress, that almost looked like the stolas the women of ancient Rome used to wear. There seemed to be a faint light coming from her, and her hair moved in a breeze that only she could feel.

"Who, who are you?" Cybersix asked, now very, very curious. So much so that she barely noted Data 7's appearance at her side. He was, like herself, completely unharmed.

"I am Meridia, patron goddess of the city of Meridiana. Although the citizens forgot of me long ago, I still love them, and my city, and do everything in my power to protect it. But as the citizens memories of me have diminished, my power to protect the city diminished with it. I could no longer protect the city the way it needed. That's when Von Reichter and Jose moved in.

"I thought my city was doomed for sure. And then you arrived. You saved my city, Cybersix. For that I am eternally grateful, and am forever in your debt," Meridia looked at Cybersix and smiled, "I will grant you and Data 7 anything you wish. Name it, and it is yours." Meridia looked at Cybersix expectantly. She was waiting to grant them something, right here, right now.

"So it was you who saved us from the explosion?" Cybersix asked, still somewhat confused by this entire ordeal, "If that's so, isn't that enough to make us even? I saved your city and you saved my life."

"Ah, Cybersix, you still do not understand. I am the patron goddess of this city, and as such, this city and its inhabitants mean more to me than my life does. You saved not only my life, and the lives of many of my citizens, but also my purpose. I have only begun to fulfill my debt to you and Data 7 by saving your lives. Now, what is it that you wish for most? I can grant you even your deepest desire. Anything you wish is yours, just so long as it doesn't harm my city." Cybersix had to think. She won't be satisfied until she grants a wish to each of us. But what to wish for? What is my deepest desire? Cybersix thought about this a few moments more, searching her soul for the answer. If only she had something like that Mirror of Erised she had read about in the Harry Potter books. Something like that would certainly come in handy now. But she didn't. So, she had to do it herself. Lucas... she thought. No, wait! There is something I want more than Lucas... But what? Cybersix had finally hit on it. The thing she wanted most was...

"I wish I were human," she said. She wasn't sure if the goddess could do this, but she had to try. Meridia just smiled.

"I am glad you wished for what you truly wanted. Now please, stay still. This will only take a moment," Meridia closed her eyes, and raised her arms. After a few seconds, she lowered her arms, and opened her eyes, "It is done. You are now human. Go home, and abandon your life as Adrian Siedelman. You no longer need to hide." With that, the image of the goddess started to fade.

"Wait!" Cybersix yelled, "What about Data 7?" Meridia had not given Data 7 a wish. Cybersix hadn't even heard him speak. Or growl. Or make any sort of noise.

"Data 7 has had his wish. Good bye Cybersix and Data 7, and thank- you!" Her image finally gone, Cybersix turned to her brother.

"I don't feel any different Data 7. What was your wish, anyway?" Cybersix knelt down in front of her brother, wanting him to tell her, but knowing her couldn't.

"I wished that I could communicate properly. You have no idea how frustrating it is to try to tell someone that you want a turkey sandwich in grunts and growls and meows," Data 7 said, and quite clearly at that. Cybersix fell backwards. Did Data 7, her panther brother, just speak?

"Data 7, did you just talk, or have I gone crazy?" She asked, seriously concerned for her sanity. Did all humans think like this?

"Don't worry. You're completely sane. I can talk." Data 7 said, starting towards their apartment, "Oh, and by the way," He said, turning to Cybersix, "Hurry up and come home. I want a turkey sandwich, and I can't make one myself. I am still a panther, after all." With that, Data 7 ran for home. Cybersix could just stand and watch, until he again turned, and this time yelled:

"Hurry up Cybersix! I'm hungry!" Laughing to herself, Cybersix started running after him, and felt the difference between human and cyber. She was getting tired very quickly.