As I made my way to where the Persocoms stood on their stands, I bumped hard into a girl ahead of me. She turned around and glared.

"Watch it, bitch," she hissed. "I've been standing here for three hours, and if I don't get one I want, I'll blame YOU for it."

I raised my eyebrow at her, but kept quiet. I knew that my small figure would help me here; I needed to slip through the crowd to look around. I began weaving my way through people, careful not to tread on any toes. I knew I was getting closer; I could see the shapes of them, standing straight up against the podium. I grinned, pushing harder as I tried to got nearer – but suddenly, people soon got the hint of what I was doing. They pushed me hard, some swearing, some nodding and looking at my firmly. Soon, I was back out of the crowd, on the other side of the shop.

I sighed angrily; did they not know how desperate I was for one of these? I had waited days, months YEARS... and finally, I may have had the chance to have one.

But NO. They were too goddamn selfish to let me get to them.

I decided this was not the time to give up – these kind of sales didn't last more than a day, and by the look on the exasperated Shop-managers face, he was planning to close pretty soon.

I was correct.

"Okay people!" he cried. "The sale is now officially over! Please take your purchases and leave."

There were a few disappointed groans, a few muttered swear words, but more than likely was a whoop of delight as people wheeled packages out of the door, broad grins on her faces. I noticed that the girl who had called me a bitch looked particularly smug as she wheeled hers out. She looked at me, and stifled a laugh as she saw I was Persocom-less. She walked out, her head high in the air.

I hoped that a bird would crap on her face.

I sighed unhappily, letting everyone else leave before heading for the door. As I did, I looked down at the ground and gasped; a beautiful Persocom lay on the ground, its clothes trampled and torn, a tear in its skin-like exterior. I dropped to its side immediately, before calling out to the manager.

"Excuse me!" I cried, my hands wanting to touch the Persocom, but too scared. "Ummm, Manager! Emergency over here..."

I heard him scuffling in the back, before his footsteps became closer. He began to tut loudly as he saw the damaged Persocom lying on the ground.

"I was worried this would happen," he said in a sombre tone. "Every time one of them gets wrecked and I have to throw it out."

He began to gather her up in his arms, stumbling over its weight (I had read that when off, it was extremely heavy, but when turned on it was a lot lighter, hardly anything). I looked at it, and watched sadly as her arms hung limply, her beautiful ringlet-styled dark brown hair dragging along the ground. The Persocom looked dead, totally and utterly defenceless.

I felt a pang shoot in my heart.

"Wait!" I cried. I ran to the manager and grasped his arm. "You can't just... just... destroy her! She's a Persocom, she'll heal! She can be fixed!"

He smiled sympathetically down at me, before shaking his head.

"She is quite an old model... they don't fix her type anymore for a reasonable fee. I'd fix her myself, but I really don't have the time. It's a shame," he continued, shrugging a little.

"But there will be newer, more beautiful models."

I didn't know what to do; even with her ripped 'skin', she still seemed fine. I stood in front of the manager and said quietly,

"Let me buy her."

His eyebrow shot up, his mouth forming the words slowly as if I had to hear them clearly.

"A Persocom is not a human being – she will not feel being destroyed. And you should try purchasing a newer model – they can do more things, connect to the internet faster and have many more accessories. Although she may be a computer, she is the best no longer. There are many more for you, Miss... Miss..."

"Katai," I replied hastily, before grasping his arm again. "Please, sir. I want her. I'll pay a reasonable price for her, even if she is slightly damaged. What was her price before this happened?"

Something flashed in his eyes as he saw me pull notes out of my pocket; he smiled at me, before placing the Persocom on a desk.

"She was $8460... but now she is damaged I would feel like I was taking advantage if I didn't ask for less. She is a good Persocom," he mused. "That's why I was selling her on sale for a higher price than some..."

He looked at me, before saying confidently,

"What if we half the price, hmmm? $4230?"

My eyes widened – seriously? That amount? My eyes wandered to the 'injured' Persocom and wondered if it was worth it. I had about $7000 saved, but that much for a Persocom...was she worth it?

"I can assure you that her damage will not impair her much," he said earnestly, walking behind the cash register and pinging open the drawer. He stared at me hopefully.

It was sink or swim time... was I so desperate for a Persocom that I would pay my money for one that was damaged? One that was an older model than some?

I made up my mind.

"Fine," I said clearly, my hand shaking as I passed him some money. "I'll take h-her."

The manager beamed at me, before handing me some coins change. He reached into a drawer and pulled out some material that looked like bandage tape.

"This is just to keep her limbs together as you're taking her home," he told me, expertly wrapping it around her. After pinning it safely, he fished inside a file and handed me a small chip. It blinked at me as I took it.

"This is to insert wherever you feel necessary," he said, indicating the Persocom. "This is what gives her memory. I'd put in a place where no-one but her Mistress can get to."

As his eyes drifted down to below her midriff, my eyes widened; was he serious? I looked into his eyes and realised immediately that he was. I smiled and nodded, but secretly thinking how sick that was.

"Right, thanks," I grinned confidently. "Thanks so much. Anything else I should have?"

He nodded, and pulled out an instruction kit and after a few moments of searching through drawers, he handed me a piece of paper.

"These are her details," he explained as he pointed at the flimsy bit of paper he had handed me. "And these are your instructions on how to use her to your advantage."

I was sure that I saw him give another lecherous stare, but I ignored it. I pulled the Persocom towards me, looking at her one more time before asking politely,

"Would you mind helping getting her back to my flat? She's heavy like this, and I could so with some strong masculine help."

At those words, his chest puffed up as he placed her across his shoulders and began to stumble towards the door.

I followed him, exhilaration flowing through my body as we walked the few blocks to my apartment.